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Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend

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Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (Paperback)
by Anna L. Dallapiccola.


Mine was the last available copy at a well-known major Midwestern art institute. I am so glad that I purchased it. I have read, in random order mostly, about 85% of this 224 page beauty. I grew up till my 20th year in a very orthodox and liberal Hindu family. Most of what I heard was "dos" and "don'ts." Adsorption, rather than critical learning, was expected and encouraged. Gods, pantheons and festivals were staples of my family life in the late 1940s and 1950s. Schools emphasized Western civilization with a strong British bias. Economic necessities of the elders left little spare time for explication of the names, origins and representations prevalent in Hindu mythology. Now, after more than a 40 year hiatus I am lucky to have the luxury of relearning the religions of the world including Hinduism. This reparative volume has informed me afresh and has taught me what I ought to have known.

Professor Anna Dallapiccola has produced an excellent and comprehensive dictionary of Hindu legend and mythology. Nearly all of the Hindu gods, demi-gods, lesser divinities and demons are described. We find very satisfying descriptions of all major gods such as Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Nataraja, Durga, Lakshmi, Kali, Parvati, Sarasvati and Ambika. Often we learn about alternate spellings and variant appellations, such as Gajanana, Pillayar, Vinayaka for Ganesha or Murugan and Kartikeya for Subrahmanya. Gandharvas (semi-divine beings), navagrahas (planets), rakshasas (demons), Alwars, Nayanmars (poets, scholars) are all included either as generic headings or individual entries, or both.

Dallapiccola does not stop with descriptions of legendary divinities only. She covers related topics such as festivals, holy rivers and temples of India. Exquisite black and white illustrations are aplenty; they accompany major topics. Temples, their towers (gopuras), gods, divine figurines and their accoutrements and equipage are abundantly illustrated. Those wishing to gain basic familiarity with popularized Hindu concepts as karma, dharma, om (aum) or tilaka will find their answers.

Not all entries are alphabetized Sanskrit words. Universal interest concepts such as diet, calendar, cow, marriage, festivals, funeral rites and sculpture are all described. Later religions (Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkism) find due coverage. The introduction mentions very briefly all other religions (Islam, Christianity and Judaism) extant in India. Quite rightly there is no discussion of socially charged topics as casteism, Indian Socialism and the new liberalization, although these are inseparable integrals of Hindu and Indian culture. For the serious reader there is a weighty bibliography at the end of this book. The size is tidy, the paper quality superior and the graphics sharp. The price is, ...oh sooo... reasonable!!

The author readily acknowledges the difficulties of transcribing Indian languages into Roman script. Thus, you have to look under Shiva for Siva and Arati for Arti. I did not find Arthi, as it is sometimes spelled. Santoshi Mata, "a recent Indian goddess" has merited an entry but Krishna Consciousness or Swaminarayan are not readily detectable. I am wondering if I did not do a thorough search.

This Dictionary is "aimed at all those who are interested in Things Indian and curious to explore another facet of human civilization." Dallapiccola succeeds admirably in her grand aim. This work is suitable not only for the curious but also for those with practical, but not bookish, familiarity with Hinduism. This volume is a good "chikitsa" (remedy) for lapsed reentrants like me. It is an enjoyable revisit to those quarters that I used to revere and fear, love and shun.