Temples of South India

Temples of South India, authored by Dr Surendra Sahai should rank amongst the most comprehensive and scholarly books written on temples in the peninsula. The huge canvas presented a daunting task involving tremendous research work and great photography.

Great temple towns like Pattadakal, Kanchipuram, Chidambaram, Srirangam, Madurai and Rameshwaram still draw millions of devotees, cynics, historians, tourists and photographers from distant lands. No one goes back without a rewarding experience of a lifetime. ‘I The architectural splendour of these gigantic temples and their aura of spiritual glory is an unforgettable experience.

Why don’t we build temples like these anymore? There are skyscrapers, glass monstrosities and concrete forests, but nothing to match the artistic and spiritual splendour of these temples built centuries ago. Matthew Arnold, the Victorian poet, writes about this strange disease of modem life — disillusionment and loss of faith in the higher values of life:

“The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth’s shore Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furl’d. But now I hear

Its melancholy, long withdrawing roar retreating to the breath of the night-wind down the vast edges drear and naked shingles of the world.

If, besides adding to our knowledge of these monumental temples of faith, the book rekindles that extinguished glimmer of hope and faith in our minds, it will be greatly rewarding. Dr. Surendra Sahai provides an extremely well- researched text and exquisite photographs shot at both famous and remote, forgotten places.

Dr. Surendra Sahai is a distinguished scholar of medieval Indian temple architecture. For his interests in history and photography, he has travelled extensively through the length and breadth of India.

Dr. Sahai’s publications include:

• Delhi, Agra, Jaipur
• Khajuraho (translated into French, German, Spanish & Japanese languages)
• Rajasthan: Colours of a Desert Land
• Indian Architecture: Islamic Period
Indian Architecture: Hindu, Buddhist and Jain
• Forts and Palaces of India

Dr Sahai is an eminent photographer. His work has featured in Photography Year Books and many international journals.

Dr Sahai studied English literature at the universities of Lucknow and London. His dissertation on Harold Pinter was published by the University of Salzburg, Austria. Dr. Sahai retired from service as Reader in English, Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi.

Excerpts from review articles on

Indian Architecture. Islamic Period “Extremely pertinent, well-written and extremely comprehensive.., will dignify not only the shelves of the connoisseurs of art books, but the tables of serious scholars as well.
The Biblio (July-Aug 2005)

Indian Architecture: Hindu, Buddhist and Jain

‘Unparalleled in its painstaking descriptive details of the architectural marvels... even minor temples have been incorporated... (This book) is a visual treat with photographs of exceptional quality It is a rigorous work of research which will provide enough intellectual stimulation… Surendra Sahai has made a major contribution to the research 1 work on Indian architecture”