Vastu-shastra (4): Palace Architecture

by D. N. Shukla | 1960 | 13,158 words | ISBN-10: 8121506115 | ISBN-13: 9788121506113

This page describes Accessory Structures: Sabha (pillared hall architecture) which is chapter 2a of the study on Vastu-Shastra (Indian architecture) fourth part (Palace architecture). This part deals with (1) the construction of Royal establishments, (2) Accessory Buildings, (3) Palace pleasure-devices such as yantras (mechanical devices), etc. and (4) Other public buildings.

Chapter 2a - Accessory Structures: Sabhā (pillared hall architecture)

Now that the planning of palaces has been discussed in brief, let us take up the other two classes of houses, the special houses called the Sabhā and the houses for animals, stables for horses and elephants in this fresh chapter. Though these structures formed a part of the palace and could have been treated in one chapter, but I have not done so in order to keep up their individual characteristics as a class of architecture by itself. Being accessory to the Palace, they are being dealt with in continuation with the Palace in this auxiliary chapter.

Sabhā as a building is an ancient institution. There are many references to it in our sacred lore (A.V., XIX, 55,6; Taitt. Saṃ. III.4, 8, 6, Taitt. Brā, 1.1, 10, 3; Chānd. Upniṣad, VIII-14). Their special features in the Vedic times were their pillars and fire altars. It is a pillared hall architecture and this characteristic of the Sabhā has been well-preserved in the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra as we will just sec.

In the epics we find an elaborate description of many Sabbās and they give a clue to their use as an assembly hall or a council chamber. The Mahābhārata has a separate Parva called Sabhā-parva, wherein Sabhās like Indra-sabhā, Yama-sabhā, Varuṇa-sabhā, Kubera-sabhā, and Brahma-sabhā are described.

In the Mānasāra (III, 7-8; XVIII, 200; XXXIV, 562-563) sabhā from an architectural point of view, has been described as a type of building, an edifice and a public hall which indicate its varied uses and Dr. Acharya, on the authority of Vedic India Vol. II, page 426-427 (vide An Ency. H. Arch. 515) writes: “There must have been suitable structural arrangement for the transaction of judicial, commercial and political business and for the reception of courtly, wellborn wealthy persons and kings and for the performance of gambling, merriment, social intercourse, debates and contests.

I have in my own way called these places as pulpits for religious sermons and forums for discussions. Sabhā in this context was the Darbar Hall in the palace. It has been an invariable feature of all the royal palaces both in the East and the West. It may be remarked that the modern spacious drawing rooms and reception halls as society rooms in private dwelling houses had their proto-types in the Sabhā buildings. As per the Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra also these Sabhās formed a part of the Palace (vide Samarāṅgaṇasūtradhāra 15.49), its use is described as the protection of the Royal palace.

The text describes the following eight-fold Sabhās in its Chapter—27th, the Sabhā:—

  1. Nandā,
  2. Bhadrā,
  3. Jayā,
  4. Pūrṇā,
  5. Bhāvitā,
  6. Dakṣa,
  7. Pravarā and
  8. Vidurā.

As already pointed out, the most characteristic feature of the planning of a Sabhā building is the abundant use of Pillars. In the first 5 buildings of the Sabhā called Nandā, Bhadrā, Jaya, Pūrṇā. and Bhāvitā, pillars, as many as thirty-six, should be constructed in each of them and make them look like pillared halls with corridors and galleries all round supported by separate pillars. Thus the number of pillars still goes higher up.

The distinguishing features of the remaining three Sabhās are the absence of pillars in all, corridors in the sixth type called Dakṣā, doors in the seventh, called Pravarā and Pragrīvas and doors both in the eighth called Vidura.

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