New Approaches to South Asian Art

Abstract

When Alexander of Macedon failed to cajole his troops into driving deeper into India, Western civilization lost the first of many opportunities to acquaint itself with a rich and varied culture. The timidity of Alexander's army spared the subcontinent from yet one more crushing invasion, but this brief exposure marked the beginning of an enduring interest in India on the part of the West. Two millennia have elapsed since Alexander's conquests, but his legendary curiosity about the life and beliefs of the peoples beyond the River Indus stands as a provocative metaphor for our approach to Indian civilization today.