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regarding the semi-divine beings remain still unanswered. The pioneering works were written long back. Many new sources of Infomation and Archeological evidences did not come into light at that time. The present scholar feels that it is high time to review afresh about the select Vyantara Devatas with the latest available data so that many doubts are dispelled, many unanswered questions could be solved. This persuaded the present scholar to take up this project for her thesis. Penetrating deep into various literary materials and by surveying the archeological materials of different sites and museums, I have tried hard to bring out certain aspects of these divinities in limelight which remained either untouched by previous scholars or they had given only passing references to them. Many confusions about these divinities tried to be cleared and solved which were not taken up by the scholars earlier for years. Scholars did not care to work seriously on these semi-divine beings or whenever they tried, they came out with the confused notions of the semidivine beings.
An effort is being made in this work, therefore to work out a comprehensive study on these select Vyantara Devatās to clear many such confusions. In this endeavour a thorough investigation is made of early Indian literature a detail survey of available sculptures have been made many of which have not yet been published by any scholar so far.
To work out a comprehensive account on the select Vyantara Devatās, the present scholar has undertaken the following chapters to work accordingly INTRODUCTION
This includes an explanation as to why this topic has been undertaken for research. This will also sum up the various works done so far in a chronological sequence notifying their contributions on the subject. Chapter 1 : ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION OF VYANTARA DEVATĀS
This includes Etymological meaning and the definitions of Vyantara Devatās, given in the ancient texts, their classifications and also views of modern scholars in the field. Chapter 2 : GARUDA
Etymological meaning, genealogy, references in religious and secular texts, iconographical descriptions in the texts, representations in early Indian
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