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Page 55
three-dimensional structure that is constructed based on mathematically guided proportions establishes rhythm. In architecture, we feel the ''music" of the building through a kind of visual rhythm. This rhythm moves our gaze vertically to the top of the structure; horizontal panels create a shift in the rhythm that leads us to look left and right. The end result is dynamic and suggests movement when there is no movement.
Offerings to the Gods
Just as the vastu purusha mandala serves as a spiritual blueprint for the best construction of a site, the presence of the deities on the vastu purusha mandala acts as a reminder to the architect, and ultimately to the occupants of the building, that this chosen site, which is a part of the earth, is sacred. It must be revered. This is another reason Why every significant step, from the choice of site right down to the completion of the building and the initial step across the threshold by the new occupants, is sanctified by ritual.
The moment in the process when a site has been excavated and it is time to begin the construction of the buildings foundation is rich with meaning. The foundation is, after all, the base on which the building will restif it is designed according to the sacred vastu purusha mandala, it is nothing less than sanctified ground. This critical point in the construction requires the blessings of the gods.
Any architect trained in vastu understands that the construction process and the presence of a new building on a site can disturb the natural vibrations that once existed there. The architect knows that he must appease the deities and acknowledge the importance of maintaining the Vedic law of nature. As Sudesh explains, even the recitation of mantras that accompany a ritual offering follow a pattern of intonation predetermined to incite the blessings of the gods, so that the gods will keep the positive vibrations in motion.
According to the ancient treatise Mayamata, the ritual that occurred before the commencement of the construction of a building's foundation required an offering of a variety of flawless objects that were placed into the

 
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