Tonsure is the practice of cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp as a sign of religious devotion or humility. The term originates from the Latin word tonsura (meaning "clipping" or "shearing" ) and referred … 展开

Tonsure is usually the part of three rites of passages in the life of the individual in Hinduism. The first is called chudakarana (IAST: Cūḍākaraṇa, Sanskrit: चूडाकरण; literally, "rite of tonsure"), also known as chaula, chudakarma, mundana, or mundan, marks the … 展开

The purification process of the metzora (one afflicted with tzaraath) involved the ritual shaving of the metzorah's entire body except for the afflicted locations.
In an effort to distinguish … 展开

Sunni
Partial tonsure is forbidden in Islam. Muhammad forbade shaving one's hair on some parts of the head while letting it grow on other parts, as in tonsure. However, shaving the head entirely is allowed. The proscription is detailed in … 展开

History and development
Tonsure was not widely known in antiquity. There were three forms of tonsure known in the 7th and 8th centuries: 展开

In Buddhism, tonsure (Sanskrit: mundanā) is a part of the rite of pravrajya and also a part of becoming a bhikshu (monk) or bhikshuni (nun). This involves shaving the head and face. This tonsure is renewed as often as required to keep the head cleanly shaven. 展开

Merovingians
Among the Merovingians, whose rulers were the "long-haired kings", the ancient custom remained that an unsuccessful pretender or a dethroned … 展开