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Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian Architectural Theory

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DOI: 10.1080/02666030.2000.9628579

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 South Asian Studies

ISSN: 0266-6030 (Print) 2153-2699 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsas20

Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of

Indian Architectural Theory

Vibhuti Chakrabarti

To cite this article: Vibhuti Chakrabarti (2000) Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula of Indian
Architectural Theory, South Asian Studies, 16:1, 45-54, DOI: 10.1080/02666030.2000.9628579

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Orientation by Numbers: the Aya Formula
of Indian Architectural Theory
VIBHUTI CHAKKABARTI
Within the design system of Vastu Vidya, or Indian
architectural theory, one element is the Aya formula,
which belongs to a group of formulae collectively called
the Ayadi. While the uses of most formulae of this group
are similar to their uses in Jyotisha or astrology, the use
of the Aya formula is exclusive to Vastu Vidya. It is
appropriate to make the Aya formula the subject of a
brief specialist study, because its theoretical and practical
significance is often misunderstood by scholarly
commentators, and by Vastu consultants in its present-
day applications. These Vastu consultants are current
practitioners who extract fragments from the corpus of
Vastu Vidya, in an attempt to fill the 'spiritual' vacuum
created by the inadequacy of the modern design system
as an architectural method in the Indian context. Their
expertise is introduced into the design process by the
client, and often curbs the freedom quintessential for the
realisation of the architect's personal approach to design
(Chakrabarti 1998, pp. 29-31). In some parts of India, the
Aya formula is applied in complete isolation from the
body of knowledge to which it belongs. Indeed, a
leading Vastu consultant from Bangalore observes that
"it is the only aspect of Vaastu Shaastra which is alive in
many parts of this country" (Rao 1996, p. 41).
Certain aspects of Vastu Vidya are concerned with
orientation through principles that prescribe the correct
placement of rooms and functions in relation to each
other and to the eight major directions (the four car-
dinals and four intermediary directions). The orientation
principles emphasise auspicious location through the
discussion of good and bad effects, which are derived
from the various associations of the eight directions. The
Aya formula stands alongside these orientation
principles. The main purpose of the formula - as will be
shown below - is to translate directional quality into site
proportion. It is like being able to measure, meta-
phorically, the smell of music, or the sound of colour. The
formula reveals the latent directional quality of the site,
which may or may not match its actual aspect. By trans-
lating direction into site proportion, the formula throws
open the possibility of changing the aspect of the site, in
order to adopt the desired orientation in terms of the
numbers that scale the site.
The definition of Aya given here draws on a
variety of leading texts which include Manasara, Maya-
mata, Samamngana Sutradham, Rajavallabha, Vislwakarma
Prakasha, Ayatattva, Vastusara Prakarna, Shilpashastram,
and Bhubanapmdipa, among others. Manasara belongs to
the Gupta period (450-550 AD). Exhaustive in its
treatment of proportionate measurement, it discusses the
application of the Ayadi formulae repeatedly; as its
leading editor P. K. Acharya notes "The testing of
measurements by the Shadvarga (the set of Aya
formulae) thus formed one of the most important points
to be followed in architecture and sculpture, and we find
a reference to it in these ancient works so many times
and almost without exception wherever there are any
specifications prescribed" (Acharya 1934, pp. 606-607).
Mayamata of the Chola period (9th - 12th centuries) fore-
warns us in the discussion of the Ayadi system that "As
the transgression of these rules leads to failure, nothing
should be undertaken prior to deep study" (Mayamata
IX.24; Dagens, 1980, p. 27). Samarangana Sutradham,
written around the 11th century, specialises in secular
architecture. Related to the Nagara school of
architecture, it is attributed to Bhojadeva, who was
probably the king Bhoja of Dhara. Rajavallabha by
Sutradharamandana belongs to the 15th century, and
was commissioned by Rana Kumbhakarna of Mewar.
Vishvakarma Prakasha is a text attributed to the divine
architect, Vishvakarma. It has ancient but uncertain
origins from before 6th century (Bhattacharya 1963, pp.
112-113) and in its present form was first published in
1817. Ayatattva is a short text that deals extensively with
the Aya calculations; is attributed to Vishvakarma, and
was written by Manadana Sutradhara in the 15th
century. Vastusara Prakarna was written by Thakkur
Pheru in 1315 AD, in Delhi (Jaina 1936, p. 10). The date of
Shilpashastram is uncertain, but it is considered "as old as
Matsyapuranam, which has been approximately fixed in
the Gupta period. It is interesting to note that the
tradition is still living in the heart of Orissa" (Bose
1928, p. XXVIII). Bhubanapradipa is attributed to
Vishvakarma, and the present version is based on five
manuscripts collected from the district of Puri, first
published in 1932 (Bose 1982, pp. 4-5). Tantrasamucchaya
was written by Narayana in the early 15th century, and
regards Mayamata as one of its sources (Mallaya 1949,
pp. ii-iii). Brihat Samhita by Varahamihira is a well known
work on astrology and miscellaneous subjects, including
architecture, placed before the 6th century (Bhattacharya
1963, pp. 112-113). Narada Samhita attributed to Narada is
45
VIBHUT1CHAKRABARTI
a work similar to the Brihat Samhita, and also includes a
