India is very diverse culturally and religiously. The main three religions in India are Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. Within these religions, there are many subgroups who have different beliefs and practices. Different families in India have different traditions depending on their religion, which state they are from and what community they belong to. There are just too many traditions in India to cover in one article, but hopefully you find this one interesting!
The upanayanam (sacred thread ceremony) is a Hindu rite of passage that marks a person's initiation into the study of Hinduism. The ceremony announces the start of a new disciplined life. In present day, it is typically done for boys born into the Brahmin, Kshatriya or Vaishya castes (subgroups within Hinduism) when their families deem them ready. However, in ancient and medieval times, girls who wanted to become students also had upanayanam ceremonies. Some families today choose to have upanayanam ceremonies for their daughters, but it is not the norm.
