READ: Darsan – Seeing The Divine Image in India

For years I’ve been visiting temples, photographing them as tourists do, and leaving with little afterthought. Having just finished Darsan, my approach to “seeing” temples in the way the author describes has me eagerly excited to explore again. Diana Eck brilliantly describes, in simple terms, the importance of visual image to the Hindu culture and tradition. Brief backgrounds are provided where necessary to quickly educate the reader on individual tangents that shoot from the main focus of the book. Ultimately, you receive a crash course explanation of temple worship and use of Deity images in Hinduism.

The knowledge gained from this short read (109 pages) can also be applied to other religions, their places of worship and their religious figures in print and sculpture. However, for the born Hindu or outsider looking to expand their understanding of this religion, this book is a first-class read.

Synopsis

Although the role of the visual is essential to Indian tradition and culture, most attempts to understand its images are laden with misperceptions. Darsan, a Sanskrit word that means “seeing,” is an aid to our vision, a book of ideas to help us read, think, and look at Hindu images with tolerance and imagination.

Review

“As fine an explanation of temple worship and use of Deity images as can be found. Darsan will give the Hindu deeper insight into the practices of his own religion, provide explanations for non-Hindu friends, and convey useful konowledge to his children.” — Hinduism Today

Simply one of the best short introductions to Hinduism available. . . . Belongs in every religionists and South Asianists library. . . . Enthusiastically recommended as required for undergraduate courses on the Hindu tradition. — Religious Studies Review

Biography

Diana L. Eck, professor of comparative religion and Indian studies, and director of The Pluralism Project at Harvard University, is the editor of On Common Ground: World Religions in America, a multimedia CD-ROM (Columbia).

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