Ganesh Hom
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harikrishan108Ganesh Hom
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harikrishan108Must have
One homa kundam (a copper container with preferably a square shaped base). If a homa kundam is not available, one can dig a square shaped pit in the ground (with 1-2 foot sides and half to one foot deep) and arrange a few layers of bricks around the pit. It is symbolic of the mooladhara chakra. Dry coconut halves (available in Indian stores) or wood (for burning) Ghee (clarified butter) from cow's milk. It is available in Indian stores. If unable to find, just get some butter and melt it in low heat. After it melts, some black stuff will separate from the melted liquid. Filter out the black deposit and use the liquid. It will solidify after a time. Before the homam, melt it again and use it. A wooden spoon/ladle to put ghee into the fire Some akshatas. Those can be made by mixing raw (uncooked) white (or brown) rice grains with a drop of sesame oil (or some other oil) and a pinch of turmeric powder. Instead of turmeric powder, one can also use vermilion (kumkum) powder used for the dot on the forehead. A small lamp, consisting of a wick that can be lit in sesame oil/ghee. A candle can also be used as an alternative, though it is better to burn ghee or sesame oil than wax. A match box to light fire One tumbler or cup to store water. It should preferably be made of silver or copper or clay. If unavailable, you may use steel or glass. One spoon (preferably silver or copper) Some water
Optional
A small idol of Ganesha. If you have none, use a metallic coin or any metallic object. Actually, you can do without any idol and just invoke Mahaganapathi in fire. A mixture of various auspicious materials known as the havan samagri (available in India stores), if possible. Some sandalwood powder, turmeric powder and kumkum (vermilion) powder Some flowers or flower petals Some sesame seeds, some mamra/murmura (puffed white rice), some nuts, some mildly popped corn and other materials that can be offered in fire. Small fruits are also fine. Honey can also be used. All these are optional. The absolute minimum needed is coconut pieces and ghee. Some darbhas (dried blades of sacred grass). Check with a local temple priest to find out how to procure them. If darbhas are unavailable, you may think of creative alternatives. For example, find some other dry grass or dry leaves or
just thin twigs and pray to your ishta devata (favorite deity) before the homam to make them acceptable. An incense stick (agarbatti) if available and a holder to stick it to (a banana can be used instead) Camphor and a container or plate for lighting camphor and offering haarati Some food that you can offer to god. Eggs, meat and seafood should not be used in that food. In fact, do not eat eggs, meat and seafood on the day of homam. Onion, garlic, strong spices and too much of chillies should also be avoided in the food cooked for God. Fruits are also fine. Just sugar or brown sugar or rock candy sugar or jaggery can be offered to god too. When using sugar, please note that the normal white refined sugar used these days has bone ash in it. Brown sugar, vegetarian sugar or jaggery are to be prefered. Some milk, if available.
Preparation Before Homam 1. Instead of arranging homa kundam directly on the floor, place a wood plank or something on the floor, wrapped with aluminum foil (or some such thing), and put 4 bricks of the same height on it and place the homa kundam on the bricks. Thus, there is some air and a wooden plank under the homa kundam and the floor does not get heated up. 2. If you want easy cleaning, place some aluminum foils on the floor all around the plank containing homa kundam. If ghee or something is spilled in that area, it is easy to clean. 3. If you want, you can also cover the interior of homa kundam with some aluminum foils, so that it is easy to clean. 4. Make some food items to offer to god. You can just use rock sugar candy or raisins or dates or fruits or jaggery also. Please see the notes in the previous section on this. 5. Cook a little plain white rice. I put a few grains of rice and a little water in a small container and put it in microwave oven before my homam and cooked rice is ready at the end when I need it. If this is not possible, take a banana or apple or some other fruit and make it into 6 slices. 6. Fill water in the tumbler/cup and place the spoon in it. 7. Make a seat for yourself in front of the homa kundam. Ideally you should be facing east, i.e. homa kundam should be on the east from you. On the east of the homa kundam, place a small plate or a wooden plank, make a pile of some rice grains on it and place the idol (or a metal/clay object such as a coin) on it. You can decorate based on your ability and taste. An idol is optional. You can worship Mahaganapathi directly in fire.
8. From the middle of the western edge of the homam kundam, draw two parallel red lines with kumkum (vermilion) powder towards your seat. They should go east-west and connect homa kundam to your seat. Melt the ghee and place the bowl containing it on those lines. 9. Cut dry coconuts into small pieces. Pieces of 1 inch x 1 inch size are useful. 10. Important: Do not consume any food within 3-4 hours before the homam (atleast one hour). Evacuate the bowels before homam and take bath. Stomach should be empty during a homam for the best experience.
