The ceremony of Yagyopavit is necessary ritual and sanaskar among the 16 sanaskars of Brhamins and this sacred thread ceremony is mandatory for all the male children .The girl child is however exempt from wearing sacred thread as a result of Yagyopavit ceremony .However it should be appreciated that our religious scriptures do not forbid Yagyopavit ceremony for girls .In fact in the very ancient India for both boys and girls Yagyopavit ceremony used to be solemnized and both sexes wore the sacred thread. According to our Shastras in the Vedic era the Yagyopavit ceremony was solemnized to girls .It is written in the religious scriptures that girls have same right as boys to undergo the thread ceremony .

It is written in Goblie Graha Sutra that girls should be worn cloth and should be brought neat the husband having the sacred thread and this mantra should be recited and it becomes clear from this mantra that girls also wore the sacred thread .In Hareet Sanhita and Prashar Sanhita it is written that women are of two types ,one Brahmvadini whose Upanayan Sanskar is done and they perform Agnihoter and study Vedas and reside in the family and seek alms .
The second type is that who’s Upanayan Sanskar is performed and are married .This has been testified by Nirnay Sindukar as well in his book .The Sanatan Dhrama did not ban yagyopavit ceremony for the girls and with the passage of time and the onset of Manusmarati the girls were denied the Yagyopavit ceremony .In good olden days the girls who decided to become a student underwent the Upanayana rite of passage ,at the age of 8,and thereafter were called Brahmavadini .
They wore a thread or upper garment over left shoulder .The chief priest of Siddhivinayak temple ,Guruji Gajanan Modak ,says while each household devises its own spiritual barcode ,there is nothing in the scriptures that prevents girls from undergoing the thread ceremony .The Upanayan signifies that a child is now mature enough to follow a guru and learn the scriptures .It was also a norm if a girl undertakes the Upanayana ceremony and begins her Vedic studies as a Brahmavadini .The sacred Yagyopavit is known by many names (varying by region and community) ,such a Bratabandha,Janivaara,Jaanva,Jandhyam,Poita,Punul,Janeu,Lagun,Yajnopavita,Yagyopavit,Yonya and Zunnar .Upanayana is a Hindu educational sacrament ,one of the traditional Samaskaras or rites of passage that marked the acceptance of a student by a preceptor ,such as guru or acharya ,and an individual’s initiation into a school in Hinduism .Some traditions consider the ceremony as a spiritual rebirth for a child or future dvija ,twice born .It signifies the acquisition of the knowledge of God and the start of a new and disciplined life as a Brahmachraya .According to the given community and region ,it is also known by numerous names such as Janai or Janea ,poita / paita ,Yajnopavita ,bratabandhra ,bratopanayan, and mekhal .The Upanayanam ceremony is arguably the most important rite for the Brahmin male, ensuring his rights and responsibilities as a Brahmin and signifying his advent into adulthood .The tradition is widely discussed in ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism and varies regionally .The sacred thread or Yajnopavita has become one of the most important identifiers of the Upanayana ceremony in contemporary times ,however this was not always the case. .Generally this ceremony should be performed before the advent of adulthood .Upanayana ceremony means the initiation or rite of passage ceremony in which the sacred thread is given symbolizes the child drawn towards a school ,towards education ,by the guru or teacher .
The student was being taken to the Gods and a disciplined life .As explained by PV Kane ,taking the child near the acarya (for instruction ) ,or alternatively introducing to studenthood. It is a ceremony in which a teacher accepts and initiates the second birth that is the young mind and spirit .The sacred thread or upper garment is called the Yajnopavita .The literal meaning would be ,something worn on the body for the sacrifice .Accoutrements offered along with the Yajnopavita may include be a danda,(staff) and a mekhla (grindle).In the Atharavaveda ,and later in the Sutra period ,the word Upanayana meant taking responsibility of a student ,the beginning of education ,a student’s initiation into studentship and the acceptance of the student by the teacher .Preceptors could include a guru ,acharya ,upadhyana , and rtvik .The Upanayana rite of passage was also important to the teacher as the student would therefrom begin to live in a gurukula (school).Upanayana became an elaborate ceremony ,that includes rituals including family ,the child and the teacher .A boy receives during this ceremony a sacred thread called Yajnopavit to be worn. The Yajnopavit ceremony announces that the child had entered formal education .In the modern era, the Upanayana ceremony is open to anyone at any age .The Upananaya follows the Vidyarambham ,the previous rite of passage .Vidyarambham became an intermediary samaskara following the evolution of writing and language .Vidyarambham now marked the beginning of the primary education or literacy while Upanayana went on to refer to spiritual education .The Upanayana can also take place at the students home for those who are home schooled .The sacred thread is a marker of wisdom and knowledge but associated with men .
However ,here are women who are seen wearing sacred thread. .Sacred thread is an important maker of knowledge ,especially Vedic knowledge .As symbol of initiation of young Brahmins ,Kashatriys and Vaishya into studentship ,this ceremony is in practice till date .Initially meant for boys and girls, later it was limited to boys .The ceremony marks the second birth of the child in the world of knowledge ,thus onwards children are called dwij meaning second born .Sacred thread is cotton ,handmade 3 strings tied in a loop .Worn on the left shoulder it crosses body on to right side of the torso .
The three stands of the thread represents Rig ,Yajur and Sam Veda .The knot in the sacred thread is called Brahma –Granthi .Granthi literally translated into knot .This is generally a set of three knots each for God Brhama ,Vishnu and Mahesh .Shiva are often represented wearing naga as his sacred thread instead of the cotton thread .The Ganesha panel from Sindudurga in Mhharashtra is shown wearing naga -janeu like his father God –Shiva .In Vedic period girls too underwent Yajnopaveet sanaskar and received the knowledge of Vedas from great seers and saints in the Brahmacharya ashram. .Later Manu-Smriti limited it only to boys .Fierce female goddesses like Mahisasurmardani is often depicted wearing sacred thread to indicate her strength and knowledge at par with male gods .Female scholars like Gargi and Lopmudra are known to have undergone Upanayana Sanskar .Maitreyi ,Visvavara ,Apala ,Indrani ,Urvashi ,Ghosha and Sachi are also well known scholars in Indian history .Incarnations of Parvati as Meenakshi & Ganga are often represented wearing Janeu along with their all other ornaments .
This could simply imply their knowledge and wisdom at par with other male gods .There are references of women wearing Janeu around their neck like necklace instead of on their shoulders and torso unlike their male counter parts .According to Vedas Grihasta /married men are allowed to wear two sacred threads ,one for themselves and another for their wife .It could have been in practice for women who had no formal education .Revival of sacred thread ceremony has become a maker of right to education for women .In recent past news of group and individual Upanayana Sanaskar for young girls have been reported .In brief all the above makes it crystal clear that there is no wrong if the girl child is made to undergone sacred thread ceremony because the Hindu scriptures do not forbade the Yajnopaveet ceremony for the girls .Therefore the people cannot be faulted for the revival of Upanayana ceremony for the girls as there is no wrong in it .The Hindu scriptures exhort the importance of education for boys and girls and so the initiation to a guru and thus the Yajnopaveet ceremony for both the boys as well as girls is prescribed in Shastras.

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