GharVaastu

Culture Guide

God photos, ancestor photos, sleep, study, play, mirrors, shoes, and when to pray. Minute details for homes across India.

These guides respect regional traditions. For your specific home, combine with a full Vaastu report.

Pooja room & god photos

The North-East (Ishanya) is the most sacred zone, keep it clean, elevated, and dedicated only to prayer.

NE corner of home; idols face East or West

Do

  • Place pooja in NE, East, or North, never in bedroom, under stairs, or sharing a wall with toilet.
  • Idols and photos face East or West; you face East or West while praying.
  • Keep diya/lamp on the East side of the altar; fresh flowers daily.
  • Brass, copper, or wood altar, clean before and after puja.

Avoid

  • Do not place god photos in SW bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom.
  • Avoid broken idols, chipped frames, or dusty photos.
  • Do not hang shoes, brooms, or trash bags near the mandir.

Where to hang god pictures in the home

God images belong in the prayer zone or on East/North walls, at eye level or slightly above, never on the floor.

NE, East, or North walls

Do

  • Hang on East or North wall of hall or dining, not opposite the main toilet door.
  • Keep a small shelf in NE for daily lamps if you have no separate pooja room.
  • Group deities respectfully; Ganesha at entrance is auspicious facing inward.

Avoid

  • Never hang god photos in bedroom (especially foot level or behind the bed).
  • Do not place above shoe rack, dustbin, or washing machine.
  • Avoid South-facing deity photos unless tradition specifically allows.

Photos of departed elders (Pitru)

Ancestor photos are honoured in SW or South, separate from daily god photos and never mixed in the same altar row.

South or SW wall; not in NE or bedroom

Do

  • Place on South or SW wall at respectful height, with lamp or incense on death anniversaries.
  • Keep clean frame; garland only on special days if that is your family custom.
  • Prefer a calm corner, not the dining table or children's study wall.

Avoid

  • Do not keep in North-East (reserved for Ishanya / deities).
  • Do not hang in bedroom above the bed or opposite the mirror.
  • Do not mix pitru photos with wedding photos or god photos on one crowded shelf.
  • Avoid placing near bathroom, kitchen stove, or main entrance clutter.

Living family photos

Happy family pictures suit West or SW walls in hall, celebrate life without blocking the NE prayer zone.

West, SW, or North-West in living area

Do

  • Hall or staircase landing on West wall, smiling, well-lit images.
  • Update old torn prints; prefer wooden or metal frames.

Avoid

  • Avoid NE corner (keep for spiritual energy).
  • Do not place directly opposite main door if it feels like guests walking on faces.
  • Avoid bedroom foot-wall if it disturbs sleep.

Where to sleep (head direction)

Head towards South or West while sleeping, SW bedroom is best for the master couple.

Bed in SW; head South or West

Do

  • Master bedroom in SW; children in West or NW.
  • Sleep with head South (best) or West, feet should not point towards the main door.
  • Keep bed off shared wall with toilet if possible.

Avoid

  • Avoid head North (can disturb rest in classical Vaastu).
  • No mirror facing the bed.
  • Avoid sleeping under exposed beam; avoid metal bed in NE room.

Where children should study

East and North-East support focus, child should face East or North while reading.

Study desk in East, NE, or North of room

Do

  • Desk in East or NE corner of children's room or hall study nook.
  • Sit facing East or North; keep books tidy; lamp on left (East) side.
  • Morning study after sunrise is considered auspicious.

Avoid

  • Avoid desk directly under toilet on upper floor.
  • Do not face blank wall only, open view or window helps.
  • Avoid study in bedroom foot area next to bed.

Where children can play

North, East, and NW suit movement and joy, keep centre (Brahmasthan) open for play in small homes.

North, East, or NW, not SW master zone daily clutter

Do

  • Toys in NW after play, closed baskets, not scattered in NE.
  • Indoor play in East-facing hall when possible, good morning light.
  • Encourage outdoor play in East or North of plot in independent houses.

Avoid

  • Do not store heavy toys in NE pooja zone.
  • Avoid loud electronics in SW bedroom zone all day.
  • Keep sharp tools and broken toys out of children's reach and NE.

Where to eat

Face East or North at the dining table, West dining zone is also acceptable.

Dining West or East of kitchen

Do

  • Dining table in West or near kitchen; sit facing East or North.
  • Wash hands before meals; keep dining area clean and uncluttered.

Avoid

  • Avoid eating facing South for long periods (classical texts discourage).
  • Do not dine in bedroom or on bed.
  • Avoid toilet-visible dining if layout allows a shift.

Mirrors & glass

Mirrors multiply energy, use on North or East walls, never reflecting the bed or main altar.

North or East walls only

Do

  • Dressing mirror on East wall of bedroom with no bed reflection.
  • Cover mirrors at night if they face the sleeping person.

Avoid

  • No mirror opposite main door (pushes energy out).
  • No mirror reflecting pooja or pitru photos.
  • Avoid mirror at foot of bed.

Water, plants & clutter

North and East love water features and live plants; SW and centre should stay dry and open.

Water North/NE; heavy storage SW

Do

  • Small fountain or fish bowl in North (not bedroom).
  • Live plants in NE and East; tulsi in East is traditional.
  • Fix leaking taps, water should not drip in SW or centre.

Avoid

  • No thorny cactus in NE or bedroom.
  • Avoid dried plants and broken pots.
  • Do not block centre with storage boxes.

Shoes, broom & dustbin

Keep footwear and waste out of NE and pooja sight-lines, NW or West of entrance works.

Shoes NW/W of foyer; bin covered

Do

  • Closed shoe cabinet West or NW of entrance.
  • Broom stored hidden; kitchen waste covered daily.

Avoid

  • No shoes in NE, bedroom, or kitchen.
  • Do not leave broom visible in pooja room.
  • Avoid dustbin in NE or under mandir shelf.

When to pray & start the day

Brahma muhurat (before sunrise) to sunrise is ideal for prayer, study, and planning the day.

4:30–6:30 AM prayer; sunrise lamp

Do

  • Light lamp in NE after bath; short prayer before phone/social media.
  • Open East windows at sunrise for fresh air.
  • Study and important decisions in morning East light when possible.

Avoid

  • Avoid sleeping past sunrise daily if you want disciplined energy (family choice).
  • Do not skip cleaning pooja area on festivals and amavasya if you observe them.

Evening lamp & wind-down

Sandhya deepam (evening lamp) balances the day, then quiet SW zone for family rest.

Sunset ±30 min lamp; light dinner before 8–9 PM

Do

  • Evening diya in pooja; avoid loud arguments in SW bedroom zone.
  • Children's homework before late TV in SE.
  • Phone away from bed, head South/West for sleep.

Avoid

  • Avoid starting major new purchases or arguments at late night.
  • Do not leave bright white light on in NE all night.

Pitru paksha & festivals

Ancestor offerings are done in daylight, usually facing South; use family priest for exact tithi.

Pitru paksha, death anniversaries, local panchang

Do

  • Offer water/til to ancestors on prescribed days in South direction.
  • Deep clean home before Diwali; new items often placed after Lakshmi puja.
  • Confirm exact muhurat with panchang or our Muhurat tool.

Avoid

  • Do not start house warming or wedding shopping in pitru paksha if family avoids it.
  • Avoid shifting mandir without prayer on inauspicious days per local custom.
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