FROM FILTHY RICH TO FILTHY RAGS - A FORCED HAIRCUT STORY

Samya was a sweet 16 year old Indian girl.

Samya had to give up on her college studies after her mother and father divorced and went their own ways leaving her to fetch for herself. Her biggest asset was her waist long straight thick black hair. For Samya her long hair meant all the riches in the world. She took real good care of it brushing it for hours, sometimes putting it up and sometimes leaving it open to have people around spellbound with admiration for some jealousy.

Samya's parents decided to go their own ways and shift to the United States. They had finalized their jobs there but were leaving Samya at her aunt's place as the future was uncertain and they didn't care about Samya's education further. Her Aunt had offered to take her in and ensure that she would continue her education n some way.

Samya wasn't too happy with this decision as she didn't get along at all with her aunt's daughter, her cousin Natasha who was still in school 9th grade. She also found her aunt too stern and always against her as her aunt was too attached to Natasha and thought she was always right. Natasha was very pampered by her mother as she didn't have a father. Natasha was commonly known at school as a "spoiled brat" But Samya's parents didn't care or have any other option but to leave her at her aunt's place and told her to get used to it.

One afternoon, a few months after Samya's parents had left, Samya entered her room in her aunt's house and was shocked to see Natasha sitting on her vanity chair and brushing her shoulder length hair with Samya's brush. Samya off course hated and detested anyone using her brushes as she was so particular about her hair. Samya reacted by immediately rushed towards Natasha and snatched the brush from Natasha's hands.

Samya: "How dare you use my brush to comb your unhealthy hair. You have lice in your hair and you want to pass them on to me. Get out! You will never have hair like me."

Natasha got extremely offended with Samya's statements and left the room crying searching for her mother to complain about her cousin's rude behaviour  Seeing her daughter bitterly cry and hearing what Samya had to say about Natasha's hair, Samya's aunt really flared up and stormed into Samya's room with Natasha following her. Samya sat there brushing her long beautiful hair.

Auntie: "Samya!" she screamed. "What do u think of yourself? You are some princess with that long hair of yours and my daughter your servant?"

Samya: "No no auntie. I simply told her not to use my brush as she has lice" she said politely, quite taken aback and scared with her aunt shouting.

Auntie: "Who said she has lice. You are obsessed with your hair. I need to punish you and teach you a lesson today, a lesson you will remember all your life."

Samya: "Please dint punish me, I am really sorry. I will apologize to Natasha right away."

Auntie: "Nothing doing, you will pay a heavy price for your words. In any case you are wasting too much time everyday on that thick long mop of hair," and she starts dragging Samya by pulling her hand towards Natasha's dressing table in Natasha's room. By now Natasha's tears had converted into smiles, hoping her cousin is taught a good lesson today.

They reach Natasha's room and Samya still pleading, "Please give me another chance, I will never be rude to Natasha. Please let me go. Don't punish me, I will do whatever you say."

Auntie: "Its too late now, you don't deserve another chance and you don't have to do anything sweetie. What ever has to be done now I will be doing it" she said sarcastically as she tightly held Samya's back on the vanity chair and asked Natasha to take some rope from the kitchen store room and tie Samya's hands and legs to the chair. After Natasha ran and grabbed some rope with a big smile on her face, she quickly finishes the task assigned to her. Aunt checks to make sure that Samya was tied to the vanity chair, and made  one more knot to leave no room for her to move.

Samya tried desperately moving her hands and legs but to no avail. "Please Auntie, I will not run. Its really hurting me."

Auntie: "The hurtful part has not even begun honey and I have to make sure you are tied up and stationary with the punishment I have thought for you." she said with a smirk on her face.

Samya: "Please tell me what is the punishment" , she said with a lot of fear and anxiousness.

Auntie: " Just be patient sweetie. You will know it soon. What's the hurry," and left the room.

Natasha was very pleased by all the proceedings and pulled Samya's cheeks telling her, "This is what you get when you act too smart with me samya didi" emphasizing on the word didi* to indicate Samya might be the elder sister but it's the younger one who is in command of the situation now.

Auntie in the meanwhile comes back with a small silver suitcase and says, " You know before I got married I had done a hair cutting and styling course but didn't get to pursue it. Its been a long time since I practiced my hair cutting skills and today you are my model" looking at Samya and laughing.

Samya could not believe what she heard. "What did you say? Your my hair cutting model? No...No way, you cannot do this to me."

