Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.3245

c7.3245

3). *The design of Laṅkā.* Viśvakarmā, the celebrated architect designed the beautiful Laṅkā and the supreme building ability of Maya brought into form the enchanting city. On the top of Trikūṭa was the all important Navaratnaśṛṅga and on a spacious plateau on its top stood the majestic city of Laṅkā. In the centre was the ten-storeyed palace of Rāvaṇa and around it in eight different places stood the nine-storeyed buildings of the great ministers of Rāvaṇa. The nine edifices were like the Navagrahas (nine planets) of Laṅkā. Each of the nine edifices was built with one of the nine gems and the royal palace in the centre was built by using all the nine gems. Even the sun avoided passing over these buildings and changed his path either a bit to the north or to the south making what is known as the Dakṣiṇāyana and Uttarāyaṇa. (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Kamba Rāmāyaṇa).