Bhoomi pooja also known as Vastu Pooja is an important ritual that the owner must perform before the start of construction of a building at the time of the ground breaking ceremony.
The purpose of doing a pooja is to psychologically give the owner the confidence that the seemingly huge task of building a house can be accomplished without any problems, since the bare earth of the site (bhoomi) has been blessed and has acquired a divine life.
As an Architect ,Griha Pravesha etc) have any scientific basis and/or are necessary.
To that I say, they give you positivism and psychologically make you feel that you have sent away the old spirits dwelling in that space so that you can start a new, fresh life with no negativity. Also, it is a way of asking forgiveness for uprooting and disturbing other living beings who have been existing in the land and consider it their home.
Here, I have explained the Vastu Guidelines for Bhoomi (Vastu) pooja before the commencement of the Construction. Being an Architect ,
WHAT IS BHOOMI POOJA? Bhoomi pooja is a ritual performed in honour of Goddess Bhoomi and Vastu Purush (deity of directions). Bhoomi means Mother Earth.
The Purpose: This pooja is believed to eradicate the ill effects and Vastu doshas in the land an d pave the way for a smooth construction .
WHERE IS THE BHOOMI POOJA PERFORMED? Perform Bhoomi Pooja in the North-East corner of the construction site as it is considered the sacred corner.
The Reason: During the Bhoomi Pooja ritual, the earth is dug as part of the ground breaking ceremony. It is advisable to start the digging in the North-East corner to ensure that the North-East level is always lower than the rest of the site, thus allowing morning and constant light to permeate the whole site throughout the building process.
TO WHICH DEITY IS THE BHOOMI POOJA DEDICATED? Dedicate the Bhoomi pooja ritual to Vastu Purusha, Goddess Bhoomi, Pancha boothas (the five elements of nature) in accordance with Vastu Shastra guidelines . Also, honour the deity of directions so as to eradicate the ill effects and Vaastu doshas in the land.
The Reason: It makes sense to pray to Mother Earth, and all the other deities related to nature because this new building is going to spring out from the Earth.
DO’S AND DON’T’S AFTER THE PURCHASE OF LAND OR ‘BHOOMI’. Compound wall : It is important to build the compound wall before constructing the house. Make sure that the South-West part of the compound wall (where the sun rays are the hottest) is higher in comparison to the other parts and the East and North portions (from where the morning sunlight enters the site) are lower.Plants: Plants add to the surrounding greenery and the spreading roots allow the rainwater to percolate instead of running off.Cow: Keep a calf or cow on the land as it makes it all the more auspicious.Bhoomi (Vastu) Pooja : Perform Bhoomi Pooja before the start of construction as it is a way of seeking the blessings of Mother Earth prior to the construction of a building or use of the land for cultivation. WHO PERFORMS THE BHOOMI POOJA? The head of the family along with his wife performs this pooja with the help of a priest.
The Reason – For any auspicious occasion, the husband and wife have to participate together. An experienced priest will be able to guide them in conducting the pooja in the right manner. Also he will know how to select an auspicious date for the Shubh Muhurat of the pooja.
This ritualistic pooja purifies the site and ensures that the land is rid of all the evils and the negativities. Moreover, the Bhoomi Pooja ensures the smooth completion of the construction work without any hurdles.
The Reason: It gives business to the Priests but more importantly by performing the pooja, the owner can psychologically feel that the well being of his family and safety is guaranteed. In case the land is used for agricultural purposes, the owner can believe that he will get a better yield after doing a Bhoomi pooja.
WHEN SHOULD ONE PERFORM BHOOMI POOJA? The ideal months are : Shravan, Margshirsh, Paush, and Kartika.Date : The date for the Bhoomi puja is decided by the priest.The ideal days are: The suitable weekdays for this pooja are Monday and Thursday. However avoid Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays.Pakshas: It is better to avoid, Divaskarma, Hadpaksha and Shraadh paksha for such auspicious activity.WHAT MUST BE AVOIDED FOR THE BHOOMI POOJA? Avoid these days: One must avoid performing this pooja on Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays as they are not auspicious.Avoid these pakshas: It is better to avoid Divaskarma, Hadpaksha and shraadh paksha for such auspicious activity.Avoid these teethis: Fourth, Ninth and Fourteenth teethis are not ideal for this pooja.Pregnancy: Avoid beginning the construction work in case the lady of the house is more than seven months pregnant. It is better to wait till after she delivers.HOW DOES LUNAR CONSTELLATION IMPACT BHOOMI POOJA? Select the auspicious date based on the date of the lunar constellations. If the lunar day is between 1 to 7 or 19 to 28 then those days are inauspicious for performing the pooja. However, if it falls between 8 to 18 then those days are very auspicious.
Clean the Site: The first step for performing the pooja is to clean the site. Also, one must clean the dirt and get rid of all trash holes from the area.Dig a pit: Secondly, dig a pit in the North-East direction of the construction site.Sitting direction: Thirdly, the owner should sit facing East at the time of performing the pooja.Idols : Place the idols of Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and other deities that one worships on a clean platform.Coconut : Put the coconut used in the pooja covered with red cloth, in the ground. Also, place silver idols of Naag and Naagin inside the ground.Lime: After the pooja, place 5 limes in the 4 corners and in the centre of the site and crush them.Pooja: The main ritual is the Ganesh pooja which marks the beginning of any auspicious work, for which a havan (homa) is performed.Other rituals: The other major rituals include Devi pooja, taking a Sankalpa, shatkarma, pran pratishtha and Manglik dravya sthapana.WHAT ARE THE ITEMS REQUIRED FOR THE BHOOMI POOJA? Here’s a list of articles required for the Bhoomi Pooja. This will give you an idea of what is expected. It may vary according to the custom you follow and according to the requirements of the priest.
Kumkum (red sindoor), Turmeric powder, Camphor /Karpuram, Sandalwood powder, Incense (agarbatti) sticks, Fruits, Flowers, set of Navaratnas (9 types of gems), a packet of dry dates, 5 Lemon (green limes), a set of Pancha Lohas (5 metals), 2 packets of Nava Dhanyam (9 types of seeds), coins- Quarters 40, a 1/2 meter long white cloth, a matchbox, lamp, cotton wicks, oil, 10 panchpatras, a plate, a kalash ( kalasam), 5 bricks, a bell, a bedsheet, 4 plastic plates, a gods picture and 5 foam cups etc.
WHAT IS THE COST OF PERFORMING THE BHOOMI POOJA? It will cost between Rs.3500 to Rs.5500 since an experienced priest will be conducting the pooja.
OTHER THAN BHOOMI POOJA, WHAT ARE THE OTHER RITUALS TO BE PERFORMED BEFORE AND DURING CONSTRUCTION? Follow these five rituals before the construction of the house begins. TRituals Before Construction .
The first ritual is the Bhoomi or Vastu Pooja which is honouring mother earth. The second ritual is Balidaana which is the offertory ritual in Hinduism. The third is Hala Karshaana which is the levelling of the site. The fourth ritual involves sowing of the seeds and is called Ankuraa- Roopana. The fifth and last ritual before the start of construction known as Shilaanyaasa is the laying of the foundation stone During the construction of the building, one important ritual is:
During the fixing of the main door frame. The final ritual is after the completion of the construction:
This post is about the the Bhoomi Pooja, the first ritual to be done before the start of the construction of the building. Also read about the other rituals that are done before construction and after completion:
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