Tonsuring

Tonsuring: Clearing the mess for new starts

Hair is a non-living body structure composed  of primarily of a protein called keratin which is produced by amino acids within the skin called hair follicles . Each hair strand can have 3 layers: cuticle, cortex and medulla which consists of several layers of flat, thin, colorless cells laid out overlapping one another like shingles on a roof. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals. The main importance or identity of hair is to served as a protection to the skull and scalp of the men and women both. But practices and attitudes towards hair  vary widely across different cultures, tradition and the historical periods. Tonsuring is one of the practices which is cutting or shaving some or all of the hair on the scalp, as a sign of religious devotion or humility, to show support or sympathy, or to designate mourning. Even sometimes, tonsuring is a sign of a mental break. Women have shaved their heads out of convenience, to stay clean, and as an act of repentance. While the function of a buzz cut ranges widely, the effect is powerful: A bald head subverts what has come to be a traditional and patriarchal idea of what a woman should look like.

Tonsure is still a traditional practice in Catholicism by specific religious orders (with papal permission). It is also commonly used in the Eastern Orthodox Church for newly baptized members and is frequently used for Buddhist novices and monks. It exists as a traditional practice in Islam after completion of the hajj and is also practiced by a number of Hindu religious orders. The shaving of women's heads as a manifestation of society's rage at perceived wrongdoing is not unknown in the west either. In fact, such practices in Europe date back to the early Middle Ages as a
  ' mark of shame', frequently as punishment for committing adultery. 

The first recorded instance of a shaved head is rooted in ancient Egypt, where both men and women shaved their heads in order to beat the heat and stay clean. Egyptian women, indicating that the tonsuring was an arduous but prioritized task.One of the most well-known icons of the era late middle ages and early colonial period is the young and inexorable French rebel,St. Joan of Arc, who kept her hair cropped and wore men's clothing in order to avoid the sexual advances of men throughout her military career. Ultimately, it resulted in her receiving the death sentence in 1431, after she was convicted of heresy by cross-dressing at barely twenty years old. Executioners forcibly shaved her head and burned her, not once but three times, at the stake. Another feverish young saint, St. Rose of Lima, shaved her own head when her beauty began attracting suitors. In penance to God, she tortured herself in various ways, And tonsuring is one of her way to tortured herself.

Tonsuring  is either as a form of apology or as a punishment has a long and notorious history in many parts of the world.After the French occupation in the Rhineland post-World War 1, Germans publicly humiliated women who had sexual relations with foreign troops, often shaving their heads and parading them in public. In spanish civil War of the late 1930s, right-wing nationalists often shaved the heads of women from Republican families. In France, after World War 2, women accused of collaborating with Nazis during the German occupation were  publicly humiliated by having their heads shaved in front of angry, jeering crowds. According to the Guradian, at least 20,000 women in France had their heads shaved in the wake of Germany's defeat. In Japan, shaving hair means misogi (禊) and the actual meaning of this word is, admit your fault and repent it. In Pakistan, women often face the humiliation of having their hair shorn and paraded naked in public for a variety of offenses. India's society is also replete with such head - shaving episodes as a form of the biggest humiliation and was of the punishments for criminals. In Hindu religion, Neela Devi offered her best lock of hair to God Vishnu as a replacement of his hair thereafter Vishnu granted wishes to anyone who offered their hair as a sacrifice.

Through  out the history, practices of tonsuring has been taken as a punishment either by the society or by herself/himself. Tonsuring means to accept owns mistakes. A person who shaved his/her hair when they could not fulfill their love one's dream. When he/she failed to fulfill her own's wishes, then she shaved her hair. Japaneses female pop star Minami Minegishi shaved her head as an act of contrition after violating her AKB48 band's rules by spending the night with her boyfriend. Even appeared on a video to offer a tearful apology with shaved head.

Besides this there are many more story behind the women's' shaved hair. A marathon runner, Kawauchi did´t win the Tokyo Marathon and shaved his head because he could´t meet the expectation of the people who supported him. Perhaps the most recognizable image of a woman with a shaved head in recent history is that of Britney Spears during her famous 2007 meltdown. After weeks of bizarre behavior, Spears cruised to a local salon in Tarzana, California with a trail of paparazzi slime behind her, where she demanded to have her head shaved. According to an eyewitness, Spears was heard saying, "I don't want anyone touching me. I'm tired of everybody touching me," while she took control of the clippers and emotion lawlessly buzzed her entire head. Some well known women's name who did tonsuring.

KELLIE PICKLER ----- She did it to show solidarity for her childhood best friend who was batting breast feeding.ANNE HATTHWAY----- She said that cutting her hair reduced her to like mentally patient level crying.

SINEAD O'CONOR--------'90S, singer said that ' i do not feel like me unless i have my hair shaved.

GRACE JONES----------1970S style icon & singer.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER------------She shaved for the movie weaver, Ripley role & 1992s Alien 3

NATALIE PORTMAN----------Actress who shaved her hair for 'V for Vendeta's movies.

AMBER ROSE-------a model & author who shaved her hair & said that women do not have to have long locks in order to be ultra-feminine.

CATE BLANCHETT-------An actress who chopped her hair to play the role of phililla in 2002's Heaven. After shaving she said that ' shaving off my hair is so libarating & experience personally gratifying.

LUPITA NYONG'O--------------Actress

SOLANGE-----------------Actress

CHARLIZE THERON--------Actress of Mad Max.

JESSIER J-------A pop singer of U.K

DEMI MOORE----------- Actress who shaved her hair in 'The homecoming' movie.

While a lot of women might think that having a shaved head will leave them feeling self conscious or ugly but in reality it boost your self confidence. In the history tonsuring means to give punishment but in this era it means to fresh start of their own life after a lots of hurdle in their journey. When you have no hair on your head, there is nothing to hide behind your entire face, is out in the open and there's something about that just made to feel good.

It's no wonder women feel their head with beautiful hair is a ' Crowning Glory' for them. A woman's hair has long been regarded as the key to her femininity and a potent symbol of her sexuality. Whether kept long, short, natural, braided, or dyed, a massive amount of emphasis is placed on a woman's hair. Because of this, the image of a shaved head signifies a certain defeminization and is still a look with the power to shock.