| Until
recent years modern society has viewed much of the
world's ancient architecture and art as "simply
decorative" or, in a general sense, as a tribute
to God; not that it might have any "practical"
function in helping us to understand tha nature of
the world we live in. However, recent studies in the
field of sacred architecture (Vastu Shastra) by men
like Keith Critchlow of the Royal College of Art in
London have uncovered hidden dimensions revealing
a far-reaching connection between architecture and
the nature of existence. Critchlow, perhaps the best-known
advocate of the theory of sacred architecture, believes
that basic architectural principles on the physical
level are integral with structure on the metaphysical
level.
Yali,
Protector of the Temple.
  Most sacred architects maintain that the ultimate reality
exists beyond the mundane plane of temporary forms.
As such, that higher reality, infinite in nature,
can make itself known to the finite living entities,
in the world here below. It does so through revealed
forms which, while seemingly limited and temporary,
provide a bridge between the finite and the infinite.
Some
regard the ideal forms of sacred Vastu architecture
as metaphors while others prefer to see them as fixed,
eternal truths. In any case it is a fact that sacred
architectural forms (as presented in the Vastu Shastra)
have the ability to uplift the human consciousness
from the mundane reality to the supernatural.
William
Irwin Thompson of the Lindisfarne Mountain Retreat
in Colorado says about his chapel, "Anyone entering
our chapel-no matter what their religion-would feel
the sacred calling of the place and wish to sit in
silence." Architect Michael Baron reports that
people sometimes cry the first time they enter the
Lindisfarne Chapel. He explains, "They find it
touches something very familiar inside them. Others
don't say a word; they sense the sacredness of the
place. They may not be sure what's going on, but they
are affected by it."
 Throughout the world it's hard
to find a place where sacred architecture is as developed
a science as is that found in India. India's ancient
temples and palaces are certainly among the finest
ever built. From the Taj Mahal, the seventh wonder
of the world, to the Pagodas of Tamil Nadu, from the
Himalayan hill shrines to the great temple at Jagannatha
Puri, India is a veritable treasure-house of sacred
architecture. In fact there are more existing examples
of sacred architecture in India than in all other
countries of the world combined. Vastu
Sastra top
The
knowledge of sacred architecture in India has existed
in the oral tradition since before the Vedic Age,
some five thousand years ago. From the oral tradition
it was later recorded in the Sanskrit mantras and
compiled under the title Vastu Shastra. According to
Indian authorities the Vastu Shastra is possibly the oldest known
architectural treatise in the world today.
The
word shastra means literature or more
accurately "enlightened literature." The
word vastu, meaning
the manifest, comes from the word vustu, meaning the unmanifest.
The philosophical purport of the words vustu
and vastu form
the basic concepts of India's sacred architecture
and are among the first lessons taught to the students
of Vastu Shastra. That which
is manifest in this world, vastu, it is said, is originally
existing on the plane of the transcendental or unmanifest,
vustu.
To
instruct the beginning students of the Vastu Shastraabout
the meanings of vustu and vastu, the
unmanifest and the manifest realities, the example
is used of the moon and its reflection in water. "The
moon is present in the sky, but when rising above
a lake it becomes visible or manifest in the water.
In the same way the origin of all things exists first
in the eternal reality and then becomes manifest here
below in the world of gross sensual objects."
This simple analogy demonstrates the nature of vustu, that which
exists eternally, and vastu, that which is temporarily manifest.
The
students of the Vastu Shastra thus perceive
existence in terms of two dimensions: first the infinite
spiritual realm and second the finite accommodating
space for insentient material objects. This concept
of a superior plane of existence, where the original
form of things exist eternally, is the basis of India's
sacred architecture.
Maya
danava, founder of
sacred architecture
 While researching sacred architecture we talked with Ganapati
Sthapati, the Senior Architect at the Government College
of Architecture and Sculpture in Mahabalipuram, South
India. Sthapati informed us that the science of the
Vastu Shastra is traceable to at least the
year 3000 B.C., if not before. The earliest known
master of the Vastu Shastra was
Maya Danava, recognized as the founder of the tradition
of India's sacred architecture. Sthapati, who holds
the esteemed title Brahma Sri, awarded to him
by the government of India for his achievements in
the field of architecture, further assured us that
the science of Vastu Shastra
is a living tradition in India and is in no danger
of becoming extinct.
We
visited several classrooms at the college where students
are taught the variety of skills and techniques necessary
in the science of sacred architecture. Beginning with
concept and design, the students are taught each and
every aspect of sacred architecture: geometry, drafting,
stone sculpture, bronze casting, wood carving, painting,
etc. All the textbooks and reference materials are
written in Sanskrit, which every student is required
to learn.
