My Daughter's ear piercing

Myself and my wife had been planning to get our daughter's ear pierced for the past two months. My daughter turned 10 months old on 21st Dec and we felt that it is hightime that we got her ears pierced. I know that it sounds very painful but needs to be done so that I can see my daughter in beautiful ear rings, also I have always felt that the a feminine look comes to a girl on wearing a ear ring. I spent a few time over the net and talking to my colleagues to find out about where to get the ear piercing done and different piercing methods available. After collecting a lot of suggestions...I got confused whether to go for Gunshot method or the traditional way of piercing (with a needle). Some of the friends suggested me to get it pierced from a doctor. I contacted a few jewellery showrooms here in bangalore and collected the information. Malabar Gold jewellery showroom located near commercial street had the gunshot piercing available. After collecting all the information, I was still trying to figure out where and how to get my daughter's ear pierced and on the other side the thought inflicting pain to her by pushing a needle through the flesh of small ear was disturbing me. I have heard that many for many families getting daughter's ear pierced is a big function, auspicious day and time is selected and then the goldsmith is invited, baby is dressed with new clothes, pooja is performed and then the goldsmith will pierce the ear with a thin gold needle.

This week, Monday 24th Dec, at 2.45pm afternoon, while riding my way back from office to home, I decided to get daughter's ear pierced at Malabar Gold using Gunshot method. Reached home and asked my wife to get ready and dress up the child. It was a sunny day and we reached Malabar gold by 4.30pm. The lady at the reception directed to the first floor. The showroom looked very well maintained and once we were at the first floor a guy came with a nice smile came toward us. He made us settle on chairs and placed a packet on the table in front of us. He took out the gun, the studs, a ballpoint pen to mark the spots on the ear lobes where the studs would go, and some kind of a disinfecting solution. My daughter was in good mood and was smiling at the other sales persons standing at the counter. She started jumping on my lap, the guy asked us to select the stud for our child. While my wife was busy selecting the stud, I inquired about the safety of the gunshot piercing and whether the studs are sterilized etc. The guy was very helpful and even though he was suffering from a throat infection managed to keep the smile and replied in a very friendly manner. Once we selected the stud, he asked me to hold the child close to my body. he applied a disinfecting solution to both the ear lobes of my daughter and once it got dried up, he marked the spots for piercing on the ear lobes. He then loaded the studs in the gun and then aimed it to the spot mark on one of the ear lobe. My daughter didn't realize till the first ear's piercing was done and the stud went in. That's when she realized pain and started crying and wasn't agreeing for the piercing of the other ear. I took her around the shop and the sales persons at the counter also made some facial expression to calm her down. After five minutes when she calmed down a bit, we got the other ear also done. I thanked the guy and asked where to make the payment but to my surprise he informed that it is free of cost. He asked to apply some warm salt water for a few days and after 10 days I can replace the studs with a gold ear ring. Daughter calmed down as soon as we got out of the store and did well on the ride back home. At home my daughter was playing normal but I was watching her .......my cute princess was looking totally different with the small tiny studs shining on both ears.

Images on Road..

Everyday the ride from my house to office is an experience. Sometimes it’s really boring and sometimes it’s quite interesting but anyhow I enjoy the ride. They are like the episodes of daily 'Mega' serials that we are bombarded with in the TV cannels. Although the route is the same and the visuals are nothing much different or new from the previous days, the thoughts and some images always stays on. Daily I see many children getting ready for schools in their uniforms and waiting for the school bus or the pickup van. I was indulged in thoughts about my school days and the past happenings and I was wondering how we humans lose the innocence so easily after childhood.

At the traffic signal at Cubbon Road, I found this little girl and her younger brother trying their level best to present their ‘gymnastic histrionics’, to the ones who were halted at the signal. The girl may be about 8-9 years old and the boy was about 4. They tried whatever they could do. The boy even danced to some tune in his mind and fell down skidding on the dusty surface and in between he was moving his whole body thru a small circular ring . Their mother sat below an old tree at the road side making some sounds with small 'dholak' and two wooden roads, giving the background 'beats'. The girl, after doing some acts for 1-2 minutes, went towards the vehicles hoping to get some money. The girl came near me with her hands stretched and a emotionless face, she was sweating. I could not make out whether she was happy or sad. She might be happy because she is with her mother and brother and performing such acts to make a living for her family or she is sad on seeing other kids who are over cared by their parents. The traffic started moving later after a minute. I looked back. She was returning empty handed to her mother and getting ready for the next show when the traffic signal again turns red.

As I moved ahead I thought about my childhood and also the children I saw a bit earlier near my house, who seemed happy and was getting ready for school in their uniforms. I didn’t feel pain. I didn’t think further. I’ve become so indifferent after living in this city where nobody is supposed to care about any other’s business. Anyway, my thoughts wouldn’t help them in any case.