Guide · 2 min read
Griha Pravesh and Indian Housewarming Gift Ideas
By the ANAGHA team, New Delhi · Updated
Quick answer
Good griha pravesh gifts are auspicious and useful in the new home: a brass diya or kalash, a toran for the main door, a framed image of Ganesh or Lakshmi, a money plant or tulsi plant, a pooja room starter set, kitchen essentials or sweets. Many families also give shagun, cash in an envelope, often an amount ending in 1.
What is griha pravesh?
Griha pravesh is the ceremony a Hindu family performs when moving into a new home. It usually includes a puja, often a Ganesh puja and a havan, and boiling milk until it overflows as a sign of abundance. Guests bring blessings and gifts for the new home.
In many Sikh families, an Ardas or a Sukhmani Sahib path is held in a new home.
Traditional and auspicious gifts
- A brass diya, kalash or aarti thali
- A toran of marigolds and mango leaves for the main door
- A framed image of Ganesh or Lakshmi, or of the Golden Temple for Sikh families
- A money plant or tulsi plant
- A silver coin
Practical gifts for the new home
- Kitchen essentials: steel dabbas, a pressure cooker or a dinner set
- Good bedsheets or towels
- A pooja room starter set: a diya, a bell, soft cloths and a gentle cleaning mist
- Indoor plants
For the new prayer room
ANAGHA Shuddhi is made for a new mandir, with sandalwood, camphor and Ganga Jal. For families who keep both a mandir and a gurdwara corner, the Gift Duo adds Sewa, with rose water and neem. Both ship from New Delhi to the US, UK, Canada, Australia and more.
What some families avoid
- Knives and sharp objects, which some see as cutting ties
- Black items for an auspicious occasion
- Leather goods for a Hindu ceremony
Customs vary, so when in doubt, choose something for the home or the prayer room.
Questions
What should I gift for a griha pravesh?
Something auspicious or useful for the new home: a brass diya or kalash, a toran, a framed image of Ganesh or Lakshmi, a money plant, a pooja room set, kitchen essentials or sweets.
How much shagun should I give at a griha pravesh?
It depends on your relationship and local norms. Amounts ending in 1, such as 51, 101 or 501, are considered auspicious.
What is a good Sikh housewarming gift?
A framed image of Guru Nanak Dev Ji or the Golden Temple, a steel kitchen set, sweets, or a prayer room care set such as ANAGHA Sewa. Give a Gutka Sahib only if you know the family will keep it with respect.
Can I send a housewarming gift to the USA or Canada from India?
Yes. ANAGHA ships from New Delhi to the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and more, with shipping included and tracked delivery in 7 to 14 business days.
Made for the space where you pray
The Duo
$69
For Punjabi and mixed households, and a thoughtful festival gift
Shuddhi and Sewa together. The gift for parents, in-laws and every home with both a mandir and a gurdwara.
2 × 360 ml · Shop now →
Shuddhi शुद्धि
$49
For your mandir, pooja ghar and prayer corner
Sandalwood, camphor and Ganga Jal in a gentle mist for the place where your day begins with prayer.
360 ml · Shop now →