Long hair is considered to be the crowning glory of a woman. Pick out any of your favorite film stars or models, you will be hard pressed to find one with short hair. Thick, luscious, gorgeous long mane is every woman’s pride. Most women lament about hair fall and losing hair as they age. Most of those who sported a thick, lush mane when they were younger without anything more than a shampoo wash, now try all kinds of hair care products under the sun but their days of hairy glory are clearly behind them.
I, on the other hand, have always kept my hair on the shorter side. From a really short boy cut throughout school to shoulder length, I loved keeping it short. It was easier to manage and maintain. In a society that worships long hair, I may have been an aberration. Frankly, I never had the patience to even comb long mane. But then a year back, purely out of laziness of not getting a haircut, my hair grew out more than it normally does. I am blessed with a curly crop which is voluminous and does tend to get frizzy sometimes. The longer curls did look quite lovely or at least that is what most of the women told me. They egged me on with compliments and lo and behold, I got my long hair styled in layers, still maintaining the length.
I continued to grow it till it reached waist length. This was the longest my hair had ever grown. In the meanwhile, on one of our chats, my friend, Latha, told me about Locks of Love. This organization uses hair donated by folks like you and me to make wigs for children who suffer from hair loss due to medical treatment. A noble cause to which she and her son had already contributed. I promised her that whenever I had a haircut I would contribute to this cause.
True to my word, this summer when I was truly itching to reduce the load on my head and all the time I was spending in washing and maintaining my long hair, I remembered to donate my hair. When I told my hairdresser about it, she was intrigued. She also gave me some hair that she had cut that day from other clients. So armed with a lighter head, a smart haircut and a bag full of beautiful hair, I came home. I dispatched the hair through Latha’s friend to Locks to Love.
Here is the lovely certificate they sent which makes me feel very proud.
One small hitch is that they do not operate in India. But there are other NGOs that collect hair in India and use it for similar causes. Do google them and make sure that you contribute your hair to charity if you are ever chopping off your long locks. Remember that you need to contribute minimum 10 inches of hair.
While it made me very happy that my hair was going to be worn by some lovely child, that very same evening a woman sneered when she took one look at me. “What was the need to cut it so short?” she muttered to another lady. I held back my tongue. We are all used to unsolicited words and taunts in this country. I didn’t want to dignify her stupidity by responding.
My hair, my choice!It’s only hair, after all.
Do consider contributing to this noble cause when someone in your family chops off their long locks next.
Wonderful initiative I would say. If only I had read it yesterday. I just got my hair cut. Next time, this is on my list.
Oh! I wish I had written it earlier. Never mind, next time :).
This is such a wonderful post and I wish I had long hair so that I could participate in the same. Kudos to you for using your hair for a worthy cause.
Thank you so much for you encouragement, Prasad. I hope more people can take this up.
What a fabulous initiative. I know a friend in the U.S who has contributed to this. My hair is so short that it is not going to be of any help even if I contribute 😛
Yes, you won’t be able to :).
Thats so awesome :):)
Thanks :).
So proud of you Rachna. I believe in a hairstyle that suits. Not many can carry cropped hair. But you are one of those fortunate ones who can carry long as well as short hair.
Thank you, Alka. I also believe that one must go for a hairstyle that suits them instead of blindly aping trends. I am grateful to my hairdresser for suggesting styles that suit me.
This is such a wonderful initiative. It is sad that such groups do not exist in India.
Proud of you for donating your hair. I like my hair short too, so the next time I cut my hair I am saving it up 🙂
There are such groups in India too, Soumya. Just google hair for charity and you will come across a few. Thank you for your warm words. I hope you remember this the next time you chop your tresses :).
I also keep my hair on the shorter side but that’s because it won’t grow beyond shoulder length! I would have liked longer hair…oh may be in next life. You did a very noble deed, Rachna. Had heard about this organisation and am now really happy to know that someone I know has contributed to it 🙂
Thanks, Beloo :). For some strange reason, I have always preferred shorter hair. Though the long hair got me more compliments :).
If there’s a will to donate, you can donate just about anything – this hair thing proves that. It is such a wonderful initiative. I have short hair too which doesn’t want to grow!! I’d be telling about this organization to my friends.
Absolutely, Nisha. Very well said. We can always find stuff to donate including our time if there is a will. Thanks for sharing this information.
I had really long hair but now I like it short. It’s a noble cause, next time I chop my hair, I know what to do. Have to grow a bit longer to get 10 inches. Thanks for sharing it. Thanks to Latha too. 🙂
Do share your pics with long hair. Would love to see that. And since you are in the US, it is even easier to donate. Indeed, thanks to Latha. Her friend helped carry it to the US and then Latha dispatched it to them.
I am so glad you did and I could inspire you to do it. 🙂 After that post and especially seeing Rushi do it, two of my other friends also donated. Btw, his hair cannot be used as it is short. He shaved his head to show his support. Thank you for doing it and for writing this post. Keep growing long locks of love 🙂
Yes, I remember that about short hair. I read on their website that they sell the short and gray hair. I am so glad that you told me and that something as mundane as hair could be put to good use. Next time, I grow my hair long enough, I know exactly what to do when I cut it :). Thanks so much, Latha, always for everything you do and mean to me.
What a great cause from something like a throwaway…My regards
Thanks, Chaitali!
Great Rachna ! I first heard of this through my sister in law who donated her hair in the US. Glad to know you can do it here as well.
You can donate hair in India too but not to Locks of Love as that is only based in US. I could send my hair through Latha’s friend who was traveling to the US. Latha later posted the hair for me. She is a sweetheart. But there are other organizations here to whom you can donate hair.
