Covid has been a stressful time for everyone, but it has been especially difficult for children. They are susceptible to stories of death and destituition since they have been confined to their houses.

 Crisis Underneath

I know the Covid pandemic is brutal for all of us, but the condition of children is particularly miserable. Can you imagine spending your childhood in a house with stale movies, music, and virtually no games and friends to play with? I'm not sure about the rest of you, but this is a nightmare scenario, in my opinion. To make matters worse, they are constantly bombarded with news reports of death and despair, which makes everyone nervous and anxious.

Today's children are growing up in a fearful and hopeless setting. Instead of meeting friends, causing mayhem during holidays, and wandering out, children may be suffering from emotional trauma due to a crisis they are not fully aware of.

I genuinely hope that the difficult times are over and that children will return to their natural habitats, parks and playgrounds. My thoughts and prayers are with those of you who have recently been through tough times, and I pray to the Almighty that the crisis does not leave a scar on your psyche.

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Indian civilization is a melting pot of various communities, and tribals in India have a distinctive and admirable place due of their distinctive way of life.

 

Tribal Communities of India: Lives, Practices, and Culture

One aspect of Indian society that shines out is its diversity. After all, India is well-known for its rich social and cultural heritage. But did you know that tribals comprise about 8.6% of the country's population? Tribal communities are passionate guardians of their unique identities and traditions. What distinguishes them is the simplicity with which they have constructed their way of life and sustained it through the ages.

Source: https://mahasoe.com/2020/09/27/tribal-people-india/

Well over 500 tribal tribes inhabit the Indian subcontinent, each with its specific culture, customs, food, rituals, languages, beliefs, and spectacular way of life. Most tribal communities have a traditional lifestyle inextricably linked to forest environments. This is why they are also known as Adivasis, or forest dwellers; nonetheless, times have changed, and many people have embraced new ways of living and technology.

Tribes In Central India

Bhil Tribe
As tribal communities are distributed over the Indian continent, certain tribes stand out for their glorious history and captivating customs. The Bhils, who live in many Indian states, are one such group.

      
Bhils, who get their name from the word "Billu," which means "bow," are warriors mentioned in history books. These fearsome archers rose to prominence in conflicts against the Mughals and the Maratha kingdom. They also like dancing and music, have progressively adopted a contemporary lifestyle, and become farmers. It is essential to address women in the Bhil tribe while discussing the community. These women are well-known for their unusual fashion sense, mainly their accessories. Bhil ladies wear heavy silver and brass jewellery, beaded rosaries, silver coins, and earrings.

Gond Tribe
Another group found chiefly in Central India is the Gond tribe. The tribals mostly speak "Gondi," an unwritten language related to the Dravidian family. Gonds are well-known for producing tobacco and making alcohol from the "Mahua" tree. Madai, a major Gond festival observed from December to March, draws visitors from far-off places. The marriage ceremony is an intriguing aspect of the Gond tribes. According to their norms, the bride's family leads a procession to marry the groom, known as the "Patthoni" rite, which is followed by festivities.

Munda Tribe
One of the oldest tribes in the Indian subcontinent is the "Munda" tribe. Though the Munda tribe is primarily located in Jharkhand, they may also be found in Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, and neighbouring Bangladesh. The Munda tribe is remembered in history books for their staunch opposition to British colonial rule from 1857 to 1928. Birsa Munda was a revolutionary who is adored throughout the country, and his efforts are lauded in annals of history. The Munda tribe's primary language is "Killi," and they are mostly woodcutters or farmers.

Tribes In North-East India

Bodo Tribe
From Central India, as we move towards North-East India, we witness that almost all North-Eastern states are home to diverse tribal groups. One prominent among them is the Bodo tribe of Assam. The Bodo tribals have a prosperous cultural heritage in literature, attire, music, and dance. In addition, the Bodo tribes are a peaceful group noted for handicrafts such as bamboo baskets, musical instruments, fishing gear, and other items.

Source: https://www.holidaytravel.co/pkg-dtl-hornbill-festival-of-nagaland-tour-package

Angami Tribe
Moving on, we come upon the majestic Angami tribe of Nagaland. The Hornbill festival, which attracts national and international visitors, is one of the significant Angami tribal festivals. The Angami tribesmen are well-known craftsmen who carve out amazing woodcraft in high demand throughout the country.

Tribes In South-India

Toda Tribe
Going south, the Toda tribe is the most ancient of the indigenous tribes. The tribe is noted for its garment and clothing embroidery skill in the Nilgiris. Some believe they are the descendants of Alexander the Great's Macedonian army remnants. Yet, the tribesmen claim themselves to be Pandava remnants. Polyandry was common in the tribe, where one woman marries all of the male members of a family. This peculiar tribe has its own language and follows several secretive practices.

Source: https://www.swantour.com/blogs/tribals-of-andaman-islands/great-andamanese/

Andamanese Tribe
The story would be incomplete without mentioning the Great Andamanese Tribe, who are members of the Negrito tribe family. The tribesmen are distinguished by their physical size and culture. The tribals dress in unusual clothing made of leaf branches and adorning human bones around their neck and forehead. They also apply clay on their faces and trim their brows. The tribe, however, is on the verge of extinction, and efforts are being made to sustain its declining population.

As we can see, India is lucky to have been nested with several tribes dispersed over the length and breadth of the country. As a result, tribals have smoothly absorbed contemporary life methods alongside their traditional traditions over time. The government has also made deliberate measures to bring our tribal brothers and sisters into the mainstream. For example, we just saw the appointment of Smt Droupadi Murmu as India's 15th President. She is from a tribal group and embodies contemporary India's transforming face.

Source: Wikipedia

Learn more about the spinal surgery procedure and what to anticipate during your hospital stay.

