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Sustainable Development
Sust. Dev. 17, 244256 (2009)
Published online 12 November 2008 in Wiley InterScience
(www.interscience.wiley.com) DOI: 10.1002/sd.388

Vaastu Shastra: Towards Sustainable Development

Reena Patra*
Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

ABSTRACT
This article discusses Vaastu Shastra (an ancient Indian knowledge of architecture) in relation to the idea of sustainable development. It informs the complicated problems of
urbanization and overpopulated cities of today. By drawing attention towards Vaastu Shastra,
this paper discusses the built form of Indian settlements and explores the possibility of
creating a living environment that is self-sufcient, ecologically balanced and culturally
stimulating. It explains the concept of sustainable development based on ancient Indian
traditional knowledge, through its culture, heritage and orientation towards forest sustainability, as a way to address elements within sustainable development. Further, the fundamental principles, the relevance of Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala and the history of Vaastu
Shastra are highlighted with discussions on its philosophical and social aspects. Last, an
attempt has also been made to create a close relationship between Vaastu Shastra and
sustainable development that can redene the present form of planning human settlement.
Copyright 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Received 16 November 2007; revised 3 June 2008; accepted 4 June 2008
Keywords: Vaastu Shastra; sustainable development; human settlement; urban planning; environmental policy

Introduction

N THIS FAST DEVELOPING WORLD, UNLESS WE HAVE A FIRM COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY, EARTHLY RESOURCES WILL
become extinct and life chaotic. The sheer force of economic developments, especially in India and China,
with their two-thirds of the worlds population, could have a drastic impact on this already exploited planet.
If we are to check and turn around the world from its path of inevitable self-destruction, an integrated, practical approach to sustainable development must be identied. Inappropriate human settlement, planning and
indiscriminate material-use have depleted the earths resources. Rationalizing an approach to land choice and use,
water, sewage disposal, materials and community self-management will yield a solution. Traditional knowledge
plays an important role in controlling human aspirations and ensuring interdependence and sustainability.
The resultant built form of Indian cities today is complex, amorphous and chaotic. It no longer reects a coherent response and ambience to its environmental context. The situation is reaching a crisis stage and a sustainable
ecological relationship with built form is missing in new settlements. Today, humans are more than ever before
aware of a loss of totality, wholeness and harmony. There is fragmentation and alienation of humans at all levels:
individual, societal, psychical and cosmic. This is the consequence of adopting borrowed notions of planning and
development. What is more unfortunate is that we are still looking towards Western concepts in attempting to
solve the urban environmental crisis.
* Correspondence to: Dr. Reena Patra, Department of Philosophy, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
E-mail: reenapatra@hotmail.com
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Vaastu Shastra: Towards Sustainable Development

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Such an approach, with overemphasis on technological solutions, often overlooks the social, cultural and local
peculiarities. Looking at the damage that our cities and development have inicted upon the environment, one of
the prime agendas is to explore the possibility of creating a living environment that is self-sufcient, ecologically
balanced and culturally stimulating. We need to look at the fundamentals of human settlements, and evolve a
system whereby we can establish a harmony among settlements, nature and people, and change the pattern of
living.
Therefore, a serious consideration of sustainable philosophy is required by taking traditional concepts on the
subject as a model. Here Vedic knowledge Vaastu Shastra (an ancient Indian knowledge of architecture) is presented as a model for sustainable development. Hence, Vaastu Shastra as a doctrine provides guidelines for human
settlements and governance (Patra, 2007). To understand the rationale for human settlement design as contained
in the Vaastu Shastra, one has to understand to devise a system that controls human settlement as an interest of
sustainability, respecting the social fabric of the citizens, and their settlement. Sustainability is thus all about
understanding the situation and developing methods that are equitable and that make sense ecologically,
economically and socially.
The concept of sustainable development. The term sustainability is one of the most widely used words today, in the
scientic eld as a whole and in the environmental sciences in particular. Until the late 1970s, the word sustainability was only occasionally used; in most cases, it was used to refer to the ways in which forest resources
should be used. It has, therefore, a strong connection with the forestry sector. Other than this, the expression
sustainability has been traditionally used as synonymous with words such as long-term, durable etc. It sheds
light on the connection between nature and human communities, nature and culture. Sustainability characterizes the management of nature; this nature has already been practically and socially adopted, and turned into
culture. As nature has been transformed into culture, therefore, there is an interactive relation between nature
and culture (Hull, 2008).
Sustainable development is a development that is likely to achieve lasting satisfaction of human needs and
improvement of the quality of human life (Robert, 1980). The basic idea of sustainability is straightforward: a
sustainable system is one that survives or persists. The term sustainable development suggests that the lessons
of ecology can and should be applied to economic processes. The following rules and criteria underline the
concept of sustainable development.
Rules. These correspond to the ecology; economic and social criteria are given below (Gebauer, 2002, p. 6).

