Delving Deep Into Eternity

The year 2011

2012-01-15T15:20:00.002+05:30

The year gone by has been significant for India especially in one respect – the rising against corruption lead by Ram Dev and Anna. Whatever have been the results, but they have been successful in igniting the dormant resentment and disgruntle of the common people. For the first time, the initiatives taken by the people like Ram Dev and Anna Hazare got so much force and support.

Though Ram Dev has decided to withdraw himself for the time being, but he will be back more surer, emphatic and resolute. As regards Anna Hazare, he has really caught the imagination of the people. The man really is strong in his character and resolute in conviction.

Of course, the politicians had to eat a humble pie. They will do their best to get rid of the duo. But I am sure the year 2012 will again see more from the duo and the politicians will have to bow down though with pinch of salt. Hats off to both !

Harishchander Replaced by Anna

2011-11-26T12:01:00.000+05:30

There has been tremendous change in the scenario after Anna took up cudgels against corruption and corrupted goons. But those who feel insecure have started teasing the honest people by calling them Anna Hazare. Earlier they used to call them Harishchander. This shows their worry about their future as they have spent whole of their life in looting others by this or that way. I sakute Anna for awakening the people of this country.

Power of words

2011-08-07T20:05:00.001+05:30

Truly strange is the world wonderful of words
And words many behind a word single
Thus power boundless does a word possess

Beautifying the beautiful and making uglier the ugliest
So they turn friends to foes and foes to friends
Have they the power to change the time and tide

Soothers are they to the soul and mind distraught
Venom also enormous with them do they carry
Thus change peace to war and war to peace

Frustrations deep and disgruntle untold out they gush
Hide they can the fret and woes of doleful heart
Also make they life a seeming cosy bed of flowers

Companinons are they to the lonesome and deserted
Add they hilarity to the life dull and dreary
Full of hope and gaiety thus the life becomes

Smiling and weeping, also making smile and weep
Out they come from mind unfettered and revolutionize
As did Socrates, Aristotle, Lenin and the Marx Great

But hark ! A culture of their own do the words have
Living Wherein do they grow and prosper
But lose their worth if unthoughtfully used

Our Ailing Society !

2011-06-19T22:15:00.002+05:30

One of these days, disgusted with failure of his son in PMT entrance test, one of my friends came to me and said, “ See, there is so much corruption”. what is it”? I asked. “This time too my son could not make it. They say the question paper was leaked out to some candidates. You know. there is no hope for the honest people like us,” he sneered. “Next time, he will do it”, I sympathised. “Please, take care of my son as you know the controller of examination ”, he emphasised.

I could not respond to his stance which was the result of his despair. But later I expatiated about what he had said. I sum up that In fact, we despise and appreciate corruption in the same breath. Though there is utmost despair and disgruntle among people, yet they do not want to lose opportunity to resort to foul play if it benefits them. If we fail to get anything out of the foul play, we start criticising the corrupted system and take the stance of an innocent person. If our own deeds are questioned, we justify them by saying that all are corrupted therefore our corrupted acts must be ignored. For instance while travelling by bus if conductor offers to charge less without ticket, we grab this opportunity and call the conductor a ‘nice human being’. That is just a small instance whereas our life is full of such instances when we at once forget all ethical values and change the standard and stance.

Notwithstanding the ongoing clamour and protests against the corrupted system, the long persisting contagious disease doesn’t seem to be cured that easily irrespective of the response of the government and the political parties.

No doubt the modus operandi of ‘Anshan’ or ‘Satyagraha’ or any other form of agitation may play a crucial role, but more important is the change in attitude, approach and outlook of the individuals and society. Therefore, we need a change in modus vivendi if the menace is to be cut at the root. The long and short of it is that we are honest only as long as we don’t get the chance to get corrupted.

Instead of acting as deterrent, our society has learnt to accept corruption as a way of life. It is not out of place to say that corruption has got into our blood and veins. In a bid to accumulate more and more filthy lucre, the biggest fish wants to swallow the smaller one, and the smaller the smallest one. Now, what the smallest fish do ? In this dismal world it is the smallest fish whose voice goes unheard and is the worst hit victim.

It is also equally sustainable that those whose lives have been nothing but a rat race for money will resist even the smallest effort initiated to curb corruption. In fact, we need double edged sword to tackle the issue of corruption. On the one hand we need more Anna’s and Dev’s to bring the big guns to book, on the other a consistent campaign must me launched to inculcate and spread the ethical values.

So, be it Lokpal or the satyagraha to bring black money back, it is the change in attitude and outlook of the common mass that is going to be important if we want to cure the society of corruption.

