Upanayanam perhaps better known outside India by the name "Thread ceremony", is a Hindu rite-of-passage ritual. Traditionally, the ceremony was performed to mark the point at which male children began their formal education.

The ceremony is performed to young boys of 7+ years of age (and girls in some sects) from the three varnas of brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya. The youngster is taught during the ceremony the secret of life through Brahmopadesam (revealing the nature of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri mantra. He then becomes qualified for life as a student or Brahmacharya, as prescribed in the Manusmriti.

The Sanskrit word Upanayanam is believed to be derived from the word nayanam meaning "eye", prefixed with upa- ("auxiliary"), making for the interpretative meaning: bringing (the ultimate truth nearer in sight) tr>