VAASTHU
Vaastu is practically the science of building or science of structures.
Though not fully backed by scientific principles it can be accepted as
a science that is backed by results and observations only .The present
day vaastu absorbs the theories of the past and super imposes it on the
environs of today. Vaastu is an applied science, which is enabling man
to live in harmony with nature. The characters that qualify Vaastu as a
science are rationality, back up of a theory, permanency,
universality, replicability, and utility. Vaastu is based on gravity
and weights, which is a universal law, and hence it can be adapted to
the changing scenario of the society.
Manifestation of
the effects of Vaastu
The vaastu effects are
highly specific to sex, age, group and other classifications of the
residents. Balancing of the weights of the components of a plot is
primary in studying the vaastu of a plot. The heavier things in a plot
are the building, water storage structures above the ground, trees and
even rubbish dumped indifferent areas. The four types of vaastu occurrences including both good and bad are the cause, the trigger,
the contributor, and the moderator. There are four cardinal directions
and four corners where they meet. Corners are more important than the
main sides. The effects of vaastu are highly specific to the zones.
NORTH
Vayu controls
northwest, Kuber controls mid north, Eshwar controls
northeast.
Vayu -
public relations, economic conditions, and improvement of business.
Kuberan -
wealth
Eshwar -
the life of the daughter and lineage.
EAST
Eshwar northeast, Indra-mid
east, Agni-south east
SOUTH
Agni-south east, Yama-mid
south, Nairu-south west. South controls the bad aspects of life.
WEST
Nairu -southwest,
Varuna mid west, Vayu northwest
The corners where two
sides meet are named exclusively after the gods who govern them.
Easanya corner is the
northeast corner, Agni the southeast, Nairudhi, the southwest, and
Vayu, the northwest corner.
The three major
sectors in environmental features are: physical features,
neighborhood, and road features
Physical features (mountains, rivers, streams, ditches.) very powerful than man made
changes. Hills in the south, southwestern and western sides of the
plot are ideal. The raised space in the east, northeast, north of the
plot is bad and those in south, southwest and west are good. Trees
directly opposite to the main door are bad, but are beneficial in the
west, south -west, and south. Avenue trees will pose problems for
north and east facing plots. The basics of vaastu shastra insist on the
need for leaving the east open so that light falls freely from the
rising sun. The house that remains in constant shade invites diseases
for the inhabitants .It is not recommended to have a permanent
residence with a view to a large water body. Water bodies are
beneficial in the north, northeast and the east of the plot. The
rivers flowing in the northern side of the plot is inauspicious and if
it is from west to east, or from south to east it brings abundant
wealth to the residents.
The vaastu components
bestowed by nature are more powerful than man made changes.
Large open spaces in
the northern and eastern sides of the plot are beneficial
The effluents of the
neighbors should not flow into the plot. If the wall built by the
neighbor in the east or north is very high then the opposite walls
should be higher. The north east of the building should be extended
beyond the neighbor’s buildings in north and east.
North and east
facing plots-auspicious and causes health and wealth
South and west
facing plots-ordinary
If there are two
roads for the plot it is preferable to have two adjacent roads than
to have two opposite roads. Plot at the end of the road is said to
mar all the progress.
THE PLOT
The north and east
facing plots are ideal. The south and west facing plots are second.
SOIL
-
Living soil-trees and
plants flourish and the plot from a distance looks green and has
sufficient water.
-
White colored soil-for
those in knowledge, education and learning
-
Red- for those in power
and in government service
-
Yellow-for those in
business
-
Black-for those doing
physical work
Lands not suitable for
living
-
Which have by nature
trees that yield milky sap on cutting
-
On which shadows of
temple fall
-
Near bridges, moats
and with large holes in nearby plots
-
On the border of the
town or center of the village
-
Which is always wet
-
With a pond on the
corner and with stagnation of waste water
-
With pebbles, termite
hills, big rocks and boulders
THE SLOPE
Rainwater should flow
eastwards or northwards and exit the plot close to the northeast
corner. Land should slope to the northeast
RAISED PLACES
If south, south east
west and the center of the plot is raised it indicates prosperity.
