Head shaving ( with kudumi/tuft )

[sreenivas_iyengar]

Share:

Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn WhatsApp Email Share Link

hi , i am sreevnivas iyengar , 32 , from bangalore,belongs to orthodox tamil brahman ,[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]i am mba graduate ,working in prestigious company . From last 1 month my mind thinking of head shaving along with tuft /kudumi as my grand pa and father keeping from long time. Whether its easy with my traditional head-shaving to work with colleagues . Pls suggest i am in confuson.

With regards ,
sreenivas iyengar
bangalore[/font][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]​[/font]

 

[tks]

Why are you in confusion? In your post you have given yourself a lot of identity - Iyengar, orthodox (whatever that means), MBA (why is this relevant), working for a Prestigious company (what does prestigious mean anyway).

Sporting a kudumi is not going to make you more orthodox or even a better Brahmin (I am not talking about your birth based rights to the term but living up to what the word means in Sanskrit).

Having an MBA is irrelevant if you are not effective in your job for your company.

Trying to copy the looks of your father and granapa?? - you call your Thatha a grandpa?

I know you are new here but I am not sure if your post is a serious question.

If you are serious my suggestion is to stop looking for new adjectives and new looks. Try to be effective as a worker in your company.

Try to live the intent of life of an Iyengar and do your Nithya Karmas- if you do not what that means I am sure you will have to educate yourself.

 

[prasad1]

What is the function of Head shaving to you? Why is external adoration of any importance to spiritual advancement?
Do you wear Traditional Iyyangar clothing? What if your colleagues make fun of you. or worse laugh behind your back.

An iyyangar friend of mine from Collage days, who now lives about 1000 miles from us, was passing by my town. He called and asked if he could visit us. We were overjoyed, as we had not seen each other in 25 years. We had occasional phone contacts throughout the periods. So I called few of our mutual friends to come to see him and his family. This friend in his collage days was wild, indulging in all vices. We had been to his lavish wedding and would meet them often, till they moved away.

To our shock he arrived with Kudumi and whole lot of stuff. We found that he had turned orthodox, after`mudradharana'.
The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Thousands turn up for `mudradharana'
He refused to eat my wife's cooking, his wife informed us that his food has to be prepared separately. His wife was apologetic for husband, but thankfully participated.

The next morning she whipped out her own hot-plate and cooking utensils, and asked us to provide an outlet. Then she proceeded to cook his food. The ate their own cooked meal and left. We are still in shock, the rest of the friends are equally perplexed with the transformation and rudeness. We have not exchanged phone call with this long lost friend.

 

[biswa]

I guess traditionally in all tribal cultures, a different external appearance has been important for druids, shamans, medicine men, brahmins etc.

Even in modern world doctors wear white coats, cops and military wear uniform. I do think external appearance (like say wearing a good suit) does change one's mind-set a bit.

 

[prasad1]

I guess traditionally in all tribal cultures, a different external appearance has been important for druids, shamans, medicine men, brahmins etc.

Even in modern world doctors wear white coats, cops and military wear uniform. I do think external appearance (like say wearing a good suit) does change one's mind-set a bit.

In the physical world you need to dress for the part, that is given.
The kudumi may make sense if Mr. Sreenivas iyengar, was going to become the priest of the community or any other prefession that requires that.

 

[tbs]

hi , i am sreevnivas iyengar , 32 , from bangalore,belongs to orthodox tamil brahman ,i am mba graduate ,working in prestigious company . From last 1 month my mind thinking of head shaving along with tuft /kudumi as my grand pa and father keeping from long time. Whether its easy with my traditional head-shaving to work with colleagues . Pls suggest i am in confuson.

With regards ,
sreenivas iyengar
bangalore​

hi

just info....i saw many iyengar mamas with kudumi working in LIC/BANK in chennai still today...i know some friends in

TVS group....its okay in south...may not be possible some northern parts of country...try again...

 

[sravna]

Hi,

It is good that you are confident enough to think about sporting a tuft. You should also be confident enough to not worry what others think.

So basically, whether you will react to what others say or may think will decide what would make you comfortable and therefore what you should do.

 

[vgane]

Dear Sreenivas Iyengar,

Appreciate your religious devotion..Please go ahead ..What is required is self belief, confidence, happiness in what you are doing..No one should have an objection to your attire so long it does not disturb the work!

 

[renuka]

hi , i am sreevnivas iyengar , 32 , from bangalore,belongs to orthodox tamil brahman ,i am mba graduate ,working in prestigious company . From last 1 month my mind thinking of head shaving along with tuft /kudumi as my grand pa and father keeping from long time. Whether its easy with my traditional head-shaving to work with colleagues . Pls suggest i am in confuson.

With regards ,
sreenivas iyengar
bangalore​

Dear Sir,

What is there to be confused about?

If you feel you are ready for it..go ahead..if you are not ready for it..then give yourself sometime.

Many people out here in Msia (who are muslims) turn up to work in skull cap.

During Thaipusam out here many Hindu women too shave their head bald and go to work totally bald headed and do not conceal their shaven heads till their hair grows back.

So its up to you to decide and be confident enough with your choice of lifestyle.

