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MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS
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HAIR CUTTING
The occupation has undergone radical changes during the last few decades or so and has lost its traditional and hereditary character. If it was confined to a particular community in the past, today every person who wishes and has the ability to do so can undertake it. However, the remnants of the old institution of a traditional barber can still be found in remote villages, where the barber still moves from house to house and renders his services to the usual clientele.
Time, however, has had its impact upon the traditional barber who has been forced to open up a shop, though small it may be, to satisfy the whims of his customers. The occupation is still followed mostly by the people belonging to the Nhavi caste exception apart. Their mobility is more or less limited to the district only.
In the modern developing towns like Wardha, Hinganghat and Pulgaon very few barbers move from house to house and most of them have set up their shops or are employed in the big hair cutting establishments. Most of these establishments are both owned and managed by the owners themselves employing some servants for efficient service. The owners follow the occupation as their principal means of livelihood. The occupation is followed as a hereditary one barring a few cases where the entrants were entirely new to the profession.
A village barber moves about carrying his usual bag known as dhopti which is a miniature mobile saloon and contains a pair of scissors, one or two razors, a pair of cropping machine, a comb—mostly broken, a fading out mirror, a brush and a small aluminium, pot called Wati.
The tools and equipment required by a hair cutting establishment are very limited. The artisan can start his business with a pair of scissors, one or two razors and a pair of cropping machine. The entire set costs between Rs. 100 and Rs. 150 only. The requirements of an urban establishment, on the other hand, include besides the above, cushioned chairs, mirrors, photo frames, fans, a radio set, etc., and the price of it varies between Rs. 500 and Rs. 2,000 depending upon the quality of the items fixed in the establishment. Besides the usual fixed capital investment the owner has to keep ready cash enough to serve as working capital to purchase hair oil, soap, face powder and to pay the wages to artisans employed. The cost of the accessories required ranges from Rs. 5 to Rs. 15 per month.
A hair cutting saloon has fixed hours of work spread partly in the morning and partly in the evening. The monthly income of the hair cutting establishment varies between Rs. 150 and Rs. 500 depending upon the size of the establishment. The number of workers employed varies from one to four and the monthly salary paid to them is about Rs. 90. Most of the establishments were rented premises, the monthly rent of which was between Rs. 10 and Rs. 25. Besides, the electricity charges ranged between Rs. 3 and Rs. 15. There is a saloon owners association at Pulgaon.
According to 1951 Census, persons following this occupation are grouped under 'barbers and beauty shops ' and numbered 1,329 whereas the same are grouped as ' barber, hair dressing saloon and beauty shops' in 1961 Census and number 2117. [Of these 900 are grouped as 'barbers, hair-dressers, beauticians and related workers'.]
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