Wonderful oiled hair braid - Thick long hair well oiled and braided

Hair today, gone tomorrow - The Hindu

Hair today, gone tomorrow - The Hindu

Indian tradition for sporting long hair & PARADOX...

An Indian tradition for long hair

India is a country with rich culture and heritage. Indian civilization is one of the oldest civilization like China, Egypt and Babylon. In India's great epics, like Ramayana, Mahabharata find elaborate notes on woman's hair dressings, hair ornaments, hair styles and hair growing medicines.

All the female characters have thick, long beautiful hair which they either braid or wear in bun on the top of their head like crown or in bun. They used to decorate it with flowers and ornaments.

In ancient India, most of the men used to keep long hair to respect Indian god "Shiva". Shiva sports long matted hair. He wears matted locks in a large coiled bun on the top of his head. 

All of our god's have long hair wore in this fashion. Even "Buddha" sported hair in topknot.

Most of the Indian men, used to wear their long hair in the same style i.e. hair coiled in bun on the top of the head.

Several scholarly articles on yoga and meditation mention benefits of topknot hairstyle. It was a tradition during that era. Indian culture is based on sacrifice and highest attainment is "SALVATION". Salvation can be achieved through meditation, prayers (chanting god's name) Bun (Top knot) on the head serves like an antenna and helps to concentrate in meditation. Most of the deity statues are like that.

Some men look appealing with flowing long hair, like few Indian gods, Lord Krishna

Now a day, no Indian man bears long hair except monks and Sikh community. Hair are short and neatly cut. 

Sikh community: In this community cutting hair is a sin. Sikh men and women do not cut hair for the lifetime. This community is all over the world. Sikh men can be identified by their turbans and long beard. 

This community is from the state of Punjab in India. It's a warrior community. They keep hair and wear it like monk as they feel that it is confluence of a monk and warrior. Sikh men all the time wear hair it in a very tight bun on the top of their head. It resembles a monk/ Shiva /Buddha image. (Can you imagine not cutting hair for the lifetime, great commitment towards the religion) 

I have known some Sikh friends with hair reaching their knees and they spend lots of time every day for braiding it, bunning it, wearing turban. They even don't cut facial hair(do not shave for lifetime) so they have to neatly keep their beards. Mothers help young ones to maintain long hair.

Sikh females wear their hair in braids or bun but not like men (On the top of their head) but like normal woman. But since they do not cut for the lifetime, their hair are very long. Some women wear it like sikh men in bun on the top of the head. (Very few) 

These people wear turbans at office, during work, schools & colleges. Long hair is a subject of pride for Sikh men and woman. Sikhs are pride of India

Regarding Indian woman, in cities like Mumbai, Delhi most of the woman are working so they have short hair which they can manage very fast. In big cities, we have modern salons, where you can get any hair cut under the sun. In any colour. Still some woman keep long hair. In fact I strongly feel woman look most beautiful in long hair. 

In India applying hair oil is a normal practise Normally all woman apply oil while combing. It helps them to remove hair tangles easily. 

Woman normally use coconut oil or mustard oil for the same. But in Indian villages and small towns one finds most of the women sporting long hair oiled and neatly combed into a single braid or a large bun on the back of the head. 

If I am not exggagerating, Long hair oiled and combed neatly into a braid or a tight bun could be National hair style of India. In fact oil keeps hair in proper shape so in most of the schools in India,applying oil to hair is compulsory for girls and boys and their hair have to be neatly combed into braid(for girls) and short hair for boys. It is a part of discipline. 

Traditionally mother combs daughters hair everyday morning before school. Grown up girl does it on her own. 

Few India men also aspire to grow hair but normally if they are into modelling/ rock group. But still in India if they see a guy like this with long hair or a pony tail or hair wore in bun, he is not considered as a part of main stream he is considered to be a rebel. 

But all of our gods, goddess's are with long hair and still 80% woman in India sport long hair. 

PARADOX????

In India we have richest temple in the world. It is called "TIRUPATI-BALAJI" it is situated in Suthern India. Its a strong belief of Indians, that whatever you pray for, "TIRUPATI-BALAJI" fulfills it. 

Every day minimum 1,00,000 pilgrims visit this place. During festivals, it is up to 5,00,000 pilgrims a day. People vow to god. After fulfilment of their vow, they offer hair to god "TIRUPATI-BALAJI" 

MEN & WOMAN TONSH THEIR HEAD, THEY OFFER HAIR TO GOD. 

WOMAN OFFER THEIR PAINSTAKINGLY GROWN LONG HAIR HAPPILY AND BECOME BALD; AFTER FULFILMENT OF THEIR WISH. IT'S TERRIFYING SEEING A BARBER WITH A BLADE/RAZOR TONSURING A RAPUNZELS SCALP AND HER LONG HAIR FALLING OFF HER HEAD. AND THE DEVOTEE WITH A SMILING FACE.

EVERY DAY SEVERAL WOMEN OFFER THEIR LONG FLOWING HAIR LIKE THAT. 

THAT'S INCREDIBLE INDIA.