Mandir direction in home as per Vastu: Tips for poojas room

The temple at home, also known as mandir in India, is a sacred place where we worship God. Vastu Shastra lays down rules related to the construction of a house and placement of the rooms, including the best direction for a temple in home. The mandir direction in home and the temple area, when placed according to Vastu Shastra, can bring health, prosperity, and happiness to the house and its occupants. According to Vastu Shastra, each direction has some significance and cosmic energy. For instance, north is the direction of wealth and success, while the south is the direction of health and longevity. A pooja room as per Vastu should be built in every house to attract positive energies.

The best direction for placing the mandir or temple at home is the northeast direction or Ishan kona, considered auspicious according to Vastu Shastra.

As per the Hindu tradition, every house should have a small temple.  Choose a location for the home temple where there is no disturbance or frequent movement of people. Although a separate Vastu-recommended pooja room would be ideal, this is not always possible in metropolitan cities, where there is space crunch. For such homes, you can consider wall-mounted mandir or small corner mandir to suit your requirement.

Know about: Shivling puja at home

The temple area should be a zone of tranquility that is full of divine energy, says Mumbai-based Nitien Parmar of VastuPlus. “This is a space where one surrenders to the Almighty and gains strength. If one does not have the space to allocate an entire room for the temple, one can set up a small altar on the east wall, towards the north-east zone of the house. Following mandir direction as per vastu will have a positive impact.,” adds Parmar.

East is the direction of the rising Sun and Lord Indra so praying facing east leads to good fortune and growth. Praying facing the west helps to attract wealth. Facing north helps attract opportunities and positivity. According to mandir pooja room direction as per vastu, facing the south when praying is not recommended. So, the mandir can face any direction in home except south.

See also: Vastu faults that you shouldn’t ignore while buying a home

 

Mandir direction in home: Vastu tips for temple

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Which direction should a mandir in home face?

Jupiter is the lord of the north-east direction, which is also called as ‘Ishan kona’, explains Jayshree Dhamani, a Vastu Shastra and astrology expert. “Ishan is Ishwar or God. That’s how it is the direction of God/Jupiter and thus the temple direction in home. Hence, it is advisable to keep the temple there. Moreover, the earth’s tilt is also towards the north-east direction only and it moves with the starting point of the north-east. Hence, this corner is like the engine of a train, which pulls the entire train. The mandir face direction in home  is also like that – it pulls the energies of the entire house towards it and then takes it forward. A temple placed in the centre of the house – a region that is called as the Brahmasthan – is also said to be auspicious and can bring prosperity and good health for the inmates, adds Dhamani.

Is south east direction good for pooja?

The south direction is ruled by Yama, also known as the God of Death and Vastu does not recommend designing a pooja room in this direction.

See also: Simple puja room designs for Indian homes

 

Which direction should god face in home pooja room? 

According to the pooja room Vastu, the faces of gods can face the west so that you face east direction when worshipping.

• Lord Ganesha must be placed on the left side of the goddess Lakshmi and goddess Saraswati must be placed on the right side of goddess Lakshmi.
• Shivling  (only of a small size, says Vastu) must be placed in the northern part of the home.
• Lord Hanuman’s and Bhairav idol in the temple or pooja room, as per Vastu, should always face the south direction.
• The idols of gods that need to be kept in the north, facing the south direction are Ganesh, Durga, and  Kuber.
• Lord Kartikeya and Durga idols can be placed facing east direction.
• Surya, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh,  must be placed on the east facing the west.

See also: Varamahalakshmi decoration ideas at home

 

Tips to follow when placing idols in pooja room

• One must check if the gods in the mandir face the right direction in home when designing a puja room.
• Further, the face of gods idols should not be covered with garlands and flowers.
• Always keep a solid statue of the god and avoid keeping hollow statues in the temple.
• Avoid placing the idols on the floor in the mandir as per Vastu.
• One should avoid large idols in the home temple. Vastu recommends idols of only nine fingers as they are considered auspicious.
• Keep small idols as per pooja room Vastu for home. Ideally, the idols can be seven inches in size.

Can you place idols directly in front of the walls?

Avoid placing idols of deities leaning against the walls in the mandir or pooja room at home, as per Vastu Shastra guidelines. Keep a minimum gap of one inch and half between the idols and the wall. This arrangement allows the energies and the incense to flow smoothly and spread across the room.

Can god idols face south?

Some idols, such as Lord Hanuman’s and Bhairav can be placed facing the south direction. However, one should never place the idol facing the north direction as the person worshipping will face the south direction, which is not recommended as per Vastu.

Can Lord Shiva face south?

Dakshinamurthy, a form of Lord Shiva, can be placed facing the south direction.

