Smriti Mandhana : Head Shave was her Rebel (1)

That night, Smriti was having dinner with her father Shridhar, mother Sunitha and younger brother Sharan. Shridhar casually asked, “Smriti, how are your college studies going on ma? Is everything okay?” Before Smriti could answer, Sunitha smiled and said, “Studies are okay, but these days she is more busy with her long hair. Morning to night, combing, tying, looking in the mirror, that is her main Interest.” Sharan laughed, “Mamma, didi loves her hair very much, more than me, more than her own small brother!” Smriti smiled at him and then said, “Actually, tomorrow there is an important cricket match. I want to go and play.” Sunitha immediately became serious. “Cricket again? No, Smriti. Sports are only for boys, but you are a girl, and tomorrow you have college, so forget this match.” Shridhar also supported her this time, saying, “Your mother is right. Go to college tomorrow. You can play  cricket some other day.” Smriti felt sad and was clearly disappointed. After dinner, when everyone went to their rooms, Sharan quietly asked her, “So didi, are you really going to miss tomorrow's match?” Smriti looked at him and smiled. Later, lying on her bed, she made up her mind firmly. “Bunking college for cricket is not a big deal, nothing will happen its just one day,” she whispered to herself before going to sleep.  The next day, Smriti attended her morning classes normally, but her mind was already on the match. During the break, she waited until the corridor was crowded,

throwed her bag out of the window and quietly came to ground floor took her bag and ran out through the back college gate towards the cricket ground. Her best friend Priyanka was happy to see her. “I knew you would come smriti” she said, handing bat to smriti who just came after a quick dress change. The match became intense, with both teams almost equal, and by the time Smriti came in to bat, her team needed 70 runs in 60 balls. At first she stayed calm, played carefully  by running between the wickets, and then started hitting boundaries. The score kept getting closer, when 6 runs was needed in 3 balls, Smriti hits a pull shot and the ball went high and it became a victorious six. Priyanka ran towards her, shouting, “You did it, Smriti!” Smriti smiled, collected the trophy with her teammates and hurried back before it becomes too late. At home, she quietly entered her room, pushed the trophy deep inside her cupboard and came out casually when Sunitha asked, “How was college today?” Smriti simply replied, “It was fine,” hiding her smile and the secret she had brought home. The next day, Sunitha went to college for the parents-teachers meeting, and Smriti sat beside her while Teacher Radhika welcomed them with a smile. “Good morning, ma’am. Smriti is doing well in college, especially in cricket. She is quite popular in class for that and i also heard she wants to be a cricket,” Radhika said. Sunitha nodded but did not look very impressed. “Cricket is the only thing which she takes seriously, madam.

I am more worried about her studies,” she replied. Radhika then showed her Smriti's recent test papers. “Her marks are not bad, actually. She is a good student and can score much better, but recently she is not giving enough time to her studies.” Sunitha immediately turned to Smriti. “See? This is what I am telling you every day. Sports will not help you if you start neglecting your studies.” Smriti quietly said, “Mamma, I am trying to manage both na.” Sunitha shook her head. “You are a girl Smriti. You should not make cricket your whole life, girls should not play cricket, they should look after the house not the scores. Studies should come first.” Radhika then added, “There is one more problem mam. Smriti has been absent from many classes. If she continues like this, it may affect her studies.” Sunitha became even more upset. “I knew this would happen. Smriti from now on, no more missing classes for cricket, stop your cricket stuffs and focus on studies.” Smriti stayed silent as the meeting ended, she knew that her mother had become more against her cricket dreams. At home, Smriti picked up her cricket bat and was about to leave the house when Sharan looked at her and asked, “Didi you are again going to the ground” Smriti smiled and said, “Aree, I have practice i must go” Before she could leave, Sunitha came there, took the bat from her hand and threw it on the floor. “Enough Smriti! How many times should I tell you? You are not going anywhere just go to your room and study,” 

