Hi Everyone
My greetings to all
Hope you all are doing well
A child is think of most precious blessing for a family. It's an amazing feeling for a couple to become parents. Grandparents get even more happy.. In my culture they say interest is always dearer than the principal. So grandparents love their grandchildren even more than their children itself.
Traditions in Indian Hindu Jaat culture
As we all know India is a country full of diversity. Here they say water changes with each step you walk. That means here traditions varies with a little change in distance.
So some of traditions are common in all Hindu family being same religion, while some changes with difference in areas.
So now I am going to share various traditions to celebrate the arrival of newborn in my culture
Jatkarma sanskaar
First of all as the baby comes into the world, they put a a little honey on the tongue of the baby and speak name of God in baby's ear to welcome him in the world. Any person present with the baby at the time of birth may do it. It said that the baby would acquire some of the characteristics of the person giving him honey.
[My little angel, a few hours after her birth]
Informing everyone
In old times whenever a baby boy was born, a bronze plate was beaten with a wooden ladle, starting from the baby's ear then going outside, this was done to inform everyone in the neighborhood to inform about the arrival of son in the family. With the passage of time, things have changed a lot, some people have started doing the same in the case of birth of a baby girl.
Sutak Period (Period of confinement)
Both mother and baby are kept in confinement for minimum 10 days, this was done to ensure complete rest to the mother, as the mother has gone through too much difficulties during the delivery of baby. This was done also to maintain the level of hygiene all around the mother and baby.
Chhathi celebrations
On the 6th day of baby's birth, Chatthi is celebrated. For whole of the night ladies sing religious folk songs. An idol of goddess is made of cow dung and pasted on the wall in the room of mother and baby. This is done considering the Goddess would protect the new born baby and write his destiny for this lifetime. They say that all have to stay awake on this night as the goddess writes baby's destiny this night, so all ladies stay awake and keep singing folk songs and remembering God. On this day baby wears new clothes brought by his paternal aunt (sister of his father) and kaajal is put in his eyes to make him/her look more beautiful 😊
[On the 6th day after birth]
Naamkaran sanskaar/Naming ceremony
On the 10th or eleventh day. There is Namkaran Sanskar. This is baby's naming ceremony. This ceremony takes place in guidance of an Astrologer who have a good knowledge of Astrology.
As in Hindu culture special importance is given to the Time, The Muhurat. So time of birth decides the name of the baby.
The Astrologer asks about exact time of birth and after doing all the calculations (about Planets and Nakshatras place at the time of birth) he gives some alphabets, then family of baby choose a name starting from those alphabets only. The family mainly considers the meaning of the name while choosing the name. It is said that name of baby should be kept only on those alphabets as the name will affect a lot of things during whole of his life.
[A sample of birth chart formed after Astrological calculations]
After Naming ceremony, A Yagya Or havan ( rituals on sacred fire) is performed by a Brahmin Astrologer, this is ritual done in sacred fire by burning Ghee in the woods of some special trees like Mango, peepal etc. Name chosen by the family is finally given to the baby with recitation of sacred mantras, and prayers for his healthy life are done. Prasaad is distributed after the prayers. Sacred Gangajal (sacred water of river Ganges) is sprinkled in all corners of the house to purify everything. Smoke that arises out of the fire is said to be killing all the bacteria present in tha air and so purifying the atmosphere all around.
Kua Pujan and Get together
A big function is organized to celebrate the baby's arrival. Most of the relatives and friends are invited to celebrate it. Family of mother's side comes to meet newborn baby with various gifts. Baby's maternal uncle bring yellow color dress with a specially designed yellow or red colored dupatta for baby's mother. As yellow color is considered to be very auspicious on the birth of baby. Baby's mother wear this dress on that day. And then they go to any nearby water well with an empty pot on the head. After some rituals there,they take fresh water from the well in the pot and returns home singing folk songs. But as these days no wells exists in cities so water is brought from any nearby source of fresh water.
This event is named as Kua pujan. May be the logic behind this event was to save wells, the only source of fresh water in ancient times. After this event baby and mother both are ready to explore the world out of the house.
Both the baby and mother stay most of the time in the house for around one month after the birth of the baby. This is done to ensure proper hygiene and rest to the mother as well as the baby. Baby is never left alone even in his room for this period. They say that baby is vulnerable at that time and anything like paranormal may harm the baby. Here the logic may be to protect the baby from cats etc.
That's all about various traditions in my culture. Feel free to ask any query if you have after reading my post. Your feedback is welcomed. Thank you to all whoever made this contest possible.
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@preets