Prasada Mandana Of Sutradhara Mandana

The Prasada Mandana is a treatise on Indian architecture, written by the famous engineer (sutradhara) Mandana. He has constructed many monuments, the tower of glory (kirti-stambha) at Chitor being one of them. He was the engineer in the employ of Rana Kumbha of Chitor.

The present book is the English translation of this treatise which is in Sanskrit. It contains information on different levels of elevation like basement, wall, tower, finial and flag, of a Nagaracchanda class of temples. As Mandana himself states, most of the information is culled from the encyclopaedic treatise Aparajitaprccha written by Bhuvana-devacarya. Copious notes added from the material of this treatise. Many explanatory figures enhance the value of the book.

About the Author:

Dr. R.P. Kulkarni (1935-2002) was interested in the study of original treatises on Silpasastra. In order that the scholars, particularly engineers and architects, should be aware of this branch of Indian architecture that he has prepared the English translation of the book. His other published works are: The Theatre according to the Natyasastra of Bharata and Visvakarmiya Rathalaksanam. He has also translated in Marathi the treatise Kasyapa Silpa, a book dealing with Dravida style of architecture.

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