Chapter 46 - The arches (toraṇa)

1-3. Arches [viz., toraṇa] are made for (the decoration of) the (temples of) gods, and the (palaces of) kings, for (ordinary residential buildings, as well as for) the upper portions of all kinds of thrones^[1]; their features and the rules for their construction will be described as fully as possible.

4-5. Arches should be extended from the middle line across the breadth and length between the centre of the pillars erected from a half portion of the pedestals (i.e., the pavement or floor).

6-7. As an alternative, the pillars of the arch may be erected from the centre or out of (i.e., covering) the whole (of the pedestal) placed in the middle of the third or second part on the right or left (of the floor).

8-9. As another alternative, the pillars (of the arch) may be erected from the floor at a distance of the third, the second, or the fourth part of the length.

10-11. As another alternative, the aforesaid distance between the pillars (of the arch) taken from the centre or outer side (thereof) may be one part less out of the five, six, seven, or eight parts (of the floor).

12 -15. The height (of the arch) should be equal to the width of the floor, or greater by one-fourth, (one-half), three-fourths, or twice (that distance); or the height of the arch may be equal to the whole length, or greater by one-fourth, one-half, or three-fourths, or twice.

16. This should be the measure of the height of all the arches proper.

17-18. Three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or eleven parts (aṅgula): these are the nine kinds of height of the arch.^[2]

19-20. The width of the pillar (of the arch) should be three, four, five, or six parts (mātra); equal to that (width), or three-fourths, or one-half should be the projection thereof.

21. The pillar should be connected by (lit., furnished with) arches; and small pillars should be erected along the arches.

22. There should be a beam (paṭṭikā) over the top of pillars (of the arch): its measurement will be stated now.

23-24. The height of the fillet (vājana) should be equal to, or twice the width of, the pillar (of the arch); the length thereof should extend to the abacus (phalakā), or be four or five parts (lit., aṅgula).

25. Thus should be an arch extending to the fillet; but the arch may be without any such fillet.

26-29. The height of the arch mentioned above should be divided into eight parts, of which the height of the pillar should be five parts, and the arch (proper) three parts; or of the nine parts of the height, the pillar should be six parts in height, or of the ten parts, the pillar should be seven parts and the remainders the arch (proper).

30. The arches should be constructed for the houses (sthānaka)^[3] as well as for the thrones of the gods and the kings.

31-82. The arches may be circular, hexagonal, like the half moon (crescent), triangular, bow-shaped, or of any other desirable form.

33. The architect should make the circular arch by drawing a circle from the centre.

34. The crescent-shaped arch should be made by drawing a half circle up to the nose (nāsikā, i.e., from one end to the other of the diameter).

35. The bow-shaped arch should be made by drawing up to the half of the previous (semi-circular) one on the two sides.

36. The triangular (lit., of three sides) arch should be made by making the three sides equal: (all) the arches should be discreetly made.

37-39. The Patra (leaf), Puṣpa (flower), Ratna (jewel), and Citra (variegated): these are said to be the four kinds of arches, for (the thrones of) the gods, and the three-crowned monarchs (i.e., the Cakravartin class of kings); the Puṣpa and the Ratna arches (only) should be (employed in the thrones) for the other kings.

40. The arch adorned with leaves and creepers is called the Patratoraṇa.

41. The arch adorned with various flowers is (known as) the Puṣpatoraṇa.

42. The Ratnatoraṇa (jewel arch) should be made by ornamenting it with all jewels.

43-44. The arches adorned with various ornaments and the carvings of the demi-gods, Yakṣas, Vidyādharas and others, are stated to be the Citratoraṇa, and have been recommended by the ancient authorities.

45. Over the middle and upper part of all arches should be carved the image of Nārada together with his small drum (tumbaru).

46. The two sides of those parts should be decorated with the carvings of crocodile, etc.

47. The crocodile and leaves should be ornamentally carved at the bottom and top of the arches.

48. The fore-part of an arch should be furnished with ornamental leaves, demons, creepers, and seats, etc.

49. On the two sides of the pillar should be carved leographs upholding the arch.

50. The rest should be tastefully decorated: this is said to be the Patratoraṇa (leaf-arch).

51-52. The same decorated with various ornaments, jewels, flowers, and with the demi-gods, the Yakṣas, Vidyādharas, and others, is called the Citratoraṇa (variegated arch).

53-55. It should be furnished with the carvings of crocodiles, and female Kinnaras but should be without any (other) carvings (and) lotuses, although all over decorated with flowers and various ornaments, the flowers here referring to the makaranda (a kind of jasmine) alone: such an arch is called the Puṣpatoraṇa.

56-61. It should be decorated all over with the nine gems^[4], with crocodiles and the Kinnaras^[5]; all the gems should be engraved on the tail and all other limbs of the crocodiles; the gems should be suspended like clusters of stars over the belly (of the crocodiles); two serpent-shaped pillars should be erected over the upper part of the arch; the extreme parts (i.e., links) of the crocodile should be covered with all the gems (placed) in rows; and it should be adorned with all (other) ornaments: this is called the Ratnatoraṇa.

62. The ornaments of the crowning fillet (vājana) and the pillars (of the arches) should be made as said before.

63-64. The lotus and (i.e., on the trunk of) the elephant should be made over the middle of the arch, and over the centre thereof should be made the image of Lakṣmī (goddess of wealth) adorned with various ornaments.

65-67. The tenia (tāṭikā), abacus (phalakā), fist-band (muṣṭibandhana), leaves, creepers, crocodiles, faces of female Kinnaras, snake-like figures at the upper portion of theatre-like moulding (nāṭaka), and the lions should be ornamentally made on the same parte (nāṭaka) of the Citratoraṇa.

68-71. With regard to the decoration of the jewel arches (over the thrones, etc.), the leaf and the flower ornaments (only) should be used; thus the jewel arches should be without any figure paintings for the upper ornaments: thus is stated to be the jewel arches without paintings for upper ormaments.

72-75. The arches may be also constructed without any flowers or leaves; or the Patratoraṇa (leaf arch) may be made without any gems; and the Puṣpatoraṇa (flower arch) may be furnished with the carved lotuses.

76-77. The leading architects prefer to make plain arches without jewels, leaves, or any other decoration.

Thus in the Mānaṣāra, the science of architecture, the forty-sixth chapter, entitled: “The description of the arches.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The first line is badly preserved: the reading of the codex architypus does not give a connected sense. Compare line 30 and see the writer’s Dictionary, pages 246-254, where numerous references to ‘arch’ have been gathered together from other chapters of this text and from various literature and inscriptions.

[2]:

Compare lines 19-20 where the term mātra, (part) is used as a unit of measure; herein (lines 17-18) if aṅgula be taken in the sense of ¾ inch, the height of the arch would be too small except for those arches which are employed in the royal and divine thrones.

[3]:

The term has been used in other places both in the sense of a class of buildings and temples with idols in erect posture. (See the writer’s Dictionary, page 730.)

[4]:

See page 220, lines 390-394, etc.

[5]:

A mythical being with the body of a man and the head of a horse.