Changes

== विषयसूचिः ॥ Subject Matter ==

== विषयसूचिः ॥ Subject Matter ==

Traditional Vastu treatise like Mayamata (मयमतम्), Manasara (मानसारशिल्पशास्त्रम्), Shilparatna (शिप्लरत्नम्) and Samarangana Sutradhara (समराङ्गणसूत्रधारः) etc., contain verses on all these aspects: the planning of towns, villages, the design of temples, halls, pavilions, and seats etc. It also has information on material specifications, brickwork, joinery and carpentry. And while the majority of the text concerns the planning, architecture, and construction practices, the remaining verses are on astrology, ayadi formulae, mandala diagrams, muhurta and other non-architectural aspects. Thus, they can be considered as equivalent to the present day’s town and architectural planning/design guidelines or practices, as they broadly talk about various principles of design, aesthetics, management and total quality management, which are a crucial part of the usual processes in the contemporary construction and real estate industries.

Traditional Vastu treatise like Mayamata (मयमतम्), Manasara (मानसारम्), Shilparatna (शिप्लरत्नम्) and Samarangana Sutradhara (समराङ्गणसूत्रधारः) etc., contain verses on all these aspects: the planning of towns, villages, the design of temples, halls, pavilions, and seats etc. It also has information on material specifications, brickwork, joinery and carpentry. And while the majority of the text concerns the planning, architecture, and construction practices, the remaining verses are on astrology, ayadi formulae, mandala diagrams, muhurta and other non-architectural aspects. Thus, they can be considered as equivalent to the present day’s town and architectural planning/design guidelines or practices, as they broadly talk about various principles of design, aesthetics, management and total quality management, which are a crucial part of the usual processes in the contemporary construction and real estate industries.

A variety of sacred and ancient texts of India make references and elaborations on Vedic city planning, design, and architecture.

A variety of sacred and ancient texts of India make references and elaborations on Vedic city planning, design, and architecture.

The Indian knowledge system about town planning and architecture is considered to have its roots way back from around 2500 B.C. And we can very well find that the building or settlement patterns, town forms, architectural styles, typologies etc. were extremely rich and diverse ever since that era. The proud testimony to this excellence in the architecture and town planning practices of our nation is evident mainly through two phenomena. The first one is the built examples of architectural and planning marvels located across the country, the traces of which are visible even today. These beautiful and magnificent structures aren’t confined to a single time epoch or a dynasty/civilization/culture, but rather range across numerous time eras, right from 2500 B.C. till today. And the second phenomenon is the finding of diverse literature dealing with this subject in the form of treatises in Sanskrit, and in several other regional languages as well across different geographic locations and ages in India. These are primarily known as the Vastushastra or Shilpa Shastra, i.e., the science of architecture or construction.

The Indian knowledge system about town planning and architecture is considered to have its roots way back from around 2500 B.C. And we can very well find that the building or settlement patterns, town forms, architectural styles, typologies etc. were extremely rich and diverse ever since that era. The proud testimony to this excellence in the architecture and town planning practices of our nation is evident mainly through two phenomena. The first one is the built examples of architectural and planning marvels located across the country, the traces of which are visible even today. These beautiful and magnificent structures aren’t confined to a single time epoch or a dynasty/civilization/culture, but rather range across numerous time eras, right from 2500 B.C. till today. And the second phenomenon is the finding of diverse literature dealing with this subject in the form of treatises in Sanskrit, and in several other regional languages as well across different geographic locations and ages in India. These are primarily known as the Vastushastra or Shilpa Shastra, i.e., the science of architecture or construction.

Many of the manuscripts of these treatises have been translated, and can collectively be considered under the ‘Planning and Architectural Literary Heritage’. The literature, chiefly in Sanskrit, under this category, aren’t particular to a single location but are spread across India. Few commonly known examples are Vishvakarma Vastushastra (विश्वकर्मवास्तुशास्त्रम्), Aparajita Praccha (अपराजितप्रच्छा), Manasara (मानसारः), Rajavallabha (राजवल्लभवास्तुशास्त्रम्), Mayamata (मयमतम्), Kashyapa Shilpa Shastra (कश्यपशिल्पशास्त्रम्), Shilparatna (शिल्परत्नम्), and Samarangana Sutradhara (समराङ्गणसूत्रधारः).

Many of the manuscripts of these treatises have been translated, and can collectively be considered under the ‘Planning and Architectural Literary Heritage’. The literature, chiefly in Sanskrit, under this category, aren’t particular to a single location but are spread across India. Few commonly known examples are Vishvakarma Vastushastra (विश्वकर्मवास्तुशास्त्रम्), Aparajita Praccha (अपराजितप्रच्छा), Manasara (मानसारम्), Rajavallabha (राजवल्लभवास्तुशास्त्रम्), Mayamata (मयमतम्), Kashyapa Shilpa Shastra (कश्यपशिल्पशास्त्रम्), Shilparatna (शिल्परत्नम्), and Samarangana Sutradhara (समराङ्गणसूत्रधारः).

The availability of this diversity in the concerned literature can further be categorized into two broad subdivisions for the purpose of analysis: Proper Architectural Works and Allied-Architectural Adjuncts. The latter contains all the allied and associated pieces of information on these subjects, as expounded in various [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|Puranas]], [[Agamas (आगमाः)|Agamas]], etc.

The availability of this diversity in the concerned literature can further be categorized into two broad subdivisions for the purpose of analysis: Proper Architectural Works and Allied-Architectural Adjuncts. The latter contains all the allied and associated pieces of information on these subjects, as expounded in various [[Puranas (पुराणानि)|Puranas]], [[Agamas (आगमाः)|Agamas]], etc.