Pranam https://youtu.be/dhKsYOXloYA vasthu in videos. 2 The Sanskrit word vāstu means a dwelling or house with a corresponding plot of land. The vrddhi, vāstu, takes the meaning of "the site or foundation of a house, site, ground, building or dwelling-place, habitation, homestead, house". The underlying root is vas "to dwell, live, stay, reside". The term shastra may loosely be translated as "doctrine, teaching".
Vāstu-Śastras (literally, science of dwelling) are ancient Sanskrit manuals of architecture. These contain Vastu-Vidya (literally, knowledge of dwelling). Some town plans recommended in the 700 CE Manasara vastu text. Vastu, crafts and architecture are traditionally attributed to the divine Vishwakarma in the Hindu pantheon. Theories tracing links of the principles of composition in vastu shastra and the Indus Valley Civilization have been made, but scholar Kapila Vatsyayan considers this as speculation as the Indus Valley script remains undeciphered. According to Chakrabarti, Vastu Vidya is as old the Vedic period and linked to the ritual architecture. According to Michael W. Meister, the Atharvaveda contains verses with mystic cosmogony which provide a paradigm for cosmic planning, but they did not represent architecture nor a developed practice. Vastu sastras are stated by some to have roots in pre-1st-century CE literature, but these views suffer from being a matter of interpretation. For example, the mathematical rules and steps for constructing Vedic yajna square for the sacrificial fire are in the Sulba-sutras dated to 4th-century BCE. However, these are ritual artifacts and they are not buildings or temples or broader objects of a lasting architecture. Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita dated to about the sixth century CE is among the earliest known Indian texts with dedicated chapters with principles of architecture. For example, Chapter 53 of the Brihat Samhita is titled "On architecture", and there and elsewhere it discusses elements of vastu sastra such as "planning cities and buildings" and "house structures, orientation, storeys, building balconies" along with other topics According to Michael Meister, a scholar of Indian architecture, we must acknowledge that Varahamihira does mention his own sources on vastu as older texts and sages. However, these may be mythology and reflect the Indian tradition to credit mythical sages and deities. Ancient India produced many Sanskrit texts of architecture, called Vastu Sastra. Many of these are about Hindu temple layout (above), design and construction, along with chapters on design principles for houses, villages, towns. The architect and artists (Silpins) were given wide latitude to experiment and express their creativity. There exist many Vāstu-Śastras on the art of building houses, temples, towns and cities. By 6th century AD, Sanskrit texts for constructing palatial temples were in circulation in India. Vāstu-Śastras include chapters on home construction, town planning, and how efficient villages, towns and kingdoms integrated temples, water bodies and gardens within them to achieve harmony with nature. While it is unclear, states Barnett, as to whether these temple and town planning texts were theoretical studies and if or when they were properly implemented in practice, these texts suggest that town planning and Hindu temples were conceived as ideals of art and integral part of Hindu social and spiritual life. Six of the most studied, complete and referred to Indian texts on Vastu Vidya that have survived into the modern age, states Tillotson, are – the Mayamata, the Manasara, the Samarangana Sutradhara, the Rajavallabha, the Vishvakarmaprakasha and the Aparajitaprccha. Numerous other important texts contain sections or chapters on aspects of architecture and design. The Silpa Prakasa of Odisha, authored by Ramachandra Bhattaraka Kaulachara sometime in ninth or tenth century CE, is another Vāstu Śastra. Silpa Prakasa describes the geometric principles in every aspect of the temple and symbolism such as 16 emotions of human beings carved as 16 types of female figures. These styles were perfected in Hindu temples prevalent in the eastern states of India. Other ancient texts found expand these architectural principles, suggesting that different parts of India developed, invented and added their own interpretations. For example, in Saurastra tradition of temple building found in western states of India, the feminine form, expressions and emotions are depicted in 32 types of Nataka-stri compared to 16 types described in Silpa Prakasa. Silpa Prakasa provides brief introduction to 12 types of Hindu temples. Other texts, such as Pancaratra Prasada Prasadhana compiled by Daniel