VAASATU SASTRA

(The ancient engineering techniques)

Vaastu Sastra is the scientific method of building construction. From the selection of the earth’s space to the house warming ceremony are measured, calculated and verified in the ancient Indian Vaastu Sastra. The puranic engineering concept comprises the free and accurate flow of air, light and water. Thus the energy flow of the human body residing inside and the universal energy flow of nature go in harmony.

The dwelling place or home is the most important factor in the human life. If the construction and maintenance is according to the scientific notions, the result should be positive.
The Vastu Shastra considers the astrological placement of the Sun, Earth, and other planets during the actual construction. It also considers where the building site is located, the site’s shape, the proposed building’s shape, the direction the building will face, the location of gates, entry doors, room doors, windows, and the building’s general design. North and east are considered important directions—east because it is the direction from which the sun rises

Here we could go through the aspects and steps we have to follow when we decided to build or construct a home, the dwelling place.

I.Assessing the Land

A. When purchasing a property, it is a good idea to stand on the land and feel its vibration for a few moments. Trust your feelings. If you feel positive about it, consider buying the land. If not, it is probably not good for you. It is best to buy land where happy and successful people have lived. A house sold by a person in distress or who is impoverished, should be purchased only with caution. A dilapidated or haunted house should not be purchased at all.
B. The land should be cultivatable and should smell good. It is best not to build on land that contains many rocks, anthills, many worms, bones, broken pottery, sludge, and thorny trees should not be purchased. If the center of the land is humped like the shell of a turtle, it should not be purchased.
C. The color of the soil should also be considered. [White soil is good for brahmans (priests, teachers, scientists, or intellectuals), red for ksatriyas (rulers, soldiers, or administrators), yellow for vaisyas (businessmen, farmers or bankers), and black for sudras (laborers, artisans, craftsmen, or servants).]

When you assess the soil, do not just make a surface check, but also dig about 4m (12 ft) down.
If the soil is black up to 1m (3 ft) down and white or red below that, the land can be purchased.
According to Vastu Shastra, black and clayey soil is not good for building. If the soil is crumbly rock, money can easily be gotten. Yellow soil is good for businessmen.
Another test of land quality is to dig a knee-deep hole (2/3m or 2'x2'x2') and then refill it. If after filling the hole you have some soil left over, the land is good.
If there is no soil left after filling the hole, the land is average. If the returned soil does not even fill the hole, this is not a good sign. Such land should not be purchased. This shows the soil’s natural moisture and aeration.
Again dig the same sized hole. This time, fill it with water. If it takes more than an hour for the water to be absorbed, this is a good sign. If there are many cracks in the hole after the water has been absorbed, the construction may cost more than you expect. This is a percolation test done even in the U.S. to test for clay deposits. The cracks indicate clay soil, which is not best for water drainage and can cause foundation problems, etc. Also, wastes are not carried away properly, which can bring disease.
Do not purchase land that has been used as a crematorium, cemetery, or a samadhi (tomb for a holy person). The land should not be purchased if in the recent past someone has committed suicide on it, or if there have been several deaths over the period of a couple of months.
It is usually best not to purchase land next to a bridge. If the bridge is on the north or east sides, it definitely should not be purchased. If it is on the south or west sides, that is a safer purchase.
It is also usually best not to purchase land that shares a well with another property. The land can be purchased, however, if the water supply is a common well on the north, east, or northeast side.
A plot of land situated on a hill is also not a good purchase in most cases. It is better to purchase level ground. If the land to be purchased is on the side of a hill, however, and the land slopes down toward the north or east, that is all right. If the land slopes to the west, do not purchase it.
After choosing and purchasing land, plants should be grown on the land. Also, if possible, keep a cow and her calf on the land for a while to make it more auspicious.

