Manasara Series (I. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture; II. Indian Architecture according to Manasara-Shilpashastra; III. Manasara on Architecture and Sculpture: Sanskrit Text; IV. Architecture of Manasara: Translation; V. Architecture of Manasara: Illustrations; VI. Hindu Architecture in India and Abroad; VII. An Encyclopaedia of Hindu Architecture) v2.c14.s4.4

v2.c14.s4.4

For the purpose of ascertaining the cardinal points, a gnomon of 12, 18, or 24 *aṅgulas* is erected from the centre of a watered place (*salila-sthala*) and a circle is described with the bottom of the gnomon as its centre 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 is drawn with their distance as radius The two intersecting 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.