"Opportunity is missed by most people because
it is dressed in overalls and looks like work"
- Thomas Edison
"As is the individual, so is the universe.
As is the universe, so is the indivdual"
- Yajur Veda
"Better three hours too soon, than a minute too late"
- William Shakespeare
"The idea of marriage is to multiply joy,
Multiplying misery is a crime against humanity."
- Sadhguru Vasudev Jaggi
"Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions."
- Rig Veda
"You are what your deep driving desire is; As your desire is, so is your will,
As your will is, so is your deed, As your deed is, so is your destiny."
- Brihad-Aranyak Upnishad
"We shape our buildings; thereafter they shape us."
- Winston Churchill
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination."
- Albert Einstein
"Knowledge has power, it allows access to
opportunity and advancement"
- Peter Drucker (Austrian Management Author)
"Do what you do so well, they will want
to see it again, and bring their friends"
- Walt Disney (American Businessman)
"One good test is worth a thousand expert opinions"
- Wernher von Braun (German Scientist)
"By failing to plan, you are planning to fail"
- Benjamin Franklin
Ans - The word ‘Vastu’ comes from the word ‘Vaas’ which in Sanskrit & Hindi means – ‘to dwell’ or ‘to stay’ and so, ‘Vastu’ means a place where people dwell or reside, or use for occupational purpose. ‘Shaastra’ means a body of knowledge or a comprehensive and elaborate treatise on any topic.
Another idea suggests that the origin of the word ‘Vastu’ is traced from the Sanskrit word ‘Vasu’ which means – land or earth, and therefore, everything created from the assortment of construction materials like clay, stone, metals, wood etc. that are derived from the earth, and the know-how required to plan and undertake construction, comes under the purview of ‘Vastu-Shaastra’.
So, 'Vastu-Shaastra' means a body of knowledge that deals with the intricacies of building-construction, undertaken with an objective to gainfully harness natural energy-flows for an easier life.
Now, some part of Vastu is – ‘vigyaan’ or science; it is definite and has rules. However, a good part of modern-day Vastu case-handling involves making a construction-plan that conforms to Vastu-principles while catering to the requirements of the client/situation. Such planning activity requires creative-thinking-ability. Since practical application of Vastu knowledge requires creative and adaptive ability, it can be said – Vastu is also an ‘art’. More so in today’s times, because space in cities is scarce and whatever little is available, comes at a premium and clients/land-owners always insist on using every square-inch in the most-advantageous/optimum way.
Balancing the three objectives of -
(1) Delivering maximum Vastu-compliance,
(2) Achieving maximum-space utilization, and
(3) Catering to maximum client-requirements,
is a challenge that can't be surmounted through text-book knowledge only. The modern-day Vastu-consultant has to frequently invoke his 'artistry' and 'ingenuity' to do this.
Ans - ‘Vastu-Shaastra’ or a specialized body of knowledge about construction of buildings is required in order to draw maximum benefit from the structure of residential and office buildings. Here, ‘benefit’ means help and support required in pursuit and achievement of objectives that people living/working inside those buildings have.
The primary objective of the subject is to design the buildings in a way that enables the dwellers to harness and take maximum advantage of natural-energies/vibrations/cosmic-rays that flow from, and to, specific directions.
The knowledge of this subject enables a person to design structures that act as instruments which utilize forces of nature to make life easier in many small yet effective ways. It also enables a person to identify design-flaws in floor-plans and basic building structures that limit or deny the use of nature’s help in achievement of some common objectives of everyday life. A design that conforms to Vastu principles, aligns activities of daily-life with energy lines of the earth, by allocating specific spaces/ rooms according to the activities they are meant for, to specific directions/areas inside the building.
Ans – A Vastu-compliant structure, manipulates forces of nature in such a way that they fine-tune your sub-conscious mind to make you more efficient at whatever you do and that in-turn helps you achieve your goals and attract more effectively and effortlessly, the objects you desire.
The answer to – ‘how effectively’, depends chiefly on your horoscope.
Example - If your horoscope does not show that you will be good at mathematics, then, after moving into a house that is designed to improve your logical and calculative abilities, your mathematics scores will improve over-time, not overnight, without any special effort, but it is unlikely that you will become a topper in the subject.
