The Adornment of Gods- Rare Objects from The Amrapali Jewels Museum

Since the very beginning of Amrapali's journey into the realm of jewellery and jewelled objects, we observed a surfeit of motifs and designs that spoke to us beyond their literal meaning. The trajectory of Indian thought and philosophy that influenced these design details slowly became evident to us as did the narratives planted by people who helped us source these wondrous treasures. In contemporary India, rapid modernisation has meant that the histories and stories of many of these objects are slowly being forgotten. What is fading from public memory is both the use of these objects and awareness about what they depict.

A civilisational strength of the subcontinent has been the continuity of its narrative traditions. Especially our many myths and their depictions across material culture. The gods, goddesses and their stories did not just provide a passive historical narrative but were frequently invoked across an individual's rite of passage. These momentous occasions are thus celebrated using jewellery and sacred objects which conjure divine presence through symbols, sacred forms and, very often, a depiction of the gods. This book is the first to celebrate the intricate relationship between India's mythology and her jewelled arts.

**Contents and Sample Pages**