The Hindu Naming Ceremony and Birth Announcements

rajkumari

By Reena Vadehra and Jaee Likhite

 

As new-parents-to-be, you most likely have your child’s name picked out before his or her birth. But according to Hindu tradition, the Naamkaran (naming ceremony) does not occur anywhere from 12 days after birth up to three months later.

 

Details of the ceremony and the date of its occurrence vary by community, but generally Naamkaran is a family affair and in some cases a ladies-only party. The twelfth day after birth is considered auspicious in Hindu tradition as the first 10 days are thought to be impure. Day 12 is also when a pundit formally draws up your new baby’s horoscope. In other communities, the ceremony is held three months after birth when the baby is considered to be too old to be placed in a cradle.

 

Usually a series of pujas (prayers) are performed, organized by a pundit. The mother and her baby are given a ritual bath, kajal is applied to the baby’s eyes, and the baby is adorned in new clothing. The new name is whispered in the baby’s ear by either of the parents and announced to family and friends attending the ceremony. The baby is then blessed with well wishes and gifts by guests.

 

The Naamkaran is a festive and traditional way to celebrate your baby’s birth and his or her new name with family and friends!

 

But the naming ritual doesn’t have to end there! For those that are too far away to take part in the ritual, creating a birth announcement is the perfect way to introduce your new addition to the family!

Here’s what to keep in mind when ordering birth announcements:

 

1. Photography: Treat your baby like a celebrity and take tons of photographs! Take different angles using different outfits. Do close-ups of the face, feet, and hands. Include some family portraits. Consider B&W photos too or ask your graphic designer to convert the color photographs into B&W or sepia.

 

Using baby photos in your birth announcements puts your baby in the spotlight! Incorporating your baby’s photos can also provide a great keepsake for your family and friends. And think about elderly relatives who live far away too who may not be computer-savvy enough to access your online photo albums.

 

2. Design: Choosing a design can be tough but keep in mind a theme you may want to go with. Animals? Horoscope?  Patterns? Bright colors? Pastels? If you want to pay homage to your ethnic or religious tradition, ask your graphic designer to incorporate cultural or religious symbols.

 

3. Wording: At minimum, your birth announcement should include your baby’s name, the parents’ names, and the baby’s date of birth. You can also include other details like the baby’s weight, height, and time of birth. Other information that can be printed include siblings’ names, grandparents’ names, and scriptures or quotes.

4. When to send: Birth announcements can be created and sent up to six months after birth.

 

 

To see more samples of birth announcements or other baby stationery, visit www.3beespaperie.com.

 

Reena and Jaee are founders of 3 Bees Paperie, a wedding and social event stationery company that provides high quality and eco-friendly paper with contemporary, South Asian inspired designs. The company aims to provide unique inspirations for life’s celebrations through its three collections: Couture Weddings, ready-to-order wedding stationery; Baby Bees, ready-to-order birth announcements; and Made for You, for custom stationery. For more information, visit www.3beespaperie.com.

 


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