IS VASTU FACT OR FAKE?

VastupicRecently I visited my friend Ganesh’s house after three years. To my surprise, he has re-done the front gate and front door of his house. He has also changed his pooja (prayer) room to toilet and vice versa. What happened, I inquired.

It seems the position of the house is not right according to Vastu (Ancient Indian manual for environmental friendly construction). A Vastu Sastri (expert) said so. Hence Ganesh has been facing lot of problems and miseries in life. He made necessary changes based on the expert’s advice.

“Now are you okay?” I asked.

“Not much…In fact we are facing more trouble now. We have to take care of an extra burden of loan money taken for renovation of the house. So I suggested him to go to another Vastu Sastri….” his wife said.

“So, you have decided to chase Vastu Sastri’s and spending money? “I said.

“Uday, don’t you believe in Vastu?” Ganesh asked.

“Hmm…You have seen my family house in Thuravoor?”

“Yes – I really wanted to tell you. It’s looking south…According to Vastu Sastra, any house or establishment with an entrance from the south is inauspicious and doom is guaranteed….”

“No doom happened to us for the last 50 years! It may be its co-incidence, but all the houses that I stayed till day was looking south. I restructured my wife’s dilapidated house near Ernakulum YMCA spending few lakhs for our temporary stay – that house is looking south. The first house that I bought near Vyttila Junction is looking south. The flat near Koramangala where I stayed 20 years ago, was looking south. And most importantly, my current apartment is looking south!”

“You mean to say, Vastu is wrong?”

“Ganesh, to my understanding, Vastu is an ancient Indian manual of architecture and construction.”

Vastu is part of Atharva Veda. It is a supplementary branch (Upaveda). It’s called Sthapathy Vedam or Sthapatya Veda or Shilpa Veda. It deals with planning, designing, and construction of temples, houses, villages, and cities. Vastu Sastra has its origin in Sthapatya Veda. The word Vastu is derived from Sanskrit word ‘vas’ that means to dwell. The word (Vastu) is used to mean ‘for the place where we stay’. Sastra = wisdom (not science, as misinterpreted). It’s also called Vastu Veda, Vastu Vidya or Thachu Sastra. It defines proper construction and assembly of structures by ensuring the harmony of natural forces of earth, space, air, fire, and water. There were many versions of Vastu Sastra written by many authors like Varahamihira, Bhrigu, Manusara and Mayamata. Each had his own treatise, his own interpretations and had taken into consideration his own regions location, climate, social norms, materials of his time and his ethnicity. Hence you cannot generalize it.

“Oh – You have learned about it….”

“Not much – just went through some texts very long ago…”

“Then, how could you peacefully stay in an apartment looking south?” Ganesh turned impatient.

“I am coming to that – Some interpretation of Vastu talks about direction of the house, the placement of various rooms – pooja room, kitchen, bedroom, according to the movement of wind (air) and sun light. Many Vastu principles have scientific basis and reasoning (and many do not have). It talks clearly about cross-ventilation etc. It is a marvelous manual for the best architectural wonders and construction based on an environmental friendly philosophy, to live in harmony with nature and building the structure using organic and natural materials.”

“Yes, yes, it is great…”Ganesh got excited.

“Vastu was an authentic text then as there was no other civil engineering manual available. It was pure logic based on ‘Desa-kala-patra’ (Time, Place and Circumstance). When Vastu Sastra came into being there were no municipalities, town development authorities and building by-laws. There were no exhaust fans then, no chimneys. No electricity, no air-conditioner then. Vastu isn’t a thing just designed for a single plot – it is cross-connected to the socio-cultural traditions. It was for a full society, wherein every colony, every city was supposed to be designed on Vastu. There are many permutations combinations and ifs and buts hence Vastu cannot be applicable now…”

“Why?”

“In those days houses were built in a compound of 1- 10 acres then, using natural and organic building materials. It is written for such houses. Today houses are built in 1-5 cents using modern designs and where processed materials, plastics and synthetic materials used. How can Vastu be relevant? There are millions of structures constructed NOT according to the Vastu, but still they are aesthetic, study, roomy and comfortable, having no problems. .”

“What are you trying to say?”

“NO Vastu can ever guarantee you peace, happiness and success. No Vastu Sastri can predict your future based on Vastu. As long as something is helping you to live happily without harming others, there is no problem in practicing any beliefs. But in your case, Vastu creates problem….If you believe in Vastu, who would have consulted a good Vastu Sastri before building this house, not after building it…”

“Yeah – that was a great mistake…”

“Even if you had consulted earlier, things wouldn’t have different for you. The happenings in your life cycle are entire depending upon your karma, not on Vastu. It is stupidity to blame on your house and any other things for your wrong karma.”

“But the misfortunes happened to me because of the position of this house….”

“Ganesh, when the Sastri says ‘you are not responsible for the miseries and situations in your life, those things happened because of your house’, your mind gets some relief. Your ego derives pleasure when somebody puts all the blame on others or inanimate things. If you have the awareness that everything happened as the result of my own deeds, such superstitions would never thrive.”

He changed the subject: “But you didn’t answer my question on your house facing southward…”

“While Guru Nanak was visiting Mecca, he fell asleep with his feet pointing towards the holy Kaaba. The watchman noticed this and he kicked the Guru, asking: “How dare you turn your feet towards the house of God? At this Guru Nanak woke up and said, “Good man, I am weary after a long journey. Kindly turn my feet in the direction where there is no God.” Do you need any further explanation, Ganesh?” I asked. Vastu experts in some places ban North-facing entrance. The Maratha rulers (Peshwas) had north-facing doors to ensure wealth and happiness. In Pune at Shaniwar Wada, the Peshwas had a massive north facing entrance. Vastu did nothing to ward off the Peshwas bankruptcy and misfortunes.”

“But our first Sastri told me to re-work some part of construction and conduct few rituals…”

“Vastu Sastri should be an Acharya. He is known as Stapathi – dealing with Sthapthya Vedam. A real Sastri is not a soothsayer and cannot predict anything. Today, 99% of Vastu experts are frauds and masters of exploitation. Lot among them had learned Vastu through postal tuition. Vastu sastries bestow upon each other fancy titles like Vastu samrat, Vastu pravin, Vastu shiromani etc are taking you for ride. They cheat and exploit you, mis-using Vastu that has nothing to do with prediction.”

“But the person whom I am going to consult said that somebody in his village committed suicide because of wrong Vastu?”

“That’s how traders like him scare people like you – by spreading lies. Your fear is his money. If a person committed suicide, that’s because he is nuts or has some mind-related issues,” I told him. Then suddenly I asked: “Do you know the origin of Vastu?”

“It was sage Vishwakarma who authored the Vastu Sastra” he said.

“The palace of the Pandavas at Hastinapur was designed by Vishwakarma himself. Yet the Pandavas had their share of troubles, culminating in the most devastating battle of Kurukshetra. How did they win the great battle called life? They submit to Krishna. The Vijayanagara Empire, the richest Kingdom in the world, built upon Vastu, was totally destroyed by unethical Shahs of Deccan sultanates. Hundreds of thousands of vastu-compliant Hindu temples – architectural wonders – were pillaged by invaders! Vastu didn’t protect those temples.”

“But our scriptures say that, our happiness and peace depend upon Vastu.”
“Ridiculous. What scripture? Our Vedas and Upanishads say that peace, happiness and success will not accrue by mere positioning of perishable objects. Rather, lasting peace and happiness calls for awareness and realization of the divine… ”

“So there is no scientific basis for Vastu based predictions?” his wife asked.
“People predict things even using playing cards and cricket ball as long as superstitious consumers like you exist. As I said, Vastu is not science, it is Sastra. Vastu is a construction manual. But now it became a blind faith amounts to superstitions. Where was this ancient Sastra seems to have disappeared for several centuries before it popped up again in the late 80s along with liberalization? All superstitious things pop up recently because we forget our dharma, divine connection and feel insecure.”

“I am confused now – But I know you won’t misguide me.”

“Ganesh, if you want, you can take few tips ideas from Vastu while building home. But your problems and miseries in life have nothing to do with that. If you had done bad karma and did not surrender to divinity, you should definitely worry about things like Vastu Sastra. Nothing can help you until and unless you lead a sattvik life and do good karma, based upon your dharma. No Vastu can save you.”

“So what should I tell this new Sastri whose appointment we took?” he asked.

“Go and meet him. Ask him to provide his predictions and alterations need to be done in the house in writing before paying his fees. If those predictions don’t work, inform him that you would go to consumer court.”

By
Udaylal Pai
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37 Responses

  1. Rahul Sarkar says:

    Really i was worried too much about the location of my toilet(on its chamber) towards south-western direction of my plot. I tried to shift its chamber towards north -west of my plot,under staircase. Bt it was costly for me. Now, after reading your article, I’m free to make my toilet on its chamber towards south-west of my plot. In this way i also be able to have my desired home & save mony.
    Thanks a lot, sir.

  2. Geethma says:

    Thank you for sharing this great article.
    I’m from Sri Lanka.
    I’ve already had an appointment for vasthu architect in Sri Lanka for my new house.
    Actually I don’t believe in vasthu.
    But my mom really concerns.
    In that case, thinking about this vasthu all the time makes me unhappy.
    Just feel like I’m on the fence.
    Anyhow what I wannna know is, does it really matter the height and width of the main door and the all other doors and windows. And the length and width of a room and other area. Are there any standard measurement for them or can we do as our wish?
    Please let me know
    I need a reply.
    So I can give a best answer to my mum.

    • AMV says:

      Sorry, I Might be late to the answer,
      There are guidebooks for anthropometry and basic measurements in architecture and construction.

      You can refer to
      1) Neufert’s Architects Data
      2) Time Savers Standards
      3) Planning Architecture: Dimensions and Typologies
      4) Human dimension & interior space

      And you can refer to local regulatory guidelines from Central, State, District govt. manuals and development Control Regulation Standards for spaces that everyone in locality must comply, for ex: structural aspects, exterior design, Services, parking, setbacks, circulation, public utilities and connection related standards

    • Udaylal Pai says:

      I am not able to update the website regularly. So I suggest you to join Udaylal Pai’s WhatsApp Broadcast List – articles/ blogs/ answers:
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  3. Santosh Amarchand Gandhi says:

    Great uday ji, tremendous job,on vastu , unsuccessful persons in life,finds way for excuses rather thank creating positive energy in themselves
    Thanks once again ,it will be helpful for many,for changing life in positive mannet

  4. Deep Singh says:

    Thanks for sharing this article, such an eye-opener. I bought a north-east facing plot and about to build a house on it. After finalizing drawings it is just yesterday my friend told me that a house should be Vastu compliant since yesterday I am searching the internet and took an appoint with the so-called expert for tomorrow. My wife is already against believing in all vastu thing and she gave me the same example of Guru Nanak incident.
    Your article just pulled me out of darkness, thanks for saving my time and money. After reading this, I realised I should be focusing on progressive things rather than these bullshits.

  5. Jayasankar says:

    Very Good article for the first time i had read. I had traveled to many places in India. Please do not mistake or get angry on this line” people are AP are craze on Vastu or can i say Mad”. Just reading books written by some fake Vastu Consultants , they are getting carried away. Even in TN this is happening . Only in a Independent Bungalow u had to construct according the Ancient Vastu Sastra-how may knows it.?. Next is asking to buy Laughing Monk( Mistakenly called Laughing Buddha) . stones, and what not. I saw a Fountain in front of Office and i asked the MD for what it is and replied According to Vastu we had done it. I laughed at him. People are fooled by fake consultants. Just Belive in Almighty and pray to him.

  6. I am really great full to you for enlighten me about the reality of Vastu….recently i am very confused about the Vastu as different Vastu expert giving different opinion

  7. Siva says:

    Superb.. well said

  8. Neo says:

    Well expressed contention. well said: “Your ego derives pleasure when somebody puts all the blame on others or inanimate things”. But all said and done the vaastu cult will remain and pervade, since this world is driven by mindless ego, fueled by greed and loaded with dimwit safety features to handle ‘the fear of unknown’

  9. Gowthaman says:

    Excellent article. Before reading this article i thought to change of my house. Now i changed my mind to stay with the same house. Understand the peaceful life depends on good Karma and Dharma. Now i am peaceful.

  10. Shujat says:

    It’s great, to read trough. I have suffered from this situation many a times. My clients they will get my layout approved from vastu consultant and than later would like to amend it at 80% of work done, reason being some friend suggested a random sastri saying that this one is better than earlier
    One. My heart ache on waste of time, resources and money.
    Now I will forward this link to all my ongoing projects client s
    Thanks a thousands times.

  11. Premalatha Mariappan says:

    This article is an eye opener for me. Thank you so much

  12. Premalatha Mariappan says:

    I am sure this write up has open up many eyes. Our thoughts creates vibrations. We can lead a happy life with good thoughts.

  13. vilasini says:

    very good. I am a practising architect and have hard time making people understand these things. They seem to be so blinded by these vastu consultants. One simple example for vastu doesnt work anymore is – locating master bedroom in SW. This corner receives the late evening sunlight and radiates heat after 7-9 hrs(midnight). So AC bill shoots up. During summer this corner is the oven of the house.
    Hope These info will enlighten a few atleast.

  14. Pallavi Naik says:

    very food writeup…

  15. Chetana Naik says:

    Thanks a lot ….actually a light in darkness to open our eyes… one should believe in karma then in vasthu … it makes sense to believe ourselves then the materialistic placements or positions and living with expectations from vastu myths

  16. CHINTHU GEORGE JAMES says:

    Excellent, you shed some light in the darkness.

  17. vishal says:

    Thank you so much, we are also planning to book a new flat having south facing entrance.. and have doubts and discussions in home for the same. This gives a good thought that if you’re a good human being with good karma, no need to check vastu.

  18. Sakshi says:

    Many many thanks first of all. I have booked a new flat which is at South West direction. As per so called Vastu Shastra that is not good. But after reading your site all of my queries resolved. so many thanks once again. Great Guidance for people like me. Good job. Thank you.

  19. bhagya says:

    it really helps,thank you it’s change my mind,thank you so much.

  20. Remika says:

    There are genuine and fraud Vastu consultants. So are astrologers and yes, even doctors and useless teachers as well. Finding the right Vastu consultant is important if you want the correct benefits. Entry from South is a popular belief in South India and amazingly people only believe the right entrance means the house is Vastu compliant. In fact, a certain part of all 4 directions are right entrance points as per Vastu and the other part is not. Similarly, many other aspects, locations of rooms, water tanks, toilets, fireplace, elevation of different rooms play a very critical point in Vastu. I know of Vastu consultants who can not only tell you what problem you have been facing in a place but for how long and give good remedies that are not expensive- this is from personal experience. But again, one has to contact and get in touch with the correct consultant for the correct results.

  21. Pradeep says:

    good writeup

  22. Aanchal says:

    Thanks a lot for this wonderful writeup…

  23. TUSHAR says:

    An excellent write up debunking the myths on Vastu Sashtra. An eye opener on how people are taken for a ride by so called Vastu Sashtris. The examples of Guru Nanaka,Padavas, Peshwas etc.are convincing enough on the subject. Thank you Sir for an excellent analysis of the issue.

  24. prabhu says:

    Great writing. I totally endorse your words ” your ego derives pleasure ….. inanimate things”.

  25. bharat says:

    Thanks Uday. You have provided very good information in nutshell.

  26. John says:

    Hi
    It is a very useful information. I agree with the interpretation.
    Please keep up the good work.
    John

  27. Vishwas Rao says:

    A very good write-up and informative. As mentioned every thing is in your mind. The thoughts are the outcome of your mind. Vastu is just a manual and this is dependent on the time, place and circumstances. For eg, the vedas and Upanishads say that you have to perform agni karya at each and every home, is it possible now? We can also pickup some of the topics mentioned in “Tantra Saara Sangraha” written by Sri Madhavacharya.

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