Indian Architectural Theory and Practice: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya

In this ground-breaking study the traditional Indian science of architecture and house-building, Vastu Vidya, is explored in terms of its secular uses, at the levels of both theory and contemporary practice. Vastu Vidya is treated as constituting a coherent and complete architectural programme, still of great relevance today. Chakrabarti draws on an impressive amount of textual material, much of it only available in Sanskrit, and presents several extremely valuable illustrations in support of the theories expounded. Each chapter deals with one architectural aspect, and chapters are divided into. Front Cover; Indian Architectural Theory; Copyright Page; Contents; List of Plates; Foreword by G.H.R. Tillotson; Preface; Introduction a Survey of Texts, Ancient and Modern; Chapter One. Architectural Team; The Traditional Team; Contemporary Users; Chapter Two. System of Measurement; Measurement of Space; Measurement of Time; Ayadi Formulae; System of Relative Proportion; Contemporary Application; Chapter Three. Vastu Purusha Mandala; The Subdivisions; The Body; The Lines; Contemporary Application; Chapter Four. Orientation; Eastern Direction; Southern Direction; Western Direction. Northern DirectionOrientation of Activities; Orientation and Vastu Purusha Mandala; Orientation and the Aya Formula; Contemporary Application; Chapter Five. Site Considerations; Parameters of Choice; Catebories of Site; Soil Tests; Preparation of Site; Contemporary Considerations; Chapter Six. Building Materials; Timber; Stone; Bricks; Contemporary Use; Chapter Seven. Defining the Built Form; Grammar and Classification; Rasa and Decoration; Concept of Alignment; Concept of 'Defects'; Contemporary Definitions; Epilogue; Bibliography; Index.