No-razor month is back

Some Bengalureans are growing moustaches and beards to participate in campaigns to promote cancer awareness and men's health

It’s November and some men in Bengaluru are putting away their razors to participate in the No-Shave November and Movember movements.

The two movements intend to create awareness about cancer; the latter additionally focuses on men’s health.

Swapnil Srivastava

Swapnil Srivastava, lead developer, was studying in Birmingham, UK, when he started following the Movember movement in 2012.

“I followed it till 2014 and then restarted it in 2017. My maternal grandmother died of cancer and I’ve supported campaigns connected to cancer since,” he says.

The month is quite a struggle, he says, with continuous requests from his mother to shave.

“But, there is no better feeling than supporting a cause close to my heart. Cancer is an ailment which detected early can be cured. The movement aims to spread this awareness,” he says.

When a man stops shaving, people tend to notice and ask questions.

“This encourages several conversations. Action speaks louder than words. After November, I give away the money I have saved to an NGO,” he says.

So how much does he save by not shaving? “It’s about Rs 1,000,” he says.

Shabaaz Sait

Shabaaz Sait, freelance model, has not shaved in November the last three years.

“I often use the money I save to help a homeless person,” he says.

Grooming products help manage a beard better now, he says.

“I hope to have a beard like Ranveer Singh’s by the end of the month. I try to get a new look at the end of each November, and post a photograph,” he says.

The month turns into a friendly competition among friends. “We also go for weekend bike rides to spread the message,” he says.

This is the fourth year for Koppira Darshan Ayanna, IT professional. He says the trend provides a platform to discuss men’s health.

Abhijit Madhu

“It takes a lot of effort and time to maintain a beard. But it is worth it. Seeing me, others at work follow suit, which is the intention of the campaign,” he says.

Ayanna gives the money he saves to a special school or orphanage.

Abhijit Madhu, head of marketing at ScaleneWorks, was inspired by a cancer awareness project at college, and it eventually led him to participate in No-Shave November.

“Now even my friends have joined in. For the past few years, we donate 10 per cent of our November salaries to cancer research,” he says.

He believes the campaign can be about a lot more things. “It can include de-addiction and the importance of developing a strong will,” he says.