Schwa surprised me

2011-05-29T20:58:00.001+05:30

I am back after a long interlude. In fact, I was extremely busy studying the phonetics of English language. The most surprising and interesting was the schwa sound in English which does not have a definite origin. The most surprising is the fact that it is the commonest sound in english speech, but does not have definite letter from which it may evolve. It can evolve from any English vowel. I am further busy studying English sound system and also have started writing a book on functional grammar. I hope my readers or blog friends would not mind if I don't turn up frequently. I wish to have your good wishes for my little pursuit. Please pray for me from the core of your heart. This will be a great favour.

Lost Love

2011-03-13T16:22:00.005+05:30

Turned I fifteen and was drawn towards her

Was it the first crush or love as often they say

Bewitched had she me with smile mesmerizing

And felt I in core of my heart an ache so blissful

Reservoir serene of solace she became for me

To look and to hide the look her invincible style

But, Never did I nor she ever expressed heart

But both knew had we something for each other

The viscissitudes of life Then moved us apart

Departed were we with the hearts unexpressed

Thus were parted the hearts from each other

Again are we brought together face to face

But now gone is the smile enticing and look

As belong now we to different lives of world

Her heart no more mine and mine not hers

Mine now other’s and other’s was hers too

Thus is she lost to me and me to her.

This Post has been Published as a part of

No one is above nation

2011-03-10T20:15:00.004+05:30

Even those cricket lovers having low retention power must remember the statement of Australian dashing left-handed opener wherein he has termed Tendulkar as a cricketer with individualistic goals and achievements.The statement that time ignited the adverse reaction from the cricket lovers in our country. The same statement was recently echoed in the words of Steve Waugh when he reacted to the Dhoni's statement that he wanted to win the World Cup for Tendulkar. However this time Waugh's words did not attract severe reaction. Notwithstanding the reactions from Indian cricket lovers, I can but side with the two Australians. Let me not be misconstrued that by saying so I want to undermine the cricketing prowess of the little master. What my point is that an individual can never be above nation.

Dhoni's statement was not only illogical but it also reflected insanity emerging out from a narrow, emotional and lopsided mentality. The gentleman must understand that he represents the country he is playing for not an individual named Tendulkar.

Let alone what Dhoni said, I feel irked and piqued when people overdo the things and associate everything to their personal emotions. Many a time I am disgusted with the attitude of the cricket loving people towards cricket and cricketers. They see cricketers as gods and demons in the one go. Whenever they play well, they are raised to the sky as if they were infallible. Whenever they lapse, no stone is left unturned to make life miserable for them. All start giving master tips as if those players had undergone apprenticeship of cricketing skill in their own cricket academy. They are so much Tendulkarised that they forget that Tendulkar is only a player, and definitely a player with exceptional prowess, but certainly not infallible.

In fact, Tendulkar is a player of game called cricket at the most an exceptional cricketer and certainly he is neither above cricket nor above the nation he plays this game for. It is not denied that he is a doyen of cricket but at the same time it is also true that many of his innings have been self engrossed. Falling in line with the prevailing milieu, our media are also not behind. Media need to be objective, but our media go two steps further in hoicking our cricketers from dust to sky and sky to dust.

I was coerced into write this post when to my shock and dismay I saw two cricket crazy fellows coming to blows because one was for Sehwag while the other one was hellbent on making the former worship Tendulkar as his god. This is the last thing we do when we can neither convince nor convinced by others. What rubbish thing.

Talking in Symbols

2011-02-18T07:45:00.000+05:30

Many a time symbolic language plays tremendous part in making people understand the things easily and clearly which otherwise does not seem to be that easy. The other day, while teaching, I was trying to make it clear to the students as to what a good paragraph was. Even after strenuous efforts, I was not convinced that the students had well taken my point. Suddenly I was reminded of a quotation which goes like this- A good paragraph should be like a lady's skirt: long enough to cover the essentials but short enough to keep it interesting. This was enough and the response from the students was that I was satisfied that the job had been done to the maximum. There was no need for further elaboration.

Is Falling in Love One Time Affair- Against the Motion

2011-02-16T21:47:00.007+05:30

Love is an emotion, and emotions do not necessarily remain constant. No doubt, the first crush in life in unforgettable but that doesn’t, in any way, infer that this kind of emotion or feeling will not occur again in future.

This post has been published as a part of THE GREAT DEBATERS No 1; the first edition of the Bloggers Debate; If you like this post then FAVE ithere and read other entries as well.

We love the beloved or a thing at the first sight because something about that beloved or thing entices our hearts. But it is possible that we may find the same situation in future also. And, of course, we may feel the same crush again.

Then it also depends on the response we get from the beloved one. If our love goes unrequited, the degree of probability of having the same crush again is maximum.

It goes without saying that love is a natural feeling, and it may arise whenever we behold the beauty in different aspects. It’s not that we get enchanted towards only one aspect of beauty. At the same time we cannot get across the different aspects of beauty once. We may feel riveted towards one aspect at one time and towards other at any other time.