Auntie: "Yes you heard right. You are going to pay for your words with your HAIR Samya.

Do you understand me clearly now," she said loudly and firmly. Then looking at Natasha she says, " Go and call your friends from the opposite house, lets have some audience for this fun." Before her mother could finish her sentence Natasha ran to call her friends in great excitement.

Sonali was getting shocks after shock and pleaded, " Please don't call the neighbours. They know me too. Its very embarrassing being punished in front of them."

Auntie: "That's the whole idea my darling, to make it as embarrassing as possible for you," she said in a very teasing voice. In the meantime Natasha arrives with her three friends, all giggling away as Natasha had briefed them on their way about all that they had missed so now they could all understand what's happening and enjoy the show. Auntie made them sit on the bed opposite the dressing table. Samya felt uneasy seeing them giggle in the mirror, but she avoided eye contact and looked down.

Auntie: "So lets begin the show," she said placing a white towel around Samya's neck and tucking it in really tightly then picking up Natasha's hairbrush. "Hmm so this brush carries lice ha?" She held it up looking at Samya and started brushing her hair with the same brush starting from the crown and moving down to her waist in long strokes. As soon as the brush touched Samya's hair she just closed her eyes and avoided saying anything because she realized, that it was her stupid words which have put her in this state.

Slowly the strokes started becoming more and more rough and Samya felt the pain and a jerk and her head moved back while the brush moved firmly through her hair. "Ouch its painful Aunty. Please do it  slowly." she requested. But the strokes only became firmer. Samya doesn't understand what was happening and meekly asked, "Are you going to cut my hair too? No nee because I just got a trim last week."

Auntie: "Oh Just shut up you silly girl or I will gag u now." as she continued stroking Samya's hair. Natasha and her friends burst out laughing at Samya's sorry state and silly question. Samya got more tense with every second passing by. Then auntie stopped stroking and starts parting Samya's hair in the middle very neatly. In no time with the parting she makes a centre line starting from the front of her head right to the back. Then taking the left side of the hair and separating them into three sections she starts braiding them tightly attached a red rubber band in the bottom to hold it firmly.

Samya: " Oh no .. don't make braids... i hate it... I look so kid like in them. Braids are for school girls," she said pointing towards Natasha.

Auntie: " We will see honey what's good for whom today," continuing and now finishing with the right side in the same manner. So now, there sat Samya with a white towel around her and two tight thick braids tied with red rubber bands in the bottom placed in front, not even a hair left loose. She really looked like a schoolgirl.

Then Aunty put the brush down and opened her small silver suitcase and took out a pair of big  old fashioned hair cutting scissors and announced, " Okay girls now begins the fun."

Samya panicked looking at the scissors and screamed, "What fun? Aunty what are you saying?" Auntie didn't say anything but with a wicked smirk just brought the scissors close to the beginning of Samya's left braid.

Natasha and her friends started cheering and rooting loudly. Samya still in a state of shock stuttering with words, "What are you doing?... Are you out of your mind... You cant cut my long hair... No way ... Please stay away"

Aunty unaffected:" Wish your braids goodbye sweetie, you are not going to see them again for a long long.. time." Samya got more desperate and started moving her upper body frantically trying to get away.

Auntie called Natasha and her friends to come and hold her tight in the chair. Natasha and her friends obliged with great delight.

Samya: " Natasha please tell your mom not to cut my hair, I will give you all my hair brushes, I will never be rude to you, I promise u Natasha." She begged but to no avail.

Natasha: " Too late sis, now we will see who has longer hair," and starts giving hi fis to her friends. Samya's eyes literally popped out in horror seeing her Aunty bring the scissors closer to her braid. Auntie placed the scissors just below the ears with Samya's braid between the shears and started cutting hard. It took quite a bit of effort as Samya's hair was thick but after a few minutes the left braid fell on Samya's lap and Natasha and her friends shout out loud in glory. Then Aunty moved to the right side and placed the scissors at the same level and started tearing into the right braid. Sooner then later the right braid too fells into Samya's lap in minutes.

Samta watched in disbelief with tears rolling out, "My hair.. why did you do this Aunty why? it was my crowning glory and you just hacked it off. Why?"

Auntie: "When glory gets to the head it needs to be shown its true place darling." Samya sat there looking really weird with her hair still mid parted, braids chopped off.

