Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c9.s2: (ii) The Method of Treatment
Vāstu-śāstra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v1.c9.s2
- Language
- English
Contents
- v1.c9.s2.1 — 4 parts
(ii) The Method of Treatment
v1.c9.s2.1.1
Now with this general introduction to the work, I may proceed with the method of treatment to be attempted. While acquainting myself with the contents of the work and the objects found in the monuments representing all phases of evolution and development of Indian architecture with the help of the contemporary writings on architecture, I began to feel that perhaps all is not well. The subject of architecture being of a very technical nature, it is difficult to do full justice to it unless one has a body of scholars specialists in their own respective branches, History, Archaeology, Engineering, Drafting, Painting, Sculpture, Iconometry, etc. etc. This co-operative and co-ordinated venture is essential for a synthetic outlook in the architectural researches on this most fascinating branch of Indology. A merely textual treatment of the subject or one based on the study of the actual monuments can not give the full results. Both need to be correlated. I began to feel that for a scholar doing research on a work like this, a merely textual treatment of the subject will not do.
v1.c9.s2.1.2
That is, the study of a treatise on the science of architecture would be neither complete nor very much beneficial, unless we take into account the existing monuments and other specimens of buildings (such as are found in ancient paintings, and base-reliefs etc.) and make an attempt to evaluate how far these treatises were followed by the architects and their gurus, sthapatis and the Sthāpakas of the day—that is, again how far these works on Vāstu-śāstra were the standard compendiums and guide-books on architecture of the monumental buildings—the stupendous work of art-craftmanship. And conversely how far the contents—the innumerable varieties of classifications of buildings, their elaborate treatments, ornamental super-structures and different layouts and proportionate measurements of the temples and other buildings as depicted in them actually correspond to the facts. This treatment of the subject may be termed as the objective approach to Indian architecture as the true import of the term implies. It is both a science and art. I, therefore, may be permitted to remark that this synthetic point of view in the treatment of Indian architecture has been hardly followed by scholars. Though it is a fact that the traditional lore and practical guidance handed down from generation to generation in the families of the mason-architects scattered throughout this great land were a problem to tackle. The texts were distorted, the custodians illiterate;
v1.c9.s2.1.3
hence any grappling with this field of inquiry was beset with insurmountable difficulties. The result has been that Indian architecture as treated in the contemporary works, does not show its indigenous character. The avoiding of the dfficulty and pursuing the royal path of actually studying the existing monuments, little caring about the architectural traditions behind them, the Śāstric injunctions guiding them, are, in my opinion, only doing half the work. The limitations no doubt are obvious. The architectural survey by the Indologists in both the fields of textual and objective investigations of the subject suffered from this limitation. The monumental works of Havell, Smith, Coomarswamy, Furgussen and Burgess and other savants in the field, while investigating minutely the character, style and other allied details of the composition of the ancient and medieval monuments, have hardly given their serious thoughts to the manuals of architecture and their correspondence to the actual monuments. Dr. Acharya, while pioneering the investigation of a standard manual on architectural science, the Mānasāra, in as many as seven volumes, has hardly shown the correspondence of the Mānasāra mansions to the actual monuments. The intensive study of an architectural text like the S. S. and its commentary in the light of the existing monuments is the real approach to this difficult subject.
v1.c9.s2.1.4
Though it is very difficult to follow a middle path, the path of the synthetic treatment of the subject, in which the manuals and monuments both should receive due attention, I have set this ideal for myself, the following of which will be my life’s task.
v1.c9.s2.2
This is one aspect of the new investigation. The other aspect, which is equally essential, is the unfolding of the culture of which it is a representative, and I have never lost sight of the fundamental angle in my studies. We know that some of the basic conceptions of architecture are religious in character and the religious origin of Indian Architecture is well-known. This religious background of Indian architecture represents the broad cultural view of Hindu life. This point can be expanded very much, but our aim is only to hint at it as one of the important points of view in our study of these technical sciences.