Annaprasana - First solid food feeding ceremony

Annaprasana or the baby’s first solid food feeding ceremony is usually performed in sixth or seventh month as per the gender of the baby. For boy child it’s usually performed on sixth or even months and for girl child it is performed in seventh or odd months. This ceremony is a celebration of introduction of first soft solid food to baby as per Hindu tradition. It is generally believed that Annaprasana ceremony also helps to propitiate speech of baby.

In this ceremony the baby is given rice kheer or payasam and is fed with a golden ring or silver spoon either in some temple or in the presence of a priest, Mantras are recited and pujas are offered to the various deities.

According to the Grihyasutras, Annaprasana should be performed between six and seven months of baby’s age. For a weaker child, ceremony is usually postponed by few months. However Annaprasana should not be performed before the child is four months old as the child digestive systems are not fully developed to digest solid food. Also this ceremony should be performed before the child is one year old because delaying solid food nourishment could retard the child's growth and development.

In many regions its is often believe that Annaprasana should be performed after the child's first teeth has come out as this is a sure sign Childs digestive systems are developed and will be able to digest solid food.

Many articles such as books, fruits, toys, money etc. are spread before the child and the baby is allowed to touch them. It is believed that whatever the baby touches first will be his interest for the rest of his life.

After Annaprasana ceremony baby begins its feed on soft solid food items and small quantity of food is administered to baby regularly along with mother milk