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Angkor Wat, a Hindu-Buddhist temple and World Heritage Site, is the largest religious monument in the world. This Cambodian temple deploys the same circles and squares grid architecture as described in ancient Indian Vāstu Śastras.[1]

Vastu shastra (vāstu śāstra) is a traditional Indian system of architecture originating in India[2] which literally translates to "science of architecture."[3] These are texts found on the Indian subcontinent that describe principles of design, layout, measurements, ground preparation, space arrangement, and spatial geometry.[4][5] Vastu Shastras incorporate traditional Hindu and in some cases Buddhist beliefs.[6] The designs are intended to integrate architecture with nature, the relative functions of various parts of the structure, and ancient beliefs utilising geometric patterns (yantra), symmetry, and directional alignments.[7][8]

 

Vastu Shastra are the textual part of Vastu Vidya, the latter being the broader knowledge about architecture and design theories from ancient India.[9] Vastu Vidya knowledge is a collection of ideas and concepts, with or without the support of layout diagrams, that are not rigid. Rather, these ideas and concepts are models for the organisation of space and form within a building or collection of buildings, based on their functions in relation to each other, their usage and to the overall fabric of the Vastu.[9] Ancient Vastu Shastra principles include those for the design of Mandir (Hindu temples),[10] and the principles for the design and layout of houses, towns, cities, gardens, roads, water works, shops and other public areas.[5][11][12]

  

Contents

1Terminology

2History

3Description

4Mandala types and properties

5Modern adaptations and usage

5.1Vastu and superstition

6Sanskrit treatises on architecture

7See also

8References

9Further reading

Terminology[edit]

The Sanskrit word vāstu means a dwelling or house with a corresponding plot of land.[13] The vrddhi, vāstu, takes the meaning of "the site or foundation of a house, site, ground, building or dwelling-place, habitation, homestead, house". The underlying root is vas "to dwell, live, stay, reside".[14] The term shastra may loosely be translated as "doctrine, teaching".

 

Vāstu-Śastras (literally, science of dwelling) are ancient Sanskrit manuals of architecture. These contain Vastu-Vidya (literally, knowledge of dwelling).[15]

 

History[edit]

Proposals tracing potential links of the principles of composition in Vastu Shastra and the Indus Valley Civilization have been made, but Kapila Vatsyayan is reluctant to speculate on such links given the Indus Valley script remains undeciphered.[16] According to Chakrabarti, Vastu Vidya is as old the Vedic period and linked to the ritual architecture.[17] According to Michael W. Meister, the Atharvaveda contains verses with mystic cosmogony which provide a paradigm for cosmic planning, but they did not represent architecture nor a developed practice.[18] Varahamihira's Brihat Samhita dated to the sixth century CE, states Meister, is the first known Indian text that describes "something like a vastupurusamandala to plan cities and buildings".[18] The emergence of Vastu vidya as a specialised field of science is speculated to have occurred significantly before the 1st-century CE.[17]

 

Description[edit]

 

Ancient India produced many Sanskrit manuals of architecture, called Vastu Sastra. Many of these are about Hindu temple layout (above), design and construction, along with chapters on design principles for houses, villages, towns. The architect and artists (Silpins) were given wide latitude to experiment and express their creativity.[19]

There exist many Vāstu-Śastras on the art of building houses, temples, towns and cities. One such Vāstu Śastra is by Thakkura Pheru, describing where and how temples should be built.[7][20] By 6th century AD, Sanskrit manuals for constructing palatial temples were in circulation in India.[21] Vāstu-Śastra manuals included chapters on home construction, town planning,[15] and how efficient villages, towns and kingdoms integrated temples, water bodies and gardens within them to achieve harmony with nature.[11][12] While it is unclear, states Barnett,[22] as to whether these temple and town planning texts were theoretical studies and if or when they were properly implemented in practice, the manuals suggest that town planning and Hindu temples were conceived as ideals of art and integral part of Hindu social and spiritual life.[15]

 

The Silpa Prakasa of Odisha, authored by Ramachandra Bhattaraka Kaulachara sometime in ninth or tenth century CE, is another Vāstu Śastra.[23] Silpa Prakasa describes the geometric principles in every aspect of the temple and symbolism such as 16 emotions of human beings carved as 16 types of female figures. These styles were perfected in Hindu temples prevalent in eastern states of India. Other ancient texts found expand these architectural principles, suggesting that different parts of India developed, invented and added their own interpretations. For example, in Saurastra tradition of temple building found in western states of India, the feminine form, expressions and emotions are depicted in 32 types of Nataka-stri compared to 16 types described in Silpa Prakasa.[23] Silpa Prakasa provides brief introduction to 12 types of Hindu temples. Other texts, such as Pancaratra Prasada Prasadhana compiled by Daniel Smith[24] and Silpa Ratnakara compiled by Narmada Sankara[25] provide a more extensive list of Hindu temple types.

 

Ancient Sanskrit manuals for temple construction discovered in Rajasthan, in northwestern region of India, include Sutradhara Mandana's Prasadamandana (literally, manual for planning and building a temple) with chapters on town building.[26] Manasara shilpa and Mayamata, texts of South Indian origin, estimated to be in circulation by 5th to 7th century AD, is a guidebook on South Indian Vastu design and construction.[7][27] Isanasivagurudeva paddhati is another Sanskrit text from the 9th century describing the art of building in India in south and central India.[7][28] In north India, Brihat-samhita by Varāhamihira is the widely cited ancient Sanskrit manual from 6th century describing the design and construction of Nagara style of Hindu temples.[19][29][30]

 

These ancient Vāstu Śastras, often discuss and describe the principles of Hindu temple design, but do not limit themselves to the design of a Hindu temple.[31] They describe the temple as a holistic part of its community, and lay out various principles and a diversity of alternate designs for home, village and city layout along with the temple, gardens, water bodies and nature.[12][32]

 

Mandala types and properties[edit]

 

The 8x8 (64) grid Manduka Vastu Purusha Mandala layout for Hindu Temples. It is one of 32 Vastu Purusha Mandala grid patterns described in Vastu sastras. In this grid structure of symmetry, each concentric layer has significance.[7]

The central area in all mandala is the Brahmasthana. Mandala "circle-circumference" or "completion", is a concentric diagram having spiritual and ritual significance in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The space occupied by it varies in different mandala – in Pitha (9) and Upapitha (25) it occupies one square module, in Mahaapitha (16), Ugrapitha (36) and Manduka (64), four square modules and in Sthandila (49) and Paramasaayika (81), nine square modules.[33] The Pitha is an amplified Prithvimandala in which, according to some texts, the central space is occupied by earth. The Sthandila mandala is used in a concentric manner.[33]

 

The most important mandala is the Manduka/Chandita Mandala of 64 squares and the Paramasaayika Mandala of 81 squares. The normal position of the Vastu Purusha (head in the northeast, legs in the southwest) is as depicted in the Paramasaayika Mandala. However, in the Manduka Mandala the Vastu Purusha is depicted with the head facing east and the feet facing west.[citation needed]

  

vastu directional chakara

It is believed that every piece of a land or a building has a soul of its own and that soul is known as Vastu Purusha.[34]

 

A site of any shape can be divided using the Pada Vinyasa. Sites are known by the number of squares. They range from 1x1 to 32x32 (1024) square sites. Examples of mandalas with the corresponding names of sites include:[7]

 

Sakala (1 square) corresponds to Eka-pada (single divided site)

Pechaka (4 squares) corresponds to Dwi-pada (two divided site)

Pitha (9 squares) corresponds to Tri-pada (three divided site)

