BASIC CONCEPT OF VASTU FOR TOWN PLANNING

From time immemorial Vastu principles (Vedic Methods) have been applied in
design and development of villages, towns and cities. The science of town planning
during Vedic period was given paramount importance to an extent that Indo-Aryans
perfectly shaped the human settlements into various categories depending upon the
characteristics of the population. In the context of ancient Indian cities, the capital city
was given due significance in defending it using all kinds of protectional avenues
based on scientific and Vastu imparted innovations.
Ancient cities were usually
located on the banks
of
rivers,
especially
Ganges
and
their
tributaries,
essentially
for
ritualistic and sanitary
purposes,
including
communications
with
other cities using water.
This concept in fact helped
to foster and encourage
commerce which ultimately
favored establishment of townships. Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa, which are the only
two' out-standing cities belonging to Indus Valley Civilization have resemblance to the
planning concepts, of both the ancient and modern towns and cities of India.
SITE SELECTION
Vastu Sastra has laid strong emphasis on the selection of a proper site for
establishing a new village, town or a city. The sites or places on which cities are proposed
are generally classified under three categories.
Barren land used to be called as Jangala, where wind is hotter and the
soil is black
Anupama, ascribing for a beautiful country, which is surrounded by
rivers, where the climate is fresh and cool, with the soft characteristics
being humid and cool
Sadharana category used to be given to average quality where huge
stretches of land existed in useless conditions.
The capital city should be placed in
such a local geographical position where
various kinds of trees, water bodies,
rivers,
plants,
shrubs,
green
vegetation cover, including cattle
should be present in great numbers. The
ancient city of Pataliputra was planned on
a magnificent scale where existed the
confluence of Sona and Ganges. The city
had a long river front exceeding nine miles,
coupled with beautiful embankments and
harbors. It had timber walls all-round
defended with 3 successive brick-lined
moats filled with water. In addition, it has 64 watch-towers placed over 34 gates.

The Manasara describes that these sites for establishing a city used to be
determined from its smell, taste, shape, direction, sound and touch. The
topography should have inclination towards East and North, coupled with higher ground
levels in South-West, West and South. If a river adjoins the site it should run from left to
right or West to East or South to North. Also the site should have water table at a depth
equal to a man's height with his arms raised above his head. The site should also comply
with moderate temperature during summers and winters. If these parameters were not
met with, the land used to be rejected straight away.
Even meteorological data was used as a deciding factor. For example, wind
direction in India predominantly pre-vails from South-West to North-East. If terrain of
the land slopes in this direction, the buildings would be exposed to rough storms and rain
beatings effecting even the local micro climate. The lands which are shaped similar to
circles, semicircles, containing 3, 5, 7 angles on its sides, hind parts of fish, back of the
elephant or a turtle or face of the cow or land filled with human skulls or stones, anthills,
dilapidated wells, decayed wood yards, lime stone yards, such lands used to be rejected.
Lands with huge trees in the four corners were declared as sterile. Even geological
characteristics that prevailed in such lands were strictly examined and decided upon,
coupled with topography, drainage patterns, vegetation covers, wild life pockets
and climate, too.
Site Planning after the selection of land as per Vastu, the sight was ploughed on
an auspicious day as fixed by astronomical observations by a pair of specific oxen which
had white spots on their heads and knees. The next step was with determination of
cardinal directions using the Gnomon, which concludes with the fixation of Vastupurusha-mandala. Different kinds of them were used depending upon the need of the
applications. In fact circular Vastu-purusha-mandala symbolized the terrestrial world with
constant movement. The square one showed rigidity and thus represented a perfect
and absolute form. The posture of Vastu Purusha has been different with different
aspects of structural requirements. That is to say, Vastu Purusha considered in
residential buildings differs greatly in the application of temples constructions. Vastu
Sastra describes 32 ways of constructing Vastu-purusha-mandala. The simplest among

them is conceived with square or pada and the longest in this characteristics is of
1024 Padas. The exact size and shape of Vastu-purusha-mandala is determined
according to the requirements of the building constructions. The 32 kinds of Vastupurusha-mandala and these are Sakala, Pecaka, Pitha, Mahapitha, etc. ending with
the 32nd one which is named as Indrakanta.

