Welcome to the February 2012 issue of Vaastuyogam I am happy to announce that with this issue our magazine enters its fourth year of publication. The journey so far has been exciting indeed. Beginning with this issue Vaastuyogam will now have 16 pages in place of the currenttwelve. With QvelWhelming response from our readers from abroad especially NRI’s in Africa, Dubai, Australia, Canada, USA and UK who have requested that the Vedic India articles on religious matters and the connected festivals will be regular features.

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I, along with my Vaastuyogam team wish all the readers a happy and prosperous 2012! May each day of the coming year be vibrant, bringing along many reasons for celebrations. May, 2012 unfold new horizons and help us to rediscover strength & faith within ourselves. Vaastuyogam has always placed the highest premium on the views of the readers and I take this New Year message to put 0 n record our deep sense of gratitude for all the comments and tips that the readers have given to me and my team. I assure you all that our goal of furthering the word of our Vedas and of engaging with society in debate on subjects of the Vedic sciences remains nfaltering – in fact we are redoubling our efforts from this issue onwards by bring in additional content on Astrology, the great...

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Welcome to the December issue of Vaastuyogam. I – along with my whole Vaastuyogam team – take this opportunity to wish Merry Christmas to our readers in India, Africa, Australia, USA, United Kingdom , U.A.E, Singapore and other countries of the world. The year gone by has seen the stupendous growth of Vaastu awareness both in India and abroad. What is heartening the keen interest shown by the younger generation in Vedic subjects. I am happy to inform that due to continuous requests from our readers we will be carrying in depth articles that throw light on our ancient heritage in our Vedic India series. Unfortunately, the year gone by has also seen the intensification of many negative...

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Welcome to the November 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. I have just returned from an eventful and exciting trip to the USA, where I had gone to attend the AFA (American Federation of Astrologers) 2011 conference held in Tempe, Arizona. Readers will be surprised to learn that the awareness and seriousness in Americans for astrology is in many ways far ahead of ours. What is certain is that the quality of their research and publications on astrology are of an unimaginably high order. The average non-academic intelligent citizen of the USA faces an increasingly competitive society with declining job security and now finds solace and hope in the astrological sciences. There is...

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Welcome to the October issue of Vaastuyogam. Before going further I along with the whole of my Vaastuyogam team take this opportunity to wish all readers of Vaastuyogam a happy  Diwali and a prosperous new year. May the New Year shower happiness, prosperity and health to one and all. As every year, our Vedic India series carries a Ramayana special; this time we narrate the tales of Hanuman , his devotion for Ram, the Hanuman Chalisa  and the immortality of Hanuman. Also, we have added an excerpt from Valmiki’s Ramayana that describes the building of Ram Setu that has...

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Welcome to the September Issue of Vaastuyogam. Our magazine is dedicated to disseminating the ancient sciences of our Vedas. We have been attempting dialogue with various segments of society on the subject; there have been architects, engineers, industrialists, housewives, doctors and businessmen. In this issue we add to this list by talking to an exceptionally gifted astrologer with his own methodology. In fact, no discussion of our ancient sciences will be complete with astrology, which is the source fountain from which all the subsidiary Vedic sciences like Palmistry and Vaastu have originated. In November 2002 when I had occasion to address the 4th International ISBA Congress held in London, I had said that astrology is a “potent tool to anticipate the future. Across international boundaries, we...

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Welcome to the August 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. On the occasion of India’s 65th Independence day on the 15th of this month I salute the Indian flag and all the great leaders of our country who surrendered their property, freedom and lives to remove British rule from India. As I am intimately linked with land and construction I take this occasion to evaluate the current situation prevailing in our country in this sphere. It is indeed very disheartening to note that everyone involved in land and construction is bent on squeezing the last rupee out of every transaction with the result that the final consumer – the house owner, the buyers...

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Welcome to the July 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. This month, the Vedic India series carries an article on a topic very dear to my heart – the homage and respect we need to have for our elders and teachers. On the 16th of this month, Hindus all across India and world will celebrate Guru Purnima. Hinduism considers the guru the most respected person. He/she is the one who enlightens the mind of his or her disciple, and offers instruction in rituals and religious ceremonies. The Vishnu Smriti and Manu Smriti regard the teacher, the mother and father as the most venerable influences on an individual. The dialogue between guru and disciple is a fundamental component of Hinduism. On the...

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Welcome to the June 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. I thank all the readers who have called to congratulate me on the commencing of the African edition of our magazine. I hope that this shall be the starting point of bringing Vaastu closer to the people staying in the continent of Africa. The month of May saw the worldwide celebrations of , Buddha Purnima commemorating the three great events of Lord Buddha’s life: His Birth, Enlightenment and the Passing Away. As part of the Buddha Purnima celebrations Vaastuyogam carries a special article on the life and teachings of Lord Buddha in its Vedic India series. Though Buddhisim itself did not flourish in India, eclipsed as it was by Hinduism and Islam it has spread internationally....

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Welcome to the June 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. June 2011 will be an important milestone in the history of Vaastuyogam. From this month onwards Vaastuyogam will be published simultaneously in India and Africa. Vaastuyogam has had a very large block of regular, interested readers in Africa. Right from the inception of this magazine, there has been a consistent request from several quarters there for an edition that should be published in Africa along with the one in India. Vaastuyogam bridges the divide between modernity and tradition, between science and custom, between the Twenty first Century and Vedic...

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Even before I begin, I take leave to congratulate the Indian cricket team lead by M.S.Dhoni on achieving a spectacular World Cup victory. This win has been sweetened all the more by the resounding defeat of Pakistan India’s agitated old rivals. Even though it may have been only a cricket match it was an encounter enough to hold the whole sub-continent in thrall. Well done India. Keep it up. Cricket, or for that matter sport in general has held a special fascination for me, especially from the astrological angle. From my student days onwards I have worked on multitudes of astrological combinations that have bearing on sport. The astrological laws governing sport are universal...

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Dr Ravi Rao Welcome to the March 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam Vaastuyogam has been in the limelight in the preceding two months of this year. There has been exciting response from readers on the various articles, especially the ones on Vaastu Alerts. It is a matter of immense solace that Vaastuyogam reaches out to thousands of people far and wide and that it answers the need for a connect with our Vedic sciences. On the occasion of Mahashivaratri we carry a special on Lord Shiva in the Vedic India series. The times we are passing through are an accumulation of the misdemeanor and bad policies...

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Welcome to the February 2011 issue of vaastuyogam. I am happy to announce that, from this month, we are beginning a new series “Vaastu & Homes.” Herein, we shall explore cases of how homes and families have been impacted by Vaastu. As readers will be aware, I have been raising the issue of uncertainty on both political and economic fronts. The dark clouds over Egypt may engulf other parts in the region and also impact the Indian economy and diplomatic status quo. As having cautioned earlier I renew my advise to maintain strict cost controls on the one hand and keep as much liquidity as much as possible.In uncertain times, your best friend is cash. The industrial scenario will hold steady and may even see steady but marginal...

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Welcome to the January 2011 issue of Vaastuyogam. I, along with my Vaastuyogam team take great pleasure in welcoming the year 2011. The New Year ushers in good tidings! I see buoyancy in most sectors, especially till mid-August after which time there may be slowdown but it will not be a severe one and nor will it affect sectors across all industries. In the human resources front companies will have to try twice as hard to find the right person for the right job. It might even end up as a near impossibility. In fact there may be severe shortfall in finding skilled labour. For the working population there is...

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Welcome to the year-end issue of Vaastuyogam. I, along with the Vaastuyogam team wish all our readers a Merry Christmas! The year gone by has seen a remarkable recovery of the economy and the trends foretell a stronger and economically robust Indian economy. These are good tidings and cause for much cheer. This brings me to the crux of what is the need of the hour-the need to nurture generosity and philanthropy. As is rightly said, ” When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” Blessed are those who can give without remembering, and take without forgetting. We are all notoriously slow on philanthropy though happily the trend is changing. In the U.S.A billionaires, led...

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Welcome to the November 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. I, along with my Vaastuyogam team wish all our readers a very happy Diwali. May the new year shower upon you all the blessings of health, wealth, fame and happiness. This issue returns to our popular theme of Corporate logos with an explanatory essay on the emerging trend of branding on the basis of geographical locations. Indeed the Government of India along with the state governments are doing laudable work in establishing the Indian footprint on quality exports to the exacting consumers in the advanced western nations. In India the famed “Pashmina” of Kashmir received Geographical Indication (GI) rights last year and recently Banarasi silk products joined...

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Welcome to the October 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. I along with the Vaastuyogam team join all readers in the celebration season ahead.  First we have the Navratri and Durga puja which will be followed by Dussehra. This month the Vaastu Alerts article deals with the crucial factors of a building over which occupants may not have much control. The article is addressed to the general public that are about to buy a flat and are hunting for a perfect home. The fact of the matter is that it is the builder who must exercise caution here. By taking some pains the builders can arrive at building designs far more superior to what is currently in...

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Welcome to the September 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. Vaastuyogam aims to bring to its readers the fundamental principles of Vaastu and reveal it , not as fragmentary pieces of knowledge but as a coherent and complete program for architectural design and as a corpus of knowledge that forms a blueprint which has been adapting itself to the regional and social variations it has encountered and which is the very basis of its continuation and contemporary use. Vaastuyogam has taken up debate with architects and engineers. Interviews with them are published regularly in each issue. We now shift the theatre of enquiry to the builders community. September is the month of Ganesh Chaturthi-the famous and best loved festival of...

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I take pride in celebrating India’s 63rd Independence Day with all my readers. India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies with a GDP that is projected to multiply five times by 2030. While applauding the leaps that India’s economy has achieved, I have always voiced  my concern about the poor quality of our cities and housing. In fact, in Vaastuyogam we have had umpteen articles on this issue. We are home to a quarter of the world’s 20 most densely populated cities. But the slow pace of urban development is harming our cities, which by twenty years from now will be home to about 590 million people – nearly twice the population ...

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From this month onwards, in our Town Planning series, we begin a two-part serial on Ahmedabad city.  Ahmedabad should be taken seriously for two important reasons. One of the reasons is that apart from being the erstwhile capital, it is also the largest city of Gujarat. The other reason is that, Ahmedabad is the epicenter of Gujarati culture and business. Where-ever Gujarati’s may stay and do business, they always come to their roots in Ahmedabad. Everyone knows that the Indus Valley civilization disappeared from Mohenjo-daro, but fewer know that the Harappan culture made its last stand in what is now a part of Ahmedabad district. Lothal is situated at a distance of 80 km from Ahmedabad. It is one of the most important...

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Welcome to the June 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. I am very happy that our new series – Vaastu Alerts – has received a very heartening response. In fact reader feedback on this subject has come in not just from India but also from readers as far away as Canada, Kenya, New Zealand and England. In this issue we discuss the somewhat controversial subject of public roads and their effect on home and commercial establishments. In fact, roads are pivotal to the understanding of Vaastu. More about roads and how they have contributed to the lackluster performance can be related to the road layout of Gandhinagar GIDC. You can read that in our on going Town Planning series next month. In...

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Welcome to the May 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam I, along with the Vaastuyogam team join all of Gujarat as it celebrates its Golden Jubilee year. Gujarat State, which was formed after the bifurcation of the erstwhile Bombay State, into the two states of Maharashtra and Gujarat on May 1st, 1960 will have completed 50 years on May 1, 2010. The anniversary events have begun in Ahmedabad from May 1 at the Sardar Patel Stadium, and will end with the closing ceremony which will be held in Gandhinagar on 1st  May 2011. The first Government of Gujarat was sworn in on May 1st, 1960 under the Chief Minister Shri Jivraj Mehta. Gujarat has indeed come a long way and is rightly referred to as...

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Before proceeding further I thank readers for the tremendous response to our March issue. I am happy that our Vedic India series and the Power Logos of Indian Biggies has been well appreciated. Logo Power fosters a company’s growth as well as pro-actively partners a company’s vision. However, just as we change ourselves to suit the times it must be remembered that logos are to be fine tuned as the company moves along. The Corporate Logos series has highlighted this aspect earlier when we discussed the changes made by the Tata, Bajaj and Videocon groups to their logos. The Vedic India series looks at the grand canvas of Hinduism and the way its ancient festivals and philosophies are still very much with us even today. Perhaps even more mind boggling...

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Welcome to the March 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. I begin by wishing happy Holi to all the readers. I am happy to announce the beginning of two new essay series that shall be carried through the year. The first among the two is Vedic India. This series aims to bring to the readers a somewhat close look at the various facets of Vedic India that are alive even today. In this issue we give a comprehensive background on the great Kumbh Mela being currently celebrated at Haridwar. The Kumbh Mela has held its significance ever since the ages. Briefly, this fair is a fusion of religious, spiritual, and socio-cultural elements of India that attracts millions of visitors on a single day. In the eighth century, Shankara, a prominent Indian saint, popularized the Kumbh...

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Welcome to the February 2010 issue of Vaastuyogam. I am happy to inform you that the size of Vaastuyogam has been increased from eight pages to twelve pages. The additional space will allow us to bring more depth and dimension to our interviews and also the researched articles. A new series on Vedic India shall begin from next month wherein we shall endeavor upon elaborating various facets of ancient Indian monuments, customs and festivals. The re-vamped website of Vaastuyogam has received an overwhelming response. Readers of the net version will be happy to learn that, beginning this month we are adding Print and E-mail features. You will also be able to download and print the entire print version as well.

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I take great pleasure in welcoming you all to the Annual Issue of Vaastuyogam. Before going further let me wish a very prosperous and happy 2010 to everyone. May the new year bring joy, prosperity and good health to one and all. It makes me happy to note that Vaastuyogam has indeed been warmly received by one and all. The informed feedback that we receive is a source of continuous encouragement and is a barometer indicating how seriously readers take Vaastuyogam. We have now updated the Vaastuyogam website www.vaastuyogam.com with a fresh look and easy navigation. Several friends and well-wishers, especially from the U.S.A, U.K , Africa and other parts of the globe had been requesting that all the back issues be archived for serious reference and research studies. This...

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On behalf of the Vaastuyogam team I wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas. We have reached the end of the year and I take this opportunity to thank all the architects, engineers, doctors, businessmen and industrialists who took time off their busy schedules to speak to Vaastuyogam. I also thank readers from all over India and across the globe who have shared with us their views and given their valuable comments. I take this opportunity to thank my Vaastuyogam team of writers, photographers, proofreaders, printers, etc who have all gone beyond the call of duty to make Vaastuyogam the success that it is. In this issue I discuss, at some length, the 2012 scare gaining momentum day by day. To put the matter briefly – this whole...

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Welcome to the November issue of Vaastuyogam. With this issue we begin a new series, “Ahmedabad 2010”. The year 2010 has an especial significance for the state of Gujarat as it will be completing 50 years of its inception. Gujarat arose out of the demerger of the erstwhile state of Bombay on 1st May 1960 into the  two states of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Gujarat has had an enviable record of urbanization and industrialization. In fact it has outpaced all of the states in this sphere. At the centre of it all has been the city of Ahmedabad, Gujarat’s largest city and its erstwhile capital. Ahmedabad has remained on an expansion spree right from the early 15th century when Gujarat fell under the Muslim Sultanate. Ahmedabad was built at an open and spacious plane...

