Annaprashan Puja

Introduction to Annaprashan Puja

“अन्नप्राशन” is a Sanskrit word, which refers to the initiation of grain (or rice as a staple food) to the baby or weaning ceremony. It is one of the 16 Sanskaars or rituals in Hinduism and is commonly known as Pasni in Nepal.

Importance and Significance of Annaprashan Puja

Why is Annaprashan/Pasni Ceremony Performed? 

Annaprashan or Pasni ceremony is performed to mark the baby’s transition from consuming liquid foods to solid and semi solid food. Following this ritual, parents can slowly start to introduce other weaning foods into the diet of the baby.

When is Annaprashan/Pasni Ceremony Performed? 

Annaprashan is performed when the baby is ready to make the transition from a liquid food to solid food. The ceremony can be performed anytime from 5 months to 1 year. 

The ceremony is usually performed during the even months for baby boys with the earliest performed on the 6th month of the birth. However, for baby girls, it is performed in the odd months with the earliest performed on 5th month.

How is the Annaprashan Ceremony Performed?

The ceremony is performed by the father of the child in the morning. He takes shower and gets seated at the yagna mandap. The ceremony starts by worshipping Diyo (the symbol of fire) followed by Kalash (the symbol of water) and Lord Ganesha (the remover of obstacles). The 9 planets are also remembered and worshipped on the day. 

After the worshipping of gods, the baby is showered in panchaamrit (5 food items including milk, yoghourt, ghee, honey and jaggery/sakkhar), made dry using towel and worn beautiful dress and ornaments. This is followed by putting on garlands. The baby is faced in the auspicious direction as per the moon sign. The pandit or purohit gives blessings to the baby by reciting vedic mantras.

On the day of Annaprasha, 84 food items are prepared to celebrate the day including 56 cooked foods and are placed to the front of the baby so that the baby has a visibility of those items. Rice pudding is placed on the silver plate or bowl along with silver spoon. The purohit or pandit notifies to the parents of the auspicious time of feeding during which the first rice feeding is to be initiated by the person with compatible moon signs based on the Moon sign of the day. The 6th, 8th and 12th moon signs from the moon sign of the feeding day are not considered auspicious for the first feeding on the auspicious time or Saahit. Once the first feeding is done, everybody else can feed the baby one at a time. 

List of Puja Materials

Below is a comprehensive list of commonly used materials for Annaprashan Puja. Items may vary slightly based on regional traditions and priestly guidance.

• A. Things from Nepali Puja Material Shop or Nepali Grocery Store :

  अबिर (Red Pigment Powder), केशरी (Yellow Pigment Powder), सिन्दूर (Vermilion), श्रीखण्ड (White Pigment Powder), पञ्चपल्लव (Dried Mango Leaves), सर्वौषधि (Sarwaushadhi), पञ्चरत्न (Pancharatna), सप्तमृत्तिका (Saptamrittika), ५ वा ७ सुते कातेको बत्ती (Cotton Wick), अगरबत्ती (Incense Stick), रक्षाबन्धन (Coloured Sacred Thread), सरसिउं (Yellow Mustard), कुश (Dried Holy Grass), जौ (Dried Barley), कालो तिल (Black Sesame Seed), कपुर (Camphor), तुलसीपत्र (Dried Holy Basil Leaves), जनै (Holy Thread), सुपारी (Dried Betel Nut), ल्वाङ, सुकमेल (Cloves, Cardamom), रातो, सेतो कपडा (Red and White Cloth), पहेंलो कपडा (Yellow Cloth) *Please look for the Puja Packet in a nearby Nepali Puja Material Shop. The Puja Set should contain the above items.

• B. Things from the Shopping Centre (eg: Woolworths, Nepali/Indian Grocery) :

  दुध् (Milk), दही (Yoghurt), घिउ (Ghee), चिनी वा सख्खर (Sugar or Jaggery), मह (Honey), तोरिको वा तिलको तेल (Mustard / Sesame Oil), चामल (Rice grains – 2 Kg), फलफुल (Fruits), मिट्ठाइ (Sweets), सलाई (Match Box), टपरी वा प्लेट (Paper Plates), दुना वा ब्बल (Paper Bowls), चम्चा (Wooden Spoons), जिपलक (Sandwich Bag), पानीवाला नरिवल (Watery Coconut), आल्मोनियम ट्रे (Medium Aluminium Tray)

• C. Things from the Garden :

  फुल (Flowers), दुबो (Holy Grass), आंपको पत्ता (Mango Leaves – minimum 5), पिपलको पत्ता (Peepal Leaves – minimum 5), पानको पत्ता (Betel Leaves – minimum 5), तुलसी पत्ता (Tulasi Leaves) *If you are not able to source Peepal, Mango, Tulasi or Betel Leaves, please do not worry and arrange flowers instead.

