Visakhapatnam, Aug 8 (KNN)  MSTC India, a Government of India enterprise is keen to appoint a consultant to conduct a market survey of human hair – both national and international from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.

The Venkateshwara temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh is considered the richest Indian temple in terms of the revenue generated. 

According to reports, the temple earned nearly Rs 200 crore out of its total revenue of Rs 1,949 crore, from auctioning human hair in 2011-12.

In keeping with the age old tradition, each year, thousands of people visit the temple and offer their shaved hair, in an expression of gratitude or in the hope of having their prayers answered.

Significantly, their hair offering has spawned a multi-crore business, considering the ever increasing demand for human hair by makers of wigs and hair extensions.

Reports indicate that human hair is broadly divided into five categories depending on the length and texture - hair longer than 31 inches; 16- 30 inches; 10-15 inches; five-nine inches; and that of less than five inches. There is also a sixth variety, grey hair, donated by senior citizens, albeit of zero-demand.

While long and uniformly trimmed hair has a big market in Europe and US where it is woven into wigs, the broken and shorter hair is sought after in China for the same purpose and sold to both the American and African market.  As far as the domestic market is concerned, hair from Tirupati is used in Mumbai for wigs.

There are 500 barbers who work on rotation at the Kalyana Katta building, located to the west of the main Venkateswara Temple, and 16 other smaller locations in the town. At peak times, 100 additional hairdressers are employed to speed up the process of shaving pilgrims’ heads.

According to Hindu scriptures, shaving of head is regarded as a way of shedding the ego, ridding oneself of sin and making a vow to the gods.  (KNN/ES)