Our shared heritage of subsidiary divinities .
Our shared heritage of subsidiary divinities . World Heritage Day just went by . We were inundated by lovely images of our beautiful temples , awesome sculptures , glorious monuments commissioned by emperors and wealthy people . Certainly a great heritage we have to be proud of, no questions . One thought , however , kept resurfacing . When we think Culture , Heritage , Religious Art etc, why is it that our vision does not go beyond the " Urban " sensibilities ? Are the pre-puranic, pre-agamic divinities of our well rooted populace ( call them Tribal , Aboriginal or Folk ) not part of our shared heritage ? Or , am i missing something crucial in my understanding of the word " Heritage" ?  The simple religious beliefs of our ancient people were fully aligned with Nature and its forces . They placed faith in ancestral spirits who were revered as Guardians of the clan / village and relied upon for protection against disease and calamities