Erotic spirituality: The vision of Konarak

Erotic Spirituality offers a vision of the infinite moods of sexuality, as captured in stone by sculptors during the eleventh to thirteenth centuries in India. 100 evocative photographs by Eliot Elisofon highlight the Temple of Konarak where, as Alex Comfort reminds us, "all is Eros." His camera also takes us on a pilgrimage to Khajuraho, a complex of small temples built around 1000 A.D., and to the stark setting of modern ashrams and festivals held on temple grounds. Alan Watts' essay weaves among the pictures, interpreting the eroticism and spirituality of the sculptures --expressions of a philosophy far removed from but of enormous importance to the modern world. ELIOT ELISOFON, the internationally known photographer, is especially remembered for his Life magazine photographs. ALAN WATTS was a popular exponent of Eastern culture, and distinguished authority on Asian mysticism, in particular Zen Buddhism. He was the author of many books, including "This Is It" and "The Two Hands of God."