The rate of exploitation of renewable resources must not exceed the rate of natural regeneration. The level of
missions must not exceed the assimilative capacities of the eco-system affected when non-renewable resources
are depleted, the reduction in stocks must be compensated for by an equivalent increase in the stocks of renewable resources (Simonis, 1998, p. 25).
Renewable resources (such as forests or water) should be used only in line with their rate of regeneration.
The absorption capacity of nature for harmful emissions (such as CO2 emissions or toxic wastes) should not be
overstrained, so that the eco-systems remain intact. To get these management rules intact at the various levels
of decision-making, technical, social and institutional innovations are needed and adequate incentives have to
be set.
The effects of anthropological inuences on eco-systems must not abolish the limiting effect of their natural
bounds.
These regulations can be considered for the integration of management into the regeneration regime of
nature. Sustainable management must also be organized in such a way that its integration is possible under
technical, economical, political, legal, social, cultural and personal aspects (Pawowski, 2008).

Criteria. Developments are connected with ecology, economy and social compatibility. There are three types of
criterion introduced by the Board of Environment Experts for individual compatibility and also for the range of
building and living. These are detailed below (Gebauer, 2002, p. 4).
1. Ecological. Land consumption, sealing, resource consumption, energy consumption/carbon dioxide emission.
2. Economic. Life cycle costs of buildings, investments in change/preservation in comparison to new buildings,
infrastructure and subsidy expenditures.
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3. Social. Job effect, safety device of living and meeting demands, suitable residential environment, work and spare
time, healthy living, increase of the residential property ratio, cost of living.
Sustainable development is focused on a social organization of a learning process, on the ability to use nature and
social resources i.e. the possibility of changing the development path and adopting alternative ways, considering
the possible endangerment of the reproduction of nature and society or nature and culture in the diversity of their
possible use for human (Tyburski, 2008).
The concept of sustainable development is close to what we learn from the Indian traditional knowledge, such
as culture and heritage. Today, Vaastu Shastra (an ancient science of architecture, planning and designing) has
become more relevant for modern humans because the environment has gained importance due to air, water and
land pollution, dynamic changes in climate, population pressures and congested and overcrowded cities. It no
longer reects a coherent response and ambience to its environmental context (Nagdeve, 2004, pp. 461473). The
situation is reaching a crisis stage and a sustainable ecological relationship with built form is missing from new
settlements. Consequently, it has become necessary to acquire the traditional knowledge of Vaastu for developing
human settlements such as Indian mega-cities, which can be transformed with the help of fundamental principles of Vaastu Shastra.
This paper further emphasizes the following points:

learning from the traditional Indian context

fundamental principles of Vaastu Shastra
history of Vaastu Shastra and
Vaastu Shastra towards sustainable development.

The term Vaastu was originally derived from the root word vas, meaning to dwell or a dwelling place. The term
Vaastu implies a human settlement or a place where more than one household lives. It can include a village, town,
major city or metropolitan centre. As such, settlements provide the living environment for virtually all people.
Vaastu Shastra, with its traditional values, can play a major role in meeting development goals, for instance in
meeting peoples needs for a secured shelter and in implementing regulations that protect human health
and environment from pollutants and pathogens. Vaastu Shastra, an architectural knowledge, is important for
managing and providing the infrastructure and services that are required to underpin economic expansion and
prosperity. This implies adding a concern for sustainability to existing development goals.