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October is the month of celebrations and gaiety. The Vaastuyogam team wishes all our readers a very Happy Dipawali. Dipawali, also known as Diwali, celebrates the return of Rama, King of Ayodhya, with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya after a 14 year exile, and a war in which he killed Ravana. To celebrate his return the people of Ayodhya welcomed Rama by lighting rows (avali) of lamps (dipa), thus its name: dipawali.. Since Ram traveled from South India to his kingdom Ayodhya in North India, he passed through the south earlier. This is the reason why the festival is celebrated a day earlier in South India. Here Diwali is celebrated as Narak Chaturdashi, one day...

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Welcome to the September issue of Vaastuyogam. This month we take a small departure from the subject of Vaastu to discuss an issue of astrological nature. I am referring to the Shani transition that takes place when Shani moves from one Zodiac sign to another Zodiac sign once in two-and-a-half years. Majority of the astrologers have given the date of September 9, 2009 for Shani transition. Shani or Saturn (as Shani is referred to in English) is considered the most malefic planet. It produces significant changes both at the mundane and the individual levels, when it is in transit, it passes through 12th, 1st & 2nd Houses of one’s natal Moon. Shani is also known as Needhiman (Judge). He only troubles the person during his dasa...

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August is an important month for us. It was in this month that we won our independence from the British in 1947. On behalf of the Vaastuyogam team, I join all our readers in saluting the national flag. Keeping our Independence day in mind, the Vaastu Way series on Town planning discusses New Delhi the capital the British built for themselves. It is ironical that they took about twenty years building it but were forced to leave within the next seventeen years. Sadly, independence from the British has not resulted in the independence of the mind from the shackles put by the British. Architects in India are proud that they do not subscribe to Vaastu. They announce loud and clear that they neither know, nor want to learn anything of...

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Welcome to the July issue of Vaastuyogam. The purpose of Vaastuyogam is to make the readers aware of the many answers our traditions and Vedic texts have for our seemingly intractable problems of today. In our Town Planning essay in this issue, we discuss Chandigarh, independent India’s showcase city . Le Corbusier, the architect responsible for Chandigarh’s planning had  total disregard for local Indian craft and technique; “What is the relevance,” he said, “of Indian style (read “culture”) in the world today if you accept machines, trousers, and democracy?” Yet , without his intending it, his plan of Chandigarh faithfully adheres to  many injunctions of Vaastu. The straight rather than curvy roads, his concern about the “integrity of building materials”, the learned passion for trees and water bodies,...

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Last month saw two major events. One was the Lok Sabha elections and the other, from our Vaastuyogam perspective was the nationwide celebrations by astrologers of Varah Mihira Jayanti. The elections are over and the verdict is out. Hats off to the election commission for conducting such a daunting task with aplomb. The cabinet is a true balance of regional aspirations and experience. Best wishes to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and his team. As mentioned earlier, May witnessed nationwide celebrations by astrologers of Varah Mihira Jayanti. Varahamihira was an astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer who lived in Ujjain. He is considered to be one of the nine jewels (Navaratnas) of the legendary king Vikramaditya. Varahamihira’s main work is the book Pancha-Siddhantika, “ (Treatise on the Five Astronomical Canons) ” Varahamihira’s other most...

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It feels great to be back with you for the May issue. The introduction of the ‘Corporate Logos’ series has been well received; we are expanding it to include brief, interesting snippets of top notch logos of the world. This month, we look at the famous FedEx logo. The ‘FedEx Logo’ is a quality example of sheer ubiquity and inspiring symbology. The FedEx logo has won over forty awards worldwide and in 2003 it was ranked as one of the 8 best logos of the past thirty-five years alongside Apple, Coca-Cola, Nike, IBM, Starbucks, McDonald’s and Playboy. The FedEx logo is often regarded as the best creative design ever and whilst discussing it the contrast of the Indian situation is highlighted. Here, the approach to the corporate logo is lackadaisical, to...