Natasha and her friends start clicking pictures of her on their cells. Samya tries to avoid them by looking away but since she was tied up she couldn't do much with Natasha and her friends exploring every angle to click pictures.

In the meanwhile Auntie using her combs and scissors starts styling the remaining hair and in fifteen minutes she shaped a good chin level blunt cut for Samya. She then takes a step behind Samya, puts her hands palms facing up on both the sides of the blunt hair checking the level and admiring her wonderful work.

Auntie: "Not bad ha. My hair cutting skills have still stuck by me in all these years. So my dear Samya how do u feel with waist level hair down to chin level. I am sure you feel so much more lighter," she said laughingly and teasingly.

Samya thought its all over, shook her head feeling her hair now only on her cheeks. "Please Aunty, I don't know how I  am going to live with such short hair," wanting to get up.

Auntie looking at Natasha and her friends with a wicked smile: " So what do u think of Samya's new blunt cut. She wants to get up now." Natasha and her friends get up and start screaming in rhythm "Go shorter" "Go shorter" "Go shorter".

Sonali in disbelief cries out,"What's left to cut anyway, just let me go. Enough of your nonsense."

Auntie: " Hmm someone has still not learnt from their mistakes and continues to speak rudely. Okay u girls will have it. LETS GO SHORTER." Natasha and her friends hearing this shout aloud in glee.

Samya: " I don't believe this you are cutting more. I will complain to my mom, I will complain to the police. you all are torturing a girl here."

Auntie: "Sure no problems go ahead, but the minute you complain to anyone, Natasha has clicked some lovely pictures of you getting a haircut. They will be circulated to all your friends in college, everyone in the building and even put online. So do u think complaining is a good idea?"

Samya just burst out crying as she was left with no choice but to continue to sit there and see her hair hacked down further. She finally realized she was helpless and could not do anything.

Auntie consoled her, "Don't cry honey we will give you a better style. You will look cuter." Saying this auntie picks up the brush and starts brushing Samya's hair again. Same way from the crown downwards. Only this time the strokes are faster as the length is so much shorter. Samya could feel the brush strokes hard on her scalp.

Then once again auntie neatly parts her hair in the centre and made two fluffy ponytails on both sides which barely fell below the ears. The ponytails looked like dogs ears. Natasha comes forward and remarks how cute and lifts both pony tails upwards with her hands and asks her friends to click a picture of her in that pose.

Auntie feels glad that her daughter is enjoying it, and asks Samya to smile for the picture but Samya felt completely humiliated,  shut her eyes and looked away. Natasha complained to her mom and Aunty told Samya that if she's not going to smile and look in the camera she will circulate her haircut pictures everywhere. So once again Natasha holds Samya's dog ear pony tails up as Aunty puts her fingers on Samya's lip ends and stretches them and makes Samya give a fake smile. CLICK CLICK "There you go honey. What a lovely picture." Remarks Aunty..

Now auntie without wasting much time gets the scissors closer to the base of the ponytails and chops them off with great ease this time and more hair falls on Samya's lap. Natasha and her friends seeing this start clapping and shouting. Samya just blankly starred in the mirror with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Aunty : "Don't worry darling you still have five to six inches of hair on top," which she quickly styles it into a short bob. She steps behind then to see how it looks. Not very satisfied she says "it looks too plain." Then another idea strikes her and she came in front of Samya now with a brush, pulled the hair in the centre of the head and gathers them in her hand then tries to collect more and more strands into her hands. Soon she had secured it tightly with a thick pink rubber band which had two small teddy bears fastened to it. She adjusted the teddy bears at the base on the small pony and pulls the pony at the end on both sides so that the ponytail stands like a fountain or a coconut tree right in the centre.

Auntie stepping behind: " So tell me little baby what do u think of this cute hairdo?" she asks to tease and embarrass Samya. Samya could not recognize herself in the mirror. She looks into the mirror and as if a 8 year old girl stares back at her. She cant believe this is happening to her. It feels like she would open her eyes and this nightmare would end. But unfortunately the nightmare would continue for Samya.

Natasha and her friends continue taking pictures and with every picture they would exclaim "how cute" "how cute"

Samya got irritated with them and said please now its over just remove this rubber band. I hate this style. So Aunty once again went behind Samya and asked Natasha and her friends,"Samya darling doesn't like this hairdo too. She wants to go? what do u think girls?"

