Shanku Sthapna

Before constructing a building, a gnome called Shanku has to be installed in the middle portion or the BrahmaSthana of the plinth area, as per Vaasthu Shastra. This is done after performing the Bhoomi Poojan.

Shanku is a piece of wood which is normally nine inches long or equal to the length of one stretched palm distance from the thumb to the little finger, which generally works out to nine inches.

This piece of wood has to be shaped geometrically. The one-third portion at the bottom will be round in shape with its diameter being two inches, the middle portion will be in the shape of a rectangle with horizontal lines measuring two inches and the top portion is octagonal in shape as shown in the sketch. The top octagonal portion symbolically represents the eight directional lords called as Ashta Dik Palakas, the middle portion is termed as Brahma and the bottom portion as Shiva. The establishment of this wood at the BrahmaSthana is said to be auspicious. It guards the owner or inmates of the house from the troubles caused by the eight directional lords.

The Shanku is usually made out of a specific type of wood. Vaasthu Shastra specifies that Shanku should be made out of wood such as teak, rose, red sandalwood, that too from an aged tree and not from a tender tree.

It is also said that the wood selected for making Shanku should not have any knots. Wood such as Banyan, Neem, Peepal, Mango, Palm and Babool are not suitable for constructing a house and hence are unsuitable for making Shanku also.

The fixing of Shanku, called as Shanku Sthapana, should be done on an auspicious day as per the dictums of astrology.

The Shanku should be placed in the BrahmaSthana of the plinth area of the building by noting down the exact centre of the building through intersection of the diagonal lines of the plot by digging this central portion to 1' x 1' x 1' for small built area in a site of 30'x40' to 60'x40'. You may dig 2'x1'x1' for bigger sites of 50'x80' and go deeper as the size of the built area increases. Upper floors are not considered for the purposes of Shanku Sthapana.

Unfortunately, Shanku Sthapana is mistaken to be unveiling of stones wherein the names of important personalities are carved at the time of inauguration of the building.