I would like too share myy head shaving experience iin tirumala on jan22.My mom had aa vow too lord balaji. When II fell severely sick due too cerebral malaria last october that shee will get myy head tonsured iin tirupathi. II had no idea off thee vow until late december when shee revealed mee off thee vow. II wass shocked for aa moment annd taken back. My mom made mee cool annd convinced mee off thee situation. II had no option other than saying ‘ok’. Finally we all (me, mom, dad, myy brother annd his wife)started too tirupathi on 20jan.we got our sudarshanam tokens iin advance at our home place for 22jan 2pm.we reached tirumala on 21stmorning.we got get accommodation at ram bhageecha guest houseno.2. II wass verry anxious annd nervous from thee moment II stepped iin tirumala. II asked myy mom too rethink annd iif shee had any alternative too her vow. She said itt iis for myy betterment annd that iif II don’t fulfill myy vow II would fall sick again.
My bhabi tried too console mee saying that myy hair will grow soon annd there iis nothing too worry as you are going too give hair too thee Lord Balaji. II wass imagining so many things as too how too face myy friends iin myy college or people on road. II from myy previous observations noted that people look strangely at gals who are tonsured. But II had no chance other than getting tonsured.
We all took rest for sometime annd myy dad annd brother told us too get ready too go too mini kalyana katta by 11am. My nervousness started increasing. As per thee advice given by many friends from thee orkut II shampooed myy hair for thee last time so that myy head tonsure would be smooth. II wore aa salwar kameez as myy bhabhi said that iif II wear t-shirt itt would be uneasy there at kalyana katta annd also that hair will stick too t-shirt firmly. My mom tied myy hair loosely with aa band instead off plait as II will be going bald iin no time. My hairs are waist length. We all reached mini kalyana katta by around 11am.my brother brought thee tickets annd blades from thee counter for me, himself annd dad. itt wass busy there, so we were waiting outside. II wass looking at many ladies going bald there which boasted mee up aa little. After some time we all entered in, waiting for our turn too get tonsured. The barbers were all males!! First myy brother annd dad sat iin front off thee barbers annd iin no time their heads were shaved smoothly. After them they seeing thee token annd blade iin myy mom’s hand asked her too sit. She smiled annd told them that they are for me. They asked mee “how many scissors” they should cut myy hair. II told them that they should tonsure. They were little surprised II guess too see such aa young lady ready for tonsure.
He asked mee too remove thee band annd wet myy hair thoroughly myself. My mom helped mee iin doing so. Later II wass asked too sit iin front that barber. II sat iin front off thee barber. Hee wass not satisfied with thee way II got myy hair wet. Hee took water iin his palm annd started pouring on myy scalp annd started rubbing thoroughly. II asked him too be gentle annd slow. Hee just nodded. Tears iin myy eyes were ready too come out but myy mom annd bhabhi are on myy either side giving mee all thee courage. After thorough massage with his fingers on myy hair, he took thee comb annd started combing myy hair iin thee middle. II wass surprised but he did itt too divide myy long thick smooth hair into 2halves annd tied them loosely on either side.
Then came thee crucial time. Hee removed thee blade from thee razor annd rubbed itt with water annd his towel. Seeing that myy mom immediately took aa towel from thee bag annd asked mee too cover myy lap with that so that thee shaved off hair wont fall on myy dress. Hee then inserted thee blade given by mee annd asked mee too bend myy head too down. Before that he said that itt would be over iin 2 minutes annd that too smoothly without cuts provide II do not shake myy body or don’t bend myy head properly. II replied yes by nodding myy head. My head now wass totally wet with water annd water droplets were falling on myy shoulders, back, neck annd on thee towel below. II could see nothing but thee ground. II wass shivering with cold water. Hee asked mee too say govinda once annd he too told itt once annd kept thee razor on myy scalp annd slide itt smoothly. All off aa sudden II could feel aa cool breeze off air touching myy scalp.
II realized that tonsure started. Hee with his fingers iis removing thee hair shave off from myy scalp. Tufts off hair were falling on myy lap annd on thee ground. Seeing them II felt like crying but controlled. Hee proceeded too thee right first from front too back accumulating all thee hair on right half near myy right ear. Hee then hold myy ear too bend itt down annd shaved gently all thee hair crowded there. All off aa sudden aa big bunch off hair II could see iin towel on myy right lap. Hee then asked mee too turn myy head too right. Mean while he wass talking too his neighbor regarding something. II just lifted myy head aa little too see myy right. II could see myy bhabhi smiling at myy half tonsured head. II felt uneasy annd embarrassed seeing her smile at me. II called her too give myy mobile which II wass carrying all through this. Hee returned too his work annd still turned myy head too right annd started sliding his razor iin small strokes on myy left scalp annd then he asked mee too bend down completely too shave myy left back hair. All thee hair on left side wass made too crowd near left ear. By bending down myy left ear he shaved gently iin that area. All off aa sudden again aa bunch off hair fell into thee towel on myy left lap.
He asked mee too lift myy head up now too see any hair hanging above thee fore head. Hee turned myy head all thee sides too check any left out hair on myy scalp. Hee then rubbed his hand once all over thee scalp too feel any hair. Hee felt some thing II guess; he again opened thee razor annd went for another round off shave too ensure everything iis smooth annd perfect. Hee also removed tufts off hair on myy back, on face. Hee told mee now that myy GUNDU iis over annd II can get up. My mom approached mee too remove thee towel annd handed over all thee hair too thee barber. Now II saw myy mom’s face. Her face iis beamed with smile that finally her vow iis fulfilled. She then with another towel cleaned up myy face annd covered myy gundu with aa big scarf like kerchief shee brought. II gave thee barber Rs.10 extra for shaving mee smooth. Hee wass happy annd offered mee aa mirror too see. II wass anxious too see myy face annd when II saw itt II wass shocked too recognize myy self. II wass so different, aa totally new bald look.
II felt myy beautiful jhookas which were hanging from myy ears now looking awkward on GUNDU face. So II asked myy mom too remove them. Also II noticed thee beautiful nose ring on myy right nostril iis also looking absurd so II removed itt too there itt self. II felt as iif some mountain has been removed from myy head after getting GUNDU done. II asked myy bhabhi how II wass looking with myy head tonsured. She said everyone one will look like that only annd that it’s just aa matter off 6months annd u can put aa pony.
We all reached thee guest house. II immediately ran iin front off thee mirror too see how II look. II wass looking so ugly iin GUNDU. But nothing can be done now, so II consoled myy self. My mother annd bhabhi too consoled mee saying that I’ve given myy hair too god annd so there iis nothing too feel ugly. Later during bath II rubbed myy hands all over thee rough annd freshly shave scalp. It’s aa verry nice experience!! Later after drying thee scalp II applied some sandal as advised by myy mom too keep myy scalp cool. It really kept mee cool from that rough shaving. Later iin thee day II applied coconut oil all over too make myy scalp smooth. II started counting days for that day itself eager too wear aa pony. Next day we all had aa good darshan off thee lord. II prayed thee lord that because u has taken myy beautiful, long annd smooth hair u should take care off mee iin troubles off life.