Vastushastra

Ancient Indian Architecture

By
Dr. A.S. Nene
Retd. Professor of Civil Engineering, VNIT
Nagpur India
 Shilpashastra
Engineering philosophy of
ancient India
Sage Bhrugu, composer of Bhrugu Shilpa
Samhita,Classified the entire Shilpa
Shastra into,
khand (Volumes) -3

Shastras (Sciences)-10
Vidyas (Techniques)-32
Kalas (Skills) -64
 Definition of common terms

1. Shilpa - The word is derived from a root Sheel

samadhau and literally means any thing that pleases your
mind. Sage Bhrugu has defined Shilpa as creation of
different materials with the help of machines ,
techniques and arts.
2. Shilpa Shastra - The science related to a particular
subject comprising different techniques skills or arts.
3. Shilpa Samhita A compilation of rules and
procedure related to a particular science.
4.Vidya A techniques related to creation or execution
of a Shilpa.
5.Kala - An art or skill acquired by practice and
experience. Even a blind of deaf person can master any
particular skill.
Three volumes of Shilpashastra

A-Dhatu Khand -Resources Part

B-Sadhan Khand -Transportation Part

C. Vastu Khand -Habitation Part

 C- Vastu Khand -Habitation Part

7-Vastu Shastra Habitat

8-Prakar Shastra -Forts &Castles

9-Nagar Rachana Shastra Town Planning

Common to all 9
10 Yantra shastra-Mechanics &
Machines
 Vastu Shastra-
Ancient Indian Architecture,
includes

a-Habitatation
b-Sculpture
c-Drawing and Painting
 Vastu Shashtra

Origin -in 4000 B.C.-Indus Civilization is

proof of it

Word Vastu derived from Sanskrit root Vas

Definition - Vastu is one where Gods and

goddesses dwell and work together with
humans.
Vastu Shastra has a scientific base.
Vastu Jyotishya is non scientific and
irrelevant in the present era.

More than 500 Ancient text on the subject

were compiled. Oldest is Manasar (400BC) and
recent is Mayamat (500AD).Soft copies of
Some 150 texts are available on NET. Ancient
India had 18 styles, developed by 18 sages.
North India -as per Manasar style
South India- as per Mayamat.
 Four Vidyas (Techniques) out of 32

20. Erecting Tents Vaso Vidya

21. Hut construction Kutti Vidya
22. Temple construction- Mandir Vidya
23-Palace construction Prasad Vidya
 Eleven Kalas (Skills) out of 64
47. Leather sheets for tent-
Charmapatbandhan
48. Soil preparation -Mrudkarma
49. Roofing with grass- TruNadyachhan
50. White Washing- ChurNopalep
51. Preparations of paint- VarN karma
52. Carpentry- Daru Karma
53. Soil Conditioning- Mrudkarma
54. Drawing and Painting-Chitradyalekhan
55. Sculpture -PratimakaraN
56. Foundations- Talakriya
57. Construction and decoration of dome-
Shikharkarm
Vastushastra outlines basic principles which states
vastu must be durable useful and aesthetically,
beautiful.

It also lays down that vastu is affected by rain

water, disturbances in the earth such as
earthquakes , the wind and environmental effects.
The prayer at the inauguration of vastu

Let God of rain, earth, wind & Sun, God of

environment protect the structure.
 Kings Challenge for 1000 Years Life Temple
An Indian King gave challenge to architects to
build a temple which can stand for thousand
years. One architect built such a temple. The
inscription on stone wall states

which means I have built a temple to last

thousand years life ,where there are no bricks no
lime, no timber and no steel. (Stones with spigot
socket vertical joints, copper plates horizontal
joints door frames of stones, doors of
copper/silver used.)
 Common topics of Vastu Texts

Measurements (Length/width/ height etc).

Site selection (Towns and Cities)
Site selection (Buildings all types)
Planning
Layout on ground with direction lines(North-south or East-west)
Construction Rules (Height, clear spacing, arrangement for
drainage of waste water etc)
Selection and testing of construction materials.
Selection of construction tools (Plumb bob, set square, water
level)
Construction procedures and quality control.

Auspicious date and time for various activities (Muhurta) such

as ground breaking, laying foundations, occupation etc).

Interior decorations, installations of idols (Gods/Godesses

1-Vasovidya Tents

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 1-Vasovidya Tents

Animals' skin was called Krutti. Such skins were

first used for shelter and then as clothing.
Subsequently tree barks were used as clothing.
Silk, wool and cotton was then used to prepare
cloths.
The peg should be of hard wood. It should
be straight smooth and sharp at one end and
of uniform size. The peg should be driven
into ground firmly.

