Sunday November 1, 2009

Vasthu Down Under

VASTHU SASTRA
By T.SELVA

A reader is building a home sweet home based on ancient rules of contruction.

R.S. DEVI might have emigrated from Kuala Lumpur to Melbourne, Australia, 10 years ago but she didn’t leave behind her belief in Vasthu Sastra. She recently bought the perfect rectangular plot of land on which – after demolishing the existing house – she is building her dream bungalow following Vasthu Sastra principles.

After a talk I recently gave at Melbourne’s Monash University on the ancient Indian science of construction, Devi and her lawyer husband consulted me on the plans for their bungalow, which are 90% Vasthu-compliant.

They bought land that faces north because the direction is favourable for her husband’s moon sign, Dhanus (Sagittarius) and had planned to build a single storey house but changed their minds because the plot is surrounded by double-storey structures. According to Vasthu rules, it is inauspicious to live in a house dwarfed by the structures around it.

The main door is in the fifth and sixth segments of the building that signify power, wealth and happiness, and that represent the planets Jupiter and Venus.

Devi then designated the spiritual quadrant, the north-east, as the prayer room. The kitchen is in the fire corner, the south-east, with the stove correctly placed facing east. The guest room will be in the south-west, the living room in the west, and dining room close to the kitchen – all favourable positions. Devi’s favourite place, the verandah, will be positioned auspiciously facing east. Toilets and bathrooms will be located, as is proper, away from the spiritual north-east quadrant and the south-west, the prosperity corner.

On the first floor, the master bedroom will be in its proper position, the south-west, with the attached bathroom in the west. Her college-going son will have the south-east bedroom and her daughter will be in the north-west. Devi has reserved the north-east area correctly for a study and there will be a family room in the east. The staircase in the west is favourable, and she has made sure the structure does not have any “cuts” or “depressions”.

There will be more windows in the eastern and northern sides and fewer in the less auspicious west and south. In the garden, a garden and gym equipment storage shed will be built in the south.

Devi says it has not been difficult to incorporate Vasthu recommendations and still adhere to local council rules; and her Australian architect was accommodating although she revised his plans more than half a dozen times. The usual Aussie big backyard was one element she had to convince her architect that she did not want.

“In Australia, almost all the houses have a huge open space at the back for outdoor activities and barbecues in summer. But since our backyard is in the south where it is inauspicious to have such a wide empty, I asked for the house to be set towards the back of the property, leaving more space in front,” she says.

“I believe that the rules of Vasthu Sastra can give us with comfort and happiness. I learnt about Vasthu from my husband, who is a strong believer of subtle energy and how it has an impact on every individual. I now understand the importance of staying in harmony with these forces for health, wealth and peace of mind.

“We are already happier because we have managed to design a home sweet home to our liking,” she adds.

Construction will begin in January and the house is expected to be completed in 2011.

Vasthu talk

The columnist will present a talk on creating a happy home following Vasthu Sastra principles today at 3pm in the 3rd floor seminar hall, Bangsar Village II shopping centre, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

A similar talk will be held on Nov 13 at 8pm at the Shirdi Baba Centre at No. 43, Jalan Sekarat, Taman Kampian, Sungai Petani, Kedah.

Admission to both talks is free. To register, call 012-329 9713.

Senior News Editor T. Selva has spent years researching and writing about the ancient Indian science of construction, better known as ‘Indian feng shui’. He is the first disciple of 7th generation Vasthu Sastra Master Yuvaraj Sowma from Chennai, India.

The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, usefulness, fitness for any particular purpose or other assurances as to the opinions and views expressed in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses suffered directly or indirectly arising from reliance on such opinions and views.