Decision of keeping the main gate in a particular direction is most important before starting the construction. But it depends, to a large extent, on in which direction the plot is open i.e. presence of road, lane, bylane etc. in that direction. Location of the house and its orientation within the plot are also taken into account. VAASTU Shastra describes extensively regarding the position of the main entrance. The figure given below depicts the appearance of mythical VAASTU Purush and all of its thirty-two guarding gods. Position of main entrance must be decided accordingly.

There are four methods to decide the position of the main entrance.

According to the guarding deity: Divide the length and breadth of your plot by eight and determine the length of each part. Each part, thus obtained, represents a particular segment on your boundary wall as depicted in the figure and is guarded by a particular deity. If the plot is rectangular in shape, its lengthwise segments will be longer than breadthwise segments. But regardless of it, each segment will have only one deity. The figure also shows as to which part of the given boundary wall is auspicious to errect the main entrance. In the east, segments guarded by Jayant and Indra (3 to 4); in the south, segments guarded by Vrikatksat (12), in the west segments guarded by Pushpdant and Varun (20 to 21) and in the north, segments guarded by, Mukhya, Bhallat and Kuber (27, 28 and 29) are considered auspicious.

Possible outcome of erecting the main entrance on these segments are as follows:

In the East:
Jayant: Wealth, Reputation and Knowledge
Indra: Favour from the state.

In the South:
(12) Brihatkshat: Benefit from the son.

In the West:
(20) Pushpdant: Wealth

(21) Varun: Proper use of the wealth

In the North:
(27) Mukhya: Wealth
(28) Bhallat: Wealth
(29) Soma or Kuber: Spiritual development

Thus, by having the main entrance on any of these segments, occupants of the house will face either north or the east while exiting and hence could avail themselves of the benefits related to these directions. Oval shaped or circular plots can also be divided into thirty-two segments similarly and position of main entrance for the house being built on such plots can be decided upon accordingly.

Determination of the Ninth Part: Great scripture on VAASTU Shastra Vrihat VAASTU Ratnakar writes:

NAVBHAGAM GRIHAMKRITVA PANCHBHAGAM TU DAKSHINE |
TRI BHAGMUTTARE KARYAM SHESHAM DVARAM PRAKEERTITAM ||

That is, divide the length and breadth of your plot into nine parts, and select the position of the main entrance by the following method. Stand on the segment where you wish to make the main entrance and leave five parts to your left-hand side and three to your right hand side. Apply this method regardless of direction.

DECISION BASED ON AUSPICIOUSNESS OF THE SEGMENT

As per the favorable directions, locations within a plot have been classified as excellent, mediocre and wretched. To determine these locations, draw a straight line that connects the central points on the northern and southern wall of your plot. Portions falling on to the right side of this line are termed as auspicious, while those on to its left side inauspicious. Similarly, draw a straight line that connects the mid point of the eastern and western walls. Portions on the northern side of this line are auspicious, while those on the southern side are inauspicious.

POSITION OF MAIN GATE IN RELATION TO OTHER DOORS

King Bhoj, The famous ruler of ancient Ujjain was a master of VAASTU Shastra also. He has himself authored an exhaustive treatise titled Samarangana Sutradhara on VAASTU Shastra. In the book, king Bhoj describes many positions of the main gate in relation to other doors of the house. A few of them and the omens related to them are discussed here.

UTSANGA: When the main gate and the main door lie in one line facing each other, the situation is known as Utsang. This position of the main gate is considered as excellent.

SATYA: When the outer main gate is slightly rightward of the inner entrance, the position is known as Satya. It is also very auspicious position.

APASATYA: When the outer main gate is situated slightly leftward of the inner entrance, the position is known as Apasatya. This is an inauspicious position.

When the outer main gate is situated towards the northern side of the inner entrance which faces either east or west, the situation is known as Prishth bhanga and is regarded as inauspicious.

Apart from the above mentioned positions, there are eight sub corners wherein, having the main gate has varying consequences.

A plot of land can have more than one main gate depending upon the number of roads and lanes surrounding it. In such situations also the main gates must face the auspicious direction and be situated in the auspicious corner. The basic concept behind selection of main gates position is that the occupants may face the north or the east mostly while making exit. That is why position of the main gate in north, north-east, east, north-east, south, south-east and the west, north-west directions is considered as auspicious.

