Abstract

A REVIEW ARTICLE ON CHILDHOOD SAMSKARAS

Risha Dhir*

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Abstract

Samskaras are the rites of passage in a human being’s life described in ancient Sanskrit text. They include important cultural events in an individual’s life from birth till death. Samskara build wakefulness for the attainment of social status and rights for the individual. While performing Samskaras physician can also assess the proper growth and development of the child. The number of Samskara varies in different Hindu Dharma Granthas, it is about 16-40, but the applicable Samskara are 16 (Shodash) in number which spreads from Garbhadan to Anteysthi Samskara. This article will describe in detail eight Samskaras for growth and development of children, along with their medical relevance: Jatakarma (birth rituals), Namkaran (naming the child), Nishakraman (first outing), Annaprashan (first feeding), Chudakarna (head shaving), Karnavedhan (piercing the earlobes), Upanayana (thread ceremony) and Vedarambha (start of formal education). In the present paper, it can be concluded that the Samskaras described in Ayurvedic texts are based on the various milestones of child growth and developments and hence provide a rational guideline toward his care from very conception to adolescence.

Keywords: Samskara; Growth and development; Developmental delay.