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Śilparatnakośa
(KMS No. 16)

A Glossary of Orissan Temple Architecture
by
Sthapaka Niranjana Mahapatra

Critically edited with English translation and illustrations by
BETTINA BAUMER and RAJENDRA PRASAD DAS

1994, ix+228 pp.,illus., plates, gloss., bibl., indexes, ISBN: 81-208-1216-0, Rs 400 (HB)

The Silparatnakosa is a seventeenth century Orissan text describing all the parts of the temple and the most important temple types of Orissa, such as the Manjusri and Khakara. It also contains a chapter on sculpture and an appendix on image-making. The text, though much later than the temples described, reflects the still living tradition and contributes much to clarify the terminology of Orissan temple architecture.

The text also contains interesting references to the symbolism of the temple and its elements. The most important contribution of this text, however, lies in the identification of the Manjusri temple with the Sricakra, which has helped the editors to re-identify the Rajarani Temple at Bhubaneswar as a temple dedicated to Rajarajesvari in the form of Sricakra. The text has been edited from three palm leaf manuscripts and translated with numerous illustrations, line drawings and plates.
 
 

BETTINA BAUMER, a Sanskritist and Indologist is Director of Research of the Alice Boner Foundation in Varanasi. Her special fields of research are Kashmir Saivism, Silpa Sastra of Orissa as well as interreligious studies and comparative mysticism. She is the author of Upanishaden, Befreiung zum Sein and the editor of Rupa Pratirupa, Alice Boner Commemoration Volume and has several other works to her credit.

RAJENDRA PRASAD DAS, a noted archaeologist and historian, is also a creative writer in Oriya. After serving in the Archaeological Survey of India, he worked as Professor of History and Deputy Director of Education in Orissa. He is co-author of the important book by Alice Boner, New Light on the Sun temple of Konarka (1972).

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