Studies in Puranas

Puranas constitute a rich sector of the Sanskrit literature and literature is considered as one of the source of ancient and medieval Indian history and culture. In this monograph, in addition to the evaluation of Puranas as sources of Indian history and culture in cooperation with other disciplines of knowledge, some aspects of culture, religion and society are discussed, e.g. cult of manes, change and continuity in Puranic religion, position and status of women and Sudras, concept of Tirthayatra (religious tour/ pilgrimage), local geography and practices, and Varanasi-Mathura.some cultural glimpse etc. of the Matsya-Puranas, which is one of the oldest puranas and Puranas of Gujarat which deal with the history of the caste concerned and /or glory and greatness of the region concerned with social, political and religious glimpses.

About the Author:

Professor S.G. Kantawala is the former Professor and Head, Department of Sanskrit,Pali and Prakrt and also the former Dean, Faulty of arts as well as the former Director, Oriental Institute, M.S University of Baroda (vadodara) with which he was also associated as the Sastra-cudamani scholar/ He is also the recipient of Presidents Award. He has been the visiting Fellow in some Indian Universities. As a common wealth Scholar he visited Cambridge (U.K) and visited Toronto (Italy) to participate in an international seminar on the Valmiki-Ramayan. He has specialised in Vedic and Puranic Studies. He has authored two books and more than 160 research Papers in Indian and foreign journals, felicitation and commemoration volumes and encyclopedias. He has also presided over the Vedic and the Indian Linguistics Sections of the All-India Oriental Conference and has also attended some world-Sanskrit Conferences and submitted papers.