A crown (makuta) formed of matted strands of hair (jata) knotted together and tied on top of the head is known as Jatamakuta.
The deity Shiva, who is the quintessential ascetic and
always wears his hair in matted strands, is most intimately connected with the
jatamakuta in Hindu imagery.
The jatamakuta is still a hairstyle connected with many ascetics, both Shaiva and Vaishnava, in current times.
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