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Indian Mustaches Face Extinction
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by Jon Azpiri | December 31, 2008 at 03:36 pm
684 views | 5 Recommendations | 12 comments
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A new book states that the age-old tradition of Indian men wearing beards and mustaches appears to be on the decline.
Facial hair has long been a symbol of masculinity in Indian culture, but a new generation of Indian men are choosing to be clean shaven.
Richard McCallum, author of "Hair India - A Guide to the Bizarre Beards and Magnificent Moustaches of Hindustan", believes that the lack of beards is a sign of how India is changing.
"Beards and moustaches tell the story of modern India - how it is becoming a more Westernised, homogenised place, but also how the great traditions and the love of display still exist.
"Male grooming is important to Indians, and facial hair proved a topic that took us to places and into conversations with people we would never have met otherwise."
Ironically, just as young Indian men are eschewing facial hair to be more like Westerners, young North American men are embracing the mustache. Many young men around the world take part in Movember, a charity event where men grow mustaches during the month of November to raise money for cancer research.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (12)
at 16:16 on December 31st, 2008
Well five feet is a bit long for my taste...
at 16:21 on December 31st, 2008
I have to say, I don't like mustaches... on anyone.
at 16:47 on December 31st, 2008
not even during mo-vember?
at 16:55 on December 31st, 2008
No, there is no excuse...
at 21:55 on December 31st, 2008
I like a man to have mustache, if at all he is one.
On a serious note, It depends upon individuals. Some people really look good with a mustache.Examples are
Saddam Husein
Herr Hitler
Jackie Shroff
Anil Kapoor...and so on
..oh..dont forget Captain Jack Sparrow.
Agent.
at 11:22 on January 1st, 2009
I don't think Hitler looked good with a mustache - thank goodness that is one tradition that did not catch on. No one should ever have a Hitler mustache.
at 11:26 on January 1st, 2009
Man, I wonder if anyone does have a Hitler moustache? I'm sure somewhere...
at 11:31 on January 6th, 2009
Mugabe's is quite similar...
at 11:11 on January 1st, 2009
I'm not a moustache fan myself, Amy. No, better without. That said, I don't like to see traditions die.
at 11:23 on January 1st, 2009
True, perhaps we could adapt the tradition into something else, like mustaches in the winter months and not in the summer months.
at 11:27 on January 1st, 2009
Ha, yes! Or on special occasions! ;)
at 11:27 on January 6th, 2009
Jonathan, a fisherman in Fort Kochi, Kerala, South India.
He was happier than he looks in this photo. He manned the chinese fishing nets along with 4 others, drinking rum to keep him going.
The fishermen were happy but weren't catching many fish.
Nick Irvine-Fortescue has contributed a photo to this story.