Smith and Silpa Ratnakara compiled by Narmada Sankara provide a more extensive list of Hindu temple types. Sanskrit texts for temple construction discovered in Rajasthan, in northwestern region of India, include Sutradhara Mandana's Prasadamandana (literally, planning and building a temple) with chapters on town building. Manasara shilpa and Mayamata, texts of South Indian origin, estimated to be in circulation by 5th to 7th century AD, is a guidebook on South Indian Vastu design and construction. Isanasivagurudeva paddhati is another Sanskrit text from the 9th century describing the art of building in India in south and central India. In north India, Brihat-samhita by Varāhamihira is the widely cited ancient Sanskrit text from 6th century describing the design and construction of Nagara style of Hindu temples. These Vāstu Śastras, often discuss and describe the principles of Hindu temple design, but do not limit themselves to the design of a Hindu temple. They describe the temple as a holistic part of its community, and lay out various principles and a diversity of alternate designs for home, village and city layout along with the temple, gardens, water bodies and nature. The 8x8 (64) grid Manduka Vastu Purusha Mandala layout for Hindu Temples. It is one of 32 Vastu Purusha Mandala grid patterns described in Vastu sastras. In this grid structure of symmetry, each concentric layer has significance. The central area in all mandala is the Brahmasthana. Mandala "circle-circumference" or "completion", is a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The space occupied by it varies in different mandala – in Pitha (9) and Upapitha (25) it occupies one square module, in Mahaapitha (16), Ugrapitha (36) and Manduka (64), four square modules and in Sthandila (49) and Paramasaayika (81), nine square modules. The Pitha is an amplified Prithvimandala in which, according to some texts, the central space is occupied by earth. The Sthandila mandala is used in a concentric manner. A site of any shape can be divided using the Pada Vinyasa. Sites are known by the number of squares. They range from 1x1 to 32x32 (1024) square sites. Examples of mandalas with the corresponding names of sites include Sakala (1 square) corresponds to Eka-pada (single divided site) Pechaka (4 squares) corresponds to Dwi-pada (two divided site) Pitha (9 squares) corresponds to Tri-pada (three divided site) Mahaapitha (16 squares) corresponds to Chatush-pada (four divided site) Upapitha (25 squares) corresponds to Pancha-pada (five divided site) Ugrapitha (36 squares) corresponds to Shashtha-pada (six divided site) Sthandila (49 squares) corresponds to Sapta-pada (seven divided site) Manduka/ Chandita (64 square) corresponds to Ashta-pada (eight divided site) Paramasaayika (81 squares) corresponds to Nava-pada (nine divided site) Aasana (100 squares) corresponds to Dasa-pada (ten divided site) Bhadrmahasan (196 squares) corresponds to Chodah-pada (14 divided sites) Modern adaptations and usage Vastu Shastra-inspired plan adapted and evolved by modern architect Charles Correa in the design of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, Rajasthan. Vāstu Śastra represents a body of ancient concepts and knowledge to many modern architects, a guideline but not a rigid code. The square-grid mandala is viewed as a model of organisation, not as a ground plan. The ancient Vāstu Śastra texts describe functional relations and adaptable alternate layouts for various rooms or buildings and utilities, but do not mandate a set compulsory architecture. Sachdev and Tillotson state that the mandala is a guideline, and employing the mandala concept of Vāstu Śastra does not mean every room or building has to be square. The basic theme is around core elements of central space, peripheral zones, direction with respect to sunlight, and relative functions of the spaces. The pink city Jaipur in Rajasthan was master planned by Rajput king Jai Singh and built by 1727 CE, in part around Vastu Shilpa Sastra principles. Similarly, modern era projects such as the architect Charles Correa's designed Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya in Ahmedabad, Vidhan Bhavan in Bhopal,[43] and Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, adapt and apply concepts from the Vastu Shastra Vidya. In the design of Chandigarh city, Le Corbusier incorporated modern architecture theories with those of Vastu Shastra. During the colonial rule period of India, town planning officials of the British Raj did not consider Vastu Vidya, but largely grafted Islamic Mughal era motifs and designs such as domes and arches onto Victorian-era style buildings without overall relationship layout.