Cave of My Ancestors: Vishwakarma and the Artisans of Ellora

A Few People Who Reappear through This Book
A Note on Transcription

Joining Palms at Ellora

Part I. Names and Speculations
1. The Cave, Code and Cord of Vishwakarma
2. The Carpenters’ “Hut”
3. Shadows of Makers
4. Surpassing Humane Force

Part II. Communing with Ancestors
5. As Regards the Cultural Migrations of Artisans
6. The Debt to Gods and Ancestors
7. The Pride of the Vishwakarma Lineage
8. Open Sesame!

Part III. The Resident of Ellora
9. Via-Via
10. Ila the Serpent Maiden
11. From Mantras to Tools
12. An Injured Finger and Other Tokens of “Proof”

Part IV. Forms in Flux
13. Vestiges of Worship
14. Transformations through Water
15. Locating the Goddess
16. On the Move

Hands inside Hands

Acknowledgments
Maps
Notes
Bibliography
Index