Tinkle Buddy Box

On 18th of April 2017, we were returning from a tiresome road journey back from Gujarat in this sweltering heat. 

We had chores lined up and a weary body to contend with. My younger one was blissfully active as he had caught up on his sleep in the car! Pleasures of Childhood! The thoughts on how to keep him occupied in the afternoon and get some rest sounded like two conflicting goals. 

But someone up there conspired to alleviate my misery. On our doorstep was a delivery boy, waiting with a box of Tinkle Buddy Box. 

I simply told him it was a pre-birthday gift arranged by his Angels. Kids love surprises and mine is no exception. After the mandatory bath, he settled with his Buddy Box and was engrossed happily for at least three hours. To my relief, I got my dream nap undisturbed and without having to worry over him. 

So, I would like to share in his words his opinions on the world he discovered in that box. A journey in the words of an eleven year old rather than an intellectual dissection by a 40+ worldly wise woman who has lost the innocent childlike wonder. 

The box comes in bright colours and neatly packed stuff. We will take the tour as it unfolded. However, there is a cute introductory booklet by Suppandi giving a peek into the various activities rolled into the box.

Being an Avid Reader, naturally he gravitated to The Tinkle Super Special Book which is 192 pages filled with pure entertainment. Central characters being Shikari Shambhu, Suppandi and hilarious accounts of their (mis)adventures which sure tickled his funny bones. It is loaded with Trivia that added to his general knowledge and made for a great Quiz to let us know we are so ignorant! It added to my repertoire of a few things that I should have known but forgotten. 

Tinkle Holiday Special Book was labelled by him as a sombre affair of Adventures by Aliens, inanimate objects like batteries, slippers and ancient objects like mummies.

His vote for the favourite one goes to Tinkle Super Special!

The next to grab his attention was the Tinkle Board Game akin to the good ol' Snakes and Ladders. It comes with its own flavour of fun. The green fibre Dice almost looked like a Candy to him and we did pull his leg to not gobble it accidentally! Our punishment for the teasing was we as a family had to set aside our time to play the Board game. As a family, it turned around as a Fun Bonanza of peals of laughter. The varying and cute penalties won his heart! He happily coloured himself a black moustache. 

I, happily, discovered I could recite the table of eight but also haltingly (much to my chagrin). The material of Board game however is not likely to last the rough and tumble of this eleven year old who thinks it can be utilised and moved around as he wants (sometimes drumming on it lightly to sometimes pushing it around). I would settle for a  little tougher material but all in all it makes an interesting family game of leg pulling and surprises. 

He and his elder brother together endeavored to put together the Shambhu's Adventure Jigsaw Puzzle. It contains 108 pieces. It took them around 30 odd minutes to bicker, poke fun, call each other mild names to get it all into a pleasant and complete picture. 

The stickers, however, did come out and will not last more than few uses. They aim to take lesser time the next time around.

Being a DIY guy, next he picked up the Super Special Activity Booklet. There are 16 fun activities using paper, pencil, glue, bottles, straws, scissors, books to make handy stuff for use, for example, a cute little pencil box and a snaky card. He plans to attempt few more in days to come. 

His delightful squeal at the Tinkle Badges of his favourite characters like Wingstar, Defective Detectives, Shambhu and his ludicrous Suppandi, had to be heard and enjoyed. 

The Tinkle Paper Plane Activity was the quickest to reach its conclusion and also reached its perishable end pretty fast. That is how eleven-year-olds operate I guess! 

The Tinkle Card Game features Suppandi, Shambhu, Tantri in various colour codes. Two to six can play it. The twosome brothers had fun combining them colour-wise and character-wise. Quite some noise emanated in form of giggles while forming rules or dealing cards. He says "It is an eye stimulation game".

Suppandi's Auto Rickshaw Box: It has twin activity of creating its shape and colouring it intricately. It sure promises hours of creative, crazy affair with imaginations and colours. It has to be folded and creased. A boon for a mother who wants to be left alone to do her chores without supervising every move. It is pre-cut and pre-creased. No need for cutting and using scissors. What relief!
All in all it was an engrossing buddy for my little one. 

The box comes in with a Subscription form and a special introductory discount offer price for a period of six and three months. 

Fills up hours of an active kid's daily vacation schedule with a little family time thrown in the Board game and lot of "Me" time reading and making stuff as instructed.

By Sonnal Pardiwala

Heal Like An Indian - #MoreIndianThanYouThink

Mumbai, after New Delhi, received "Lufthansa's A350-900 Airbus". Lufthansa launched its most modern and environment-friendly flight from Munich to Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport. My heart received this news with a nod and shake of appreciation. India is getting its fair share of attention and is a globally coveted destination. 

