Remember this song?  If your mother or grandmother didn’t sing it to you, you’ve probably heard it somewhere.  Originally sung by Asha Bhosle in the 1955 movie Vachan, it may just be the ultimate Hindi kids song.

So melodious…so harmonious…can you feel the nostalgia rushing in?

Available for purchase here (and part of a compilation of other Hindi Children’s Songs).

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Some parents don’t have a choice – maybe they live in an area with poor public schools or where charter schools are not available.  And other parents swear by private schools – that they would provide nothing less for their children.

But are private schools really “worth it?”   In the current economic climate, when the reality is that funds for public schools (no matter how good) are being slashed – are private schools really worth the financial sacrifices families would need to make to send their kids there?  Read this interesting article in Time.

These are the questions my husband and I have been asking ourselves as we have toured schools over the past few weeks.  As our son is entering first grade, we decided to explore our options beyond the Montessori school he currently attends.  We are fortunate to live in an area with a phenomenally-ranked public school (which is the reason, as most families do, that we bought a house where we did), but with high teacher-student ratio, it’s proving to be a tough call for us.

With the tuition we would have to pay for private school, we could take our family around the world for 2 months every year – now THAT would be an education.

So what’s your call?

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You asked, so here you go – (slightly) re-designed and re-colored in rich hues!  Available now in our Shop. 

And, as always, Free Shipping worldwide. 

Deep Sea:  Navy-blue letters with ocean-inspired blues and grey

Lotus:  Fuchsia, rose, blush and grey with deep aubergine letters

Meadow:  Fresh greens with dark pine letters

Orchid:  Purple hues of aubergine and thistle

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As a follow-up to the fun and fabulous umbrellas post from Friday, I couldn’t help but post about these adorable Maci Spectator Books from Joyfolie.  How cute would these look paired with a simple lehenga?

And actually most of the footwear on the site is pretty spectacular.

images via joyfolie

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Very cute – and very cool – umbrellas for playful fun in April’s showers:

Above, for the spy-in-us-all:  Goggles Umbrella with periscope-shaped cap
Below, Birdcage Umbrella by Lulu Guinness.  How witty!

Make funny faces – Skittle Umbrella by Stella McCartney Kids:

Cloud Umbrella by Joon & Jung (not sure how this works?):

One can dream…

image via Google Images

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Leave it to Vancouver (and neighbouring Surrey) to host what’s perhaps the largest Vaisakhi parades outside of India.  Millions of Sikhs worldwide celebrate Vaisakhi on April 14 – perhaps the most day on the Sikh calendar – which marks the establishment of the Khalsa in 1699.

Vancouver’s Vaisakhi Parade is expected to attract 50,000 while Surrey expects between 80,000 – 200,000.  The events includes not just a parade but also floats, live music, rides and free food.

And what percentage of Americans would scratch their head and give you a blank stare if asked if they knew anything about Sikhism?

Navjot Kaur, author of A Lion’s Mane and Dreams of Hope, has more on the topic and has also compiled a terrific teaching guide about presenting Vaisakhi to kids and in schools.

image via Vancouver Sun

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Digging up a sore subject in our community…the Dark Girls documentary has been making the rounds in the independent film circuit (and often to sell out crowds).  The movie is about colour prejudice within the black community – something that is ingrained even amongst children.

A recent NPR radio segment mentioned how the black community shies away from talking about the issue. 

Would the situation be any better if the issue was talked about?  In our Indian community, colour prejudice is so very blatant – in those infamous skin cream commercials, in Bollywood and in matrimonial ads – and it pits North vs. South and Haves vs. Have Nots.  But this “openness” hasn’t made things “better” – on the contrary, it’s almost become like a rubber-stamp for approval of discriminatory behaviour.

I can’t wait to see the film.  Official website here.

(For a terrific book on the topic, check out our previous post about The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler.)

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“But I don’t celebrate Easter at home.”  This is what my son told his teachers.  I think they responded with something along the lines of, “well, you can celebrate it in school.”

Awkward.  Partly my fault for not explaining it very well to him.  When he asked me what Easter was, I told him it was a spring holiday that Christians celebrate, like when Hindus celebrate Holi.  After the comment at school, I had to tell him that it was OK to have fun with Easter eggs and candy – and that everybody can celebrate the fun parts of each other’s holidays.  Then I said next year he could bring his American friends to celebrate Holi with us.  I think it settled the issue for him.

Then I came across  news that Australia has imposed new regulations that would penalize childcare centers if they required children to take part in religious or cultural activities (link here).

I don’t know if I handled the matter in the right way, but I had a laugh when my son brought home an Easter bunny craft – a paper mask with paint splatters all over it.  “Look, Mommy, the Easter bunny was playng Holi.”

That bunny is going in a frame.

Image via Google images

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I’ve been thinking a lot about trains lately (and we have a big announcement coming up soon!).  Specifically, Indian railways.  Both my son and my daughter love playing with trains and I often take them to the train station in our town after school – where we just hang out and watch trains.

My memories of India are entwined with all those hours my family spent traveling on the trains – on the Coromandel Express, the Godavari Express, the Konkan Railway…from the drama of getting seats, listening to strange conversations and eating idli and upma from banana leaf packets –  to me India would not be India without its trains.

So it begs the question:  why is there nothing for kids about Indian railways?  A friend of mine just got back from India and she said she looked everywhere for mini replicas of the trains she took her son on…but nothing.

My search led me to find To The Top Of The World By Steam – about the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.  It’s not much, but it’s something.  Although I’ve been on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway (another narrow guage railway and, like the DHR, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site) – I’ve always pined for a trip on the Darjeeling. 

Someday…definitely…someday – but for now, the video.

Anyone else have suggestions for kids on the topic of Indian railways?

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Last fall, famed luxury Spanish brand Lladro launched these limited edition Rama and Sita scuplture sets.  Beautiful, no?

But how do traditional Indian sculpture artists compare to Lladro’s crafters?  See this traditional marble sculpture:

Which do you prefer?

Lladro’s Rama and Sita sculptures available at select Lladro stores, online, and where else…Amazon.com

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