Flashback from a Barber shop

Embodiments of Love! 

I wanted to close the computer for the day as the same has been working like a nonstop nonsense; but the following episode has been in my mind the moment I was asked by the barber after the hair cut yesterday “ Sir, Do you want to have a shave” in the barber shop.

My reply was “ No, I do not have a shave outside than self shaving ” ( though I use the same blade several times raising a doubt in the minds of people if at all I shave daily as it has never been a close shave; that is another matter)

If I fail to publish this and happen to die tonight, when can I publish this dear subject?

the reason behind this warrants a flash back with lots of music inside my mind.

 it was during my adolescence; we were in a village called Bikshandar Koil in Trichy Dist, Tamilnadu, India; for a hair cut we had to walk about 5 Kilometers; we did not have even a cycle; normally my father, myself and younger brother used go for hair cut on a Sunday and come back together.

on this particular fateful day my father was busy and asked me to go alone and have an inspector haircut; perhaps he wanted to groom me as an independent male( but sorry father, your son is yet to grow even today; after my death I will share details)

Barber shop was always crowded; my turn came after a long wait; I had the hair cut; the barber extended the razor to my tender cheek and chin where the facial hairs were just blooming; he could have stopped there; fate never leaves anybody; he reversed the direction of shaving and that did it all; within seconds I developed heavy irritation and itching and the face started swelling; he hushed me out.

I came home; my father just inspected me to see the hair cutting; but he was horrified to see the swelling of my face; I shared with him what happened; he threw away all his work; asked me to accompany him; took me to a doctor; after the medical aid took me to the same barber shop and gave him the heavy dose of abuse and scolded him how he dared to experiment on a child like me; barber apologized and we came back.

Whenever I was hurt my father used to undergo pain; we lost our Mother very young and father took the dual role; from that day I never used to have shaving outside and it has been always self shaving; he made us remember him in every act including the following

காயமே கோயிலாகக் கடிமனம் அடிமையாக
வாய்மையே தூய்மையாக மனமணி இலிங்கமாக
நேயமே நெய்யும் பாலா நிரயநீ ரமைய ஆட்டிப்
பூசனை ஈசனார்க்குப் போற்றவிக்க் காட்டினோமே
                                   (திருநாவுக்கரசர் தேவாரம்)

kaayamae koayilaakak kadimanam adimaiyaagha

vaaimaiyae thooymaiyaagha manamaNi Linghamaaga

naeyamae neyyum paalaa niraya neeramaya aattipp

poosanai eesanaarkkup poatravikkaa kaatinoamae

                            (Thirunavukkarasar Tevaram)

What is the Shiva Pooja ? It is the offering of one’s mind as a lotus flower at the feet of Parameswara; from a ripe Bhaktha Sri Parameswara Himself takes away (‘steals’ he says!) the mind. (உள்ளம் கவர் கள்வன்).

धन्यवाद:

See you in the next episode

With lots of love

श्वस्ति , मङ्गलं भूयात्

राजगोपालः

rajagopal

20.05.2012