MODE OF APPLICATION
In building towns and cities, the architect had to
decide first, which Vastu-purusha-mandala holds
appropriation depending upon the size of the town.
Thus, fixation of the peripheral limits of a town used to
be determined by configuring the alignment patterns of
main streets which resembled the arms of the cosmic
cross, attributed to avenues planted with shady trees.
Thus, the longest arm used to be aligned East and West
and named after Mahakala or Vamana. In fact there
used to be ring roads planned surrounding the whole
city or town and called as Mangalavithi. Thus, the
whole Vastu-purusha-mandala used to be fragmented
into 81, 64, 49 pads or landed parcels and pushed into
different zones. The innermost square or pada was called
Brahma and the next called after Daivika or the belt of gods, next to this is called
Manusya or the belt of humans and the fourth ring was called Paisaca or the belt of
demons.
Different zones or squares used to be occupied by different classes of human
being. But the central square which was called Brahmasthana was always occupied
either by a temple or a palace. While planning of roads in the course of conceiving the
design for a town or a city, the roads running in the Eastern axis ensured towards
purification of the street by Sun rays from morning till evening and the North-South road
profiles provided a perfect circulation of the air and benefit of cool breeze.
TOWN PLANNING CONCEPTS
The
Indo-Aryan
town
planning
principles
are
almost a blueprint copy of the concepts
used in the village
planning, especially the central cross roads,
Mangalavithi
or
Pradaksinapatha.
The
ground
was
fragmented in the same style as that in the
village planning techniques and the
identifications of Varnas (Social order or
caste: Brahamana, Kshatriya, Vaisya, Sudra)
depended
upon
the position of square or pada in the chess
board patterns of
roads, house plots, and temple placements.
Sometimes the amalgamated spatial patterns were followed which depended upon the
urban planning contexts and, therefore, were free from a monotonous look.
The shape of towns and cities and their geographical locations were classified and
determined as per Vastu principles. Accordingly, there were twenty types of towns
and cities, starting from Padma category to Girinagar type. The word 'Pura' and
'Nagara actually belong to Vedic Vastu periods. The most important shape used in the
initial concept of towns and cities, as per the Samarangana Suthradhara, is towards
square shape.
A city should be located in the central part of a country so as to facilitate trade and
commerce. The site selected for the purpose of this city should be quite large in area,
and on the banks of a river, or by the side of an artificial or natural lake, which never
goes dry.
Vastu Shastra recommends five shapes of a town; 1. Chandura; square 2.
Agatara; rectangle 3. Vritta; circle 4. Kritta Vritta; elliptical 5. Gola Vritta; full circle.

Silpasasthras refers to four distinct categories of habitation settlements within the

