Shimla, Feb 16 (IANS): One of the busiest shrines in Himachal Pradesh, the Mata Chintpurni temple, has decided to perform tonsure ceremony for girl child free of cost to address gender imbalance and discrimination, an official said on Tuesday.

"We have decided to perform 'mundan' or tonsure ceremony of all girl children free of cost on the temple premises. This is an attempt to highlight the importance of the girl child," temple commissioner Abhishek Jain told IANS.

He said the decision would help to change gender bias among the people.

Jain said the parents who wanted to avail of this facility could approach the temple officer. The items used for the ceremony would be provided by the temple.

The temple is famous among the Hindus for the traditional 'mundan' ceremony.

More than 40 lakh pilgrims last year visited Mata Chintpurni shrine, one of the richest in the state, to pay obeisance.

Now you can offer prayers and make offerings at the Mata Chintpurni shrine with just a click of a mouse.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh last month launched a website of the temple, which will allow devotees to participate in the daily "arti" -- both in the morning and evening -- and could make offerings online.

The website is in Hindi, English and Punjabi languages.