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Her hair has always been her crowning glory, winning her three Guinness World Records and bringing her fame beyond her wildest dreams. But after 12 years of giving scissors a wide berth, Nilanshi Patel finally decided it was time for a change.
The Indian teen, whose hair recently measured in at an astonishing 2 metres, was understandably nervous before undergoing the big snip.
In a video, the 18-year-old, who has won a place in the Guinness World Records book for the past three years, can be seen kissing her hair goodbye then crossing her fingers as her hairdresser makes the first decisive cut.
Her hair has opened so many doors for her – it’s made her famous, allowing her to launch her own range of hair products. But now Nilanshi, who hails from Gujarat in India, has decided it’s time to begin a new chapter.
“I love my hair, it gave me a lot and because of it I am known as the world's real-life Rapunzel and now it’s time to give it something back,” she says.
Her record-breaking tresses will be sent to America where they will be put on display at the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum in Hollywood.
Nilanshi says it took her a long time to reach a decision about what to do with her beloved locks.
“It was either I auctioned my hair, donated it to the cancer patients or I could put my amazing hair in the museum. So I discussed it with my mom and she told me that my hair is made to inspire people and that’s why I should put my hair in the museum.”
Her mother, Kaminiben, is also an inspiration in her own right as she too will be cutting her long hair and donating it to cancer patients.
Kaminiben has supported her daughter with all her hair endeavours, patiently helping her to keep her locks in tip-top condition which entailed half an hour of drying every time she washed her hair and an hour to comb it all out.
But all this effort paid off when Nilanshi was able to launch her own haircare range last year, using her mother’s secret oil concoctions.
She regards her hair as her “lucky charm”.
“My friends call me the real-life Rapunzel and they’re proud of me that I started growing my hair and that I set a world record. It’s a big dream to set a world record,” Nilanshi says.
Her journey began with a solemn vow that she made at the age of six. After having a disastrous haircut she promised that she’d never cut it again and so has been growing it ever since.
READ MORE: Comb again? Meet the real-life Rapunzel with nearly 2 metres of hair
In 2018, Nilanshi – who was 16 at the time – notched up her first record after her hair measured in at 170,5cm. And last year she collected her third Guinness Record with hair that measured 200cm.
She was emotional when her long tresses were cut into a short bob. But it hasn’t taken long for her new ’do to grow on her.
“I love my new hairstyle,” she says. “I’m like a little princess. I’m still Rapunzel. Today is a new beginning and I hope that I will break many more records in the future.”
But she’s proud to know that the hair she spent so many years growing will be going on display in America.
“People will see and be inspired by my hair,” she says.
Watch Nilanshi's haircut experince:
SOURCES: instagram.com/nilanshipatel_rapunzel, youtube.com/GuinnessWorldRecords, youtube.com/NilanshiPatel
