The evolution of the Tantyawagh

Tantyawagh (tant - ya - wagh) : The mysterious creature who patrols the streets at 8 pm. But why does he  carry a large sack with him ? Shhh. Perhaps, just perhaps, to fill it up with little children who refuse to go to bed ?

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Ever since people started having babies and ever since kids started refusing to sleep on time, Tantyawagh has come to the rescue of harried parents. Nobody knows why he carries that sack or what he does with it.  But legend has it that it might be meant for kids refusing to sleep. Of course, it could not be true. But then nobody is sure about it, so why take a chance ?  If it is true, no kid would like to end up inside the sack, right ?

Now, as the Tantyawagh keeps roaming the streets at bed time, kids keep growing up too. And when they grow, they start getting rational. So rational infact that they start doubting the very existence of Tantyawagh  "Where is he ? Why have I not seen him ? Show him to me", they tell you. But you know they exist. Not only do they exist, they evolve too. So, while the kids are growing up, getting rational and all that, the Tantyawagh as cloned himself and made different avatars of himself. Infact, he has entered into a collaboration with Noddy and has became the 'big ears' Tantyawagh who can hear the minutest of whispers of kids who don't sleep), the 'big nose' Tantyawagh who can smell non-sleeping kids from far away, he infact has a particular affinity for freshly bathed kids), 'the big eyes' Tantyawagh (who can see the eyes of kids who are not sleeping)...

Every evening, they have their Tantyawagh conference at the street corner, deciding who goes into which street for their patrol. Sometimes they team up and come in pairs. Somehow, these evenings coincide with I-will-not-sleep-now tantrums. On these evenings, one has  to be extra careful and go to sleep right away.

How long does this surveillance continue ? Do the kids outgrow them ? Will the Tantyawagh top evolving ? These are very pertinent questions. My guess is, if kids go to bed by themselves, on time, every time, and learn to perfection the intricate art of not troubling their parents and listening to them on first call, Tantyawagh and their clones (and their cousins)(yup they exist too) will ease up slowly and possibly, eventually, will go elsewhere, to other streets, to other kids... 

a midnight walk

I remember a toy that I once saw in a design shop. It is a squirrel that has a ball attached to its mouth. The ball keeps rolling forwards and side wards while the squirrel follows it in a jumpy motion, in a futile attempt to catch something that is already there.

Akshara was like that little squirrel, trying to grab an invisible ball. One moment she was lying flat, the next she moved sidewards, the next moment she turned over, all the while her head remaining where it was. She was actually trying to find a suitable position to fall back to sleep. She had just woken up at midnight and was perhaps not comprehending the environment completely. I had the perfectly good intention of wanting to help her back to sleep but she mistook my approach as an invitation to play. All the associated genes got activated immediately as she sat up with a broad smile and sparkling eyes. No, no, no...NO, that's not what I mean, what I mean is this : go back to sleep. But those genes were already on.  I exhausted all my tricks to put her back to bed, but those genes stayed firmly on. She was showing no sign of sleeping, what to do ? Now, past midnight is not a particularly good time for patience to flow in abundance. In exasperation I said, okay, do what you want, and pretended to sleep. All the lights were off, everybody were asleep and Akshara suddenly had all the home to herself. All the freedom to herself. No one to tell her where to not go or what to not take (or break). But there was a conundrum. What to do with all this freedom ? She stood for a minute, looking around, as if considering her options. Then she decided to take a walk ! With the middle and ring fingers firmly in the mouth, looking all around the familiar scenes in the unfamiliar setting of perfect stillness and darkness, she wandered from room to room, back and forth...

After sometime I decided to join her in the walk and softly treaded behind her. She felt my presence, turned back and looked up. I gave my fingers and she grabbed them. We walked to her bed and I let her gently in. The next moment she was asleep !