1. The Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Epics and other religious text – the precursors to a mighty religion, culture, a way of life for many……. “ HINDUISM ” A belief These scriptures seemingly hold the potential of affecting many a lives in a myriad forms and the Indian sub-continent is a living example of the same. Each and every occasion is followed by some or the other ‘PUJAN’, be it birth of a child, writing of an examination or…….

2. Religion and the holy texts can influence people and their social lives & thus to imagine that it effects living and dwelling patterns is not a mere fantasy…. “The Settlements, Their built environment, built forms, etc.” small or great have some influence … some of the constructions and refurbishments of the modern day also help us conclude the same, or what else would explain…… AKSHARDHAM TEMPLE ORISSAN TEMPLES PILGRIMAGES

5. The Mention About political life ……. The Early Vedic Age: The Vedic age is divided into two. The Early Vedic period from B.C. 2000 to B.C. 1000. There was a set hierarchy - the kingdom was tribal in character. Each tribe formed a separate kingdom. The basic unit of the political organisation was family (kula). A number of families formed a Village (Grama). Its head was the Gramani. A group of villages constituted a large unit called clan (vis). Several clans formed the tribe (Jana). Their leader was Rajan, the Vedic king. He protected his people from enemies. He was assisted by the purohita or priest, the senani or commandant, the Sabha and the Samithi in administration. The Later Vedic Age: The Gangetic Valley or Aryavartha became the centre of political activity. Kingdoms like Kosala, Videha, Kuru, Magadha, Kasi, Avanti and Panchala came into existence. Kingship became hereditary. The kings were incharge of defence and maintaining law and order of their kingdoms and tried to extend their territories. Therefore frequent wars were fought. Rituals and sacrifices such as Rajasuya Ashvamedha, Vajapeya and Yagas were performed by the kings. Village administration was looked after by the village councils. Taxes like Pali, Sulk and Bhaga were collected from the people. The revenue was spent for the masses. Ref : http://www.textbooksonline.tn.nic.in/Books/09/SocSci-EM/chapter-2.pdf

6. Settlements…. The Vedic village had certain distinct characteristics that influenced subsequent architectural production. The Vedic grama could have a pur, or a fort-like structure within it. The Vedic hymns speak of "purs" made of stone and metal. The Vedas have many words for houses. It appears that the main distinction was between chhardis ( house with a thatched roof), harmyam (a house of brick and stone that had a courtyard in the middle), and gotra (a multi-dwelling complex with sheds for animals). The Rig-Veda speaks once of a palace with 1000 doors, and twice of a palace with 1000 columns. Ref : http://www.crystalinks.com/indiarchitecture.html Whereas in the later Vedic times it is said there were multistoried building of up to 7 floors , especially for the kings and wherever the family grew in order to accommodate the elder members (the brothers) each a separate floor. True or not - This system prevented the horizontal stretches to spread and did not amount to the pressure on land.

11. Architectural Function…. As a house of god, the architectural function of the vimana, more than simply to shelter, is to manifest the presence within, to be a concrete realization, a coming into the world of the divinity. Ref : Temple Architecture – Adam Hardy If we abide to what, “ Giles Henry Rupert Tillotson ” writes following Adam Hardy in his book “ Paradigms Of Indian Architecture ” – “ if truth is sight, the Indian temples do follow a ‘grand scheme’… there’s a kind of pattern underlying the complex rhythmic compositions…pattern which is congruent with archetypal ideas in the Indian thought, to the extent that the architecture can be said to have an intrinsic meaning. Formal structures and meaning are both rooted in a world- view, which the temples, almost by definition, must reflect, being conceived as microcosms or images of the universe. The pattern….is a dynamic one of centrifugal growth…represented through architectural means. Hindu temple is invested with a sense of movement that appears to originate at the infinitesimal point above its, continuing downwards and outwards from the vertical axis of the shrine, radiating all around, but especially in four cardinal directions. Temple Architecture….

12. Temple Architecture…. The axis along which the temple construction is said to have been concentrated.

13. Temple Architecture…. As per those definitions even the road side shrines, like the ones shown in these pictures, are also adobe of god, no less than the mighty and gigantic architectural constructions. Why then is there a need, to undertake even in present times, massive architectural undertakings to establish the identity of the DIVINE ….?

