Griha pravesh: Puja and house warming ceremony tips for your new house

[ecis2016.org] When it comes to a property investment, home owners are generally particular about auspicious days and performing a griha pravesh, before moving in. We examine the significance of this house warming ceremony and the points to consider for griha pravesh puja

Indians are generally particular about shubh muhurats, when it comes to buying a property or shifting to a new house. They believe that performing a griha pravesh,which is basically the house warming ceremony on an auspicious day, will bring them good fortune. Usually, the auspicious dates for the griha pravesh puja or the house warming ceremony is decided by the priest based on the astrological charts.

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What is Griha Pravesh?

A griha pravesh ceremony, also known as grihapravesh or the house warming ceremony, is a Hindu puja ceremony performed, when one enters a new home for the first time to purify the environment and protect the house from negative energies.

With more and more people actively buying homes for end-use following the Coronavirus pandemic, there is a sharp increase in people performing the griha pravesh ceremony. However, keeping in mind the pandemic, most people are opting for an online ceremony with the priest guiding them through the process and the guests in attendance. This way, people can continue practicing their religious beliefs while being safe. Presently, with the month of Shravan going on (July 23, 2021 to August 22, 2021), followed by Bhadrapad and Ashwin where the Pitru Paksh period is observed (September 20, 2021 to October 6, 2021), the next set of auspicious dates for griha pravesh ceremonies is available in November 2021 and December 2021. There is no auspicious day for Griha Pravesh in January 2022. There are a few days in February 2022 on which Griha Pravesh can be done. In March and April 2022 also there are no dates are shubh for Griha Pravesh.

“It is important, not just for the owner but also for the entire family,” says Mumbai-based Jayshree Dhamani, a Vastu Shastra and astrology expert. According to Vastu, a house is made up of five elements – the sun, earth, water, fire and wind and the proper alignment of these elements in a house, brings happiness, good health and prosperity.

“It is believed that entering a home during an auspicious time, makes life easy and there will be minimum struggle for the family, after moving into the new house. Days that are most favourable for such muhurats are Vasant Panchami, Akshaya Tritiya, Gudi Padwa, Ganesh Chaturthi, Navratri, Dussehra (also known as Vijayadashmi), while days like Uttarayana, Holi, Adhikmas and Shraddha Paksha are to be avoided,” adds Dhamani.

A house warming performed on Dussehra does not even require an auspicious time, as every moment of this day is considered auspicious. Before the griha pravesh, a kalash pooja is usually performed.

For this ritual, a copper pot is filled with water and nine types of grains and a coin are placed in it. A coconut is placed on the pot and one enters the house with it, accompanied by the chanting of mantras by a priest. A priest chants various mantras that are the Kalash puja mantra, the Ganesha mantra, and the Vastu Puja mantra.

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Griha Pravesh tips for your new home

Choose an auspicious day

Always do the griha pravesh on an auspicious day. The idols should be placed in an east-facing direction of the house.

Clean the house

Thoroughly clean the house before the griha pravesh puja. Mop the floor with salt water, to cleanse and purify the place. You can also wash it with a mixture of salt, lime juice and white vinegar.

A havan (herbs and wood put in fire), is said to purify the space and cleanse the surroundings.

Decorate the house

The main door should be decorated, as it is called as Simha Dwara and is the face of the Vastu Purush. Decorate the door with mango leaves and fresh flowers. It should have a swastika, go-padma, lotus, or any other spiritual symbol at both the ends.

Adorn the floor with rangoli made of rice flour or vibrant colours. Rangolis on the floor are believed to invite goddesses Lakshmi.

Rules to remember when entering the house

While entering the house, always put your right foot first. Dress up in appropriate clothes for the griha pravesh puja. Wear auspicious colours and avoid black.

If possible, have house warming parties with only near and dear ones, as inviting too many people may bring in negative energy, which might hamper the well-being of the residents. Also, with the Coronavirus pandemic still going on, for the well-being and safety of everyone, having over only immediate family is advised.

Everyone who attends the griha pravesh puja must be given some gift; nobody should leave the house empty-handed. It can be anything from a small silver coin, an idol of a god, boxes of sweets, or fresh live plants, depending on one’s budget.

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Vastu puja

A Griha pravesh puja is not complete unless Vastu puja is performed, the roof of the house is covered and the doors are fitted with shutters. Also, the priests should be offered the feast.
If you are moving to a rented home, remember to check the Griha Pravesh pooja dates ideal for new rented house in 2021 and follow the griha pravesh puja vidhi as explained above.

House warming ceremony tips: Griha pravesh dos and don’ts

The griha pravesh should be done, only when the new house is ready for the family to shift into it and reside. “The house should be fully done up. It should be freshly painted and the roof should be ready (if it is an independent house). The doors, windows and other fittings too, should be complete,” says Nitien Parmar, a Vastu consultant of Vastu Plus.

“The Vastu Purush and other deities are worshipped. The main door, which is the entry point for prosperity and good vibes into the house, has to be decorated with auspicious symbols like a swastika and Lakshmi feet, drawn on the threshold. A toran (originating from the Sanskrit word ‘torana’, meaning the sacred gateway), which is made of fresh mango leaves and marigold flowers, should be hung on the doorway. The temple in the house should be in the north-east zone and should be fixed on day of the house warming,” advises Parmar.

Grihapravesh is also known by different names in different languages spoken in India. It is called griha pravesham or gruhapravesam in Telugu and Grihoprobesh in Bengali.

The griha pravesh ceremony can be simple or elaborate, depending upon the home owner. Usually, a havan is conducted, to purify the space cleanse it of negative forces. A Ganesh puja, Navagraha Shanti, which means worship of the nine planets and a Vastu puja, are generally performed. One should also serve food to the priests and family and friends, who are invited on this day. Once the house warming ceremony has been performed, the owners can then move into the new house. Also, Vastu experts advice that after the griha pravesh puja, for the next 40 days at least, one family member should be present at home all the time and the house should not be kept locked and vacant.

How to do Griha Pravesh pooja without a priest?

As mentioned in the Hindu rituals for new home, the Griha Pravesh puja ceremony is performed in an elaborate manner as per the Vedic scriptures. Hence, it is important to consult a priest who have sound knowledge about the traditions.

However, there may be situations when it is not possible to find a priest. The Hindu puja rituals for your new home can be performed by yourself.

First, refer a Hindu calendar to find out the auspicious date for the puja, the Indian house warming ceremony.
You should also know about everything that is included in a Griha Pravesh puja samagri list. Make arrangements for these items specified in the Griha Pravesh pooja list.
Clean your home and decorate it with a rangoli at the entrance and flowers.
According to the Hindu puja rituals for new home, on the first day, enter the new house with an idol or photo of Lord Ganesha in your hand. Place the god on the northeast corner of the house. Light two lamps in front of the idol. Offer prasad to the god like sweets, flowers and fruits. Place a kalash filled with Ganga water or any river water in a copper pot near the idol. Remember to cover the kalash with a coconut and four mango leaves.
Use a garland made of mango leaves at the house entrance to eliminate negative energies.
As the next step of the Griha Pravesh pooja ceremony, light a fire in the kitchen stove. Boil milk in a new vessel and add rice and sugar. Distribute it as prasad among the guests.
Light a camphor lamp and perform mangal aarti. You can ring bells or blow a conch as part of the Griha pravesh puja vidhi.
Now, break the coconut and offer it as prasad to the guests. Sprinkle the water from the kalash using the mango leaves all over the house.
Make sure that you stay in the house and do not leave for a minimum of three days after the Griha Pravesh puja.

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Can you do Griha Pravesh pooja without muhurat?

Although people prefer to do the Griha Pravesh only at an auspicious muhurat, if you do not believe in such things, it is okay to proceed for the Griha Pravesh without muhuratas per your availability and schedule. However, make sure you conduct a Griha Shanti paath, which is to attract positive energy at home and remove negativity and evil energies from the surroundings. You can also choose to do charity after the puja and donate money and food to the needy. Later, you can celebrate the occasion with your near and dear ones to mark the joyous occasion.

Griha Pravesh puja: Things to do before puja

Choose the auspicious date

While the festive season brings many auspicious dates, which are suitable for a Griha Pravesh, you can check the best house warming ceremony dates 2021. Dussehra and Diwali are considered very lucky for the Griha Pravesh and you can conduct a puja after consulting a priest.

Complete the construction and finishing work

Avoid moving into your new home, if the construction work is ongoing. Move to your new home only when the home is completely ready. Griha Pravesh signifies entering a new phase of life, a new home which is completed in every sense. Therefore, make sure everything including the wood work, fittings, paint, etc., are completed.

Make sure the home is Vastu-compliant

Ensure your home is completely Vastu-compliant, especially the puja room and the main entrance.

Griha Pravesh puja: Things to do on puja day

Decorate the entrance

On the day of Griha Pravesh pooja, make sure you decorate the front entrance with flowers and a toran of marigold and fresh mango tree leaves. You can also put a Swastik symbol or Goddess Lakshmi’s feet on the main door, as these signify prosperity and luck.

