Havan, prime part of Hindu culture- Its significance and benefits

Havan – A major ritual of almost every Indian Puja and celebration, whether it’s homecomings, birthdays, weddings, or any special occasion. Havan always plays a pivotal role in Hindu Culture and there’s always a reason to perform. So, in this article, we will know the significance of performing Havan in Hinduism.

Before getting into the significance, it is important to understand the meaning of Havan.

The word ‘Havan’ is derived from a Sanskrit word called ‘Homa’, which means pouring into the fire, offering, and sacrifice. In Hindu Culture Havan, also known as ‘Yajna’ (derived from Yajna-Purush, who is considered as Lord of Sacrifice, a form of Vishnu), is a ritual performed on special occasions in which offerings such as ghee, grains, seeds herbs, etc…, is made to Fire God.

We consider fire as God, commonly known as ‘Agni dev’, the centre element of Havan, and the offerings made to sacred fire purify the surroundings and the humans.

When and how do we perform havan?

Havan is an auspicious ritual and is performed on various occasions in India, for example in Birthday, Navaratri, Fastings(vrat,upavasa), homecoming, home cleansing (Ghar shuddhi), weddings, Opening of any new business, etc. Even during the historic period, Kings used to perform havan before leaving for a battle, to get rid of floods and drought, or to get rid of severe illnesses.

The two most important parts of Havan are Havan Samagri (ingredients) and Havan Kund.

Havan Samagri includes Mango woods, Ghee, Cow dung, Jaggery, agarwood, herbs like, Haldi, bay leaves, deodar chharil, cloves, cardamom, dhawai phool etc… Readymade packets of Hawan samagri are now easily available in the Market.

Havan Kund is a material usually made up of copper available in different shapes and sizes, which is placed in the centre, in which they make offerings on fire. Along with this, chanting of mantras by Hindu Priest or by self is the most important part of performing Havan.

Until now, we have enough knowledge to understand what is havan and how and when it is performed.

Let’s get into the significance of Havan in Hinduism.

Havan is auspicious according to mythological beliefs, but apart from this, havan comprises various other physical, mental, and spiritual benefits and scientific reasons. Havan also removes negative energy as mentioned in Hindu mythologies.

They scientifically proved that the ash generated from havan kund, its residue, is used to treat people, and also the fumes work as a protective layer on the body.

Physical benefits –

The offerings made in the fire in the form of Ghee, cow dung, and herbs create fumes, these fumes are anti-bacterial in nature and also work wonders. The fumes enter the body through the nostrils and eyes, which are a direct connection with the brain and help create a positive impact. It also helps in repairing brain damage caused due to overthinking, negativity and anxiety. As these fumes enter the body through the nostrils, it helps lighten the blood thickness and better flow of blood throughout the body, which further helps in better blood circulation, the anti-bacterial nature nullifies the bacteria which may cause diseases and help in detoxification. Apart from the human body, these fumes also act as pesticides for the home and purify the home.

Mental benefits

The beautiful environment of chanting mantras and prayers works as an absolute delight for the human mind and helps in its purification. It is said that, when we provide offerings to fire for sacrifice, our hearts feel selfless and contributed towards mother earth and our surroundings, thus making a person happier.

Spiritual benefits

Havan is believed to be a ritual that directly reaches god and the offerings made are received by him, and thus these offerings bring us closer to God and spirituality. The chants and prayers heal our hearts and mind and create a connection with the spiritual power of divinity.

Concluding

Havan brings a lot of benefits apart from performing it as a ritual and hence is advised to perform it more often. Havan can be performed by self at home with mantras and small offerings in a small havan kund, so try adding this to your regular puja.

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