Birth and naming ceremonies
Sikhs believe that the birth of an individual is a special gift from God and should therefore be celebrated. They believe that a person has many reincarnationThe religious belief that existence is a cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth, and that the soul survives physical death and is reborn in a new body. and that the birth of someone as a human is special as it provides the opportunity for an individual to become closer to God.
Naam karan
Sikhs celebrate the birth of a child through a naming ceremony, called naam karanA Sikh ceremony for naming a newborn child. This is a special ceremony that happens around two weeks after the birth of the child. It is held at the gurdwara.
The ceremony has the following stages:
- The granthiReader of the Guru Granth Sahib, who officiates at ceremonies. This can be a man or a woman. opens the Guru Granth SahibThe Guru Granth Sahib is the most important Sikh holy book. It is a collection of songs, prayers and hymns from the Sikh Gurus and other holy men, as well as teachings from other faiths. It is treated as a living Guru. at random. Sikhs believe that the page that is revealed will be determined by Hukam The order or command of God, referred to as Waheguru. or God’s will.
- As the page opens at random, the granthi reads the first line of the page.
- The first letter of the first word on that page decides the first letter of the child’s name, which the parents choose.
- The granthi then announces the name to the congregation.
- During the service, the baby is given a spoonful of amritNectar. Sanctified (holy) liquid made of sugar and water, used in initiation ceremonies. which is made and stirred with a double-edged sword.
- The parents make Karah PrashadSanctified food ( a sweet pudding made from wheat flour, sugar, clarified butter and water) distributed at Sikh ceremonies. or give a donation for it to be made. This is offered to the sangatCongregation in a Sikh gurdwara. at the end of the service.
Although many Sikhs use their family name, some decide to use the names Kaur and Singh. This is to follow Guru Gobind Singh’s practice of calling all men Singh, meaning ‘Lion’, and all women ‘Kaur’, meaning ‘Princess’, to remind Sikhs of the oneness of humanity.
The True Guru has truly given a child. The long-lived one has been born to this destiny. He came to acquire a home in the womb, and his mother’s heart is so very glad. A son is born - a devotee of the Lord of the universe.
The naming ceremony is an important rite for Sikhs. It means that the child has been officially welcomed into the sangat and has been blessed by God.
