Urgent questions abuot Tirupati hair-cutting

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

 

I'm a new member. Hello you all.

 

I have a questions for which I'm looking for a very urgent response.

Is anyone here familiar with the ritual in the Tirupati shrine in India to

cut the hair?

What is the purpose, objective? Is it like giving something to god?

Do they believe in one god, or in something else? Is it idolatry?

What is done with the hair?

Is it sold? Where?

Was anyone of you already there? Did anyone of you perform this ritual?

Does anyone know contact info to an expert on this issue? Contact info of an

expert of Hindu philosophy and religion?

 

Any info in this regard would be very appreciated.

 

Thank you,

Jacob S

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I have found some information online, I cannot vouch for its

authenticity but it seems good (I quote only a small part here you

should visit the page if it seems informative to you):

 

http://www.ambedkar.org/Tirupati/Chap26.htm

 

Shri Sitapati observes:

"The Tirumalai Temple inscriptions mention about food offering etc.

made to the Lord, but no mention is made of this curious custom of

offering of hair. The custom was perhaps introduced to stress the

quality of humility, as well as renunciation of what is usually

prized. It is also possible that this custom came into prominence

when the Vaishnavas vigorously started their poselytising activities

by setting up missions and by converting people from other sects and

beliefs into the Vaishnava fold. Some fees are collected for the

Tonsure ceremony and it is possible that the revenue aspect might

have been one strong reason for the introduction of this custom in

Tirumalai. Sri T.K.T. Veera Raghavacharya in his book 'History of

Tirupati' has reproduced in Appendix I, a reprint of an article

published in August 1831 A. D. by an English District Collector of

the region about Tirumalai in the Asiatic Journal. The reprint

mentions that "offerings or counickee are made generally from

interested votives, and are of a very diversity of articles

conceivable; gold and silver lumps, coins of all sorts, bags of

rupees, copper, money, spices, asafoetida, the hair cut off the head

frequently vowed from infancy, and given up by some beautiful virgin

in compliance with her parent's oath. [emphasis original] From the

above it is evident that this custom at least existed in the year

1831 A.D. if not earlier. [sitapati:154]

 

 

Later in the article it says:

What Sitapati probably means to say (but does not) is that, those

converted to Vaishnava fold were already used to, and rather fond of

ceremonial tonsure at temples and did not want to give up the

practice even after conversion to Vaishnavism. Who were such people?

It was one of the old practices of Buddhists, as we know to becomes

Shramaner or Shramaneri and to stay at a place of worship, pilgrimage

or a centre of learning for a few days in attendance with the

masters, the essential requirement being the tonsure of head at that

time.

 

You may find more general information here:

 

http://www.indiaprofile.com/pilgrimage/tirupati.htm

 

 

 

 

, graphana@a... wrote:

>

> Hi All,

>

> I'm a new member. Hello you all.

>

> I have a questions for which I'm looking for a very urgent response.

> Is anyone here familiar with the ritual in the Tirupati shrine in

India to

> cut the hair?

> What is the purpose, objective? Is it like giving something to god?

> Do they believe in one god, or in something else? Is it idolatry?

> What is done with the hair?

> Is it sold? Where?

> Was anyone of you already there? Did anyone of you perform this

ritual?

> Does anyone know contact info to an expert on this issue? Contact

info of an

> expert of Hindu philosophy and religion?

>

> Any info in this regard would be very appreciated.

>

> Thank you,

> Jacob S

>

>

>