वास्तु मण्डन (मण्डन सूत्रधार - गृह, राजप्रासाद, दुर्ग एवं नगर-वास्तु सटीक)

INTRODUCTION xxi of another chhandas for the aerial view of a construction. These are Meru, Khaṇḍameru, Patākā, Sūci, Neṣṭa and Uddiṣṭta. Mostly palaces are of Māḍa type and they come under Meru chhanda. Another peculiarity of these palaces is that most of the palaces are either three and half or five and half or seven and half storied and the ground plan of these palaces are either 8 x 8, 9 x 9 or 10 x 10 square as required. Śrīdhara type of palace is five storied with sixteen pillars in the centre. The projected part of the palace is two and half storied. While there are four pillars in one part, there are four pillars each for all the four doors with lattice. Platforms were fitted with glittering silver seats adorned with Mattavāraṇa (A.P. Ch. 87, Ś16- 17). Aparājitapṛcchā mentions of three chadyas adorned with platforms and bells, which are the decoration of this palace. The palace Pratāpavardhana has four doors in four directions. There the projected part will be one third of the breadth of the palace and the front portico constitutes another part. No other information on this type of palace are found in the book whereas Aparājitapṛcchā describes the land to be twenty-five hands in measurement with four pillars in the center, twelve more pillars on the alindas, totaling thirty-two pillars in outside and inside. Māḍa type of construction is described to have two stories and above going up to three and half stories. The palace Lakṣmīvilāsa is found to be similar to Pratāpavardhana to certain extent. Vāstumaṇḍana adds that out of ten pillars in the mukhabhadra, six will be inside and four will be on the outside. Māḍa type of construction is done two stories and above on bhadra and for a house it will be upto five and a half storey. This type of palace is best suited for a king. Compared to this, Aparājitapṛcchā writes, the Bhadra for Pratāpavardhana palace is divided into three parts breadth wise and one of the part is regarded as mukhabhadra, which is adorned with ten pillars is known as Lakṣmīvilāsa palace. Here the Māḍa is done above two storey can go unto five and half storey. For Śrīnivāvsa palace similar description was noticed in both the books. This palace is having thirty-six pillars on twenty-five parts of the land. Wall will be equal to one-tenth part of the construction in length and four doors are also erected. Bhadra is divided into nine parts with three mukhabhadras in one part. This palace will be three and half storied with hundred and four pillars. Māḍa type of construction is done above three or five storeys. Kṣīṇabhūṣaṇa type of palace is constructed on a square land measuring eight by eight squares and the foundation is on the seventh segment. Partition wall will be within half of the squares. There will be four doors and twenty-five small pillars. bhadra is divided into three parts and three Pratibhadras will be raised on one part of bhadra. The number of pillars in a bhadra may be four or five but total number of pillars may vary from eighty to two hundred. Māḍa is constructed above three stories in a bhadra and in a house it will be above sixth stories.