January

A new year is born. It is the month when our older daughter was born. It is also the month when my niece (“bhagin” who showed up last summer out of the blue) was born. One of the nieces of my wife was also born in this month. Approximately four newborn arrive on this earth every second. (We have 6.5 billion folks in the world and 20 are born for every 1000. You do the math.). Approximately 0.5 billion people have birthdays in January. For many, birthdays don’t mean anything although these are special days in their lives.

I am not good at remembering birthdays etc. So, I wish our daughter, our nieces, and each and everyone whose birthday falls in January, a very Happy B’day. It is also the month of “Bhogali Bihu” (a Bihu to enjoy a feast with near and dear ones after the harvest) and of festivities with bonfires for the folks from the land of the Red River and the Blue Hills. I wish them a Happy Bhogali Bihu in spite of all the turmoil they face. Truly, January is a very special month.