Life moments

Every Ceremony, From Before Birth

The sixteen sanskaras mark each stage of life. Each region has its own name and customs for them. Here is what each one means, what it is called in your language, how families do it, and a checklist you can print, even far from home.

Shodasha sanskaras

The Sixteen Sanskaras

From the first prayer for a child to the last rites, these are the sixteen milestones of a traditional Hindu life. Tap a highlighted one for a full guide.

  1. 1GarbhadhanaConceptionBefore life

    A prayer by the couple for a healthy, wished-for child.

  2. 2PumsavanaEarly pregnancyThird month

    Prayers for the healthy growth of the baby in the womb.

  3. 3SimantonnayanaSeemantha, the baby showerSeventh or eighth month

    The mother is blessed, adorned and fed her favourite foods, with music for the baby.

  4. 4JatakarmaWelcoming the newbornAt birth

    The father touches honey and ghee to the baby's lips and whispers a blessing.

  5. 5NamakaranaNaming ceremony11th or 12th day

    The baby is given a name, first whispered in the right ear.

  6. 6NishkramanaFirst outingThird or fourth month

    The baby is taken outside to see the sun and visit a temple for the first time.

  7. 7AnnaprashanaFirst solid foodSixth month

    The first taste of rice, often sweet payasa, fed by the parents or grandparents.

  8. 8ChudakaranaFirst haircutFirst or third year

    The birth hair is shaved, often at a family temple.

  9. 9KarnavedhaEar piercingFirst to fifth year

    Ears are pierced with a gold wire, for health and beauty.

  10. 10VidyarambhaFirst letters (Aksharabhyasa)Around five years

    The child writes Om and the first letters in rice, guided by an elder.

  11. 11UpanayanaSacred threadEight to twelve years

    The child receives the sacred thread and the Gayatri mantra, and begins formal learning.

  12. 12VedarambhaBeginning studyWith or after upanayana

    The student starts learning the Vedas or a chosen subject from a teacher.

  13. 13KeshantaComing of ageAround sixteen

    The first shave, marking the move into young adulthood.

  14. 14SamavartanaGraduationEnd of studies

    The student completes study, thanks the teacher and returns home.

  15. 15VivahaMarriageAdulthood

    Two families join, with saptapadi, the seven steps taken together around the fire.

  16. 16AntyeshtiLast ritesEnd of life

    The final sanskara, returning the body to the five elements with prayers for peace.

Guides and checklists

Ceremony Guides

Each guide explains the steps, gives a checklist to print, and tips for doing it abroad. Detailed vidhi booklets with mantras are being prepared.

Simantonnayana

Garbha Sanskara and Seemantha

Also called: Seemantham (Telugu), Valaikappu (Tamil), Pulikudi (Kerala), Dohale Jevan (Marathi), Godh Bharai (Hindi)

Pregnancy, with Seemantha in the 7th or 8th month

Garbha Sanskara is the care of mother and baby through pregnancy: calm food, a gentle daily rhythm, good thoughts and music, mantras and stories for the baby. Seemantha (Valaikappu in Tamil Nadu, Dohale Jevan in Maharashtra, Godh Bharai in the north) is the family celebration of the mother in the seventh or eighth month.

See the Garbha Sanskara courseGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Ganapati puja and sankalpa for a safe pregnancy
  2. The husband parts the mother's hair with a porcupine quill or durva grass (the old Simantonnayana rite)
  3. Elder women bless her with turmeric, kumkum, flowers and bangles
  4. Veena or flute music and songs are played for the baby
  5. The mother is served the dishes she craves, often on a banana leaf

Checklist

Living abroad? If family can't travel, hold a short Seemantha on a video call: elders bless from India while friends nearby do the bangle ceremony. Our Garbha Sanskara course covers the whole pregnancy, week by week.

Namakarana

Naming Ceremony

Also called: Namakaranam (Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam), Barsa or Naamkaran (Marathi, Hindi)

The 11th or 12th day after birth, or any auspicious day in the first year

The baby is given a name in front of family and the household deity. Many families choose a name from the baby's nakshatra (birth star) syllable, a grandparent's name or a deity, and keep a short "house name" as well.

