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The Structural Temples of Gujarat From the fragmentary MSS. consulted it seems that the original work possibly treated the subject of architecture and iconography according to the Jain tradition. Vastusāra of Thakkar Feru.*
The authorship of Vastusāra (Siri-Vatthusāra-Payaranam ) is ascribed to a Jain author Thakkar Feru inhabitant of village Karnal near Delhi. He compiled this work in 282 gathās in Ardhamagadhi on architecture in V. S. 1372 ( 1316 A. D.).141 The original text is divided into three chapters. In Ch. I, entitled Gșihalaksaņa the author has discussed preliminaries to be followed while constructing residential houses as well as temples. Then the constructional varieties of houses are discussed. Ch. II is pertaining to image making and its examination Bimba Parikṣā. In this chapter the author has described various types of Jain images to be made of wood and stone and given their measurements. Ch. IIl is on the construction of temples. In this Chapter the subjects like ground-plan, Picha, Mandovara, śikhara etc. have been dealt with. In the Prasasti Feru himself mentioned that the work is a compilation from various sources. 142
Sūtradhāra Mandana 143 was a prolific writer of treatises on architecture and sculpture. Tradition represents his family * Edited and published by Pandit Bhagwandas Jain, Jaipur (1939) 141. Vāsatusāra-prakarana Intro. p. 4. 142. The editor has tộied to give the complete Jain Iconography along with the original work (vide Vāstusāra. Appendice A. & D.). Thakkar Feru is known to have composed 'Siri-Rayaņapari-kha-Payaranam' (Shri Ratnapariksā-prakraṇam ). The original text of this work is, also, given by the editor of Vāstusāra (vide Vāstusāra pp. 238-248) at the end. 143. In the unique library of Kavindrācārya (17th cent.) Some of the MSS. of Mandanaś works have been stored. (Kavindra Suci Nos. 2146. 2147, 2150, 2151, edited by R. Anantakrishna. G. O. S. XVII, 1921). Mandana's works are very popular in Gujarat hence several copies of MSS, in original form as well as with commentary in old
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