Description
White Lotus Shivapada in Khmer Art by Sahai And S
Shivapada in Khmer Art offers a fascinating account of Shiva, the enigmatic god of the Hindu pantheon, ever present on the earth as ascetic, householder, and even as cultivator. Based on the original Sanskrit and Khmer literary sources, and the most recent archaeological research, the narrative developed here lucidly explains Shiva's rule over the dream-space of the Khmer mind and his role as the ultimate teacher, unique dance master, and inexhaustible source of creative energy. This book is the first to place the footprints of Shiva on a par with the more widely known footprints of the Buddha and Vishnu, and explores the cross-cultural Indic, Khmer, and pan-Asian contexts. It is a remarkable rediscovery of nine major temple sites in the former Angkor Empire where Shiva made his presence felt, leaving his footprints as permanent markers of the triumph of ascetic power over worldly temptations. Presenting a theme entirely ignored in previous writings, this is a definitive and indispensable text for the general reader as well as for scholars interested in the cultural anthropology, art, architecture, religion, and mythology of Asia.