Learning from Traditional Indian Context

Vaastu Shastra is discussed below through its culture, heritage and orientation towards forest sustainability. For
example, planting trees has traditionally been an act of charity by which one could win universal applause. This
tradition of valuing trees was passed on to the Indian culture and it led to a subtle ecological relationship between
human communities and the forest community of trees, plants and animals. Human society is dependent on the
forest for survival and prosperity; therefore, we need to nourish and protect it. The environment is not only ora
and fauna: it includes the human species, too. In the past, the forest was a place of peace and harmony where
Indian monks and rishis (sages) lived and meditated for the attainment of salvation, based on the understanding
that an environmental approach to life is a part and parcel of spiritual culture; it ows from the human selfdevelopment (Prime, 1994, pp. 910).
Culture. Culture is the way a society lives, how its people behave and its religious expressions. These alter with
time and place. In particular, the way humanity sees itself in relation to its surroundings is the fundamental
reection of human culture. Today, we are destroying nature in such a way that whenever nature stands in the
way of what we want she is pushed aside. In the Indian perception, a human (manav) is a being that respects
nature, and a demon (danav) one that misuses nature. History has shown that the cultures which are not
respectful to nature do not last long they bring about their own downfall (Prime, 1994, pp. 1820).
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Heritage. Heritage springs from human culture. This is part of human life, from which we learn who we are
and how we live, and pass our values to the next generation. Though we have received so much from previous
generations and civilizations, yet we act irresponsibly and neglect our heritage. People have become estranged
from their natural surroundings and forgotten the time-honoured ecological values of their culture. A warning
is needed to human beings that environmental destruction cannot be continued if there is to be any hope for the
future. All over India, there are local environmental projects and grass-root groups struggling against the tide of
pollution and environmental destruction. For example, the two most important environmental movements in
India are the Chipko Movement (Shiva and Bandyopadhyay, 1986; Guha, 1989) and the Anti-Tehri Dam Project
(Ghai and Vivian, 1992, pp. 265277).
Forest sustainability. The origin of the term forest sustainability at the transition of the 17th18th century was
concern about a threatening and existing wood emergency as a consequence of excessive use leading to forest
destruction. This was due to the rising standard of living and caused by the initiation of the industrial age
(Prodan, 1977, p. 109; Dehn, 1981, p. 9). The development of the term forest sustainability is inseparably connected with the economic system of mercantilism and cameralism, which were predominant in the past as well
(Zrcher, 1993, p. 254).
Traditional views are very important for a calculated modern scientic development, for they remind us the
negative side of certain achievements and give useful insight to create a balance between humans and nature. The
main concept of Vaastu Shastra is to explain how the human body is related to the building and to the universe,
i.e. it establishes a relationship between humans and nature. Here, humans are the subject, object and the cause
of Vaastu. They perceives and conceives Vaastu in relation to their experiences with the surrounding world. As
tool-making animals, they design and control their environment. The sequence of the ve natural elements is used
as the mediums or the materials of the Vaastu, known as earth, water, air, sun and space. Vaastu goes beyond
designing and architecture. At a higher level, it deals with the subtle effect of the design on the environment. The
Vedic traditions of ancient India always held that the microcosm is a reection of the macrocosm. A dwelling is
an ecological unit, a microcosm that reects the macrocosm. The modern mind identies ecology with nature.
For Vaastu Shastra, the ve primordial elements are the starting points for a design. The guidelines and rules of
Vaastu Shastra have been laid down clearly in several ancient texts, but the principles upon which they have been
formulated are steeped deep in the Indian philosophy of Vedas. The importance of Vaastu Shastra lies in understanding the basic principles as it analyses the blueprint which provides for a design system.

Fundamental Principles of Vaastu Shastra

Vaastu Shastra is essentially an art of correct setting whereby one can optimize maximum benets of the Panchbhutas (ve elements) of nature, earths magnetic eld and the rotational inuence of the sun, moon and the other
planets surrounding the earth, It has laid down several principles for constructing buildings. The fundamental
principles of Vaastu Shastra are applied in constructing buildings such as houses, commercial complexes, industry layouts, towns, temples etc. There are ve basic principles on which the great edice of the Vaastu science of
architecture stands. They are
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

the doctrine of orientation;

site planning;
the proportionate measurement of building;
the six canons of Vedic architecture;
the aesthetics of the building.

The doctrine of orientation. In Indian thought, the cardinal directions hold a particular signicance. The various
associations given to the eight cardinal directions (northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, northwest and north) help elucidate the orientation principles of Vaastu Shastra (Chakrabarti, 1998, pp. 101102).
The theory of orientation of buildings is secular as well as ecclesiastical, as laid down by Indian designers of
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Figure 1. Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala

structures, which consists in setting them in such a way that they may get maximum benets from solar radiation. The xing of cardinal points thus occupies a prominent place in Vaastu Shastra.
Site planning (Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala). Vaastu Shastra lays down various guidelines for choosing the proper
site (Patra, 2007). It emphasizes strongly the examination of the soil, size, shape, taste, colour, smell and vegetation features of the land. If the plot of land is found to be satisfactory on all these criteria, then it is selected
for the purpose of building a house, village, industry, town, fort etc. After the selection of land, the blueprint of
Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala is provided for the grid that facilitates the inception of the design, and in addition to
being the architects square pad, where the concepts crystallize, each of its lines and divisions holds within it
layers of meaning within which the intricacies of design unfold (Figure 1).
Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala is considered a model of the Universe and provides the basis for architectural design.
It is a metaphorical expression of the plan of the Universe and depicts the link between people, buildings and
nature. Here Vaastu means environment, site or a building. As a concept, it extends to include a village, town,
a country or indeed the whole earth in all its manifestations. When a building is in a perfect state or order, it is
viewed as a Purusha, the man of the universe, representing pure energy, soul or consciousness; a kind of creative intelligence in the universe. Mandala means a diagram. It relates to orientation because the earth is essentially demarcated by sunrise and sunset, by east and west, north and south. It is known as Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala
because the name consists of three parts: Vaastu + Purusha + Mandala.
As a rule its shape is square, which is the fundamental form of Indian architecture. The square form of
Vaastu-Purusha can be converted into a triangle, hexagon, octagon or circle of equal area and retain its symbolism. Once the orientation of the site is established, the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala or the ground plan is superimposed on the site. The Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala was so universal that it could be applied to an altar, a temple, a
house, a city or the entire cosmos. Thus, Vaastupurusha is the form of human in a planned site characterized
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by the symbols of zodiac signs, constellations and planets, which represent the entire solar system, and make
the site, house, palace, village, city etc. a micro-cosmic aspect of the macro-cosmic Purusha or Vaastupurusha
(Kramrisch, 1976; Shukla, 1993).
The Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala adopts the shape of the site, and this functional attribute of the Mandala active
in the mind of the designer in its ideal form of a square, acquiring a different shape in reality, is a primary
example of its inherent exibility. Not only does it adapt to the site constraints, but also it adopts the parameters
of design requirements of contexts as diverse as the hot-and-arid state of Rajasthan and the wet-and-humid state
of Kerala, as well as the variations in building materials, functional requirements and the social and political
context in which it is used (Chakrabarti, 1998, p. 63).
The proportionate measurement of building (Maana). The third basic principle of Vedic architecture is Maana,
the proportionate measurements. The measurements are divided into six categories measurement of height,
breadth, width or circumference, measurement along plumb lines, measurement of thickness and measurement
of inter-space. The role of Vaastu Shastra in the system of measurement is to achieve harmony between the
absolute and the quantiable. Measurement mediates nality to an architectural concept, similar to the spoken
word, which provides a frame over which the canvas of thought is stretched. Measure xes as well as evaluating (Chakrabarti, 1998, p. 35).
The six canons of Vedic architecture (Aayaadi-Sadvarga). There are six main components of a building, base
(Aadhistaana), column (Paada or Stambha), entablature (Prastaara), ear or wings (Karna), roof (Shikara) and
dome (Stupi). The Ayaadi formulas1 are some of the aspects analysed to assess the qualities of the house (Guna).
In short, Aaya means measurement of building = length breadth (Shukla, 1993, pp. 211217).
The aesthetics of the building. Aesthetics as a branch of philosophy deals with the nature of beauty. Applying
aesthetic considerations to buildings and related architectural structures is complex, as factors extrinsic to
spatial design (such as structural integrity, cost, the nature of building materials and the functional utility of the
building) contribute to the design process. Notwithstanding, architects can still apply the aesthetic principles of
ornamentation, texture, ow, solemnity, symmetry, colour, granularity, the interaction of sunlight and shadows,
transcendence, and harmony. In Indian tradition, beauty is considered as chanda (moon); the structural aspect
of building and its rhythmical disposition is like that of poetry (cf. Shukla, 1993, pp. 180211).
These traditional principles contour buildings in multifarious forms, structures varied from one another to suit
the different classes of buildings, to satisfy different functions, and they never present an identical view. As a
result, Vaastu Shastra has been described as a body of knowledge, which has been sustained, developed and
modied by successive generations of architects through many centuries. It implies a tradition of knowledge that
has, at various times, been ordered and expressed (and so is handed down to us) in a range of texts, with a variety
of titles.

History of Vaastu Shastra

Vaastu Shastra, an Indian knowledge of architecture, is as old as the Vedas,2 which belong to the period 1500
1000 B.C. The rst textual evidence of it is found in the Rig Veda,3 where the protector of the house (Vastospati) is
invoked (Rig Veda, VII. 54. 1). Vaastu Shastra is a part of Sthapatya Veda4 subordinate to Atharva Veda5.
Vaastu Shastra as an applied knowledge evolved over a period of at least 2500 years, producing a large number
of texts such as Ka shyapa Shilpa Sha stra, Brihat Samhita, Brihadvaastumala, Vaastu vidya, Rajavallabha of Mandana
Sutradhara, Viswakarma Vaastu Sha stra, Samarangana Sutradhara, Vishu Dharmo dhare, Purana Manjari,
Manasara, Mayamata, Aparajitapccha, Silparatna Vaastu Sha stra etc. Some of the great sages, originators, teachers
and preachers of Vaastu Shastra are Brahma, Na rada, Brihaspati, Bhrigu, Vasistha, Vishwakarma, Maya,
1