Therefore, I believe that love is a natural feeling and natural feelings or emotions may arise naturally without any definite rule or precision.

Let me not be misconstrued as a votary of fleeting love. Of course, one needs to be united with the beloved for ever and in any way there is no scope for ditching, But at the same time one may have the feeling of love again being it another matter that he will not leave the first one for the sake of new one as it is against moral and cultural values.
The long and short of this post is that love is a natural happening, and natural happening may happen naturally without any canons of happening.

The Rainbow

2011-01-17T18:46:00.003+05:30

Rainbow, Rainbow ! Who gave you the glow so enchanting ?
The Rarest gift thou art of nature.
Human heart thou fills with hilarity.
That VIBGYOR, the slant so enticing,
The glint after rain, the drops twinkling,
And the rays piercing thy multiple glow.

Photo : FreeFoto.com from google

Organised Thinking Blinds Us

2011-01-01T17:35:00.000+05:30

When a man takes birth, he is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian nor any other creed and no one shouts allah hu akbar nor had any one said har har mahadev. Above all he is only an addition to the siblings of god. But with the passage of time it is made to understand that one either is Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Baudh or Jain et Seq. And the very truth that basically one is a human being is either forgotten or becomes a secondary thing.

What I mean is that as long as we think putting ourselves at a particular point and angle, we won’t be able to appreciate the different views. For this we have to come out of group or organizational thinking when it comes to the question of difference between chalk and cheese, between vice and virtue, between right and wrong. Only an ungagged mind can call spade a spade.

They say the god could be seen in the temple, mosque, church etc, but if god exists, it exists in the hearts of human beings, in their noble thoughts, in their right actions. Saint Kabir is absolutely on dot when he says:

Moko kahan dhundhe re bande, mein to tere pass mein.

Na mandir mein, na maszid mein, na kabe kailas mein.

( Where are you looking for me, man ? I reside inside you. Neither am I in temple nor in mosque nor in the mountains).

Much of fanaticism prevailing in the contemporary society is because we are made to think in an organized way. This organized religion or ideology does not let an individual have his own free and reasonable thinking,. Be it religion or be it politics, one can’t go beyond one’s organizational thinking. Especially in our country, we are led like flock of sheep and we don’t mind if we are led into the ditch. A political minded person will not, in majority of cases, speak against its party though it might have committed the blunder of Himalayan stature. Similarly, no one will like to count the shortcomings of own religion or ideology. Perhaps it's human tendency to prove his dog to be the most faithful and nor do I dislike it. I don’t mind people proving that their ideology is the best available in the world. What irks me is that people try to prove that any other religion or ideology or faith apart from theirs is inferior. And herein lies the crux of all human enmity and malignance.

How tragic is it for humanity that many a time patients die due to dirth of blood, but the same blood flows on roads in the name of god ! In fact all religions have taught fatherhood of god and brotherhood of mankind. Even if they had not done so, an unbiased and ungagged individual’s wisdom would say so. If this be not so, there will be total chaos and anarchy and many Indias will be created from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and Gujrat to Bengal and there will be a big question mark against the existence of real India. Therefore the following lines have much truth in them:

Khuda walo mujhe masjid mein pine do,

Mandir walo mujhe mandir mein pine do

Nahin to aisi jagah batao jahan khuda nahin.

(Let me drink in temple or mosque or tell me the place where god doesn’t reside)

Wee Hour Dreams Turn Out True !

2010-12-26T23:54:00.005+05:30

Finding me reclining unwary that frightful night, the sleep had overpowered me.

Was it a sleep or was I half awake when in a world different and dreadful found I myself !

The two figures with faces so dreadful and spear like tools matching their look suddenly appeared.
Had they come, as they avered, to carry the command of their master, the lord of Death.

‘‘Move away,’’ Cried I to them as fearful they looked, “Why ye have so appalling a form ?”

“To those whose life is full of sins, surfeit and inhuman deeds, do we come in the form same”, thus answered they.

“But to the virtuous man for the sake of humanity who lived, look we so enchanting and suave.
Full is your life with sins we had but to come in the form most frightening,” grumbled the duo.

So to take lifebreath out of me had the ugliest figures come, this now I had realized.

Poking and whisking with their spear like tools, the pain untellable they gave to me.

Counting, recounting and reminding my sins, utter torment they poured on me.

Reaching at the acme of pain and torture, hurled they me into the world another.

Before me now was a kingly face with the crown so fascinating adored he on his head.

But soon those two detestable figures turned up again with same the face same the tools.

"Carrying your command this sinner we brought out of life to you,” said they in unison so harsh.

And begin now theyto sing and recount my sins which outnumbered the virtues had I done.

