VASTU

RESIDENCES & FLATS

NORTH (KUBER)

OPTION FOR KITCHEN

TREASURY
MORE OPEN SPACE

MEDITATION ROOM
ENTRANCE
PORCH
BALCONIES, VERANDAH
UNDER GROUND TANK

AVOID BED ROOMS

AVOID TOILETS

AVOID BED ROOMS

AVOID KITCHEN
AVOID SEPTIC TANK

BATH ROOMS

DINNING ROOM

STORE ROOM FOR

OIL, GHEE ETC.

STUDY ROOM

MORE OPEN SPACE

AVOID CELLAR

TOILETS
WARDROBES
DRESSING ROOM

BED ROOMS SLEEP

WITH HEAD ON SOUTH
OR EAST

STORE FOR HEAVY ITEMS

STAIR CASE BLOCK

STAIR CASE BLOCK

LIFT

OVER HEAD WATER TANK

AVOID CELLAR
AVOID WELL

AVOID CELLAR
AVOID WELL

SOUTH (YAMA)

KITCHEN FACE EAST

& COOK
AVOID UNDER
GROUND TANK
AVOID WELL

EAST (INDRA)

WEST (VARUN)

AVOID WELL

AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, VARRIOUS ROOMS SHOULD BE

ORIENTED IN THE HOUSE AS PER GIVEN DIRECTIONS
NORTH
GRAIN STORE

BED ROOM
FOR YOUND
COUPLE

CATTLE SHED
GRAIN STORE

MEDUIOINE
ROOM

WEST

ROOM FOR
EXPRESSING
SORROW

PUJA ROOM

ROOM

SATR ROOM

DINNING

OPEN COURT YARD

CHUMING
CURO

STUDY ROOM

ROOM FOR
WEAPONS

EAST

CATTLE SHED

TOILET

BED ROOM

STORE FOR
GHEE

KITCHEN

SOUTH

THE DIAGRAM GIVEN ABOVE SHOWS THE PROPER ORIENTATION

OF VARRIOUS ROOMS AS PER VASTU SHASTRA
RESIDENCES & FLATS

BATH ROOM
NORTH

The mild rays of the

morning sun East are
beneficial for health

Water should drain out

on the North or East
side.

PROPER
SPACE
FOR
TOILET

PROHIBITE
D PLACE
FOR
TOILET

SOUTH

EAST

WEST

The slope of the floor

should be Towards
North , East , or NE.

PROHIBIT
ED PLACE
FOR
TOILET

LAYOUT OF A COLONY
By Examining carefully, to have a general idea
about the merits & demerits of different sites.
Good sites
ROAD

To
before use

be

MAIN ROAD

NE Corner Rounded
off - Rectification
difficult
rectified

NW & SE Corner
rounded off - can be
considered

ROAD

MAIN ROAD

very

Corner
off - to be

ROAD

SW
Rounded
avoided

N
W

E
S

TOILET DETAILS
Wash basin & Mirror - North side wall - Good
Water Closet - South side wall North South axis - Good
Slope towards - North East Corner - Good
N

S
W

TOILET DETAILS
PROPE
R
PLACE
FOR
TOILET

PROPER PLACE
FOR TOILET

*W.C. should best facing south &

north (N-S Axis)
Floor of the Toilet should
slope towards north or east or NE
Water source should in the
NE corner.

SEPTIC TANKS
Septic Tank should not be directly touching the wall compound or the plinth of the House. It should
be alleast 1 or 2 ft away.
Of the 3 parts of the septic tank water should be in the East and the excretion in the West.
The length of septic Tank should be E -W and the breadth S-N as far as possible.

ST should not be higher then the plinth level of the bldg. It should be at the ground level as far as
possible .
The outlet of the ST should be in the North or West
LOSS OF BUBG

LOSS OF MONEY

NW

NE

THE
BEST
MED
IUM

N
W

LOSS OF MENTLE PEACE

SEPTIC TANK NOT

AT THESE PLACES

LOSS
OF
FAME

S
LOSS OF HEALTH

SW

SE
LOSS OF WIFE

TOILET DETAILS

Wash basin and mirror North side wall

GOOD

Water closet towards South East wall

BAD

Slope towards South-West Corner

BAD

Wash basin and mirror South side wall BAD

Water closet West side wall

BAD

Slope towards East Corner

BAD

BED ROOM
In the main SW corner of the SW side Bed room, heavy articles should be kept. The
bed should be towards South or West of the SW corner.
While sleeping if head towards:
West - Name, fame & prosperity
East - Mental peace, increases liking for spiritualism
South - Increases wealth & Prosperity
North - No sound sleep & mental sickness increases
The dressing table should be to the east of the North direction.
TV, heater & Electrical Appliances should be to the South East.
NORTH
DRESSING TABLE
TELEPPHONE

WEST

WINDOWS

STOOL
DOOR

BEDS

EAST

T.V.

