ARCHITECTURE AND ASTRONOMY- PRESENTATION BY MOHD.

NAUMAN NIZAMUDDIN
INTRODUCTION
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects (such as moon, planet,
stars, galaxies)

RELATION WITH ARCHITECTURE

• DIRECT RELATION
• INDIRECT RELATION

DIRECT RELATION
• structures primarily built for the astronomical purpose or as astronomical observatories.
• structures built for another purpose but their secondary function is astronomical

INDIRECT RELATION
• VASTU SHASRA
 DIRECT RELATION

STRUCTURES PRIMARILY BUILT FOR THE ASTRONOMICAL PURPOSE OR AS ASTRONOMICAL

OBSERVATORIES.

JANTAR MANTAR ,JAIPUR

These structures could be traced through the history in the ancient observatories. The Jantar Mantar
is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments, built by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his then
new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734.
THE SAMRAT YANTRA: AMALGAMATION OF
ARCHITECTURE WITH ASTRONOMY

The Samrat Yantra, is the largest sundial in the world.

The primary object of a Samrat is to indicate the
apparent solar time or local time of a place.
The Sun casts a shadow of the ramp edge
on one of the quadrants; before noon the
shadow is cast on the quadrant to the west
of the ramp, after noon it is cast on the
eastern quadrant. The local solar time can
be read from markings on the quadrant at
the edge of the shadow with the precision
of seconds move a stick up and down the
edge of the ramp until the shadow of the
stick falls on the appropriate edge of the
quadrant.
 DIRECT RELATION

STRUCTURES BUILT FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE BUT THEIR SECONDARY FUNCTION IS ASTRONOMICAL

THE STONEHENGE, WILTSHIRE, ENGLAND

The New grange megalithic passage tomb (3200 B.C.) is the oldest known astronomically orientated
monument. Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric monument known with this double function.
This monumentis made up of stones arrangements./ circularly around a
central one. Its building registered roughly three phases, extending
along more than 1600 years. Built in stages from around 3100 BC, it is
an iconic stone monument used as a burial site for cremated human
remains from its earliest days.

THE LOCATION OF HEELSTONE

A circle of tall stones encloses a second horseshoe-
shaped arrangement of standing stones. The open
side of the horseshoe points to an external avenue
where the "heelstone" sits. On the June solstice at
dawn, the Sun rises over the heelstone, as viewed
from the middle of the monument.
 IN DIRECT RELATION

VAASTU SHASTRA
VAASTU PRINCIPLES WERE FORMULATED BY OUR ANCIENT INDIANS TO TAKE THE MAXIMUM
ADVANTAGE OF SUNLIGHT / AIR AND ORIENTATIONS AND ENVIRONMENT AROUND FOR THE
BENEFIT OF NATURAL WAY OF LIVING FOR BETTER HEALTH AND PROSPERITY"

Form the above statement; it is very clear that VAASTU principles were formulated as:
1. Guide for NATURAL WAY OF LIVING
2. Guide for living in tune with the environment.
3. Guide for taking advantage of natural light and ventilation

Tracing back the history of living habits, and living environments, it has been observed that due to
social customs, and safety security of the inmates of the family, houses were built inward or
enclosed around walled

structures, mainly in southern states, and hot region like Rajasthan and North West India. These
houses were generally built with a courtyard which served as a protected space for use of ladies,
children and family activities and house hold occupation, when the men folks were out of the house
for their work, or on long trading journeys. Since sunrise in the north east side is at lower angle, the
north east section of the house was at low height to receive the comfortable morning sunlight into
the courtyard of the house. The south-west of the house was made higher so that in the afternoon
when it is hot, the higher portion of the south-west corner of the house will cause shadow in the
courtyard giving protection from the hot sun for comfort and welfare of the inmates. Such an
architectural planning based on environmental aspects has been distorted, by the modern VAASTU
Pandit.