Those
students who excel in all phases of sacred architecture
will graduate with a degree in architectue and receive
the title Sthapati. Those students specializing in
a particular department of sacred architecture like
sculpture or painting become certified as Master Artisans.
After earning a degree graduating students will have
the opportunity to apply their designing skills in
building temples and other facilities requiring knowledge
of the Vastu Shastra.
Of
all types of structures in the field of sacred architecture,
the building of a temple requires the utmost degree
of knowledge and training. Those building a house,
a school or even an office building take into consideration
the basic knowledge of sacred architecture for successful
execution; but the temple, being the very abode of
divinity, requires the greatest skills and is the
most painstaking in its execution. In the development
of a temple project all phases of construction from
beginning to end are thought out and executed according
to the direction of the Vastu Shastra.
Ganapati
Stapati, the Senior Architect at the
Vastu Government College of Architecture
 First of all it is necessary to select a suitable place
where the temple should be built. The suitable choices
are mentioned in the Vastu Sastra: "The best location to build a temple is at a tirtha
(holy place)." "A tirtha,"
says
Ganapati Sthapati, "is a ford or crossing place
from this world to the above-a point of marriage between
transcendence and the mundane. A tirtha
provides a crossing place for the upward journey of
the soul and a place for the downward crossing-for
the crossing of higher entities who sometimes descend
to this world for the good of mankind."
If
construction of the temple at a tirtha is
not possible then another appropriate location should
be found. The vastu shastra then says, "The temple of Godhead should be situated
in a beautiful place where rivers flow, on the banks
of a lake or by the seashore; on hill tops, mountain
slopes, or in a hidden valley. The site of the temple
may be selected in a forest, a grove, or in a beautiful
garden. Temples should also be built in villages,
towns and cities or on an island, surrounded by water."
Next
a construction plan is required and here begins the
highly technical aspect of sacred architecture-to
bring about the descent or manifestation of the unmanifest
and unseen. Ganapati Sthapati explained this process
to us in great detail. "The architect or Sthapati
begins by drafting a square. The square is literally
the fundamental form of sacred architecture in India.
It is considered the essential and perfect form. It
presupposes the circle and results from it. Expanding
energy shapes the circle from the center; it is established
in the shape of the square. The circle and curve belong
to life in its growth and movement. The square is
the mark of order, the finality to the expanding life,
life's form and the perfection beyond life and death.
From the square all requisite forms can be derived:
the triangle, hexagon, octagon, circle etc. The architect
calls this square the vastu-purusha-mandala—vastu the
manifest, purusha
the Cosmic Being, and mandala, in this case,
the polygon.
"When
completed the vastu-purusha-mandala will
represent the manifest form of the Cosmic Being; upon
which the temple is built and in whom the temple rests.
The temple is situated in Him, comes from Him, and
is a manifestation of Him. The vastu-purusha-mandala is
a mystical diagram. It is both the body of the Cosmic
Being and a bodily device by which those who have
the requisite knowledge attain the best results in
temple building." Vastu
Sastra top
The
conception of the "Cosmic Being" as a person
has held a prominent place in Indian theistic thought
since time immemorial. We were shown an interesting
quotation in the ancient Sanskrit literature that
illustrates the personal features of the Cosmic Being.
"The planetary systems in space from the highest
down to the lowest represent the head, neck, chest,
thighs, legs and feet, respectively, of the Great
Universal Being. His arms are the divine entities
headed by Indra, the ten directional sides are His
ears, and physical sound is His sense of hearing.
His mouth is blazing fire. The sphere of outer space
constitutes His eye sockets and the eyeball is the
sun as the power of seeing. The rivers are His veins,
the trees are the hair of His body and the omnipotent
air is His breath. The passing ages are His movements."[1]
The perception of the Cosmic Being is considered to
be the preliminary stage of self-realization and thereby
a qualified form of pantheism.which gradually leads
one to understand the personal feature of the transcendent
Godhead.
The
concept of spirituality in the system of sacred architecture
in India is something that goes beyond the mere static
relations between inert objects and space as found
in other architectural traditions. The relationship
of objects with one another and space in India's sacred
architecture extends to include higher entities said
to be in charge of various aspects of universal affairs,
all of whom carry out their work in accordance with
the will of God.
In
order to establish the vastu-purusha-mandala on
the construction site, it is first drafted on planning
sheets and later drawn upon the earth at the actual
building site. The knowledge of its meaning and execution
is the first discipline which the architect must master
and it requires in-depth understanding of astrology.
The drawing of the mandala
upon the earth at the commencement of construction
is a sacred rite in itself. The rites and execution
of the vastu-purusha-mandala, for
which a priest will also be summoned later on, are
not accessory nor are they a mere accompaniment to
the temple. They sustain the temple in their own sphere
of effectiveness to the same extent that the actual
foundation supports its weight.
