Gruha Pravesam ceremony is performed to purify the newly constructed home and to have a peaceful life for the household going to live there. The auspicious date and time to carry out the ceremony will be decided by the priest.
For this happy occasion, the entire house is decorated with the fresh flowers and colorful lights. The Thoranam made of mango leaves is tied up to the main door at the entrance along with the other doors in the house. At the Muhurtham time, amidst the traditional classical music of Sanni melam and the priest reciting slokas, the couple will enter into their new home followed by, family members and close relative and the cow with calf.
While the couple carries photos of god, the other family members will carry rest of the items such as a bowl of salt, a vessel of water (Pasupu dharam tho Pasupu kommukattali), a bowl of yoghurt and a bowl of chilli powder, a bag of rice, Kudumulu in Idli cooker, a pumpkin, Sallagunja etc each while entering the new home.
Go-Puja is performed to the Cow with Calf by applying Turmeric and Vermilion to them. Thambulam with new blouse piece, rice and Dhakshina is offered to them in a white towel that will be tied around their neck.
The priest will direct the new couple to each room in the house, where they will offer coconut, Pasupu-Kumkuma to the door while the priest recites slokas.
Kudumulu made with rice flour, jaggery, and black-eyed peas are prepared for this occasion. A fun-filled game is played with Kudumulu during this occasion; When the wife tosses up 5 of them to the ceiling, her sister-in-law would have to catch them with her saree pallu. This game is played in each room of the house including the living room.
While the couple conducts the puja, sister-in-law will boil the milk until the milk boils over to signify abundance. Nivedyam is prepared using boiled milk, rice and Jaggery that will be offered to the god. The new utensils required to boil the milk and to prepare Naivedhyam are bought by the sister-in-law. New clothes are offered to her and her family during this occasion.
After that puja, the couple will offer a coconut to the Sallagunja arrangement followed by preparing buttermilk. The guests will follow the same.
Usually, Satyanarayana Vratham is performed following the Gruha Pravesam puja. The couple is required to stay overnight in the new house after this ritual.
Preparations & Shopping Checklist:
- Find out the auspicious day and time from the priest to conduct the ceremony
- Get the list of puja items from the priest
- Shopping List: Shop the priest’s list
- Arrange the priest to conduct both housewarming and Nomu
- Arrange food for the guests
- Decorate the house with fresh flowers and rich garlands
- SL: Gaja maalalu, flowers
- Arrange the lighting for the building
- Arrange Sannai Melam
- Arrange Mango leaves for Thoranalu
- Arrange Cow with calf
- Apply Pasupu-Kumkuma to the photos of god
- Arrange Gas Stove for cooking on-site
- Arrange pooja stuff
- Lots of flowers, Idol of cow with calf, Peetalu, a bowl of yogurt, a bowl of chilli powder, a bowl of salt, a vessel of water, a pumpkin, idol of goddess Lakshmi, Thambulapallem, Rolu-Rokali, Kalasam chembu (2)
- Puja Articles – Kundhulu, Harathi, Vothulu
- Arrange Jammi pulla, sand, a bucket to hold Salla gunja arrangement
- Arrange gift bags for guests
- SL: Beetle leaves, somp packets, bananas, blouse pieces, Packing covers, pasupu kumkuma packets
- Add Kudumulu to the bag
- To Prepare Pongali @ new home
- SL: Utensils – Pongali thepala, gante, plate
- SL: Ingredients – Rice, Jaggery, ilachi, Milk, Ghee, cashews, Chena dal
- Gas stove
- To prepare buttermilk @ new home
- Sallakavvam, Majjoga thepala
- To prepare Salimidi, panakam, vadapappu
- SL: Varipindi, pesarapappu, miriyalu, bellam
- To prepare Kuduvulu
- SL: Black-eyed peas, rice flour, jaggery
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