Traditions and samskaras - Pumsavanam- Seemantham

Though I would have preferred a switch to "samskaras" only after the "traditions" list is more than adequately covered, in view of last female child of immediate next gen, about to celebrate her seemantham, I thought, I would make an exception, and write on this.

1. Pumsavanam : the word Pumsa denotes a "male". This is the first of a married females purificatory samskaras, performed immediately after signs of her living conception. As the name suggests, this is for the birth of a male child, and also prevention of any miscarriage.

2. Seemantham : the word actually means parting of hair; This is a samskara, for protecting the female from evil forces. The emphasis is on keeping her happy, and one of the ways was believed to be, for the husband to comb her hair and do the parting, which was supposed to keep both her and thru her the baby in the womb happy. This is done in 6th or 8th month of pregnancy.

It is believed, that the brain of the embryo starts forming by the 5th month, and cognitive/memory develops by 6th/7th month. During the seemantham, it is customary to do "udaga santhi" ; a vessel of water, on which mango leaves and a cocunut is kept at the top ( Kalasham) and some mantrams are invoked after which this water which is considered sacred, is sprinkled on the female. When the female's body is slightly shaken by the impact of the touch of holy water, a signal is registered by the child in the womb, and this sanctity is retained in memory.

Another ritual is to squeeze in some banyan tree leaves juice in her nostrils and a porcupine quill is placed in such a way as to have the tip of this touching her navel. The faith is that the essence of this juice is transmitted to the child thru the navel, and also this passage is thoroughly cleaned up. Like the quill, the brain of the child is honed and sharp.

Depending upon whether the samskara is for the benifit of the child in the womb, or protection of the reproductive system of the female, this samskara is performed either for every child birth, or only for the first one. The latter view has now prevailed mostly.

(Someone, either Hemi, or Kanchu, may like to show this to Neethi & Murali)

With plenty of love to our "youngest daughter", and all others

Vichu