Upanayanam or Sacred Thread Ceremoney - Part 2

This is continuation of the previous post. This post is about the happenings on day two when the actual Upanayanam takes place and my niece's son Yash gets to wear his Yajnopavitham or Sacred Thread and enters Brahmacharyam:

Beginning of Day 2 - starting with a prayer

The mama (uncle) smearing kumkumam and chandanam (sandalwood paste) on the boy's forehead

The boy being garlanded by the mama

The boy is now ready to be initiated

Aajyabhaagaantha homam..it is a prayer to the God of Fire, Agni for the child's long life, intellect, courage

Boy reciting the  Mantras - above & below

Yagnopaveetha Dharanam...The father places the sacred thread across the child's left shoulder under the advice of  the Head Priest. The sacred thread consists of three strands signifying Brahmma, Vishnu, and Shiva. 

The young boy is now wearing his Yajnopavitham or Sacred Thread

Boy posing for a photo with his newly acquired "Yajnopavitham"

Kumara Bhojanam - The boy is fed along with one or two other Brahmachari, a symbol that he too has now become a Brahmachari

Next  a girdle made out the mooja grass (dharbai grass) is tied around the waist of the child. This is to protect his purity and to keep evils away.

Boy carried by his proud and beaming father - all are very happy

The Twig in the right hand.. .. a small stick of peepal tree with green leaves signifies his entry into Brahmmacharya. The Gods Brahmma, Vishnu and Rudra - all the three Gods reside in the peepal tree is a belief and thus the boy  receives the grace from the three Gods and also from the Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga.

Boy washing his fathers feet thus accepting him as a Guru

Brammopadesam...The Gayatri mantra is a supreme mantra and protects those who recite it. The boy's father becomes his GURU and whispers into his ears this powerful Gayatri mantra.


The Gayatri Mantra has been chronicled in the Rig Veda, which was written in Sanskrit about 2500 to 3500 years ago, and the mantra may have been chanted for many centuries before that. The ancient Hindu scriptures describe how the sage Vishwamitra was given the Gayatri mantra by the Supreme Being as a reward for his many years of deep penance and meditation.  This was to be a gift for all humanity.

No photographs are available of the following rituals which also form an important part of the Sacred Thread Ceremony: 

1.Soorya Dharshan...The boy to be taken outside and shown the Surya, the sun god. This assumption here is that he will be protected by Surya. The palms are clasped in such a way that it makes a peep hole to the Sun God.
  2. Bhikshakaranam...The boy symbolically asks for alms of rice from his mother and other married women. This is an important event and is done to make one humble, polite, and egoless. Also this makes the young boy to control his senses, which is absolutely essential for receiving Vedic knowledge.
 3. Abhivathanam..After upanayanam, the boy seeks the blessings of the all the elders present by saluting them on their feet with shashtanga namaskar. During this this abhivathanam, the boy introduces himself by his rishi, parampara, gothram, suthram and name step by step.