Hair

According to traditional Hindu notions
regarding purity and impurity (ashaucha),
head and facial hair trap and retain ritual impurity. In ordinary cases this
impurity is removed by simple washing
in running water, just as for the rest of
the body. In cases of particularly violent
impurity, such as that connected with
death (maranashaucha), men will often
conclude the period of impurity by completely shaving both their heads and
beards. They may also have their nails
cut, probably reflecting that conviction
that any dispensable parts of the body
should be removed as a way to get rid of
any residual impurity.
Shaving the head is also the major
feature in the chudakarana, the tonsure
ceremony that marks the ritual conclusion of infancy to remove any residual
impurities left from childbirth. Among
adults such head shaving is usually
restricted to men; women usually offer a
token lock of hair as a symbol for the
whole, although women may have
their heads shaved to fulfill a religious
vow. While shaving the head is fairly
common, shaving the body hair is not—
the Sanskrit language has different
words for these two types of hair, and
they are considered to be different
things entirely.