Hyderabad Barber

Bear with me readers as I try to get back into the groove.

I guess it's bloggers block that causes one to hit a lapse in posting.

Wasting time on YouTube--everyone knows how that goes--is something that can get out of hand. It isn't so bad for me, thankfully, but I do get sucked in on occasion.

Somehow, you start with one search topic or come across the odd video clip, and that leads you to the next, the next and on and on you go.

I'll often get started with something like Indian bodybuilders and take it from there.

It was on one such meandering path today that I hit upon this wonderful barber in Hyderabad. He is such a cutie, and with his beautiful Asian eyes he keeps looking into the camera with an expression full of sugar.

His eyes say, "Kiss me."

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	Oh yeah... Irresistible!
See the handsome young barber in action on YouTube. To really enjoy the clip, turn the sound down and view it full screen. The young barber is clearly the star.

This provides the perfect segway... No, not to a story of the sweetest kiss--hmm, but I could tell one. No, it is about the magnificent treat that awaits the male patron at many a barber shop staffed by the beguiling men of south Asia. It has been my experience living in the UAE, that the best place to get a haircut and a shave are at the little old-fashioned style men's salons that dot all of the less chic urban centers. By less chic I mean away from the shopping malls and all those new expensive developments like the Burj Downtown and all of New Dubai.

The best part is definitely the massage.

You've got to go to any of the more traditional areas like anywhere in Deira, Bur Dubai or the central parts of Abu Dhabi and anywhere in towns like Ajman or Ras Al Khaimah. It is here we find the Bangladeshi barbers, my favorite, and others from other parts of south Asia who make the best part of any week or month the hour spent sitting in the barber's chair.

Someone Find Him!

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This post isn't about the UAE's barbers but about this one particular young barber in Hyderabad. The video was not shot by me--regrettably--so I must ask for help in finding this young man and getting more photos of him. This is a SHOUT OUT to anyone in Hyderabad.

Who's up to the challenge of locating the mystery barber? >>

The YouTube posting does not name the barber, but it identifies the salon as Ganesh's Male "Saloon".

I know it's a needle in haystack proposition, with probably one salon on every other block in Hyderabad.

But if anyone finds the man you'll first of all be in for a wonderful treat, and secondly you'll just have to snap a few photos of the sweet-eyed barber and ask him his name.

The Full Monty

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When living or traveling in the south of Asia (or Dubai) don't fail to avail yourself of the craft of these expert barbers. One person to comment on the video noted that we just don't get this in the West. You'll never get the wonderful head, face and back massage and you'd be hard pressed to even get a close shave.
I have yet to happen upon a barber in the UAE to give me a nice rough facial massage as they do in this Hyderabad shop, but I have got the sweetest young Bangladeshi barber to do a nice cut and shave and mini-massage for me. I would think he were waiting for me to ask him to marry him as he joked today that he won't be getting married as long as I'm not married. Yeah, if it were a different world I could easily marry my favorite barber.

In Sri Lanka, I don't think there is quite the same tradition, although you will get a head massage with nice oils or other liquids poured into your hair while they do it.

The Bangladeshis top the list of sensational barbers, but there must be many in India who do just as well. Of course there is the head-neck twist which I naively assented to on my first few experiences.

This involves a quick, sharp twist of the head that causes the neck bone to pop at the spine--like when you crack your fingers. But it is probably dangerous to have this done.

Instead, if offered, let the barber intertwine his fingers with yours and give a good crackle to all your fingers at once.

Don't Stop with Hyderabad

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My meandering YouTube journey took me to a few other interesting places... you know how that goes, and you might enjoy these too.

(1) The cosmic Indian barber--this one is magical; you've got to see it!

• Link to the video: World's Greatest Head Massage

(2) The young Indian linguist ala Slumdog Millionaire style. This kid, named Ravi, is so intelligent and so endearing. Despite a confusing explanation of Mumbai's Hanging Gardens, he shows off his talents for speech. Great pronunciation and nice personality--I love him!

• Watch him on Youtube: Talented Indian guy!!!!!!! or just listen here for a taste (the audio quality is better at source)...
  

(3) Best of all, a young kid who I would proclaim to be among the best singers in the world--no exaggeration. I'm in complete awe.

Watch...

• Hidden Talent of Punjab

or just listen (again, better audio quality at source):

     



Finally, in closing, a random image of a beautiful young Indian male.

	What I wouldn't do to have a year to spend traveling in India!
(Sorry Sri Lankan male. It's all about Indian men in this post.)

Most of the images in this post were produced from the YouTube clips and no claims of ownership are being made by this author.

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