Pasni (Annaprashan) Invitation Guide: Wording, Date and What to Include
Everything to put on a pasni (annaprashan) invitation, from the sait and the bhoj time to copy-ready wording in Nepali and English for cards, WhatsApp and reminders.
A good pasni invitation card tells guests four things clearly: whose pasni it is, the sait date (in both BS and AD), the time of the puja and the bhoj, and where to come. Add the parents' or grandparents' names as hosts, a contact number and a simple way to reply, and you have everything a guest needs.
This guide covers what pasni means, how the date is chosen, a checklist of what to include, and copy-ready pasni invitation wording in Nepali and English. You will also find a WhatsApp message, a reminder and practical tips for planning a celebration around a baby's naps.
What Is Pasni (Annaprashan)?
Pasni is the rice feeding ceremony in Nepal, the day a baby eats solid food for the first time. In Sanskrit it is called annaprashan, and Newar families know it as macha janku. Wikipedia's article on Annaprashana notes that this rite is still widely kept in Nepal, even as some other old rites have faded.
The day usually starts with a puja at home or at a temple, followed by the first taste of food and a family meal. In cities, it can be a small home gathering or a full party with a hall and a bhoj.
Usual age for boys and girls
The custom most families follow is simple. Tearfund's notes on weaning practices in Nepal describe the ceremony at five months for a girl and six months for a boy. A Nepali family blog from Australia gives the same pattern, adding that some families hold a girl's pasni in the seventh month.
| Baby girl | Baby boy | |
|---|---|---|
| Usual month | 5th (some families choose the 7th) | 6th |
| Who fixes the exact day | Family priest or astrologer | Family priest or astrologer |
| First food | Kheer (rice pudding) or rice | Kheer (rice pudding) or rice |
The first taste and the choosing game
The first food is usually a little kheer, given from a silver bowl or spoon. Who feeds it first differs from family to family. Wikipedia describes the mother feeding first in Nepal, while in other homes an elder starts and then everyone takes a turn. In one family's account of their daughter's pasni, the grandmother cooked the kheer and each relative fed a small spoonful.
Many families also play a choosing game. A tray is set in front of the baby with things like a book, a pen, jewellery, clay or soil, and food. Whatever the baby touches first is said, in fun, to hint at the child's future, and the same blog describes the whole room cheering at the choice.
How the Pasni Date Is Chosen
Most families do not pick the date themselves. A family priest or astrologer reads the baby's birth chart and gives a sait, an auspicious day and time. Wikipedia notes that in Nepal the date and time are chosen by an astrologer.
Ask for the sait early, ideally soon after the baby turns four months. That gives you time to book a venue, tell relatives outside the valley and send invitations. If the priest offers two or three good days, choose the one that suits the baby's routine and the most important guests.
Once you have the sait, write down two times: the puja time and the bhoj time. Guests often only need the bhoj time, but close family will want to be there for the puja and the first taste.
What to Include on a Pasni Invitation Card
A pasni card is shorter than a wedding card, but guests still need every practical detail. Use this checklist before you print or share anything.
| Item | What to write | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Child's name | The name the family uses | Add "our son" or "our daughter" so guests know |
| Hosts | Parents' names, or grandparents if they host | Name both parents together |
| Grandparents | Optional line, "with blessings from..." | Common when the elders are hosting |
| Date | BS and AD, plus the day of the week | Example: Shukrabar, [gate] [month] 2083 BS ([date] AD) |
| Time | Puja time and bhoj time separately | Say "onwards" for the bhoj |
| Venue | Full name, area, city | Add a map link on digital invitations |
| Bhoj | Lunch or dinner, and from what time | Helps guests plan their day |
| RSVP | Name and phone number, and a reply date | Ask how many people are coming |
| Small notes | Parking, dress, quiet timing for the baby | Keep it to one line |
Two small notes help a lot at a baby's event. First, ask guests to arrive on time for the puja, because a baby's good mood does not last forever. Second, if you would prefer no flash photography or strong perfume near the baby, say so kindly in one short line.
