Vaastu : HOSPITAL COMPLEXES

Surgery in Ancient India

In ancient India, medicine had acquired the highest degree of proficiency. Indian medicine (Ayurveda) dealt with the subject in totality. It described the structure of the body, its organs, its ligaments, muscles, vessels and tissues. Ancient Hindus excelled in surgery too. The ancient medical man most mentioned is the great Dhanawantri. Sushruta, Charaka and others down the line were bold and skilful in their surgery. They conducted amputations, arrested bleedings by pressure, bandage or boiling oil, performed operations in the abdomen and uterus, curved hernia, fistula and piles, set broken bones and dislocations and could deftly remove foreign substances from the body.

The great surgeon Sushruta is said to have advised dissection of dead bodies to a student of surgery and stressed the importance of knowledge gained from experiment and observation. The ancient medical men of India were the first to establish hospitals and for the centuries, they were the only ones to maintain them. Speaking about a hospital in Pataliputra - of King Chandragupta II, Fa Hein, a Chinese traveler, stated in his memoirs that all poor and helpless patients that came there were taken excellent care of. Food and medicine were provided according to their needs and a doctor was in constant attendance.

Modern Hospital

A modern hospital provides health care to the people, both preventive and curative. The hospital is a organization that has to function as a group of teams. The teams can be broadly classified as:

1.      Patient care team consisting of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medico-social workers and dieticians,

2.      Investigative team consisting of lab technicians, radiology technicians, nurses, pathologists, micro-biologists,

3.      bio-chemists and radiologists and

4.      Supportive team consisting of maintenance and house-keeping staff, transport staff, aides and helpers.

Basically, each hospital has two departments

a)      one for outpatients

b)      and the other, for inpatients.

The outpatient department is defined as a regular part of the hospital with scheduled part of working with medical and other staff to provide care for patients who are not registered as inpatients. The outpatients services can be preventive. Promotive, curative, follow-up and rehabilitative. The OPD also includes family welfare services, health, medical, para-medical and nursing services.

The inpatient department is defined as another part of the hospital, which allows the patients to stay in the hospital, which allows the patients to stay in the hospital for days together with medical and other staff providing total care for the patients. The operation theatres, major

and minor, are important segments of a hospital. These have to be segregated from other departments. It is necessary to understand the concept of protective, dirt-free, aseptic and disposal zones. Other blocks consist of premature units (neo-natals and nursing new-borns) and pharmacy.

A modern hospital also needs to have laboratories, which consist of clinical pathology, micro-biology, bio-chemistry, hematology and histo-pathology sections. Here, provision for waiting rooms and toilets have to be made. They also need radiology (X-ray rooms etc.) departments. Of course, due provision for a central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), casualty, generator rooms, kitchen/canteen,stores, laundry, workshops, garages, mortuary, residential campus and community center can be made.

Application of Vaastu

The planning begins with locating a proper site. The basic considerations, of course, will be to select the site near main roads. This way, the accessibility to the hospital will be good.

a)      North-east sites are ideal for hospitals. But if corner sites are not available East and North-facing sites are recommended. Many a time, there are also not available and you may be forced to go in for a West or South facing site.

b)      A West-facing site may be preferred to South-facing one. Do not despair if you get a South-facing site. Vastu can be applied judiciously to get the sites the needed balance.

Proper orientation to the cardinal directions is definitely recommended. A site that has all sites equal, would be ideal. In a square, all the primary elements of nature --- udaka (water), gagana (space), pavana(air), dahana(agni) and prithvi (earth) are well balanced. If a rectangular site is selected, a length not more than twice the breadth may be chosen.

Once the site is selected, the planning of the structure begins. Allow a minimum of one-ninth of the site free on all four sites. This can be used for movement of traffic, trolleys and stretchers. This one-ninth relates to the Paisacha or non-habitable zone of the site.

The basement can be for car and other vehicle parking.

The ground floor can consist of the chairman's room, pharmacy, reception, and the casualty (or emergency) department. The minor operation theatre, the ECG, audiometry, X-ray and physiotherapy rooms, the consultation rooms are also provided at the ground floor. The laundry, the kitchen/canteen, the clinical lab, the ultrasound room, the generator and plant room, the laundry, toilets and, of course, the staircase and elevators will be at the ground floor.

