Sanskaras was an outstanding feature of the social life in ancient India. Large numbers of sanskaras or personal ceremonies were observed in the life of the individual. These sanskaras started long before the birth of the child and continued until he entered grihastha ashram. At least three ceremonies were performed before the birth of the child viz. garbhadhana to promote conception, pumsavana to procure male child and simontannayana to ensure the safety of the child in the womb.
At the time of the birth Jatakarma ceremony was performed. This was followed by namakarana (naming of the child’ and niskramana (showing the sun for the first time). In the sixth month the annaprasana ceremony was performed. The Cud karma (tonsure ceremony) took place in the third year.
It may be noted that most of the sanskaras were meant for male children. It is doubtful if they were performed in the case of girls even on the higher classes. In fact from the earliest times possession of a son was considered absolutely essential for the performance of funeral rites for his father and to ensure his safe transit to the other world.
The rite of Upanayana which signified the second birth of the person (as a number of his class), was confined to the Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas and the sudras were excluded from it. This ceremony was also confined to boys, though in the Vedic times the girls were also sometimes initiated.