A Sikh Girl curious about my long hair - Visit to Sikh family

I have 3 women in my life who appreciate my long hair and encourage me to grow them long and strong. They take care of my hair through hair oiling, head massage and helping me to sport in different styles. First are my elder sister Uma, my mother Laxmi and my cousin Savita.

Now, there is one more addition to this group of women, a young Sikh girl Japtej Kaur whom I met in bus and she was curious about my long hair. We decided to meet. Today being weekly off, we decided to meet at Japtej Kaur’ s home.

Since I met her, I stopped shaving and allowed facial hair to grow and I have been coiling my hair on top of my head like a Sikh boy in my home also.

My mother was upset with me as she wants me to be like her daughter at home wearing Uma's clothes, sporting hair like a woman and clean shaven.

Mother asked me, Why you are living like a Sikh man? I gave lame excuse.

Today morning, I again rolled my hair on top of head in a topknot and wrapped them in patka as sported by Sikh boys.

I went to Japtej Kaur’ s home. When I entered her house, I found two pretty girls with hair reaching their buttockss. I recognized Japtej Kaur the other one was her young brother with equally long hair. His name is Satvir Singh.

His mother entered in the drawing room. She was sporting her thick long hair in a nicely oiled braid.

Her father works in India Army and currently posted in Assam.

Japtej Kaur introduced me to her mother and younger brother. Her mother was so happy to see a Sikh boy but Japtej Kaur clarified that he is not a Sikh man but a Tamil boy with long hair.

They insisted me to remove my patka and show them my long hair.

So, I opened my topknot and let my long hair loose. With strokes of hand, I made them straight and brushed back.

My hair length is crossing my mid back. All of them appreciated my hair length and quality of hair.

Mother appreciated my vow, not to cut hair and encouraged me.

Since, Japtej Kaur and Satvir Singh have washed their hair, aunty wanted to oil and comb their hair. She asked me to watch their hair oiling

She brought a bottle of Sesame oil. Sesame oil is popular in Punjab for hair oiling.

She began with Japtej Kaur. She poured handful of oil in palm and poured on her scalp. Then she massaged her head by tapping her palm over her head. Again she poured large quantity of oil in palm and started applying on her long hair. Her hair was neatly oiled. Then she brushed her hair backward and started combing neatly. She removed tangles and matted hair and preserved them as Hair is god’s gift for Sikhs so they don't throw it in garbage but in Holy River at their pilgrimage centre.

She started braiding her hair and what a beautiful, shiny tight braid crossing her buttocks. Amazing.

Then she asked her to prepare tea for us and called Satvir Singh.

She asked her to take his hair in front and combed them in reverse direction. She poured lots of hair oil and combed his hair from his neck in front direction. After combing, she started braiding in reversed direction and after his braid was done, she coiled his braid on top of his head.

It was my turn. Mother suggested me to sport hair like Satvir Singh and I also sported oiled braided bun.

We chatted over a cup of tea and then I signed out.

At home, mother smelled my hair and asked me which hair oil you applied, when I replied sesame oil she was not happy at all.

It's clash of culture. In south India its coconut oil preferred whereas in north its sesame oil

Mother asked me to wash it thoroughly so that I can get rid of it.

It's situation like "Two States" movie in our home.

Let's see.

 

 

Reminisces 1 : Childhood Hair Care - Nostalgia

Whenever  I see Sushmita Sen tossing her glorious mane while endorsing a brand of shampoo I am taken back to an era where letting hair  open  was a taboo  and shampoo, a mysterious commodity hardly found in shopping lists of India. It also brought back haunting memories of the travails of my thick long black hair which while evoking envious glances from people around while also hiding a painful story of grooming it.

My long hair had an ambitious guardian in my grandmother. The daily ritual started in the morning with my grandmother applying liberal amount of coconut oil followed by combing the hair with a wide teeth comb and then again with a fine teeth comb to remove nits or lice. Then a center parting was taken and two tight straight plaits were made which ended with black ribbons knotted tightly.The same ritual was repeated without fail in the evening after my return from school. Even a slight movement of my head during this ritual would get me a tight slap on my back.

She used to make a concoction of oils with hibiscus flowers and mehendi leaves  boiled on slow heat and then cooled and filtered. The strong smell of the oil meant that I received stern warnings from the school to not use such nauseatingly strong smelling hair oils in the future.

Sunday was the day I dreaded the most as it was the day for oil bath. Early morning I would find my grandmother wake me up and apply hot oil with cumin seeds and pepper on my hair.  After this, she would vent her anger on my innocent scalp, with heavy pounding and tapping in the name of massage followed by washing with Shikakai powder soaked in the starch of cooked rice.

The next process was of drying the hair. With no hair dryers at that time, my grandmother would burn charcoal pieces, with sambrani powder sprinkled on them, on a spatula with a bamboo basket  covering it where I had to spread my hair. Once that was done, the hair was combed back into tight plaits.

The customary oil bath was a traumatic experience leaving me with a throbbing headache. Once my hair was infested with lice and nits and when all the efforts of my grandmother failed, she took the extreme step of dousing my hair with a mixture of kerosene and gamaxin powder (both pesticides). While there were instant results for such an extreme step, it left me with an itching scalp with painful boils all over. We had to seek the advice of a doctor and it took some time before the condition of my scalp improved.

Now I look at my dull grey hair, looking forlorn. In these days when a simple hair treatment in a beauty parlour makes one poorer by a few thousands I marvel at my grandmother who gave me all those hair treatments for free!

