Science of Vaasthu

If you can visualize a grid encompassing these 4 points you will get a square, known as the "mandala?. The earth?s tilt on its axis, the flow of magnetic lines which enveloped the surface of the earth, the effect of sunlight and moonlight collectively have an effect on the human existence on the surface of the earth. One cannot deny the fact that human body reacts to environmental factors like wind, water, temperature and energy lines.

The word Vaasthu is well known world wide and along with the growing interest it has also drawn skeptics and those who pass it off as a mere ?mumbo jumbo?. To day we have many who are adapting Vaasthu in their home constructions and scores of consultants offering solutions and designs as per vaasthu. Most often Vaasthu has been perceived by many as a religious practice and this has been solely due to the lack of proper traditional interpretation of the science-base of technological matter, that one meets with a Vaasthu treatise.

Vaasthu is a technical subject and with a proper understanding of the interpretations and logical reasoning, many of the confusions and contradictions can be overcome.

Vaastu is an ancient Hindu Science, over 6000 years old, which creates harmony in a place when the orientation and placements are perfect.

Vaastu in Sanskrit means "Place of dwelling" and originates from the Vedas. "Veda" itself means Knowledge. Vaastu originated from one of the four Vedas known as the "ATHARAVANA VEDA".

Vaastu which derives its state from the Vedas also emphasizes on the point that "Everything Vibrates & Pulsates" and is close to Quantum physics.

Vaastu also asserts through Vedic Philosophy that "Everything is interconnected."
The five basic elements of Vaastu are Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth and they exist not only inside us but around us too. The elements are also related to specific corners in a site. Vaastu corrections could be said to be based on aligning the elements and are not disturbed.

VaasthuPurusha: -
As in other religions, Vaastu also has its many myths from Hinduism and one such thing is the Vaastu Purusha. The ancient texts say that the Vaastu Purusha - a human body with its head at East and arms stretched depict the various organs like bones, heart, blood vessels etc. The diagonal lines especially from NE to SW are the energy carriers. These points are most vital and need to be considered very carefully prior to putting up any structure.

The concept of Harmony vs. Disharmony in any plot needs to be analysed which is depicted by the "Vaastu Purusha" or "Demon Faced God". Any mis-alignment or disturbance to vital area gives rise to energy imbalance and could be termed as a Vastu defect. The equivalent of the Vastu Purusha in FENGSHUI is the Dragon.
The relevant deities and the elements as depicted below identify the 8 directions.

Vaastu originated with temple architecture and design. Today it is a very scientific and mathematical approach to construct a good building. The Sthapatya Veda deals with Temple Architectutre and the basic classification would be based on the application. Vaastu and Agama are two cultural sciences that have been in vogue in the land of Bharata from very ancient times.

In the Upanishads (the sacred Text) has reference to "shilpa Vidyarahasyaopanishad" and "Vaastu Sutropanishad" which means texts giving information on the secrets of Temple and Statue architecture and dimensions and Building Architecture and dimensions.

Vaastu covers areas like Compass direction, Star and Time-of-birth- based calculation too. Remedies are plenty and colours play a major role.

Mechanics of Subtle Energy turning into Gross Energy is the basis of Vaastu and we could relate it to the equation E=mc2.
Vaastu and Feng Shui, hand-in-glove is a wonderful tool for greater harmony, peace & prosperity.
Homes constructed using proper vaatu will have happiness in their family.

MUGHAL GARDENS

ENVIRINMENT

THE MUGHALS WERE MAINLY CONCERNED WITH TWO AREAS AGRA & DELHI.
THE CLIMATE IS TROPICAL WITH MONSOON FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER &INTENSE HEAT FROM MARCH TO JUNE.
THE NATURAL LANDSCAPE IS FLAT, JUNGLES, & FEATURELESSEXCEPT FOR RIVERS.
GARDENS WERE AN INTEGRAL PART OF MUGHAL LIFE.
THE MUGHAL COURT BEING CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE, GARDEN PALACES AND GARDENS WITHIN FORT COMPLEXES WERE HIGHLY APPRECIATED AS PLACES OF RELAXATION AND AS SETTINGS FOR COURT CEREMONIAL.

LANDSCAPE

FOR THE MUGHALS GARDENS WERE LIKE A GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN AND THEY DREW INSPIRATION FROM THE QURAN, MODIFYING AND ADAPTING ESTABLISHED DESIGNS TO SHAPE THEIR PARADISE ON EARTH.
A MUGHAL GARDEN OR CHARBAGH WAS A PERFECTLY BALANCED FORMAL COMPOSITION OF SPACE, VEGETATION AND ARCHITECTURE, TEXTURE AND COLOUR, LIGHT AND SHADE, DESIGNED TO ADDRESS AND DELIGHT ALL THE SENSES.
WHILE THE GEOMETRY THEMSELVES REMAINED TRADITIONAL TO THE CONCEPTION OF THE BROADER LANDSCAPE WAS BOTH ORIGINAL &ON GRAND SCALE.
GARDENS WERE MAINLY ON THE LOWER SLOPES OF THE ENCLOSING MOUNTAINS LUSCIOUS WITH STREAMS.


