BENGALURU: A city-based couple, parents of twins- a boy and girl, have broken stereotypes by conducting an Upanayana (thread ceremony) for both their children.
Advocate Kshama Nargund and her husband Vyvaswatha, an industrialist recently conducted the Upanayana ceremony for their twins - Samvith Banavaty and Asmitha Banavaty at their residence in the city. Both will turn eight years in June. Father Vyvaswatha Banavaty preached the Gayathri Mantra to them.
A rare occurrence since both boy and girl went through the ceremony, the venue had two Homa Kundas, set next to each other. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Kshama Nargund said conducting Upanayana for girls was present in the Shashtras. "I have studied this and when we decided to put the thread on our daughter, we consulted few experts and scholars who again said this practice was present in the puranas. We then decided to go ahead,'' she said.
When the couple visited their relatives, there was curiosity. "We faced few questions, why and what? But society has really changed, they expressed their excitement. They were just curious to know how we were going to conduct the ceremony,'' Kshama said.
When asked if this will break the gender barrier, she just said she did
not believe in gender inequality. "Two individuals (boy-boy, girl-girl or boy-girl) can never be the same, both are two individuals which one should celebrate," she said.
Kshama's father M B Naragund, a senior advocate, said this practice was prevalent long ago. “It is there in our Vedas and Upanishad. But over a period of time, the practice stopped for many reasons. "All are equal before God,'' he added.
Rajajinagar MLA Suresh Kumar who was one among the guests said, "I am happy to witness the ceremony,'' he said.