Upanayanam is one of the traditional samskaras, or ‘purification rites’, that are prescribed in the Vedic way of life. These samskaras, sixteen of which are considered as the main ones, mark the turning points, where we enter a new stage of our life. The samskaras are said to make us eligible for attaining the highest good, in two ways: by removing the impurities we have acquired, and bestowing beneficial qualities on us.

Upanayanam is a Sanskrit word, which literally means moving closer to higher knowledge, to the master. The ceremony of Upanayanam marks the beginning of a new phase in a person’s life: the initiation of Vedic studies. Sandhyavandanam consists of excerpts from the Vedas to be performed thrice daily at morning, at noon, and in the evening.