Vastu texts prescribe ‘Angula’ and ‘Hasta’ as the main units of measurement. What are its equivalents in the modern times?
Our ancestors used ‘Angula’ and ‘Hasta’ for the measurement of Vastu idols and Vastu premises. An ‘Angula’ is defined as the middle phalanx of the middle finger and it works to 3 cms. In ‘Mayamata’ it is prescribed that eight barley grains placed side by side is equal to eight ‘yava’ and eight ‘yava’ is one Angula. One ‘Hasta’ is considered as 18 inches or 24 Angulas. Besides, ‘Anguala’ and ‘Hasta’, there were other units also that is, ‘Yava’ (barley corn), ‘Kishku’ (small culet), ‘Prajapatya’ (one cubit), ‘Rajju’, etc. A ‘Rajju’ is the standard length of a rope and works out to 832 Angula or 52 feet (approx.) Angula was used by artisans in making idols. Hasta and Rajju were used for measuring Vastu buildings, palaces and domestic furniture.
