Reeks RR/1 - Essay on the Architecture of the Hindus

Horace Hayman Wilson (1786-1860) was an English orientalist who studied medicine at St Thomas' Hospital, London, before travelling to India in 1808 to become an assistant surgeon for the East India Company in Bengal. Whilst in Calcutta he devoted his attention to the study of Indian languages, especially Sanskrit, and in 1811 became the Secretary of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, upon the recommendation of Henry Colebrooke. In 1832, Wilson left India as he was appointed the first Professorship in Sanskrit at Oxford University. Four years later he became Librarian at East India House and he fulfilled both positions for many years. Wilson wrote extensively on the subjects of Sanskrit literature, Hindu religion, and Indian history. He became Director of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1837 following Colebrooke's death, and remained in position until his own death in 1860.

Ram Raz was born in Tanjore in 1790. He mastered English while working as a clerk with the 2nd Battalion of the 16th Madras Native Infantry Regiment. He then became a vakil. Around 1815 he was a clerk in the office of the English Military Auditor General. He helped translate Tipu Sultan's code of regulations for revenue officers from Marathi to English. He was appointed head English master at the college of Fort St. George in Madras and subsequently was appointed to the position of Native Judge in Bangalore, Mysore state, where he worked for 23 years. He became a Corresponding Member of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1828 and his paper, On tiral by Jury was published in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, vol.3, 1836, pp. 244-57.

From about 1825 onwards, at the suggestion of Richard Clarke, Madras Civil Service, Ram Raz began preparing material for a translation of the Silpa Sastra - the Hindu treatise on art. He commissioned accurate drawings from Indian artists working for the Survey Department, Madras. The work was completed by the end of 1831 and together with the translation were sent to the Royal Asiatic Society. They were received in July 1832 and it was agreed to publish the work. However, Ram Raz died circa 1833 and failed to see the publication which was printed in 1834.