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Ancient Myths or Futuristic ideas for modern inventions ? Epic Mahabharata contains more than 50
myths turned into realities.
Television- Sanjay narrates war to Dhrutarashtra Tissue Culture /Test tube babies Birth of 100 Kauravas Nuclear Weapons - Bramhastra Architectural Illusions - Mayasabha- by Maya Hovercraft Chariot of Yudhistira
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4. Herbal pigments were used to detect micro-cracks of stone selected for idol making.
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A.S. Nene
Professor of Civil Engineering (Retd) VNIT Nagpur
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Uses of Stones
Making sculptures Building blocks for construction.
From hills From underground mines From Riverbanks and forests Unsuitable stones obtained from barren land, graveyards, embedded in ground, obtained from sites unsuitable for habitation.
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Classification of stones
Classification by Color White Milk, Jaya flower, Buffalos eye, Conch, Moon, Pearl Crystal et Indragop (insect), Rabbits blood or Pomegranate Flower etc.
Red
Yellow Flowers like, Mallika or Korandi Kajal (eye ointment), Blue lotus, Wasp, Vest part of peacock, black gram etc Ref. Kashyapashilpa
Black
Classification by Age Child Sound produced as un-burnt bricks, long or flat in shape as a leaf
Young Long ringing sound like bell, soft in touch, with good smell, without pores Old Non-ringing sound, highly porous, highly weathered
Classification by Gender Male Big, rounded, stone which produces sparks when hit with chisel , Suitable for columns
Female Medium size, soft in touch, broad at base, Suitable for beams Neutral Small, broad at top, not sounding , Suitable as aggregates
Ref. Vishnudharmottar Purana
applying some herbal paints so that the defects were clearly visible.
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1. Mix & grind equal parts of Ativish 1 Hirakas and Geru 3 in milk, apply this paint to ston and allow to dry overnight.
Shilparatna Chp. 14
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2. Mix and grind equal parts of Hirakas 1 and Chor 2 in cow milk and apply this paint to stone and dry for three days. Shilparatna Chp. 14 13
Trifala, apply this paint to stone and allow 14 it to dry for three days.
4. Mix and grind equal parts of Jatamasi 1, Rog 2 and Ashwamar 3 in rainwater mixed with milk. Shilpadeepak
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Stone softening
The Incas employed certain methods to make their stones fit perfectly. They knew a plant whose juices rendered the surface of a block so soft that the intricate fittings were accomplished.
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Chanca Piedra Stone Breaker Sanskrit name Bhoomya Amalakee Latin name - Phyllanthus niruri L.
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Adamantine glues
A bonding agent was very essential for fixing idols, as a mortar, when cement and other modern materials were unknown. Even now, these glues, known as Astabandha, are prepared in temple premises for fixing or re-fixing 18 images of gods.
Image
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Preparation of Ashtabandham
It is 41 days process of pounding by 5 persons the ingredients with wooden hammers (of Tamarind tree) weighing 10 kg. each. The mixture is sieved through fine cloth. The sieved material is rolled into balls.
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Building Stones
The Indus valley civilization shows the use of Tertiary limestone, Sandstones Mesozoic steatite. Marble cutting achieved a remarkable level of sophistication, with the intricate undercutting in the 11th and 12th century temples at Mount Abu
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Conclusions
Different types of stones were used in different time spans Selection of the stones was by texture ,strength and absence of micro cracks. More information on defects of rock was provided in ancient texts. Ancient knowledge is applicable even in modern times.
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References
1.Vishnu Purana (Vedic Period) 2.Kashyapashilpa (Kashyapa 6th Cent. BC) 3.Brihat Samhita (Varahmihir -6th Cent.AD) 4.Mayamat (Mayasura 11th Cent.AD) 5.Shilparatnakar (15th Cent. AD) 6.Shilpratna (Srikumara in 16th century AD)
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Epilogue
China, Japan and Korea are world leaders in the field of Computers, But children in these countries use ABACUS. In India Vedic Maths is subject of past!
If we are unable to decipher our ancient wisdom, let us at least preserve and pass it on to the next generation
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