Answer

In Jain tradition, it is generally preferred not to cut hair during Paryushan.

Paryushan is a sacred period for:

• spiritual purification
• self-restraint
• repentance
• forgiveness
• reducing worldly activities

So, activities like haircutting, grooming for appearance, beauty treatments, and unnecessary personal decoration are usually avoided.

Explanation

Cutting hair is not usually treated as one of the main formal prohibitions of Paryushan in the same way as fasting, pratikraman, samayik, swadhyay, and ahimsa-related discipline. However, many Jain families and communities avoid it because Paryushan is a time to reduce attachment to the body and focus inward.

If a haircut is medically necessary or unavoidable, it may be treated differently. But for ordinary grooming, it is better to postpone it until after Paryushan.

Spiritual Understanding

The deeper idea is not merely “haircut allowed or not allowed,” but:

• Can I reduce body-centered activities?
• Can I practice simplicity?
• Can I focus more on the soul than appearance?

Takeaway

It is best to avoid cutting hair during Paryushan as a matter of restraint, simplicity, and respect for the sacred period.