Can you build a temple from a text?

Vastushastra, the science of Architecture, is the subject of Sanskrit texts called vastushastras, which contain substantial sections on temples. It is sometimes said that these texts laid down strict rules that constrained the creativity of architects, and sometimes that they are obscurely theoretical and nothing to do with architectural practice. The relationship between the theory and practice of temple architecture is more complicated and interesting than either of these preconceptions. We cannot begin to understand this relationship without knowing what kinds of prescriptions such texts give, and whether a temple can be designed by following them. In this talk I look at north and south Indian vastushastras. By going step by step through sample passages, we can see how, although the texts are not illustrated, temple designs can be drawn from their instructions by someone who knows the relevant architectural tradition.

This allows us to explore two further questions. Firstly, do actual temples follow the designs given in texts? Answer: yes, to some extent. Designs are created through practice; texts record and teach these, and can propose new possibilities that may later be built. Secondly, are these texts a straitjacket for architectural invention? Answer: the most precise and detailed text can only create a skeleton or framework for design. To go from here to a fully resolved design demands interpretation, improvisation and invention. And that is just for a drawing: building it is a whole other story.

I gave the talk for Jnanapravaha (Mumbai) in October 2023