I don’t like long hair either!
I keep it short and its easy to manage. I have always been intrigued by Locks of Love.
I guess the time has come to donate! Thank you for the push Rachna 🙂
Thank you for taking it up, Pix. Makes me so happy :).
I had a silky straight hair once, I long for it some times. Especially, when I wear sarees, I would love a long plait so that I can put ghajaras. But, now a days I keep it short because it is more manageable. It is a wonderful initiative to donate one’s hair to aid those who are in need. Kudos to you.
Thank you, Janu. Oh yes, I remember your picture with long hair. You looked gorgeous. You do even now :). I know so many people love long hair. And many were downright annoyed that I chopped mine. I really didn’t know how to react to that.
Do they accept the trail of hair I leave behind all over the house and spend hours crawled over the carpet and floor picking it up?
On a serious note, it does sound like a cause I’d like to support. Thanks for sharing, Rachna.
haha Purba. If they could, I am sure the hair collected would be many times what is donated.
It delights me that you’d consider this a cause worth supporting. Thanks, Purba.
So wonderful of you to do this Rachna…And I think it’s true most women have a fascination for long hair..I must admit I do too but I really admire people who maintain short hair cuts well because I have this inability to maintain either lengths! 😀
hehehe You have the maximum hair woes. I know, long hair is almost worshipped in this country. Cutting it is considered sacrilege by many. I can’t go too short because I am so lazy. Shoulder length works for me :).
Kudos to you for supporting such a noble cause!! I wish I had known about this in 2002 when I chopped my long hair (below-waist length hair) to shoulder cut!
Wow, I would love to see your picture. Now, if you ever grow your hair that long, you know where to give it when you chop it off.
That is a lovely concept and initiative. I will surely look it up. Sorry been down with a viral, took me a while to get here this time 🙂
Thanks, Seeta. I hope you are better now. Yes, it is the weather these days. I was sick too. And both the kids had a nasty cough.
That was very kind of you Rachna.Unfortunately i have started to grow my hair so that i can harness it .Till now i too have always worn it short. 🙂
How lovely, Indu. If you ever chop it, you can always donate it to charity.
This is amazing. Must do it the next time I chop my hair. Though I have some concerns. I have been keeping my hair relatively short anyway, so I might not have the requisite 10 inches to spare.. For an initiative like this, I will have to actually grow out my hair first.
My other concern is the poor quality of my hair. I wonder if they would even accept hair that is somewhat dry and brittle..But anyway, I will certainly check it out. The thought wheels in my heed have begun to spin in this direction already..
I am so glad that it has at least made you consider this option, Pepper. Don’t worry about the hair quality. They accept all kinds of hair except bleached or gray hair or shorter hair than 10 inches. Even the gray hair if sent is sold by them to augment their finances. The other day, my parlor lady was saying that she could tell other ladies who come for haircuts especially those with long hair about this initiative and that way more awareness can be spread. I was so happy to see her enthusiasm. We all want to do good.
A very interesting initiative ; I mean hair is something that most of us would hand over in a jiffy. They should certainly expand their business to India – With such high population, even if 20% of us followed this, it could help thousands. Well done, Rachna
Yes, you have a very valid point. I have actually suggested this to them. Don’t know if they want to. But there are others who do it in India though not very well known.
Wow Rachna! Respect for you. I am very vain about my hair whatever little I have, may be coz it never grows beyond my shoulders. Such a noble cause…God bless you 🙂 I don’t think I would have the required hair (or the guts to go real short)..but the next time someone is planning to chop their locks…I’ll let them know. 🙂
Thanks, DC. Please do let others know. I guess once someone is chopping their hair, it makes sense to give it away to a good cause instead of throwing it in the bin.
that is good .. if only i had know about this years ago.. when i had my hair till my knee, Actually saying that I still have them with me . I can send them ..
thank you for this I will surly get in touch it is a wonderful initiative..
and Well done to you and I am so proud I know you , you are a beautiful human being Rachna 🙂
Wow, you still have your cut hair. I am sure there are some similar organizations in the UK. Maye, you can send yours to them? Thank you, for your warm words :).
Lovely cause! Kudos to you, Rachna.
The truly needy kids will get ti flaunt your crowning glory. What better glory than that?
Some people, who boast of unsolicited advice & opinions, can’t understand this…
Thanks, Anita. Some people are well weird.
I never managed to grow my hair that long! I would always get impatient and cut it off long before! I’ve heard of Locks of Love and read Latha’s post! It’s definitely a great cause to donate to!
I hope more people who have longer hair and chop it off know about this cause. It takes very little to donate once you are aware.
I wonder what happens to the hair donated at Tirupati and other religious places. I’m sure many persons with hair longer than 10″ undergo tonsures there every day.
I had written a post on this subject: http://proactiveindian.com/2014/06/16/hair-donation-for-cancer-patients-an-inspiring-true-story/
I wonder too. I read somewhere that they make money from it by supplying it to hair weaving industries.
Don’t know what to say about this. Guess any charity is good. In order for me to contribute, I guess I need to decide to do a Jesus Christ and grow long hair and beard over the next 10 years and then one fine day – chop!
No, don’t do that :). But if any woman in your family is planning to chop off her long hair, you can certainly tell them about it. That was the point of this post to edge us towards thinking of these simple acts.
Appreciate the initiative taken so seriously.
Though<i agree ,most of the women look nice with long hair……Had any one of seen Persis Kahmbatta without hair? She looked gorgeous.
Yes, and when they want to cut their hair, this is a good option to consider :).