India’s hair industry is in a tangle

Every day between 60,000 and 85,000 pilgrims arrive at Tirumala, a temple in southern India. Many are satisfied just with darshan, or sight, of the sanctum of Lord Venkateswara, an avatar of Vishnu, waiting up to 20 hours for the privilege. But a little under half of them also line up to have their heads shaved by one of more than 1,300 barbers, who work round the clock. Men, women and children alike undergo ritual tonsure, sacrificing their locks as offerings for good health, career progression or other divine favours. The temple’s barbers shave some 1.2m heads every year.