Word of Astrology

"Mommy! I cannot do that!" I screamed.

"See Chandra there is no other go, You know what your dad will do if you refuse...”

I know it very well for once I protested for not going to school by bus and wanted to go in cycle when I was studying school. My father gave me a worst treatment ever I can forget.

"But mommy! I am grown up; I am studying in a College! And I am not a toy to be playing upon"

"Chandra! See!  I cannot speak in front of your Dad; he will come to home at night today after work, So you speak to him directly"

"But mommy!" I cried. "Listen Chandra...You have to accept it heartily and there is no use of opposing now Leave me alone..." my mother left the place leaving me behind.

It all started two weeks back. My Father is business man and runs a shop in nearby location. He is stubborn and short tempered, and will not listen to any of our concerns or our feelings. For some months his business was dull and he lost some money in it.

 One day he came with an astrologer and he was looking all our family Horoscopes, he said that I have some bad Curse upon me and it should be rectified soon, otherwise my father will have to face heavy loss in business so he may even lose the house in debt. He also said if I could make some unique offerings so we can be forgiven.

 My dad then decided some different way of offering that he can satisfy the God. To my dismay, he decided that all of our family get their head shaved as offering and make me to go fifteen round through our family temple. I cannot believe my head getting shaved. What my friends will think of when they see me bald?

 At night I stood before my father. He gazed me for one time and told "You know we are going to our native don’t you?"

 "Yes pa, I know but..."

 "Chandra, tomorrow we are going to our native, and you make yourself ready for tomorrow we all will be getting tonsured, will be making offering of fifteen rounds rolling over on the temple corridor."

 I cried instantly. "Pa, please...can’t you think another time! I can go even hundred rolls in the temple but why I shave my head?"

 "Hey...How dare you speak in front of me? You think a girl like you opposing your parents is courage of your education? Bloody hell..." and gave me a nice slap.

"Now Listen! If I say something you have to listen and obey...After marriage you take your own decision...but this is my house and I tell you only listen...Now quick..Pack your luggage. We will be moving within half hour."

I cried heavily and went packing my things.

The next day came to my worst; it was a festival day all my relatives were assembled at our native. All my relatives are were heard about my shearing of my hair. My cousins were looking with pity and enquired about it. My sisters were very sad as like me losing my thick, brown, butt-length hair to be shaven by the words of astrology.

 I was constantly crying, for me it’s my pride of having a butt-length thick locks of rich chocolate brown colour hair, I even now remember my friends were envying at my hair and I was looking with some enjoyment at their envy. Now within minutes they will enjoy..

 We all went to the back of the temple area where I saw some people getting their head shaved. The barbers were as quick as they sheared most of their hairs in no time. First my father sat in front of him. Less than five minutes he was finished with shaving. Now I and my mother are left. I hesitated, and my mother sat before him. At first unlike my father the barber took a mug full of water and poured it on her hair he took a little shampoo and asked her to wash her hair with it in the pond beside. She returned, drenched with water.

The barber took a comb and starte

d to part her hair to two and tied a knot in both sides. Now he took a big manual clipper and started to cut her hair upon the scalp level. The process was irritating to me. Once he finished cutting all the hair he took the two great locks of hair and kept it aside.

Now he applied some shaving lotion on my mother's head and started to lather it nicely. Once he made it he took a straight-edged razor and replaced it with a new blade. Now he wiped it twice on his palm and bent my mom's head and started to scratch the knife on the top of the crown. A whipped cream came from the head leaving a large patch on the centre of the head. Now as quick as possible he started to shave the entire top portion. He bent the head sideways and repeated the same action once again. Now my mother was totally bald and her head is as white as a ball!

Once she left I reluctantly took the seat He asked me to wet he un-braided my hair and poured some water and started to massage until the root got wet. Now he asked me to get the same process as he said to my mother. He asked me to get my hair a nice shampoo wash.

After I was also got washed with shampoo and got drenched, I was led to another place by my father. Unlike any other area it was covered fully with some canvas sheets.

 I saw a female was sitting in front of me. She told she is a female barber, and she is going to shave. The lady called me and asked me to sit in the wooden seat. Now she took a comb and started to comb my hair and sectioned it into two. To each side she put bands and made it like a pony tail on both the ends. Now she took a scissor and started to cut the hair before the band a good length of hair was gone now I looked like a boy who missed a haircut. She again took the left portion of the hair and repeated to cut until my head was visible, so rapidly. Now I am totally hair less.

 After cutting all my hair, she took a shaving lotion as my mother was done with. She massaged it thoroughly until it got more lather, and started to bent my head shave it from the centre. Slowly I can feel a cool breeze, chilling with the cologne smell of the shaving cream. Now I am totally bald in the front. Now she went to my backwards and repeated the process slowly and removed all my hair in the back portion. She took sideways and pressed my ears in both sides removed all my stubble even. Now I am fully bald as like my mommy.

Now she asked me to close my eyes and wet my eye brows and started removing it. After that she asked me to undress my blouse. After I removed it she asked to lift my hands. Now she took some shampoo and started it to apply on my armpits and started to lather nicely. As doing to males she started to shave my armpits twice and thrice until it was not even left with any stubble. It was burning for me and I felt very much itching. She told that it’s finished. I woke up from the seat and went to bath in the nearby tank. Suddenly I stared in a small mirror nearby; I cannot recognize myself on what has been done. I was looking horrible! Oh! God! What she had done to me.” I wept as if had not cried before in my life.

After I had a bath, my mother came to me and gave me a yellow shirt and a petticoat and asked to wear it. I worn it and rolled over the floor, fifteen times and prayed silently “God! Please it should be the first and last time in my life. Make me to get rid of this humiliation once for all". For Lifetime I believe I would not get the same owe again, I think my wish has been fulfilled.