J. Dairying, Foods & H.S.

26 (3/4) : 214-218, 2007

HOMEMAKERS KNOWLEDGE OF VASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES IN PLOT SELECTION AND HOUSE CONSTRUCTION.
Neetima, Veena Sangwan and Kiran Singh
Department of Family Resource Management, CCS Haryana Agricultural University. Hisar- 125 004, India.

ABSTRACT
The Vastu Shastra is the vedic science of building. This concept is attracting attention of todays people specially homemakers. The study was planned in Hisar city of Haryana state to know about the knowledge and views of housewives about latest Vastu trends. The study revealed that majority of the respondents (60.00) who were in the age group of 20-35 years were having familiarity with the term Vastu Shastra. It was found that the knowledge about few concepts such as main direction of entrance of house; slopes, drains and boring in house; shape of ideal plot; location of pooja room, kitchen and, master bed room in house were high as compared to other concepts related to interior of different rooms in house.

INTRODUCTION House construction is a life dreams for an individual specially the homemakers. From her birth she started dreaming about the place of her dream where she can perform her daily chores and enjoy the level of living with healthy environment, neighborhood community facilities and healthy surroundings The present society and changing role of women has led to many serious problems to living beings. Every individual thus, is running to get peace and satisfaction in home or at least workplace. The deteriorating health, peace and satisfaction level of people is attracting the attention of thinkers towards the refereed science and art of Vastu Shastra. Media is taking a leading role to propagate and present various informations regarding vastu. All does not seem well in life but definitely this topic attracted the attention of researcher to know weather people know, believe and act accordance with the Vastu Shastra for living quality and satisfied life these days. The basic objective of study was:

were purposively selected from newly constructed localities i.e Sector 13, Sector 14, Sector 16 and Police line area of Hisar city. Data were collected through personal interview technique. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Profile of the respondents: Data in Table 1 show that majority of the respondents (60.00%) belonged to age group of 20 to 35 years, were engaged in Govt. service (45.00%), were graduate (57.00%) and belonged to nuclear families (64.0%) with four to 5 members. It was also found that majority of the respondents belonged to families having monthly income more then Rs. 20, 000 per month (62.00%) and head of the family were employed in private sector or government sectors (70.00%). Near about fifty per cent of the respondents were living in large sized plot i.e. more then 350 square yards and majority of them had East facing plot (42.00%) followed by west (23.00%), north (21.00%) and south (14.00%). A little more then half of the respondents (51.00%) were living in their own house for the last 2 to 4 years.

Knowledge of Vastu Shastra: The To assess the knowledge of Vastu scrutiny of the Table2 reveals that 84.5 percent Shastra principles in house construction and of the respondents were familiar with the term furnishings by the home makers. vastu shastra ,out of these respondents nearly MATERIAL AND METHODS one third i.e (37.86%) described Vastu Shastra The present study was undertaken in as science which deals with construction of house Hisar city of Haryana. Two hundred homemakers according to five elements of the nature. i.e

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Percentage 60.00 27.00 13.00 45.00 18.00 37.00 11.00 0.3.00 57.00 29.00 64.0 36.0 12.0 68.0 20.0 6.0 32.0 62.0 35.0 35.0 30.0 25.0 26.0 49.0 42.0 23.0 21.0 14.0 19.0 51.0 30.0

TABLE 1: Background Information of the Respondents.

Sr.no I 1 2 4 Attributes Personal Attributes Age Occupation Education of respondent Categories 20-35 years 36-50 years 51 and above Govt. service Self employed Housewife Marrtic Intermediate Graduate Post graduate Nuclear Joint Small (1-3) Medium (4-6) Large (6& above) Rs. 5000-10000 Rs.10,001-15,000 Rs. 15,001 and above Govt.service Service in private sector Business Upto299 sq. yds. 300-499 sq. yds. 500 sq. yds and above EAST WEST NORTH SOUTH 1-2 years 2-4 years 5 and more

II 1 2 III 1 2 IV 1 2

Demographic Attributes Type of family Family size Socio-Economic Attributes Total family income per month Occupation of husband Housing Attributes Size of plot Direction of plot

Duration of Stay/renovation of house

Earth, Fire ,Air ,Water and Space. Twenty per cent of them described it as a traditional science given by saints in different Vedas for constructing buildings and houses according to super natural powers. Fourteen per cent of respondents described it as a science that helps in building a house which ensures peace and prosperity for its occupants. Eleven per cent of the respondents described it as an age old science that deals with the construction of the houses keeping in view the direction of the Sun. Less then 10.0 percent of the respondents described it as a reference book having guidelines, which

ensures peace and prosperity, health and wealth to its occupants (9.46%) and a science having cause and effect relationship of man with geographical location (6.50%). Homemakers knowledge about selection of plot: Data in Table 3 show that more then half of the respondents (52.5%) were aware that the plot to be selected should have downward slope in east and north directions as well as drains and underground water tanks in same direction also. Near about three fourth of the respondents were aware that square plot is best, rectangular plot is also good (73.5%) and gomukhi plot is

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TABLE 2: Information about Vaastu Shastra

Sr.No 1 2 a

Frequency Familiarity with the term (n=200) Meaning of Vaastu shastra (n=169) It is a science having cause and effect relationship based on relationship of geographical location. A science that helps to build a house which ensures peace and prosperity for its occupants Construction of houses according to five elements of nature i.e the earth, fire, air, water and space Traditional science given by saints in different Vedas for construction of building and houses according to super natural powers. A knowledge book or reference book having guidelines which ensures peace and prosperity, health wealth etc. for its occupants An age old science that deals with the construction of houses keeping in view the direction of sun 11 24 169

