Vastu Shastra

Vastu shastra (vāstu śāstra, also vastu veda and vastuvidya, "science of construction", "architecture") is an ancient doctrine which consists of precepts born out of a traditional view on how the laws of nature affect human dwellings. The designs are based on directional alignments. It used to be applied in Hindu architecture, especially for Hindu temples, and covers other domains, including vehicles, vessels, furniture, sculpture, paintings, etc. The foundation of Vastu is traditionally ascribed to the sage Maamuni Mayan (Mahaa-muni Maya, a daanava/demon reformed by tapasyaa/austerities) in South and Vishvakarman in North India.

While Vastu had long been essentially restricted to temple architecture, there has been a revival of it in India, in recent decades, notably under the influence of late V. Ganapati Sthapati, who has been campaigning for a restoration of the tradition in modern Indian society since the 1960s. While the fields are related, Shilpa Shastra explicitly deal with sculpture – forms, statues, icons, stone murals etc. The doctrine of Vastu Shastra is concerned primarily with architecture – building houses, forts, temples, apartments and other buildings.

An interesting development that made Vastu Shastra very relevant to modern day architecture came with the introduction of MahaVastu Handbook, the world's largest book on Vastu Shastra by Vastu Shastri Khushdeep Bansal Bansal after researching on Vastu Shastra for over twenty years, succeeded in establishing connection between ancient logic of Vastu Shastra with modern day living. The findings of his research have laid foundation of MahaVastu, the parallel yet modern school of thought and practice of Vastu Shastra.

The logic and the reasoning that MahaVastu gives for Vastu Shastra is convincing the newer generations to create their houses in accordance to Vastu. Various professionals have thoroughly studied the subject and have found most of its guidelines quite believable. With increase in its popularity, some people are choosing Vastu consultancy as an alternative career