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I (Part VlI: Kiran's marriage and Tirupati visit)

(Story till now: My family was very cooperative in adopting the short hair/hairless mode of lifestyle. The children and extended family had loved the short hair experiences. My son Karan was so eager for the ‘liberated’ life but had to hold on. Slowly his mother Alka relented and he was initiated into the barber’s chair. Now read on…..) 
 
As the years passed on, Kiran my daughter, kept up her short hairstyle alternating between the crew cut and the flat top. Once in a while she grew her hair longer so as to copy her mother, Alka, with a boy cut. She finished her graduation and applied for the Defence Services Officer’s Course. She was delighted when she got a call and had to report at Chennai for enlistment. Just then she went to our regular barbershop (it had been taken over by the older barber’s son, though both father and son worked together). She had grown her hair longer than usual. She later disclosed that she had taken a vow that she would not cut her hair till she got into the Officer Training Course. So much so that she had her hair longer at the sides and nearly over her ears. And the top was continuously falling over her eyes. Even my earlier comments that a haircut for her was overdue, were not heeded to. The barber asked her what was the order of the day. And as usual she said “All off! Very short on the sides and short over the top. Ears all clear, with clippered sides and short with scissors over the comb on top.” While the barber was caping her with his traditional white sheet the orders were passed and understood. Soon the barber pushed her head forward and her chin was touching the neck. The larger clippers went into action and the humming and vibration of the clippers along the neck were having a soothing effect on Kiran. She got to wonder how she could manage for so long without getting her haircut. But it was a vow and had to be fulfilled. The barber now went all over her head with the clippers and she could sense the lumps of hair falling all over her cape. That the neck and back was clean could be sensed as the cool air from the fan and AC was being felt all over. The barber then stopped the clipper and brushed off the hair from all over with a large brush.

The respite was enough for Kiran to see herself in the mirror and she was surprised to see a transformed self - so much like her former self. By now the barber had plugged on the buzzer with a 001 number blade. He went over her head and smaller bits of hair fell off, while when he went over the back the tingling of the small blades created an irresistible but pleasant sensation. He then got warm lather and spread it all over the back. It was soothing. Soon the straight razor came out and he swiped off the hairs from the neck, straightened the hairline and cleaned up the nape, around and behind the ears and tapered off the side burns. It was so refreshing and realistic. The scissors came out and while he combed the hair on top towards the forehead he straightened the line so as to fall on to the forehead. He shortened the edges so that they did not fall into the eyes and were short enough to be combed over. Finally he went scissors over the comb technique and finally the hair was1/4” all over with the sides clean and tapering. It was short to give Kiran the liberty of either combing it or even leaving it as such. She was so pleased to come back to the original style and appreciated the barber for the excellent makeover with a large tip.                        

Coming back home she was the usual jubilant self and remarked that the extra hair had weighed down her sense of humour. We all had a great laugh! Alka went over her head with her hands and felt relieved that her efforts to inculcate short hair habits had borne fruit. Slyly she looked at me and we vanished into our room for our tete-n- tete. She got her nape cleaned with a Mach 3 and we hit it off, great!

It was then that Kiran disclosed about her vow and also that one of her friend had told her how hot it was in Chennai and how the new Officer’s in training were asked to get their hair shortened for men and neatly styled for ladies. So she had got her style done here. We packed her off to Chennai by the morning train and were happy to learn from her when she reached Chennai that the Officer in charge very well received her and her style was remarked as ‘Awesome!’

Kiran later told us that there were five more girls inducted into the course and after the first week when they had seen Kiran get into parade so soon, conveniently wished to follow Kiran’s style but were apprehensive. Three were from Sikh families and had great reverence for uncut hair. Within a month it was Kiran’s persuasion that got all these three into the short hair mode and the entire course group appreciated it. Pictures were taken and a grand party thrown. Celebrations all around! The girls remarked that they had been in the dark for so long and now felt so happy with new styles. The convenience that came with it was a bonus. ‘Occupation demands’ was put forth as the reason for their haircuts and the family people obliged.

On their first trip home after 6 months Kiran again went for her super-short style from the patented barber along with one of her friend’s and both came back as carbon copies of each other. Her friend was the first ‘liberated’ person from the family and a ‘pioneer’ at that. We also threw a grand party at our home in her honour. She was overwhelmed. The tribe was increasing, mind you!

Kiran completed the 2-year course and was posted in Chennai itself. It was then the Kiran confided in us that she and one of her senior course mate were going steady. On seeking details, we were told that he was a year ahead and from a mixed family - meaning that his father was from a Sikh family and mother was from a Tamil family. Hence they were settled in Chennai. We had no objection, and after meeting the family it seemed they were set to hit it off. Alka was confided into by Kiran’s m-i-l that she was very happy to have such a d-i-l with modern ideas. The marriage was solemnized and Kiran was decked up so well by the parlour that no one could guess she had short hair. It was only after the reception that she was relieved to get rid of the extensions and the wigs that were a burden to her.

Within a year, a son was born into their family, which was marked with a lot of celebrations and festivities. Kiran’s m-i-l, Mallika, confided in Alka that she had a vow to take the family to Tirupati for head tonsuring after a grandson was born into the family. But she was not sure if Kiran would accept the request. Alka assured her that Kiran would be game and she could go ahead for fulfillment of her vow. So it was and when their son, Arman, was three months old, they planned and went to Tirupati for the vow. Kiran was on maternity leave so there was no hassle from the department and Pardeep was on posting at Chennai itself. It was a sacred moment and for Kiran it was as if she was so used to such tonsures. She had no apprehensions and was eager to relive her childhood memories. AS her hair was short, the barber wetted her hair and started to shave it from the center of the head as in men. Then he asked her to bent her head and the barber did the back. The center start was so convenient that Kiran posed all along for Pardeep who was filming it all on video. Great moments!

Though Kiran had allowed her hair to grow for 3 months after the birth of her son, it seemed so much in volume when it all fell into her lap when the barber scraped her head clean with a clean razor. Her m-i-l felt her shaved head and asked the barber to go over it again for the extra smooth effect. The barber obliged and Kiran was on the seventh heaven of joy, as her head was smooth as an egg. She remembered the head shave when she was a young girl and the smoothness of her head then. She was surprised that after so many years her head still turned out as smooth. She looked very elegant and the pendant earrings and the touch of kum kum were adding to the effect.  She felt that with her head shaved off the hair shadow at her side burns was showing and also having been busy with the baby she had not been regular in visiting the beauty parlour. She asked the barber, through her m-i-l, if he could shave her face. It was a very blunt and unconventional request but Mallika asked the barber to fulfill her request. He took a fresh razor and shaved off the sides and the chin as also the upper lip. With the fuzz falling off, Kiran was relieved to note that the air felt soothing on the freshly shaved areas. Pardeep showered praise on her boldness and suitably rewarded her when they returned to their Hotel room.!.!.!

Arman was put in her lap and the barber shaved off his hairs too with a soft hand as the skin was so soft. Pardeep was next and Kiran filmed the entire episode, while he also got his head shaved. The still picture, which they asked the barber to click, showed how strange they were as a family: Pardeep, Kiran and Arman with shaved heads; Mallika with bobbed hair and Surjeet (Pardeep’s father) with a turban.

Then the most unexpected happened! Pardeep’s father opened his beard and sat in front of the barber and asked him to trim it short. The barber was surprised as he had never come across such a devotee! Mallika too was caught unawares!!  Mallika had always been wanting that Surjeet should unturban himself but he had not relented, neither had he objected to Mallika’s short hair, nor pressured for Pardeep keeping a top knot. In fact, he had encouraged her to go in for the cuts and had himself taken Pardeep for the first haircut to the corner barbershop. This was a great relief for Mallika and thereafter she took care of Pardeep’s haircuts.  Actually, today was the moment for Mallika! A dream comes true!

Not to be left out, she too sat cross-legged in front of the barber and asked him to give three cuts across her hair so that she could go in for a boy cut later. Her offering would also have the same effect for Lord Venkateswara. So the family made their trip to Tirupati a memorable experience.

After this, Pardeep and Kiran with Arman came over to stay with us in Delhi so that Kiran could spend some time with us. We were not able to recognize the trio when we received them at the airport – but all the same we were happy to receive them. We were a great five – four shaven heads and Alka with a buzzed head of hair. Actually, Alka had gone to her parlour lady and explained that as he daughter was offering her hair at Tirupati she wanted to support her gesture and wanted to buzz of the hair. The lady understood and obliged. Alka was pleased that she could participate in the family ritual. Kiran was seeing her mother for the first time after the buzz and they both burst out laughing at each other’s sight. People were astonished at our antics!!

Pardeep left after a few days and our neighborhood was appreciative at Kiran’s gesture of obeying and giving proper regard to her m-i-l’s views. Though such a sight was not common in Delhi, it was appreciative of everyone to understand our views.  A fortnight later as Alka was getting ready to give me the weekly head shave, Kiran expressed her desire to go bald again, and I suggested they call the barber over, as it would be difficult for her to go to his shop with Arman. But she insisted that Alka give them the shaves and she would record them on her video. So be it and Alka lathered her head with the shave foam and went over with the favorite Mach 3. With soft hands she did the same for Arman who kept still during the process – looked like had started enjoying the process at an early age. The routine of fortnightly shaves for Arman continued for another month but Kiran started growing her hair out so that she could be presentable when she went back to her Unit after expiry of leave. She was so impressed by the Tirupati episode that she wanted to go every year, but Alka told her to do it when Arman turned two and then again when Kiran had her second issue. At that time Alka also promised to come along. This way the ritual would be a family tradition.

I was pleased on a personal level that the initiation of short hair and experiments with hairless/bald features had passed onto the next generation. Though I gave myself most of the credit, it was Alka who understood me and responded positively.

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