BOOK REVIEW 2:

Hindu temples models of a fractal universe

By Prof.KRITI TRIVEDI

Introduction:
Hindu philosophy views the cosmos to be holonomic and self-similar in nature. According
to ancient architectural tradition, Hindu temples are symbols of models of the cosmos and
their form represents to cosmos symbolically. The procedures and methods used in the
construction of Hindu temples bear a striking resemblance to the procedures of computer
graphics, deluding discretization, fractalization and extensive use of recursive procedures
including self-similar iteration. The instruction given in ancient vastu Shastra works like
general programmes to generate various types of temples. This book is an attempt to draw
attention to similarities between the procedure and resulting forms in computer graphics and
Hindu temple Architecture and to explain the relationship that exist between the form of
temple and the concepts of Hindu philosophy. It is proposed that the Hindu temples may be
viewed as three dimensional fractal models and that the use of fractal geometry procedures
has a special symbolic meaning in the generation of the forms of Hindu temples.

About Author:
Former Professor at the Industrial Design Centre, IIT Bombay, Mumbai, Kirti Trivedi was
born in India in 1948. After a degree in Mechanical Engineering, he did postgraduate studies
in Industrial Design at IIT Bombay, and the Royal College of Art, London. He initiated and
founded India’s first Master of Design Programme in Visual Communication in 1981. The
same year, he worked as an UNESCO Fellow in Japan, under the guidance of Prof. Sugiura
Kohei, and was introduced by him to the intellectual depth and the richness of Asian design.
He has been engaged in research and documentation of the classical design traditions of India
and Asia since 1984, with several publications on Indian design traditions. Besides teaching
and researching design, he is active as a design consultant in the areas of graphic design,
book design, exhibition and museum design, environmental graphics, signage and product
design. His current research is in developing appropriate interaction design solutions for
Indian needs based on emerging technology possibilities; and in understanding Asian design,
as Founder Director of ADARG – Asian Design and Art Research Group.

TEMPLE FORMS, FRACTALS AND SELF- SIMILARITY:

He defines fractals as, the concept of fractals (Mandelbrot 1977) characterize objects that
exhibit invariance under scaling. A fragment of such an object on being enlarged , exhibits an
appearance and properties that are very similar to the whole. When each part is geometrically
similar to the whole, such shape is called self-similar. A self-similar shape may be
constructed by successive replacement in a gradually decreasing scale of an initial shape ‘a’
(initiator) by another shape ‘b’ (generator). The production rule for this may be expressed as
a→b. By iteration of this kind, beginning from very simple shapes an arrive at shapes that
appear to be very complex visually. Koch’s curve (Mandelbot 1982) is a well-known
example of this kind.

The fundamental principle of organization in the architecture of Hindu temples, which are
designed and constructed as models of cosmos as envisioned in Hindu philosophy. Countless
temples exist all over India which could be viewed as three-dimensional structures based on
fractal geometry.

Hindu Cosmology:
The basic plan form of any temple is built upon the Vastu Purush Mandala, which is a square,
representing the earth. It also symbolises order, the completeness of endless life and the
perfectness of life and death (Michell, 1977, 1988). In the foundation of any Hindu temple,
cosmos is embodied by laying down the diagram of Vastu Purush Mandala on a selected
ground. This divine diagram reflects the image of cosmos through its fractal qualities (Md
Rian I, et. al., 2007). The Mandala can be considered an ideogram, while the temple is the
material manifestation of the concepts it embodies (Trivedi, 1993).

The square symbolises order, unequivocal form, the celestial sphere and the absolute. The
circle on the other hand represents movement, and therefore time. The square and circle, by
their very nature, are constant, but the rectangle is not. The square, with its potential to
include competing elements, when enclosing a circle represents the dimensions of both space
and time. As the cosmos is represented by the circle symbolically, the process of making an
architectural model of the cosmos involves the representation of a circle in a square grid in
two-dimensional construction and of an ellipsoid (the cosmic egg) in a cubical grid in three-
dimensional construction.

A process of discretization of
all curved forms is
necessitated by this need to
represent them in a square
grid, which results in the
typical jaggedness of the
temple plan (Trivedi, 1993). The transformation of circle to square and square to circle is not
one which can be explained through Euclidean geometry. It needs an intricate understanding
of the nature and geometry of natural forms. The process by which natural elements gain their
unique form can be applied to the temple structures to find the underlying theme. The
application of this algorithm to the temple construction gives it the remarkable appearance.