For all I know you could be getting a lot of admirers cos a running hands over a shaven head actually gives a nice stubbly feel and a Kudumi will be nice to tug!LOL

So beware you might become the Manmatha Rasa of your office!

 

[CHANDRU1849]

The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Thousands turn up for `mudradharana'

The next morning she whipped out her own hot-plate and cooking utensils, and asked us to provide an outlet. Then she proceeded to cook his food. The ate their own cooked meal and left. We are still in shock, the rest of the friends are equally perplexed with the transformation and rudeness. We have not exchanged phone call with this long lost friend.

Has she cooked in your house or outside? If it was in your house, what happened to the sanctity, when they refused to eat your food?

These practices might have been created without any logical thinking, with the fond hope that the world will remain same?

These people do deserve to live only in forests, if any. Still they are living in dark age.

 

[Brahmanyan]

Dear Sri Iyengar,

Keeping tuft is one of the Samskaras (sacraments) prescribed for the followers of Hindu traditions. It is known as "Chũdãkaraņa" . To keep it or not depends on your personal belief, you need not bother about the reactions of others in this regard.

Regards,
Brahmanyan,
Bangalore.

 

[sarang]

Nothing is taboo now. You can do it if you can carry it. Kudumi is not the exclusive prerogative of brahmins. All had it in the past. Even now one can find many in north with the remnant of kudumi, with a discernable long hair plait or witha tiny knot.

hi , i am sreevnivas iyengar , 32 , from bangalore,belongs to orthodox tamil brahman ,i am mba graduate ,working in prestigious company . From last 1 month my mind thinking of head shaving along with tuft /kudumi as my grand pa and father keeping from long time. Whether its easy with my traditional head-shaving to work with colleagues . Pls suggest i am in confuson.

With regards ,
sreenivas iyengar
bangalore​

 

[Vaagmi]

Hi Aiyengar,

I am an Aiyengar and I thought this will be useful to you. Please read what is given below by me. I am sure you will be knowing Tamil. If not please get it translated to you by a friend who has your good in his/her mind. If you chose to keep the tuft, you should know the idea behind this cultural trait and I hope you benefit from this:

குடுமி வைத்தல் or சௌளம்

ஹிந்து ஸம்ஸ்காரங்களில் இது ஒன்பதாவது ஆகும். குழந்தை பிறந்த 5வது வயதில் ஒரு நல்ல நாளில் குடுமி வைத்துக்கொள்ள வேண்டும். அன்று காலை தம்பதிகளும் குழந்தையும் குளித்து விட்டு ஆடை ஆபரணங்களை அணிந்து கொள்ளவேண்டும். கணவன் கிழக்கு முகமாக உட்கார்ந்து மனைவியையும் குழந்தையையும் வலது பக்கம் உட்காரச்செய்யவேண்டும். காலம் தேசம் இவற்றை நினைத்து குழந்தைக்கு ஞானாபிவிருத்தியுண்டாவதன் மூலம் பகவானை அறிந்து அவனுடைய ப்ரீதியுண்டாகவேண்டும் என்று சங்கல்ப்பம் செய்துகொள்ளவேண்டும். பிறகு விஷ்வக்சேனாராதனமும்,புண்ணியாகவாசனமும் நாந்திஸ்ராத்தமும் பயிர்வளர்த்தலும் செய்ய வேண்டும். [நாந்தி என்றால் சந்தோஷமென்று பொருள். சிரத்தையுடன் செய்வது ஸ்ராத்தம். பெரியோர்களை நினைத்து நன்மையுண்டாகவேண்டுமென்று பிரார்த்தித்து நல்லொழுக்கமுடையோர்க்கு இயன்றவாறு நன்கொடையளித்தல் நாந்தி ஸ்ராத்தமாகும்]

ஒரு மட்பாண்டத்தில் மண் நிறைத்து அதில்-பாலில் ஊறப்போட்ட நவதானிய வித்துக்களை சிறுமிகளைக்கொண்டும் ஸ்த்ரீகளைக்கொண்டும் விதைக்கச்செய்து 4 நாட்கள் வரை கலையும் மாலையும் நீர் விட்டு வளர்த்து 5ஆம் நாளன்று அதனை தண்ணீரில் கொண்டு போடவேண்டும். இது தான் பயிர் வளர்த்தல். பாலிகை என்றால் சிறுமி என்று பொருள் எனவே இது பாலிகை தெளித்தல் என்ற பெயரிடப்பட்ட சடங்காயிற்று.

பாலிகை தெளித்தல் கழிந்தவுடன் அக்னியை வளர்த்து அதில் ஸப்யன் என்ற பெயரால் அக்னியை த்யானித்து ஹோமம் செய்ய வேண்டும். பின் இளஞ்சூடுள்ள வெந்நீரை ஒரு வெண்கலப்பாத்திரத்தில் விட்டு, ஏழு தர்ப்பங்களாலமைந்த முடிப்பையும், தாமிரம், இரும்பு அல்லது கண்ணாடியாலான தலை சிறைப்பதற்கான கருவியையும் அவ்வக்னியின் முன் வைக்க வேண்டும்.

