Vastu Interiors - Vastu of Building - Vastushastra

The material like Earth, Stone, Wood and other metals are being used in building work since very ancient times. The evidences of the preparation of different types of building items from earth are available from prehistoric times. This is confirmed by the description regarding these materials in the ancient Indian architectural books.

According to Shukla Yajurved Samhita, Chapter 11, Earth may be strengthened by mixing goat hair, fine sand, iron flake or filings and powdered stone. Blocks measuring 12 X 12 fingers or nearly 23 cm. wide square blocks were made from through mixed and pulverized earth and other ingredients. Moulds of 24 X 23 cm. were also used to make bricks. These bricks were finally baked for 24 hours in a fire of firewood from ‘Ookha’ moulds too were pulverized (surkhi) and mixed in earth, in which ookha moulds too were baked. Earth is to be mixed with ‘raal oil’, etc. and is to be thoroughly beaten and blended in order to increase the strength of the material by enhancing the cohesion of the earth particles. Shilpa Ratna and Vastuvidya treatises and other works, also direct the thoroughly mixed earth, before this it is mixed with pulverized pebbles and sifted. Triphala concoction makes the earth white ants (termite) and microbe proof.

For plaster, various ancient tests recommend the mixing of sand, lime, cotton-wool, rice, wheat, barley, thin rice khichdi and plantain with earth followed by thorough beating and mixing. In other techniques, sea shells of conch and bivalves are burnt and the ash is mixed in earth together with milk of certain trees, gum of ‘kadamb’ tree, wheat flour, cows milk, curd, linseed oil, stones and pebbles, iron filings and a concoction for the barks of ‘arunt’ and ‘khadir’. These are to be mixed with earth for idol making according to Tantra Samuchya, and it is known as Narad’s method. There is a comprehensive list of additives etc. according to the color, type and size of an idol. Earthen moulds were used for making idols and other objects with the help of molten copper, gold and silver as earth happens to be refractory. This item is known as ‘moosha’ and ‘ghariya’. Its eight types have been shown in the book in a tabulated form.

The earth bricks, utensils, idols etc. made in those days have faced all types of weather and odds over thousand of years, yet they appear to be intact. The ash from our thermal power stations is being used today for making bricks. This technology has its roots in the times of Shraut Sutra.

The stones collected from an open mountain or hill is stronger and more durable than those that may be dug out of earth. Because the stones from hills or mountains get seasoned due to its frequent exposure to the vagaries of weather. The stones dug out in the plains are weak because they are not seasoned in this manner. Similarly the stones or rocks dug out from the coastal areas are also weak. On the basis of color five types and seven types of black stones are found, as mentioned in Kashyap Shilp. The white stones have been considered to be the best for house building, according to Mayamata and Vishnu Dharmottar Purana. In case of non-availability of red, yellow or black stone may be utilized in this very order of preferences, choosing only one type and color of stone in a particular building. Stone should be free from lines, blots and cracks or faults, white lines or black lines on black stones are auspicious, but black lines on white stones are inauspicious.

On being tapped, a child stone gives out a faint sound. A stone giving out a vibrating or a metallic sound is a youthful stone. A stone not giving any sound and has a dry appearance or has perforations is an aged stone. It is always better to make use of youthful stones in the construction of a building.

Male stones are big, round or polygonal, are of a singular shape and color are weighty and give out sparks on being hammered. If its apex is towards north, it is surely a male stone. After it is dug out from the mine its upper part is down as the apex and its bottom is known as root. If the apex is inclined towards north or west facing, the rock is considered inauspicious.

A medium weight square or octagonal, thick at root and thin near the apex, cold to touch and on being struck giving forth sonorous notes like that of a ‘tabla’ are the characteristics of a female stone.

A neuter gender or eunuch stone is one that doesn’t give any sound on being struck and narrow towards its bottom and triangular on its upper side and such stones may be used only for the foundation.

A hollow stone may be taken as pregnant and hence should be discarded. When smeared with a paste overnight, it changes its color. Dozens of pastes have been described in the Shilpa Ratna. Some stones are poisonous in effect. These stones too may be confirmed by a paste and these stones not to be used.

In the construction of the plinth of a temple, female stone and for walls and domes and crests, male stone are to be used. These rules are accepted even by the modern architectural science.

Wood is obtained from a tree. During the Rig Ved period, the wood of Shalmail tree has been mentioned. The use of holy trees is prohibited for the construction of temples and such holy places. It will be better if such trees are not felled at all, as they are extremely beneficial for human health and environment.

Peepal, Gular, Pluksh, Saptaparni, Bel, Palash, Kutuch, Shleshmatki, Lodhra, Kadamb, Parijatak, Shirish, Kovidar, Tintrihh, Shileendhra, Sarpmar, Saral, Kinshuk, Aaribhed, Abhayaksh, Aamaluk, Kaitha, Putrujeev, Dunduk, Karaskar, Karanj, Varan, Akhmeri, Badri, Bakul, Pindi, Padmak, Tilak, Patli, Agroo and Kapoor are considered sacred and Godlike. Khadi, Shaal (sagon), Madhook, Stambak, Shinshap, Aajkarni, Kshirani, Adam, Dhanvan, Pishit, Dhanwalan, Pindi, Simpa, Rahjadan, Shami and Teakwood are considered best for the building purposes. Kadir, Silindrak and Tinduk wood are best for pillars and posts etc. Tal, Coconut, Kramuk, Bamboo, Kitki, etc. wood is best for hut constructions, pillars and rafters etc. Neem Asana, Sirish, Kaal, Timish, Likuch, Panas, Saptparni, wood is best for roofing work in a house. Chandan, Rajat, Raktachandan, Kadir, Somsirsha, Ardhanri, Shiv, Rajat, Mayoorak, Padmak, Kutaj, Saptaparni, Satwak, etc. provide excellent wood for wooden building. This wood could be used for engraving and carving artwork.

