The History Behind Tirupati Hair Donation

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There are several reasons why devotees at Tirumala Tirupati offer their hairs to God. Some offer it as a seva or puja, where as some offer it to wash themselves off sins and ego.

Some others offer it once their wishes get fulfilled. There is a historical background to this seva that is ongoing since a long time.

Hair is a symbol of feminine beauty. It is a feminine symbol that demarcates a woman from man instantly. It lends a feminine touch to the face and women look presentable only after they comb their hairs. '

Hair which is such an important beauty accessory, is sacrificed by the devotee, in total surrender to god. But loss of beauty is a serious problem for a woman. But they sacrifice their love of beauty for gaining bhakti to God by donating their hair. It is a great sacrifice which gives the devotee the punya of a lifetime.

Why Is It Signficant? : It is believed that Lord Venkatesha had availed loan to meet his marriage expenses from Kubera, the celestial financier. Hence God gives you ten times more wealth if hair is gifted to God.

This allows God to repay the loan he had taken from Kuber.Goddess Lakshmis blessings are assured for those devotees who offer their hair to God here. Women also donate their hair here.

One More Legend Goes This Way. There was a bunch of ants that had covered the deity idol of Lord Balaji. A cow used to visit this place and offer milk to Balaji every day.

Once day , angered, the owner of the cow hit the cows head wth an axe. Lord Venkatesh was wounded b y this act and blood oozed out of his forehead as is he had taken the blow, Neela Devi cut her hair and placed it on Balajis wound which healed immediately.

Pleased with her concern Lord Venkateshwara blessed those who would come here to offer their head of hair to Lord. Who would donate tresses a symbol of feminine beauty? Hair donating grew into a tradition as time passed.

There Is Yet Another Story that follows this tradition. Princess Padmavathi along with her friends had visited Tirupati for the blessings of Lord Venkateswara.

While returning, they were attacked by Thieves. Princess prayed to Lord that she would offer tufts of her hair to the lord if God saved her from these thieves.

She was promptly saved/ Inspired by this people around started a practice of tonsuring their hair and offering it to the lord.

Every year kgs of hair are donated in lakhs and 500 to 600 tonnes of hair are donated. Cut hair is boiled, rinsed dried, and stored in godowns and then sold off. Through e auction, crores of rupees are procured through the sale.