“You are damned,” Pronounced the Death with the voice robust, “ Hurl him into the Dungeon".
Getting thus the decree from the Master, the two figures rushed forward to obey and fling me.

But startled woke I up by the voice of my wife as she was there with a cup of tea.

Hugged and clasped I her and thanked for saving me from those callous hands so unkind.

While sip by sip took I tea with mind elsewhere aghast and shocked.

Was it a dream or was I half awake !
Might it come true as had I had it in the wee hours of morning !

The Time That Was

2010-12-22T12:29:00.001+05:30

The time came and passed ! How, not I know.
Unnoticed slipped it away as movement of a cat.
But memoirs remain and return
As etched they are to my mind.
Indelible they are as the wounds of unrequitted love.
Naieve was the childhood and modest the school.
No hankypanky nursery, no LKG nor the KG,

But straight It was into grade 1st after six.
Brilliant called me my pals, same endorsed the teachers.
Always first I stood but no celebrations, no party of today.
Rustic was life, no chocolate, no icecream,
It was only baked cornbread with gurh.
Darned clothes, darned shoes, yet no malice, no worry.
Rains did drench us but no pain, no illness, only play and gay.
Bat Handmade and rags stitched into compact orb,
Thus was cricket ball with forsaken stump our wickets.
Holiday was the turn to take the cow and bulls to the woods
To return at dusk with the herd retaining the number same.
Such were the days of gaiety and play,
Which I relish to remember and say.

Honesty Pays!

2010-12-19T13:09:00.001+05:30

We often say that the modern world is not an ideal place for the honesty-lovers as corruption and dishonesty have become the order of the day. But, I feel that come what may honesty has always its own reward irrespective of age and environ. Honesty pays or even if it doesn't, it has its own gift - a solace that is not easy to attain and retain in this wicked world of materialism.
It so happened that I was to go to Shimla from Kumarsain. Getting no bus from the bus stand, I had to walk to the nearby high way. While I was ambling to and fro waiting for the bus, suddenly, a white gypsy stopped just before me and the driver offered lift to Shimla. I, with two or three other guys boarded the gypsy, which the driver told, belonged to some public representativel.
On the way, I was ruminating as to how much money the fellow was going to extort from me. Meanwhile, some two guys got down the veichle. They did not give any money to the driver nor did the latter ask for. I took it for that the guys might be known to the driver.
later the driver offered to drop us at the DC's office at shimla. I happily approved the Idea. He dropped us at the DC's office. While getting down the gypsy, I took out a hundred-rupee note and pushed it towards the driver. To my surprise the fellow said," Janab, Muzhe haram ke paise de kar paap na karao." (" Sir. please don't allure me to commit a sin by offering me unjustified money.") Hearing this from him, I was overwhelmed and I saluted him in the heart of my heart. He could have easily mustered about Rs 1,000 on that day, but perhaps his soul was alive. I often am reminded of the incident and it fills me with reverence for that driver and I would salute him as many times as I could.
On other occasion, I was taking my kids along with my wife to the hospital. We boarded a bus to the high way and got there down to get another to the hospital. My wife suddenly realised that the small lovely purse she had bought for our little daugter Aparajita, was missing. After a brief husband-wife brawl, the matter was forgotten.
On one fine morning an unknown fellow tracked us down and told that he had got the purse that, he thoght, was Aprajita's. My little daughter dannced gleefully while my faith in honest way of living further got cemented. I had no reason to think against the thinking- Honesty pays!

