A vastu shanti invitation tells guests about the puja that blesses a new or renovated home and the meal that usually follows it: the family's name, the address, the date, the puja time and the lunch time. Because the puja and havan can take two to four hours, the most useful thing the invitation can do is tell guests when to arrive. Many families give the time of the purnahuti, the final offering, so guests can come for the end of the puja and stay for the meal.
What vastu shanti is
Vastu shanti is a puja to Vastu Purusha, the deity of the dwelling, to bring peace and good fortune to a home. It's often performed with a Ganesh puja, a navagraha puja for the nine planets, and a havan. Families hold it when they move into a new home, after major renovation, or when they feel a home needs it. In Maharashtra the housewarming itself is widely called vastu shanti, while many families elsewhere say griha pravesh and treat vastu shanti as one of its pujas.
| Griha pravesh | Vastu shanti | |
|---|---|---|
| What it marks | The family entering the home | Blessing the home and its directions |
| When | On the day of moving in | On moving in, after renovation, or later |
| Main rituals | Entering with a kalash, boiling milk, Ganesh puja | Vastu puja, navagraha puja, havan |
| Often together? | Yes, many families perform both on the same day |
What the invitation should say
- The family's name, the way guests know you.
- The full address: building, flat number, floor, area and a landmark.
- The date and the day.
- The puja start time and, ideally, the purnahuti time.
- The meal time, on its own line.
- Practical notes: parking, the lift, and whether the havan means the doors will be open and the flat smoky for a while.
English wording
The names, addresses and dates here are examples.
With the blessings of Lord Ganesha
we invite you to the vastu shanti puja
of our new home
Sunday, 7 February 2027
Puja from 8:30 am, purnahuti at 11:30 am
Lunch at 12:30 pm
B-1102, Vrindavan Heights, Kothrud, Pune
The Kulkarni family
Our new home is ready for its first puja,
and we'd love you to be part of it.
Vastu shanti on Sunday, 7 February
Come by 11:30 am for the purnahuti, and stay for lunch.
B-1102, Vrindavan Heights, Kothrud, Pune
Hindi wording
॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥
वास्तु शांति पूजन
हमारे नवीन गृह में वास्तु शांति पूजन
रविवार, 7 फ़रवरी 2027 को प्रातः 8:30 बजे से होगा।
पूर्णाहुति: प्रातः 11:30 बजे
भोजन: दोपहर 12:30 बजे
आप सपरिवार पधारकर आशीर्वाद दें।
स्थान: बी-1102, वृंदावन हाइट्स, कोथरूड, पुणे
निवेदक: कुलकर्णी परिवार
Marathi wording
In Maharashtra the invitation is usually in Marathi, and the phrasing is close to a lagna patrika: the request to come with family and give blessings, and a separate line for the meal.
॥ श्री गणेशाय नमः ॥
सस्नेह निमंत्रण
आमच्या नूतन वास्तूची वास्तुशांती
रविवार, दि. ७ फेब्रुवारी २०२७ रोजी
सकाळी ८.३० वाजता करण्याचे योजिले आहे.
तरी आपण सहकुटुंब उपस्थित राहून
आशीर्वाद द्यावेत, ही विनंती.
स्नेहभोजन: दुपारी १२.३० वाजता
पत्ता: बी-११०२, वृंदावन हाइट्स, कोथरूड, पुणे
निमंत्रक: कुलकर्णी परिवार
A typical morning
| Time | What happens |
|---|---|
| 7:30 am | The priest arrives and sets up; the family gets ready |
| 8:30 am | Ganesh puja and sankalp |
| 9:15 am | Vastu puja and navagraha puja |
| 10:30 am | Havan |
| 11:30 am | Purnahuti and aarti; guests arrive in numbers |
| 12:30 pm | Lunch |
Questions to ask your priest
- How long will the puja take, and when is the purnahuti?
- Is a havan included, and how large will it be?
- What samagri should the family arrange, and what will the priest bring?
- Do the family members performing the puja need to fast?
- What dakshina is customary?
Practical notes for the day
- Tell the neighbours about the havan. A smoky corridor on a Sunday morning is easier to forgive with warning.
- Check whether the building allows a havan indoors; some societies have rules, and a small havan kund on a balcony is a common answer.
- Arrange floor seating for the family doing the puja and chairs for elders who will watch.
- Keep shoes outside the puja room, and say so with a small sign at the door.
- Plan lunch for more people than you expect. Vastu shanti meals tend to grow.
One time to remember
If you list only one time on the invitation, list the purnahuti. That's the moment most guests want to see, and arriving for it means they're there in time for lunch.
Related ceremonies
The griha pravesh guide covers the ceremony of entering the home, with its own wording. For the design, the vastu and puja templates carry Ganesh, kalash and toran motifs. More guides to new-home ceremonies are in housewarming and puja.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between vastu shanti and griha pravesh?
Griha pravesh marks the family entering the new home. Vastu shanti is a puja to the deity of the dwelling to bless the home. Many families do both on the same day.
How long does a vastu shanti puja take?
Usually two to four hours, depending on whether a havan and a navagraha puja are included. That's why invitations often give the purnahuti time for guests.
Can vastu shanti be done after moving in?
Yes. Many families hold it after moving in or after a renovation, on a day suggested by their priest.
What should guests bring to a vastu shanti?
Nothing is expected. Common gifts are a plant, sweets, a small idol, or something for the kitchen or the puja room.
Filed under Housewarming & puja
Written by ShubhLink Editorial Team
The team behind ShubhLink's invitation templates and ShubhLink AI. We write down what families ask us most, and check each guide before it goes live.