So called Online Classes in Lockdown

    With the emergence of Covid-19, we have come across with some new words like lockdown, quarantine, social distancing, online classes etc. etc. Oh yes! I have so much to say about the fuss of these online classes as I am experiencing it since last year and don't know how long these kids have to bear this pain of having online classes. Yes, to me the online classes are no more an enjoyment to the little ones. I always believe in fun learning, which should be the best approach to nurture a child. It's the best way to motivate the young minds to more and more innovative ways of learning. 

    But when I see my son attending his class since 7.25 in the morning without any motivation & zeal to learn something new, I really feel sorry for him. It's very painful to see your child unhappy and dis-satisfied. With so many classes each day along with endless projects, assessments and exams during this pandemic, when they are unable to go out and stucked up at home for more than one year, are we not suffocating them ? Is it the way we should raise our little ones ?  When kids are missing the enjoyable aspects of going to school is it not the responsibility of the teachers to make online learning something innovative ? No, they are only focussed on finishing the syllabus and making them learn but not at all bothered about how to learn. Nobody cares about their mental health. Lectures are being given on improving their mental health, but have we ever asked what makes them happy ? Months after months everyday they see their friends on the other side of the screen, but still can't talk to them, can't share the tiffin, can't even say hello to them. The young ones are in more distressed condition than us during this pandemic situation. 

    We adults are only respinsible for the behavioural change of these kids during lockdown. On one hand we are asking them to reduce the screen time, not to play video game on mobile, not to explore with these electronic gadgets, but we are the ones who expect an eight year old to attend the online classes on his own, handle the laptop & mobile on his own, make pdf files on his own and mail it back to teachers. Are we not hypocrites ? What a stupid education system we are coping up with. With so much burden of studies without any outdoor activities, we are really snatching their childhood. If this continues, its a real worry about the future of our next generation.

Kids in Lockdown

We all are going through a strange phase of our lives during this lockdown period. It is putting an immense stress not only on adults but also to the kids, who are neither allowed to go to school, nor even going outside to play.
  Having a 7 year old kid at home, I can feel how this lockdown has brought an extreme hardship to these little ones. Getting up early in the morning, going to school, studying and playing with friends there, is a major part of a school going kid and suddenly when this schedule changes, their whole world has changed. Yes, kids love waking up late and staying home with parents, but when this weekend fun becomes a regular routine, even they start feeling bored.
The extended period of lockdown  all over the world has led the education sector to start online classes, though in a country like India it is not possible for all the students to be a part of online learning. Even though who are lucky to have the facility of online learning, every morning attending  online classes is becoming scary due to various network issues.
 A child is happy when he goes to school and meet his friends and teachers personally. But this pandemic has changed their daily routine. They are too small to learn everything virtually.  They could see their friends on the computer screen, but still they cant talk to them. They cant give a hug to their besties. Its really sad for them. Kids are immensely missing all the fun they have at school.
Though the kids are having their music classes, drawing classes & dance classes online, they cant join the games classes. They cant go outside to play with a ball. Playing outside in open air, not only improves their physical & mental health, but also develop essential social skills, which kids in lockdown are being deprived off.
Since they are spending the whole day at home, kids are more prone to watch television, mobile phones and playing video games. And cutting down the screen time for the sake of their health without any fight has become a great challenge for the parents, at present.
With the emergence of lockdown, everyday my son asks when the lockdown will be over and he can go outside. He still believes that after summer vacation his school will be re-opened and finally he could visit his new class. For every kid, this year's summer holidays will be different. They cant go on a vacation, they cant go outside to meet their loved ones, they cant go out for a movie and have their favourite Pizza and even cant step out from home to breathe a fresh air. 
Kids can not express their stress, anxiety & loneliness as we can. But still self isolation is posing a psychological effect on these young minds. They don't know how this Covid 19 has threatened our lives &  economy. They don't know about the vulnerable condition of migrant labour and how thousands of people in India are starving these days, they only know that a Virus has changed their daily lives and  the Zombie virus is taking away all the fun they could have. So its our duty to make them understand that even if the crisis is over and we are back to our normal lives, our lives will never be as normal as before.

আমার মা

 মায়ের জন্য কোন আলাদা দিন বা দিবসের প্ৰয়োজন পরে না।  মা কে মনে করতে বা ভালবাসতে হলে মাতৃ দিবস পালন করতে হয় না।  তবুও মনে হল, যে মানুষটির জন্য আজ আমার অস্তিত্ব এই পৃথিবীতে , যার অক্লান্ত পরিশ্রমে আজ আমি বড় হলাম, তাকে নিয়ে দু চার কথা আজ লিখতে ইচ্ছে করল।  

ছোট থেকেই আমি বড্ড বেশি 'মা' 'মা' করি।  মা যেহেতু স্কুল শিক্ষিকা ছিলেন , এখনো মনে আছে আমি তখনো স্কুলে ভর্তি হইনি , তাই প্রতিদিন মা  যখন স্কুলে চলে যেত ভোরবেলা আমি কাঁদতাম আর প্রতিদিন আমার ঠাকুমা আমার কান্না থামাতো।  তার পর মা যখন স্কুল থেকে ফিরে আসত , তখন কি আনন্দই না হত।   তারপর যখন স্কুলে ভর্তি হলাম , একটু বড় হলাম , তখন আবার স্কুল থেকে ফিরে বাড়িতে মা কে দেখতে না পেলে খুব রাগ হত।  এখনো মনে পড়ে বেশ অনেক বড় বয়স অবধি আমি কোথাও থেকে বাড়ি ফিরে যদি মা কে দেখতে না পেতাম খুব রাগ হত  আর কষ্ট পেতাম।  

ছোট থেকেই মায়ের কাছে আর যাই কর পড়াশুনো করাটা ছিল খুব ইম্পরট্যান্ট। সন্ধেবেলা ঘড়িতে ৬ টা  বাজা  মানেই বই খাতা নিয়ে পড়তে বসে যাওয়া। আর ছোট থেকেই আমি খুব ফাঁকি বাজে ছিলাম , পড়াশোনাটা যতটা কম করা যায় আরকি। এই নিয়ে কম বকুনি খাইনি।  তাই সব সময় বলতাম ' উফ , কারুর মা যেন স্কুল টিচার না হয় '........ শুধু পড়ার বই নয় , গল্পের বই থেকে শুরু করে যেকোন ম্যাগাজিন পড়ার নেশা আছে মায়ের। প্রতি বছর বই মেলা থেকে অনেক বই কিনে দিত, যাতে আমার আর দিদির মধ্যেও বই পড়ার ভালবাসাটা জন্মায়।  

আজ  বুঝতে পারি  পড়াশোনার প্রতি যেটুকু ভালবাসা জন্মেছে তা , মায়ের জন্যই। এখনো মা পড়াশুনো নিয়ে থাকতে ভালোবাসে।  এখনো দেখি অবসর সময় মা হয় বই পড়ছে বা খবরের কাগজ।  এখনো মা সারাদিন খবরের কাগজের শব্দ-জব্দ করে সময় কাটায়।  বাংলা পড়তে গিয়ে এখনো যখন কোন কিছু বুঝতে অসুবিধা হয় , মা ই একমাত্র ভরসা।  

