“Maybe the reason is implanted in my sub-conscious. Maybe some popular personality with dreadlocks left an impression on me,” says the 24 year old. [break]
Like Tashi, a lot of youngsters are riding the dreadlock wave—once noticed mostly on the foreigners roaming around the Valley and a very few Nepalis.
Made hip by the popular reggae singer Bob Marley and hippies, dreads are considered to be sacred and spiritual. It’s also believed to be an expression of denouncing the physical appearances and materialistic world.
However, for Nepali youngsters, sporting the hairdo is being more experimental with their look. Two years back Sujan Shakya, a student, also hopped onto the dreadlock bandwagon. “Prior to getting my whole hair locked, I got a few strands of it to try out the look,” says Shakya.
For him, dreadlocks provide the wearer with a more aggressive and edgy look.
Inspired by Bob Marley, Siddhart Terrence Rai got his dreads made ten months ago. “I like Bob Marley’s songs,” Rai, the owner of Long Alley adds, “But I am not a Rastafarian like Marley. For me the hairdo was expressing my individuality.”
The trend of getting a few strands of hair dreadlocked is higher than getting the whole hair locked. Prahlad Shrestha, a dreadlock maker and tattoo artist in Freak Street, Basantapur says, “It was a year-and-a-half ago that the dreadlock trend became a rage among Nepalis. But, most of them want to get only a few strands of dreads rather than going for all.
Mahesh Rajlawlat, a self-trained dreadlock maker, shares a similar story. Talking about his initial days as a dreadlock maker Rajlawlat says, “Only a few local musicians and foreigners dared to don the hairstyle, but the number has increased now.” He says that foreigners, who get dreads in Nepal, believe that it’s the sign of a traveler.
And it’s not only the tattoo and dreadlocks centers in and around Basantapur and Thamel that make dreadlocks. Seeing the rise in trend and the demand for it, beauty parlors in the Valley also have included the service in their catalogues.
“It’s the college goers, who seek the hairdo,” informs hairstylist Chandrama Gurung of Beauty Clubs. “They only prefer a few strands of locks and opt to get artificial dreads extension, made from synthetics, because they are easy to remove. Some even color and accessorize them,” says Gurung.
Unlike the natural method applied by sadhus and ascetics to form dreads, the style of dread making is somewhat different amongst its present admirers.
“There is a special kind of needle known as kurus that is used to knit the hair,” informs Gurung. But the process does not stop there. “Even after we lock the hair, it should be tightened, time and again, by the help of needle,” adds Gurung.
According to him, the hairdo needs extra attention to maintain.
“People normally wrinkle their nose, when they scan my hair. Most of us have preconceptions that people with dreads don’t wash their hair, which is wrong,” says Gurung.
Taking care of his dreads is quite a challenge, for him. “I have to frequently wash my hair, so I don’t get lice and it takes longer time to dry than normal hairstyles. “Because hair care products made for dreads are not available in our local market, I use ashes from special kind of incense to clean my dreads,” informs Gurung.
Breaking the stereotype that only the one sundertaking a spiritual journey get dreadlocks, the young Nepal is experimenting with their mane. “Maintaining dreadlocks is harder and needs more patience, which makes it a spiritual journey,” says Gurung.
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