Based
on astrological calculations the border of the vastu-purusha-mandala
is subdivided into thirty-two smaller squares called
nakshatras.
These nakshatras correspond to the constellations
or lunar mansions through which the moon passes in
its monthly course. The number thirty-two geometrically
results from a repeated division of the border of
the single square. It denotes four times the eight
positions in space: north, east, south, west, and
their intermediate points. The closed polygon of thirty-two
squares is now symbolical of the recurrent cycles
of time as calculated by the movements of the moon.
Each of the nakshatras
is ruled over by a divine entity, called a deva, which
extends its influence to the mandala. Outside the mandala
lie the four directions, symbolic of the meeting of
heaven and earth and which also represent the ecliptic
of the sun-east to west and its rotation to the northern
and southern hemispheres..
The
center of the mandala is called the station
of Brahma, the first of beings and the engineer of
universal order. Surrounding Brahma are the places
of twelve other entities known as the sons of Aditi,
who assist in the affairs of universal management.
The remaining empty squares represent the akasha or pure space. The vastu-purusha-mandala
is now complete,forming a sort of map or diagram of astrological
influences that constitute the order of the universe
and the destinies of human lives. When placed on the
building site the vastu-purusha-mandala
determines the time for beginning construction. Only
by the combination of the vastu-purusha-mandala
and astrological
calculations can this factor be ascertained.
The
temple itself should always face east as that is considered
the most auspicious direction-the place of origin
of the sun. From the east appears the rising sun,
the destroyer of darkness. The sun is the giver of
life. It brings joy and happiness and is the watchful
eye of the "Cosmic Being." The vastu
shastra states that
a building with improper proportions and wrong orientation
will create an environment which is conducive to disturbances
like disease, death and destruction, and may be inhabited
by subtle entities with envious and deceitful natures.
As
we learned more and more about the science of sacred
architecture, it became apparent that the construction
of a domestic building or of a temple is something
like the birth of a human being-who according to the
time and place of his birth will come under certain
astrological influences throughout life. The time
of construction, the place and position of a structure
are all important factors for the future of the building.
Therefore, according to the vastu shastra, all structures should
be erected according to auspicious astrological calculations
to assure successful execution, longevity, and lasting
prosperity.
From
the diagram of the vastu-purusha-mandala the
architect next proceeds to develop the vertical and
horizontal dimensions of the temple. Here too a wide
range of factors must be taken into consideration.
To guide the sacred architect of today a long and
rich tradition of already existing temples and sacred
buildings in India serves as a great inspiration to
his work. The architect's creative intelligence will
be an all-important ingredient in the final design,
while the mandala and the
vastu shastra
will continue to be the tools of his execution.
The
size of the structure will determine the various kinds
of building materials to be used at different stages
of the construction. Building materials like stone,
marble, brick, plaster, wood, etc., are selected for
the main body of the temple, whereas elements like
gold and silver will be used for final ornamentation.
Only organic materials are used in sacred architecture.
Manmade materials like simulated marble, plastic and
asbestos are not acceptable building materials. The
reason being that inorganic materials are not considered
adequate conductors of cosmic energies.
The
plotting graphs of the temple are divided into two
main sections-the ground plan and the vertical alignment.
The square, the rectangle, the octagon and the pentagon
are fundamental patterns in the horizontal or ground
plan. In the vertical alignment the pyramid, the circle
and the curve are most prominent. The subdivisions
of the ground plan include the brahmasthana
(the main shrine and smaller chapels) and the mandapam (balconies,
assembly halls and auditoriums). The vertical plan
consists of drawings for the gopuram
(entrance ways), the vimana (the structure above
the main shrine or chapel) and the prakara (the walls).
The
brahmasthana is said to be the principal
location in a temple since it is here that the seat
of Godhead will eventually be placed. At the base
of the foundation of the brahmasthana,
located at the station of Brahma on the vastu-purusha-mandala,
a ritual is performed called garbhadhana, the
ritual which invites the soul of the temple to enter
within the buildings confines. In this ritual a brahmin, priest, places a golden
box in the earth during the ground-breaking ceremonies.
The interior of the box is divided into smaller units
exactly resembling the vastu-purusha-mandala.
All the units of the gold box are first partially
filled with dirt. In the thirty-two units representing
the nakshatras (lunar
mansions), the units of Brahma and the twelve sons
of Aditi, the priest places an appropriate mantra in written form to invoke the presence
of the corresponding divinity.
The
Sanskrit mantras chanted by the priest
are in no way less important than the mandala itself.
The mandala
having set up an archetypal diagram of universal order,
the mantra
infuses the mandala with spiritual powers.
The mantras
chanted by the priest are distinct from ordinary mundane
sounds. Mantras,
composed of "atomic" monosyllabic sounds
derived from the Sanskrit alphabet, are said to be
non-different from the very substance which they invoke.
