Mayamata and Building Construction (study)
by Ripan Ghosh | 2024 | 61,593 words
This page relates ‘Jalaka (Latticed window)� of the study dealing with Mayamata—an ancient Indian architectural treatise dealing with building construction (bhavana-nirmana). It forms part of “Vastuvidya�: 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.
Part 6.9 - Jālakā (Latticed window)
[Full title: Details regarding the Entablature (Prastarakaraṇa) (9) Jālakā (Latticed window)]
A latticed window is a type of window characterized by a framework of intersecting strips or bars, often made of wood, metal, or other materials, arranged in a grid or lattice pattern. These windows typically feature openings filled with smaller panels or panes of glass, allowing light and air in the building.
The sthapati should position the latticed windows above a vedi in a manner that avoids aligning with the middle of the wall or the axis of a pillar. The width of these windows started from two to four 岹ṇḍ, while their height is either doubles the chosen width or one and a half to one and three quarters that of the width.
It is warned that constructing windows should be arranged avoiding with a central vertical mullion (Madhya-randha). Latticed windows should have either an even or odd number of 岹 and kampa, similar to the arrangement of transoms, depending on their width. Maya says that depending on the situation, various types of windows can be constructed, including , ñᲹṣa, ԲԻ屹ٲ, ṛjܰⲹ, ṣpṇḍ, and 첹ṇa.
Maya defines these windows as follows�
dirghāstra� karṇakacchidra� ta� ṣamiti smṛṭa� ||
yugmāstra� karṇakacchidra� ñᲹṣamiti smṛṭa� |
panñcasūtramayacchidra� praḍakṣiṇavśā� ṛt� ||
nandyāvartārkṛṭivaśānԲԻ屹ٲmiṭi smṛta� |
stambhatiyaggata� kampamṛjutvāttadṛjܰⲹ� ||
ṣpṇḍ� skarṇa� ca ԲԻ屹ٲ� tathocyate | (Mayamata 16.57-60)
Here the word ṣa refers to a window with a long astra (embrasure) that has an odd number of sides. ñᲹṣa, on the other hand, is a window with a polygonal embrasure that has an even number of sides. Ի屹ٲ is characterized by an embrasure delimited by five lines, forming a clockwise ԲԻ屹ٲ figure. Ṛjܰⲹ describes a window with uprights and transoms crossing at right angles. Puṣpakhaṇḍa and 첹ṇa types resemble the ԲԻ屹ٲ type.