DEPRESSIONS
In the east and
northeast are good. If the south, west, north west an d south west
zones of a plot are by nature raised and if the east, north east, and
the north are by nature depressed and the road is in the north or east
or both, this land according to the sastras yield unending wealth.
SHAPE
A rectangular plot is
the ideal one. Open spaces in east, south and north east is good
COMPOUND WALL
The height of the
compound wall should be at least two thirds of the height of the main
door .The northern wall should be built only after the house is
completed. Walls should be built just prior to the building of the
house. The gates should not be in the extreme corner of the façade.
Movement of the doors or gates should be clockwise. Both the main gate
and the house door should face the same direction. Northeast is the
best place to have a well, water sumps and septic tanks. Placing
Tulasi on the east and low-lying north yield good results. Outhouse is
disallowed in the northeast area
Car parks can be built
in the northwest, southeast or the south west of the plot.
Water tanks on the plot
surface are not allowed in most of the areas. It is better to have it
as an underground structure in the mid south.
TREES AND PLANTS
No trees opposite
doors. No thorny plants. No plants that yield milky sap on cutting. No
plants with red flowers. Trees should be even in number.
BUILDING
Excavation for the
compound wall must commence from the northeast; the construction must
start from southwest to southeast and then from southwest to
northwest.
DOORS
It is preferable to
keep the door in the middle of the façade .If there is a west
entrance there has to be an east entrance too. If there is only one
entrance it should be placed in east or north .If the house has two
doors then east in combination with north or west is allowed. If the
doors are three, doors excluding east or west is auspicious .The
number of doors within the house should be even in number. Main
entrance may consist of single or double doors.
If the main door is in
the north east and facing north or east, in the east and facing north
east, in the south east and facing south, in the south and facing
south east, in the west and facing north west - auspicious.
WINDOWS
There should be more
windows in the north and east than the south and west. The number of
windows should be even in number.
WALLS
The internal walls
should run linearly and should not have bends, cuts, or curves.
SHAPE
The ideal proportions
for size of the building are 1.5:1, 2:1 for length to breadth. A
square building is not good.
STAIR CASE
The steps are best at
the southwest zone. The south and west are second choices. The
climbing should be done from east to west or from north to south. The
internal stairs should not touch the north or east walls of the
building. The spiral staircase should not be placed on the northeast
corner.
SLOPES
Slopes are preferred in
the east and the north directions only. The slope or slant should be
for the entire façade of the direction of the building. The slopes
should not affect the height of the walls of the house.
VERANDHAS
Verandahs and balconies
are not allowed in south or west.
It is better to build
porticoes as cantilever structures. It is advisable to build porticoes
without pillars.
The highest point in
the house should be in the southwest and the lowest point in the
northeast. To place water tank in the southwest corner of the house is
the best possible feature. The tank should not rest on the floor of
the terrace. It should be resting on four pillars .The tank should
always be closed.
ROOMS
Bedrooms
-Should not overlook
water bodies, should not be placed above porticoes, car parks or
kitchen, should not be placed on four pillars with no construction
beneath, should not be in the central area of the building or in the
basement. Bedrooms can safely be placed in south west, west, south and
north west of the building .The south east and the north east give the
most disastrous results amongst all the bedroom positions. Master
bedroom is best in the southwest. The south bedroom should have its
door in the north facing northeast and the west bedroom in the east
facing northeast. The northeast bedrooms can have doors in the east
facing northeast or south facing southeast .The wardrobe can be fixed
in the southwest and dressing table in south or west. It should be
never placed opposite the bed. The bed should be placed in the south
west of the room so that there is more space in the north and east.
The bed however should not be placed in the extreme corner of the
room. No mirror should be placed opposite to the bed.
Kitchen
Southeast is the best
place for the kitchen and northwest is the second best option. The
cook should face the east.
The stove should not be
in line with the door of the kitchen .The racks should be placed in
the south and west wall. The vessels are to be placed in the west and
south walls. There should not be a toilet or bathing room especially
in north or east directions next to a kitchen.
Room in the northeast
is the most preferred for Prayer
room.
Praying towards south
and west is good.