Names Have a Lot to Say

2010-12-13T11:00:00.001+05:30

'' What is in name---------------''- The cliche of William Shakespeare had never troubled me nor had I ever thought of being at variance with it until rececently when I stumbled over a write-up of a blogger on nomenclature associated with this old and well acknowledged adage. How great a connoisseur Shakespeare was as a delineator of human soul, I don't dare to touch upon the issue. But the very cliche irks me when I see the world going berserk for the sake of coining appropriate names for their newly borns.
Writers have put in huge efforts to publish books containing names. The proud father or mother don't lose any opportunity of publicising among relatives to look for some lovely and appropriate names for their child so that they may choose the best from among the best conveyed to them. Purohita, on his part, does his best to approve the name that would lead the child to fame with that specific name. Whether the child gets name and fame is another matter, but the Purohita gets plenty to make his pocket heavier.
How foolish Shalespeare was to give such a naught to 'names'. In the old time people used to give name the new borns by associating him to the month or day he was born - 'Shukru' (born on Friday) Manglu ( born on Tuesday) or Fagnhu ( born in the Hindi calender month of Fagun). But now such names are rarely found among new generation, and if at all any exists, it becomes the target of drollery.
I havre another point that makes me go against the Shakespearean adage. In fact, we cannot make do without names. No names means having no proper nouns. Now imagine the language without proper nouns, My god ! A world or language without proper noun ! There will be linguistic anarchy and communicative chaos. So we need names irrespective of what shakespeare said. And if we need them after all why not have best of them?
Names have great significance. If we are not familiar with somebody, the mere name gives us an idea of the fellow. Suppose we hear of some unknown Ram or Ram lal or Ramu, The very neme 'Ram' gives us the idea of a person being sedate fellow like the lord Rama. Ram Lal gives the idea of some ordinary man lmay be dudhwala. Ramu gives a connotation of somebody engaged in house keeping may be even my or your servent. Now take my name Jagdish with short /i/, you can perceive that this fellow seems to be having ordinary stature and reputation.But if it becomes Jagdeesh with long /i/, the things get bigger many fold, and you can perceive an image of god which I don't want to be, though sometime in my humanly pride, I thank my parents for giving me the name which reminds one of god.
The very names - Bengluru, Chennai, Puducherry, Mumbai - have a cultural and historical sense with them. Just pronouncing these names sends us to the social and cultural milieu related to these places.
Now why spare Shakespeare, who, having given this cliche to the world to think over, himself chose the most appropriate names for his persone. Cordelia of King Lear, Toby Belch of Twelfth Night, Prospero and Miranda of the Tempest and many more are there that have beauty and significance of their own.
So, dear friends, Shakespeare himself was at variance with his own dictum, And there is so much fuss created over names. Names can be perceived good or bad, but people in this excessively busy world of hurry and worry have no time to perceive the good deeds. Rose may not smell sweet if given another name, and without name no smell at all. Therefore, I have every right to believe - A bad name is worse than bad deeds.

Bye, Bye, World

2010-11-28T10:14:00.007+05:30

Away I want to slip into slumber sweet and deep,
With the wings of goddess of sleep
Never to return but ever to fly.

From horizon to horizon will I flaot like a boat,
And swim like a bird in the world infinite,
And unknown to me yet mostly my own.

Soothed will I be from the hurries and worries,
And fret and fury of mundane,
With no askings, no if's and but's of officialdom.

Yes, there, there, there far away into eternity,
Aching I am to pluck and scud away.

Shun Linguistic bigotry

2010-10-27T21:27:00.001+05:30

Much dust is raised by the hue and cry of Hindi- loving nation lovers against the use of English. I don’t want to stir Hornet’s nest by saying that I have strong aversion to advocacy of Hindi disparaging English. Equally am I averse to advocacy of English at the cost of Hindi. Let me not be misconstrued as anti- nation and that I am trying to denigrate Hindi for the sake of English. Certainly, both the languages are equally lovable to me. Why only these two ? In fact, I will love to know and speak as many languages as possible to my need and convenience. What I want to convey is that all the languages must be viewed from equidistance and with equal respect. And it is needless to say that next to Hindi comes English being it an international language.

Of course, Hindi must be kept comparatively at the higher pedestal when it comes to learning and teaching of languages as it, more than any other language, reflects the culture and character of our nation. In that way it is a veritable uniting force. But this doesn’t give license to disparage other language that flourishes simultaneously by force of its own nature and magnanimity. In fact, if Hindi has to make a global impression, it is possible through English only. Therefore English is to be encouraged rather than disparaged.

The straitjacketed views regarding the learning and use of particular language is nothing but the narrow and lopsided stance taken by linguistic fundamentalist. I appreciate the idea that Hindi must be given priority but I cannot digest the view that the massive use of English is an impediment in the way. Efforts must be made so that the students in our country learn, write and speak good Hindi. Having done so, the people of this democratic country has the freedom to use the language of their liking.

Let us not forget that it is the English literature that has brought international name and fame to the nation. Raja Rao, Anita Desai, RK Narayanan, Khushwant singh, anita Desai are no small figure in English Literature. Tagore might not have got worldly acclaim had he not translated his Geetanjali into English. Arundhati’s God of Small Things, Arvind Adiga’s The white Tiger, Desai’s Inheritance of Loss have proved that literary acumen of Indians is best manifested in English literature.

Even apart from creative literature, Indians have made English their medium to prove their supremacy in other fields like Economics, Biography, History and Science and technology. Aurbindo Ghosh, JL Nehru, MK Gandhi, Amartya Sen, APJ Abul Kalam, Jaswant Singh have made the best of English language.

Language carries with it the social and cultural ethos. To know more languages means to have broader outlook and rich culture. Acceptance and assimilation of language shows the magnanimity of one’s own language. And perhaps herein lies the greatness of English. This is the reason that English has attained the international status as a language.