forts and fortified cities; 1. Janabhavanas: houses for common mass.
2. Rajbhavanas: palaces and gorgeous mansions for ruling class.
3. Devabhavanas: religious shrines.
4. The public buildings such as public rest house, public gardens, public
libraries, public tents, reservoirs, and wells
There should be a wall around the town, which should be six dandas (180cms
approx.) high and twelve dandas wide. Beyond this wall there should be three moats of
14 feet, 12 feet and 10 feet wide to be constructed four arm-lengths apart. The depth
should be three-fourth of width. Three-east west and three North south roads, should
divide the town. The main roads should be eight dandas wide and other roads four
dandas wide.
While site planning a city or a town, Vastu pertaining to placement of different
building enclosures used to be observed very strictly. For example, the palace was to be
placed exactly in the centre of the town by occupying one -ninth of the area of the
whole of the fort. The palace faced exactly East with lands reserved for teachers and
priests in the North-East direction. The royal kitchen including elephant stables and
store houses used to be placed in the South-East. On the external sides, merchants
trading in liquid, grains, and artists used to stay. The main treasury, accounts offices,
etc., used to be placed in the South-East. The store houses containing forest products
and the arsenal used to be placed in the South-West. In the South, commercial
buildings and merchants houses used to be placed, including those of army generals.
Stables for asses, horses etc. used to be placed in the South-West. In the North-West,
the chariots and conveying vehicles used to be placed. In the West textile based
materials, bamboo mats, armors and weapons used to be kept. In the North-West
shops and hospitals and stables of cows were placed. To the exact North of the
palace, the temple used to be decided upon. Residence for Brahmins used to be
found within the precincts of this area. In addition, landscaping and garden planning was
also placed. Especially huge trees always dominated the centre of the town or a city.
This tree was the Bodhi tree under which village communities used to meet. In fact, the
city architect was assisted by a landscape architect (Aramakral Imavanakarinah) in
planning a city. There should be one well for every group of ten houses
Roads: Grid iron pattern: main streets; Primary, Secondary & Tertiary street
layout; Street with green plant borders; Pedestrian footpath between street & green belt;
Junction of main axis: Brahmastana
The streets that run round the layout can have buildings on one side. These
buildings can relate to schools, colleges, public libraries and buildings, offices, guest
houses etc. The smaller streets can have residential buildings on both sides. Each
segment or block can have houses that are uniform in height and appearance. People of
similar professions, age groups, health can be housed in the same quarters.
Manasara speaks of the street that is on the border of the street (Mangalaveedhi)
and the street that surrounds the Brahmasthana (Brahmaveedhi)

There are eight different types of towns and villages according to the shapes:
1. DANDAKA
Streets are straight and cross each other at right angles at the centre

Has 4 gates on four sides

Rectangular / square
Width of the street varies from
Five danda
2 transverse street at the
extremities
Have single row of houses
The village offices located in the
east.
The female deity/ chamadevata located outside the
village and the Male deities in the northern portion

2. SARVATOBHADRA
This type of town plan is applicable to larger
towns, which have to be constructed on
sites.
According to this plan, the whole
town should be fully occupied by
houses of various descriptions and
inhabited by all classes of people.
The temple dominates the village
3. NANDYAVARTA
Commonly used for the construction of towns
and not for villages.
It is generally adopted for the sites
either circular or square in shape
3000 4000 houses
The streets run parallel to the
central adjoining streets with the
temple of the presiding deity in the center
Nandyavarta is the name of a flower, the
followed.
4. PADMAKA
This type of plan was practiced for
building of the towns with fortress all
round.
The pattern of the plan resembles the
petals of lotus radiating outwards
from the center.
The city used to be practically an
surrounded by water, having no
expansion
5. SWASTIKA

one

villages
a

and
square

of the town.
form of which is

island
scope

for

Contemplates some diagonal streets

dividing the site into rectangular plots.
The site need not be marked out into
a square or rectangle and it may
be of any shape.
A rampart wall surrounds the
town, with a moat at its foot filled
with water.
2 main streets cross each other at the
W to E.

6. PRASTARA
The site may be either square
triangular or circular.
The sites are set apart for the poor,
the rich and the very rich, the
increasing according to the
each to purchase or build
The main roads are much
to those of other patterns.
The town may or may not be
surrounded by a fort.

or

center, running S to N and

rectangular

but

not

the middle class,

sizes of the sites
capacity
of
upon.
wider compared

7. KARMUKA
Suitable for the place where the site of
the town is in the form of a bow or semicircular or
parabolic and mostly applied for towns located
on the seashore or riverbanks.
The main streets of the town run from N to S
or E to W and the cross streets run at
rightangles to them, dividing the whole
area into blocks.
The presiding deity, commonly
a female deity, is installed in
the temple build in any
convenient place
8. CHATURMUKHA
Applicable to all towns starting from
smallest village.
The site may be either square or
having four faces.
The town is laid out east to
lengthwise, with four
main streets.
The temple of the presiding
deity will be always at the center

the largest town to the

rectangular
west