In short, a Vastu-compliant house is your cushion/insurance against a short-coming in the horoscope. Your horoscope depends on the date, time and place of your birth. It is debatable as to how much control one has over those things, but if you have enough money, the answer to whether you had more control over your birth, or, you have more control over how your house/office will be built, is easy. Birth is a thing of the past; no one can change it. But building/house construction can always be a future plan.
Ans – Your house may not have been built keeping Vastu principles in mind, but it is possible that by purely by providence/luck, your house does not have any major Vastu flaws. In such a case, after you move into that house, you will not face any unusual or special difficulty that is attributable to a Vastu defect. Some examples of such difficulties are – loss of health, not enough reward or recognition for hard-work, under-performance of investments, less satisfaction from job, decrease in earnings, disturbed sleep etc.
If you have always lived in the same house and you have never faced any major issues of the kind mentioned, then most-likely, your house has no major Vastu defects, or, you have a very good horoscope.
But, if your house was not made keeping Vastu priciples in mind and happens to have serious Vastu-flaws, you will definitely have to struggle more, or face more impediments, than a person who lives in a Vastu-compliant house and works to achieve the same objectives as you do. The answer to ‘how much more struggle’ - will depend on the duration of time for which the struggle-quotient is compared and on the seriousness of the flaws in the structure. Longer the observation time, (10-15 years) higher the possibility of a fall in the overall happiness/satisfaction/success-graph of the person who resides in the non-Vastu-compliant structure.
The only way to properly and unmistakably understand the influence of a building’s structure on the life of a dweller is to move from a non-Vastu-compliant house to a Vastu-compliant house and live there for at least 6-7 years. It will be a long experiment, no-doubt, but no amount of explaining can convince as much as experiences from those years will. Such experiments are beyond the means available to most people, but such experiments will be, every-bit worth the effort, if some nay-sayers want to really test the potential and efficacy of Vastu-principles.
(Even for the sake of an experiment, we will never advise anyone to move from a Vastu-compliant house to a house with Vastu-flaws)
Ans – Short answer is 'Yes'. Just like any normal house, a Vastu-compliant house is also built to cater to the requirements of the residents, within the constraints of space and money. All needs and requirements are kept in mind at the designing stage. The only difference is – rooms and spaces in a Vastu-compliant house are allocated to certain directions and areas, based on the activities those rooms and spaces are meant for. Example – The south-eastern part will be allotted to the kitchen and if a guest-bedroom is required, it will be put in the north-western part. The size of the rooms, and the number and size of doors and windows can be decided as per the available space and preferences of the residents.
A noticeable difference often seen between houses that are not planned by Vastu-practitioners, and houses that are, is the availability of free/un-utilized space inside, and especially in the center of the house. Since Vastu-Shaastra focuses on balancing and harmonizing the five basic elements which are fire, earth, air, water and space, the client will have to be prepared for some space being left unused. A cluttered and densely-packed house is not generally preferred by a smart Vastu-consultant.
Some clients may look upon this aspect of Vastu practice as a pitfall of the system, and they have their reasons to think that way. Land in big cities is scarce and expensive, and so the client may not always like the idea of widening a proposed corridor in the center of the house by 2 feet and consequently losing 1 foot of storage-space in the rooms on either side of the corridor.
Comfort and luxury depend on the space available for construction. If space allows, a Vastu-compliant house can have it all - bedrooms with attached toilets and storage-closets, separate lounge-areas for residents and guests, kitchen with a kitchen-garden, dining-area, study/reading room(s), guest-bedroom(s), a bar-counter, front-lawn, swimming-pool, badminton-court, guard-room, servant-quarters, pet-kennels, car-garages, helipad/drone-pad and whatever else is required by the client.
Ans – In our opinion, the plot of land on which the owner wishes to build a Vastu-compliant residential-structre, should be at least 300 square yards (250 square meters) in size. A plot of that size will easily cater to the standard space and room-requirements of an average middle-class nuclear-family on a single floor only. If however, the client wants a duplex house, then smaller plot sizes, say 150 square yards (125 square meters) will also do.
For a client who wants a compact & independent residential unit on 1 floor only, a smaller plot, say 250 square yards in size (208 square meters), will also do, but the client will then have to contend with slightly tighter spaces.
