Gayathri's Mottai

I couldnt sleep on friday night bec of the thought that i will be clean shaved and all my hair would go on saturday. I cried for almost an hour, then i spent some time infront of the mirror brushing my hair, playing with my hair, did some hair styles. But finally slept crying and holding my hair.

Saturday - 02/04/2011

      I woke up around 6.30am and made up my mind not to get tensed/worry as everything is set in place, only thing i need to do is to co-operate. So i planned to give an oil wash for my hair and started oiling it. In between My aunt came, gave me an oil head masage and applied oil for root to tip. She made a hair bun out of my hair. After waiting for almost 45 mins, i took headbath for the last time. Then my aunt helped me in drying the hair and detangled them. By 9.30am it was completely dry and i took centre partition and combed my hair and made my favourite chignon hairstyle. Yes that was the last time i touched my hair.

During breakfast, my grandma told me that the barber may come at anytime before 12. I smiled at her. She told that everything will be alright and not to worry. To divert my attention i was just watching some comedy tv channels. To be frank, i forgot everything and started to laugh by the comedies clips telecasted.

       At 11.40am, the barber came and my mum directed him to the backyard of my house. I know this is the time i should not cry. My grandma hugged me, my aunt kissed me on my forehead, in the meanwhile my mum said that they will be sitting inside the house and will not watch my headshave as i will cry on seeing them. So they asked me to go all alone and sit beside the well in backyard for headshave as barber was waiting there.

      There was a bucket full of water fetched ready from the well and the barber asked me to bring a small cup/mug. Soon i went inside and all(my grandma, aunt, mum) thought i came out of fear. I took the mug, my mum made me stop and told that they are waiting to see the new-look of Gayathri.

      It was exactly 11.45am when i left to the backyard. then i gave mug to the barber, he asked me to bring the person for headshave by changing the new blade in his razor. I said its for me only in a silent note. He ogled at me for a moment as i was wearing a round necked t-shirt with knee length cropped track pant. Recognising that my chignon bun is still on the nape i removed it and aligned the hair behind my ears. after setting my hair loose, i sat infront of him turning away from the backyard door. Almost the last 3 inches of my loose hair touched the ground. He asked me whether i needed my hairs for making wig. I said no bec i know my mum wont allow me to cover my shaved pate other than scarfs. I asked him whether he asked like that on seeing this much lengthy hair. For that he replied that if it is for wig/sale, he would make two knots of hair on either side of the head.

      He started dabbing my head with water. He poured water all over and dabbed gently and quickly all over my head. He asked me to bend forward. My heartbeat increased as i thought he would shave now, but he dabbed water on the back and at nape. He pressed lightly in a repetitive motion with water. I saw water droplets travelling from my head to ground thru my hair. As i sat on the open ground, the ends of my hair collected dirts and mud as excess water made the hair tips wet. He finished watering by making my sideburns wet.

      He said i had a very dense hair and i takes more water to get the hair roots completely wet. My dress was almost wet. Then he stood up to take razor which he had kept on the wall of the well. Water droplets were coming on my face so i wiped my face and again aligned my hair behind the ears.

      He took the razor, my heartbeat increased. He asked me to bend forward as far as possible and not to move my head from now on. He holded my head hard with 3 fingers, He kept the razor on the centre of my head, dragged it towards the crown. Even before my hair fell on the ground, drops of tears came out of my eyes automatically. I started to cry. He made several repeated strokes from centre to left. Likewise from centre to right was done. He then kept the razor on the crown made a stroke towards the nape and began shaving back of my head. I felt big bulks of hair falling from my head. He then shaved under my ears and nape.

Shaved my sideburns. He then took handful of water and rubbed it against my head. Then only i felt all my hairs are shaved. Now he made me to bend towards him and started shaving in the reverse manner. turned my head left and right to give finishing touch of shaving. He again shaved both of my sideburns and kept the razor down, checked whether any small strands of hair was left on my head. He said everything is over.

      I got up and saw huge bulk of hair lying on the ground. Tears rolled down and i wipped my eyes and removed the strands of hair sticking to my t-shirt. Gaining courage i went inside my house by 11.55am. Within 10 minutes, he finished out everything. My grandma, aunt and mum came towards me and rubbed my clean shaved pate. My grandma paid him some money saying that he did it very smooth.

      My aunt asked me to change the dress. I went inside bathroom and i kept my hand on my shaved pate for the first time after headshave. I cried out and convinced myself saying that this look of mine will change soon. Then came out of bathroom to see mygrandma, aunt and my mum smiling at me and saying that I will get back my same butt length hair in another 6yrs soon. For me those 6yrs will be like six decades till i get back my hair. Everything is gone, there is no point in crying continously now. So i smiled and from then on they started calling me "MOTTAI GAYU" lovingly in tamil. Mottai Gayu means Head Shaved Gayu in english.

I wont forget this day forever in my life.