discussion of architecture. Its speculated date is before
Brihat Samhita.
The orientation principles are often treated by
Vastu consultants as the pivotal component of Vastu
Vidya architectural theory, creating an impression that
the entire method of Vastu Vidya revolves around the
proper location of functions in compliance with the
prescribed rules in order to accrue prosperity. Viewing
and practising this part of Vastu Vidya in isolation from
other parts of the design system has a serious
ramification widely found in the contemporary context.
Recently, Vastu Vidya has come to be considered as a
rigid system, obsessed with the correct alignment of
buildings, regardless of type, function and scale; and it is
assumed that its purpose is to achieve some abstract
ideal of 'best orientation' by compromising on the
structural and functional viability of building design.
Further, that its main purpose, by helping to align
buildings, is to enable the users to connect with some
higher cosmic source of energy to solve mundane
problems such as erratic power supply, worker's strikes
and inefficient production-lines (defects which actually
may have been caused by unresolved design or by an
overdose of Vastu consultancy). A further consequence,
as is evident in the practice of some modern 'Vastu
consultants', is the false promotion of the idea
suggesting that Vastu Vidya has little to do with
architectural design, when it is architectural design that
is precisely the purpose of its existence.
It is admittedly central to any architectural system
to address the crucial aspect of spatial organisation as a
part of the design process, and the present study is not
aimed at undermining the vital and prominent role that
the orientation principles play within the Vastu Vidya
system of architectural design. Rather, the aim is to
suggest that the principles of orientation that deal with
spatial organisation are not rigid, because alongside
these ideals, which may or may not be literally adhered
to (since Vastu Vidya assumes no compromise on the
structural and functional viability of design), the system
also offers metaphoric ways of achieving the desired
orientation. One way of achieving this is through the Aya
formula, which provides a method for translating the
eight principal directions into area of site. 1 Alternatively,
one might say that the Aya formula associates the area of
the site with certain directional qualities, so that the
desired quality of orientation could be achieved by a
simple adjustment of the site dimensions. For example,
even if the site faces south, the area of the site could be
adjusted to adopt a northern quality.2
Within the Melapaka method of Indian astrology,
the horoscopes of a couple contemplating marriage are
assessed and matched according to the gunas (qualities)
such as the varna, yoni, tara (derived from nakshatra),
46
gana, and nadi? In architecture, a similar comparison of
gunas is made by calculating the Ayadi Shadvarga (a
group of six formulae beginning with the Aya) to assess
the compatibility of the site and the householder, before
the building design process. The purpose of the formulae
is explicitly defined in Mayamata (IX.18-20): "The
dimensions in poles have to be increased or reduced so
as to agree with ayadi series. In order that a perfect result
may be achieved (a site) must be selected whose
dimensions are not in opposition to the Aya (gains),
Vyaya (losses), Nakshatra (asterisms) Yoni (matrices),
Ayu (age), Vara (solar days) and Tithi (lunar days), nor to
the asterisms of the founder, nor to his name, nor to that
of the place itself". This particular text lists seven
formulae. In general, the main six are Aya, Vyaya,
Nakshatra, Vara, Tithi and Yoni. By these the gunas of the
site and the householder are assessed for mutual
compatibility. Whereas the date, time and place of birth
of the householder give the location of his birth in stellar
space, the dimensions of the site are used to derive the
same gunas of the land its owner wishes to build upon.
However, the key to the gunas of the site is the remainder
of each formula. Although most gunas assessed in the
matchmaking process for the householder and site are
similar to those in a marriage, the assessment of Aya is
exclusive to Vastu Vidya.4
The nature of the formula varies slightly from one
text to another (see Table 1). For example, Manasara and
Mayamata use breadth and length as the primary
measurements for its calculation, and refer to it as Yoni;
while most texts use area of the site as its chief
determinant. It could tentatively be suggested that the
texts that belong to the Nagara tradition use the term
Aya, and those that belong to the Dravida tradition use
the term Yoni. The variation in the formula itself can
loosely be understood in terms of these two categories.
All traditional texts, however, are consistent in their basic
conception and use of the formula. The most common
way of determining Aya is as follows: first calculate the
area of the site, using Hasta or Danda as the unit of
measurement, and rounding off to the nearest whole
number; then divide the sum by eight. Eight represents
the main directions (east, south-east, south, south-west,
west, north-west, north, and north-east). The key result is
the remainder of the calculation, for it is the remainder
that detects the directional propensity of the considered
space. The remainder is allocated to one of the eight
directions, which are numbered moving clockwise, with
east as the first direction. So, east is associated with the
remainder 1, south-east with 2, south with 3, south-west
with 4, and so on. A remainder of 3, for example, would
be allocated to the south, thus giving greater emphasis to
that direction over all the other seven, and so
establishing south as the site's directional attribute. 5
What is common to all texts is the divisor in the
South Asian Studies 16

formula that yields eight types of Aya, with the
remainder specifying the particular Aya applicable to the
site. The associated direction of the resultant Aya is its
predominant character. Here, as in the calculation of the
Nakshatra of the site (where an indicator of time is
represented in terms of area, which indicates encom­
passed space), is a process that suggests a method of
interchanging attributes through shared associations.
^nR.uo«3im IJ5. «raanq
GTW.*I^\WH
<n**i tt« aim qfrq. 9*3 &m
Figure I: The eight Aya, their associated directions, and Rupa or forms (Rojavallabha, 1911).
THE AYA FORMULA OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY
Through the Aya formula the attribute of orientation is
represented in terms of encompassed space, the area of
site. The Aya formula is also referred to as Grihabandha,
a term which indicates its purpose of tying and defining
the site in both its temporal and spatial attributes. The
site thus defined and fixed adopts the otherwise
changeable quality of space and time.
«fa «gbwi*
Μ«Ί.β«$Π*1
3*cT. «iwafl*
47
VIBHUTI CHAKRABARTI
The eight Aya (Fig. 1)
Dhwajaya
The allocation of the remainder starts with the eastern
direction, and follows a clockwise movement. The
Dhwajaya is often considered the most auspicious Aya,
and the Dhwaja (banner or flag) is associated with Indra, 6
the guardian of the eastern direction. ("The Lords of
Gods i.e. Indra, put the army of the enemies to death in
battle with the help of the banner, which was erected
aloft, bedecked with wreaths of little bells, and which
bore garlands, umbrellas, bells and ornaments", Brihat
Samhita XLIII.7). The ruling planet of the east is the Sun,
which has a vital and generative force. The associated
effect of the Aya is fame and fortune. The associated
functions are those that are broadly relatable, either
metaphorically or literally, to the Brahmin Varna, such
as the house of a Brahmin, a temple, an idol and a
Yagyashala; or related to Indra's banner, such as orn-
ament, decoration, a royal emblem, palace or umbrella.
The form of Dhwaja Aya has the face of a man, the feet of
a bird, the neck of a lion and the torso of a man; holding
a banner in one hand, and blessing with the other, it faces
east. Dhwajaya is the Swami or master of the eastern
direction. Since Dhwaja Aya faces east, space conceived
in this Aya must face westwards, that is towards Aya.
Dhumraya
Remainder 2 is the Dhumra or the smoke Aya, which is
associated with Agneya or the fire direction of the south-
east. However, the name indicates Dhumita or burnt-out
fire, also suggesting a malevolent influence of its ruling
planet, Venus. The form of Dhumraya has the face of a
cat, the neck of a lion, the torso and arms of a man, the
feet of a bird; it bears a torch in one hand and food in the
other, and faces south-east. In general, it is not an
auspicious Aya and causes mournfulness, but could be
used in houses of Agnijivis, people who earn their living
through fire-related work.
Simhaya
Remainder 3 indicates Simha or the lion Aya. This Aya is
the master of the southern direction, and is related to the
Kshatriya Varna. The Rupa of this Aya has the face and
neck of a lion, the arms and torso of man, and the feet of
a bird; it holds a sword in one hand and blesses with the
other, and faces south. The planet Mars rules the
southern direction and is associated with aggression and
an eruptive nature. The associated effects are victory and
consumption. Some of the associated functions that may
employ Simhaya are the house of a Kshatriya with
its face in the north, a container of food, a throne, an
armoury and a royal house.
Shwanaya
Remainder 4 indicates Shwana or the dog Aya, and
is associated with the south-west direction. Rahu, the
48
ruling planet of this direction, is an inhibitor. In general
an inauspicious Aya, its associated effects are enmity and
bickering. The Rupa of Shwanaya has the face of a dog,
the neck of a lion, the arms and torso of a man, and the
feet of a bird; it bears a bow in one hand and a conch in
the other, and faces south-west. The associated functions
are houses of the outcastes.
Vrishabhaya
Remainder 5 indicates Vrishabha or the bull Aya, and is
associated with the western direction. It is an odd-
numbered Aya, and is therefore generally auspicious,
and the associated effect is wealth. The Rupa of the
Vrishabha Aya has the face of a bull, the neck of a lion,
the arms and torso of a man, and the feet of a bird; and
holds an arrow in one hand, blesses with the other, and
faces west. It is allocated to the third, Vaishya Varna in
the clockwise distribution pattern adopted by the
method. In general, the western direction is associated
with business and commerce, and with Saturn which has
a retentive influence, and its guardian deity is Varuna.
Some of the associated functions of Vrishabhaya are the
house of a Vaishya facing east, a granary, and a shop.
Kharaya
Remainder 6 indicates Khara or the donkey Aya. An
even-numbered Aya, which in general is inauspicious, it
is associated with the effect of poverty and with fault in
women. North-west, its directional attribute, is broadly
associated with the planet Moon, Vayu or wind, mind,
movement and entertainment. The Rupa of Kharaya has
the face of a donkey, the neck of a lion, the arms and
torso of a man, and the feet of a bird; it holds a drum in
one hand and plays a trumpet with the other. Some of the
functions that may employ this Aya are a room for music,
a washerman's house and the house of a prostitute.
Gajaya
Remainder 7 indicates Gaja or the elephant Aya. Odd-
numbered and auspicious, Gajaya is associated with
happiness and well-being, and is allocated to the fourth
Varna of the Shudra. Its directional attribute is North,
which is also associated with the planet Mercury, and
Kubera, guardian of wealth. The Rupa of Gajaya has the
face of an elephant, the neck of a lion, the torso and arms
of a man, and the feet of a bird; and bears a club in one
hand, blesses with the other, and faces north. Some of the
associated functions recommended for its use are the
house of a Shudra facing south, a pond, an elephant's
stable and a room for resting.
Dhwankshaya
Remainder 8 or zero indicates Dhwanksha or the crow
Aya. Even-numbered and inauspicious, Dhwankshaya is
complete in its growth, and therefore indicates an end,
with its associated effects of disease and death. Its
directional attribute is north-east, the direction
South Asian Studies 16
 THE AYA FORMULA OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY

associated with the planet Jupiter. The Rupa of
Dhwankshaya is the face of a crow, the neck of a lion, the
torso and arms of a man, and the feet of a bird; it bears a
pair of scissors in one hand and a fish in the other, and
faces north-east. Functions associated with this Aya
include an armoury, and a house for an ascetic or
craftsman.
It is clear from the above descriptions of the various
types of Aya that their functional associations are
derived largely from the directional attribute they
signify. For example, Dhumra Aya is associated with the
attributes of Agni Kona or the corner of fire, and has fire-
related activities as its functional application. And
although auspicious for the specified function, it is
considered inappropriate to design the entire house or
site in Dhumra Aya as that would mean that the
designed space 'faces' south-east, an intermediary and
not a cardinal direction. The even-numbered Ayas are in
general considered inauspicious, except for their speci-
fied function, as they signify 'facing' an intermediary
direction in terms of dimensions.
Other functions
Apart from its use in fixing the proportions of the site
and of its building and its parts, the Aya formula is also
used as a means to adjust the height and width of a
building. Its non-architectural uses range from ascertain-
ing the dimensions of containers, musical instruments,
and cloth, to rationalising dimensions for ornaments and
emblems. In fact, ignoring the strict categories of
architectural and non-architectural uses, the Aya formula
is used to rationalise proportions of any considered
space, and lends the space a directional attribute (See
Table III a and b).
Superimposing the Aya
Aya is detected and adjusted, as desired, during the
design process. It is not a formula against which to test a
building that has already passed through the design pro-
cess. Superimposing the formula over a built structure
may or may not accurately reveal the type of Aya that
was used in the process. Although the logic that is
followed is a part of its method, how the method is
rationalised to yield a design solution cannot be revealed
by reapplying the formula to the end product. The
design system is not a method for post-rationalising the
defined space or the built structure. Each design situa-
tion poses new challenges, which are met each time by
new solutions that use the system of Vastu Vidya. The
use of the method is consistent and continuous, and the
design solution new and different from every previous
one.

Textual sources

The textual sources of the eight Aya, their associated numbers, orientation, Rupa or associated form, and effects are as
follows:

Table 1: V a r i a t i o n in formula and T e r m

Textural Source Formula T e r m Used

Ayatattva pp. 2-3 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Bhartiya Jyotisha p. 406 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Bhrihatsamhita p. 480 (commentary) Area/8; remainder indicates type Vastunara

BhubanapradipaVI.20 Area/8; remainder indicates type Bandha

Manasara IX.71; LH. pp. 351 -358 Width X 3/8; rem. indicates type Yoni

Mayamata IX.20-22 (Length + Width) 3/8; rem. indicates type Yoni

XXVI.206 Width X 3/8; rem. indicates type Yoni

Narada Samhita XXXI.30 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Rajavallabha 111.8 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Samarangana Sutradhara Xtl.l 1-25 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Shilpashastram ll.l Area/8; remainder indicates type Grihabandha

Tantrasammucchaya II. 3-4 Perimeter X 3/8; rem indicates type Yoni

Vastusara Prakarnam 1.51 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

Vishvakarma Prakasha 11.49 Area/8; remainder indicates type Aya

49
VIBHUT1 CHAKRABARTI

Table II: Associated Direction, F o r m , and Effect

REM. AYA ORIENTATION RUPA EFFECT 8

1 Dhwajaya East (Banner) Man Fame, Material Gain

2 Dhumraya South-east (smoke) Cat Mournfulness

3 Simhaya South Lion Victory, Consumption

4 Shwanaya South-west Dog Enmity, Bickering

5 Vrishabhaya West Bull Wealth

6 Kharaya North-west Donkey Poverty, Fault in women

7 Gajaya9 North Elephant Happiness, Well-being

8or0 Dhwankshaya North-east Crow Disease, Death

According to major texts, suitable functions associated with the eight Aya are as follows:

Table I I I . a: Suitable Functions

Aya Rajavallabha 111.4-7 Samarangana Sutradhara X l l . l 1-34 Vishvakarma Rrakasha 11.54-65

Dhwaja House for God, Brahmin's house, Shudra's house, umbrella, palace, idol, Umbrella, Brahmin's house with
water-body, width of house, clothes, Linga, seat, pavilion, water tank, Royal its face in the West. Good for
Yagya shala (sacrificial Hall), emblem. Kshatriyas andVaishyas.
ornaments.Vedi (altar), umbrella.

Dhumra Houses of people who earn their Houses of people who earn their All fire-related places and houses of
living through fire-related work, living through fire-related work. people who earn their living through
container for fire ritual. fire-related and cloth-related work.

Simha Royal house, armoury, throne, Brahmin's house, throne. Throne, Kshatriya's house with its
Simha door. face in the North.

Shwana Chandal's house. Outcastes' house.

