I hate to go to a barber. Some times I have no hair cut for months, until it becomes irksome. If baldness starts in the periphery and creeps towards the summit, I can avoid it for at least one year!
In Delhi, the barber rarely speaks. Not so, here in the village, where every body knows every other person.
As I am a visiting bird and go to different barbers at different times, first, he elicited all information about me and my family, including my ancestors. He claims to have attended to my uncles who are now dead and gone,during the last forty years.
In the feudal days, when namboodiris did not go out like other castes, a particular family, belonging to vilakatra caste, were allowed to serve our family. This barber claims that his forefathers served our family and their womenfolk attended to the needs of our ladies. As my father broke away from the clan, even before my birth, and stayed far away from our village, I did not know anything about such things and felt ashamed of my ignorance.
Finally when I left him, he extracted a promise to go to him only, when I am in the village.
In Delhi, the barber rarely speaks. Not so, here in the village, where every body knows every other person.
As I am a visiting bird and go to different barbers at different times, first, he elicited all information about me and my family, including my ancestors. He claims to have attended to my uncles who are now dead and gone,during the last forty years.
In the feudal days, when namboodiris did not go out like other castes, a particular family, belonging to vilakatra caste, were allowed to serve our family. This barber claims that his forefathers served our family and their womenfolk attended to the needs of our ladies. As my father broke away from the clan, even before my birth, and stayed far away from our village, I did not know anything about such things and felt ashamed of my ignorance.
Finally when I left him, he extracted a promise to go to him only, when I am in the village.
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