Consciousness, Literature and the Arts
Archive
Volume 7 Number 2, August 2006
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Harsha V. Dehejia. Leaves of a pipal tree: aesthetic reflections on some Hindu myths and symbols. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2005. 186 p. ISBN 81-208-2760-0 (hardback).
reviewed by
University of California, Santa Barbara
This book offers a refreshingly different aesthetic and non-theistic analysis of some of the major Hindu myths and symbols, as represented in painting, sculpture, metalwork, and the other arts from antiquity to the present. The book is richly illustrated, with numerous examples from Hindu art. The author has an interesting background, with a double doctorate in medicine and ancient Indian culture, a professor of religion at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, as well as a practicing physician.
Extensive discussion regarding many of the major Hindu deities is provided, such as Ganesa, Sakti, Kamadeva, and Siva Parvati. Examination of Hindu artwork as art is also provided, such as a chapter on when an object is not just an object. Certain Hindu texts and their illustrations are examined as well, such as the Nayika of Srngara Rasa, the Rangamandapa, and the Adbhuta Rasa. The author provides a unique perspective of Hinduism, given his background and educational qualifications. He states that the movement from the aniconic classical tradition to a profusely iconic one in Hindu society can be attributed to five major factors: the rich folk/popular tradition based on images and icons, especially the Indus valley civilization; temple-building; the introduction of Buddhism and its images of the Buddha; the ancient art of dance and its representation; and the influx of Puranic myths, which provided a rich source of topics and beings for artists. Perspectives from ancient Hindu traditions and myths are juxtaposed and compared alongside modern Hindu interpretations and symbols of these same traditions and myths. A nice coffee-table book, as well as a rich scholarly resource for inclusion in any art or academic library.