A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy (in Perspective) c10.s6.1

c10.s6.1

Parameśvara, one of the foremost astronomers of Kerala who revised the *Parahita* system of computation through his *Dṛggaṇita* in 1430. has made significant contributions to Hindu mathematics and astronomy. He was a Ṛgvedin of the Āśvalāyana-sūtra and the Bhṛgu-gotra. He hailed from the village of Aśvatthagrāma (Mal. Ālaṭṭūr) and his house Vaṭaśreṇi (Mal. Vaṭaśśeri) was situated on the confluence of river Nīla (Mal. Bhāratappuzha) with the Arabian Sea, where, on the sandy expanse, he carried on investigations for fiftyfive years. He also observed a large number of eclipses, of which he has recorded the details in his *Siddhāntadīpikā*.³ His grandfather was a disciple of Govinda Bhaṭṭatiri of Talakkuḷam and he himself was a pupil of Rudra I, Nārāyaṇa son of Parameśvara and Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma.