The Bedroom should not have photographs depicting waterfalls & sea since such sceneries create conflicts

between husband & wife. In case any such wall hanging or photograph is already in the room the same should be removed. Never put a mirror in the Bedroom in case the same is there it should not be present in front of the Bed, the same should be covered with a cloth at night. In case someone is constructing a new house it is advised that the mirror in Wardrobes & Almirahs can be placed inside the door. Similarly Television should not be placed in the Bedroom since it brings Yang Energy which a carrier of negative energy , whereas Humans require Yin energy which a positive energy carrier. In case the TV is existing the same should be covered at night so that there is no reflection of objects on the TV screen at night. Always switch off the TV from main switch & remove the plug to avoid any vibrations. In a situation where husband & wife are facing some conflict or misunderstanding then the South West area of the Bedroom should be energized. There should be more usage of red color for eg: putting of red color bedsheet over the bed, wearing red color nighty, putting a symbol of love bird in south-west direction, Khushi Chinh?? In the bedroom to create positive & happy relation between husband & wife. The position of bed also plays a important role in the bedroom. The bed should be placed in a corner so that it takes less space & the room looks bigger in size. It also helps in viewing the to & fro of others in the room. While sleeping the position of the legs should not be towards East or South direction & neither towards the door. The shape of the bed should be round from the corner. The position of the head while sleeping should be towards the wall. Both partners should take one big pillow instead of taking 2 separate pillows while sleeping. None of them should sleep below the beam, in case the beam is on their head they should put 2 bamboo sticks / flues wrapped in a red cloth & put them at a 45 degree angle adjacent to the beam. Picture of Lord Krishna with beloved Radha can also be placed in the bedroom for a loving relation. Vaastu Suggestion for Temple in Home The Temple at home should never be on South-West direction it should always be on Ishaan Kone side i.e. North-East direction.. If the temple is not in such direction than a person should face towards North side while praying to Lord. Too many idols should not be kept in the temple. Not more than one idol of each Lord should be kept. Never keep a distorted idol the same should be dispersed in floating water / river. Always keep a sitting idol of Goddess Laxmi in the temple as she blesses with Wealth & Prosperity. The temple should be kept clean try to clean it everyday or atleast once in a week. Fresh flowers should be offered while praying. The fragrance of Dhoop & Agarbatti should be spread in whole house as this generates positive energy & mind remains tension free. Vaastu Suggestion for Kitchen The kitchen at home should be towards South-East direction since its a fire corner. Black granite stone should not be placed since its a symbol of water. In case the black granite is there then a wooden piece of any other Mat can be placed below the gas. As water & fire should never be together in the kitchen. The sink should be on the left side of the gas. Kitchen should not be on north side. If the kitchen is not in south-east direction, the door of the kitchen is visible from main door , if it is

below the stairs & fire & water are on same shelf in case of such errors to improve & remove the negatives a picture of Ganpati Bagua should be placed on top of the door of the kitchen. One can even place crystal ball to remove the errors. There should not be any beam in the kitchen in case the same exists then a yellow color bulb should be placed in the kitchen. Temple - A divinistic relationship Aum asaoto ma sadgamaya Tamaso maa jyotiragamaya Mruytorma amrutam gamaya Aum Shantih! Shantih! Shantih! O Lord, lead me from the unreal to the ultimate reality, from darkness to light and from the death of ignorance to the immortality of knowledge. The journey of unreal to real, darkness to light and from ignorance to knowledge can be easily completed in a place like Temple. Temple is a place where divinistic relationship is easily accomplished. Temple construction is an art which needs lot of skill and expertise. Knowledge of both technology and mythology is equally required to construct a temple. It can also be termed as a place that ensures spiritual happiness. The architectural norms of temple have taken birth from the Vedic books. The aim of Vedic philosophy is to first discover the secret laws of nature and then to shape a pattern that can be used in life. Temple plays an important role and needs to be duly considered. The ideal place for creating a temple in a house is in the North - East direction. It is believed that worshiping in North - East direction will enhance more strength and concentration. Sometimes, due to certain constraints, puja room cannot be placed in the North - East direction. In that case the alternative is to place it in the North - East corner of any room. It can be drawing room, dining room, study room, kid's room, or lobby etc. It should be made clear that temple should not be located in bedroom, dressing room, store, kitchen or opposite to a bathroom. The location of temple in a dwelling plays a very important role. People often tend to commit mistakes in the concept of direction of puja room. People shift their puja room to the North East corner in such a way, which can act as a blockage. North East corner of the house is considered as the most divinistic and spiritual place. It should be open so that it can allow cosmic benedictions to enter the house. A raised platform floor or a wall can act as a blockage too. In Northeast temple, idol should be placed on a hollow platform. Otherwise NE should be kept vacant and puja room can be shifted to Northeast east. The below mentioned points should be taken into consideration:

y y y y y y y y y y

The puja room should always be neat and clean. It should be placed in NE or East of the building. Ideally God should face West whereas the devotees should face East while worshipping. In public temples, God should face East while the devotee should face West. The shape of temple can be sthandila (square), mandala (circular) or semi circular in shape. It can be of any other regular shape with no cuts and extensions. The slope of the temple should preferably be towards NEE. Blue, Purple or white can be used in temple. White marble should ideally be used in the flooring. The design pattern in the temple should have cosmic spirals as a part of the design element. The doors and windows should be in even numbers and they should have two panels each. There should not be a door at the back of the devotee at the time of worshipping.

The idol of God should always be kept at the eye level or above eye level but not below, so that devotees are seemed to be at a position being blessed and God must be at a position of showering blessings.

y y y

The "Vedikas" for yagnas should be placed in SE of the temple. Water and fire should not be placed together. Brooms should not be kept in the temple and cloth should only be used to clean the floor.

In today's world, an attitude should be built first before building up a temple. Now a day's people convert any corner of the house, which is lying vacant as a temple. Ideally the placement of God in the right place should be the first thing to be done. But generally it is not so. People create temples in almirahs or any hidden or unused corner. In case of paucity of space, a small hanging temple from the market can be purchased and hung on an appropriate wall in the right direction. But the following points should still be taken into consideration in case of a hanging temple:

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Such a temple should be hung in open. It should be beautifully graced with satin or velvet cloth. Preferably there should be 3" or 4" breathing space on all sides of the hanging temple. The wall on which hanging temple is hung should have a light shade preferably white. It should not be hung inside a bedroom, store and opposite to a bathroom. It should preferably be hung in NE of the house. Another important aspect that should be kept in mind is cleanliness around the temple. Idols made of stone are not recommended in home.

It is also seen that due to paucity of space people convert their cupboards as temples. Although such a practice is not recommended as a cupboard temple act as a closed box. Hanging temples are considered better than cupboard temples. In case, puja place is created in a cupboard then following points should be taken into consideration:

y y y y y y

Keep the cupboard as light as possible. Remove the panels of the cupboard and place velvet or silk curtains. The curtain can be off white, blue or purple in colour. Colour the inner potion of the cupboard temple with colour or cloth. Create life inside it by placing camphor lamp, flowers, bells and incense etc. Always prefer decluttering in the room where cupboard temple is placed.

It is commonly noticed that people place statues of God anywhere in the house other than puja room. These statues are almost treated like a showpiece. This practice should be seriously discouraged. It should be preferred that picture or statue of God should only be placed in a puja room. The idol of God should always be kept in a place where they are paid proper respect, devotion and care. The above mentioned are some basic tips for a systematic worship and also for finding a proper place of devotion, which can lead to the prosperity, happiness and peace, as well as the blessing of almighty forever. So, let's earn the positive energies as well as the blessings of the almighty for a blissful life. Serve Bhavantu Sukhinah Serve Santu Nirmaya Serve Bhadrani Pashyantu Ma Kaschid Dukhbhagbhavet May all be happy May all be free from disabilities, May all look to the good of others, May none suffer from sorrow. Let the whole world be in peace and prosperity.

Hindu Architecture: Vaastu Shastra We often hear devout Hindus say, "Hinduism is more than just a religion; It is a way of life." While members of other religions also like to say the same thingfew devoted people want to think that their religion is not a way of lifethere is actually some justification for the Hindu statement. We can say this because Hindu culture has never fully separated its so-called secular side from its religious side, something that has taken place in many other religions as a result of the secularizing influence of modernity. We have noted this fact in reference to astrology. Hinduism still includes, not only religion, but also astronomy, astrology, grammar, mathematics, law, medicine, politics, diplomacy, war, love, architecture and many other branches of knowledge. In this way, Hinduism is holistic. It is not just about theology. Vaastu Shastra It is popular in many Western countries to hear about the ancient Chinese system of Feng Shui, which attempts to align the energies of the physical world with the life of man. The branch of Hindu learning that includes these ideas is called Vaastu Shastra, Hindu Architecture. In Sanskrit the word vaastu means a building or structure and so the expression vaastu shastra is the science of structure. Like Vedic astrology, vaastu is a vast and highly developed branch of learning and in this installment I can describe only the most basic principles of this subject. There are, of course, whole books devoted to this wonderful subject and an interested reader is encouraged to study these books, especially if one is planning to build or buy a home, commercial building or land for construction. Hindu Architecture addresses two kinds of buildings: religious structurestemples and shrines and non-religious structures, civic buildings, business complexes and residential homes. In Hindu culture, not only is the home and family all important, but so is the actual building where the family lives. Consequently, how a physical building is designed and constructed is a matter of deep concern. Hindu traditions tell us that there are forces, some subtle and others not so subtle, some positive and some negative, around us at all times, and like the Chinese system of Feng Shui, it is in mans interest to arrange his life to take advantage of these positive forces and avoid the effects of the negative forces. It has been observed that through the proper orientation of a building and other techniques, the positive forces can be focused in a way that will lead to an increase in wealth, happiness, and harmony for the residents of such a building. Conversely, the wrong orientation of a structure and other architectural failures can cause unhappiness, disease and troubles for the inhabitants. The same can be said for other buildings including temples, business and civic structures.

In our discussion on astrology, we pointed out some of the essential principles of Hindu theology that affect not only astrology, but many other subjects of learning, including Hindu architecture. The first is the idea that the world is a manifestation of the body of God or, more precisely, the world is the body of God. A sacred structure such as a temple is designed to be not just the home of God, but the actual body of God. The building is sacred because it is the Deity directly. The second principle concerns the relationship between the macrocosm and the microcosm. A tiny structure like a temple or a home, compared to the large universe, is constructed as a miniature version, a microcosm, of the greater universe, the macrocosm. And finally, the third principle teaches that the part always contains within The comic body overlays a building site itself the whole. Design a building by aligning the universe on the inside with the universe on the outside, knowing that the whole is within, and you control the forces of the universe within that building. Hindu architecture always begins by laying the cosmic body of God (purusha) over every building site (mandala). This is call the Mandala Purusha. The accompanying diagram illustrates this and shows how this cosmic body is positioned in relation to the site. Notice that the head of God lays in the northeast corner. The basis behind this orientation is the principle of maximization of light that is described by the metaphor: the sun equals light, which equals knowledge, which equals consciousness and ultimately spiritual enlightenment. The east is the source of light and of all the points along this eastern axis the north-east point is the most important because it is the point of maximization of light. On June 21st of every year the sun The Divinities that govern direction rises in the north-east and this is the day when daylight is longest and darkness is shortest. There is maximization of light at this point and so the north-east corner is called Gods corner (isha-kona). The cosmic head, which is a symbol for enlightenment, is placed in the northeast. It is perhaps a little crude to mention, but notice where the cosmic anus is located. Ancient Hindu culture includes everything! This is the position reserved for the negative forces of the universe, personified as demons. The south-west corner, which is the exact opposite of the north-east corner is not considered an auspicious place and so when arranging a home one should avoid placing the meditation, kitchen, or financial areas in this place.

In addition to the sun, there are, of course, many other powerful forces that affect the life of man, and so these forces have also been considered in Hindu architecture and given their respective places. One of the most common features of Hinduism is its tendency to personify all things and so these forces are personified as Gods and given their proper seats in the various directions of Hindu architecture according to how they are positioned in the macrocosm, the greater universe. See the accompanying diagram that illustrates the sitting places of these powerful forces. Agni, the god of fire, sits in the south-east corner and so this is the ideal direction for a kitchen. Kuvera, the god of wealth sits in the north, so this is the best place for keeping financial matters. In this way, knowing the places of these forces, the next illustration shows the basic arrangement of how any building should be designed to create an alignment with the forces of the universe. This is the basis of Hindu architecture. Beyond this there are, of course, a large number of details. Below I provide just a few details found in Vaastu Shastra along with my explanations (in italics) to help the reader get an idea of how the system of vaastu works. Exactly how a building is designed will vary greatly according to the site and the needs of the family in the case of a house for example. There is a lot of flexibility built into this system of architecture. *No garbage should be dumped in the north-east corner of the site or the building. The reason for this is obvious: the northeast corner is Gods corner. *Lawns and gardens with small plants should be grown in the northern and eastern side. Large trees should only be planted in the south and western sides, never in the east and north-eastern sides. The east is the source of spiritual power and so this energy should never be blocked or obstructed. Blocking the southern direction blocks death. In addition, planting tree in the south and west provides cooling shade against the hottest positions of the sun. *Beds should be placed so that when one sleeps the head is directed towards the south, east, or west, but never towards the north. A persons body is a tiny magnet with a north and south pole. Ones head is the north pole. The universe is also a magnet (a very big magnet!) with a north and south pole. Polaris, the north star, is the north pole of the universe. Place two magnetic poles together and there is a repulsion. So to sleep with ones head in the directions of the universes head is the same as placing two north poles together. There is repulsion. Therefore sleep will be better when the head is placed towards the south or another direction other than north. *Main doors should open to the east, north or west, but never to the south. The east is the source of divine light and therefore this is the preferred placement for the main door of a house. The south is the direction of the God of death and so a main doorway should not open to death.

*The site should be higher in the west than in the east. By sloping slightly to the east the site is open to the east, the source of divine light. In addition, a slope provides for water drainage. *The staircase should be located in the south, west or south-west corner. The stair or elevator area is not considered useful living space so these things are relegated to less important areas of the building. *A Kitchen should be located in the south-east corner, but may also be in the north-west corner. In either case the cooking area should allow facing east while cooking. The south-east the the place given to the fire divinity, Agni. A kitchen involves fire, so the placement is obvious. The cooking fire is a miniature sun and therefore light, so facing the cooking fire and facing east while cooking is facing light. *A Kitchen should never be in the south-west because it will endanger the health of residents. Notice that the south-west is the the place of the cosmic anus, so placing the kitchen in this location is not favorable for health. Instead the south-west is the proper place for toilets, garbage and storage of things like tools. *The site should be square or rectangular. Sites with triangles, round shapes, with five corners or more, or having odd shapes should be avoided. Symmetry is the basis of Hindu aesthetics, Odd shapes confuse or otherwise obstruct the flow of energy and create an imbalance of energy. A shape such as a triangle does away with one whole flank of energy. *The treasury should never be located in the west or south-west. The deity of wealth resides in the north and so the financial part of a house should be in this position. As we have noted, the south-west is the place of negative energy, so one should avoid subjecting wealth to negative energy. *The meditation area ideally should be in the north-east, but should never be in the south-west. The north-east is Gods corner and the south-west is for less positive things. The placement for meditation is obvious.

A sample Vaastu layout for a home

Finallly, here is a sample home design that conforms to the principle of Vaastu Shastra. I provide this just to give a simple idea on how a building can be designed. There can be many many such designs. What I have described in this short discussion on Vaastu Shastra is only a basic outline of what is a detailed and complicated subject. In spite of this, I have provided the essence of the subject matter as far as residential homes are concerned. There can be endless designs and there are many ways to adjust the designs and even design methods and pujas that can be performed to settle or neutralize problems and defects in the site and even in existing homes. Vaastu Gyaan

Vaastu means the dwelling of humans & Gods. Vaastu shastra is an ancient science which helps one to get the natural benefits freely offered by the five basic elements of the universe in which we all live. These basic elements are Akash (SKY), Prithvi (EARTH), Paani (WATER), Agni (FIRE), and Vayu (WIND). Vastu Shastra can be applied by keeping in harmony with these basic five elements of nature. Vaastu Shastra is an edifice science that was developed by our learned people thousands of years ago. Its application today is purely architectural and its principles are based on becoming one with nature. Many Vaastu rules are derived from 'Vaastu Purusha Mandala' which is depicted as a man lying with his head pointing north east, in a grid of usually 64 squares. The different directions and sectors are assigned to different Gods and Guardians.

In doing Vastu of any place , home, work place, building, factory, land or plot we try to harmonize the place with respect to the five basic elements called as Panchbhoota namely Air, Water, Fire, Earth and Space. We shall discuss about importance of each of this element and how well we can harmonize them to relieve a stressful life, bringing 3 P's viz peace, protection and prosperity in our lives.

y y

y y y

WATER: Water bodies in north or east are considered good. As far as the flow of domestic water is concerned, it should be borne in mind and that such water should be drained out in North East. Wells, tubewells, swimming pools etc. should all be in the North-East. The water from the toilets and bathrooms, too, should be drained out in the North- East. The North-East direction is always auspicious and suitable for water. There are sewer-systems in the cities. The Septic tanks or the flow of sewer systems should be towards North - West. The flow of rain or fresh water should be towards North-East. FIRE: The direction of Fire is South-East. The Kitchen, fireplace, geysers etc. should be placed only in this direction. Alternatively these could be placed in North-West, because it is at 180 degree to South-East. The Vastu Fire Element One can take care of the South-East Corners of all rooms and aim for Hapiness in the family, Good Health, Sound Finances, and Nice Married Life. As South-East belongs to Agni he can create enough trouble for inmates. The South-East corner of every room should be taken care of it. One can keep Agni - Vastu Fire Element cheerful by having a spotlight or lantern in the South-East corner with light or burning flame pointing to the roof. One can have the Electrical gadgets like Television, VCR, Fridge, Computer, Fire-place, Microwaves, radio etc placed in South-East corner. AIR: The air should enter the building from North -East. All the openings and media for air entry such as doors, windows, ventilators coolers, air-conditioners, verandahs, balconies etc. should be in this directions. SPACE OR OPEN SKY: The open sky influences greatly. We can get the effect of terrestrialenergies uninterruptedly. But the buildings prove a barrier to the effects of open sky. Therefore, the importance of roofs or lawns gets emphasized, but the Vastu shastra has refrained from deliberating in detail over it, because it is related chiefly to building construction and we will discuss only this aspect. Traditionally every house in India used to have an open space (Court Yard) in the center of the house. It provided the dwellers not only the open sky but also sunlight and cross-ventilation of air. SHAPE OF PLOT: Favourites are regular shaped square or rectangular plota AND irregular shaped plots are normally avoided. OBSTRUCTION: Obstruction like big trees, open well, pillars and posts before a arrow like roads are to be avoided. IDEAL SITE: A building should be constructed preferably in a square plot the house should be constructed in the for house centre and in rectangular plot it should be nearer to construction south, south west and west sides preferably leaving more in a plot open space on north and east. "L" or Considered not suitable for house as corners will be "U" shaped missing and occupants will be missing opportunities.

Quick Vaastu Shanti Tips

When sitting for worship, keep your face towards North-West and sit in that corner to intake air from that direction. 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 Southwest corner and the door of the almirah should open towards the North. 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 Northwest corner but not in the Southwest or Northeast. An aquarium with 9 gold fish and one black fish, in the north east corner/portion of the house or factory is very good. If the north-east area is untidy or unshapely, the well being of male issues is found to be precarious. One should sleep with his head pointing towards the South. Students should be facing east while studying, for Academic Excellence. If the kitchen is off the proper place, some member or the other is always found to be suffering from severe digestive disorder. Keep the Gas in the south east corner of the kitchen Person should face the east while cooking. Drinking water should be in the north east of the kitchen. While Taking meals the plate should be in South-East. The statue of Hanumanji should not be placed in South-East. It may create fire hazard. All the doors should open inside so that the energy may remain inside. The hinges of doors should be noiseless. If so. The hinges may be greased periodically. The doors should open towards right hand. Bed should not be put under a beam. There should not be five corners in the ceiling of a room. Efforts should be made a leave the rooms open on North-East side. While ascending the staircase, the face should be either towards the north or the east. The seat of the toilet should face North-South. No doors or windows should be provided on South-West side. Almirahs and beds should be set very close to the South - West wall and at a distance from the north - east wall. A house should not have paintings, which depicts depressing scenes, i.e. like an old woman crying, scenes of war or poverty. It should have picture of say, a sunrise, an ocean, mountains, flowers or laughing children. Tall trees are nowhere recommended close to the main building. For trees the south in itself is good and so is the west. No tree should be grown in the north and the east. The one at the north-east is the worst. Small decorative plants and shrubs may be grown in the north and the east. The height should not exceed, say, half a meter at the north-east increasing gradually to not more than 1.5 meter as one moves from the north-east to the north-west or to the south-east end. Except rose and a few medicinal ones, all thorny plants give rise to tensions in the environment. Plants exuding white sap should also be kept off. Lime and karonda etc. are OK in an orchard but not in residence or business premises. Amongst the beneficial plants, the best is Tulsi. It is commendable to keep at least one Tulsi plant in the north-east area of the premises, but its height should not exceed 1.5 meter. Growing creepers/climbers with support on the compound wall or a house wall is best avoided. Cactus should not be planted or kept in the house. In the South-West Corner of the house one should sleep pointing his head towards south. If north of any house is blocked it blocks prosperity. Water flowing/water fountain from north to east is very good.

Directions & their respective Rulers

North-east (Eshan) is ruled by Sadasiva or God Himself. Hence this direction is paramount, which demands keeping it scrupulously clean, open and highly receptive in a welcome "mode" always. East is ruled by Indra, the chief of the gods, giver of pleasures. The direction also represents the realm of the rising Sun projecting ultra-violet rays, so essential for health in several ways. South-east (Agneya) is the habitat of fire, the storehouse of energy. South is the abode of Yama, the god of death. South-west (Nairitya) is the abode of Putna demoness. West is the abode of Varuna, the god of ocean. It is also the direction of the setting Sun which gives infra-red radiation. North-west (Vayavva) is the abode of air/wind, the invisible, but the most effective blessing for all objects in need of motion/movement for their efficiency. North is the abode of Kuber, the god of wealth.

REMEDIES FOR CONSTRUCTION MADE AGAINST THE PRINCIPLES OF VASTU:

Sometimes, it so happens that the man does such acts, out of ignorance, which harm him and their remedy seems impossible. Here, we are giving solutions to the problems of those, who had constructed their houses against the rules of Vastu -Shastra. To overcome following information is given, however, it is strongly recommended that the Vastu of your own house especially correction of Vastu should be done with the help of Vastu expert and should not be attempted by acquiring shallow knowledge or tips for Vastu. Few ill effects of Vastu if not done correctly and remedies are discussed below for only general information. If some river or drain is flowing in a direction other than the north-east direction of the house and has anti - clock movement, then it is advised to place a statue of dancing Ganeshji facing the west on the north-east corner of the house. If the boring has taken place in the wrong direction in a house or a factory, then it is advised to place a picture of Panchmukhi Hanumanji, facing South-West to the boring. If a naked wall is seen while entering into a flat, then either a picture or a statue of Ganeshji should be placed there. The naked wall is the sign of loneliness. Hence, the wall should not be kept naked. If high voltage overhead wires pass over a house, then a plastic pipe filled with lime should be erected from one corner to the other of the affected area in such a manner that its both ends should remain outside by at least three feet each. This will eliminate the evil effects of energy being generated out of the overhead wire. In certain cases, energy circles can be improved by using Swastika Yantra. But, this requires a lot of care. This should be handled under the supervision of an able Vastu Shastri.

IDEAL HOUSE WITH PERFECT VASTU:

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 balconies 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 Southeast corner of the house and as an alternative in certain cases, may be in the Northwest corner, but in both cases, the cooking platform should be arranged to facilitate 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. 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. Grains and other food can be stored in the Northwest sector. Oil, butter, ghee, milk and other oily liquids can be stored in the Southeast of the Northwest room. 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. 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 leaving an open space in the North and East. 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. 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. 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 Northeast, 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. The master bedroom should be in the Southwest corner, while other bedrooms can be in the CentralSouth and Central-West directions. A bedroom in the Northwest is also recommended but should be used as a guest room or only for daughters. Bedrooms should be avoided in the Southeast corner. 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. One should sleep with one's head pointing towards the South. Children, however, can sleep with their heads pointing towards the West. No one should sleep with their heads in the North. 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. 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. 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 Northwest corner but not in the Southwest or Northeast. Living rooms can be painted in white, yellow, light pink, light blue or green. Grey, red and black are to be avoided. Always keep the center of the room, building and plot, free from any loads, weights, pillars,

columns, beams, water bodies, etc. 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 movement is in a clockwise direction while going upwards, that is from the ground to the higher floors. Toilets should be located in the Northwest corner 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. A 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. 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, furniture, 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 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 Southwest corner and the door of the almirah should open towards the North. 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 Northeast direction to ensure the Northeast directional bliss for the household. Growing tulsi and other beneficial herbal plants in the Northeast will promote good health and prosperity. Pictures of landscapes depicting mountains should be hung on the South and West walls only Landscapes containing water, such as pictures of lakes and rivers should be on the North and East walls. Pictures 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.

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VASTU SHANTI TIPS ( FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY):

When sitting for worship, keep your face towards North-West and sit in that corner to intake air from that direction. 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 Southwest corner and the door of the almirah should open towards the North. 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 Northwest corner but not in the Southwest or Northeast. An aquarium with 9 gold fish and one black fish, in the north east corner/portion of the house or factory is very good. If the north-east area is untidy or unshapely, the well being of male issues is found to be precarious. One should sleep with his head pointing towards the South. Students should be facing east while studying, for Academic Excellence. If the kitchen is off the proper place, some member or the other is always found to be suffering from severe digestive disorder. Keep the Gas in the south east corner of the kitchen. Person should face the east while cooking.

Drinking water should be in the north east of the kitchen. While Taking meals the plate should be in South-East. A house should not have paintings, which depicts depressing scenes, i.e. like an old woman crying, scenes of war or poverty. It should have picture of say, a sunrise, an ocean, mountains, flowers or laughing children. Tall trees are nowhere recommended close to the main building. For trees the south in itself is good and so is the west. No tree should be grown in the north and the east. The one at the north-east is the worst. Small decorative plants and shrubs may be grown in the north and the east. The height should not exceed, say, half a meter at the north-east increasing gradually to not more than 1.5 meter as one moves from the north-east to the north-west or to the south-east end. Except rose and a few medicinal ones, all thorny plants give rise to tensions in the environment. Plants exuding white sap should also be kept off. Lime and karonda etc. are OK in an orchard but not in residence or business premises. Amongst the beneficial plants, the best is Tulsi. It is commendable to keep at least one Tulsi plant in the north-east area of the premises, but its height should not exceed 1.5 meter. Growing creepers/climbers with support on the compound wall or a house wall is best avoided. If north of any house is blocked it blocks prosperity. Water flowing/water fountain from north to east is very good.

Vaastu Shanti Tips for Offices/Businesses

In the office, the temple should not be placed at the back of the owners seat. The owner seat must be facing east or north. West is also permissible but it must not face south. There must always be a solid wall behind the owners seat. The owners desk must always be rectangle. The central point of a factory, house and office should be empty. Vaastu Shanti Tips for Offices/Businesses. In the office, the temple should not be placed at the back of the owners seat. The owner seat must be facing east or north. West is also permissible but it must not face south. There must always be a solid wall behind the owners seat. The owners desk must always be rectangle. The central point of a factory, house and office should be empty. Setting Up a New House? - Read Vaastu For A New Home Suffering from Vaastu Dosha? - Read Vaastu Remedies

CORRECT SITUATION OF CONSTRUCTION FOR A PARTICULAR SITE:

EARTH WATER ANGLES OF THE PLOT SW EXACT 90 DEGREE NE LESS THAN 90 DEGREE NW & SE MAY VARY ACCORDINGLY COW SHED NW FLOOR LEVEL NE LOW GARAGE NW LAND LEVEL NE LOW MAIN GATE N-E OFFICE NW-W SERVANT QUARTER NW SHAPE OF THE PLOT SQUARE OR RECTANGLE STORES NW STUDY ROOM NE

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AIR

RAIN WATER SLOPE NE OVER HEAD TANK NW OR W OR SW UNDER GROUND TANK NE TUBEWELL NE OR E

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BALCONY N-E DOOR N-E PORTICO N-E-NE VERANDAH N-E WINDOWS N-E BRAHMA STHAN NO CENTER PILLAR OR

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FIRE

SEPTIC TANK NW URINALS & TOILET W-NW

BEAM

SPACE GEYSER SE OR NW GENERATOR SE OR NW HEATERS SE OR NW JUNCTION BOX SE OR NW KITCHEN (FIRE PLACE) SE OR NW PRESS SE OR NW TRANSFORMER SE OR NW

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FACTORY SHED SLOPE SW OR NE HEIGHT MORE SW MEZANINE FLOOR SW MASTER BED ROOM SW OPEN SPACE MORE NE STAIR CASE SW OR S