The chairman's and other director's offices, the clinical lab and ultrasound can be in the Southwest, South and West sectors. Canteens, kitchens, generator and plant rooms can be in the agneya - Southeast sector. The elevators/staircases, laundry and toilets can be in the vayuvya - Northwest sector of the structure.

The central area from the North to South and East to West corresponding to 1/9th of the length (or width) can be kept open for fast and free movement of stretchers, wheel chairs, trolleys, doctors and patients. As the casualty and the minor operation theatres are immediate necessities, these can be in the easanya - Northeast of the building for easy access.

First floor of a modern hospital can house the operation theatres and other attendant units and rooms. The intensive care units can be in the Southwest and the South sectors, the CSSD and the changing rooms can be in the East and South sectors. The major/minor operation theatres and the post operative and recovery rooms can be in the North and Northeast sectors, the endoscopy room and the minor OPD procedures, the changing rooms and toilets can be in the West, North and Northwest sectors. The scrubbing and washing areas, the pantry and linen cupboards and the CSSD can be in the South and Southeast sector

In the second floor, the hospital can house the patient's single and double wards and the nurse's dormitories. The chairman's room and the double wards can be in the South, West and South - west sectors, the single wards can be in the Northeast, the nurses' dormitories in the North, canteens and kitchens in the South-east, and toilets and laundry in the Northwest sector.

The third floor can have the conference rooms having close circuit TV network for watching live operations in the North, East and Northeast sectors and the incinerators used for disposing of waste and infected material can be in the Southwest sector. The male and the female toilets can be in the Northwest sector and the Southwest and the South sectors can be strengthened with a rock garden such that it slopes to the North/East.

Importance of Sleeping Positions

The patients cots can be placed such that their heads are to the South. This way, the magnetic energies coming from the various sides and the polarity induced in the body vibe with each other to maintain a balanced blood circulation in the body, thereby strengthening the healing and curative properties of the body.

The great sage Garga is said have said that one should lie with his head placed southward if he wanted to live long. Sage Markandeya says that one is strong and lives long by placing one's head to the South.

It has also been proved by experiments that the human body is a magnetiseable object and that it contains a large percentage of iron in the blood that circulates all through the body. As our feet are always in touch with the Northern Hemisphere of the earth, which exhibits the properties of north polarity, south polarity is induced in out feet and consequently north polarity is induced in the head. The body will have stable health if the head is placed to the south, thereby preserving the natural polarity of the body.

On the other hand, when the head is placed to the north, there is repulsion between the two like poles of the body and the earth, blood circulation is affected and disease sets in.

Vaastu For CINEMA COMPLEX

A building, whether it be a residential house or a industrial concern, it should be constructed obeying all the principles and rules given in Vaastu Shastra. Enjoying the bliss of healthy long life with family, he may find out the ways and means of getting rid of all troubles and losses. This is possible only on the basis of knowledge and knowledge requires experience. To incorporate the deeds and experiences of the forefathers or of our own in current situations in life, so as to enjoy the worldly pleasures is what we call experience. Happiness can be enjoyed for whole of the life.

The progress of any construction work is hindered or slowed down only if it is not in accordance with the procedure given in Shastras, where the good or evil effects of all the steps right from selection of site to residing in the house constructed have been considered.

Therefore the following facts relating to Vaastu in cinema halls and studios should be borne in mind and followed by the persons related to this business -

1.      Before constructing the cinema hall or studio, the land site should be square or rectangle and aligned to cardinal directions.

2.      The land should be sloping towards the northeast direction.

3.      Building of the cinema hall should be constructed keeping it elevated and heavy on the west and south.

4.      Screen and stage should be in the north or east and the balcony should be constructed in the west or south, so that the viewers face towards east or north while seeing a film.

5.      The machine room to project the film on the screen should be built in the south or west direction.

6.      Generator and electric power etc. should be installed in the southeast corner where these will be auspicious.

7.      Toilets for the public should be constructed in the south near the southwest corner or in the west near northwest corner, such that people face towards south while using the toilet.

8.      Entrance in the hall should be from southwest and exit in the north-east direction. Doors should be provided in proper auspicious position.