There are varying opinions about the consideration of area or length and breadth, or perimeter for the Aya di calculation. For variation see
Shukla, 1993, pp. 211217, and also Shastri, 1994, p. 406. The variations are overlooked to focus on the role of the Aya di calculations, rather
than on the textual inconsistencies. The divisors in the formulae are more often than not consistent.
2
Veda knowledge.
3
Rig Veda Veda of hymns or verses (one of the four Vedas).
4
Sthapatya Veda knowledge that deals with architecture. Vaastu Shastra is a part of Sthapatya Veda.
5
Atharva Veda knowledge of science,
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Kumara, Anirudha, Bhoja, Sukra and others (Rao, 1995, pp. xixii). The rituals associated with architecture are
described in the later Vedas, Sutras,6 Puranas,7 Tantras,8 Vaastu Vidya9 and its compilations till the 15th century
AD, and are still part of the construction process today (Bhattacharya, 1986, pp. 2, 126). Most of the material, from
the 6th century B.C. to the 6th century A.D., has been lost, and only fragmented portions are used in the later
works of Vaastu Vidya (Bhattacharya, 1986, pp. 129, 138). The two streams of Vaastu Shastra, the Nagara and the
Dravida School, imitated each other, explaining the common basis of their indigenous development (Bhattacharya, 1986, pp. 144, 148). This indicates the prevalence of common architecture traditions all over India.
The most renowned excavations of ancient Indian sites such as Harappa and Mohenjodaro (now in Pakistan)
have highlighted on ancient Indian civic art and rened civic sense during this era (Shukla, 1993, p. 51). It was
only in the medieval period that town planning according to Vaastu principles was rst depicted in Arthashastra10
(Scharfe, 1978, p. 169; Kangla, 1965). The compilers of Arthasha stra attached great importance to the orientation
to the elements of the city planning because the scheme applies the plan of Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala (geometrical
plan or ground plan). Ancient Indians equated the place, the temple, the house etc as kinds of regular space
(Vaastu). All these buildings were viewed as reections of cosmic structure. All of them have followed the same
scheme of Mandala as a pattern of the whole universe (Stein, 1985; Begde, 1978; and Schlingloff, 1967, 1969)
and the basic principles, which were formulated by maharishis11 and rishis,12 are still applied because of their
empirical and technical nature. For example, the cities of Jaipur and Chandigarh have followed the principles of
Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala. Volwahsen (1969) has elaborately explained the geometric interpretations of Jaipur
city.
The design of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier (French architect) was welcomed by Jawaharlal Nehru as a creative
approach in new terms, trying to think in terms of light, air, ground, water and human beings, not in terms of
rules and regulation laid down by our ancestors.
Although Le Corbusier followed his own architectural philosophy, his Chandigarh master-plan (Figure 2) corresponds to the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala, the architectural mechanism providing a blueprint for building in the
Vaastu Shastra legend.
(1) Capital Complex symbolizes the head, which is in the northeastern direction. This coincides with the head
of the macrocosmic Purusha.
(2) According to Vaastu, water should be in the north or east directions for healthy living. The Sukhna Lake
occupies the east/northeast corner. It is the best place for water and also for meditation. This is because the
morning sun rays, rich in ultra-violet radiation, kill germs and disease-causing bacteria present in the
water.
(3) According to Vaastu principles, places of study and the healthy environment are situated in the northern
direction. If one looks at the map of Chandigarh, the Panjab University and PGI hospital are located in the
north, where the causative planet is Mercury (Buddha); this planets main attribute is health (treasure of health
and knowledge).
(4) According to Vaastu, Lord Brahma occupies the centre of the place. Thus, the city centre (Sector 17) is the
heart of the city. It is a recognized place for administration/assembly.
(5) According to Vaastu, the northwest is known as the darker side of the plot. Accordingly, the cremation ground
is placed in the northwest part of the city, which was marked for the same purpose in the ancient city.
(6) The industrial area, according to Vaastu, is suitably located in the southeast belt, governed by Agni, which
symbolizes re; in the case of industry, Agni (re) symbolizes the use of electricity, energy, power.
(7) Lastly, according to Vaastu, the south and west directions are favourable places for living purposes. Thus,
residential buildings are located in the southwest, south and west zones of the city.

Sutras concise text written in meter.

Puranas ancient scripture, stories etc.
8
Tantras system, structure, process, liturgy, ritual, science.
9
Vaastu Vidya architectural knowledge.
10
Arthashastra reveals statecraft.
11
Maharishis great saints or sages.
12
Rishis saints, sages.
7

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Figure 2. The Chandigarh master-plan overlaid by the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala: (1) Capital Complex symbolizes the head;
(2) Sukhna Lake occupies the E/NE corner; (3), (4) the PGI and Panjab University located in the north; (5) the city centre, Sector17 occupies the heart of the city; (6) cremation ground, placed in NW direction; (7) industrial area located in the southeast;
(8) southwest, south and west zones for living purposes

The philosophy of Vaastu Shastra, based on time-tested scriptures and guidelines, works on the principle that
correct placement of various activities in the right direction and in suitable zones under the inuence of respective
planets is bound to bring happiness, prosperity and peace of mind. The philosophy applies to any kind of
architectural development, emphasizing the relationship between humans and nature.

