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The Orientation of the Extant Temples
The Brhamā temple at Khedabrhma faces east.
As for the temples dedicated to Goddesses they are found facing east, west and north. The Kālikāmātā temples at Navidhraved and Dhrasanavela, and Gayatri temple at Pasanavada face east. The Rukamaņidevi temple at Dwarka, the sitala mātā temple and some of the fregmentary temples in the Amathor mātā group at Vadnagar face west. The Hingolajā mātā at Khandosan and Limboji Mātā temple at Delmal face north.
The Jain temples generally face north, for instance the famous temples on Mt. Girnar, Satrunjaya, Abu and Tāranga. Some of the Jain temples face all the four directions and they enshrine four images installed in the four directions in the centre. They are known as Caūmukhi. The Caūmukhi temple on Mt. Satrunjay and that at Ranakpur are noteworthy among them. Nearly all the texts on Indian architecture give canons about orientation. This is called Diksadhana, Dinnirņaya or Prāci-sādhana.'
The principle of orientation was strictly observed by Indian Architects. Accordingly towns, cities, houses and temples all should face exactly the cardinal points. All buildings must face the cardinal points and not the intermediate spaces.3 This principle necessitated the determination of the cardinal points before the erection of a structure. It was attained by the application of several devices such as Sankusthapana, 4 or the
1. The Jain temples at Bhadresvar, Sankhesvar, Sarotra also face north. 2. APPR. LXIII (19-32) CXXXIV; PM. I. 23. VVS. III. 7-34; SSS Il-38-42, SD. I. 20-21; VTF, I, 6; BSS. 127-128; SR. II. 84. 3. Diksu dvārāņi Kāryāņi Na Vidikşu Kadācana’-Ag. P. CIV, 24 (1) 4. Rāj. I. 10, 18; Vāstumuktāvali v. 43 p. 14. The canons pertaining to devices applied for investigation about orientation are elaborately described in southern Indjan Vāstū texts, Viz., Mānasāra VI, Mayamata VI, Šilparatna XI, Kāšyfa Śilpa I, Västuvidyā III, Manuşyālaya Candrikā 11, Tantrasa nuccaya ), etc.
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