International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2019
Vol. 4, Issue 5, ISSN No. 2455-2143, Pages 311-314
Published Online September 2019 in IJEAST (http://www.ijeast.com)
CASE STUDY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY THE
KARMUKA VEDIC PLANNING AND EXISTING
CITY CENTRAL PLACE IN LATUR CITY IN
INDIA
Ar. Priti V.Patwari
Department of Architecture and Interior Design
Dayanand Education Society,
Latur, Maharashtra, India
Abstract— Vedic style of architecture came into existence
after the fall down of Indus valley civilization. Four II. TOWN PLANNING IN ANCIENT INDIA :
Vedas were used Vedic principles of planning; those are Towns are the most complex things that human beings have
Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda. created. In ancient India there were wellsprings of culture,
The early examples of town planning have set an technology, wealth and power. Early examples of planned
example of planed city which were for the welfare and urban development include orderly street systems that are
development of the people. Karmuka was a type of bow rectilinear and radial; a city was divide into special functional
shaped planning of city which was particularly for the quarters; development of commanding central sites for
towns where people were in trade. Ganj Golai is a type palaces, temples and civic buildings; with the advanced
of city central circle which has various similarities of systems of fortification, water supply, and drainage. India has
Karmuka planning. the aim of study is to compare both characteristically drifted with history, rising to accomplish
the planning which could be a live example of Vedic great things. It has proven in town planning.
planning for study.
Keywords— Vedic planning, Karmuka, Bow Shape, III. VEDIC ARCHITECTURE
Gamj Golai. The Vedic culture with Vedic style of architecture came into
existence after the fall down of Indus valley civilization due to
I. INTRODUCTION natural disasters and Aryan Invasion (1500BC-1000BC). These
Ganj Golai is in the city center. Latur town planner settlers were highly knowledgeable in the science of city
Faiyajuddin designed the "Ganjgolai ". The main building of planning. many cities were formed along the banks of rivers.
the Golai is a huge two-storey structure which was Four Vedas were used Vedic principles of planning; those are
constructed in the year 1917. At the center of the circular Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Atharva Veda and Yajur Veda.
structure is Goddess Ambabai temple. There are 16 roads
connecting to this golai ("roundabout") and along these There are various treatise on architecture like the Vastu Shastra,
roads are separate markets selling all kinds of conventional Priccha, Manasollasa, Prasadamandana, Shilparatnam etc based
local wares like gold ornaments, footwear grocery from chili on Vedic hymns. Cosmic and humans are linked in form of
to jaggery. "Ganjgolai" is the main commercial and trade temples. The cities were laid according to various elements of
centre of Latur. Vedas:
Town Planning
Town planning is an art of planning and civil architecture • Sthapatya Veda – city layout
• Smriti Shastra : street layout on macro and micro level
Aim: A comparative study between the karmuka vedic • Vastu Shastra: building planning and design, site selection,
planning and existing city central place. service layout, landscaping and building orientation
•Arthashastra environmental management
Objective: Comparison of KARMUKA plan and Ganj golai
layout. According to the Mandala Vastu Shastra: 5 town shapes:
1. Chandura – square
Limitation: Study is limited to The Ganj Golai circle layout 2. Agatara – rectangle
in Latur. 3. Vritta – circle
311
International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2019
Vol. 4, Issue 5, ISSN No. 2455-2143, Pages 311-314
Published Online September 2019 in IJEAST (http://www.ijeast.com)
4. Kritta vritta – elliptical by the surplus produced by peasants. Each primary producer
5. Gola vritta – full circle paid over his tiny surplus to a deity or divine king who thus
concentrated the surplus. Truly monumental buildings
LAYOUT IN MANASARA VASTUSHASTRA distinguish each known town from the village but also
symbolize the social surplus. Those not engaged in food-
production were supported in by the surplus accomodated in
‘Manasara’7 describes eight types of villages: temples or royal granaries and were dependent on the temple
1. Dandaka VISVAKARMA VASTUSASTRA 13
2. Svastika
Describes 20 types of towns among which one of them is
3. Sarvatobhadra
Karmuka
4. Prastara
1.Padma 2.Devanagara
5. Nandyavarta 3.Sarvatobhadra 4.Vaijayanata
6. Karmuka
5.Visvesbhadra 6.Putabhedana
7. Pandmaka
7.Karmuka 8.Jala-nagar
8. Chaturmukh 9.Prastara 10.Swastika
11.Caturmukha 12.Sripratisthita '
KARMUKA: A BOW SHAPE LAYOUT
13.Balideva 14.Pura
This kind of layout is usually in semi-circle, parabolic or in 15.Guha-nagara 16.Astamukha
a bow shape usually applied near the banks of the river or 17..Nandyavarta 18.Rajadhani
near the seashore. The main streets of the town are laid from 19.Manusangara 20.Girinagara
north to south or east to west and the cross streets run at
right-angles to them, dividing the whole area into blocks.