Vaastu Shastra Towards Sustainable Development

The term sustainable development and Vaastu Shastra brings together two strands of thought about the management of human activities one concentrating on development goals, the other on controlling the harmful impacts
of human activities on the environment (United Nations Centre For Human Settlements (Habitat), 1991). The
fundamental nature of ecological planning is that the buildings and open space should adapt minimum disruption
to the land-forms. The main concept of Vaastu Shastra is to facilitate a harmonious relationship between human
beings and the environment, which leads to sustainable development.
The principles of Vaastu should be brought together and coordinated through the process of management, if
sustainability is to be achieved in all aspects of development. Management is the means for reconciling goals,
priorities, resource allocations and the implementing methods, which should be contained in a comprehensive
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sustainable development programme. The role of Vaastu Shastra in promoting sustainable development would
include the following:
1. devising settlement systems and settlement plans that lead to resource-efcient and affordable transport
patterns, e.g., by promoting short-distance and long-distance mobility;
2. developing programmes for economizing on the use of non-renewable energy sources and for adapting
settlements to the use of renewable energy systems;
3. providing water-supply, sanitation and waste-processing and recycling systems, that meet basic needs in a
resource-conserving manner;
4. promoting the use of indigenous building materials and appropriate construction technologies, inter alia, by
revising building and planning codes supporting small-scale production processes.
In order to bring balance between human settlement and nature, Vaastu Shastra contributes two central development goals productive, innovative economies and high-quality living environments, also providing an important mechanism for sustainably managing natural-resource use. It also includes support schemes to (a) conserve,
recycle, re-use or reclaim materials or energy currently discarded or wasted (Tsai, 2008), (b) identify and put into
use unused or underutilized resources, (c) implement pollution-control measures and adjustments to pricing
structures, so that these contribute to sustainability and to development goals, and (d) forge partnerships with
low-income groups and their community organizations to address housing and environmental health problems.
The role of Vaastu in programming for promoting sustainability in natural-resource use must be based on a lifecycle approach to long-term productivity. Such an approach needs an appropriate legislative, regulatory and scal
framework within which to encourage individuals, communities and businesses to contribute to meeting
sustainable development goals.
Greatly improving the quality of life for the rapidly growing populations of developing countries cannot be
achieved by following the same energy-consumption and resource-use patterns as those followed by developed
countries. Each society must develop its own response to its ecological problems, and it is in this context that the
role of democratic and participatory local governments and community organizations appears not only as a goal
of sustainable development, but also as a critical means of attaining it. Sustainable development needs the contribution of local people, citizen groups, businesses and governments that can make realistic development plans,
and the mobilization and the use of local resources, but it also needs managers and professionals trained to work
within such a framework (United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat), 1991, p. 9).
Some of the main points discussed below try to bring close relationship between Vedic knowledge and
sustainable development. They are

evolution of built form

integrated ecological systems
sustainable energy system for human settlements
eco-centric culture.
Evolution of built form. Starting from caves and nest building of higher apes, the built form has evolved with
human beings. The modern built forms have developed from a host of complex factors. However, built forms
of traditional societies and those of modern cities have entirely different concepts of space (OMeara, 1999,
p. 94). The earlier concepts were derived on the basis of prevailing myths, notions and symbols of nature.
The complementary space was seen as a symbolic manifestation of the cosmic system.
In India, the best-known iconographic system had been the Mandala or Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala. It is the
cosmography of universal order and a source of self-identication within the order of the universe. The strict
adherence to the directional alignment of the buildings and its enclosed functions is one of the consequential
derivations of the site envisaged as a cosmological grid of the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala. Apart from the ritualistic
and philosophic import, the textual description of the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala (Kramrisch, 1976; Shukla, 1993)
helps the architect to visualize the design solution, leading him towards a controlled and regulated solution.
The symbol relates physical form with the outer form and the inner vision. The Mandala is not only a spatial
axiom but a temporal process as well. It is a module encompassing the principles of inter-relationship of parts,
inter-dependence of systems, resonance and synchronicity (Padam, 1998, pp. 170171).

