OmVaastushastra

GrihaPravesh

For any newly built house house warming is considered a holistic occasion. This custom is done so as to keep evil forces away from entering new home. Even after land acquisition, a prayer (puja) is performed which is called as "Bhumi Poojan", and later house warming ceremony is called as "Vaastu-shanti"

When the house is ready to be occupied, a muhurta is selected for grihya pravesha which consists mainly of Ganesha puja (Ganapati), The mandala is drawn to invoke the gods and nine planets, which act as witnesses to the ceremony. The offerings in the form of fire (Agni) which is supposed to convey to the gods. The family carries the havan kunda into every room. The various medicinal ingredients in the smoke from the havan disinfect and purify the air within. The house is encircled with thread three times from the east, which is the most auspicious direction. Both these signify the erection of protective barriers around the house to keep away evil influences, and are done to the accompaniment of the Rakshoghna Mantra and the Pavamana Mantra.

A pit dug in the southeast corner of the boundary of the house with sides of the pit fortified with cowdung paste and the pit is worshipped. A brick box containing corn, moss, and flowers is lowered into the pit, which is then filled up. Since corn symbolises fertility, this is believed to ensure prosperity

Holy water sprinkled around the house is to keep away evil spirits With this, grihya pravesha is completed.

The Grihyasutras give detailed instructions about the kind of land that should be chosen for constructing a house or temple, the direction it should face and the ceremonies to be performed at each stage. The Matsya Purana elaborates which stages during construction are important, like laying the foundation, and raising the first door, and explains that grihya pravesha puja should be performed at these stages. This ceremony is still performed in the traditional manner. After Ganesha puja, the jar of water is placed on a heap of corn, the universal symbol of fertility