Samarangana Sutradhara !!top!!

Unveiling the Ancient Indian Treatise on Architecture: Samarangana Sutradhara

Shikhara (Superstructure) Design

Representative Bibliography (selective)

• Critical Sanskrit editions and commentaries (various, 19th–20th c.)
• Scholarly articles on Bhoja and his court’s literary-cultural production.
• Studies on medieval Indian automata and mechanical devices citing Samarangana Sutradhara.
• Works on vastu shastra traditions comparing Samarangana Sutradhara with Manasara and Mayamata.

The treatise outlines specific traits a master architect must possess, prioritizing a balance of theory and practice: samarangana sutradhara

: It defines the "Sutradhara" (architect) as one who holds the The treatise outlines specific traits a master architect

Key Features and Innovations

Town Planning

The text describes three major types of cities: Mandalas (circular/fortified), Panchakas (divided into five sectors), and Sarvatobhadra (rectangular grid cities). Bhoja specifies the precise social hierarchy of housing: palaces for kings in the north, brahmin quarters in the east, and artisan colonies in the south. Panchakas (divided into five sectors)

Key Editions: The text was famously edited by Mm. T. Ganapati Shastri in the 1920s and has since been translated into English by scholars like Dr. Sudarshan Kumar Sharma. Scope and Major Themes