Havan kund
The sacred fire pit, typically square or pyramid-shaped, where the fire is lit and maintained.
FIRE CEREMONY
Havan
A sacred fire ritual where offerings are made to Agni, the fire deity, who is believed to carry them to the gods — performed on its own or as part of a larger ceremony.
About This Ceremony
What it is, and when it's performed
A Havan (also called Homam) is one of the oldest Vedic rituals — a fire is lit in a havan kund, and offerings of ghee, grains, herbs, and wood are made while mantras are chanted, invoking Agni as the messenger between the human and divine realms.
It rarely stands alone in modern practice — most Griha Pravesh, wedding, and Satyanarayan ceremonies include a havan as their centerpiece — but it can also be performed independently for peace (Shanti Havan), a specific planetary remedy (Navagraha Havan), or general wellbeing.
The number of participants, the specific mantras (from the Rigveda, Yajurveda, or a purpose-specific text), and the duration all vary depending on the occasion and tradition being followed.
What It Involves
The key moments of the ceremony
Samagri offerings
A mix of ghee, wood, herbs, and grains offered into the fire with each mantra.
Purnahuti
The final, larger offering that closes the havan — usually a coconut or a full ladle of ghee.
Common occasions
Griha Pravesh, weddings, Satyanarayan Puja, Navagraha Shanti, and general peace (Shanti) havans.
A Core Mantra
One of the mantras chanted during this puja
ॐ अग्नये स्वाहा
"Salutations to Agni" — the closing invocation said with each offering made into the fire.
Two Ways To Do This
Guide yourself, or have a pandit come to you
Ritvik
Chanting in true Vedic meter with plain-spoken guidance for this ceremony, step by step, in your language.
At Home Puja
A verified pandit performs the full ceremony at your home, vetted for authentic Vedic knowledge and professional conduct.
Frequently Asked
Havan — common questions
Can a Havan be performed without any other ceremony around it?
Yes — a standalone Shanti Havan (for peace) or Navagraha Havan (for planetary remedy) is common and doesn't need to be paired with another ceremony.
What is typically offered into the fire during a Havan?
A mix called havan samagri — usually ghee, sesame seeds, rice, dried herbs, and small pieces of sacred wood — offered while chanting, with a larger closing offering (purnahuti) at the end.
Is a Havan the same as a Yajna?
They're closely related — a Yajna is the broader Vedic fire-sacrifice tradition, and a Havan is typically the shorter, home-scale version of it.
Do I need a pandit to perform a Havan, or can I do it myself?
A Havan involves precise timing between the mantra and the offering, which is why most families have a pandit present — At Home Puja arranges a verified one; Ritvik can guide a simplified version for smaller, personal havans.
Explore More
Other ceremonies
Free to begin, in the Ritva app.
Guide yourself through Havan with Ritvik, or book a verified pandit for the full ceremony.