What is Rice Eating Ceremony (Annaprashan Puja)?

How does it feel when your baby is all set to have his/her first solid food? Were you not eagerly waiting for this time to come? The occasion when your baby consumes food for the first time is celebrated as Annaprashan Ceremony or Rice Eating Ceremony.

Annaprashan(Rice Eating Ceremony) is a sanskrit word which means grain initiation. Popularly, it is known as Rice Eating Ceremony and celebrated all across the country with unbridled enthusiasm but by different names for instance it is called mukhe bhaat, choroonu, bhaatkhulai in Bengal, Kerala and Garhwal respectively. With Annaprashan Puja, solid food makes its way into your baby’s life. After this ritual you can gradually include other weaning food’s into your baby’s diet. However, rites and rituals pertaining to the ceremony differs from region to region but the essence of the celebration remains the same. After six months and before the first birthday, Rice Eating Ceremony should be celebrated. Annaprashan ceremony(Rice Eating Ceremony) should be celebrated during the even months for boys and odd months for the girls. The ceremony can be conducted both at a temple or home. 

Significance of Rice Eating Ceremony

• It is believed to shield the kid
• It helps to lengthen the kid’s life
• Brings prosperity in the kid’s life

It is believed to cleanse the baby of the things that he may have swallowed once he was in uterus.

घर की सामग्री

Flower ( फूल) – 250g, Flower mala (फूल माला) – 2, Milk  (दूध) – 100g, Curd  (दही) – 100g, Sweet (मिठाई) – 500g, Fruit (फल) – 15, Plate (थाली) – 2, Spoon (चम्मच) – 2, Bowl (कटोरी) – 2, ,  Tulsi leaf (तुलसी की पत्ती), Blanket (कंबल) – 2, sand (रेत), Beachhead (चौकी) – 1, hawan kund (हवन कु्ंड).