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Integrated ecological systems. Urban centres are where the generation of most wastes arising from production and
consumption occurs. Because of the present inadequate management of the settlements, such wastes that cause
air, land and water pollution have a serious impact on the health of inhabitants; and their impacts also stretch
beyond settlement borders. Water needed for industrial processes, residential use and commercial activities is
usually returned to water bodies at a quality lower than that originally supplied. This not only represents a hazard
to human health, but also can damage vegetation (and rural livelihoods) in surrounding areas. Solid wastes collected from city households and businesses are usually disposed of on land sites around the city, with inadequate
provision to protect groundwater sources from contamination. Further, in most cities, a considerable portion of
all solid wastes is not collected, and nds its way into water bodies, adding to pollution. So, we need to look at
the fundamental principles of Vaastu, and evolve a system whereby we can establish harmony with nature and
live life by ensuring minimum waste. This can only be done by creating an organic interrelationship among
various resources and the settlement developments on the basis of the recycling principle. In todays context, it
implies effective utilization of urban waste energy from incineration plants and sewage treatment, which can
be used for cooling, heating, air-conditioning and supply of hot water. It is also necessary to rediscover new
sources of zero-polluting energy such as wind power, solar energy, photovoltaic cells, decentralized mini-hydel
power generation and the water wheel.
Sustainable energy system for human settlements. The development of simple, small eco-technologies with
bio-architecture, which use replenishable fuels and adopt recycling, provides environmentally sustainable and
economical alternatives to the present energy crisis and the pollution caused by it (Williams and Dair, 2007).
We must demonstrate the technical feasibility of solar, wind and geothermal-energy technologies, introduce new
preventive and control techniques and adopt higher energy-efciency standards for everything from automobiles to household appliances. Achievement of sustainable development, therefore, implies the realization of a
sustainable energy future, especially in meeting transport, industrial and household demands (United Nations
Centre for Human Settlement (Habitat), 1990, p. 35).
Thus, designers need to realize the usefulness of passive solar heating and natural cooling of buildings, and
encourage design of buildings that incorporate these techniques. Settlement plans should take into account the
need to orient buildings for maximum energy efciency (Muschett, 1997, pp. 115118). The goal is to promote
buildings in which the design, materials and site orientation make best use of the sun and wind, so as to limit
the need for heating or air-conditioning. Of course, this goal is one among many other such goals, as those
related to health, safety and low cost. The design and use of materials are always trade-offs between cost and
performance; it is technically feasible to produce high-quality housing in both warm and cool climates, which
needs little external energy to keep the internal temperature comfortable, but it would hardly be appropriate to
promote this strongly if it implied a large increase in housing costs. Even though it cannot be generalized, the
fact is that most societies have traditional building forms and materials that are more successful at moderating
internal temperatures at low cost, compared with many modern, imported techniques and designs (Muschett,
1997, pp. 115118).
Changing work patterns, advancing telecommunication technologies and a dawning sense of ecological awareness offer the promise of a transformed habitat and the potential to humanize our relations in space. New
management, communication and new patterns of Vaastu living are converging to promote the productive home,
where workshop and garden, community and production areas may be components in the design and grouping
of homes. As such, Vaastu city-planning should be to conserve transportation and avoid physical movement
by communication, wherever possible. Decentralization of work centres, mixed land use and linear morphology
of work centres with chowks and squares enhance socio-cultural richness and provide an even pattern of
transportation (Padam, 1998, p. 185).
Eco-centric culture. Planning and development should provide a holistic perspective and engage attention on
cross-cutting issues within the context of local communities and eco-systems. The fundamental premise of
sustainable development in the Indian tradition is based on the process of self-help, public participation
and arousing consciousness among the masses by spiritual, ritual and religious connotations. This facilitates a harmonious relationship between human beings and environment. Today, unless everyone is concerned about the environment, the government, centralized efforts and nance and legislation cannot be
successful.
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To make a breakthrough, it is essential to rediscover simple and pragmatic measures that establish a holistic
integration of the ve elements of nature (the panchabhutas) with space, mankind and time. On this premise,
there is a need to rediscover the eco-centric culture, which provides an innate and all-embracing survival,
replacing the techno-centric approach leading to destruction of the environment.

Conclusion
Vaastu Shastra, or the Indian knowledge of architecture, is as old as the Vedas, which belong to the period 1500
1000 B.C. The study of Vaastu Shastra in this paper has been concerned to reveal it not as an assembly of fragmentary pieces of knowledge, but as a coherent and complete program for architectural design. It is a corpus of
knowledge that forms the blueprint, which has adapted itself to the regional, social and political variations it has
encountered in the past, and is the very basis of its continuation and contemporary use. This ancient knowledge
(Vaastu Shastra) has not been presented in terms and concepts familiar to the modern world. In order to evaluate
the relevance of Vaastu Shastra to the complicated problems of urbanization and overcrowded cities of the present
world, we need to nd out how the traditional knowledge of Shastras can be fruitfully used in our modern
world.
The main concern of this paper is to facilitate a harmonious relationship between humans, building and the
environment, which leads to sustainable development. Vaastu Shastra has become more relevant for modern
humans because of the surrounding environment, which has gained importance due to pollution, climatic change,
population pressures and overcrowded cities.
In the 21st century, urban growth is one of the biggest challenges for humankind, so there is much discussion
about the estimates of land consumption, the manageable size of mega-cities, and simple ways to structure, if not
to control, this vast spread of urbanization. The essence of ecological planning is that the buildings and open space
should adapt to the land-forms with minimum disruption. When looking at the damage that our cities and development have inicted upon the environment, one of the prime points in the agenda is to explore the prospect of
a living environment that is ecologically balanced and culturally stimulating. In view of the changing patterns of
lifestyle and advanced technology, the issue is whether we can evolve a new set of rituals to preserve the urban
environment. Can we redene simple thumbnails of sustainable development? Sustainable development is mainly
a concern of planning and designing with the environment. It means development and human intervention in
the natural system to the extent of the carrying capacity of an area. The carrying capacity of a land/water area is
the population or level of activity that can be sustained for a given length of time without depletion of resources
or breakdown of the biological/natural systems. Therefore, Vaastu Shastra as an applied knowledge is an important
approach in establishing a balance between human-settlement development and natural-resource use, while ensuring that the use of natural resources and systems does not deplete the lands carrying capacity for the future
generations. As a result, a society must not deplete natural resources or pollute the environment so as to irreparably harm future generation. It requires a livable built environment, which relates to the quality and nature of
the built environment, including housing, roads, urban infrastructure and land use.
Further, this article has highlighted four main points. They are

