The Mundan ceremony is performed because of a belief that the hairs that the baby is born with, actually carries the undesired traits of the past life. The first hairs on the body of the baby is thus considered as impure and is the negative impact of the past lives on the future or the current life. So, it is considered as necessary that they are shaved off in order to purify his soul and ensure the well-being of the baby. Some people also believe that Mundan lowers the temperature of the baby thereby making him calm apart from enhancing the blood circulation in his system.
The hair on child’s head is formed in the womb of the mother.
In ancient times it was believed that hair on baby’s head has bad influences on his development as he grows. Mundan was performed in a belief of eliminating the negativities from the previous life.
The significance is to draw attention of parents towards the mental and spiritual development of the child and to keep the society informed about the progress that the child is making.
Ayurveda recommends shaving hair as a remedy to cure ringworm and head lice. Parents feared that shaving might cause head injuries, cuts or wounds in babies. Things to keep in mind if you choose to perform chudakarana or mundan:
It is best to perform mundan during summer If planning to do in temple or other holy places, try to find a nearby place so that you can avoid long travel with the baby If traveling long distance, prefer a neat and good hotel to stay Keep all baby things handy (towel, feeding bottles, drinking water, banana, wipes, tissues, napkins etc ) Ensure that the child is fed before the ceremony Try to keep the baby engaged with his favourite toy or play when the barber does his work Give the barber a new pair of razor for mundan The child must be given a good bath just after ceremony to wash away all the hair from his or her body The paste of turmeric and sandalwood can be very effective after shaving Last but not least keep your cameras ready for the ceremony.