Manaiyadi Sastram: house measurements in adi

What the old printed books say · a custom, not a prediction

Manaiyadi sastram is the Tamil custom of counting the length and width of a house, room, hall or doorway in adi and reading a traditional meaning for each number; the 1910 printed book "Sirpanoolennum Manaiyadi Sastram" gives readings for 6 to 44 adi and the 1924 "Periya Manaiyadi Sastram" for 1 to 60, while neither book covers 61 to 100.

Source: the 1910 and 1924 printed books (public domain, archive.org); page numbers below

Safety first

Structural safety comes first. Settle the measurements with a licensed architect or engineer.

Follow your local building rules and planning approval.

Never alter a structural wall, beam or column, or cut ventilation or exits, to reach a “good” number.

Manaiyadi is a tradition, not engineering. The old books do not even agree on the length of an adi.

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Three tiers

Traditionally good: The book reads the number as good.
Middling: The book calls the number middling.
Not favoured: The book does not favour the number.

The old books give harsh readings for some numbers. We do not reproduce them here; those numbers are simply marked “not favoured”.

1 to 100 adi: what the two books say

"Not in this book" means that book says nothing for the number. The books put these numbers in different tiers: 22, 24, 26, 28.

Adi	1910 book (p. 34)	1924 book (pp. 168–178)
1–5	Not in this book	Traditionally goodOnly for small structures such as a shed, verandah or passage: cattle, milk and grain thrive.
6	Traditionally goodRead as bringing good.	Traditionally goodRead as grain, family well-being and good food.
7	Not favouredRead as money not staying.	Not favouredRead as money draining away and strained ties.
8	Traditionally goodRead as standing and authority.	Traditionally goodRead as family, wealth and long life: fortune “like a tree in new leaf”.
9	Not favouredRead as a troubled house.	Not favouredRead as little joy and a waning household.
10	Traditionally goodRead as plenty: milk and rice at home.	Traditionally goodRead as cattle, steady wealth and good harvests.
11	Traditionally goodRead as well-being (the printed word is unclear; the verse calls it good).	Traditionally goodRead as clothes, jewels and food in plenty; opposition moves away.
12	Not favouredRead as a measure the book does not favour.	Not favouredRead as comforts slipping away.
13	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.	Not favouredRead as plans stalling and wealth shrinking.
14	Not favouredRead as restlessness and worry.	Not favouredRead as household goods slipping away.
15	Not favouredRead as hardship soon.	Not favouredRead as straits and worry.
16	Traditionally goodRead as much wealth.	Traditionally goodRead as lasting wealth; trade and farming thrive.
17	Traditionally goodRead as opposition keeping its distance.	Traditionally goodRead as progress, honour, learning and family well-being.
18	Not favouredRead as the house losing its lustre.	Not favouredRead as fortune leaving and debts mounting.
19	Not favouredRead as want; the rest of the line is unclear in print.	Not favouredRead as ventures failing and money lost.
20	Traditionally goodRead as bringing happiness.	Traditionally goodRead as a thriving home, children, fame and good trade.
21	Traditionally goodRead as bringing good.	Traditionally goodRead as cows and lasting wealth, with frequent stays away from home.
22	Traditionally goodRead as opposition held back.	Not favouredRead as ill luck (Moodevi) settling in.
23	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.	Not favouredRead as losses and failing harvests.
24	MiddlingThe table says "middling"; the same book’s verse reads it more harshly.	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.
25	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.	Not favouredRead as Uma’s grace moving away.
26	Traditionally goodRead as prosperity.	Not favouredRead as constant worry.
27	Traditionally goodRead as much wealth.	Traditionally goodRead as full wealth, a life like Kubera’s.
28	Traditionally goodRead as divine grace.	Not favouredRead as hardship and loss.
29	Traditionally goodRead as milk, fortune and wealth.	Traditionally goodRead as lasting wealth.
30	Traditionally goodRead as a life with Lakshmi’s grace.	Traditionally goodRead as praise and some growth.
31	Traditionally goodRead as good without trouble.	Traditionally goodRead as every fortune, by Shiva’s grace.
32	Traditionally goodRead as lost things coming back.	Traditionally goodRead as Vishnu’s grace, children and respect.
33	Traditionally goodRead as bringing good.	Traditionally goodRead as wealth growing.
34	Not favouredRead as the household not settling there.	Not favouredRead as the house declining.
35	Traditionally goodRead as Lakshmi’s grace.	Traditionally goodRead as the grace of the eight Lakshmis.
36	Traditionally goodRead as Veeralakshmi’s grace.	Traditionally goodRead as royal fortune.
37	Traditionally goodRead as calves and cattle.	Traditionally goodRead as joy and wealth.
38	Not favouredRead as an unquiet house.	Not favouredRead as an unquiet house.
39	Traditionally goodRead as much good.	Traditionally goodRead as wealth and good health.
40	Not favouredRead as constant trouble from rivals.	Not favouredRead as constant distress.
41	Traditionally goodRead as family prosperity.	Traditionally goodRead as Kubera’s wealth.
42	Traditionally goodRead as the eight Lakshmis dwelling there.	Traditionally goodRead as every fortune, by Lakshmi’s grace.
43	Not favouredRead as bringing no good.	Not favouredRead as trouble.
44	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.	Not favouredRead as loss.
45	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as Lakshmi’s grace.
46	Not in this book	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.
47	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as lasting want.
48	Not in this book	Not favouredThe book does not favour this measure.
49	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as ill luck (Moodevi) settling in.
50	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as cows and milk in plenty.
51	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as the eight Lakshmis dwelling there.
52	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as great prosperity.
53	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as heavy worry.
54	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as good profit in trade.
55	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as loss of gold and goods.
56	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as unfailing wealth, a life like Kubera’s.
57	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as a princely life, with carriages.
58	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as losses and lasting worry.
59	Not in this book	Not favouredRead as deep want.
60	Not in this book	Traditionally goodRead as cattle, income and fortune.
61–100	In neither book. Lists that run to 100 are later compilations.

