THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: He talks about ‘the science of construction’, ie Vastu Shastra, in the most simple, practical manner. Perhaps, that makes K Muraleedharan Nair, the vastu acharya, a very down-to-earth individual and a scholar at the same time.
People tend to perceive Vastu proponents with an eye of suspicion. To which Muraleedharan Nair replies, ‘‘It is true that the science has been misinterpreted and misused by a whole lot of so-called Vastu scholars. They are those who have not studied Vastu Shastra in depth. Such people tend to make a mountain out of a molehill, thus questioning the integrity of true Vastu scholars. It is not a superstition. I strongly view that Vastu Shastra is 75 percent practical and only the rest is theory. Astrology is the other way round,’’ he affirms.
He was attracted to the science right from his childhood, thanks to his maternal grandfather Neelakanda Pillai, who used to be eye doctor (vaidyan) of the Travancore Royal family. ‘‘My favourite past-time was making houses, that too houses with specific details and measurements.’’
But, when it came to choosing a career, printing was what he ended up choosing. He got job at the Government Press in 1972. Next assignment was at Kannur prison, where he took lessons in printing to the prisoners.
‘‘While in Kannur I met Payyannur Damodaran Namboodiri. He turned out to be my guru as he taught me the basics of Vastu Shastra.’’
He went deeper and deeper into the science. Now, in every nook and corner of Thiruvananthapuram you would find at least one house which has its Vastu decided by Muraleedharan. Now, leading builders too are his regular clients. Interestingly, Christians and Muslims too go for Vastu consultation for any new venture these days, he says.
But, why has Vastu become so important? ‘‘The society has rich people who don’t know how to spend their money!’’, he says, adding, ‘‘Earlier, people settled for small houses, with the basic infrastructure. Now, we have extremely rich people who spend on mansions and end up with little peace of mind.’’
He elaborates: Such extravagant buildings tend to have many rooms/spaces which are never used. It is an accepted fact that unused rooms/spaces always produce negative energy. This naturally rubs off on the inhabitants and so they end up an unhappy lot. Naturally, they turn to astrologers or Vastu scholars or anybody who can bring them relief. Vastu Shastra prescribes desirable characteristics for sites and buildings based on flow of energy and many rules are attributed to cosmological considerations, ie the earth’s and the sun’s energy.
Vastu Shastra has been there right from early days of mankind. Also, it has been proved that the science had acceptance during the Indus Valley civilisation. Jainism and Buddhism too had embraced the science, he observes.
Muraleedharan is heading the Vasthu Sasthra Vigjana Peedam, a charitable trust which has been disseminating knowledge about Vastu Sasthra for all those interested. ‘‘People from all walks of life come to take lessons, in addition to temple priests and members of Namboodiri community.’’ The trust has branches in Kollam and Ernakulam too.
He adds, ‘‘I don’t want to keep the knowledge to myself. Let more and more people know about it.’’ He has brought out a DVD- ‘Vastu Shastram- Irupathionnam Noottandil’ (Vastu Shastra- In 21st Century), writes in magazines and is doing programmes on Asianet (twice a week in ‘Suprabhatham’) and DD Malayalam (8 p.m. on Saturdays). He is now planning to bring out a book, ‘Vastu Acharyante Diarykurippukal’. Muraleedharan stays at Vellayambalam with wife Geetha. The couple has two daughters Indu and Lakshmi.
K Muraleedharan Nair will be writing a weekly column on Vastu Shastra for ‘Expresso’ readers on Mondays, starting July 19.
m_athira@expressbuzz.com