Historical/Social Reference ProjectAnnaprashan (rice ceremony) vs. Baptism

By: Jeff Caprez Mike Brombosz

Bobby Porter

The NamesakeIn Jhumpa Lahiri’s novel The Namesake, a gap between American and Indian culture has a serious role in the lives of the characters…

…especially the main antagonist Gogol

Culture Gap• Ashoke and Ashima came to America from their native land of India. Their hope is

to raise their son Gogol in a traditional Indian manor.• Unfortunately for them, Gogol wanted to live a life on his own path. Even as a

young child Gogol fought against the cultural celebrations of his ancestor’s country.• It is customary for the family of the child to hold what is called annaprashan or rice

ceremony.• Annaprashan is comparable to the Baptism ritual of the Roman Catholic faith. • It is here that the gap in cultures is realized.• For a reader of the Roman Catholic faith it may be hard to establish an

understanding of a foreign culture’s ceremony.

AnnaprashanThe Rise Ceremony

• Annaprashan takes place when the baby is six or seven months old and can eat solid food.

• The baby is dresses as either a bride or bridegroom, Gogol of course was dressed as a bridegroom

Even as a baby, Gogol refused the customary rituals of his ancestor’s country.

A tray holding specific ritual items…

A lump of earth- signifies fertility and prosperity

A silver coin- signifies wealth

A pen- the baby will grow up to be fond of studies

A sacred book- signifies religion

The baby is then given a golden ring that has been dipped in a bowl a payesh to suck on. This is followed by small amounts of fish, shutko, and sweetened yogurt.

Roman Catholic Baptism• Unlike Annaprashan, the ritual of Baptism can be performed at any age.• The parents of the baptism candidate must be preset, along with a Godparent that

has been selected by the parents themselves.• If the candidate is a baby, he/she is clothed in a small white robe that represents

purity and water is delicately poured over the baby’s head signifying that he/she is cleansed from Original Sin and has become a part of the religious community.

• The Godparent is then presented with a White candle representing the Light of Christ.

• If the candidate is an adult, the process is mostly the same. However, instead of water being poured over their heads, they are fully submerged in the Baptismal Font.

Analyzing the Gap• It may be confusing to readers of common Roman Catholic faith to understand why

Gogol’s family took the Annaprashan ritual so seriously.• Adapting to cultural changes can be considered one of the hardest challenges

facing an immigrant family and that is the case with Ashoke and Ashima. They did not want to change their ways or to try and fit in, much unlike Gogol.

• In limited ways, the Annaprashan rice ritual and Baptism are similar.– both considered and initiation into a family– Both predetermine the child’s destiny in a way.

The Namesake is a novel that uses gaps to further draw the reader into cultural differences. It shows what an immigrant may go through to try and blend into their new cultural surroundings. It is this process of blending that, all though may be a gap, we all can recognize as difficult.