I don’t doudt the utterances of Bhartendu : Nij bhasha ko unnti hai sab unnti ko mool (The progress of one’s own language is the very base of all progress). But he had never said and meant : Par bhasha ko nindaa hai sab unnti ko mool. (Dispaaging other’s language is at the very base of all progress).

We The people

2010-09-14T13:47:00.002+05:30

Perhaps we Indians believe more in precept than becoming an example for others. So much have we lost in terms of values and morality that corruption has become an integral part of our society rather we have accepted it as way of life. We try to wash our hands off this menace by saying that all are corrupted therefore our corrupted acts be ignored if they come to light at all.

So much so that we try to involve god in our misdeeds by swearing in His name. If possible, we will coerce god in helping us in our misdeeds.Many a time we also try to bribe the almighty.

If we happen to be politicians, our foremost efforts will be to accumulate as much as possible wealth for ourselves and our kins. We will make life hell for honesty lovers and will do our best to denigrate them by awarding them the sarcastic title of ‘Siblings of Harishchandra’. We will do our best to allure them to join our club of corrupted goons by citing them the examples of people who have flourished by adopting unethical means. If he doesn’t budge, we will not hesitate to eliminate him. We will not feel prick of conscience even if we have to suck the country to the last drop.

We will boast of great forefathers, but will always act in contrivance with the path shown by them. We will appreciate their sacrifices. But in our turn will sacrifice others for own sake and in doing so we will not hesitate to stake the country.

We will love to appreciate Bhagat Singhs if born in the house of neighbours, but won’t love to have one in our house because we believe ‘saints are better dead’. If at all they have to be alive, better to have them so far so near.

If we are at the helm of construction work, we will first carve out our own share. Thereafter, we will eat into the rest of the amount. In doing so, we will not bother about the lives and future of the people and the nation.

If we grab the post of a teacher with the help of some godfather, we will try our best to apply minimum input and get maximum output. For this state’s ‘Maximum’, we will provide our maximum unfair help to the pupils, because after all they are like our sons and daughters when it comes to the examinations or results. Moreover, as parents we will want our ‘Pappu’ pass whatsoever be the modus operandi.

Every day we will pledge to live in cohesion like brothers and sisters. We will boast proudly of our multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious identity of the nation. But at times, we will be ready to butcher our brothers and sisters in an effort to satiate our narrow religio-political zingo. Blood be available or not for the patients will not be our worry, but we will feel proud if same blood flows on roads or whatever be the place.

As administrators or heads of any organisations or institutions, we will endeavour to ‘look busy while doing nothing’. We will try to appease and favour our sidekicks. ‘Come tomorrow’ will be our motto.We will look for the word ‘impossible’. Even if it doen’t exist, we will definitely add this to have a dictionary of our own. We will believe in the dictum- If one can do it , let him do it; If none can do it, leave it.We will find logic in Mahatama Gandhi’s precept of three monkeys if somebody takes cudgels against our apathy and amnesia.

We again swear in the name of god that we will stick like a leech to above mentioned characteristics of ours and will swerve only if some characteristic of utmost self - interest is to be added, And that too by swearing in the name of god.

Our Ailing Education

2010-06-19T13:02:00.001+05:30

Notwithstanding the lofty claims of the state government, the scenario regarding qualitative education remains bleak. Apart from some improvement in infrastructure, the SSA has benefited meagrely though the claims have been highflown. In fact, we seem to be moving from cocksure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty. And now it’s the turn of the RMSA to play the same role.
On paper, the SSA and the RMSA seems to be panacea for curing our ailing education. But the hard ground realities have a different story to tell. In fact, the problem lies in poor execution, casual monitoring approach, inadequate training, lack of competent RP’s and disregard of teachers’ views and suggestions.
Doing away with the marks-based examination system might be blessing for many, but at the same time has discouraged the spirit of healthy academic competition. Examination is a stress for shirkers not for studious and hardworking children. It cannot be logical to ignore these a few brilliant brains for the sake of shirkers. As is the mentality of the children, they will find no attraction for getting marks. Let me be not misconstrued as being anti-reformsist. Nodoubt, the innovations are welcome but only if they have reasonability keeping in view the ground realities.
The CCE should be only one part of examination, but to lay major emphasis on viva-voce or oral examinations will only degrade the quality of talent of succeeding generation. This can clearly be discerned from the fact that the student of 10+2 or BA standard cannot write a single sentence correctly in English. And the dissemination of knowledge and information is widely done in black and white for which the writing skill is of utmost importance. The excessive emphasis on CCE will undermine the possibility of producing talents of high standard. This means that we would be limiting the scope for the development of creative urge.
Unfortunately, we are operating is such a system wherein new education policy is for the sake of money whereas money should have come for the sake of policy.
The present form of written examinations and evaluation may have its drawbacks, but to shun them completely for the sake of another system, which in its turn is not free from faults, will be like getting out of the frying pan into the fire.
Another sad part the latest policy is that the teachers are being burdened with those activities that do not fall in the ambit of his teaching acumen. They are in catch22 situation and his responsibilities are hanging between teaching and fetching data. He looks at himself more as record keeping babu than a teacher. Becoming frustrated, he takes his responsibilities as completed by just fetching the paper work.
The height of the matter is that even the executing agencies are not clear about the results of the new CCE policies. And the bosses in the government does not seem to be showing real seriousness.

