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1. Abstract
The paper deals with the study how
Architecture and Astronomy come together
to achieve some common goal and giving
an understanding how the astronomical
aspects have regulated the architectural
design. It also includes the study of earliest
surviving astronomical architecture
examples. However it is limited to the
overview of such observations rather than
exploring them in details. The study also
extends to relevance of Vaastu which is
stated as the indirect relation between
architecture and astronomy. It is very clear
that rather than exploring vaastu or its
principles, the study is directed towards the
understanding of its relevance with time and
place.
Technical Words
Astronomy; Architecture; Ancient
observatories; Vaastu
Introduction
Astronomy is a natural science that
deals with the study of celestial
objects (such as moon, planet, stars,
galaxies) the physics, chemistry, and
evolution of such objects; and phenomena
that originate outside the atmosphere of
Earth. Astronomy is one of the oldest
sciences. Prehistoric cultures left behind
astronomical artifacts such as the Egyptian
monuments and Nubian monuments, and
early civilizations such as
Babylonians, Greeks, Chinese, Indians, Iran
and Maya performed methodical
observations of the night sky. However, the
invention of the telescope was required
before astronomy was able to develop into a
modern science. Historically, astronomy has
included disciplines as diverse
as astrometry, celestial navigation,
observational astronomy, and the making
of calendars etc.
Another discipline Astrology-
predictive part of astronomy, which uses the
apparent positions of celestial objects as the
basis for psychology, prediction of future
events, is not a science and is typically
defined as a form of divination. Climatology,
the study of atmospheric science, is another
extension coming out from Astronomy. In
architecture both the disciplines that is
astrology and climatology, leads to a
concept known as Vastu.
This paper revolves around the
study of direct relationship with astronomy
as well as indirect relationship that is vastu.
Relation between Architecture and
Astronomy
A. Direct Relation
Direct relation between architecture
and astronomy could be segregated n two
different types, one as structures primarily
built for the astronomical purpose or as
astronomical observatories. Another type is
“ASTRONOMY AND ARCHITECTURE”
BY Momin Mohammad Zaki – 1st
Year M. Arch (Building Services)
Subject: Architectural Philosophy
Jamia Millia Islamia University – Faculty of Architecture & Ekistics

2. Astronomy and Architecture
2
structures built for another purpose but their
secondary function is astronomical.
A.1. Primarily Astronomical Structures:
These structures could be traced
through the history in the ancient
observatories. The Jantar Mantar is a
collection of architectural astronomical
instruments, built by Maharaja (King) Jai
Singh II at his then new capital
of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734. It is
modeled after the one that he had built for
him at the Mughal capital of Delhi. He had
constructed a total of five such facilities at
different locations, including the ones at
Delhi and Jaipur.
Two f the total 17 equipments
constructed in Jaipur Observatory are
stated below. The Samrat Yantra, is the
largest sundial in the world. The primary
object of a Samrat is to indicate the
apparent solar time or local time of a place.
On a clear day, as the sun journeys from
east to west, the shadow of the Samrat
gnomon sweeps the quadrant scales below
from one end to the other. At a given
moment, the time is indicated by the
shadow’s edge on a quadrant scale. Kapali
Yantra and Ram Yantra are instruments
Used to find the altitude and azimuth angle
of the celestial objects.
Samrat Yantra, Kapali Yantra and
Ram Yantra at Jaipur observatory
A.2. Secondary Astronomical Structures:
We know from the prehistoric epoch
few structures with possible functions of
Astronomical observatories, but certainty
they had mainly religious functions. In those
times priests had astronomical knowledge
and their interest in the celestial bodies’
motions in the sky was applied to the social
life needs. The New grange megalithic
passage tomb (3200 B.C.) is the oldest
known astronomically orientated monument.
Stonehenge is the most famous prehistoric
monument known with this double function.
Stonehenge – UK (Sunrise over the
heelstone)
This monument, situated in England
(Wiltshire), is made up of stones arranged

3. Astronomy and Architecture
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circularly around a central one. Its building
registered roughly three phases, extending
along more than 1600 years. Built in stages
from around 3100 BC, it is an iconic stone
monument used as a burial site for
cremated human remains from its earliest
days. A circle of tall stones encloses a
second horseshoe-shaped arrangement of
standing stones.
The open side of the horseshoe points to an
external avenue where the "heelstone" sits.
On the June solstice at dawn, the Sun rises
over the heelstone, as viewed from the
middle of the monument.
Another example from Egypt is Giza
Necropolis. In the common opinion of
Egyptologists, the small pyramids next to
the great pyramid of Khufu served as burial
places for the relatives of the Pharaoh.
Certain facts, which have not been
previously considered, indicate that there is
a chance that the pyramids — due to their
ground plan arrangement — are not only
burial places but also the components of a
yearly calendar. This is the opinion of
Hungarian architect András Göczey.
Giza Necropolis – Egypt (Three small
pyramids Hetepheres, Meritetes, Hanusten
next to Khufu’s)
At the the time of the summer
solstice (the beginning of the year) and
now only the shadow of the northernmost
small pyramid of Hetepheres appears on
the shadow point date marker. The apex
shadow point of Hetepheres starts moving
to the North 77-59 cm a day.
Hetepheres making shadow point
At the time of the autumnal equinox, i.e.
the 21st of September, the apex of the
pyramid of Meritetes appears to coincide
with the indicated shadow point date
marker, with the shadow of Hetepheres
near it. The apex shadow point of Meritetes
starts moving to the North 59-77 cm a day.
At the time of the vernal equinox, i.e the
21st of March, the apex of the pyramid of
Meritetes appears to coincide with the
indicated shadow point date marker, with
the shadow of Hetepheres near it. The apex
shadow point of Hetepheres starts moving
back to the South 59-77 cm a day.
Meritetes & Hanusten making shadow point
At the time of the winter solstice the
shadow of the southernmost small pyramid
of Hanutsen appears near the shadow point
date marker with the shadows of Meritetes