Symbolism of basic geometric forms:

To show these proposals representatively in graphical form, elementary geometrical facts
such as point, circle, triangle, square etc. were allocated different symbolic meaning. These
are holy art to signify the basic dynamisms of the cosmos. These representative geometrical
facts were then connected with each other and try to solve the cosmic issues featuring
development or ending. (Chand, S. July-2005)

In Indian holy art, the 'point' • (Bindu) is measured as the basis of all formation. It signifies
concentrated energy, the elemental centre. From this centre create the various lines, angles
and circles concluding in different shapes. A point can be measured as a circle with no radius.
It can also be consider as a triangle with no area, a point where there would-be three vertices
meet, all shapes are possibly present in the point.

The circle (Brutta) Ο signifies the principle that has no starting, no ending and which is
perfectly regular. It specifies the source of energies from the one centre. The Circle is
considered as all Universes, according to Vastusutra Upanishad.

The triangle ∆ (Tribhuja) is the elementary linear character of enclosure. Since space cannot
be framed by less than three lines, the triangle is considered as the first symbolic form to arise
from the confusion of previous formation. The descending pointing triangle is signifies of the
female principle, while the rising pointing triangle indicates the male principle. The
combination of these two triangles indicates the idea mixture of polarities: the male and the
female; matter and spirit; the static and the kinetic in a perfect state of harmony.

A square □ (Chaturbhuja) represents the noticeable world, the stable linear form representing
the earth. It is the important arrangement of the most of the pure holy structures, meaning the
terrestrial world that must be exceeded.

From these basic forms of temple structures, many different geometrical diagrams signifying
the various symmetries and energies of the cosmos are constructed.

These diagrams are used as thoughtful

instruments to wake in one these
energies. The drawings are variously
named Mandalas, Yantras, and
Chakras.'Mandala' is a Sanskrit term
sense polygon. In ritual drawings
Mandalas mean 'Whole-ness'.
Previously the chosen forms are
circles and squares. Traditionally, the circular mandalas are characteristic of the cosmos in its
whole and the square symbolise of the earth and of the man-made world. 'Yantra' is also an
intellectual geometrical design intended as an instrument for meditation.

The Sanskrit word 'Yantra' originates from the origin 'Yam' – sense to sustain, hold or bind.
Yantra is a tool, a store-house of energy. Though mandala is cosmic, Yantra tells to an exact
feature of cosmic power and may be the representation of a specific goddess, an exact yantra
surrounding in it in a manageable form of the unmanageable image of a deity. Every yantra is
a sacred inclusion, a dwelling Figure 1 Vastupurasha mandalas of 8 x 8 (64) & 9 x 9 (81)
squares Source Trivedi, K, (1989) or a container of a selected deity. It is an alternative for an
anthropomorphic copy of a divinity and is an intellectual conversion of the qualities and
powers of the deity.

TEMPLE PLAN COSMOLOGY:

According to Vastu-Shastaritual, the ground-plan of every Hindu temple must generate to a
mandala named the 'Vastu-purusha-Mandala'(Fig-1). Uncountable reputation is devoted to
the founding of the Vastupurusha-Mandala, since it functions as a geometrical illustration of
the necessary construction of the universe, a symbol of the ordered cosmos. The Vastu-
purusha-Mandala is not a precise copy of the temple, but a 'forecast', a pattern of the potential
within which an extensive range of options are presented.

The mandala is an ideogram while the temple is a

physical appearance of the ideas it symbolizes.
(MdRian I, 2007) Conferring to the agreements of
Vastu-Shasta, all architectural structures should
follow the square and the square grid, as the
square symbolizes the manifest world. However,
as the cosmos is signified by the circle
representatively, the procedure of making an
architectural model of the cosmos involves the
representation of a circle in a square grid in two
dimensional structures and of an ellipsoid in a
cubical network in three dimensional
constructions. A procedure of discretization of all
coiled methods is required by this need to signify
them in a square grid, which results in the typical
jaggedness of the temple plan. (Trivedi, K, 1989)(Fig-2)

Permitting to Vastu-Shasta manuscripts, a sequence of 32 kinds of Vastu-mandalas is

supposed to be, continuing from a plan of one square to one (1x1) to one with 1024 (32x32)
square portions, i.e. having a side length of 32 units. The two most usually used Vastu-
purusha Mandalas are those having 64 (8x8) and 81 (9x9) squares (Fig-1). The growing
numbers of subdivisions are required to signify the gradually increasing complexity and
details of an evolving cosmos (Fig-2). The simple, smaller temples based on the smaller
mandalas signify the early stages of evolution, while the largest temple contains all the
component parts and complexity of a fully evolved cosmos.

