page_title: Sanskara (rite of passage)
section_title: Baby's first haircut, Chudakarana
hierarchical_section_title: Sanskara (rite of passage) / Samskara as rituals / The 16 Sanskaras / Baby's first haircut, Chudakarana
caption_attribution_description: To celebrate his sixth day of life, this baby's hair was ritualistically shaved. It is one of 16 samskara in a Hindu's life. It is not mandatory like most sanskar, but is typically practiced as a rite of passage. The haircut may occur few days after the birth or months later. The black liner on his eyes is kajol, which many Indians believe to be protective. The new mother is wearing her wedding sari, and throughout the night, she spoke with well-wishers, watched the performances and discreetly breastfed.
context_page_description: Sanskara are rites of passage in a human being's life described in ancient Sanskrit texts, as well as a concept in the karma theory of Indian philosophies. The word literally means "putting together, making perfect, getting ready, to prepare", or "a sacred or sanctifying ceremony" in ancient Sanskrit and Pali texts of India.
  In the context of karma theory, Sanskara are dispositions, character or behavioral traits, that exist as default from birth or prepared and perfected by a person over one's lifetime, that exist as imprints on the subconscious according to various schools of Hindu philosophy such as the Yoga school. These perfected or default imprints of karma within a person, influences that person's nature, response and states of mind.
  In another context, Sanskara refers to the diverse rites of passage in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism. In Hinduism, the sanskaras vary in number and details according to regional traditions. They range from the list of 40 sanskaras in the Gautama Dharmasutra from about the middle of 1st millennium BCE, to 16 sanskaras in the Grhyasutra texts from centuries later.
context_section_description: Chudakarana (IAST: Cūḍākaraṇa, Sanskrit: चूडाकरण) (literally, rite of tonsure), also known as choulam, caula, chudakarma, mundana or "mundan sanskar" is the rite of passage that marks the child's first haircut, typically the shaving of the head. The mother dresses up, sometimes in her wedding sari, and with the father present, the baby's hair is cut and the nails are trimmed. Sometimes, a tuft of hair is left to cover the soft spot near the top of baby's head.
  The significance of this rite of passage is the baby's cyclical step to hygiene and cleanliness. The ritual is seen as a passage of purity. It is typically done about the first birthday, but some texts recommend that it be completed before the third or the seventh year. Sometimes, this ritual is combined with the rite of passage of Upanayana, initiation to formal schooling. The ritual may include recitation of prayers for the child's long life and happiness.
caption: A baby's first haircut is called choulam samskara.
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