14. Temple Architecture…. Laxmi narayan temple, Delhi temple of ISKON, Delhi temple of ISKON, Vrindavan … Is religion actually the basis of these constructions…. temple of ISKON, Bangalore

17. The ancient shilpis used a great degree of precision in their measurements. The anu was employed for extremely delicate or intricate or the most vital aspects of a sculpture; for instance, the eyes and facial features of the image of presiding deity. Eight anus (particles) = one nulu (breadth of a fine cotton or silk fiber), Eight nulu = one hair (breadth of horse hair), Eight hairs = one grain of sand, etc. The Material… The Building materials like stone, brick, mortar, wood, etc., are selected for the main body of the temple, whereas elements like gold and silver are be used for final ornamentation. The traditional Indian temples of stone, it is said, are designed to last for 800 years unlike RCC structures which are guaranteed for 80 years. Vedic architecture – the power of life-giving principles The Bleeping Herald Temple Architecture….

19. Though the historians like S.K. Saraswati, observed, “the descriptions….are vague and inadequate ….” and thus it is difficult to relate any temple to the written texts on the same. Though the reason behind this lack of clarity has never been questioned. The Shatras owing to this reason are considered more as “theoretical writings of the theologians, the learned Brahmans, than the manuals of architectural and artistic practice complied by builders and craftsmen. According the architect, George Michell, “the lack of technical information in the shastras reveals their true function as a collection of rules which attempt to facilitate the translation of theological concepts into architectural forms” Ref : A Social History Of Indian Architecture, V.S.Pramar Temple Architecture….

20. The Epics….. Even the epics mention about people who constructed palaces for gods and those who were considered incarnations of god himself.

23. The Epics….. Karna.... It is believe that Karnal city was founded by Kauravas at the time of Mahabharata epic, for the King Karn. Bearing proximity to the then Indraprastha (Delhi), only some 123 kms away. Hastinapur….. Believed to have been the the capital of Kauravas and Pandavas, around 80 kms north- east of Indraprastha, the warring families of the Mahabharata. The maximum period of the reign well thought-out to have been enjoyed by Raja Bharat, eight of his successors also bestowed with the same privilege until Raja Kuru. Kuru…. Raja Kuru …from whom Kurukshetra received its appellation. His descendants were kings like Vichitravirya, who had sons Dhritrashta and Pandu.

24. The Epics….. The Lakhgrihya.... The city of Varnavatra chosen, by the blind king in Mahabharata, for the Pandavas, was to have a palace for the princes by some skilled craftsmen but their enemy had infact thought of debauch. He secretly got a hidden chamber constructed while their residences were being built. This chamber was of lack, so that in a fitting opportunity the Pandavas might be destroyed in a flame. Ref : H.K.Kaul – Historic Delhi

25. The Epics….. Ramsetu, the bridge.... “ ANOTHER STORY”…..? The bridge that supposedly was built by lord ram to get to the Ravan’s Lanka where he had kept Sita arrested. The bridge was constructed for the vanar sena, to pass by on from the Indian continent to the Lanka where Ravan resided. ‘ The Catch’ - Even the satellite images show some connection between the Indian continent and Srilanka, which supposedly has been the Lanka mentioned in the mythological epic. Could This Bear Any Relation With The Bridge Of The Ramayana?

26. The Epics….. Historical value of the epics…. The Ramayana illustrates the story of the aryanisation of the country. The rakshas were probably the non- Aryans who did not like the expansion of the Aryans. The Deccan was inhabited by the non- Aryans Though by the time of the Mahabharata, the whole of the Deccan, is believed to have been, Aryanised.

27. In a country like india, we have places like haridwar, trichy, vaishno – devi, allahbad, benaras, varanasi and many more, which are living examples of the faith and belief people bestow in their culture. These cities emphasize the importance of hindutv and everything that has association with the hindu culture. The skyline of these cities have one thing in common - the temple form. These are the cities which have come up because of the temples themselves and are still existing because of the people’s faith in religion. The tell- tale cities…..

28. Points to ponder on……. RELIGION… … based on epics…. EPICS… … .fictitious…. What are the “ENIGMATIC CITIES” thriving on…..?

34. A THOUGHT …. Provoked by…. Dr. Jyoti P. Sharma A Student’s Bewilderment…. Expressed…through the hues of vermillion to the funerary grey… Sonam Gupta