4. Astronomy and Architecture
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and Hetepheres. The apex shadow point of
Meritetes starts moving back to the South
77-59 cm a day.
B. Indirect Relation
Astrology, which uses the apparent
positions of celestial objects as the basis for
psychology, prediction of future events,
is not a science and is typically defined as a
form of divination. Climatology, the study of
atmospheric science, is another extension
coming out from Astronomy. In architecture
from the ancient times, both the disciplines
that is astrology and climatology, leads to a
concept known as Vaastu.
Vastu-shastra is an ancient doctrine
which consists of precepts born out of a
traditional view on how the laws of nature
affect human dwellings. The designs are
based on directional alignments.
VAASTU is currently a fad in high
society, and it is surprising that there are
millions of educated "VAASTU IDIOTS"
who seek VAASTU experts through yellow
pages, and self styled VAASTU experts
advertise in the classified columns of
financial news papers offering guaranteed
results and financial gains in the name of
modern PRACTICAL VAASTU. It shows
that even modern educated and learned
people belonging to wealthy circles are
quite superstitious and they are blind faith.
Here is the case of a rich man who
bought a duplex apartment in a swanky
Malabar Hill building facing the Chowpatty
sea-face in Mumbai. The apartment was
designed in such a way that the living room
and the bedrooms faced the sea towards
the south, since VAASTU is a fad, sure
enough the VAASTU expert came, but a bit
late via the yellow pages and as predicted
the VAASTU expert put his foot down and
said this was sacrilege. So what if the
building was designed in such a way that it
faced the sea view towards the south? He
asked. The south was an awful direction, he
declaimed, it was the place of Yama (the
God of Death) and of Agni (Fire), and the
apartment would bring misery to its owner.
Having invested a lot of money in
the purchase of apartment, now what? Was
there a way out? Yes, there was a way out.
The apartment with a sea view (a feature
that attracts a premium in Mumbai) had to
be altered, ruled the VAASTU expert. He
proceeded to bring the kitchen, the
servant's room and the internal staircase on
the sea-facing side and shifted the bedroom
to the service lane. Yet, the owner was quite
pleased with all these alterations and said,
"Never mind the view, as long as I can
maintain my wealth".
It is surprising that today the learned
and the successful people lack basic
conviction of logical reasoning and fall prey
to superstitions and dictates of the
unqualified, smart, self-styled experts in the
name of VAASTU.
There is another example of
ritualistic approach of the modern VAASTU
Pandit, that south west side of the house or
office should be heavier and higher being
good for the welfare and prosperity of the
master, and sometimes in the Office layout,
part of the room is raised just by an inch or
so by use of little raised wooden floor, or
thicker carpet just as a ritual of VAASTU.
Nobody asks why south or south-
west side should be higher and heavier, and
how does this brings prosperity to the
master of the house hold?
Tracing back the history of living habits, and
living environments, it has been observed
that due to social customs, and safety
security of the inmates of the family, houses
were built inward or enclosed around walled