সবচেয়ে ভাল লাগার বিষয় ছিল মা আমাদের খুব বিশ্বাস করত।  মাকে ভয় পেলেও বন্ধুর মতন সব কথা মায়ের সঙ্গে শেয়ার করতাম।  এখনো সেই অভ্যাসটা  রয়ে গেছে।  

আজ মা আছে বলেই অনেক বাধা বিঘ্ন ও সমস্যার মধ্যেও আমি আমার প্রফেশন করতে পারছি।  দীর্ঘ সময় ছেলেকে বাড়িতে রেখে বাইরে কর্মরত থাকতে পারছি কেবল মায়ের জন্যই।  জানি আমার থেকেও মা বেশি খেয়াল রাখবে ওর ।  

আজ যেটুকু যা হতে পেরেছি তা কেবল বাবা মায়ের জন্য।  বাবার অবদানও কিছু কম নয়।  মাতৃ দিবস বলে যে শুধু মায়ের কথাই বলবা তা নয়।  

তবে মায়ের জায়গা কেও  কোনদিন নিতে পারবে না।  মায়ের ভূমিকা আমার জীবনে যা, তা দু চার কথায় লিখে ব্যক্ত করা অসম্ভব।  

আমার মা ই আমার  অনুপ্রেরণা । যদিও অসম্ভব তবুও চাইবো মা চিরটাকাল যেন আমার সঙ্গে থাকে।      

Life in Lockdown

My City of Joy has never been so quiet before. Being one of the citizens of the 1.3 billion people in lockdown, I am scared, I am restless and I am worried. The virus has threatened our lives and livelihoods and making us paranoid. Even after so many days of lockdown we are on the edge of uncertainty, unable to plan for the coming days. I cant be fearless, undeterred and unbiased anymore for whatever happening around us.  

Our life has changed since the emergence of the virus, sometimes it makes me feel that time has stopped for us. Days are passing by, but we are still on the same lane, neither moved forward nor backwards. 

Being a parent makes the job tougher. The sudden shut down of schools due to coronavirus has led the parents quarantined at home with the kids for an unending period and keeping them engaged & amused through out the day is indeed a big challenge. Though its a lovely opportunity for kids to spend the whole time with their parents, yet its not so easy to keep them boosted up all the time, when we know that we are going through a pandemic.

Since online classes have started, everyday after waking up I keep on watching my watch so that my son doesn't miss his classes. Above all the poor internet connection is an added stress to these online classes. Every kid I am sure becomes irritated if he cant join his classes on time and get distracted with the disturbance of network. 

Besides, giving the whole time & energy to the kids, since morning we are busy doing the various household chores. All our schedules have changed within the four walls of the house. Washing our hands and sanitizing the things are playing a major role in our life. The daily scene of my neighbourhood has changed. Instead of people going out for schools & offices in the morning they are now busy buying fruits & vegetables from the trolley standing in front of their houses, storing the groceries, medicines and other essentials with the fear of shortage of anything at anytime. 

I miss my work, I miss those noise of Court Premises, I miss wearing my black coat, and I  am desperately missing my busy schedule of the day. Spending so much time on social net working sites has become no other option left when you are stuck inside the house. 

I miss the loud sounds of various television serials coming from the nearby houses in the evening. It seems they too are keeping an eye on the screen for virus updates. The only topic that we are discussing at home is about covid19 and the only channels we are watching at home are news channels which are becoming disgusting day by day. In order to take any sound decision, the society must require a consensus of truth and for common people news media is the only gateway to know the truth. Unfortunately the biased & unfair news sources these days are making us more panic-stricken. I believe polarized news are more dangerous during an emergency situation, that we are facing right now. When the politicians of the country are more worried about their political future and profits, even during such a pandemic, I doubt, how secured we are in this country. Our future is in great danger. Unaware of the actual data and the present scenario.

Since childhood I have heard that in times of need, when we are in danger, when we are in fear, we should stay together, but this vulnerable disease has made us apart from each other. We keep on maintaining social distance with each other when we need each others support the most. Some are  unfortunate enough of not being able to say the final good-bye to their loved ones on their death beds. 

Amidst all these, I am borrowing my strength from the doctors and other health workers who are fighting in the fore front, I am gaining strength from those people who are associated with essential services and going out everyday, I get my strength from the sweeper whom I see everyday cleaning the neighbourhood and above all with the hope that someday we will get a way out to fight with this stupid virus. Perhaps God is testing our patience & tolerance of being human, but I am eagerly waiting for the day when we will wake up one day without the fear of getting infected and will be back to our normal schedule of the day.

শুভ নববর্ষ

আজ নববর্ষ।  বাংলা  ১৪২৭ সন। ঠিক বুঝে উঠতে পারছি না আজ কাউকে নববর্ষের শুভেচ্ছা জানানোর সময়  শুভ কথাটি বলব কিনা।  আজ তো আমাদের  সময় শুভ  নয়। আজ আমরা সবাই দাঁড়িয়ে আছি এক রণক্ষেত্রে।  যুদ্ধ করছি এমন এক জীবাণুর সঙ্গে যাকে আমরা সাধারণ চোখ দিয়ে দেখতে পাচ্ছি  না।   ভয় ভয় দিন  কাটাচ্ছি আর আশা করছি এমন একটি  ওষুধ বা ভ্যাকসিন এর , যেটি আবিষ্কার হলেই হয়তো আমরা স্বস্তির নিঃস্বাস ফেলব।  

নববর্ষ বাঙালিদের এক অন্যতম বড় উৎসব যার তোড়জোড় শুরু হয়ে যায় মাস  খানেক আগে থেকেই। চৈত্রের সেল থেকে শুরু হয়ে যায় রাস্তায় ট্রাফিক জ্যাম, মানুষের কেনাকাটি  আর আনন্দে মাতামাতি।  

কিন্তু এবার নেই কোন সেল , নেই কোন রাস্তায় ভিড় , নেই কোন উল্লাস , নেই কোন মাতামাতি।  এবারের  নববর্ষের দিনে মন্দিরে পুজো  নেই , নেই হালখাতার ভিড় , নেই নতুন জামা পরার আনন্দ। এ এক অদ্ভুত বর্ষ বরন করছি আমরা যেখানে শুধু মাত্র ক্যালেন্ডার এর পাতাটাই বদলে গেল কিন্তু হল না কোন উৎসব।  

আজ এই দিনটাতে ঠিক অন্যান্য বছরের মতন চোখ রাখলাম টিভির পর্দায় তবে সেটা বর্ষ বরনের  কোন প্রোগ্রাম দেখার জন্য নয় , আজ টিভি দেখলাম প্রধান মন্ত্রীর ভাষণ শোনার জন্য আর দেখছি ভারতে আরো কতজন প্রাণ হারালো।   

এখন আমাদের দিন কাটছে বাড়ির চার দেওয়ালের মধ্যে শুধু মাত্র নিজের পরিবারের সঙ্গে।  আজকের দিনটা কেটে যাবে অন্য একটা লকডাউন এর দিনের মতোই।  শুধু বদলে যাবে তারিখটা।  

তবে এত কিছুর মধ্যেও আশা করি  এই দুরদিন আমাদের খুব শীঘ্রই কেটে যাবে , কেটে যাবে আমাদের ভয় , দূর হবে বিষন্নতা , আমরা আবার একদিন ঘুম থেকে উঠে দেখবো নতুন এক পৃথিবীকে আর ফিরে পাবো আমাদের আগের জীবন , যেখানে থাকবে কোলাহল, থাকবে কর্ম ব্যস্ততা , থাকবে জীবনে বাঁচার নতুন আনন্দ।  