II.The Land

The direction that the front of a property faces is important. The best shapes for plots of land are square or rectangular, facing squarely on the four cardinal directions. A land tilt of 20 degrees, off square by 20 degrees, is acceptable. If the plot is rectangular, it is better that the longer sides run north to south rather than west to east.
The northeast side of the land should be the lowest side. If the northeast side is at a higher elevation than other sides of the property, you can dig soil from that one side and use it to build up the other parts. The land should either slope down toward the north or east, but not toward the west or south. Land sloping north brings riches, sloping east brings good fortune, sloping south brings ruin, and sloping west brings financial loss.
It is auspicious if tall buildings or hills do not obstruct the north, northeast, and east sides of the land. Do not purchase land with such obstructions to those sides because the sun’s rays will be blocked.
Having those same obstructions blocking the west or south sides, however, bring health and wealth
For the same reason, a water source located on the southwest side of a building will cause the owner misery. Similarly, there should be a minimum number of doors and windows set into the southwest side of a building;
The majority of windows should be set in the northeast side.

The boundary walls around a property should be higher in the west and south and lower in the north and east.
It is auspicious if the plot has a river or a stream flowing through it on the northeast, or if there is a lake on the same side. It is not auspicious if there is an electrical power supply or large electric pole on the northeast side of the plot. A telephone pole is not negative in the northeast, however.
There should not be any valley, a depression in the land, or large pit around the land.

III.Construction
Building materials should be stored in the southwest corner of the property during construction. The storage area or structure can also be built in the southeast corner, at least 1m (3 ft) from the property boundary. The guard should stay in a house in the southeast corner.
Order of construction: the well, the storage house, and then the boundary wall.

IV. Roads in Relation to Land

A square piece of land surrounded by roads on four sides is considered very good. It should be purchased even if at a high cost. A person who owns this land will become wealthy, healthy, and happy.
If a road runs alongside the property and ends at the northeast corner, that is also very good. If a road ends on any other parts of the property, however, that plot is usually not good.
A road on the north side of the property is good, but a road on the south side is not so good. If there is only one road, it is best if it is located on the east side. It is not so good if it is located on the west side.
If there are roads on only the east and north side, that is good. If there are roads on the west and north, it is average. Roads on the north, west, and east—that is, only on these three sides—is not so good. Roads on the north, south, and west is also not so good. It is inauspicious if there are three roads only on the east, south, and west. Land should also not be next to a T or Y intersection.
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V.Shape of the Land

The best properties are either square or rectangular. If the plot is not a perfect rectangle, it is best if at least the southwest and southeast sides of the land are at 90º angles from one another. Land extending on the northeast side is very good. Extensions on any other side are inauspicious. Extensions of the northwest side will cause you to lose money and peace.

VI.Well or Water Source

It is best that the well or water source is on the north or northeast side of the land, or if water comes from the municipality, it should enter from the northeast side. If you draw a line from the southeast corner to the northeast corner, the well should be to the right or left of the line, not on it.
The well can also be in the north or east sides of the property. The well should not be in the northwest or southeast corners. Wells should be round. Ideally, the well water should be exposed to sunlight for five hours a day
The well should be dug after puja (worship) has been performed on the land at an astrologically auspicious time. This will insure that the water will be pure.
Water departing from the kitchen and bathroom should flow to the northeast and leave the house from this side.

VII.Compound Wall and Gate

The compound wall should not be higher than the house, and construction of it should begin on the southwest side.
The southwest part of the wall should be higher than the rest of the wall. Do not set the gate on the south side. It is best that there are two gates to the compound, so evil things entering one gate will exit from the other.

VIII.Outside of Main Building

It is also good to keep a tulasi plant in the northeast corner. If there is to be a swimming pool, waterfalls, or fountains, they should be set to the north, east, or northeast. Gardens, plants, or the lawns should also be set to the north, east, or northeast

IX.Parking

Cars should be parked facing east or north. A car should never be parked facing south. If a car is parked facing west or northwest, the owner will spend a long time traveling.
A parking garage should not be connected to the compound wall or the main building.

X.Roof

The roof of the house should slope towards the northeast and rainwater should flow to the north, east, or northeast direction.