The trees that are round from the root to its apex, give a gentle fragrance, are deep rooted, are solid and temperate may be taken as masculine trees, yielding male wood.

The feminine trees have slender roots and are thick at apical part, but a much thicker middle part with no fragrance or odour in the wood. The structure built by joining male and female wood last for centuries as may be noticed in some ancient historical buildings. Indian Standard Institute No. A-883-1957 regarding a wooden item actually recognizes even today the specification mentioned in the ancient Indian Text. The wood should be straight and without any knot, crevice or cavity.

Agastya Samhita has described the wood that is to be used in a chariot, boat or an aircraft. A youthful and healthy tree should be cut and its bark removed, thereafter, it should be cut in squares after which are to be transported to the workshop where these pieces should be stored upon spread out sand in an orderly manner for 3 to 8 months for seasoning. The root and apex sides must be marked because in pillars the root side is to be kept down and apex part up. As far as possible, only one type of wood may be used for one particular construction.

It has been mentioned in Shatpath Brahman that the Devas offered ‘Aahuti’ to fire when they found Brahma ever tired and indisposed and thus they made him hale and hearty again. Prajapati then told them he was quite happy. The ordinary raw earth from which the oven for the fire ritual was made got mixed with the ‘Aahuti’ material and got thoroughly baked. This mass of baked earth was then called ‘Ishtika’ that is now known as brick. The composition, shape and baking of a brick depends upon the use to which it is to be put. The present day method of brick laying with the help of moulds is prevalent since ancient times and the same is the case with the kilns being used for baking the bricks. This has been adequately explained in the works like Shilpa Ratna and Vastuvidya. Different shapes, sizes and types of bricks have been mentioned in works like, Shatpath Brahman and has recognized similar standards for bricks without any modification in Bodhayan Shulva Sutra are given here.

In ancient times, walls were built with the help of a planometer. The vertical and lengthwise straightness used to be measured with the help of a plumb and line. According to Shulba Sutra, bricks having a smooth surface are not to be set one above the other, but are to be fixed in straight line and the wall should be of an equal thickness all over. The corners of the walls should be on the ratio of 5 : 3 : 4 and at right angle to each other. According to the Sumrangan Sutradhar, the square of the diagonal of the wall should be equal to the sum total of the square of the width of the wall.

The brick should be directed in a dextral and laevo order. At present too, this very rule is being followed. The joints of the brick in each third row of brick may fall over the brick of the first row; this is the ‘Malla Lila’ style of fixing the brick, based on the arrangement of the joints of the brick. The walls have been named as Brahmraj, Panchparva, Poogparva, Devsandhi, Swapna, Kandak etc. and the strength of the wall has been considered in this very order. This nomenclature is based on the position of the joints of the fourth, fifth, seventh, ninth, twelfth and fourteenth layers in relation to the first layer.

The baked earthen tiles or half round covers of the roof were being used by ordinary citizens. This has been mentioned in Shilpa Ratna and Vastu Vidya. Taking their shape into count, ten types of roof tiles have been described –namely (1) Neevraloshta (2) Oordvaloshta (3) Suryashralosht (4) Kroorlostha (5) Dhavashraloshta (6) Keetioshta (7) Krush Sthoolagraloshta (8) Gartakonloshta (9) Konlostha (10) Putiostha.

The present day roof tiles are better than that we had in use in the ancient times. But the same is not true in the case of brick (the types + quality of brick that have been described in the ancient text are not there in present times). Tests have shown that the bricks of the ancient times have much lower porosity factors and the present day bricks are comparatively weaker in strength also. The brick recovered from the excavation of the ancient settlements like, Mohan-jo-daro (Pakistan), Lothal (Gujarat), Nandangarh, Somnath (Bihar), Pavya (Gwalior M.P.), Kaudayoor (Andhra), Nawasa (Maharashtra), Hastinapur (Delhi), Tripuri (Jabalpur, M.P.), Badnagar (Gujarat), Kumrahar (Patan) and Yeleshwar may be up to 5000 years old and these bricks are even today much stronger and durable than the present day bricks.

Barring old building material from one’s own house, no such used building material may be used.
Stolen and renovated material brought in the market for such items should never be purchased.
Even the brand-new confiscated material being sold by such agencies should not be used in a new building.
The wood from the trees cut down in a cremation ground; temple, ashram or shrine should not be utilized in a new house.
One may use new construction material in an old house, but old stone, wooden items, brick etc. should not be utilized in a new house.
Now-a-days, highly developed ceramic building materials of all shapes and types are available which may be used in consultation with an able engineer.
Granite is considered as an inauspicious stone. But now-a-days, people have developed a taste for using the stone in their construction because of its qualities, shine and durability. In order to reduce its inauspicious effects, a layer of white lime must be pasted under these stones.