Jooli/Dhooli – the great indian baby hammock

I wanted to put in this blog post long back, but something kept me from doing it. In the meanwhile my son has grown older and older and its really been a sweet time with him so long! The hammock has made many of the international travelers bask under the sun and sand and put them to sleep whilst they listened to the waves and the winds. In India, the Dhooli (Tamil) or Jooli (Kannada) has put thousands of babies to sleep regularly. The Dhooli is a simple saree cloth with both ends of the hammock tied to the same hook. Small babies are put to sleep within the enclosure thus created and this hammock can then be rocked to the far side and to the near side. This rocking motion instantly puts babies to sleep. The Dhooli also provides a cozy atmosphere for the baby to continue sleeping for long hours while at the same time perfectly balancing the baby with its center of gravity.

A few points to note if you use Dhoolis

  • Always secure both ends of cloth well at the top
  • Dont keep the bottom too high from ground, its not good for the baby
  • Ensure your baby is fully inside (head, legs) so as to maintain a slightly raised position at head level and sloping towards the leg
  • Ensure you wrap a mosquito net around the Dhooli to stop mosquitoes from going on
  • Ensure you are alert to find out when the baby wakes up
  • Dont use Dhoolis at night lest it becomes a habit, instead use them during the hot afternoons when kids arent so comfortable sleeping on the beds
  • Stop using the Dhooli when the kid is as old as a year or more.

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