There are many factors involved in determining whether a site is suitable for a Maharishi Sthapatya Ved building—factors such as orientation and shape of the land, slope of the land, proximity to water bodies, and other influences in the vicinity of the land. The influence of the rising sun in the morning is also very important.

In Maharishi Sthapatya Ved design, the land immediately around the building is an integral, essential aspect of the dwelling as a whole. The building and land around it are enclosed by a square or rectangular fence or wall oriented to the true cardinal directions. This establishment of an auspicious dwelling place according to Natural Law is called a Vastu. When you are searching for a building site, make sure that you will be able to orient your house and fenced Vastu to true east, or secondarily to true north, to accommodate an east (or north) entrance to your Vastu and building.

If you do not have access to maps that show the true cardinal directions for the land you are considering, you can estimate true north with a compass for these preliminary purposes. To do this, you will need to know the local deviation of magnetic north from true north and correct the compass reading accordingly. The Magnetic North Calculator can be accessed under the Resources Section.

Another factor to consider when attempting to determine true cardinal directions with a compass is that the compass reading can be distorted by metal objects (watches and glasses frames, etc.) or iron-ore in the ground. A compass reading is not at all reliable inside cars or inside buildings that contain reinforced concrete.

If there is any doubt about the degree of magnetic deviation, you may consult an experienced local surveyor or an aviation map. A compass reading can be OK for preliminary land searches if you carefully determine the deviation and avoid interference.

More details about site considerations can be found at www.globalreconstruction.org.