Browse baby namesGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Punyahavachana, a short purification of the home and mother
  2. Ganapati puja and sankalpa
  3. The father whispers the name three times into the baby's right ear
  4. The name is written in a plate of rice with a gold ring
  5. The baby is placed in a decorated cradle while women sing a cradle song (thottilu in Karnataka, palna in Maharashtra, thalattu in Tamil Nadu)

Checklist

Living abroad? Hospitals abroad register a name within days, so families often choose the name early and hold the ceremony later at home. A priest can join online for the mantras.

Annaprashana

First Rice

Also called: Annaprasanam (Telugu), Choroonu (Kerala), Annaprasan or Mukhe Bhaat (Bengal), Ann Prashan (Hindi)

Around the sixth month (even months for boys, odd for girls in some families)

Annaprashana is the baby's first taste of solid food, usually sweet rice payasa made with milk and a little jaggery, fed by the father, grandfather or maternal uncle.

Payasa recipeGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Puja to the family deity and Annapurna
  2. Prepare sweet payasa and a little plain rice with ghee
  3. The baby is fed the first spoon with a silver spoon or a ring
  4. In some homes a tray of objects (book, pen, money, food) is placed before the baby to see what they reach for

Checklist

Living abroad? Follow your paediatrician's guidance on starting solids. Keep the first taste very small and smooth; the ceremony is about blessing, not the amount eaten.

Vidyarambha / Aksharabhyasa

First Letters

Also called: Aksharabhyasam (Telugu), Vidyarambham (Kerala, Tamil Nadu), Vidyarambh or Akshar Abhyas (Hindi, Marathi)

Around age three to five, often on Vijayadashami or Vasant Panchami

The child begins learning by writing Om and the first letters of the alphabet in a plate of rice or on a slate, guided by a parent, grandparent or teacher, with a prayer to Saraswati and Ganesha.

Alphabet tracing sheetGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Saraswati and Ganesha puja
  2. The child sits on an elder's lap facing east
  3. Om and the first vowels of the child's mother tongue are written in rice with the child's finger
  4. The child is given a new book, slate or pencil
  5. Many families visit a Saraswati temple on the day, such as Sringeri or Kollur in Karnataka, Basar in Telangana, Koothanur in Tamil Nadu or Panachikkad in Kerala

Checklist

Living abroad? Hold it on a weekend near Vijayadashami. A grandparent can guide the child's hand over a video call while a parent holds the plate.

Upanayana

Sacred Thread Ceremony

Also called: Upanayanam (Telugu, Malayalam), Poonal (Tamil), Munja or Munji (Marathi), Janeu Sanskar (Hindi)

Between eight and twelve years, on a date set by a priest

Upanayana marks the start of formal learning. The child receives the sacred thread (yajnopavita), is taught the Gayatri mantra by the father or guru, and begins the daily practice of Sandhyavandana (Sandhyavandanam).

Find a priestGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Udakashanti and Nandi (prayers to ancestors) the day before
  2. The child eats a last meal with the mother (matru bhojana)
  3. Thread is worn and the Gayatri mantra is taught under a cloth
  4. The child asks for alms (bhiksha), first from the mother
  5. Homa and blessings, then the first Sandhyavandana

Checklist

Living abroad? Many temples abroad hold group upanayanas, and some families travel to India for it. Start Sandhyavandana practice a few months before so the child is comfortable.

Vivaha

Wedding

Also called: Kalyanam or Thirumanam (Tamil), Pelli (Telugu), Maduve (Kannada), Lagna (Marathi), Vivah or Shaadi (Hindi)

Adulthood, on a muhurta set by the family priest

A Hindu wedding joins two families. Customs differ across India, but most include the kanyadana, the tying of the mangalasutra, and saptapadi, the seven steps around the sacred fire, each with a promise.

