| Anna Prashana is a ceremony, where child is fed with solid food for the first time in its life. This Samskara is also known as Phalaprashana Samskara. After the eruption of teeth, the child can be given solid food. Literally it is putting solid food or rice into a child’s mouth for the first time. Anna means ‘food’, especially ‘boiled rice’. Prashana means ‘eating, feeding’, and specifically ‘the first feeding of a child’. Food is cooked to the chanting of appropriate Vedic mantras in the presence of friends and relatives. Annapraasanam | Item | Quantity | | Turmeric powder | Small Packet | | Kumkum | Small Packet | | Betel leaves | 1 Packet | | Betel nuts | 2 | | Sandal wood powder | Small Packet | | Flowers | 1 Bouquet | | Fruits any variety | Few of each | | Coconuts | 2 | | Agarbhathi | 1 Packet | | Rice | 1 pound | | Quarters | 10 | | Naivedyam | Any Payasam/ Kheer | | For Puja at home, the following in addition to the above | | Deepam ( Lamps) | 1 | | Bell | 1 | | Pancha Patram and Udharani or Unused Cup and spoon | 1 | | Trays for fruits and flowers | 3 | | Kalasam | 1 | | Saffron,Cloves,Cardamom and Paccha Karpooram | Small Quantities for Kalasam | | Mango Leaves ( If available) | 1 bunch |
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