KANIPPAYYUR  KRISHNAN  NAMBOODIRIPAD

Vasthu Sasthra is the science of spaces, the science of flow of air and energy in buildings. Legend has it that Kanippayyur Mana had been blessed by the Sage Parasurama, one of the Dasavatharas of Lord Mahavishnu and a great architect himself to bear the mantle of the first family of Vasthu in the world. Into that family were born great men of erudition and vision. One such person is Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboodiripad.

Background

Krishnan Namboodiripad was born on 26^th March 1940, to Krishnan Namboodiripad and  Devaky  Antarjanam. He was the grandson of that doyen of Vaasthu, Kanippayyur Shankaran Namboodiripad. Shankaran Namboodiripad was a scholar par excellence in the Vedas, Astrology. Astronomy and Vaastu. His greatest contribution to the contemporary society are the translations and commentaries that he had made on the various Vedas, Upanishads and Vedic rituals which serves as a primary reference material even in the present generation. And Krishnan Namboodiripad has proved that he is in no way inferior to his grand sire. In fact considering what he has achieved we can say that he is a legend in his own life time.

Early childhood

His early childhood was spent in the traditional Kerala Namboodiri style studying the Vedas, Shastras and rituals. But simultaneously he also went for regular schooling. By the time he finished school he had learned by heart the Vedas and the shlokas (Sanskrit verses) pertaining to Astrology and Vaasthu.

Education

After formal schooling he decided to do a degree in Mathematics as he felt that it would supplement his traditional learning in Vaasthu. He completed his BSc degree in 1964 and went on to do MSc from Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam.

Early work experience

His early work experience had nothing to do with Vaasthu but with his academic degree. He worked as a Mathematics lecturer for a period of time in Christ College, Irinjalakuda and Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur. But even while doing duties as a professor he used to regularly accompany his elders in his free time and gained valuable on the job experience. He had had his Jnana Upadesam from his grandfather, Sankaran Namboodiripad and had around five years of Gurukulavasam with him. After a period of time helping out his elders, in 1968 he threw away his college job and entered into his family profession full time. To Soon he was acknowledged as an expert and work started pouring in.

Vaasthu Shastra

Vasthushastra is the traditional Indian science of architecture that has its roots in sthapathya veda. Sthapathya veda itself is a subset of the atharva veda, the fourth of the quartet of vedas – rik, yajur, sama and atharva – that originated from Brahma.

Atharva veda proposes the ways and means of preserving all that has been acquired by putting vedic knowledge into practice. Within these treatises, wisdom regarding the construction of temples and dwellings is put forth through its upa veda, the sthapathya veda.

The primary purpose of a dwelling is to protect the human body, and the aura it holds, from the vagaries of climate such as extreme heat, cold or rains. To make a dwelling ideally suited for living, it is important that its construction adheres to nature-friendly practices as prescribed in vaasthu shastra.

Important assignments

There have been so many important assignments in his career that it is difficult to review. As he has put his knowledge into practice extensively across the country and abroad, it is apt that his contributions are classified on the basis of the geographies served. The following list of assignments is in no way exhaustive, and is only an indication of the breadth and scope of his work.

National exposure (Northern India)

1. Designed aashram in Uttar Kashi for the Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Foundation.
2. Designed and supervised the construction of Sri Ayyappa temples at R. K. Puram and Rohini in New Delhi.
3. Extended Vaasthu advice for designing Piece Tower, a very tall building project of the Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic Foundation in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
4. Vaasthu consultant for the Ayyappa temples at Bhilai, Bhopal and Nagpur.
5. Vaasthu consultant to former Indian President Sri Shankar Dayal Sharma.
6. Vaasthu consultant to Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.

National exposure (Western India)

1. Vaasthu consultant for Ayyappa temples at Ankleshwar, Bhuj, Gandhidam, Varaval, Vapi and Baroda in Gujarat; Nigdi in Pune, Maharashtra and in Daman & Diu.
2. Vaasthu consultant for Ponnu Guruvayurappan temple at Dombivili, Mumbai.

3. Vaasthu consultant for Sri Gruruvayurappan temple at Matunga, Mumbai.
4. Vaasthu consultant for Sri Ayyappa temple at Bangur Nagar and Vasai Road, Mumbai and Vartak Nagar, Thane.
5. Vaasthu consultant to Atul Group, Gujarat.
6. Vaasthu consultant to Meghmani Group, Gujarat.
7. Vaasthu consultant to Apollo Hospital, Ahmedabad.