9.      In a hall facing east, entrance should be from the north side and in a hall facing north, entrance from the east is auspicious.

10.  Canteen and restaurant should be allotted a place in the east near the southeast corner or it can be near the northwest corner in the north.

11.  Car parking, cycle stand, etc. should be there in the southwest portion.

12.  Enough open space should be kept all around the cinema hall.

13.  Overhead water tanks should be placed in the southwest corner of the roof.

14.  The northeast corner should be kept low and light; it should always be kept neat and clean. Arrangement should be made in this corner for worship (Puja)

15.  The chamber of the manager should be in the southwest portion, and the manager should sit facing north or east in his room.

16.  Office will also be auspicious in southwest.

17.  Friday is the auspicious day for release of a film.

18.  There should not be any kind of pit or low area in the vicinity of the cinema hall in south or west direction.

19.  Slope of the cinema hall should be toward the northeast.

20.  Roof of the hall should also be sloping in east or north directions.

21.  Ticketing window should be in east or north directions.

22.  Office of the accountant and the engineer should be in southeast portion.

23.  The trailer photos of the current films can be displayed in the northwest areas of the cinema hall.

24.  A pit or low in the north or east is auspicious, water tank, bore well, constructed below the floor level of the hall in north-east direction for drinking water is auspicious and beneficial.

25.  Waste water or the sewer should be drained out from the northwest side.

26.  Rain water should flow out towards the northeast which should be harvested.

Vaastu : HOTEL COMPLEX

A well run hotel or a motel or even a guest house, can bring precious foreign exchange for the country, if the southwest part of it well strengthened by placement of natural rocks, preferably steel grey. Additionally, the complex should be highest on the southwest before being loaded with overhead tanks placed on the west of southwest or southwest.

The site should preferably be a size slightly larger than the requisite area, even if it has to be outside the city away from the hustle and bustle. The location and size can help in creating a real recreation centers with spacious lawns, gardens and water bodies attracting the guests.

After the site is selected, taking into consideration, levels, roads and angles etc., taking into consideration the basic vaastu principles, one has to plan the open spaces for lawns and car parking.

Hotel Building:

Hotel building tower must be located in the southwest leaving minimum space in the west and south side and ample on east and north sides. Repeat patrons swell in locations where the east side is more open than the west side.  Independent cottages spread over large areas are not recommended.

1.      Basement could be designed for:

·         car parking,

·         kitchen,

·         stores

·         servant's stay etc.

2.      Ground floor could be used for

·         reception,

·         restaurant,

·         banquet halls,

·         group or gathering areas.

·         Kitchen -    As the area required for kitchen has to be sufficiently big,

with light and ventilation, it is better that kitchen is planned on ground floor earmarking complete south-east portions for ovens, grinders and other automation area.

3.      First floor could have conference halls.

·         Conference Halls,

·         Additional banquet halls,

·         Additonal rooms for gathering and catering, if necessary.

Additional restaurant area, if necessary,

4.      Second floor and other upper floors can be used for guest rooms.

5.      Mezzanine floor in any hall should be provided along west or south walls.

Air conditioning Plant:

1.      AC equipment is to be kept in south east of the complex and there form it is to be operated.

2.      It should never be installed in northeast under any circumstances, as it emanates hot air when running.

Electrical Generators and Transformers:

1.      These are to be installed in southeast direction.

2.      If all cannot be accommodated in southeast, it can be extended first towards south and then east.

Wash Basins:

1.      Wash basins should be avoided in the centre of any facilities, even if it is convenient, for the users.

2.      Wash basins are to be arranged in north of halls.

Main Entrances of Restaurants:

1.      It is better to have main entrance in east or north or north east directions.

2.      If it is to be kept in west direction, it should be towards north west. 

3.      If it is forced to keep main entrance in south, it is advisable to keep it in south east rather than south west.

4.      Avoid entrances from southwest.

Cash Counter and Reception:

1.                  These may be provided in south west with elevated platforms.

2.                  If it is provided in north west or other places the floor level should be higher than south west.

Water Bodies:

1.                  Swimming pools, water ponds, fountains, bore wells, and sumps, etc. have to be planned in north or east and northeast.

