A community of Chinese women successfully run some of Chennai’s oldest beauty parlours

“Hair wash, therapeutic massage and eyebrows,” instructs Mary Lee, chatting with her assistant. Instantly, merchandise are plucked off cabinets, the air conditioner is turned on and curtains are drawn. Work begins.

“They’re all my regulars,” she says, pointing inside. “Can’t inform you how lengthy I can speak to you. It is a busy time for me,” she says, however sits down for a dialog for much longer than anticipated.

Rose Magnificence Parlour behind the busy Vannanthurai bus cease in Besant Nagar, has a no-nonsense but beneficiant persona that it has borrowed from its proprietor. The only-room parlour partitioned by sliding doorways, has thick leather-based salon chairs which can be completely reclined because the levers don’t work. There are a number of crosses, scissors and combs, threads to take away eye brows, tins of hair color, and bins of unfastened powder that make the room scent like roses.

Bits of Mary’s Oriental connection sit proudly on show — there’s a calendar with Chinese language dates, posters of fuk (pronounced fook in Chinese language, which means luck), and a number of other statues of Buddhas.

“Luck is essential to the Chinese language. We exchange the fuk posters throughout Chinese language New Yr. This yr, my cousin from Calcutta despatched it to me. I believe it has helped. However sufficient about that. Let me start my story,” she says.

Uncovering etymology

A quest to seek out the connection between Chennai and ‘Chinese language magnificence parlour’, lead us to Mary’s parlour. She is certainly one of a number of individuals of Chinese language origin, who moved together with her household far-off from residence to ascertain companies, within the hope of prosperity after their households fled battles of inner strife in twentieth Century China. It was a time when the lads prefixed eating places with the phrase ‘Chinese language’, whereas girls did the identical with magnificence parlours.

When requested why ‘magnificence parlours’ and never different professions, Joe Thomas Karackattu, Affiliate Professor on the Humanities and Social Sciences Division at IIT Madras, who has made two movies on South India’s historic connections with the Chinese language, says that the perfect alternative of occupation was to deal in leather-based which different native communities right here have been weary of indulging in, owing to spiritual concerns.

“There isn’t any particular cause for his or her alternative of magnificence parlours excepting the low obstacles to entry within the artwork and craft of beautifying the self/different. You didn’t actually need a level or coaching (as in specialised gear in drugs or business) and therefore the entry necessities would have been simpler. That to my thoughts is one of the best rationalization.” 

Nevertheless, the Kaos, Lees, Lamas and Chens, who’ve been within the enterprise for no less than 40 years now, have a unique reply. “Aren’t most historical magnificence secrets and techniques from China,” Mary asks.

Far-off from residence

“I used to be born in Calcutta’s Chinatown in 1959 to my Chinese language dad and mom who have been from Peking. That they had fled the conflict, I’m not positive which one, and arrived in India to start a peaceable life. I used to be by no means taken with finding out. I cherished vogue and had an curiosity in caring for myself. So round Class VIII, my buddy and I begged our dad and mom to allow us to work on the parlour. All I needed to be was a beautician. My father informed me that if I left with out ending my research, I might endure, however I didn’t pay attention. He was proper. It was very troublesome initially,” says Mary, sweeping the silver hair away from her face.

She continues: “For 3 and a half years, I skilled at Chen’s Magnificence Parlour, Bengaluru, studying the artwork of facial, head therapeutic massage, manicure, pedicure, threading and waxing. By that point, I had married Mr. John Lee, who descends from the Hakka area of China. He was taken with exploring enterprise alternatives within the South. That’s the reason we arrived in Chennai in 1985, a metropolis far-off from residence. After a yr of working at an area parlour, we saved as much as start our personal enterprise right here in Besant Nagar. There have been hardly any individuals who lived right here again then. My home was in Adyar and the final bus again residence was at 6pm. How every part has modified,” she says, ruminating.

Mary snaps again after pausing to take a nostalgia-induced break. ”I communicate Chinese language at residence and am fluent in Mandarin and Hakka. There usually are not many like us right here although. It’s a small group. However the variety of clients who come are giant and regular,” she says.

The earliest workforce of Susan Lama’s Hong Kong Magnificence Parlour
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

Arlene Kao Chaurasia whose dad and mom started Eves magnificence parlour, Chennai’s first Chinese language magnificence parlour on Pantheon Highway (which later shifted to School Highway), in 1968, provides that it has now grow to be important to guard the identify, strategies and etiquette adopted at their chain of parlours. “Folks anticipate high quality and we ship as a result of we listen. Our shoppers, their daughters and granddaughters come to our parlour until date. We all know their preferences,” she says.

Arlene says that she was virtually raised by her dad and mom on the parlour and learnt completely by watching. As a younger woman, she weighed in on haircuts, main finally, to taking on the parlour. Her brother David Kao, runs his personal chain of parlours beneath the identical identify. Arlene is certain that her daughter will take over as quickly as she is taken with make up. “I’m coaching her,” she says. David’s son can also be more likely to enter the road, he says.

Susan Lama, who was born to Hakka dad and mom settled in Kolkata, has seen her fair proportion of India. She has labored in parlours at Mumbai, Delhi, Mysuru and Bengaluru. When her chef husband needed to calm down, they moved to Chennai in 1997 in the hunt for peace and quiet. Joined by her sister and brother-in-law, the quartet started Hong Kong Magnificence Parlour in Chetpet and Kim Ling Specialty Chinese language Restaurant in Anna Nagar. The goal was to make ₹500 a day on the parlour. “It was huge a reimbursement then,” she says.

Susan says that it’s straightforward to find out why their model of magnificence parlours stand the check of time regardless of competing towards fancy new locations stuffed with ring lights, highly effective blow dries and ‘show-sha’. “The parlour is an extension of my home. The women who work there are my household. They’re candy and well mannered to clients and maintain each other. The job will get completed with out an excessive amount of noise and fanfare. Most clients have identified the women who work at my parlour for years. There’s a connection,” she says.

Susan Lama together with her household and mates at Kim Ling, Anna Nagar.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

Mary , who lives in the identical complicated as her store, agrees. She says that she is often only a name away regardless of requests at odd hours. “I open at 9.30am sharp but when somebody wants assist with make up or a hair do, I don’t thoughts opening earlier. I do know my clients. They’ve been coming to me for years,” she says.

Mary and Susan say that although the Chinese language elements of their persona are slowly slipping away, they nonetheless maintain onto sure traditions. The Chinese language New Yr is essentially the most most well-liked festivity to be a part of. At Mary’s, the place Chinese language remains to be spoken at residence, a Peking duck in honour of her ancestry is cooked together with noodles and different delicacies. Susan says that she prays to all gods and therefore does a puja to the sky at her husband’s Chinese language restaurant. The employees from each these locations are current and an enormous feast is ready.

“No Chinese language new yr is full with out the alternate of the crimson envelop full of money. It brings luck to our houses and our companies and is therefore important. In spite of everything, it’s all about fuk, no?” Mary says.