Reply To: “Headlines” Indian hair episode: is it biased or activist?

As to the intention of the practitioners, it seems like there is more than one story. Westerners who have spent time there say that they only do it as a means to cleanse themselves and to help them get rid of their ego and pride.

There is, however, some mythological ideas that surround the practice as well. They have a legend about a deity that got hair from another co-deity and that it promised something to all who ‘donate’ their hair.

The Osrim point to this legend as proof that it is being donated to the deity. The retort to this is that the hair never goes inside to the deity and it used to be discarded, and only recently had they begun selling it.

I haven’t heard a satisfactory response to the fact that this legend does exist, other than just saying that it’s not the main reason or real reason. Although he had a Hindu priest on the show, he didn’t ask him about this legend and its prominence. On the other hand, the Osrim say that the idea of cleansing and humility doesn’t take away from the Avoda aspect; it’s an added reason. We have such examples in Judaism as well.

Another point to be Mattir is, even assuming the idea is religious, it still isn’t a gift to the deity the way the present candy etc. to it, they do it in a separate area from their idol, and it is part of the preparation of visiting the idol.

The Osrim point out that to be considered Takroves Avoda Zara it doesn’t have to be in the presence of the idol. Additionally, Takroves doesn’t have to mean that it is presented to it and placed there. Just breaking the item for it is already a Takroves.

So, this leaves room for a discussion of whether or not any religious rite (of an idol-worshipping religion) that includes breaking is a Takroves or only when it is done as a means to give it up for the idol.

The issue of the multiple motivations for tansuring has to be cleared up. So far, it hasn’t been cleared up, other than discrediting the other side and pulling rank.

But, what I noticed while listening to the Hindu priest, was that he was describing the ego removing idea in religious terms. It sounded more like the hair ‘represents’ ego concepts and the head is the seat of cosmological reality… Westerners don’t get this talk and hear words about ego and humans and translate it to western social ideas.

That’s enough for now.