This brings back so many memories. I was the lice picker in my colony. I have picked lice for my grandmother, mother, sisters and so many aunties in the neighborhood. The aunties still talk about it, as to how patiently I would clean their heads and relieve them of the itch.
This beautiful post came at such an apt time when my daughter with curly hair is struggling with one of the worst lice infestations. It becomes our Sunday ritual to hunt for them while we are parallely struggling to get hold of the texts in the books (we are in the midst of our final exams). And then suddenly one of them decides to swing and drop on the textbook while I grab it by it’s tail and put it In a bowl of water which I call their swimming pool. After having few minutes of bliss in their small floating pond, they give up and stay afloat, motionless; while sparing me the horror of crushing them between my fingernails. It just saves me from getting the tag of mass murderer every sunday afternoon. 😀
You have such a beautiful way to talk about the most horrific memories from childhood. I had lice too, and many times. Now my daughter brings lice home from school and we go through weekend treatments together. It isnt as shameful as it used to be for me. But I see my daughter going through the same fear of being found out. Children can be so wise. But they can also be so vicious in their honesty. Thank you for this sweet essay Raju!
Thank you Samira. She has you to share the fear with. I just realized that I never shared my fear with my mum. Or anyone. So thank you for letting go of your own shame. And holding your little one through this. 💜
This brings back so many memories from my childhood as well! But it was so common and prevalent at that time that no one really felt too badly stigmatized. My sister, mother and I (sometimes cousins included) would make an event out of it in the evenings and weekends. We joked that we were bonding monkeys. Sadistically derived a huge sense of accomplishment in squishing each of those crawling creatures to death! 😃
Read this one with so much delight. The 'Oo tais' crawling all over my hair in grade five, my mom's anger and frustration as I returned with what she called the 'prasad' every day from school. Warm oil massages, the scraping of the fine-toothed comb on the scalp, literally making khar-khar sounds, the tick sound of the drunk-on-oil louse meeting its end between two thumbnails, the constant itch, the silver nits. Then, the boycut ✂️, the complaint to the school teacher, changing places, and finally, relief. We all have our lice stories, don't we:)
As usual I am enriched with your precise descriptions!! Drunk on oil - iska koi jawaab nahi! and "We all have our lice stories, don't we:)" Thank you dearest Archana.
Loved this, Raju! Even as it brought up memories of the sharp scraping of the jue waali kangi against my scalp. And the phantom lice that still love scurrying about. What a gem this is.
Unfortunately, acquiring lice was considered very shameful even at home. Any time my scalp itches a sad fear of lice pops up. Was equally traumatized when my children got lice infestations: I felt like a terrible failure as a parent. Truly lousy creatures, these!
Oh Dipali. I relate to the sad fear... And while writing this piece, I was scared that not only I but my mother will get judged. But she did her best! And so did you. Lice is nobody's fault but somehow we panic and blame each other... Thank you for sharing both these stories..💜
Raju you write so endearingly on a topic always always hidden.. just loved the way your words peeled the layers of shame and anxiety and gently took us to a new learning.
Phantom lice! Oh you have no idea how this essay resonated Raju!! I was a lice magnet right through to my undergrad days and now the phantom ones run through my head. My daughter is much better than me at handling her lice. That makes me proud!
I've had both kinds of lice, Raju. We managed to exterminate the creature variety with a combination of Mediker and Lycil and joon wali kangi. We need a treatment for the other kind of lice...24 hour or 4 week or 4 years...whatever it is, I'll take it. Thank you for this beautiful, honest penning.
This brings back so many memories. I was the lice picker in my colony. I have picked lice for my grandmother, mother, sisters and so many aunties in the neighborhood. The aunties still talk about it, as to how patiently I would clean their heads and relieve them of the itch.
Oh Rakhi.. had heard of a tooth fairy, but this is another level of generosity... Feeling grateful on the behalf of all women!! 💜
This beautiful post came at such an apt time when my daughter with curly hair is struggling with one of the worst lice infestations. It becomes our Sunday ritual to hunt for them while we are parallely struggling to get hold of the texts in the books (we are in the midst of our final exams). And then suddenly one of them decides to swing and drop on the textbook while I grab it by it’s tail and put it In a bowl of water which I call their swimming pool. After having few minutes of bliss in their small floating pond, they give up and stay afloat, motionless; while sparing me the horror of crushing them between my fingernails. It just saves me from getting the tag of mass murderer every sunday afternoon. 😀
Thank you Parul. Your cozy mother-daughter comment stayed with me. Hope the exams and lice both leave soon. Lots of love.
