आगमे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

The ninth of the sixteen traditional lifecycle ceremonies (samskaras), in which
an infant’s ears were pierced. This rite
was done not only for ornamentation
but also for protective purposes.
According to Sushruta, the author of
one of the oldest Indian medical texts,
piercing the ears protected children
against certain ailments. Although in
modern times most young girls have
pierced ears, this practice is far less
common for boys, suggesting that
ornamentation has taken precedence
over protection.