IIT Kharagpur to introduce Vastu Shastra for architecture students

New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur is all set to introduce Vastu Shastra to all its architecture students. Vastu Shastra is a traditional Hindu system of architecture, which literally translates to 'science of architecture'.

The curriculum of first- and second-year students will include the basics of Vastu Shastra while the ones pursuing post graduation and research scholars will be given a detailed knowledge of the subject.

As reported by The Times of India, the concept of Vastu Shastra came up while re-structuring the coming academic year's learning process. Faculty members realised that students are only being taught the concepts prevailing in the West. They then decided to familiarise the students with ancient Indian architectural traditions.

The Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management (RCGSIDM) of IIT-Kgp conducted its first workshop on, 'Vastu in Global Perspective', on Sunday.

"Times are changing and across the globe, there is a renewed interest in ancient Indian knowledge. So, it is natural that we will tweak our syllabus to include Vastu in architecture and infrastructure classes," TOI quoted Joy Sen, head of RCGSIDM and a faculty member of the architecture department, as saying.

According to TOI, the under graduation students will be taught courses like basic design and history of architecture. However, the syllabus of the postgraduate students will include solar principles, sacred diagrams, 9 circuit placements or the nabagraha mandal, sacred altars and design semiotics and semantics, etc.

"For PG infrastructure course, we will have BTech students from departments of architecture, civil, electrical, mechanical and even management graduates. So, at this level, we will have a greater variety to address," TOI quoted Sen as saying.

The Vastu course will be accompanied by assignments, projects, and tests. "Vastu Shastra has its beginnings in Rig Veda and is scientific in its tenor. Today, the whole world is looking at the green living, thanks to the way we are suffering due to erratic concretization. The concept of Vastu revolves around the healthy relationship of nature and infrastructure, hence its modern relevance," TOI quoted Sen as saying.