Mahaapitha (16 squares) corresponds to Chatush-pada (four divided site)

Upapitha (25 squares) corresponds to Pancha-pada (five divided site)

Ugrapitha (36 squares) corresponds to Shashtha-pada (six divided site)

Sthandila (49 squares) corresponds to Sapta-pada (seven divided site)

Manduka/ Chandita (64 square) corresponds to Ashta-pada (eight divided site)

Paramasaayika (81 squares) corresponds to Nava-pada (nine divided site)

Aasana (100 squares) corresponds to Dasa-pada (ten divided site)

Bhadrmahasan (196 squares) corresponds to Chodah-pada (14 divided sites)

Modern adaptations and usage[edit]

 

Vastu Shastra-inspired plan adapted and evolved by modern architect Charles Correa in the design of Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur, Rajasthan.[8][35]

Vāstu Śastra represents a body of ancient concepts and knowledge to many modern architects, a guideline but not a rigid code.[8][36] The square-grid mandala is viewed as a model of organisation, not as a ground plan. The ancient Vāstu Śastra texts describe functional relations and adaptable alternate layouts for various rooms or buildings and utilities, but do not mandate a set compulsory architecture. Sachdev and Tillotson state that the mandala is a guideline, and employing the mandala concept of Vāstu Śastra does not mean every room or building has to be square.[8] The basic theme is around core elements of central space, peripheral zones, direction with respect to sunlight, and relative functions of the spaces.[8][36]

 

The pink city Jaipur in Rajasthan was master planned by Rajput king Jai Singh and built by 1727 CE, in part around Vastu Shilpa Sastra principles.[8][37][37] Similarly, modern era projects such as the architect Charles Correa's designed Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya in Ahmedabad, Vidhan Bhavan in Bhopal,[38] and Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, adapt and apply concepts from the Vastu Shastra Vidya.[8][36] In the design of Chandigarh city, Le Corbusier incorporated modern architecture theories with those of Vastu Shastra.[39][40][41]

 

During the colonial rule period of India, town planning officials of the British Raj did not consider Vastu Vidya, but largely grafted Islamic Mughal era motifs and designs such as domes and arches onto Victorian-era style buildings without overall relationship layout.[42][43] This movement, known as Indo-Saracenic architecture, is found in chaotically laid out, but externally grand structures in the form of currently used major railway stations, harbours, tax collection buildings, and other colonial offices in South Asia.[42]

 

Vāstu Śastra Vidya was ignored, during colonial era construction, for several reasons. These texts were viewed by 19th and early 20th century architects as archaic, the literature was inaccessible being in an ancient language not spoken or read by the architects, and the ancient texts assumed space to be readily available.[36][42] In contrast, public projects in the colonial era were forced into crowded spaces and local layout constraints, and the ancient Vastu sastra were viewed with prejudice as superstitious and rigid about a square grid or traditional materials of construction.[42] Sachdev and Tillotson state that these prejudices were flawed, as a scholarly and complete reading of the Vāstu Śastra literature amply suggests the architect is free to adapt the ideas to new materials of construction, local layout constraints and into a non-square space.[42][44] The design and completion of a new city of Jaipur in early 1700s based on Vāstu Śastra texts, well before any colonial era public projects, was one of many proofs.[42][44] Other examples include modern public projects designed by Charles Correa such as Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, and Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad.[8][35] Vastu Shastra remedies have also been applied by Khushdeep Bansal in 1997 to the Parliament complex of India, when he contented that the library being built next to the building is responsible for political instability in the country.[45]

 

German architect Klaus-Peter Gast states that the principles of Vāstu Śastras is witnessing a major revival and wide usage in the planning and design of individual homes, residential complexes, commercial and industrial campuses, and major public projects in India, along with the use of ancient iconography and mythological art work incorporated into the Vastu vidya architectures.[35][46]

 

Vastu and superstition[edit]

The use of Vastu shastra and Vastu consultants in modern home and public projects is controversial.[44] Some architects, particularly during India's colonial era, considered it arcane and superstitious.[36][42] Other architects state that critics have not read the texts and that most of the text is about flexible design guidelines for space, sunlight, flow and function.[36][46]

 

Vastu Shastra is considered as pseudoscience by rationalists like Narendra Nayak of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations.[47] Scientist and astronomer Jayant Narlikar considers Vastu Shastra as pseudoscience and writes that Vastu does not have any "logical connection" to the environment.[3] One of the examples cited by Narlikar arguing the absence of logical connection is the Vastu rule, "sites shaped like a triangle ... will lead to government harassment, ... parallelogram can lead to quarrels in the family." Narlikar notes that sometimes the building plans are changed and what has already been built is demolished to accommodate for Vastu rules.[3] Regarding superstitious beliefs in Vastu, Science writer Meera Nanda cites the case of N. T. Rama Rao, the ex-chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, who sought the help of Vastu consultants for his political problems. Rama Rao was advised that his problems would be solved if he entered his office from an east facing gate. Accordingly, a slum on the east facing side of his office was ordered to be demolished, to make way for his car's entrance.[48] The knowledge of Vastu consultants is questioned by Pramod Kumar (citation required), "Ask the Vaastu folks if they know civil engineering or architecture or the local government rules on construction or minimum standards of construction to advise people on buildings. They will get into a barrage of "ancient" texts and "science" that smack of the pseudo-science of astrology. Ask them where they were before the construction boom and if they will go to slum tenements to advise people or advise on low-cost community-housing—you draw a blank."[49]

 

Sanskrit treatises on architecture[edit]

Of the numerous Sanskrit treatises mentioned in ancient Indian literature, some have been translated in English. Many Agamas, Puranas and Hindu scriptures include chapters on architecture of temples, homes, villages, towns, fortifications, streets, shop layout, public wells, public bathing, public halls, gardens, river fronts among other things.[5] In some cases, the manuscripts are partially lost, some are available only in Tibetan, Nepalese or South Indian languages, while in others original Sanskrit manuscripts are available in different parts of India. Some treatises, or books with chapters on Vaastu Shastra include:[5]

 

Manasara

Brhat samhita

Mayamata

Anka sastra

Aparajita Vāstu Śastra

Maha-agamas (28 books, each with 12 to 75 chapters)

Ayadi Lakshana

Aramadi Pratishtha Paddhati (includes garden design)

Kasyapiya

Kupadi Jala Sthana Lakshana

Kshetra Nirmana Vidhi (preparation of land and foundation of buildings including temples)

Gargya samhita (pillars, doors, windows, wall design and architecture)

Griha Pithika (types of houses and their construction)

Ghattotsarga Suchanika (riverfront and steps architecture)

Chakra sastra

Jnana ratna kosha

Vastu sarani (measurement, ratio and design layouts of objects, particularly buildings)

Devalaya Lakshana (treatise on construction of temples)

Dhruvadi shodasa gehani (guidelines for arrangement of buildings with respect to each other for harmony)

Nava sastra (36 books, most lost)

Agni Purana (Chapters 42 through 55, and 106 - Nagaradi Vastu)

Matsya Purana (Chapters 252 through 270)

Maya samgraha

Prasada kirtana

Prasada Lakshana

Tachchu sastra (primarily home design for families)

Manushyalaya Lakshana (primarily human dwelings)

Manushyalaya Chandrika

Mantra dipika

Mana kathana (measurement principles)

Manava vastu lakshana

Manasollasa (chapters on house layout, mostly ancient cooking recipes)

Raja griha nirmana (architecture and construction principles for royal palaces)

Rupa mandana

Vastu chakra

Vastu tattva

Vastu nirnaya

Vastu purusha lakshana

Vastu prakasa

Vastu pradipa

Vastu manjari

Vastu mandana

Vastu lakshana

Vastu vichara

Vastu Vidya

Vastu vidhi

Vastu samgraha

Vastu sarvasva

Vimana lakshana (tower design)

Visvakarma prakasa (home, roads, water tanks and public works architecture)

Vaikhanasa

Sastra jaladhi ratna

Silpa prakasa

Silpakala Dipika

Silpartha Śastra

Sanatkumara Vāstu Śastra

Samarangana Sutradhara

See also[edit]

Aranmula Kottaram

Feng shui

Kanippayyur Shankaran Namboodiripad

Maharishi Vastu Architecture

Shilpa Shastras

Tajul muluk

References[edit]

^ R Arya, Vaastu: The Indian Art of Placement, ISBN 978-0892818853

^ Quack, Johannes (2012). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. Oxford University Press. p. 119. ISBN 9780199812608. Retrieved 17 August 2015.