The pegs of a tent are driven in the direction

of south-east, south-west, north-west, and
north-east. This is done to prevent the wind
from entering into tent.
21 KUTTIVIDYA- MUD CONSTRUCTIONS

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 2 Kuttividya- Mud constructions

As per Shilparatna soils are grouped into for

classes according to their superiority ;

Table -Classification of soils

Test Classification
Good Average Poor Bad
Color White Red Yellow Black/
Blue
Like Foul /
Smell Pleasant blood
Food Fishy
Taste Sweet Pungent Bitter Sour/Salty
 Wood for low cost houses

Sanskri English Sanskrit English

t
Pishit Date palm Tinduk Roxb Cabinet
tree
Nimba Neem Raajaadan Charoli
Madhuk Butter tree Taal palmy palm
Nariker Coconut tree Kramuk / Poog Areca Palm
VeNu Bamboo Ketaki Screw Pine
 Soil for mud plasters
As per Shilpratna, the soil to be used for mud
plaster should be submerged in knee deep
water in a pit. Frequent kneading of the soil
should be done.
Extracts of barks of milky trees should be
added to wet soil and kneaded by expert potter
daily for one month.
 Wood for low cost houses

For low cost houses wood of common trees should

be used as these trees are available in all parts of
country.
As per Mayamat, hatched roof should be provided
for mud house and tiles should be used for roofs of
houses made of stone or bricks.
22 MANDIR VIDYA HOUSES

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 Mandir Vidya- Houses
The depth of foundation should be 60 cm 120
cm.
The height of plinth should be equal to knee
height (60 cm) to chest height (90 cm)
Steps should be provided for houses, schools
and palaces.
 Sizes of houses

The house should not be less than 16 hasta (3 m)

in width. The size should be between 8 Danda to
32 Danda (8-32 m) at interval of 2 hasta.
The Doors, pillars or trusses etc should be odd in
number (1, 3, 5, 7 etc).
Mayamat specifies wood of certain trees, suitable
for construction.
Selection of trees for construction
Sanskrit English Sanskrit English
Khadir Catechu Pishit Walnut
tree
Khaadir Catechu Tinduk Tendu
tree
Vanhi Sprung tree. Raajaadan Charoli
tree
Nimba Neem Homa
Saal Sal tree Madhuk Butter
tree
Basic types and styles of staircase

Types of staircase
Within a wall
Adjacent to a wall
Without side walls

The four styles of staircase

Trikhand - Dog legged
Shankhamandal- Spiral
Vallimandal - Helical
Gomutrasum - Straight
 Walls and plaster
As per Mayamat external and internal plaster is
necessary. Inner walls should be decorated
with the pictures of gods or goddess or which
pleases mind and not or war, death etc. Erotic
pictures must not painted on walls.
There should be uniformity of materials to be
used in building. Planning is necessary if
different materials are to be used in different
parts.
 4-Prasadvidya -Palaces
There should not be any defect in the
foundation level of palace. The foundation
should be laid on rock, hard soil or at level of
water table.
Vastu idol should be buried in lined pit near
the column's base. Eight precious stones,
eight types of grain seeds, eight medicinal
herb, cloth and flowers, coins should also be
buried in this pit.
 Purpose of plinth
Plinth should provide access to all parts of
house and may be cut for main entrance.
Mayamat specifies wood of certain (male)
trees suitable for making wooden pillars (as
the wood is strong in compression).
Mayamat specifies wood of certain (female)
trees suitable for making wooden beams (as
the wood is strong in bending).
 Building materials

Wood, stones and bricks are used to construct

pillars, beams and roofs. Trees, whose wood is
durable,
As per Bhrugu Samhita, bricks and stones,
which are suitable for columns,
Mayamat describes properties of stones or
bricks to be used for masonry.
Stones -Of same color, smooth, embedded in
ground.
 Selection of bricks
Bricks - Properly fired, sound and free from voids.

Roof column should rest on beam or truss. The space

between beams should be covered with wooden planks.
The plank thickness should be one eighth the width. Roof
should be constructed with rafters and tiles.

Roof should be constructed with rafters and tiles.

 Types of partition walls

Partition walls are skillfully made of wood, tone or

bricks. The tree types of partition walls are,
Jalak- Grilled partition
Falak - Wooden planks
Aistak- Brick wall
 Masonry Bonds
By proper interlocking of bricks laying of
bricks should be done. Depending upon
the position of joints in brick layers, six
types of bonds are created. These are,
Mallalila
Bramaraj
Venuparva
Pugaparwa
Deosandhi
Dandka
 Joints of Column