See also: Know about South west extended plot Vastu

Idols of Gods to be avoided in the temple at home

Natraj the Rudra form of Lord Shiva, is the angry incarnation of Lord Shiva. So, Natraj should not be kept in the house as it can lead to unrest in the house. Never keep two Shivlings in the temple.

The idol of Shani Dev should be avoided in the temple at home. One should worship him in the temple outside the house only. Keeping the idol of Rahu-Ketu in the house is considered inauspicious.

 

Direction you should face in Mandir while worshipping

When building a home temple, you must align the structure in a way that the gods face the recommended Vastu direction such as east or west, so that the person worshipping faces west or east while praying. When worshipping idols in mandir or devghar, avoid facing south direction because as per Vastu, it is not considered auspicious.

Sitting in the north or east direction for worshiping is favourable as it brings peace of mind and concentration, as per Vastu Shastra. Many believe facing auspicious direction for praying and worshiping fulfils wishes.

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Mandir direction as per Vastu: Dos and dont’s

Know this	Avoid this
North-east is the best direction	Puja room should not be under the staircase
Face north or east while praying	Puja room should not be against a bathroom
Ground floor is the best location	Idols should not be kept facing each other
Doors, windows should open in the north or east	Do not use it as a multi-purpose room
Copper vessels are better	Do not keep pictures of the dead
Use light and soothing colours instead of dark colours to design the pooja room	Do not keep idols that are broken or have lost their colour
When praying, always use a chowki, mat or a carpet.	Avoid placing a mandir in your bedroom
The roof of the temple should be domed. It should not be flat.	The idols of the gods should always be at a height and avoid designing a temple on the ground.

If you are living in a small apartment or if the layout of the property does not allow mandir direction as per Vastu, choose the next best alternative that can be worked out.

 

Best direction for mandir in home as per Vastu

 

Temple direction in home: Simple remedies for Vastu dosh

• Ensure that the idols do not face each other.
• Keep the idols raised – even a simple bench would do.
• Place the idol at least an inch away from the wall.
• Lamps and diyas should be placed in the south-east.
• Never keep a damaged idol.
• Ensure a clutter-free environment in the puja room.

See also: How to improve the Vastu of a house without making structural changes?

When it comes to know which direction is best for mandir, you can use a compass and stand in the centre of the house to identify the different directions. The house entrance is the point from where the positive energies enter the house. As per Vastu, a house should not have a southwest facing door as it can bring in negative energies and misfortune. One Vastu remedy for this defect can be placing two images of lord Hanuman on the tiles outside the door.

The Kitchen should be in the southeast corner. Avoid constructing the kitchen in north or northeast which is the best direction for mandir or pooja room as per Vastu. Similarly, these directions should be avoided to design bathrooms which can otherwise lead to health and financial problems.

 

How should a temple at home be constructed?

When it comes to constructing the home temple, it is important to find the right direction of mandir in home. One should not place it directly on the floor. Instead, keep it on a raised platform or pedestal.

“The temple should be made of marble or wood. Avoid temples made from glass or acrylic. Do not clutter the temple. Ensure that you do not have multiple idols of the same God or Goddess, either in a seating or standing position in the temple. The idol or photos placed in the temple, should not be cracked or damaged, as it is considered  inauspicious,” suggests Parmar.

According to pooja room Vastu , a home should not have any idol that is more than nine inches in height. Avoid keeping in the temple at home photos related to war, in which the form of God is angry. Always keep idols of God with gentle, peaceful and blessed posture for positive energy.

One should be able to perform pujas, wherever the temple is kept. During special pujas, the entire family tends to pray together in the house pooja room. Hence, ensure that there is enough space for the family to sit down and pray. The temple area should have a good and healthy flow of energy. So, keep it neat and clean, without dust or cobwebs and avoid stuffing the space with too many accessories. Above all, the temple should give you a feeling of serenity and calmness.

When placing a temple in the kitchen, reserve the north-east corner for it.  Also, note that the temple should not be against a wall that has a toilet behind it. It should also not be placed below a toilet on the upper floor. Never place the temple in the basement, as it is considered inauspicious.

Northeast is the best direction for a temple in your house, since it allows natural light. In the absence of natural light, you can illuminate the puja room with artificial lighting also, especially when it is a space with no windows, according to pooja room vastu.

Ground floor is the best location for mandir in home

If you have a duplex house, it is advisable to place the temple on the ground floor. Some people keep the temple in the bedroom or kitchen. In such cases, hang a curtain in front of the temple, when you are not using the temple. A small temple can be designed in the upper floors like the bedroom or kitchen. However, if there is a separate pooja room in the house, it should be in the ground floor.

Pooja room in bedroom

If there is no space available in the living and you wish to design a pooja mandir in your bedroom, make sure to follow the Vastu guidelines. Install the mandir in the northeast corner of the room. While sleeping, make sure your feet does not point towards the mandir.