WARDROBS
SOUTH

BED ROOM
*

Main bed room for the head of the family should be

South West direction.

Bed room for un-married Children can be built on the East side.

Bed room for Guest & Un-married Youths can be in the North West.

Bed room for Young Couples is good in the North direction.

Bed room of Head should be larger.

NORTH

SOUTH
PROPER PLACE FOR BED ROOM

PROHIBITED PLACE FOR BED ROOM

in the South or

POOJA ROOM
Toilet should not be above or below the worship room.
White or light yellow marble work in the worship room is auspicious.
The colour of the walls should be white , light yellow or light blue.
It should have doors & windows in the North East
Lamp should be in the SE corner.
The Pooja Room should have a threshold.
The idol should be kept atleast an inch away from the wall.
The door of the pooja room should not be made of tin or iron grills.
NORTH

NE (ESHAN)
PROPER PLACE
FOR PUJA ROOM

SOUTH

STUDY ROOM
* The person should sit facing North or East side while studying.
* The study table should not be placed touching the walls, it is inauspicious.
* Water pot must be placed in North -East corner only.
* Colour of the walls should be sky blue , Cream, light green or white
* Book shell should be placed along the North or east wall
N
FLOWER
POT

NORTH

PE
RC
E
DY
SOUTH

TABLE
BOOK
SHELF

TREASURURY ROOM
The safe should be placed on a foundation.
The colour of the room - Yellow - increases wealth.
The safe should not be kept under beam.
Case box , safe , almirah should be placed along the South wall , such
that it opens towards the North the man while opening it faces towards
south
Treasury room should have a threshold of atleast 1" to 2".
The shape of the room preferably should be square or rectangle.
PROPER PLACE
FOR TREASURY
ROOM

NORTH (KUBER)

SOUTH

KITCHEN ROOM
* Burner (Gas, Stove , Cooking range etc ) should be kept in the SE
Corner of the room , such that while cooking the person face Towards East .
* Water should be kept in NE.
* Shelves for raw Materials , utensils, commodities etc should be kept on
the South & West side
N
SINK &
DRAINAGE
BOARD

SHELVE

E
GAS
CHULLAH

NORTH

PROPE
R
SOUTH

SEPLACE

PROHIBITED PLACE FOR KITCHEN

BASEMENTS

ROAD

NORTH EAST CELLER IS GOOD

SOUTH-WEST CELLAR IS BAD

W

E
S

ROAD

NORTH WEST CELLER IS NOT GOOD

SOUTH EAST CELLAR IS NOT GOOD

DINING ROOM
While eating food the head of the family should sit facing East . Others
can sit facing North , East or West However nobody should sit facing
South.
There should be no Arches in the Room .
The Dinning table should be square or rectangular
not be of any other irregular shape.

shape . It should

There should not be any attached Toilet with this room .

Natural portraits & paintings makes the atmosphere happy.
NORTH

PROPER PLACE
FOR DINING ROOM

SOUTH

LOCATION OF DOORS
DOORS ON THE BASIS OF RASHI
On the basis of Rashi of the house owner , door is Auspicious in the following direction
RASHIS

DIRECTION

Cancer , Scorpion , Pisces

East

Virgo , capricom , Gemini

South

Libra , Acquarius , Taurus

West

Aries , Saggitarius , Leo

North

Direction
North -

No.

Name of Deity

Effect

27

Mukhya

Gain of property & sons

28

Bhallat

Enough property

29

Som

Peace , progress & Religious Nature

Porianya

Gain to females

Jayant

Gain of wealth, favour of Govt.

Indra

Gain of wealth & sons.

