HOT on Beauty
  • Hair Color
  • HAIR DESIGN COLLECTIONS
    • 2016 Spring/Summer
    • 2015 Fall/Winter
    • 2015 Spring/Summer
    • 2014 Fall/Winter
    • 2014 Spring/Summer
    • 2013 Fall/Winter
    • 2013 Spring/Summer
    • 2012 Fall/Winter
    • 2012 Spring/Summer
    • 2011
  • Celebrity Hairstyles
  • Free Hair Gallery
    • Women
    • Men
    • Kids
    • 2012
    • 2013
    • 2014
    • 2015
    • 2016
  • HOW-TO
    • Short
    • Medium
    • Long
    • Party
    • Men
    • CUT
    • COLOR
    • HAIRDO
    • PERMANENT
    • MAKEUP
  • BEAUTY & FASHION
    • ALL
    • HAIR
    • MAKEUP
    • MEN
    • SALON LIFE
    • FASHION
    • NAILS
    • SKIN CARE
    • TIPS AND TRICKS
  • PRODUCTS
    • ALL
    • HAIR CARE & STYLING
    • HAIR COLOR
    • MAKEUP
    • MEN
    • NAILS
  • Users Galleries
  • VIDEO
    • Quick Beauty Videos
    • BRAIDS
    • BEAUTY MAKERS
    • BRANDS
    • EVENTS
    • TUTORIALS
  • Hairstyle Books & Mags
    • Hairstyle Books
    • HOT Back Issues
    • Strategic Ad Placements
  • Vintage Hair Gallery
    • Short
    • Medium
    • Long
    • Party
    • Men
    • Wedding
Hair's How ABOUT | CONTACT
© Stanford Trident, Inc., DBA Hair's How. All rights reserved.
  Share this
Previous     Next
Back to  'Salon Life: Stylist Spotlight' Articles 

Temple Hair

Indian hair is considered to be one of the finest in the world, but it doesn't come without a price and a blessing.
Temple Hair
July/August 2011 Find in
July/August 2011
O

On any given day, over 30,000 devout Hindu pilgrims trek to India's Tirumala Tiropati and other temples across the country to have their heads shaved in a ritual known as "tonsure." Most of these devotees are unaware that their hair will soon ado the heads of fashion-motivated women throughout the world.

Yet, far from being played as pawns for profit, they're simply following the ancient tradition of surrendering their vanity and ego to their temple deity as prescribed by Hindu scriptures.

At Tirumala Tiropati alone - the largest and richest of all Hindu temples in India - one ton of hair is reportedly collected each day. To handle the crushing demand for tonsure, Tirumala Tiropati Devasthanam has the largest barbershop in the world, which employs no less than 600 tonsurers (barbers) - including 100 women.

In previous times, the temple burned the hair, or sold it to makers of oil filters and even mattresses (for stuffing). But with the high demand for quality hair extensions, a business boom has ensued that continues to bring millions of dollars to Hindu temples throughout the land. Auctions are held each month where huge bundles of hair are sold to the highest bidders.

The Indian govement oversees the distribution of the monies procured from tonsure and imposes strict regulations on the contributions that temples must make with the proceeds, including building and maintaining schools, supporting hospitals and medical care, feeding the impoverished, and much more.

Jul 13 2011


  Share this

More Articles Like This One

Team Fehringer, Austria

Aurora

Recently held at the magnificent Royal Albert Hall in London, "Aurora," the 33rd annual Alternative Hair Show, proved to be a passionate and emotional event that thrilled global attendees with spectacular hair artistry for a cause.
Mad Men Lead Makeup Artist Lana Horochowski

Interview with AMC Network's Hit TV Show Mad Men's Lead Makeup Artist Lana Horochowski

Lana Horochowski chats it up with beautypress regarding how she nails the'60s looks behind this runaway hit show.
Dwight Miller

Dwight Miller

Dwight Miller is the creative talent behind Salon Santa Fe in Santa Fe, NM. This celebrity stylist has coiffed countless beauties-from Doris Day to Juliet Prowse, Cindy Crawford and Monica Seles. His work has graced the covers of many international magazines and has been spotted at shows around the globe.

go mobile 

DESIGNER COLLECTIONS

Crisalida

Crisalida

Manuel Mon`s breathtaking collection juxtaposes femininity and innocence with wild styles and colors. Hair: Manuel Mon; photography: Bernardo Baragano. ...

Melting Points

Melting Points

Using horizontal and vertical hair-painting techniques to create splashes of light, Chrystofer Benson-Matrix Artistic Director and founder of the Chrystofer Benson Collective (CBC)-creates three distinctive color ...

Mark Leeson British Hairdresser of the Year Nominee

Mark Leeson British Hairdresser of the Year Nominee

`My fourth British Hairdresser of the Year nominee collection, Spotlight, marks my 30-year anniversary in the hairdressing industry. I wanted to demonstrate my love of colour ...

The Clairvoyant

The Clairvoyant

Are you destined for beauty greatness? Is your guardian angel near at hand? Crystal gazing is just one of these clairvoyants` tricks to predict your ...

Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit

Christophe Gaillet of France is declared the overall AIPP Grand Trophy winner for 2014. Judged by 72 pro-beauty magazine editors/publishers from 35 countries, the ...

Aerials

Aerials

Imagine that you`ve just fallen from the heavens and were reborn in a brilliant flash of light. Were you not dead just a second ago? Hair ...

SEARCH

HOT Beauty Mag


EDITORS' PICKS

Color Sponsor
Color Sponsor
Splashes of Color: 3 Shades from the Sport`s Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
Splashes of Color: 3 Shades from the Sport's Illustrated Swimsuit Edition
Inside Fractel
Inside Fractel
Michael Haase: No Reservations!
Michael Haase: No Reservations!

Go Mobile

Hair's How Books Go Mobile
  • HOT Beauty Magazine
    Subscribe to HOT Beauty Mag
    Download on Apple iStore Download on Google Play
  • Hair's How Style Books
    Hair Styling How-To Books
    Download on Apple iStore Download on Google Play