Vrishabha Vaishya's house, stable for horses, Vaishya's house, kitchen, water-body, Containers of food, cot,Vaishya's
commercial house, house made of plate, granary. house with its face in the East.
wood, house or room for dining.

Khara House/room for musical instruments, House of prostitute.

musical instruments, washerman's
house, Shudra's house, house for
women, garage.

Gaja Bedroom, stable for elephants. Kshatriya's house. Ponds, tanks and wells, cots, Shudra's
house with its face in the South.

Dhwanksha Houses of ascetic and craftsman. House of ascetic.

Further Notes Generally, Simha and GajaAyas are
used in construction of houses.
Dhwaja andVrishabh are also suitable.
Simha Aya is unsuitable for stables for
horses and elephants.
Vrisha, Simha and Gaja are suitable
for towns, palaces and Veshma
(mansion).
Simha and Gaja for leather, arms,
royal emblems, Ratha and shields.
Stable for elephants in Vrisha or Gaja.
Vrisha, Simha and Dhwaja for
palaces, towns and Veshma.
Stable for elephants in Gaja or
Dhwaja.
Stable for horses in Dhwaja, Khara
and Vrisha Aya.
Places for camels and animals in
Gaja or Vrisha Aya.
Containers, umbrella and clothes in
Vrisha or Dhwaja Aya.
Gaja Aya is the best Aya, and it
increases prosperity.
Brahmin pursuing religion must
reject Simha Aya.

50 South Asian Studies 16

 THE AYA FORMULA OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY

Table II1. b: Suitable Functions

Aya Vastusara Prakarna Shilpashatram Bhubanapradipa Ayatattva

(I.S3-S7) (11.4-5) (VI.22) (pp. 2-7)
Dhwaja Brahmin's house, banner, Temple. Sanctuary. Temple, Idol, Shivalinga,
Torana (gateway arch). Vedika, house of Brahmin,
flag, well, pond, Kunda (pool
or well in temple),Yagyashala
(sacrificial hall), throne,
decoration.

Dhumra For people who earn their Sacrificial house. Cooking apartments. For people who earn their
living through fire related living through fire-related
work, place for cooking. work, kitchen, and place for
fire-ritual.

Simha Kshatriya's house, throne. Audience hall. State apartment. Arms, house of king, king's
throne.

Shwana House of the outcaste. Place for crushing rice. Place for husking corn. House of the outcaste, theatre,
house of prostitute.

Vrishabha Vaishya's house, container Inner apartment. Inner apartments. Vaishya's house, shop, house,
for food. container of food, stable, cow
shed.

Khara House of prostitute. Stable. Stables for horses, elephants Musical instruments,
and other animals. washerman's house, houses
of potter, cloth dyer and
printer.

Gaja Shudra's house, pond, Store. Store room. Stable for elephant, throne,
wells, cot. bed room, king's house,
recreational and rest room,
and for Shudra.

Dhwanksha House of an ascetic, saint. Armoury. Armoury. Place for Jaina, ascetic, and
monastery.

Further Dhwaja, Gaja, and Simha Aya Aya, here is called Bandha. Dhwaja, Simha,Vrisha and
Notes for best places; Gaja, Simha Gaja are auspicious, and the
and Vrisha Aya for forts and rest inauspicious.
villages;Vrisha, Gaja, and
Simha Aya for towns, palaces,
temples, and all types of
houses; Dhwaja, Gaja and
Simha Aya for palaces.

Scholarly treatments
The concepts of Vastu Vidya are often explained either in
terms of their esoteric symbolism, or by reference to a
supposed scientific rationale. These two approaches
open a gulf between the system's employment of com-
plex and intricate meaning on the one hand, and, on the
other, its application as a design method that facilitates
the construction of buildings. The artificial divide
between its symbolic significance and its practical utility
has generated two styles of description: one that explores
the nature of its 'cosmic' truth, and the other that
engages itself with unearthing its 'scientific' core reality.
Paradoxically, both explanations of Vastu Vidya assume
that the design system exists primarily to depict this or
that world view: one tests the role of Vastu Vidya as a
way to implement an Indie world view; and the other
upon itself the arduous task of scientific validation.
Vastu Vidya does of course follow the scientific logic of
its own traditional world view, and continuously incor-
porates technological and scientific advances within its
fold. That the only purpose of Vastu Vidya is to portray
a world view; and that it requires validation in terms of
modern scientific principles, are equally highly doubtful
explanations, especially as they disregard the subject of
architecture.
The remarkable scholarly work of Stella Kramrisch
has influenced both scholars and modern practitioners in
their description and use of Vastu Vidya, and is the
outstanding example of an approach which explores
symbolism and stresses the esoteric. With regard to the
present topic, she (Kramrisch 1991, pp. 38-39) refers to

