Essay name: Arts in the Puranas (study)
Author:
Meena Devadatta Jeste
Affiliation: Savitribai Phule Pune University / Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute Pune
This essay studies the Arts in the Puranas by reconstructing the theory of six major fine arts鈥擬usic, Dance, Architecture, Sculpture, Painting, and Literature鈥攆rom the Major and Minor Puranas. This thesis shows how ancient sages studied these arts within the context of cultural traditions of ancient India.
Chapter 3 - Architecture in the Puranas
7 (of 62)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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The Ramayana refers to the types of houses viz. Padma,
Svastika, Vardhamana and a Vimana called 'Puspaka'. The
Mahabharata mentions houses of Svastika, Vardhamana and
Nandyavarta types.
In the Buddhistic Pitaka and J膩taka literature, we find
innumerable references to architectural works, descriptions of
towns, multi-storied dwellings, pleasure-gardens, painted
chambers, royal residences described as 'Pasada' and 'Vimana'
etc. The period of the J膩takas is not later than the third or
the second century B.C. The distinction made in later Vastu
works between various kinds of houses is also found in the
Pali texts. The canons refer to such houses as Vihara,
Mandapa, Addhayoga, Pasada, Harmmya and Guha with their
distinctive features. The Acaryas in the V盲stuvidya are
referred to in the Jatakas and Buddhist canons. And the
ceremonials connected with house building as 'Pasadamangalam'
are mentioned in the Jatakas.
The 'Arthas盲stra' of Kautilya supplies us with
valuable information regarding the developed state of Indian
Architecture in general, and civil architecture in particular
in the period not later than 1st century A.D. There are many
chapters solely dealing with architecture such as 'Durga-nivesa'
(II. 4) or the king's 'private dwelling house'. He refers to
the layout of the kingdom, the fortified capitals, king'
palaces, the underground chambers of the treasury house and
store houses. He gives a very clear picture of cities of
