VAASTU SHAASTHRA
ವಾಸ್ತು ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ
Home Sweet Home, a place where a common man spends most of his life time... It should be a place he can relax and lead a peaceful and happy life. The science of Vaasthu Shastra aims to help people to attain this end. It is believed that construction of house as per Vaastu Shastra leads to a happy and prosperous life.
Vaastu shastra, an ancient art and science of Indian architecture, explains the practices of constructingbuildings which ensures a harmony between man and the five elements and thereby bring all round peace, health, wealth and prosperity. Vaastu Shastra is a Sanskrit name, where 'vaastu' means nature, surrounding or environment, and 'shastra' means science. Vaastu Shastra evolved during Vedic times in India. It is believed that Mayan, the great architect of ancient India, was the author of Vaastu Shastra.
Vaastu Shastra describes that everything in the universe is constructed by the five elements called Panchamabhoota (earth, water, fire, air and space) and that gravitational and magnetic effects and rotational influences of planets and other celestial bodies with cosmic rays, affects us and controls the way we live. Vaastu Shastra, considers where the building spot is located, the spot's shape, the building’s shape, the direction the building will face, the location of gates, entry doors, room, doors, windows, placement of the furniture, colours, storage systems, the building’s general design, plants and trees etc.
The principles of Vaastu are derived from Vaastu Purush Mandala; a man lying with his head-pointing North-East, in a grid of 64 squares dedicated to different Gods. Vaastu Purusha is present in each and every plot whether it is big or small. He has a fixed and peculiar body.
According to Vaastu Shastra, after we have a selected a plot/ house we have to consider its Vaastu Purusha Mandala. Vaastu Purusha Mandala is the basic model on which the house is based. 'Vaastu' means environment, 'Purush' means energy, 'Mandala' means the astrological chart which relates the layout to the orientation. Just like the earth with its magnetic field is centered to its core, the plot should have everything epic centered to it, in the concept of Vaastu Purush Mandala. We should consider the plot and all the items in it having a mystic power, like the earth, items within the earth and its planets.
Today, Vaastu Shastra is looked upon as a highly evolved, building philosophy in which directions and shapes are the most vital aspects of designing. The four directions of the plot are decided, based on the epic centre of the plot.
Rules to build a home on the basis of Vaastu Shastra
Plot of the house
· Shapes: The ideal plot shape is symmetrical. Shapes like circular, hexagonal, rectangular and square is beneficial and good from all aspects. Other asymmetrical shapes are inauspicious. The slope of the plot must be to the north or east, other directions are not good. Then the rays of the rising sun will directly fall in the plot or the house. The basis of considering the slope to the east is the suns rays.
· Direction: It is good if each side of plot is facing exactly to the north direction, south direction, east direction and west direction. It is better if the length of the plot in the east-west direction is more than that in the north-south direction.
· Space : The building should be so located on the plot so as to leave more open space in the east than in the west; and more open space in the north than in the south. If there is more open space in south than in north, it will lead to damage. Some open space should be kept all around the building. The plot having road on the east-north directions is good.
· Roads around the plot : A square piece of plot surrounded by roads on each side is considered very auspicious. It is also good if a road runs alongside the plot and ends at the northeast corner. A road ending on any other part of the plot is not good. If there is only one road, a road on the north side is good but road on the south is not good likewise it is best if the one road existing is located on the east but not good if it is on the west. It is good if there are roads only in the east and north. If there are roads only on the west and north, it is not bad. It is very good if there are three roads only on the east, south, and west. But if the three roads are on the north, west, and east or on the north, south, and west it is not good. Land should also not be next to a T or Y intersection.
· It is best to buy land where happy and successful people have lived. Check out that plot doesn't have any cracks , thorny trees, bones, many rocks anywhere. It is usually best not to purchase land next to a bridge.
· Colour : The colour of the soil should be checked. According to Vaastu Shastra, black and clayey soil is not good for building.
· Check out the place where the trees are planted and the location of water facilities. It is very ideal if the plot have a pond, well or water rights. You can add a water feature in the northeast of the plot and get the same freshness and prosperity benefits. If there is a well or any other pit in the south-east, south-west or north-west direction, there will always be quarrels in the family and there will be no peace.
Position of the rooms
Generally if you draw a straight line between the north west corner and the south east corner, one side should be allotted for the cooking , dining and prayer area and the opposite side should be allotted for the bedrooms, study room, store room, safety locker for keeping money, valuables etc.
· Verandah, should be in the east corner.
· Bedrooms, study room, store room, safety locker etc could be anywhere in the space from the north west corner, west, south till the south east corner. Bedrooms and study room should ideally be in the south or west.