[47][48] This movement, known as Indo-Saracenic architecture, is found in chaotically laid out, but externally grand structures in the form of currently used major railway stations, harbours, tax collection buildings, and other colonial offices in South Asia. Vāstu Śastra Vidya was ignored, during colonial era construction, for several reasons. These texts were viewed by 19th and early 20th century architects as archaic, the literature was inaccessible being in an ancient language not spoken or read by the architects, and the ancient texts assumed space to be readily available. In contrast, public projects in the colonial era were forced into crowded spaces and local layout constraints, and the ancient Vastu sastra were viewed with prejudice as superstitious and rigid about a square grid or traditional materials of construction. Sachdev and Tillotson state that these prejudices were flawed, as a scholarly and complete reading of the Vāstu Śastra literature amply suggests the architect is free to adapt the ideas to new materials of construction, local layout constraints and into a non-square space. The design and completion of a new city of Jaipur in early 1700s based on Vāstu Śastra texts, well before any colonial era public projects, was one of many proofs. Other examples include modern public projects designed by Charles Correa such as Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, and Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad Vastu Shastra remedies have also been applied by Khushdeep Bansal in 1997 to the Parliament complex of India, when he contented that the library being built next to the building is responsible for political instability in the country. German architect Klaus-Peter Gast states that the principles of Vāstu Śastras is witnessing a major revival and wide usage in the planning and design of individual homes, residential complexes, commercial and industrial campuses, and major public projects in India, along with the use of ancient iconography and mythological art work incorporated into the Vastu vidya architectures. The use of Vastu shastra and Vastu consultants in modern home and public projects is *controversial.* Some architects, particularly during India's colonial era, considered it arcane and superstitious. Other architects state that critics have not read the texts and that most of the text is about flexible design guidelines for space, sunlight, flow and function. Vastu Shastra is a pseudoscience, states Narendra Nayak – the head of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations. In contemporary India, Vastu consultants "promote superstition in the name of science". Astronomer Jayant Narlikar states Vastu Shastra has rules about integrating architecture with its ambience, but the dictates of Vastu and alleged harm or benefits being marketed has "no logical connection to environment". He gives examples of Vastu consultants claiming the need to align the house to magnetic axis for "overall growth, peace and happiness, or that "parallelogram-shaped sites can lead to quarrels in the family", states Narlikar. This is pseudoscience. Vibuthi Chakrabarti, a scholar of Architecture and Sanskrit literature who has critically translated historic Vastu literature, states that in contemporary India, some are offering their services as Vastu consultants where they project it as a "religious tradition", rather than an "architectural methodology" as actually taught in the historic texts. These consultants include "quacks, priests and astrologers" fueled by greed and with little knowledge of what the historic Vastu-sastra texts actually teach. They market false advice and superstition in the name of Vastu Vidya tradition, sometimes under the rubric of "Vedic sciences". *Sanskrit treatises on architecture* Of the numerous Sanskrit treatises mentioned in ancient Indian literature, some have been translated in English. Many Agamas, Puranas and Hindu scriptures include chapters on architecture of temples, homes, villages, towns, fortifications, streets, shop layout, public wells, public bathing, public halls, gardens, river fronts among other things. In some cases, the manuscripts are partially lost, some are available only in Tibetan, Nepalese or South Indian languages, while in others original Sanskrit manuscripts are available in different parts of India. Some treatises, or books with chapters on Vaastu Shastra include: - Manasara <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasara> - Brhat samhita (Chapters 53–58) - Mayamata <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayamata> - Anka sastra - Aparajita Vāstu Śastra <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aparajitaprccha> - Maha-agamas (28 books, each with 12 to 75 