Note 171 — Volume II. (continued 2)

The Annaprâsana. 20. According to the early ritual the “food-giving” rite or annaprâsana was performed in the sixth month after birth. “The child was carried in the arms of its father and placed in the midst of a party of friends, including the family priest, who offered prayers for its welfare and presented it gifts. A little food (generally rice) was then for the first time placed in its mouth, and various qualities were supposed to be imparted, according to the nature of the food given, whether rice, butter, honey, milk, or the flesh of partridges or goats.”171 Now-a-days in the sixth month a lucky day is selected. Rich food (pûri, bakhîr) is cooked; the waist string of some old member of the family is broken and tied round the waist of the baby to ensure its long life. Then a tray containing rich food is laid before the oldest man in the family. He takes a little out, and after making a holy circle round it with water, offers it to Vishnu. The reason of this is that there was once a foolish Brâhman whose children used to die one after the other, so he made a vow that if his child lived, he would eat its ordure. The child did live, and he was fain to avoid performing his rash vow; so he went to a learned Pandit at Benares, who directed him to take out a little of his food that day in this manner, and so his vow would be satisfied. Hence Brâhmans before eating always take out a little food in this way, and offer it to the Thâkur. After this has been done the old man before whom the food has been placed takes up a little of the food on one of the silver coins of the ancient kings or on a gold mohur of the Emperor Akbar, and puts it into the child’s mouth. No English coin will answer the purpose. After this, if the family can afford it, a few Brâhmans are fed. If they are poor they consume the food which has been prepared for the rite, and give a Brâhman some raw grain. Until the annaprâsana is done the child is never left alone lest the witch Jamhua, who is really the impersonation of the infant lock-jaw, which is so fatal to children owing to the cutting of the cord with a blunt instrument and the neglect of all antiseptic treatment, should carry off the baby. Hence a woman or child is always left in charge. As an additional precaution, they also place near the bed an iron lamp-black box (kajrauta), and anoint the child four or five times with a mixture of oil and turmeric (ubtan) in the belief that as it is rubbed its strength will increase.