Postcard from India

I'm on assignment in Tamil Nadu. Leaving the city of Madurai we stopped the car to check out a wedding celebration that was taking place at the side of the road. A small crowd was gathered opposite and I strolled over to check out what was happening. A boy was getting his hair cut for the first time to mark his first birthday. The barber uses a straight razor to shave the child's head. His hair is given as a gift to the God. The 'gift' will be given again to mark his third and seventh birthday. I suspect it will be awhile before he doesn't run from the room when he hears the words 'hair cut'.