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CHAPTER XIV
CAVE ARCHITECTURE IN ORISSA!
Many efforts have been made to express in a few words the precise meaning of architecture and its relation to human experience. Lethabya has approached the subject most nearly, states Percy Brown, in stating that ‘Archi. tecture is the matrix of civilization'. To such a definition, Percy Brown would like to add that viewed historically, architecture remains as the principal visible and material record through the ages of man's intellectual evolution.' Each great cultural movement has made its own particular contribution to the art of building so that the aspirations
1. Percy Brown (Indian Architecture, p. 24) takes objection to the word 'cave architecture'. He says :-'Ever since the examples of rock architecture became a subject of study, it has been the custom to refer to them as 'caves' implying that they wera natural grottoes in the mountain side, the haunt of wild people and still wilder animals. No word would be more misleading to designate these wonderful records of man's handwork, as many of them are large and well planned temples skilfully wrought and chiselled out of the solid cliff, and to define which the term rock-architecture is the only one which can adequately describe their workmanship. If however the usually accepted definition of architecture as 'good construction truthfully expressed' is applied then on account of their technique alone they cannot be classed as architecture in the strict sense of the word. Those rock-hewn forms are expert achievements, but they involved no constructional principals nor do they display any functional properties, their columns signify no adjustment of support to load, the arches carry no weight, nor do they counteract any thrust, in the whole operation no structural intelligibility is required as no problems of this nature arise. In a word, rock architecture to all intents and purposes is not architecture. It is sculpture, but sculpture on a grand and magnificent scale.
2. Architecture--Home University Library, p. 7. 3. Percy Brown-Indian Architecture, Bombay, p. 1.
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