About Seemantham (Godh Bharai)
What is Seemantham (Godh Bharai)?
Seemantham (Simantonnayana) is the pregnancy ceremony in the 7th or 8th month that blesses the mother and the baby, with the parting of the hair, bangles and the blessings of married women — known as Godh Bharai and Valaikappu.
The husband parts the wife’s hair with a porcupine quill or darbha while chanting mantras, praying for a safe delivery and a healthy child. Married women adorn the mother with glass bangles and fill her lap (godh) with fruits and gifts.
Benefits
- Blessings for a safe delivery and healthy baby
- Emotional support and joy for the mother
- Fulfils the traditional samskara
When to perform
- 7th or 8th month of pregnancy, on a muhurtham
- Often with Punsavanam in South Indian families
How Seemantham (Godh Bharai) is performed
- Ganapati pooja and sankalpam
- Punyahavachanam
- Seemanta mantras — parting of the hair
- Bangle ceremony and lap-filling
- Blessings by elders and suvasinis
- Harathi
Seemantham (Godh Bharai) samagri list
- Glass bangles (many dozens)
- New saree for the mother
- Five kinds of fruits and dry fruits
- Flowers and garlands
- Turmeric, kumkum and akshinthalu
- Sweets and five varieties of rice (South)
Do’s and don’ts
✅ Do
- Keep the mother comfortable and seated
- Share any medical advice with the pandit
❌ Avoid
- Avoid long fasting for the expecting mother
Seemantham near you
Read the full guide to Seemantham — meaning, vidhi, samagri, best time and cost — or see local details for your city.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Seemantham (Godh Bharai) cost?
Seemantham (Godh Bharai) with a verified Stuti Mandir pandit starts from ₹4,100 as pandit dakshina, for about 1.5 to 2 hours. The price can be a little higher outside the metro cities, live video pujas cost less than a home visit, and the full bill is shown before you pay.
In which month is Seemantham done?
In the 7th or 8th month of pregnancy, on an auspicious day the pandit fixes.
Is it the same as Godh Bharai?
Yes. Godh Bharai (North), Valaikappu (Tamil) and Dohale Jevan (Marathi) are regional forms of the same blessing.