Essay name: Architectural data in the Puranas
Author:
Sharda Devi
Affiliation: Himachal Pradesh University / Department of History
This essay studies ancient Indian architectural science as found in technical treatises and the Puranas, with special reference to the Matsya, Garuda, Agni and Bhavishya Puranas. These texts detail ancient architectural practices, covering temple and domestic designs, dimensional specifications, and construction rules.
Chapter 3 - Temples
42 (of 48)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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134 27
.
28.
29.
30.
Ibid., 1.130.43.
MP, chap. 253 also see AP, chap. 40. BS chap. 53. 96-7.
Ibid.; BSP, 1.130.44; Brhat, chap. 53.
Ibid., 15-16: 'For Br膩hma峁嘺s, K峁triyas, Vai艣yas and Sudras, the
taste of the earth is sweet, astringent, pungent and bitter
respectively. The importance given to the colour, mentioned above.
is due to the fact that the complexion of Br膩hma峁嘺s was white,
emblematic of purity and holiness; that of the K峁triyas was red,
colour of the blood, symbolic of battle and martial spirit; that of
Vai艣yas was yellow, the colour of gold emblematic of commerce;
that of the 艢奴dras was black, the colour of the non-Aryan low class
people signifying ignorance and dirty habits.' B.B. Dutt, Town
Planning in Ancient India, Calcutta, 1925, p. 57.
31.
32.
BSP, 1.130.47.
P.K. Acharya, Architecture of M膩nas膩ra, M膩nas膩ra Series, vol. V.,
New Delhi, 1995, p. 18; Stella Kramrisch, op. cit., p. 14; D.N.
Shukla, Hindu Science of Architecture, Lucknow, vol. I, 1960, p.
264.
AP, chap. 92.
AP, chap. 41 see also in MP, chap. 256.
33.
34.
35.
BSP, 1.130. 10-15.
36.
BS, chap. 55, 4-8.
37.
Stella Kramrisch, op. cit., p.4.
