Mayamata and Building Construction (study)
by Ripan Ghosh | 2024 | 61,593 words
This page relates 鈥楰apota (Cornice)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 6.6 - Kapota (Cornice)
[Full title: Details regarding the Entablature (Prastarakara峁嘺) (6) Kapota (Cornice)]
Kapota or 驳辞辫腻苍补 are synonymous terms. 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 records that鈥�
kapota峁� vakrahasta峁� ca lup膩 驳辞辫腻苍补ka峁� tath膩 |
candrametattu sarv膩峁噄 (vai) prokta峁� pary膩yav膩cak膩岣� || (惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 16.25)摆鈥�Kapota, vakrahasta, lupa, 驳辞辫腻苍补ka and candra: all these are synonymous.鈥漖[1]
Maya says that the kapota should always be built with solid materials, like stone, brick etc. The 办峁诲谤补苍颈峁颈迟颈 (eave of the cornice) extends outward by either one third or one fourth of the cornice鈥檚 height. The term 办峁诲谤补 refers to a small projecting band that typically appears at the base of the curved outer surface of the cornice. A 苍腻蝉颈办腻 (false dormerwindows) design above the nivra (edge of the rim) of the cornice resembles a 办补谤峁噄办腻. In chapter eighteen of the Mayamata, the word 办补谤峁噄办腻 is defined as 鈥�惫腻迟腻丑补迟补肠补濒补肠肠腻谤耻濒补迟腻惫补迟,鈥� meaning "like beautiful creepers agitated by the wind."(Mayamata.18.73b). The wide of the 苍腻蝉颈办补 is to be measured by 1.25 /1.5/2 诲补峁囜笉补. Their tops, shaped like a lion's ear should be extended up to the 补濒颈峁単补 (fillet), frieze, or the upper section of the frieze. They should be in a svastika pattern, with one 苍腻蝉颈办腻 positioned above another 苍腻蝉颈办腻.
Maya says that:
si峁僪a艣rotra艣ikh膩li峁単a峁� pa峁弓ik膩ntasya pa峁弓ik膩 |
vidhey膩 svatik膩k峁泃y膩 n膩sikordhve tu 苍腻蝉颈办腻 || (Mayamata 16.26)
Maya suggests that the 办耻办峁颈尘腻苍补 (hollow part) and 艣颈办丑腻尘腻苍补 (top part) of 苍腻蝉颈办腻 should match the desired visual effect, ensuring that they do not cover the top part of the frieze. To maintain the architectural harmony and balance of the structural elements these kinds of formation is required.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
P.K. Acharya, 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, series. 4, p.177