2.                  Rainwater harvesting arrangements must be made in the northeast.

3.                  To promote better business construct ponds or lakes in the north and east, preferably with facilities of boating or fishing.

Fire Prevention and Safety:

1.                  Fire resistant materials can be used to prevent fire, especially in the kitchen and pantry areas.

2.                  Electric fittings should be of highest quality to prevent short circuits.

3.                  Adequate arrangements should be made to make the hotel safe by way of fast fire fighting facilities like fire hydrants, and easy exit in case of fire.

Special Vaastu Stipulations:

1.                  Care has to be taken that the balconies are provided in east or north.

2.                  The toilets should be avoided in northeast side of the rooms.

3.                  Store rooms with huge stocks should be in south or west or south west.

4.                  Shopping areas including book shop, cosmetics, curios or gift shop are recommended.

5.                  24 hours coffee shop and restaurant is recommended with its kitchens in southeast, which will ensure continuous fire in agneya, to run a prosperous hotel.

Vaastu : HOSPITAL COMPLEXES

Surgery in Ancient India

In ancient India, medicine had acquired the highest degree of proficiency. Indian medicine (Ayurveda) dealt with the subject in totality. It described the structure of the body, its organs, its ligaments, muscles, vessels and tissues. Ancient Hindus excelled in surgery too. The ancient medical man most mentioned is the great Dhanawantri. Sushruta, Charaka and others down the line were bold and skilful in their surgery. They conducted amputations, arrested bleedings by pressure, bandage or boiling oil, performed operations in the abdomen and uterus, curved hernia, fistula and piles, set broken bones and dislocations and could deftly remove foreign substances from the body.

The great surgeon Sushruta is said to have advised dissection of dead bodies to a student of surgery and stressed the importance of knowledge gained from experiment and observation. The ancient medical men of India were the first to establish hospitals and for the centuries, they were the only ones to maintain them. Speaking about a hospital in Pataliputra - of King Chandragupta II, Fa Hein, a Chinese traveler, stated in his memoirs that all poor and helpless patients that came there were taken excellent care of. Food and medicine were provided according to their needs and a doctor was in constant attendance.

Modern Hospital

A modern hospital provides health care to the people, both preventive and curative. The hospital is a organization that has to function as a group of teams. The teams can be broadly classified as:

1.      Patient care team consisting of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, medico-social workers and dieticians,

2.      Investigative team consisting of lab technicians, radiology technicians, nurses, pathologists, micro-biologists,

3.      bio-chemists and radiologists and

4.      Supportive team consisting of maintenance and house-keeping staff, transport staff, aides and helpers.

Basically, each hospital has two departments

a)      one for outpatients

b)      and the other, for inpatients.

Outpatient Department/Wing

The outpatient department is defined as a regular part of the hospital with scheduled part of working with medical and other staff to provide care for patients who are not registered as inpatients. The outpatients services can be preventive, promotive, curative, follow-up and rehabilitative. The OPD also includes family welfare services, health, medical, para-medical and nursing services.

Inpatient Department/Wing:

The inpatient department is defined as another part of the hospital, which allows the patients to stay in the hospital, which allows the patients to stay in the hospital for days together with medical and other staff providing total care for the patients.

The operation theatres, major and minor, are important segments of a hospital. These have to be segregated from other departments. It is necessary to understand the concept of protective, dirt-free, aseptic and disposal zones.

 Other blocks consist of premature units (neo-natals and nursing new-borns) and pharmacy.

Services & Utilities:

A modern hospital also needs to have laboratories, which consist of clinical pathology, micro-biology, bio-chemistry, hematology and histo-pathology sections. Here, provision for waiting rooms and toilets have to be made. They also need radiology (X-ray rooms etc.) departments. Of course, due provision for a central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), casualty, generator rooms, kitchen/canteen,stores, laundry, workshops, garages, mortuary, residential campus and community center can be made.