Pasni Card Matter in Nepali
Here is pasni card matter in Nepali that you can copy and change. Replace the words in square brackets with your own details. Use छोरा for a son and छोरी for a daughter.
सादर निमन्त्रणा
हाम्रो प्रिय छोरा/छोरी [बच्चाको नाम] को
पास्नी (अन्नप्राशन) संस्कार
मिति २०८३ [महिना] [गते], [बार]
([AD date]) का दिन शुभसाइतमा गर्ने भएकोले
उक्त शुभअवसरमा सपरिवार पाल्नुहुन
हार्दिक अनुरोध गर्दछौँ ।
पूजा: बिहान [समय]
भोज: दिउँसो [समय] देखि
स्थान: [ठाउँको नाम], [सहर]
निमन्त्रक
[बुबाको नाम] / [आमाको नाम]
सम्पर्क: [फोन नम्बर]When grandparents host, the card usually names them first, with the parents mentioned under the child's name. Use नाति for a grandson and नातिनी for a granddaughter.
सादर निमन्त्रणा
हाम्रो नाति/नातिनी [बच्चाको नाम]
(सुपुत्र/सुपुत्री: [बुबाको नाम] र [आमाको नाम]) को
पास्नी मिति २०८३ [महिना] [गते], [बार]
([AD date]) का दिन हुने भएकोले
यस खुसीको अवसरमा सपरिवार पाल्नुहुन
हार्दिक अनुरोध गर्दछौँ ।
भोज: [समय] देखि
स्थान: [ठाउँको नाम], [सहर]
निमन्त्रक
[हजुरबुबाको नाम] / [हजुरआमाको नाम]
सम्पर्क: [फोन नम्बर]Pasni Invitation Wording in English
English wording works well for friends, colleagues and relatives who read English more easily. Keep it short and warm. A baby's pasni is a family celebration, so the tone can be softer than a wedding card.
With joy and blessings [Father's name] and [Mother's name] invite you and your family to the Pasni (Annaprashan) of our son/daughter [Child's name] [Day], [gate] [month] 2083 BS ([date] AD) Puja at [time], lunch from [time] onwards [Venue name], [Area], [City] Kindly reply to [Name] on [phone number]
[Child's name] is ready for a first taste of rice! Please join us for a small pasni and lunch. [Day], [date] AD ([gate] [month] 2083 BS) From [time] [Venue or "at our home"], [Area] Your blessings mean the world to us. [Parents' names]
WhatsApp Message and Reminder for a Pasni
Most guests will see your invitation on their phone first. A short personal message with the link or card picture feels warmer than a forwarded image with no words. Call the most important elders before you send anything.
Namaste [Name] ji, Our [son/daughter] [Child's name] has the pasni on [Day], [gate] [month] 2083 BS ([date] AD). Puja at [time], lunch from [time], at [venue]. We would love you and your family to come and bless [him/her]. Here is the invitation: [link] Please let us know how many will come.
नमस्ते! [बच्चाको नाम] को पास्नी भोलि [बार] छ।
पूजा [समय] मा, भोज [समय] देखि, [स्थान] मा।
नक्सा: [map link]
हजुरहरूलाई पर्खिरहेका छौँ।
Namaste! A gentle reminder that [Child's name]'s pasni is tomorrow.
Puja at [time], lunch from [time], at [venue]. See you there!Planning Around the Baby: Guests, Timing and Size
A pasni is the baby's day, but the baby has no idea about the schedule. Planning around the child's needs keeps the day happy for everyone.
Keep the guest list small enough
A crowded room is loud and warm, and babies tire quickly. Many families invite close relatives for the puja and a wider circle for the bhoj. If space is tight, it is fine to keep the pasni small and celebrate the first birthday with more people later.
Fit the times around naps and feeds
Ask the parents when the baby usually sleeps and feeds, and set the puja for a time the baby is normally awake and calm. Morning often works well. Leave a short gap between the puja and the bhoj so the mother can feed the baby and rest.
