b'\n_START_ARTICLE_\nTajul muluk\n_START_PARAGRAPH_\nTajul muluk atau ilmu tajul merujuk kepada suatu sistem geomansi yang pernah diamalkan dalam kalangan masyarakat Melayu di kedua-dua negara Malaysia dan Indonesia zaman dahulu, Para dukun atau  bomoh yang mengamalkan sistem ini menerapkan prinsip-prinsip metafizikal dan geomantik dalam merancang tapak pembangunan dan/atau pembinaan di atas bangunan tersebut.\n_START_SECTION_\nLatar belakang\n_START_PARAGRAPH_\nNama ilmu ini datangnya daripada suatu buku yang dituliskan untuk kaum kerabat kesultanan Aceh iaitu Taj-al-Mulk (Bahasa Arab: \xd8\xaa\xd8\xa7\xd8\xac \xd8\xa7\xd9\x84\xd9\x85\xd9\x8f\xd9\x84\xd9\x92\xd9\x83\xe2\x80\x8e - "mahkota raja-raja"). Ia turut mendapat nama sebagai ilmu tajul muluk atau ilmu tajul sahaja._NEWLINE_Sejarah berkaitan asal-usul ilmu ini tidak pernah dicatakan namun ia diperhatikan mempunyai unsur-unsur budaya India boleh difahamkan sebagai hasil pengaruh Hindu-Buddha semasa agama-agama itu tersebar luas dan dipegang kuat dalam kerajaan-kerajaan Asia Tenggara pada zaman dahulu. Ada yang percaya ia dipengaruhi vastu sastra atau feng shui yang pernah diamalkan secara tradisi di Semenanjung Melayu._NEWLINE_Walter William Skeat, seorang pegawai kerajaan British dalam bukunya Malay Magic ("Sihir Melayu", 1900) menulis bahawa amalan ilmu tajul sering diamalkan penduduk tempatan (sekurang-kurangnya pada zamannya):_NEWLINE_Even in the making of roads through the forest it would appear that sacrificial ceremonies are not invariably neglected. On one occasion I came upon a party of Malays in the Labu jungle who were engaged in making a bridle-track for the_NEWLINE_Selangor Government. A small bamboo censer, on which incense had been burning, had been erected in the middle of the trace\xc2\xa0; and I was informed that the necessary rites (for exorcising the demons from the trace) had just been successfully concluded._NEWLINE_Naiknya kesedaran pendidikan agama dalam kalangan masyarakat Asia Tenggara pada tahun 1980s-an menyebabkan sesetengah ciri budaya Melayu yang berakar daripada kepercayaan animistik dan Hindu-Buddha semakin ditegah dan dilupakan. Amalan tajul muluk kini dianggap sebagai suatu perkara khurafat lama, malah buku-buku berkaitan topik adakalanya diharamkan terbitannya di Malaysia.\n_START_SECTION_\nJenis tanah yang ditentukan\n_START_PARAGRAPH_\nUntung atau balanya tanah sesebuah tapak rumah bergantung kepada beberapa faktor iaitu warna, rasa dan bau. auspiciousness of a location is determined by the colour, taste and smell of the soil, as well as the formation of its surface. In general, the colours of the soil from best to worst are white, red, yellow, grey and black (the Malay language also categorizes brown as a shade of yellow). Soil which is greenish-yellow, fragrant and tart-tasting will ensure an abundance of gold and silver unto the third generation. If the soil is red and sour, the dweller will be loved by their family. White soil with a sweet smell and taste is said to bring wealth and happiness. Foul-smelling earth of the wrong colour and texture will bring sickness and poverty. Soil that is full of holes will cause the occupants to die poor. _NEWLINE_Ciri permukaan tanah juga dipertimbangkan: tanah rata sesuai untuk pembinaan rumah, kota ataupun dusun manakala tanah yang berbukit atau berlubang ditegah sama sekali. Sebaik-baik permukaan tanah kononnya ialah tanah yang rendah pada sebelah utara dan tinggi di sebelah selatan yang dipercayai membawa keamanan kepada penghuni rumah. Tanah yang rendah di barat dan tinggi di tumur juga dianggap memabwa tuah. Tanah yang tidak didudukkan pada kawasan berarah sedemikian dipercayai akan membawa kemiskinan dan kematian. Rumah yang mencondong dari kawasan barat daya dikatakan akan menyebabkan penghuni rumah kehilangan sara hidup, rumah yang mencondong dari barat pula dipercayai membawa maut kepada tuan rumah. Rumah yang mencondong dari barat dipercayai akan menyebabkan penghuni rumah membazir habis harta mereka.