What is this vaastu shastra ?

Vaastu is an ancient Vedic science of layout planning of buildings that is said to be influencing peace and prosperity of the inhabitants. Vaastu science deals with the management of cosmic energy in Building & Structures. Believers do not treat it as an ancient myth but Believers in vaastu shastra have a modern name for it – ‘Ancient Wisdom of Architectonics’. There are three levels in which vaastu shastra is applied.

First, in a basic sense, it means designing architecture of residential, commercial and government buildings and components of a building like rooms, gates, etc on the basis of architectural wisdom contained in ancient Indian lore. The idea is to add to the well being of the occupants.

Secondly, at a slightly higher level, vaastu covers a lot of architecture related areas in public sphere-town planning, laying out gardens, market places, ports, roads, bridges, gateways, wells, drains, enclosure walls, embankments, just about everything that is built by man.

Thirdly, at the micro-level of an individual citizen’s daily life, it deals with furniture, tables, beds, wardrobes, mats, lamps, footwear and the like. This list is expanding by the day. For example, vaastu experts now tell you about the right design of the computer table and the ideal location of PC in your home office.
Architects who think vaastu has no scientific basis-their number is dwindling by the day – have two complaints against the vaastu shastra and its modern interpretations. First, they think that by claiming solutions in architecture and interior design for every evil that befalls a human being, vaastu has made architects responsible for things, which lie beyond their control. A brilliant architect of a corporate headquarters may be blamed for the financial misfortune of the company, for which reasons may lie elsewhere. Secondly, the non-believers argue that vaastu shastra leads to creating structures that are out of sync with environment.
The Principles

Vaastu Shastra is based on precepts laid down thousands of years ago in the Indian classics like the Puranas and Vedas. It concerns the order - the harmony of heaven and earth and ways in which we as humans can keep the balance of humans intact.

While buying a site:

1. Select a site where the land is fertile and not dry and rocky.
2. Avoid water logged land or a site at the end of a road.
3. Avoid land too close to graveyards, cemeteries, crematoria or hospitals

Doors:

1. The main door should never directly face a church, temple or cemetery.
2. The door formula states that the number of doors inside should be in even numbers and not in odd numbers. They should not end in zero. There should be an odd number of doors in line.
3. When doors face each other, make sure they face each other directly.

Staircases:

1. A staircase should never begin in front of the main door nor end directly in front of a upstairs door.
2. Staircases should ideally be curved gently rather than straight.
3. Spiral staircases are not auspicious.