Tirupati Temple Plans to Auction Tonsured Pilgrim's Hair

[Jahnava Nitai Das 2]

Tirupati Temple Plans to Auction Tonsured Pilgrim's Hair

Source: South China Morning Post

 

INDIA, July 27, 2002: One of the country's richest and oldest Hindu temples is planning a global hair tender in a move to cut out middlemen and get the best price for thousands of pounds of shorn locks donated daily by devotees. Authorities from the Tirupati temple, in Andhra Pradesh, said notices would be published in newspapers abroad, including Hong Kong, inviting international bids for tons of hair used by wig makers. This year, the temple has already earned several million dollars after selling over 450,000 lbs of hair to middlemen, who are regular suppliers to the booming business of false hairpieces in India and abroad. The hair offered to Lord Venkateswara by millions of pilgrims as penance or for fulfilling their prayers is exported to wig makers in Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, the U.S. and Western Europe. The hair brings in huge profits and also makes a tidy sum for the middlemen. "We have been at the mercy of middlemen for far too long and now we have decided to eliminate them for good," Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams executive officer P. Krishnaaiah said. "Henceforth, we will float global tenders to get the best prices for the commodity in the international market." The hilltop Tirupati temple attracts 10 million devotees annually. Up to 1,200 temple barbers working around the clock shave the heads of about 15,000 pilgrims every day.

 

[Guest guest]

is the giving of the hair a donation or offering?

any knowlidgible individual please reply.

thank you

[vanamali 1]

Giving of hair at tirupati is a donation because it can be sold for money.

 

It is also an offering because you are giving up something that makes us feel like we look good, as a sacrafice of ego to the Lord.

 

there's a story about why it's special to tonsure at tirupati, but I think I already posted it under Spiritual Discussions under "preparations for tonsure"

 

~Jai Sri Krishna

~Vanamali

[Guest guest]

itz oser tokruvet avoda zra

[Guest guest]

aRE THE BARBERS AWARE THAT THE HAIR IS BEING SOLD? WHO PAYS THE BARBERS?

[Guest guest]

IS TONSURE AWORSHIPPING SERVICE?

[vanamali 1]

Tonsure is very important at tirupati

 

1. it symbolizes giving up the ego before God

2. hair is sold for money which is for the God and the temple

3.

Tirupati Balaji came to earth when His wife Mahalakshmi and He had an argument (involving Bhrigu rishi kicking Lord Vishnu in the chest) and She left Vaikuntha for earth. Missing His beloved, Lord Vishnu came down to earth and wandered, looking for Her. He stopped to take rest in an anthill. Lord Shiva and Lord Bramha learned that where Lord Vishnu was and that He was not eating, so they came to earth as a cow (Shiva) and a calf (Bramha). They would come everyday to where the Lord was resting and the cow (Lord Shiva) would empty its udder of milk into the anthill.

 

One day the cowherd in charge of the cows followed them, curious as to why the cow was not producing milk. He saw that the cow was emptying her udder into an anthill. He got angry and struck it with an axe. Lord Vishnu stood up, coming out of the anthill. His lotus face was covered with blood! The cowherd was so shocked to see this sight that he died on the spot.

 

Goddess Parvathy came to the spot dressed as a cowherdess, and shaved off some of her hair, so that Lord Vishnu would be able to cover the wound on His head where He had lost some of His beautiful hair...

 

This is just the beginning of the story of Lord Venkateshwara. This explains part of the reason that it's so good to give hair at Tirupati.

 

~Vanamali