Book Cover

108 Vishnu Temples
Architectural Splendor, Spiritual Bliss
Paper Type: Art Paper (Matt) | Size: 247 x 247mm
All colour; 413 Photographs, 2 maps and 110 black and white photographs
ISBN-10: 9385285378 | ISBN-13: 978-93-85285-37-0

 2000 |  40 |  30

Architectural Splendour, Spiritual Bliss is a pictorial journey into ancient architecture and the art of temple construction and sculpture with interesting trivia about 106 Vishnu temples across the length and breadth of India; a devout Vaishnavite is expected to complete a pilgrimage of these sites to gain access to the two temples in the mystical realm. These temples are collectively known as the 108 Divya Desams amongst Vaishnavites, more particularly Vaishnavites from South India and are distributed across India – eighty-four in Tamil Nadu; eleven in Kerala; two in Andhra Pradesh; eight in North India and one in Nepal. Laden with historic, religious and architectural eminence, these temples often remained concealed in the folds of history. With detailed images and wholesome information on the temples’ history, architectural brilliance, art forms, rituals, beliefs and landscapes, the book is aimed at connoisseurs of art, architecture and literature. The temple legend (the Sthala Purana), deity positions and other significant mythical specifications are also built into the text. Miniscule details ranging from directions to reach the temple, proximal towns, festivals celebrated at the temple, the sacred ponds and trees associated with it, to details of the associated Azhwar(s) are also incorporated in the text. The book opens up an incredibly fresh experience of knowing these veiled jewels from the pages of the past. The photographs elucidate the author-photographer’s mastery over his craft, making the images seem life-like, touching the soul of the beholder.

Avey Varghese
Avey Varghese
Hailing from a traditional Christian family in Kerala, Avey Varghese was born and brought up in Ahmedabad, where he did his schooling. Later he completed his Engineering from Bangalore where he worked for over a decade in the ITES. In early 2011, he shifted his base to Chennai when he discovered his innate veiled love for photography. Avey stepped gingerly into the realm of framing moments with a simple point and shoot camera. The vivid colours of nature, azure skies and candid portraits found place in his frames in his initial days. In no time, he advanced into portfolios and celebrity shoots. Photography consumed a greater space of his life and it escalated from being an ardent passion to an earnest profession. Avey’s snaps elucidate his eye for detail and impeccable framing, making them seem life-like and touches the soul of the beholder. His cosmopolitan stance and love for travelling made him an avid voyager, exploring many lands and capturing exquisite frames.