Celebrating Kati Bihu

No paddy field to lit ‘Aakakh Banti’ (Sky candle) here, but just tried to keep the culture somehow…, celebrating ‘Kati Bihu’ today.

Nostalgic enough!!!!…..What were those days, when we all kids were so excited to set new Tulsi plants in our aangans and clean the roots of the existing plants. Create new muddy space – specially designed earth platform (Tulsi Bheti), or put some tall bamboo stands to lit up the lamps high in the paddy fields. Cut the raw papayas into two pieces, each to make diyas, apart from the earthen ones.

When the sun went down in the western horizon, all used to become busy to lit the lamp under the Tulsi plant, in the boundary gates, inside the kitchen, in the ‘Bhoral’ (paddy storage room) and in the paddy fields.

Once we lit the diyas, we used to do our prayers in front of the Tulsi plant. The rhythm is still resonating in my ears :

“Tulakhir Tole Tole Mriga Pahu sare, 

Taake Dekhi Ramchandrai Hara dhonu dhare…..”

Once the prayers were over at our own house, we used to eat the Prasad…and proceed to others’ house to join the prayers and have the Prasad again……

What a divine ambiance it used to create……!!!

What is the significance of Kati Bihu?

Like Bohag Bihu and Bhugali Bihu, Kati Bihu is also closely related to agriculture. Kati Bihu is celebrated on the first day 'Kati' month in Assamese calendar. It is called ‘Kongali Bihu’ too, and 'Kongal' stands for 'Poor'. So, why it is called Kongali Bihu?  This time of the year witnesses emptiness in the granaries of the hard working cultivators. The paddy grows in the fields and cultivators work hard and eagerly wait for a good harvest.

In the evening, people lit lamps in front of the Tulsi plant. It’s because, the Tulsi plant not only carries medicinal values, but also it is supposed to be very auspicious in Hinduism.

Secondly , in the paddy fields, lamps are lit up high on the tips of tall bamboo stands to worship God for the good health of the crops. Scientifically these lamps used to attract insects of the paddy fields and they fall prey into the fire of these lamps. This helps the crops to be healthy and free from insects. 

Pampers : The Secret to raise a happy and healthy baby

What’s the secret to raise a happy and healthy baby? .......Though there are many reasons behind, one key reason is to give them lots of love, plenty of sleep to grow and develop, and the freedom to play their own way. Don’t you agree?

It was extreme winter of Delhi, when my son was born.  First baby, thus no hands-on experience.  Mom in law was ready with a huge bundle of self-stitched small pieces of cloths : the cute triangular nappies, to give him all comfort. 

Typically, a baby urinates about 12-15 times a day, passing about 60 ml of urine every time. Probably because of the low temperature, my baby used to drench the cloths so frequently that it became unmanageable with the cloths we arranged. My mother in law again had to keep herself busy in tearing her old, comfortable Sarees and stitching small nappies for him, as many as possible. Washing machine was for no use as it would be wastage of electricity and water, to wash so small pieces, so many times in a day. So, my maid also became a bit irritated and kept planning for putting her request for appraisal. I and hubby forgot to sleep continuously for more than an hour or two, as we had to give alternate duty to keep checking every hour if the baby was drenching the nappy.

One month was over. We went to the doctor for regular check-up and his vaccination. Very embarrassingly, he took the opportunity to wet the Saree of the doctor too.

Thank God! The doctor was lovely enough. She suggested us to use diaper with a good smile. We didn’t tell her that Mom and Mom in law were dead-against the diapers. The concept they used to give that a baby’s skin is the door to the unfamiliar world around and we should give the baby comfort as much as possible only with natural stuff.

Me and my hubby were confused, but at last decided to take the risk. We bought a pack of ten diapers of Pampers. We started putting him on diaper during the night without informing anybody, like thieves. And, in the morning, my hubby used to throw them out in the nearby park dustbin. We started having good sleep at night, after long time. The baby stopped crying during the night, except if he was hungry. We could see the difference clearly. Gradually, we started explaining the benefits of putting diapers in front of Mom-in law, and she also started accepting with rolling of time. We continued putting him in diapers till he was potty-trained properly.

I don’t know how to say a BIG THANK YOU to PAMPERS! But, it has an amazing contribution in my baby’s early years.

As a Thank You note to Pampers, I just wanted to put this information in my Blogsite, so that the moms who visit my website can take a reference from a Mom who already used it:

Pampers really understands that as babies grow, develop and explore their worlds, they need a diaper that allows them to move freely by providing a great fit while staying dry. 

Recently, I was thinking to present something to one of my good friends’ new born baby. I could not find anything else better than gifting some packets of Pampers. I researched a bit before buying the packets as it’s been at least two years since I bought the last pack of diapers.

