Study of the Art of Temple Gateways
This award was useful in many ways. The project involved not only desk work but also fieldwork and funds were needed for both fieldwork and photography. The project included the study of gopuras, agamic and silpa texts besides literature, inscriptions and other evidence. The grant gave me great encouragement to carry out the project, and on its completion, more than five articles were produced.
A study of Bihara ki Laka Kalayen, the Folk Art of Bihar
This grant assisted me in my research work for a PhD dissertation on folk art in Bihar. The PhD dissertation was submitted in 2001.
Living Art of Rajasthan & Uttar Pradesh
This award motivated and helped me to explore the art and cultural heritage of small folk pockets of Rajasthan & UP. I was pursuing my Masters in History of Art when I got this award. The classroom studies provide us with a theoretical know how of any subject. To get involved and understand the practical significance and importance of arts and culture in rural areas one has to deeply interact with the local habitats.
The Silharas of Kohlapur, A survey of temples in Kohlapur and vicinity
This project built on my MA dissertation (MS University of Baroda) "the Koppesvara temple at Khidrapur: a study of architectural renovations". That work focused on the stylisc analysis of the temple architecture. A large number of temples of this period have been destroyed or perished over time, and there was a clear need to develop more detailed documentation of the Kolhapur area in the Sikhara period. This grant allowed me to make a start with this work. I hope (2001) to undertake the study of the architecture of the Northern and Southern Konkan for a PhD.
