Ancient Indian Mathematics : an overview

A major part of the body of mathematical knowledge from the Vedic period that has come down to us is from the Śulvasūtras. The Śulvasūtras are compositions aimed at providing instruction on the principles involved and procedures of construction of the vedis (altars) and agnis (fireplaces) for the performance of the yajnas, which were a key feature of the Vedic culture. The fireplaces were constructed in a variety of shapes such as falcons, tortoise, chariot wheels, circular trough with a handle, pyre, etc (depending on the context and purpose of the particular yajna) with sizes of the order of 20 to 25 feet in length and width, and there is a component of the Śulvasūtras describing the setting up of such platforms with tiles of moderate sizes, of simple shapes like squares, triangles, and occasionally special ones like pentagons. Many of the vedis involved, especially for the yajnas for special occasions had dimensions of the order of 50 to 100 feet, and making the overall plan involved being able to draw perpendiculars in that setting. This was accomplished both through the method that is now taught in schools, involving perpendicularity of the line joining the centres of two intersecting circles with the