Navjote

The Navjote (Persian: سدره‌پوشی, sedreh-pushi) ceremony is the ritual through which an individual is inducted into the Zoroastrian religion and begins to wear the sedreh and kushti.

The second half of the word is—via Zoroastrian Middle Persian zot—an indirect continuation of Avestan zaotar, with /z/ eventually becoming /j/ because /z/ is not phonemic in Gujarati.

Although there is no upper limit to the age of the individual for which the ceremony takes place, in common practice it occurs before a girl or boy reaches maturity.

The sacred thread and shirt also teach children responsibility, as they are to be untied before certain practices, such as prayer, bathing, and before meals, and re-tied shortly after the task is completed.

Preparation often begins years before, as similar to a Bar Mitzvah in Judaism a basic knowledge of several key prayers must be shown during the ceremony.

A tray bearing a mixture of coconut, pomegranate grains, raisins, and almonds, are in the room as well, and will be sprinkled on the child after the ceremony to symbolize prosperity.

The Navjote ceremony itself comprises three parts: Patet Pashemani, Din no Kalmo, and Investiture of Sedreh and Kushti, and Tan Darosti.

The priest then recites the Tan Darosti (blessings and good wishes) prayer where for the first time the appropriate prefix (behdin, osta, or osti) is used (see below) for the initiate.