What grabbed my attention, though, was the TV Commercial on "Be like Indian" ,"Think like Indian" ,"Eat like Indian", "Dance like Indian"!

For those few moments brought ponderous thoughts and a tug of pride at being an Indian. Worldwide our habits, our methodologies, our philosophies are being observed and seriously considered worth emulating. This country is a system in itself where civilizations have left footprints that can guide us for eons to come. 

What Resonates in the Commercial is the call to Be like an Indian in all ways possible and be an invincible force to reckon with. 

I would like to add another simple, winning line: 

"Heal like an Indian" 

There is a deep truth and message of peaceful healing and going back to roots experience I share here. 

Eight years back, my mom was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Busy as I was in raising my kids and tending to my young family, I barely contributed much to her well being, thinking I was just one of the three daughters, there were others who should or would take care. Besides, my father was there to take all decisions. 

I blindly followed the dictates of Doctors as she underwent Splenectomy, where the Cancer had spread. OK, surgery done, immediate threat resolved! All went back to their regular life, without much thought. Doctors had warned of a possible relapse but well, I and others in the family thought it was a distant future. I did not sit back and guide my mother about natural alternatives nor peeked much into her life.

I was busy, you see.

The insidious thing struck again this February in the form of lumps in the Lymph nodes. Diagnosis shook us out of our self imposed, selfish and self-deceptive lethargic frame.

I stood trembling at the verdict- Stage 4 of Peripheral T cell Lymphoma. Being a Heart patient, even the Chemotherapy would have to delete few drugs reducing its efficacy further. 

Doctor's opinion was that she had a year or less left. Chemotherapy would create little more Longevity but side effects galore! 

"How do you say Goodbye to your mom?"

"How Selfish I was to overlook my own mother's deteriorating health!?"

Guilt, remorse, self deprecation all washed through me.
My mom, not very educated was blissfully, unaware of her state till then. The first episode was kept a secret from her but now we had to tell her!

Tell her, you have less time left on this earth...with us...

Her tears streamed with tons of emotions, regret at unaccomplished things, agony of Days to come. 

Her first fear she put in front of me.

"I will not do Chemo! I do not want to go through all that radiation, burns, hairloss!"

This time I vowed to myself, I will be in this with her. I wanted her last days to be peaceful and hopeful. I along with my sisters will find a way to heal her or at least reduce her pain as much as possible. Her strong principles do not allow her to camp at her daughters house except those enforced medical diagnosis days of assessments and subsequent mandatory rest. She needed a place to stay without responsibility of daily cooking and chores, her heart needed hope and an alternative to Chemotherapy. 

That is where the "Heal Like Indian" adage made inroads to my heart. 

I began searching ways that will help her. Her frail body was too weak to implement yoga and diet restrictions already in place we could hardly get or risk trying. 

I had to find something that will deeply resonate and find a niche in her Indian heart. 

Then I hit upon with blessings a natural method that would perfectly serve her needs and give her hope and an alternative to the painful Chemo treatment. 

She is a rural-bred soul, that grew up with cows and fields. 

She revered cows and had an affinity for them from childhood. Not only was it an object of her religious worship, but also a source of nutrition. Floors were adorned with natural paste of sand, cow-dung and dry grass. Fields were made rich with their manure. 

Just the right source to submit, for her to heal. 

We found therapy based on using Cow products and as she applied diligently, she felt her weakness episodes reduce and appetite return. Though we realized, she needed complete rest and freedom from the feeling that Cancer was a punishment for her  misdeeds! Her stress mounted as the full impact of her condition began dawning and so the waterfall of her tears. She needed a break and healthy dose of reassurance that she is not alone.

We found an authorised Institute in the State of Gujarat that offered an 11-day retreat using  Panchgavya therapy. They made their syrups, packs, medicines made of all substances derived from the cow. They offer free services right from purified water with Tulsi leaves to specially cooked food to medicines made lovingly by their compassionate Souls that believe in "Service to Humanity", their biggest goal. They have  group discussions on people sharing their experiences with this debilitating disease called Cancer, their symptoms, their attempts at finding a cure. A small little community enclosed in that caring space which says that you can heal this dreadful army of cancerous growth. 

As I write this blog, she is in her fourth day of retreat with my sister pampering her. Her misgivings replaced by hope as many like her share and partake of this selfless service we call "Seva". 

Yes, India has a legacy of healing the natural way and offering "Seva" with a pure heart. It is all encompassing and all embracing. Ever since she started the treatment, she feels empowered.

