Upanayan Sanskar

“Mr Pai, What, is this? You always seem to have lot of time for your office work? I had asked you to do one simple work of calling up our family priest and finding out one good muhurtam for Radhey’s thread ceremony. But no. You are always busy?”

Mr Pai, shoved the laptop aside. He knew his wife was annoyed and for a good reason. His kids Radhey and Ramya were sheepishly looking at them while pretending to study. They seemed to enjoy the conversation.

Mr Pai got up from his desk and went straight to Radhey and boxed his ear, “What Betaji, what is it you are studying?” he asked.

“Aww, Papa, it’s hurting Please leave my ear. I’m sorry.”

“Hmm, that’s better.”

“Papa, why should this thread ceremony be done?”

“ That’s because we are Brahmins. Gowd Saraswat Brahmin’s to be precise. The boys wear the sacred thread after the Thread ceremony. Sacred thread is an important marker of knowledge, especially Vedic knowledge. Children are called “dwij” twice born after the ceremony as according to this vedic ritual it is the rebirth of the child in to the world of knowledge. Initially this ceremony was meant for both boys and girls but later on it got restricted to the boys only.”

“Yes, papa. In our class 6 History text book it was mentioned that ancient women scholars like Gargi, Maithreyi, Lopamudra had undergone this ceremony,” Ramya said.

“Good memory I must say,” Dad said.

“Papa, please tell us more about this sacred ritual,” the kids pleaded.

“We are Hindu Brahmins. And as per our customs, the Upanayan Sanskar marks the acceptance of a student by a guru. It has to be done preferably before the boy completes 16 years of age, so it is important to ask the priest about Gurubala – a favourable time and date for doing the ceremony. In the olden days after the thread ceremony, the boys had to leave their parents house and go and stay with the Guru in the “Gurukul” and acquire knowledge. The sacred thread which the boy wears after the ceremony is a reminder to the student about his purpose.”

“On the thread ceremony day, the child’s head is shaved off. Then he’s given the ritualistic sacred bath and after doing a few more rituals and performing the yajna, he’s made to wear the Yajnopaveet i.e the sacred thread. The father then teaches the Gayatri Mantra to the son. After this ritual, the boy holds a stick in his hand and asks for alms. He becomes a Brahmin after the ceremony and is ready to go to Kashi. That is the reason why at the time of marriage the bride’s father gives a coconut to the groom and brings him in to the marriage hall requesting him not to go to Kashi but get married to his daughter and enter Grihastashram.”

“Oh! Now I understand why in Srija Didi’s marriage uncle gave the coconut to the groom and brought him to the marriage hall,” said Ramya.

“Every ritual in every culture has a certain significance. You just need to look at it in the right way and keep your culture and traditions alive by following and practicing it. Only then its going to be preserved. Now before your mother hollers at me again let me call the priest,” saying so Dad got up and went towards the drawing room.

The kids were excited to witness this wonderful ritual.