If the plot is bigger than 300 square yards, in most cases, even the directional alignment of the plot won’t matter too much, and it will be easier to achieve a desirable level of Vastu-compliance while catering to the usual requirements of a small (4-5 member) middle-class family on 1 floor only.
Ans – JyotishWorks.com offers the following services for people who wish to work/reside in a Vastu-compliant building/space–
1. Vastu Evaluation – For those looking to rent/purchase a built-up property wherein alteration of the structure/design is NOT possible. (Flats/Small Commercial Spaces).
2. Vastu Planning – For those looking to build a new property from scratch. (Independent Houses/Office-Units)
3. Vastu-Flaw Correction – For those who reside/work in a building wherein it IS possible to make structural changes to correct the Vastu-Flaws. (Independent Houses/Office-Units)
Ans– First, we should give you some background information that you will find useful in your effort to understand the answer to this question.
A harsh reality of our times is that very few people will actually be able to afford enough space/land on which to build a perfectly Vastu-compliant house. So, it is not practical to promise text-book Vastu design and compliance in today’s age and time. Even before a client engages us for our Vastu-consultation services, we wish to make it very clear that the endeavour of JyotishWorks.com will always be to suggest to its clients, or plan for them, the acquisition or construction of a property/building with a STRUCTURE that conforms to Vastu principles while meeting their requirements, but only to the extent allowed by the area/space available, and the limitations presented by the directional-alignment of the available space.
Please Note – In the above sentence, the word ‘structure’ has been emphasized because our prime focus is always to achieve maximum Vastu compliance through the building-structure/design/layout. This is because we know from experience that it is the surest way to not just remove Vastu flaws from a building, but to also draw benefits that come from proper Vastu design and planning.
Therefore, as a practice, we do not suggest ‘upayayas’ or remedies that are cosmetic in nature. Instead what we insist on is –
A design that delivers maximum Vastu-compliance (where construction hasn’t started)
Removal of serious Vastu flaws in an existing structure, through correction of the design/layout, which will most-likely involve demolition and reconstruction of some parts of the building.
Now the answer –
(1) Clients should engage us for our Vastu – Evaluation Service if they have faith in our ability to assess the pros and cons of a structure they intend to acquire, and give them bona-fide advice. If we have any edge over other Vastu-consultants offering the same service, it is our knowledge and experience on the subject, our attention to detail, and our resolve to look-out for our clients and protect their interests to the extent possible.
(2) Clients should choose JyotishWorks.com for our Vastu-Planning Service & our Vastu-Flaw Removal Service over other Vastu-consultants offering the same services, because –
(i) Our primary objective will be to help our client create a structure that has very few Vastu flaws, if any.(ii) We will not just suggest, we will draw the layout for our client. We won’t just talk, we will work and show results.
(iii) If required and feasible, our Vastu-consultant will visit the site to get the information required for preparing the floor-plan.
(iv) We are very sure that our attention to detail will, to a very large extent, reduce our client’s dependence on their architect.
(v) Our Vastu consultant is NOT a ‘yes-man’. If the expectations of the client are too lofty and the space available for construction is not enough, we will say so. We will not misguide or compromise on Vastu-compliance of the (proposed) structure in order to deliver on expectations that are untenable. We don’t compromise on quality, 'deal' or 'no-deal'.
Ans– JyotishWorks.com does NOT suggest ‘upayayas’ or remedies for correction of Vastu-flaws because remedies are aimed at neutralizing the effects of the flaws. Those remedies at best will reduce the negative score of the situation inside the flawed-building from lets say -5, to -2 or maybe even to 0. But, the remedy CANNOT and WILL NEVER turn the negative score of -5 to a score of +3 or +5.
We don't aim for average results, so we don't suggest remedies or corrective action(s) which we know from experience, will only do half the work.
We hope the information provided through these FAQs will provide enough clarity, ease apprehensions, if any, and help prospective-clients make a decision about whether to engage JyotishWorks.com for Vastu-Services.
The above listed services are for individuals and small operators.
After reading the service description for each of these variations of our Vastu service, it is possible that some prospective-clients may feel their expectations and requirements cannot be catered to by us.
We want to dispel that impression by assuring all prospective-clients that we are capable of delivering on Vastu-related requirements and expectations of large operators too.
