Chudakarana

It is known by various names throughout the Indian subcontinent,like ज़र कासॆ (Zar Kāsay) in Kashmiri, जडूलो/जमाळ (Jaḍūlo/Jamaḷ) in Rajasthani, ચૌલક્રિયા (Chaulkriyā) in Gujarati, जावळ (Jāvaḷ) in Marathi and Konkani, ଜାଉଁଳା/ଜାଁ (Jāūḷā/Jãā) in Odia, ಕುಡುವ/ಜವಳ (Kuḍuva/Javaḷa) in Kannada, పుట్టు వెంట్రుకలు/చౌలం (Puṭṭu Venṭrukalu/Choulam) in Telugu etc.

[1] The child's hair is shorn, frequently leaving only the śikhā or cūḍā, a tuft at the crown of the head.

But in the Deccan and southern India, earlier traditions remained alive to some extent.

Thus at the time of the mundana, the child is freshly shaven to signify freedom from the past and moving into the future.

In this ceremony, along with cutting and shaving hair, Vedic mantras and prayers are chanted by trained priests, acharyas and rishikumaras.