Application of Vaastu

The planning begins with locating a proper site. The basic considerations, of course, will be to select the site near main roads. This way, the accessibility to the hospital will be good.

a)      North-east sites are ideal for hospitals. But if corner sites are not available East and North-facing sites are recommended. Many a time, there are also not available and you may be forced to go in for a West or South facing site.

b)      A West-facing site may be preferred to South-facing one. Do not despair if you get a South-facing site. Vastu can be applied judiciously to get the sites the needed balance.

c)      Proper orientation to the cardinal directions is definitely recommended. A site that has all sites equal, would be ideal.

In a square, all the primary elements of nature --- udaka (water), gagana (space), pavana(air), dahana(agni) and prithvi (earth) are well balanced. If a rectangular site is selected, a length not more than twice the breadth may be chosen.

Once the site is selected, the planning of the structure begins. Allow a minimum of one-ninth of the site free on all four sites. This can be used for movement of traffic, trolleys and stretchers. This one-ninth relates to the Paisacha or non-habitable zone of the site.

Basement:

The basement can be for car and other vehicle parking.

Ground Floor:

The ground floor can consist of the chairman's room, pharmacy, reception, and the casualty (or emergency) department. The minor operation theatre, the ECG, audiometry, X-ray and physiotherapy rooms, the consultation rooms are also provided at the ground floor.

The laundry, the kitchen/canteen, the clinical lab, the ultrasound room, the generator and plant room, the laundry, toilets and, of course, the staircase and elevators will be at the ground floor.

The chairman's and other director's offices, the clinical lab and ultrasound can be in the Southwest, South and West sectors.

Canteens, kitchens, generator and plant rooms can be in the agneya - Southeast sector. The elevators/staircases, laundry and toilets can be in the vayuvya - Northwest sector of the structure.

The central area from the North to South and East to West corresponding to 1/9th of the length (or width) can be kept open for fast and free movement of stretchers, wheel chairs, trolleys, doctors and patients.

As the casualty and the minor operation theatres are immediate necessities, these can be in the easanya - Northeast of the building for easy access.

First Floor:

First floor of a modern hospital can house the operation theatres and other attendant units and rooms. The intensive care units can be in the Southwest and the South sectors, the CSSD and the changing rooms can be in the East and South sectors.

The major/minor operation theatres and the post operative and recovery rooms can be in the North and Northeast sectors, the endoscopy room and the minor OPD procedures, the changing rooms and toilets can be in the West, North and Northwest sectors. The scrubbing and washing areas, the pantry and linen cupboards and the CSSD can be in the South and Southeast sectors.

Second Floor:

In the second floor, the hospital can house the patient's single and double wards and the nurse's dormitories. The double room wards can be in the South, West and South - west sectors, the single wards can be in the Northeast, the nurses' dormitories in the North, canteens and kitchens in the South-east, and toilets and laundry in the Northwest sector.

Third Floor:

The third floor can have the conference rooms having close circuit TV network for watching live operations in the North, East and Northeast sectors and the incinerators used for disposing of waste and infected material can be in the Southwest sector.

The male and the female toilets can be in the Northwest sector and the Southwest and the South sectors can be strengthened with a rock garden such that it slopes to the North/East.

Importance of Sleeping Positions

The patients cots can be placed such that their heads are to the South. This way, the magnetic energies coming from the various sides and the polarity induced in the body vibe with each other to maintain a balanced blood circulation in the body, thereby strengthening the healing and curative properties of the body.

The great sage Garga is said have said that one should lie with his head placed southward if he wanted to live long. Sage Markandeya says that one is strong and lives long by placing one's head to the South.

It has also been proved by experiments that the human body is a magnetiseable object and that it contains a large percentage of iron in the blood that circulates all through the body. As our feet are always in touch with the Northern Hemisphere of the earth, which exhibits the properties of north polarity, south polarity is induced in out feet and consequently north polarity is induced in the head. The body will have stable health if the head is placed to the south, thereby preserving the natural polarity of the body.

On the other hand, when the head is placed to the north, there is repulsion between the two like poles of the body and the earth, blood circulation is affected and disease sets in.

Vaastu :: COMMERCIAL COMPLEX

In the construction of multi-storied commercial complexes all the principles of Vaastu-Shastra can not be followed so easily as in case of residential houses. The builder of such complexes wants to utilize each and every corner of the space available for construction leaving any space open, without any construction there may not be profitable to the builder. Commercial complexes which are constructed in accordance with the rules of Vaastu-Shastra become popular and prove to be beneficial and profitable to the business that is carried on from that campus.

