About the Author...
S. Swaminathan is something of
a legend at IIT Delhi: over nearly three decades, hundreds of students
and colleagues have partaken of the fruits of his avid, wide-ranging curiosity.
Some, no doubt, will have benefited also from his professional, technical
expertise - gears, to be precise. But for lesser mortals, it is his other,
'lay' interests that hold greater fascination. Because Swaminathan is,
essentially, an enthusiast, and he has the true teacher's gift of being
able to communicate enthusiasm. Whether it be the glories of Sanskrit -
barely discernible behind the fog of religious obscurantism - or the technical
intricacies of the musical system as it evolved from the Sama-veda to now
- or, as in the present instance, the many-splendoured delights of Ajanta,
Swaminathan is an excellent companion. Of course there are greater experts,
whom one reads with respect. But if one is looking for a knowledgeable
companion, someone who will hold one's hand and lead one gently into the
wonders - the details, the quirks and oddities, the humour and the humanity
- that still survive in those dark caves then, quite simply - he's the
man!
Alok Rai, Professor in English,
Indian Institute of Technology,Delhi, 1998
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