Grah Pravesh

GRUHA PRAVESH

  The Grihapravesh is also called Vastu. The complete ritual takes six to seven hours. Early in the morning, Vastu pooja for Vastu devata is performed outside the house before the actual entry into the house. During Vastu puja, a kumbh (copper pot, as in the Bhoomi puja) is consecrated through worship out side the house. The Vastu pooja is undertaken to expiate the sins that could have been committed by the owners of the house during construction. After completing the Vastu and Kumbh pooja, the copper pot is taken inside the house by the husband and wife to a place where havan and various poojas take place. In the ritual inside the house different poojas like, pooja of sun, pooja of lamp, Ganpathi pooja, Pooja of the Kul devta, pooja of four directions, showering (abhishek) of the couple with water, Lakshmi pooja and Homa are all done. This pooja is concluded by distributing peanuts, dry fruits and pede- a kind of sweet made of milk, as prasad. Finally the guests are fed.On the eve of the graha pravesh, vastubali is performed inside the house. This is a pooja performed by a priest who is not a member of the family. It consists of Ganapathi pooja, Punyaha and Vastubali homa. These are done to appease the gods and propitiate them.

On the day of the grahapravesh, before sunrise, Punyaha for vastu shudhi (purification) and Ganpathi poojas are done. According to the muhurat, members of the family enter the house. They carry ashtamangalya (eight kinds of godly things), navadhyana (nine kinds of grain), kodimundu (good piece of cloth) mirror, sandal etc. To the new home.  The ashtamangala may consist of any eight auspicious things. A typical ashtmangala for functions like marriage, house warming etc. Would contain the following eight things kept on a platter.

1. Flowers 2. Fruits 3. Val kannady, the mirror used in the marriage 4. Betel leaf and out aracanut or the betel nut 5. A small lamp 6. Rice colored with turmeric (mangala akshatha) 7. Kumkumam, kanmashi (a black eye ointment used to highlight the eyes) 8. Washed dhoti Any nine kinds of seeds can be used as navadhanya; with minor restrictions evolved through practice. For example, gingerly is not used in auspicious occasions in some parts of the state. The seeds used are paddy grain, flex, wheat, pulse, small and large beans, thina-a small gracing. After entering the house Lakshmi Narayan pooja is performed. The grahanath (the wife) meanwhile boils milk in the kitchen, which should boil over and flow out, signifying abundance. The owners are required to stay overnight in the new house after the Grihapravesh ritual.

Pooja for new house constructed (Entering) all Pooja to Vasthu devatha, Boomi Devatha, Navagraha, Ganapathy etc., For peacefulness in the house, without any misunderstanding in the persons living, also for mental peace.

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Vasthu Graha Pravesh (i.e. first entry into the newly built house) is a very important aspect of Vaastu-Shastra andit has to be dealt accordingly. After the house is complete in all respects, living in that house is to be started at some auspicious moment determined on astrological considerations. The first entry in the house at the auspicious moment is called Graha Pravesh ceremony. Three types of Graha Pravesh have been mentioned in our ancient scriptures -

(1) Apoorva - First entry to live in house newly constructed on a newly selected land is called Apoorva (new) Graha Pravesh.

(2) Sapoorva - Entry into an already existing house to live in it after traveling abroad or migration elsewhere, is called Sapoorva graha pravesh.

(3) Dwandwah - Entry into a house to live in it after reconstruction/renovation of the house damaged by fire, flood waters,electricity, wind etc. is termed as Dwandwah (or old) Graha Pravesh.

Scriptures have described the procedures of Graha Pravesh at auspicious time (muhurat) and purity (defect less) of Panchang. For Apoorva Graha Pravesh perfect auspicious time should be adhered to and fro Graha Pravesh in a reconstructed house or after migration the purity of Panchang should be given due consideration. If the doors of a house are not fitted with shutters, or the roof is not covered, or the gods of Vaastu have not been worshipped and offered sacrifices, and if the priests etc. have not been offered feast, first entry into such house (Graha Pravesh) should not be accomplished till the above things are completed, otherwise living in that house will be full of troubles and miseries.Therefore living in a house should be started only after offering sacrifices and worshipping Vaastu Gods as per procedure given in scriptures.Entry into a house built of grass and leaves etc. may be performed on any auspicious day.

In houses built with bricks, stone, mud, cement etc. the first entry is auspicious when the sun is Uttarayan. As far as possible Graha Pravesh should be accomplished in the day only, it will be auspicious. Normally, it can be done at any auspicious moment in the day or night. Guru (Jupiter) or Shukra (Venus) being set(invisible) i.e. Tara does not matter in case of Graha Pravesh in a old renovated house. For the ceremony of giving food to a child for the first time (Anna Prashan), wearing new clothes, daily travels, first entry into an old renovated house and entry of a bride in the house, invisibility (setting) of Jupiter (Guru) and Venus (Shukra) i.e. Tara should not be considered, only the purity and auspiciousness of the Panchang should be considered in such cases. Auspicious months for Graha Pravesh and the results of the same are as given below - Month Results ,Magh ===  Gain of wealth,Falgun ===Gain of children and wealth,Vaishakh -Growth of wealth and prosperity,Jyeshta ===Gain of son and cattle. Besides these, the months of Kartik and Margshirsh give medium results. Graha Pravesh in the months of Ashadh, Shravan, Bhadrapad, Ashwin Paush is inauspicious and causes loss, troubles and pains, and fear of enemies.The tithies (dates) 4/9/14 and 30 (Amavas - no moon night) should be avoided and Graha Pravesh should not be done on Tuesdays