Mundan- A Hindu Ritual for Babies

I just came across an awful and painful ritual that babies in India are subjected to…esp Hindu babies. The kid is not exactly new-born but more or less 6 to 9 months old.


Tonsuring (mundan) is an important ceremony in Hindu communities. The first haircut is an important ritual and it is believed that shaving the hair rids the child of his past life's negativity. Some believe that a mundan bestows a long life, a better future and also protects the child from the evil eye. In some communities, the hair on a newborn’s head is considered impure and it is believed that only a mundan can cleanse the child’s body and soul.

Some believe that a mundan helps release excess body heat and keeps the baby's head cool. Some also believe that a mundan helps relieve headache and pains associated with teething. It is also a common belief that shaving off the hair stimulates cells and improves blood circulation, which may help in the growth of better and thicker hair.

Apart from the Indian community, Chinese and Mongolians also observe similar traditions for shaving the head of their children.

But this ceremony is really a big torture for the poor kid, who cannot express itself in words and resorts to the only medium that it knows- that is crying. The tears appear like huge drops and the whole face is red like a tomato…but it can’t do anything. A slight twitch of the body results in cuts and knick’s which cause further pain and tears.

Further, after the shave it just has to bear the burning sensation and there is no way he may complain about it. Most kids end up looking hideous after the process… Given a choice I would never subject my child to this torture…my poor baby…I would end up in tears seeing him wither in tears! But Indian’s are so custom bound, that they are not ready to budge or forgo such things. You as parents hardly have any say in front of an endless list of relatives, who all claim to know what’s good for your child as this is your first experience at raising kids.

God Bless my Child!!!

Is it a boy or a girl???

I am constantly being asked whether I want a boy or a girl. I wonder if that really matters. What difference is that going to make? Except for the fact that I might get a wider range of clothes to dress up my little baby girl & the choicest of accessory options… both kids are ultimately going to be same!

A baby being a baby, irrespective of the gender is a pleasure. It will give you the same amount of joy and exertion. Seeing any child laugh, gurgle and make sound melts hearts, so does its gender really make a difference. They all look equally cute with their small toes and hands and delightful smile. They all smell delicious and you feel like cuddling and hugging them the moment you lay your eyes on them, so why bother if it’s a girl or a boy?

Irrespective of its gender, its bound to cry in the middle of the night leaving parents fumbled wondering “what’s the reason for these tears”. A parent will never be able to decipher what is the reason for its agonizing pain and discomfort and fret beyond words trying to pacify it. That little bundle is parceled between two inexperienced set of arms who are constantly questioning each other about the cause of tears…till the poor child gets fed up after an hour and goes back to sleep leaving the parents wondering why did it cry in the first place and hoping that the rest of the night its little angel sleeps peacefully with no more tears. I read somewhere that while this game of passing the parcel is on the parents recite a mini poem which is something on these lines-

“Do you think its hungry…but that’s not possible, I just fed him…maybe it needs a change...No it’s not wet…so do you think its hungry…but that’s not possible, I just fed him…maybe it needs a change, let me check…is it possible it’s still hungry…”

The kid gets tired of hearing this poem and ultimately dozes off…

I don’t think that the boy is going to be less fussy about its food, or the girl would give me less trouble in the supermarkets while shopping…a child is a responsibility irrespective of its gender. They are all like little angels! There is a rush of emotion every time you see your child which leaves you amazed with God’s creation. This tiny little beautiful piece of wonderment playing in your arms is a wonderful combination of two peoples deeply in love- You & your husband. Your child is a blessed image of you and your life partner, so it really doesn’t matter if it’s a boy or a girl. It just leaves you thrilled, knowing you created it and it’s going to be a part of your forever...