The ceremony draws spiritual legitimacy from the belief that the newborn’s soul remains in transition until the sixth day, at which point it is firmly anchored to the physical world and the Muslim ummah. The Bohra saint and scholar Syedna Ismail Badruddin (d. 1024 AH/1615 CE) documented similar customs in his epistles, linking them to Fatimid court practices where newborns were presented to the Imam on the sixth day.
The event is marked by specific dress codes and communal dining that reflect Dawoodi Bohra identity. Reflections on the Chhati Ceremony (or, Baby's New Clothes) dawoodi bohra chatti rasam pdf