PARTS OF HINDU TEMPLE:

The image of the presiding deity in the temple forms
the conceptual centre of the temple as cosmos. The
central and the inner sanctum housing the main deity
as garbagriha. And the other essential elements of the
plan of hindu temple consist of ardha
mandapa(entrance porch),
antarala(vestibule),mandapa(hall), maha mandapa,
ambulatory around the sanctum. The elevation is
considered as the integral of three basic parts: the
pitta(base) mandovar(wall)and shikara(spire). Pitta in
its most developed form composed of seven
consecutive motifs. The mandovar is resolved into
three major components: Vedibandha(podium), jangha (the wall proper in the central zone)
and the varandika (eave cornice).

Fractal elements of Hindu temple:

The development associated evolution cannot be spoken just by scaling; there is also a
development in the complex structure of the developing shapes. The processes used are
recursive and formative, visually complicated forms. Plain earlier forms through conjunctive
presentation of making rules that are alike to the rules for producing fractals. Many other
directions may be followed to create different portions of the temple. The whole temple form
results from a difficult connecting and grouping of these separate 3D forms in a combined
entire. Some major procedures to generate complex shapes and patterns, which can be
identified, are:

1. Fractalization

2. Self-similar repetition in a reducing scale

3. Repetition, superimposition and juxtaposition (Trivedi, K, 1989).

Fractalization:
Numerous other methods of
Fractalization to realize great
Visual stability to express the
impression of multiplying and
development are originate in
Temple. The plan shapes of
‘vimana’ are changed from
internal square shape to
changed circular shape in the
time change (Fig-3)Splitting or
breaking up a motifs and
restating it vertically,
horizontally or radially around
the unique theme. Such
designs are usually originate
in ceiling part of the temple.

Self-similar repetition in a reducing scale:

A recursive process connecting self-
similar repetition in a progressively
shrinking scale is often used to produce the
shapes of different elements of the shrine.In
its simplest shape, it could be dvi-Ratha,
having only two propagations: bhadra
also called ratha, (central offset) and
kanaka or kona (corner). In the tri-anga
temple, an additional member called
prati-ratha (companion of ratha) is inserted
between the bhadra and karna. In the
chaturanga plan, a nandika (half the size of
pratiratha) is added between the bhadra and
the pratiratha. In a panchanga plan, an
additional nandika or its half- the konika is inserted between the karna and the
pratirathAn often seen subject on the external walls of temples is produced by fractal process
on a triangle in three-dimension, and the subsequent shape is further overlaid with another
ornamental design(Karmisch, S.1946). The most complex and visually pleasing samples of
self-similar repetition in 3D are originated in the shikhara element of the shrine.
Repetition, superimposition and juxtaposition:

The replication of equal forms, either in the vertical, in the horizontal, or vertically as
well as horizontally, is another frequently used procedure to add visual complexity to the
temple form (Fig-6). The directions of replication and decrease act jointly, Stella
Kramrisch describes the significance of these processes in her book. Dissimilar motifs are
overlaid in 3D upon each other; motifs are inscribed within dissimilar kinds of motifs
and numerous other types of ideas and motifs are reduced and contrasted collected into
one complex new object. Together, all these operations create the total temple form
crawling with complex detail, vibrant, dynamic and self-similar like the cosmos it is
supposed to signify. (Trivedi, K, 1989)

Conculsion:
The use of recursive procedures involving self-similar iteration and Fractalization in the
construction of Hindu temples according to ancient architectural tradition has given rise to a
distinct architectural style. The form of this genre of architecture results from an attempt to
express certain concepts of Hindu architecture about the cosmos. Apart from being very
interesting form of fractal geometry in manmade objects they are also significant in the
manner fractal geometry is used to convey specific meaning through the resultant form.