Why is Mundan Sanskar done?

According to santan dharma, 16 sanskaras or rituals are an integral part of human life. Mundan sanskaras is one of them. In Hinduism, there is an old tradition of shaving the head. It is usually done after one year of the child’s birth. Mundan rites or sanskaras are mostly performed at religious and holy places. After the birth of a child, removing the hair from the root is called Mundan Sanskar. There are several religious beliefs and scientific logic that we will learn in this article.

Why does Hinduism emphasize on the Mundan rituals?

According to Hindu scriptures, this mundan sanskaras is essential for the newborn baby's strength, health, and overall influence. With the removal of a child’s hair during mundan, it is believed that all the impurities obtained during pregnancy also get removed. It is why Hinduism emphasizes this mundan ritual. There is a Vedic belief about this rite, which is through performing this ritual with proper vidhi will help the child to get intelligence and strength from the god. Apart from that, it is believed that immersing the hair removed during this ritual in the holy river will help the child to be free from their past karmas.

The scientific reason behind Mundan

There is a scientific reason behind removing the hair of a newborn child during mundan sanskaras. Before the child's birth, they were in the womb for so long, and during that, germs and bacteria stick on their hair which can harm their skin. It is impossible to clean, so removing the hair from the roots proves good for the child.

The Mythological belief of mundan

According to the mythological belief, the hair that occurs at the time of the birth of a child is considered impure, and by performing this sanskara, the child becomes pure, and at the same time, the curse of his previous births is also destroyed. In Hinduism, it is also known as Chudakarma Sanskar. It is believed that the mundan ceremony is capable enough to free a newborn from the previous birth sins. Through mundan sanskaras, the child becomes a sacred part of society. According to Hindu beliefs, the best age for Mundan sanskaras is 1, 3, 5, or 7 years and it is considered a very auspicious time for performing this rite.

When to do Baby Mundan Ceremony

According to the Vedic tradition, it is customary to have the mundan ceremony done after 1 to 3 years of childbirth or in the 5th or 7th year. Apart from this, after completing one and a half months of the child’s birth, some people take their child to a religious place for Mundan.

Is it necessary to get Mundan on Shubh Muhurat?

According to Hindu Vedic traditions, it is important to do auspicious work in the Muhurta or auspicious time. Similarly, mundan sanskara should be performed at an auspicious time. Usually, parents get the priest to get the shubh Muhurta based on the child’s birth time. In the same Muhurta, they visit temples for the mundan sanskara of their child.

This puja is done before Mundan.

Before getting the mundan rites done, there is a ritual to get the havan and worship done by an experienced priest. Afterward, the mother takes the child in her lap and keeps its face towards the west, facing the fire. After this, with a new razor, mundan is done. After completing this ritual, the priest applies turmeric with Gangajal on the child's head. Turmeric is the best antiseptic and heals minor scratches during the mundan.