· Master bedroom should be south west or south corner. If bedroom is in the south east direction, there is a possibility for the children shows disinterest in their studies and people have much anger. If bedroom is in north east or west there is possibility of birth of larger number of girls in the family.
· Guest room or drawing room in the north west corner, Granary, Children's Bedroom, washing place, Septic Tank should ideally be in north-west.
· Study Room is ideal in the north west corner. People should face East while reading/studying.
· Store Room, Lumber Room etc should be in the south west.
· Toilets should be in north-west but should not be situated in corners. Remember when using the toilet you face towards south or north only. Toilets and Bathroom should be situated separately. No toilets should be attached to the dining room. Common bathroom should be in the east. If it is a common bathroom between two bedrooms, then the bathroom should be parallel to the bedrooms.
· Kitchen, dining room and prayer room etc could be anywhere in the space from the North west corner, north, east till the south east corner. Kitchen should be ideally located in the east or south-east. The gas stove or any other cooking material should be placed in such a way one should face only towards the East, while cooking. Sinks should be at the North-East corner of the kitchen. Southern and westerns sides is ideal for placing fridge, storage racks etc.
· Living Room or the dining room should be in East, North & Northeast directions. Face east or west while eating.
· Prayer room is always best in north east or near it. Face east or west while praying.
· Sitting Room, Drinking water, is always best in the north east or near it.
· Staircase should be in West or North. It is good for health and wealth. If there are landings or turnings in it, it should wind up in clockwise and on emerging at the upper floor, the facing should be towards South or East. The number of steps should be odd numbers.
· Room for the watchman or guard should be built near the gate in the boundary wall on the left side. His quarter should be on the left side of the gate.
· The main gate of the house ideally should be from the east or west. But it can be from all directions. It is better to enter the gate through the right wing, for a gate with two wings.
Doors and Windows
The main door of the house should be larger than the other doors in the house. There should not be two doors opposite each other.There should be only one main door to the house and it should be in any of the exalted positions from the Northeast corner - either from North of Northeast or from East of Northeast. There should not be any obstruction or water body just opposite the main entrance. The number of doors and windows of a house should be even in numbers. All the doors and windows should be of the same height and the upper edge should be straight line. The door on upper floor should be shorter than that on the lower floor. The wall, on the side in which main door is to kept, should be divided in nine equal parts (length-wise)-leave five parts on the right and three on the left, door should be constructed in the remaining one part or in the 7th part. Door of the staircase should face either east or south.
Interiors:
· Use only one type of wood for constructing a house.
· TVs and computers should ideally be placed in the Southeast corner of the living room or study room. They should not be placed in the Northeast corner or Southwest corner.
· The Paintings / Statues in the house are also important. One should not have pictures depicting war scenes, scenes depicting negativities of life like sorrow, struggle, violence, tragedy and calamities and also pictures of pig, leopard, tiger, jackal, serpent, eagle, owl, pigeon, hawk, crow, crane.
· The living room of the central zone should be free from any kind of obstructions such as any kind of beam, pillar, loads, columns, water bodies, fixture, toilet, staircase or even a wall or lift.
· The dining table should be square or rectangular but not round or oval.
· Image of god should not face the south direction.
· Living rooms should be painted in white, yellow, green, or blue. Bedroom should be painted a light pink, dark blue, dark green, gray, etc. Staircase should be painted in white colour. Green is advised for study rooms to promote intelligence. Sandal/Yellow is advised for prayer room. The ideal colour of the safe room is yellow as it is believed that yellow increases the wealth. Bathrooms should be painted in light shades or white, sky blue. Kitchens should be painted yellow, rose, red, orange, brown. White, light yellow, or light blue for prayer room.
· Telephones can be placed in the Southeast or Northwest corner but not in the Southwest or Northeast.
· The cupboard in the wall should be the Southern or Western part direction of the house.
Trees
· There should be an even number of trees in your house. It is better if there are no tall trees in the east, north and north-east because it will block sun rays. Trees in the south and west are good. No trees should not be planted directly in front of the house's main entrance and no big trees too near the house. Thorny plants other than roses should not be planted near a house. It is believed that planting palm, gooseberry, tamarind trees and cotton plants will destroy wealth and bring miseries to the inmates. Lime or lemon tree with yellow flowers is also not recommended. Coconut, betal, neem, margosa, lemon, jackfruit, mango, ashoka, sandal and plants like tulsi (basil), turmeric, marigold (red), roses (all except black), jasmine and banana are considered very auspicious.
Water bodies :
· Underground water tank, well, hand-pump, boring etc. should be built in north-east direction only. Height of these water bodies should never be above the plinth level of the main building. Water tanks should be on the roof in the south-west direction. Never place these in north or north-east corner.
Sleeping
· While sleeping head can be placed in the east or south for adults, for children head should be in the east. Never sleep with the head towards the North direction.
