When good conquered evil

Vasthu Sastra By T. SELVA IN less than two weeks, Hindus all over the world will celebrate that mother of all Hindu festivals, Deepavali. There are several tales about how and why this festival of lights came about and all are tied to Ramayana (Travels of Rama), the ancient Sanskrit epic that is a part of Hindu canon. Among the more commonly known ones is that the day celebrates the safe return to Koshala of Rama, king of the mythical kingdom of Ayodhya, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana after a war waged to kill the demon Ravana. Another tale has the day celebrating the slaying of the evil demon Narakasura. Despite the differing details, all the tales have one basic thing in common: the festival celebrates the destruction of evil by the forces of good. And so Hindus celebrate Deepavali and the coming of light into the world.

Fire represents light so, during this Festival of Lights, place oil lamps so that they greet visitors including the goddess of prosperity, Devi Lakshmi. This is also the day when revellers, young and old, look forward to being blessed with good health, happiness and prosperity. Turn a good face to the goddess What would be the best way to usher in this festival? In Vasthu Sastra, preparing the home for the big event plays a vital role in the celebration because unkempt premises will not attract the presence of the goddess of fortune, Devi Lakshmi.

You should start getting the house ready at least two weeks before Deepavali because you need to look at basic things like the structure of the house, even before the more superficial things, like cleaning and decorating. To begin with, take a long, hard look at the exterior of your house. This is the face that will be presented to the goddess so it should be presentable. See if there is peeling paint that needs to be touched up, if rust on gates and grills needs to be removed. In fact, consider repainting these items in cheerful colours. Black and grey should be avoided as they are dull and create a feeling of suspicion. Remove weeds, trim the grass and make sure colourful flowering plants without thorns, like orchids, hibiscus and jasmine, decorate the garden, walkways and line the driveway. Fused bulbs in outdoor lights, broken or cracked tiles, and cracked walls and window panes should be patched or replaced as such flaws are not only unsightly but also inauspicious. Inviting positive energies This is also the best time to discard all clutter broken and unwanted items (especially broken or cracked mirrors), shoes, toys, furniture, electrical goods, and unused clothes should all go. Clutter radiates negative energy so disposing of it will clear the way for positive cosmic energies to flow into the space thus lifting spirits and ushering in prosperity. Once the space has been cleared, its time to clean it. Remove all cobwebs, dirt and dust from all surfaces and corners of the house. Be especially vigilant about spider webs as they are signs of misfortune they indicate that the owner will run up debts. On the eve of the festival, after thoroughly cleaning and washing the space, burn incense to purify the house and remove unseen entities and negative energies. It is recommended that those in business should make Deepavali day itself the start of their new financial year by opening new account books. When the day dawns On the morning of the auspicious day on Oct 21, its best that everyone in the house rises early and has oil baths to remove impurities externally and to attune muscles and nerves to positive energies. Following this, change into bright, new clothes avoid unfavourable colours like black and grey as such tones dampen the festive spirit. It is believed that mango leave can attract subtle positive energies; the tradition is to tie 11 leaves across the top of the main doorway of the house.

Deepavali is represented by fire, which is one of the five elements in Vasthu Sastra (the others are ether, air, water and earth), and it is the most powerful carrier of our messages and prayers to the cosmic forces. Fire represents light; this is why oil lamps should be placed at the doorway of the house and on the walls to banish darkness and bestow wisdom and divinity on the property. The ancient texts say that the oil lamp represents the inner spiritual light of an individual and that this should be reflected outside. The festival also brings unity and is a time for loved ones to strengthen ties with one another. This is also the best time to make the effort to put aside differences, to renew long-lost acquaintances and mend soured relationships. Cheer should be brought into the house by inviting friends and neighbours to visit and treating them to sweets and goodies so they leave with happy memories. Happy Deepavali to all Hindu readers! Vasthu talks The columnist will give a talk today on how to use ancient tips on living harmoniously to ensure that 2007 will be full of good health, prosperity and happiness at 2.30pm at Auditorium A, Bangunan Komtar, Penang. Admission is by contribution of RM10 to SJK (T) Sg Ara, Penang. To register, contact Raman at 013-430 0509. A similar talk will be held on Nov 5 at 4.30pm at the Kalamandapam Hall in Jalan Scott, Kuala Lumpur. Admission is by contribution of RM10 to the Guru Darma Society. To register, call Legha at 012- 326 1710. T. Selva, The Stars Maritime Editor, has spent years researching this ancient Indian science of construction, better known as Indian feng shui. He is a student of 7th generation Vasthu Sastra Master Yuvaraj Sowma from Chennai, India. He can be contacted at tselvas@pd.jaring.my.