See also: Vastu tips for positive energy at home

 

 

Temple direction in home in an east-facing house?

The pooja room in an east facing house as per Vastu plan should be designed in a way that a person faces the Vastu recommended directions while praying.

As per vastu, temple direction in home, in east facing homes, the puja room should be located in the north or east corner, so that one faces either of these directions while praying. As per pooja room Vastu principles for east facing house, facing these directions and praying is regarded ideal and it brings positivity in the house.

When planning the pooja room in an east facing house designed as per Vastu plan, it is important to ensure that the room is not adjacent to the bathroom or staircase.

Vastu for pooja room in office

When designing an office, the mandir must be placed as per Vastu guidelines. Make sure to keep clearly figured god’s idols, water in a jug, and water for daily consumption. The right mandir position as per Vastu is the north or north-east corner of the room.

Position the diyas facing north, east or west. Avoid south as it is considered inauspicious and leads to loss of wealth

5 things to keep in pooja room

1. Lights/diya in a temple room: According to pooja room Vastu, lighting a diya wards off negative energies. Diyas should be placed on the right side of the person performing the puja. Always use cotton wicks inside the diyas. Ensure that the wicks are not jumbled up. Always keep the lamp clean.
2. Flowers in puja room: Always use fresh flowers in a puja room. Avoid stale ones. Flowers should be removed in the late evenings from the temple, once they dry and wilt.
3. Idols, photographs and pictures: Place idols, statues and pictures of god as per mandir vastu direction. Do not put your own pictures in the puja room. You must also avoid photographs of your family members/ancestors who have passed away. It leads to an imbalance in the energy of the house.
4. Incense sticks: Lighting incense sticks in the Pooja room creates a calm environment and ensures positive flow of energies.
5. Holy books: Keep the holy books and dharmic granths on the west and south wall. Ensure only those holy books are kept in the temple area which are read regularly. Do not keep torn books at all.

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Things to keep in pooja room for good luck

As per Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui experts, keeping these auspicious items will attract positive energies.

• You can light a few aroma candles, dhoop or incense sticks, to cleanse the area and create a divine ambience.
• Place a red-coloured cloth below the photographs or other idols in the temple.
• A bell should be kept in home temples, on the left side. As per mandir vastu, the sound of the bell keeps the negative energy away.
• Make sure your pooja room corner, that is north and north east directions, is free from any heavy objects as it can block the flow of money in the house.

Puja thali items

Puja thali kept in the temple represents five cosmic elements earth, water, fire, wind and sky Using a puja thali is one of the ways to worship the divine energies. The Puja thali can be made of silver, brass, copper, meenakari embellishment or even steel. Always keep rice kumkum, turmeric (powder or whole pieces) Diya, and flowers. One can also keep sandalwood paste, betel leaves or betel nuts, Kalash and Prasad if possible or one can keep it separately.

See also: Vastu tips for the bedroom

Storage in a puja room 

Storage cabinets in the pooja room should always face towards southeast direction. Make sure there is no obstruction for the sunlight to enter.

Avoid keeping unnecessary items below the temple or dustbins in this area. Do not store anything above the idols. For water, use copper vessels only and change the water of the kalash daily.

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Rangoli

Adorn the floor with rangoli designs as it brings positive vibes and exudes joy. Draw Swastik and Om symbols on the northeast wall as it brings prosperity, according to Vastu. Do not make auspicious symbols in the rangoli design on the floor. If there is less space near the temple area, one can make rangoli on a ‘chowki’ and place it near the temple area.

Diyas and Agni Kund

Oil lamps or diyas are essential elements you will find in any temple or home mandir. Also, Agni kund is used for performing havan and can be kept in the puja area. As per Vastu Shastra, the best direction for Diyas and Agni Kund is the southeast direction which is related to the fire element. Diyas can also be placed in the east or north to attract good health and wealth, respectively. However, one should note that mandir diyas and lamps should not face or be kept in the south direction as it can cause loss of wealth.

 

Things to avoid in the Pooja room

Avoid impure items in the puja room

Leather is one item that is considered impure. Animal skin should not be placed in the temple space. Also, avoid keeping money in the puja room. While it is not impure, it is not considered right to save/store money in a place where you seek peace and blessings.

See also: Vastu Shastra tips for keeping bamboo plant

 

Design ideas for puja mandir in small flats

A pyramid-structured ceiling that looks like the gopura of a temple, would be a good design for your puja room. The pyramid shape is known to attract positive energy.

Nowadays, people live in apartments and often it is difficult to have a dedicated pooja room. However, there are many interesting ways to create a serene puja room. Make sure you follow the rules of Vastu for pooja room in flats.