Clean the entire home

The first thing you must buy for the house, is a broom, so as to get rid of any mess before the ceremony and start fresh. Before conducting the Griha Pravesh pooja, make sure the entire home is cleaned thoroughly to make it look welcoming. This will invite positivity and good energy into your new home. Mop every corner of your home before starting the puja.

Purify the home

Sprinkle the entire home with Gangajal. Keep Gangajal in a separate kalash in an the unused corner of your home, with raw mango leaves placed above it. Use these leaves to sprinkle the water everywhere. Gangajal is believed to have a purifying energy that removes negative vibes from the home.

Make a rangoli

Rangolis are synonymous with the festive season and are believed to attract wealth and prosperity. Draw one near the entrance, before conducting a Griha Pravesh puja, using rice flour and rangoli colours available in the market. Make sure it is not in the way of people entering the house.

Griha pravesh pooja flower decoration

Apart from the main door and puja area, decorate the entire house for the griha pravesh puja.Fresh flowers make the home appear inviting and cheerful. Use fresh flowers for overhead hangings, arches, corners and centerpieces for tables. One can go in for traditional-themed strings and garland decor using marigold, tube rose and shevanti, etc., along with some lotuses and colourful threads. Floral balls and hangings made from flowers can be used to highlight various places of the house. If one likes western style, then, opt for flowers like lilium, orchids, roses and carnations, etc., with pearl hangings or colourful drapes.

Illuminate the house for the griha pravesh puja

Ensure that the entire house and especially the main entrance, is well illuminated on the day of the griha pravesh. No area of the house should be in darkness. Opt for lamps, LED lights or fairy lights, to brighten up the home. Lighting an earthen lamp is believed to invite good fortune and positive energy.

Plan meals for the guests on the day of griha pravesh

To treat your guests on the day of griha pravesh, plan the menu for the food to be served, in advance. Since the puja is done on an auspicious day, it is better to arrange for vegetarian food. Offer the food to the priest first and then to the guests. Prasad, such as halwa or kheer, is made on the day of the griha pravesh.

Make proper seating arrangements for the guests

Griha pravesh ceremonies usually require people to sit down on the floor for the puja. Keep dhurries or mattresses on the floor or arrange for chairs for the guests who are unable to sit on the floor.

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Griha Pravesh puja samagri list: Things you need for the puja

Coconut	Desi ghee	Incense burner (Hawan samagri)	Dry woods of mango
Areca nut (Supari)	Honey	Barley (grains)	Turmeric
Cloves	Jaggery	Black sesame seeds	Ganga Jal
Green cardamom	Whole rice	Large earthen diya	Wooden low height table (Chauki)
Betel leaves, tulsi leaves	Panch Meva (Mixture of 5 types of dry fruits)	Brass kalash	Atta
Roli or Kumkum	Five types of sweets	Cotton	Mango or Ashoka tree leaves
Mauli	5 types of seasonal fruits	Yellow cloth	Incense stick
Upanayana or janeu	Flowers and flower garlands	Red cloth	Yogurt (curd)
Milk (not boiled)	Dhup batti	Camphor

Before the grihapravesh puja, make sure to prepare the samagri list as mentioned above and have all the materials for worship ready.

How to perform Griha Pravesh puja?

A Griha Pravesh puja is done before entering a new house to please and welcome positive energy. You can also invite a priest, for chanting the shlokas and mantras. The Griha Pravesh puja wipes out the evil energies in the home.

Here is a guide on Griha pravesh puja vidhi and some dos and don’ts to keep in mind.

Step 1: Break an ash gourd and leave it at the entrance of the threshold of the house. The lady of the house should also break a coconut and this should also placed on the threshold, as this signifies the removal of the obstacles.

Step 2: Perform the Kalash puja. Fill a pot with water and nine types of grains and a coin. A red cloth is tied around a coconut and placed on the Kalash with mango leaves placed at the sides of the Kalash.

Step 3: Take this pot inside the house and place it near the ceremonial fire place or havan.

Step 4: A Havan is performed during the housewarming ceremony, to remove the three sins: digging of earth, cutting of trees and breaking of stones. To nullify the bad effects, the havan is done to seek blessings of the almighty. All family members should sit around the Havan Kund, to participate in it while the priest chants the sacred mantras. The aromatic and medicinal herbs and camphor used during griha pravesh havan purifies the home, removes negative vibes and signifies auspicious new beginnings, with good energies.

Step 5: Light diyas and lamps to attract spiritual energies and for divine protection.

According to Vastu Shastra, one should never blow out a puja Diya by blowing air from one’s mouth.