World Health Day

2010-04-07T09:24:00.005+05:30

Wish you all sound health on

World Health Day

Eat less, Drink more.

Pick fruit, Kick junk.

No gluttony, No bulging belly.

Enjoy good health really.

Cathrine

2010-03-19T21:31:00.000+05:30

very laconic , but nice.

Quotes with time

2010-03-13T22:28:00.005+05:30

Adopted from Encounters and Clippings by P D Maheshwari

Difficult: It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, It is because we do not dare that they are difficult.

Success and Luck: If you succeed, it’s hardwork. If other succeed, it’s luck.

Literature and Journalism: The only difference between literature and journalism is that journalist is unreadable and literature is not read.

College: A place where girls are after facts and boys are after figures.

Books: Books serve to show a man that those original thoughts of his are not new after all.

Good Books: A good book is opened with expectations and closed with profit.

English: The only advantage of speaking in English is that you can abuse others as much as you like without hurting others’ feelings. The English language is like a woman’s ward-robe full of things she can’t use yet the one thing she needs, but can’t find

Adopted from Encounters and Clippings by P D Maheshwari

Interesting and Informative

2010-03-05T21:54:00.001+05:30

Stengths has single vowel and is the longest in this category.

Rhythms is the longest word without any vowel.

Dematoglyphics, miscongugatedly and uncopyrightables are the longest words without repeated letters.

The word which has vowels only is euouae, which is a musical term.
Now let us laugh at the language: Smiles can be considered the longest word as it has miles between s's. But beleagured can be considered even longer because it has a league.

Amazing

2010-03-04T20:46:00.000+05:30

The longest word in English contains 1,89.819 letters. It is the chemical name of titin, which is the largest known protein. This word is disputed one and has not been included in dictionary (methionyl---- sootherleucine). Pneumoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoicconiosis is the longest word found in a major dictionary. It is a technical word, in fact has been coined to describe a disease related to vocanoic eruption. Another major technical word is pseudopseudohypoparathyroiddism, which is again a disease. However, floccinaucinihilipilification is the widely accepted nontechnical word found in major dictionaries. Honorificabilitudinitatibus is the longest word Shakespeare used in his play Love’s Labour Lost.

For any querry related to English language, U can contact via blog jagdishbali.blogspot.com or email jagdishchanhbali@gmail.com.

The other Face

2010-03-01T17:09:00.002+05:30

The environmental issue related to holi is the traditional holika dahan bonfire, which can contribute to deforestation. It is allged that 30,000 bonfires each burning approximately 100 kg of wood are lit in one season. Several methods of preventing the use of wood have been suggested including the use of waste material or lighting of a common single fire. However, the idea of lighting waste material may anger the hurt the sentiments of the large sections who take it as an attack on their cultural values. There is also concern about the large scale wastage of water and water-pollution due to synthetic colors during Holi celebration.

HOLI DIL SE

2010-03-01T12:37:00.001+05:30

Holi ke rangon main mera bhi ek rang mila lena. Holi ki rangoli men apas men prem banten. Na zuban se na card se na gift se, is bar sirf dil se MUBARAK!

Divine innocence

2010-02-19T19:19:00.003+05:30

A child is nearest to god, and in him lies the innocence in its purest form. He can do or say anything which no grownup would be able to. The other day when my son, Kshitij was four and daughter, Aparajita was three, the both were having bath while my wife was just having a care-taking look at them. Kshitij happened to urinate during the bath. Aparajita, looking curiously asked, " Mummi, when will I be able to urinate standing like Kshitij!" " When you will be grownup like me," responded Kshitij as if the little champ had solved the most difficult problem existing in the world. We could but muse at this nieve innocence of the kids. The instance still muses me and will perhaps remain etched to my memorable memories.

Faith

2010-02-09T20:08:00.003+05:30

I am the son of my father is only a faith because I have faith in my mother. And it is the mother only who can know and sometimes even she can't. But still my faith in my mother makes me the son of my father. Everyone has this faith. There is no factual supporting behind this. But still it remains a fact which is more factual than the fact itself. Faith is without which we cannot perhaps move on even an iota in our life. We begin each act of our routine life with some faith - a belief that sustains us. We sleep at night with the fath that god will make us wake up alive and we get up with the belief that we will do this or that with the belief that the off shoots would be this or that.

