Vastu-shastra (Vol. I: Hindu Science of Architecture; Vol. II: Hindu Canons of Iconography and Painting) v2.c72.3

v2.c72.3

The English word ‘architecture’ does not and cannot denote and connote fully the Indian word ‘Vāstu’ (śāstra or kalā). In India the Science of Architecture—the Vāstu-śāstra has at least five main branches: the Canons of Town-planning; the Art of House-building (both secular and religious—secular being the residential houses of middle class people (House-architecture) as well as the palaces of kings (Palace-architecture) and religious being the abodes of gods—the temples—(Temple-architecture); the Canon of icon-making—Iconography (and also the art of sculpture, the rich heritage of India); the essential characteristics of Painting—Citra-lakṣaṇa and the art of the construction of the machines (mechanical devices) as well as the articles of furniture etc.