Hindu rite of passage marking first solid food
The annaprashana (Sanskrit: अन्नप्राशन, romanized: annaprāśana), also known as annaprashana vidhi or annaprashanam, is a Hindu rite of passage (Saṃskāra) that marks an infant's first intake of food other than milk. The term annaprashana means 'eating of cooked rice'. In Vedic Hindu culture, the child cannot eat rice until the annaprashana has occurred.[1][2] Importance is given to rice because of its symbolism as a life-sustaining food and a sacred food in the form of kheer. The annaprashana remains an important milestone and the ceremony is celebrated in Bangladesh, Nepal and India.[1] It is also known as mukhēbhāt in West Bengal, cōṟūṇŭ in Kerala, and bhāt khulai in Himachal Pradesh.[3] In Nepal, it is also called macha jankow or pasni.
- ^ a b Lochfeld, James G. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: A-M. The Rosen Publishing Group. pp. 43–44. ISBN 9780823931798.
- ^ Asian Agri-History Vol. 16, No. 4, 2012, page 405 https://www.asianagrihistory.org/pdf/volume16/yl-Nene%20-Rigveda-has-%20reference-to-%20Rice.pdf
- ^ "Annaprashan Vidhi: Which Foods to Give Baby & Safety Tips".