When is Ganapathi Homam performed?
At the start of a house entry, a business opening or another ceremony; on Sankatahara Chaturthi and Vinayaka Chaturthi; and on any day the family chooses to mark.
What happens during Ganapathi Homam?
The kundam is prepared and the fire established, followed by the invocation, the offerings made with ghee and the prescribed materials, the purna ahuti that closes the homam, and the aarti.
No two ceremonies are identical. What is performed depends on what your family observes and on the venue, so treat the sequence below as the common shape rather than a fixed order. Your Iyer will go through it with you beforehand.
- Preparation of the kundam and establishing the fire
- Invocation
- The offerings
- Purna ahuti
- Aarti and prasadam
What to keep ready
A starting point rather than a final list. Your Iyer confirms the exact requirements once the ceremony is settled, and families often add items their own tradition calls for.
- Homa dravyam: samithu, ghee and the prescribed grains
- Bricks or a metal kundam for the fire
- Modakam or kozhukattai for the offering
- Durva grass
- Coconuts, fruits, flowers and garlands
- Lamps, camphor and incense
The Iyer for your ceremony
We arrange an Iyer with experience in the ceremony you are planning and, where it matters to you, one who speaks the language your family is most comfortable in. Tell us if there is a particular tradition your family follows, or a priest you have worked with before.
Cost and booking
We do not publish a fixed price, because these ceremonies genuinely differ. The cost depends on what is included, how many priests are needed, how long it runs, whether you would like the samagri arranged for you, and where in Chennai it takes place.
Tell us what you are planning and we will come back with the arrangement and the cost together, before anything is confirmed.
Why families choose Namma Iyer
Experienced Iyers
Priests who have conducted the ceremony you are planning, not a general roster.
Ceremony-specific coordination
We work out the requirements before the day, not on the morning.
At-home service
Houses, flats and other suitable venues, subject to availability and coverage.
Clear booking process
Date, location, priest and arrangements confirmed with you in advance.
Questions
Ganapathi Homam: common questions
Can a homam be done in an apartment?
Usually yes, but check what your building association permits and make sure the room has real ventilation. Some families move the homam to a balcony instead.
How long does it take?
On its own, commonly one to two hours. As part of a larger ceremony it is shorter.
How much smoke is there?
Enough that ventilation matters. A room with an open window or a balcony is the usual arrangement in a flat.
Can it be combined with another ceremony?
Yes, and it usually is. It opens most other ceremonies as a matter of course.
Related