▁hair ▁from ▁birth ▁is ▁associated ▁with ▁und es irable ▁tra its ▁from ▁past ▁lives . ▁Thus ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁m und an , ▁the ▁child ▁is ▁fresh ly ▁sh aven ▁to ▁sign ify ▁freedom ▁from ▁the ▁past ▁and ▁moving ▁into ▁the ▁future . ▁It ▁is ▁also ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁sh aving ▁of ▁the ▁hair ▁stim ul ates ▁proper ▁growth ▁of ▁the ▁brain ▁and ▁n erves , ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁s ik ha , ▁a ▁tu ft ▁at ▁the ▁crown ▁of ▁the ▁head , ▁protect s ▁the ▁memory . ▁ ▁H ind us ▁practice ▁a ▁variety ▁of ▁rit uals ▁from ▁birth ▁to ▁death . ▁Collect ively ▁these ▁are ▁known ▁as ▁sa ṃ sk ā ras , ▁meaning ▁r ites ▁of ▁pur ification , ▁and ▁are ▁believed ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁body ▁pure ▁and ▁fit ▁for ▁worship . ▁ ▁A ▁boy ' s ▁first ▁ha irc ut , ▁known ▁as ▁ch ou la , ▁is ▁one ▁such ▁sam sk ara ▁and ▁is ▁considered ▁an ▁event ▁of ▁great ▁aus p icious ness . ▁The ▁law books ▁or ▁sm rit is ▁pres cribe ▁that ▁a ▁boy ▁must ▁have ▁his ▁ha irc ut ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁or ▁third ▁year . ▁ ▁While ▁complete ▁tons ure ▁is ▁common , ▁some ▁H ind us ▁prefer ▁to ▁leave ▁some ▁hair ▁on ▁the ▁head , ▁distingu ishing ▁this ▁r ite ▁from ▁the ▁in aus p icious ▁tons ure ▁that ▁occurs ▁upon ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁a ▁parent . ▁ ▁Those ▁that ▁practice ▁complete ▁tons ure ▁generally ▁rit ually ▁offer ▁the ▁hair ▁to