Close shave: Rahul daCunha captures Mumbai's hair cutting saloons

They are a landmark of Mumbai. They blossomed when the city was named Bombay.

And as "hair cutting saloons" are gradually becoming "hair styling salons" they exist as remnants of a city that was.

These are barber shops where a man goes for an hour of tactile leisure to get away from the hard rigours of living in this teeming metropolis.

The main purpose is of course "baal kataane". But a sublime shave and a relaxing head massage make the whole experience worthwhile.

These shops can vary from the roadside one-man-and-his-scissor set-up to corner shops with maroon coloured rexine swiveling chairs.

They also serve as alpha male meeting points where everything from marital discord to macho achievements are discussed.

All in all, this is the place where hair-raising tales are discussed!

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