Part 3
Enter The New House with the Right Foot
On the Grihpravesh day, the house owners must enter the house together, carrying a Kalash containing five auspicious items, i.e. coconut, yellow turmeric, jaggery, rice & milk. Make sure you put the right foot ahead when walking into your new home. The right foot symbolizes auspiciousness and good luck.
Set up the Kalash in the northeast corner while the priest chants mantras.
Set Up a Temple
The first thing one should set up in a new house is a temple. It should be in the northeast corner of the house/ room. Place the images and idols of deities there. The deities should face east/ west so that the person worshiping faces west/ east.
Place A Kalash
A Kalash signifies the deities being worshiped. It symbolizes abundance, prosperity & purity. So, for the Kalash Sthapna, fill a separate Kalash with Gangajal and place it near the ceremonial fire place/ Havan. Add nine types of grains and a coin into the Kalash.
Tie a red cloth around a coconut and place it on the Kalash with four mango leaves at the sides. Decorate it with flowers and vermilion.
Purify the home
In a pot, take some Gangajal with raw mango leaves. Use the leaves to sprinkle the water everywhere. Gangajal has a purifying energy that removes negative vibes.
Illuminate the house for a Grihpravesh
Usually, a Grihpravesh is conducted during the morning/ daytime hours. If you are conducting this puja in the evening for any reason, make sure that the house is well illuminated. Pay special attention to the main door. No area should be in darkness.
Lighting earthen lamps invites good fortune and positive energy. You can also opt for lamps, LED lights, or fairy lights.
Puja
A Grihpravesh involves various pujas like Kalash puja, Ganesha-Laxmi puja and Navagraha puja.
Mantras
Mantras have a calming effect, thus inviting positive energies. Every mantra has a specific meaning; it must be spoken as per the set rules.
Havan
A Havan is performed to remove the three sins you have incurred while constructing your house. These sins are digging of earth, cutting of trees, and breaking of stones. It invites peace and prosperity. It invokes the blessings of the almighty.
The Havan nullifies the bad effects. It removes the harmful influence of the planets. The aromatic and medicinal herbs and camphor used purify the house and signify auspicious new beginnings with good energies. All family members sit around the Havan Kund and join in it while the priest chants the mantras.
One can also do a Satyanarayan Puja on the Grihpravesh day. It is an easy ritual. It brings good fortune, health and prosperity.
To be continued…
