Devotees make prayers to fulfill their desire and at that time they also make a vow to offer something in return to the deity to show their respect which is called 'Mokku' in Telugu.  The mokku may be breaking a specified of number of coconuts or going to the temple by foot or going rounds in the temple called Pradakshinams or any one of those things that are coming for long as a tradition.  Tonsuring is one of those offerings in the place of devotion that is coming as an age old custom in the Southern States of India.  

Tirupati is more famous for that as the devotees go for the tonsuring in the temple on their visits irrespective of whether they offered it before as a mokku or not.  That is why the 'Kalyanakatta' a place meant for the tonsuring with bathing arrangements is always crowded more in Tirupati than at any other pilgrim place.  Tonsuring is done irrespective of the gender or age.  Even tender scalps or are being shaven there.

It is natural that the pilgrims want to finish the formality so as to have a darshan of the deity for which they actually go there.   Knowing the rush and also the anxiety of the parents about their children's safety barbers in Tirupati are famous to cash on that.  They demand extra money from the elders for making it a safe head shaving on their children.  In their presence barbers twist the knife slightly that makes a small cut and a drop of blood comes out that makes the parents pay something there to stop from further damage to the scalp of their dear ones.  

TTD took many steps to curb the practice of barbers extending their palms for extra money.  Recently TTD introduced a system of giving a token to the devotees going for tonsuring with a counter foil on which serial number time and name of the barber is also printed.  Devotees are asked to use that counter foil to complain the TTD authorities if sentimental black mails or any other tricks barbers resort to.

The devotees can complain even after returning their homes.  They can complain by just a click a mouse after entering the number of the token.  All the details will flow in for the authorities to take an action at their end.

(AW-SriJa)