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The volume seeks to memorialize one of the greatest Indologists of the twentieth century. Indisputably a versatile scholar, Professor V.S. Agrawala (1904-66) is known to have contributed to almost every area of the Indian studies: right from folk culture to the complexities of Vedic and Puranic literatures. He was not only a prolific author writing on the basis of original researches, but also a highly distinguished Vedic scholar, commentator, explorer, archaeologist, museologist, iconographer, numismatist, philosopher, art critic, art historian, and even a political historian. Even in his lifetime, he was regarded as a veritable rishi (rishi-kalpa), a great and noble soul, ever striving to a life of perfect simplicity and high morality. Dr Agrawala served as a Curator, Superintendent and Director of various Archaeological Museums of India, including the prestigious Central Asian Antiquities Museum, New Delhi, and National Museum of India – and later as Professor of Art and Architecture in the College of Indology, Banaras Hindu University.

In Part 1 of the volume are included a range of essays, in the nature of tributes to the late Professor Agrawala’s achievements, written by eminent archaeologists, art historians and culture scholars like Moti Chandra, Karl Khandalawala, L.K. Tripathi, and Kapila Vatsyayan. Part 2 carries over 20 scholarly essays covering the hitherto-unexplored aspects of archaeology, Vedic rituals, ancient Indian literature, sacred architecture, iconography, terracotta figurines, epigraphy, art history, Buddhist studies, ancient Indian history, culture and religion. The volume is replete with photographs.