The Art of Loving Krishna: Ornamentation and Devotion

Since ancient times, Hindus have expressed their love and devotion to their deities through beautiful ornamentation — dressing and decorating the deities with elaborate clothing, jewelry, and flowers. In this pioneering study of temples in Vrindaban and Jaipur, India, Cynthia Packert takes readers across temple thresholds and into the god Krishna's sacred domain. She describes what devotees see when they behold gorgeously attired representations of the god and why these images look the way they do. She discusses new media as well as global forms of devotion popular in India and abroad. The Art of Loving Krishna opens a universe of meaning in which art, religious action, and devotion are dynamically intertwined.

Cynthia Packert is Professor and Chair of the Department of History of Art and Architecture at Middlebury College. She is author of The Sculpture of Early Medieval Rajasthan.