XI.Balconies and Verandahs

Balconies, verandahs, and terraces should ideally be built on the north, northeast, or east sides of the house, not on the south or west sides. If a balcony is on the southwest side of a house, it should be covered and closed.
The floor or roof over a balcony or terrace should be lower than the floor or roof of the main building. It is best if the verandah’s roof is slanted toward the northeast. Tin is a good roofing material for such structures. The verandah’s corners should not be rounded, and balconies should not have arches. Flowerpots on the verandah should be small. No creepers should be planted on a verandah. The seats on the verandah should be set on the south or west sides.
Shoes can be removed and placed on the verandah. They should not be placed to the northeast.

XII.Kitchen

The kitchen should ideally be in the southeast corner of the house, its windows on the east and south sides. There can also be a window on the west side. If the kitchen cannot be in the southeast corner, it is all right to place it in the northwest corner. But in general, the kitchen should not be in the north, and should certainly not be in the northeast corner. Locating the kitchen to the southwest will cause problems.
The kitchen should not be next to or across from a toilet, nor should it be directly in front of the main door.
Cooking should be done in the southeast corner or on the east side of the kitchen. It is best to cook while facing east, but facing north is also all right. It is advisable not to put the stove on the northern wall. The cooking platform should not touch the wall but should be placed at least 8 cm (3 inches) from the wall. The stove should not be in front of the kitchen’s door.Electrical items such as microwaves, grinders, and mixers should be placed in the southeast corner of the kitchen. The sink should be in the northeast corner. The southwest wall should be used for storage.
The refrigerator should be in the northwest, southeast, south, or west. It should not be placed on the northeast side. If it is on the southwest side of the kitchen, be sure to set it away from the wall.
If there is a dining table in the kitchen, it should be placed on the north or west side. The door to the toilet should not face the dining table.

XIV.Living (Sitting) Room

The living room should be on the north side of the house. Furniture should be square or rectangular, not round or oval. It is good if the ceiling slopes down toward the northeast direction. The air-conditioner should be in the west, not the southeast. Furniture should mainly be in the west and south section of the room.
The walls should be painted white, yellow, green, or blue, never red or black. Depressing paintings should not be placed on the walls.

XV.Bedrooms

The main bedroom should be on the southwest or northwest side of the house. If there is an upper story in the house, the master bedroom should be on this floor, in the southwest corner. Adult married children can also use this room. Younger children, however, should not use it because that will cause trouble in the household. Bedrooms on the northeast side The children’s bedrooms should be in the northwest or west. The younger children’s bedroom can also be on the east side of the house, Newly married couples should not use a bedroom on the east side.Guest bedrooms are best located in the northwest corner, but can also be located in the northeast corner.
Bedroom walls should be painted a light rose, dark blue, dark green, gray, etc. Some authorities say that the walls should not be painted white or a light yellow. The door should be set in the east, west or north, and should ideally be one shutter.
One should sleep in his own house with his head facing east or south. If one is staying in someone else’s house, or while traveling, he should sleep with his head facing west. One should never sleep with his head facing north. Upon rising from bed, the right foot should be placed on the floor first.If one is to study in the bedroom, the east side should be used. The wardrobe should be located on the northwest or southwest side of the bedroom. TV, heaters, and air conditioners should be located in the southeast corner.
The southwest corner of the room should not be vacant. An attached bathroom could be built on the west or north sides of the room. It is best not to keep the safe in a bedroom, but if this is the only place for the safe, it should be located on the south wall, opening north.

XVI.Dining Room

The dining room should be located on the west side of the house, or on the east or north side of the building. If the kitchen is on the ground floor, the dining room should not be on an upper floor but should also be located on the ground floor.
The door leading into the dining room should be on the east, north, or west side of the room. It should not have arches. The house’s main entrance door should not face the dining room’s door.It is best to face east or west while eating. The head of the family should face east during meals. Other members of the family can face east, north, or west, but it is not advisable to face south
The dining table should not be round or oval but either square or rectangular. It should not fold from the wall or be attached to the wall.
A sink can be located in the northeast corner of the dining room, or on the north or east sides of the room. No toilets should be attached to the dining room.

