TAO Group
19 Jan 2025
3 mins
Why Do Architects in India Follow the Principles of Vastu?
It is impossible to study architecture in India without a solid understanding of vastu shastra. But what is it about this ancient concept that still finds its way into design studios of 2025?
Vastu shastra, or the “science of dwelling”, was written as a guide to understand how a building or structure impacts our lives. This is especially important as even modern architects find themselves circling back to the same questions ancient planners asked. How does light enter a room? How does movement flow through a home? Where does the building sit in relation to the sun and the wind? Vastu’s roots lie in spiritual practices that originated five thousand years ago, but even today, they offer intriguing insights into the study of human comfort, climate, and the various invisible forces at play, such as gravity and electromagnetism. The Stapati (architects) who wrote the texts were particularly intrigued by how the five elements of the universe can be leveraged to improve our homes, moods, and lifestyles.
The History of Vastu Shastra
The earliest mentions of vastu shastra come from the Vedas, specifically the Stapatya Veda – a subsection of the Atharva Veda. Within the text are numerous life lessons for architects in India: technical observations on weather, geography, and human behaviour, long before today’s architects, or Sthapatis, existed. The texts also describe advanced principles of design, layout, and spatial geometry. When a vastu text recommends placing cooking areas in the southeast, it is acknowledging that prevailing winds in the subcontinent blow from the northwest and west, so placing a kitchen downwind carries smoke away from the house. When the same texts emphasise maximising natural sunlight, they’re recognising the health benefits of morning light, centuries before circadian-lighting research caught up. In the Mahabharata, the principles behind vastu shastra were said to have been used to construct the palaces of various kings. The houses had few obstructions, barring high walls in the compounds. The only historical record that exists, however, comes from the ruins of the highly advanced Indus Valley Civilisation. The bond between myth and concrete evidence is what ensures vastu’s long-term survival. People follow it for their own reasons. Some trust the spiritual symbolism, some see it as a practical solution. Many fall in the middle, adopting parts at will.
Vastu Shastra in the Modern Architecture
A major reason vastu has such a strong hold over Indian architecture and design is the sheer scale of its influence on the country’s real estate. Developers understand that buyers want vastu-compliant floor plans, particularly in residential markets. As a result, entire buildings are laid out with this in mind. With that said, there are many practical benefits of following these guidelines. The principles of vastu focus on promoting mental health, peace, and wellness — all of which remain relevant during these stressful times. Of course, vastu is not a proven science in the modern sense. It isn’t peer-reviewed, and following it doesn’t guarantee results. But what it does offer is a set of spatial insight grounded in centuries of observation. Many architects treat it like a cultural grammar, and a key influence of our heritage. In 2017, one of India’s most renowned institutions, IIT-Karaghpur, incorporated Vastu Shastra as part of its curriculum. This renewed interest signals that the ancient science of architecture will have its place in the future.
