What is a Mundan ceremony?

What is mundan?

Mundan or hair removal ceremony-India is a religious practice performed in all Hindu households wherein the child gets his/her first haircut. It is believed that the hair that the baby is born with carry traits from previous lives which have to be removed by shaving off the hair. Baby mundan is performed by almost all Hindu families, as well as some Muslim households for babies in the age range of of 0 to 3 years. This ceremony holds great spiritual significance as per the Vedas.

Significance of Mundan ceremony:

Mundan is believed to purify the child from the effects of his previous births. However, there are several beliefs surrounding the practicality of Mundan, which have been listed here. Mundan ceremony is performed for Hindus for the following reasons:

• It is believed that one has to pass through 64 yonis to take birth as a human. Hence Mundan ceremony is essential to eliminate the unwanted traits of these previous births and purify the child to begin his life as a human.
• It is also believed that Mundan enhances the flow of intelligence in the baby’s system and make him more knowledgeable from childhood.
• Mundan protects the child from evil eyes and blesses him with a bright future and good fortune.
• Shaving off the hair brings down the temperature and keeps the baby calm, especially during summer.
• It improves growth and texture of hair.
• The pains and headache experienced by the child during teething are also reduced. Read More…

 

Auspicious days for Mundan ceremony

Many people are perplexed that when they can remove baby’s hair first time, as deciding the time for Mundan is very important. People ask questions regarding which date is good for baby first head hair removal to their family pundit. As per Hindu scriptures, the date for Mundan ceremony has to be during an odd year and odd month of baby’s life. Mundan must also be performed when the child is no more than 3 years, although not every household believes in this. The position of Sun and Moon are also crucial and a day is selected after proper consideration to these aspects.

How is Mundan performed?

All families have their own traditions regarding this ceremony. People invite their close friends and relatives to their home or some other convenient location. Many families prefer the venue to be a holy temple or banks of holy rivers like Ganga or Yamuna. If one s wondering about what are the religious places where first hair removal can be performed, famous temples or places of spiritual significance to the family can be chosen. The priests and relatives bless the child and Mundan ceremony gifts are given to the child, which may include toys, clothes, fruits, cash and jewellery for the child. The barber or hairdresser shaves off the child’s hair at the auspicious time as decided by the family pundit.

Mundan is known by different names in different communities and different parts of India. Mundan of girl child in Bangalore is a special rite which is a homely affair, like many other parts of the country. Good places for Mundan ceremony in Bangalore include Vekantesha Temple or Tirupati Temple, situated near Hosur. It depends on the family and their religious beliefs to choose an appropriate venue for this auspicious rite. Read More…