Through the eyes of a 6 month old...

I was walking by, in the market when I saw a mother carrying her six month old baby in her arms. Eyes wide open, the poor thing was staring at almost everything. I smiled. “Welcome to the world, chhotu”, I thought. And that thought was a catalyst to a series of thoughts that made me write this article. So here’s an interesting account of what possibly could be going on in the mind of those speechless angels and what it is possibly like to be a six month old. So here you go. The world through the eyes of a six month old.




Ok. I hate it when she scrubs my face like that. One she has removed all my clothes and put me in this tub filled with warm water and when she sees me crying the scrubbing becomes more vigorous and quick. Can’t she tell that I don’t like it? Since like six months now? Every morning I cry but she never forgets to just submerge me in this soapy water. Now, in few minutes another old lady will come and pick me up in her arms and wipe me away with that soft towel of mine. I like her. Cos she’s the only one who knows I don’t like it. But I don’t understand why she gets late every time. Can’t she just come like few minutes early and save me from this ordeal? Hmmm…
Oh here she is. My saviour with a beatific smile. Thank God!

Five minutes later.

Ok this is fun. This lady who scrubs me everyday also massages my body after the water dip. The sunrays filter through the windows and fall directly on my forehead, arms and legs and she comes with a liquid which is massaged all over me. And then I am left naked for some time. While she massages me she makes weird sounds. “Ma-ma, ma- ma, baby mama” That’s all she keeps repeating. Does she want me to repeat that? Cos the other day you know, when I hummed a bit? The whole house went on frenzy. This “mama” lady shrieked. With joy I guess and I was surrounded by a lot of people peering down at me. One was the same old lady in saree and there was another old man, who generally stays with her all the time. It was fun to get so much attention, I tell you. And everybody was making those queer sounds , “awww” and ma-ma lady kept on saying, “Baby say ma-ma, ma-ma” but then I was not in the mood to repeat, you see.
Well that was that. Today again she’s trying her luck. Haha, but I am not impressed at all. Let me find an opportune moment to hum a bit. Let’s see how they behave then.

Fifteen minutes later.

Well I am all dressed right now. And mama is trying to force this steel object filled with food into my mouth. Like I said when she comes to know I don’t like some thing she forces it on me. When I grow up, I’ll tell her it is not a good thing to do. Till then I pray that saree lady comes and rescues me.

Half hour later.

Ok. I think we are going somewhere. Hmm.. Mama looks dressed and oooh… shes peering down at me. Man, she looks so different. Her face looks changed. They haven’t taught me colours as yet, so I can’t give you those details. Now come on you are expecting a little too much from a six month old. Aren’t you?

Fifteen minutes later.

Yeah. Didn’t I tell you we are going? Here I am strapped in a seat of a big car which mama’s driving. She has rolled up the windows so I can only hear the faint noise of traffic. There are these big cars and buses looking down at me. Mama is more scared than I am. Oh she has switched on that nice box in front of me which speaks in different sounds. Mama is humming too. I think this box asks her to repeat things after it. Haha, just that it is musical with blue and red lights flickering up and down. Interesting. Ok let me play with it a bit. Talk to you later.

Half an hour later.

Whoops. She just lifted me in her arms. Man. I dozed off while listening to that musical box cos I feel so zapped right now.. Ooh. I am perched on her left arm looking over her shoulder. There are people all around. We just passed two men looking at mama. Do they know her? If yes, why didn’t she say hi? Never mind. I’ll ask her this when I grow up. There are quite a few who look at her. Wonder why?
Oh look! There are these ladies walking just behind us. They are looking at me I am sure. The shorter one is touching my pinky. Now what does she want? Ok, she’s making me feel shy. Oh look at them, they are laughing at my shy smile. What was so funny? And my God! I don’t believe it! Mama is smiling back a them. Not good, I say.

Ten minutes later.

We have entered a big room through huge ornamented doors.Inside it’s very shiny with big lights everywhere. Mama is peering at some thing that is put behind the glass. There are many of them. Of different colours. I have seen them on almost everybody. They wear it on their wrist. All of them. (How boring! I’ll tie it on my neck when I grow up).And they keep looking at it many times a day. I wonder why? And this thing also hangs on the walls of our house. Here I see so many of them hanging all around us. Mama is talking very animatedly with this old guy at the counter. I think they know each other well. Surely better than guys staring at her on the road. She is pointing at the huge black one behind the glass. They are packing it for her as she hands them a small card. Is she inviting this old man home?

Ten minutes later.

I am back again perched on her left arm. A packet hanging on her right arm. Mama is humming. She looks happy. Hmm.. let me smile a bit. Awww… she just kissed me on my cheek. I like her. A lot. Wait a minute, she just entered in another big room with lot of tables and chairs and look how every man inside is guiding her to the table in the centre of the room. Now can’t she see it? Weird people! Ok. I am placed on a small chair with a wooden plank flipped shut in front of me. Mama got me a toy here. So sweet. She’s looking at the same thing on her wrist and then towards the door. I think she’s waiting for some one. Let me play a while.

Fifteen minutes later.

Look at that! While I was playing some one came in and mama got up. I can’t see his face. They are hugging each other. Hmm. Mama handed him the gift she just bought and he kissed her back and slid a shiny thing on her finger. The one just next to the pinky? She looks so happy and surprised. Oh she kisses him back. Is it some kissing competition? And hello who are you?
Finally, he turns around. Oh! He’s the same guy who shares my room with mama. I see him everyday, every morning. At times even he asks me to mumble “Pa-pa, pa-pa” Wonder what’s wrong with the two. Hey! wait a minute, he’s reaching out to grab me from the chair and Oh he flings me up in the air! That freaks me out! Oh my God! I don’t like it much.. Now don’t complain that I peed on your pants. “Eh pa-pa! Oops, I just mumbled that and look! Look at them! They are going hysterical with surprise. Ready to jump with joy. Kids, I tell you!