সবাইকে নব বর্ষের শুভেচ্ছা।  সুস্থ থাকো।  ভালো থাকো  আর ঘরে থাকো  ।

Staying Positive during Lockdown Days

Almost after 3 years I signed in to my blog to write something to make myself ease. After returning back to India I hardly have time to write anything . Even if I get some time on Sundays I never have the time to sit and write something new due to other responsibilities at home.
But the lockdown days have given me that time and opportunity to again pen down my feelings.
At present all our brains are occupied with this virus and all of us are fighting very hard to get rid off it. Even when I sat to write, nothing came into my mind except this stupid virus.
Since January I was regularly following various posts & news on social media regarding the outbreak of Corona Virus at Wuhan, China. That time only I came to know about the term lockdown and quarantine days. But this virus has kept on worrying me since February when my husband went to Italy for attending a conference and just after two days he returned back from Italy, the news of outbreak of the virus in Italy came forward. Everyone of us at home here in India were praying for his good health and were immensely tensed for the next 14 days. Fortunately everything went well and till now he is fine though the virus has affected badly in Finland too.
 At first I was very depressed to cancel our summer vacation to Europe and really upset for Jojo not being able to meet his father in the coming months. Till then I was worried but not scared.
But gradually the outbreak started in India and the situation became scary too. Slowly I stopped going to work, Jojo's school was shut down and the lockdown days began.
Staying with elderly parents and a 7 year old kid really made me worried about how to manage everything alone. But time and situation teaches us everything. After I stocked the groceries and compulsory medicines for my parents at home and asked the maids to be on leave, I literally locked myself with other members of the house . Still now we are strictly staying at home except stepping out to get the essential commodities that too very rarely.
We have to minimize our needs, we have to make ourselves happy with the basics, we have to make ourselves engaged with various activities at home.
There is no other way to fight this virus except to stay at home and maintaining a physical distance with others.
I am happy to see that many people have started to explore their hobbies like singing, dancing, painting during these days which probably they cant in their hectic schedule.
We are spending quality time with our kids. Everyday I try to explore something new with my son, may be solving a few maths, doing origami, writing a new story, playing carrom, listening to sunday suspense or watching a movie together.
I think I am lucky to stay at home because of those health workers, doctors, police as also various other emergency authorities who are fighting at the forefront.
I think I am lucky as I can maintain my family without going to work during these lockdown days.
Though my husband is staying far away which keeps me worrying all the time, still I think I am lucky as I can take proper care of my parents, being by their side.
Staying positive and staying at home could only help us in this situation.
We all should learn from the kids. If they can manage themselves staying within the four walls of the house why cant we? We should have more patience than them. But unfortunately over the last few days in the social networking sites I have seen people being impatient, frustrated, depressed & bored and posting various such statements to express their anger & fustration.
Those who think they are bored staying at home, please be happy that atleast you are connected to your near and dear ones as also friends on facebook, whatsapp, twitter etc.
Of course not being able to attend office or going out for work is to be worry about but those who think staying at home with family is boring I feel pity on them.
I think Covid-19 has taught us how to live with the basic needs of us, how to stay at home with family on weekends and of course it is a test of patience.
It is a hard time for us but being stressed and being in anxiety would worse the situation and your mood too.
So let's be calm, be positive and fight this war by staying indoors.

Saying Goodbye has always been so painful

My first painful goodbye was at the age of 21 when I waived my mom from the train and left for my studies to Pune. I still remember how my mom was weeping and how I saved my tears till the train left. Still now when I go back home and at the time of returning I feel the same pain but now there are no more tears in my eyes rather I smile back while saying goodbye to them. 

Another painful goodbye I ever said was to my husband when I went to Budapest on a vacation and while I was returning back to India, because we didn't have any idea about when we were going to meet again. The worst part was that I hold back my tears till I left for my flight but while the flight took off I couldn't control my tears. 

But somewhere in my mind I know that though its hard to say goodbyes to your near ones but after few months or may be after a year I am going to meet them again but what about those goodbyes to those people with whom, may be I wont ever meet. The craziest part of life is that people come in and come out of life, neither one is expected but there are some with whom a bond is created and its really really tough to say goodbye to them. Every time while saying the final bye we tend to say that we would meet someday somewhere in future but the truth is that this never happens. They remain in our memories forever. 

When I left college I found saying goodbye to friends is so tough because it is hard to let go those dear ones with whom we spent most of the day, for years. Always thought of how to live without my best friends with whom I meet everyday and share every thing. Still now when I tend to get close to someone, I fear of saying goodbye to them one day. But life goes on and so we. And when you are not in your home town and constantly moving you have to accept this bitter truth.

But its really difficult to make my son realize the reality of life. Since he is now 4 years old, he knows the meaning of friendship. And being in a foreign country with people coming from different places he too has to face the problem of saying goodbye to his best friends. Very recently his best friend is leaving Finland. After hearing the news I was worried about how Jojo will react. Though I said that his friend is leaving Finland and will not come to school from the next month, he still believes that his friend must be going for a vacation and will be back soon. This is the second time that one of his best friends is leaving the country and I can feel the pain in his eyes. I know he will make new friends, he will enjoy school as usual but somewhere in his memories he will remember them.

The saddest part is that at the time when he started understanding about the meaning of relationships, what friendship is, he has to say these final goodbyes. He is too young to understand "Let things go" but I am sure as he will grow up life itself will teach him this reality.

পুজোর টানে

পুজো মানে শিউলি কাশ

রেডিও তে মহালয়া

পুজো মানে ঢাকের আওয়াজ     

নতুন জামা পড়া 

পুজো মানে দেদার আড্ডা 

প্রচুর খাওয়া দাওয়া ...........

পুজো মানে মন খারাপ 

আর কলকাতা কে মিস করা !!!

হ্যাঁ, এবারও প্রতিবারের মতন নিজের শহর, সেই তিলোত্তমা কলকাতা,  যেখানে জন্মেছি আর কেটেছে জীবনের অনেক গুলো বছর, ভীষণ ভাবে মিস করছি।  দূর্গা পুজো নিয়ে বাঙালির যে উত্ত্বেজনা, যে উন্মাদনা, যে আনন্দ, সব কিছু থেকে নিজেকে খুব বঞ্চিত বলে মনে হচ্ছে আজ।

ছোটবেলায় দূর্গা পূজা বা শরৎ কাল নিয়ে লিখেছিলাম অনেক রচনা। আজ খুব ইচ্ছে করলো পুজো নিয়ে কিছু লিখি কিন্তু লিখতে বসে মন খারাপটাই  বেশি হলো  আর তাই লেখাটা হয়ে গেলো ছন্নছাড়া।

পুরোনো স্মৃতি মনে পড়ে  গেলো।  মনে পড়ে  গেলো সেই উৎসবমুখর দিনগুলো যখন মহালয়া  থেকেই স্কুল হয়ে যেত ছুটি আর এক মাস শুধু আনন্দ আর আনন্দ।  পুজো শুরু হবার অনেক আগে থেকেই শুরু হয়ে যেত চার দিনের প্ল্যানিং। ছোট থেকেই রেডিও তে গান বা নাটক শুনতে ভীষণ ভালোবাসি তাই ভোর চারটের সময় উঠে রেডিওতে মহালয়া কোনো দিন মিস করিনি। 