Ask us for a priestGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Engagement (nischitartha) and pre-wedding pujas
  2. Kashi yatra, the playful mock pilgrimage of the groom (in South India), or the baraat procession (in the north)
  3. Kanyadana, the bride's parents giving her hand
  4. Mangalya dharana, tying the mangalasutra
  5. Saptapadi, seven steps with seven vows
  6. Arundhati darshana and blessings from elders

Checklist

Living abroad? For weddings outside India, many couples hold a shorter ceremony of about 90 minutes focused on kanyadana, mangalya dharana and saptapadi, with an English explanation for guests.

Griha Pravesha

Housewarming

Also called: Gruhapravesam (Telugu), Grihapravesam or Paal Kaachal (Tamil), Vastu Shanti (Marathi)

When moving into a new home, on an auspicious day

Griha Pravesha blesses a new home before the family lives in it. Even for a rented flat abroad, a simple version brings a sense of beginning.

Puja handoutsGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Enter with the right foot first, carrying a kalasha of water and a lamp
  2. Ganapati puja and Vastu puja
  3. Boil milk until it overflows, for abundance
  4. Navagraha or Satyanarayana puja if wished
  5. Share a meal with guests in the new home

Checklist

Living abroad? Smoke alarms are sensitive: use a small ghee lamp and skip the homa or do it outdoors. Boiling milk works anywhere.

Shashtipurti

60th Birthday

Also called: Shashtiabdapurti (Telugu), Sashtiapthapoorthi or Manivizha (Tamil), Shashtyabdi (Marathi)

The 60th birthday, when the Jupiter-Saturn cycle completes

At sixty the cycle of sixty years in the Indian calendar is complete, and children celebrate their parents with a renewal of the marriage vows, a homa and a family gathering. It is a lovely occasion for children abroad to fly home.

Plan it with usGet the vidhi booklet

How it is done

  1. Ugraratha shanti homa for long life
  2. Renewal of the mangalasutra and garlands
  3. Children wash their parents' feet and seek blessings
  4. A family meal with music and memories

Checklist

Living abroad? If you can't travel, organise it with a priest in India and join live, or send a recorded message from each grandchild.

For the naming ceremony

Baby Names With Meaning

Names from Sanskrit, loved across India. Search, or filter by boy or girl.

  • AadhyaThe first; a name of the GoddessGirl
  • AaravPeaceful, calmBoy
  • AditiBoundless; mother of the godsGirl
  • AdityaThe sunBoy
  • AdvaithNon-dual, uniqueBoy
  • AkashSkyBoy
  • AnanyaUnique, one of a kindGirl
  • ArjunBright, shining; the hero of the MahabharataBoy
  • AryaNobleBoy or girl
  • DhruvaSteady; the pole starBoy
  • DiyaLamp, lightGirl
  • GauriFair, radiant; Goddess ParvatiGirl
  • IraEarth; Goddess SaraswatiGirl
  • IshaanLord Shiva; the north-eastBoy
  • KartikSon of Shiva; a month of lampsBoy
  • KavyaPoetryGirl
  • KiranRay of lightBoy or girl
  • LakshmiGoddess of prosperityGirl
  • MadhavKrishna; sweet like honeyBoy
  • MeeraThe poet-saint devoted to KrishnaGirl
  • NakulOne of the Pandava brothersBoy
  • NandiniBringer of joy; the sacred cowGirl
  • NilaBlue, like the skyGirl
  • PranavThe sacred sound OmBoy
  • PreranaInspirationGirl
  • RishiSage, seerBoy
  • RohanRising, ascendingBoy
  • SaanviGoddess LakshmiGirl
  • SahanaPatience; a ragaGirl
  • ShreyasExcellence, good fortuneBoy
  • SiddharthOne who has reached the goalBoy
  • TaraStarGirl
  • VaishnaviDevotee of VishnuGirl
  • VihaanDawn, a new beginningBoy

Many families also choose a name starting with the syllable of the baby's birth star (nakshatra). A priest or panchanga gives the syllable from the time of birth.

Need help?

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