The Mundan Sanskara is an important tradition in India and the child usually receives his first mundan in either the first/third year of age. A priest is called to conduct the rituals according to the traditions and a barber is called to shave off the hair.Some of this hair is offered in the sacred rivers in holy cities like Haridwar and Varanasi.According to the Hindu beliefs, the hair present at birth is supposed to represent unwanted traits from the past lives. In order to make sure that the child has no undesirable qualities of the past birth in this life, the head is shaved off to ensure a new beginning and a fresh start. Medically, it is said that shaving off the hair stimulates the cells and improves blood circulation to the brain. Some also believe that this gives the child a long life.