Grey Matters: To Dye Or Not To Dye!

Today morning while shaving, inadvertently my gaze went to my head – it was all salt-n-paper in its full glory! No trace of hair dye, as I stopped using any long back. I am now well past the question – to dye or not to dye!

In society the color of hair is symbolized with status. Youth, beauty, wisdom etc. In olden days girls used to lose their hearts just by sighting the hair of a young charming – ude jab jab julphe teri…! Boys used to find a solace under long hair of beauties – tumhari julph ke saye me..!! People used to live only by looking at Reshmi julphe! Safed bal are the sign of wisdom which was hard earned by toiling over the years. Long thick mustaches are indication of strong and brave soldiers. Muchch ka bal is equivalent to ones ijjat.

In a family get together of one of my jobs, I introduced my wife to my boss. Later while returning, my wife said one thing which no ambitious person would like to hear – how come your boss is younger than you – he has so beautiful dark hair! After few months he got retired. It was hard to recognize him – chap had all greys on his head! What a transformation!

Greying is natural. It happens to everyone. Sometime in early forties it occurs to you suddenly when you notice a nice little strand of grey, usually from one of the side burns waving at you. That one sight changes many things within you. First thoughts are of disbelief. I am greying? How can it be so soon? I have just now got a proper control over my life! I have just now started enjoying the work! Abhi abhi to Boss bana hun!! Its only been seven years into my marriage! Just few days back I started living and now it is beginning of the end?

Then denial mode sets in. I am not greying. It is just one strand by chance. Pollution is causing greying! Look at Manoj he is only twenty-five and most of his hair is grey! Greying also happens due to some deficiency! It is also hereditary!!

So, you convince yourself. pick up a pair of scissors. Clip it off. And forget.

Clippings keeps on repeating every now and then for some time.  Only with a change. Every time number of clippings increase. This continues over a period till you notice that clipping of greys is getting difficult to impossible.

Here enters the savior in your life! THE HAIR DYE! The magic potion – to keep you forever young (pseudo)! We find ourselves wrestling with the eternal question of to dye or not to dye? On one hand the messy process of dying avers us and on the other hand outcome of beautiful hair allures us. Although it is helpful yet no one becomes a die-hard fan of the Dye. It is accepted as a marta kya na karta wali majburi only. Except a few, most of us decide to give a tough fight to aging with help of this magic formula and embrace this chemical as a permanent member.

There are very few exceptions who don’t dye. Either they want that smart and intellectual aura around them which comes with salt-n-paper look, or they are very busy to just bother about aging or they are simply lazy like me.

There is also a third type of people. They are blessed differently. These chaps besides greying also starts losing hair. These smart guys shave-off the head!! These people attain nirvana. They become eternally young as bald head always remain that way.

The people who adopt dyeing exhibit a typical trend. In early days dyeing is adhered to almost like a commitment to remaining young. In the beginning, it is done in the salon by a trusted hair dresser. Few months or years later the role is transferred to spouse. A good portion of Sunday morning is dedicated to this ritual. Spouse gets tired soon. Then you yourself have to do it – which you do dutifully for many years. The dyeing slowly gets less frequent. People around you now know that you have greyed quite well. The dyeing now gets reserved only for special occasions like wedding in family, seminars or social gatherings!

The hair dye after some time fails to hide the age as other signs like loose skin appear. You also realize the futility of dyeing the hair. You realize that aging is also beautiful. It also has its impressive share of life. With age you have a greater sense of achievement, respect of people whom you have nurtured, contributions you have made to your profession, the lessons life have taught you. All this just at the cost of black hair. It is a too little price.

Image copy right with respective owners.