Anthropomorphic and Non-anthropomorphic Shrines in the Monuments of Greater Guwahati, Assam

Abstract

The monuments of Assam found scattered throughout the land are placed within the period 5th -19th centunJ A.D. One of the most commonly found types of monuments in the Greater Guwalzati area of Assam·are the religious stntctures which are in use as temples. These monuments have specific legends associated with them and have some root in mythology. One of the important aspects noticed iu some of the monuments is the presence of nonanthropomorphic shrines which are located in the deep interior of the monuments. These shrines are dedicated to particular Hindu God/Goddess, but they lack a proper anthropomorphic form. These are crude stone structures found in association with idols of Gods and Goddesses prepared on metals. The present paper is an attempt to understand this coexistence of anthropomorphic and non anthropomorphic fomz of shrines in the monuments of Greater Guwahati, Assam from anthropological as well as archaeological perspective. The methods applied for collecting data are exploration, unstructured Interview and nonparticipant observation method.