As the
Author: Masala chai: Musings about our relationships with little people
We are a small group of people deeply dedicated to the scientific study of childhood and family life focussing primarily, but not exclusively on issues related to Indian society and culture. Two of us have doctoral degrees in Child Development, and long-standing careers in teaching and research about childhood in India, with several scientific and popular publications to our credit. The others are interested parents/family members who will assist us in this task.
Concentration! What children can teach us about learning
Stories from our Himalayan Chai project and other sources Adults often complain that children aren’t able to concentrate on tasks, that they have a short attention-span that has to be accommodated when they try to learn something new, or that they are slow to pick up things and we adults have to assist them with […]
New Year Greetings!
We wish all our readers a very happy new year. As we look back at the past decade and more recent events on our streets, these words from Prof. H. Y. Mohan Ram, the eminent botanist and great teacher, become even more relevant. Surrounded by fragile egos, failing integrity, fake news and furtive attention, we […]
Cutting Chai: A Mouse Who Was Hit on the Head!
Did you know that Jean Piaget, the eminent child psychologist, had collaborated on a children’s story book? Several years ago, when I met a former student of Piaget’s, Prof. Anne-Nelly Perret Clermont, and because of my long-standing obsession with Piaget’s work, I was excited to know more about him: How was he as a teacher, […]
The emperor has no clothes!
By Vimala Ramachandran Vimala has been working on school education for over 30 years as a researcher, administrator and advocate for meaningful education for all children in India. She currently works with ERU Consultants Pvt. Ltd. On Cutting Chai (that is quite kadak) this morning, we are posting two pieces sent in to us by […]
Capturing the moment
By Renuka Motihar Photography is all about capturing the moment. Being alert, quick and patient otherwise the moment is gone…… Varanasi is a sacred city known for the ghats where devotees come to take a dip in the holy Ganges river. Wandering through the narrow lanes of Varanasi behind the busy ghats one hot summer evening, […]
Introducing Himalayan Chai
This morning we initiate a new series on Masala Chai, a collaborative project with the talented Vishwas Raj who abandoned a career in Engineering to pursue his passion: Trekking in the Himalayas. Read more about him, his company and our collaboration, and the first serving of Himalayan Chai, a tiny window into the lives of young children growing up in remote regions of the north. We hope you enjoy the outcome and welcome your comments.
Cutting chai: Upcoming conferences
In response to requests from friends about upcoming events, here are links to some conferences and workshops to which you could apply if interested. Please feel free to add to the list in the comments section. NFSI 2019 – 3 Day International Conference, New Frontiers of Sanskrit and Indic Knowledge, 2019, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. Theme: Human Development […]
Addressing real and imagined fears we have as parents
A Commentary Bhavna Negi’s article ‘Shhhhh!’ posted a couple of weeks ago raises a key conundrum of raising children; that despite the fact that children are safer, more secure and better able to survive infancy and early childhood than ever before, why are we so afraid of the risks they face? Why is it that […]
Reposting Gilly’s story
Friends, this morning, we are reposting an essay from several months ago, in case some of you may have missed reading about Gilly. We’ve just celebrated Children’s day in India and it’s an opportune moment for us to reflect on our relationships with children, and what we can learn from our association with other creatures. […]
Risk and protection: Addressing real and imagined fears we have as parents
Some months ago, we received a piece from Bhavna Negi about a family conversation. With the post, we wish to initiate a discussion of our anxieties as parents, and to question why, although our lives have become more secure, fears have also escalated. We are more worried about children’s safety than ever before. What can […]
Re-posting ‘Fish no more’: Beliefs about living, dying and living on
As I arranged his mane on a bed of lettuce leaves, I felt a lump of emptiness in my stomach. He was so tiny. The resplendent sheen of life had left his fins and his eyes, these were uncharacteristically clouded and colourless, quite like the overcast sky on that Sunday morning. Gentle drops of rain […]
MASALA CHAI 