Vedarambha (Introduction to the Scriptures) – Vedas are ancient scriptures and texts. This was an initiation ritual where the child and their Guru sat in front of a sacred fire (Yagna), the teacher recited initiation hymns and the student followed. While the older texts do not mention Upanayana and Vedarambha differently, they are considered different rituals because formal Vedic education begins only when the student is ready for it. The Guru decides when to initiate a student into Vedas. The preparation for the students involved helping with school chores, living a simple life, going to villages and towns to ask for donation of food, collecting and bringing water, collecting fuel sticks for cooking and general maintenance of the school. These were on going rituals and weren’t considered as a distinct rite of passage. Before getting initiated into the Vedas, the students learned vocabulary, grammar and other basic studies like mathematics and science.