IPOH: Indian barber M. Selvaraj’s barber shop with a Chinese name written with Chinese traditional brush is an eye-catcher.

The shop’s Chinese name and Chinese couplets reflect a cordial relationship between the Chinese and Indian communities of Ipoh.

The size of the Chinese name – Raj Barber – written on a piece of red paper, is much more prominent than the Raj Barber on a piece of paper written in English with his phone number and business hours.

On the piece of the red paper where the name of the shop is written with traditional Chinese brush, it also has two Chinese words – always full, found normally at rice containers in Chinese households to signify a prosperous life.

A pair of Chinese New Year couplets is also found pasted at the door with the message of achieving good business.

Selvaraj, also known as Raj, 37, has been operating behind the flats at Jalan Bijeh Timah for over eight years now.

He said the Chinese couplets and the Chinese name of his shop were gifts from his Chinese patrons.

He met a road accident earlier and was forced to close the shop for about eight months.

During that time, he received many calls from his patrons asking about his condition and whether he would be resuming the haircut service.

He has a large pool of Chinese patrons – 75 per cent Chinese and only 20 per cent Indians. About 90 per cent of his patrons are regulars.

Raj is very familiar with the Chinese tradition of shaving a newborn bald for full moon celebration, where patrons would give him red chicken eggs to share the joy of having a new member in the family.

He is typically very busy before the Chinese New Year, and his Chinese patrons would visit him with New Year cookies and angpows.

Raj closes his shop for a week during Chinese New Year, as his  Chinese patrons will not come for a haircut during the period, he said.

Renting the shop from Ipoh City Hall, Raj charges only RM10 for a haircut for both men and women, RM10 for dyeing hair. He only charges RM5 or RM6 for children.

Raj is popular due to the affordable rates, and he is very proud of his service.

“I have a patron who has is now a minister,” he said without specifically naming the minister.

A Chinese patron even travels all the way from Gunung Rapat to have his hair cut.

A regular, the patron identified as Hu, said he has come once a month for the past eight years!

Hu said his son is also Raj’s patron, adding that the service is good and the price affordable.

Many barber shops operated by Indians used to be found behind the flats at Jalan Bijeh Timah.

There were a total of 12 barber shops in the area at its peak.

However, many opted to shut down due to old age after the Covid-19 pandemic, and Raj Barber is one of the two shops still in business today.