So, if an organization, institution or corporation wishes to engage JyotishWorks.com for Vastu Consulting/Planning of spaces larger than the ones being dealt with through the three listed services, they can email their queries to us at – admin@jyotishworks.com
The Vastu service-fee for projects of large operators will be based on the scale, scope and complexity of work.
And of course, the client has our promise about complete client-data confidentiality.
This service is for those who want to buy a built-up property, and don’t have the option of making any major structural changes in the design after purchase.
To such clients we can only offer help before they make their decision to buy the property.
They may have shortlisted a few options and want to find out which out of those options is the most Vastu-compliant. For example –
Let’s say, you want to buy a flat and your property-search-efforts have led you to a building where you have the following four (4) options -
If you are struggling to make a decision about which unit (A, B, C or D) you should choose, we can help you.
Even though the short-listed options may not be perfectly Vastu-compliant and may have some Vastu-defects, your limitations/ boundations/ preferences/ objectives may compel you to buy/rent one of them.
After our analysis of the floor-plans/layouts, we will suggest to our client, the option that has the least number of serious defects and should be considered.
Our views will depend entirely on the design/layout and directional-alignment of the property.
Service Fees for Vastu Evaluation –
For Vastu-Evaluation, we will accept between one (1) and five (5) options that the client is considering for purchase/renting.
The floor-plan for each option has to be submitted for evaluation. The fee structure for the Vastu-Evaluation service is as follows -
Number of Options Submitted for Evaluation |
Service Fee (INR) (after discount) |
Discount (INR) (actual amount) |
Discount (%) | Service Fee (USD) (1 USD = 82 INR approx.) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5,000/- | 0 | -- | $ 60/- |
2 | 9,000/- (10,000–1,000) |
1,000 | 10% | $ 110/- |
3 | 12,000/- (15,000–3,000) |
1,000 + 2,000 | 20% | $ 145/- |
4 | 14,000/- (20,000–6,000) |
3,000 + 3,000 | 30% | $ 170/- |
5 | 15,000/- (25,000–10,000) |
6,000 + 4,000 | 40% | $ 180/- |
We are offering such discounts because we want you to come to us with more options without worrying too much about the service fee.
More options will mean you have a better chance of making a good decision after just one (1) dealing with us.
We suggest you search for five (5) or less properties, which are affordable, which match your requirements/standards and where you can imagine yourself living for a few years at least.
Then engage us for the Vastu evaluation of those properties by submitting the floor-plans/layouts.
Step-wise process for availing the Vastu-Evaluation service –
Step 1 - Identify Purchase Options & Procure Floor-Plans
After you have selected between 1 & 5 properties, get the floor-plans / layouts / drawings of each option. These floor-plans should meet the following requirements -
a. They should ideally be in pdf or some image-format.
b. The floor-plans/ layouts should have the cardinal directions (North, East, South & West) marked clearly.
c. The dimensions of rooms, balconies, corridors, stairs, front/back-yard etc. should be marked clearly.
Send the floor-plans for the selected property options to us on email.
In the email, include the Country, State and District/County in which each selected property option is located. This information is required to get the approximate Latitude and Longitude values.
After you email the floor-plans to us, you will be sent a Service Agreement. If you agree to the terms of the Service Agreement, you will pay the service fee.
We will evaluate the floor-plans as per Vastu principles and share our observations and conclusion with you via email within the time-line stated in the Service Agreement.
This service is primarily for those who wish to construct a new house/building. This is where we feel we can help our clients the most.
The entire construction plan can be made as per Vastu principles and maximum Vastu compliance can be achieved. You will have to tell us a few things about the plot/land on which you wish to construct, give us some information about local building by-laws and give us your requirements and preferences.
We will do the rest.
Service Fee for Vastu Planning – For preparing a Vastu-compliant floor-plan, we will charge at a flat rate of INR 20/- (USD 0.25 approx) per square foot of 'Vastu-Planned' area.
The area taken into consideration for estimation of the construction-cost, will be the actual covered/built-up area, including covered balconies, if any, of every floor for which the service is sought.
The following example will show how the Fee for this service is calculated.
