There is a popular belief behind this act. It is believed that by shaving the hair off, the residue of the past life is left in the past. In other words, if the child had any bad qualities in his previous birth, it does not still hang on the child in his present birth. Additionally, this is a chance for the child to begin his/her life anew. Another belief suggests that it is done in order to get better hair growth. Moreover, the baby’s head cannot be shaved off in any random year. It has to be done in an odd month, and in an odd year i.e. 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc. The Puja can be performed at home, in a temple, or on the banks of a sacred river.
