India is home to many cultural traditions and rituals. Annaprashan is one of them. Annaprashan is a Sanskrit term for the rice initiation ceremony of a child. It is a famous Hindu ritual which marks the transition of a baby from consumption of liquid food to solids. The ceremony is known by different names in different states such as ‘choroonu’ in Kerala, ‘mukhe bhaat’ in Bengal and ‘bhaatkhulai’ in the Garhwal hills of Himachal Pradesh.
Significance of Annaprashan
Annaprashan is an important event in a baby’s life and is the first step of several he/she will take in his/her life’s journey. It’s a reminder that the child is growing up. Depending on the culture or region the parents belong to, the ceremony can take place anywhere between five and nine months of age. For boys, the ritual is generally performed during the even months such as the sixth or eighth month and for girls, it’s done during the odd months, that is, the fifth or seventh month.
The Annaprashan Vidhi
The puja is usually performed on a date and time in consultation with the priest. On the ceremony day, the baby gets dressed in new clothes, often in traditional attire such as a dhoti kurta or a lehenga choli. The Annaprashan ceremony starts with a havan or puja for the baby’s good health and happiness, and then, the symbolic feeding of the prasad or the first bite of solid food is followed. Generally, friends and relatives are invited to attend the ceremony. Then, after the religious ceremony, a fun game is played where a number of symbolic objects are placed on a banana leaf or silver tray and the baby has to pick one. His choice represents his area of interest in the future. So, let’s take a look at the items included: - books symbolising learning
- a pen symbolising wisdom
- jewellery symbolising wealth
- food items symbolising empathy and charity
- clay symbolising property
Types of Food Offered to the Baby
There is a huge variety of food offered to the baby during the Annaprashan ceremony. Some of them given after the first bite of rice are as follows:- Fried rice or pulao
- Kheer or payasam
- Fish (for Non-vegetarians)
- Meat dishes (for Non-vegetarians)
- Dal, sambar or rasam
About DevDarshan
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