The book is the fruit of my labour as Research Scholar of the Government of Bengal during the years 1923-1926, when I was deputed to the Varendra Research Society, Rajshahi, to work under the Late Akshaya Kumar Maitra, C. I. E. But the researches made by me in that capacity represents a very small fraction of what is to be found in the present volume. Many new books on Vastuvidya have since been discovered and it is with the help of these that I have been able to trace the development of Vastuvidya and allied subjects. I shall be failing in my duty if I do not at the very outset acknowledge the debt I owe to the Government of Bengal, to the V. R. Society of Rajshahi and to the Late Gurudeva A. K. Maitra for their kindly affording me opportunity to study the subject.
In writing the book I had to struggle against odd circumstances, such as the difficulty in securing a good Press and untold domestic difficulties. Notwithstanding them I have rushed through in the hope that the materials I have been able to collect and collaborate would be placed before the world of letters so that I may, if necessary, revise my opinions in the light of any criticisms I may receive. Inspite of my best efforts, there have crept into the book a number of mistakes, some of which have been duly corrected in the attached list of errata, I must acknowledge my debt to Prof. S. G. Mukherjee, M, A. of the B. N. College, Patna, for having very kindly gone through a portion of the Manuscripts, I also should thank the United Press of Patna for making their best efforts to print the book quickly and for the accomdating spirit and consideration they have invariably shown. I shall deem my labour amply repaid if the world of scholars is attracted to the study of this important, but so long neglected, branch of Indian culture and offer helpful and constructive criticisms.
many of these available works are unknown, we have now been able to fix some landmarks from where we may move hackward and forward to (composed in the 6th century A.D.), Samarangana Sutradhara of the 11 find out the antiquity of the Indian Vastusastras. Brihat Samhita th century A. D. and Isana-Siva-Gurudeva Paddhati of the 11th century A. D. (because we know from South Indian Inscriptions that Isana-Siva-Gurudeva was the preceptor of king Rajendra Choladeva I (1012-42) of the Chola dynasty) have helned us now to form a chronology of the history of the Vastusastras. The origin of Indian Vastusastra, the different phases of its development, the relation of the North Indian Vastuvidya to that of the Sauth, the relation of the Southern texts to one another and probable age of compilation of the various texts which form the main theme of this book, as far as I know, have not yet been discussed by any scholar. Many scholars have attempted to apply these canons to the interpretation of actual specimens of Indian architecture. But as they so long depended on Manasara and other allied South Indian texts and as the technical terms used in these works have not yet been properly interpreted, they generally failed in those attempts. Similarly, many have attempted to classify Indian architecture; but even Dr. Coomaraswamy could not definitely make out the real thing from the confused and vague statements of the available works. I have therefore, tried properly to interpret the three terms 'Nagara', 'Dravida' and 'Vesara' and to find out the real classes or orders into which the Indians themselves divided their architecture.
The method I have followed is first to make an analytical study of the references to Indian architectural matters available in various Indian works and then to build up a theory. In the first nine chapters, therefore, I have collected the important references from the works of the Vedic period and those of later periods. This has been done by many previous writers, but, as will be noticed, I have paid more attention to the references which may help us to trace the gradual development of Vastuvidya. Scholars have so long held that Vastuvidya developed in India in the third century or in the sixth century A. D. But I have shown in Chapter X that long before that period, India had produced at least twenty five writers on Vastuuidya, whose works, though lost to us, existed in India till at least the 10th century A. D. Then an attempt has been made to reveal the nature of Vastuuidya in the earliest period (Ch. XI). I have tried to show that Vastuuidya existed in India even in the. Second Century B. C. (Date of Garga). The development of Vastuuidya has then been traced from the earliest period to the 15th century A. D. (Ch. XII-XIII) and in this connection I have also attempted to fix the probable dates of some of the available texts on Vastuuidya. I have further shown that the sixth century was a significant period in the history of Vastuuidya, most of the available works having been composed in that period or the one following it.
The discussion about the age of compilation cannot be complete without a proper consideration of the matters dealt with in the various works. I have not thoroughly entered into the technical matters of Architecture which only can supply proper data for reaching definite conclusions regarding this matter. But I have proceeded by classifying the various styles (or orders) of Indian architecture and the treatises thereon. Scholars have hitherto recognised three orders of Indian architecturevie. Nagara, Dravida and Vesara; but I have shown that this division is partially faulty and that there were various other orders of Indian architecture. These classifications have been dealt with in several chapters (XIV to XVI).
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