chapters) - Ayadi Lakshana - Aramadi Pratishtha Paddhati (includes garden design) - Kasyapiya - Kupadi Jala Sthana Lakshana - Kshetra Nirmana Vidhi (preparation of land and foundation of buildings including temples) - Gargya samhita (pillars, doors, windows, wall design and architecture) - Griha Pithika (types of houses and their construction) - Ghattotsarga Suchanika (riverfront and steps architecture) - Jnana ratna kosha - Vastu sarani (measurement, ratio and design layouts of objects, particularly buildings) - Devalaya Lakshana (treatise on construction of temples) - Dhruvadi shodasa gehani (guidelines for arrangement of buildings with respect to each other for harmony) - Nava sastra (36 books, most lost) - Agni Purana (Chapters 42 through 55, and 106 - Nagaradi Vastu) - Matsya Purana <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsya_Purana> (Chapters 252 through 270) - Maya samgraha - Prasada kirtana - Prasada Lakshana - Tachchu sastra (primarily home design for families) - Manushyalaya Lakshana (primarily human dwelings) - Manushyalaya Chandrika <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manushyalaya_Chandrika> - Mantra dipika - Mana kathana (measurement principles) - Manava vastu lakshana - Manasollasa <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manasollasa> (chapters on house layout, mostly ancient cooking recipes) - Raja griha nirmana (architecture and construction principles for royal palaces) - Rupa mandana - Vastu tattva - Vastu nirnaya - Vastu purusha lakshana - Vastu prakasa - Vastu pradipa - Vastu manjari - Vastu mandana - Vastu lakshana - Vastu vichara - Vastu Vidya - Vastu vidhi - Vastu samgraha - Vastu sarvasva - Vimana lakshana (tower design) - Visvakarma prakasa (home, roads, water tanks and public works architecture) - Vaikhanasa - Sastra jaladhi ratna - Silpa prakasa - Silparatna <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silparatna> - Silpakala Dipika - Silpartha Śastra - Sanatkumara Vāstu Śastra - Samarangana Sutradhara <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samarangana_Sutradhara> KR IRS central research as reported in NCB articles. 15122 On Sat, 15 Jan 2022 at 05:51, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 < [email protected]> wrote: > *DOORS AND SHUTTERS* > > Dear friends, > > Today my posting is about doors and their shutters. If we give > construction work of a new home to a contractor, he would specify in the > contract many items; *one among them is the doors and shutters*. Most > contractors in Tamilnadu agree for construction work on the condition > they would be provides all items for construction. It is because they get more > profit in materials than in other items. > > If we are constructing a home in Kerala similar is the condition if work > is carried out by a contractor. Very few agree for labour and supervision > only. > > The specifications can be altered for better quality of an item by the > owner but the contractor has to be paid more for the quality. For simple > changes and additions contractor may not quote extra. > > In Tamilnadu all contractors specify teakwood door in the entrance and > quality special wood for pooja room. Backdoors will be provided with country > wood, frame with bottom step and fitting of *grill doors in addition to > all doors to outside*. > > For fixing the main door frame an auspicious day and time is selected in > Kerala. The main door frame is decorated. It is placed in the > plinth/basement in the correct position. This position will not be > altered at any cost. Lamp is lighted. The eldest of the family is invited > by the contractor/builder to touch the frame placed on the plinth. It will > be held in position by temporary fixtures chief mason and carpenter conduct > pooja before starting the brick works. > > In Chennai it is for the carpenter, mason and contractor to fix the main > door. The owner has to present, give gold/silver to place beneath the > frame, give flowers for decoration, they conduct the pooja. *Owner has > to remain compulsorily outside and is invited to enter inside after their > pooja is completed by them*. One day salary has to be given to carpenter > and mason as Dakshina for fixing the main door. > > I thought to day my posting can be about doors and door shutters. The door > frames are fitted in such a manner that the door shutter open towards > inside. > > Sincerely, > > Gopalakrishnan 14-1-2022. > > *1. Teakwood door* > > In Chennai the main door is made of teak wood nowadays either in homes or > in flats. It would be specified in the contract. If one has to increase > thickness of frame or shutter, the contractor would be quoting extra. > Nowadays front side artwork done single shutter is provided for the doors. > > Hinges, bolts and handle made in brass will be provided. Very good quality > lock is fitted (inside shutter) in the middle of it and locked into the > frame. In the frame cuttings are made to enter the latch of the lock. > > *2. Single panel window attached to main door* > > This attached single panel teakwood window is grill work inserted to frame > and is installed if asked by the owner .After the works are completed, a > glass panel shutter with artwork on frame is permanently fitted to it. > Other than using magic eye, or partly opening the door, any person calling > from outside can be seen through this glass panel. > > *3. Front door artwork.