Amee Khamar's Grah Shanti
Grah Shanti is usually part of a Hindu wedding that happens about a couple days before the wedding day itself. On this day, both the the bride and groom side of the familes perform pujas (prayers) in their respective homes and are usually in the following order:
Ganesh Puja: Starts by inviting Lord Ganesh through prayer into the house to remove any obstacles. It is also to help remove any negative energies and bestow peace and harmony.
Mandap Murat: This is an auspicious ceremony where the parents of the couple seek blessings of Mother Earth and also take permission from her to start the digging of a piece of the land to erect a mandap. (Mandap is the area where the couples take their pheras)
Pithi (also known as Haldi ceremony): A paste of sandalwood, turmeric, saffron, and rosewater is applied by friends and family The turmeric included in the paste is considered auspicious and is believed to help glow the bride and groom for their wedding day.
Grah Shanti ( meaning peace of the house) : Puja is done to worship the 9 planets according to the Vedic/Hindu astrology. It is believed that the nine planets are aligned for both the bride and the groom in order to live a happy life together. Like the name suggests, Grah means the house and Shanti means peace.
Amee's Grah Shanti was just that! It was peaceful and filled with so much love and happiness! Below is a highlight from her Grah Shanti that took place at her parent's home.
