The Vishnu Temple: Annotated Bibliography

THE VISHNU TEMPLE: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chandra, M.R. Vakataka Gupta Age: 200 to 500 A.D. New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 2006. 230 pgs.

M.R. Chandra, professor of ancient Indian history at the University of New Delhi, examines the political, cultural and religious history of ancient India during the Gupta Period, 320 to circa 600 A.D., a time when India was flourishing under a resurgence of Hinduism as opposed to it religious rival Buddhism. This period, as Chandra so brilliantly explores in this book, produced some of the finest Indian architecture of all time, particularly the Vishnu Temple at Deogarh in north central India which Chanda maintains served as the foundation for all Hindu temples that followed. Hinds, Kathryn. India's Gupta Dynasty. New York: Benchmark Books, 1996. 145 pgs.

In this well-researched book, Kathryn Hinds, professor of ancient history at Yale University, examines the cultural and artistic significance of the Gupta Dynasty, beginning in 320 A.D. and up until the emergence of the Pallava Period, circa 600 A.D. Hinds also includes a rather lengthy discussion on Hindu temples and how they were constructed and designed with the Vishnu Temple at Deogarh serving as the main focus. Vats, Madho Sarup. The Gupta Temple at Deogarh. New Delhi, India: Archeological Survey of India, 2000. 56 pgs.

In this heavily researched work, Madho Sarup Vats, one of modern India's best scholars on Indian archeology, discusses in great depth the Vishnu Temple at Deogarh and includes chapters on its history, construction, design and cultural significance to the people of the Gupta Period. Vats also includes several archeological diagrams which shows the Vishnu Temple from numerous perspectives and what the current Indian government is doing to preserve this temple form the ravages of time.

Vidula, Jayaswal. Royal Temples of the Gupta Period. New Delhi, India: Aryan Books International, 2001. 213 pgs.