What happens during the Upanayana ceremony?

Sacred Thread ceremony (Upanayana) In some Hindu communities, the male participant’s head is shaved for the ceremony, symbolising a cleansing from their old ways of living. New clothes are put on after bathing. Gifts and blessings from family and friends are often received.

What is the purpose of the Upanayana?

upanayana, Hindu ritual of initiation, restricted to the three upper varnas, or social classes, that marks the male child’s entrance upon the life of a student (brahmacharin) and his acceptance as a full member of his religious community.

Why is Munji done?

This ritual is performed to get the blessings of the ancestors. Mathru Bhojana: For the last time, the boy is fed by his mother and both of them eat from the same plate.

Why is Janeu worn before marriage?

Thus we can see that the Janeu thread is very sacred. It has to be worn after cleaning and purifying oneself. Hinduism has many sacred rituals of which the Thread Ceremony is considered one of the most important rituals of Hindu rituals before marriage.

Can a girl wear Janeu?

In a tradition that is more than four decades old, girls in a Bihar village wear the ‘janeu’ or the sacred thread, which is otherwise the preserve of men or boys.

Why do Brahmins wear sacred thread?

At the very root of this lies the seemingly harmless janeu, the sacred thread worn primarily by Brahmins. It signifies the rite of passage from boy to man, and more importantly, the dvija or ‘twice born’.

How many threads are there in janeu before marriage?

Young unmarried boys wear sacred janeu threads with 3 strands. The married men wear sacred threads with 6 strands.

How Upanayana is performed?

Upanayana is an elaborate ceremony, that includes rituals involving the family, the child and the teacher. A boy receives during this ceremony a sacred thread called Yajñopaveetam that he wears. The Yajñopavita ceremony announce that the child had entered into formal education.