Nepal: Guide to the Art and Ar...

Description

Essential for both the traveler and scholar alike, this book fills a long dormant gap in the literature of this spectacular region and is a product of many years of individual research by scholars of Nepal’s history, religion, art and sociology. It draws on a variety of authoritative studies of Nepal’s cultural history that have been published in European and Nepalese languages. The guide begins with an overview of the history of Nepal. This focuses on the Kathmandu Valley, with its rich and sophisticated culture, but also outlines developments of historical importance outside the Valley. This is followed by a detailed introduction to religion as it is practiced in Nepal: here, the focus is on Hinduism and Buddhism, and on the major deities of each tradition, their relationship to one another, and their representation in art and sculpture.