The Pooja room or the prayer room is a sacred space that you can find in any Hindu home. Of course, it is also found in the houses of people practising other faiths, but according to Hindu traditions, a special area/corner of the house that is simply dedicated to meditation and worship is necessary for the well-being of the family. According to Vastu Shashtra, your idols should be placed facing the northeast corner to enhance positive energy in your space.

According to ancient Hindu traditions (Vastu Shashtra), the deity in the puja room should always be placed facing the north-east direction (the direction of Kuber, the God of wealth) to ensure prosperity and happiness. But in modern times, most people move into pre-constructed flats and apartments, where you cannot change the basic layout. This, coupled with the constraint of space in many cases, leads to the rise of several innovative ideas to incorporate a puja area in your living space. The Indian middle class has been widely receptive to several puja room designs in their homes.

To attain peace and prosperity, every home or office should have a place to worship God. It is important to find the ideal location for a pooja room because in modern-day homes and flats we have very limited space and ignore to create a separate room for worship.

Vastu Compliant Pooja Room Interior Design
Praying to God religiously requires a calm and peaceful ambience. And so, your pooja room is considered to be the most sacred space in your home that radiates only positive energy. A home mandir is an epicentre of harmony and the perfect place to meditate. The direction of the idols, the colour of the walls, and direction play an essential role in maintaining peace in your home. However, placing the idols can be a bit tricky as people tend to ignore the correct placement and direction of the pooja room due to a lack of space and budget. But, no matter how small the pooja room or mandir is, you should always pay attention to the details as per Vastu to ensure the proper flow of health and wealth in your house. Hence, we bring to you a proper guide to design your pooja room, according to Vastu.

When you study the Vastu for pooja room, another important aspect to be taken care of includes the interior planning of the room. Here is a list of few design pointers to analyze:

• The north-east portion of the pooja room is ideal for god location.
• Idols of God facing one another are prohibited in Vastu. Similarly, the idols must not face the door of the room.
• As per Vastu Shastra, no two idols should be placed of the same god.
• There should be a gap of 1 inch between the idols and the walls.
• Heavy idols are prohibited in the pooja room, make sure the must-have god statues measure between 9” and 2”.
• Place the Kalash in the north or east direction of the room, while south-east directions are good for lampstand and Agni-Kund.
• Copper vessels are advised to be placed in the pooja room for storing water.

It is always advised to take Vastu consultation before planning the architecture of your house because a thorough analysis is required to design the pooja room with assured benefits of positive energy, mind, body and soul. This way, you will be sure about the location, planning, color scheme and interior design of your pooja room.

Direction
Direction is one of the most vital elements in Vastu. The direction of the pooja room redefines the energy it reflects. The northeast direction is best suited for a mandir; however, the east and north follow close. If you are designing the home and can make changes, then the Northeast direction is ideal. Remember to place the mandir on the ground level.


Design
We often see a tomb or pyramid-like structure in a mandir. This shape is ideal for maintaining positive energy and placing the idols. A pooja room should have a low ceiling compared to the house and a door if the design allows you. This design will help you meditate peacefully.


Placement
After finishing up the direction and placement of the mandir, the next step is to place the idols inside. Try to have only one idol of each god and allocate some space in between them. It is also easier to clean them regularly. The pictures that depict violence or the dead shouldn’t be placed near or in the pooja room.


Storage
Keeping all the sacred books, diyas, and essence sticks in the mandir isn’t ideal. Having few storage units that face south-east is best suited as per Vastu. However, ensure that no storage units are placed above the mandir or idols.

Colour
Your pooja room must be decorated properly with care and pooja room colour as per vastu will actually ensure the prosperity for you and your family. There are certain colours which should be avoided and you must make sure that the entire decoration remains pristine to get the perfect vibe for devotion and peace.Make sure that you choose the right pooja cabinets to make them look attractive. If your pooja room is big enough, you can keep storage cabinets for pooja utensils as well.The colour transforms the atmosphere of any place. Take special care while selecting the paint for your mandir or pooja room. Always opt for pastel or light shades of white and yellow to give a pleasant feeling. The bright and dark colours will distract you from your meditation.

Enchanting Color Ideas For Pooja Room

• Vibrant Vermillion
• Go Green
• Radiant Red
• Mesmerising Mustard Yellow
• Captivating Cerulean
• Wonderful White

Natural light
Sunlight is probably the best way to go. If you have the space, open up a wall and create a beautiful window, or even better, if you plan ahead, you could incorporate a skylight, and experience the pure joy of offering prayers to the sun gods indoors. A combination of the pooja room lights — a few focus lights and a back panel or two — should really do the trick to create the right ambience to reach a state of introspection and reflection while doing your prayers.An airy and well-ventilated pooja room is best for meditating and praying for long hours.Your pooja room should have a source of natural light; however, if in any case, it isn’t possible, make sure it is well lit with LEDs and diyas. Always place your diyas in the Northeast direction.