Sawaal ek moochh ka ....

It's over. The moustache is no more... at least for now. I know that there will be a lot of relieved "Thank God"s being uttered at this transformation of mine, but at the same time, I believe there will also be a small group which will question the reasoning behind the removal. Nevertheless, moochh or no moochh, this was one experience (albeit self-inflicted) which helped me to know a lot about the psychology of various people.

Why I did it

I was bored. Period. Bored of looking at the same face in the mirror since the mesozoic age. Plus I wanted to see how it would look on me, and what better a way than to grow one?

What I learnt

A lot. I learnt that a majority of the people, both boys and girls, of my age group weren't really inclined towards the idea. But, on the contrary, older folks seemed to have no objection to it at all. A common observation made was that it makes one look older (which apparently isn't desirable :P). Another oft-used jibe was if I had taken a liking to one of those "Gult heroes". Please note that no names were taken, rather it was always the whole actors community that was referred to, pointing to a stark contrast between the general image of a South Indian vs a Northie. I realized that it took a lot of patience, especially for unfortunate guys like me who weren't blessed with a generous growth rate of the moustache/beard, as you witnessed the gestation of your beloved moustache. I learnt that it takes much more effort to maintain one than to be clean-shaven, probably an important reason why the lazy bums wouldn't go for it - just one swoosh and you're done! No standing in front of the mirror for minutes, snipping away every single hair which is out of place. I discovered the hard way that symmetry isn't exactly Nature's favourite topic, as I struggled to offset the imbalances created on either side of my face's playing field. And lastly, I found that people always tend to object to any major change in what they have been accustomed to, a grassroots analogy of how revolutionary ideas are often met with strong public disapproval (No, I do not think my keeping a moustache was a revolutionary idea :P ... it's an analogy, remember?).

Here are some of the most interesting reactions it generated :

a) "Yeh kya ho gaya hai tereko????" - As if I had not just grown some facial hair, but been inflicted with a severe case of scabies!
b) (No words emitted, only a befuddled stare that lasted about 10 minutes, coupled with an amused smile)
c) "Woh haraami waale Nair ka feel nahi aa raha hai!" - And I thought I looked so innocuous in that clean look!

The exit poll

Even though it's all done and dusted, I would still welcome any comments on my "lost cause". I provide two snapshots from history, and would like you to state your preference. :D