The book is an attempt at demystifying one of the chief deities in the Hindu triumvirate, Shiva, the Transformer. As Gangadhara, the carrier of the Ganges, as Pashupati, the Lord of cattle, as Bhairav, the Spirit of austere penance, the book delves into the many identities of a paradoxical Godhead. With a plethora of stories, unfamiliar and untold, a key to the deity's chief symbols, a map to jyotirlingas, and a list of the ravel-haired God's many names, Shiva: An Introduction takes the reader on a journey through Shaivite philosophy, history, folklore, ritual and myth. This is an attempt to understand the meaning of Shiva worship in our time exploring various pictorial images of Shiva iconography, taking us through Shaivite philosophy, beliefs, history, folklore and myth. Written in a simple narrative style ,and interspersed with familiar and unfamiliar tales retold, the book reaches out to young and old alike. The highlights include lucid explanations and a pictorial key to numerous symbols associated with Shaivite rituals and festival practices, a map of India showing important Shiva temples including the twelve jyotirlingas, a list of 108 sacred names of Shiva with their meanings, a bibliography for those interested in learning more, and over 150 illustrations of which many are in colour. About The Author: Devdutt Pattanaik graduated in medicine from Mumbai University. Though a medical man by profession, he is a mythologist by passion. He topped Mumbai University's course on Comparative Mythology and is now a part of 'Sabrang', a cultural organization that aims to demystify the arts. Through lectures, workshops, articles, illustrations and books, he is determined to keep alive the ancient heritage of sacred lore and bring out its relevance in modern times.