Ever since she heard of the institute, it was her last vestige of hope of a painless death. 

These compassionate souls who have created this space out of benevolent intentions to help heal and cure. No material benefits are solicited - only a heartfelt need to alleviate suffering and allay fears in those hearts that were losing the last vestiges of life control. 

I do not know how long will my mom live but I know she will live feeling empowered to be able to give a tough fight to the undisciplined army of cells gnawing away her body. 

This touch of 'Karuna' has enhanced her and re-instilled in me, my faith in my Indian roots. 

When your health seems to spiral out of your control, I would boom. A therapy fountain springs in every corner of India! 

If you want to beat a Disease... Well...You have to "Heal like an Indian".

Have a look at what Lufthansa has to offer...definitely #MoreIndianThanYouThink: bit.ly/2oQTj8q

Babies made a human out of Me.

Till I discovered I was pregnant, I was a carefree and a reckless woman in my twenties. The moment I was told, I had a life within me, lots of emotions sprung forth. Fear of losing the baby to miscarriage as I lost the first one. Anxiety, to even go to the washroom or even move from bedrest zone more than necessary…

As self-fulfilling prophecies go, I indeed landed up in the hospital. From a rational and modern person, I became God fearing. Pleading to every faith I knew. Cajoling and coaxing and negotiating with Gods to bring my little one safe in my hands. My ordeal was further complicated with a premature arrival of my son. Since he had breathing issues he was in the incubator. To feed him I had to get up and go from my bed to the room. 

And a Mom was born! 
I had just had a C-Section and my entire lower abdomen was seized with excruciating pain. To go there I had to walk up. My baby was hungry! 
THERE WAS NO CHOICE! 
Gathering every vestige of will power that I never thought I possessed, I got up and walked like the mermaid who walked on pins. Every two hours, I had to struggle with my exhaustion and pain but the rewarding gaze of my baby on me filled me up with so much love. It defined what complete trust of another being on you meant. When I sat in the sterile incubator room with my little one suckling, all the pain seem to be non-existent. Only my gurgling angel's sleepy gaze! I fondly locked onto his satisfied smile. I knew in that moment I would die for him, endure for him and take on the world for him. 
Having a baby changes everything they say, and every bit of it is true. 
A whole new perspective emerged into doing everything. My little one was so precious for me that I learned to question tradition where his comfort mattered.
Sorry to disappoint all. I and my cutie pie slept soundly and he was toilet trained by two and a half, happily as mommy had never made eliminating waste an over the top issue. It was a quite routine between me and my husband and my son. One of us took turns in changing diapers, putting him to sleep, telling stories, feeding during weaning. Raising our kid was a new level of growing as literal partners for both of us. We became inventors, storytellers and questionnaires. We responded differently now to so many situations and could tell a ritual for its validity or its obsoleteness. 

Birth of my second one brought out the confident woman in me. Knowing this will be the last time I ever shall be pregnant I took happier decisions like changing doctors who would look at me with compassion and not a patient. I assertively expressed my needs and assured the doctor to be ‘calm’ when the second one declared a premature arrival. I told the doctor to go ahead and operate without fear. We had a cool chat over the entire surgery in the wee hours of early morning. 

Medical situation struck at our little heaven. The elder one diagnosed with a condition that had no allopathic cure or answer. Tradition suggested continuous blood tests to monitor his situation. Again the mother had to think, behave and respond differently. Spiritual learning gave mental reserves to cope with the panicky situation. As a mom I gave into understanding why a condition came up and what can be done. I could see the results of healing.
Schooling brought joy as well as other set of challenges and when their comfort was compromised well. By now you know how we as parents innovate and question! We found the school system redundant and literally have walked out of the system. All I will tell is that as an external candidate my elder one topped the ‘Mumbai Division’ with 94%! 

The only aim was to build a life that was happier for them. One that kept them away from discomfort... Systems that were obsolete we discarded to bring in newer paradigms...

We learned to create a dialogue for discipline and never coercion. 
All I will say is the moment we held our extension, a journey began... towards self-reliance and newer discoveries. 
Yes, having a baby changes you! You transform into a human being who thinks first for the baby and then for yourself. Through the diapers and feeds, homework and bruises, certificates, awards and degrees you are a resource... A parent… A formidable force that moulds a baby into an individual... For them you would take on the world... And change the world a little, if need be…
Work is still in progress and shall ever be...

So, I went on to lock horns with the ‘massage woman’ when she picked up my bundle with unhygienic hands and when he cried in the massage I refused her help. My own mom argued that his bones shall be weak, he will not sleep and that he will be overburdened.

Outsourced massage is the norm. Not for me. I took up massage of my little one and was rewarded with a cooing bonding and a super great ritual. Questioning and arguing continued over many things. Supplement breastfeeding with water and jaggery and honey. My doctor had warned not to give anything. I dug my heels and refused outside food. Only breastfeeding if required only breastfeeding it will be. My mom frowned as it was unheard of a woman to refuse the advice and ‘burden’ oneself so. Of course I went onto reject their cloth pad for a diaper so that he sleeps soundly. It was ‘waste of money’ and lead to bad toilet habits, according to them. 

I had few doubts though as to will I be able to love my second one with equal fervour. All disappeared when I held him, yes, a son this time around too. This time I was wide awake to feed him immediately. I took the sterner decision to not go to my maternal place for ‘resting’.  I chose to rest with my little supportive family who was my support system throughout. We celebrated at McDonald’s on the sixth day of his birth. As a family we flourished together and cared together. 

As doctor trembled at the blood tests fearing dire circumstances and my three years old stood silently without any said effects. The agony of regular pricks hurt me more than any pain I have ever gone through. I chose to walk out of a leading haematologist’s cabin with my ill-treated baby and look for another one. Further questioned and decided to stop the tests and focus only on our new found faith. He is 15 today and still has the condition but totally healthy and fit. 

Education was not in the books but the approach inculcated. My younger one happily home-schools and enjoys every bit of his life. 

From the first tryst with parenthood in April 2001, till today we have come a long way. Things we adapted and never questioned, at the mere frown of our little dudes we went into reforming and restructuring. 

Candle Messages!

Worshipping Deities with the help of an agency of fire is Universal. From Diya made in ghee or oil to Candles! Hindus believe that Fire is an agency that takes our messages to Gods. Christians use Candles to achieve the same.
Candles enjoy widespread popularity not only for religious purpose but also for Meditation. From Candle lit dinners to Healers Circle, candles have become the Mainstay of expression. It has become an industry. It has become the Coveted accessory to decorate a space, to cleanse the space and illuminate both hearts and souls.

 
Often, I 'm asked which colour candle to use?
The General rule is use whatever is available. Praying, sending out your intent is more important than obsessing over colours.
However, if it is possible, if you can plan in advance or you can collect and keep, it is a good idea to co ordinate colours with the intent vibrations that you wish to Manifest.
Below is a quick Reckoner.
White Candles are multi purpose. They can be put to use for all purposes.
*Light up the Candle to Cleanse a space.

* Affirm that  the Candle clears residual energies and uplifts the vibrations of the place it is kept.

*Alternatively you can anoint the Candle with Essential oils and/or herbs that will add to the Cleansing power of the Candle.

The Colours

Pink: Love, Romance and creating friendly vibrations with people. Pink is the softest and mushiest color in all shades. So any shade of Pink will do. Light it up and send loving wishes to the special person in your life. Use in a pair of two for special rendez-vous.

Blue : Peace, healing and Cooling of frayed energies. Whenever you sense discordant vibrations, it is a good practice to light up a blue Candle and pray for stabilising them.

Yellow: Memory, Will power and Determination. Students will benefit if they meditate under the aura of a yellow Candle.

Green: Prosperity and fertility. In order to invite money energy and opportunities that bring abundance, Meditate with a Green Candle to attract wealth.

Orange: Confidence, Courage and Stress release are areas which needs this colour

Red: Active Energy boosts and Passion are areas where red lends its much required energy.

Purple:Communicating to Higher forces deepens with the focused field of this vibrant colour.

Using candles can be pleasing. If you focus, they communicate a lot about your intent and how likely are you to manifest your heart's desire. I share some pointers and messages that the Candles convey. However, there are factors such as quality of wicks used, the wind in the room etc. Assuming all of the above variables are stable, observing your candle can be fruitful.

*If the candle crackles upon lighting, the forces are working on overcoming the obstacles in the way. Be patient.

*If the Candle emits black fumes, negative energies are being escorted away.

*If it emits white fumes, there is opposing forces to your desire. They need additional prayers.

*If the candle flame is towards you, your prayers will be answered and you will meet with success and if flame is away from you, it warns of testing times and calls for perseverance

*A weak flame points to heavier work in your Manifestation and that extra work is needed in fulfilling your wishes. Results will be slow in coming. Patience and Tenacity is required.

Every tool given to us has a message. Ask the Candles you light to connect you to Source and Make you a Clear Channel that wishes for Higher Good of all involved.
May the Candle you light illuminate your path and fulfill all your wishes.
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BY
Sonnal Pardiwala.