VAASTU GUIDELINES

The following are the guidelines to design and construct an ideal house which houses
prosperity, protection and peaceful environment in the house. It is essential to understand and
interpret these ground rules and then apply.
THE MAIN DOOR of the house should preferably be located in any of the exalted positions from
the Northeast corner - either from North of Northeast or from East of Northeast. Doors can also
be in the South of Southeast or West of Northwest but in no case, should the main entrance be
from the center of any direction. Also the main entrance or door should be avoided in all the
following four directions, namely, North of Northwest, East of Southeast, South of Southwest
and West of Southwest. There should not be any obstruction or water body just opposite the
main entrance.
BALCONIES should be planned towards the East and North and should be definitely avoided in
the South and West. If balconies in the South and West cannot be avoided, then larger
balco-nies must be provided towards the North and East. Care should be taken while providing
balconies so that a cut or truncation is not created in the Northeast corner.
THE KITCHEN should be ideally situated in the South-east corner of the house and as an
alternative in certain cases, may be in the North-west corner, but in both cases, the cooking
platform should be arranged to facili-tate cooking while facing east only. The Kitchen should
never be in the Northeast corner and it should also be avoided in the Southwest too, as both
locations will create problems with respect to the health and finance of the inmates.
DINING ROOMS in the West and East can be used for DINING. The appetite can be stimulated
in the dining hall by having the walls painted in light pink or orange. A rectangular dining table
is the most preferred. In the dining room, while eating, one should sit facing East or West.
STORE ROOM Grains and other food can be stored in the Northwest sector. Oil, butter, ghee,
milk and other oily liquids can be stored in the South-east of the Northwest room.
GENERATOR When a generator or transformer is to be located outside the plot, it should be
placed in an open space in the Southeast sector. As a second choice, it may be placed in the
Northwest sector.
WATER TANK The overhead water tank should be located in the Southwest corner of the
terrace preferably in the West of Southwest.

PENTHOUSES, if built, should be in the Southwest corner of the terrace leav-ing an open space
in the North and East.
PRAYER ROOM The prayer room should be planned in such a way that it is placed either in the
Northeast corner or in the central portion (Brahmasthana) of the house. The pictures of the god
should touch the wall on the East side in the prayer room facing West; inmates should perform
their prayers facing East for better concentration and devotion.
GARBAGE No garbage should be thrown or dumped in the Northeast corner of the building or
plot and the Northeast should always be kept free and clean.
HEAVY EQUIPMENTS such as the grinder, fridge, etc, should be placed towards the South and
West walls in the kitchen. Even in the storeroom, racks should be built on the South and West
walls.
RAINWATER should flow West to East or South to North and ultimately flow out from the
Northeast corner of the house or plot.
DECORATION The Northeast, North and East walls should be decorated with photo frames,
mirrors, and paintings of gods and with wallpaper with natural scenery; whereas the West,
South and Southwest walls can be decorated with scenery in a dull or matte finish. The South
wall can be used for hanging pictures of departed souls. Pictures of living beings may be hung
on the Eastern wall.
It is always advisable, and it is considered profitable, to purchase additional adjacent plots on
the North-east, North and East sides.
Under no circumstance, should one acquire any plot adjoining the South or West sides of one's
plot. Any adjacent land acquired on the South or West side can be disastrous to the person.
MASTER BEDROOM The master bedroom should be in the Southwest corner, while other
bed-rooms can be in the Central-South and Central-West directions. A bedroom in the
Northwest is also recom-mended but should be used as a guest room or only for daughters.
Bedrooms should be avoided in the Southeast corner.
CHILDRENS ROOMS It is preferable to have children's rooms in the West or North. Children
should have their study desks in the North or East of the room and they should face East while
studying.

BED POSITION One should sleep with one's head pointing towards the South. Children,
how-ever, can sleep with their heads pointing towards the West. No one should sleep with their
heads in the North.
BEDROOM COLOUR The bedroom can be painted in light to deep blues to induce sleep. Green
is advised for study rooms to promote intelligence. Sandal/ yellow is advised for the prayer
room.
LIVING ROOM The living room should be located in the North or East sectors of the house.
Heavy chandeliers or fancy lamps should not be located in the geometrical center of the rooms.
They may be placed slightly towards the West or South of the room.
LIVING ROOM COLOUR Living rooms can be painted in white, yellow, light pink, light blue or
green. Grey, red and black are to be avoided.
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.
TELEPHONES can be placed in the Southeast or North-west corner but not in the Southwest or
Northeast.
CENTRAL POINT Always keep the center of the room, building and plot, free from any loads,
weights, pillars, columns, beams, water bodies, etc.
STAIRCASE It is preferable to have the staircase towards the South, West or Southwest of the
building but it may be in the Southeast or Northwest, depending on other parameters.
Staircases should be avoided in the Northeast, North and the East.
CIRCULAR/SPIRAL STAIRCASES are generally to be avoided. The number of steps in a staircase
should be odd, including the landing step, and they should rise from East to West or from North
to South. It is better to make sure that the steps are by the South and West walls, and that it
should be constructed in such a way that the move-ment is in a clockwise direction while going
upwards, that is from the ground to the higher floors.
TOILETS should be located in the Northwest cor-ner of the building or in the Northwest corner
of the rooms. Where Northwest toilets are not possible, Southeast toilets are allowed. Other
alternative directions for toilets are Central-South or Central West. Closets in the toilets should
face North or South, along the North-South axis; and should not face the East or West. See
figure for all possible locations for toilets and bathrooms.
TOILETS should be avoided in the Northeast, North and East.

MIRRORS in the toilet and dressing room should be on the North or East walls.
BATHROOM in the East sector is most preferred as the beneficial rays of the morning sun can
enter and promote the health of the user.
TABLE In the office or study room, the table should be placed in the Western or Southern side
so that one sits facing the East or North. No equipment, furni-ture, cupboards, etc, should be
placed touching the North or East walls and if it becomes unavoidable, they should be kept at
least 4" or 6" away from the walls.
CASH BOX Cash boxes can be located in the room towards the North (treasury). But if the box is
heavy (such as a safe, heavy almirah) then it should be kept in the South-west corner and the
door of the almirah should open towards the North.
STORAGE The storage or lumber-room can be located in the Southwest, adjacent to the Master
bedroom.
If possible, the house should be extended by 4 feet to 5 feet in the North-east direction to
ensure the Northeast directional bliss for the household. Growing tulsi and other beneficial
herbal plants in the North-east will promote good health and prosperity.
Pictures of landscapes depicting mountains should be hung on the South and West walls only
Land-scapes containing water, such as pictures of lakes and rivers should be on the North and
East walls. Pic-tures of eagles, battle scenes, and carnivorous animals should not be used for
interior wall decorations. Pictures of horses, cows and elephants can be used for decoration
purposes.
The directions of East and West are important as far as obtaining the energy from the sun is
concerned. The importance of the directions of the North and the South lies in the flow of
magnetic waves which flows from North Pole to South Pole. Therefore southward portion of
every building should be higher than the northward portion.
Besides this it should also be kept in mind that the inclination of land, building, floors of rooms
etc. should be towards North-East. In other words the parts in the West and South of the
building should be slightly higher than those in the North and East.