Griha Pravesh Setup: Floor Seating, Elders, Havan, Meal

Griha pravesh is the Hindu ceremony for entering a new home for the first time. A priest leads prayers, usually to Ganesh and other deities, and often a havan, the sacred fire. Families also boil milk on the new stove and invite relatives and friends for a meal. Many Chicago families hold it in a new condo, a bungalow, a two-flat or a suburban house.

Customs differ by region, family and priest, so follow the plan your priest gives you. This guide covers the room, the seating, the smoke and the meal.

Start with the priest

Ask the priest three things before you plan anything else.

1. The date and time. The priest usually chooses an auspicious time (muhurat). It can be early in the morning, so rentals must be in place the day before.
2. How long the puja runs. Most last 1 to 3 hours, and that decides how long guests sit.
3. What the priest needs. A low table or a mat for the puja items, a place for the havan kund, a water source and space to sit facing a particular direction. Some priests bring everything and some ask you to buy the samagri.

Then you can set the room, the guest count and the meal.

Set up the puja room

• Clear the room. Move big furniture out or against the wall. If the home is new, the room may already be empty, which helps.
• Floor seating. Lay clean rugs, dhurries or mats. Allow about 10 square feet per person, so a 15 x 20 foot room (300 sq ft) fits about 25 to 30 on the floor, less if the priest area takes space.
• Chairs for elders. Set 6 to 10 chairs along the walls, with arms if you can. Many older guests and anyone with a bad knee cannot sit on the floor for 2 hours. See comfortable chairs for older guests and planning an event for older guests.
• Shoes. Guests take off shoes at the door. Set a rack or a mat and a small bench. See coat racks for winter events if it is cold.
• The doorway. A toran of marigolds or mango leaves and a rangoli at the entrance are common. Keep the path clear.

For help planning seating at a housewarming, see housewarming party seating. For similar festive setups, see Diwali party seating and rentals.

Havan smoke and smoke detectors

A havan is a small fire of wood, ghee and herbs. It makes smoke, and a new home's detectors are sensitive.

• Open a window and run a fan to move smoke outside. Do this before you light it.
• Tell your building. Condo and apartment buildings in Chicago often have a central fire alarm. A havan can set it off and bring the fire department. Check with your building manager or board before the day, and ask whether there are rules for open flame.
• Do not disable a smoke detector without permission. Some families cover or remove the detector in the puja room. Check with your building and your insurer first, and put it back right after.
• Use a small kund. A copper or metal havan kund on a metal tray, with sand or a base under it, protects the floor.
• Keep water and a fire extinguisher nearby. And keep fabric, garlands and kids away from the fire.
• Ask about alternatives. Some families use a small havan or a lamp and incense if smoke is a problem, and some priests will adjust. Ask the priest.

If you are in a rental or the home is new, check what your lease or the builder says about open flame.

The meal after the puja

After the prayers, families serve prasad and a meal for all the guests. It is usually vegetarian and often catered or made by relatives.

• Put the meal in a different room, or outside. The puja room should stay clean and quiet, and floors with mats are hard to eat on.
• Buffet or seated. For 30 guests, a buffet on two 6-foot tables and a few round tables for eating works well. For 50 or more, add tables. See buffet table layouts and how much food per person.
• Plates and utensils. Rent dinnerware if you do not want to wash for 40 people. See dinnerware rentals and catering equipment.
• Chai and water. A tea or coffee urn near the door is handy. See how many coffee urns for a party.
• If it is cold, keep the meal indoors, or use a tent and heaters in the yard. See heating a tent in fall.

Small spaces and city homes

Many Chicago homes are small: a condo, a two-flat, a bungalow. Plan around that.

• Ask which room holds the most people and has a window.
• Use folding tables that fit through a narrow door or hallway. Measure before you order.
• Keep the elevator, stairs and the building's rules in mind. See Chicago high-rise freight elevator and COI notes.
• If the home has no space, consider a tent in the yard or a community hall for the meal. See church hall and community center event planning.

What most hosts find out too late

• The date can move. The muhurat depends on the priest and the home's details. Do not book rentals until the date is fixed, but ask for tentative holds.
• Early start times. Rental delivery is usually daytime. Ask for delivery the day before.
• Count at delivery. Count chairs and tables, and check the floor protection.
• Measure doors and stairs. Folding chairs fit anywhere. A round table top may not.
• Smoke detectors. This is the most common surprise. Check with your building early.

Set up your new home for the day

Book a free 15-minute planning call and we will help you choose chairs, tables, dinnerware and an urn for your guest list. Or get a quote with your date and address. We check the date with the rental companies for you.