New Year Greetings

நந்தன ஆண்டு நலம் தரும் ஆண்டு 


சிந்தனை சிறந்திட செய்திடும் ஆண்டு 


வந்தனை செய்தே வரவேற்றிடுவோம் 


செந்தமிழ் ஆண்டின் சித்திரைத் திங்களை -கலாவதி ரெங்கசாமி 

AESTHETIC INTERIOR (FENGSUI,VAASTHU

As per the vaasthu rule ktchen must be situated in the southeast corner of the house. But even if not so, we can make kitchen so as to receive the positive energy, by arranging things in the appropriate order.
Oven should be kept in the south-east corner of the kitchen, which is called as agni moola. Kitchen sink is better to be placed in the north-east or northern side of the kitchen. Better place a clean mirror in this area, which will enhance the beauty and also bring wealth according to vaasthu. If there is cluter in the kitchen, it may cause ailment in the liver of the family members, says 'Feng-Shui' . So better not have too many things in the kitchen. Remov e things which are not used very often. If you find any container which is not very useful, remove it from the kitchenshelf.
As per vaasthu sastra 'Mars' is the planet , that guards the kitchen. Red and its shades i.e orange, pik, are pertained to Mars. So kitchen can be painted with these these clolour. To avoid monotony, universal colours white or cream can be used to highlight the pink or orange, in the narrow areas like space between cuboards, edges of the slabs etc. Or cuboards can be made of white PVC ma terial. If it is made in wood, paint or mica sheet may be in white. If you choose the containers also in white and red, combination of these colous will add to the look and also it will activate the positive energy.
Since south guarded by Mars all electric kitchen equipment s such as mixie, chopper , oven toaster , sandwich maker, microwave oven ect. can be kept in this direction. And southeast is gaurded by 'Moon' articles like exhaust fan, water container and such things can be placed here, since the Moon is connected with water energy and electricity . This area can be filled with white colour buildin materials such as tiles, mica covering of the cuboard, as white is the colour pertained to the Moon. To beautify and enhance the power of the Mars flover wase with red colour flowers may be kept on the top of cuboard if it placed in the south .
Likewise keep some murals or anyother show piece in white in the eastern side of the ktchen.

HEALTHY EATING

SOY OMLETTE

Ingredients: Soya beans-100gms., onion-1no, salt and pepper to taste.

Method: Soak the soya beans in the prevos night. It will become soft and tender in the morning. Grind it to a thick and smooth paste. Saute onion in the tawa. When it becomes transparent, add it to the soya paste. Add salt and podered pepper to your taste. This paste can not be spread with spatula since it does,nt contain gluton in it . So spread it with the palm in the tawa. If desired you can spread scrapped carrot and diced coriander leaves on it. When the raw aoma goes off turn it to the other side very carefully. Since this omlette is very delicate it may break into pieces if you turn it in haste. Take it from the tawa, when it is cooked well. Serve hot. Coriander chutny will go well with this dish.

( Soya is very rich in protien. It contains Isoflovin, which is good for hair too. So this dish makes a very ideal breakfast.

KALAVATHY RENGASAMY

VAASTHU(cont.)
Now let us plan our interiors according to the positions of these elements,planets and the energies of those direction.

Starting from the centre point of the house i.e place of Sun and Brahma let us discuss about

the all other directions in the forthcming episodes

The centre point of the house is powerful zone, since it posseses the energies of the mighty planet Sun and the creater Brahma. If this place serves as the prayer room you are fortunate.

The colour pertained to Sun is Red . But since the red is the jarring colour, it may distract your calm mood, which is important for the prayer room. So we can paint the pooja room in shades of red i.e orange, or yellow,cream etc. If the roof of this room is conical or domed shape

our prayers and moods will be concentrated on one point. If it is not possible in the modern buildings the roof can be made in arch shape. The mood will be preserved if we don,t have contact with the floor directly. So it is better to spread a red carpet or yoga mat on the floor.

The pictures or the image of the deities should face either the east or west. To keep tiny idols or

small vikrahas it is better ti place a one foot granite or glass slab in the east or western side of

accross the width of the room . Better place mirrors on either side which will enhance the ambience and the prayer energy will be concentrated.

In the next segment let us discuss about the kitchen arrangement.

Interior decoration based on Vaasthu / Fensui

Let's first understand Vaasthu and Feng Shui, and how either of them derive the power from other sources - planets & five elements .

The entire universe is the composition of five elements namely water, earth, akash, air and fire.

All these five elements are the source of certain energies. Our ancient Vedas tell us the
direction and home place of these elements.

The Feng Shui reveals the secret of deriving harmony by making interior arrangements based on the characteristics of these five elements.

Vaasthu Saasthra is based on the energy given by the nine planets. According to Indian system the stars and planets namely - Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Neptune and Pluto make the negative or positive energies . Vaasthu experts say we can derive positive energy by activating the nine planets in our living place. Each planet has got its own energy and we can obtain the power of that energy by certain ways.

Some sounds give vibration to the planets. We can quote example from the music legendary. Muthuswamy Dixshidhar of Tamil Nadu has brought down rain by singing Amrithavarshani Raga; Tansen has lighted the lamps at Akbar's court by singing the Deepak Raga. The pitch of the swaras in these ragas have got that much of power to activate the elements i.e. water and fire respectively.

In ancient India our Rishis have found out that certain aksharas (letters) have the power to activate the elements of the universe, when these aksharas are pronounced in a particular wave length.

Likewise some colours also have got the effect to bring out the positive energy from the respective elements and planets. For example, Feng Shui indicates that the hidden energy of fire can be activated by giving red colour to the fire corner.

Vaasthu is also almost akin to this concept. Vaasthu says that the place of Mars is the fire corner, i.e. south of any building. Since the colour pertaining to Mars is red and its shades according to Vaasthu is the fire corner or Agni Moolai (e.g. hence can be painted in red , pink or orange).

According to Vaasthu sasthra , the places pertaining to the nine planets are shared by Ashtadhik Palakas i.e. eight guards at eight directions.

Let me define the theory in detail:

Direction / Planet /Ashtadhik Palakas

North / Jupiter / Gubera (God of wealth)
North east / Venus / Easanan (God of welfare)
North west / Neptune (Kethu) / Vayu (God of wind)

South / Mars / Yama (God of death)
South east / Moon / Agni (God of fire)
South west / Pluto(Ragu) / Nirruthi (God of prosperity)

East / Mercury / Indhiran (God of joy)
West / Saturn / Varuna (God of rain)
Centre point / Sun / Brahma (God of creation)

Having discussed the sources of power, and understanding that Vaasthu and Feng Shui aim at activating these powers to our benefit - let us discuss how these powers can be activated in subsequent articles.