Mourning, the Vasthu way

I WRITE this column with a heavy heart because my guru, Jothida Ratna Sowma, who initiated me into Vasthu Sastra, died of a heart attack in Chennai, India, on August 19. 

Sowma, 72, a renowned astrologer, is a seventh-generation Vasthu expert and he had passed on the teaching to his only son, Yuvaraj Sowma, who is my master. I’m the first disciple of the Sowma clan. 

Besides providing consultations to people in India, Sowma published a monthly astrological magazine called Ungal Ethirkala Vilakkam and has also authored a book on astrology. He was an expert in propagating ancient customs and believed that they could still be applied in modern times with logic.One of his popular teachings was that Vasthu is an art of placement of things and it can be observed without the need for demolition. May his soul rest in peace. 


Philosophy of Death 

Death is deemed as an inauspicious event, but it is fated and it something that no individual can escape.I would like to highlight some important points that an individual needs to understand about death so as not to fear it.The soul does not die and it is the physical body that dies.In Hinduism, when the body dies, the soul will reincarnate in another body and it will continue to revive itself in many different bodies. Only after it has undergone the necessary experience, the soul will attain liberation. 

Hinduism describes death as the universal law and in the scripture of Bhagavad Gita, it is written as: “For the born, death is unavoidable and for the dead, birth is unsure to take place. Therefore, in a situation that is inevitable there is no justification for an individual to grieve.” 

What is vital after death is the funeral rites, mourning and prayers that should be observed for the departed soul. It is wrong to hand over such duties to funeral houses or individuals without the family playing an active role with love and affection. 

It is better for a dying person to depart in his or her house with the family members reciting mantras to bring relief and realisation to the departing soul. Following the death of the individual, the furniture in the living room should be removed to make space. Decorations on the wall should be cleared and photographs and pictures should be reversed or covered. 

This is done to ensure they do not distract the attention of those attending the funeral. 

A dais covered with white cloth should be created in the hall and it should be placed facing a north-south direction. The body should be washed and dressed in traditional clothes or clothing frequently worn by the deceased, for instance a uniform. 

In Vasthu, the corpse should be placed on the dais with the head pointing towards the north and legs towards the south. 

Those paying their respects should observe silence and avoid unnecessary talk. Participating in the recital of mantras is encouraged and loud crying is disallowed because it will distress the soul of the deceased. 

According to the authors P. Subramaniam and R. Hemalatha of the book titled The Funeral: Hindu Rites of Passage, funeral rites are second in importance only to marriage rites. 

Funeral 

A son, grandson, great-grandson, a brother or a brother’s progeny are authorised to perform obsequies. If there are many sons, only the eldest should perform the cremation rites. 

Ideally the funeral should be conducted on the day of the death and according to ancient text, the body of the deceased should be buried or cremated within 10 hours of death. 

Women must not follow the hearse or go to the cemetery. 

Ashes of the cremated body should be dissolved in the river or sea and it must not be taken into any house for storage. Upon returning home, all those who participated in the funeral must have a bath and their clothing should be washed separately. 

Scriptures prescribe a mourning period of between 10 to 31 days and during this period, there should be no cooking in the house and all forms of entertainment should be stopped. The family members should buy or receive vegetarian food from others during this period. 

The photograph of the deceased should be hung on the east wall facing west and it must not be kept in the prayer room or altar. The recommended place is in the living room. 

The annual death anniversary must be observed with prayers and offerings to the deceased. 

Vasthu talks 

The columnist will give a talk on how to rearrange a house as per Vasthu Sastra for health, wealth, happiness and peace of mind on Sept 3 at 7.30pm at the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple Hall in Lingkungan Seri Mersing 25, Taman Seri Andalas, Klang. Admission is by contribution of RM10 to the temple activities. To register, contact Samy at 03-3373 0300 or 017-637 3598. A similar talk on how to choose an auspicious house will be held at the Penang Property Fair at Pisa on Sept 25 at 2.30pm. Admission is free. 


T. Selva, The Star’s Maritime Editor, has spent years researching this ancient Indian science of construction, better known as ‘Indian feng shui’. He is a student of 7th generation Vasthu Sastra Master Yuvaraj Sowma from Chennai, India. He can be contacted at tselvas@thestar.com.my