First of all a square or rectangular plot should be selected for a commercial complex. Buildings constructed on such plots are auspicious and beneficial to the owner, and help in successful and profitable business,

While constructing building on the plot, enough open space should be left all around. There should be more open space on the north and east than that on the south and west respectively.

1.      Lawn and Parking place is auspicious and profitable in the northeast directions.

2.      Slope of the land should be towards northeast direction. Southwest portion should be raised.

3.      If the plot is facing west or south and more open area is left in south or west for car parking the owner will run into financial difficulties.

4.      In cases where the plots are facing south or west, it is better shopping complex is built on to the road with minimum open space in south or west.

5.      The complex should not be built covering the plot upto the north or east boundary. Instead more open area in the rear i.e. in north and east should be left, where car parking, lawns, fountains etc. should be designed.

6.      Tall and dense trees near the main building are not good. There is no harm if the trees are at some distance,

7.      Well or tube-well should be constructed in the northeast portion, and overhead tank for storage of water should be constructed in northwest.

8.      Waste water drained out of the building and also the rain water should flow towards the north or east directions.

9.      As far as possible the main gate should be kept in the north or east direction. Height of the main door should be a little more than that other doors in the building.

10.  Rooms for office etc. should be built in such a manner that rays of the sun may reach in each and every room and flow of fresh air is also maintained without any interruption.

11.  Construction of rooms should be so planned that most of the rooms may face towards north or east.

12.  Length and breadth of the office rooms should also be sqaure or rectangular.

13.  Height of the upper storey should be kept less than that of the lower ones.

14.  If attached toilet is to be provided with the office room, it should be in the south-west portion of the room.  It must be avoided in northeast.

15.  Store room, if required along with the office, it should be in the south or west part of the room.

16.  It is good to construct stairs in the south or west portion of the main building. Stairs in northeast portion of the building are not auspicious.

17.  Balcony should be provided in the north or east direction in each room.

Successful Shops

Vastu principles should be followed for a profitable business in a shop.A shop or a business concern is the place where a person sits to carry on the process of sale and purchase of items or related transactions.

According to Vaastu Shastra, the door through which a customer enters is considered to be the face of the shop/business concern. Its auspiciousness should be known as follows:

Facing East                 Profitable

Facing West               Intermittent Profits and Losses

Facing North               Growth of Wealth, Prosperity

Facing South               Loss and hindrances when stars are weak.

Generating Auspiciousness:

1.       Four sided rectangular or square shapes are good and auspicious.

2.      There should not be a threshold at the entrance of the shop or business concern. Slope towards the entrance is also inauspicious. It makes the profits unstable.

3.      Floor of the shop or business concern should be kept clean and attractive.

4.      It is auspicious to install the idols of god Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi either in front or facing north direction.

5.      Auspicious symbols such as a Swastik should be marked and ‘Shubh-Labh’ ‘ Riddhi-Siddhi’ words written on the wall in the shop.

6.      The auspicious symbols and deities should be recommended keeping in view the faith, religion and background of the owner.

7.      Cash counter should be placed facing north. Cash box should never be left blank or empty.

8.      One's favoured deity should be remembered and prayers be offered in the morning and evening, with lighting a lamp and incense-stick.

9.      Presence of a tree or pole etc. in front of the shop causes Vedha, which is inauspicious. It creates problems and disturbances in the business, such Vedha should be avoided.

10.  In the northeast portion of the shop less and only attractive items should be placed. Heavy items should be kept in southwest portion. It is auspicious to keep the northeast corner empty and reserved for worship or gods.

11.  The owner should not sit under a beam or across a column corner.

12.  Drinking Water in shops has to be kept in northeast.

13.  Show cases have to be avoided in northeast direction; better in south and west.

14.  Stocks are to be stored in west, southwest and south side portions of shops.

15.  Better to have lofts and low roofs towards south and west directions, within the shops. Northeast corner is to be kept open with all the sanctity, within the shop. In this corner a water tap or a small puja place could be designed.

16.  Northeast corner should never be used even for a day, for storing any kind of materials.