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SELECTION OF SITE In the context of the construction of temples, various other things which are related to the actual construction, such as the selection of site, the testing of soil, the site-plan, the relation of Vastupurusa to the site plan, some ceremonials and beliefs, the units of measurement and the building material are enumerated in detail in the chapters of the Puranas dealing with architecture. For the stability of the site, some divinity is invoked and those unwanted entities that were active in the site are asked to leave with some 'Mantra'.9 After the spirits and demons are bid to leave with offerings the site would have to be levelled and the plan would be laid out on the ground. Before the planning, the fitness of the soil has to be ascertained.

-132TESTING OF SOIL In the Brhat-Sahhita we get the three practical tests 10 of the examination of the soil. In the centre of the site, was dug out a circular pit, one cubit in diameter and depth. If the pit was filled again with the same earth, or the pit is insufficiently filled, or overfilled, the site in question Another is the worst, moderate and the best respectively.11 test is that the pit was filled with water which was allowed to remain for the time required for a hundred steps; if the water was not diminished, the site was best suited for erecting a structure. full of earth dug out of the pit weighs 64 palas, the site was fit for construction (Br. Sad. 90-91). The test of the pit is also found in the Bhavisya 12 Or if an adhaka Purana. It prescribes that this pit should be dug in the middle of an area of four cubit (hasta) squares. Its measure should be ten angulas square and one cubit deep. These practical tests should be performed after the sound, smell, and colour are examined. Finally, the fertility of the soil must be tested. All this is to be done for the purity and fitness of the soil and the stability of the structure. The Visnudharmottara, in Chapter 93 tells us about sites that are appropriate and the sites are to be avoided for building temples. The colour of the ground may be white, red, yellow or black to suit the four Varnas. The ground should be covered with Kusa, Sara, Kasa and Durva. Then comes an examination of the flavour of the earth. The taste should 13

_133. be Madhura, Kasaya, Amala and Lavana. According to the Visnudharmottars the following kinds of sites should be avoided. Grounds covered with thorny trees, full of pebbles and clods, those having chasms, those that are uneven and difficult for approach, those covered with ant-hills and full of rat-holes as also the grounds which are broken by cart-ruts and which had been formerly flooded with water. The ground which suffers from evil eye of those who live there, whose back is like that of a tortoise, or which is triangular in shape and the shape of surpa should be avoided. In the examination of the site following are the tests :The ground which after being dug cannot be refilled with the dug out earth or in whose pit a lamp becomes dim, a garland of flowers becomes withered, and water poured for filling it does not stay should not be selected. The ground which gives out bad smell should be avoided. On the contrary, the ground which gives out good smell and good auspicious sound and which is glossy and firm, is good for building a temple. In the next Chapter, the Vismudharmottara describes the removal of salyas for making the ground clear and then it should be prepared properly and made even. SITE PLAN The form of After all this is done, comes the site-plan. The planned site is called the Vastupurusa-mandala. Vastupurusa-mandala is square. It can be converted into a

-134 triangle, hexagon, or octagon. Dr. Stella Kramrisch says, "The Vastupurusa-mandala is the plan for all architectural forms of the Hindus. The site-plan, the ground plan, the horizontal and vertical sections are regulated by its norm. Originally and in practice the site-plan is laid out according to the Vastupurusa-mandala, and the 'general form' of the temple given in the earlier texts, rests on the Vastupurusa- #14 mandala.