Havan – The fire ceremony, a form of Hindu worship

(Pronounced hah-van)

To remember the meaning of the Hindu term Havan, use the following mnemonic:

His Havana (havan) cigar burst into flames – the crowd thought the fire marked the start of a ceremony.

Havan is an important ritual in Hinduism – and in Buddhism and Jainism – in which offerings are placed in a fire.

The offerings and the precise procedure may vary according to the type of occasion. However, Havan always involves kindling and consecrating the fire, the invocation of one or more deities, and the making of real or visualised offerings. Prayers and mantras are usually chanted during the ritual.

There is a havan that is performed at wedding ceremonies, one for naming a child, and another for wealth and material prosperity. Yet another is a purification ritual performed when a person takes the vows of renunciation.

It is believed that havan has a purifying effect on both the devotee who makes the offerings and the environment.