The Ganges in Myth and HistoryNo river has kindled Man`s imagination like the Ganges. From its icy origins high in the Himalayas, this sacred river flows through the holy cities and the great plains of northern India to the Bay of Bengal. In a country where the red heat of summer inspires prayer for the coming monsoon, the life-giving waters of the Ganges have assumed legendary powers in the form of the Hindu goddess Ganga, the source of creation and abundance. Pilgrims flock to her shores to cleanse and purify themselves, to cure ailments, and to die that much closer to paradise. Steven Darian writes of the human experience and the legendary myths that surround the Ganges. While collecting material for this book, Dr. Darian lived by the Ganges, explored her shores, and was a pilgrim to the Ganga Sagar festival at Sagar Island off Calcutta where the sacred river and the ocean merge. |
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A good primer on a glorious river.contains rare photographs.
Contents
The Town of Badrinath beneath Nilakantha Peak | 4 |
Vasudhara Falls Source of the Alakananda near Badrinath | 6 |
The Temple at Badrinath | 7 |
The Ice Cave at Gomukh Source of the Bhagirathi | 10 |
The Waters of Creation | 14 |
Descent of the Ganges Mamallapuram Seventh Century | 21 |
Naga King Mamallapuram | 22 |
Naga Queen Mamallapuram | 23 |
Vishnu Shiva Jahnu and Mount Meru in a Pool at Ganjam Depicting the Descent of the Ganges | 28 |
The Story of Ganga at Pattadakal Bhagiratha Ganga and the Vasus | 33 |
Ganga the Sage Kapila the Sons of Sagara and the Elephant Virupaksha Pattadakal | 34 |
The Indus Legacy | 39 |
The Transformation of Myth | 58 |
The New Vision | 79 |
Ganga Shiva and the Hindu Temple | 97 |
The Image of Ganga in Indian Art | 114 |
Shiva and the Sage Bhagiratha Mamallapuram | 24 |
Men and Celestials Mamallapuram | 25 |
Couple Observing the Descent of the Ganges Mamal lapuram | 26 |
The Ganges in Bengal | 135 |
The Image of Ganga in the West | 161 |
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Common terms and phrases
Agni Allahabad ancient animal appears Archaeological Artemis Aryan Asia Badrinath Banaras bathing Bengal Bhagiratha Bhagirathi Bharhut birth boat Brahman Buddhist Calcutta cave celestial century B.C. Chatra Courtesy crocodile culture Delhi delta descent descent of Ganga describes door guardian early earth east Figure flowing Ganga and Yamuna Ganges Valley Ganges water Gaur gods Hastinapura heaven Himalayas Hindu Hindu temple human image of Ganga India Indian art indigenous Indus journey Kailasa king kumbha later lingam literature lotus Mahabharata makara Mauryan medieval Mela mentioned merchants miles mother mountain Muslim myth Naga ocean paradise Pataliputra Pattadakal pilgrims pillar plants port Prayag Purana region religious Rig Veda ritual river goddess role sacred Sagara Sanchi Sarasvati sculpture serpent settlers seventh century ships Shiva stone stream stupa symbol Tamralipti theme thousand tion trade tradition Travels Tree Goddess underworld vahana vase Vedic vegetal village Vishnu woman worship yaksha Yamuna
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Ganges in Myth and History History and Culture Series |
| Author | Steven G. Darian |
| Edition | illustrated, reprint |
| Publisher | Motilal Banarsidass Publ., 2001 |
| ISBN | 8120817575, 9788120817579 |
| Length | 219 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |