VELLORE: The church bell tolled in the distance and the morning prayers echoed the streets from the nearby temple. The small town of Periya Allapuram in Vellore was waking up to the weekend rush when a young man in a wheelchair reached a shop bearing the board ‘Jayam Salon’ at the corner of the street and screamed, “Raja Anna, I’m here again!”
Suddenly a man in his 40s appeared with a broad smile, wished him a good morning, and helped him to get inside the shop. Swiftly, he grabbed a pair of scissors and asked, “Which haircut do you want today?” R Raja, the 40-year-old hairstylist runs a salon that offers free haircuts to people with disabilities in Vellore. Reflecting on his journey, Raja says, “I embarked on my career as a hairstylist in the early 2000s and gained the hair-cutting skill through hands-on practice with disabled persons. Now, I express my gratitude by offering free haircuts to them.”
Raja’s journey began in 1996 when he completed his Class 12 and decided to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a barber. However, his father refused to teach him the skill. Determined to become a hairstylist, he fled to Bengaluru, where he worked in a salon for six months. Later, he moved to another salon in Tambaram, Chennai. Later, through DInamani newspaper, he came to know about Ramesh Gents Hairstylist, a beauty salon in Nungambakkam that is routinely patronised by film stars, including his all-time favourite Thala Ajith.
After serious efforts and persistent letters, he became an assistant to Ramesh, a well-known hairstylist. Eager to excel in the field, Raja honed his skills by cutting hair for children with disabilities in charity homes and orphanages and he was paid a nominal fee for the service. However, as Raja worked alongside them, he discovered a world of resilience and when he opened his own salon in Ashok Nagar, Chennai, the service was provided for free. The salon was later shifted to Vellore.
Now, around 100 physically challenged individuals benefit from his service every month and as a laurel for the service, he received a certificate from the district collector on this Independence Day.
“Disabled persons from a 5km radius visit the shop for the free service. Sometimes, customers with disabilities come to the salon with a uro-bag and find it very difficult to climb and sit on a chair. At such times, I ask them to enter the salon with their wheelchairs. There have been instances when children with mental health challenges find it difficult to remain seated during a haircut. However, I’ve been able to handle such situations with the help of my staff and my daughter,” explains Raja.
Raja’s salon operates throughout the week, including Sundays, and he always prioritises disabled customers, often requesting others to wait momentarily. However, there have been instances when persons with disabilities left without getting haircuts if they spot other customers, This prompted Raja to dedicate the last Sunday of every month to people like them. He calls it ‘Service Day’. Raja accepts money from disabled persons who can afford it and donates it to others who are in need.
Expressing gratitude to Raja, a customer with a disability says, “Paying for a haircut is not a big deal for many of us. But in most places where we go, they perceive us as an inconvenience just because we require assistance to enter the shop and take a seat. Due to this, we tend to refrain from visiting places like salons. We are truly grateful that Raja not only provides us with free haircuts but also extends a helping hand every time we come in.”
Raja also has a long pending request to the officials to allot him a shop at the New Bus Stand in Vellore with a 50% reduction in rent. This request is intended to facilitate the disabled individuals who visit his salon from nearby districts like Tirupattur as well as for disabled tourists heading to the Golden Temple, who are also visitors of his salon. “It’s important for everyone to step in and provide support to disabled individuals. No matter where, this will invoke a sense of inclusion and comfort in them,” says Raja.
(Edited by Sneha Joseph)