Dressed like a school girl - Twin braids

Today morning I firstly had clean shave and then I washed hair with shampoo and then conditioned them with apple cider vinegar plus water mixture. Then I rinsed conditioner with water again. I wrapped hair in towel and rolled them in a bun on head for drying.
I asked mother to give me her sari, blouse. Mother suggested me to wear salwar kamij of Uma (my elder sister). I was ok with it for a change.
I wore clothes on my own. For draping saree I need a woman's help for sure right now.
My hair still wrapped in towel. After 20 minutes, I removed towel and dried hair with gentle towel strokes.
Then I called Uma for doing my hair as she promised yesterday.
I picked up coconut oil bottle and wide tooth and fine tooth comb. I sat on floor with my open hair covering my back. My hair with bit damp.
Uma poured oil in a cup and started applying on my scalp. Then she evenly applied on head by making portions and finally over length of hair. She applied extra quantity on hair ends.
First she combed hair with wide tooth comb and after detangling, she started combing with fine tooth comb. She brushed all hair backward.
My hair looking sleek and tightly combed. She asked shall I make a single braid?
I requested her to make school braids. She middle parted hair and made 2 sections. She asked mother to give ribbons as school braids need it.
She completed one braid and made a loop and tied again near head with ribbon. And then she finished second loop of braid.
Then she put little make up on my face with bindi, earrings etc.
Today I was in avatar of a school girl. I had spiritual high.
My feminine side is getting balanced.
I was in meditative state for quite some time.

Oiling and braiding my sisters hair

My mother's well oiled braid looked so beautiful that my elder sister Uma was quite impressed. She was curious and asked mother who did your hair? Mother replied my new daughter "Priya"
Uma was after me to do her hair. She brought hair oil and two combs.
She sat on floor and I sat behind her on chair.
I opened Uma's braid. Her waist length hair cascaded on her back. They needed oiling.
Uma asked me to apply lots of hair oil since she wanted sleek look of her hairstyle.
I mid parted her hair with comb and poured hair oil on her scalp and patted with palm. Then I massaged her head.
I applied oil on back of her head and then coated strands with oil. She was seeing it in mirror held in hand.
When she was satisfied with amount of oil, I started combing her hair with wide tooth comb. I removed damaged hair, matted hair, detangled.
Then I combed with a regular comb. Oil was dripping after every stork of comb. I applied oil again onger scalp.
Once oil soaked, I asked her which hairstyle she wants? She opted for a braided bun.
I made a nice tight braid of her hair and rolled it into a bun. I secured with pins.
My sister was looking very beautiful in sleek hair and braided bun.
Since I am living as a woman, my sister is happy because she has a sister.
She promised me to do my hair tomorrow.
Since it was night, I thought I shall sleep with simple bun or topknot. Braided bun will be uncomfortable.
Uma opened my braided bun and she combed my hair.
I decided to wear topknot. brushed my hair forward and rolled them into bun on top of head.
I was looking forward for my sister to do my hair.

Oiling and braiding mothers hair

Right now I am living as a woman as per advice of my spiritual master. So we are three women in home. 2 real - my mother and elder sister and third myself as temporary status until my feminine side of personality is balanced.

Mother said, since you are also a girl, please do my hair today. My mother has long hair upto waist length which she normally keeps tied in bun or sports a braid.

She applies coconut oil almost everyday. Her age is 52 but still not a single grey hair.

She sat on floor and I sat on a chair behind her. I poured coconut oil on her scalp and patted on her scalp. Then I poured some more oil on my palm and applied on her head. I gave her a good head massage.
After head massage, I applied oil on her strands and then I combed hair with gentle strokes. I removed tangles.
My mothers hair looking sleek and straight.
Then I made 3 portions of her hair and started braiding. I made a tight braid of my mothers hair.
She was very happy to see a well oiled nice tight braid. She complimented me.

I love my mother. Its her care and nourishment that I could grow my hair long although being a man.

I tied a festoon of Jasmine flowers on her braid.
I will update on my experience of living as a woman

Be like a woman for balancing feminine side of personality (yin-yang)

I am a long hair man. I have been growing hair since last 6 years and my hair length around 2 feet which reach my mid back. I have been growing hair for spiritual reason and I have taken a vow not to cut my hair as advised by my spiritual master.
I oil my hair everyday to keep them healthy, neat and tidy.
Normally I wear my hair in topknot like lord Shiva.
Since last few days, feminine side of my personality became prominent. I felt that I am consort of Lord Shiva and I had a desire of being a woman.
I consulted my spiritual master and he recommended me to balance male and female (yin-yang)energies in my personality which is evident after deep meditation for longer duration.
He suggested me to live like a woman for few days, unless my feminine side is balanced and desire is fulfilled.
So the journey towards temporarily becoming a woman started.
I shaved my beard.
I requested my mother to sport my hair like a woman which she happily agreed. I washed my hair and wrapped them in a towel bun on top of my head to dry.
After few minutes, my mother asked me to seat on floor and she sat on a stool with a bottle of Parachute coconut oil.
Mother applied coconut oil elaborately on my scalp and other portions of head. She elaborately applied oil to each hair strand head to end. I was holding a mirror in my hand and I was enjoying sleeking of hair by mother.
Then mother combed my hair with several strokes of comb which evenly spreaded oil. Then she started braiding my hair. She made a nice tight braid of my long oiled hair.
Mother asked me whether I would like to tie a braided bun? which I happily agreed. Mother rolled my hair in a braided bun and secured with pins.
I loved my sleek hair and braided bun so much. I was satisfying feminine side of my personality.
My mother had brought jasmine flowers stringed together (Gajra) and she decorated my braided hair bun by tying Gajra around it.
Then she helped me to wear blouse, sari. I sported bindi, I wore ear rings.
I has spiritual high and I was enjoying my transformation.
Next day, mother oiled hair and made a nice tight braid.
I am enjoying being in this state