Hymns For Homes - Griha pravesh ritual

Griha pravesh is a pooja which is done by the Hindu’s before entry into
a new house. The family which is going to stay in the house would
move into the place on an auspicious day which is deemed good by the
astrologers determined by the sun and moon charts. The purity of the
panchang and the purity of the time of moving into the house should
be considered for the ritual to take place.
The ceremony has been made into three parts as described by the
scriptures , they are, apoorva, sapoorva, and dwandwah . The entry
phase into the newly built house on the newly acquired land is called
the apoorva griha parvesh. The sapoorva phase is when the family
moves into an already existing house after a travel to a foreign nation
or migration to a new place. The dwandwah phase of the griha pravesh
is when a house has been reconstructed or renovated after damage
due to earthquake, flood, fire and other such happenings. The
auspicious times or muhurtums is when the sun is in the uttrayan
position, based on the lunar calendar, for a newly built house in the
guru position for a renovated house and as such. Entry into the house
at each part of the year based on the month signifies gain of wealth,
family, children etc. Magh is a part of the year when entry into the
house signifies a gain of wealth, falgun signifies gain of children and
wealth, baishak represents growth of wealth and prosperity, jeshtha of
son and cattle.

Vastu pooja is done outside the house where a ceremonial fire is lit and
puja’s are done by the priest. A copper pot filled with nine different
types of grains and covered with a red cloth is kept near the
ceremonial fire and after the puja the husband and wife of the family
take the copper pot and walk around the new site.

A vastu shanthi is usually done in the house to protect it from the

harmful influences of the planets, moons, negative vibrations from
places and people around and create a peaceful area around the area
of living. The priest is usually given a good amount of fees and special
attention for his services and the ceremony is concluded by giving the
people who have attended the ceremony a big feast so that everyone
is happy when they leave the place.

There also certain things which are not to be done during a griha
pravesha puja like the puja is not complete until the doors are fitted,
roofs covered, the vastu gods worshipped and the priests have been
offered the feast. The ceremony shouldn’t be done when the female in
the family is pregnant and the door of the house shouldn’t be locked
for a few days after the puja as it would be considered inauspicious. If
the points mentioned above are not followed then it may bring trouble
and misery to the people who dwell in the house.