Chidiya Chidiya Udti Jaaye- 500th Post

खुशी के गीत sunaati जाए...
दस choti chidiyaa khaati थी अनाज
एक udd के chalee गयी
baaki bachay नौ...
And so on we used to sing the backward counting game. And in my imagination these birds who would fly and sing and eat grains would be sparrows as those were the birds I had grown up seeing.
Unfortunately these birds are no longer so common.
I am afraid my kids would grow up without experiencing the joys of watching a pair of sparrows- the one with the dark patch on the chest being the male and the lighter brown one the female, making their nest out of twigs, leaves, cotton and thread.
Sturdy nests that would be built inside our homes on precarious spots every summer on ventilators, behind light bulbs, inside empty cartons, lofts and even on the fans making it difficult for us to switch on the fans and neccesiating the sad destruction of those nests before they got a chance to complete them.
We siblings would even attempt in helping with the construction- climbing up chairs and stools to place twigs that would fall off near their nests but those would be rudely pushed off by the suspicious birds.
And not to forget the constant chirping. Every morning the Dad bird would tap the windows frantically to be let in and the Mamma bird would "pace" inside the house chirping loudly to wake us up and allow the partner in. Wonder why hey didn't sleep inside the nest together!
We would leave all windows open inspite of the summer heat just to allow them their passage all day.
The summers use to be alive with anticipation. And also filled with dread. We would be ultra-careful before switching on the fans as we had experienced birds cut by the fan- some of them inrescuable and some of them were nursed back to health by Mom using our ever available homeopathy medicine Arnica.
The sparrows would never re-occupy the same nest next year- what a waste of perfectly usable homes and construction material.
I have removed used nests of perfect shapes - triangles- taking the shape of carton corners and well- nest like also- using dry twigs and padded with soft cotton.
The joys of watching the mamma bird hatch the eggs vigilantly and Daddy bird getting food and out of habit picking more twigs some times.
And then the eggs would hatch out and the tiny chirps would fill the entire house- for their size, they have a voice box that would carry throughout the house.
Mamma and Dad would go in search of grain and feed the hungry, wide open beaks the entire day.
We would again attempt to climb and leave rice at their nest-step and those would be thrown back literally on our faces- they really do not accept alms.
The Mamma bird would be especially bold though after becoming a Mom. She would at times brave into the kitchen and hop on the floor to pick up grains.
And then the training for flying would start. What an organised effort from the Dad & Mom. They would chirp encouragingly and the little birdies would try their best - sometime found lodged between the window grills and picked up by us- soft, cuddly, cute balls of fur, so delicate..
And one fine day the birds would fly the nests and the parents would circle their haunt for a day or so and leave...

Babies Speak Hindi

Ojas tells me- संभाल के pakdo

(hold me carefully)
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Me- Ojas give me kissie
Ojas- अभी नहीं (not now)
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Height of irritation
Tejas at 2 am when I am desperately trying to sleep and have ben trying to put him to sleep for the last 2 hours-
Kakka (potty)
I say get up and go, remove your pajamas
He goes to the door and I ask you want to go kakka
Tejas- No, susi
This goes on for atleast 3 times until I give up and slap him.
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Tejas insists that Ojas should put the pajamas for him.

Ojas- No Ojas tired. Hands टूटी (hands are broken, and rolling his head simultaneously as if he is fainting)

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Tejas asked me to search for his car. I asked him to look in the other room. Without even looking he says- नहीं है (it's not there)

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I give an excuse Mamma hands टूटी, give me kiss. Ojas gives a kiss. I tell Tejas you also give me kiss (to repair my hand).

Tejas points at Ojas - no kissie, हो गया! (indicating that Ojas had alrady kissed so the hand is repaired)

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Last night, for the sakeof doing something interesting before going to bed, I took out the sticker story book gifted by my cousin's wife D. It was a Mowgli story with 75 re-usable stickers. Only hitch is that the stickers don't stick back on the original location. I thought we will just read the story without messing with the stickers. To be honest I had thought the sticker thing to be a waste, thinking the kids at this age would hardly be able to connect and would tear the stickers or spoil them by folding and causing them to stick. But after I started reading to them, I thought what the heck and showed them that they had to match the illustrations in the story with the sticker on the sticker sheet. I showed them how to peel the stickers and allowed them to peel off themslves by peeling an edge for them first. I was frankly surprised that the kids were able to match the right sticker. I had clearly underestimated them. Initially I took pains to set right the stickers that were put crooked but on the right spot (another surprise for me). A page later thy were placing th stickers nearly correct. The only problem was that I was asking them to alternatly find and stick stickers and they would say very sweetly now Ojas then Tejas (will peel and stick stickers) but every time one took th chance the other screamed and rolled on the bed, especially Ojas. And they referred to Mowgli as Jungli and Baaloo as Teddy and the Wolves as Dog. So I am off to buy two things today- more sticker books (I have 2 more with me) and more Jungli story books.

Note- We were declared clean yesterday- my car passed the Emission test - one of the many things our office takes care off. It is annually organised in office as part of save the environment drive.

Humour in the Family- Hindi

मेरा कजिन आर- मैं तुम्हें दाद देता हूँ।
मैं ख़ुशी से मुस्कुरा दीं।
मेरा कजिन आर- और साथ में खाज और खुजली.

cannot translate this in english

नाक कटी / Nose Cut

मैं अपने भाई से- मेरा लेटेस्ट लेख पढा?
भाई- क्यों, अखबार है क्या, जो ताज़ा खबर पढना चाहिए ?
(मेरा पहला हिंदी लेख!)


Me to my brother R- Did you read my latest post?
Brother- Why is it a newspaper that I should read the latest news everyday?
(My first Hindi post!)