V. Ganapati Sthapati
Encyclopedia
Vaidyanatha Ganapati Sthapati (1927- 5 September 2011) was a Sthapati ( temple architect and builder ), and head of the College of Architecture and Sculpture in the Vastu Shastra
tradition ascribed to the sage Mamuni Mayan
.
, Tamil Nadu
, India
. He was born into a Vishwabrahmin family ( a Hindu caste of priests,acharyas i.e. teachers of spirituality and Hindu religion, artisans and architects ).
Sthapati attended Dr. Alagappa Chettiar College, Karaikudi
, and graduated with a degree in mathematics. After his graduation, he became a Sthapati (Hindu traditional architect) at Palani Murugan Temple
, Palani
, TN, India
. He resigned this post after the death of his father, who had served as principal of The School of Architecture and Sculpture at Mamallapuram from 1957 to 1960. He succeeded his father as the Principal of the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture, TN, India
.
From the 1980s, Sthapati campaigned to restore and elevate the status of traditional Hindu architecture in modern Indian society, by affiliating courses to the University of Madras
and offering degree courses, bringing about a revival of Vastu Shastra
.
After retirement from government service, he established the Vaastu Vedic Trust and the Vaastu Vedic Research Foundation, aimed at research, development, and globalization of Vaastu Shastra. He is also the head of the professional guild named "V. Ganapati Sthapati & Associates."
Dr. Sthapati initiated the development of The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology as an authorized institution to teach this body of knowledge in the western world. He appointed Dr. Jessie J. Mercay as Chancellor.
Sthapati served as architect for several buildings and sculptures, including the following:
Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra is an ancient doctrine which consists of precepts born out of a traditional and archaic view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The designs are based on directional alignments...
tradition ascribed to the sage Mamuni Mayan
Mamuni Mayan
Maamuni Mayan is a culture hero character from Tamil Sangam literature , identified with the asura Maya Dānava of the Mahabharata, the mythical founder of Vastu Shastra....
.
Biography
Sthapati was born in 1927 to sculptor Sri Vaidyanatha Sthapati and Smt. Velammal in Pillayarpatti, a village near KaraikudiKaraikudi
Karaikudi is a town in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Chettinad literally 'Chetti land' in Tamil, is a collection of 76 villages/towns. Chettinad stretched from Ramnad District and Pudukottai State of 'British' India. The Chettiars, or more properly the Nattukottai...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was born into a Vishwabrahmin family ( a Hindu caste of priests,acharyas i.e. teachers of spirituality and Hindu religion, artisans and architects ).
Sthapati attended Dr. Alagappa Chettiar College, Karaikudi
Karaikudi
Karaikudi is a town in Sivaganga District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Chettinad literally 'Chetti land' in Tamil, is a collection of 76 villages/towns. Chettinad stretched from Ramnad District and Pudukottai State of 'British' India. The Chettiars, or more properly the Nattukottai...
, and graduated with a degree in mathematics. After his graduation, he became a Sthapati (Hindu traditional architect) at Palani Murugan Temple
Palani Murugan Temple
The Hill Temple of Palani is one of the most famous temples of Murugan in India. It is located in the town of Palani, 100 km southeast of Coimbatore and a similar distance northwest of Madurai, and in the foot-hills of the eponymous Palni Hills...
, Palani
Palani
Palani is a city and a municipality in the Dindigul district of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located about 100 km South of Coimbatore City and 60 km west of Dindigul...
, TN, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He resigned this post after the death of his father, who had served as principal of The School of Architecture and Sculpture at Mamallapuram from 1957 to 1960. He succeeded his father as the Principal of the Government College of Architecture and Sculpture, TN, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
From the 1980s, Sthapati campaigned to restore and elevate the status of traditional Hindu architecture in modern Indian society, by affiliating courses to the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
and offering degree courses, bringing about a revival of Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra is an ancient doctrine which consists of precepts born out of a traditional and archaic view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The designs are based on directional alignments...
.
After retirement from government service, he established the Vaastu Vedic Trust and the Vaastu Vedic Research Foundation, aimed at research, development, and globalization of Vaastu Shastra. He is also the head of the professional guild named "V. Ganapati Sthapati & Associates."
Dr. Sthapati initiated the development of The American University of Mayonic Science and Technology as an authorized institution to teach this body of knowledge in the western world. He appointed Dr. Jessie J. Mercay as Chancellor.
Architecture and Sculpture
- Sculpture of TamilTamil peopleTamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
poet and saint Thiruvalluvar—Thiruvalluvar StatueThiruvalluvar StatueThe Thiruvalluvar Statue is a 133 feet tall stone sculpture of the Tamil poet and saint Tiruvalluvar, author of the Thirukkural. It was opened on January 1, 2000 and is located atop a small island near the town of Kanyakumari, where two seas and an ocean meet; the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea,...
at the southern tip of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
at KanyakumariKanyakumariKanyakumari is a town in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. It is also sometimes referred to as Cape Comorin. Located at the southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, it is the geographical end of the Indian mainland. The district in Tamil Nadu where the town is located is called Kanyakumari...
, TN, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
(measuring 133 feet (40.5 m) in elevation). - Design and Construction of University buildings including the Administrative block and library for Tamil UniversityTamil UniversityThe Tamil University , India, was established to provide higher research in the Tamil language and advanced study in allied branches such as linguistics, translation, lexicography, music, drama and manuscriptology...
in Tanjore. - Design and Construction of Valluvar KottamValluvar KottamValluvar Kottam is a modern landmark in Chennai, India which is dedicated to the classical Tamil poet, philosopher and saint Thiruvalluvar. Valluvar Kottam is located at the intersection of the Kodambakkam High road and the Village road, was constructed by Kalainger M.Karunanidhi - the then Chief...
in ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, TN, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - The Rajagopuram of Sri Ramar Temple and Sri Ganesh Shiva Durga Temple at The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago complex Lemont, IllinoisIllinoisIllinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, USA. - Sri Murugan Temple, Nadi-Fiji islands.
- The San Marga Iraivan TempleIraivan templeThe San Marga Iraivan Temple is a white granite stone Hindu temple sculpted in India and currently under construction on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. The temple is dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva. "Iraivan" means "He who is worshipped," and is one of the oldest words for God in the Tamil...
, KauaiKauaiKauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. - Granite sculpture of the MadhaviMadhavi (Silappatikaram)Madhavi is an important character in the Silappatikaram, one of the epics in Tamil literature. Silapathikaram is the first kappiyam among the five in Tamil literature. It belongs to the sangam period. She was a dancer and on those days these kind of people are made in the society to recreate the...
—heroine of the Tamil epic Silappathikaram, erected in an Art Gallery in Poompuhar, ChennaiChennaiChennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, TN, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Projects in India and other countries.
- Buddha statue in Hussainsagar Lake, Hyderabad