* > > The art work in the frame and shutter are prepared in the mechanical > lathes, and pasted to doors. Most contractors give specification of door > frame and shutter in lathe, readymade door is delivered by the lathe. > Only work of the carpenter employed by the contractor is fixing the > shutter, bolts and lock. I surfed the cost of brass lock- Minimum price > is about 14000-00 rupees. > > *4. Pooja room door and shutter* > > Second special specification is about the frame work and doors of the > pooja room. Quality wood like Bhatak is used and the shutters are > provided with cuttings where small bells in brass are fitted. On opening > of the doors bells would make noise. *Normally bolts or locks are not > provided inside.* These opening in the doors will avoid any suffocation > during burning of camphor to the person inside if he has closed the door. > Many families it is women in charge of pooja room. In some families pooja > is done by senior male member. > > *5 Door frame* > > Present day door frame work is placed in position and the side frames are > inserted in to the bottom concrete work. No frame work called step is > provided in bottom of door frames except in the front and back doors. This > facilitates easy entrance into rooms. Clamps are fitted to outside of > vertical frames about 4 feet from bottom and brick work is done over it > giving strength to door. If one wants two clamps in a frame from a side, it > will be provided at extra cost. Present day carpenters use mechanical > drill and fit clamps in minutes. For screw tightening also mechanical > tighter is used. These frames are installed during brick work. > > *6. Inner doors.* > > The frame work is made with quality wood. Doors can be single panel or two > panels. Plywood shutters were provided at one time. Now processed wood > doors single panel shutters are provided in Tamilnadu. If two panel > shutters are desired, it is locally line in the lathe. About 6.5 feet > height is given to door frames. Magnetic holders are now provided to keep > the opened shutter without closing by wind etc. > > *7. Doors opening to outside of the home* > > For these doors frame and shutter are made of good wood, mostly assembled > and brought from Lathe. Local carpenter fits the shutter using hinges, fit > bolt and padlocks as required. Either stainless steel or brass padlocks are > provided. Here too ordinary lock is fitted to shutter and locking is done > to the cutting in the frame. In most homes grill door is locked, if going > out of station, padlock is also locked. Otherwise simply inserted and bolt > is raised for locking > > *8. Painting and polishing* > > The contractor specifies type of paint and polish. One can change company > for these items. Normally best quality paint and polish are used. Polishing > is given to teak wood door and pooja room door. Other doors are painted > mostly in light yellow or chocolate colour. > > *9 Door between kitchen and dining hall.* > > Normally the contractor may not give provision in agreement. If one > requires, we have to alter the provision of doors and pay. > > *10. Door between kitchen and work area.* > > For easy access to work area only brick work frame would be provided. If > we require door, we have to specify and pay > > *11. Vasthu principles* > > All builders in Chennai follow vasthu principles. Doors are fixed as per > vasthu > > *12. General* > > The above told is in general doors and door shutters in Tamilnadu for > middle class homes and flats spending lakhs for construction of home. The > affluent who may spend crores for homes, contractor gives specification > accordingly for doors and shutters. Some affluent may use only teak wood > for door frames and shutters. They may require many additions in doors. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/128990792.253039.1642206090961%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/128990792.253039.1642206090961%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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