যবে থেকে পাড়ায় পুজোর লাইট জ্বলতে শুরু করতো তবে থেকেই মনটা কেমন আনন্দে ভোরে যেত।বাড়ির সামনেই একটি দূর্গা পুজো হতো বলা ভালো এখনো হয়। ষষ্ঠীর  দিন ভোরবেলা ঘুম ভাঙতো ঢাকের আওয়াজে।
মা এর মামার বাড়ি উত্তর কলকাতার গিরিশ পার্কে এবং সেখানে দূর্গা পুজো হয়।  পুজোটা কয়েকশো বছর পুরোনো হবে।  ছোট বেলায় প্রতি অষ্টমীতে সেখানেই যাওয়া হতো।  সকাল বেলায় অঞ্জলি দেওয়া থেকে শুরু করে, ভোগ খাওয়া এবং সন্ধি পুজো অবধি দিনটা সেখানেই কেটে যেত। ষষ্ঠীর  দিন রাতে বাবা গাড়ি করে বিভিন্ন্য প্যান্ডেল ঘোরাতো , সপ্তমীটা থাকতো বন্ধুদের জন্য আর নবমীতে বাড়িতে আসতো কোনো গেস্ট। দশমীতে হতো হুল্লোড়। পিসিরা কাকারা সবাই আসতো দাদু ঠাকুমা কে প্রণাম করতে আর সকাল থেকেই বাড়ি গমগম করতো। সঙ্গে চলতো মা, কাকিমা আর পিসিদের হাতের দারুণ সব রান্না,খাওয়া-দাওয়া আর প্রচুর আড্ডা। তার পর সন্ধেবেলা সবাই কে প্রণাম করে জুটতো পাড়ার মিষ্টির দোকানের চন্দ্রপুলি আর মিহিদানা। 

২০০২ সাল থেকে আর কলকাতার দূর্গা পুজো দেখা হয়নি। মাঝে তিন বছর ছিলাম তার পর আবার ২০০৮ সাল থেকে কলকাতার বাইরে পুজো কেটেছে। পশ্চিম বঙ্গের বাইরে এমন কি দেশের বাইরেও দূর্গা পুজো কাটিয়েছি কিন্তু কোথাও যেন মিস করি নিজের শহরের পুজোর সেই গন্ধটা।

আজ যতই সাজ-গোজ করি আর হৈ  হুল্লোড় করি,  মিস করি সেই রেডিওতে মহালয়া শোনা, ঢাকের আওয়াজে ঘুম ভাঙা, পাড়ার দোকানের সেই চন্দ্রপুলি-মিহিদানা আর উৎসবের দিনে প্রিয়জনদের কাছে পাওয়া। 

আগে খারাপ লাগাটা এতো প্রবল ছিলোনা, কিন্তু যত বয়স বাড়ছে খারাপ লাগাটাও বাড়ছে। একেই বলে বোধ হয় শিকড়ের টান।  

An Unforgettable Experience in Finland

There can't be anything worse than seeing your own child sick. Its so disheartening to see him in pain with gloomy eyes and a weak body. This is what every mom has experienced and so am I. But the situation became worst last year after we arrived at Finland.

Moving abroad  is much easier when you are single or without kids but once you have kids, moving overseas becomes quite difficult and that could be a real test on the strength of parents. So before coming here I was too worried about Jojo since we came in winter and he is not used to this cold temperature. But everything sorted out easily. He started going to school.

But after going to school for two weeks one day Jojo returned from school with high temperature. We thought the fever to be some viral which will be fine within a couple of days but we didn't know about some scary situations waiting for us. A day after, in the middle of the night, Jojo's fever became very high and even the medicines were not working rather he started shivering. It was 1o' clock in the night, we couldn't understand what to do and whom to call for help. I felt so helpless and perhaps that was the worst moment in my life till date. Then suddenly I remember the emergency number where one can call in case of an emergency. I didn't care whether we had that much emergency to call at the number but I called immediately.

I didn't expect such a great response from them. They asked me every detail like the child's age, what problem he is having and finally asked for our address because they will be sending a medical team to help us and if needed they will take us to the hospital too. For a second I was relieved. And within ten minutes an ambulance arrived at our door and two nurses came having all the necessities starting from oxygen mask to saline bottle with them. One of them sat in the chair with her laptop opened and immediately called the doctor and the other started the investigations. She took Jojo's temperature, checked his throat, eyes and pulse and asked me to give a moist towel. She herself took off Jojo's clothes, started rubbing his whole body with that wet towel and gave him some comfort. When they found that we had few medicines left, they even gave some extra medicines in case we need. Not only that they waited till Jojo's fever gone down, consoled us and told not to worry.

After they left, I just thanked God. Perhaps this is the advantage of living in a developed country. I don't know about other countries but in Finland, the way the emergency service helped us is unbelievable and unforgettable. This incident is something which I wont forget in my life.

How virtual friendship turned to real friendship

Even a year back I didn't know this person and today perhaps she is the one with whom I talk almost everyday. Yes, I am talking about Paramita whom I met last year on facebook before she came to Finland. She is one of the best persons I met on facebook. 

Before we met personally, our relation was quite formal which I believe to be quite natural for two persons who didn't know each other. After she reached Finland with her family and contacted me, I was eager to meet them and invited them on dinner. And I will never ever forget that day of our first meeting because that day before they would arrive, Jojo  broke his hand and we had to rush to the hospital.I was in extreme dilemma whether to cancel that dinner or wait till Jojo's plaster was done. And the first time we talked on phone was from hospital asking them to come a little late. Now I think I had taken the right decision not to cancel that first meeting, otherwise I would have perhaps missed the opportunity to meet her.

On our very first meeting, I found her to be quite open-minded, friendly and obviously there were certain things common between us and I felt very comfortable talking to her. It didn't seem that we met for the first time. From that day onward still now, I think I have not talked so much with a person whom I met just a few months back. Never thought of getting such a dear friend in Finland, the friendship which I will cherish for the rest of my life.We talked, we laughed, spent some sleepless nights talking to each other, we traveled together, cooked together, went shopping and really enjoyed some lovely moments together.
I always believe that friendship is not about whom I know for a long time. It can happen at any age, at any point of time but the only thing is about to find a like-minded people, which is difficult these days. But I am lucky enough to find her.

The day when we came back from India last month, she came all the way in the snow to reach some homemade food so that I don't have to cook after reaching home. This is something I will never ever forget in my life. I never look at the clock before dialing her phone and never hesitate to say whatever I feel. This is perhaps true friendship is all about. Even when we couldn't meet in the snowy days we talked on phone and perhaps have exchanged some thousands of messages on facebook.

But its time to say good-bye since she is leaving Finland soon. Needless to say that I will miss her. But hope to meet some day back in India and I wish her a happy life ahead with the evergreen smile she wears on her face. 

Miss those days of still photographs

Looking back through old photographs and albums is something I enjoy since childhood days. I remember whenever my exams got over, first thing I used to do is opening up the cupboard where my mom kept all the photo albums and have a look at the old photographs. Still now, whenever I go home, at least once I open that cupboard to have a look at those old pictures to refresh my childhood memories. 