How long is an adi?

There is no single answer. The 1924 book (p. 168, verse 415) says the builder should count the width and length with his own foot. The 1910 book gives no length for an adi and reckons in finger-widths, spans and cubits (24 finger-widths to a cubit, p. 16). Another manaiyadi book printed in Trichy in 1914 (p. 8) measures a house in cubits, and notes that elders equate a rod of 34 English inches with the cubit rod of the Chidambaram Chitsabha. Lists today mostly take the 12-inch English foot, which is why the calculator offers both.

Inside or outside measurement?

Neither book says. Both carry the same heading: the numbers are for the width and length of the house and of the rooms, halls and doorways placed in it. Neither mentions the inner face of a wall or the outer one. Both ways have followers today. Use your family’s way, the same way for every measurement.

Where the two books differ

For most numbers from 6 to 44 the two books agree. The 1910 book calls 22, 26 and 28 adi good where the 1924 book does not favour them; the 1910 table calls 24 middling where the 1924 book does not favour it. When two editions of one tradition differ like this, no single number needs to be taken as final.

The books

Sirpanoolennum Manaiyadi Sastram (1910)credited to Mayan; table on p. 34, verses on pp. 31–34 · archive.org · another copy
Periya Manaiyadi Sastram (Sirpa Sastra Kalanjiyam) (1924)credited to Mayan; verses 415–446 with commentary, pp. 168–178 · archive.org
Sri Lalitha Navarathnam Manaiyadi Sastram (Trichy, 1914)cited for the measuring rod only (p. 8); it has no adi table · archive.org

All three are public-domain printings, read from the page images; the readings are in our own short words. Passages that vary the rod or the house size by community are left out on purpose.

Frequently asked

Is manaiyadi sastram true?

There is no evidence that these readings come true. Many families keep the custom for peace of mind, and there is nothing wrong in that. But the old books contradict each other: the 1910 book calls 22, 26 and 28 adi good, the 1924 book does not favour them. Treat it as cultural guidance, and settle the measurements with your architect.

Inside or outside measurement?

Neither book says. They only say the numbers apply to the house and to each room, hall and doorway in it. Today some people take the clear inside size, others the outer wall-to-wall size, and each way has its followers. Use your family’s way, the same way for every measurement.

Is an adi the same as a foot?

Not in the old books. The 1924 book says to count with the builder’s own foot; the 1910 book gives no length for an adi; the 1914 book measures a house in cubits. Today’s lists mostly take the 12-inch English foot. The calculator offers both.

Must both length and width be good numbers?

The books phrase it as one number, “so many adi of width and length”. In practice people check length and width separately, so the calculator shows each.

Is there a reading for every number from 1 to 100?

Not in these two old books. The 1910 book stops at 44 and the 1924 book at 60; 1 to 5 are for small structures such as sheds and verandahs only. Lists that run to 100 are later compilations, and we have not added them.

What if a measure comes out "not favoured"?

No need to worry. In a finished house, do not alter a wall or column; that is a safety risk. In a house still on paper, your architect may make a small change if it costs nothing in safety or rules; if not, leave it. We do not recommend or sell any remedy.