Digital Rare Book :
Elements of Hindu Iconography
By T.A. Gopinatha Rao
Superintendent of Archaeology, Travancore State
Published under the patronage of the Government of His Highness The Maharaja of Travancore by The Law Printing House, Madras - 1914

This treatise is one of the early attempts by an Indian archaeologist of our country for a diligent search into the origin, descriptions, symbols, mythological background, meaning and moral aims of Hindu images. Vol. I, Part I contains a long Introduction discussing among other things the origin of Hindu image worship in India, explanatory description of the terms employed in the work, Ganapati, Visnu and his major and minor avataras and manifestations, Garuda and Ayudha-Purushas or personified images of the weapons and emblems held by gods. Vol. I, Part II deals with Aditya and Nava Grahas (nine planets) and their symoblic features and images worshipped, Devi (Goddesses). Parivara-devatas, and measurement of proportions in images. Vol. II, Part I begins with an Introduction discussing the cult of Siva which is followed by such important topics as Siva, Lingas, Lingodbhavamurti, Chandrasekharamurti, Pasupatamurti and Raudrapasupatamurti, other Ugra forms of Siva, Dakshinamurti, Kankalamurti and Bhikshatanamurti, and other important aspects of Siva. Vol. II, Part II contains descriptions of Subrahmanya, Nandikesvara and Adhikaranandi, Chandesvara, Bhaktas, Arya or Hariharaputra, Kshetrapalas, Brahma, the Dikpalakas, and demi-gods. Includes profuse illustrations, containing 282 photographs.