This time when I went to India, I showed some of my childhood photos to Jojo and he couldn't believe that the little girl who is almost of his age could be his mother. He asked me, " Ma, who is she?" and when I said its me, he was so excited and the smile on his face made me so happy. And I really appreciate the way my mother has kept all our childhood photos. May be some of them have faded but none are lost or damaged. 

Since my birth, I have seen that still camera which my father still uses and it has captured several memorable moments of our life. Its a Minolta camera which his friend got from US as a gift and still now he takes good care of it. There was a shop in New Market at Kolkata from where he used to buy the film and also developed the negatives. The camera had become a member of our family as it has witnessed each and every occasion at home, every place we have traveled and every moment we wished to remember. 

With one film we could take 36 photos and so my father was very particular while taking out photos so that none were wasted and he could capture 36 perfect pictures. And the most exciting moment was to wait for the day when he would take the delivery of the prints from the studio and literally me and my sister used to fight about who will see the photos first. Then keeping them in the album and putting dates with a little description about the place and the moment on every album were something I used to enjoy.  

But with the development of technology, we are now used to digital photography. Now, in the age of selfies, we just don't care to take hundreds of photos at a time. We keep on clicking the camera till we look perfect with our eyes properly opened, a perfect smile on our face, a beautiful background and so on. Now all our photos are kept in facebook albums instead of those old albums with hard covers. Now we don't have to wait for getting the negatives to be developed, rather within a second could see the photos and don't even hesitate to delete them immediately if not clicked properly. 

I too before buying my smart phone, checked the camera on it so that I could take some good photos. But still I miss those films, still photographs, that old camera of my father, the containers in which the films were kept and specially that wonderful feeling of getting the negatives developed.

Had my morning tea at 2 o'clock in the night

Yesterday was a very bad day for me, rather I should say a day when everything went wrong. Till 10 o' clock in the morning, everything was fine and going as per my schedule but after that everything stopped. My tab stopped working with no internet connection at home. For a while I felt so disconnected from the whole world. I realized how dependent we are these days on internet. I can skip a day's meal but without internet connection, cant think of surviving. 

I struggled a lot to use my mobile to get the internet connection. I put the data card on my mobile but everything was in vain and for ten hours there was not net connection at home. I somehow managed but managing Jojo in the evening without internet was little difficult. After Kunal came from office, somehow he managed to switch on the tab and get back the internet connection. I felt so relieved. Before going to bed I set the alarm on my mobile at 6 o' clock in the morning and went to sleep. 

As usual I woke up at 6 o' clock and brushed my teeth, made tea for myself and had it. I checked my tab to see whether it is working properly or not. My tab was showing the time 1.30 am. I was sure that may be yesterday we switched it on and off quite a few times and so the time has not been set properly.I prepared breakfast and also packed the lunch box for Kunal. Since both father and son were not waking up, I switch on the lights of the bed room too. I called Jojo quite a few times but he didn't wake up. Before getting ready to drop Jojo at school, I usually put my wrist watch and surprisingly it showed the time 2 o' clock. For a second, I thought, has it stopped working? Then I doubt. I checked my table clock and it was really 2 o' clock at night. Oh God !!! Then I realized its not the tab or the wrist watch, its my mobile. May be yesterday while switching it on, I forgot to set the time. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at the middle of the night. 

Since in Finland now the sun has become a late riser and never rises before 9 o' clock, its really difficult to realize whether its 6 o' clock in the morning or 2 o' clock at night. Immediately I switched off the lights before Jojo would wake up and went to bed. But I couldn't sleep. Till 4 o' clock I was awake and after that went to sleep and again woke up at 6 in the morning. But this time its really 6 a.m. 

Within a next few days we are going to India and we have to reach airport by 3 o' clock at night to catch our morning flight. For few days, I was thinking how difficult will it be to wake up at the middle of the night and get ready for the airport. Now I am sure, God has listened to this and perhaps made me a rehearsal for the same. 

Whatever it is, while brushing my teeth again and having tea for the second time, I found the incident quite funny. Perhaps this is one of the funniest moments of my life till now and just cant resist to share with you all. 

Kids having too many toys these days

Last Sunday when I was cleaning my son's cupboard, I was really shocked to see the huge number of toys he has collected in the last few months. I should rectify myself here. Its not him who has collected, its us, the parents who are responsible for it and have bought so many of them. When at the beginning of this year we have moved to Finland, I remember I packed a few small cars and two sets of blocks with us in the suitcase and left four carton boxes of toys back in Kolkata. All those toys he received as gifts since birth from friends and relatives, some of which he never used and they are still kept lying in the boxes.

When we arrived in Finland it was too cold and he had not joined school yet and almost all day long he used to stay at home. It was me who was worried about him and thought he might get bored all day playing with fewer toys and without any circle of friends. So every time I used to go to market, I used to buy toys for him to keep him engage at home. Since he was just two and half year old and could not read books on his own, most of the time he used to play on his own with toys as I could not make time for him to read out  books except at night before going to sleep.  

I remember when I was at his age, me and my sister hardly had one-tenth of his toys but still we were so happy and never used to get bored playing with the same old dolls and kitchen set. Then why in his case I think of him getting bored playing with same toys? I was brought up in a joint family where I used to spend time with my grand parents,cousins uncles and aunts besides my parents which my son is deprived of. And its obviously one of the reasons in today's nuclear family, that parents keep their kids engaged with toys. But is this justification enough for my son having toys which are doubled his weight? I don't think so.

I know its not the case of my son only. Kids of this generation have lots of toys. But is it healthy for a kid getting so many toys? Sometimes I really get confused. But I am sure they do not need too many toys to be entertained. Buying too many toys is not going to help them rather teach them to give away and share their toys.

 I have made up my mind. While cleaning his cupboard last weekend, I asked my son to separate those toys which he wants to give away. And surprisingly he sorted out some of them. I packed those toys and kept separately to give them away. And after going to Kolkata next month, I am going to unpack those carton boxes full of toys and giving them to poor children who don't have a single toy to play with.

The Unique Relation between a Mother-in-law and a Daughter-in-law

One of the biggest challenges of marriage for an Indian girl is to get along well with her in-laws. And when it comes about her relation with the mother-in-law, there are lots of ups and downs and she has to be little tricky to deal with it. During my professional life I have witnessed a number of marriages suffering from tension because of this bitter relation with mother-in-laws which finally ended up in divorce.
We always say to show respect to elders but every individual needs a minimum respect. Even a five year old kid can demand that. If the old lady expects respect from her daughter-in-law, it is also her duty to respect the new member of her family.

I have heard people saying that after marriage the mother-in-law gets a daughter and a daughter-in-law gets a new mother. But I really doubt. If it was so, then there would not be any case of bride burning, divorce and domestic violence and on the other hand there would not be any case of an old woman living a lonely life abandoned by her children.  

A woman always wants to be the most important person in her husband's life and there lies the problem. In most of the cases, the mother-in-law could not accept this change in her son's life and she is not ready to give her position as she was that important person in her son's life before marriage. I have heard many such stories from my friends and relatives who have suffered from such possessive attitude of their mother-in-laws that has affected not only their career but also mental health.