Well the exams have left us but the lice would take it’s sweet time I guess 😄
"The scariest parasites aren't the ones that bite - they're the ones that make us hide." A very courageous piece. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you, Nikita. Courage feels possible because of our writing community. 💜💜
You have such a beautiful way to talk about the most horrific memories from childhood. I had lice too, and many times. Now my daughter brings lice home from school and we go through weekend treatments together. It isnt as shameful as it used to be for me. But I see my daughter going through the same fear of being found out. Children can be so wise. But they can also be so vicious in their honesty. Thank you for this sweet essay Raju!
Thank you Samira. She has you to share the fear with. I just realized that I never shared my fear with my mum. Or anyone. So thank you for letting go of your own shame. And holding your little one through this. 💜
This brings back so many memories from my childhood as well! But it was so common and prevalent at that time that no one really felt too badly stigmatized. My sister, mother and I (sometimes cousins included) would make an event out of it in the evenings and weekends. We joked that we were bonding monkeys. Sadistically derived a huge sense of accomplishment in squishing each of those crawling creatures to death! 😃
Read this one with so much delight. The 'Oo tais' crawling all over my hair in grade five, my mom's anger and frustration as I returned with what she called the 'prasad' every day from school. Warm oil massages, the scraping of the fine-toothed comb on the scalp, literally making khar-khar sounds, the tick sound of the drunk-on-oil louse meeting its end between two thumbnails, the constant itch, the silver nits. Then, the boycut ✂️, the complaint to the school teacher, changing places, and finally, relief. We all have our lice stories, don't we:)
As usual I am enriched with your precise descriptions!! Drunk on oil - iska koi jawaab nahi! and "We all have our lice stories, don't we:)" Thank you dearest Archana.
Loved this, Raju! Even as it brought up memories of the sharp scraping of the jue waali kangi against my scalp. And the phantom lice that still love scurrying about. What a gem this is.
Thank you Deepika. Always a joy to be read by your sensitivity. 💜
Unfortunately, acquiring lice was considered very shameful even at home. Any time my scalp itches a sad fear of lice pops up. Was equally traumatized when my children got lice infestations: I felt like a terrible failure as a parent. Truly lousy creatures, these!
Oh Dipali. I relate to the sad fear... And while writing this piece, I was scared that not only I but my mother will get judged. But she did her best! And so did you. Lice is nobody's fault but somehow we panic and blame each other... Thank you for sharing both these stories..💜
Like so much else in life, the more we normalize the damn lice, the less emotional baggage they will carry! So glad you wrote this post!
Raju you write so endearingly on a topic always always hidden.. just loved the way your words peeled the layers of shame and anxiety and gently took us to a new learning.
Thank you Shalini. Only you can write this exact loving comment! Thank you trusting me. 💜
My favourite line - but i had another place I had to carry my head to !
Thank you Roshni. For everything. 💜💜
Phantom lice! Oh you have no idea how this essay resonated Raju!! I was a lice magnet right through to my undergrad days and now the phantom ones run through my head. My daughter is much better than me at handling her lice. That makes me proud!
Lice magnet! Wow...and I so love how you spoke about how your daughter handles lice.. Thank you Mukta... for this lovely comment. 💜
Beautiful Raju! I see lice differently now. Thank you for shifting my gaze on them. Now let me clean Suhani’s head with medikar 🤗🤗🤗
Thank you dearest. 💜 Love to you and Suhani.
"Isn't that ... adorable?" Well played timing. Shame and hurt, co-conspirators that don't let loose.
Thank you, Stacy. 💜 For reading and noticing and responding.
You have a way with words. Truely, the real life are shame, anxiety and fear
Thank you Mahwish. 💜 We will release all kinds of lice. Slowly.
I've had both kinds of lice, Raju. We managed to exterminate the creature variety with a combination of Mediker and Lycil and joon wali kangi. We need a treatment for the other kind of lice...24 hour or 4 week or 4 years...whatever it is, I'll take it. Thank you for this beautiful, honest penning.
We will treat the other lice together. We are already doing it. Picking each other's shame and throwing it away. Thank you Nidhi 💜
Love, love, love the segue into the lice that crawl in your head not on your head. Well written 👍🏼
Thank you, Payal. 💜💜