CHAPTER V

FUNDAMENTAL CANONS OF HINDU ARCHITECTURE

In the preceding pages we have already covered a sufficient ground to enable up to proceed
now with the foundation of the edifice of the Science. The question is: What are the fundamental
pillars on which this great edifice of Hindu Science of Architecture stands? We shall see that the
central post was the prime regulator of house-construction in India. It was as fundamental as the
trunk of a tree. Tree-model was the primordial model of a house-plan and the abundant application
of pillars was one of the chief features of an Indian building whether a residential house or a palace,
a sabha or a temple (or more correctly a temple-pavilion, Prasada-mandapa). Naturally you cannot
say which pillar or pillars are more basic than others. But if you ponder over the problems and
visualize the basic Importance of the structure, you must come to the conclusion that as many as
five pillars carry cardinal worth with them.
These are the four cordinal and one central post. Similarly sustaining the analogy, to my
mind, there are the following five fundamental pillars of the stable edifice of our science and we
can call them the fundamental canons:
1. Dinnirnaya, Doctrine of Orientation.
2. Vastu-pada-vinyasa, the Site-planning.
3. Mana, (Hastalaksana), the proportionate measurements of a structure,
4. Ayadi-Sadvarga, the Six Canons of Hindu Architecture.
5. Patakadi-Sat-Chandas-the character of the building (its aspect and prospect etc.)
The standard manuals of Hindu Science of architecture expound a large number of canons of
architecture. This we have already seen. But a selection has to be made to bring home to the readers,
the unique character of our Vastu-sastra, which, though on par with many an ancient cognate trea-
tises like the one attributed to Vitruvius, the great Greek-architect-writer, has its own character
which gives to it a unique importance in the context of cultural content of Hindu civilization which
has always been glorified (or more correctly damned) as a spiritual civilization and hence devoid of
any civil sense in the matters of house-planning. We are misrepresented that we could only build
great temples and there was no civil or popular or secular architecture in India. A brief exposition,
of all these fundamentals must dispell the darkness shrouding our vision. Let us take these one by
one.
I-DIK-NIRNAYA OR PRACHI-SADHANA
Diknirnaya or Pracisadhana is done through a technical device called Sankusthapana. Sanku
is the gnomon by means of which the cardinal points are ascertained for the orientation of building.
Hindu treatises on the science of architecture deal with the rules as laid down on the principles of
dialling under this title of Sankusthapana.
Astronomical treatises like Surya-siddhanta, Siddhanta-siromani, Lilavati, Brahma-siddhanta-
sphota of Brahmagupta and PaScasiddhanta of Varaha-mihira and architectural treatises like Manasara
(ch VI), Mayamata (VI), silparatna (XI), Kasyapa-silpa (l), Vastu-vidya (III), Manusyalaya-Candrika
(II) and Tantrasammuccaya, Isanasivagurudevapaddhati etc. etc. have all dealt with this cardinal
principle of architecture.
It has two principal aspects the technical device and the scientific-cum-philosophical import.
Let us take up the first.
 The Manasara's technique consists of the device as laid down here under:
"The gnomon is made of the wood of certain trees. It may be 24, 18 or 12 angulas in length,
and the width at the base should be respectively 6, 5 and 4 angulas. It tapers from the bottom
towards the top.
For the purpose of ascertain the cardinal points, a gnomon of 12, 18 or 24 angulas is erected
from the center of a watered place (salila-sthala) and a circle is described with the bottom of the
gnomon as its center and with a radius twice its length. Two points are marked where the shadow
(of the gnomon) after and before noon meets the circumference of the circle; the line joining these
two points is the east-west line. From each of these east and west points a circle are drawn with
their 'distance as radius. The two interesting points, which are called the head and tail of the fish
(timi), are the north and the south points. The intermediate regions are found in the same way,
through the fish formed between the points of the determined quarters.
As regards the principles of dialling, each of the twelve months is divided into three parts
often days each and the increase and decrease of shadow (avachchhaya) (cf. Vitruvius, Book IX,
Chap. VI II, '. the principles of dialing and the increase and decrease of the days in the different
months'-translated by Gwilt), are calculated for these several parts of the different months".
The Tantrasammuccaya (vide Mallaya) on the other hand prescribes the technique with some
difference:
"The direction contained in the text is simple. It is with reference to the land, which is,
situated either to the north or south of the equator (Aksa). Level the ground and plant a gnomon at
the center, the gnomon being of 12 angulas of length.
Describe a circle round it with a radius more than its length (say double the length). During
the course of the sun from morning till evening three points will be secured, two touching the
circumference and one in the center, the interval in the course of their marking being equal. The
three points are obtained by marking the end of the shadow projected during three different times,
the interval between them being equal. With these three points as the center, draw three circles of
the same radius. Two figures in the form of two fish will be produced where the circles cut. The
head and tail of cadi fish will lie in the North-South direction. Strike two nails at the points (i.e.
head and tail) of each fish and then extend two threads cutting through the central cord of the two
fishes. At a certain point' -in the North (when the sun is in the South of the Equator) these two
threads extended will meet. From this meeting point-in the north extends another thread south-
wards till it joins the central point at the base of the gnomon. This thread, which joins the northern
point with the point at the base of the gnomon, will give the North-South line.
Having found the due north and south as described above, with the two points (i.e. meeting-
points northern as well as southern) as centers two circles should be described. A figure in the form
of a fish lying in the direction East-West will be obtained. Hold a thread joining the head and tail of
this fish, and the due East and West will be known".
The method that is described in other texts like the Manasara is a little different. According
to the Manasara only two circles are to be drawn and consequently one fish will be secured while
determining the North-South line. The author of T. S. describes in the wake of Gurudeva, who after
having laid down the usual procedure (cf. Isanaiiva-gurudevapaddhati Vol. Ill, T. S. S. Edition,
