Shaving

An act of ritual purification as well as
an act of hygiene. The hair of the head
and face is believed to trap impurity
(ashaucha), and shaving one or both
is a significant part of many rites of
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Shaving
A man shaves an infant boy’s head. Hair is believed to trap impurities.
purification. Body hair, however, is
rarely shaved, since the Sanskrit language has different words for these
two types of hair, and they are considered to be different things entirely.
During the period of impurity associated with death (maranashaucha) the
mourners will not shave for the entire
ten days, signifying their continuing
impurity, but at the end of that period
they will shave completely to signify
their final purification. Hindu men
will sometimes also refrain from
shaving as a sign of austerity while
they are keeping religious vows, and
shave when the vow has been completed. One example occurs during
the lunar month of Shravan, in which
men who are devotees (bhakta) of the
god Shiva will often refrain from
shaving. Another example can be
found in the ritual preparation for the
annual pilgrimage to Shabari Malai;
men must keep a strict ascetic discipline for forty-one days before the pilgrimage, in which one element is a
ban on shaving.