Mayamata and Building Construction (study)
by Ripan Ghosh | 2024 | 61,593 words
This page relates 鈥楢dhishthana-vastunirmana (Preparation of the ground)鈥� of the study dealing with Mayamata鈥攁n ancient Indian architectural treatise dealing with building construction (bhavana-nirmana). It forms part of 鈥淰astuvidya鈥�: a stream of Sanskrit technical literature encompassing village and town planning, temple architecture and other aspects like site selection, orientation, and structural arrangements aimed at promoting harmony and prosperity.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 1.1 - Adhi峁ａ弓h膩na-vastunirm膩峁嘺 (Preparation of the ground)
Maya specifies that two kinds of grounds are suitable for the making of base of the building construction for gods, 产谤腻丑尘补峁嘺蝉 and other classes of the society. They are鈥揹ry and moist.
Maya says that:
taitil膩n膩峁� dv墨j膩tin膩峁� var峁嚹乶膩峁� g峁沨akarma峁噄 |
tadhyogya峁� dvividha峁� vastu 箩腻峁単补濒腻苍耻辫补产丑别诲补迟补岣� || (Mayamata 14.1 )[鈥淔or the building of houses of gods, brahmins and (other) classes there are two sorts of ground suitable, dry and moist.鈥漖[1]
The words 箩腻峁単补濒补 and 补苍奴辫补 refer to dry and moist soil, respectively. In Kau峁璱lya鈥檚 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补, seven kinds of agricultural lands are mentioned, among which two are known as 箩腻峁単补濒补 and 补苍奴辫补 land.
Kau峁璱lya says that鈥�
峁岣峚艣adro峁嘺峁� j膩峁単al膩n膩峁� var峁pram膩na峁� adhyardha峁� 膩n奴p膩n膩峁� | (础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补. 2.24.3)
Some other characteristics of dry and moist soil are also mentioned by Maya. He states that the dry ground is well supplied with small stones that make the ground hard to dig. But once the ground dug rich clean water can be found in the pit. He prescribes that when 补苍奴辫补, or moist land, is dug for construction, blue lotuses should erupt along with the thinnest white sand. When the water level is found in the pit, it should be filled with bricks, earth, and fine sand, and then should be packed tightly. There should not be any gap at the base because even a small gap can cause cracks to the entire base of the construction.
It is also suggested that the mixture of soil should be stamped down by the trampling of elephants or with hard logs of wood. Thereafter, the learned sthapati (architect) should fill up the remaining hole with water and observe the land. If the water level remains the same for some time, the construction will be successful. This method is described at the time of examination of the soil.[2]
Here it is also mentioned that鈥�
samatva峁� salilanaiva s膩dhayitv膩 vicak峁峁嘺岣� | (Mayamata 14.6)
[鈥淭he expert (sthapati) must verify the ground level using the water method.鈥漖[3]
Thus, the base of the building should be constructed by the sthapati. After the base foundation is made, the deposit should be laid down according to the rules discussed in the previous topic.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
B.Dagens, Mayamata, vol.1. p.157
[2]:
See above, p. 64
[3]:
Translated by the researcher.