she said angrily. Smriti tried to explain, “Mammy, I can manage my studies and cricket, please it need to attend the practice session” but Sunitha stopped her. “Manage what? You only want to go there and show off your long hair. You think i don't know your intentions. Girls don't need all this cricket nonsense. You are only going there to show off.” Smriti stood silently as Sunitha continued, “Look at your long hair. You are always worried about it. If you keep behaving like this, I will take you to Deepa's parlor and get you a proper boycut. Then maybe you will stop this cricket madness.” She pointed towards Smriti's room and scolded her to study for tests. Smriti's eyes filled with tears as she ran to her room, locked the door and fell onto her bed, crying helplessly. It was almost night when Sunitha called from the kitchen, “Smriti, come and have dinner.” Smriti was still upset and replied from her room, “I don't want dinner.” Sunitha got angry again. “If you keep behaving like this, I will really take you to Deepa's parlor and get that boycut done,” she scolded. After some time, Shridhar asked, “Where is Smriti? Why is she not eating?” Sunitha told him everything and said, “She is upset because I stopped her from going for cricket. Let her stay like that. If she doesn't eat for one day, nothing will happen.” Smriti heard every word from her room, and her anger grew. She kept thinking about everything her mother had said about her cricket and especially about her long hair. 

She looked at herself in the mirror and thought, “Why mummy thinks i am obsessed with my long hair, i go to the field for practice and play cricket not to show off my hair”  She kept thinking about her mother's warning and looked at her long hair in the mirror and thought, “Why should I let Mummy decide my hairstyle, i am grown up girl now, i can take my decisions myself, my life my rules?” For a moment, she thought about the boycut, but then another thought came to her mind. “If I cut it short, she will still say something about my hair. What if I remove all of it?” She looked at herself again and slowly became serious about the idea. “Not boycut. I will shave my whole head. Not short hair, not long hair... nothing. perfect rebel” The more she thought about it, the stronger the idea became. She knew everyone would be shocked, especially her mother, but she was no longer scared of that. Smriti finally made up her mind to rebel against her mom's wrong decisions and more over take stand for herself : the very next day, she would get her head completely shaved, even if it meant removing every single strand of her hair, she was ready for that. The next morning was a holiday, so Smriti woke up early, took some cash and quietly left the house. She first went to Deepa's parlor and greeted her, when deepa asked her how come she is alone smriti said, “Aunty, Mummy didn't come this time, i came her for my head shave, please shave my head aunty” 

Deepa was shocked and looked at her carefully. “Smriti? Are you serious? You have such a long hair, why are you planning to shave it off?” Smriti simply said, “ I have already decided about that aunty. I want to do get my head shaved today only, it is urgent, please understand” Just then, Sunitha's neighbor Rani came in for her eyebrows and noticed the conversation. “What happened deepa? Why does Smriti want to shave her head? Did she do something wrong?” she asked with a laugh. Deepa quietly told her, “She is asking for a full head shave. is she gone mad or what” Rani looked at Smriti and said, “Your hair is so long. Why do you want to go completely bald? What wrong did you do that you need to shave your head smriti?” Smriti did not answer her and walked out of the parlor. She felt that answering those questions would just waste her mind and she couldn't get her head shaved over there, so she decided to find a simple mens barbershop instead. After walking for some time, she found a small road side mens barber shop in a quiet street and went inside. The old barber Mahesh looked at her as she said, “Chacha, I want a head shave.” Mahesh calmly asked, “Are you sure, there is no mirror also?” Smriti nodded without hesitation. “Its okay , and Yes. I am ready for the  head shave.” Seeing her confidence, Mahesh nodded, asked her to sit in the chair. Mahesh wrapped a white cloth around Smriti's shoulders firmly. He opened her long braid and let her thick black hair fall freely. 

