India’s temples have always been more than stone or ritual—they are vessels of heritage, culture, and unbroken faith. Deepa Mandlik’s Dynasties of Devotion is not just a book; it’s a journey that invites the reader to linger in the shadows of spires, decipher legends in sculpture, and experience the essence of Indian history through seven extraordinary temples stretching from Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to the Khmer heartland of Cambodia. To a reader like me, who loves to travel and explore temples, with the recent example of the 8 Aṣtavināyaka Temples in Maharashtra, this book was like a pilgrimage in itself. The Book’s Spirit: Weaving Story With Stone Unlike most academic treatises, Mrs.…