Basic principles of Vastu Shastra

 14 Jun 2010
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Vastu Shastra
Vastu Shastra is an ancient Indian science of Vedic origin that deals with proper construction of a
house. An age old technique, Vastu defines building of homes in sync with the natural forces. A Vastu
perfect home not only attains complete harmony with natural forces, but also brings in prosperity,
good thought and sound health to its residents. There are certain basic principles that are considered
Vastu-logically correct for the making and designing of the house. Following these principles, while
constructing a house or even choosing one may be highly beneficial and advantageous to users.

Basic Principles of Vastu Shastra – Subject to orientation

• For people who are planning to buy a plot, make sure you get your orientation correct and consult
your architect if you have any doubt.
• Plots that are square or rectangular in shape are better than irregular cut ones. Also, the plot should
be slopping towards the north & east or northeast.
• At the time of making a building, make sure that it has open spaces on all sides. The levels of open
spaces may vary from the south and west sides to the north and east side.
• In case you construct more than one floor, prepare the first floor on southwest. The height proportion
of first or additional floors should not be more than the ground floor.
• Idyllically the entrance of the house is favorable in the positive poles that is northeast, east or north
direction.
• It is good to have the center of the house free from any sorts of obstructions. There should be no
beam, pillar, fixture, toilet, staircase or even a wall or lift.
• As for the shape and size of the door, the width of the door should be half to the height of the door.
• Paintings and statues in the house are also an important consideration to make when it comes to
Vastu shastra. Artifacts with unpleasant nature such as war, violence or any negativities of life like
sorrow and struggle may give adverse reaction to the inhabitants.
• The living room of the house is preferred be in the east, north and northeast directions.
• According to Vastu, the bedroom should be positioned in southwest, south or west direction of the
house.
• Ideally, the best bet is to have the kitchen in the southeast. In case you cannot have it in the
southeast direction, one in the northwest or east direction is also favorable.
• The study room should be designed in such a way that you study facing east or north side. The ideal
colors for the study room are yellow, white or pink.
• Protrusions and sharp corners can imbalance the primary elements. To minimize the imbalance,
they can be aesthetically camouflaged with indoor plants that are not thorny. Such corners or edges
can also be softened with cascading, crawling, or tree-like plants.
Vastu for living room
The living room of any house gives the first impression about the people who live in it. It is the center
of the house, which is purposefully decorated, as it serves to welcome the guests. Living room is not
just about décor and style; it’s about a warm reception, greetings and promoting healthy interaction in
the future.

Living room location

The location of living room, as per Vastu Shastra, depends on the particular direction that the house
faces. For a north or east-facing house, the living room can be on the northeast direction. Similarly, for
a west facing house, it can be located on the northwest side. If the house faces the south, then the
living room can be on the southeast side.

Furniture arrangement
Sofa sets can be kept against the south and west walls, but avoid touching them with your walls as it
may peel off your finishes. The furniture should be placed in such a way that it allows free movement
from the living room into other rooms, but avoid cluttering. It is a good idea to have a floor level or a
table mounted podium lamp, with red or orange light, in the area between the items that relate to
southeast (energy).
Vastu for bedroom
It is even more important for your bedroom, where you retire to escape from the worries of the world
and have a tension-free sleep. In context of bedroom, Vastu takes into consideration different
determinants to ensure harmony in the house. The main things that become important, while
constructing and designing bedrooms, are location, placement of bed, color scheme, direction and
placement of doors, windows, and furniture, set up of electronic gadgets, etc. Let us explore the basic
Vastu guidelines that have to be followed, in case of the bedroom.

Vastu tips for bedrooms

• For ensuring peace in the house, the main bedroom should be constructed in the south direction and
the headboard facing the north.
• For constructing the master bedroom, southwest direction is just perfect. Other bedrooms can be
constructed on the eastern or northern side of the master bedroom.
• Rectangle shape bedrooms are just perfect for ensuring peace and prosperity in the house. Irregular
shapes should be completely avoided.
• The bedroom door should open at least ninety degrees, to fully allow positive opportunities to flow to
you. This is because the door of your bedroom is symbolic of the opportunities life presents you. A
door that cannot open fully will limit the support and prospects life has to offer you.
• The first thing that you see when you enter your bedroom should give you the feeling of
peacefulness and serenity. Such feelings can be enhanced by a photograph, inspiring quote, painting,
sculpture or even flowers. Locate these things at such a place that the moment you enter your
bedroom, your gaze falls on them.
• Don’t place your bedroom mirror on the wall opposite your bed, as it disturbs sleep. At such a
position, the mirror reflects your image and holds back your stress, rather than allowing you to throw it
off.
• Don’t sleep in direct alignment with sharp corners. This can create stress in your nervous system. In
a room that has sharp corners, you will never be able to experience peace, unless you soften them by
placing plants in front. Also, move your bed away from direct alignment with them.