“Shall i shave it with trimmer or straight razor?” he asked. Smriti looked at him, slightly confused as she hadn't seen both of it. “I don't know chacha. You decide the best one for my head shave.” Mahesh thought for a moment. “For a good shave, straight razor is the best.” He took a mug of water and with his both hands poured nicely on her head and asked her to sit straight. Smriti looked into the small mirror in front of her, trying to stay calm and cool. Mahesh took the straight razor and inserted new blade into it. He bent her head with left hand and with right hand he made a small stroke on top of her head and slowly scrapped it till her nape. A thick strip of black hair fell forward onto the white cloth. Smriti's head was bent down so she could just feel the sharp scrapping of the razor on her head, she did not change her mind and was determined to shave her head. Mahesh continued, stroke after stroke, and more hair fell onto her lap and the floor. Half of her head was now shaved, while the other half still had her long hair. Mahesh lifted her head and smriti looked at the her strange look and took a deep breath. Mahesh asked, “Should I leave a small tuft at the back as a shikha?” Smriti immediately replied, “Aree No chacha, Don't leave choti like that. Shave it off fully.” Mahesh nodded and poured another mug of water over her remaining hair and resumed shaving her head. Smriti could feel each pass of the razor scrapping her head as there were no mirror.

When he finished shaving of her head completely, he poured some water over her shaved scalp and gently rubbed it with his hands, checking for any un shaved remaining hair. Smriti  felt that the long hair that had been part of her appearance was totally gone, Smriti touched her shaved head and said slightly. “Chacha, it feels a bit rough, fully poky poky” Mahesh smiled and said her he was not yet done. He applied a little soap over her shaved head and carefully started shaving her head once again. This time, he scrapped of the small stubbles too. He shaved again and again, making it smooth, then he wiped her head with cloth and asked her to check now. Smriti rubbed her ocne again shaved head and smiled at herself. Mahesh then looked at the long hair lying on the floor and asked, “Can I keep this hair? You don't need to pay for the shave and in return i will pay you 500 rupees for the hair.” Smriti happily agreed, took the money and left the shop with a big smile. On the way home, many people looked at her, but she didn't care; she was too happy with her new look. She stopped near a sports shop, saw a new limited edition Indian cricket jersey and bought one for herself with that money, wearing it proudly and continued to her home. She was totally lost in her happiness that she casually entered the house and sat on the sofa without even thinking about her freshly shaved head. 

Sharan was eating breakfast and suddenly stopped when he saw her, staring at her in complete shock. Smriti smiled at him and thought, He must be surprised because of my new jersey. Just then, Sunitha came out of the kitchen carrying a plate, looked at Smriti and froze, the plate slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. “Smriti! What have you done to your hair?” she shouted in shock. Sunitha rushed towards Smriti, still unable to believe what she was seeing. “What is this? Why did you do this smriti?” she shouted, looking at her completely shaved head. Smriti slowly raised her hand and touched her head, feeling the smooth skin, and only then did she realise that she forgot about her shaved head and didn't even cover it. Before she could say anything, Shridhar came from room and asked, “What happened Sunitha why are you shouting?” Sunitha turned towards him, almost in tears. “Look at her jee! She has shaved her head. I only told her I would give her a boycut, but she went and shaved off everything!” For a moment, Sunitha herself regretted those words, but her anger was still stronger. “Why didn't you ask us or atleast informed us before doing that Smriti? Why did you do this?” Shridhar also became angry. “Your mother told you not to go for cricket right, and this is how you answer us? You should have at least thought about our family, what will 4 people think about us outside” Smriti tried to speak for herself but Sunitha shouted at her. 

In her anger she slapped Smriti on the cheeks left and right tightly. Smriti started crying immediately and ran to her room, closing the door behind her. Sunitha stood there silently for a moment, looking down and regretted for threatening her about the boycut. The next morning, nobody at home spoke much to Smriti, but she got ready and went to college as usual. The moment she entered the college, many students turned and looked at her. Some were shocked, some were surprised, and a few quietly started talking to each other. Neetha came near her and stared at her shaved head. “Smriti, where did you get head shave?,” she said. Smriti tried to stay normal and replied, “I just got it done at a nearby road side barber.” Neetha was surprised “Your long hair looked so beautiful. How could you shave it all off?” Smriti just smiled. Later, when Teacher Radhika saw Smriti, even she was surprised. She looked at her for a moment and said, “Smriti, you looked beautiful with your long hair. how come such a sudden decision of shaving it off?” Smriti didn't know what to say and just told she went to temple. Until yesterday, she had felt proud of her decision, but now everyone questioned her. As she walked through the college, she kept touching her smooth head and slowly started wondering, Did I really do the right thing? When Smriti reached her cricket coaching, Coach Ravi noticed her shaved head immediately and called her aside. “Smriti, come here. 

