A ''shikha'' () is a tuft of hair kept at the back of the head by a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

following

tonsure Tonsure () is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word ' (meaning "clipping" or "shearing") and referred to a specific practice in ...

. Though traditionally considered to be an essential mark of a Hindu, today it is primarily worn among

Brahmins Brahmin (; ) is a ''Varna (Hinduism), varna'' (theoretical social classes) within Hindu society. The other three varnas are the ''Kshatriya'' (rulers and warriors), ''Vaishya'' (traders, merchants, and farmers), and ''Shudra'' (labourers). Th ...

, temple priests, and ascetics.

Nomenclature

''Śikhā'' literally means "crest" or "tuft" in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

. The hairstyle is referred to as the ''kuḍumi'' (குடுமி) in Tamil, ''juṭṭu/śikhe'' (ಜುಟ್ಟು/ಶಿಖೆ) in

Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...

, ''choṭi'' (चोटी) in

Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...

and Rajasthani, ''ṭiki'' (টিকি) in Bengali, ''ṭīk'' (টীক) in Maithili, ''churki'' (चुरकी) in Bhojpuri, ''kuḍumi'' (കുടുമി) in

Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...

, ''chôĩ'' (ଚଇଁ) in Odia, ''shẽḍi'' (शेंडी) in Marathi , ''Pilaka'' (పిలక) in Telugu and ''ṭuppi'' (टुप्पी) in Nepali.

Description

The ''shikha'' signifies a one-pointed (''ekanta'') focus on a spiritual goal, and devotion to God. It is also an indication of cleanliness, as well as personal sacrifice to God. According to Smriti texts, it is mandatory for all Hindus to wear a ''shikha'', especially for the twice-born (initiated by the sacred thread called the '' yajnopavita''). A man not keeping a tuft is regarded not to gain the full merit of religious ceremonies. Atonement is prescribed for removing the tuft with the performance of a penance called the ''taptakṛcchra vrata''. It is prescribed to be worn at the centre of the head because this is believed to be the region of the body that the deity

Brahma Brahma (, ) is a Hindu god, referred to as "the Creator" within the Trimurti, the triple deity, trinity of Para Brahman, supreme divinity that includes Vishnu and Shiva.Jan Gonda (1969)The Hindu Trinity, Anthropos, Bd 63/64, H 1/2, pp. 212– ...

is regarded to spiritually reside and a fountain of light is said to originate. According to the school of

Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...

, the ''shikha'' is said to represent the orifice the human spirit enters the body during birth and leaves after death, and hence is also considered to be the focal point of the spirit. A devotee who wears the tuft is considered to be able to face any event in life with composure in this tradition. The ''

Manusmriti The ''Manusmṛti'' (), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or the Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitutions among the many ' of Hinduism. Over fifty manuscripts of the ''Manusmriti'' are now known, but the earli ...

'' prescribes wearing the tuft when bathing, offering alms, offering oblations to the fire, and during prayer. The ''shikha'' is regarded to have gained prominence during the composition of the ''

Sutra ''Sutra'' ()Monier Williams, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Oxford University Press, Entry fo''sutra'' page 1241 in Indian literary traditions refers to an aphorism or a collection of aphorisms in the form of a manual or, more broadly, a ...

'' texts. The ''Katyayana Grhya Sutra'' states that on the occasion of a sacrifice, all hair and beard with the exception of the ''shikha'' is to be shaved. The ''Gobhila Grhya Sutra'' states that the ''shikha'' of a boy is to be arranged in accordance with the customs of his family.

Procedure

Traditionally, Hindu men shave off all their hair as a child in a samskāra or ritual known as the chudakarana. A lock of hair is left at the crown ( sahasrara). Unlike most other eastern cultures where a

coming-of-age Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...

ceremony removed childhood locks of hair similar to the shikha, in India, this prepubescent hairstyle is left to grow throughout the man's life, though usually only the most religious men will continue this hairstyle. The arrangement of the tuft is offered various descriptions, differing among scholars and communities. The '' Yajnavalkya Smriti'', for example, prescribes maintaining a tuft according to one's '' gotra'' (clan): The same text also quotes the ''Grhya Sutra''s:

In popular culture

In his autobiography, Mohandas K. Gandhi writes about his encounter with an Swami Shraddhanand:

Chanakya Chanakya (ISO 15919, ISO: ', चाणक्य, ), according to legendary narratives preserved in various traditions dating from the 4th to 11th century CE, was a Brahmin who assisted the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta Maurya, Chandragup ...

is regarded to have undone his ''shikha'' after being insulted by King Dhana Nanda of the Nanda dynasty, vowing to leave it undone until he achieved the destruction of the dynasty.

Gallery

File:Dikshitar Brahmin of Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India (1909).jpg, A Dikshitar from Chidambaram sporting a ''shikha''. File:Swastik on head.jpg, A Hindu child with a shikha and a red

swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...

painted on his head. File:Śikhā.JPG, An ISKCON devotee with a shikha.

References