The traditional 'Narasundar' or barber profession of Bengal is about to be lost in the touch of modernity.
At present, there are AC and non-AC salons in the city-port and village markets. It has modern equipment and equipment for cutting hair and beard. In this modernity, the image of cutting hair and beard of the floating'Narasundara' is about to be lost.
Occasionally, the activities of the floating Narasundar are seen in the hats and bazaars of the rural areas. Buyers who come to buy daily necessities in the market are the 'service takers' of Narasundar.
Narasundar was seen in front of Nagarpur Government Jadunath Primary School. On the ground, it is seen that customers are cutting hair and beard by sitting on the ladder or stool.
Narsundar Suresh Chandra Shil said, "I do this work on Wednesdays every week in this market. 30 to 35 years ago, cutting hair and beard was Tk 5 to 10. At that time, the family used to run with what was earned. But now there is no Tk 35 to 40 for haircut and Tk 15 to 20 for beard cut. There are fewer people to cut hair at such a low price. He earns Tk 350 to 400 a day, making it difficult to run the family."
Sanwar Mia, who came to cut hair, said that in his childhood, he used to come to the market with his father and cut hair with these mobile mans. Now he and his children's grandchildren are getting haircuts.
He said, "I'm a middle-class man. It costs Tk 100 to cut hair in the saloon. And they can cut hair and beard for only Tk 30 to 50. The quality of saloons and their work is almost equal."
Ahmed Hossain of Duajani College Para said, now everyone cuts hair in modern salons. There will be a time when future generations will seem to be just stories, sitting on the tool-ladder and cutting hair and beard.
It is to be noted that the Narasundar or barber people, who have been engaged in daily rural life for a long time, are currently struggling to run the family. In the past, the family was running well with their income, but now they are unable to overcome financial problems. So day by day, the traditional oldest barber profession of Bengal is disappearing.
ZH