நாவிதனையும் அவ்வக்னியின் முன் கத்தியுடன் உட்கார்த்தி அவனை சூரியக்கடவுள் என த்யானம் செய்துகொள்ளவேண்டும்-க்ஷுரதபாணிநம்நாபி தம்பச்யந் தமேவ சவித்ரூபம் த்யாயஞபதி/ என்று த்யானம் செய்துகொள்ளவேண்டும். பின்னர் தர்ப்ப முடிப்பு கத்தி இவற்றைப்பார்த்து "ஓஷதியே (தர்ப்பமுடிப்பு) இவனைப் பாதுகாப்பாய். கத்தியே இவனை இம்சியாதே" என்று ப்ரார்த்தனை செய்துகொண்டு தானியங்களை விரித்து அவற்றின் மீது போட்டுள்ள ஆசனத்தில் குழந்தையை அமர்த்தி, தர்ப்ப முடிப்பையும் கத்தியையும் தகப்பன் கையில் வைத்துக்கொண்டு யேநாபவத்ஸவிதா...........முதலான மந்திரங்களைக்கூறி குழந்தையின் வலது பக்கத்து செவியின் ஓரத்தில் தர்ப்பமுடிப்பை வைத்து அதன் ஏழு நுனிகளையும் கத்தியினால் நறுக்கி கோமயமுள்ல தொன்னையில் போடவேண்டும். பின்னர் இடப்புறத்திலும் அவ்வாறே செய்யவேண்டும். பின்னர் அந்த தர்ப்பை நுனிகளடங்கிய தொன்னையை ஒரு மூங்கில் மரத்தினடியில் கொண்டு வைத்துவிட வேண்டும். அப்பால் நாவிதனைக்கொண்டு குடுமி வைக்கும்படிச்செய்யவேண்டும். பின்னர் வென்னீரில் ஸ்னானம் செய்வித்து ஞானஒழுக்கங்களுடையோர்க்கு இயன்ற அளவு தான்ம் வழங்கி குருவை நமஸ்க்கரித்து, பெரியோர்களை வணங்கி நாவிதனுக்கு உணவளித்து, தக்ஷிணை வணங்கி உபசரித்து அனுப்பவேண்டும். பின் உறவினருடன் உணவுகொள்ளவேண்டும்.

As you will readily understand this is the method of acquiring a kudumi as a samskaaram of the religion. Now there is a lot of principles and philosophy involved behind this samskaram and I may write about it later. It involves questions like why the agni should be only "sabyan", why paalikai, what is the significance of the seven darppai, what is the significance of keeping the cut tharppai under a bamboo bush, what is the meaning of the various mantras that are to be chanted, what is the role of the barber as seen in the ritual, what is the significance of the naanthi sraadhdham etc.,

As you are a grown up individual wanting to have only the external sikai part of it, you can have it without any hesitation. Your Dad should have made you have it in your 5th year itself following all these. My intention in writing this is to make you aware that as a samskaram our elders gave a certain importance to this samskaram and we should know that. Following it these days or leaving it is individual's choice.

 

[Raji Ram]

I came to know recently that most of the 'chottai' guys in the U S of A prefer to shave their heads to make others

believe that they would have had dense hair if not shaved off!! I have also checked this to be a true observation! :spy:

The 'chottai' portion will have an added shine!

BTW, does anyone need advice from forum members to have a particular hair style?

 

[prasad1]

What Tksji and Rajji said makes most sense. This op was posted in GD section. We can not assume that this posting is necessarily of religious significance.
It is widely believed that according to the Hindu tradition, every male Hindu is required to wear a sikha. There are, however, no authentic scriptural injunctions that dictate that this must be observed. Erudite Hindu pundits and Shastris, when pressed to cite scriptural evidence to bear out this belief, are unable to give anything on the point from the Vedas. Often, they rely on the allusion to it found in the Manu Smriti (ii : 27) —


“By oblations to fire during the mother’s pregnancy, by holy rites on the birth of the child, by the tonsure of his head with a lock of hair left on it, by the ligation of the sacrificial cord are the birth taints of the three classes wholly removed.”


But what about the myth that the Hare Krsnas have propagated that “the sikha” allows God to pull one to heaven, or from this material world of Maya?


This myth has no backing either in the Srimad Bhagavatam nor in any puranic literature. It is their founder archarya’s instructions to His followers.


This belief, i.e., the sikha “allows God to easily pull one to paradise” may, in fact, be an Islamic (or at least an Arabian) superstition:


Islamic Concoctions
Sir Thomas Herbert, 1st Baronet (1606–1682) described a similar hairstyle worn by Persians in his book ‘Travels in Persia’:


“The Persians allow no part of their body hair except the upper lip, which they wear long and thick and turning downwards; as also a lock upon the crown of the head, by which they are made to believe their Prophet will at Resurrection lift them into paradise. Elsewhere their head is shaven or made incapable of hair by the oil dowae (daway) being thrice anointed. This had been made the mode of the Oriental people since the promulgation of the alcoran (Al Quran), introduced and first imposed by the Arabians.”
Sikha and Hinduism | Antaryamin's Blog