Play with Windows Media Player: 300k or 700k
Location: India Length: 3.5 min
With a lion’s body and a human head, the sphinx is a well known symbol of ancient art and myth. For the ancients, it was an elevated spiritual being, embodying secret knowledge and wisdom, that guarded sacred places. The most famous example is the Great Sphinx of Egypt, guarding the pyramids. Though it usually is connected with the ancient civilizations of Greece and Egypt, many depictions are found also around the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. But as seen in this video, the sphinx (or purushamriga) is also part of Indian art and tradition.
Produced by Raja Deekshithar
Copyright 2007 by Raja Deekshithar
Web links:
Art of India (Prof. Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe, Sweet Briar College, Virginia)
Exploring Indian Art History (Kaladarshana)
Indian Temples and Iconography (Blog from Kavitha Kalyan)
Monuments of India (Michael D. Gunther)
Passionate About History, Dec. 5, 2007 (Blog from Mary Harrsch)
Sphinx (Wikipedia)
Sphinx of India (Raja Deekshithar)
Raja Deekshithar is seeking financial and institutional support for his research on the Sphinx of India. See his Web site at http://www.sphinxofindia.rajadeekshithar.com/index.html. He may be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..