Patala XXIV, Stanzas 1 to 13) remarks that it is good so far as the land lying on the equator is
concerned. As regards land lying to the North or South of the Equator, the method is different, and
in this context he prescribes the method that we have observed just now. Gurudeva (vide V. L.) his
prescribed two alternative in respect of the land lying whether on the Equator or to this North or
South to the Equator and the author of Tantrasammuccaya has followed this latter alternative
It may be interesting to note that this device of dialing and ascertaining the cardinal points of
heaven was also popular in other ancient countries like Greece and Rome, Vitruvius, the celebrated
Greek writer-architect has similar prescription:} and the following quotation from Gwilt's transla-
tion would bring home to the readers the universal importance of the technique adopted in ancient
time:
"Let a marble slab be fixed level in the centre to" the space enclosed by the walls, or let the
ground be smoothes or leveled, so that tile slab may not be necessary. In the centre of this plane, for
purpose of marking the shadow correctly, a brazen gnomon must be erected.
The Greeks call this gnomon skiatheras.
The shadow cast by the gnomon is to be marked about the fifth anti-meridian hour and the
extreme point of the space whereon the gnomon stands, as a centre, with a distance equal to the
length of the meridian, watch the shadow which the gnomon continues to cast f-ill the moment
when its extremity again touches this circle which has been described. From the two points, thus
obtained in the circumference of the circle, describe two arcs intersecting each other and through
their intersection and the centre of this circle first described draw a line to its extremity; this line
will indicate the north and south point."
Needless to quote further as Vitruvus has much more elaborations to complete the whole
technique full of diagrams.
With this brief outline of the device, let us come to its significance in the context of an
architectural planning from a stand-point of scientific implication.
Orientation played a very important part in the scheme of daily life, the Sun was the giver of
all life. Even, a witness had to face the East during the process of examination. (Vide Institutes of
Manu). This love of orientation had permeated their ideas of design the full significance of this
aspect of the Hindu mind would be appreciated as the underlying theory is grasped.
The theory of the orientation of buildings, secular as well as ecclesiastical, as laid down by
Indian designers of structures consists in selling them in plan in such a way that they may secure the
maximum of benefit from the solar radiation automatically and irrespective of the fact whether
occupants will it or not. Temples, living places, assembly halls, audience rooms and a host of
structures to meet the needs of men of all grades, are, thus, so adjusted in plan as to secure an
eastern frontage. The minutest rules are prescribed for the most advantageous setting of structures
with this end in view, When once the site of premises is selected, the next step consists in the
determination of true East, for which elaborate rules are laid down and even as the construction
progresses from the base upwards to that top, several independent checks are imposed with a view
that no deviation could be made by workers, during different stages of construction so that the
finished structure would have a truly eastern frontage.
Fixation of cardinal points, thus, occupied a prominent place in the preliminary operations of
building construction, just after the selection of site and before the actual construction starts.
Khata and Silanyasa, it may be pointed out, have an ulterior significance constructively as
well as ritualistically. This later aspect regarding ritualistic process will be dealt with in detail later
on.
The eastern facet of structures, both in plan and elevation, when truly set in direction, ac-
cording to the rules laid down as shown above, gets a full and direct exposure to the field of action
of solar radiation. As soon as the early dawn breaks, the eastern verandah is flooded, so to say, by
the early invisible ultra-violet radiation which is the first in order to be felt; as the dawn advance
into Usa, Aruna and actual sunrise, the different luminous visible rays go on impinging that facet.
They can thus be utilized air the exigencies of life demand, I as towards sunrise all the radiations
from ultra-violet on the extreme; northern end of the eastern facet to the whole range of visible
radiation, ending in Infrared on the extreme Southern end of the Sama have their full pay. It has
been observed that ultra-violet radiation has received more attention than the visible and Infra-red
radiation, owinto the fact that it produces fluorescence, photographic action and many known bio-
logical effects.
It is very significant in this phase of Indian thought that both the extremes of this eastern belt
are denoted by Ha (N. E. portion) and Agni (S. E. portion) the counterparts of, so to say, ultra-violet
or violet and Red or Infra-red radiation of the Solar spectrum of the Western science. The very
names Isa and Agni and their individual lakshanas, which arc given to these quarters from earliest
times in the Indian History go to suggest that the phenomenon of refraction and diffraction disper-
sion) were well known to Indian Aryans.
Indian architects were not slow in availing themselves of the cooperation of the priestly class
wherever necessary. In order that structures may not be marred by the slightest deviation so for as
their true East and West were concerned, the Sthapatis had devised means where, with the prin-
ciples of orientation was rigidly maintained throughout the actual construction starting from the
Khata (laying a foundation) right up to the extreme top.
It was for this security that they had requisitioned the aid of ritualism.
At every distinctive stage of a structure where the possibility of disturbance was foreseen
were enjoined ritualistic ceremonials in order that they may serve as checks to the work of con-
struction" Mankad.
(1) Dignirnaya

(1) Dignirnaya
Define
Importance
uses
instruments required
process- bright sun etc, ground 4x4 H, sanku (gnomon)24, 18, 12A, 6, 5, 4, base 1, 2 at
tip wood (kritmala, sami, sandal, red sandal, khadira, tinduka)
(northern hemisphere southern hemisphere)
diagram
unit
correction why
logical explaination (not affected by magnatic field, gets true north)
(a) 8 directions (name) (meaning) purva-samne,
8 dik-pal, lord, their sign symbol,
(b) Importance of dignirnaya
to find out true East/ North
Adv. not affected by magnetic field etc, (electic line, magnetic substances
present below the land etc,)
(c) process to find out directions (4)

(d) process to find out eight directions

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