Cave of My Ancestors - by Kirin Narayan (Paperback)

About the Book

"As a little girl in Bombay, Kirin Narayan was enchanted by the stories her father would tell about the ancient, rock-cut cave temples at Ellora, which he claimed had been made by their ancestors. Over the course of her life, Narayan never forgot those stories, and she eventually came to be interested in learning more about the caves, and, specifically, the Vishwakarma cave temple, named after the Hindu craftsman deity. Immersing herself in work by archaeologists, art historians, Buddhologists, Indologists, and Sanskritists, Narayan set out to answer the question of how this cave, which contains the figure of the Buddha flanked by two smaller Bodhisattvas, came to be venerated as the "Vishwakarma cave." The resulting book, Cave of My Ancestors, represents the perfect marriage of Narayan's gift for research and gift for writing. It is at once a work of scholarship, a detective story, and a memoir, ably leading us as readers through centuries of history, reflecting on the marvels of making, and offering a sensitive meditation on devotion, wonder, and all that connects us to place, family, the past, and the divine"--

Book Synopsis

Exploring family stories reveals the rich history of a seventh-century Buddhist shrine.

As a young girl in Bombay, Kirin Narayan was enthralled by her father's stories about how their ancestors had made the ancient rock-cut cave temples at Ellora. Recalling those stories as an adult, she was inspired to learn more about the caves, especially the Buddhist worship hall known as the "Vishwakarma cave." Immersing herself in family history, oral traditions, and works by archaeologists, art historians, scholars of Buddhism, Indologists, and Sanskritists, Narayan set out to answer the question of how this cave came to be venerated as the home of Vishwakarma, the god of making in Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

Cave of My Ancestors represents the perfect blend of Narayan's skills as a researcher and writer. Her quest to trace her family's stories took her to Ellora; through libraries, archives, and museums around the world; and across disciplinary borders. Equal parts scholarship, detective story, and memoir, Narayan's book ably leads readers through centuries of history, offering a sensitive meditation on devotion, wonder, and all that connects us to place, family, the past, and the divine.

Review Quotes

"Few can match Narayan's ability to tell a story that is at once personal, scholarly, historical, contemporary, ethnographically focused, and yet inescapably global. Sparkling with wit, intelligence, and an abiding sense of humanity, this is a beautiful book and a brilliant achievement."-- "Dipesh Chakrabarty, author of The Climate of History in a Planetary Age"

"In Cave of My Ancestors, Narayan tells a fascinating story about one of the world's most remarkable archaeological sites. This is an outstanding example of how sound scholarship and superb storytelling can be combined."-- "Amitav Ghosh, author of The Nutmeg's Curse"

"In this engaging and often moving book, Narayan masterfully interweaves a rich autobiographical fragment with ethnohistorical materials that provide a remarkable description and analysis of Western Indian artisan communities."-- "David Shulman, coauthor of The Bitter Landscapes of Palestine"

About the Author

Kirin Narayan is emerita professor in the College of Asia and the Pacific at the Australian National University. She is the author of several books, including My Family and Other Saints, Everyday Creativity, and Alive in the Writing, all published by the University of Chicago Press.