Social and Political Life in the Vijayanagara Empire (A.D. 1346 – A.D. 1646) v2.c18.s1.44

v2.c18.s1.44

It is true that the presence of the barber is necessary in the conduct of certain rituals and ceremonials of the Hindus. Thus in the *Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa* : "Thereupon they enclose a place north of the hall, and place a vessel of water in it; beside this the barber takes up his position. He (the sacrificer) then shaves his hair and beard, and cuts his nails. For impure, indeed, is that part of man where water does not reach him. Now at the hair and beard, and at the nails the water does not reach him: hence when he shaves his hair and beard, and cuts his nails he does so in order that he may be consecrated after becoming pure."³ While describing the *chūḍākarma* ceremony or tonsure of the child, the *Gṛihya Sūtra* says : "To the barber the vessels of grain. To the barber the vessels of grain" which are filled with rice, barley, sesamum, seeds and beans.⁴