PRNCIPLES OF VASTU SHASTRA

Principles of Vaastu Shastra The guidelines and rules of Vaastu Shastra have been laid down clearly in several ancient texts, but the principles upon which they have been formulated are steeped deep in the Indian philosophy of Vedas. The importance of Vaastu Shastra lies in understanding the basic principles as it analyses the blueprint which provides for a design system. Vaastu Shastra is essentially an art of correct setting whereby one can optimize maximum benefits of the Panchbhutas (five elements) of nature, earth's magnetic field and the rotational influence of the sun, moon and the other planets surrounding the earth, it has laid down several principles for constructing buildings. The fundamental principles of Vaastu Shastra are applied in constructing buildings such as houses, commercial complexes, industry layouts, towns, temples etc. There are five basic principles on which the great edifice of the Vaastu science of architecture stands. They are. 1. the doctrine of orientation; 2. site planning; 3. the proportionate measurement of building; 4. the six canons of Vedic architecture; 5. the aesthetics of the building. The doctrine of orientation: In Indian thought, the cardinal directions hold a particular significance. The various associations given to the eight cardinal directions (northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest and north) help elucidate the orientation principles of Vaastu Shastra. The theory of orientation of buildings is secular as well as ecclesiastical, as laid down by Indian designers of structures, which consists in setting them in such a way that they may get maximum benefits from solar radiation. The fixing of cardinal points thus occupies a prominent place in Vaastu Shastra. Site planning (Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala): Vaastu Shastra lays down various guidelines for choosing the proper site. It emphasizes strongly the examination of the soil, size, shape, taste, colour, smell and vegetation features of the land. If the plot of land is found to be satisfactory on all these criteria, then it is selected for the purpose of building a house, village, industry, town, fort etc. After the selection of land, the blueprint of Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala is provided for the grid that facilitates the inception of the design, and in addition to being the 'architect's square pad', where the concepts crystallize, each of its lines and divisions holds within it layers of meaning within which the intricacies of design unfold. The Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala adopts the shape of the site, and this functional attribute of the Mandala active in the mind of the designer in its ideal form of a square, acquiring a different shape in reality, is a primary example of its inherent flexibility. Not only does it adapt to the site constraints, but also it adopts the parameters of design requirements of contexts as diverse as the hot and-arid state of Rajasthan and the wet-and-humid state of Kerala, as well as the variations in building materials, functional requirements and the social and political context in which it is used.

The proportionate measurement of building (Maana): The third basic principle of Vedic architecture is Maana, the proportionate measurements. The measurements are divided into six categories – measurement of height, breadth, width or circumference, measurement along plumb lines, measurement of thickness and measurement of inter-space. The role of Vaastu Shastra in the system of measurement is to achieve harmony between the absolute and the quantifiable. Measurement mediates finality to an architectural concept, similar to the spoken word, which provides a frame over which the canvas of thought is stretched. Measure 'fixes' as well as 'evaluates'.

The six canons of Vedic architecture (Aayaadi-Sadvarga): There are six main components of a building, base (Aadhistaana), column (Paada or Stambha), entablature (Prastaara), ear or wings (Karna), roof (Shikara) and dome (Stupi). The Ayaadi formulas1 are some of the aspects analysed to assess the qualities of the house (Guna). In short, Aaya means measurement of building = length × breadth.

The aesthetics of the building: Aesthetics as a branch of philosophy deals with the nature of beauty. Applying aesthetic considerations to buildings and related architectural structures is complex, as factors extrinsic to spatial design (such as structural integrity, cost, the nature of building materials and the functional utility of the building) contribute to the design process. Notwithstanding, architects can still apply the aesthetic principles of ornamentation, texture, flow, solemnity, symmetry, colour, granularity, the interaction of sunlight and shadows, transcendence, and harmony. In Indian tradition, beauty is considered as chanda (moon); the structural aspect of building and its rhythmical disposition is like that of poetry. These traditional principles contour buildings in multifarious forms, structures varied from one another to suit the different classes of buildings, to satisfy different functions, and they never present an identical view. As a result, Vaastu Shastra has been described as a body of knowledge, which has been sustained, developed and modified by successive generations of architects through many centuries. It implies a tradition of knowledge that has, at various times, been ordered and expressed (and so is handed down to us) in a range of texts, with a variety of titles.

Compiled by

Vikas P Deshpande.

M. E. Civil, Structural Consultant.

Vastu and Feng Shui Consultant.

0434681647, deshpandevikas@gmail.com