https://www.namboothiri.com/articles/shodasakriyakal.htm.
Upanayanam: Upanayanam is the beginning of the process of confirming Namboothirihood on a Namboothiri boy. Since Upanayanam is considered as a re-birth of the boy, its "Muhurtham" (auspicious time) should be carefully selected so as to remove the unfavourable aspects in the boy's horoscope. It is performed usually during the 5th, 7th or preferably the 8th year. It is roughly a 4-hour long ritual.
Usually for the first son, the priest (Aachaaryan) in this ceremony is his father himself. But sometimes, for the second and later children, one of the boy's paternal uncles may come forward to act as Aachaaryan. It is important that the boy has to perform the last rites of his Upanayanam Aachaaryan. Traditionally, only the eldest son marry from Namboothiri community. By becoming Aachaaryan in Upanayanam, his paternal uncle thus ensures that there will be somebody to do the last rites after death.
Aachaaryan who performs Upanayanam of the boy, as blessed by Sun, assumes charge of Aswi, Pooshavu and Prajapathi. He then confirms Namboothirihood on the boy and leads him to education. During the process, the Aachaaryan logically deposits a part of himself in the boy's soul. He teaches the boy to perform Kaalu kazhukal, Aachamanam and traditional bathing (all as part of keeping absolute cleanliness) and advises the boy to continue to perform these throughout the life. Also he advises not to sleep during daytime, and to study Vedam all by themselves. A teacher is very much necessary. The Aacharyan then blesses the boy and starts education. This process usually takes a day. The boy is then called Brahmachaari and the period till "Samaavarthanam" is called Braahmacharyam. During Braahmacharyam, the boy is supposed to study Vedam and received traditional advices.
During Braahmacharyam the boy performs daily rites like "Ookkal" (offering "Arghyam") as part of Sandhyaa vandanam. It starts by around 5 a m (in Braahma muhurtham). After sunrise, the boy proceeds to "Samidhaadaanam" [or Chamathayidal or Chamatha (flame of the forest - Butea) in short], which is a Homam, (or ritual using fire). Sandhyaavandanam and Samidhaadaanam are repeated at dusk, too. After morning Samidhaadaanam, Japam and Namaskaaram commence. The Japam (or chanting of hymns) is repeated 1000 times. The whole process of Ookkal, Sandhyaavandanam, Samidhaadaanam, Japam and Namaskaaram are together called "Thevaaram". Food is taken only after Thevaaram. Thevaaram goes on to till about 10 a m. During Braahmacharyam, Muthira (flat gram), Kayam (asafoetida), Onion, Uluva (fenugreek seeds), outside-made coconut oil and pappadam, etc. are not allowed, with food. The style of Namaskaaram changes, once the boy starts the lessons in Vedams, to Suryanamaskaaram, a slightly more difficult exercise as an offering to Sun, by chanting specific Vedamanthrams. Each step in suryanamaskaaram has several body positions and this exercise is usually repeated 108 to 150 times, which, later enhances to 120 to 200 times. During Thevaaram and while taking food, the boy is supposed to speak only in Sanskrit. After Thevaaram and food, the daily classes of Vedam start. The objectives of these daily classes and subsequent homework are meant to learn the entire Vedam by heart. Average and less intelligent boys take a long time (say 8 to 10 years) to complete this formal education while intelligent boys complete it in around 6 to 7 years. Classes and homework are continued strictly till evening rituals, which are mostly the same as Thevaaram, described above. Six holidays, consisting of two Ashtami days and Pradosham to Prathipadam (4 days), are allowed per month. (To know more about Vedam and testing process, Click Here). Before Samaavarthanam, various steps to be performed are the processes of advising Upanishads, Braahmanams and Aaranyakams to the boy in the following three steps. If a boy wants to change from Kausheetakan to Badhoolakan recension, Upanayanam is the stage. Once a boy starts with the Manthrams of Kausheetakan recension, he has to remain as Kausheetakan till his death. This is applicable to all the five Braahmanan recensions. It is to be noted that a girl changes her recension during her marriage. After marriage, she automatically becomes the recension of her husband.
