Structural Temples of Gujarat

SR No.: 006728
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Kantilal F Sompura
Publisher: Gujarat University Ahmedabad
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 868
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 31 MB

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The Structural Temples of Gujarat Samarāngaņa-Sūtradhāra consists of eighty three chapters. In the 1-VII chapters together with the chapters XLIV and XLV, the introductory subjects like need, origin, schools, scope and subject matter of architecture and qualifications of an architect are dealt with. The chapter VIII Bhūparıkşā deals with the surveying of the land and the examination of soilconditions. The chapter IX Hasta-Lakşaņa is on the system of measurements. The site plans of the different catagories of the Vastu padas fit to be employed in nearly all sorts of architecture, are dealt with in chapters XI to XIV as well as in chapter XXXVIII. Chapters from XV to XXXVII, XXXIX to XLII, XXVIXLVIII and Ll are devoted to civil or popular house architecture and palace architecture together with preliminaries like Āyādiniraņaya, Kilka-Sūtrapāta, the first opeartions, foundation laying ceremony (Śilanyāsa vidhi) etc.
In the next twenty chapters i. e. in chapters XLIX and L and in chapters from LII-LXIX, the subject matter of temple architecture is dealt with. The origin and development of Přāsādas i. e. the Hindu temples, their mainfold classifications, layouts, measurements, superstructure and the finial, the decorative motifs and the accessory buildings like mandapas, the pavalions, the basement of temples etc. have been discussed fully. As regards the different styles of the temple architecture, it has added two more to the ternary of Nāgara, Drāvida and Vesara (Vāvāta, Vairāța ) Viz., Bhūmija and Lāța. In the last fourteen chapters i. e. from LXX-LXXXIII, the subject of Iconography both sculptural and pictorial is dealt with.
Aparajitapraccha*
The next valuable work on architecture is Aparājitpracchā “otherwise known as "Sūtrasantāna-guņakirtiprakāśa. It is an exposition of the principles and practice of the science of Vastu f. e. architecture in a most compact form.
* Published in G. O. S. No. CXV (1956) edited by P. A. Mankad.