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Sixth chapter of Mayamata deals with orientation which is well known as 鈥�dikpariccheda鈥�. Orientation is a very important task into the prearrangement programme of building construction.

In ancient 惫腻蝉迟耻惫颈诲测腻 orientation used to be done with a particular tool called, 艣补峁卥耻 (gnomon). 艢补峁卥耻 is a very famous technical term in 惫腻蝉迟耻惫颈诲测腻 which denotes鈥�

鈥淎 stake, a peg, a post, a pole, a measuring rod, the gnomon by means of which the cardinal points are ascertained for the orientation of building.鈥�^[1]

艢补峁卥耻 served the purpose of a compass in the architecture. Erection of gnomon was a most sacred issue that contained some particular steps.

They are鈥�

鉃� Suitable time to erect a 艣补峁卥耻.
鉃� Suitable place for erecting a 艣补峁卥耻.
鉃� Materials of 艣补峁卥耻.

1. Suitable time to erect a 艣补峁卥耻 (Gnomon):

Maya refer to the 耻迟迟补谤腻测补苍补 and in 艣耻办濒补辫补办峁�a as the most auspicious time to erect a gnomon. 鲍迟迟补谤腻测补峁嘺 means when sun travels from the sunshine capricorn to cancer and this time starts on 22 December and ends on 21^st June. As per Hindu tradition it is most auspicious time to fulfill the important aspects of human life. 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 and 厂奴谤测补蝉颈诲诲丑腻苍迟补 hold some discourse on this method. 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 adds some new information about the erecting time of gnomon. 

It is stated that:

uttar膩ya峁嘺m膩se tu dak峁�i峁嚹亂aname (na e) va v膩 |
艣uklapak峁�e yath膩(鈥檛hav膩) k峁涐梗a峁嘺pak峁�e 艣ubhamate dine ||
paur峁嘺m墨峁�(p奴r峁噄m膩峁�) c膩pyam膩v膩sy膩峁� varjayetsumuhurtake |
prabh膩te sth膩payeccha峁卥umapar膩h峁嚹乼(h峁噀) 迟补迟补岣� 蝉迟丑颈迟补峁� || (惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补 6.2-3)

[鈥淚n a month of the northern (December 22 to June 21) and southern (June 22 to December 21), solstice, in the bright or dark fortnight, on the most auspicious day, excepting the full moon (day) and the new moon (day) and at a very auspicious moment, in the morning the gnomon (艣补峁卥耻) should be erected. Thereafter it should remain there till the evening.鈥漖^[2]

2. Suitable place for erecting a 艣补峁卥耻 (Gnomon):

Middle of the chosen construction site would be perfect to erect a gnomon. If that lead is rugged then it should be leveled by water method. The water method is a traditional and simple technique used to level a surface. This method relies on the principle that water always seeks a level surface due to gravity.

Maya says鈥�

g峁沨墨tav膩stumadhye tu 蝉补尘补峁� k峁泃v膩 bhuva岣� sthala峁� ||
jalena da峁囜笉am膩tre峁嘺 蝉补尘补峁� tu catura艣raka峁� |

(Mayamata.6.3)

[鈥淎 piece of ground in the middle of the chosen site should be leveled by the water method; this must be square of one square pole in the centre of which the gnomon should be set.鈥漖^[3]

3. Measurement of 艣补峁卥耻 (Gnomon):

Proper measurements of the gnomon help to reflect the perfect shadow against the sunlight and to determine the direction of east and west. Gnomon (艣补峁卥耻) always should have a monumental structure and should be circular in shape. Different kinds of 艢补峁卥耻 were in use at that time.

Types	Size(length)
Long gnomon (艣补峁卥耻)	One cubit
Medium gnomon (艣补峁卥耻)	Eighteen digits
Small gnomon (艣补峁卥耻)	12/9 digits

4. Materials of 艣补峁卥耻 (Gnomon):

The most suitable materials for a gnomon are wood as the thing made by wood can be easily changed into the required shape by the requirement of construction. Ancient preceptors always prescribes several types of trees like, sandalwood, khadira, kadara, 蝉补尘墨, 艣腻办补 or tinduka etc. for gnomon. Maya also advises using ivory for the same purpose.

5. Execution of 艣补峁卥耻 (Gnomon):

In the middle of the chosen site where the gnomon is to be set up, a circle is drawn. The gnomon (艣补峁卥耻) should be placed at the center of this circle. The diameter of the circle should be double the length of the gnomon, ensuring the proper shadow against sunlight. In the morning and evening, the shadow of the 艣补峁卥耻 touches two opposite points on the circumference of the circle. By joining these two points, a line should be drawn in the east-west direction.

Maya suggests that鈥�

tadbindudvyayaga峁� s奴tra峁� p奴rv膩paradi艣墨峁�yate |

(Mayamata 6.9a)

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

P.K. A Dictionary of Hindu Architecture,p-571

[2]:

P.K Acharya, 惭腻苍补蝉腻谤补, series.4, p23.

[3]:

B. Dagens, Mayamata, vol. 1. p-30