EMC: Abstract: Mamallauram: A Riddle in the Sands*

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Mamallauram: A Riddle in the Sands*

• 1997 ----- color ----- 23 min ----- vhs
• (Purva Uttara: Past Forward series, Part 3) (Directed and narrated by Shyam Benegal) At the edge of the vast Bay of Bengal, massive cliffs of carved stone and shrines cut from giant boulders are scattered along the shore. The monuments at Mamallauram Puram are among the oldest in India’s South. But who build them and why? And why were many of them never finished? Art historian Vidya Dehejia examines the carvings on The Great Penance Wall, explaining their deliberately confused nature which enables one to focus on different meanings at the same time. She also examines some of the temples and statues carved from giant boulders, questioning their real religious significance. Some of these riddles may never be answered, but that does not hinder our enjoyment. (Restricted to use on University of Washington campuses only)
• Topics: (Architecture, Art: History, History: Asian, Religions: Eastern, South Asian Studies)

		Educational Media Collection risimiki@u.washington.edu Modified: January 11, 2007