^ Jump up to: a b c Narlikar, Jayant V. (2009). "Astronomy, pseudoscience and rational thinking". In Percy, John; Pasachoff, Jay (eds.). Teaching and Learning Astronomy: Effective Strategies for Educators Worldwide. Cambridge University Press. p. 165.

^ "GOLDEN PRINCIPLES OF VASTU SHASTRA Vastukarta". www.vastukarta.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.

^ Jump up to: a b c d Acharya P.K. (1946), An Encyclopedia of Hindu Architecture, Oxford University Press

^ Kumar, Vijaya (2002). Vastushastra. New Dawn/Sterling. p. 5. ISBN 978-81-207-2199-9.

^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Stella Kramrisch (1976), The Hindu Temple Volume 1 & 2, ISBN 81-208-0223-3

^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Vibhuti Sachdev, Giles Tillotson (2004). Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City. pp. 155–160. ISBN 978-1861891372.

^ Jump up to: a b Vibhuti Sachdev, Giles Tillotson (2004). Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City. p. 147. ISBN 978-1861891372.

^ George Michell (1988), The Hindu Temple: An Introduction to Its Meaning and Forms, University of Chicago Press, ISBN 978-0226532301, pp 21-22

^ Jump up to: a b GD Vasudev (2001), Vastu, Motilal Banarsidas, ISBN 81-208-1605-6, pp 74-92

^ Jump up to: a b c Sherri Silverman (2007), Vastu: Transcendental Home Design in Harmony with Nature, Gibbs Smith, Utah, ISBN 978-1423601326

^ Gautum, Jagdish (2006). Latest Vastu Shastra (Some Secrets). Abhinav Publications. p. 17. ISBN 978-81-7017-449-3.

^ Monier-Williams (1899).

^ Jump up to: a b c BB Dutt (1925), Town planning in Ancient India at Google Books, ISBN 978-81-8205-487-5; See critical review by LD Barnett, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Vol 4, Issue 2, June 1926, pp 391

^ Milton Singer (1991). Semiotics of Cities, Selves, and Cultures: Explorations in Semiotic Anthropology. Walter de Gruyter. p. 117. ISBN 978-3-11-085775-7.

^ Jump up to: a b Vibhuti Chakrabarti (2013). Indian Architectural Theory and Practice: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya. Routledge. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-1-136-77882-7.

^ Jump up to: a b Gudrun Bühnemann (2003). Mandalas and Yantras in the Hindu Traditions. BRILL Academic. pp. 251–254. ISBN 90-04-12902-2.

^ Jump up to: a b Meister, Michael W. (1983). "Geometry and Measure in Indian Temple Plans: Rectangular Temples". Artibus Asiae. 44 (4): 266–296. doi:10.2307/3249613. JSTOR 3249613.

^ Jack Hebner (2010), Architecture of the Vāstu Śastra - According to Sacred Science, in Science of the Sacred (Editor: David Osborn), ISBN 978-0557277247, pp. 85-92; N Lahiri (1996), Archaeological landscapes and textual images: a study of the sacred geography of late medieval Ballabgarh, World Archaeology, 28(2), pp 244-264

^ Susan Lewandowski (1984), Buildings and Society: Essays on the Social Development of the Built Environment, edited by Anthony D. King, Routledge, ISBN 978-0710202345, Chapter 4

^ LD Barnett, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Vol 4, Issue 2, June 1926, pp 391

^ Jump up to: a b Alice Boner and Sadāśiva Rath Śarmā (1966), Silpa Prakasa Medieval Orissan Sanskrit Text on Temple Architecture at Google Books, E.J. Brill (Netherlands)

^ H. Daniel Smith (1963), Ed. Pāncarātra prasāda prasādhapam, A Pancaratra Text on Temple-Building, Syracuse: University of Rochester, OCLC 68138877

^ Mahanti and Mahanty (1995 Reprint), Śilpa Ratnākara, Orissa Akademi, OCLC 42718271

^ Amita Sinha (1998), Design of Settlements in the Vaastu Shastras, Journal of Cultural Geography, 17(2), pp 27-41, doi:10.1080/08873639809478319

^ Tillotson, G. H. R. (1997). Svastika Mansion: A Silpa-Sastra in the 1930s. South Asian Studies, 13(1), pp 87-97

^ Ganapati Sastri (1920), Īśānaśivagurudeva paddhati, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series, OCLC 71801033

^ Heather Elgood (2000), Hinduism and the religious arts, ISBN 978-0304707393, Bloomsbury Academic, pp 121-125

^ H Kern (1865), The Brhat Sanhita of Varaha-mihara, The Asiatic Society of Bengal, Calcutta

^ S Bafna, On the Idea of the Mandala as a Governing Device in Indian Architectural Tradition, Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, Vol. 59, No. 1 (Mar. 2000), pp. 26-49

^ Stella Kramrisch, The Hindu Temple, Vol 1, Motilal Banarsidass, ISBN 978-81-208-0222-3

^ Jump up to: a b Vibhuti Chakrabarti (2013). Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya. Routledge. pp. 86–99. ISBN 978-0700711130.

^ "Vastu for Beginners | Vastu Purusha Story | Vastu Shastra". 6 July 2015.

^ Jump up to: a b c Klaus-Peter Gast (2011). Modern Traditions: Contemporary Architecture in India. Birkhäuser Architecture. p. 11. ISBN 978-3764377540.

^ Jump up to: a b c d e f V Chakrabarti (2013). Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya. Routledge. pp. 86–92. ISBN 978-0700711130.

^ Jump up to: a b Jantar Mantar & Jaipur - Section II National University of Singapore, pp. 17-22

^ Irena Murray (2011). Charles Correa: India's Greatest Architect. RIBA Publishing. ISBN 978-1859465172.

^ Gerald Steyn (2011). "Le Corbusier's research-based design approaches" (PDF). SAJAH. Tshwane University of Technology. 26 (3): 45–56.

^ H Saini (1996). Vaastu ordains a full flowering for Chandigarh. The Tribune.

^ Reena Patra (2009). "Vaastu Shastra: Towards Sustainable Development". Sustainable Development. Wiley InterScience. 17 (4): 244–256. doi:10.1002/sd.388.

^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Vibhuti Sachdev, Giles Tillotson (2004). Building Jaipur: The Making of an Indian City. pp. 149–157. ISBN 978-1861891372.

^ Anthony D'Costa (April 2012). A New India?: Critical Reflections in the Long Twentieth Century. pp. 165–168. ISBN 978-0857285041.

