Birth - no laughing matter?

Recently an astrologer friend clarified which is the exact moment of birth for horoscope purposes.  It is not the moment at which the baby exits from the womb.  It is the moment when he emits his first cry: for life begins with first breath (and ends with the last!)  Many a times the cry is induced by holding the baby upside down by its legs and slapping it!*

Some psychologists hypothesize that the inherent negativity in human beings springs from this negative first encounter with the world.

One night as my grandson was chitchatting with me before going to sleep, he asked, "How does a baby breathe inside its mom's tummy?"  I told him that it doesn't and then added as I remembered my astrologer friend that soon after birth it has to be slapped to make it cry so that it starts breathing.  My grandson was aghast and inquired whether the babies are slapped real hard?  I tried to calm him by stating that it is only a light slap.  But he persisted, "Well, they can just as well tickle the baby.  It will make the baby laugh and hence breathe!!!"

Though I find it difficult to believe that this has not occurred to any obstetrician to tickle a baby, I will be happy if someone could confirm that this doesn't or wont work.  Could it be that each one remembers his / her first slap and insists on inflicting the same on a newborn?

I did some research on the net to find if a baby has ever entered this world laughing.  Here is one link that I found. 


*  कबिरा वा दिन याद कर पग ऊपर तल शीश, मिरतलोक में आय के बिसर गया जगदीश.

Is there a civilized Alternative to slapping?

Slapping of Sharad Pawar by an irate youth is being hotly debated. Pawar refuses to forgive him. A section of public opinion says that while the anger and frustration of the young man is justified, the way he gave vent to it is not. This anger and frustration was reflected in Anna Hazare who asked if he was slapped just once. Another section, miniscule but vocal, proclaims it as a grave offense and demands most severe punishment for it. This section has also called for enhancing the security of Pawar and other leaders. This confirms and underscores what I said about providing security to all sorts of netas in my earlier blog.


In the political arena initially a proper facade was maintained and the all the murky business was kept carefully hidden from public view and knowledge. Thanks to the media more and more detail of the murky dealings and goings-on are being dug out and exposed to public view. And the public is becoming more and more desperate and irate and getting more and more exasperated by the unabated murky dealings and irresponsible statements and acts of the political class. The political class, in turn, is getting more and more brazen. Their smugness comes from the knowledge that they have the levers of the system firmly in their control and an electorate hopelessly divided along the lines of religion and caste is in no position to displace them. With all these deep divisions the politicians need not work too hard at getting votes either. They can win by bagging a miniscule percentage of votes. And a disappointed electorate has no right to recall either.


So what does a deeply aggrieved member of the public do? How does he vent his anger? Well, if he is daring enough, he goes ahead and slaps any politician within reach. And politicians clamor for more security instead of mending their ways!!! I reiterate the need to take away all protection from politicians except those occupying the topmost positions like PM and President. Doesn't each party have its quota of goons who can protect their leaders as was done recently to protect Rajiv Gandhi? The same goons can also serve to attack the leaders of other parties. Leave the security forces alone and let them protect the public that is their primary job.