Navjote is the Parsi ceremony marking a child’s formal initiation into Zoroastrianism.
Parsis are Indian Zoroastrians descended largely from Zoroastrians who migrated from Persia after the Arab conquest. In Parsi communities, Navjote is the ceremony through which a child publicly enters the religious community and begins wearing the sacred sudreh and kusti.
The ritual includes prayers and the ceremonial tying of the kusti. The white sudreh is worn beneath ordinary clothing, while the cord is periodically untied and retied during daily prayers. Together, they represent religious identity and disciplined practice.
Navjote is the Parsi name and usage most familiar in India, while related Zoroastrian initiation customs exist elsewhere. It should not be confused with Gahambar, a seasonal religious festival, or Jashan, a broader blessing ceremony.