Global Tamilian: Vastu-compliant homes in the US getting to be real

One of the unresolved concerns for Indian immigrants in buying new homes in the US is the Vastu compliance of the housing constructions. Popular in South India, the Vastu concepts seem to linger in the thoughts of immigrants who cannot get away with these beliefs when making their home choices. So their eyes always start probing what is the direction of the main entrance of the house, the placement of the stovetop, the alignments of bedrooms and the direction of the dining and pooja halls etc. While these obvious questions pop up in the minds, how much of it will be satisfactorily answered remain doubtful.

But for sure, a new trend is visibly taking place in the Indian-dominated localities of the real estate market in the US. It can be said that of late the Indian diaspora’s quest has set a new motion of thoughts in the minds of real estate professionals, that words exclusive to Vastu Sastra are becoming common in the US as well. The trend makes one wonder whether Vastu science impacts our lives so immensely that it should be included in the buyer’s checklist? To this question, one would say lately, ‘Yes, Vastu is a checklist-item in the US, but not in everybody’s portfolio’.

“We can see a trend in the last five years. Today, we may see the direction of houses listed for sale mentioned in the listing description. This seldom used to be the practice,” said Theza Friedman, a realtor in New Jersey. “Some people are asking for specific directions regarding the main door of the houses. They come to the open house sessions holding a compass. Even the slightest degree of deviation in the direction may break the deal for the firm believers of Vastu. But we see customers of all kinds in the market. We do have good numbers that do not look for Vastu compliance at all. There are always homes that suit the taste and needs of every buyer. We come to learn aboutthese new expectations from different cultures, which is exciting in our profession,” said Theza.

Maybe, years ago, if one had to talk about Vastu to a professional in the real estate business he would have got a blank stare but not anymore. “When we built our new homes, we hired a local Vastu specialist to take care of the plan’s compliance with Vastu Sastra. Of late, builders of new construction themselves are incorporating the basic Vastu principles in the construction plan. In Indian-dominated geographies, this is the trend. In Texas, I was taken by surprise when the new buildings had separate prayer rooms as per the Vastu prescriptions,” said Anu Matha, a longtime resident of New Jersey.

The basic tenet of Vastu science incorporates construction letting fresh air and enough lighting that can provide positive energy into the building. “Construction of houses based on Vastu principles brings in inner peace for those living in it, along with prosperity and growth. With increasing numbers of Indian diaspora getting into the real estate market for owning the homes abroad, the Vastu compliant construction is becoming increasingly important in the US,” said Michael Borden, who has spent long years staying in Chennai and learning the concepts of Vastu science under the expert guidance of Dr V Ganapthi Stapathi.

Borden, who has written two books on the subject, said there is no licence required to be a practitioner of Vastu science. The knowledge is passed on by practitioners through rigorously following the principles advocated. I felt the need for having an authentic book for the western world that has a dearth of Vastu specialists. I have personally been receiving a lot of enquiries and clarifications on this subject and this book will help answer many of their questions and sense those buildings that are Vastu compliant.

Traditionally, houses in the US are built not on the straight east-west or north-south quadrants. It is predominantly in mid quadrants. So we end up having houses that face south-east, south-west or north-east, north-west directions. So, anyone wanting a perfectly suited Vastu compliant home will be disappointed. But, now more and more people are ready to reposition the main door at least. This is important because most of the immigrant Indians have gone for their own second-hand homes to which construction from scratch to comply with Vastu procedures are not possible.

“When we moved to the US in the eighties and bought our home, we never thought we could talk to anyone about Vastu science, but the new trends among the young settlers coming in seem to be different. It never occurred to us then, for sure, though I remembered my father talking about these in India,” said Balachandran Srinivasan, a resident of California.

Vastu, an ancient science from India, indeed gets a popular seat in the US all because of the new-generation immigrants. There are also ones born and raised in the US who seem to believe in these more than the older generation. The trend to bring back ancient science to the centre stage seems to have fallen on these new generation heroes. Like Yoga and meditation getting popular in the West, Vastu science seems to reserve its own space as well, thanks to the immigrants who leave the shores of India taking with them the deep treasures of its culture as well. How much of these can be broadly adhered to remains to be seen, but clearly, the new low-tone noise the immigrants make in the real estate market seems to send out ripples to spread the Vastu science across the borders.