One can also do a Ganpati Puja, or Satyanarayan Puja on the day of the griha pravesh. These can be conducted after the Vastu Shanti Hawan. Lord Ganesh is the remover of all obstacles. So, his blessings are taken on the day of griha pravesh. Satyanarayana (form of Lord Vishnu) Puja is one of the easiest rituals and is believed to bring good fortune, health and prosperity.

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Griha pravesh for a rented house

If you are shifting into a rented accommodation, you can do a simple house warming procedure or Griha Pravesh puja, where you may not need a priest.

Clean the house and decorate it with flowers and auspicious symbols and put a picture or idol of ‘Isht’ deity.
You can also perform a small havan, by chanting some short mantra (like Gayatri Mantra or Navagraha Mantra) 108 times. You can also play recorded mantras on your device, if you do not know any. Mantras remove negative energies and bring happiness and abundance. Mantras also create an aura of peace at home.
Light diyas and offer sweets, fruits and donate money to the needy.

People are often confused if they should conduct a Griha Pravesh ceremony for a rented house. It is good to perform a Griha Pravesh puja for a rented house since it is an auspicious ceremony. Experts point out that a griha pravesh ceremony, even in a rented house, will help ward off any negative energy and bring in positivity in the house for a peaceful and prosperous living. As mentioned above, you can conduct a Havan or Yajna to activate the energies of the house and keep them energised, instead of an elaborate puja.

How to dispose of griha Pravesh puja offerings after the ceremony?

Earlier people threw flowers and leaves used for puja in the sea or river but due to rising water pollution, one must not throw it in the waterbodies. The flowers used for Griha Pravesh puja. Dry the flowers with cinnamon or dried citrus peel make a potpourri of dried flowers. One can use Griha Pravesh puja flowers, banana leaves, paan, etc. to make organic compost at home. In many cities, there are special trash bins installed by local municipal corporations near the beaches and rivers meant only for puja offerings. One can bury leftover wooden pieces, herbs, ashes etc of havan in the garden.

Most asked questions about Griha Pravesh

Can we do Griha Pravesh puja after shifting?

Griha Pravesh puja or Vastu puja should be done before shifting, to cleanse the space of negative energies.

Can we sleep in the new house before a Griha Pravesh ceremony?

Yes, home owners can sleep in the new house before the official puja.

Why do we boil milk during housewarming?

Boiling of milk symbolises abundance of prosperity and food, which will bless the new home.

Can I move my furniture before Griha Pravesh?

Ideally, a Vastu puja should be conducted, before moving anything to your new home.

Can we shift household items before Griha Pravesh puja?

Avoid shifting anything apart from cooking gas and stove, until the Vastu puja is done.

Can we shift to a new house on Friday?

Depending upon the Griha Pravesh muhurat, you can choose an auspicious day for the shifting.

What is the first thing to do when moving into a new house?

As soon as you move into a new home, make sure the locks are working, check the fuse box and water valve, make it pet/child-proof and set up the utilities.

What brings good luck to a new home?

Items such as salt, honey, rice, candles, etc., represent abundance, prosperity, happiness, hospitality and good fortune.

For griha pravesh puja, which vessels are ideal to use?

According to Vastu Shastra, avoid using brass vessels for puja. Copper vessels or silver are best. For oil lamps, one can use brass.

Why is Vastu Shanti Puja done?

Vastu Shanti Puja is done to seek the blessings of Vastu Purush, the God of land and direction, who is said to remove prevailing Vastu doshas of the house.

Do I need to clean my house before moving?

Yes, it is always good to deep clean the house, before you move in with all your luggage.

Why is Navagraha Shanti puja done during the Griha Pravesh?

Navagraha means nine planets. It is believed that all nine planets influence the house. So, this puja is performed to please all the nine planets and seek blessings.

FAQs

Can Griha Pravesh be done in the evening?

Depending upon the muhurat, you can perform the Griha Pravesh in the evening, as well.

Where do you put the kalash in a new house?

The kalash should be placed in an unused corner of the house, filled with Gangajal and mango leaves.

Can a pregnant woman do Griha Pravesh?

Yes, pregnant woman can do Griha Pravesh puja, provided fasting and other rules are slightly relaxed for her.

What is the significance of ringing a bell during the griha pravesh puja?

The sound of the bell removes negative energy and helps in purifying the place.

Why are tulsi leaves used for prasad during griha pravesh puja?

Tulsi leaves are used while offering naivedyam (prasad) to God, as it is said that all deities reside in the plant of tulsi. Using tulsi (avatar of goddess Lakshmi) in puja rituals, brings happiness, success and well-being in the family.

(With inputs from Surbhi Gupta)

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Debora BertiMay 25, 2022