 But every problem has a solution. And what I think there lies the real power of a daughter-in-law. She has to be calm, patient and be positive towards her new mom-in-law. Like she is trying to get adjusted in the new family, may be that old lady is trying her best to get fit into her new role as a mother-in-law.  Its better to give some time and nurture the new relation. But that doesn't mean that the woman has to accept physical and mental torture from her mother-in-law.

In today's life, when most of the women are working and get busy with their professional life, they hardly get time to sit and chat with their mother-in-laws. But this old woman misunderstands and feels unwanted. Now the daughter-in-law has to deal it intelligently. In order to strengthen the bond between the two, she has to be a little attentive towards her mom-in-law. Preparing meals together on a weekend in the kitchen is really a good idea to spend some time together.

It is quite natural to have difference of opinions among the different family members and specially when they belong to two generations. Everyone of us has faced this with our parents but when it comes to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relation the situation becomes worse. If both of them understand that these differences are nothing but the same that they faced with their own children and parents, much of the problem is solved.

Sometimes lack of communication creates a big problem. So it is always better to interact. If some words hurt either of the two, they must tell each other rather keeping it up bottled inside each other. Many a times talking openly prevent the relationship being stained.

I have seen mother-in-laws always comparing their lives when they were young with her daughter-in--laws. They always tell stories about how their mother-in-laws used to treat them. Sometimes they think since they were being dominated earlier, it is their right and time to dominate the young lady of her family. There lies the big mistake. They have to be aware of the social changes and know that now-a-days when every woman is being independent, she would neither tolerate her dominance nor her torture. Rather if she becomes friendly with her daughter-in-law, she will get a happier family.

Many a times the tussle between the two increases while rearing of children. Who doesn't want her child to raise up like the way she wants? But sometimes the over concern attitude of grand parents leads to constant interference which in turn spoils the relation between the two ladies. Just like mother-in-law must understand that too much love and care may spoil the kid, the daughter-in-law must also allow her kids to spend time with their grand mother.

For every lady, mother-in-law is the most important woman of her marriage and dealing with her with extreme care and caution is important to avoid maximum conflicts of marital life. Once the relation between these two women get disturbed the peace of the family is broken and the most affected person who get sand-witched between these two ladies is the man who get confused about whose side is to be taken, who is right? mother or wife !!!

দিদির সঙ্গে খুনশুটির দিনগুলো

বাবা, মা আর কুণাল ছাড়া আমার ঝগড়া করা এবং রাগ দেখানোর আরেকটি লোক হলো আমার দিদি।আজ দিদি ফেসবুকএ আমাদের দুজনের ছোটবেলার একটা ছবি পোস্ট করায় ছোটবেলার অনেক স্মৃতি মনে পড়ে গেল আর সেই স্মৃতি চারণ করতেই আমার এই লেখা। 

আমি যখন জন্মাই দিদি তখন বছর চারেকের। মা এর কাছে শুনেছি মা নাকি যখন ভোরবেলা স্কুলএ চলে যেত আমার দুধের বোতলটা তৈরী করে দিদির হাতে ধরিয়ে দিলে ওই আমায় দুধ খাইয়ে দিত। 

দিদি আর আমি দুজনে খুবই বিপরীত স্বভাবের সেই ছোট থেকেই। দিদি যতোটাই শান্ত আমি ততটাই দুষ্টু। এই বয়সে নিজেকে দুষ্টু বলাটা কতখানি ঠিক জানি না তবে এখনো মা তো তাই বলে। আর আমার নিজের মেনে নিতেও কোনো অসুবিধা নেই। আমি নি:সন্দেহে খুব পাজি।  ছোটবেলায় আমাদের খুব ঝগড়া ঝাটি এমনকি মারামারিও হত।  মারামারি টা তবে  আমিই শুরু করতাম। তার পর দিদি যখন আমার একটা হাত ধরে বেঁকিয়ে ধরত তখন আমি মা মা করে চিত্কার করতাম। গায়ের জোড়ে কোনো দিনই পেরে উঠতাম না। চুল ধরে টানাটানিও হয়েছে অনেক যাকে বলে চুলোচুলি।  আমার কত চুল যে দিদি তুলে দিয়েছে তাই বোধয় চুলের আজ এই অবস্থা। 

জয়পুর বেড়াতে গিয়ে একটা লেপ কেনা হয়েছিল মনে আছে।  লাল হলুদ রঙের সাটিন এর লেপটা দেখতেও যেমন সুন্দর ছিল, তেমনই ছিল বিশাল বড়। অনায়াসে দুজন গায়ে দিয়ে শোয়া যেত। কিন্তু লেপটা কেনার পর থেকেই আমি ওটা কাউকে নিতে দিতাম না। নিজে একা গায়ে দিয়ে শোব বলে খুব ঝামেলা করতাম।  একদিন ও  দিদিকে  নিতে দিতাম না। দিদিরও খুব ইচ্ছে করত ওটা নিতে কিন্তু আমি খুব জেদাজেদি করতাম। এই নিয়ে অনেক বকাও  খেয়েছি মা এর কাছে। আর যেই একটু গরম পরে যেত তখুনি ভালো মানুষের মতন দিদি কে বলতাম " এবার তুই লেপটা গায়ে দে" ।

যেই একটু বড় হলাম মানে যখন দুজনের জামার সাইজ এক, তখন শুরু হলো আরেক বিপদ। দিদি খুব বলত দুজন দুজনের জামা এক্সচেঞ্জ করে পরার কথা।  আমি আনন্দের সঙ্গে ওর  জামা গুলো পরে বেরোতাম কিন্তু আমার জামা গুলো দিদি পরলেই ঝামেলা করতাম। আর দিদি খালি বলত " কি হিংসুটে রে তুই, একটুও শেয়ার করতে শিখলি না "। 

আরেকটা জিনিস নিয়ে খুব ঝগড়া হত সেটা হলো দুপুরবেলা মা এর পাশে কে শোবে। আমি কিছুতেই দিদিকে মা এর পাশে শুতে দিতাম না।  এমনকি মা কে  মাঝখানেও শুতে দিতাম না। 

তবে এত ঝগড়া মারপিট খুনশুটির  মাঝেও কিন্তু ছিল একটা বন্ধুত্বের সম্পর্ক।  একই ঘরে দুজনে থাকতাম এবং দুজনের দুটো পড়ার  টেবিল ছিল।  আমাদের ঘরটা ছিল তিন তলায় আর মা বাবা থাকত এক তলায়। পড়তে বসেই শুরু হত দুজনের গল্প।  সারাদিন স্কুলএ কি হলো , এটা ওটা আর যেই সিঁড়ি দিয়ে মা এর পায়ের আওয়াজ পেতাম অমনি দুজনেই চুপ।  মা বুঝতে পেরে একদিন কোনো শব্দ না করেই যখন ঘরে ঢুকে পড়ল সেদিন কপালে জুটেছিল  ভীষণ বকুনি আর তার পরেই দুজনের পড়ার  জায়গা হয়ে গেল আলাদা। 

জীবনের একুশটা বছর এক ঘরে এক সঙ্গে কাটিয়েছি দিদির সঙ্গে।  তার পর আমি চলে গেলাম বাইরে পড়তে আর কিছু দিন পর হয়ে গেল দিদির বিয়ে। তার পর থেকে আর কটা রাত যে এক সাথে কাটিয়েছি সেটা গুণে বলে দেওয়া যায়।  এখন দেখা হলে সারা রাত কেটে যায় গল্প করতে। গত পাঁচ বছর তো এক শহরেই থাকা হয়না।  এখন সপ্তাহে একটা দিন স্কাইপিতে কথা বলার জন্য অধীর ভাবে অপেখ্যা করে থাকি।  অনেক সময় নিজেদের ব্যস্ততার কারণে সপ্তাহে এক দিনও হয়ত কথা বলা হয়ে ওঠে না।  

