The ancient and medieval architecture of India: a study of Indo-Aryan civilisation

VILLAGE PLANNING

9

the

horns and hoofs. Then the

master-builder himself, gar-

landedand dressedin

cleangarments, turned thefirstfurrow.

The rest of
the workwas done bylabourers, ors4dras, hired

for

the purpose.^ The oxen and the plough to which

they

wereattachedwere thestapathisperquisite.

Thetruepositionofthecardinal

points havingbeencare-

fullyascertained

by

means

of the shadow of a gnomon,rules

for the

construction ofwhich are given in the Silpa-s^stras,^

the

alignmentofthemain streetofthevillagewasmarked

out.

Thegeneralplanningofthelargervillages followed

that ofthe

cosmic cross,andthe so-calledmagicsquare,

representingthe

fourquarters of the universe

;

but the reader must

not mis-

understand this association of mysticism with the practical

business of the Indian craftsman. All art in ancient India

washeld tobe magic,andthemagicalvirtuesofthesefigures

simplylayinthefact thattheexperience ofmanygenerations

had proved that they were the best for purposes of defence

andgave themost healthy, pleasant, andpractical lay-out

for

an Indian village or town. The easterly axis of the plan

ensured that the principalstreetswerepurifiedbythe rays

of

the sun sweeping through them from morning till evening;

whilethe

intersection ofmain

streetsbyshorterones

running

northand southprovided a perfect

circulation of air

and the

utmost benefitofthecoolbreezes.

The

two principal

streets which formed the arms of the

^

Thedistinction madein theMinasirabetweenthe

stapathi

andsMrasisoneof

themany

evidenceswhich

might

be

citedtoshowthatskilledcraftsmeninancientand

medievalIndiatookamuchhighersocial

positionthanthatassignedtotheminmodern

times. LiteraryreferencestohandicraftsmenassMras

mustbetakentomean

unskilled

labourersonly.
Thestapathi,in

thiscase,wastheofficiatingpriest,anditissignificant

thatthe hereditary castecraftsmen of Southern

India, whoadd "Achary" (religious

teacher)totheirname,wear thesacredthreadanddo

notemploy Brahmans

fortheir

religious ceremonies. The

Mmayanaalso statesthat thecraftsmen who carved the

sacrificialpostsattheVedicsacrificeswerehonoured

equallywiththeofficiatingpriests.

^

See&kmR4z,

pp.

19-22.