Meaning: a second birth
Upanayana is described as a second, spiritual birth — the first from the parents, the second into learning. This is the origin of the word dvija, “twice-born”.
The day usually begins with the child's head being shaved (or a token cut), a last meal eaten with the mother (often called mātṛ-bhojana), a bath and new clothes. The child then sits with the father or teacher before the sacred fire.