The deity, commonly a female deity, is installed in the V. HISTORY : LATUR CITY
temple build in any convenient place. Introduction: Latur is an important historical place of
Marathwada region in Maharashtra. An ancient settlement
located in the midst of Manjra and the Tawarja Valley. The
Rashtrkuta king Amoghvarsa-I was the king of who developed
the city. The Rashtrakutas succeeded the Chalukyas of Badami
in 953 AD. They were the residents of Lattalur. (Old name of
Latur)
The history of Latur can be divided into following periods.
Ancient period 2000 BC To 1317 A.D.
Muslim period 1317 A.D. To 1849 A.D.
British period 1849 A.D. To 1948 A.D.
Post independence 1948 A.D. Onwards
Ancient period
Satvahana Royal family were the first Royal family to
develop supreme power in Maharashtra. They ruled major
IV. TOWNS IN ACIENT PERIOD part of south India. No other dynasty ruled India around 460
The town has its population is denser than in rural area and years.
is settled in restricted area and is primarily in non Political history, administration, religious and cultural,
agricultural in occupation. Town is dependent on rural areas archaeology, sculpture, paintings, and literature
for the supply of food and raw materials. The following are information’s are available for this period. There are records
ten abstract criteria to distinguish the earliest city from any of Sanskrit and Jain literature Goldsmith of Ausa Dist. Latur
older or contemporary village has coins of Satvahana king (130 to 159 A.D.). this
1. The size first towns must have been more extensive and information proves that Latur and its surrounding was under
more densely populated than any other previous settlements, Satvahana Empire.
2.There might be peasants cultivating lands outside the
town. All towns must have accommodated in addition non- ii) Chalukya dynasty
food producing classes-full-time specialist craftsmen, Chalukya Royal family emerged during 5th
transport-workers, merchants, officials and priests-supported century A.D. that ruled Karnataka and Maharashtra.
Chalukya Empire was established by Vishnuvardhan,.
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International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2019
Vol. 4, Issue 5, ISSN No. 2455-2143, Pages 311-314
Published Online September 2019 in IJEAST (http://www.ijeast.com)
God and goddesses worshiped by this dynasty were as king of the country. The concept of Rashtrkuta, name
Bagavati, Nandagauri, Kartikey, Narayana, of Royal family is used right from 4th century A.D.
Saptamatrika etc. Kharosa cave (Tal. Ausa Dist. Latur) Samrat Amoghwarsh titled himself as
includes stone of God Saptamatrika. At the beginning of Lattlurpuraradhishwar, as explained in inscriptions and
Badami Chalukya in 6th century A.D., Jaysingh, Ranarag copper plates.
(I), Pulkeshi (AD 535-563) Vinayaditya (AD 681-676)
and Vijayditya (AD 696-733) ruled this region which is
is indicated through copper plates found with the local
people. After Badami Chalukya first person of Kalyani
Chalukya is Tailap. Inscription of Latur is related to
Kalyani Chalukya where reference of Latur is found as
Lattalour. There is reference of Manjra river as Manjri
river on two copper plates.
iii) Kalpsamuha dynasty
Latur is indicated by inscriptions, on the copper
plates and carvings in Sanskrit, Marathi and Kanadi
languages. There are references of Lattnour (Latur) Turre
(Tururi), Sakhaval (Sakol), Ujala (Ujlamb), Kakharne
(Kakhanal), Udagiri (Udgir) and Koney (Village
Kanhegaon) which are located around Latur. In the
Nagpur museum, there are evidence relating to Latur
during AD 1894 having rule of Vikramaditya (VIth). It EXISTING LAYOUT GANJ GOLAI
inscribes a note about of grant given by Maharashtrakutia
Mandlik of Vikramaditya Mahasamant Dhadibhandaks
Lattalour residence Dandanayak Vatragrotri Padmanaths VI. CONCLUSION
son of Vasudeva.
