Ziana’s annaprashana | mama bhat | mukhe bhat | big day | Charu Asopa Sen |

The Annaprashana (Sanskrit: अन्नप्राशन, Annaprāśana, Bengali: অন্নপ্রাশন, Odia: ଅନ୍ନପ୍ରାଶନ) also known as Annaprashana vidhi, Annaprasan or Anna-prasanam, is a Hindu rite of passage (Saṃskāra) that marks an infant's first intake of food other than milk. The term annaprashana means "eating of cooked food". In Vedic Hindu culture the child cannot eat rice until Annaprashana has occurred. [1] [2] Importance is given to rice because of its symbolism as a life-sustaining food and a sacred food in the form of kheer. The Annaprashana remains an important milestone and the ceremony is celebrated in Nepal and India.[1] It is also known as MukheBhat in West Bengal, Choroonu in Kerala, and Bhath Khulai in Himachal Pradesh. [3] In Nepal, it is also called Pasni.