Essay name: Architectural data in the Puranas
Author:
Sharda Devi
Affiliation: Himachal Pradesh University / Department of History
This essay studies ancient Indian architectural science as found in technical treatises and the Puranas, with special reference to the Matsya, Garuda, Agni and Bhavishya Puranas. These texts detail ancient architectural practices, covering temple and domestic designs, dimensional specifications, and construction rules.
Chapter 5 - Palace architecture
1 (of 20)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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CHAPTER V
PALACE ARCHITECTURE
Palace architecture in India has
progressed and prospered
contemporaneously with the development of fort architecture. During the
ages of turbulence and constant friction between warring feudal lords, it
was essential to locate the royal palace in a well-fortified city. The palace.
complex was an important feature of the notable forts and fortified cities of
ancient and medieval India.
There are many circumstances which may account for complete
disappearance of palatial buildings where the kings of ancient India once
lived and held their courts. The sites of the royal cities were changed due
to political disturbances or the exigencies of warfare and as the kings and
dynasties disappeared the royal palaces suffered due to the ravages of
time. Some of the royal capitals such as Thaneswar, Kanauj, Vijayanagar
and Delhi were plundered and subjected to severe demolitions, the
accounts of which are still fresh. Under such circumstances it is only
possible to reconstruct the history of ancient palaces in India on the basis
of extant historical works, sanskrit literature and silps sastras, the canonical
books of Indian craftsmen.2