^ Jump up to: a b c V Chakrabarti (2013). Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya. Routledge. pp. 86–99. ISBN 978-0700711130.

^ "'Harmonising' homes, hearts". Hindustan Times. 9 June 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2016.

^ Jump up to: a b Stephen Marshall (2011). Urban Coding and Planning. Routledge. pp. 83–103. ISBN 978-0415441261.

^ Quack, Johannes (2012). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. Oxford University Press. p. 170. ISBN 9780199812608. Retrieved 15 August 2015.

^ Sokal, Alan (2008). Beyond the Hoax: Science, Philosophy and Culture. Oxford University Press. pp. 306–307. ISBN 9780191623349.

^ Kumar, Pramod (14 May 2013). "Akshaya Tritiya and the great Indian superstition industry". Firstpost. Retrieved 15 August 2015.

Further reading[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vastu Shastra.

Acharya P.K. (1946), An Encyclopedia of Hindu Architecture, Oxford University Press - Terminology of Ancient Architecture

Acharya P.K. (1946), Bibliography of Ancient Sanskrit Treatises on Architecture and Arts, in An Encyclopedia of Hindu Architecture, Oxford University Press - pages 615-659

B.B. Dutt (1925), Town Planning in Ancient India at Google Books

IVVRF (2000), Journal Of International Conference Vastu Panorama 2000, Main Theme - The Study of Energetic Dimension of Man and Behavior of Environment

IVVRF (2004), Journal Of International Conference Vastu Panorama 2004

IVVRF (2008), Journal Of International Conference Vastu Panorama 2008, Main Theme - Save Mother earth and life- A Vastu Mission

IVVRF (2012), Journal Of International Conference Vastu Panorama 2012, Main Theme- Vastu Dynamics for Global Well Being

V. Chakraborty, Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya at Google Books

Arya, Rohit Vaastu: the Indian art of placement : design and decorate homes to reflect eternal spiritual principles Inner Traditions / Bear & Company, 2000, ISBN 0-89281-885-9.

Important Concepts of Vasthu Shasthra Traditional Indian Architecture

Vastu: Transcendental Home Design in Harmony with Nature, Sherri Silverman

Prabhu, Balagopal,T.S and Achyuthan,A, "A text Book of Vastuvidya", Vastuvidyapratisthanam, Kozhikode, New Edition, 2011.

Prabhu, Balagopal,T.S and Achyuthan,A, "Design in Vastuvidya", Vastuvidyapratisthanam, Kozhiko

Prabhu, Balagopal,T.S, "Vastuvidyadarsanam",(Malayalam) Vastuvidyapratisthanam, Kozhikode.

Prabhu, Balagopal,T.S and Achyuthan,A, "Manusyalaya candrika- An Engineering Commentary", Vastuvidyapratisthanam, Kozhikode, New Edition, 2011.

Vastu-Silpa Kosha, Encyclopedia of Hindu Temple architecture and Vastu/S.K.Ramachandara Rao, Delhi, Devine Books, (Lala Murari Lal Chharia Oriental series) ISBN 978-93-81218-51-8 (Set)

D. N. Shukla, Vastu-Sastra: Hindu Science of Architecture, Munshiram Manoharial Publishers, 1993, ISBN 978-81-215-0611-3.

B. B. Puri, Applied vastu shastra vaibhavam in modern architecture, Vastu Gyan Publication, 1997, ISBN 978-81-900614-1-4.

Vibhuti Chakrabarti, Indian Architectural Theory: Contemporary Uses of Vastu Vidya Routledge, 1998, ISBN 978-0-7007-1113-0.

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Polykleitos Canon Vitruvius De architectura

Renaissance

Luca Pacioli De divina proportione Piero della Francesca De prospectiva pingendi Leon Battista Alberti De pictura De re aedificatoria Sebastiano Serlio Regole generali d'architettura Andrea Palladio I quattro libri dell'architettura Albrecht Dürer Vier Bücher von Menschlicher Proportion

Romantic

Frederik Macody Lund Ad Quadratum Jay Hambidge The Greek Vase Samuel Colman Nature's Harmonic Unity

Modern

Owen Jones The Grammar of Ornament Ernest Hanbury Hankin The Drawing of Geometric Patterns in Saracenic Art G. H. Hardy A Mathematician's Apology George David Birkhoff Aesthetic Measure Douglas Hofstadter Gödel, Escher, Bach Nikos Salingaros The 'Life' of a Carpet

Publications

Journal of Mathematics and the Arts Viewpoints: Mathematical Perspective and Fractal Geometry in Art

Organizations

Ars Mathematica The Bridges Organization European Society for Mathematics and the Arts Goudreau Museum of Mathematics in Art and Science Institute For Figuring Museum of Mathematics

Related

Droste effect Mathematical beauty Patterns in nature Sacred geometry

Category Category

  

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vastu_shastra

(Top)Meet the Conlangers: The World-wide Community of Language Creators

 

8.A. Text: Introductory paragraph

Conlanging transcends national boundaries and enjoys a global community of enthusiasts. A “census” of the Zompist Bulletin Board reveals members from the USA, Finland, France, New Zealand, Germany, UK, Hungary, Scandinavia, and South America. Conlanging is also multigenerational with ages of language creators and enthusiasts ranging from teens to senior citizens. Take a look at the attendees of the Language Creation Conference in this exhibit case. So, without further ado, may we introduce...

 

(Top left) David J. Peterson

Conlanger Extraordinaire

California

One of the most active conlangers on the web is David J. Peterson. He wrote the "Conlanger's Manifesto," was one of the speakers at both Language Creation Conferences so far (2006 and 2007), has been a vocal member of the CONLANG listserv for well over five years, has one of the finest web sites (http://dedalvs.free.fr) on the Internet devoted to conlanging (and his other various pursuits), and was President of the Society of Linguistics Undergraduates (SLUG) at UC Berkeley. In addition to creating languages like Kamakawi, Zhyler, Wasabi, Megdevi, and many others, David also created SLIPA (Sign Language International Phonetic Alphabet), a detailed system for representing all possible gestures in any signed language which can also be used to create a constructed sign language. Currently, David is also a member of the Board of Directors, as well as Treasurer and Secretary of the Language Creation Society (http://www.conlang.org) and is a contributor to The Speculative Grammarian (http://specgram.com), an online journal of linguistics humor.

 

David is a University of California (UC), Berkeley, alumnus (where he majored in English and linguistics); his Master's degree in Linguistics is from UC San Diego. David is currently adjunct professor of English at Fullerton College in California: the "Writing Guide" section of his web site is humorous as well as highly informative. He was also engaged last year to a fellow UCSD graduate, Erin McPherson. In his 2-man band, Number 6, David plays guitar, bass, and ukulele, and he sings. David is a devoted Mac user when it comes to computers: "I very use a Mac (try to make sense of that one, Chomsky!)."

 

Several Babel Texts translated by David are included throughout this exhibit, as well as the "Conlanger's Manifesto," (Exhibit Case #2) and his Amazon.com review of Describing Morphosyntax (Exhibit Case #3).

 

The Babel Text in Kamakawi (transliteration)

1.Ka peka i ape kalaka oi oalala poi.

2.Kau imawawakaiu upea a ie ku neva'a i ava ae peka Tinala pe, ku hepale ae pe.

3.Ku hekala i ika ti, "He'ea, he lama ue i timitiú u kava i uamo." Kae timitiú i leya ka iele i i'iele poupea.

4.Ku hekala poiu ti, "He paki ue i paleumi oi penute i ue a kopu ono o penute iu kawi, au atau ue, heoku u kawakawa'u heva e ave o peka."