Vastu for kitchen

In a house, kitchen is the place where the meals are prepared. There can be no other place in a
house that is as important as the kitchen. It is advisable to plan your kitchen according to Vastu
recommendations, as it has the most direct effect on your health. When it comes to kitchen, Vastu
takes into consideration various things that, when properly placed, ensure safety in the kitchen. Some
of the essential determinants are proper location of the kitchen, direction and placement of doors and
windows, placement of cooking gas, gas cylinder, sink, refrigerator and other electronic gadgets, and
so on. With this article, let us explore the most useful Vastu remedies for kitchen.

Vastu tips for kitchen

• The ideal place for the location of kitchen is the southeast corner. An alternative choice can be the
northwest corner of the house.
• As per the Vastu remedies for kitchen, certain directions that are a total no-no for the construction of
the kitchen are: northeast, mid-north, mid-west, southwest, mid-south of the house.
• The best direction for cooking is facing east, as the rising sun.
• Avoid having the stove in your kitchen visible from the outside.
• Remember that taps and sinks should not be very close to the cooking range.
• It is best to have the kitchen sink in the northeast direction.
• If there is a dishwasher in the kitchen, place it in the northwest side of the kitchen. The other water
elements like drinking water should be placed in the northeast.
• Storage is also a very important aspect of the kitchen. Have elaborate storage units, built in to give a
clean and tidy look to the kitchen.
• If your kitchen has overhead storage cupboards, avoid having them over the cooking range as this
space is for the kitchen hood.
• While constructing the kitchen, make adequate provision for cross ventilation.
• The big windows of the kitchen should be in the east or west direction, while the smaller ones should
be towards the south.
• Avoid having toilets adjoining, above or below the kitchen.

Vastu tips for bathroom

• Drainage system should be in the northeast direction. Therefore, it is advised that the taps and
showers should be fixed on the northern side. The north side is also suitable for putting up the mirror.
Avoid having a drainage system around the house. Make sure that the drainage system is near and
not far the outlets.
• The toilet should be on the west or the northwest side of the room and at least 300mm above the
ground for waste outlets.
• There must be a provision for proper lighting and cross ventilation inside the bathroom.
• For keeping the washing machine, the suitable directions are southeast and northwest.
• The bathtub can be placed in the west, while the sink should be kept on the northeast, north or the
east side of the room.
• As per Vastu for bathroom, the door is preferred in the southwest direction.
• If there is an overhead tank, it should always be on the northwest side of the house.

Staircases
Just like any other corner of the house, Vastu Shastra has laid down rules and given
recommendations on how to construct the staircase as well. Certain basic rules are to be followed
while building the stairs in your house. Being a heavy structure, a staircase should never be built in
constraints zones, as it can lead to a lot of losses. To avoid such troublesome situations, it is rightly
advised to follow the correct orientation when one plans to build the staircase. Here are some
valuable Vastu tips to plan and accordingly construct your stairs.

Vastu tips for staircase

• Begin the stairs from the east to west or from the north to south and a turn can be taken to any other
side, if there is a dearth of space.
• Make the number of stairs odd. It should not end with zero. The number of risers should be such odd
numbers that when divided by 3, the remainder is always 2.
• A good choice of colors on side walls and a mix of materials in the steps and risers enhance the
staircase.
• Repair broken stairs immediately, as it may cause serious accidents
• Do not build any main room, such as kitchen or prayer room, under staircase. The area may
certainly be used for storage, though.
• Do not use common staircase for going upstairs and to the basement as well. Try to separate
basement stairs with a change of direction.
• Keeping doors at beginning and end of the staircase is should be well defined. Care should be taken
to ensure that the doors do not touch the steps and leave at least a minimum landing to ease access.
• If a linear staircase is designed either inside or outside the house, ensure that enough landing is
integrated to assure easy access to the elderly
• Staircase should be built in a way that the stairs are not directly visible to the guests.

The term Vastu, meaning a dwelling place, was initially used to refer to the homes of human beings.
However, with time, it came to be associated with the right location as well as the design of almost
any and every structure. Be it a plot, commercial complex, industry, shop/showroom, residential
house or spiritual place like temple. Vastu tips are followed while building each and every edifice.
Coming down to home, it takes an important place in all the activities of your day to day life. The
structure of a house forms one of the important considerations in Vastu Shastra. If the house
construction is weak, Vastu is also weak, and if house construction is strong, Vastu also works strong.

Roshan Seebundhun, Architect

275 B Royal Road, Forest Side, Rep of Mauritius
Cell: (230) 774 0043, Fax: (230) 670 4351
seebundhun@intnet.mu;info@dtsarchitectsltd.com
www.dtsarchitectsltd.com