D Gukesh shaves his head at Tirupati Balaji temple as he seeks divine blessings for 2025 season; watch video

Reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju visited the Tirupati Balaji temple in on Wednesday and tonsured his head as an providing for the Hindu deity Venkateswara, in search of divine blessings forward of main chess occasions this yr. Gukesh shared his ideas on his go to to the temple, positioned within the Tirumala hills in Tirupati district, Andhra Pradesh, in addition to on the journey forward in a video shared by Every day Tradition on YouTube.

“I’ve to maintain working arduous. In 2025 there are numerous vital tournaments, so I’m specializing in that. I wish to enhance in all codecs, and hopefully, with God’s grace, good issues will occur,” 18-year-old Gukesh stated within the video.

Tonsuring one’s head and donating hair is a ritual carefully related to devotees visiting the Tirupati Balaji. Footage of Gukesh’s clean-shaven look have since gone viral on social media.

Gukesh, nonetheless, isn’t the primary established sportsperson making such an providing. Former India captain MS Dhoni had shaved his head after main India to victory within the 2011 ICC World Cup closing in opposition to Sri Lanka in Mumbai.

‘Captain Cool’ had his head tonsured in his resort room in the midst of the night time, having made a pledge earlier than a deity at a temple located near his house city of Ranchi earlier than the match. His hair was subsequently donated to Tirupati Balaji, the identical temple the place Gukesh donated his hair on Wednesday.

After defeating Ding Liren to be topped the youngest world champion within the sport’s historical past, Gukesh had completed runner-up on the Tata Metal Chess match in Netherlands for a second yr operating, shedding to compatriot R Praggnanandhaa within the tie-breaks.

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His most up-to-date look was within the opening occasion of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour in Weissenhaus, Germany, the place he completed eighth out of 10 rivals whereas failing to gather a single victory.

His subsequent look might be within the Paris leg of the Freestyle Tour in April, the place he might be joined by Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi.