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In the meantime, Navjot’s sister, Sarvjot, who was going steady with her boyfriend hailing from an Arora Punjabi family disclosed to the family their decision of tying the knot. A lot of turmoil in her family as they felt that the walls of religion had crumbled and the younger one was following in the footsteps of Navjot. And Navjot’s sudden transformation and straying from the childhood training had still not sunk in properly. But the young couple was adamant. The boy’s family had no problems as they were a mixed family –staying in Delhi some of them were from Hindu and others from Sikh families. So they had an equal proportion of turbaned and as well as clean shaven male members. Most of the ladies had trimmed hair and the younger generation was – as each one liked. So it was a party everyday as they stayed in a large house though each unit had its own kitchen. One could get in touch and saunter into any unit and eat what one liked. It was a world of its own. As both the boy and Sarvjot were working for the same MNC, they were bound to meet each other everyday and seemed to hit it off.

Navjot pacified her parents and finally they came around, saw reason and accepted the fact that the elders will have to conform to the wishes of the GenX. They only hoped their son would stand by them and try to further the cause of the family traditions. No sooner had Navjot broken the news to Sarvjot she came dancing to our house and celebrations around with sweets and good food! Typical Punjabi flavour.

Soon after there were the shopping bouts and the sisters were preparing for the wedding. The first stop was as usual was the parlour where Sarvjot got her hair lopped off. As mentioned earlier in the series, Sarvjot had long, straight, waist length black hair which had been shortened by a couple of inches on Navjot’s wedding but after that she had not cut it for the past more than a year. So it was up to its original length, or even longer. As she was to go to a more urbanized, moderate and all accepting family she had no inhibitions and her boyfriend had no problems. Actually he did not want to be enveloped in her cascading hair!

Sarvjot was a lovely, pretty young lady with a great smile and also quite adventurous and is ready for just about anything.  Today the lady in attendance at the parlour decided to give her an extreme bob.  This was actually her conspiracy with Navjot who had secretly told her to cut it all off and the lady wanted a long pony tail to be sold off to the wig makers. She combed the long hair all the while cooing that it was such a good length of hair and so well maintained. Shampoo over and then the hair was parted into a number of parts so that it did not get into tangles. Just as the barberette started at the back with inverted clippers, Sarvjot stopped her. She did not go in for a drastic change. It was just to lighten her head that she had come over. So it was decided that she would have hair with a final length of just falling over her shoulders – a la Priyanka Chopra style.  So it was done and with the change she felt so light in the head and then the lady shaped out her eyebrows and even Navjot got hers done. Navjot, however, did not go in for a trim as she wanted to delay it. And Sarvjot would be coming on future visits for shaping and styling her hair. But this day was great for Sarvjot as she had got at least 10” of her hair in a single cut and then layered cut it in short lengths, so that even if she put it up in a bun with attachments some wisps of hair would keep falling over her ears/eyes and forehead for that sensuous style. She was surprised how light her head felt and how she had managed to carry all the length and weight earlier. It was only a 20 minute process and she had not paid heed to Navjot’s advice earlier. But she was pleased she had done it now and was also astonished how much of volume of hair was on the floor of the parlour. The bounce in her hair made her swirl and pirouette all over the parlour. And the icing on the cake was when she met her boyfriend after the transformation and he literally lifted her off her feet and they had a great time before he dropped her home. Sarvjot’s mother noticed her change but did not want to comment on it that evening. When Sarvjot came down for b’fast the next morning and had her shortened hair in full view , her mother could not restrain herself and asked her that she should have waited for the wedding and the even if she got her head shaven they would not have given it a thought as then you were in ‘your family’. She further went on to say that Navjot was at least considerate to them in this context. Sarvjot explained that it was at Navjot’s suggestion that she had started changing and this was only the first step. Maybe in a week’s time she would go even shorter! So the matter ended.

Karan’s company was proposing to send some of its young but senior technocrats for a stint aboard and there were certain names doing the rounds. One evening the news came and he was one of the technocrats to go abroad and his destination was Vancouver in Canada. Navjot’s joy knew no bounds and as the papers were getting ready and the visas were expected shortly, all arrangements for Sarvjot’s wedding were pre-poned and it was fast forward mode all over. So Sarvjot’s plan of going short on hair during her next visit to the parlour was put on a hold and soon after the wedding Karan, Navjot and Sroop left for Canada on at least a two year stint. Navjot was on leave from her job and she took an unpaid leave of absence form the company and at best would be on lein for the tiem she is away.

While they were getting ready for the trip and packing, Navjot asked Navjot to go in for a haircut as it would be expensive in Canada. Navjot retorted that if that was the case, at least Karan should shave off hairs on his head so that it would take a longer to grow and they would save money! And how long would one haircut last – at the most 3-4 weeks! And she had just got a clean up done for Sarvjot’s wedding. One thing was for sure - she was not growing her hair. It was unthought-of in India and if it is Canada the ….. Every one went there and got their locks chopped off so she was staying on with her short style. Karan, however, went in for a crew cut and asked the barber to cut the top even shorter so that it was a no nonsense style and he could just tidy it up with his hands. He came back changed and we laughed our heads off to see so much of hair off. We joked that the Immigration officials would not recognize him and send him back! Navjot’s friends came and even suggested cutting off Sroop’s hair before he got his pictures for the passport but Navjot did not accept the idea. Even Alka said that Navjot beta you should get Sroop’s hair cut off as then he would feel so much easy; and if she had some inhibition going to the barbers she (Alka) could take him or better still, they could call the barber home. Kiran phoned up Navjot to tell her to take Sroop to the barbers and make him as per her version ‘a proper aadmi’.

But somehow Sroop retained his top knot.

Farewells were said at the airport, hugs and kisses in plenty, promises of calling frequently and exchanging pictures over the net were solemn talk. The entire extended family was there.

And as is her wont Kiran asked her bhabhi Navjot not to come back as a threesome! And to pester her nephew she pulled his top knot hard that he whined.

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