Dear Song Yanhua,
Thanks for responding to my e-mail. I am eager to see your
pictures in bun soon. Once you post it, please inform us.
Well about hair tradition in India, India is a country with
rich culture and heritage. In fact, Indian civilization is one of the oldest civilization
like China, Egypt and Babylon. In our great epics, like Ramayana, Mahabharata
find elaborate notes on woman's hairdressings, hair ornaments, hairstyles 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.
If you surf it on net you will get lots of stuff on this
subject.
In India men also used to keep long hair. This was in
respect to one Indian god "Shiva". He has very long matted hair. He
wears his hair in a large coiled bun on the top of his head. If you search
"SHIVA+India" in Google you'll see several images.
Our god’s have long hair wore in this fashion. It resembles "Buddha" which is prayed in your country too.
So do the Indian men, they used to wear their long hair in
the same style i.e. hair coiled in bun on the top of the head and some still wear hair like that. I am one of them. I wear a topknot.
Well, I have read few articles on yoga and meditation. The
tradition in men goes like this about this hairstyle, In India, our culture is
based on sacrifice and highest attainment is "SALVATION". Salvation
can be achieved through meditation (chanting god's name) Bun (Topknot) on the
head serves like an antenna and helps to concentrate in meditation. If you see
Buddha statues, you will agree with me.
However, men look appealing with flowing long hair, like our
Indian god statues.
Now a day, no Indian man sports long hair except few passionate men, 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 their hair for the
lifetime. This community is all over the world. Sikh men can be identified by
their turbans and long beard. Sikh are all over the world. 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.
I
have seen Sikh children with long hair like you, Song. They all the time wear
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; see their
commitment towards the religion)
Some of my Sikh friends have hair reaching
their knees and they spend around half an hour a day for braiding it, Bunning
it, wearing turban. They even do not cut facial hair(do not shave for lifetime)
so they have to neatly keep their beards.
Mothers must be having tough time combing long hair of their children then braiding it then bunning it EVERY DAY
!!!!!! 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 woman wear it like Sikh men in bun on
the top of the head. (Very few) These people are just like us in professional
life, schools & colleges except turban on their head. Long hair is a
subject of pride for Sikh men and woman. Interesting indeed.
Regarding Indian
woman, in cities like Mumbai (Bombay), 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 regular 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
you will find 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
exaggerating, Long hair oiled and combed neatly into a braid or a tight bun
could be National hair style of India.
Hair 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 like your mother. Grown up girl does it on her own.
Few 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 ponytail or
hair wore in bun, he is not considered as a part of mainstream he is
considered to be a rebel.
But all of our gods, goddesses are with long hair and
still 80% woman in India sport long hair.
Now I will tell you totally opposite
story. In India we have richest temple in the world. It is called
"TIRUPATI-BALAJI" it is situated in Southern 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. BELIEVE ME WOMAN OFFER
THEIR LONG HAIR AND BECOME BALD; AFTER FULFILMENT OF THEIR WISH.
IT'S AWFUL SEEING A BARBER WITH A BLADE/RAZOR SHAVING A WOMAN'S HEAD AND HER LONG HAIR
FALLING OFF HER HEAD. EVERY DAY MANY WOMAN OFFER THEIR LONG FLOWING HAIR LIKE
THAT. THAT'S AMAZING INDIA. WHERE YOU FIND VARIETY OF CULTURES AND TRADITIONS.
I hope Song, you are not tired and bored after reading my long E-MAIL. Hope you
enjoyed reading it. Do reply again. Warm wishes,
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