Water Woes : Hairfall Chronicles
Asha stretched her hands lazily, trying to come out of her slumber. She rubbed her eyes and turned to the other side, craving more sleep. But her alarm kept ringing. Asha tried to find her phone, but her hand could not reach it. Eventually irritated by the continuous ringing, she rose and got her hands on her mobile that was lying at the edge of the bed. She turned off the alarm and reluctantly dragged out of bed.
"Gosh! I need to wash my hair again. Another day of hair fall." She spoke to herself, looking in the mirror, holding her once straight hair, now turned frizzy and curly, all thanks to salty tap water. Asha went to the washroom and turned on the geyser while she freshened up. Often, she wondered how people in this city survived for years when she lost a major share of her hair within three months of her stay in this part of Noida.
After she felt tired of the complaining session, she took her brush and put point-sized toothpaste to keep her oral health in check. While brushing, she turned on the tap to fill the bucket with hot water. She calculated the time it would save her in mind and smiled to herself. As she brushed her teeth, she took water from the tap to gargle and spat. There she was coughing, and trying to get rid of its taste. "Was it even salty, or was the taste bitter? She questioned herself.
Taking a sip of water from her water bottle, she voiced, "Thank God there is the option for RO these days. Otherwise, this water would have killed me by now." Sliding the balcony door, she grabbed her towel and went to take a bath. She returned in half an hour, cribbing the water for its ruthlessness on her hair. Asha took hair serum from her dressing table and walked to the balcony. She dried her hair using the towel and spread it on the balcony to dry.
Pouring serum like she was putting oil for nourishment on her hair, she rubbed it in both hands and applied it to her hair strand by strand. Asha was ready for the day. She went to the kitchen to prepare her breakfast. She grabbed a tomato and green chilly from the fridge and an onion from the basket. While she was chopping vegetables for preparing poha her flatmate Kavya came with a mug and bucket. "Good Morning," Asha greeted her and she replied to her.
Asha was trying to catch a glimpse of Kavya filling water in her mug from RO. She could not hold her curiosity and finally asked, "Why are you filling RO water? Is the water supply broken in your bathroom?" Kavya laughed and told her, "Arey, don't you know about the water quality here? I had a major hair fall when I came here, and then I realized it was due to salty water. So, I wash my hair with filtered water." Asha was wondering if that could help her. She probed again, "Did that help you?" Kavya felt sad about it and admitted, "Not actually, but someone told me that it would help. So, I am trying." Asha cheered her and told her she would get used to it soon.
When Kavya returned with her bucket filled with filtered water, Asha thought about trying it. She looked at her frizzy hair and assured me that she would nourish it soon. "No more complaining about water. I have found a resort for it," she smiled to herself.
Asha prepared her breakfast and after eating it she was glued to her work desk the whole day. She even forgot to get some time for a lunch break. It was 6 p.m. when she got up from her chair. Her back was aching. She did some stretching before resuming to kitchen to prepare her meal. Her stomach growled. She rushed into the kitchen and mixed some besan with chopped onions and mixed it with water to create a batter for chilla. She savored it with tomato catchup watching her favorite comedy show on Netflix, "2 Broke Girls."
Tired of the hectic day, she crashed on the bed after finishing her dinner. She missed turning off the lights and dozed off. When she woke up the next day, she realized she overslept and felt even more tired.
As she got out of bed, she looked at her hair and decided to give them RO water wash and see the magic. She followed her routine except for filling the bucket from the kitchen. When she came out of the bath and noticed her hair, they did not appear frizzy but as she looked at the floor she noticed a bunch of hair lying on the floor.
"Damn, I need to get out of this place. Otherwise, water here will make me bald sooner." She cried.
I couldn't help but relate to Asha's struggles. Moving to a new city and facing unexpected challenges like hard water wreaking havoc on her hair is something many of us have experienced. The depiction of her frustration with frizzy, brittle hair due to mineral-laden water hit close to home. It's alarming how such water can leave deposits on hair, making it dry and prone to breakage. Asha's attempt to use RO-filtered water mirrors common advice to combat hard water effects. However, seeing her continued hair fall despite these efforts highlights the complexity of the issue. The story serves as a poignant reminder of how environmental factors, like water quality, can significantly impact our daily lives and well-being. It's essential to be aware of such issues and seek effective solutions to maintain our health and confidence.
ReplyDeleteYou are right.
DeleteYour story is a subtle way of highlighting how our urbanised living is having an effect on the resources.Our Acs have hastened greenhouse effects, our vehicles are making the air unbreathable, our ROs are wasting more water... I hope we will find a way of making things better without making them worse for all.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, if we can make a small change everyday
DeleteI have heard this from many and recent one is the Buldhana case where people woke up bald as hair could easily come off their scalp as a result of some chemical content being present in excess.
ReplyDeleteHmm it's so terrifying
DeleteAhhhh...the hairfall problem is everywhere, not just in Noida. In Chennai, it's far worse, The salty water not just causes hairfall, but it also spoils the utensils. Neverheless, this is unavoidable. Someone suggested the RO option to me, but I'm not too sure. Asha's struggle is not just her's--it's universal. Only in kolkata (where I grew up), I think the water quality is good.
ReplyDeleteIf we will keep ruining natural resources, it won't stay safe anywhere
DeleteThe quality of water we get these days in many places is alarmingly bad. Hairfall is a minor problem in comparison. Water can carry fatal diseases. Unfortunately we are the only creatures on the planet that pollute their own drinking water sources.
ReplyDeleteExactly, this is just one problem, and having had diseases passed through water I can resonate with that
DeleteThis is so true; everywhere, it's the same issue. Water quality is so bad that hairfall, water bourne diseases etc have become common.
ReplyDeleteWith time, water quality is getting bad everywhere
DeleteIt was in Chennai that I realised that it is hard water that comes from the taps and hence, hair fall was inevitable. However, my hair has a mind of its own and even in Kerala, where the water is not hard, my hair refuses to stop falling. Oh what a fall, my countrymen!
ReplyDeleteI can feel you
DeleteIsn’t this the story of many now-a-days?! Honestly I hear this often from fellow Indians even in a foreign land. This is a universal problem and harsh truth.
ReplyDeleteI believe it is happening a lot everywhere
DeleteThe story cleverly underlines the plight of the river water. The irony is we are the destroyers. We need to revive the water, cinserve every drop and be mindful of its usage!
ReplyDeleteIndeed that is much needed
DeleteThis blog is such a different one compared to everything else I have read in this challenge so far. Our hero is the villian in your story only because of our own negligence and actions. That's why we are facing this situation.
ReplyDeleteThis is the story of my husband's life Tanvi😛. He had a headful of dense hair that he used to ask the barber to cut in the insides as they were too thick. But after a year in Bangalore, he became bald... literally bald! Everyone said that it is due to the water and we also believe it. Hard water also causes excessive hairfall in certain individuals. I can totally relate to Asha and Kavya.
Hahaha that's so dreadful, but yaa water problem is for real
DeleteYes, Noida really has bad water - but now that I have moved to Istanbul - there seems to be no respite here as well! Now I can even make out my thinning hair :-(
ReplyDeleteThat's good to hear, hope you have a strong growth.
DeleteUff! That hairfall problem is perennial even if the water supply and it's quality isn't. Don't rely too much on that RO water Asha, it will only bring nirasha :P
ReplyDeleteHahaha true that Asha is already disappointed.
DeleteI have heard from people who shift from the south to the north of how they struggled to adjust to the water and had to take medications for hairfall. This is a very real struggle in north india specifically.
ReplyDelete