• D. Things at Home (Could also be bought from the Nepali Grocery Store) :

  दियो (Diyo), कलश (Kalash), पन्चपात्र (Panchapatra), आचमनी (Aachamani), पुजा थाली (Puja Thali), अगरबत्ती राख्ने भांडो (Agarbatti Stand), कर्मपात्र (Copper Bowl), अर्घपात्र (Surya Arghapatra), संख (Conch), घण्टी (Ghanti), गणेश भगवानको मूर्ती (Ganesh Statue), खुजुरा पैसा (Coins and Notes – e.g. $1, $5), टिस्यु / पेपर टावेल (Tissue / Paper Towel), आसन वा चकटी (Mats for Sitting) *If the above puja utensils are not available at home, plates, bowls or similar items purchased from the shopping centre may be used.

• E. Things Required During Annaprashan (During Auspicious Time of the Feeding) :

  ८४ ब्यञ्जन, ५६ भोग (84 food items, of which 56 are cooked), सृङार सामाग्री (Clothes and ornaments for baby), चांदिको कचौरा (Silver Bowl), चांदिको चम्चा (Silver Spoon), फुलको माला (Flower Garland), दुबोको माला (Grass Garland), खिर (Rice Pudding), टिका एवम अक्षता (Red Rice Tika) *Items such as Silver Bowl and Silver Spoon can be sourced from a Nepali Jewellery Shop. The detailed list of food items for Pasni is provided on the next page.

• F. List of Food Items (Please note, the first 56 items are very important) :

  मक्खन मिश्री (Butter with Rock Sugar), खिर (Rice Pudding), रसवरी (Rasgulla), जिरा लड्डु (Cumin Ladoo), जेरी / जलेबी (Jalebi), कुराउनी (Milk Curd Sweet), नमकिन (Salty Snacks), मालपुवा (Sweet Pancake), मोहनभोग (Semolina Sweet), पुदिनाको चटनी (Mint Chutney), अमलाको गुलियो अचार (Sweet Amla Pickle), रायोको साग (Mustard Greens), दही (Yoghurt), भात (Rice), मासको दाल (Urad Lentil Curry), कडी (Yoghurt Curry), घेवर (Traditional Sweet), गिलो रोटी – गुलियो (Sweet Pancake), पेड़ा (Milk Sweet), पापड (Papadum), मुंगको हलुवा (Moong Dal Halwa), पकौडा (Fritters), खिचडी (Rice and Lentil Porridge), बैगनको तरकारी (Eggplant Curry), लौकाको तरकारी (Bottle Gourd Curry), पुरी (Fried Bread), बदाम दूध (Almond Milk), आलु चप (Potato Cutlet), काजु (Cashew Nuts), पिस्ता (Pistachio), मधेसी बदाम (Peanuts), इलाइची (Cardamom), पञ्चामृत (Five-nectar Mix), आँपको गुलियो अचार (Sweet Mango Pickle), नमकिन – गुलियो (Sweet Snacks), गहुँको दलिया (Wheat Porridge), घिउ (Clarified Butter), मह (Honey), मक्खन (Butter), कुल्फी (Frozen Milk Dessert), कचौरी (Stuffed Fried Snack), रोटी (Flatbread), नरिवल पानी (Coconut Water), आँप (Mango), केरा (Banana), सरबत (Sweet Drink), अंगुर (Grapes), स्याउ (Apple), आलुबखडा (Plum), किसमिस (Raisins), चनाको तरकारी (Chickpea Curry), गुलियो भात (Sweet Rice), भुजिया (Fried Savoury Snack), उमालेको सुपारी – गुलियो (Sweet Boiled Areca Nut), सौंफ (Fennel Seeds), पान (Betel Leaf), पालुंगोको तरकारी (Spinach Curry), सक्खर (Sugar), बेसनको लड्डु (Gram Flour Ladoo), बुनियाँको लड्डु (Boondi Ladoo), बदाम दूध (Almond Milk), चनाको दाल (Chickpea Lentils), गिलो रोटी – नुनिलो (Salty Flatbread), बेसनको हलुवा (Gram Flour Halwa), उमालेको सुपारी – नुनिलो (Salty Boiled Areca Nut), आलु (Potato), पुवा (Flattened Rice Sweet), समोसा (Stuffed Pastry), पराठा (Layered Flatbread), बर्फी (Milk Fudge), लस्सी (Yoghurt Drink), बुनियाँ (Boondi), दही–चिउरा (Curd with Beaten Rice), ढिँडो (Traditional Thick Porridge), पुलाउ (Rice Pilaf), सेल रोटी (Traditional Rice Bread), क्वाँटी (Mixed Bean Soup), फिनी (Vermicelli Sweet), भक्का (Steamed Rice Cake), चाकु (Molasses Sweet), बारा (Lentil Pancake), मुलाको अचार (Radish Pickle), गाजरको हलुवा (Carrot Halwa), रबडी (Thickened Sweet Milk)

Download Puja Materials

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