Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c53.39

v1.c53.39

Moreover the science of architecture is a social science and it must take into its account the needs of society as a whole. Everyone can not be expected to build a lofty Harmya or high-domed Prāsāda. There must be ordinary houses, secular or popular houses, fit to be the residences of the great populace having ordinary means. Moreover, apart from its economic point, the point of position or station in life also is important. In the S.S. these different sets of buildings with their different locations are characteristic also of the materials to be used in them. The Śāla houses represent the wooden architecture. The time-honoured building material from hoary past has been the wood, hence its nomenclature Śālā (Śākhā, branch of the tree) is after the names of the parts of tree (cf. Kāṇḍa etc.). The ostentatious buildings of the Prāsādas represent the stone architecture in its zenith in the S. S. All these will be fully dealt with in their respective parts.