Janam Sanskar
(Birth of a Sikh Child) : Along with affixation of 'Name' ,'Kesh Gundna' & 'Dastar Bandi'
The birth of the Sikh child may be male of female has to be taken in high spirits & with parallel esteem as a blessing from the Almighty Waheguru.
To Visit Gurdwara Sahib- Approximately after 10 to 15 days as per mother's physical requirement; as soon as the mother becomes capable to move-The family & the relatives have to visit the nearby Gurdwara with 'Karah Parsad' or without if already prepared over there. There in Gurdwara, recite or listen Gurbani and the Gurbani Tenets. Express the Lord's gratitude, preferably in the form of reciting Gurbani. If some 'Sehaj' or 'Akhand' path as a notion of thankfulness has already been in progress, get concluded.
Affixation of Child's Name.. At Gurdwara Sahib after Ardaas, when the 'Hukam Namah' also said 'Mukhwak' is taken. From the Ist starting letter of the hymn heard as 'Hukam Namah' the name of the child be proposed and accepted within the congregation. The name must have the suffix 'Singh' or 'Kaur' in case of male or female respectively followed by Ardaas in Guru's thankfulness.
Moreover to add one's cast or creed is not permitted within Sikhism, after once the name is provided with the word 'Singh or Kaur' as the case may be. Rather it is the act of disobedience.
Henceforth, after visiting Gurdwara Sahib... as a mark of gratitude to the Great Guru; the mother should steadily start entering the household routine but, not to jump at once. She may come in regular routine only after she gets fully recovered at least within a period of one month or above, as per one's physical requirement.
Not wise to think of any impurity within the family due the child's birth called 'sutak' as it is found in our neighboring religion Hinduism. That all is the outcome of ignorance & Guru Ji caution us about:
"All impurity comes from doubt and attachment to duality. Birth and death are subject to the Command of the Lord's Will; through His Will we come and go. Eating and drinking are pure, since the Lord gives nourishment to all". (Tr.fr. SGGS page 472).
A person, who is a devotee to Gurbani, has to obey Gurbani and remain oneself in consonance with Gurbani Tenets (Sikhaya). As an enlightened person from the Light House of Gurbani, one is not expected to follow rituals, false traditions, delusions, superstitions or whims prevailing around within the society or within our neighboring Hindu religion.
Learn from the Gurbani and remember none type of any pollution or impurity called 'Sutak' falls in the family due to the birth of the child. None of any Pandit Ji or Brahmin is required to visit with an excuse to remove that assumed impurity called 'sutak'. Similarly Bhai Sahib i.e. any Granthi Singh is also not required over there, as it is sometimes being seen in the replacement of the "Pandit Ji", within the ignorant Sikh families. This again is equally incorrect. This all is nothing, but a tail of the same tradition under misbelieves, based upon the same lines, called 'sutak'.
No 'Giarwan' i.e. the eleventh day from the date of birth of the child called as "Chowke Charna" after that the 40th day, called 'Chaliha' in those people, but all this has no relevance within Sikhism. Similarly 'Janam Kundli'-'Tewa'-Horoscope' etc are again the meaningless issues as per 'Sikh way of life' and not to follow.
Over again, as a matter of ignorance, within some families, some times it is also seen that they especially go for draperies (Just scarf) used for the coverage of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji & get sewed the frocks & shirts for the newly born children and this again is an act of sacrilege as per 'Sikh Rahat Maryada' the Sikh discipline book.
To put black spot on the child's forehead, black thread called 'tagri' around the waist, black thread around the neck or wrist of the child, to burn red chilly, alum (phatkari) or 'harmal, or to put black collyrium 'kajal' or collyrium powder 'surma' in the child's eyes or to put black spots somewhere upon th childs forehead or so and so on, are the issues of whims, superstitions & rituals. Gurbani condemns all these false believes and declares these the betrayal from holy Ardaas.
Similarly, Name ceremony is not a particular ceremony within Sikhism. It is never desirable lest sacrilege to prolong this basic obligation of the Sikh life. As a result this major issue of Sikh life remains lingering and the duplicate names are provided. These duplicate names, in most of the cases, prove destructive for the whole coming life of the child. For this act, only the parents are responsible. Not only this, it is perceptible so many times, that these duplicate names stand responsible to push the child out of the Sikh religion and get them apostate 'patit'. Name of the child must get affixed in time as mentioned and not to delay ever under any excuse.
In the same way, 'Kesh Gundna' or 'Dastarbandi' are not the special or particular customs within Sikhism. When the child obtains his/her appropriate age after performing 'Ardaas' these can be started at once. Unwanted delay, may be due to ignorance, is not admirable and also against the Sikh faith.