Natasha and her friends chirp in rhythm "GO shorter" "Go shorter" "Go shorter". and Samya screamed "please Aunty no.. no please no more, please that's it, no more." But by now Auntie too was enjoying her self and shouts"LETS GO SHORTER"

Samya just gave in. She could not do much. except just bite her lips wondering what can be worse than this.

But auntie had something in her mind worse than this. She quickly takes her scissors and cuts that fountain ponytail at the base and one more trophy of glory falls on Samya's lap. Then she opens her silver suitcase and takes out her clippers. Samya was shocked with her mouth wide open.

Samya: "This is meant for guys there is no way Aunty you bringing this close to my head....Let me go" she howled.

Auntie: "Don't worry sweetie you will not feel any pain. You will just get a tickling sensation."

She fits number two blade onto the clippers, plugs them in and switches them on. BUZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  the sound nearly killed Samya and she started shaking her head frantically and screaming "No ways, no ways, please not this, please I beg u. I will do whatever u say Auntie  I will be yours and Natasha's maid servant, I will obey whatever u tell me, but please not this. please." She howled.

Auntie gets wild and asks Natasha to give her a used panty hose. Once Natasha obliges, she stuffs it into Samya's mouth and gags her. Then pushes her head firmly with the chin touching the towel in front and starts running the clippers at the back of her head vertically reducing the hair at back at two inches. Once she was done with that she takes the pair of scissors and comb and comes and stands in front of Samya. She combs all the hair in the front towards the forehead and then just above her eyebrows she runs her scissors chopping off all the hair below the eyebrows. So now the hair in the front lies covering the forehead in one line. That's called a Sadhna haircut. (Sadhna was an actress in India who had similar haircut in the front in one of the movies and it became a very famous haircut for 4 to 5 year old children)

Auntie: "OH she looks so sweet in that haircut. Maybe we should call u Sadhna baby instead of Samya now." Natasha and her friends start giggling and start calling Samya Sadhna baby and clicking more pictures of her. Samya felt completely defeated and just gave a cold expression. She avoided looking at the mirror in front, but Natasha kept putting her small makeup mirror in front of her telling her that she just looks like a five year old baby.

Looking at Samya avoiding Natasha, Auntie removes the panty from Samya's mouth and tells her, "If you say my name is Sadhna baby and I love my haircut, five times I will untie you.The choice is yours"

Samya considering the mood of her Aunt and Natasha feared that they might even shave all her hair off. So the poor girl with great reluctance, stopping and stammering said it five times , " My name is ..... Sadhna baby.... and... I .. love my ... haircut."

Auntie: "Very Good, that's like a good girl." All the girls around, pointing fingers at Samya giggled and laughed and ridiculed her.

Auntie: "So girls what do u think? Sadhna baby has completed her task. Should we auntie?" Natasha and her friends look at each other and start clapping their hands and start shouting "taklu" "taklu" "taklu" ** "shave it all off."

Samya: "No Auntie u promised me u will untie me and let me go. You cant go back on your words. These girls have lost their minds today," looking towards Natasha and her friends.

Auntie: "Of course I will auntie u sweetie, but I didn't tell u when. Maybe after I have shaved of your head all smooth." she began laughing loudly.

Samya started crying loudly and her eyes became really big when she saw auntie removing the blade and getting a bare clipper towards her head. Natasha and her friends continued with their rhythmic clapping. Auntie switches it on and the sound of the clippers Buzzzzzzzzzz made Samya faint this time.

Auntie this time begins with the front, running the clippers vertically down the centre of Samya's head starting from the forehead and moving towards the back. Repeats the same procedure on the left and right front too.

Then she moved to behind the ears on both sides and finally pushing Samya's head firmly down and completing the back too. Samya's hair was reduced to a stubble barely recognizable. 

Samya just sat there feeling completely humiliated. She didn't say a word but with tears rolling down her cheeks. For her the entire world had come to an end. Life would not be the same without her most cherished and precious possession, her hair.

Her Auntie stood in a corner with a wicked smile on her face. She was really glad that she had taught Samya a lesson which she would remember for life. She was also very happy for her daughter Natasha. She had helped her to feel superior now to Samya. Just thinking about Samya who had thick long princess like hair an hour back, and now she was unrecognizable with all that hair brutally hacked off to a stubble length crew cut. 

Truly it was a journey from Filthy Riches To  Filthy Rags.

*Didi means elder sister
**taklu means bald or almost bald