This document provides guidance on choosing an ideal land for Varnasrama projects. It discusses 12 factors to consider when evaluating potential lands, including vastu, soil condition, surrounding area, history of the land, water access, slope, ownership, and feasibility for intended uses. An ideal land slopes eastward, has fertile soil, good neighbors, clear ownership, access to water, and is suitable for growing food and housing cows. The document aims to help thoroughly evaluate lands before purchasing for a Varnasrama community.
2. Author : IDVM-India Staff
E-Mail : info.iskconvarnasrama@gmail.com
Date Produced : August 2008
Editor : HH RP Bhakt Raghava Swami
Serial No : 51 of 54
ChoosingChoosing
an Ideal Landan Ideal Land
4. Structure of Presentation
• Introducing Varnasrama Communities
• Essential Components for a Community
• Choosing Land for a Varnasrama Project
• Contacts
5. Introducing
Varnasrama Communities
• A Varnasrama Community comprises of a
natural division of human society divided
into four scientific occupational orders:
– Brahmana or Priestly class of the society
– Ksatriya or Administrative class
– Vaisya or Mercantile class
– Sudra or Laborer class
6. Essential Components
The following are key elements of a project:
• Self-sufficiency and Sustainability
• Krishna at the Center – Daiva Varnasrama
• Localization a Must
• Traditional Education (brahmanas)
• Village Organization (ksatriyas)
• Vedic Economics [land & cows] (vaisyas)
• Traditional Technologies (sudras)
7. Choosing an Ideal Land
1. Vastu
2. Soil Condition
3. Surrounding Area
4. History of the Land
5. Water
6. Sloping Angle
8. Choosing an Ideal Land
7.Access
8.Ownership
9. Altitude
10. Sale and Occupancy
11. Topography of the Land
12. Shape of Plot
9. Choosing an Ideal Land
13. Feeling
14. Security/Occupancy
15. Land Utility
16.Registration
17.Fees
18.Other
10. 1. VASTU
Vastu: According to Vastu, an ideal land
should slope to the East. It could also
slope to the North but preferably it should
not slope to the West or South. The
reasons are simple - the morning sun is
very important for better agriculture
results. It is also both auspicious and
healthy to get the early morning rays on
both the land and those living on that
land.
11. 2.1 SOIL CONDITION
– Soil Condition: should be conducive for growing
vegetables or fruit trees. The soil should be
sufficiently fertile, not too much of rock. There is a test
to check the quality of the soil: Dig a hole - 2 feet
deep and 2 feet by 2 feet wide. Then you put back the
soil in the whole. If the soil does not all go back into
the hole, in other words, excess soil remains, then the
soil texture is to be considered as very good. If the
soil covers the hole more or less even, then the soil is
to be considered as good. But if the soil does not fill
the hole, then the texture of the soil is to be
considered as not good, it is likely too sandy.
12. 2.2 SOIL CONDITION
• Soil Condition: Another test is to dig a
hole the same size and once the soil is
removed, you fill the hole with water. If the
water stays for some time, it is good, but if
your water immediately vanishes, that
means the soil is not good. Good soil also
smells nice. Another good sign is the
presence of earth worms.
13. 3.1 SURROUNDING AREA
1. How close are the neighbors?
2. Who are the neighbors?
3. What do they do on their land?
4. Any factory or anything of a polluting
nature located close-by?
5. Any cemetery close-by?
6. Any electric wires crossing over the land?
14. 3.2 SURROUNDING AREA
7. Any historical sites close by?
8. Any holy temples in the area?
9. How far (or close) is the nearest lake or
river and how big?
10. How far is the closest village?
11. How far is the closest electric line?
12. How far are the closest public facilities
from the land?
15. 3.3 SURROUNDING AREA
13. Will performing kirtan there cause
disturbance to neighbors? What
communities live close by (like mostly
Christians, mostly Muslims, etc..)?
14. If the proposed land is in pieces, then,
how far are the two lands from one another?
15. Is the land remote enough or having a
lot of people around and a lot of traffic
passing by.
16. 3.4 SURROUNDING AREA
16. If the proposed land is in pieces, then,
how far are the two lands from one
another?
17. Is the land remote enough or having a
lot of people around and a lot of traffic
passing by.
18. Are other larger pieces of land
available in that same area?
19. If land is available nearby what are
the opportunities of acquiring it if intended
to do so and when will it be available?
17. 4. HISTORY of LAND
1. Who were the owners?
2. For how long they owned the land?
3. Who had the land before them?
4. What was the land used for in the
past?
5. What was the land used for during the
tenure of the present owner?
6. What is the surrounding or adjacent
land presently used for?
18. 5. WATER
1. How deep one has to dig to get water
with open well (generally wells of
neighbors, if anyone has one, are a
good indicator).
2. Any water sources of water on the
land?
3. What is the condition of water in the
area (good for drinking, polluted or
what)?
19. 6. SLOPING ANGLE
1. If hill/mountain area, how steep are the
slopes?
2. Will it be difficult to build a few
cottages there?
20. 7. ACCESS
• Access: How accessible is the land? Any
road directly touching the land? If not what
is entailed to make a road? Is there a
direct access to the land or one must pass
through other’s land or you must purchase
additional land for making an access
road?
21. 8. OWNERSHIP
1. Are the land certificates clear?
2. Is the land properly registered?
3. Any history of dispute on land?
4. Will family members agree for this land
to be sold (if owned by one of the
member of a family)?
23. 10. SALE & OCCUPANCY
1. How soon does the owner want to
sell?
2. How soon the land should be
occupied?
3. Any chance to bargain and pay less?
24. 11. TOPOGRAPHY
–Topography of Land: Any buildings on
the land? Any trees, if so, what kind of
trees and how many of each variety?
Are bamboos and trees useful for
construction available? Does the land
consist of hillocks, contour and
plateaus? Do you need to employ lot of
watershed management techniques?
What is the scenery like? What is the
view like? What is the landscape like?
25. 12. SHAPE OF PLOT
1. What is the actual shape of the land?
2. According to Vastu Sastra, the very best
land is square. The second best is
rectangular, and so on. Some land
shapes may present a real problem.
27. 14. SECURITY/OCCUPANCY
1. What kind of security problems might
such a piece of land with some
building represent?
2. Is there any history of thieves,
terrorists near the land?
28. 15. LAND UTILITY
–Land Utility: Will it be useful for
growing some vegetables? What about
keeping a cow or two there or having a
Goshala? Do any neighbors have
cows? Will it be a good place for making
a small asrama, a spiritual retreat center
possibly, an educational center offering
week-end retreats in cottages?
29. 16. REGISTRATION
–Registration: Is the land planned to be
registered under any organization, in the
name of a trust, or cooperatively? Has
the legal requirements, which depends
upon different countries, states and so
on, been researched? How long will the
process of registration take place? What
are formalities for registration that can
be made sure during the sale.
30. 17. FEES
• Fees: What are the sources of funds?
How fast the donations will be available for
payment?
31. 18. OTHER
–Other: Any rocks on the land which may
be used in construction? Any fence
around the property? Any hidden
treasures?
