About Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony)
What is Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony)?
Karnavedha (Chevulu Kuttadam in Telugu, Kaathu Kuthu in Tamil) is the ear-piercing samskara for a child, done on an auspicious muhurtham with prayers for health and wisdom.
Karnavedha is one of the sixteen samskaras. In many families it is done along with the first haircut (Mundan) or at the family deity’s temple.
Benefits
- Fulfils the traditional samskara for the child
- Blessings for health and protection
- A family celebration on an auspicious day
When to perform
- In the first, third or fifth year, on a muhurtham
- Often on the same day as Mundan
How Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony) is performed
- Ganapati pooja and sankalpam
- Pooja of the family deity
- Mantras before the ears are pierced (right ear first for boys, left for girls)
- Wearing of the first earrings
- Harathi and blessings
Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony) samagri list
- Gold earrings — 1 pair
- Turmeric, kumkum and akshinthalu
- Coconut — 1
- Fruits, flowers and sweets
- Betel leaves and nuts — 10 each
- Camphor and incense
Do’s and don’ts
✅ Do
- Arrange a trained piercer or jeweller; the pandit performs the rituals
❌ Avoid
- Do not use non-sterile tools for piercing
Frequently asked questions
How much does Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony) cost?
Karnavedha (Ear Piercing Ceremony) with a verified Stuti Mandir pandit starts from ₹2,500 as pandit dakshina, for about 1 hour. The price can be a little higher outside the metro cities, live video pujas cost less than a home visit, and the full bill is shown before you pay.
Does the pandit pierce the ears?
No. The pandit performs the pooja and mantras; a jeweller or doctor does the piercing.