How to be Prepared for Spine Surgery?

How to Mentally Prepare Yourself for the Upcoming Surgery?

The first question that comes to us when thinking about spine surgery is why and when the patient needs it.

 

It is usually necessary in the following circumstances: 

a) if the patient has persistent lower back discomfort. 

b) If the pain continues after rehabilitative therapies such as physical therapy, massage, and heat therapy, regular pain medication is ineffective.

 

c) Even injections in the back failed to provide relief to the person suffering. 

d) Another issue that the patient may be experiencing is weakness or numbness in his limbs or arms.

Under the above circumstances, when treatment by the local physician has been unsuccessful spine surgery becomes imminent. 

 

Different Types of Spine Surgery

Different types of surgeries are performed to correct Spinal problems. Depending upon the physical, mental state of the person and considering any other health issue like diabetes, blood pressure etc. the orthopedist gives his recommendation for surgery.

Some of the significant types of spine surgeries suggested by orthopedists are :

• Vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty
• Spinal laminectomy
• Discectomy
• Foraminotomy
• Nucleoplasty
• Spinal fusion
• Artificial disk replacement

Today the doctors have the option to choose between the traditional /open spine surgery or minimally invasive spine surgery. With the help of modern facilities like 3D scanning, CAT scan etc. minimal invasive surgery that causes less tissue damage, lower infection risk, early hospital discharge and quick patient recovery is preferred.

 

However, not all patients can undergo minimally invasive spine surgery. The orthopedist takes the final decision based on the health condition of the patient.

Things to Consider Before Spine Surgery

It is essential to note that before undergoing surgery, counselling of the patient is necessary. The spine surgery is fraught with risks, but only negligible patients feel pain after recovery or develop any complications.

The time taken to recuperate from spine surgery is around two months, after which a patient can gradually return to his healthy life and walk independently without support.

The success rate of spine surgery is 90% with patients feeling no pain or weakness in their arms or legs.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, physical therapy and rest under the supervision of the doctor helps in fast recovery after spine surgery. 

Image Coutesy: Google Images

Winterlude festival, which takes place during the first three weekends of February every year in the Ottawa region, is one of the best ways to enjoy the Canadian winter!

 Winterlude Festival: Ottawa 

Lots of events in Canada can make you fall in love with the country. Exciting stuff to discover in Canada, includes International film festivals to Edmonton folk festivals, from light festivals to well-known food festivals. There is also a large bouquet of winter festivals that should not be missed while visiting Canada like Winterlude, the most famous and attractive winter festival. 

For first-time visitors,  Ottawa is one place that must be on the itinerary. Even if you dislike winter and are wary of the cold, dry weather, you may well be impressed by Canada's festive atmosphere that will make you fall in love with the season.

Winterlude Festival Activities

The great Winterlude Festival: In Ottawa, the Winterlude festival is a celebration of Canadian culture, a truly mesmerising experience for outsiders. You can participate in various events along with friends and family.  Activities like skating, ice and snow sculpture competitions, and many other types of concerts draw huge crowds to the fun-destination.

Started as a fun event in 1979, it is now organised by the Canadian Heritage Department. Winterlude brings the best out of every participant and encourages you to enjoy the magical wonderland of Ottawa. Unlike others, the Winterlude festival is completely free. The festival starts in February and continue for three weekends.

The sites of Winterlude include Confederation Park, Jacques-Cartier-Park,  and the Rideau Canal skateway, the focal point of the Winterlude festival.

Among other activities, ice sculpture making is extremely popular. The ice sculptures fitted with gleaming lights creates an aura of blissfulness. Enthusiastic participants showcase their talent using multiple shades of light. The festival is unique and acts as a magnet to attract tourist, who get to enjoy the enchanting season of ice and snow. A live music concert, an outdoor dance party, ice-carving competitions and workshops are some other features on display beside the opportunity to enjoy road trips in winter.

Fun Festival Winterlude

Canada is replete with many entertaining festivals giving you an experience of a lifetime.  There are also lots of interesting events and fun-loving activities designed for children. Giant games, kiddie zone, the Snowflake Kingdom at Jacques Cartier Park are some places that become a playground in freezing temperatures. 

People spend hours with children who are taking free lessons for snowboarding. If you love skating and ice sliding, the Rideau Canal Stateway is your ideal location. You might get lucky to experience adventurous skating there, however, it would be best to inquire about the place as the canal is in poor shape. Besides skating, the Ice dragon boat race also adds charm to the festival. Where else you can enjoy a boat-race competition in the middle of winter?

For youngsters, the nightlife in Ottawa presents exciting opportunities. Relishing with friends in an outdoor dance party, enjoying live band music and if you like Jazz, Winterlude is the place to be. Apart from this, Spark street offers Kickoff party, various live events and other light festivals. 

Beyond that, The Byward Market is a foodie's paradise. Your family can join you on this adventurous food trip. From free Wagon rides to Winter food tour, the place is brimming with energy.

Winterlude Packing Guide

 In February, the weather in Ottawa is unpredictable.  It is advisable to pack with caution as harsh winter may greet you. You can enjoy the Winterlude festival only if you are properly prepared with an extra pair of warm clothes, gloves, woollen socks and other basic necessities. If you enjoy skating, good quality boots should be packed. Different other accessories like scarf, hat,  sunglasses, cream and lip balm are some other items of need.

Extraordinary events organised at Winterlude turns it into a magical wonderland. It is a place to make your memories for a lifetime.  You also get to experience and participate in other unique Canadian cultural events fire festival. This festival offers the best in Canada,  its culture, lifestyle, and a marvellous opportunity to experience all of it for some days.

Photo courtesy: Google