Story of India-Silpa Shastra
  • There is this Discovery program called Story of India by Michael Wood. Im
    sure most of us would have watched it. Its one of the rare programs in which
    Discovery comes down south (Tanjore, Thiruvannamalai, Madurai,etc) and
    explains in detail about the Chola architecture,sculptures,etc.
    In this program in one of the Tanjore episodes Michael meets people who cast
    the bronze/brass idols using age old lost wax process and Silpa Shastra.
    Here the foundry person explains in detail about the measurement technique
    used by them for nearly 15 generations(right till the idols ordered by RRC).
    He takes a strip of a long leaf (from the coconut tree, i think) and starts
    folding it at different lengths, the distance between each fold signifies
    the face, neck, chest, stomach,etc of the idol. No usage of meter scales or
    verniers,etc and they produce such divinely proportioned male and female
    deities. Even in the presence of some really sophisticated instruments we
    struggle to cast error free shapes.

    I found that episode fascinating as i did a few more. Just wanted to share
    it.
  • > There is this Discovery program called Story of India by Michael
    Wood.


    learnt a lot of things from the programme.

    do you beleive that fateh pursikri akbars capital has a door way in
    which in persian is a saying from jesus christ!!!!
    i saw it in this programme.










    Im
    > sure most of us would have watched it. Its one of the rare programs
    in which
    > Discovery comes down south (Tanjore, Thiruvannamalai, Madurai,etc)
    and
    > explains in detail about the Chola architecture,sculptures,etc.
    > In this program in one of the Tanjore episodes Michael meets people
    who cast
    > the bronze/brass idols using age old lost wax process and Silpa
    Shastra.
    > Here the foundry person explains in detail about the measurement
    technique
    > used by them for nearly 15 generations(right till the idols ordered
    by RRC).
    > He takes a strip of a long leaf (from the coconut tree, i think)
    and starts
    > folding it at different lengths, the distance between each fold
    signifies
    > the face, neck, chest, stomach,etc of the idol. No usage of meter
    scales or
    > verniers,etc and they produce such divinely proportioned male and
    female
    > deities. Even in the presence of some really sophisticated
    instruments we
    > struggle to cast error free shapes.
    >
    > I found that episode fascinating as i did a few more. Just wanted
    to share
    > it.
    >
    > Regards
    > Rahul
    >
  • DEAR RAHUL.. That was a Wonderful programme !

    The Bronze makers' family tree for ten Generations shown !

    They pray before lighting fire and pouring molten metal for Cast !

    Very good you mentioned !!

    thanks and regards / sps
  • There is a saying that nobody understands India like the British do, 'nobody' meaning no other non indian. The British have had a long connection with our country, from colonial attitudes it has matured into understanding and respect, among many of them.
  • Well, passionately put, SPS. Before the arrival of the British, we had
    faith and took our past glory, achievements and everything else in our
    stride. The glamour of British Scientific education made most of us
    cynical and non-believers. Fortunately, now we are western educated,
    have imbibed the western scientific temperament and most important,
    rediscovered our faith in our past glory. Understanding of our past, in
    future, is definitely more rosy! All the novelists, historians,
    epigraphists, archeologists both professional and amateurs deserve our
    gratitude, appreciation and credit for the splendid and selfless work
    they do.

    Sampath
  • SPs, yes extremely well put..Hema Malini was a telugu find matter of fact appeared in a movie called Pandava Vanavasam as a dancer first. So was Waheeda Rehman.
  • .Hema Malini was a telugu find matter
    of fact appeared in a movie called Pandava Vanavasam as a dancer
    first.

    true hema Malini acted in a short episode as dancer in Pandava
    Vanavasam, a 1961 Telugu film.

    but she seriously tried to find a movie role 3 year later and Tamil
    director Sridhar said she had no star appeal. She persisted and
    debuted in a 1968 film Sapnon Ka Saudagar

    talk about persistence.

    venketesh



    an.
    >

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