কোথায় হারিয়ে গেল সেই ছোটবেলা। কোথায় হারিয়ে গেল সেই ঝগড়া মারপিট আর খুনসুটি করা।  ভীষণ মিস করি সেই সব দিন গুলো।  ছোটবেলায় মনে হত কবে বড় হবো আর আজ মনে হয় ছোটবেলাটাই ছিল সবচেয়ে ভালো।  

My feelings when Jojo started going to play school

Ever since Jojo was born, I was waiting for the day when he will start going to a play school.  After we arrived in Finland the most important job for me was  to find a good play school for him. I was so excited to visit the schools and so happy to feel that my child has grown up and finally that big day has arrived when he will start a new journey of his life. But I never had a clue that once the door will be closed and he will be separated from me for few hours, the little one will crowd my thoughts. 

Jojo started going to school at the age of two and half years and for all these years I thought that once he will start going to school, I will have some free time to spend on my own as I was the only one to take care of him at home since his birth. But finally, when the day arrived, I was thousand times more tensed than my husband. Besides being happy I was worried thinking about how he will manage to stay alone without me, for how long will he cry, whether he will eat his lunch, whether he will behave properly at school and many such things.

I still remember it was a snowing morning and we struggled a lot to reach the school. I was more depressed when I left Jojo at the door and the teacher holding him in her lap as he was crying madly. That separation was very painful for both of us. Though the teacher consoled me and said that its very natural for every mother getting worried seeing her child crying but I felt very sad and my eyes too filled with tears. Since we had just moved to a new country, everything was new to  Jojo and so I was more anxious whether he would get adjusted with the new environment, new people, new language and everything new around him.

As I left school, I felt so lonely. I wanted to talk to someone but since my husband was busy in a meeting, I couldn't call him and since we were new to  Finland, I didn't have any friend that time to share my feelings. Those three hours was the longest time I waited till now and every five minutes I was checking time and thinking when will I meet Jojo again. After I returned home, the empty nest made me more sad and I started missing him around me.

But when I reached school and saw him playing with his friends I took a deep breath and said to myself that children are more adaptable to changes than us. And within a couple of days when he got settled and started saying goodbye to me without tears, I was relieved that at last my child started enjoying the company of his lovely teachers and other kids.

How motherhood has changed me and my life

Today while reading an article on motherhood, I realize how my life has changed over the last three years rather how I have changed. I am sure its not only about me, almost every woman changes on being a mother. By change I mean the way you see things and the way you start analyzing every minute detail. 

I remember before the birth of my son, I never let anything come between my studies and work. Initially studies and then my profession were the topmost priority of  my life. But the day Jojo was born, I was reborn. My whole world changed and from that day onward my child became my topmost priority. Sometimes I really cant recognize myself, how one can change so much? Then I realize its all about motherhood.Now before making any major decision in life, I never put myself first, its my son who is given the priority.    

Earlier neither I used to care about the time nor the weather outside before I go out but now, even if I had some urgent work, I had to be on time to pick him up from school. Every time we plan for a vacation, we had to check the weather forecast and not only vacation even if I go out for grocery shopping I check the temperature outside. Now even in order to avoid getting drenched up in rain I keep an umbrella in my bag through out the year. Because I am scared if I fall sick who will take care of Jojo. Now responsibility comes prior to enjoyment.

Cooking was never my hobby nor I knew anything about it. But now in order to make my son eat properly I had to make cooking my hobby. Every evening I had to think about what lunch I will pack for him on the next day at school. Not only that, now I have become an expert cook for the sake of my son because at any time of the day he may demand anything. Specially when he becomes sick this goes to extreme. For the past few days Jojo is suffering from cough and cold and is not at all eating but yesterday suddenly at lunch time while he was watching some cartoon show he said that he wants to eat noddles. I was surprised that how come he is asking for food and then realized that his favourite cartoon character is eating noodles. And within ten minutes I had to prepare it otherwise he would have skipped his lunch. 

Never thought of getting poop on my fingers but if you are a mother atleast once in your lifetime you must have that experience while changing diaper of your child. Quite a few times I had that experience while changing my son's diaper and I didn't ever mind to clean it with my own hands. 

Sleeping for six to eight hours in the night at a stretch will become history once you become a mother. Specially in the initial days it is very difficult to wake up in the middle of the night to feed your baby but right now I think I am used to these breaks at night. Now automatically I wake up at night to check whether he has taken the blanket or if he needs water to drink. And if he has got fever, just cant sleep to check his temperature every hour.

Usually I take very less time to get prepared for going to a party or a wedding reception but now I could get ready withing seconds even if it is to wear a saree. It may sound funny but its the reality. After making Jojo ready, if I could comb my hair and wear a proper dress is enough for me now.

 Kids usually demand for toys while going to a super market and Jojo is not an exception to this. So every time I have to be careful to avoid going to the toy section and do my shopping as first as possible. And thus before going out for grocery shopping I always make a list before so that it would save some time and I could quickly get my stuff. 

I just couldn't remember when I last went to watch a movie at a multiplex. Now watching a movie at my own laptop is a luxury to me that also when Jojo goes to sleep. 

May be I have lost some of my freedom of sleeping, going out for movies or spend some time before the mirror but I really enjoy the challenges of being a mother. The tender touch of his little fingers and his innocent looks make me the happiest person on earth and every time when he comes running and hold his little arms around my neck, I really thank God for bringing those changes in my life and making me understood about selflessness and patience. 

Prague - the beautiful city of Europe I would like to visit once more !

Yesterday while talking to my old friend on skype who is planning to visit Prague next summer, I recalled our vacation to Prague in 2010. Yes, Prague, the capital city of Czech Republic, is one of the most interesting, historical and beautiful places in Europe I have still visited.The magical city of century old bridges, magnificent cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and domes, situated in the surface of Vltava River for more than ten centuries are enough to meet the thirst of a traveler's thirst for adventure.  

Our journey started from Budapest by bus via Bratislava and we reached Prague in the afternoon. Since we were over enthusiastic to explore the historical city, we didn't waste a moment staying in the hotel and relax. After keeping our bags and baggage we rushed to the Prague Castle, one of the largest castles in the world, covering almost an area of 70,000 metre square. The history of the castle dates back to the year 870 and I was really amazed by its architectural beauty. The castle houses several towers, cathedrals, palaces, museums and gardens and though we really got tired of walking down the cobbled roads inside we couldn't resist exploring the majestic 9th century castle. 

I remember it was raining that day but that didn't stop not only us but several tourists who had come from different parts of the world to visit the age old castle. 

The buildings were so huge that it was really difficult for me to take a picture but somehow I sat down and managed to take one. 

Surprisingly while coming back and walking down, it stopped raining and beautiful sunshine added to the glory of the city which I tried to capture from the castle. 

Our energy was still left and so we quickly went through the map to plan our next destination and decided to visit the old town square to witness the Charles Bridge, the famous historic bridge, the construction of which was finished in the beginning of 15th century and lying crosses the Vltava river. 

