My friend Shivya had a vow

My friend Shivya had a vow to shave her head in Tirumala. She told to give her company in her trip. One day she requested me to shave my head also along with her. I could answer her. At last she convinced me. This was my first head shave from my childhood. I wanted to get this new experience.

I and my friend Shivya started on 15/12/12 from Hyderabad. next day morning we reached Tirumala. We had arranged cottage accommodation for us in advance. So we went straight to the cottage. I had been looking forward to this experience for a long time and I wanted to get tonsured as soon as possible. So I explored the possibility of going to the Kalyanakatta right away and getting tonsured. Reluctantly, I had to postpone the idea till the next day because we were very tired.

I could hardly sleep through the night. I was excited at the thought of the straight razor playing on my head early next day! I was wide awake by 4 am. After brushing our teeth, my friend asked me to get ready. Then my friend without talking anything got ready. Then I wore a salwar kameez. We left for the Kalyanakatta by around 6 am.

There was a big crowd in front of the Kalyanakatta entrance and I thought this was going to take awhile. But as soon as we got into the Q, we moved up front quite quickly. We went to next step there a man giving half blades to everyone who got the tokens. He asked me are for gundu as I am looking posh. I felt some shy and told yes, and then he gave me a half blade
After taking the token and blade for the tonsure, we entered the hall. There were a lot of barbers doing their stuff. I got into one line. There were around 5-6 people in front of me. That meant around 15-20 minutes wait. I was keenly observing the tonsuring of the people in front of me and my excitement mounted.

First my friend sat in front of him. I concentrated on my friend’s tonsure. With a smile she bent her head to the barber offering her wet bob cut hairs with some brown in it. He started from the front and the first cut brought a kind of joy in her face which is difficult to forget. Then my friend shaved their heads my friend was looking so beautiful. She simply laughed at me.

I was nervous because next was my turn. Then I sat in front of him and I covered my laps with towels that dress would not spoil. Like others, he wetted my waist length hair with a mug of water and massaged it vigorously for a minute and everything was very new to me. He tied my hair into two loose knots on both sides. My head now was totally wet with water and water droplets were falling on my shoulders, back, neck and on the towel below. I could see nothing but the ground. I was shivering with cold water. He put the new blade he had collected from me (issued at the counter) into his razor, bent my head fully down and made the first scrape at my nape. Oh! What a sensation! I could hear the scrape-scrape on the back of my head - top to bottom. Immediately, I could feel the coolness of the air on my scalp. I could feel wet tufts of my hair falling on my back and neck. In one minute, the back of my head was totally bald! The barber lifted my head slightly and adjusted it to get the correct angle so that he could start on the front. He started from the top of my head towards the front...scrape-scrape....Then he drew a patch from the crown to my forehead. Then he tilted my head to my left and shaved off the hair on my right. I could see Shivya who also bald smiling at my half tonsured head. I also smiled at her. He then started shaving my left side. He passed the blade all over once again making my head very smooth.

I got up caressing my bald head with both hands. I gave the barber Rs.10 extra for shaving me smooth. He was happy and offered me a mirror to see. I was anxious to see my face and when I saw it I was shocked to recognize myself. I was so different, a totally new bald look. Then I removed all the hair on my legs and touched my head for a while. We reached the guest house. I immediately ran in front of the mirror to see how I look. I had seen me in mirror my look was totally changed in GUNDU. But nothing can be done now, so I consoled myself. Shivya consoled me saying that I’ve given my hair to god and so there is nothing to feel ugly.