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SYMBOLIC AND MIMETIC FIRE-ALTARS: A NEW APPROACH TO THE DULBASFTRAS
Ramkrishna Bhattacharya
The fire-altar (citi)-s mentioned in the Dulbasstra (Dus)-s may be divided into two kinds: rectilinear and curvilinear (basically circular). Both the kinds have two varieties: symbolic and mimetic. By 'symbolic' I mean the altars which do not resemble the actual shape of the objects they represent; the caturasra Dyena citi is a case in point. By 'mimetic', I mean those altars which approximate the actual shape of the objects they represent; the vakrapakāa vyastapuccha Dyena citi is a case in point (see figs. 1-2). The chart given below will speak for itself.
Citi
Rectilinear
Curvilinear (circular)
Symbolic
Mimetic
Symbolic
Mimetic
(witho
1. Șyena (caturasra) 1. Śyena (bird-shaped) 1. Rathacakra 1. Rathacakra (with (several types) (several types) (without spokes) spokes)
(BŚus and MŚus) 2. Suparňa (MŚus) 2. Alaja
2. Drona (Bśus) 3. Droņa (AŚus) 3. Kanka
3. Kỹrma (Bśus) 4. Śmaśāna 4. Praüga
4. Śmaśāna* (ĀŚus (Āśus and MŚus) 5. Ubhayataḥ
and MŚus) Praüga
5. Paricāyya/ 6. Śmaśāna (Bśus, Upacāyya* influenced by M4 & M5)
7. VakrmNga Kõrma *No details of construction given.