Five types of joints for beams are

specified.
Shatshikha
Zashdant
Sukarghrana
Sakarnakil
Vajjrabh
 Types of Roofs

Different types of roofs are specified in

Mayamat. The roofs may be sloping in
2, 4,6,8,12,16 ways. The roofs may be
lotus, Gooseberry, garland or sphere
shaped.
 Preparation of lime mortar
Lime mortar is prepared by mixing lime and
sand of three sizes,
Karal
Muggdi
Gulmash
The first layer of lime mortar plaster should
be 19 mm thick. Second and third layer
should be 10 and 5 mm thick respectively.
The mortar should be cured for a period of
six to twelve months.
 Payment to artisans
During final payment, gifts such as
cow, cloths, flag (to engineer) and
gold ornaments headgear, food
etc. (to carpenter and mason)
should be given.
4-Prasadvidya -Palaces
 Texts related to Vasu shastra
1 AgamapuraN 11 Krushavastushastra
2 Aparajitpruchha 12 Manasaar
3 Aryatatwa 13 Manushyalayachandrika
4 Bhrugushilpasamhita 14 Mayadipika
5 Bhuvandipak 15 Mayamatam
6 Bruhatshilpashastra 15 Mayapratishthatantra
7 Gargashilpsamhita 17 Mayasangraha
8 Gruhavidnyan 18 Mayashastra
9 Ishaanshivgurudevpaddhati 19 Mayashilpa
10 Jalargal shastra 20 Mayavastu

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 Texts related to Vasu shastra
21 Naradshilpa 31 Shilparatna
22 Naradshilpasamhita 32 Shilparatnakar
23 PramaNmanjiri 33 Shilpasamrudhhi
24 Prasadmandan 34 Shilpasarsangrah
25 Roopmandan 35 Shukraniti
26 SamarangaNsutradhar 36 Sudhalepan
27 Samutpinadhikaran 37 Vaishasanagam
28 Sanatkumargruhavastu 38 Varahasamhita
29 Sanatkumarshilpavastu 39 Vastumanikyaratnakar
30 Shilpachintamani 40 Vastumanjiri

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 Texts related to Vasu shastra
41 Vastumuktavali 51 Vastuvidya
42 Vastuprabandha 52 Vastuvidyan
43 53
Vasturaj Vishvakarma Vidyaprakash
44 Vasturajvallabha 54 Vishvakarmaprakash
45 Vasturatnakar 55 Vishvaprakash
46 Vasturatnavali
47 Vastusaar
48 VastusariNi
49 VastusarprakaraN
50 Vastusarvasva

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1. Brick temple at Sirpur M.P.
(7th century A.D., 595-625 A.D.)

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First discovered in 1872 by Lord Cunningham, the
Lakshmana temple .This brick temple and represents
the beginnings of temple architecture in ancient India.
Sirpur is 78 kms away from Raipur city in Chhatisgarh
State . The temple is located near the banks of the
great river Mahanadi .
Hiuen-Tsang, seventh century Chinese Buddhist
pilgrim had also visited this place.

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The magnificent temple is the east facing
and this brick temple stands on a high
massive platform accessible by steps in
the north and the south.
The exquisitely carved door frames
depicts figures of Vishnu along with his
other incarnations.

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This temple is among the best examples of
brick temples of ancient India. A museum at
the site is maintained to preserve the
collected materials.

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2. Kalaram Rock temple

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The city of Nasik has a unique
distinction of having three temples
constructed as per three different
schools of architecture

Naroshankar temple- Kashyap Samhita

Sunder Narayan temple -Bhrugu Samhita

Kalaram temple- Maya Samhita

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The largest and simplest of the temples is
Kalaram Mandir, built in 1790.
70 feet high temple is made by complete black
stones, with four doors
The building stands in the middle of a walled
enclosure with 96 pillars
It took Rs. 23 lakhs and 2000 workers to build
the temple in 12 years.

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 B. Mud flooring.

The floors of Padmanabhapurum palace (1601 A.D) in

Kerala were made of a material that is unique blend of
burnt coconut shells, quick lime, palm toddy, the whites
of eggs and extracts of certain herbs.

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1. The secrets of endurance of Indian
heritage structure are proper selection
of site, construction materials and
appropriate construction technology.

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2. The ancient techniques may not be

relevant in present time. But one must

appreciate the ancient Indian wisdom.

3. More research on ancient techniques

is necessary to preserve such heritage

structures.
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 Useful References
Ancient
1. Varahsamhita- Brihatsamhita
2. Matsyapooran
3. Mayamat
4. Rig Veda
5. Samarangana Sutradhara
6. Vishnu-dharmottara Pooran

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 References -Modern
Mishra, T.N. (1997), Ancient Indian Bricks and
Brick Remains, South Asia Books Columbia, NO
65205, United States.
Nene, A.S. (2012) Building Materials &
Construction Techniques of ancient India, E-
Book, www.Bookganga.com
Nene, A.S. (2012), Rock engineering in
ancient India Proceedings of Indian
Geotechnical Conference, December 15-17,
2011, Kochi (India) 26 SEPT 2017 54
 Acknowledgement

This presentation is based on

published and unpublished books and articles of

Late K.V. Vaze and Late G.G. Joshi

56


Email:
nene_ashok@yahoo.com

prof.ashok.nene@gmail.com

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Review the Past with modern perspective -