Mayamata and Building Construction (study)
by Ripan Ghosh | 2024
This page relates 鈥楳anopakarana: System of measurement鈥� of the study dealing with Mayamata鈥攁n ancient Indian architectural treatise dealing with building construction (bhavana-nirmana). It forms part of 鈥淰astuvidya鈥�: a stream of Sanskrit technical literature encompassing village and town planning, temple architecture and other aspects like site selection, orientation, and structural arrangements aimed at promoting harmony and prosperity.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 2 - 惭腻苍辞辫补办补谤补峁嘺: System of measurement
Measurement system is one of most important features in building construction process, both for the ancient Indian 惫腻蝉迟耻惫颈诲测腻 and modern civil-engineering. Usually, 惫腻蝉迟耻惫颈诲测腻 indicate it by term 惭腻苍辞辫补办补谤补峁嘺. The significant of this measurement process is clearly mentioned by the scriptures.
Mayamata says that:
Sarve峁Ｄ佱箖api v膩st奴n膩峁� m膩neneiva vini艣caya岣� | (Mayamata 5.1)
[鈥淎ll the dwellings defined by their dimensions.鈥漖[1]
So after the examination and taking position of the site the architect should measure the work with various measurement units. The primary units of measurement is told by the Maya as 补峁単耻濒补 (B.Dagens uses the word digit for the term 补峁単耻濒补). 础峁単耻濒补 is again constructed by multiple of the smallest units of atoms. Starting from atom (辫补谤补尘腻峁嘘) Mayamata gives a long list of different measurement units, which is briefly shown below through a chart.
| Units | Conversion |
| Eight atoms | Ratharenu (a speck of dust) |
| Eight speck of dust | A tip of hair |
| Eight tip of hairs | Liksha (a nit) |
| Eight nits | 驰奴办补 (a louse) |
| Eight louses | A barley grain |
| Eight barley grain | A digit (补峁単耻濒补) |
| Twelve digits | Vitasti (a span) |
| Two span (12x2=24 补峁単耻濒补s) | One small cubit or 办颈峁耻 |
| Twenty five digits | A 辫谤腻箩腻辫补迟测补 (according to 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 it is a normal cubit) |
| Twenty six digits | 顿丑补苍耻谤尘耻峁ａ弓颈 |
| Twenty seven digits | Dhanurgraha |
| Four cubits (24 x 4= 96 补峁単耻濒补s) | A pole or 诲补峁囜笉补 |
| Eights poles | A rope or rajju |
Although all units are not used in present time architecture but the units known as cubit, also known as hasta/ pole/ 诲补峁囜笉补 is equally relevant in the modern time.
Some others texts of the southern tradition, like 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, 碍腻尘颈办腻驳补尘补, 础箩颈迟腻驳补尘补 etc. add that the modes of measurement can be of three types, especially in case of the increment of yava-measurement with six, seven, and eight barley grains respectively the smallest, intermediate and the largest yava measurement. However Maya states that for the different work different types of cubits should be used. As examples, small cubits (24 补峁単耻濒补s) should be use for preparing of vehicles and seats. 顿丑补苍耻谤尘耻峁ａ弓颈 is to be use for building purpose. Similarly dhanurgraha/ 诲补峁囜笉补 are useful for the construction of villages. But an ordinary cubit can be used in all building activities. This normal cubit is also popular by different names, viz.,鈥�ratni, aratni, bhuja etc.
惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 also describes similar kinds of measurement. 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补 also illustrates some methods of measurement in details, sometimes it offers the same methods, sometimes differs from the opinion of Mayamata. For example, according to Maya eight poles make a rope, where 础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补 mention that ten poles measure a rope-鈥�da艣a诲补峁囜笉补 rajju鈥�(础谤迟丑补艣腻蝉迟谤补. 2.20.4).
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
B. Dagens, Mayamata, vol.1.p.22