Nishkramana means “going out”. It is the sixth of the sixteen samskaras, and it marks a baby’s first journey beyond the threshold of the home. For most of history a newborn stayed indoors with the mother for the first weeks and months, and so stepping out was an event. The rite pairs the step with a prayer to the Sun, who is seen as the giver of light and health, and sometimes to the Moon.
It follows namakarana and comes before annaprashana. The samskaras overview places it in the larger sequence.
What the rite is
In the Grihya Sutras the parents, usually the father, carry the child out of the house and show the child the Sun, with a verse asking that the child be blessed with sight, strength and a long life. Some texts speak also of showing the Moon at an evening hour, often after a few months. The details, the verses and the order differ between schools. A visit to a temple is mentioned in later practice, and some texts mention a visit to the family deity.
The rite is simple, and it is one of the gentlest of the samskaras. It carries a quiet message: that the world beyond the house is welcoming, and that the child is now part of it.
When it is done
Manusmriti is generally cited for the fourth month as the time of the first outing, and that is the usual age quoted. Some Grihya Sutras name the third month for the Sun and the fourth for the Moon, and others give no fixed month. The time of day is the morning, soon after sunrise, when the sun is gentle, and the day is chosen with the panchang, sometimes on a Sunday or a Monday. Today the choice is led by the baby’s health and by weather, and the rite can be held at any time that suits the family.
The steps as families perform them
- The mother bathes the baby, and the family dresses the child in clean, comfortable clothes.
- A short puja is held at the home shrine, with a lamp lit for the family deity.
- The father or a grandparent carries the baby out, and the family stands in the courtyard, balcony or garden facing the Sun.
- A verse or a short prayer to Surya is said, such as a line from the Surya mantra or the Surya Ashtakam, and the baby is shown the Sun for a moment.
- In many families the outing continues to a temple, where the family offers a prayer and takes prasad.
The Sun should be shown only briefly and gently. A baby’s eyes and skin are delicate, and the baby should not be held up to a strong midday sun.
What the Dharmasutras and Grihya Sutras say
The Gautama Dharmasutra does not name nishkramana in its list of forty, so it is one of the rites that the later standard list of sixteen added. Manusmriti and several Grihya Sutras describe the first outing in the third or fourth month, and the verses differ between schools. We describe the general idea and do not give verse numbers.
Regional and family customs
- Maharashtra and Gujarat: families often take the baby to a temple for the first time within the first few months, with a coconut and sweets.
- Tamil Nadu and Karnataka: the first visit to the temple of the family deity is a significant event, and in some families a lock of the baby’s hair is offered later.
- Bengal: the outing may be combined with the first rice meal at six months.
- Many north Indian families: the baby is taken out after the forty-day period of rest following the birth, and the visit to a temple or a shrine is done then.
Practice varies widely, and there is no single rule.
How families adapt it now
The old reasoning was sound in a practical sense: a young baby needs rest and protection from infection. Today, the right time to take a baby out is a matter for the paediatrician, who knows the baby’s health and the season. A few simple points apply.
- Follow the doctor’s advice on when to go out, especially in a very hot or cold season, in a polluted city or during an outbreak of illness.
- Shield the baby from strong sunlight and keep the outing short; a shaded spot at a gentle hour is best.
- Keep it small. A crowded temple with long queues is a poor first outing for a young baby; a quiet visit at an off-peak hour is kinder.
- Make it your own. Some families walk the baby around the block, or simply sit in the garden at dawn with a prayer.
The date can be set by the family on any suitable day, and nothing in the tradition requires a rigid schedule. For a day that suits the baby’s nakshatra, the nakshatra calculator shows the star of the Moon for the birth details.
Frequently asked questions
↳ What is nishkramana samskara?
It is the sixth samskara, the first time a baby is taken outside the home. The child is shown the Sun with a prayer, and the family often continues to a temple.
↳ At what age is nishkramana done?
Traditionally in the fourth month, with some texts naming the third month for the Sun. Modern families choose the time with the paediatrician and the weather, and may do it earlier or later.
↳ Is the Moon also shown to the baby?
Some texts mention showing the Moon in the evening, in addition to the Sun in the morning. Many families show only the Sun, or neither, and simply make the first visit to a temple.
↳ Is it safe to take a young baby to a crowded temple?
A paediatrician can advise. A quiet visit at an off-peak hour is generally gentler than a crowded festival day, and the baby should be shielded from heat, noise and crowds.