National exposure (Eastern India)

1. Designed the Sri Guruvayurappan (Balaji) temple in Calcutta.
2. Provided Vaasthu advice for the construction and modification of several hotels in Calcutta.
3. Vaasthu consultant to the Emami Group of Companies.
4. Designed the Guruvayur temple at Tata Nagar, Jamshedpur.

National exposure (South India)

1. Vaasthu consultant for the Ayyappa temples at Ponda, Goa; Bellary, Hubli and Karwar, Karnataka and Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
2. Designed the Sri Guruvayoorappan temple in Mahalingapuram, Chennai.
3. Designed and supervised the construction of the Ayyappa temple in Nungambakkam, Chennai, in 1970. It is the first Ayyappa temple outside Kerala to be constructed in the traditional Kerala style.
4. Vaasthu consultant for the Ayyappa temples at Anna Nagar, Ambattur and Chengelpet in Chennai.
5. Vaasthu consultant for the Kukke Subramania Temple at Mangalore, Karnataka.
6. Vaasthu consultant for the Sri Mahadeva Temple at Udupi, Karnataka.
7. Vaasthu consultant to Indian Express group of Publication in Chennai.
8. Vaasthu consultant to Apollo Hospital, Hyderabad.

National exposure (Kerala)

1. Instrumental in building the Koothambalam (the dance theatre or natya graha as envisaged by Bharatha muni, and is a temple structure built for performing arts like Kathakali) of Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur, which is now considered as a must-see for anybody studying traditional Kerala architecture.
2. Vaasthu consultant to Cochin International Airport Limited for the Nedumbassery Airport project. In addition to providing his expertise in the construction of terminals and other buildings, he also offered advice on operational aspects like take-off and landing of aircraft based on the nature and direction of air flow in the locality.
3. Vaasthu consultant for the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala – the largest centre of worship in all of South India that draws pilgrims in huge numbers every year.
4. The final authority for the Cochin Devaswom Board in all matters related to Vaasthu and the construction of temples. The Cochin Devaswom Board is the authorised governing body under the Government of Kerala that manages over 300 temples across central Kerala. The important projects handled include reconstruction and expansion work at prominent places of worship such as Vadakkumnathan temple, Chottanikkara Devi temple and Pazhayannur temple among numerous others.
5. Vaasthu consultant for the Guruvayur Devaswom, which manages the famed Guruvayur temple, a major centre of worship in central Kerala that attracts devotees from all corners of the country.
6. Chief consultant of Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram, one of the largest temple complexes in Kerala, managed by the royal family of Travancore. The temple holds, within its numerous chambers, huge quantities of treasure of inestimable value as was discovered recently.
7. Vaasthu consultant to the Travancore Devaswom Board, the authorised governing body under the Government of Kerala that manages over 1000 temples across Kerala.
8. Vaasthu consultant to the Malabar Devaswom Board, the authorised governing body under the Government of Kerala that manages temples in the northern parts of Kerala.
9. Involved in the design of the Koothambalam for several projects across Kerala for the State Government as well as for temples.
10. Consultant to a number of churches in Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Thrissur Districts, including the Puthupally Church in Kottayam.
11. Provides Vaasthu advice with regard to the design and construction of mosques in Kerala.

International exposure

1. Dean for Sthapathya Veda at Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic University at Vlodrop, Netherlands from 1995 onwards. As part of this position, designed temples, ashrams and other structures in many countries across the world.
2. Chief designer and architect of Sree Guruvayurappan Temple, Houston, Texas in USA that is under construction.
3. Temple architect of Sree Guruvayurappan Temple, Dallas, USA.
4. Temple architect of Sree Ganesha Temple, Dallas, USA.
5. Temple architect of Sree Ayyappa Temple, Florida, USA.
6. Temple architect of Sree Krishna Vrindavana Temple, New Jersey, USA.
7. Designed an Ashram in Austria.
8. Designed and supervised the construction of Ayyappa temple in Botswana.
9. Designed and supervised the construction of Ayyappa temple in Pretoria, South Africa.
10. Vaasthu consultant for Ayyappa temple in Johor, Malaysia.
11. Vaasthu consultant for several prestigious buildings in Dubai.
12. Vaasthu consultant for many business groups in Abu Dhabi, UAE and Muscat, Oman.
13. Vaasthu consultant for several prestigious buildings in Thailand and Singapore.
14. Vaasthu consultant for many buildings in several European countries including Belgium and Germany.
15. Vaasthu consultant for an Ayurvedic hospital at Prague, Czech Republic.
16. Vaasthu consultant for many buildings in Africa – at Rwanda, and Nairobi, Kenya.

