I was fortunate enough to attend a Bratabandha in Boston, Massachusetts for the 2 sons of my girlfriend’s friend.

The ceremony was for Sabhar and Sage who are two absolutely, delightful, lovely children.

Now I had never been to a Bratabandha Ceremony before so in short form here is what I found out about it.

Bratabandha is a traditional Hindu ceremony that takes place both in India and Nepal. It’s a rite of passage that notes that transition of a boy into manhood. The Mom in this case decided to celebrate both boys at the same time (which I can well appreciate!) even though the ceremony usually takes place for each boy when he is eight or nine.

Now, during this ceremony, each boy was given a sacred thread, known as a yajnopavita or janeu. This type of thread is made of cotton or silk and has three strands. They symbolize the three aspects of the Hindu trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). Each boy wears the thread over his left shoulder and under his right arm and it’s considered to be a symbol of the boy’s commitment to his Hindu faith in addition his spiritual journey.

This very colorful and joyful ceremony is performed by a priest and includes the repetition of mantras and the offering of prayers to the Gods. The young boys are also required “as part of their spiritual discipline” to be celibate and not to eat certain foods.

After the ceremony, each boy is considered to be “twice born” and is expected to follow the rules and duties of a Hindu householder. The Bratabandha ceremony is known to be an essential part of Hindu culture and is always celebrated with joy by his family, friends and community.

Here are some photos from the experience.

It was a true joy for me to attend this event and I’m feeling very grateful!