General Introduction to Shilpa Vyavastha
36. Ratna Pareeksha: Ratna Parreksha describes how to identify the nine gems and make jewellery.
37. Ratna Sangraha: This scripture contains chapters on gemmology and Jewellery making.
38. Laghu Ratna Pareeksha: Laghu Ratna Pareeksha contains the details about jewellery making and lapidary (Cutting and Polishing of gems). This treatise is like a ready reckoner for jewellery making and gemmology.
39. Manimahatmya: This is a treatise exclusively on lapidary (Cutting and Polishing of gems).
40. Agastimata: Again, attributed to Rishi Agastya, this scripture contains chapters on lapidary crafts (Cutting and Polishing of gems) and methods of fixing them on jewellery.
41. Anangaranga: Anangaranga contains several chapters on erotic arts, besides body measures for sculpting. This is considered as a very important text for sculptors.
42. Kamasutra: Kamasutra, contrary to the belief that it is only erotic in nature, contains several chapters on artistic and artisanal skills and crafts too. This is to facilitate the aesthetic nature in people and create finished goods which are close to nature and are also eco-friendly.
43. Rati Rahasya: Rati Rahasya also contains chapters on erotic arts and making cosmetics and jewellery. This is in contradiction to the often-assumed belief that Rati Rahasya is a treatise only on erotic arts.
44. Kandarpa Chudamani: This scripture contains chapters on erotic arts and also on making cosmetics and jewellery.
45. Bharata Muni’s Natya shastra: Other than Music, Dance and Drama this treatise discusses the art of creating a Rangabhoomi (theatre) for Dance, Music and Drama. Some chapters focus on painting, sculpture and metal casting too. There are chapters on making musical instruments like percussion, stringed and wind instruments.
46. Nritta Ratnavali: Discusses fashion accessories for daily use and public performances like dance and drama.
47. Sangita Ratnakara: Though this is a treatise on music, it also discusses crafts for fashion, dance and public performance. The South Indian dance and public performances, jewellery design and jewellery making are inspired from this treatise.
48. Nalapaka: Attributed to Raja Nala, Nalapaka is basically a text on food, but it deals in detail about making utensils using metals, alloys, glass, China clay, stone and wood. It also has several chapters on culinary crafts and serving. It also has some chapters on making plates, spoons, bowls and other cutlery using several materials.
49. Paka Darpana: Like Nalapaka, this scripture also contains chapters on food, utensils and culinary crafts.
50. Paka Vignana: This scripture has details on food, utensils, cutlery and culinary crafts.
51. Pakarnava: This scripture has details on food, utensils, cutlery and culinary crafts.
52. Kuttanimatam: This is a scripture which contains chapters on textile and allied arts like Weaving, Dyeing, Printing, Fashion etc. This scripture was written in 700 CE in Sanskrit by a poet from Kashmir.
53. Kadambari: A treatise by Bana Bhatta has several chapters on textiles, on making yarn out of varied materials and related arts and crafts including making of looms.
54. Samaymatrka: This text also contains chapters on textile and allied arts like Weaving, Dyeing, Printing etc.
55. Yantra Kosha: This text contains details on the making of musical instruments and it is written in Bengali Language.
56. Sangita Ratnakara: This huge text on music also details the craft of making musical instruments. There are dedicated chapters on making stringed and wind instruments other than drums and other percussion instruments.
57. Shilpa-Ratna-Kosha: This text is almost like a dictionary and index of words related to architecture, sculpture and allied technologies.
58. Silappadhikaram: This is a 2nd-century Tamil classic authored by Ilango Adigal on music and dance with chapters on musical instruments and public performance jewellery too.
59. Manasollasa: Manasollasa is another great text with details on Architecture, Village and Town planning, arts and crafts relating to musical instruments, cooking, textiles, decorations etc. It also contains a chapter on culinary arts, which includes probably the first documentation of Idly as ‘Iddarika’, Dosa as ‘Doshika’ and Vada as ‘Vatika’.
60. Vastuvidya: Vastuvidya discusses sculpture, icons, painting, and minor arts and crafts. It also has chapters on “Directional Vaastu” as practiced by Vaastu Consultants today.
61. Upavana vinoda: This is a Sanskrit treatise on agriculture and horticulture and also has chapters on arts, garden design, aspects of house plants and related crafts. There are dedicated chapters on making agricultural and horticultural implements and equipment.
62. Vaastusutra Upanishad: This is the oldest known Sanskrit Shilpa Shastra text that has chapters on architecture, civil engineering and structural engineering. It has 6 chapters that deal with image making describing how image arts are means of communicating emotions and spiritual freedom.
To be continued …
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