Story details
Brahmins and cotton thread
Massendra Patel
In Hindu history there were four castes - the Brahmins, the holiest, then the Banyansha, then the Rajput, the warriors and then the untouchables. The Brahmins had to stay pure so they could carry out the ceremonies.The Brahmin boys, between 10 and 12 years old used to have to go to the temple and do the Sanskar ceremony, the putting on of thread.
[They used to have a thread of white cotton hanging from their left shoulder to their right hip and that stayed on all year. It's white cotton to show their purity.
This is called Janio, it's important because it means they're joining the Hindu community and all young Brahmins must do it. While the thread stays on their bodies they promise to God that they won't eat meat or eggs, won't gamble, won't drink alcohol or sleep with a woman. And if anyone asks them of their faith they simply pull down their collar to show their shoulder and say 'Look, I am a Brahmin.' If the boy gets married the priest takes the thread off in a special ceremony, or in a year's time the boy may want to keep it on, and the thread is replaced. He stays wearing it for as long as he wants, just changes the thread once a year at a holy ceremony. Very holy men used to keep it on all their lives. Now wearing the thread is going out of fashion even among the Brahmins, although they are the strictest of the religious sects.
This story was collected through Plant Cultures workshops by Leicester Museum Service.
