Review
Working together with the author over the last fifteen years, I realised the comprehensiveness and interrelatedness of geography in shaping and creating the sacredscapes and ritualscapes that have now considered as a way for new vision in the era of New Age. The results presented here are based on co-sharing and deeper interaction that were presented in several papers during last two decades, however the essays are updated, revised and expanded with a fresh writ of integrity, harmony, cultural astronomical reflections, and profusely illustrated design and figures to which Rana Singh is a master craftsman. In the UN International Year of Astronomy (2009) this book will serve as sparking star for new thoughts from India --Prof. John McKim Malville, Emeritus Professor, Astrophysics & Planetary Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, U.S.A
Product Description
Throughout the Indian subcontinent there are territories and areas wherein culture, geography, and the archetypal cosmos interact with each other to create a sacredscape that is infused with meaning, cultural performances and transcendent power. These sacred sites possess extensive mythological associations where believed that spirit can cross between different realms. In a broad perspective such studies falls within the realm of cultural astronomy, which has two broad areas, viz. archaeoastronomy, concerned with the study of the use of astronomy and its role in ancient cultures and civilizations; and ethnoastronomy that studies the use of astronomy and its role in contemporary cultures. The seven essays in this volume deals with the critical appraisal of studying cultural astronomy and cosmic order and its implications in India, illustrated with case studies like heritagescape of Khajuraho, where stone speaks; manescape of Gaya, where manes come and bless the devotees; Deviscape of Vindhyachal, where goddess resorts; Shivascape of Kashi, where Shiva dances in making order; Shaktiscape of Kashi, that possesses the spatial ordering of goddesses; and Naturscape of Chitrakut, where mother earth blesses.
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