5. Astronomy and Architecture
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structures, mainly in southern states, and
hot region like Rajasthan and North West
India. These houses were generally built
with a courtyard which served as a
protected space for use of ladies, children
and family activities and house hold
occupation, when the men folks were out of
the house for their work, or on long trading
journeys. Since sunrise in the north east
side is at lower angle, the north east section
of the house was at low height to receive
the comfortable morning sunlight into the
courtyard of the house. The south-west of
the house was made higher so that in the
afternoon when it is hot, the higher portion
of the south-west corner of the house will
cause shadow in the courtyard giving
protection from the hot sun for comfort and
welfare of the inmates. Such an
architectural planning based on
environmental aspects has been distorted,
by the modern VAASTU Pandit and hence
the interior of an enclosed office space or
office floor, raised by couple of inches in the
south-west corner as specified by the
VAASTU is nothing but a superstitious ritual
in the name of VAASTU.
WHILE TRACING THE
PHILOSOPHY OF INDIAN WAY OF OUR
ANCIENT INDIANS, it may be noted that
our ancient Indians had learnt the secrets of
life as a cycle path from evolution to
subsistence to residue and regeneration.
They also understood that our human form
and our nature is unification of cosmic or
(solar energy) and organic energy of earth
and the human form or our body is a part of
nature, and human body is designed to
acclimatize with nature.
Our ancient Indians also realized that state
of human existence is a stream of
consciousness which is very much
dependent on nature. The consciousness is
the state of body alive and our real body is
the stream of sub-conscious - which flows in
our body in the form of white cells in the
blood chemical composition of white cells, is
similar to that of the brain.
The stream of consciousness which
flows in our body is maintained by three
factors, which are AYUR,
TARANG andYOG. AYUR - means body
temperature and thus the knowledge of
ayurved was formulated to enable the
human beings to use natural ingredients for
maintenance of body temperature - which
ensures the body free from physical
alignments. TARANG - means Rhythm or
body Rhythm or energy Rhythm, this can be
modulated by music. Music helps the mind
or state of mind. YOG is the process of
unification of mind and body. All these three
factors are again very much dependent on
the NATURE.
In this context our ancient Indians
had evolved the methods or principles of
living in harmony with nature or natural way
of living with environment which could be
conducive to pursue the maintenance of
stream of consciousness and or to attain the
state of super consciousness or State of
Sat-Chit-Anand. THE VERY PROCESS OF
LIVING WITH NATURE / OR PRINCIPLES
OF NATURAL WAY OF LIVING WAS
TERMED AS "VAASTU".
Every author of VAASTU in the
foreword writes in one way or the other,
such kind of statement : "THAT THE
VAASTU PRINCIPLES WERE
FORMULATED BY OUR ANCIENT
INDIANS TO TAKE THE MAXIMUM
ADVANTAGE OF SUNLIGHT / AIR AND
ORIENTATIONS AND ENVIRONMENT

6. Astronomy and Architecture
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AROUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF
NATURAL WAY OF LIVING FOR BETTER
HEALTH AND PROSPERITY"
Form the above statement; it is very clear
that VAASTU principles were formulated as:
1. Guide for NATURAL WAY OF
LIVING
2. Guide for living in tune with the
environment.
3. Guide for taking advantage of
natural light and ventilation.
Having said as above, there is no
scope left for any rigid formula and orthodox
attitude of application of common
prescription or ritualistic directions for
different geographical locations and
different situations.
It is obviously clear that essence of
VAASTU advocates that living style and
dwellings should be such that advantage
can be derived from the natural
environment, surroundings and natural light
and ventilation's for better health and
pleasant feelings. It means "ADVANTAGE
FROM NATURE AND SURROUNDING
ENVIRONMENT" is an important; theme
aspect of VAASTU. Since nature and
environment is variable from location to
location, the application of orientations at
physical level become dependent on the
variable locations and relevant environment
and hence applications of principles of
VAASTU at physical material level are
variable and flexible to the extent to achieve
the main objective of taking advantage of
nature and environment.
For example; houses and dwellings
in the plains of northern India, it will be
natural to plan the houses in such an
orientations that advantage of natural cross
ventilation can be derived from the East-
West winds. Houses, dwellings units along
the west-south west coastal region shall be
so oriented that advantage of natural
ventilation can be derived from south west
winds. Similarly advantage of water
resources can be derived mainly from
flowing water of rivers in the northern
region, and in the coastal hilly region
advantage of water resources can be
derived from the stored water in lakes and
reservoirs, as per natural topography
irrespective of orientation and direction.
The requirements of sun light in the
north Himalayan region is much more to
give protection against the cold winds
whereas in the desert zone and in the zone
of equator sunlight is required to be
shielded to over-come the discomfort of
heat and glare.
The above examples illustrate that in
different locations different types of
dwellings are required to be worked out to
achieve the common factor of "taking
advantage of natural light and ventilation
and surrounding environment for natural
way of living of humans". Hence there is no
rigidity and application process is variable
and flexible and universal for all humans
irrespective of cast, creed and religion, and
hence it can be considered that "VAASTU
PRINCIPLES PERTAIN TO APPLICATION
OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF
ENVIRONMENT" or VAASTU can be
termed as "ENVIRONMENT ORIENTED
ARCHITECTURE".
Conclusion:
Architecture has been used to
encode knowledge from various other fields
(discussed here is astronomy) with different
metaphors as three-dimensional design. By
transferring these metaphors to information
visualization some new designs might be
created in a similar way. The examples
presented in this paper should be a
motivation to investigate further inside the

7. Astronomy and Architecture
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field of architecture, as many architectural
designs have used metaphors from other
disciplines. As far as vaastu is concerned it
should be kept in mind that “to understand a
concept before following it”.
References:
1. Perception on vastu “http://www.premnath.com/140%20Vastu%20Perception.html”
2. http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/egyptastronomy.htm
3. http://www.newscientist.com/gallery/dn16422-best-ancient-observatories
4. www.wikipedia.org/