Pampers recently launched its new and improved Pampers Cruisers diapers with Extra Absorb Channels™ that help little ones stay drier and do not sag like ordinary diapers*.

In a recent survey1, Pampers found that more than 80% of moms who notice sag are bothered by saggy diapers, and that more than three-quarters of moms (78%) feel that saggy diapers can weigh their babies down. The three-channel absorbent core design in new Pampers Cruisers responds to this parent insight and represents four years of research and development. After testing the new Pampers Cruisers, moms shared that the new diaper allowed their babies to move more freely with 89% stating that it reduced bulkiness between the legs, and 91% saying it distributed and locked wetness evenly.

About New Pampers Cruisers Diapers with Extra Absorb Channels™

New and improved Pampers Cruisers diapers have three separate channels in the diaper core that help distribute wetness evenly from front to back – unlike ordinary diapers which have one unstructured core. The new design provides a noticeably better fit and doesn’t sag like ordinary diapers*, allowing babies to move to their own beat without restriction. Pampers Cruisers feature fun Sesame Street® character designs and include wide, stretchy sides to help the diaper stay in place and flex comfortably with baby’s every move, for up to 12 hours of protection and Pampers best fit and dryness. While the design of Pampers Cruisers has changed, the diapers are made from the same safe and mild materials as before.

New Pampers Swaddlers also feature Extra Absorb Channels and are Even Softer

Pampers also announces new Pampers Swaddlers diapers, which also have Extra Absorb Channels™ along with a new outer cover that is even softer than current Pampers Swaddlers. Pampers Swaddlers is the #1 choice of U.S. hospitals** and continues to provide a wetness indicator and absorb away liner on all sizes for up to 12 hours of comfort and protection.

New Pampers Cruisers are available now in sizes 3-6 and new Pampers Swaddlers are available now in sizes P-6 at retailers nationwide and online at www.pampers.com. To learn more about Pampers, please visit www.pampers.com and www.Facebook.com/Pampers.

Is there anything you would love more than being with your baby, dancing, playing and just acting silly together???

This post is a part of the Pampers #SoftestForBabySkin activity at BlogAdda

Nexus 5X is the Champ

“Momie, I became the Editor of the literary group."  Mom was quite happy to share the news with me. 

"Wow Mom, that's a great news!"

"Hmm...but I will have to gather news for the upcoming Magazine, as we are very few people in the editorial team.... I think I will have to buy a camera…..” 

My mom shared the news last week, while I was struggling hard what should I buy for mom this Durga Puja.  

Yes! We have a tradition of gifting something to our loved ones on the special occasion, if we are earning. And so, this phone call solved a big problem of mine,  saving my time to come up to a decision. I decided to present a good mobile with good quality camera to Mom, whereas the price should also be worth according to its specifications. 

So, my expedition started. Started googling! Whatsapping on groups, started taking opinions.

Many guys referred Nexus 5X.  I explored, deep-dived on all features.

I watched this Video on Youtube.

So, what were the main features and functionalities which attracted me ?

First feature which could strike my mind is : Nexus 5X is a powerful camera that catches more light. It not only shines in low-light conditions, but its larger 1.55μm pixels capture more light even in the dimmest conditions to produce stunning details and sharp images. With a faster Google Camera app, one will never miss a moment, and with the smart Google Photos app, one’s memories are easy to relive and always at your fingertips.

Secondly, we waste lots of time in searching some particular photographs sometimes. Nexus 5X has such a feature that all photos are organized and easy to find.  Google Photos is a new way to store, search, and share all photos and videos. Store an unlimited amount of photos and videos at high quality for free, and access them anywhere. They are automatically organized and searchable by the people, places, and things in them.

Thirdly, its easy to carry, high in performance. It offers top-line performance in a compact, lightweight device that's ready to go anywhere, anytime. Beneath the 5.2-inch display is a hexa-core Snapdragon 808 processor for world-class speed at an affordable price.

Besides, it is built to get the best out of the world's most popular OS, Nexus is the ultimate Android experience. You're always among the first to receive software and security updates1. And you'll have the freshest, fastest version—Android 6.0 Marshmallow—working for you right out of the box.

And the last, but not the least, Nexus comes with the best Google apps pre-installed, so it's ready to use right out of the box. Search, Maps, Chrome, YouTube, Gmail, Drive, and so much more-ready for you to enjoy on your phone. And with Google Play Store you can access your favorite digital entertainment. Choose from millions of apps, books, songs, movies, and games.

Can something else be better gift for my Editor Mom??? ….No, Never, Nehi…Nahai, at least for this Durga Puja!!!! :) :) :)

I am participating in the #ChampIsBack activity at BlogAdda