Joining a Havan by Live Video: How Remote Participation Works, Step by Step

Distance no longer has to mean missing out. Today, families in New Jersey, Dallas, Toronto or London can sit together in their living room and watch a havan being performed in their name at Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda, hearing the mantras, seeing the sacred fire and praying along in real time.

This guide explains exactly how live video participation works with Acharya Ashish Sharma: how to book, how timing across time zones is handled, how to set up at home, and how to take part with devotion rather than just "watching".

Is Watching Live Necessary?

No. In the tradition, what connects the ritual to you is the sankalp: your name, gotra and intention recited by the Acharya. A havan performed on your behalf is dedicated to you whether or not you watch.

A live video call is simply a beautiful way to take part. Many families find it deeply moving to see the fire, hear their names in the sankalp and pray together. If the timing doesn't suit you, photos or video can be shared afterwards where arranged.

Read more: Online Puja from Abroad: What Tradition Says About Remote Sankalp

How It Works: Step by Step

Step 1: Free Consultation

Fill the free consultation form, or send an SMS to +91 88271 82771. Share your situation and ask for the havan to be arranged with live participation.

Step 2: Confirm Sankalp Details

Share your full name, gotra (if known), family members to include and your intention.

Step 3: Choose a Time That Works for Both

Acharya ji fixes an auspicious muhurat. Where possible, the timing takes your time zone into account, so your family can join together.

Step 4: Receive the Call Details

Before the havan, you'll be told which number will call you (or which link to join) and at what time.

Step 5: Join the Havan

At the agreed time you join by video call on the agreed app. You can see the havan kund, hear the mantras and pray along.

Step 6: Receive Blessings and Guidance

After the ritual, Acharya ji may share a few words of guidance and suggest simple practices to continue at home.

Read more: How to Book a Puja in India from the USA, Canada or UK

Time Zones: When Would You Join?

India Standard Time (IST) is UTC +5:30. Here are some typical havan times and what they mean for you:

Summer = daylight saving time (roughly March–November in North America, late March–late October in the UK). Winter = standard time.

Tips: - North America: a morning havan in India falls on your previous evening, often the easiest time for the whole family. - UK: an afternoon or evening havan in India falls in your morning or midday, which is more comfortable than a 2 AM call.

Read more: Time Zones and Muhurat: Joining an Indian Puja from New York, Toronto or London

Setting Up at Home

A little preparation turns a video call into a real act of worship:

Your space - Sit near your home mandir, or set up a small clean space with a yellow cloth. - Light a ghee diya and incense before the call begins. - Keep yellow flowers and a little prasad (fruit or sweets) ready.

Your device - Use a tablet or laptop on a stand rather than a phone in your hand. - Charge the device and connect to stable Wi-Fi. - Turn on Do Not Disturb so notifications don't interrupt. - Test your video call beforehand.

Yourself and your family - Bathe and wear clean clothes, yellow if possible, for Maa Baglamukhi. - Keep the day sattvik: vegetarian food, and no alcohol. - Sit together as a family; let children watch and ask questions afterwards.

Taking Part with Devotion, Not Just Watching

During the havan:

• Fold your hands during the sankalp, when you hear your name and gotra.
• Offer a flower or a few grains of rice at your home mandir along with the ahutis, if you wish.
• Chant softly: the Goddess's name, Om Hleem Baglamukhyai Namah (with guidance), or simply "Jai Maa Baglamukhi".
• Stand for the aarti, and wave your own diya before your mandir.
• Offer your prasad at home, then share it with the family.
• Sit quietly for a minute after the call ends.

What If the Connection Drops?

Internet in rural areas can occasionally be unstable. If the call disconnects:

• Don't worry. The havan continues with your sankalp regardless.
• Keep praying at your home mandir.
• The call will be reconnected where possible, and photos or video can be shared afterwards.

What You'll See During the Havan: A Viewer's Guide

Knowing what's happening on screen helps you take part at the right moments:

For Elders Joining from Home

Many families arrange live havans especially for parents or grandparents who can no longer travel. A few tips:

• Use a large screen (a tablet or TV via casting) and turn the volume up.
• Seat them comfortably near the mandir with a cushion or chair. Sitting on the floor isn't necessary.
• Explain each stage briefly as it happens.
• Let them offer the flower at the sankalp. It is often the most meaningful moment for them.

Before the Call: A Simple Timeline

Etiquette During a Live Havan

Involving Children

• Let them light the diya (with supervision) and offer a flower at the sankalp.
• Explain beforehand: "A priest in India will say our names and offer prayers into the fire."
• Give them a small role: ringing the bell at the aarti, or handing out prasad afterwards.
• Keep expectations gentle. Young children may watch only part of the havan, and that's fine.

Read more: Teaching Children About Hindu Devotion When You Live Abroad

Recording and Privacy

• Ask before recording the call; many families like to keep a recording for elders.
• Share recordings privately within the family; avoid posting other people's faces publicly without consent.
• Your sankalp details stay confidential; they are used only for the ritual.

Tech Troubleshooting

Three Example Situations (Illustrative)

1. A family in Chicago joining a Navratri havan. The havan is at 9:00 AM IST, 10:30 PM the previous night in Chicago. The family eats early, bathes, and joins together on a laptop; the children ring the bell at the aarti.

2. A professional in London joining before work. She books an evening muhurat in India (6:00 PM IST = 1:30 PM in London in summer) and joins from home during a lunch break she has arranged.

3. A couple in Vancouver with an unstable connection. Their call drops halfway through. They stay at their mandir and keep praying; photos and a short video arrive afterwards, and the couple watch them together.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Getting the time zone wrong. Double-check IST vs local time.
2. Joining from a noisy room or while commuting
3. Treating it as a video to watch rather than a ritual to take part in
4. Forgetting a diya and flower at home
5. Panicking if the call drops. The havan continues with your sankalp.

About Acharya Ashish Sharma

Acharya Ashish Sharma has served in the tradition of Maa Baglamukhi for more than 25 years. He is Sanskrit-trained and connected with this tradition since birth, and his office is near Maa Baglamukhi Temple, Nalkheda. He performs traditional Maa Baglamukhi Puja, Havan and Special Anushthan, and offers personal spiritual guidance according to each devotee's situation, for families in India and around the world.