Description
Based on an in-situ study of the art and architecture of various temples in Himachal Pradesh, the present work is result of an in-depth research in art idioms of the temples in Himachal Pradesh up to the thirteenth century of the Common Era. The emphasis in the work has been on art-historical significance of the door-frames of various temples. The development and iconographic features of the temple door frames in Himachal have been compared with their counterparts in other parts of India and the relationship between the two has been discussed to highlight the extension of art idioms from one region to the other. Details of the exquisitely carved doorframes of the large niches in the rock-cut complex at Masrur and the wooden doorframes such as those of the Dakshineshvara Mahadev at Nirmand and Lakshna Devi at Brahmaur have been highlighted perhaps for the first time in this work, which provides a scholarly peep into the ancient art and architecture of this very important region.
