Mundan ceremony: Here is the scientific reason behind it | The Times of India (2024)

Mundan called Tonsure in English is the act of shaving the baby's first hair on the head. The tradition is considered important in Hindu tradition mandatory. During the mundan ceremony, a barber is assigned the task of shaving off the baby's hair. In Hindus, the mundan ceremony is done between four months to three years of his birth. In Islamic tradition, it's done between 7 to 40 days.

The time and rituals of mundan are different in different communities. In fact many communities only perform the mundan ceremony for boys and not girls. The ceremony is performed by a priest or the father of the baby.

After the mundan ceremony, the head is cleaned with holy water and then turmeric and sandalwood paste is applied to heal the cuts caused during the process.

The practice of mundan ceremony is an age-old one. But the ceremony has been questioned in recent times. In fact, many religions do not perform the ceremony. So, is there a scientific reason behind the ceremony?

It is said that Vitmain D is absorbed faster and more quickly in the baby’s body when exposed to sunlight without clothes and hair. Even doctors recommend exposing newborn babies to sunlight without clothes in the early morning.

Another reason is that the baby's hair is uneven, shaving the head helps in even growth of hair later.

According to Hindu mythology, a soul gets a human body after experiencing 84 lakh yonis. It is believed that every yoni has its influence on human birth. The shaving off the hair is considered to be a gesture of purification from the previous yonis and freedom from the past.

Some also believe that shaving off head helps in stimulating proper growth of the nerves and brain.

Mundan also helps in keeping the baby's head cool during the hot weather.

There are uncountable beliefs, it is completely your choice to get your baby's mundan done or not. Go by what you feel is right and be cautious so that it doesn't hurt the baby.

- The baby must be well fed and rested. Kids usually become restless when hungry or sleepy and even a slight wrong move can cause injury.

- Choose a professional barber who has good experience with kids.

- The equipment used must be clean and sterilised so that the kid doesn't catch an infection.

- Give your kid a nice warm bath after the ceremony as many a times tiny strands or pieces of hair get stuck on the head and body. If not removed, they might enter kid's eyes, nose or ear an cause irritation.