Mundan Ceremony: The Baby's First Haircut

The first things related to babies are always extraordinary. And in Hindu culture, the first haircut is primarily ceremonious. The haircut is done as an actual ceremony. Commonly known as Mundan, the ritual is called choodakaran or chaul in some parts of India. 

When And How Should You Do Mundan?

Ideally, the ceremony should be performed from the first year till the third year of a baby. The time is correct because the child is not as delicate as a newborn. In exceptional cases, parents can do the mundan later as well. But, doing the mundan at an odd number of months and years is suggested. It can be done at 7, 9, or 11 months of age. Some families follow the auspicious time indicated by the priest.

On the day of the ceremony, a havan is performed by the priest. The mother holds the baby in her lap. And a small amount of hair is shaved by him. Then, the barber continues to shave the rest. The application of sandalwood and turmeric on the head of the baby follows the haircut. This protects the head from infections, heals the cuts, if any, and Chandan cools down the temperament. 

Must Read: 150 Unique Indian Baby Girl Names with Meanings for Your Little Princess

Is Performing Mundan Important For Your Baby?

Every ceremony in traditions has some deeply rooted significance. Some of them are scientific, and some of them are logical beliefs. Here are the benefits of Mundan:

1. It marks the beginning of new life and removes any negativity from the past life.
2.  It plays a very important role in healthy hair growth.
3. It helps the baby during teething by toning down the pain.
4. It marks the learning of cleanliness for a child.
5. It supports the development of nerves in the brain, 
6. It provides coolness in summer. 

A Few Mundan Precautions  

1. Be gentle to your baby. Let them rest well before the ceremony.

2. The person doing the mundan should be well trained for it.

3. In the case of the salon, avoid having a mirror in front of a baby. It might not be pleasing for them to see, and they can feel terrified by the image.

4. Don't make the ceremony crowded. Even though some people choose to do a grand celebration, it might be too overwhelming for a baby.

5. The instruments like razors or scissors should be sterilized and cleaned.  

Some parents choose to perform the Mundan at the holy places of Ganga Ghats or temples. In contrast, some of them conduct the ceremony at home. These days mundan is also conducted at salons due to current limitations. Wherever it is, Mundan is one of the most important sanskar out of sixteen sanskaras in Hinduism. Every strand of hair is kept to be offered to the deities. In some traditions, they are floated in the holy river Ganga.