The Mausoleums of India

Svyatoslav I. Potabenko (1923–2011), an accomplished Indologist, was an Orientalist whose interests were always broader than just the country of his chosen foreign language. He was a Renaissance man of Orientalism—a scholar, an editor, a traveler, a painter, and a man widely versed in culture and art (about him see, for example, [Shastitko, 2008], [Editorial, 2011]). The latter is well attested by the article reproduced here, which was once given to OC’s editor-in-chief to be published in one of Russia’s key general interest magazines. It did not happen then—but, even though Dr Potabenko is no longer with us, the editors of this journal believe this travel account with an investigation of Indian mausoleums will be interesting not only as a captivating article about art history, but also as a reminiscence about Svyatoslav Potabenko—a passionate, sincere, and artistic man.