Publications
Epigraphs of Hassan-Alur: Insights into Hoysala Socio-Cultural History
Hoysala epigraphs from Hassan-Alur reveal a complex, interconnected socio-cultural landscape of medieval Karnataka, challenging traditional political narratives. These inscriptions, analyzed through a regional lens, provide unprecedented insights into daily institutional, economic, religious, and social interactions during the Hoysala period (12th–14th centuries). The study highlights the roles of royalty, officials, merchants, artisans, women, and religious professionals in shaping regional organizations, while also documenting the coexistence and syncretism of Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Jainism. Temples emerged as multifunctional hubs for worship, education, economic activity, artistic output, and social cohesion. By synthesizing epigraphic data with archaeological, architectural, literary, and secondary historical sources—primarily from Epigraphia Carnatica—the research demonstrates how systematic interpretation of Hoysala inscriptions can reconstruct the nuanced socio-cultural history of medieval Karnataka, offering a holistic understanding of this UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site.
Materiality, Labour and Ritual Space: Artisanal Narratives of the Lepakshi Temple
Artisanal labor at the Lepakshi temple, part of the UNESCO-listed Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas, is revealed as more than mere technical production—it was a performative force shaping South Indian monumental sacred architecture. Through interdisciplinary analysis integrating material culture, visual semiotics, and spatial phenomenology, this study uncovers the agency of hereditary artisans, painters (silpins), and ritual labor networks, whose aesthetic interventions transformed granite into a 'sacralized capolavoro.' Epigraphic, iconographic, and phenomenological methods reposition Lepakshi as a dynamic archive of embodied craftsmanship, challenging traditional historiography. The research highlights how late Vijayanagara cosmopolitanism influenced these practices, offering new insights into the material and ritual dimensions of South Indian temple-building traditions.
Integrating Manual and Digital Techniques in Heritage Documentation: Developing Sustainable Frameworks for Architectural Pedagogy in India
A hybrid documentation framework combining manual and digital techniques enhances heritage preservation accuracy and architectural education quality. This approach, demonstrated through the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas—a UNESCO World Heritage nomination project—integrates traditional methods like measured drawings with advanced technologies such as drone imaging and GIS. Unlike current practices in India, where digital tools are often treated as supplementary rather than foundational, this framework promotes deeper cultural engagement and student competency by balancing hands-on learning with cutting-edge technology. Aligned with international standards, it offers a scalable solution to bridge the gap between manual documentation traditions and modern pedagogical needs.
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