Awards and recognitions:

1) He was honored by a degree, Silpasathra Thilaka in 1984 by Kerala Astrological Research Foundation for his services to Vaasthu Sasthra.

2) He received the Acharya Puraskaram 2007 from the Thantravidya Peedom, Aluva, Kerala.

3) Acharya Ratna – 2001

4) Akshaya Award – 1997

5) Vijayasree Puraskaram by Yogaskhema Sabha in 2003

6) Devasree Award by Travancore Devaswom Board in 2004

7) Excellence Award – 2006-07

Posts held presently

– Dean, Vaasthu Vidya Gurukulam, Department of Culture, Govt. of Kerala

– Sthapathya Veda Dean, Maharshi Mahesh Yogi Vedic University, Netherlands

– Chairman, Vaasthu Vidya Prathishtaanam, Kozhikkode

– Chairman, Vaasthu Academy, Trivandrum

Books published

Dissemination of knowledge has been a continuing tradition in the Kanippayyur family and Krishnan Namboothiripad has pursued this practice in right earnest. Panchangam Press and Book Depot, founded by his grandfather Kanippayyur Sankaran Namboothiripad over 90 years ago, has been publishing books on the various streams of traditional Indian knowledge and spirituality at affordable prices. Krishnan Namboothiripad himself has authored several books on Vaasthu Shastra including the titles listed below.

a) Jeernodhaaranavidhi, Vaasthu Vidya Prathishtaanam, Kozhikkode
b) Vaasthu Lakshanam, Malayala Manorama, Kottayam
c) Vaasthu Vichaaram, Mathrubhumi, Kozhikkode (to be released shortly)
d) Vaasthu Shastra, DC Books, Kottayam (to be released shortly)

Service to society

As an aacharya in Vaasthu, Krishnan Namboodiripad has always believed that he ought to give back something to the society. Besides accepting the post of Dean and lecturing at the Vaasthu Vidya Gurukulam established by the Kerala Government in Aranmula in 1990, he travels across the globe propagating this unique ancient wisdom of India. Vaasthu Vidya Gurukulam preserves this unique wisdom through his benevolent efforts by offering regular courses to silpis (traditional craftsmen).

His contributions to Vasthu Vidya Prathishtanam-Calicut were instrumental in integrating the ancient Vaasthu principles with modern engineering science. He has spoken on Vaasthu Vidya for the engineering students of IITs and at numerous other public fora. He is always keen to share his knowledge to anybody who is willing to listen and learn.

Under his leadership and guidance, the family-run Panchangam Press has been publishing books on various branches of traditional Indian science and wisdom, with a view to preserve, and pass on to the next generation, this immense wealth of knowledge. The Press has brought out a number of titles on Vaasthu Shastra, Jyothisham and other branches of science, along with books on religion and spirituality. The Press also has an unbroken tradition of publishing the daily panchangam every year for the past 104 years.

Apart from its existing titles, the Press is also launching several other new revisions and translations of old texts, in line with the changing times and the needs of the younger generation. Despite the decreasing demand for books of this nature, Krishnan Namboodiripad has religiously carried on with the task of propagating ancient wisdom through the various publications, for the benefit of not just numerous teaching institutions and practitioners of the respective scientific traditions, but the general public at large.

Conclusion

Such is the persona and stature of Kanippayyur Krishnan Namboodiripad in the field of Vaasthu that people who meet him feel privileged to have had the opportunity. He is sought after by the rich and the poor, people of all castes and creeds and from all walks of life. Krishnan Namboodiripad has helped build residential complexes, commercial buildings, resorts, ashrams, temples, churches and hospitals across the length and breadth of the earth. He has been instrumental in transforming Vaasthu Sasthra from a humble state to one approaching glamour status.
He is a household name in the State of Kerala. For he has held aloft the rich tradition of Vasthuvidya left to him by the predecessors of his own household, Kanippayyur Mana.