learning from the traditional Indian context

fundamental principles of Vaastu Shastra
history of Vaastu Shastra and
Vaastu Shastra towards sustainable development.

Vaastu Shastra, in the form of the planning of human settlements, has numerous important ancient Indian texts,
which give a lot of information on principles governing building activity and on the use of rational materials. The
appropriate knowledge of Vaastu practice of architectural design and methodology has been sustained through
thousands of years and is still applied in India explicitly and intentionally by architects, planners, NGOs and
citizens. This validates the importance of Vaastu Shastra in the present context of sustainability.
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Vaastu Shastra has evolved as a compilation of planning principles for a healthy living based on the knowledge
base of the time (similar to Western treatises such as Vitruvius) and was not meant to be absolute. Vaastu was
earlier used in the design of homes, but became less prominent in the industrialization period during the colonial
British time. However, it is used extensively in temple design, and so survived in the clans of temple designers
and architects. In recent years, it has again gained mainstream popularity, and there are several Vaastu consultants in India.
The importance of ve basic principles of Vaastu Shastra has also been discussed. They are the doctrine of
orientation, site planning (Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala), the proportionate measurement of building, the six canons
of Vedic architecture and the aesthetics of the building. These principles were formulated thousands of years
(approximately 5000 years) back by sages, and are still applicable because of their technical practice and ecological
dimensions. It can be easily tuned, extended and modernized accordingly to meet the basic needs of human
beings.
In order to establish the relevance of Vaastu Shastra as a science and to sustain parameters of judgment where
in the ultimate analysis a thing that ts in with its functions is beautiful, whether it is a human being or a house,
there arises the concept of the Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala as ground plans and site plans. This provides templates
that have the dual potential of interpretation of old monuments and conceptualization of new buildings. This
epithet of ground plan blurs the difference in planning from one house to another, based on Vaastu Shastra (which
in reality may not be geometrically a perfect square grid), conjectured as based on Vaastu Shastra because of its
geometric similarity with the textual ground plan. The principles of the Mandala coexist with the other principles
of orientation, system of measurement, forms and so on constituting the Vaastu Shastra programme for
architecture.
Vaastu-Purusha-Mandala as a central idea of a plan evolves to meet natural elements such as light, water, wind,
re, biodiversity etc. While the terms light, air, ground, water and so on were intrinsic to the traditional programme
of architecture, as they would be to any other programme concerning architecture, the perception and the architectural consequence of these terms was newly imported to echo the modern movement in the West (Ghadlali,
1959, p. 156). For example, the design of Chandigarh by Le Corbusier (a French architect) was welcomed by
Jawaharlal Nehru as a creative approach in new terms of light, air, ground, water and human beings. The role
of the architect continued by using the new perception to study and understand the tradition of the people within
the region, to consider the local conditions and in some cases, to force certain changes in the life of the people
by his knowledge of a healthy and rened life (Curtis and Doshi, 1988, p. 159).
Further, some of the important points of Vaastu Shastra are emphasized in promoting sustainable development.
They are
settlement plans which lead to resource-efcient affordable transport patterns,
providing basic needs such as water-supply, sanitation and waste-processing and recycling systems,
by revising building and planning codes supporting small-scale production processes and by promoting the use
of indigenous building materials and appropriate construction technologies,
by implementing pollution-control measures and adjustments to pricing structures, so that these contribute to
sustainability and to development goals;
by conserving, recycling, re-using or reclaiming materials.
The fundamentals of Vaastu Shastra are based on low-cost architecture at a reduced environmental cost, with lowrise, high-density urban areas for example in the state of Rajasthan as a best way of using natural and local
resources. Similarly, in the state of Kerala, everything is re-used and recycled. Leaves that fall from palm trees are
used again for the roofs. This traditional knowledge is a magnicent approach to the modern world that shows us
how to work with the environment, climate and materials that had long been available but unfortunately modern
architects had forgotten and forsaken them.
Hence, an old script of Vaastu Shastra that we have today is the most wonderful traditional knowledge existing
in the world, and with some modication it could exemplify all the concerns of humans today.

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DOI: 10.1002/sd