ELEMENTS

WATER FORMED A LINK BETWEEN THE VARIOUS ELEMENTS OF THE GARDEN.
EXTENSIVE ENGINEERING WORKS WERE NEEDED TO BRING IT TO THE GARDENS, SOMETIMES THROUGH CANALS RUNNING OVER MANY MILES AND IRRIGATING THE LANDSCAPE AS THEY PASSED, SOMETIMES LABORIOUSLY LIFTED FROM THE RIVER OR FROM WELLS SUNK DEEP INTO THE GROUND.
THE PLAY OF WATER IN COUNTLESS FOUNTAINS CAUSED THE LIGHT TO SPARKLE AND COVERED THE SURFACE WITH RIPPLES.
THERE WERE BASICALLY TWO TYPES OF MUGHAL GARDENS THOSE SURROUNDING A MAUSOLEUM AND THOSE DEVELOPED FOR PLEASURE.
 THE FIRST TYPE OF GARDEN WAS BUILT BY THE OWNER DURING HIS OWN LIFE FOR HOLDING RECEPTIONS AND BANQUETS. AFTER HIS DEATH IT WAS CONVERTED INTO A TOMB. FOR EXAMPLE THE TOMB OF ITIMAD-UD-DAULAH WAS A GARDEN HOUSE BEFORE IT WAS CHANGED.
THE PLAN OF THE MAUSOLEUM GARDEN WAS BASED ON CHAR BAGH PATTERN. IN THE CENTRE OF THE GARDEN WAS THE TOMB BUILDING AND FROM ITS VARIOUS FACADES THE WATER CHANNELS RADIATED IN THE FOUR DIRECTIONS.
AN EXCEPTION TO THIS IS THE SETTING OF TAJ MAHAL, WHICH IS LOCATED AT THE END OF THE GARDEN.

TREES

THE MUGHALS IN THEIR GARDENS PLANTED MIXED AVENUES OF CYPRESSES AND FLOWERING TREES LIKE WHITE FLOWER VARIETY OF KACHNAR OR THE ORANGE AND LEMON TREES.
IN KASHMIR TREES LIKE APPLE AND PLUM WERE PLANTED ALONG WITH CYPRESS, WILLOW AND CHENAR. SOMETIMES ORANGES AND POMEGRANATES WERE ALSO PLANTED. TREES LIKE ORANGES, POMEGRANATES, ALMONDS, PLUMS AND WHITE KACHNARS SYMBOLIZED YOUTH, LIFE AND HOPE.
APART FROM THESE MUGHALS ALSO PLANTED FRUITS LIKE ALMOND, CHERRY, COCONUT, DATE, GRAPE, GUAVA, MANGO, MELON, MULBERRY, PEACH, PEAS, PINEAPPLE, BANANA, QUINCE, SUGARCANE AND WALNUT.

FLOWERS

THEY ALSO SELECTED SOME OF THE BEST VARIETIES OF FLOWERS FOR THEIR GARDENS. IN THE GARDENS OF KASHMIR THEY GREW FLOWERS LIKE IRIS, LILAC, DAFFODILS, NARCISSUS, TULIPS.
IN THE REGION OF DELHI AND AGRA FLOWERS SUCH AS CARNATIONS, ROSES, JASMINES, HOLLYHOCK PEONIES, LOTUS, MARIGOLD, VIOLETS, TUBEROSE, ZINNIA WERE POPULAR.
THE EMPERORS HAD AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE SETTING UP OF GARDENS. A PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE OF TREES AND PLANTS WAS COMBINED WITH A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF WATER.

RAMBAGH

THE OLDEST MUGHAL GARDEN NOEW EXTENT ‘RAMBAGH’ WAS LAID OUT BY THE EMPEROR BABAR c.1528 ON THE EASTERN BANK OF JUMNA OPPOSITE AGRA, HIS CAPITAL.
THE FIRST NEED WAS WATER. WATER FOR IRRIGATION WAS FED INTO GARDEN BY THE RAISED CANAL.
IN THE FOREGROUND IS A STONE CHADARAH SCALLOPED TO BREAK THE WATER SURFACE &CREAT SPARKLE.
BAGH-I-GUL AFSHAN OR RAM BAGH IS ONE OF THE EARLIEST GARDENS OF MUGHAL EMPIRE.

ORIGINALLY THIS GARDEN WAS SET UP BY BABUR BUT IT WAS LATER ON RENOVATED AND RENAMED BY JEHANGIR AS BAGH-I-NUR AFSHAN.
 THIS GARDEN IS SITUATED ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF RIVERINE SARAI OF NUR JEHAN. BABUR INTRODUCED IN THIS GARDEN THREE TERRACE.
THE WATER, WHICH WAS DRAWN FROM THE RIVER, DESCENDED FROM ONE TERRACE TO ANOTHER AFTER FLOWING THROUGH A NETWORK OF CANALS, TANKS AND WATER CHUTES.
EACH WATER CHUTES HAD STAIRS ON BOTH SIDES AND ENDS IN A RED SANDSTONE
POND.

RED FORT

THE RED FORT AT DELHI WAS BUILT BY SHAH JAHAN BETWEEN 1639 &1648.
SHALAMAR BAGH

THE BAGH ORIGINALLY CONSISTED OF THREE FOURFOLD GARDENS (PUBLIC AUDIENCE , PRIVATE GARDEN & HAREM).THREADED ON A CANAL LINKED WITH LAKE DAL.
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CENTRAL CHENAR AVENUE WERE ORCHARDS.
EACH GARDEN WAS LEVELLED TO FIT THE SLOPING SITE AND EACH OF THE FOURFOLD PARTS MODELLED FOR IRRIGATION.

TAJ MAHAL

THE TAJ MAHAL AT AGRA WAS BUILT BY SHAH JAHAN IN THE MEMORY OF HIS MOST CHERISHED WIFE, MUMTAZ MAHAL.
THE PLAN BREAKS WITH PRESIDENT, SINCE THE TOMB STANDS, NOT IN THE CENTRE OF THE CHAR-BAGH BUT ON A TERRACE TO THE NORTH, OVERLOOKING THE JUMNA.