VASTU SHASTRA GUIDELINES | VERANDAH

A verandah is a roofed, open, pillared gallery built in front of the House that leads into the House. It is often partly enclosed by a railing  and frequently extends across the front and sides of the building. It is the  space that one enters after entering through the Main Gate.


Here, I have explained the Vastu Guidelines for the Entrance Verandah. Since Vastu is a science, every guideline is based on sound logic and reasoning. As an Architect, I have attempted to explain these guidelines rationally and scientifically, so that you can decide what you want to follow and what you don’t.

WHAT IS THE BEST POSITION FOR A VERANDAH ACCORDING TO VASTU?

Verandah should be in the North or East part of the House: The Scientific Reason - A Verandah is a good place to sit out and relax. And while sitting, it is useful to get exposed to the Sun’s rays as they aid in the synthesis of Vitamin D and improve the general well-being  of a person. The ideal position for this would be in the North, where there is constant sunlight and the East where there is morning Sunlight.

The Verandah should not be to the South or the West sides of the main building. The Scientific Reason – The West and South sides tend to get too heated up since the Sun is in the South and West at midday and in the afternoon.

WHAT ARE THE VASTU GUIDELINES FOR A VERANDAH?

Heavy furniture and seating should be placed in the South-West of the Verandah: The Scientific Reason - The North and East parts of the Verandah should not be obstructed by heavy furniture, so that the pleasant, morning sunlight can stream in and light up the whole place and permeate further into the house.

The Swing should be in the East-West axis: The Scientific Reason – This way, the person sitting on the swing, faces either North or South and thus the sun will not hit him in the face directly.

Small plants can be placed in the North-East of the Verandah: The Scientific Reason - Plants need sunlight to thrive and so should be placed in the North-East, where there is constant, morning sunlight. However, only short plants and small flower pots are preferred because if they grow too tall or grow up a pillar, they will obstruct the light into the Verandah

Shoe-rack can be placed in the North-West of the Verandah: The Scientific Reason - A shoe rack in the Verandah is useful, as people can leave their shoes out here before entering the house so that the dirt from outside is not brought in. Moreover, the shoes are protected from direct sunlight.

Avoid rounding or cutting the corners of the Verandah: The Logic – If the corners of the Verandah are cut or rounded, when you push back the chair to sit down, you may miscalculate and end up falling off the Verandah.

The height of the Verandah roof should be less than the roof of the main building: The Logic – A Verandah is a small space and will look proportional only if the roof is a bit lower than the rest of the building. In addition, the sunlight can directly enter the house if there are ventilators above the verandah roof.

Avoid using asbestos or tin roof for the Verandah: The Logic - Tin or asbestos roof absorbs and traps heat within a space, making it uncomfortably hot for the users.

Verandah should have maximum number of windows opening into the rest of the house: The Scientific Reason – A Verandah extends across the front of the house and so it should have maximum number of windows to allow light and air into the house.

This post was about the Vastu guidelines for the design of the Entrance Verandah. The Veranda leads to the next space namely the Living Room through the Main Entrance Door. Read the Vastu guidelines for the design of these spaces here:

• VASTU GUIDELINES | MAIN ENTRANCE DOOR
• VASTU GUIDELINES | LIVING ROOM

Related Topics:

• VASTU SHASTRA
• VASTU SHASTRA FACTORS
• VASTU SHASTRA PRINCIPLES
  
• VASTU GUIDELINES | SELECTION OF SITE
• VASTU GUIDELINES | DESIGN OF A HOUSE
• VASTU GUIDELINES | STAGES OF CONSTRUCTION
• LOGIC BEHIND SUPERSTITIONS