The statues of several saints situated across the bridge was not only unique but eye-catching too. 

My legs were literally paining and so we decided to walk sometime down the lanes of old town square and get back to hotel to store some energy for the next day.

Next day our destination was Vyshrad, the historical fort probably built in 10th century on a hill over River Vltava. The twin towers of the Basillica of St Peter and St Paul are 58 m high and I have to really raise my head high to see the top of the towers. Rebuilt in a neo gothic style, the basillica has a stone mosaic above its entry. 

Walking down the lanes of the Vysehrad we came across the cemetery, which I found the most quiet place inside the fort. It was my first visit to a burial ground and also a memorable one. Many famous artists, musicians and politicians have been buried there. The peaceful atmosphere around was really enjoyable and I never had the idea before that a cemetery could be so beautiful.

After reaching the top, we saw the ruins of the Bath of Libuse. According to legends, it is said that Princess Libuse used to take bath with her lovers there and later threw them in the river. The mesmerizing view of the ruins from the hill top was quite amazing and hearing all those age old stories I could feel the historical importance of that beautiful place.   

One more interesting thing we had seen is the famous Astronomical Clock mounted on the southern wall of the Old Town Hall and which was installed in 1410 and said that it is the third-oldest astronomical clock in the world. Its really interesting to know that the astronomical dial represents the position of the sun and moon in the sky and displays various astronomical details. 

I have written whatever I could remember but I think there is lot more to tell about this lovely place. Prague is one of the most beautiful places of East Europe and if I get an opportunity, I would love to explore this historical and magical place once more. 

Lunch at our new Finnish friend's place

Today we had a nice experience of visiting and interacting with a Finnish family in Helsinki. Let me first tell you how we get to know each other. After Kunal joined the Aalto university in Finland, we came to know of a program called Aalto Staff Family Friend Program conducted by the university itself. Its like, if we want to meet some Finnish family, to know more about their culture and life, there is a provision that we could avail. Since we both were keen to know more about Finland and its people we filled in the form so that the HR coordinator of the program finds a perfect match with some finnish family, who too are eager to meet some foreigner coming from a different country. Finally few days back we got a mail from the university and they introduced us with Mrs Anne Petroff and her family.

After an exchange of few emails we came to know about each other,our interests and hobbies and today she invited us at her home for a lovely lunch. She is working as an HR in the university while her husband is a senior lecturer at Aalto itself. When we reached, it was really nice to find them waiting for us in the courtyard. The table was decorated with a beautiful table cloth and some flowers. They welcomed us with a drink and we had a little chat sitting in the lawn. They also planned for a barbecue outside but that has to be cancelled because of the rain and so we went inside to have our lunch. They were really kind and gentle and thus not even for a second we felt that we are meeting them for the first time. Since their kids are all grown up, they couldn't find any toys for Jojo to play with. But Mrs Petroff finally got some children story books from his son's book shelf.

Usually I am not fond of pets but Kunal and Jojo love animals. So when I saw their pet dog Hesu, I was little scared but frankly speaking the dog was quite timid and didn't bark at all. I thought Jojo will be little scared to touch him but surprisingly at first sight Jojo told him Hello and put his hand on his head. He was not scared at all rather started playing with it. Mrs Petroff has beautifully decorated her drawing room with some glass lamps, green plants and other show pieces. I was really moved by her choice and creativity. At the same time feeling terribly scared of Jojo who may at any time break any of the glass pieces which were very much accessible to him. But all my fear were in vain. I saw him sat properly in the sofa and playing with Hesu and he didn't touch a single thing. 

Jojo make lot of problems while eating, he needs a cartoon show to be on in the laptop every time  he eats and everyday I have a tough time while feeding him. In order to avoid all these I was sure to have Jojo his lunch from home so that I don't have to struggle with his food at our new friend's home. But surprisingly when we all sat for our food, he said that, he too would like to join us in the table and taste some Finnish food. Me and Kunal just looked at each other because we were expecting some nuisance that he will create at the table. But again he proved us wrong. He maintained all the table manners, ate properly with fork and spoon by himself and not only that he had carrots and cumbers in salad which he never eats at home. More than being happy I was astonished by the way he behaved and when Mrs Petroff and his husband praised Jojo for his good behaviour and well manners I was smiling and thinking that perhaps he behaves like this at home, then I would be the happiest person on earth.

We tasted some typical Finnish food like boiled potatoes, smoked salmon, creamy mushrooms, cheese salads that ended up with some strawberries, ice creams and hot coffee. I took some Indian food which too we shared and they just loved it.

We really enjoyed and had a great time with Mrs Petroff and her lovely family. We get to know more about Finnish culture, Finnish food and life style and it feels good too to talk about your own country and its people. Overall it was a nice experience of cultural exchange. I look forward to meet them soon at my house for lunch or dinner which we are planning sometime in the next month. 

কুকুরের ফেসবুক একাউন্ট

কুকুর বলে কি আর মানুষ নয়? মটেই না, বরং মানুষ বলে কুকুরকে গালাগালিটা না দেওয়াই ভাল।  কারণ কুকুর আর যাই হোক মানুষের মতন বিশ্বাসঘাতক প্রাণী নয়। কিন্তু আপনারা কি জানেন আজকাল কুকুরাও  ফেসবুক একাউন্ট খুলছে।  এমনকি তাদের  ভালো নাম দিয়েই খোলা হচ্ছে যেমন ধরুণ মৃণালিনী দেবী, গৌরিপ্রসাদ গাঙ্গুলী , দ্বিজেন্দ্রলাল মুখোপাধ্যায় ইত্যাদি ইত্যাদি। মানে ওই টমি জ্যাকি দের জমানা চলে গেছে বা নেহাতি সেগুলো ডাক নাম হয়েই রয়ে গেছে। পদবিটা তার মালিকেরই ধরে নেওয়া যাক। 

সম্প্রতি একজন সেলেব্রিটির ফেসবুক একাউন্টএ চোখ পরতেই ব্যপারটা নজরে  এলো। উনি নিজের পোষা কুকুরের নামে একখানি ফেসবুক একাউন্ট খুলেছেন। শুধু তাই নয় ইতি মধ্যে ওই অবলা প্রাণীটির তিনশোর উপর ফ্রেন্ডস। হে ভগবান তাও যদি বুঝতাম সবাই তারই সমগত্রীয়, কিন্তু তা তো নয় সবাই যে ওই সেলেব্রিটিরই ফ্যান মানে সেই হিংস্র মানুষগুলোই । আচ্ছা কুকুরটি কি জানে যে তার মালিক একজন সেলেব্রিটি ? 

কুকুর্ প্রেমী বন্ধুগণ, প্লিস কেউ ব্যপারটা পার্সনালই নেবেন না। আমার ব্যপারটা একটু অদ্ভুত লাগলো এবং মজারও বটে তাই আরকি দু চার কথা না বলে পারলাম না। যদি কারোর কোন পোষ্য থাকে তাহলে তো সে তার নিজের একাউন্ট এই তার ছবি বা কোনো ভাল লাগার মুহূর্তকে শেয়ার করতে পারে।  আলাদা করে আবার তার নামে একাউন্ট খোলার মানেটা ঠিক আমার  মোটামাথায় ঢুকলো না।