34 | INDIA WORDS |Maneesha Chawla
Selling for superstition I
ndia. A land of contradictions and extremes. Just like the land we come from, live in and work in, we
are a contradictory lot with superstitions and funny ideas of what’s what! We thought we would look at some of the quirkier demands made by Indian buyers both at home and overseas when investing in real estate. Tuesday? Not buying anything today,
then. It’s just not a good day to make such a big transaction. Tuesdays are not auspicious days and many people don’t want to see through big decisions on an inauspicious day. So if you are not particularly superstitious, then this is the day for you, as chances are the brokers, lawyers and the rest are twiddling their thumbs, waiting for Wednesday. We have all heard of Vaastu Shastra in some shape, form or manner. Vaastu Shaastra or Vaastu, is the Indian counterpart to Feng Shui and depending on which specialists you talk to, there are all sorts of requirements and parameters that need to be adhered to. That said, Indians in general tend to be a bit superstitious and want to tick all the boxes if they can. A relative who was consulting an architect about a project recently said, “I am not worried
about Vaastu, but if we can go along with the basic principals it can’t hurt”. This sentiment is refl ected in high-rise after high-rise across the country. A few basic Vaastu boxes are ticked and the builders charge a preferential location charge (or a PLC) for the property. Incidentally, the architects’ response was: “Don’t bother, you won’t have the space for Vaastu within the constraints of a 2000 square foot apartment!” Pretty much the reason why builders only ensure a few basics are included where possible. The layman is happy with the concessions and the Vaastu enthusiast will buy only a completely Vaastu compliant home as delivered by specialists. What sorts of things are they looking
for? Well, the home should be facing the north, east or northeast. A premium is paid for homes facing this direction. Vaastu Shastra has very logical roots and the position of the home came from a time before air conditioning or even electricity, the homes that faced this direction had better light and ventilation and so there is a historical preference for homes that are positioned facing these directions.
There is also a preference for a plot
in a rectangular shape. Symmetry is key here. However, if it does have to be an asymmetrical plot of land, the preference is for one that has a smaller opening and a larger space at the back, as this is considered to be cow shaped. Land that is smaller at the front and larger at the back are lion shaped or “sher-mukh”. The logic being that a
“Indians in general tend to be a bit superstitious and want to tick all the boxes if they can”
lion eats and eats (or takes and takes) and gives no return. Conversely, a cow will eat and eat and give milk in response. So a property that is more in the shape of a cow’s head is seen as one that will give a better return. The position of toilets and which way
the water runs is also important. A toilet should never face north; this has to do with gravity and which way the water fl ows. In the days that preceded plumbing this was probably more important. Saturday is ‘Shani’ or the day
OPP EDITORS
www.opp-connect.com | APRIL 2013
While doing business in India, it is important to remember that superstition is common. Certain days are considered ‘inauspicious’ – and therefore bad times to do business. “Vaastu”, similar to the better-known Feng Shui, is also a consideration when building and selling a property. Our editor in India explains further
of Saturn and is a day that is not conducive to do business; so many people will not do fi nancial exchanges on a Saturday. This can even include not accepting a pre or post-dated cheque on a Saturday. That said, the courts are shut on a Saturday, so a lot of registration and transaction work cannot happen on this day anyway. ‘Navratas’ are the most auspicious time of year and any new venture started during this time are considered those that are done under a good sign. Just prior to the Navratas are ‘Shraad’, a time to remember the dead. The period of Shraad is very inauspicious and no major purchases, ventures or even marriages are undertaken at this time. Generally real estate transactions never take place during Shraad, whilst builders offer all sorts of incentives during the Navratas to lure potential customers towards their products.
What experiences have you had selling or buying homes in India, to Indians? What anecdotes can you share with us about the process and what struck you as ‘different’? We would love to hear about your experiences, so do write to us at
maneesha@opp.org.in
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