See also: How to remove negativity from home

Puja room in entertainment unit/living room

For small apartments, the best place to keep a puja unit is in the living room. If you have vacant shelves in the entertainment unit, you can decorate a small corner for a dedicated puja space.

Puja room in kitchen cabinet

While following the rules of Vastu, considering the kitchen for designing the pooja room in flats is one option if there is no other space available. You can create a wall-mounted puja room. You can customise a kitchen cabinet to make it work like a small mandir.

Place the mandir in the kitchen on the left or right side of the stove. Avoid keeping the stove opposite the temple, and never place the mandir above the gas stove or the kitchen sink as it can bring bad luck.

Dining room corner

You can convert an empty corner of the dining room into a pooja space by setting up a set of neat pedestals so that the idols are several inches above ground level. You can also place tiny lights above or below the idols to illuminate the region and also store pooja essentials. You can also install a tiny curtain for privacy and keeping the pooja room out of public view.

Use room divider for puja room

If the home temple is placed as per the Vastu recommended direction in the living room, dining area, bedroom or study, it is better to use a room divider and create a separate puja space. A simple curtain, a glass wall, an ornate plaster of Paris divider, or vertical garden room dividers can be used. A small wooden divider with shelves can also be used to keep puja accessories. Design it with religious symbols, etchings or stencil cuts on the screens, for a pleasing impact.

Pooja room doors and windows

If there is a separate pooja room or home temple, it should have doors that allows privacy during worship and helps in maintaining this sacred space by keeping away pests or insects. The pooja room spreads auspicious energies around through the threshold. Hence, the pooja room entrance is most important.

Design the pooja room doors against the wall of north or east corner of the room. You can go for jail doors or double doors made of glass or wood. Make sure the pooja room has windows to keep the room well-ventilated.

Open shelf corners

If you have open shelves, you can easily arrange a mini pooja space for placing the idols. For small homes, metal shelves built into a corner of the house make a trendy pooja area with different idols on each shelf and space for lamps and incense sticks too.

Wall niche

Create a small niche or alcove on a wall for a temple in a small home. Decorate the niche in lovely soothing colours and deck up the temple with soothing focus lights.

See also: Vastu tips for keeping Lord Ganesha at home

 

Mandir direction in home: How to decorate?

Vastu recommends a low-height ceiling for the pooja room, which will boost positive vibrations in the space. The ceiling above the temple can be decorated with a POP design.

One can adorn the ceiling with gold textured paint and hang bells. If space permits, decorate the wall on which the temple is fixed. Backlit panels are in trend. Sanskrit shlokas or a lotus pattern can be etched on a backlit board to enhance the divine aura. Another option is to have the wall designed with attractive wallpaper in auspicious yellow or orange colours.

 

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Which god can you place on main door?

One can place auspicious symbols and images of gods or goddesses such as Ganesha and Lakshmi on the main door entrance of the house. This will attract good luck and prosperity.

 

Best colours for a puja room as per Vastu

Besides the right direction of mandir in home, the use of subtle colours ensures the tranquillity of the puja room. For the temple space, use whites, light blues, beige, lavender, orange, cream or light yellow colours. Strictly avoid dark brown and black.

These will not lend a sense of calm that is suitable for a prayer room. Never use black colour in the temple area, as it is strictly prohibited in mandir vastu. Similarly, use white marble or any light-coloured marble tiling for the flooring of your puja room.

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See also: How to choose the right colours for your home, based on Vastu

 

 

Can we keep shankh (conch) in the temple?

It is considered auspicious to keep a conch in the temple at home. The sound of a conch shell played, brings positive energy throughout the house.

Which oil should be used to light a diya in the temple?

As per Vastu, cow’s ghee is best. One can also use sesame oil or mustard oil, to light diya at home for positive energy.

What should one do with water-filled in the Kalash kept in the temple?

Change the Kalash water daily kept in the temple. In the morning ideally offer it to Tulsi or any other plant.

Can I keep peacock feathers in the temple room?

One can keep five peacocks feathers in the temple or the puja room. This will help to reduce the negative energy and help to also overcome Vastu defects.

Why are the betel leaves or betel nuts used in Puja?

Betel leaves are considered auspicious and they signify prosperity and are used in puja rituals. Supari signifies the ego that must be surrendered on the altar of God, and one must be humble. It is said that betel nuts help in peace and harmony at home.

Why is rice kept in the puja thali in the temple at home?

Rice kept in Puja thali are called ‘Akshat’ which are unbroken white rice and are always kept with Kumkum in the temple at home. Rice symbolizes auspiciousness, prosperity, and fertility. It attracts positive energies.

Which material must be used to store water in the pooja room?

Copper kalash is considered ideal for keeping water in the pooja room. Make sure to change the water in the vessel daily.

(With inputs from Sneha Sharon Mammen)

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