Hanumat Kosha: Part II "Iconography" (A Rare Book)

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Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao was a well-known scholar who combined traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi, and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta. Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience's, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Collision College Study Center of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). The Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academy and Sang ita Nritya Academy; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He was the President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi. He was the recipient of the Veda Sanman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of Indi (H.R.D. Ministry).

Kendriya Samskrita Vidya-peetha, Tirupati, (deemed university) has awarded him honoraris causa degree 'Vachaspati' (2003). He was the recipient of the prestigious Veda-ratna award (2004) from Sri Gangeswarananda Foundation.

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on Iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English Publications are three volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai), Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in Twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes. He was awarded D. Litt. Honoraris causa by the Karnatak University (2005) & Honorary Doctorate by the Bangalore University.

He was also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows..

The Kalpatharu Reaserch Academy, which was established in 1981, has by publishing more than a hundred books on subjects pertaining to Indian heritage and culture made a name for itself. Its publications include books on temple rituals, temple architecture, temple art, Vedic studies and on Indian culture in general. It has also brought out sixteen volumes on Rgveda that have been written by Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao.

The present volume deals with Hanuman, who is one of the most popular deities, and whose temples can be found all over India.

It is with great sorrow that we have to announce the demise of Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao who has contributed so much to our Academy. This is one of the last books which were authored by him and was in press when he passed away.

We are grateful to the revered His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji, Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, who as the chief patron of the Academy showers his blessings on us. We are also grateful to Shri V.R. Gowrishankar Administrator of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham and Chairman of the Academy.

We are also beholden to the generous financial Assistance from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Department of Education, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Dept. of Education, Govt. of Karnataka, Bangalore. The Omkar Offset Printers merits our grateful thanks for the splendid production of this volume.