The pooja room or pooja mandir is a crucial part of the majority of houses in India. Whether you are constructing a new home or renovating an old one, it is vital to ensure that this sacred space, which is used for meditation and prayer, is filled with positive energy & vibes. Vastu Shastra dictates specific guidelines that help with designing pooja rooms. This article not only depicts the perfect direction in which the pooja space should be located but also the design, color, and materials that are ideal for it.
Let us drive you through a guide on Pooja Room Vastu tips to help you get started.
Best direction to have Pooja Room in the house
It is advisable to keep the pooja mandir at the home in the north-east. Jupiter is the ruler of the north-east direction, which is also known as Ishan Kona. Ishan is God. That’s whereby it is the direction of God or Jupiter. Therefore, the North-east is an ideal direction because it harnesses maximum energy from the Sun. The other best directions are respectively east and north. Directions, other than these, are not advised to have Pooja room in the house.
Placement of pooja mandir as per Vastu
When it comes to constructing the temple, it is inadvisable to place it directly on the floor. Instead, it should be kept on a raised platform or pedestal. If you’re planning to design a new home and have control over the place where your pooja room goes, then it is strongly recommended to avoid the basement or higher floors of the house. It is best to place your home pooja mandir on the ground level.
Material to use for construction of a temple as per Vastu
The temple should be made either of marble or wood. If you plan to use wood, then according to the Vastu Shastra, it is mandatory to use the wood of Sevan (Gmelina Arborea) OR Ghana Teak Wood (Tectona grandis). Sevan Wood and Ghana Teak Wood are sacred & pure and best for the temple. No other material or wood can be used in the production of a temple.
For a Large-sized temple, only African Ghana Teak wood is recommended to be used as it remains resilient for almost 25 years. Glass & acrylic in any form should be avoided. The wooden temple should not be cluttered.
Ideal Idol Placement – the best position to keep idols in the pooja room
As per Vastu Shastra, it is preferred to avoid placing idols in the pooja room. Divine images is a more preferable option. However, if it is inevitable to place an idol, ensure that it is not less than 2 inches and no more than 9 inches. Air circulation from all directions is favorable. Therefore, the idols should be placed a few inches away from the pooja room walls and at a slightly higher elevation than the ground. The footings of the idol are suggested to be at chest level when you sit in the room to pray.
Additionally, the position of the idol should be such that the devotee faces the east or north while praying. For instance, the pooja room in the west-facing houses should have the idol placed against the north or east wall, ensuring that there is no washroom or kitchen behind the wall.
Last but not the least, it is inadvisable to have multiple idols of the same God or Goddess, either in a seating or standing position in the wooden temple. And, the idols or photographs placed inside the temple, should not be cracked or tampered with, as it is considered ominous.
Sacred Storage – the best direction to keep pooja related items
Storage becomes a major challenge, especially for the pooja room designs in small houses. Whether it’s devotional books, lamps, wicks, or other accessories, they need to be stored so that the pooja room looks neat and tidy, creating a relaxed atmosphere suitable for worshipping & meditating.
Storage for the pooja room is preferred in the south or the west direction so that it does not block the sunlight entering the room. Also, no material should be stored above the height of the idol.
Soothing Palette – colors that make the atmosphere of the pooja room meditative
Since the ambiance in the pooja rooms needs to be quiescent, soothing colors such as white, pale yellow and light blue are decent. Lighter shades help to reflect light and make the room look brighter. Too dark and flamboyant colors should be avoided since they interfere with the sense of tranquility that is vital in a pooja room.
Preferably, Home pooja mandir polish color should be Natural Brown of Walnut or White. Similarly, floors with white or cream-toned marble are the priority.
Let the Light In – mild lighting for a brighter pooja room
If the new house is being built, it is desirable to design the pooja room with a window in the north-east direction to aid the natural light entering the space. Diyas and lamps energize the pooja room so the number of diyas could be augmented to increase the amount of illumination in places where getting natural light is an issue.
The room where you are going to keep the wooden temple should have enough room for pooja. During special poojas, the entire family prays together. Hence, there should be enough room for the entire family to sit down and pray. The temple area should be full of radiance and positive energy.
So, keep it hygienic, dustproof, and avoid stuffing the space with too many unwanted materials & luggage. Above all, the temple should give you a feeling of serenity and peace.
The quick know-hows to furnish a wooden temple at home:
- Decorate the temple with fresh flowers, a few aroma candles, dhoop sticks, or incense sticks to remove impurities from the area and create a heavenly ambiance.
- The light or Diya is usually on the right side of the person doing a pooja.
- Pictures or paintings of the dead or ancestors should never be kept in a room of the temple.
- It is advisable to have a small shelf near the Pooja Mandir to store the puja materials and religious books.
- Avoid putting unnecessary things beneath the temple or dustbins in this space.
Now that you have an easy to follow pooja room Vastu guide, it’s time to refurbish your sacred space. Look for wonderful Pooja Mandir designs for your home and derive spiritual benefits to your family. We strongly believe that the aforementioned Vastu tips for the pooja room will make your pooja room a very fortunate one.