South

12

Virhatkshat

Wealth & sons

West

21

Varun

Prosperity & Happiness

East -

CONTD.NEXT SLIDE

NORTH
24 25

26

30

31

32 1

23
22

20

19

18

17 16

15

14

13

SOUTH

11

10

9 8

BASEMENT
CELLAR

CELLAR

ROAD

GOOD

N
BAD

S
ROAD

BAD
GOOD

LOCATION OF GATES AND WELLS

W
SITE
G
W
BAD SITE

SITE

BAD SITE

MADE
GOOD

MADE GOOD

SITE

W
SITE

BAD SITE

BAD SITE

MADE GOOD

MADE GOOD

(a) Bed room (Particularly master bed room) of building

should be placed in the south-west. It can be slightly
deviated towards south or west, If the placement is opposite
the effect will be extremely bad, lime loss of children or
financial loss or ill health, There are numerous such rules
developed to deal with every possible situation of lay out of
a building and its relation with the sit6e and surrounding
roads.

Because of the fact that stated cause and also the stated
effect in a rule are repeatedly observable and testable
phenomena, the statement giving cause- and - effect
relationship between tow phenomena can be considered as
a valid " hypothesis" for scientific investigation.

(b) The slope of the site should run down south towards
north with permissible slight deviation of the slope clock wise i.e. from S-W to N-E If this satisfied, then the
occupant/owner
will fetch wealth, health and fame,
otherwise effect will be negative.

(c) Highest part of the building should be at the south west

and the lowest part at the north-east, If the rule is satisfied
then it will cause owner/ occupant to uplift his health wealth
and fame, This desired orientation of high-low line of
building can be slightly deviated anti clock wise (from S to N
to S-E to N-W) with out causing any ill- effect, But the effect
will be just negative if the rule is grossly violated.

3. How a hypothesis is scientifically

Proved
Before proving a hypothesis scientifically it should first
stated in ambiguous way, Once it is done it can be proved
either (a) by deducting it logically from one or some
established laws and theories of science, or (b) by testing

the validity of the hypothesis by observing the phenomenon

in a sufficient number of cases, It is seen that both the
approaches are apparently used by the proponents to prove
rules of vastu even though wrong fully.

3.1 Logical deduction and established laws of

science
First method of scientific acceptance of
hypothesis is to prove the hypothesis based
on accepted facts, laws of theories of science
(i.e. scientific knowledge) following logical
steps, If the logical deduction satisfies the
hypotheses, we accept it

Is " Vastu" Relevants In Modern Context ?

1. INTRODUCTION
Practice of " Vastu Shastra" or "Vastu" in short which had been developed
in ancient India is spreading like wild fire now-a-days is an elaboration of
a small part of ancient practice of Vastu Shastra, This part was related to
the fortune of occupants. owner of a building, Other parts which are found

scientifically valid are normally ignored and not practiced now-a-days

(e.g.) accurate determination of geographic north which may be different
from magnetic north, Proponents of this part (called Vastu) of ancient
vastu, Shastra hail from various professions like law, medicine, Civil
Engineering or architecture, Most of them normally practice as "Vastu
Pandits" applying certain accepted rules with some variations, The term "
Vastu in this paper refers to those rules which are practiced by "Vastu

It is always advocated by the propoments of the shastra that any Vastu

rule can be proved to be scientific, based on the present day knowledge

of science even though these rules are

out-come of revealation by

regent visionaries of ancient India, While trying to prove any vastu rule
scientifically they resort

to unscientific approach. This recent

development totally related to the practice of architecture calls for

serious investigation from the part of architect revealing the scientific
status of this subject. This is because any untruthful guidance to the
people of planning of their building may lead to wastage in term of design
quality as well was money.

2. Cause-and-effect relationship
Vastu rules are primarily based on " Cause-and-effect" relationship. I restrict

myself here only to vastu rules related to residential building and its site
planning including orientation. Any of the rules contains tow distinct parts of
physically testable phenomena.
First part is related to some kind of planning aspect of the building/house
which is considered as a "Cause" and the second part is related to some
kind of well being of the owner/occupant of the building/house "effect" of
first.
Vastu Rule = Cause + Effect.
Where, cause = geometrical properties of plan particularly in relation to
north direction.
Let me cite here few of the vast number of commonly followed vastu rules to
give an idea about the nature of the rules.

