H

Hair

According to traditional Hindu notions
regarding purityand impurity (ashaucha),
head and facial hair trap and retain rit-
ual impurity. In ordinary cases this
impurity is removed by simple washing
in running water, just as for the rest of
the body. In cases of particularly violent
impurity, such as that connected with
death (maranashaucha), men will often
conclude the period of impurity by com-
pletely shaving both their heads and
beards. They may also have their nails
cut, probably reflecting that conviction
that any dispensable parts of the body
should be removed as a way to get rid of
any residual impurity.
Shaving the head is also the major
feature in the chudakarana, the tonsure
ceremony that marks the ritual conclu-
sion of infancy to remove any residual
impurities left from childbirth. Among
adults such head shaving is usually
restricted to men; womenusually offer a
token lock of hair as a symbol for the
whole, although women may have
their heads shaved to fulfill a religious
vow. While shaving the head is fairly
common, shaving the body hair is not—
the Sanskrit language has different
words for these two types of hair, and
they are considered to be different
things entirely.

Hala

(“plow”) In Hindu iconography, the
branch of study concerned with the rep-
resentation of various figures, the hala is
an ordinary Indian plow, which repre-
sents farming; it is also considered a
weapon. The hala is most often associated
with the avatarsof the god Vishnu, but

the only figure who always bears it is

Krishna’sbrother Balarama, for whom

one of the epithets is Haladhara(“bear-

ing a plow”).

Haladhara

(“bearing a plow”) Epithet of Balarama,

elder brother to the god Krishna.

Balarama was given this name because

of his strong associations with farmers

and farming, and also because he

occasionally used the plow itself as

a weapon.

On one occasion he is said to have

menaced the Yamuna River with his

plow when he was displeased with the

course she was taking. This threat to dig

a new channel for her induced the

Yamuna her to change her course to one

with which Balarama was happier.

Halahala

In Hindu mythology, the name of the

deadly poison produced when the

gods and demons churn the Ocean

of Milk. The gods and demons churn

the ocean to produce amrta, the nectar

of immortality. Yet their action pro-

duces not only the amrta, but also its

antithesis, the halahala poison. This is

an event of great peril, since if left

unchecked this poison is so powerful

that it will destroy the earth. The poi-

son is neutralized by the god Shiva,

who holds it in his throat without swal-

lowing it. The poison turns his throat

blue, hence one of his epithets is

Nilakanth, “the blue-throated [one].”

See also Tortoise avatar.

Halebid

Village in the southern Indian state of

Karnataka, about sixty miles northwest

of the city of Mysore. As at its sister city,

Belur, Halebid is known for a magnifi-

cent collection of temples from

the Hoysala dynasty, who ruled

western Karnataka from the eleventh

to thirteenth centuries C.E. The

most notable site at Halebid is the

magnificent Hoysaleshvar Temple,

Halebid