Birth and death are biological events; birth and death rituals are religious and cultural events.  Rishaan (in white) had his namakaran ("name-giving") ceremony at four months, performed by the family priest (in red).  The priest chanted from memory for at least two hours, pausing every now and then to direct the parents to make various offerings, and concluded with a second round of chanting around a sacred fire in the courtyard.  

This is my "niece" Vashudha (1989).  Her head had just been completely shaved her mundan ("tonsure"), the final Hindu childbirth ceremony.  .  Hindus consider all bodily fluids impure--which connotes no moral lapse, but merely contamination--and since most Indian babies are born with hair, the infant's hair is seen as retaining residual childbirth impurity (from the birth fluids) which mundan removes.  Since this hair is connected with the child's birth, "some people" believe it can be used to work black magic against the child; even though her parents claimed not to believe such things, the shorn hair was nevertheless scrupulously gathered and disposed of.  

Here is Vasudha with her mother and her daughter, who was born in late 2022, taken at the daughter's namakaran ceremony in early March 2023.  One of the blessings of being old and having gone to India for a long time is the opportunity to know families over generations. 

For a  boy the sacred thread ceremony is a pivotal moment in his life, second in importance only to his wedding, and thus all precautions are taken to ensure its success.  It will be celebrated on an astrologically auspicious date and time, with protective rituals beforehand.  Here he is getting a turmeric bath from his married female relatives.   The dotted head cloth was worn by his aunts during their weddings, so in  anointing him they are  transferring their auspicious energy as happily married women to him--not to mention showing their communal support, and  having some light-hearted fun too!  This same protective ritual is done for a bride and a groom before their wedding.   

This is a barat, the procession of a groom's (male)  friends and relatives that conveys him to the wedding venue.  They are usually led by a brass band, with frenzied dancing in the streets--a public celebration of joy. Here groom is dressed like a prince--most commonly riding a white mare--with his dancing companions his royal retinue   The young relative riding behind him is another protective strategy, here to to absorb any potential bad luck arising from the "evil eye" (caused by envy at the groom's good fortune).    Since the groom is at a pivotal moment in his life he is seen as far more vulnerable to such evil forces, whereas his young relative can absorb them with no danger.   

 Here's an updated version of the white mare--a garlanded car.  It is also a more practical transport option for the Himalayas, where this picture was taken, since the bride's village could be 20 miles away.  Many Indian marriages are still arranged, though the bride and groom are usually consulted on the matter; brides are traditionally married "out" of the village and reside with the their husband's family.  Indians in general consider families the foundation of society, and one's marriage--which continues an established family as well as creating a new one--is one of the most important events in one's life.  

Every society has its evils, and in India the custom of dowry (wealth transfer from the bride's family to the groom's at marriage) creates all sorts of abusive possibilities.  Here a social reformer named Shri Nath carries anti-dowry signs in an unrelated religious procession. 

The yellow overhead sign identifies dowry as a social evil, but the signs around his neck are far more pointed--the lower says that giving or taking dowry is a great sin, and the upper one calls those who take it "dogs."

Hardwar, March 1998.