ABOUT THE BOOK

Art and Architecture of Uttarakhand is the first ever comprehensive study on the art and architectural legacy of the newly formed hill state of Uttarakhand. This mountainous state can proudly boast of being that part of the subcontinent wherefrom the Indian Civilisation developed and proliferated to the pan-Indian dimension. In fact, The Kedarkhand, the classical identity of this region formed an integral part of the Aryavart or the Bharat. Since the first settlement of the Indo-Aryans in the Gangetic plains, the snow-clad Himalayan ranges of Kedarkhand have been the source of perpetual attraction and inspiration to the multitude of humanity the world over. This region has been the grand repository of diverse cultures since the Khasha and Kirati cultures intermingled here ages ago. And, as the wheels of time rolled by innumerable ethno-cultural milieus developed, flourished and vanished here. The imprints of all those past identities are still buried under the substratum of the dominating Brahminic culture. Obviously, Uttarakhand should be one of the archaeologically richest parts of the sub-continent.

ABOUT Author

Dr. O.C. Handa is a well-known connoisseur of art and culture, and an outstanding scholar in history and archaeology, especially of the Himalayan region, having been in the field now for almost a half century. In his exploratory pursuits, he has been undertaking several expeditions, many of them the solo ones, to the far-flung nooks and corners of the Western and Central Himalayan.

He did his post-graduation in History from the University of Mysore, Ph.D. from the Meerut University and D.Litt, from the Agra University. Having come from the civil engineering background, he remained in-charge of the Department of Museum and Archaeology, Himachal Pradesh for several years.

Dr. Madhu Jain is among the well known teachers of painting in the Meerut University. She teaches painting in the ML & JNK Girls Postgraduate College at Saharanpur, where she is a Senior Reader. She is also associated with servral academic committees of various universities.