The Book in the Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas’ Hands

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Abstract This paper focuses on images of human Vaiṣṇava figures holding ‎a book in their hands, and the history and ‎significance of this iconographic detail. The paper argues that in Vaiṣṇava South India, the book as an iconographic marker of human figures is a fairly recent development, though its roots can be situated in the period of the Vijayanagara Empire. The paper also demonstrates that while the book itself may appear as a stable iconographic marker, the meanings attached to it for different figures is not, thereby problematising the notion of iconographic code.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)132-157
Number of pages26
JournalJournal of Hindu Studies
Volume16
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Funding

FundersFunder number
Avigail Penn Levy and Daria Melman
Israel Science Foundation2099/19

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'The Book in the Vaiṣṇava Ācāryas’ Hands'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this