Griha Pravesh: From Dreams to Reality - Your First Home Buying Journey

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Indians tend to be picky when it comes to shubh muhurats when they are moving to a new home or purchasing a new piece of property. It is believed to bring luck to perform a griha pravesh, or house warming ceremony, on an auspicious day. Hindus perform a puja ceremony on an auspicious muhurat as part of the Griha Pravesh ritual whenever someone moves into a new home for the first time. Ordinarily, the priest chooses the auspicious dates for the griha pravesh puja or the house-warming ritual based on the astrological charts. In order to maintain good energy around the house and provide wealth for the family, there are numerous dos and don'ts or rules that must be adhered to throughout the Griha pravesh puja Vidhi. The Griha pravesh pooja must be performed only after the construction work is over. When it comes to purchasing real estate or moving into a new home, Indians are typically picky about shubh muhurats. An auspicious day is thought to bring good luck when a griha pravesh, or house warming ceremony, is performed. When someone moves into a new home for the first time, Griha Pravesh is a Hindu ritual in which a puja ceremony is performed on an auspicious muhurat. Typically, the priest uses astrological charts to determine the auspicious dates for the griha pravesh puja or the house-warming ceremony. Additionally, there are numerous dos and don'ts or instructions that must be followed during the Griha pravesh puja Vidhi in order to ensure good fortune for the family and spread positive energy. More importantly, before entering the new house, one should check the auspicious date, day, tithi, nakshatra or constellation, by referring to a Hindu Calendar or consulting an astrology and Vastu Shastra expert. Decorating the house entrance and chanting of mantras are an essential part of the Griha pravesh puja Vidhi.

Griha Pravesh puja: What is Griha Pravesh?

When someone moves into a new home for the first time, they perform a griha pravesh puja ceremony, often referred to as grihapravesh or the house warming ceremony, to purify the space and shield the dwelling from evil spirits. A house is made up of five components, according to Vastu: the sun, earth, water, fire, and wind. When these elements are aligned correctly in a home, happiness, good health, and prosperity result. In addition, Grihapravesh has various names in the various Indian languages. In Telugu, it is known as griha pravesham or gruhapravesam, while in Bengali, it is known as Grihoprobesh. 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.

House warming ceremony: Significance

Why is it called housewarming?

People typically hold a griha pravesh, or housewarming ceremony, to mark their first entry into a new residence and invite friends and relatives. It's possible that the phrase "housewarming" dates back to a time before central heating was available in homes. To figuratively "warm" the house, people would congregate around the fireplace, which would be lit with the wood visitors provided.

Why should one perform Griha Pravesh puja?

Traditionally, a housewarming or Griha pravesh ceremony is conducted soon after a family moved into a new house. Housewarming parties are normally informal events. However, a Griha pravesh puja is performed with the help of a priest as per the prescribed rules and Vastu guidelines. As per Vastu Shastra, Griha Pravesh pooja must be performed for the well-being of the family in the new house. Here are some of the benefits of the Griha Pravesh or housewarming pooja.

• Performing the puja on the Griha Pravesh muhurat ensures the protection of the house from evil forces and attracts positive energies.
• The Griha Pravesh rituals help purify and spiritualise the house, its surroundings and the air, creating a holy and divine atmosphere.
• It brings prosperity, fortune, and good health to those living in the house.
• Performing the housewarming ritual eliminates obstacles one may encounter in their new phase in life.
• The Griha Pravesh puja helps invoke the blessings of the deities and the nine planets for their protection and prevent unfortunate events in the home or to the inhabitants.

What are the three things to bring to a housewarming? 

According to a proverb, salt, wine, and bread are the three items to bring to a housewarming. Traditionally, firewood or a bag of goods were given as housewarming presents. All of these items had ceremonial and symbolic significance. The symbols for bread, wine, and salt are respectively "May you always have joy and never go thirsty," "May this house never know hunger," and "May there always be flavor and spice in your life."

Griha Pravesh puja: Things to do before puja

Choose the auspicious date

Always do the griha pravesh on an auspicious day. While the festive season brings many auspicious dates, which are suitable for a Griha Pravesh, you can check the best house warming ceremony dates 2023. Dussehra and Diwali are considered very lucky for the Griha Pravesh and you can conduct a puja after consulting a priest. Avoid moving into the new house on a Saturday or a Sunday. The months of Magh, Phalgun, Vaishakh and Jyeshtha are regarded the best time for griha pravesh pooja and entering the house.

Which month is not good for Griha Pravesh?

Vastu Shastra guidelines for main door entrance

• Make sure the house is not at the ground level. Construct a few steps on the house entrance.
• Build the main door using rich quality material. Avoid black colour.
• Place a nameplate at the entrance door.
• Design a threshold of stone or wood on the front door. It will prevent the loss of finances.
• Keep the entrance clean and tidy. Avoid dustbins or shoe racks.

Make a rangoli

• Rangolis are synonymous with the festive season and are believed to attract wealth and prosperity. Adorn the floor with rangoli made of rice flour or vibrant colours.
• Rangolis on the floor are believed to invite goddess Lakshmi. 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.

Clean the entire home

• 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.
• 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. Mop every corner of your home before starting the 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.

Purify the home

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.

Riha 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.

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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.

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Breaking the coconut

Break a coconut at the house entrance before putting your foot into the house. The ritual of breaking the coconut is considered to purify the house and eliminate any hurdles in life.

Enter the new house with the right foot

The husband and wife of the house must enter the house jointly with the mangal Kalash on the auspicious day of Griha Pravesh. During the Griha Pravesh ritual, make sure to enter your new home on the right foot. The custom dictates that upon entering the house, the woman must step with her left foot first and the male with his right. They must erect the Kalash in the northeastern portion of the temple while reciting Lord Ganesha's chants.

