Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (study)
by K. Vidyuta | 2019 | 33,520 words
This page relates ‘Prakara components (7): Rules for plastering’ of the study on the Kashyapa Shilpa-shastra (in English) with special reference to the characteristics of Prakara (temple-components), Mandapa (pavilions) and Gopura (gate-house). The Silpa-Sastras refers to the ancient Indian science of arts and crafts, such as sculpture, architecture and iconography. This study demonstrates the correlatation between ancient Indian monuments (such as temples and sculptures) and the variety of Sanskrit scriptures dealing with their construction.
4. Prākāra components (7): Rules for plastering
The bricks that are placed above the beam must be plastered with lime and jaggery water.
Also, any gap must be filled with a paste made of oil and resin of Sal tree and black gram (Urad dal) or green gram (Moong dal) for binding them together (XLIII. 48):
sudhayā guḍatoyaiśca iṣṭa kāstaraṇaṃ bhavet |
karālamudgagulmāṣa kalka cikkaṇamācaret ||
Upon this brick layer or stone layer, especially another layer of brick or stone phalaka is to be laid to complete the storey. On top of the vājana too plastering must be done.
Thus the first storey is to be constructed (XLIII. 49-50):
iṣṭakāstaraṇaṃ hyetacchilā cendutalopari |
śailakaiḥ pha lakābhistu chādayettu viśeṣataḥ ||[1]
vājanordhve tu vāsādya sudhākarma samācaret |
evamāditalaṃ proktam ... ... ... ||
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Aṃśumatkāśyapāgama, Muktabodha edition, 42. 54.