Following his World Championship triumph, D Gukesh shaved his head and sought blessings at the Tirumala Temple in Andhra Pradesh. Gukesh won the World Chess Championship last year in Singapore after defeating Ding Liren. He accompanied by his parents Rajnikanth and Padmakumari.
“The youngest World Chess Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, visits Tirumala Temple with his family. With a big year ahead, he stays focused on his game:
“I have to keep working hard. In 2025 there are a lot of important tournaments, so I’m focusing on that. I want to improve in all formats, and hopefully, at some point with God’s grace, good things will happen.”,” ChessBase India posted on X, quoted Gukesh saying, citing Daily Culture YouTube.
Netizens have appreciated Gukesh for embracing tradition. “Spirituality brings clarity. Clarity brings focus. Focus brings success,” writes one user on Instagram. “Winning is temporary, but the spirit you builds last forever,” writes another.
Earlier this year he received the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award for his achievements: Gold medal in FIDE World Chess (Classical) Championship held in Singapore in 2024, Gold medal in FIDE 45th Chess Olympiad (Open Team) held in Budapest in 2024, Gold medal in FIDE 45th Chess Olympiad (Individual) held in Budapest in 2024.
Significance of mundan or tonsuring
Shaving one’s head, known as mundan or tonsuring, holds deep spiritual, cultural, and religious significance in Hindu traditions, especially at temples. This practice is done for different purposes, representing devotion, humility, and cleansing. Most devotees shave their heads as an offering to God, showing gratitude or seeking blessings. It is thought that by offering their hair, they lose their ego and submit to divine will. Temples such as Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh collect millions of hair offerings annually as part of this sacred ritual.
In Hinduism, hair symbolizes attachments of the world and previous karma. Head shaving signifies removal of pride, lust, and negative energies and gives the individual an opportunity for a new spiritual start. This is often performed before going on an important religious pilgrimage or after completion of a vow.
In Hinduism, mundan is usually performed for infants between six months to three years of age. It is believed to promote good health, remove negative energies, and bring positive growth.
Shaving one’s head at temples is more than a religious act—it represents devotion, purity, and renewal. Whether done for a vow, spiritual growth, or cultural tradition, it remains an important and meaningful practice in Hinduism.