XVI.Bathrooms

Bathrooms can be on the west or northwest sides of the building, but not on the eastern or northeastern sides. The toilet room should also not be located on the southeast, the southwest, or in the center of the building. The morning sun falling on the body after bathing is good, so windows should be set in the north or east sides of the room.
Ideally, toilets should face south, not east or west (in the direction of the sun). The toilet should be located on the west or northwest side of the room and should be built 30–60cm (1 or 2 feet) above the ground.An attached bathroom should be on the west or northwest side of a room, never on the northeast side.
Sinks should be placed on the northeast, north, or east sides of the room. Bathtubs should be located on the northeast, west, or east sides.
Bathroom walls should be painted white, sky blue, or another light shade. Do not use black or dark red.
Water should leave the bathroom from the east or northeast side. Water should not leave from the southwest or southeast directions. The overhead septic tank should be on the northwest side of the house.

XVII.Study Room

The library or study should be located on the west side of the building, but should not be located in the corners of the house. When using a library or study, it is best to sit facing east or north.
The bookshelves should not be in the northwest or southwest corner. Books should be in the east, north, or west sides of the room.
The door should be two-shuttered and should be located in the northeast, north, or west. Windows can be set on the east, north, or west walls. The walls should be painted white, sky blue, cream, or light green.
If one will not sleep in the room, a pyramidal shape (walls sloping inward as they go upward towards the ceiling) will help study and meditation.

XVIII.Storage Area

The storage areas should be located in the northwest part of the building, but not in the north or east. The storage room door should not be on the southwest side of the room. Storage cabinets should be located on the west or north sides of the room. Butter, ghee, oil, and cooking gas should be kept in the southeast corner.

XIX.Stairways

Best to build stairways on the southwest, or if necessary, on the south or west sides of the house.
Do not build stairways on the northeast side, as it will cause loss of wealth. The staircase should go up from east to west or north to south. The same stairway that goes to the upper floor should not also go down to the basement.
Stairways should be built with an odd number of stairs—9, 11, or 15 steps, for example. The number of stairs should not end with a zero if you must build an even number—there should not be 10 or 20 steps—because it is best to begin climbing steps with the right foot and also to end the climb on the right foot. This is not possible when there is an even number of stairs. The right foot is equated with gain, the left with loss.Circular stairways are not good. The doorway at the top of the stairway should be at least 20cm (8 inches) lower than the doorway at the bottom of the stairs. Broken stairs should be repaired immediately to avoid accidents.
The stairway should be painted a light color. The worship room, safe, or toilet should not be located under a staircase.

XX.Study Room

The library or study should be located on the west side of the building, but should not be located in the corners of the house. When using a library or study, it is best to sit facing east or north.
The bookshelves should not be in the northwest or southwest corner. Books should be in the east, north, or west sides of the room.
The door should be two-shuttered and should be located in the northeast, north, or west. Windows can be set on the east, north, or west walls. The walls should be painted white, sky blue, cream, or light green.
If one will not sleep in the room, a pyramidal shape (walls sloping inward as they go upward towards the ceiling) will help study and meditation.

Position of Rooms
Directions Ruling Planet Room
North Mercury Living (Sitting) room safe
Northeast Jupiter Worship room living room
East Sun Living room bathing room (no toilet)
Southeast Venus Kitchen
South Mars Kitchen storeroom
Southwest Rahu Master bedroom heavy storage
West Saturn Children’s bedroom store room study
Northwest Moon Guest room bathroom grain storage room
House Warming
Before entering a new house, a house-warming ceremony should be performed. A good time to enter a new house is in the period of Uttarayan, from June 21 through December 20, in the months of Vaishaka, Shravan, and Margashirsh, in the constellation of Uttara, Magha, Ashwini, Swati, Pushya, and Revati, on an auspicious day. It is good to confirm this time with a qualified astrologer.
Ganesh-puja, Navagraha-puja (worship of the nine planets), and worship of the Vastupratima (building deity) should be performed. The residents of the building should then circumambulate the building. Then puja should be done to the threshold.

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