घर के मंदिर का वास्तु — सात सरल नियम

You don't need a separate pooja room to follow Vastu. A shelf, a corner or a small wooden mandir can follow the same principles.

1. North-east first

The north-east corner (Ishaan kon) is the most auspicious direction for worship; it is associated with Jupiter and with clarity. If that is not possible, the north or the east are the next choices.

2. Face east or north while praying

Place the murtis so that you face east or north when you sit in front of them.

3. Keep murtis small and few

For a home mandir, murtis are traditionally kept small — commonly under 9 inches. Avoid keeping two murtis of the same deity facing each other.

4. Not under the stairs, not beside the bathroom

Avoid placing the mandir under a staircase, against a bathroom wall or in the bedroom. In a studio flat, a curtained shelf in the north-east of the living area works well.

5. Keep it raised

The mandir should sit on a platform or shelf, not directly on the floor, with the murtis' feet roughly at the level of your chest when you are seated.

6. Light and fragrance

Light a diya in the morning and evening. Use ghee or sesame oil; keep the flame pointing east or north. Dhoop, loban and ittar are traditional; keep them away from damp.

7. Only what belongs

Keep the space clean and uncluttered. Remove broken murtis, torn pictures and dried flowers promptly, with respect — immerse them in flowing water or place them under a tree.

Materials and colours

• Wood (teak or sheesham) and marble are the traditional materials for the mandir itself. Glass and plastic are best avoided.
• Light, warm colours suit the space: white, cream, light yellow or pale saffron. Avoid black and very dark shades.
• A small bell at the entrance of the mandir and a conch on a stand are traditional.

What to keep, and what not to

Keep: a small kalash of water, a diya, a bell, incense, fresh flowers, a copper or brass plate for offerings, and your family's scriptures.

Avoid: photographs of deceased ancestors (keep them on the south wall of another room), sharp objects, money and valuables, and fierce forms of deities in a small home mandir unless your family tradition keeps them.

Daily care

• Change the water in the kalash daily.
• Offer fresh flowers; remove yesterday's.
• Clean the lamp and the plate regularly — soot and old ghee attract insects.
• On festivals, a small rangoli in front of the mandir is traditional.

Common questions

Can the mandir be in the kitchen? Many older homes did this, and it is accepted as long as it is in the north-east of the kitchen and away from the stove.

Can I keep a Shivling at home? A small Shivling (under the size of your thumb, in many traditions) is common. It is placed in the north with its outlet (jalahari) facing north.

How many Ganesh murtis? Traditionally, not three. One or two is common, not facing each other.

Also read Vastu for the main door and Vastu for the kitchen and bedroom.

For a full-house Vastu reading — with your floor plan, entrance direction and family charts — speak to a Vastu specialist among our astrologers.

ज्योतिषवाणी संपादकीय टीम द्वारा शास्त्रीय स्रोतों से लिखा गया। अपनी कुंडली के विश्लेषण के लिए ज्योतिषी से बात करें।