51
VIBHUTI CHAKRABARTI
the formula as Yoni, as indeed do some texts on Vastu
Vidya. She also refers to the eight types as the 'eight
Vastupurusas', and thus might appear to confuse them
with a quite distinct concept within Vastu Vidya, that of
the Vastu Purusha Mandala. She follows a commentator
on the Brihat Samhita who refers to the eight Aya as
'Vastunara' (see Table I) - a term whose literal meaning
is comparable to 'Vastupurusa'. But it is important to
maintain the distinction between the Rupa of the Aya
and that of the Mandala, and so a distinct terminology is
desirable. In the same place, she describes Yoni as a way
to establish the "the position of a building in the cosmos;
that is the direction which it is to face". Further, "If the
building were to obstruct the course and order of the
cosmos it would provoke disorder in the kingdom, and
in the body of the builder. Yoni is an architectural
formula; the remainder, gained through it, assures the
fitness of the structure in the order of things and the
well-being of the builder and his surroundings" (p. 39).
It is not clear whether the description of Yoni as an
'architectural formula' is intended to imply that it is a
formula which affects architecture through its use as a
part of a design process, or because of its exclusive use in
the building process while the other formulae that form
the set are also applied in astrology. If the latter - and if
Aya is to be called Yoni - then it should be remembered
that in astrology there are Yonis of fourteen types, which
are not associated with directions as the eight Ayas are.
More importantly, the crucial idea of it being an
architectural formula is not adequately explained.
Because of its characteristic engagement with 'cosmic'
relevance, her description fails to project the archi-
tectural significance of the concept, which is described
only as being of secondary importance in the process of
temple design.
G.K.Pillai by contrast has been the chief forerunner
in promoting the idea that if we could somehow prove
that the principles of Vastu Vidya are 'scientific', then we
would feel better about its existence and workability. It is
a method often adopted to ease the sense of back-
wardness attached to this ancient tradition. Thus Pillai
(1948, p. 82) offers a scientific and mathematical
explanation for the purpose of the Yoni formula, as he
believes it is "hidden in mystery" and that "no book on
Silpa-Sastra unravels the secret". His work proposes the
view that the proper understanding of the Silpa Sastras
is made difficult by the "introduction of religion and
superstition in purely scientific matters" (p. 1), and his
method assumes the existence of an essence that can
somehow be explained and captured using a modern
scientific rationale. One of the problems with this
method of scientific validation is that, even if we accept
that the Yoni formula "generates Archemedian spiral"
(p. 89), generation of the spiral is not its prime function:
the practitioners would not have been shy of admitting
52
it, if it were the case. This scientific feel-good reason tells
us little about the nature of the formula itself and its
place within the design system to which it belongs. Pillai
applies the Yoni formula that uses the perimeter for
deriving the eight types. He rightly concludes that "by
the Yoni system, the innumerable perimeters have been
classified, docketed and located, and to avoid confusion,
introduced simplicity by selecting certain of them as
most suited for use and rejecting others as useless"
(p. 92). But one could arrive at this simple conclusion
without generating the 'spiral', and it is doubtful
whether superimposing a scientific rationale improves
understanding of the concept and its role in the system.
The application of the Aya or Yoni formula is not
unanimously supported by Vastu consultants, the
contemporary practitioners of selective portions of Vastu
Vidya. Views on its relevance range from considering it
completely redundant and obsolete, to it being the essen-
tial part of the spirit of the building. Such a diversity
reflects the fragmentation of the Vastu Vidya design
system as practised today. While some Vastu consultants
do not even mention the Aya calculation at all in their
popular books on Vastu Vidya, 10 others debate its
relevance and obsolescence;11 but none explain its nature
and purpose in the system.
Significance of the method
The Aya formula has been described in this paper as
existing alongside the orientation principles. This is not
to suggest that the orientation principles are replaceable
or made redundant by the translation of cardinal
directions into numbers, but to say that the Aya formula
is an expansion of the same concept to allow the architect
to work with the inadequacies and the strengths of the
given site. In practice, and especially in developed urban
contexts, if the orientation principles were taken alone,
they would not always be fully realisable (not every plot
in a city, for example, can face either north or east, the
most desirable directions). If taken alone, they would
prove inadequate in generating a treatment for every
possible site. The orientation principles dispose the
various functions in relation to the cardinals, which the
Aya formula, subsequently, realigns or reasserts in terms
of numbers, translating the concept of cardinals. Having
determined the orientation of the site, one could then
either echo the same in terms of site proportions or
redefine it to adopt the attributes of a different and more
desirable direction. It is important to note that both the
orientation principles and the Aya formula are part of the
same system: not methods in isolation of each other, but
methods that share the concept of alignment, and
complement each other in its realisation. Whether or not
the orientation of the site is the desired one, the site
proportion would still have to be rationalised in terms of
South Asian Studies 16

