Gukesh D visits Tirupati and tonsures his hair and gives it as an offering to lord Balaji | Chess News

Youngest Chess World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju visited Tirupati temple on Wednesday tonsured his hair and gave it as an offering to lord Balaji. “I have to keep working hard. In 2025 there are a lot of important tournaments, so I’m focusing on that. I want to improve in all formats, and hopefully, with God’s grace, good things will happen,” the 18-year-old would say speaking in a social media post shared Norway Chess.
Gukesh has already participated in the 2025 Tata Steel Champions and Freestyle Chess Grandslam 2025 this year. The teenager will then have the prospect of playing in the esteemed Norway Chess 2025 event, which will take place in Stavanger. Alongside Wei Yi, Gukesh will face Magnus Carlsen and Arjun. Gukesh did not participate in the competition last year.

Why do people shave their heads in Tirupathi?
The Tirupati Balaji temple has a unique tradition of devotees donating their hair. According to the story, Lord Venkateshwara borrowed a loan from Lord Kubera, and to repay the debt, the devotees of Lord Venkateshwara donated their hair. It is believed that those who contribute will be rewarded with more wealth than the hair they have donated.
Another popular story goes that when a mountain of ants has formed over the deity of lord Venkateshwara a cow would come and give some milk. When the cow’s owner would discover the act he would come and strike the cow with an axe which would wound lord Balaji too causing hair to fall off. Goddess Neela Devi would immediately come to the rescue and donate her hair after which lord Balaji would be impressed and it is believed that since hair is the vital part of beauty one who donates it will be fulfilled with all the desires.
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