Vastu for a Changing World

The ancient vedic vastu-jnan (knowledge of architecture) provides a spiritual dimension to space. Each segment of Vastu purush mandala is dedicated to the divinity and is worshipped. It establishes an integral relationship among the natural and built environment and the human system. The underlying fundamental principle of Vastu-Shashtra is the theme of macrocosm and microcosm. It binds human beings with their physical world and immediate environment, a city, village or house. Within the overall organization and structure of cosmos everything is interlinked and integrated. Like a human body, the building performs different functions of head, atman and the channels of communications (veins and spinal chord). Accordingly, a space should be designed with sacredness so that it bestows well being, happiness, peace and prosperity to its occupants. The term Vastu is derived from Vas that means a place where living beings reside. Vastu Shastra deals with the process when Stree (nature) and Vastupurusha (jiva and kala) join together Shristi (creation) takes place comprising'Panchabhutas' that is five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space). The five elements manifest in the human beings and comprise the living environment, whether a house, a village, a town or a city. In the recent vastu has taken urban India by storm and it has evinced huge interest among the common people. To exploit its popularity many have ventured into this field for business. A large number of books giving prescriptions and sermons on vastu have appeared in the market. Unfortunately these fail to relate vastu with the art and science of architecture, modern engineering, geographical context and person specific destiny. As a consequence, the superfluous prescriptions tend to be counter-productive. The book 'Vastu for a Changing World' provides an authentic interpretation of the ancient knowledge, while relating it with the context of space, time and individuals. The author being a well known arch