DECORATON OF THE MAIN GATE

MOOLDWARAM NANYAIDWARAIRABHI
SANDADHEET ROOPARDDHYA |
GHAT PHAL PATRA PRAMATHADIBHISHCH
TANMAGALAOSHCHINVYAT ||

That is, the decoration of the main gate must be more than that of the other doors. The main gate must be decorated with the figures of urn, fruits and foliage, leaves, flowers, creepers, lion, swan etc. VAASTU Rajvallabha dictates that the main gate must be built splendidly and decorated vividly. It should have more decorations than rest of the doors. It must be decorated with auspicious and religious insignia. OM, Swastika, urn mounted with coconut, goddess Lakshmi showering gold coins, cow, feeding a calf, figure of Kuldevata (tutelary deity) etc. is few such figures that can decorate the main gate. Idols of armed guards can be bas relieved on each of the two pillars comprising main gate.

DIMENSIONS OF THE MAIN GATE

STHANMUPDWARAMASHTAU DEVA IME KATHITAH |
TRIKARAM PANCHAKARAM SAPTKARAM DWARVISTARAM ||

That is the width of the main gate must be a multiple of 3, 5 or 7 and its height must be double than its width. Thus, if the width of the main gate is 3,5 or 7 feet, its height will be 6, 10 or 14. But in today's context dimension of 3x6 seems ideal.

If the main gate is installed in the shape of a door, its frame should have a thickness of six inches on the sides while its threshold and sill should be nine inches in thickness.

Raised threshold is required to prevent the entry of the crawling insects and serpents. If the main gate in situated on a platform, raised threshold is not necessary.

The main gate should open inward and not outward. It should not touch the walls when opened. These thing preserve the accumulated energy in the house.

PASSAGE THROUGH MAIN GATE

Passage leading to the main gate and the one passing through it must be exactly the same. The passage leading to the main gate should be double in width than the one passing through it. It must have an outward slope as well. Such a passage adds to the beauty of the house and facilitates the entrance of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. If the main gate is somewhat higher, easy flight of steps should lead to it.

ENTRANCE, DOORS AND WINDOWS

Main entrance of a house must comply to its main gate in every aspect. It should have better built and decoration than rest of the doors but not more than the main gate.

For a house that has a greater number of doors and windows, it doesn't matter if their total number is odd or even. There is no restriction on the number of the doors and windows and the directions they face. If a house has only one or two rooms, it should then have even number of doors and windows. Most of the windows and almirahs, however should be provided in the northern and eastern walls whereas western and southern walls should have minimum number of windows and almirahs.

All the doors, windows and almirahs should have their top in the same level i.e. they should be of same height. A door must face a door. If there is no provision of that, a window must be provided to face a door.

Doors of different storeys are usually situated one above the others. In such situation, width of the door in upper storey be at least three inches less than that of the lower storey. Top of all the doors, windows and the almirahs however should be at the same level in every storey.

Each room must have two doors. If for some reason, only one door could be given in a room, absence of the second door should be compensated for by a window. This allows ample of sun and air in the room, which is beneficial for the health of the inmates.
All the exit doors should open inward. This is also necessary from the safety point of a view.

COLOUR COMBINATION

Colours represent different wave lengths of a spectrum and are thus nothing but forms of energy. Their effects on the mind and the body are well proven now. You yourself might have experienced that sitting in a room with walls of a particular colour you feel melancholy, while in another room with different colour you feel happy. The implications are clear that you should choose only those colours that have pleasing effect to paint the walls of your room.

Light green, sky blue, azure, pink, light blue and white are such colurs with pleasant effects. Red has medicore effects. Bright red makes the occupant short-tempered and leads to loss of wealth. Black and chocolate colours too have inauspicious effects.

OPEN SPACES ADD BEAUTY TO YOUR HOUSE

Atharveda clearly dictates regarding the beautification of a house so that the occupants could pass their lives happily in it.
Accordingly, an ideal house must have ample open space around it allowing unabated ventilation from all the four sides. It should be provided with sufficient number of doors and windows as well.

Atharveda also dictates to have a door facing a door in a room so that the cyclical magnetic flow could be completed. Air flow is also unabated in such a room.

Savants of VAASTU Shastra have deeply analysed the necessity of open space in and around a house. They have concluded that a house should have maximum open space in the northern and eastern sides. Western side can have some open space while the southern side should have least or none. Open space in northern side yields wealth, while in eastern side gives brilliance, knowledge and fame.