5.Ka kau Takepolilao ele mata ie paleumi oie penute kau paki mali tiemi i.

6.Ke hekala poiu ti, "He! Ape peka, a ape kalaka i upea uila, au hepaka upea i iko. Oku li'u eleumi au takepo'u upea i hoa liwi'u upea a.

7.Ima! He kau ei e mimile ie kalaka o upea pe, aupe kala upea ioku ika.

8.Ke kawakawa Takepolilao i upeape heva e ave o peka, kau pu'uke upea ie paleumi.

9.Ape tomi'u amo ti "Imimile", ale mimile Takepolilao ie kalaka o inotu uila pe, e kawakawa i upeape heva e ave o peka.

Translated by David J. Peterson

(http://dedalvs.free.fr/kamakawi/babel.html)

 

(Top right) Mark Rosenfelder

"The Zompist"

Illinois

Mark Rosenfelder, a.k.a. “The Zompist” or “The Zomp”, has been creating languages and worlds since he was in grade school. One of The Zomp’s major gifts to the conlanging community is his Language Construction Kit (http://www.zompist.com/kit.html), often the first stop for beginning conlangers. The Kit provides a step-by-step approach to creating one’s own language compiled from resources gathered by Mark while attempting to learn linguistics on his own. Topics as diverse as what sounds to use in a conlang to how to construct language families and dialects are covered. The Zompist Bulletin Board, one of the Internet’s main forums for conlangers and con-worlders, is yet another of Mark’s contributions and is available at www.spinnoff.com/zbb.

 

Mark’s monumental online work, Virtual Verduria (http://www.zompist.com/virtuver.htm), began as a Dungeons & Dragons setting in his college days. It is the result of over twenty years of tinkering with concepts as diverse as language, history, chemistry, biology, and mythology. Virtual Verduria provides myriad details of Mark’s fantasy world of Almea, from the creation of its planetary system to the evolution of its indigenous inhabitants, and includes comprehensive maps, native stories, and myths of the various nations. There are a dozen individual languages or language families with grammars, vocabulary, and text samples. Mark has succinctly explained how he does all this by saying, “I have no kids and I don’t watch TV.”

 

Although The Zomp’s day job may be as a programmer, he has assured himself a spot in the Pantheon of Conlangers with his selfless activities in support of the art.

 

(Photo courtesy of Mark Rosenfelder)

 

(Bottom left) The Official Conlang Flag

The idea of a “conlang flag” was proposed by David J. Peterson on the CONLANG listserv in a message on Aug. 29, 2004. The next day, Adrian Morgan responded by saying: “Right, it's time to take this seriously,” and a rough sketch was submitted. Discussion on the topic was brisk, over twenty designs and revisions were submitted, and the results were announced on September 23, 2004. The basic layout was suggested by Leland Paul, but the winning flag’s final design was created by Christian Thalmann. Paul’s posting provides some of the symbolism: “Against a purple sky, signifying creativity, an orange sun rises, orange signifying energy, imagination, and communication. It sheds its light over a dark, not-yet-seen world. Silhouetted against the sun is the Tower of Babel, proclaiming the noble nature of the linguistic diversity.” The Tower of Babel also brings to mind the ubiquitous Babel Text often used as a translation exercise. The Conlang Flag has been displayed prominently at the Language Creation Conferences and can be seen on numerous conlangers’ web pages.

 

(Bottom Middle) Andrew Smith

Creator of Brithenig

New Zealand

Born in Invercargill, New Zealand, in 1965, Andrew currently lives in Dunedin, New Zealand. He is an Archives Assistant for the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand Archives. His native language is English, and, although he speaks several languages, Andrew admits that none are to "conversational level." Brithenig is the result of Andrew's attempt to create an alternative Romance language akin to French and Spanish: namely what would have happened to Latin if it had become established in the Celtic areas of Britain and evolved accordingly. "The earliest known record of Brithenig dates back to 1997," Andrew states. "It was inspired earlier by a reference to a Celtic-influenced romance language I discovered in a book on Celtic languages in 1990, my last year of study at the University of Otago. It would take me another four years before I returned to Dunedin to re-read the reference and create the language. The rest is history. Ill Bethisad is legacy." Ill Bethisad is the imaginary country where Bethisad is spoken. The extensive site dedicated to the imaginary nation and language can be found at www.bethisad.com. With maps, history, grammars, and more, Andrew's site rivals that of Mark Rosenfelder's Virtual Verduria.

 

Andrew continues: "As well as Brithenig I keep a journal in a conlang based on Old English. In recent years I have started on an eclectic language based on my collection of Teach Yourself Language books. I have about 40 of them. They are getting harder to find."

 

"Apart from creating languages I have created imaginary worlds, attempted writing, been involved in Mediaeval Re-enactment, work out at the gym for cardio, and practise religion. I have never travelled outside my country. I collect books, CDs, RSS-feeds, and occasionally hats."

 

(Photo courtesy of Andrew Smith. Quotes taken from an email to Don Boozer.)

 

The Babel Text in Brithenig

1.Hures il munn inter hav yn linghedig e yn cant commyn.

2.Sig il pobol summoden di'l est, ysses ligavan yn luin in Sennar e lâs'ysteblivan.

3.Ysses digevan il yn a'l altr, "Gwenitz, gwans a fager brics e cogher les interevent." Ysses ysavan brics in log di bedr, e arill per chelcin.

4.Afos ysses digevan, "Gwenitz, gwans a eddifigar per nos yn giwdad, cun yn tyr che tang a'ls cels, sig nos fagians yn novn per nos e no scians ysparied pas syss la fag di la der inter."

5.Mais il Tiern gweniv a vas a widder la giwdad e'l tyr che'l pobol eddifig.

6.Il Tiern digev, "Ec'h, altresi yn pobol che barol il linghedig medissiv, ysses yst han gyvnidiad a fager. Hures ys lâ no haverai negarad ren a les che ysses provassen a fager.

7.Gwenitz, gwans a vas a ystyrddir sew linghedig di les sig ysses no c'hompruinnessen ren di'l yn a'l altr."

8.Sig il Tiern yspariav di lâ syss tud la der, e ysses calvavan a eddifigar la giwdad.

9.Ho es perc'he sa afell Babel -- perc'he lâ il Tiern ystyrddiv il linghedig di'l munn inter. Di lâ il Tiern les yspariav syss la fag di la der inter.

Translated by Andrew Smith

(http://hobbit.griffler.co.nz/babeltext.html)

 

(Bottom right) Dr. Sarah L. Higley

a.k.a. Sally Caves

Academic Conlanger

New York

Earning her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Sarah L. Higley is currently Associate Professor of English at the University of Rochester and a teacher of medieval languages and literature. She is also known by her alias, Sally Caves, which is the name you'll see on her website (http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves/teonaht.html) outlining her conlang Teonaht. According to her site, Sally began documenting her language creation in 1962 at the age of nine. Dr. Higley goes on to say that in "the Fall of 2000, she co-taught an independent study with linguistics Professor Jeffrey Runner, wherein then freshman (and linguistics major) Douglas Ball was allowed to develop grammar and text for his invented language Skerre." Sally was a presenter at the first Language Creation Conference, has been interviewed by her local NPR radio station about conlanging, wrote an article entitled "Audience, Uglossia, and CONLANG" for M/C Journal (available online at journal.media-culture.org.au/0003/languages.php), and, in December 2007, published the definitive study of St. Hildegard of Bingen and her Lingua Ignota entitled Hildegard of Bingen's Unknown Language: An Edition, Translation, and Discussion. (For more information on St. Hildegard, see Exhibit Case #4). Dr. Higley is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Language Creation Society (http://www.conlang.org).