The overall review of the literature concludes with comparison
of various factors of the planning to KARMUKA type of Vedic
vi) Chalukya dynasty
planning and GANJ GOLAI. Though there are no evidence of
According to many scholars Bhadami and
karmuka planning referred for this type of layout, there are
Kalyani Chalukas are the ancestors of Kalyani Chalukas.
some factors which show the relation such as the female deity
In book “Vikramankadeo Charit” written by Bilhan there
temple at the center, bow shaped planning, planning for the
are many references of this area. inscription of 1049 AD,
(vaisyas) merchant class (which at present include the Lingayat,
Plavang Savatson, Falguna Shudha Ashtami, 10 February
Marwadis and the Komti clans). This kind of layout were
1128 AD. which inscribes “Latalour” is used for Latur.
usually on the banks of the river or seashore may be for the
reference of Manjari River is important with the
trade through water ways. As Latur is a trade centre and still a
reference of Dev River. References from Ganeshwadi
well-known town for the agricultural trade this layout must
inscription Anandi (Alandi Tal. Devani Dist. Latur)
have been referred.
village Savarvalligram (Savali), Chandpuri (Chandori,
It can be a live example of Karmuka planning. fThe
Tal. Nilanga Dist. Latur), Belkonda (Belkunde),
historic planning techniques were more effective which were as
Kusunvadurigram (Kusanur Tal. Nilanga Dist. Latur).
per the nature of the occupation, trade, culture of the people
There are reference of Chalukyas, Ahavamalla, Parmrdi
which held the basis of the modern planning and construction
and his son Bhulokmalla, the three generations in Latur
techniques.
inscriptions. Name “Lattalur” is important thus, Latur
Architecture and planning taught the world the
and its surroundings is an ancient as proved by
importance of vernacular architecture and planning to be
inscriptions.
incorporated in modern day planning. The classic architecture
styles of different parts of the world depict their rich and
v) Rashtrakuta dynasty
vibrant culture and traditions. It is important to adopt the classic
“Rashtrakuta” suppose to be a place of political
styles of architecture for future as it will not only glorify India’s
power, a name given to big region. The head of village is
and the various parts of the world’s rich culture and traditions
called as Gramkuta (Patil) and head of country as
but also contribute to the environment around us. Architecture
Kashtrakuta. Similarly Deshmukh, Sardeshmukh,
flourishes when we combine classical style of architecture with
Deshpande, Sardeshpande, Kulkarni and Pande were the
contemporary styles “Ganj golai” sets an example of the same.
heads of sub-regions during this dynasty and Chief of all
these heads were called as Rashtrakuta who were known
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International Journal of Engineering Applied Sciences and Technology, 2019
Vol. 4, Issue 5, ISSN No. 2455-2143, Pages 311-314
Published Online September 2019 in IJEAST (http://www.ijeast.com)
VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
I want to thank every individual who assisted me,
directly or indirectly in this paper.i wish to express gratitude
towards them.
VIII. REFERENCES
1. The great ages of world architecture; author-
G.K.Hiraskar
2. Sir Bannister Fletcher history of architecture.
3. Ar. Iram Aziz (2018 ):Vedic Principles Of Planning Of
Temple Cities In India
4. http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/8599
5/11/11_chapter3.pdf
5. Images from google images.
6. http://zplatur.gov.in/htmldocs/leftframe/historicalPlace
s.html
7. Ar. Sarkar Kaninika Dey (2016):”Historic architecture
& THe ancient art of planning The era forgotten”Civil
Engineering and Urban Planning: An International
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