I want to talk to you,” he said. He looked at her for a moment and asked, “Why did you shave your head? Is everything okay at home” Smriti calmly replied, “Sir, nothing like that, everything is fine. I shaved my head for cricket. I wanted nothing to come in the way of my game as my long hair was a distraction.” Ravi smiled and then called all the other students around. “Guys, everyone look at our Smriti,” he said proudly. “She has taken a serious step for her cricket. She has  removed her distraction by shaving of her head and dedicating herself to her dream, her game. You all should learn from her determination. If you cannot shave your head, at least keep a boycut. Long hair can become a problem while playing, especially while running, fielding and catching.” The students looked at Smriti with new respect. During practice, Smriti went into the field and quickly noticed how easy everything felt. She could run freely, catch the ball without her hair coming in front of her face, and throw without worrying about her hair which used to swing and cause lag. Shreyanka also noticed it and smiled at her. “You actually look very comfortable like this smriti. Next month my family is going to Tirupathi temple. I will some how convince them and get my head shaved over there, then we both will be twinning in bald heads” she said. Smriti laughed happily "That's so sweet of you yaar, but till that time i would have grown my hair" and shreyanka smiled 

"No problem get it shaved once again, atleast for me you can get it done na" and both laughed at each other and continued playing. By the end of practice, sweat covered her smooth shaved scalp, It was shining like gold due to evening sun and sweat. and she slowly rubbed her head with her hands as shreyanka gave her the towel with a smile. This time, she did not feel confused about her decision. She felt happy, confident, and more positive than before. When Smriti reached home in the evening, she stopped near the gate after seeing Rani talking to Sunitha. She was about to enter when she heard Rani laughing and saying, “Sunitha, yesterday she came to Deepa’s parlor alone and asked for a full head shave. Even Deepa was shocked rey. Deepa was asking her again and again if she was sure or bring your mom here.” Rani continued, enjoying the story. “And dont know when she ran away and got her head shaved somewhere else and came,” Smriti stood quietly near the gate and listened. Sunitha looked tired and said, “Let her do whatever she wants. I have told her enough. She doesn't listen to me anymore. For me, she is no more my daughter. She has become a weight for this family.” Those words hurt Smriti badly. She lowered her head and quietly walked inside without letting them notice her. She went straight to the bathroom, closed the door and stood under the shower. Water slowly ran over her completely smooth bald head and down her face. 

She placed both hands on her scalp and rubbed it under the water. The feeling was strange and relaxing. She washed her scalp carefully, feeling every smooth part of it with her fingers, and for the first time that day, she felt peaceful. all her sadness and negativity in brain got washed away. she quickly got freshen up. Later that night, Smriti lay on her bed in darkness. Her hands slowly moved over her shaved head again and again. She rubbed the smooth scalp from the front to the back, circular motion, laughing and tickling herself, then rested her palm on top of her head. She remembered Rani's taunts, her mother's heart breaking words, Neetha doubting her decision, and even the people at college staring at her. But then she remembered Coach Ravi praising her and Shreyanka saying she wanted to do also shave her head. Smriti smiled slightly and hugged the pillow. She thought, This is my answer. If they want to make me feel bad about my hair, I will remove it totally. I don't need to hide it. She started thinking about keeping her head shaved regularly, not just once. Every time her hair grew back, she would shave it again and again. She wanted the bald look to become her own choice, Not a rebel anymore she wanted it to be her own identity, and a reminder that nobody could force her to live the way they wanted. She slowly rubbed her smooth scalp one last time before closing her eyes. This time, there was no confusion in her mind. She knew she wanted to keep her head bald.