 

The Babel Text in Teonaht

1.Send tand potom takrem tefye uõnim kalalya, uõnim mongwyf.

2.Send seawim il plevvysta elai renek, he twe esteratwe armmandy; rilua-il twe nrinarem celil hea Hsinnarid, send eldwav hovar endõ.

3.Send euab ouarje eldwa jane: "Mantets! Nittaopra uents, uo ad õ potemaht flehhtyzmats." Send nittaopra eldwav uen to mimmivua uo nerik to cicya.

4.Send eldwav ebra: "Mantets! Tesa-ilz lirifel-jo hadhhamats ta mehuen aid kempa ar Erahenahil, send rõ tyr aittearmats, ta vera listsõ hyny il takrem ro ssosyarem.

5.Send Le Hrel elo hsommante sa lõ kerem il tesa liriffel-jo hadhhama-uarrel ihhain le plevvysta.

6.Send Le Hrel elo ebra, "Keyts, il plevvysta somad, uo uõnim kalalya twavhha; aibba estwa mippa: to vokraikarem, send vawem dihhai twav kare deytwav dal ai sebrarem esai lis.

7."Hsobmmantets; send twe kalalya vilvviglats ta vera pre-twav twe mongav rin euab ouarjo."

8.Le Hrel ad hyny il takrem elo toaaiba sossya, send il tesa eldwa beg hadha.

9.Evvaiba Bavel li'aittear ilid lirifel, uanner Le Hrel il uõm kalalya ilid potom takrem elo vilvvigla, send il plevvystan eldwa hovvandy sossyab.

Translation by Sally Caves

(http://www.frontiernet.net/~scaves/babel.html)

 

.

.. _ ... lt"-rl ~r-1-r~t"1 .-.-~.-~'"'a ..,"' "'.-~ a .

STUDENTS' FEDERATION OF INDIA .

ALL INDIA STUDENTS' FEDERATION .

.

) I ' I ;~ -'I.... j'.

-~ .

. .

The NSUI's attempts to cover up the Congress's anti-people character has reached new levels 01 .absurdity Nitll it clatming in 1ts oanpiN::l ~~ ~h..rday that the? Emergency-the attack on people's democratic rights, the incarceration of thousand~ wilhoul trial, the Youth Congress terr(~ ~~t...<iJs the muzzling of the Press-were all attempts to defend democracy from communal fascism The NSUI says, ·EMergency is what saved 1r.di.;:lr .

''7mr..cracy" The fact remains that what really saved Indian democracy was the massive popular upsurge againsl Emergency. The JI~U stud~·nf , .T"rJUn,ty played an exemplary role in this upsurge and a large number of JNU students-includinq the IP.adcrship 0f 'he then JNUSU-fac.:~ ~-· lr.-ilc;alion and e-ven Imprisonment in order to oppose the authoritarian regime. SFI-AISF takes pride m being part of this legacy of struggles. In keeping with this tradilion the last JNUSU, iormed after a massive maPdat.:; .

w!i'e student community 1n favour of SFI-AISF mobilised the student community 1n the struggles agamst communalism and the communal1~ation a1r n'· -31 'Sation of education Some of the maJOr issues taken up by this Union are: .

'!lffr11~~ill!li'lh~11N@!~ii'il! The JNUSU had taken the initiative in organising a peace march after the condemnable Godhra incident. H0w~ve-l 11' Sangh Giroh elsewhere in the country, the RSS-ABVP on campus also went on a aggressive communal campa1gn tcllowing Gcdhra. hnngin9.

J .

' t ~r e:<tremely communal and provocative march on 28th February. The very next day. hundreds of students JOinea a '11arch tn favour of pf.~-:e-a · .

i'l11unal rarmor y called by the JNUSU Th1s was the beginning of a series of mobilisations under the JNUSU bannE'r Nilhrn and outs1de !he carrpJ .

·· . ; ·:ulmtnated ;n a massive human chain in which more than 600 students, teachers and karmacharies participated Once agan, vren 'i·:e: .

.drrl ..~~ c;uddenly came to know that the RSS had been allowed by the Administration to hold its gurudakshma programme w1thin the Ad. 810.::.. an~! .

.

~ ·.: :o. S1nghal w3s to be the Chief Guest. it was the JNUSU representatives from SFI-AISF who took the leaa ", the spontaneo~.;s )ITJ!f~' j.;mnstration and who bore the brunt of the attack by the RSS-ABVP lumpens led by the ABVP's campus leadersho. tJSUI's presence tn'uiQiXu hl':'c;'' m)bilisatior.s never reached a double-drgit figure-something to be expected from an organrsa!ron thai thm~s Ihat the Emergency ·..V~s ·· ·-~~'-nse to communalism. The AISA too, dubbed these mobilisations as "designer protests· and dtd not bother to r.orr.e nur on the streetc:. tu 1,0 nt~ .

communal attack. .

Wf!1!~~illllMl'JlllR!.1!~tld[NE1~11:f;ll'/!111--tlltNIll311fif!lf[tl~llji:IJ!ftUI]ji:Pijf!.1~1 The ABVP, having failed 1. · g-lr rr~ .

.:.n, r.opular support in favour of obscurantist and irrational courses. resorted to a systematic strategy of organrsed vJolence m order to crsrup1 t'lP .

-kjPnts struggle against the Administration's X Plan Proposals. Despite this, not only could the struggles under the JNUSU banner k;rc !Iii: .

~c;r.1nstra!ion to review the X Plan, but also ensured that the HRD Ministry's game plan of replacing the last Adminis:ration by a RSS one wa~ fr;iiE<i .

~·tt-r repeated demonstrations, strikes and a seven-day long hunger-strike the Administration has been forced to agree that any proposal befon:-.

.

he UGC's X Plan team only if it is put forward by some specific School/Centre, supported by an academic argument, the democratic bodie~ )f the School pass it and then accepted by a specifically constituted Dean's Committee. All proposals, and not just academic proposals, wil· come within the purview of this committee. This means that only those proposal which have the acceptance of the. '-lU academic communrty. wh1.:J .

:; ::~!ieve rs still largely secular and democratic. will be part of our university's X Plan. In face of th1s ma1or breakthro.rgr 'he AISA once again r;:; sr:.;.. G .,,.,...,r,, remajned on huf er strike. .

l*U33~1#j The SFI-AISF-IedJNUSU of 1999 had formulated a Perspective Plan for the l1brary wh!cr r:a!leo lor t~e upgrada: Jn anL .:-.,...r.cratisation c·f Library facihttes. However, the struggle to implement this Perspective was hampered by the inactivity of the ABVP eadership of the 2001-02 Union-with the President busy protecting his lumpen ABVP colleagues and the Joint Secretary being totallv 3bsent. r-owever the SFI-AISF representatives 1n that Union took initiatives in. organising protests on tnese deme1nds as a ~esult of Nr c! t;,." : ·-~,r ·stration had to agree to acquire books in the Library based on students' requ1sitions during the World Book Fa' The-books requisi~''" ~· ~.; i ~'llC ·19 the 4,500 new books which are now on lhe Library shelves. The DELNET facility for rnter library loan ,vas rev1ved Aher tne recent ag1'<:' ~..,,, .

~...1ahl· .

Aandavr GBM has endorsed this proposals and a working committee headed by the Dean of Students has been ccnstituted to take the intliali1;e r -.r.....,ing these CO-!Jperatives. The ABVP's opposition to this proposal without putting forward any other alternative amounts to a supoort to ... ___ messes uite In line with its arent a 's espousal of privatlsation. .

-As a result of repeated struggles by the JNUSU t11e Admin1strat on has already started m.Jk .·,,.~ :ff0rts for the provision of post-matric scholarship for SC/ST students. 8 new scholarships of Rs. 1,000/· per month for SC/ST students havE' '"lePr r,-·, . t.:d The financtal assistance to 16 students employed on a part-time basis in the Lrbrary has been rncreased from Rs 600 p.m. to Rs 900 p.rr M.fter the last italian the AdministratJon has a reed to the continuation and enhancement of the thesis and field trip grants .

~ Srnce 1997. the JNUSU has been conduct1ng free enlrance coachmg classes for stude··~o; frUJ .,eprrved sections and the SC/ST quota too has been fulfilled since that year. This year a record number of 714 students participated in th~s..-c!asses this ~ear and a total of 23.27% SC/ST students took admission In our university ti*'1*Miltllffli!UI#f.1 Together w1th the rest of Delhi, the transport facilities m JNU have suHered severely because of the bungl r:J b~ ~'1.. 1e:r and the Central Govenments over the CNG conversion process Despite this as a result of the Un1o:1's persrsten! efforts !he services of F.('~.;le r -:.%were regularised and a computensed bus-pass facility set up in the university though it is the policy of the D-e to dtscontinue student passes AilE 1r.e 'ast agitation the Admmistration has committed to expedite the conversion of the univers1ty bus to CNG The NSUI, which has long been raising the issue of transport problems, rather coming out openly against the Delhi government's transport policy. has chosen to invite as a gues the very Transport Minister who is implementing these policies. .

These achievements are the result of the united struggles of the student commun1ty on campus. a unity againsl the policies of pnv:Jiisahtltl .

,. i r,omrnunalisatlon which is itself a rebuff to the ABVP's divisive politics. These achievements are also a tesumon~~ 10 the pctentialities of Sludents ··r·u·~gle precisely those potentialities regarding which organisations like the NSUI and the AISA have been attempting to spread cynic1sm and auat11v d;r' ~ugtt Iheir campaigns and non-participation We appeal to the student community to isolate these forces anci rarrv forward the JNL. sturt~r· ,...t11!lurity's glorious legacy of struggles. .

PUBLIC MEETING .

GUEST SPEAKERS:PROF. IRFAN HABIB, PROF. ARJUN DEV .

.

02.11.02 (Saturday), 2:00 p.m. Ganga Mess .

Sd/-lndranil Chowdhury, B. Mahesh Sarma .

So-Convenors, Central Campaign Committee .

.

.

 

.

AISAENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Date : 07-08-96 .

all the limits of.

This year's admissions have crossed and.

Not only is there a suspiciousundemocratic functioning . but also, the.

for degree of secrecy involved,.

uncalled The three -.

questions raised by students are evaded entirely..

putting forth the.

lon~ agitation and hunger strike In SL,.

day and enquiry into alleged.

minimum demands o£ tran~parency the only.

has been ignored ~ith contempt,victimizations, order to withdraw the agitation..

response being a high-handed In this.

Questionable cases of victimization or irregularities campus-wide phenomenon..

year·~ admission proces~ are a .

* ln SES, Balakrlshna is beln~ denied re~lsT.ratinn Tc hi~ .

7[<6\crb .

Jawahar Lal Nehru University Student Union .

The students agitation a nd indefinite hungn~ strike will enter .

admiL_strations glaring.

its fourth day to~orrow. The .

insensitivity to the hunger strike and the students demands is have yet again.

dean and chairperson.

not surprising. The SL.

"resolution" demanding withdra~al of the.

today come out ~ith a resolving.

agitation, but not any positive suggestions towar ds nt .

the impasse. .

for a broader discussion of the issues o£ .

The JNUSU Is going t o.

just patterns evaluation, leading.

transparency and on these issues will be convened in o t heradmission and GBM, draft proposal focussing on.

,,ill circulate a.

s chools. JNUSU of SFCs and specific.

transparency involvementthe iaeue of to admission for wider .

policies of evaluations leading .

discussion in all the cen~er in the academic council. high handed.

warn the administration that if there rigid an.

Ue be force to intensify the agitations tance continues , we willuniversity level strike. Ue reiterate our demands.

and QO for a setting of a review for display of marks break-up and .

committee to look into admiaelon irregularities. .

the student community to join a.

Tonight JNUSU calls upon at 9.30 PM to.

Ganga Dhabamassive protest march from ongoing struggle and to show.

strengthen and intensify the strike. And.

t he indefinite hunger.

solidarity with those one take place soon after theemergency counc . meeting JNUSU wil : procession at the site of the hunge:c strike. Sd/ .

Sd/ Anil rlathe'WChandrashekh.ar General Secretary .

Presiden"t _ --··-· -,.., -.... ..., ~._ .._ J .A. .tr..,J. .:II u ,tJ J:J V L \.. U .L.

-.;;:, ..,.

-.. __--_ .

to h e ighten the momentum of the.

these democratic demands, and 1993 , in.

our·selvee that In.

movement. tJe should .remind entire M.Phil.

the students' agitation, the.

response to The united efforts ofentrance process in Arabic vas redone. the hunger.

and will keepthe entire student community can .

and ensure the success of th~ movement ..

strike going, .

..........................,..................................................................................~················································~······· .

.

JOIN JNUSU'S TORCHLIGHT ~.

l .

AISA CALLS UPON ALL STUDENTS TO .

PROCESSION IN LARGE NUHBERS TONIGHT . ·····-.--···'! .

.

!:.................................................~·-~-~--······-···························································'··~····························..········-···~.

.

NAUSHAD, IRFAN.

SHUBHRA AISA , JNU.

CO-CONVENOR ,CONVENOR, AISA , JNU .

} ' .

I .

i .

.;;z:!L~ .........

.

,.. --· .

.

 

.

-~ -..___ ~ "" --.

Jawaharlal Nehru Universitv .~t....J.._ ..,_ ... r.

nn .

Jawabarlal Nehru University Student's Union .

NEW DELHI-110067 .

Dale 18.3.1996 ie.

de .

L-tat-Dear Prienda, And in this backdrop few serious develoJDents have taken .

"loo-. .

OD 21.3.1996(Thrusday) an Academic Council Meeting is supposed to .

place in the University which are given below for your info~ation.take place. .

the V .c. gave a written lett er t o the JNUSU agreeing to set up a Committee ta.

rJe.

After the historic Anti-Privatisation Movement in August 1995 .

(A) thereto. The .

to review the past financial ~rformance of JNtJ and make reconanendations .

Dean of Each one of the School.

rocedures relatin.

ro eet:lons and.

re ardlnq financial t .

2. Four representations of JNU Teachers Association, 3. Four .

onan ttee vas supposed to consist o .

of JNU..

.

representations of JNU Students' Union. 4. Four representati on of JNU .

S~aff Association. .

This Committee was to be headed by a Chairperson. Row post-facto the .

v.c. wants to nominate one or two senior faculty members on the Connittee .

The JNUSU believes that the Comnittee agreed upon after the Anti-.

Any attempt t o change its .

Privation movement should be strictly adhered to. .

composition or charter will amount to goving back on the written agreement .

.

between the JNUSU & Vice-Chancellor (Letter of v.c. is being displayed .

.

Many P1 c ategoryalong with this notice). now has beccme intolerable. 2) The Hostel Problem.

