Silpa - Sastram

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From the Jacket

The present work has a special merit of its own. This Silpa-Sastra with it Oriya commentary is still consulted by the Silpins of Orissa, where even now a large number of artists cab be found. These artists possess numerous palm-leaf manuscripts which deal mainly with the Silpa principles.

It is better to call it Vastu Sastra, because the book deals with the building of Houses, examination of land and so on. The name Silpa-Sastra has been taken here in a general sense and used to denote the science of building also. It, therefore, falls in the same category with the works like Vastu Vidya and other works. It teaches us the science of Architecture.

It seems that in ancient period there was vast mass of literature of Silpa-Sastra but this branch of learning remained confined to artists, who made Silpa their profession. This Silpa Sastra is said to be written by Bauri Maharana, an inhabitant of Orissa. We know very little about him. All the texts of Silpa Sastra published so far belong mainly to South India, while this work belongs to Orissa and as such is the Silpa-Sastra of Northern India. It has only five chapters consisting Sanskrit Slokas with Oriya tika. By the publication of this work, one book of Silpa Sastra is being added. I am sure that this will encourage the scholars in the study of ancient Indian Architecture.

Prof. Pushpendra Kumar has retired from the University of Delhi-Sanskrit Deptt. After serving it for more than forty years. He served this Deptt. As lecturer. Reader and Professor and Head of the Deptt. More than 25 books are highlighting his acadmic merit. He has written more than seventy research articles. He has traveled widely in the European Universities for higher studies and lectures. Besides many honours and awards. He has been honoured by the 'Certificate of Honour' by the President of India in the year 2000 for his meritorious service for Sanskrit and for his scholar-ship. He specializes in the Puranas, Tantras, Buddhism, Indian Art, Epigraphy, Sanskrit Literature and Aesthetics. He is presently working on a major project 'Cultural Heritage from the Puranas' in ten Volumes. During the year 2004 four book have been published.