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Welcome to the April issue of Vaastuyogam. It has been a long-standing request of many of our valued readers that Vaastuyogam include a permanent section on corporate logos. In deference to this, we are beginning an important and brand new series on the subject of Astro-Vaastu angle on corporate logos. Vaastu perfect logos has been a favorite subject of mine. In this new series, I shall comment on the corporate logos, both good and bad of companies. In this issue the ‘Vaastu & Temples’ essay speaks about a very crucial aspect of the temple construction process – the construction team. The various members of the construction team of the ancient times were passionate and proud of their work. They devoted their whole life to their profession. It is a matter of disappointment...

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Vaastuyogam is attracting an increasing readership considering the feedback that we have been receiving since last few months. The Newsletter’s circulation has crossed national borders and also found favour amongst the people in Africa, the Gulf countries, US and UK, Singapore plus some countries where responsiveness to the science of Vaastu continues to rise. It is interesting to note that even in Hong Kong, known for its skyscrapers and statuesque buildings, there are subscribers to the Vaastu principles. In this issue, there are a few pictures of this bustling place. From this issue, we have decided that the regular Architect’s/Engineer’s Voice and Vaastu Turnaround features need not be restricted to Ahmedabad alone. As a result, you will find the interview of well-known Mumbai architect, Mr Naozer Irani. Last month, I attended the...

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Two mammoth and historic events — one national and the other international — have drawn the attention of people in the last few days. At Vaastuyogam, we watched these events with awe and appreciation as both the events have the potential to reform the world, sooner than later. The swearing-in of Mr Barack Obama as the 44th and first black President of the United States has propelled hopes worldwide. During his presidency, a multitude believes that the overall dark days, particularly the global financial meltdown, will end. He has vowed that “the state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act – not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth”. Let us wait and watch. Closer home, Chief Minister Narendra Modi of...

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I appreciate the feedback from readers across the world. I am trying to incorporate more information in the newsletters on Vaastu and experiences of the people following this traditional science in modern times. Let us try to forget the comparatively dreary and gloomy year gone by. Look ahead and plan to tide over some serious problems: financial meltdown, plummeting share markets, increasing unemployment plus price-rise of consumables that have impacted people everywhere. Remember, the US President-elect, Mr Barack Obama, has already promised sunny days ahead. Also, elections are due early this year in the largest democracy in the world — India. And Indians must strive to make a ‘brave new world’ (courtesy Aldous Huxley). Peace and prosperity need to be the keywords for nations — big or small — in...

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Both the issues of Vaastuyogam brought out in October and November 2008 have elicited positive response from readers. My contacts in India, Africa, Singapore, Middle East, America, Canada plus some other countries have sent emails appreciating the articles and pictures published in Vaastuyogam so far. After my brief tour to Tanzania and Lagos during Diwali. I have realized one important factor. The inclination to deploy Vaastu tenets both in residential premises and commercial structures has surged among people. In fact, all people whom I have met in my foreign tours in the last few years have vouchsafed to further use Vaastu for maximum benefit. In Vaastuyogam, as you may have observed, we have already been publishing success stories in our Vaastu Turnaround series. I...

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After launching the first issue of Vaastuyogam on the day of Vijay Dashmi (October 9, 2008), I am travelling in the Middle East and some East African countries. I am really overwhelmed by the response and replies received from clients, friends and well-wishers across the globe. I thank them for their support and look forward to their continued backing and appreciation. On this note, I am happy to share with you that there will be an increase in the content from the second issue onward— first by adding good Vaastu experiences from the African business community. So you will have more to read and share it with others. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, this issue has been slightly...

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This is the first e-Newsletter, and I sincerely hope, you would read it completely. In this e-Newsletter, a solemn endeavour has been made to cover important aspects of Vaastu in the space stipulated. What is the main reason for launching this e-Newsletter called ‘Vaastuyogam’, you may ask? Well, you are aware that the belief and use of Vaastu is soaring, both in India and across the world. There is an increasing predilection for Vaastu among MNCs, top companies of various kinds, business houses, offices, hospitals, residences and many more. The application of Vaastu principles and the resultant rewards have been...

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