4r Instead of solving this pressure on hostels, the administration students are still on the roads and the new hostel' still r emains a .

has been conducting raids and is imposing f ines on bonafide student s who.

Moreover.

mirage. .

This ha,s happened in Periyar, Narmada and Godavari. 'are ms. .

Studies outside the SPS will further increase pressure on hostels. .

the Administrations' intention to set up a new ce~tre for Mathematical .

should be given residential facilities immediat ely, the n·ew hostel should be .

JROSU categorically states that those students who don't have hostels .

are proper hostel facilit ies available,. Students are requested not to pay .

completed with in a month and no new centre should be opeaed unless t here fines imposed on them aftertho recent raids. .

It is long time since the JNUSU and individual students complained to .

3) including physical on 6th and the v.c. reqardinq anti-social activities, There was a massive demonst-ation to the v.c.s office and the UGBM resolnti'n was also handed .

28th Feb.1990 ind·l ged in by members of the ABVP. .

over to him. Even the Teachers Assoc i ation and othe r ,members of the Jtro .

Unfortunately the V.c.' Community have made other memhers of the JNU canmunity have made the v.c. .

aware of their displeasure regarding such attacks. .

aa an excuse, vari ous activities are being disallwed o~ the eaapus premises .

Office has maintained a dubious silence on the issue. ~n fact, using this .

by the authorities. Interesting the uno~ficial ban on progressive-demonett steams does not hinder the RSS Sha'kha going on regularly, which is used for .

fascist ideoloqy here in J NU. 2/-.

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spreading a .cornuunal .

JNU IN.

rl TEL : 667676, 667557 I Ext. 330 .

GRAM s JAYENU .

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18.4. 12 .

Defend the Institutions of Elected Student Representations .

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Against Partisan Score-Set~ling and Individualised Politiclusness and after rigorous ground,:vork, in order to ensure that the administration is left ·with no excuse to hide behind. In the case of Yainuna hostel, because the residents had obtained detailed informationabout the case, it \Vas necess:try for the newly-elected JN-USU to get some space to tnake note ofthem and build up an urgent agitation to address the san1e. Ho\vever, the student representatives ofthe hostel, decided to go ahead with their pre-decided n1odeofagitation i.e. hunger strike immediately and declared it publicly. In such a situation, JNUSU. \Vhile expressing full support and con1J11itment to fight for the Yamunahostel issues, had to come out with a \Jflitten statement appealingto Lhe representatives ofthe Yamuna hostel to review their 'decision ofthe hunger strike' and give JNUSU son1e space and ti.xne to further the struggle as a collective and representative hody of the entire student community vis-a-vis the administration. I Iov.rever, the entire issue set a very unfortunate precedent, \Vherein a serious course o,(acrion vvas unilaterally decided on, \Vith no discussion with the rest ofthe campus or JNUSU. And after unilaterally deciding and embarking on son1e course ofaction (which was as serious as an indefinite hunger strike), JNU SU ~·as asked to "lea::! the struggle,. through that particular mode. We hope student community will appreciate that this is against the democratic decision-making mechanism that we have collectively evolved over the years for the functioning ofJNUSU as an institution. IfJNUSU as an institution has to "lead" any struggle, should not JNUSU, \Vhich has already expressed unconditional support for the issue~ be allowed some time and space to decide the course ofaction to carry .

fon\·ard the Sln1ggle, keeping the interests ofthe entire student COlllJTIWlity in nund? .

The .JNUSU has time and again not only reiterated but also fulfilled its unconditional comrnitment towards the issues of the Yamuna Hostel, be it by talking to the JNUTA to con1e together on this issue, or holding sevc.~al rounds ofnegotiations with the adntinistration. The JNUSU also held a n1ccting \\'ith all the hostel presidents. strcngtheni.ng the platfonn ofelected representatives, in order to put collcct ive pressure on thq ndn1inistrat ion t0r rcso lving the Yan1una as \Nell as sevcral o thcr related issues. .

This collective pressure of the student and the teacher communitv.1 \vas instrun1cntal in forcino-b the cld ministration to come out 'vith hvo ,,,..itten staten1en ts on this issue on -t and 9 ApriL The second staten1ent or the administration stated that ··after talking to th~ .1~.\'L'l)'(land the JJVUTA ., il h~s decided to shitt a ne\v warden to the Ya1nuna warden's residence within one n1onth. It was based on this statement that lhc President ofthe Yarnuna I I()~1eJ agreed to Jill the hunger strike. [fthc authvr of'the lca1lel is now calling upon_!~) ·sa\·Q__ynn1unaj1ostel struggle j}·ul}l_l\ISA-led .IN u!su '' \Vhy did she, as the hostel president, \Vithdre\V the hunger sujke OJllhc basis() fan ·~!dn1i1Jistrative st~cmcn1Jhat was bascq on cot)sultation~ with JNUSl l? ,..!~....;<..! .

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Subsequently \Vhen the shocked and angry student community forced the Presidenrto .

fresh UGBM on the same agenda through a fresh requisition, the President once agnin ......~~~~ ........, .

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the UGBM ofMnrch 8 in utter frustration when the resolutions put forwnrd by his orguni1.at .

were being defeated one after another, particularly those in which he and his organizatl .

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-supported a proctorial enquiry against protesting students. .

And finally, after the protest tnurch ofAug 8111 and university--wide strike ofAug 9'h, until the lnst .

date of registration on Aug 141h, there \Vas a deafening silence from the President: no .

communication, no consultative rueetiugs, no leaflets, boycott of the All-Organisation .

meeting, no dlrcct'iou fron1 the Prl.!~ident as to how the students \Vho had been fined would get .

registration. Beir1g the heud of the JNUSU, how can he behave so irresponsibly us to lcuve .

halfway an ongoing agitation against fines and for ensuring registrations and virtually abscond, refusing to nns\Vetphone culls frotn punished students seeking advice? At njuuctua·e when the studentstutus ofsevernl students is in danger at the hands ofthe Adntinistration, and the tuiuimuan \Vage agitntion is In dnnger of a·ccciviug a serious blo,v, such deliberate .

abdication ofresponsibilities by the bead ofthe JNUSU only serves topreve11t the JNUSU .

from pursuing a collective course ofaction and mobilization and strengtlte11 the divisive .

and vindictive plans ofthe Adrninistration. .

Instead ofleading a collective protest against the punish1n.ent of all students, he has chosen to .

concentrate on a partial, partisan and biased can1paign to repeal the fines against himselfand the Joint .

Secretary. According to the agreenzen.t signed by all four JNUSU office bearers including the .

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2007, all punished students without regard to their .

President and Joint Secretary on July 12'11, .

posts or powers would submit appeal letters to the Administration asking that their cases be .

reviewed. .

We would like to reiterate that the President and Joint Secretary's position that they should .

be exonerated from writing appeals while this condition is binding on the common students, is .

in fact divisive, hierarchical, and extren1ely damaging to the collective students' movement. I! .

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contrad_icts not only the terms ofthe signed agreetnent, but also the spirit ofthe Students Union itself thaltheAdministration cannot punish students in a di.fferentialtnanner! .

This-We appeal to the President to end this unconcerned and careless behaviour that weakens the current has~ agitation and movement, and which gives a dangerous space to the Administration to divide and punish students.We urge him, as the head of the JNUSU, to take a more cooperative, consultative and.

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accountable approach towards ensuring the collective functioning ofthe JNUSU. .

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sd/-Sandeep, Gen. Secy., JNUSU sdJ.. Tyler, Vice-President, JNUSU .

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