Naam Karan
Encyclopedia
Naam Karan is a Sikh ceremony of naming a child and it usually takes place in a Gurdwara
(Sikh place of worship) after the baby and mother are medically and physically healthy to attend the Gurdwara. There is no timetable for this and the family should not feel undue pressure of any kind and only the well being of the mother and child are considered. Normally just involves the closest family member attend the local Gurdwara.
As soon as the family is ready to undertake this ceremony, the father or other senior member of the family make contact with their local Gurdwara and make arrangements for this brief ceremony.
On the day of this happy occasion, the family, all invited guests, the mother, and baby attend the normal weekly kirtan
of the Saadh Sangat
of the congregation. The family make arrangements to have Karah Prasad said for the occasion. Various Shabads of thanks, joy and support are sung followed by the short Anand Sahib (6 pauris). Then if a Sahaj Paath has been arranged, the Bhog
of this reading takes place.
Then comes the main part of the ceremony which is the naming of the baby. The Ardas
is done in the normal way with a request to Guru ji to grant the child good health; make him or her a dedicated Sewadar of the country and Panth
; to enlighten (?) the name of his family and Dharma
; and to ask for a name for the child. The Ardas is followed by the Hukamnama
. When the Hukamnama is taken, the first letter of the first word of the Hukam is the letter to be used to give the name to the child. So for example if the Hukam is:
The first word of the Hukam
is "Sagal" so the child's name should start with the first letter, which is "S" – The article here has hundreds of names to help the family decide on a name in advance of the ceremony.
Once the name for the baby has been chosen, the word "Kaur" is added to the names of girls and the name "Singh" is added to the names of boys. The Gianni
will pronounce the name of the child in the Sangat and hail the Jakara – Jo bole so nay-hal – Sat Siri Akal.
That completes the ceremony. The parents should then begin calling the child with the name pronounced in the Sangat and this should be then registered with the legal authorities.
Gurdwara
A Gurdwara , meaning the Gateway to the Guru, is the place of worship for Sikhs, the followers of Sikhism. A Gurdwara can be identified from a distance by tall flagpoles bearing the Nishan Sahib ....
(Sikh place of worship) after the baby and mother are medically and physically healthy to attend the Gurdwara. There is no timetable for this and the family should not feel undue pressure of any kind and only the well being of the mother and child are considered. Normally just involves the closest family member attend the local Gurdwara.
As soon as the family is ready to undertake this ceremony, the father or other senior member of the family make contact with their local Gurdwara and make arrangements for this brief ceremony.
On the day of this happy occasion, the family, all invited guests, the mother, and baby attend the normal weekly kirtan
Kirtan
Kirtan or Kirtana is call-and-response chanting or "responsory" performed in India's devotional traditions. A person performing kirtan is known as a kirtankar. Kirtan practice involves chanting hymns or mantras to the accompaniment of instruments such as the harmonium, tablas, the two-headed...
of the Saadh Sangat
Sangat (term)
Sangat is a Sikh term with its origin in the Sanskrit word 'sangh', which means company, fellowship and association. In Sikh vocabulary, the word has a special connotation. It stands for the body of men and women who meet religiously, especially in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib...
of the congregation. The family make arrangements to have Karah Prasad said for the occasion. Various Shabads of thanks, joy and support are sung followed by the short Anand Sahib (6 pauris). Then if a Sahaj Paath has been arranged, the Bhog
Bhog
Bhog is a term used in Hinduism and Sikhism.-In Hinduism:Bhog in the Hindu religion is a ritual of sacrifice to the Gods.-In Sikhism:...
of this reading takes place.
Then comes the main part of the ceremony which is the naming of the baby. The Ardas
Ardas
The Ardās is a Sikh prayer that is done before performing or after undertaking any significant task; after reciting the daily Banis ; or completion of a service like the Paath , kirtan program or any other religious program. In Sikhism, these prayers are also said before and after eating...
is done in the normal way with a request to Guru ji to grant the child good health; make him or her a dedicated Sewadar of the country and Panth
Panth
Panthan is the term used for several religious traditions in India.A panth is founded by a guru or an acharya, and is often led by scholars or senior practitioners of the tradition.Some of the major panthas in India are:...
; to enlighten (?) the name of his family and Dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
; and to ask for a name for the child. The Ardas is followed by the Hukamnama
Hukamnama
A Hukamnama refers to a hymn from the Guru Granth Sahib which is given as an order to Sikhs or a historical order given by one of the Guru's of Sikhism....
. When the Hukamnama is taken, the first letter of the first word of the Hukam is the letter to be used to give the name to the child. So for example if the Hukam is:
The first word of the Hukam
Hukam
Hukam is a Punjabi word derived from the Arabic hukm, meaning "command" or "order." In God whose is referred to as Waheguru. It is by the command of Him that we are born and we die. In the Sikh Scripture, the founder of the religion, Guru Nanak says:...
is "Sagal" so the child's name should start with the first letter, which is "S" – The article here has hundreds of names to help the family decide on a name in advance of the ceremony.
Once the name for the baby has been chosen, the word "Kaur" is added to the names of girls and the name "Singh" is added to the names of boys. The Gianni
Gianni
Gianni is a male Italian forename , derived from the Hebrew Yohanan -Description:...
will pronounce the name of the child in the Sangat and hail the Jakara – Jo bole so nay-hal – Sat Siri Akal.
That completes the ceremony. The parents should then begin calling the child with the name pronounced in the Sangat and this should be then registered with the legal authorities.