Even

if

we

accept

all

above

queries

answered

satisfactorily , one question still remains : Why matching

of the magnetic field of both earth and human body will
cause "disturbed sleep, tension and other connected
problems" and why this will not be true when orientation
of a person in other direction ? (In this connection it is to

note that there is no mention of magnet in the original

books on vastu . In the original vastu shastra geographic
North is used instead of magnetic north. Magnetic North

may be different in orientation) declination from place to

place and time to time . At present however in India
magnetic

North

geographic North.

approximately

matches

with

the

(b)

Vastu and Sun rays :

"Vastu and the science of climatology"

The sun emits two types of rays ; ultra violate and infrared .
These rays have various effects on the human body and environment .
This is one of the basic principal of the vastu shastra . The sun emits
ultra violet rays in the morning hours , which have good effect on human
body and the environment - surrounding to him . These rays have
tendency to kill bacteria . This is way the kitchen is preferred in eastern
side . It is also good to have morning rays fall on our eye and which is
why the kitchen platform should be oriented towards eastern side so that
while cooking food ultraviolet rays will enter the eyes . The sun emits

infra red rays during evening hours which are harmful . Water bodies
placed at South West corners are therefore not desirable the reflected
infra red rays from the water body in this direction enter the house and
have adverse effect on human body .

Criticism : (i) In the morning sun emits more ultra violet rays than any

other time of a days (the statement actually made is "the sun emits ultra violet rays in the morning hours" which is not true and , therefore
modified to retain the sense ) and (ii) the sun emits more infra red rays in
the evening made is "the sun emits infra - red rays during evening
hours". Let us check the truthfulness of these two statements on which
conclusions are dependent.
The amount of radiation received just outside the atmosphere of

the earth on a plane perpendicular to the sun rays is 1353 watt. per sq.
M on the average which is called "solar constant". This value , however
may vary due to change in sun - earth distance in a year and also due to
solar activity . But this variation is not significant and can be ignored . If
sun rays enter directly from the zenith , radiation value on the surface of
the earth will lie within a range of 800-950 watt / sqm depending upon
the presence of turbidity in the air .

3.1.1 Vastu rules and established laws of

science

Proponents of vastu rule tend to prove the rules based on the deductive
approach from modern laws of science but without following any logical
steps. Some sort of falacy is always used to arrive at the conclusion, Let
us take

examples from book/ journals under wide circulation

in the

market, Below two examples are accepted as valid scientific proof of vastu
rules in almost all books on vastu, But all there are founded on wrong

notion of scientific knowledge.

(a) Human body as a magnet
" Human body itself acts as a magnet with the head, the heaviest

and important part of the body, as the North pole. If the head is directed
towards the North while sleeping, the North le of the earth and that of the
human body repel each other affecting the blood circulation, causing
disturbed sleep, tension and other connected problems.

Criticism:
It is well established fact that nervous system of the human
body communicates with the help of electric impulses , thus

producing electro - magnetic field around the part of the body .

Muscles also produce electrical potential . Activity of human
being is primarily controlled by the electrical and chemical

activity of the body . Any movement of charge , however small

will produce electrical field around the direction of movement,
Again any surrounding magnetic field will, thus have an effect

on the electrical activity of parts of human body, But

investigation of the statements quoted in the above paragraph
generates certain questions:

(i) Where it is proved that the entire human body the net result of these
tiny magnetic fields distributed within the human body is equivalent to a
magnet matching the sized of a human body?
(ii) Why " heaviest and important part of the body" (i.e. head) should be
have as North pole, It is to note that " the heart is the most powerful source
of electric and magnetic fields in the organism" and also that" in the eye
the magnetic filed induction is significantly higher that that of the brain.
(iii) Moreover, North pole of a magnet is not repulsed by the North pole of
the earth as claimed here, On the contrary, North pole of the earth attracts
North pole of all magnets, (For this reason we find North pole of a
magnetic needles pointing North pole of the earth. In fact North pole of any
magnet is North seeking pole .

The Ten Commandments of Vastu Shastra

1. The main water source or a water feature should be
towards the North-East.
2. The kitchen, Generator room, furnace or boiler should be
towards the South-East.
3. The guestroom, store or children's bedroom should be
towards North-West.
4. The guestroom, store or children's bedroom should be
towards South-West.
5. The centre should be light and airy.

The Ten Commandments of Vastu Shastra

6. There should be more open space towards the North and
East as compared to the South and West.

7. The South and West floor levels should be higher than

the North and East.
8. The South and West boundary walls should be higher
than the North and East walls.
9. The entrance is preferred from the North or East.
10. You should sleep with your head towards the South and
raise the headside by 3".