Bengali Lullaby (Bangla Chora Gaan) : Khoka ghumalo para juralo

'Khoka Gumalo Para Juralo..' is a very old Bengali lullaby still popular to today's generation of parents and grandparents. It has a historical touch of political and economic features of a period dated back to 1741-51 when Bargi invasions were almost an annual event.

The Borgis were a dangerous group of people who used to loot and torture the people of Bengal. People being picked up and punished from villages for not being able to pay the taxes, was a normal scene in those days, something that even children grew up watching. 

This lullaby probably came about when a mother was trying to put her child to sleep, spinning a spontaneous string of words and sentences from her surroundings.

Transliteration 

Khoka ghumalo... 

Para juralo... 

Khoka ghumalo, para juralo...

borgi elo deshe..

bulbuli-te dhan kheyeche

khajna debo kishe..

Dhan phuralo, pan phuralo

Khajnar upay ki !

Aar kota din shobur koro

Roshun bunechi.

Translation

When the children fall asleep, silence sets in

The Bargis come to our lands

Bulbulis (birds) have eaten the grains

How shall i pay the tax! .

To download video from Youtube

Click here 

Bengali Rhyme (Bangla Chora) : HATTI MATIM TIM

'Hatti matim tim..' is a popular nonsensical Bengali rhyme sung by noted Bengali singer Alpana Mukherjee (i.e Banerjee). However, the animated video version of the rhyme is more interesting - particularly to baby Raima. The moment we introduced her to the video, it turned out to be an instant hit ! 
 

Transliteration 

HATTI MATIM TIM...

TARA MAATHE PARE DIM.

TADER KHARA DUTO SHING...

TARA, HAATTI MATIM TIM.

Translation

Hatti matim tim,

They lay eggs in the field.

They have two straight horns,

They are the Haatti matim tim.

Narration 

Basically 'HATTI MATIM TIM' is an imaginary animal in Bengali folklore. It lays eggs in open field and has two straight horns. In Bengali, "laying eggs in the field" means "doing nothing" or "wasting time."

To download video from Youtube

Click here 

Tel malish - slick & soft touches..

RAIMA's Grand'ma started this habit of coconut oil body massage (tel malish) right there in Delhi when she was barely 03 weeks old! 

She always loved it 

and now in Jalpaiguri she loves it most when our house-maid aunty Reena Pisi does the treat !!

(Next month RAIMA is going to Chandigarh for nearly 03 months stay over there. Certainly she is going to miss this everyday special treat of Reena Pisi there.. soo bad ..)

Home coming..

Finally RAIMA is 'AT HOME' ! 

This is the 1st time Raima visited her hometown Jalpaiguri, a lovely place to live - where the SUN looks brighter
and the weather feels warmer than Delhi in winter..

As we were preparing to leave Delhi on 23rd Mar with Bag& Baggage, couldn't really follow any rituals. So the Surya-Shanti Puja on 28 Mar for baby RAIMA was planned in advance. Here in the picture her mom offering the puja..

One month old BABY RAIMA..

With PAPA..

With MAMMA

When is she going to speak those incredible words BABA... MA... !!!

Raima - finaly acclimatised with Delhi winter

In her mother's lap - feeling womb comfort

February is gone... its still chilly winter in Delhi. 
After one month of acclimatization in Delhi, Raima now looks very much comfortable in her mother's lap.
Later at the end of this month, we are planning to travel to her (also our) ancestral home in Jalpaiguri.. 

The 1st post....

Hello world...

The 1st snap of baby Shrestha Sharma (nick name RAIMA) within a few hours of her birth on 08 Feb 2012...