Percentage 84.5

6.50 14.20

b c

64

37.86

d e f

34 16 20

20.11 9.46 11.83

good for residential purpose (74.5%). In all seventy six percent of the respondents were aware that Wayagarmukhi / Shermukhi plot is not good for residential purpose so should not be purchased. Less then fifty per cent of the respondents were aware that no tall trees or construction around the plot in East and North direction and plot without the northeast corner is worst so should be not be purchased. Homemakers knowledge about beginning of construction of plot: The perusal of Table 4 depicts the knowledge of the respondents about the beginning/ starting of plot construction according to vastu point of view. It has been seen that more then seventy percent respondents were aware that free space should be left on all the four sides of the plot (72.5%) as well as south and west compound walls should be higher and heavier than north and east compound wall. The Table 4 further reveals that sixty to seventy percent of the respondents were aware that the main gate of compound wall on the

east and north side leads to prosperity and fame (69.0%), more open space in north and east than in south and west should be provided (66.5%) and door of each room should be facing towards east side as far as possible (64.5%) . In all fifty to sixty percent of the respondents were also aware about the principle that in the northeast block there should be well boring, underground water tank, garden fountain etc. (52.5%), it is always better to have two gates in wall compound ( 53.5%), all rain water should flow from south to north and west to east only (50.0%) and anything underground should be north and east only. The awareness about the principle that planning should be done in clockwise direction is least i.e 32.5 percent of the respondents were aware about that. Equal number of the respondents (41.5%) were aware about the principles that digging should never be stared in clockwise direction and the principle that outhouse for keeping the building material should be constructed in southwest or southeast direction.

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TABLE 3: Knowledge and application of Vaastu Principle

Sr.No Principle KnowledgeAwareness
No application Application

No Awareness
No application Application

n I 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Surrounding of the plot Downward slope in E and N direction.

105 18 (52.5) Drains in E and N direction. 102 13 (51.0) No tall trees or construction around the plot in E and 83 14 N direcion (41.50) Underground water tank in NE direction of the plot 104 27 (52.0) A square plot is best, Rectangular plot is also good. 147 15 (73.5) A plot without the NE corner is worst so should not 82 0 be puecased. (41.0) Gomukhi plot is good for residential purpose. 149 137 (74.5) Waygarmukhi plot is not good for residential purpose. 152 142 (76.0)

17.1 87 82.8 95 (47.5) 12.7 89 87.2 98 (49.0) 16.8 69 83.3 117 (58.5) 25.9 77 74.0 96 (48.0) 10.2 132 89.7 53 (26.5) 0 82 100 118 (59.0) 91.9 12 8.05 51 (25.5) 93.4 10 6.57 48 (24.0)

80 84.2 15 15.7 83 84.6 15 15.3 74 63.2 43 36.7 84 87.5 12 12.5 24 45.2 29 54.7 20 16.9 88 74.5 39 76.4 12 23.5 46 95.8 2 4.16

N- North, W- West, S- South, E- East, NE- Norh East, SE- South East NW- NorthWest, SW- South West

TABLE 4: Knowledge and application of Vaastu Principle

Sr.No II 1. Principle n F Awareness
No application Application

No Awareness
No application Application

65 20 30.7 (32.5) 2. The digging should never be started in the SW directions. 83 4 4.81 (41.5) 3. The outhouse for keeping the building material in SW or SE. 82 13 15.8 (41.0) 4. Free space to be left on all the sides of building or plot. 145 133 91.7 (72.5) 5. In the NE block of the plot there should be well, boring, 104 12 11.5 underground water storage tank, garden, fountain etc. (52.0) 6. The main gate of compound wall on the E and N leads to 138 55 39.8 prosperity and fame. (69.0) 7. It is always better to have two gates in the wall compound 107 15 14.0 (53.5) 8. More open space in N and E than S and W 133 40 30.0 (66.5) 9. S and W compound walls should be heavy and higher 147 38 25.8 than N and E compound wall. (73.5) 10. Doors of each room should be facing E. 129 97 75.1 (64.5) 11. All rainwater should flow from S to N and W to E only. 100 28 28 (50.0) 12. Anything underground should be in N or E only. 102 12 11.7 (51.0)

Beginning of construction The planning should be in the clock wise direction.

F 2

% 1.48

45 69.2 135 133 98.5 (67.5) 79 95.1 117 97 82.9 (58.5) 69 84.1 118 64 54.2 (59.0) 12 8.27 55 55 100 (27.5) 92 88.4 96 57 59.3 (48.0) 83 60.1 62 20 32.2 (31.0) 92 85.9 93 50 53.7 (46.5) 93 69.9 67 15 22.3 (33.5) 109 74.1 53 6 11.3 (26.5) 32 24.8 71 32 45.0 (35.5) 72 72 100 78 78 (80.0) 90 88.2 98 65 66.3 (49.0)

20 17.0 54 45.7 0 0

39 40.6 42 67.7 43 46.2 52 77.6 47 88.6 39 54.9 22 22 33 33.6

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CONCLUSION A majority of the respondents were having familiarity with the word Vastu Shastra although only few of them were having deep knowledge about its principles. More than half of the respondents were having knowledge about the right direction and shape of the house according to Vastu Shastra .Whilein construction; it was found

that knowledge of right direction of gate and placement of drains, boring and gigging etc on appropriate place according to vastu were found high as compared to other principles. Majority of the principles of Vastu Shasrta are based on five basic elements of nature. Its our duty to understand it properly for better management of human as well as non human resources.