Part of the fun of witnessing these techniques on traveling visitors is seeing them squirm, sometimes literally, in their seats with each maneuver. Sometimes there are face massages using fistfuls of colorful cream, or the use of vibrating gadgets for extra sensation. Barbers (and sometimes street massagers) usually start a treatment with a scalp rub but progress to using their fingers and fists to tap on the head, tugging on the hair itself, cracking the neck with a twist and pounding back muscles with an open palm. Unlike most massages in Western Europe or America that emphasize smooth, deep strokes to relax the muscles, Indian barber massages seem designed to invigorate. Many more channels are led by Indians who are tapping into a community of viewers with content that doesn’t cost much to create, but can lead to worthwhile profits over time.Ī big part of the wonderment of Indian head massage videos is the surprise of seeing such unfamiliar techniques and treatments used in the barbershops. Some, like The Nomad Barber and Haircut Harry, are Western travelers who frequent India to document its barbers. These craftsmen are featured in channels like Pure Massage World, Indian Barber, Massage N More and many others on YouTube. ![]() Some barbers don’t even have shops, instead plying their trade under the shade of backyard trees or on the side of a roaring Delhi road. The barber shops themselves can be relatively luxurious, with big mirrors and plenty of electric appliances, or incredibly modest, with a patina of daily use clearly evident on the walls and furniture. In the online community of head massage video fanatics, Baba is the godfather, the originator of a viral trend that’s inspired a legion of YouTubers who specialize in capturing Indian barbers doing what they do best: shaving cheeks with straight razors and giving people head, face and sometimes even body massages. Other videos of Baba have gotten millions of views as well, putting his total somewhere in the ballpark of 40 million. That video rapidly racked up views, with 10.3 million total clicks as of today. Baba offered the massage afterward, and another man decided to film it. The idea was for one of the men to get a quick shave. Nearly a decade ago, three Western men who had met in Pushkar decided to explore the streets together and stumbled into Baba’s shop. This is how Baba treats every customer’s seven Chakras, the critical energy points defined in a number of Indian spiritual practices. Next comes massage of the shoulders and back, using his hands and also a small moonstone sphere that amplifies physical pressure and spiritual power. His eyes narrow as he grabs invisible energy from the space around their bodies and sprinkles it on the customer’s scalp with a satisfied grin. He doesn’t just rub the scalp, he smacks, slaps, scratches and caresses it, all the while inhaling and exhaling with loud whooshes of air. ![]() Whether or not it’s actually the best, Baba’s head massage is surely the most unique. So now, among a certain internet community, he’s simply known as Baba, the Cosmic Barber, purveyor of the “world’s greatest head massage.” This middle-aged Indian man, with his luxuriant mustache and wild, lively eyes, instead went viral for his signature head massage. Not for his haircuts or shaves, although Baba has the steady hand and confident speed of a skilled craftsman. ![]() This is where Baba Sen fell headfirst into a tidal wave of internet fame. The sign above the door reads “BABA HAIR DRESSER.” There are two more signs flanking the doorway, listing a series of services (haircuts, shaves, henna tattoos) and a short bit of advice to passersby: “Ladies & Gents. But walk a block away from the lake’s northern edge, along one of its narrow, vendor-lined streets, and you may stumble across a miniscule storefront trimmed in faded gold paint. ![]() The small town of Pushkar is situated in the northwest of India, wrapped around a sacred lake that’s long inspired pilgrimages from around the country, as Hindus believe bathing in its waters will purify their spirit as well as their skin.
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