''Barasala'' (also ''Namakarana Dolarohana'' or ''Naam Karan'', or spelled ''Balasare'') is a traditional ceremony of naming a newborn baby among

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

communities of India.

Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...

celebrate this ceremony in the name of Javed Habat or Brit Mila. It resembles the Christian

baptism Baptism (from ) is a Christians, Christian sacrament of initiation almost invariably with the use of water. It may be performed by aspersion, sprinkling or affusion, pouring water on the head, or by immersion baptism, immersing in water eit ...

ceremony, and was also celebrated in ancient

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and

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Process

The ''Barasala'' is usually celebrated on the 7th day, 11th day, 16th day, 21st day, 3rd month, 5th month or 29th month after the birth of a child.

Brahmin Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

s determine an auspicious time for the ceremony, which is conducted either at a temple or at home. Prior to this function, the house is cleaned well to perform some '' pujas''. On the day, the baby is given a bath, clothed and placed in a cradle. Women gather around the cradle to sing traditional songs. In the ritual, the mother is honoured and the child is blessed by the elders of the family and community. The father whispers the baby's name into its ear three times. The name is also written on rice spread on the floor or on a tray. The child's maternal uncle takes a gold ring dipped in a mixture of cow milk & honey and puts it on the baby's tongue. The elders then give blessings to the child that it may earn a good reputation, become a great person, and have a bright future. Many communities combine this ceremony with cradle ceremony on 21st day after checking out auspicious time and date without '' Rahukalam'' and '' durmuhurtam''. The cradle is cleaned and

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and

vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color family and pigment most often used between antiquity and the 19th century from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide). It is synonymous with red orange, which often takes a moder ...

is applied and decorated it with flowers. Tambulam is placed in the four corners of the swing, and the baby is placed in the cradle by the elder member from the child's father's family, with or without the priest chanting mantras. The child is placed in and the elder swings the cradle three times followed by '' akshintalu'' and a blessing of the child. Blessings from the rest of the family follow. The ceremony is performed at home or in a temple.

Purpose

Although the child cannot understand the purpose, the ceremony helps the parents to realise that they have to shape their child into a good citizen and show a bright future to the child. It also helps the guests to realise the greatness and sweetness of human life.

References

{{reflist Culture of Andhra Pradesh Culture of Telangana

Process

Purpose

See also

References