Make space for the mother and baby
Set aside a quiet room near the venue where the mother can feed, change or settle the baby. Tell close family where it is. Ask guests kindly to wash their hands before holding the baby, and keep the number of people passing the baby around small.
Give elders and far-away relatives notice
Grandparents and the mama's side usually expect a personal call, not only a message. Relatives in other cities need enough time to travel. For family abroad, a video call during the puja lets them watch the first taste live, even from the other side of the world.
Online or Printed: Choosing the Right Pasni Card
Some families still print a small number of cards for elders, and that is a lovely touch. For most guests, though, an online pasni invitation is easier. It reaches relatives in Pokhara, Dubai or Sydney at the same moment, and nobody has to deliver cards door to door with a newborn at home.
With Nimtto, a designer sets up your pasni invitation as a short animated card that opens on the guest's phone, with the date in BS and AD, the venue and a Google Maps link, and RSVP. You can see how it works on the pasni invitation page and the how it works page. Replies go to your dashboard, so you can see who is coming and how many without counting messages one by one.
Soft, family-like designs suit a baby's day. Sayapatri has marigold strings in a doorway, Gurans opens through a gate of roses and marigold, and Laali is blush pink and gold with lanterns. You can browse every option on the designs page.
Pasni, Nwaran and Other Family Ceremonies
Pasni is one of several family ceremonies in a child's early life. The first is usually nwaran, the naming ceremony, which Wikipedia describes as commonly held on the eleventh day after birth. If you are planning both, you can keep the same design style for a matching set, and the nwaran invitation page shows how that looks.
Later milestones follow the same pattern: a clear date, a sait, a family meal and a guest list. When your son reaches the age for bratabandha, the bratabandha invitation guide covers the wording and planning. For a bigger family wedding, the wedding invitation wording guide has formal Nepali and English examples.
Final Thoughts
A pasni invitation does not need to be long. It needs the child's name, the sait in BS and AD, clear puja and bhoj times, the venue and an easy way to reply. Write it with warmth, call the elders first, and plan the day around the baby rather than the clock.
If you would like an online pasni invitation that family near and far can open with one link, look through the designs and compare plans on the pricing page. Nimtto's Standard plan (Rs 2,999) covers a ready-made design with names, date, venue and RSVP, which is often all a pasni needs.
Questions people ask
At what age is pasni done for a baby girl and a baby boy?
It is commonly held in the fifth month for a girl and the sixth month for a boy, though some families choose the seventh month for a girl. The final day comes from the sait your family priest or astrologer gives.
Who is invited to a pasni?
Close family always comes, especially both sets of grandparents and the baby's maternal uncle (mama) and aunts. Many families also invite neighbours and close friends for the bhoj, but a small guest list is easier on the baby.
Should a pasni invitation say the baby's full name?
Use the name the family will call the child. Many children also receive a name from their birth chart at nwaran, and some families prefer to keep that one private, so write whichever name you are happy to share.
How early should we send pasni invitations?
Send them as soon as the sait is fixed. Two to three weeks is comfortable for local guests, and relatives in other cities or abroad should hear the date by phone first, even before the card is ready.
Is it rude to send a pasni invitation on WhatsApp?
No. Most families now share invitations on WhatsApp or Viber. A short personal call to elders and the mama's side, followed by the link, keeps it respectful.
What gift should guests bring to a pasni?
Common gifts are clothes, a small silver or gold item, toys, or cash in an envelope with your blessing. The invitation does not need to mention gifts unless you want to say blessings are enough.
Can we hold the pasni at a hotel or party venue?
Yes. Many families keep the puja at home in the morning and hold the bhoj at a hall or restaurant later. If you do this, list both places and times clearly on the card.
Can Nimtto make an online pasni invitation in Nepali?
Yes. Nimtto makes animated pasni invitations in English and Nepali, with dates in BS and AD, a map link and RSVP. See the pasni invitation page or pricing.
