IzzyR Posted May 13, 2004 Report Share Posted May 13, 2004 I wonder if someone should explain to me exactly what is the nature of the cutting off of hair at certain Hindu temples, such as the Tirupati temple, in Andhra Pradesh. According to an article I read (http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=2294) it is in gratitude for some good fortune but also ""basically an indication of surrender of the ego". I wonder if someone could clarify this a bit. The shavers are apparently unaware that the temple is gaining anything out of the hair, so they are not trying to help out the temple. Would it be analogous to someone offering a sacrifice to God, in that the person is sacrificing their hair as a sign of their devotion? A previous post to this board (http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:redMh4A6_hcJ:www.hindu-religion.net/showflat/cat/WorldNews/26913/13/collapsed/5/o/1+hindu+hair+cutting+temple+tirupati&hl=en) says that is can also be a penance. Any enlightenment would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 hair on the head is the sign of beauty and health, age, etc.. one's ego is reflected by how he/she keeps his/her hair. women/girls love their hairs more than men love thiers. a sanyasi, one who chooses spiritual life rather than matieirl / worldy, does not care for how his/her hair looks. he may cut if off or keep them uncut and undone. so, when some people pray to god like, 'O god, if you fulfill my this wish then i will surender to you, and as a token of it i will give away my hair,' and when god fulfills their desire, their faith strenghtens, and they do as they promised to god. such people remain less detached with the worldly life, at least till the hair grows back, if not more. but they alwasy remain more religious. this is about shraddha, bhakti, detachement, and auterity. they know that they are not the body but the soul within. hope their hair cutting does not harm you in any way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Being natural would be to not do anything to oneslef, right? It's been said that "To be yourself is actually easy, you don't have to do a thing. But to be someone else then YOU, you would have to do alot of things". Logicaly it would be less material to just let the hair grow and never cut it off at all, not eaven make it into some style, just let it hang and maybe not eaven wash it. That way, you would be you like you are naturaly. To cut it off, you will have to maintain to keep that look, to take away a part of you that is growing, a part that show what you body looks loks like. Hmmmm ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 When you cut of your hair, you hide a big part of you that shows who you are, like bold people cut of their hair cause they don't want people to see that they are bold. Now don't reply me and say that the body isn't really a persons, that the spirit is what's you and blabla.. cause when being a hindu, you wouldn't have to cut it of, cause "it's not real and blabla". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sami111 Posted May 14, 2004 Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Thanks for your interesting message. Could you please tell me what is done with the hair after the cutting? I know it's being sold. What interests me is whether there is some ritual act done with the hair before selling it. Thanks Sami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IzzyR Posted May 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 14, 2004 Thanks a lot! But I wonder if you could comment on the aspect that I've seen referred to in several websites about the tonsure being a "sacrifice" or "offering" to the Lord. Because you seem to be focusing on the perspective on the person - how he or she is affected and the meaning that it has for them. But is there also some aspect of sacrificing (a part of) oneself for the Lord? For example: "There is tradition of tonsuring and offering one's hair as offering to the Lord." - from http://www.iiitb.ac.in/ss/New%20Folder/Publications/ET/An%20Easier%20Way%20to%20Reach%20God,%20Mar%2025,%201999.htm "...and offering the tonsure of hair as a sacrifice to the Lord." - from http://www.tradewingstravel.com/andhra/apholycities2.jsp "The second ritual is the offering the tonsure of hair as a sacrifice to Lord ..... In return devotees ask for the Lord to bless and protect them." http://www.msu.edu/~krishn17/tirupati.html. So according to these websites there is some aspect of offering something to the Lord, in addition to the "detachment from worldly life" aspect that you reference. OTOH, I know that the media frequently misses the mark badly when reporting on other cultures and religions. So I figured this would be a better source of information. So I wonder if you (or someone else here) could confirm or deny whether the tonsure ceremony also contains some aspect of sacrificing something for the Lord. Thanks again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 << But is there also some aspect of sacrificing (a part of) oneself for the Lord? >> no. there is nothing like it in the vedic traditions. xians and muslims cut off foreskin of male child as a sacrifice or offering to god. hindu view is that god has given that skin and god is smart and loves us. so we accept the bpdy design of god, and see no problem with the body. foreskin helps maintain celibacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 no problem. i suggest you become a hindu swami first, then start this new tradtion of your choice. have you had any successes in the past of starting new traditions of your choice? we hindus have our choices too. you are welcome to dislike them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 << What interests me is whether there is some ritual act done with the hair before selling it. >> no. hair and nails, and any excreations from the body, once separated from the body are apavitra (unclean - not good to touch.), and are quickly thrown away as garbage or trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2004 Report Share Posted May 15, 2004 xians and muslims cut off foreskin of male child as a sacrifice or offering to god madhaav.. it s not true.. (it is for hebrews and it is not offered) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 16, 2004 Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 why do you think that hair is saled? sanyasi is offering is hair as sacrifice of his ego, who will buy his hair? naradihama will buy it? truly, i don't know what they are doing with hair but i think that it is thrown. isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sami111 Posted May 16, 2004 Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 Thanks a lot for your reply. One more question: Why do the believers come to the temple place for the tonsure? why don't they do it at home? Thanks Sami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 16, 2004 Report Share Posted May 16, 2004 ok. thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 is it possible to offer apavitra to the lord? perhaps they are some gods who don't look hair as apavitra? is it written in the gita or other book that hair is apavitra? if yes, please bring me reference. thank u! i heard from someone that hair is collecting in bags and sealed and after they are washing and drying it, is it true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 17, 2004 Report Share Posted May 17, 2004 what is the translation of "kaliana kata"? is lord venkateswara and lord vishnu the same god? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 As you are probably aware Sam the point of the offering is to diminish the beauty of the person and offer that up as a sacfifice to God through one of his representations. What happens to the hair afterwards is of much more interest to others than it is to us Hindus. I have recently heard it rumoured that Jews in the USA buy the hair to make wigs that make them more beautiful and they also do that for God. Ironic is it not that our women sacrifice their beauty and others buy it to make themselves more beautiful thus funding the temple to allow more to sacrifice in a never ending cycle. What is even funnier is that we are both doing it for the same God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maadhav Posted May 28, 2004 Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 << is it possible to offer apavitra to the lord? >> i think that it is not cut as an offering to god, but as a symbol of one's giving up the attachment for beauty and the ego that one is beautiful. hair fallen from body has no value. such hair is always thrown away from kitchen, temples, and home, altar, etc. no if some one want that long hair bunch to use as his/her fake hair, then we do not have problem, but a hindu shoudl not sit in pooja or havan with fake hair. going before god or deity with fake hair is also not good hindu manner. i am not sure of what help is info for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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