Create a Mandala for Griha Pravesh puja

A mandala drawing, which is a geometric arrangement of religious symbols, should be made before beginning the Griha pravesh puja rites. The goal of doing this is to invoke the gods and planets and request their blessings. The east side of the home should be where the idols are located. On the day of the housewarming, the temple in the residence should be installed in the north-east section.

Boil milk to seek blessings

The Griha Pravesh practices include boiling milk in a fresh vessel. The ritual of boiling milk during the housewarming celebration is thought to bring wealth to the home. In the kitchen, the housewife should boil milk. A sweet rice prasad is typically made by mixing materials like rice and sugar, and it is di 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.

Griha pravesh puja: Dos and don’ts

Dos for the house warming ceremony	Don’ts for the house warming ceremony
Decorate the main entrance with flowers and the floor with rangoli. Use auspicious symbols like om and swastika to adorn the main door	Avoid moving any furniture in your new home before doing the griha pravesh puja except for the kitchen gas stove
Break a coconut before stepping into the house	Do not wear a black coloured clothes for the house warming
Take your first step with the right foot	Do not shift into the new house if there is a pregnant lady in the family or if someone has died.
Purify the house by sprinkling salt water	Avoid moving into the house if doors, windows, roofs, or any part of the construction is incomplete.
You can gift sweets, idols, or coins to your guests when they leave your house. Offer food items and gifts to the priest who performs the puja.	Do not let your guests leave empty handed after the griha pravesh puja.
Stay in the new house for a minimum of three days after the Griha Pravesh puja ceremony.	Avoid keeping the new house empty after performing the griha pravesh puja.

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. Depending on the home owner, the griha pravesh ritual might be simple or extensive. Usually, a havan is performed to cleanse the area of evil energy. It is customary to perform a Vastu puja, a Navagraha Shanti (worship of the nine planets), and a Ganesh puja. On this day, food should also be served to the priests, their families, and friends. The owners can move into the new home when the housewarming event is over. Additionally, according to Vastu experts, at least one family member should live in the house full-time for the following 40 days following the griha pravesh puja, and the house shouldn't be left unoccupied or locked.

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

Coconut – 2 quantity	Desi ghee	Incense burner (Hawan samagri)	Dry woods of mango
Areca nut (Supari)	Honey – 50 grams	Barley (grains)	Turmeric (50 grams)
Cloves 10 grams	Jaggery, Mishri (Rock Sugar) 50 grams	Black sesame seeds	Ganga Jal (one bottle)
Green cardamom 10 grams	Whole rice (500 grams)	Large earthen diya	Wooden low height table (Chauki)
Betel leaves (10), tulsi leaves	Panch Meva (Mixture of 5 types of dry fruits)	Brass kalash	Atta
Roli or Kumkum (one packet)	Five types of sweets	Cotton	Mango or Ashoka tree leaves
Mauli – 2 rolls	5 types of seasonal fruits	Yellow cloth	Incense stick – one packet
Upanayana or janeu	Flowers and flower garlands	Red cloth	Yogurt (curd)
Milk (not boiled) – 1/4th litre	Dhup batti	Camphor – one packet	Hawan Kund

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

Griha Pravesh dress theme ideas

The Griha pravesh puja attire may differ from other indoor parties. When attending a Griha Pravesh puja, make sure to add a touch of ethnic and traditional attire. You can choose to wear a Bengali Dress, a South Indian Dress, Indo-Western Clothes, Bandhej, etc.

• For Women: Sarees, suits or long dresses
• For Men: Indo-western outfit or Kurta-pyjama

Which colour clothes to wear for Griha Pravesh puja?

Some auspicious colours you can choose are red, yellow and pastel shades.

House warming ceremony decor ideas

Floral decorations

One of the easiest and elegant way to decorate the house for any puja, especially the Griha pravesh puja is through flowers. Floral decorations will help create the perfect setting for your gruhapravesam pooja.  

Lights

Fairy lights can be an excellent décor option to brighten up your home interiors for the house warming ceremony.

Colourful accessories

Choose floral rangolis for the entrance area and decorate the area with lights and Rajasthani umbrellas, among other things. Include fragrant candles, incense sticks, and eye-catching lamp stands to give the space an inviting appearance. Any Indian holiday or event is ideal for lanterns. Additionally, it is lucky to light lanterns during the Griha Pravesh puja.

Seating

Design your living room for the occasion to welcome your guests. Opt for using colourful cushions. Choose to adorn the pooja room with elegant curtains and rugs. Decorate your coffee table with vases, candles, flowers and traditional table coasters.

Western rituals

• There are other rituals followed in different parts of the world. For example, as per the Jewish tradition, the house owner brings bread and salt into the new house. This signifies the availability of food on their table always.
• As per another belief, people plant pomegranate trees in the compound of their homes. Pomegranates are regarded as symbols of fertility. Hence, those who plan to expand their families can follow this ritual.
• According to the native American ritual, burning sage helps eliminate negative energies from the house. The house owners burn sage and walk all across the house, starting from the upper floor or back of the house and finally to the front door. The smoke that emanates from the burning sage removes the evil forces from the house.
• Housewarming celebrations in France were known as pendaison de crémaillère, which translates to "hanging of the chimney hook." It was customary to extend an invitation to supper as a token of appreciation to everyone who helped build a house when it was finished. The last item to be brought into the house to mark the start of the thank-you supper was a chimney hook, which was used to regulate the temperature of the food being cooked in a huge pot.

Also Read: From house hunting to keys in hand : navigating your first home buying journey

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