My tryst with my shaven head !!!

20th of Sep was just a usual day in my life. This is that date of the month on which I sacrifice my lush, smoke-colored hair to Pappu - my personal hair dresser [or barber :-)] so to say. Its been a custom of sorts to pay a visit around 20th of every month to this long time pal of mine - a custom being practised for the last 14 years or so.

This month was no different. I visited Pappu's saloon & after a wait of about 17 mins [pardon me for being a little too EXACT about time :-)], I got a chance to sit on that 'august' chair one which hardly goes unnoticed in barbers' shops across India.

As my dear friend commenced demonstrating his hair cutting skills with his merciless scissors, I interrupted him - a strange reaction which he witnessed from me after a long time, may be. This time i took control of styling & in all gusto instructed him to tonsure my head. A wave of shock ran down his spine as he knew that with god's grace everyone in my near family were safe & sound. [As per hindu customs, tonsuring is done if a near one is no more in this world]. His immediate response was to know the reason for this blunder. I explained him the reason [which i would not like to divulge] & then he did what I instructed him to do - tonsure my head !!

As he shaved, I was thrilled & amused see the bear regions of my head getting exposed in phases - with each phase, the black grass-like region diminishing & in its wake giving rise to a brown pasture. All the phases completed in flat 21 mins.
This time I took more time to look at myself in the mirror. It took me quite a while to assimilate the imagery of 'your truly' minus hair !!

Now, I feel as if I have offloaded a burden from my head - still figuring out what that burden was. As I walk, I can experience a gentle breeze making way in hitherto hidden areas of my head - with no hair obstructing its path !! At times I make futile attempts to comb my hair but then will take some time to digest this new development in my life.

Also coupled with these is a new joy of its kind !! Knowingly or Unknowingly my hand slips onto my head just to experience the bear skin of my scalp - a feeling which cannot be described in words or phrases.

So far I am enjoying a 'different looking' Ashish & endeavoring to guess the first hand reactions of my friends !!