An insight into Vastu Sastra: Adaptation to modern world
Vastu Shastra is an ancient body of knowledge for spatial arrangements that is based on the correlation between humans and the dwellings they inhabit. Whether or not it works is subject to each individual’s faith, just like religion. But, in today’s day and age where logic and science needs to take a front seat, it seems to not be the case when it comes to the role of Vastu in architectural planning. Almost every design decision seems to be revolving around Vastu and for this reason, we wanted to dig deeper into this subject and list the principles that make sense. We will not validate them from a religious point of view (Vastu purusha theory) nor from a spiritual point of view (positive and negative energies i.e., prana), but from a factual point of view.
The process, though, is not an easy one and with so much of hidden knowledge at hand, the field of vastu shastra remains riddled with several misconceptions. What we know and understand of it can be quite limited, as ancient wisdom is rarely clearly translated and applied in the modern culture. What we know for sure is that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. We, as humans, are enabled with a sense of direction. The “place cells” in our brain activate when we move into a specific location and they form a map of the environment. This shows that our brain is sensitive to orientation, position, and direction in space.
Directions also play a vital role in Vastu. The 24 hours of 1 solar day are divided into eight parts, which are associated with the eight cardinal directions. In each of these eight periods, the Sun is positioned in one of the cardinal directions. Because of the importance of sunlight to humans, the main aim of Vastu Shastra is to ensure that the inmates of a house are inadvertently exposed to the useful rays of sunlight, even if they are inside the house the whole day. However, during a day, people perform different activities in different rooms at different times and the sun’s position keeps changing from sunrise to sunset. So to ensure that the inmates are exposed to sunlight constantly, each room should be positioned so that it faces the sun at the time of the day when it is most likely to be used.
3am to 7.30am : North East and North
Morning rays are proven to be very beneficial for our health. Hence, it is advised to keep this area open without obstructions and let in as much sunlight as possible. Also, during this time, it is very quiet and peaceful. Therefore, it is to be allocated to wellness, may it be worship, meditation or even an open gym. Usually, this is the time we shower and prepare for the day. So, ideally, toilets can be placed in this quarter. It also makes sense as it is adjacent to the wellness area.
7.30am to 12pm : South East and South
Around this time, we prepare food and also leave for work. This is the reason why it is preferable to be in the south quarter of the building while at work. For those who do not go out to work, this is also a time to move into more personal spaces such as bedrooms or home offices. During work is when natural light is desired the most. So, make sure you place your home office in the south.
12pm to 6pm : South West and West
Back in the day, it was common practice for the master of the house (the person who manages the household) to rest after lunch. This is the reason why master bedroom is placed in the south west corner. However, since the heat is extreme during this time, minimal openings and filtered light is preferable. To create obstruction to heat, heavy items such as wardrobes are placed. This is also the time when kids return from school, so having a children’s bedroom and children’s study in this quarter is favourable.
6pm to 3am : North West and North
It’s time to relax after and is therefore allocated for bedrooms. Usually guest bedrooms or rooms that are occasionally used are placed in this quarter as they don’t receive a lot of sunlight. Also, every other quarter receives natural light throughout the day except for this one which is why it is best suited for safe-keeping and to hide valuables.
As logical as it sounds, these rules primarily rely on two assumptions:
1. The site is not surrounded by high-rise buildings that might obstruct natural sunlight.
2. The routine of the inhabitants is as it has been stated above.
What many people fail to understand is that Vastu is not a universal law. We need to understand the purpose of each of these principles to be able to adapt it to our routine and requirements. For example, the inhabitant might be working night shift and might come home only during the day or the inhabitant could be muslim who worships facing makkah (NE corner) 5 times a day during which the sun’s direction is constantly changing. Is placing the master bedroom in the SW corner still relevant when no one stays home all day and only return from work in the evening? Does the kitchen have to be in the SE corner if it’s being used only in the night to prepare meals for the next day? The science of Vastu Shastra remains a complicated and dynamic one. However, when leveraged effectively and tailored to the inhabitant’s activities, it can be a wonderful tool to impact their lives positively.
*Images via pinterest