\n_START_SECTION_\nMendirikan tiang seri atau tiang ibu\n_START_PARAGRAPH_\nBangunan dan rumah Melayu lama mempunyai suatu tiang utama di tengah binaan bernama tiang seri di mana ia dipercayai dihuni suatu "semangat rumah"; tiang ini kadangkalanya dihiasi keris pusaka keluarga berbalut kain kuning. The construction of any building begins by digging a hole for this central post, accompanied by the recitation of a charm. The best time of day for this is 7 a.m. The workers must ensure that their shadows do not fall on the hole or on the post itself, or illness will follow. Bahan-bahan tertentu akan dimasukkan ke dalam lubang ini seperti kayu sepang, kayu arang, besi sekerap, timah, duit syiling tembaga, kepala kapak yang patah atau buah keras (buah gorek). Kepala, kakiatau darah haiwan korban turut akan dimasukkan bagi memuaskan jembalang tanah atau puaka yang dikatakan menghuni lubang itu; seekor ayam, kambing atau kerbau akan dikorbankan bergantung kepada tahap "keras"nya semangat hutan yang didekati mereka, namun sebiji telur sahaja sudah cukup jika puaka yang didikati itu kecil. Among the natives of ancient Borneo the victim of this sacrifice would have been human, and the Malay custom of killing an animal for the purpose arose from what was once human sacrifice. As recently as the beginning of the 20th century, the Malaysian government would bury human skulls under the foundation of any large structure._NEWLINE_A number of methods are used to ascertain whether the hole is in a propitious location. In one example a white cup is filled with water, fumigated with incense, and left in the hole overnight. If the cup is still full the next day or has live insects inside, it is a good sign. If the insects are dead or the water has lessened, it is a bad omen. Alternatively, one could wait until everyone has left the area before picking up three clods of soil, holding them over incense, and reciting a certain mantera or mantra. The soil must be taken home without ever turning to look back. Upon arrival, the earth is placed under the occupant\'s pillow before sleeping. If they have a bad dream, one of the clods is thrown away. This process continues until it results in a good dream, when the clod of earth which induced the dream is placed in the hole and serves as the tiang seri pole\'s foundation._NEWLINE_Suatu mantera akan dibacakan ketika tiang seri didirikan, sebagai contoh:_NEWLINE_Hai Raja Guru, Maharaja Guru, daripada tajar menyenseng _NEWLINE_Engkaulah anak Betara Guru _NEWLINE_Hai hantu tanah, benah tanah_NEWLINE_Aku tahu asal kau jadi: Jembalang tanah _NEWLINE_Daripada kilat sabung-menyabung _NEWLINE_Undur kau dari sini ke laut yang dalam _NEWLINE_Aku tahu asal kau jadi: Ke rimba yang sunyi_NEWLINE_Daripada embun setitik_NEWLINE_Antara aku dengan engkau, aku tahu asal kau jadi\n_START_SECTION_\nDirection of the door\n_START_PARAGRAPH_\nThe direction that the house\'s door faces is also said to play a part in determining the occupants\' well-being. The worst direction for the door to face is south, which brings bad career luck. A door which faces the west is said to bring knowledge or encourages the coming of someone well-learned, especially in matters of religion. This is probably a reference to the fact that foreigners, particularly the Indian Muslims who introduced Islam in the region, sailed to the Malay Peninsula from the west. A door that faces east ensures many grandchildren and a life of tranquility. A north-facing door brings wealth.'