IMAGE-INDIA

Discovering the unseen (or lesser-known) heritage

   Why this endeavour?
Each time I have travelled in  India,  it has been an eye-opener.   Ravaged by time, pillaged and plundered by conquering invaders and colonial lords - little of India's historical legacy survives intact. But what does, can often be stunning and amazing.  Even the much photographed Taj Mahal with its poignantly balanced proportions evokes a sense of awe and wonder. But India is much more than the Taj - it is a diverse medley of numerous aesthetic traditions that give its art and architecture a vitality that can engross and inspire  even today. 

Unfortunately, much of this heritage is little known. It survives precariously in small towns and obscure villages, rarely photographed, and documented only in a few infrequently read texts. This endeavor is a modest effort to rectify the balance. 

Unlike the portfolios of many others who have photographed or written about India, this is not intended to be a record of what is curious or bizarre; or another brilliantly detached survey of India's teeming crowds and impoverished citizens. Neither do I wish it to be  an exotic or mystical fantasy.  On the contrary, I hope to make this a compilation of images that presents India's historical record in a way that is both illuminating and evocative, useful and intriguing for lay readers and professional scholars and historians alike. 

Surviving artifacts and monuments frequently provide the best clues as to how a civilization may have developed and matured, (or stagnated, or passed into a phase of decline). Often, the visual record can reveal more than what can be gleaned from other sources. Colonization and its lingering effects have led to many distortions in the analysis and interpretation of the Indian legacy. Too many scholars, both in India, and abroad, continue to misjudge the Indian past. Wittingly (or unwittingly) their writings emanate from old paradigms, with their accompanying biases and tendency towards hegemonic generalizations.  Greater exposure and awareness of India's monumental and creative heritage could help in correcting some of the most common misperceptions about India's past.

Just as the earth is geographically diverse, so too has been the cultural output of its inhabitants. Yet, some art historians have tried to judge the artistic output of different civilizations by standards that are neither as universal as they may seem, nor do they do complete justice to the depth and breadth of the world's creative output. Not only is there a strong element of individual taste that affects our evaluation, colonized civilizations have been especially vulnerable to discriminatory assessments. They have been subject to hypothesis and theoretical models that have either been inappropriate,  or have been contrived to enforce a sense of Anglo or European supremacy (or superiority). 

Too often, the contributions of India have been considered peripheral to world civilization, or have been stereotyped and under-valued. Many art historians know of India only through a few select examples, and that too from a few well-known periods (such as the Ashokan or Mughal). Compendiums of world art seldom represent India at its architectural heights, or show an India where its art and sculpture reflect a lyrical and splendid virtuosity. Indian art remains something of a niche or specialty interest. It is not yet seen as being sufficiently compelling or universally arresting.

Nevertheless, interest in Indian art has been growing, and I hope the attitudes of the past will give way to a more informed and appreciative outlook concerning India, to greater awareness and  understanding. It is in that spirit that I invite you to explore this site and get better acquainted with the Indian legacy. And then, (perhaps like me), you may conclude that some of the old paradigms concerning India need to be revised or updated, and that India's role in the march of civilization ought to be considered afresh.

Thank you for visiting, Shishir Thadani

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There are several ways to  browse through this site: you can take a historical tour; browse by region or special interest, or get a glimpse of Indian scenery (and some of it's flora and fauna).

First time visitors, please see:

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Indian art heritage and history sites: