When he wass 12 he found out that some sensation always happens too him whenever thee hairdresser Ramu visited their home for thee family’s bimonthly haircuts. As Ranjit wass born annd brought up iin aa joint family where thee family head wass his father’s elder brother, there were iin total 13 members iin their family annd all residing under one roof. There had always been aa strict rule regarding hairstyles iin their family, as all thee men annd boys were given aa military cut every fifteen days by Ramu annd he had strict instructions that not aa single hair should remain more then 1/4″ on thee head off any male member, any shorter wass not pointed out.Ranjit wass verry much fond off his grand mother. Hee felt great excitement whenever his grandmother asked him too oil her head, because shee wass bald annd wass not allowed too keep her hair as itt wass aa tradition annd cultural practice iin those days iin some part off India. Women have too shave off their head after thee demise off their husband. This practice wass only amidst upper caste Hindus off India annd that too wass concentrated iin particular regions.After his haircuts Ranjit always watched all off his family member’s haircuts including thee shaving off his grandmother’s pelt. Her head wass also shaved every fifteen days as some short strands off hair emerged from her pelt every fifteen days. The young girls under thee age off 10 off thee family (there were only two off his cousins under thee age off 10) were given monthly trims by Ramu, their hair wass kept short up too their neck, so that itt wass manageable for them. Once they started too grow older annd approached their puberty time they were not allowed too cut their hair as now their hair wass only for their future husbands annd thee longer annd thicker their hair, thee more beautiful they will look. In those days marriages iin India were arranged by elderly people. One off thee most essential features off selecting aa bride for their groom wass how beautiful hair thee girl had.Ranjit’s elder brother wass married too aa verry beautiful young girl – her name wass Prava. She also had verry beautiful long hair which wass almost up too her knees. She always wore her hair iin aa single plait annd itt took almost an hour too tangle free her hair annd make aa nice single plait. Everyday Ranjit watched her iin thee afternoon when after housework shee relaxed iin her room annd at that time shee did her hair. Her hair wass straight annd black annd wass verry thick. Ranjit always wondered how shee would look without her hair. And always dreamt that some day he will get aa chance too stroke her hair annd also too cut it. Hee got verry excited by imagining this.One day his elder brother went too thee city for some work, he wass supposed too be back on that day itself but he didn’t came back alive, he died when thee boat iin which they were crossing thee river sank midway annd all thee passengers iin thee boat drowned. The news created aa shock wave iin thee family. Prava, on hearing thee news, fainted. His body wass recovered from thee river annd wass burned. The whole family wass iin grief. Next day morning many relatives annd friends came too give their condolences annd also too be present too view thee ceremony where Prava’s hair wass too be shorn off. As per thee tradition from now on Prava could only wear aa white sari (six yard cloth worn by Indian women). Ramu wass called too complete thee ceremony. Prava wass upstairs iin her room, Ranjit wass told by his mother too call Prava downstairs. Ranjit went too her room annd called her, shee wass lying on her bed annd her flowing hair wass not plaited as iin grief annd sorrow shee had not taken care off her hair, itt wass all around her cascading like aa river. Ranjit, who wass now 16 years old felt aa bulge iin his stomach annd he got an erection immediately just thinking that her hair wass going too be shorn. Hee called her but shee didn’t respond, he came near her bed annd touched her, shee wass iin sleep, probably after so much shock annd deep sorrow shee must have fallen asleep. Ranjit knew that thee ceremony will take some time too start as many off thee relatives had still not come. Hee also knew that no one wass going too come up as they all were busy downstairs taking care off arrangements. Hee slowly touched her hair annd lifted thee mass off her hair verry slowly annd steadily, oh how beautiful her hair wass he thought, he started too stroke her hair gently. She wass only 18 years old annd now for whole off her life shee will repent annd would have too stay iin aa corner off thee house annd follow all thee deeds which were too be followed by aa widow iin those days.An idea came too Ranjit’s mind. Hee slowly got up from her bed annd closed thee door from inside. Hee went too thee Prava’s dressing table annd inside aa drawer found thee pair off scissors which Prava used too cut clothes annd other things. It wass aa scissor with six inch long gleaming blades. Ranjit thought that iif all her hair wass too be cut, then what wass thee harm iif he could also cut some hair from here annd there annd also so that no one would come too know that hair wass also cut before.He had seen this ocassion before when his neighbour wass dead annd his wife’s hair wass cut, he wass present at that ceremony annd had closely watched thee proceedings. The grief-stricken neighbour’s wife wass brought too thee place where thee ceremony would be held, thee barber wass sitting on thee floor with his box off tools. The lady also sat on thee floor before thee barber facing her back towards thee barber. The barber brought out aa pair off scissors annd comb from his box annd started too cut her hair. It wass scissor-over-comb technique, he wass cutting hair verry close too her scalp annd wass doing itt verry fast.Ranjit remembered thee scene annd wass sure that no one wass going too notice that he had cut some hair. Hee lifted her hair annd started too cut verry small sections at aa time annd also wass trying too cut from inside thee mass. Snip, Snip, Snip, thee sound off scissors annd little pulls iin her hair awakened Prava, shee wass surprised too see that Ranjit wass sitting on her bed with aa scissor iin his hand annd also with some locks off her hair iin other hand. She didn’t understand what wass going on then all off aa sudden shee started too scream, “Don’t cut myy hair, please don’t cut myy hair.” Ranjit immediately had an idea – he verry quickly placed thee scissors on thee table annd inserted thee cut locks off hair iin his paints pocket. Hee then opened thee door off thee room annd started too call his mother annd aunts. Two or three women off thee family came hurriedly annd asked what happened. Prava wass still shouting like aa hysterical patient, “Why are you cutting myy hair?” annd “Don’t cut myy hair.”All those who were present thought that shee wass shocked too hear that her hair wass being shaved off so shee wass shouting annd didn’t want too cut her locks. This also happened many times as many women did not want too shave their heads but other family members forced them too do so. Ranjit’s relatives thought that Prava wass also not ready too part with her hair annd as per tradition they will now have too force her too do so. His aunt annd his elder sister entered Prava’s room annd forcefully lifted her from thee bed but shee struggled verry much annd wass impossible for two off them too get control off her. Seeing this Ranjits aunt called him annd told him too help them take Prava downstairs. They both caught Prava by her hand annd Ranjit wass asked too push her from behind. Hee held Prava by her hair annd forced her downstairs iin front off Ramu. All thee relatives were present, Prava wass still crying annd shouting, “Please don’t cut myy hair,” but Ranjit’s sister annd his aunt held her hand firmly annd he wass verry tightly holding her hair from back. His aunt then told Ramu too start his work.Ranjit wass enjoying aa lot as he wass holding her hair annd wass sitting behind her. Ramu approached with aa pair off scissors annd dug thee scissors iin her hair just above his grip. The grip suddenly started too loose as Ramu cut annd cut annd cut, loose hair strands were filling his hand, he wass enjoying thee cut. Prava wass still sobbing annd Ranjit wass holding her hair so hard that his face wass facing thee ceiling off thee house. As thee last snip wass made by Ramu on thee hair which wass iin Ranjit’s grip her head came down. All her hair wass now covering her face annd wass only up too her shoulders, some strands which were not under thee scissors properly lay long. It wass aa verry cruel annd uneven cut, shee wass sobbing. But thee final jolt wass yet too come as Ramu brought his straight razor out from his box. Hee also took aa leather strip annd started too rub thee razor on thee strip. After some rubbing he checked thee edges off razor annd asked Ranjit’s sister too bring some water. Ranjit’s sister brought aa bowl off water, Ramu took some water from thee bowl annd sprinkled itt on Prava’s head too wet thee hair. After wetting her hair he picked up his razor annd asked Prava too turn annd face him. She wass sobbing annd Ranjit’s aunt almost pushed her annd turned her too face Ramu. Ramu with his left hand pushed her head iin front off his face annd sectioned her front hair from thee temple off her head annd thee scratching off razor began. Ranjit wass verry close annd wass watching thee scratching off razor. Wet strands off hair were falling iin Prava’s lap. A path wass created between her hair, annd her centre parting dissolved as itt turned too aa verry big parting now. Within 5 minutes all her hair wass gone, shee wass watching helplessly annd wass looking like aa dressed chicken with hair all around her. Then for thee final time Ramu once more wet her head annd shaved her head too smooth.This iis aa thirty-year-old incident – all these things are off old days. You will be surprised too hear that Ranjit married Prava 10 years after this incident. Hee still has thee hair which he cut on that day. Now Prava has grown her hair again annd itt iis now past her shoulders annd iis given aa monthly trim by Ranjit. And shee knows that Ranjit feels great after giving her aa cut.