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<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Sixteenth century CE treatise}}<br />
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[[File:ManushyalayaChandrikaCoverPage.jpg|right|thumb|The cover page of Manushyalaya Chandrika published by Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy, Varanasi.]]<br />
'' '''Manushyalaya Chandrika''' '' is a sixteenth century CE treatise in [[Sanskrit]] dealing with domestic architecture. The work is authored by Thirumangalath Neelakanthan Musath and is a summarization of the basic principles of domestic architecture then widely followed in that region of India now known as Kerala State.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Balagopal T. S .Prabhu|title=Kerala Architecture|url=http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/keralaarchitecture.htm|publisher=Kerala Council for Historical Research|accessdate=28 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721082519/http://www.keralahistory.ac.in/keralaarchitecture.htm|archive-date=21 July 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The popularity of the text as a basic reference of traditional Kerala architecture has continued even to modern times. From the references to the deities in temples at [[Triprangode]], [[Thrikkandiyoor|Trikkandiyur]], Alathiyur, etc. in the opening invocation of the treatise it can be safely surmised that the author of the work should have been a native of some place close to these temples. Nothing much is known about the life of the author other than that he has also authored a work on elephantology titled ''Mathangaleela''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mathangaleela|url=http://www.indulekha.com/mathangaleela-%20animal-husbandry%20-tirumangalath-neelakantan?author_id=|website=indulekha.com|publisher=indulekha.com, Kerala's Online Bookstore|accessdate=29 August 2016|archive-date=13 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913053429/http://www.indulekha.com/mathangaleela-%20animal-husbandry%20-tirumangalath-neelakantan?author_id=|url-status=dead}}</ref> <br />
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Two versions of the work are in circulation. In one version published by Kochi Bhashaparishkarana Committee in 1928, the book contains 170 ''sloka''s and is not divided into chapters.<ref name="Kochi">{{cite book|last1=K. Paramesvara Menon (Commentator)|title=Manushyalaya Chandrika|date=1928|publisher=Kochi Bhasha Parishkarana Committee|location=Thrissur|url=https://archive.org/details/ManushyalayaChandrika|accessdate=29 August 2016}}</ref> In the version given as an appendix to a thesis submitted to Mahatma Gandhi University in 1998, the work is presented as divided into seven chapters and has a total of 246 ''sloka''s.<ref name="Thesis">{{cite book|last1=P. Ramakrishnan|title=Indian mathematics related to architecture and other areas with special reference to Kerala|work=INFLIBNET |date=1998|publisher=Cochin University of Science and Technology|location=Kochi, Kerala, India|hdl=10603/3604|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/3604|accessdate=30 August 2016}} (Thesis submitted for the award of PhD degree.)</ref> In the introduction to the first version the commentator has alluded to such a version as has been published with a commentary by Paloli Choi Vaidyar in the Malyayalam year 1080.<br />
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==Outline of the contents==<br />
The topics discussed in the text include the following:<ref name="Kochi"/><ref name="Thesis"/><br />
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*Matters to be considered while selecting a plot where the house is to be constructed<br />
*Methods for the determination of the cardinal directions<br />
*Different units of measurements<br />
*Rules for computations of the dimensions of the house to be constructed<br />
*Descriptions of different types of houses (''chathussala''s)<br />
*Practical instructions for making [[Beam (structure)|rafters]] and other materials<br />
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==Translations==<br />
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#{{cite book|last1=K. Paramesvara Menon (Commentator)|title=Manushyalaya Chandrika|date=1928|publisher=Kochi Bhasha Parishkarana Committee|location=Thrissur|url=https://archive.org/details/ManushyalayaChandrika|accessdate=29 August 2016}} (Text in [[Malayalam]] script and commentary in Malayalam language)<br />
#The complete text of ''Manushaylaya Chandrika'' in [[Devanagari]] script together with an English translation is available as part of a PhD thesis titled "[[Indian mathematics]] related to architecture and other areas with special reference to Kerala" submitted by P. Ramakrishnan to [[Cochin University of Science and Technology]] in 1998. The thesis can be accessed [http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/3604 here].<br />
#A translation of ''Manushyalaya Chandrika'' to [[Malayalam]] by Cheruvally Narayanan Namboothiri has been published by D. C. Books in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=Manushyalaya Chandrika|url=http://www.indulekha.com/manushyalaya-chandrika-vastu-tirumangalat-neelakantan-musath?author_id=553|website=indulekha.com|publisher=indulekha.com, Kerala's Online Bookstore|accessdate=29 August 2016|archive-date=11 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911230437/http://www.indulekha.com/manushyalaya-chandrika-vastu-tirumangalat-neelakantan-musath?author_id=553|url-status=dead}}</ref><br />
#A translation of ''Manushyalaya Chandrika'' to [[Hindi]] by Srikrishna Jugnu has been published by [http://www.vedicsolutions.in/BookStore/BookDetail.asp?cnt=95&pid=CHOWK_H28&name=Manushyalaya%20Chandrika&search=&value=&criteria=&qc= Chowkhamba Krishnadas Academy], [[Varanasi]].<br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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[[Category:Architecture in India]]<br />
[[Category:Architectural treatises]]</div>Isaac3301