For the advantage of the mankind in suitably planning and constructing buildings for dwelling, prayer, entertainment , education , working , production and other purposes. They evolved scientific methods and systems and confined them over the years as 'VAASTU SHASTRA'. Our sages SEARCHED it; we are only RESEARCHING it and building the concepts.
Man is the subject, object and the cause of architecture. He perceives and conceives architecture in relation to his experience of himself with the surrounding world. Through art of design, he alters and moulds the elements of natural environment. The world comprises of five basic elements, also known as the
Paanchbhootas. They are Earth, Water, Air, Fire and Space. Out of the nine planets, our planet has life because of the presence of these five elements. Earth and Water have limited and localized availability for the human habitat and growth. They form apparent and fundamental choice makers in the location and the physical form of architecture and habitat. Sun, Air and Space are universally available and can be moulded to human needs by the act of design. In order to understand the act of design with these five elements, we shall have to take each one separately to appreciate their meaning, role, and workability in architecture.
(1) EARTH (Bhumi): - Earth, the third planet in order from the sun, is a big magnet with North and South poles as centers of attractions. Its magnetic field and gravitational force has telling effects on everything on the Earth, living and non-living. It is tilted by about 23 ½ degrees at the meridian. It comprises of the land structure, landform, landscape, flora and fauna. It also establishes availability of local construction materials and their workability. In India, we worship our Bhumi and give her a place of our mother.
(2) WATER (Jal): - This is represented by rain, river, sea and is in the form of liquid, solid (ice) and gas (steam, cloud). It forms part of every plant and animal. Our blood is nothing but water with hemoglobin and oxygen. The habitat and physical life are where water is present. This is true for all life forms and eco-cultures. The type, form and pattern of life also greatly depend on relationship of earth and water. If we see our history, all the cultures had developed on the bank of any water bodies, so this shows the influence of the water on our life, since ages.
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(3) AIR (Vaayu): - As a life-supporting element, air is very
powerful life source. Pure air with oxygen is good for brain and
blood. Atmosphere of earth which is about 400 kms. , In depth,
Oxygen, Nitrogen, Carbon-di-oxide, Helium, other gases, dust
particles, humidity and vapour in certain proportions. Human
physical comfort values are directly and sensitively dependent
on correct humidity, airflow, and temperature of air, air
pressure, air composition and its content. In this aspect, air
deals with the entire body surface through skin, blood system -
through respiration. Air also represents the movement.
(4) FIRE (Sun): - It represents light and heat without which the
life will extinct. All the days and nights, seasons, energy,
enthusiasm, passion, vigour is because of light and heat only.
Sun is a source of mental energy too. Best minds evolve in a
natural process where the sun was temperate. Not very hot, not
very cold, just the right temperature of 24 degrees. The
different zones with the variety of climate have distinctive
culture and architecture. Sun has played an important role in
development of visual qualities of architecture in terms of
textures, colors and above all the expressions of
vitality.
(5) SPACE (Aakash): - All the above elements are skillfully
engineers towards the creation of physically comfortable,
emotionally pleasant, intellectually determinant, totally
vibrant and blissfully satisfying spaces for human shelter and
habitat. It is unending regions remote from the earth, in which
not only our solar system but the entire galaxy exists. Its
effective forces are light, heat, gravitational force and waves,
magnetic field and others.
The ideal habitats, cultures, architecture and life have
naturally shown exhilarence where all the five elements, to
support life, are abundantly available and are suitable to human
growth and evolution. This is an invisible and constant relation
between these elements outside and those within an individual
and in his living and working places. Thus, the man can improve
his conditions by properly designing his buildings by
understanding the effectiveness of these five natural forces.
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