Griha Pravesha or the housewarming puja is performed at the time when somebody enters their new home for the first time. It is similar to the way we do the Consecration or Pran Prathishtha ceremony of a new deity or the inauguration of a temple. As when we perform the Griha Pravesha ceremony the House space also gets consecrated or purified. It is advisable to do Griha Pravesha when you shift to your own house. As you and your family’s well-being, happiness and prosperity are connected to the place. We pray to seek the blessings of God and invoke positive energy inside the home.
Once on social media, I heard Sadhguru saying “The house is like a plant, if it grows on healthy ground it will be far healthier. While if the earth is not rich enough or maintained or enhanced appropriately then the growth gets affected.” For that reason, before entering the new house the space is envigorated through Griha Pravesh Puja. In which Gods are appealed to bestow their blessings, and spread positivity and happiness in the house. It has been observed, that if this tradition is conducted with proper Vedic rituals, it benefits individuals.
Do you know Griha Pravesh puja is also carried out when the bride enters her husband's house?
A vast ritual is performed involving Homam, puja and welcome ceremonies. The bride is embraced into the new family through this ceremony, with a lot of positivity, so that the foundation of this new relationship is placed on happiness and positive energy.
Importance of Griha Pravesh in our traditions
Griha Pravesh's ceremony has been emphasised significantly in our Hindu traditions. It is believed that the ‘Akhand Ramayan Path’ on the Griha Pravesh day brings happiness, peace and prosperity in life. Chanting the mantras of Ramayana is highly beneficial for personal and professional life. It appeases the unstable planets in the chart or settles down the uncertainties of life. Ramayana is recited as an embodiment of the high virtues of truth, bravery and morality that should be upheld in the home. Because Lord Rama who was an incarnation of Shri Vishnu, during his lifetime, essayed an unparalleled role as a Son, Husband, Brother, Warrior and King.
In fact, in Valmiki Ramayan Aranya Kand Chapter 15 you will find similar puja observed by Lakshaman. At Chitrakoot, after building the house Lakshaman performed a simple Griha Pravesh puja. Thus entering a new house has always been epitomised by rituals and ceremonies to purify the new space and deflect any evil energy. These Vedic rituals also protect us against health issues or sudden adverse situations in life.
What is an ideal procedure for Griha Pravesh?
To eliminate negative energy and infuse positive energy in the New House, a systematic Griha Pravesh Puja should be carried out efficiently by an expert priest. Most importantly you must perform Puja at an appropriate time. Usually, Grihapravesh Shubh Muhurat is chosen based on the Nakshatra, Auspicious date and tithi. However, there is one more aspect involved which should not be neglected. Whenever you plan to shift to a new house show your Kundali or Birth Chart to an astrologer to extract the auspicious time as per your Kundali or chart. An astrologer will look into the time when planetary positions will benefit maximum and there is no inauspicious movement at that time.
There should not be any inauspicious conjunction or aspecting planet in the chart. Such as the Inauspicious position of Navagrahas, Lagna, Bhadra, Rahu Kaal, or the Combustion of Venus and Jupiter, likewise many other aspects that need to be evaluated, before recommending the Griha Pravesha dates. Only a skilled astrologer will be able to select an auspicious time after a thorough analysis of your chart. After deriving the best time or a particular date to carry out Griha Pravesh Puja the inauspicious Tithis or nakshatras of the year should be discarded from the recommended time.
* Griha Pravesh during Shradh or Pitru Paksha should be abandoned.
* The lunar eclipse and the solar eclipse months should be avoided.
* Also, the Chaturmas which means four months from Shravana, Bhadrapada, Ashvina and Kartika is not an ideal month to perform Griha Pravesha Puja.
Once all these facets are evaluated, the most favourable tithi is decided by an astrologer. Subsequently, Griha Pravesha Puja can be performed by the priest in the new house.
10 basic things about the Griha Pravesha Puja
* Enter the house with your right foot forward and place the Puja idol in the east direction of the home.
* Perform Puja only when all the family members are physically healthy and happy. It is best to avoid any negative energy or situations.
* If there is a death in the family or if the lady of the house is pregnant do not perform this Griha Pravesha puja
* If possible keep only the cooking gas/oven before the Puja while rest of the furniture and household items, bring it after performing the Puja.
* Before the ceremony, complete the construction work atleast the doors, windows, and roof should be in a ready-to-move-in condition.
* Wash every corner of the house, and keep away any unwanted material or things from the house entrance or Puja Place. It is necessary to remove negative energies as only a clean place pulls positive energies.
* On Griha Pravesha day you must decorate your house. Particularly the main door as traditionally the entrance of the house has been given a lot of importance.
* The main door of the house should be decorated with mango leaves and flowers. And place our spiritual symbol a Swastika at both ends.
* You must have seen that on the day of the Griha Pravesha milk is boiled till the brim of the vessel. As it symbolises food in abundance, prosperity and happiness.
* After the puja, the home should not be left vacant till the next 3 days of the Griha Pravesha.
Puja is just a way to seek the blessings of God for the peace, prosperity and happiness of the entire family. And to block negative energies from entering the house. It surely is one of the most precious moments of life. For many people, it is once in lifetime Puja.
Ideally, the Griha Pravesha Ceremony should be performed in the following conditions
1. Dwandhav Griha Pravesha: It is done when you are forced to leave your home due to any unforeseen incident like a natural calamity and return home after many years.
2. Sapoorva Griha Pravesha: Is performed when you re-enter your house after a very long time. Such as, if someone returns to his vacant home after many years it is advisable to go for Sapoorva Griha Pravesha.
3. Apoorva Griha Pravesha: For a newly constructed home Apoorva Griha Pravesha is carried out. Usually, it is this puja being performed by priests when people shift to their new house.
Therefore like marriage and childbirth, Griha Pravesha is also an important event of life. I would recommend consulting an Astrologer for Griha Pravesha Puja in your newly acquired or constructed home. An experienced astrologer will give a relevant time and date based on the analysis of your planetary positions in the chart and integrate it with other astronomical readings like favourable or auspicious times of the year. Invite Supreme power’s positive energy and eliminate negative sources in your new home.
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