Art and Architecture of Eastern India

The cultural ethos of the Indian subcontinent is reflected in regional artistic developments. The sculptures, architecture and paintings of Eastern India all present a richness and synthesis of different elements that was shaped by the history of the land, and the region in particular, forming as it did a bridge between the Ganga Valley and Indo China. The majority of the research articles in this volume are select papers presented at an ICHR sponsored National Seminar held on 21" April 2017 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee Foundation Day of the Indian Art History Congress organised in collaboration with the Department of History, Gauhati University, Assam. Senior academics as well as young research scholars deliberated upon different aspects of the art of eastern India in the context of the historical forces that resulted in their emergence and development. The present volume also includes other deliberations by scholars in consonance with the theme of the seminar, on the art and architecture of Eastern India, from a historical perspective.

This book is an attempt to present the empirical findings and documentation related to bamboo basketry and the associated traditional knowledge system of the Lepcha Community of North Sikkim, India.

Dr. Paromita Das is a Professor and Former Head of the Department of History, Gauhati University. where she has been serving since 1997. She was an official nominee of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India to the SAARC regional seminar held in 2015 at Sri Lanka. From January 2019 she served as the first ICCR Visiting Professor in Indian Studies Chair (History) at the Mohammed V University, Rabat, the premier institute of the Kingdom of Morocco.She was awarded third prize by the Sahitya Akademi in the All India Translation Competition (Poetry) 2007 and two translated poems (from Assamese to English) were published in their journal Indian Literature (Golden Jubilee Issue)

She has to her credit three books, namely, Terracotta Sculptures of Assam (2018), Geetikavi The Poetry of Parvati Prasad Baruva (2014) and History and Archaeology of Northeast India (2007), besides over fifty research papers in books and reputed journals. She has also served as an editor for various journals, including the Journal of History and Culture (2017 & 2018) published by Gauhati University, the open access Journal of History Art and Archaeology, as well as a Guest Editor of Man In India (special issue).She was also the co-editor of the books Heritage Northeast (2017) and Archaeological Heritage of South Asia (2019). Her areas of research include Ancient Indian art and architecture, early Assam history, sculptures of Assam, particularly terracotta art. She has supervised research in the field of early Assam history, culture and religion as well as on different tribes of North East India like the Zemi Nagas, Rabhas, Hrangkhols, Karbis, and ethnic groups of Assam in particular. She is also serving as a member of various all India organizations like the Indian Art History Congress, NCERT Syllabus Review Committee (History), New Delhi, and of Pleach India Foundation's Expert Advisory Committee, a CSR initiative of the Malaxmi Group, Hyderabad to promote art and culture.

Art and History share a close relationship. Art is related to space and time. History creates the context in which art develops. The history of a region finds expression in different forms. Of them art is but one form. Art and culture of a society, a region, or a nation are but manifestations of its history in the broadest sense of the term. The political history of an age and the religious leanings of its ruling entities are closely linked to patronage of the arts. The economic history of a nation also shapes artistic endeavours. The construction of massive temples under the Cholas for instance, was possible due to the enormous booty won by the Chola monarchs due to acts of war. Art is very often said to be the handmaiden of religion. This is particularly true of the Indian subcontinent which witnessed the emergence and growth of the Brahmannical religion or Hinduism, as well as that of Jainism and Buddhism. The entry of Islam in medieval times also witnessed the development of Saracenic architecture and its synthesis with local artistic traditions. Archaeology provides the materials for the reconstruction of the history and art of a society or region.