the Aya formula. The Aya formula, therefore, provides an
additional opportunity and a related method for
assessing the directional attribute of the site.
The existence of a complementary method reveals
some key features of Vastu Vidya in general. It is not, as
is commonly supposed, a rigid system. Although the
discussion of its method favours an idealised world-
view, it shows more than one way to rationalise the
architectural scheme in terms of the ideal. Each
application of the principles furthers the ideal, not only
by continuing the tradition through its use, but also by
expanding the range of possible solutions that the
idealised world-view generates. On the other hand, the
inherent flexibility of the system does not mean that it is
arbitrary and loose in character, or that it doesn't take its
NOTES
1 Also see, Prabhu 1998, pp. 14-15.
2 Therefore to suggest that a house should be built with its
back to the main road so that its front could face north would
be as gross a misinterpretation of the orientation principles,
as it would be to suggest abandoning the site just because it
faces south. Vastu consultants often adopt this solution and
property dealers in at least Delhi, for example, have grown
wise to the sudden demand for north and east facing plots.
3 For the entire Paddahati or method in astrology, see specially
Nemkhandra Shastri 1994, pp. 390-396.
4 The whole group is called Ayadi Shadvarga. Discussion of
Aya is more elaborate in some texts than in others.
Rajavallabha considers Aya, Nakshatra and Ayu as three main
considerations.
5 There is no special preference for a large remainder; the
favoured remainders are the odd numbers, corresponding to
the four cardinal directions.
6 See, for example, 'Glory of Indra's Banner' in Brihat Samhita
Ch. XLIII.
7 Rajavallabha ΙΠ.6; Brihadvastumala, p. 42.6.
8 Especially Samarangana Sutradham XII.11-25; Vasturatnavali,
pp. 101-102; Brihadvastumala, p. 41.5; Bhubanapradipa VI.20-
23; and Ayatattva p. 3. According to Shilpashastram II.3, the
effects are: 1-wealth; 2-death; 3-victory; 4-destruction;
5-enjoyment; 6-loss; 7-nourishment; 8-sorrow. In general, the
odd-numbered Aya have positive effects and the even-
numbered have inauspicious effects.
9 Some texts, for example, Vasturatnavali (ibid.), suggest
Ushtraya or camel Aya as the seventh Aya.
10 For example, Dhamidhar's Vastu Guide by D. D. Sharma.
11 See, for example, Reddy, The Secret World of Vaasthu, 1994
p. 37.
THE AYA FORMULA OF INDIAN ARCHITECTURAL THEORY
own rules seriously. On the contrary, by providing a
range of possible methods for achieving the desired
results, it ensures a disciplined approach and rules out
the need for excuses for not adhering to the system. So,
for example, what may not be achievable due to the
location of the site in terms of directions, is attainable
through the application of the Aya formula; whilst
equally, if the site has the most desirable orientation, the
Aya formula helps to strengthen that asset. Thus, the
inclusion of the Aya formula makes the approach of
Vastu Vidya to orientation richer and more complex,
expanding what can be achieved, and simultaneously
makes the system's treatment of orientation both
stronger and more versatile.
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54 South Asian Studies 16

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