Moving into a new house is auspicious and must be done well

I WANT to move into my new house in July. Which dates would be good? This is my first house, I’m over 40 years old and it has come after much hardship, so I want to do things the right way. I also worry about making my monthly bond instalments. SB IT IS believed that any work done on the muhurat magnifies its value and significance.

An auspicious date to move into your new home is June 14 and the ideal time is 9.15am, 10.15 am or 11.15am.

Do not be afraid of the repayments. People generally feel that way when buying a house. However, as the property’s value increases, this fear disappears.

Home is a place where happiness dwells and family members share joys and sorrows.

Entering a newly-built house for the first time is an important occasion for a family, especially since it is not easy to acquire property.

Graha Pravesh, or housewarming, is the first entry into a newly-built house and the building has to happen at the most appropriate time, which can be determined along astrological parameters.

Graha Pravesh is more of a tradition in Hindu culture than just a ceremony.

Another reason for the Graha Pravesh pooja is to please all the gods and goddesses so that they bless your family with happiness, health and prosperity.

The purpose of this ritual is to keep negative forces away from the home, through worship of the Almighty.

The ceremony needs to take care of various aspects related to the vastu shastra (principles of the physical environment), the vastu shanti and the Bhoomi pooja (prayer over the land).

The Bhoomi pooja is usually performed when construction work begins; it is the prayer offered to Mother Goddess Earth for blessings.

Requirements for prayer (used in most Hindu ceremonies):

• About 100ml of Ganges water for sprinkling. • Mango leaves. • Flowers, fruit (especially coconut), grains of rice. • Turmeric. • Betel nut. • Durban grass. • Kalava (red thread). • Lamp and incense sticks.

The following are the most important astrological and spiritual tips to be considered when performing this ceremony:

• The evening before moving into the house, recite the Sunderkand with devotion. A group recitation by family, loved ones and priests will yield excellent results.

The reason for this practice is that the house has been vacant for a while and might be affected by spirits or negative energy. Reading the Sunderkand will eradicate those forces.

You can substitute Sunderkand readings with any bhajan. Hare Krishna chanting, sankirtan, durga-saptshati or the recitation of 108 Hanuman Chalisa passages and any other from family tradition are other options.

• Nobody should stay at the home overnight and no food can be cooked in the new premises. • Be vegetarian for the day. • The next morning, the husband and wife should be well dressed and in a festive mood.

• The wife must carry a “kalasha” on her head with a coconut, starting a few metres from the front door and proceed towards it with her husband accompanying her.

• Place a small murthi of Lord Ganesha above the entrance (in the centre), inscribe a “swastika” and “Om” sign on either side, and worship Lord Ganesha.

The Ganesha prayers are key to the ceremony because He is the remover of all obstacles.

• The couple can enter and place the kalasha at a water drinking place in the kitchen.

Then make a swastika sign near the stove and worship the stove. Afterwards, you can start cooking, and the first meal should be a sweet dish.

• It’s appropriate for a priest to perform the “havan” in the house while cooking is taking place.

• Afterwards, you can do the arthi at your designated pooja place.

• Offer the sweet dish to the deity. Now your Graha Pravesh ceremony is completed.

• The family must pray for the blessing of their gurudev, gods and their parents and elders and touch the feet of their priest.

• Some families invite guests for the ceremony. Food can be served to guests afterwards.

When the guests are eating, being served in a way similar to serving Atithi Narayana – the “guest is god” – holy Ganges water is sprinkled all over the house. To purify the house, you should also sprinkle cow urine and dung around the house.

Points to remember: Once the ceremony is complete, the family can move in. The head of the family should at least spend the night there. One member of the family must be present in the house the next day and the family should share a meal, preferably vegetarian, in the evening and go to bed in a pleasant state of mind. Readers can send their name and surname, religion, date, place and time of birth and the advice they require to: Mahesh Bang, Tribune Herald, PO Box 47549, Greyville, 4023, or e-mail tribuneherald@ inl.co.za or call him at: 083 659 2277 or 031 401 8888