The western room
between the southwestern room and the northwestern room is to be the
study room
Bathroom
An exclusive bathroom
is permissible in northeast of the building as flow of water in
northeast is good.
Water should exit in
the northeast preferably in underground channels not visible to the
eye.
Toilets are preferred
in the north west of the house, only if there is drainage facility. It
should never be in the northeast corner.
Lofts
Lofts should be more in
the south and west walls of the building. Never keep the loft at the
northeast corner dusty or with cobwebs. Sleeping, eating or studying
as well as decision-making should not be done below a loft.
Cellars
Cellars can be
established only in the north side, east side, and north east of a
building.
It is better to have
the Store Room in the south west corner, south side or west
side.
Dining
Hall
Dining hall can be
placed in the mid east or mid west. The dining table in the kitchen
itself can be placed in the northwest without touching the north wall.
Doors and windows in
the first floor should not be same as in number as the ground floor.
INTERIOR DECORATION
-
The shoes and
footwear should be placed in the southwest portion of the verandah
or hall only.
-
Almirahs should be
placed in the southwest corner of the room only.
- Cots should be
placed more towards the south west of the room, but never in the
southwest corner.
- Sofa should be
placed more toward the south and west of the living room.
- Place the study
table in the south or west of the room.
- Mirrors should be
fixed only on the north and east walls. No mirrors to be placed in
the study rooms or opposite beds.
- Heating appliances
must be placed in the south east of the room. Fridges should be
placed in the northwest.
-
Televisions should
not be placed in exact south east of the rooms.
-
Vaastu recognizes 6
major colors and attributes a mood to each of them- White-laughter,
Red -fury, Blue-repulsion, Yellow-supernatural, Deep Red -heroism,
and Grey- pathetic.
-
Never use the northeast
corner of the room for hanging any thing. Nude paintings, sculptures,
scenes from Mahabharatha and Ramayana are to be avoided. Never exhibit
stuffed animals or weapons inside the house.
-
Avoid cactus, plants
with red flowers and bonsai of trees inside the house .Do not place
plants in the north east corner. Avoid pots along the north and east
walls.
Vaastu for Other Buildings
-
Flats or
apartments are technically many houses built one over the other.
Hence the basic concept of Vaastu is applicable to flats also. The
southwest should be the highest point and northeast the lowest.
-
The well and sump
should be only in the northeast or east sectors .It is recommended
to place the blocks more towards the south or west .The overhead
tank and the dish antenna should be in the south west .The lift
should be in the south or west zone.The stairs may be in the
southwest zone as also the head room on the terrace.
-
Do not place the
kitchen of one house adjacent to the bedroom of another. Bedrooms
can be present only in southwest, northwest, west and south.
Offices
The room for the senior
most in the hierarchy should be placed in the south west of the
office. He should face the north or east. The entrance to this room
should be preferably in the northeast. The cupboard should be in the
southwest corner of this room. The other directors should be placed in
south and west rooms adjoining the southwest. The computers should be
placed in the south east, east or north zones. The conference room
should be placed in the northeast, as it is not frequently used. Never
have anything heavy in this room. Puja room should be attached to the
northeast room and toilets may be placed in southeast, west and
northwest of the office.
Protocols
Purchase
The land should not be
bought from several forbidden categories of people and from elders or
temples .The acquisition of land in the northeast is recommended. Sale
of land in the north or east is bad.
The new house after
construction should be occupied within a time gap of three months. If
it is required to build two houses in the same plot without a compound
wall or legal partition before, the house in the south or west should
be built first. If a single plot is to be partitioned between two
brothers, the elder should take the west or south portion and the
younger brother should take the north or east portion. The houses of
two brothers should not be exactly opposite each other. Expansion of
the existing house should be in all four directions. While cleaning
never sweep the house from the door towards the interior. The sweeping
motion should be towards the exit. The cleaning motion should not be
towards the northeast. There should be no tying of cloth drying lines
between the main house and any compound wall on permanent basis.
Vaastu purusha should be
prayed to on three occasions namely at the starting of the
construction, at the fixing of the door, and at the end of
construction. Monday- shukla paksha, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and
Saturday are considered auspicious for commencement of work.
