Mundan muhurat (also called chudakarana or mundana) is the auspicious window for a child's first head-shaving ceremony. Traditionally it is held in a boy's 3rd, 5th or 7th year, in an auspicious solar month, on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, on a favourable tithi and nakshatra, and never at night or during an eclipse. Because the exact window depends on your child's own birth chart and your city, a fixed list of "best dates" is never enough. This guide gives you the rules a pandit actually checks, so you can shortlist sensibly before you finalise anything.
A quick note on what you will not find here: we have deliberately not published a list of calendar dates. Mundan timings change by city and must be matched to the child's Chandra and Tara shuddhi, so any copy-paste date list is risky. The rules below follow the mundana muhurat guidance published on Drik Panchang; for your actual dates, use the [Muhurat Finder](/muhurat) or ask a pandit.
What is mundan sanskar and why is it done?
Mundan is one of the traditional sanskaras, the sixteen life-cycle rites in Hindu dharma. The child's first hair, associated in tradition with the time in the womb and with past-life impressions, is shaved off in a short ritual, often with a havan, prayers to the family deity and the first haircut done by a maternal uncle or the family priest. Many families hold it at a temple or a river bank, and the hair is offered there. The details vary a lot by community, so family custom (kul parampara) always carries real weight.
At what age is mundan done?
According to the rules on Drik Panchang, mundan is done for boys in the 3rd, 5th or 7th year, counted either from birth or from conception. For girls, even years are preferred. Family custom may override this, and many families simply do the ceremony within the first year or at a family temple visit. If mundan is combined with Upanayana (the sacred thread ceremony), the Upanayana muhurat takes priority.
Which months are good for mundan?
The solar months considered favourable are Makara, Kumbha, Mesha, Vrishabha and Mithuna. These fall in Uttarayana, the sun's northward movement, and Meena is excluded. In practice this means the pandit first looks at where the Sun is, not at the Gregorian month. If your family follows a regional lunar calendar, your pandit may adapt this, so confirm before booking a venue.
Which days, tithis and nakshatras are auspicious for mundan?
Use this table as a first filter. Each row follows the Drik Panchang mundana guidelines.
| Factor | Considered auspicious | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday | Other weekdays are generally skipped |
| Tithi | Dwitiya, Tritiya, Panchami, Saptami, Dashami, Ekadashi, Trayodashi | Applies in both Shukla and Krishna paksha |
| Movable nakshatras | Punarvasu, Swati, Shravana, Dhanishtha, Shatabhisha | Chara (movable) nakshatras |
| Gentle nakshatras | Mrigashira, Chitra, Revati | Mridu (soft) group |
| Short nakshatras | Ashwini, Pushya, Hasta | Kshipra (swift) group |
| Fierce nakshatra | Jyeshtha | Listed in the Drik guidance |
| Lagna to avoid | Simha, Mesha, Vrishchika, Makara, Kumbha | Also avoid the 8th sign from the child's birth rashi and lagna |
What is Chandra and Tara shuddhi, and why does it matter?
Even when the panchang looks perfect, the muhurat must also suit the child. Chandra shuddhi checks the Moon's position that day relative to the child's birth rashi, and Tara shuddhi checks the day's nakshatra against the child's birth nakshatra. Drik Panchang states that both must be checked for the child. This is the step that turns a generic good day into your child's good day. If you do not know your baby's janma nakshatra, the [Baby Nakshatra](/baby-nakshatra) tool gives it from the birth details, and our guide on [how to find your nakshatra by date of birth](/blog/find-your-nakshatra-by-date-of-birth) explains how it is worked out.
What does the child's birth chart add?
A pandit may also look at the kundali for the muhurat time. Per the Drik guidance, the 8th house from the lagna should be empty (Venus there is considered favourable), and a weak Moon, Sun, Mars or Saturn in a kendra is avoided. Mercury, Venus or Jupiter in a kendra is considered highly favourable, benefics are ideally in kendra or trikona, and malefics in the 3rd, 6th or 11th house. You do not need to compute this yourself. It is simply useful to know why a pandit may prefer one hour over another on the same day.
How do you plan a mundan ceremony step by step?
- Confirm the child's age window and any family or community custom with elders first.
- Note the child's birth date, time and place, and find the janma nakshatra and rashi.
- Shortlist weekdays and months using the table above.
- Ask a pandit (or use the [Muhurat Finder](/muhurat)) to check tithi, nakshatra, lagna, and Chandra and Tara shuddhi for your city.
- Choose a daytime window, then book the temple, pandit and barber around it.
- Keep a backup window in case of weather, illness or travel changes.
Mundan, vivah and griha pravesh: how do the rules compare?
Mundan is stricter about months and age than most other muhurats, because it is a childhood sanskara tied to Uttarayana. If you are also planning other auspicious events this year, read our guides to [choosing a wedding date](/blog/vivah-muhurat-2026-27-choosing-your-wedding-date) and [choosing a house-warming date](/blog/griha-pravesh-muhurat-choosing-your-house-warming-date). Pushya is one of the approved nakshatras for mundan, and our [Pushya nakshatra guide](/blog/pushya-nakshatra-traits-muhurat-career-marriage-compatibility) explains why it is widely loved for new beginnings.