This book is about how mythology may be purposively adapted in the service of theology. It does so at the hand of Hayagrīva, since the 14th century C.E. revered as a full form of the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu in the local Śrīvaiṣṇava tradition of South India, but originally a relatively minor pan-Indian deity. Convincingly laying bare the complexity in respect of the pan-Indian images of Hayagrīva, it makes clear that there is no single unilinear history of this deity. It subsequently reconstructs the ‘Śrīnivaiṣṇava History’ of Hayagrīva, and brings out the selectivity involved in borrowing materials from the pan-Indian and local levels. Amidst the incredible complexity encountered here, this study exposes, however, that the emblems and functions of different images show continuity, although a god’s status may change according to the sect.

Drawing on both textual and archaeological evidence, this study offers an integrated approach to scholarly debates on monasteries and guru relics in South India between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries. This study analyzes the role of the guru in the development of Hindu monastic orders, from centers of education to institutions of traditional authority. Focusing on the complex socio-religious context of the whole-body icon, the author analyzes the relic as a nexus of contradictions surrounding sacredness and death.

The Book On Hindu Customs And Traditions Puts Together Everyday Beliefs, Practices, Observances, And Etiquette Of Living A Life Enriched By Thousands Of Years Of Spiritual Consciousness. Legend, History, Philosophy, And Folk-Lore Are Intricately Linked With Customs And Traditions. A Large Number Of The Festivals And Fasts Relate To The South Of India, Hence Many Common Practices Have Been Given, With Additional Information On Local Practices And Customs.The Book Will Serve Its Purpose If Younger Generations, Living At Home Or Abroad, Are Able To Nourish Mental And Psychological Roots, And Gain Stature As Individuals By Living An Enriched Life. It Is Hoped That The Book Will Help To Arrange Important Family Functions, And Thus Preserve Social Bonds.

What do you know about Carnatic music? South India`s dance styles? Handloom weavers of Andhra Pradesh? The Madras Sanskrit College? The art of Ivory carving? Temple murals? Who was Ramanuja? How have Christians contributed to art, literature and architecture in South India? What`s notable about Gangaikondacholapuram, Belur, or Islamic places of worship? What do we know irrigation practices in Ancient South India? The evolution of Malayalam literature? What is special about the cuisines of South India? These are some of the 500-odd topics on South India`s Heritage discussed in this book. It provides snapshots of the collective cultural experience of the people of South India, their heroes, their rivers, lakes and hills and forests, their temples, their music, dance and folklore. The book has a general section on South India`s Heritage, common to the four southern states. It is followed by three sections--political, socio-economic and cultural. The book covers South India`s Heritage till the end of the nineteenth century. The book is targeted specifically at Indian students from South India who go abroad for college education. It is meant to give them an idea of our heritage--kindle their interest in the subject, enable them to answer questions, serve as their heritage companion and guide. A product of painstaking research, the book reflects an earnest attempt to shed light on a complex, amorphous, many-faceted subject and give it form, shape and substance.