FAQ Home | Advanced Search | Glossary | Login

Indian Hair Extension History

Article Number: 51 | Rating: 4.3/5 from 12 votes | Last Updated: Thu, Jul 28, 2011 at 4:47 AM

Most people wonder how so much hair comes from India. Do people just sell their hair or is the hair taken from dead people? Yes, it can be surprising how so much hair comes from India, but there is an interesting and meaningful history to Indian hair.

India is a country dominated with a huge religious population of Hindus. Hinduism is an amazing religion consisting of various myths and beliefs in the name of faith. One such belief in Hinduism is sacrificing ones hair in the name of god. Donating hair to god is an ancient practice which has been going on for centuries. Hair, for most people, is what defines their physical appearance. Whether long or short it can be an expression of social conformity and affiliation. Hairstyles along with clothing show who you are in this fashionable world we live in. In India, cutting off or sacrificing your hair in Hinduism is considered as letting go of your ego in front of the spiritual power called God. No one is greater in front of God, and by sacrificing your hair in the name of God, you are letting go of your ego and your everyday life routine and devoting time for God. People in India usually donate hair because they are grateful for a blessing or asking for a blessing.

Everyday thousands of Hindus including men, women, and children gather in religious places like temples to pray to God and sacrifice their hair. Temples have tonsure rooms where devotees sit in rows and get their hair shaved by people appointed by the temple. The whole process is done in a clean hygienic environment using disposable razors. The entire facility is kept very clean with.

The hair is then collected and kept aside for auction. Only affluent people take part in the auction of the hair from the temples as the hair has to be bought in bulk and can literally cost millions of dollars. The hair in these auctions is usually sold by multiple tons. A chain of buying continues from the main buyer to various middle men and wholesaler Distributors. The large quantities of hair to the factories of the suppliers and then sorted, hackled and sorted by length. It is then washed using industrial shampoo and dried under the sun outdoors. After drying, it is drawn and tied into bundles.

The hair is now ready for export. it is exported by distributors to salons, beauty stores and individuals all over the world.