Step-wise process for availing the Vastu Planning service –
Step 1 - Submit the following information -
a. Details (dimensions & directional alignment) of plot/piece of land.
b. Local by-laws (Coverage etc.) applicable to the proposed building.
c. Your Requirements & Preferences. (No. of rooms and purpose)
d. Country, State & District/County in which the plot of land is located.
By ‘Details of Plot/Land’ we mean you will have to give us the dimensions of your plot or piece of land that you want to build on, along with it's directional alignment.
Example –
Dimensions of plot – 42 ft. X 75 ft. (350 sq. yards)
Directional Alignment – 42 ft. side faces exact North-West (315 degs NW)
By local building by-laws we mean any rule that MUST be followed while constructing a building in a certain area.
Some examples of local building by-laws are -
Maximum coverage allowed under local building by-laws – 70%; OR
Mandatory 15% area to be left vacant as front-yard & 15% as back-yard; OR
Local building by-laws requires minimum 12 ft. be left vacant as front-yard and minimum 10 ft. be left vacant as back-yard; OR
Maximum height of building allowed as per applicable municipal laws is 15 meters.; OR
Lift is mandatory as per applicable municipal laws in a building with a height of more than 15 meters.
We also need information about the kind of a building you wish to construct, how many rooms you will need and for what purpose.
Example –
Residential Building
Minimum 4 bedrooms, 4 Toilets, Parking for 3 cars, 1 Study Room, Separate Room for Washing Clothes, Small Balcony with Kitchen, Quarters for 2 servants, Lawn in front etc.
Latitude and Longitude values are required too. For that you will have to submit information about the Country, State and District/County in which the plot of land is located. We will find the coordinates.
Step 2 - Wait for our email reply.
We will assess whether it is possible to deliver on your requirements keeping the building-design in accordance with Vastu principles.
If we feel, it is not possible, we will ask you to reconsider/revise your preferences and give you some suggestions. If you don't like our suggestions, you may choose to discontinue communication with us at that point.
In our email, we will also state the Service Fee you will be required to pay, and how that fee-amount was calculated. Even if there is a possibility of delivering something that is close to what YOU desire and WE approve, (from a Vastu stand-point) we will tell you, and wait for your response.
Please Note - At this stage we will NOT share the rough-draft of the floor-plan, that we will have prepared before writing to you.
After verifying that we can deliver what you desire, OR after you agree in writing to our suggestions about altering/changing your original specifications, we will send you a Service Agreement, which you will have to accept/sign.
If you agree to the terms of the Service Agreement, you will have to pay the service fee.
After receiving the service fee, within the time-line stated in the Service Agreement, we will email to you the agreed deliverable, which will be a two-dimensional (2D) floor-plan/layout prepared keeping the final and agreed specifications and Vastu principles in mind.
This service is for people who currently live or work in a building that has Vastu flaws and having realized that those flaws are impeding their prospects and opportunities for success, now want to make their house/office Vastu compliant.
This is a challenging and tricky situation for both, the client, and for us. This is primarily because we at JyotishWorks.com do not suggest cosmetic remedies to correct Vastu-flaws present in the structure. From experience we know, structural flaws can only be removed by correcting the design/structure. And this why we lay stress on having the right design/structure in order to secure for our clients, as much benefit as they can avail from their property. This effectively means, a lot of time, effort and money will have to be invested in making the changes.
a. The client may live in a building where no structural changes are possible.
b. The client may have an independent house, where making structural changes is possible, but he/she may not be ready to invest the time and effort required to get the flawed structure corrected. The flaw-correction activity may take several weeks to finish.
c. After Vastu flaw identification and estimation of rectification-expenses, the client may back-out due to paucity of funds. Yet, the knowledge that he/she works/lives in a Vastu-flawed building and can’t afford to get the flaws corrected, may trouble him/her.
a. To keep the demolition and reconstruction or ‘flaw-rectification-cost’ to the minimum, the Vastu-Consultant has to think of a rectification plan that keeps as much of the existing structure (walls, pillars, doors, plumbing connections etc) intact. In most cases, doing this will be more challenging and time-consuming than planning for a new structure that is built from scratch.
b. Also, working under the constraint of making minimum structural changes can result in a less-than-ideal level of Vastu-compliance, because some (minor) Vastu-flaws may have to be deliberately left untreated.