Thread Ceremony

In Hinduism, ‘Sacred Thread Ceremony’ ie ‘Upanayan’ is the ritual by which initiates are invested with a sacred thread, to symbolize the transference of spiritual knowledge.

"Sacred thread" (यज्ञोपवीतम्) is a thin, consecrated cord, composed of distinct cotton strands, worn to symbolize the permission given to the wearer to perform ‘sandhya vandanam’ & recite Gayatri Mantra.  

The ceremony is in varying formats across Hindu communities and is also called by varying names, including ‘Vratbandh’, ‘Munj’, etc. 

The sacred thread has three strands. A bachelor wears only one sacred thread.  The three strands sometimes symbolize three debts (ऋण) that must never be forgotten:

1. the debt to one's teachers or masters (गुरुऋण) i.e. those who have taught the child
2. the debt to one's parents and ancestors (पितृऋण) i.e. those who have nurtured the child and made possible his bringing up
3. the debt to the sages and / or scholars (ऋषिऋण) i.e. those whosoever discovered the knowledge , which in turn enriches the child’s life

The three strands symbolize :

Maa Parvati (Goddess of strength), Maa Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth) & Maa Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge)

'Upanayan' (meaning - "leading closer" to the ‘Brahma’) is a version of the sacred thread ceremony which initiates the boy into the study of ‘Brahman’ or the Vedas. The word ‘Brahman’ is the ancient word for Vedas.

The ceremony is performed when the boy is seven years old. During the ritual, the boy is taught the secrets of life through ‘Brahmopadesham’ (revealing the nature of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri Mantra.  

The ‘Yadnyopavitam’ is circular, being tied end-to-end.  It is normally supported on the left  shoulder  and wrapped around the body, falling underneath the right arm.  It has only one knot.  The length of the ‘Yadnyopavitam’ is generally 96 times the breadth of four fingers of a man, which is believed to be equal to his height.  Each of the fingers represents one of the four states that the soul of a man experiences: waking, dreaming, dreamless sleep and knowledge of the absolute.

The sacred ‘Yadnyopavitam’ reminds a ‘Brahmachari ' to lead a regulated life with purity in his thought & deed. This ‘yadnyopavitam’ also represents the debt that is owed to the master, parents and society.

The knot represent the formless Brahman, the pure form of energy which pervades all. The three strands of ‘Yadnyopavitam’ again represent the manifestation of Brahman as Srishti, Sthiti and Vinash. 

‘Samavartana’ means returning home from the Master’s house.  The “Samavartana”, also known as ‘Snana’ (because bathing formed the most  prominent  part  of this ‘Sanskar’) is a usual Hindu sacramental ritual (one of the ‘Sanskars’) that was performed at the end  of the ’Brahmacharya’ period and marked the  termination of the student  life. It signifies a person's entry into ‘Grihasthashram’.

This ‘Sanskar ’ was originally performed in the case of those who had finished their entire course of studies and observed all the ‘Vratas’.  The students who simply memorized the texts of the Vedas, without understanding the meaning and without following rules of conduct prescribed for a ‘Brahmachari ’, were excluded from the right of performance of this ritual.

Marriage is one of the rite / sacrament for all Hindu people.   The rituals and process in a Hindu Wedding vary widely.  Nevertheless, there are few key rituals common in Hindu weddings –‘Kanyadaan’, ‘Panigrahana’, and ‘Saptapadi’  which are respectively, giving away of daughter by the father, voluntarily holding hand close to fire to signify union, and taking seven steps.  Each step includes a vow / promise to each other.

The primary witness of a Hindu marriage is the “fire-deity” (or the ‘Sacred Fire’ i.e. ‘Agni’), of course, in the presence of family, rekatuves and friends.  The ritual ceremony is normally conducted in Sanskrit, which is considered by Hindus as a holy language. 

Hindu Marriage (विवाह) joins two individuals for their entire life, so that they can pursue ‘dharma’  (duty), ‘artha’ (possessions), ‘kama’ (physical desires), and ‘moksha’ (ultimate spiritual release) together. It is a union of two individuals from the opposite sex, as husband / wife, recognized by law.  In Hinduism, marriage is followed by traditional rituals for consummation.  In fact, marriage is not considered complete or valid until consummation.

The pre-wedding and post-wedding rituals and celebrations vary by region, preferences or the resources of the groom, bride and their families. The entire ritual could be performed in one day or on several days. 

Pre-wedding ceremonies include ‘Engagement’ (involving ‘Waagdan’)  and arrival of the groom's party at the bride's residence, often in the form of a formal procession.  The post-wedding ceremonies may include ‘Abhishek’,  ‘Aashirwad’, and ‘Grihapravesh’ - the welcoming of the bride to her new home. The wedding marks the start of ‘Grihastha’ (householder) stage of life for the new couple.

Hindu marriage ritual cannot be standardized.  Regional variations and considerable flexibility in the rituals are prevalent. The variations may be based on family traditions, local traditions, resources of the marrying families & their position in the society, etc.  

Some of the key rituals are as under …

Kanyadaan – It is the giving away of daughter by the father.

Panigrahana – It is a ritual in presence of fire, where the groom takes the bride's hand as a sign of their union.

Saptapadi – It is the most important ritual. It is called the seven step ritual, where each step corresponds to a vow groom makes to bride & vice versa.  The vows are pronounced in Sanskrit.    

After ‘Saptapadi’ is performed, the groom and bride walk around the fire, with the end of their garments tied together.  The fire is the divine witness (to the marriage).  After ‘Saptapadi’, the couple is considered husband and wife.

Many other rituals and ceremonies are sometimes found in Hindu weddings, such as ‘Madhupark’, ‘Vivaha-homam’, ‘Ashmarohana’, ‘Laja hom’, ‘Abhishek’, ‘Aashirwad’, etc.   All these rituals are performed at the wedding location.  These additional rituals include the participation of the brothers /sisters, maternal / paternal relatives, friends, well wishers, etc.

After the wedding, bride & bridegroom return to home.  After returning home the perform  ‘Grihapraveshneey homam’  & ‘Laxmipujan’.