Written By: Nirmalya Dutta | Updated : May 11, 2014 7:26 AM IST
The Second Sunday of May is Mother's Day.
Google tipped its hat to all the mothers in the world by celebrating Mother's Day with an amazing doodle which shows a mum celebrating the holiday by cycling with her kids. Of course, Mother's Day is celebrated all over the world in different incarnations, but by and large India has adopted the US Mother's Day celebrations which take place on the second Sunday of May. The first Mother's Day was celebrated by Anna Jarvis in 1907 who wanted to honour her mother three years after her death. Her mother had encouraged her to go to college and she was extremely grateful for that. In the following years, she worked very hard to make Mother's day a recognised holiday writing to church groups, executives and politicians. Thanks to her incessant campaigning, the holiday spread to various US states and foreign countries like Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, Africa and South America. Eventually in 1914, Mother's Day was finally declared a national holiday by President Woodrow Wilson.
She however grew disillusioned with the holiday as commercial forces took over and worked to commercialise Mother's Day. She said of giving candies and cards: 'A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world. And candy! You take a box to Mother and then eat most of it yourself. A pretty sentiment.' In fact, she could've made millions from the holiday and had to spend the later years of her life with her sister. So let us celebrate Mother's Day in the true spirit that Anna Jarvis intended. Here are some articles:
My disability made me a better mother: Deepa Malik
Deepa Malik, 44, an Arjuna Awardee, a swimmer, gold medallist, an inspiring sports personality of India, a mother of two, and paralysed below the chest. She is truly an inspiration not just for others like her, but even us so-called normal people. But her true confidence stems from the fact that she's a mother of two lovely daughters. It was motherhood that gave her the will power to convert her disability into her strength and never let it be an excuse for not being there for her kids. Deepa shares her inspiring story in this t te- -t te.
Since when are you physically disabled?
The problem started during my second pregnancy. I had a severe backache problem which the doctors assumed was due to the weight I had put on when I was pregnant. But even after losing weight post pregnancy, the pain lingered on and then came a time when even bending down to lift my baby or tie the elder one's shoe laces was cumbersome. Eventually, the doctors discovered a tumour in my spinal column. I was told prior to the surgery itself that I would have some loss of movement as my spinal cord was pretty much damaged by that stage. And as predicted, after the treatment, I was paralysed from the chest below. Read more about this inspirational mother...
What makes the bond between a mother and her baby so special?
Words would be too less to express the beautiful bond between the mother and her baby. That unconditional love, trust and faith that a mother and a baby enjoy to make this bond special is beyond explanation. The sense of security, warmth, affection and love that one feels of a mother-child relationship is irreplaceable. Well though we know all this but there is something that happens deep down to make this bond special and intense. Nature and nurture goes a long way in making it a special one. Read more about the bond.
Mother's Day gift ideas to make her feel special
Beauty gift sets: Gift sets are pretty to look at and pack in several products which complement each other. You can pick up something with toiletries such as shower gel, body lotion, scented soaps, etc. Another gift hamper you can pick up is one with cosmetics in it. These days, several organic brands also pack in their products in gift sets. Opt for these if you are unsure what your mum may like as they will be milder on the skin and chemical-free too. Check out more gift ideas.
When will India stop killing its mothers?
As urban India gears up to celebrate Mother's Day on May 11, a holiday we've borrowed from the USA, the truth is that India remains along with Nigeria, the worst place for mothers in the world. While things have improved in the last decade, according to a UN report, India remains one of the worst places for mothers. Along with Nigeria, India accounted for one-third of the global maternal deaths last year.
An estimated 289,000 women died in 2013 from complications in pregnancy and childbirth, down from 523,000 in 1990, according to World Health Organization's Trends in maternal mortality estimates 1990 to 2013. The figure represents a decrease of 45 per cent. The sub-Saharan Africa region alone accounted for 62 per cent (179,000) of global deaths followed by Southern Asia at 24 per cent (69,000), according to the report. Read why India is the worst place for mothers.
Also don't forget to take part in our Mother's Day contest and win Flipkart vouchers.
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