This is historically proven faith that man can live without science but not without faith. Science cannot survive without faith at its back. Faith is more scietific than the science itself. More appropriately science is the result of the faith that this experiment, invention or discovery will lead to this or that. Science is, nodoubt, necessary for the progress of mankind, but faith is at the very base of human existence - an inextricable part of human living. Science gives us comforts and luxuries but the faith sustains us, prevent the world from decaying and gives us solace - that internal contentment which is hard to get by in this world of fret and fury. Therefore, don't go into the lap of science at the cost of faith because perhaps faith is the better mother.

Viru Vs Tendulkar

2009-12-28T16:40:00.006+05:30

If century is to be the touchstone of greatness of a cricketer as a batsman, double and triple is the bigger touchstone.Going by this logic. Sehwag neither can be nor should be compared with Tendulkar.
In fact, Sehwag stands out as an utility player.Nodoubt Tendulkar is the doyen of personal achievement, but Sehwag is the designer of victory. Personal achievement can not be placed at the higher pedestal when it comes to the common goal. The worshipper of Tendulkar may feel it difficult and irksome to digest but truth remains truth which is that Sehwag is unique batsman and even better than Tendulkar.
Even if we compare thew attitudes of the two cricketers, Sehwag seems to be psychologically more tough and less selfcentered. Whereas Tendulkar becomes overconscious while in nineties, Sehwag doesn't seem to be flustered by this. He doesn't hesitate to hit six to complete his century- double or triple. Thats why he has two triple centuries to his credit and has the capability and capacity to hit more doubles and triples, and may be even four hundred. Though Tendulkar is more talented to do so. but he lacks the attitude necessary to perform the task.
These views may seem offensive to those who looks at cricket as a display of bookish tips and tricks, but to a clinical observer of the game, it is as good a truth as day and night. Sehwag's two figure score can be worth Tendulkar's century. Certainly, Sehwag can take the game away from the opponent not only in terms of runs, but also in terms of psychological edge, And cricket is, to a greater extent, a game of nerves which Sehwag perhaps understands better than Tendulkar.
Tendulkar desist from playing the shots that has earlier cost him his wicket. But Viru loves to play these shots with more and more perfection and productivity. Therein lies his ownness for which he is waited for by spectators and cricket fans.
Kudos to Viru !

Innocence of a child

2009-12-11T15:06:00.002+05:30

The innocence of a child has been compared with that of an angel, And rightly so. In fact, he is free from any inhibitions, whatever a child does is free from guile. More grownup he becomes, more familiar he becomes with the ways of the world, more he loses his innocence.
William Blake rightly takes up the issue in his Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. True in our life it is. A child wants to play and love anyone comes in his way. He knows no distinction in terms of religion, caste, creed and colour. But being grown ups, we teach him all the wicked ways of life, and thus he loses his heavenly innocence.

Stupidity of Cricketmaniac

2009-12-08T05:40:00.006+05:30

This is with us Indians that we overdo the things and associate everything to our personal emotions. Sometimes, I feel irritated by the attitude of the cricket loving people towards cricket and cricketers. They see cricketers as gods and demons in the one go. Whenever they play well, they are raised to the sky as if they were infallible. Whenever they lapse, they leave no stone unturned to make life miserable for them. We start giving master tips as if those players had undergone apprenticeship of cricketingfrom us. We are so much Tendulkarised that we forget that he is only a player, and definitely a player with exceptional prowess, but certainly not infallible. In fact, like other games cricket is also a game and must be viewed only as a game. In this respect, our media are also not behind. I was shocked, when the other day I saw two cricket crazy fellows coming to blows because one was for Sehwag while the other was hellbent on making the former worship Tendulkar as his god. R--UBBISH.

Language Learning

2009-12-03T18:23:00.002+05:30

Of late, I happened to interact with the teachers of the state.purpose being to teach how to teach the language. It was really a tremendous experience. In fact, learning English language is in itself an enjoyable pursuit. I somehow realised that we, as teachers, have to learn a lot in this sphere. Giving cold shoulder to this language is going to mar the very future of the students.This language has an edge over other languages because of its magnanimous nature.
It is not out of place to aver that we have good teachers of Eglish, but perhaps not good teachers of good English. Good English means the English that looks like English. good pronunciation is the hall mark of this language as people notice the accent and tone of any speech at once even if they don't listen to properly. Some of my friends may ignorantly call it snobbery or may even go to the extent of calling it a symbol of haughtiness. But I can illustrate it in this way- a native English may speak Hindi in an anglicised accent, but he becomes a but of fun for us because his pronunciation is not upto the mark. Similarly. we are laughed at, when we speak Hinglish, by those who are good at speaking English or have knowledge of spoken English.

Au Revoir!