Ancient Indian Palace Architecture

Author(s): V S Agarwala
Publisher: Z_Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_Mahotsav_Granth_Part_1_012002.pdf and Mahavir_Jain_Vidyalay_Suvarna_

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252 SHRI MAHAVIRA JAINA VIDYALAYA GOLDEN JUBILEE VOLUME
(160). This indicates that the palace of Harga was located outside the entrance of the Rajabhavana or royal palace proper. In the Rāmāyaṇa there is a detailed description of the palace of Ravana (Sundarakanda, ch. 6-7). The whole area which is described as Alaya, contained the palace (bhavana) of Ravana architecturally planned in several portions (Prāsāda). These three words correspond to Rajakula, Dhavalagṛha and Vasabhavana which were placed one inside the other. Ravana's Mahāśala had a staircase. In the extensive palace (Mahaniveśana) or Rajakula of Ravana there were several component parts, e. g., Latagṛha, Citrasälägṛha, Kriḍāgṛha, Dāruparvataka, Kamagṛha, Capaśālā (armoury), Candraśälä (moonlight house), Niśägṛha (night chamber), Puspagṛha, Several of these features correspond to those in the palace described by Bana. The Candraśālā is common to both. The Citraśālā of the Ramayana was the same as the Vasabhavana of Harsa, where there was the Bed-Chamber with paintings on the walls and which was therefore justifiably known as Citraśälikā.
Asvaghosa (1st century A.D.) describes the house of Nanda as Vimana comparing it to Devavimana. That house was divided into spacious courts. Once Buddha arrived at the entrance of Nanda's house, on his begging round. At that time Nanda was seated with his wife Sundari on the upper floor of his house. As soon as Nanda learnt about it he got down and passing through the wide courts ran to meet the Buddha. But the courts were so spacious that it took him a long time to pass through them and therefore he felt agitated as to why they were so expansive. Asvaghosa has also mentioned that in the upper storey of his palace there were Gavaksa ventilators (4.28). This seems to be evidently a reference to the Präsädakuksi or the two galleries connecting the Pragrivaka in front and the Candraśälikä at the back. These galleries were provided with carved latticed works as clearly mentioned by Bana. They were closed with shutters which could be opened to give a clear view of the outside (Vighatitakapäṭaprakaṭavātāyanesu mahdprâsâdakukṣiṣu. Kadambari, 58). These galleries were utilised for dance and musical performances.
In the Padataḍitakam the large houses of the courtesans are stated to be divided into spacious courts well separated from each other (Asambaddhakakṣāvibhāgāni. 1.12). They were well sprinkled with water (Sikta) and cleansed off their dust with air blown through hollow
6 प्रसादसंस्थो भगवत्तमन्तः प्रविष्टमश्रीषमनुग्रहाय ।
अतस्त्वरावानहमभ्युपेतो गृहस्य कक्षामहतोऽभ्यसूयन् ॥ (५.८)