Chapter 31 - The Courts (prākāra)

1-2. The five courts (prākāra)^[1] of the edifices which are made to make room for offerings, for accommodation of the family members, for beauty, and for defence (lit. safety) will be described now in order.

3. They (i.e. the courts) of the Jāti and other classes, (namely, the Chanda, Vikalpa and Ābhāsa), of edifices should be arranged in conformity with the measurement of the latter.

4. All the Jāti and other types of courts should be (specifically) measured in cubit (also).

5. All the (enclosure) walls (of the courts) beginning with the Jāti type should be measured from the (outer) part of the (main) edifice.

6-9. The (perpendicular) length (i.e. the height,) of the Jāti class of edifices being marked (lit. divided) up to the top, namely, the platform (vedi) and the other members, (such as), the neck (grīva), the head (mūrdhan), ending at the apex (śikhānta), the five walls (of the five courts), namely, the Jāti, etc., should be extended (in height) in a line with the neck (kandhara, of the main edifice); and the five walls beginning with the Chanda type should be measured (extending the height) to (those) members (lit. parts) of the Chanda and other classes (of edifices).

10-14. Along the breadth of the Jāti class of edifices the Sakala plan (of one plot)^[2] should be marked; therefrom should be made the first court; (which is) called the Antar+maṇḍala (innermost enclosure); the second (court is called) the Antahārā, the third court is called the Madhyahārā; that fourth (court) is called the Prākara [Prākāra?] by me for the first time (lit, in addition); thereafter (should be) the fifth court (which is) called the Mahāmaryādā (the extreme boundary).

15. The five courts are thus described by the ancients learned in the science (of architecture).

16-21. Along the width of the first court, the Pīṭha plan (of nine plots) may (otherwise) be marked; the Sthaṇḍila plan (of forty-nine plots) should be likewise marked for the second coart; in the same manner the Ubhaya-caṇḍita plan (of one hundred and sixty-nine plots) should be marked for the third court; the Susaṃhita plan (of four hundred and forty-one plots) should be marked along the width of the boundary (wall of the fourth court;) and along the breadth of the extreme boundary (wall) should be marked the plan of Īśvarakāntaka (of nine hundred and sixty-one plots)^[3]. The wise (architect) should, thus, make in conformity with the main edifice the Jāti type of courts.

22-26. In the Chanda and other types the Pecaka plan (of four plots) are recommended for the main edifice, the Mahāpīṭha plan (of sixteen plots) should be (made) for the first (court), the Caṇḍita plan (of sixty-four plots) for the second, the Bhadra plan (of one hundred and ninety-six plots)for the third; thereafter beyond this court should be the Supratikānta plan (of four hundred and sixty-four plots) for the fourth (court), and the Candrakānta plan (of one thousand and twenty-four plots) for the fifth: thus should be made the Chanda class (of edifices)^[4]; those of the Vikalpa class is described here.

27-29. The width of the (five) courts in the Chanda class (of edifices) should be increased from one and a-half cubits by one cubit up to five and a-half cubits: these should be the measures (of the courts) from the first to the fifth in the Abhāsa class; thus are described the (measures of the) five courts (of this class).

30-32. The width (from five and a-half cubits) of those five courts should be (respectively) increased by six aṅgulas (i.e., a quarter cubit) up to seven cubits leas one quarter: these should be the measures (of the courts) from the first to the fifth; thus should be made the (measurement of the five courts of the), Abhāsa class; it (the measurement) should be taken (lit. increased) from the foot of the edifice.

33-35. According to some, the measure of the Chanda courts, from the first to the fifth, should be increased from three cubits by three cubits to fifteen cubits; this measurement of the Chanda courts (śālā) refers to the smallest type of the Chanda edifice (vimāna).

36-39. The Jāti courts (prākāra) should also be measured in cubit independently; (the width of) the first court (śālā) should be three cubits, and each of the five courts should be greater (than the preceding one) by two cubits, and there should be five series of measures for (each of) the smallest, the intermediate, and the largest types: thus should be made the Jāti courts.

40-41. The five kinds of courts, from the first to the last, in the largest, the intermediate, and the smallest types, should be in measure, as before, half the width of the main building (prāsāda).

42-43. From beyond the foot of the main building the court (śālā) should extend to the compound wall; it may extend up to the inner end, outer end, or the middle of the wall.

44. The extension (lit. projection), (of the court) from the foot of the main building may proceed from the pedestal or ṭhe small pillar.

45. That wall of the above mentioned measurement may, otherwise, extend to the platform (vedika) of the wall.

46-47. The extent of the court should be equal to one-half the circumference (lit. surrounding measure) of the main building; and it being divided into four parts the face (i.e. front) portion should be (gradually) increased by one of these parts.

48. The length should be five times the breadth; and there should be five series of dimensions (for the five courts) up to the last.

49-50, Then, each of the five courts should be given five series of measure for its face (i.e., the front) portion; again each one of the five courts should be given twenty kinds of width for the front (face) portion^[5].

51-53. The width of the walls (kuḍya) of the court (śālā), from the first to the fifth, should be of five kinds each, beginning from six aṅgulas, increasing by six aṅgulas, and ending at six cubits.^[6]

51-55. The width and height should be equal, or (the latter) should be greater by one-fourth; the height of the walls (kuḍya) in each of the five courts (śālā) should be of five kinds.

