Which direction is best for a pooja room? The north-east corner of the home, called Ishan. Most families face east or north while they pray.
How to set it up
- Place it in the north-east, or else the east or north of the home
- Face east or north while you pray
- Keep idols on a raised platform, not on the floor
- Keep home idols small: nine inches or less is the usual advice
- Keep the lamp on the south-east side of the altar
- Remove broken idols and torn pictures with respect
Places to avoid
- Under a staircase
- Sharing a wall with a toilet
- Inside the bedroom, if you can avoid it
- Directly facing the main door
Before you change anything
Follow your engineer on structure and safety first. Vastu is a tradition of placement, not a building code.
Sources
- Mayamata and Manasara, the classical Indian works on building.
- Brihat Samhita of Varahamihira, which has a chapter on Vastu.
- Many room-by-room tips are modern practice built on these works, so your own family’s custom counts too.
When the layout can’t change
Tradition doesn’t ask you to break walls. When a home can’t be rearranged, families hold a Vastu Shanti, usually before moving in.
Questions devotees ask us
Can a pooja room be in the bedroom?
It’s better avoided, but small flats may have no choice. Use a mandir with doors and close them at night.
Which direction should idols face?
Most families place idols so that the person praying faces east or north. Family customs differ, so follow yours if it’s different.