The mantras are the subtle form of
the mandala
and are inseparable from it. As the architect must
have undergone extensive training in the field of
sacred architecture and astrology to construct the
mandala, similarly the brahmin who
chants the mantras must also have requisite knowledge of
the science of sacred sound vibrations.
In
the unit of Brahma a golden serpent with many raised
hoods is placed. The serpent form is then surrounded
with nine precious jewels or navaratna. Ananta represents
the energy which supports the very existence of the
universe. The universe rests in space and that space
is the energy of Godhead appearing as Ananta. The
nine jewels- diamonds, emeralds, rubies, pearls, yellow
sapphire, blue sapphire, red coral, cats-eye and jade-invoke
the astrological influence of the nine planets.
A
gold lid with the seven continents of the earth engraved
on it is placed on top of the box. When this is done
the priest then performs the ritual sacrifice or sanctification
ceremony called agni-hotra,
the fire sacrifice. During the agni-hotra the
priest offers clarified butter, the symbol of religious
principles, into the fire, which represents the mouth
of the Cosmic Being. Along with the offering of clarified
butter five types of grains-rice, wheat, barley, rye
and dhal, all produced of the earth-are also offered
in the fire. This too is performed with the chanting
of mantras.
Jagannatha
Puri Temple
 Once the garbhadhana and agni-hotra ceremonies
are complete the actual construction of the temple
takes place according to the previous preparations.
When the foundation is finished the vertical structure
is raised and the body of the Cosmic Being becomes
visible to the naked eye. The external features of
the temple are brought to life through finely sculpted
figures and paintings. The art and sculpture frequently
portray the forms of divine entities and the different
stages of consciousness in the gradual evolution of
life throughout the universe. This is no less exacting
a science than that of the architect or of the brahmin
priest. Muthai Sthapati, an instructor at the Goverment
College Architecture, pointed out that it is often
the work of the master artisan, through painting and
sculpture, that most enables one to perceive the actual
sacredness of the temple.
The
prakaras or walls that fortify the temple
may vary in size and number according to the dimensions
of the temple. Larger temples, like the one in Sri
Rangam, are sometimes surrounded by up to seven concentric
walls which represent the seven layers of matter-earth,
water, fire, air, either, mind and intelligence-that
cover the original consciousness of the living entities
in the material world. The gopurams, or
gateways through the prakaras, are symbolic of being liberated
from the bondage of matter as one enters the temple
and proceeds toward the central shrine.
Solid
gold vimana above the Deity
at Shri Rangam Temple
 The vimana or tower, also called the shikara,
is raised to its final height above the sanctum as
the last stones are put into place. Resembling a great
mountain, the vimana
is crowned with a golden spire called kailash, the
heavenly abode. At the sides of the vimana are fixed the fierce
faces of Yali, the protector of the temple. The temple
is now ready for the ceremony known as pratistasthana, the installation of the
deity. The scared altar in the brahmasthana, central shrine, is
located directly above the gold box, placed in the
earth during the garbhadhana
ceremony. Here on the sacred altar representing the
heart of the Cosmic Being, the deity of Godhead called
the archa-vigraha, the
manifest form of total divinity is installed. The
mandala, the
mantra,
and above all the sincerity and faith of the participants
combine together to invoke the appearance of Godhead.
The universe is the manifestation of the divine form
of Godhead in the world of mundane existence. The
body of the temple is the representation of that cosmic
form, whereas the archa-vigraha
is the manifestation of the transcendental form of
Godhead descending from beyond the mundane. The ceremony
for installing the deity is performed with great pomp
and upon its completion the temple is complete..
There
are altogether forty-five basic varieties of temples
mentioned in the vastu shastra. These too have their many
variations and thus the styles of sacred temple architecture
in India are as unlimited and diverse as the very
nature of the infinite being they represent.
From
the drawing table to the finished product of a gorgeous
temple, sacred architecture in India is a science
and a work of art. Moreover it is an attempt to raise
the human consciousness to the stage of self-realization
where one ultimately sees Godhead everywhere, in all
things, and at all times.
Vastu
Sastra top
Articles
Index
|
ith
the passing of the ages empires are created and destroyed,
new cultures appear and then again fade, like changing
seasons into the shadows of eternity. Vanishing into
oblivion, all that remains of those that were once
great and powerful in this world are but a handful
of relics. Time, the destroyer of all things, vanquishes
even the most invincible empires leaving behind their
remnants to be marveled at by future civilizations.
And marvel we do at the wonders of the past, especially
the architectural wonders. Be it the pyramids of Egypt,
the cathedrals of Rome, the Parthenon of Athens, the
Forbidden City in Beijing, or Stonehenge, our mind
is at once awed by the beauty and grandeur of ancient
architecture.