Mundan (also called Chudakarana) is the 7th of the 16 Hindu samskaras — the sacred rites of passage. It is the ceremony of a child's first haircut, believed to remove the impurities of past lives and bless the child with a fresh, pure start.
When to Perform Mundan
Auspicious ages by tradition:
1st year
7th, 9th, or 11th month — most common
3rd year
Most widely followed across India
5th year
Some communities prefer odd years only
7th year
Maximum age in most traditions
Note
Always avoid the child's birth month
Mundan Samagri List
Step-by-Step Ritual
Choose auspicious muhurat with help of a pandit or Panchang app
Bathe the child and dress in new clothes — traditionally yellow or white
Set up havan kund and perform Ganesh puja first
Sankalp — father states the child's name, gotra, and purpose of the ceremony
Apply turmeric paste to the child's head
The father (or eldest male relative) makes the first cut with a sacred razor — typically 5 symbolic cuts
The barber completes the haircut
The cut hair is mixed with turmeric and cow dung, then immersed in a river or buried under a Peepal tree
Havan is performed with mantras for the child's long life, health and intellect
Feed Brahmins or give charity as per family tradition
What to Do With the Cut Hair
- Immerse in a flowing river — most auspicious
- Bury under a Peepal or Banyan tree
- Some families keep the first lock as a keepsake
- Do NOT throw in the dustbin or drain — considered inauspicious
💡 Family tradition tip
Ask your Dadi or Nani how they did Mundan in your family — regional variations are significant. Some families have a specific mantra or add a step passed down for generations. Record it before it's forgotten.
Mundan at Sacred Sites
Many Hindu families travel to sacred pilgrimage sites for their child's Mundan — offering the baby's first hair to the deity as a mark of gratitude for the child's birth and a prayer for their future. Tirupati (Lord Venkateswara — the most popular site for Mundan nationally), Vaishno Devi (Mata Vaishno Devi), Vrindavan (Lord Krishna), Nasik (Trimbakeshwar), and Ujjain (Mahakaleshwar) are among the most popular Mundan sites. The hair offering represents the surrender of ego and attachment at the feet of the divine.
The Hair Offering
The Mundan hair is carefully collected and treated as sacred — it is offered at the temple or immersed in a sacred river. The act of offering the first hair — something as intimate and personal as the baby's hair — to the divine is an act of profound trust: giving back to God the most innocent and precious thing one has received. Many families keep a small lock of the Mundan hair as a family memento.
Mundan Abroad
NRI families perform Mundan in various ways abroad: at local Hindu temples that accommodate the ceremony; by travelling to India specifically for the Mundan (many grandparents insist on this for the first grandchild); or by performing a simplified home ceremony with a Pandit performing the puja and a barber (or family member with clippers) performing the shaving. The ceremony can be adapted to any setting while maintaining the essential elements: the Ganesh Puja, the mantras, and the offering of the hair.
💡 Family tradition tip
Document your children's Mundan ceremonies — the date, the age of the child, the specific temple or location, the Pandit who performed the ceremony, the specific mantras recited. Photograph the ceremony and preserve the hair lock if kept. Many parents describe the Mundan as unexpectedly emotional — the child's transformation in appearance mirrors the ritual's deeper significance.