My grandfather Ruplal Bhatti was an Army captain who fought in World War II. He spent his retirement at our village in Jammu, where I would visit him during my vacations. He was a kind and jovial person, full of stories. And he never looked unkempt! A disciplinarian when it came to his hygiene and upkeep, his hair was always cropped, his moustache trimmed and he shaved daily. Even in his last days, he refused to meet anyone until he had shaved. Not to say that he was vain—this was his way of showing his appreciation and preparedness to meet his guests.

His shaving kit was stored in an old Army-issue metal box from the ’60s. It contained a shaving brush, shaving cream, a razor, blades, a surma stick and a pair of scissors. After his death in 2002, I found the shaving kit while clearing out his cupboard and decided to keep it. It was his most personal item and, now, my family treasure. I have preserved it and everything in it just as they were after his last shave.

—Vikram Bhatti, 41, Mumbai

Photo: Natasha Rego
Featured in Harmony — Celebrate Age Magazine
September 2017

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