The ancient practice of donating a commodity (such as gold, grain or coins) equal to a person's own weight is called:

"Tulabhara" (or "Tuladana") is the ancient practice of weighing a person against a commodity, such as gold, silver, grain, sugar, jaggery, fruits or coins, and donating it as an act of charity or devotion.

About Tulabhara:

• "Tula" means a balance (scale), and "bhara" means weight; "dana" means gift.
• The person sits on one pan of a large balance, and the commodity is placed on the other pan until the two are equal.
• The commodity is then donated to a temple, to Brahmanas, or to the poor.
• It is considered one of the "Mahadanas" (great gifts) described in the Puranas, such as the Matsya Purana.
• Kings and wealthy people performed it as an act of piety, especially on special occasions, such as eclipses, festivals and coronations.

History:

• Many inscriptions mention kings performing tuladana.
• The Vijayanagara king Krishnadeva Raya and other kings performed it.
• The Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir adopted the practice of weighing themselves on their birthdays ("tuladan" or "weighment ceremony"), against gold, silver and other goods, which were distributed to the poor.
• The Travancore kings performed "Thulapurusha Danam", weighing themselves against gold coins.

Tulabhara today:

• It is still performed as a religious offering at some temples, especially in Kerala and Karnataka.
• The Guruvayur Temple and the Udupi Krishna Temple are known for tulabhara offerings, where devotees offer items such as bananas, sugar, coconuts or jaggery equal to their weight.

Other types of religious gifts:

• "Godana": the gift of a cow.
• "Kanyadana": the giving away of a daughter in marriage.
• "Bhudana": the gift of land.
• "Annadana": the gift of food.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Hiranyagarbha is a different ritual.
• ✗Godana is the gift of a cow.
• ✗Kanyadana is part of the marriage ceremony.