For Sarina Nair and Girish Thambidorai, the decision to rebuild their house, once and for all, paved the way to bring in vasthu sastra. “It’s our belief as well and, with the renovation, we had a chance to incorporate its principles,” Sarina says.

The couple had owned their property for a decade. Like many homes in the mature Petaling Jaya neighbourhood in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, it had lots of split levels — a big no-no in the ancient Indian architectural science that balances the layout, design and spatial structures of buildings with the natural environment and cosmic energies.

Split levels trap negative energy; as such, they had to go. The original location of their kitchen was not favourable too; vasthu sastra master T Selva noted the same of the main door and staircase, after analysing their abode. He came up with a brief that took into account, among other things, the pair’s horoscope match, the location and plot shape of their double-storey end lot, as well as its exterior and interior spaces, from the main gate and garden to their helper’s room.

There were suggestions on where to place doors, mirrors, toilets, the stove, storeroom, safe box, shoe rack and gym, and colours to use for walls and flooring. Thus began the pair’s endeavour to place everything in the right quadrants. But before the architect could work out the grids, they had to tear down 80% of the house, leaving only its structure.

Azlan Syarawi Mokhtar Bajunid’s first thought when he got their brief was: “It’s challenging, but I like a bit of challenge. I’d done lots of feng shui houses before but never one that followed vasthu sastra.” So, he began to learn about the subject, starting with the book Sarina bought him.

What she wanted was a modern, comfortable and cosy home, with yellow lights. What he saw on his first visit was a typical old house that looked closed in. “I don’t believe in style so much as it tends to die out,” Azlan says. “I wanted something that lasts for them. I think our main objective was to make the space airy and bright.”

Vasthu sastra guidelines eased the way for that, with high windows to welcome light in. By a happy coincidence, the rays fall on the serene face of a Buddha statue that sits near the main entrance. Sarina had bought and brought it into her “Zen corner” to ward off negative energy.

On a different level, adding another floor to her home did not start smoothly as it involved submitting plans to the relevant authorities at the Petaling Jaya City Council. It took two frustrating years of running around, meeting different officials and gathering all manner of details before they obtained approval for the extension. Following that, construction took just a year. The family moved into their “new” home last December.

A custom altar from Seremban in a prayer room — with bells on the door, designed by the same vendor — just beside the front door, is surely Sarina’s pride.

On a cabinet, also custom-made, is an array of old pictures of Hindu gods that used to sit on their previous altar — a transfer of energy from there to the new one, she says. A mat tucked in a corner serves as Girish’s bed when he observes special prayers.

The east-facing house vibrates with positive energy; however, the master bedroom in the southeast, a fire quadrant, was inauspicious because couples sleeping there would experience disagreement and misunderstanding and heat-related health issues, according to vasthu.

But it is suitable for their 17-year-old son Keshav who, with the SPM exams over, is focused on making his way up the rankings in badminton on the professional circuit. So he moved in and his parents took another room that opens onto a balcony overlooking some land by the side, with a view of the sunset on one end and Kuala Lumpur’s distinct skyline on the other.

“It’s amazing watching fireworks in the distance,” says Sarina, who used to execute academic programmes at Stamford College. She resigned in 2018, now teaches marketing part-time and is working on finishing her PhD in business administration.

Daughter Eesha, a psychology student preparing to further her studies in the UK this year, occupies a high-ceilinged corner room that allows a loft, where she has her drum set.

There are some boxes still to unpack, and works in progress include a fountain in the courtyard, and a corner to display Delft Blue miniature houses, each one depicting a real Dutch building, which Sarina keeps in a box for now. KLM gives these collectibles, filled with Dutch gin, to business-class passengers. Aircraft engineer Girish is a maintenance manager with the airline.

Padding around furniture from Joy Design is Mia, a cat the family first encountered at a place they rented during the renovation of their home. It ran towards them and into their hearts, to hear her owner recap the incident.

The now-chubby feline has it good: She drinks Coway filtered water and goes for monthly grooming sessions where she gets washed, has her nails cut and her teeth brushed. “For the money we spend on her, she cannot go out,” Sarina says, chuckling.

Giving a quick glance around her, she smiles and adds: “I would say the house is 100% vasthu-compliant, except for the colour.”

The kitchen, where she cooks a lot, is painted olive green and some dark wood panels may not quite align with recommendations of white, peach and beige for the walls, but she likes it.

Her home was Azlan’s first residential project after setting up Syarawi Architect in 2020. Then, he had to do everything himself. Now, he works with eight permanent staff and six trainees, and a team of interior designers.

People who follow his posts are often curious about how vasthu sastra differs from feng shui. “Actually, the foundation is similar but the [approach] is different. You have to divide the house into nine quadrants and know where [the components] need to go. It felt like Lego on a very difficult level.”

Putting the pieces together has taken time, effort, money and lots of discussion. But for Sarina and her family, things have fallen into place. “Every principle has been fulfilled; the vibes are there, the blessings are there. We are very happy.” 

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