yet again ... getting lost ... then enjoying self-discovery ...

  Adi and Anku Learn to stay safe: The body safety guide for preschoolers   Authors: Aditi Gupta and Tuhin Paul Illustrators: Tuhin Paul, Aishwarya Shah, Siddhanth Verma Age: 3 years and above Price: 295/- Publisher: Menstrupedia Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Pages: 20   Touch me not! Arti Pandey, Anshumalika Rai and Nimesh Ved   Thanks to   Teacher Plus   for publishing and Richa for comments on the draft. The authors are well-known names in puberty education. Their previous books  Menstrupedia  (2014) and  Gulu  (2021) have been well received. These books are a big help to parents and teachers to discuss topics like growing up years and changes in our bodies during these years!   The book   This book talks to an age group that is younger – preschoolers. It focuses on touch, privacy, and safety.  The text is well thought of and sensitively written. Two pages, towards the end, have notes for parents and teachers. Simplicity and bareness are the strengths of the book.

Last fortnight (In a not very good state of mind) Snippets of some conversations,  Glimpses that underscored how at the end of the day we are all humans, Very similar to each other, very different from each other, carrying our contradictions,  At the reception (or the waiting area, around midnight) Another person waiting: यह साले हॉस्पिटल वाले ऐसी खुरसी क्यूँ रखते हैं? मरीज़ के साथ आने वाला बंदा ना तो ठीक से बैठ पाए ना ही ठीक से सो पाए! वो साला खुद ही मरीज़ बन जाए! At the lift (on way for an emergency C T scan) Me to the fellow pushing the stretcher: क्या हुआ? चल क्यूँ नहीं रही? His response: नीचे से कोई खुला छोड़ दिया है दरवाज़ा, बंद करने जाना पड़ेगा. At the operation theatre (after the surgery) Doctor (assisting the surgeon): Do you want to click a photo of the blood that was removed? My response (with folded hands): I just want my mother back fine. At the pharmacy counter Aunty standing next to me: बेटा यह उपर नीचे करते करते तो मेरी हालत खराब हो गयी है, और दवाई लेने आना पड़ा तो मुझ

Sometime last week. Somewhere in the hospital. It was a conversation. I was asleep but it was not a dream. You asked me if I was taking care of mumi in the manner that mumi had cared for you. You wore white, were standing, had that twinkle in your eyes and looked at me for an answer. Yes, I said, after moments of silently looking at you. You agreed. You never argued even when you were around. I said yes but later your question, your tone, got me pondering. Was I doing enough? Was I giving it all that I could? And, like I had expected, you reappeared a few nights later to reconfirm! This time your hand was moving like it used to and you had a smile. What could this be - your love for me? my being answerable to those I love? else? Mumi , being the patient, used to get Marie biscuits with tea in the afternoons. This biscuit seldom fails to remind me of you. You used to get irritated when anyone either gave or asked you to have it - saying it is good for old people. Boodha ho ga tera ba