Airavatesvara Temple, a Lord Shiva Temple in Tamil Nadu (India) has steps that produce the sound of 7 Indian classical musical notes. 3 Kilometers away from Kumbakonam, in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, India you can find a 12th-century Hindu temple, Airavatesvara Temple. This Lord Shiva temple is said to have been built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE. Shiva is here known as Airavatesvara because he was worshipped at this temple by Airavata, the white elephant of the king of the gods, Indra; so did also the King of Death, Yama.
Shilpa Shatra – Indian Study of Architecture
The #ShilpaShastra clearly classifies the stones and the type that ought to be used for temple architecture.
Stones, according to the Shilpa Shastra, are masculine, feminine and neuter depending on their sound and colour. #Male stone produce the tinkle of bronze bells when tapped while #female stones produce the tinkle of bass. The #neuter produces a dull sound.
Male stone is used to carve deities of the Lord, while female stone is meant for making images of Goddess and neuter stone is used for the pedestal or in making ornaments as per N. Bhaskaran, a temple architect and student of Ganapathy Sthapahi, the renowned traditional architect who made the 133-feet Thiruvalluvar statue in Kanyakumari and the Valluvar Kottam.
The Shilpis (professionals in architecture) displayed remarkable skill and ingenuity in crafting “musical” pillars, which when struck at the right spot produce mellifluous octaves. Though it may be difficult to identify the source of such stones, these musical pillars are of granite and charnockites. They come in different girths and volumes to produce the right octaves. Unlike modern architecture, the ancient temples are geometrically, scientifically, and symbolically built alligned with astronomical calculations and spiritual body sciences.
Vikas Jain – Talent Strategist – Applying this Learning
You will read this with amazement. But ask the deeper question — what kind of talent builds something that outlasts 800 years and still can’t be replicated? Not technology. Talent. Mastery. The Shilpis prove what India has always had — world-class talent. Our work today is to build the systems that discover and elevate that talent again — at scale, for a new century.
As a Talent Strategist, I help individuals and organisations change their orbit.
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