10.Mahanaamneevrutham (Aanduvrutham): This is an year-long process for studying Vedams by chanting it under strict guidance. In olden days, the boy was supposed to study the complete text (Samhitha) of all the three Vedams namely Rigvedam, Yajurvedam and Saamavedam, irrespective of the Vedic tradition of his family. Since it takes several years the studies were restricted to his family's Vedam. Muthalmura, the training to the boy to achieve perfection in Vedic chanting, is part of it. It has to be noted that Kousheetakan Namboothiris are to be trained in the Baashkala Samhitha (text) but they are now being trained in the Saakala Samhitha, which is meant for Aaswalaayanan Namboothiris. Similarly, the Badhoolakan Namboothiris are to get trained in Suklayajurvedam but they are currently being trained in Krishnayajurvedam, which is meant for Boudhaayanan Namboothiris. Aaswalaayanan, Boudhaayanan and Samaveda Namboothiris follow Samhitas originally meant for them. But in practice (like, in "Kriya" and "Yagam"), each of these five recensions follows its own tradition.
11.Mahaavrutham: It is a 12-day long rite as part of studying Braahmanam and Aaranyakam by chanting it under strict guidance. Braahmanam contains the Vedic text for the rites to be performed in Yaagams. Aaranyakam contains the Vedic text which helps the boy for information and knowledge base creation.
Everybody knows that, according to the Vedic classification of Namboothiris, there are five classes, namely, Kausheethakan (Rigvedi), Aaswalaayanan (Rigvedi), Baudhaayanan (Yajurvedi), Baadhoolakan (Yajurvedi) and Jaimineeyan (Saamavedi). We also know that Namboothiris of each of these classes have to study Samhitha, Braahmanam, Aaranyakam and Upanishad, to complete their Vedic education. The prescribed texts for studying each of these four lessons for each of these five classes are slightly different. The following table gives the name of the prescribed text.
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12.Upanishadvrutham: It is also a 12-day ceremony for studying Upanishads. Earlier, the boy had to study Braahmanam, Aaranyakam and Upanishads completely, but later it was restricted to a 12-day rite. For Kousheethakan and Boudhaayanan Namboothiris, a three-day rite by name Sukriyam has to be performed befor the next step, Godaanam.
13.Godaanam: This is a ceremonial thanks-giving to the Aacharyan (priest or teacher). It is a 12-day process except for Kousheetakan Namboothiris, for whom it is a three-day process. Godaanam means Go-midhunam-daanam which means donating a cow and an ox couple to the Aacharyan, and supported by Manthrams.
14.Samaavarthanam: Samaavarthanam marks the boy's return to normal life after Vedic education. Samaavarthanam is usually conducted after the boy completes 14 years, for Boudhaayanan, Badhoolakan and Aaswalayanan Namboothiris. For Kousheethakan Namboothiris, it is conducted before completing 14 years. It has to be noted that long ago it was conducted only after successfully completing all the studies mentioned above. Later it was decided by Namboothiris to conduct Samaavarthanam after 5,400 days of his birth (in his 15th year). Also note that some books refer to conducting it in the 16th year. It is the 16th year after he was originally formed in his mother's womb. Saamavedi Namboothiri performs Samaavarthanam in the 11th year of birth.
Samaavarthanam starts with "Gurudakshina" and accepting the blessing from the teacher. Through Manthrams, prayers are made to various gods to protect his eyes, ears and legs and to make him known in the public, smart, acceptable, enlightened, long-lived, etc. Some Manthrams are intended to request the "dandu" (holy stick, which he carries always) to protect him from animals. The concept of Hiranyam (the enriched form of Agni) plays an important part here. Manthrams are chanted to take several pledges by the boy to perform various tasks, and not to be engaged in unwanted and unethical activities, all as advices by the teacher. After Samaavarthanam (now one calls the boy, a Namboothiri), he proceeds to advanced education, by selecting various fields like Mathematics, Astronomy, Vyaakaranam, Tharkam, Nyayam, Dharmam, Meemamsa, etc.
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