Hair, Devotion and trade in India.

Hair in India has many religious connections through following the beliefs of Hindu and Hindu mythology hair is a very big part of every day life for the men and women following this religion,women in India are expected to keep there hair un cut in either buns, plaits or covered by there sari and men are expiated to have shaved heads.

Hindu mythology beliefs that all emissions of the body are polluted hair being one of these emissions they believe that hair that is kept in order and pollution controlled signals compliance within the social order but hair that is un-kept signals the suspension or rejection of social normalities such as mourning, madness or renunciation. 

Because of these connections to hair barbers within the Hindu community are very important they are a trusted ritual specialist whom's religious services de pollute and purify the societies and are seen as 'untouchables' and 'Children of god' they further perform essential ceremonies that mark key life stages with Hindu life such as the purification on the men before there wedding day this can take a week worth of preperation. Within Hindu society there is a very strong social hiarachy split into four sections the barbers come below the lowest social class as they are seen to be the ones whom de pollute the higher social classes although are highly respected because of this. 

At the temple of Lord Venkatesh (lord Vishnu) at Tirumala people undergo tonsuring a religious action declared in Hindu mythology to bless you. This has created a huge market for false hair in Europe and the states the hair cut by the barbers at the temple are sent of to sorting factories washed de liced and sent off mainly to Italy know to be the centre for hair manufactures for extensions a company called 'Great lengths' supplys temple hair to 50 countries around the world including many Hollywood celebrities on its client list with an annual turn over of US $10 million. 

The globalisation in demand of hair extensions made hair a commodity there is now a huge market in India with many women being mugged for there hair or forced by there families to sell there hair for money. 

This religious connection to hair is part of Hindus every day life and is such a huge part of there culture their stories from the Hindu mythology are all signals towards the importance of hair is not only because of the symbolic references to acceptance of society but in modern day hair in Indian culture is providing economical growth for the country as a whole. This has really made me aware of the importance of hair in further cultures and how hair can not only be important visually for the way someones looks but actually can be the centre for someones culture and mean so much. I would like to explore this more in other cultures as i feel after reading this i am interested to know what other cultures views are on hair and if they see hair in another completely different way.

-Cheang, S. and Biddle-Perry, G. (2008) Hair: Styling, Culture and Fashion. New York: Berg Publishers.

(no date). Lord MahaVishnu – Pictures and Wallpapers. Available at: http://devotionalonly.com/lord-mahavishnu-pictures-and-wallpapers/ (Accessed:05 Oct 2014).