Length Matters

Bhagwat,in her mid 50’s,is equipped with knowledge and expertise of maintaining long hair,which she does not intend to keep just to herself. This ardent lover of long locks has been disseminating information on how to maintain long hair for over a year now. And this is not where Bhagwat stops,from motivating the higher secondary school girls to sport long hair to organising the longest hair competition,Bhagwat has done it all. Her promote –long– hair campaigns have fetched her rewarding results. Today,her long hair club Manaswini has over 70 members each of whose hair is over 120 inches long.

It all started with bringing all long hair lovers together. “The only way I thought was to organise a competition,which I eventually did last year in July. Su Keshini,the competition helped me find over 50 lovers of long hair. Now most of us are together to promote this cause,” says Bhagwat.

Pradnya Ghungurde,25-year-old marketing executive who carries with pride,a bag full of compliments for her 147 cm long hair never felt the need to go for a hair cut after her high school. “When I am on road riding my bike,on traffic signals people come to me to tell me how beautiful my hair is. I have been praised time and again for my long hair I don’t have any intention to cut it down,” says she.

Ghungurde did face a dilemma when girls her age jumped in the bandwagon of sporting short hairstyles. “That was a time when every one was going for a hair cut but I could not part with my long hair,” smiles she.

Ghungurde accompanies Bhagwat on some of the workshop Bhagwat takes in schools. “The girls of class 8 to 10 should be motivated the right way. They should be told that maintaining long hair is not that tough a task. Even during summers you can be comfortable if you have long hair as you can always pull it in bun. Short hair has to be kept open all the time,which I think is more uncomfortable,” says Bhagwat who has conducted workshop for students of SPM School and Abhinaya Vidyalaya.

As Bhagwat puts it “If I inspire a whole generation to go with the traditional look I think my quest will be successful.”

Manaswini celebrated its first anniversary on April 14. “ We have started enrolling for the group and the response is great,” says Bhagwat whose Manaswini community on Orkut has over 500 members.