56-69. As an alternative, in comparison with the base, the height of the wall (kuḍya) is considered here: the twenty-five kinds of height should begin from the height of the base (kuṭṭima) and be from the innermost court; (antarmaṇḍala) to the fifth court (mahāmaryādā); and each of the five walls (kuḍya) should be given five kinds of height.

60. That height (of the wall) should be measured from the plinth to the end of the crowning fillet (uttara) or the entablature (prastara).

61. In the region at the end of the wall (kuḍya) should be symmetrically made a surrounding pavilion (mālikā).^[7]

62. It (the pavilion) should be furnished with the platform (vedikā), the pedestal, the pillar, and the entablature.

63-64. At the end of the wall should be the porch (bhadra) furnished with steps of desirable measure and of odd or even number for the (use of) the family members.

65-66. A parapet (vapra) should be raised over the garland-like pavilions (mālikā), and its height should be equal to the (height of the) base, or the height may be twice or thrice as much, or it may be of some other desirable proportion.

67. The forepart of the parapet (vapra) should have the shape of the club or the umbrella.

68-69. It should be furnished with the three members, the crowning fillet (uttara), the fillet (vājana), and the entablature (muṣṭibandha); t [it?] should be enriched with the assemblage of members beginning with the base, or with a straight wall (rajju-bhiti).

70. It should be decorated with the corner tower (karṇa-harmya), etc., on the part above the entablature.

71. It should be constructed with stone, brick, or wood.

72. In conformity with beauty and strength it should be constructed with either one (śuddha), two (miśra), or three (saṃkīrṇa) materials.

73. Its roof (pracchādana, lit. covering) should be fittingly constructed with (a mortar composed of) slaked lime (sudhā), brick, molasses (gula), and water.

74-75. The measurement of the temples therein (i.e, within the courts) of the attendant deities will now be described. They should be equal to the main building, or three-fourths, or a-half of it.

76. They may be one or two storey high, or have the shape of the main edifice.

77. They may be equal to, larger or smaller (in height) than the main temple.

78. Four doors should be opened at their four sides, and the smaller doors at the interspace.

79. The (entrance) door should be constructed in the middle (of the length and breadth) in case of the temples and the palaces (of the universal monarchs).

80. Thus is described the large doors; the smaller doors should be opened as stated before.

81-82. In the buildings of the Brahmans and other men the main door should not be opened at the middle; the main (lit. great) door (in such buildings) should be constructed at the loft of the middle line.

83. Beyond that (i.e. the large gate of the fifth court) on the surrounding space should be constructed the sixth, and the seventh courts (śālā).

84. There should be (ordinarily) two courts (prākāra), and surrounding roads for the dwelling houses of men.

86-88. Their (i.e. of the courts) breadth etc., should be measured in rod (daṇḍa, of four cubits) from the innermost court to the end of the extreme limit (court), they should begin from three or four rods (daṇḍa), and end at nine or ten rods (daṇḍa), the increment being by two rods (daṇḍa); each of these (measures) should be of three kinds (the smallest, the intermediate, and the largest); the seven courts (prākāra) are thus described.

89. The rest should be constructed as said before (by the ancient architects), and they should be decorated with all ornaments.

90. The length of the large gateway (mahā-gopura) should be furnished with four doors.

91-92. The courts (prākāra) of divine and human buildings are stated (now): one, two, three, four, and five courts (śālā) together with (enclosure) walls should be constructed.

93. If there be a number of courts (śāla) partition walls should be constructed in between (to separate one court from the other).

94. The measurement of these (partition) walla (śālā) should not be made less or greater (than what it should be).

95-96. (The width of) all the respective passages for water should begin from two aṅgulas and end at six aṅgulas, the increment being by one aṅgula.

97-98. According to some, they (these measures) should begin from one aṅgula and end at five aṅgulas, the increment being by one aṅgula in the case of the water passage, in the gate-house (gopura).

99-100. From the main building to the other end of the court (śālā) there should be ways for the downward passage of water; this water-door should be made at the bottom of the wall (extending) towards any convenient direction.

101. The measurement (thickness) of the wall (śālā) beyond and around the main building of the Jāti class should be two cubits.

102-104. Within those (walls) the measure of width of the first (court) should begin from four cubits and be increased by one cubit to forty cubits in the largest type; the five aeries of dimensions for (each of) the five (courts) ending at the extreme boundary wall are stated by the learned (architects) to be considered in the smallest, (intermediate, and largest) sizes in order.

Thus in the Mānasāra, the science of architecture, the thirty-first chapter, entitled: “The description of the courts.”

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

There are actually seven court referred to in chap. XL (Royal palace). The sixth and seventh court are mentioned in this chapter also (see lines 83, 88,)

The fourth court is technically called Prākāra in line 13, etc, but it is indiscriminately used here and elsewhere.

[2]:

See Chapter VII 2, 51-56, pages 33, 35.

[3]:

See Chapter VII 4, 8, 15-16, 28-29, 45-46, pages 33, 34, 35.

[4]:

See Chapter VII 3, 5, 9, 17,18, 30-31, 48-50, pages 33, 34, 35.

[5]:

The application of so many varieties is not elucidated and is rather unusual.

[6]:

In this way there would be ordinarily twenty-four kinds, not twenty-five.

[7]:

For full account of mālikā, see the writer’s Dictionary, pp. 504-506.