In the name of Spa

'Arpana' is her name, or rather pseudo name; real being that of Mizorami origin. She has traveled hundreds of miles just for a happy living (or rather living). She is my favorite lady among the other Mizorami girls here. Paying 700 bucks, and sacrificing an hour, you got to experience her work. She is the senior hair stylist in 'Nxxxxxxx Beauty Saloon'. No one has ever taken the liberty of hitting me so hard on my head than Arpana. Hitting I mean is, have you seen a tabla being hit by Zakkhir Hussain? That way! Well, that’s how a massage has to be, so can’t help it.

A month ago my new hair style(reminds me of Maya's curlz experience) was supposed to be new to Chennai. The stylist told me that she had learnt that just the day before I was experimented on. Somewhat similar to testing on a rat before declaring an invention. Well, this hairstyle is supposed to be 'Layers with bounce'. Does it really look like that was what my question. Before starting the 'hair-cut' she promised me that, this hairstyle is going to make a revolution here in Chennai and people will definitely give a look at me for this. And yes, they did. I used to hold my breath till I boarded my bus everyday morning while crossing the stray dogs. Well, the hairstyle isn't that bad to my eyes...

These days their services are not up to the mark. People like me are searching for a good competitor in the industry. 'Customer satisfaction' is their motto for which a lot of adjustments are being made. Customers asked to wait for hours together during power cuts(of course power shutdown are a common in Chennai, and places like hospitals and beauty saloons etc are supposed to have an alternative); someone being sent to purchase fruits in the middle of a fruit facial treatment(it is the duty of the management to look after whether the necessary stuff for a treatment is ready or not before starting it, especially in a renowned saloon); customers asked to shift locations during the middle of a session(I have seen people being helped to walk here and there in the saloon with a face mask on). The beauticians all being from the same native keep chatting with one another while treating customers. Who knows, whether they are scolding the customer for eating away their free time (for me Mizo and Nepali are not as easy as Malayalam or Telugu to decipher). Once a customer became irate and shouted at one of those girls for constantly talking to her colleague in their language.

Beautification and massaging has become a part of well being in today's life, especially for people in metros and of course for those who work in odd hours. Today, there are still men who look for brides 'tall, fair complexioned, with a long hair etc.’ Make a search in matrimonial sites or give a glance to the classifieds and you will know. In fact there are places where the guy's family quotes for more dowries if the girl has any ailments. I have not come across any such news if the case had been the other way round. Fathers of girls - wake up!