Only male contestant –why-Manu Nair
It is known that Asianet Idea Star Singer is gaining ground. As wherever you go most people do talk about it. Yeah, all kudos to the Confident-Group & also Asianet for showcasing the talents.
But is it worthwhile to rely on SMS for deciding on such talent? Are we justifying the talent through SMS ONLY? Are the people voting for the right talent? Sorry to say ‘No’ they are only voting for their Friends and not for the Talent.
Amritha Suresh has sung well but Najim Arshad gets through, how could he? Ritwik, the blind boy also had also sung well. Throughout the program it is seen that the people are not voting for the right talent and infact they have totally degraded the show on hand. Are the terms and conditions specified for these SMS’s, as a person can vote for a particular contestant a number of times? There is quite lot of manipulation in this as I did try to vote which did result in not even one vote of mine been recorded or registered.
The least the Asianet could do is to invite SMS only during a tie and not otherwise. The marks given by the judges should be the ultimate deciding factor in selecting the ultimate & the final Asianet Idea Star Singer. Hoping that Vani Jayaram the favourite of mine gives her best shot!
In most of these musical competitions it is often seen that the male contestants only wins and not the female ones. Are we still living in the era of the Stone Age, are we not cleverer than the Early Man? Until the mindset of the people changes, it is not only the country which does suffer but also the people. Why are people afraid of discussing sex, the use of condoms and also the HIV & AIDS Cases?
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Where is my other?
Where is my other?-By Manu Nair
Curious about this title? Surely anyone would be curious to find out. The title could mean anything, it may refer to your partner, a book or an eraser but why the hurry?
In our daily life we do use the pencil & the eraser but when we write with the pencil there is every chance that the matter could be erased and rewritten in any other way. The 'other' here is referred to the pen as the ‘Pen is Mightier than the Sword’. We love writing letters to our friends and relatives and we make use of the pen though currently the computer has made its way and makes our work easier. The pen is also used to transfer messages from one person to the other. When we want to write on a particular subject we use the pen most often. It also helps in debating with each other on a particular matter as some may be 'for' it and others maybe 'against', for example sex education,prostitution,HIV & AIDS.
Thus the 'Pen is considered as Neutral.'
Everyone would have their own opinion and their opinion is regarded as the most valuable and this gives the pen its own value, during a death sentence been pronounced it is often seen that after the judgement is passed the nib of the fountain pen is broken.. Whenever an agreement is signed between two countries it is often seen that the pens too are exchanged with one another. Last but not the least, the pen is used to write notes and scribble some urgent messages.
Therefore never treat a ‘Pen as a Symbol but as a Matter of Prestige!' So carry your pens wherever you go and do remember that the Pen is really mightier than the sword.
Curious about this title? Surely anyone would be curious to find out. The title could mean anything, it may refer to your partner, a book or an eraser but why the hurry?
In our daily life we do use the pencil & the eraser but when we write with the pencil there is every chance that the matter could be erased and rewritten in any other way. The 'other' here is referred to the pen as the ‘Pen is Mightier than the Sword’. We love writing letters to our friends and relatives and we make use of the pen though currently the computer has made its way and makes our work easier. The pen is also used to transfer messages from one person to the other. When we want to write on a particular subject we use the pen most often. It also helps in debating with each other on a particular matter as some may be 'for' it and others maybe 'against', for example sex education,prostitution,HIV & AIDS.
Thus the 'Pen is considered as Neutral.'
Everyone would have their own opinion and their opinion is regarded as the most valuable and this gives the pen its own value, during a death sentence been pronounced it is often seen that after the judgement is passed the nib of the fountain pen is broken.. Whenever an agreement is signed between two countries it is often seen that the pens too are exchanged with one another. Last but not the least, the pen is used to write notes and scribble some urgent messages.
Therefore never treat a ‘Pen as a Symbol but as a Matter of Prestige!' So carry your pens wherever you go and do remember that the Pen is really mightier than the sword.
Monday, December 10, 2007
"THE DROWNING PEOPLE", Richard Mason.
By: -MANU NAIR
"THE DROWNING PEOPLE",
Richard Mason, 1999,
Micheal Joseph, London, 311 pp.
Copyright Protected
'My wife of more than forty-five years shot herself yesterday afternoon. At least that is what the police assume and I am playing the part of grieving widower with enthusiasm and success.
Life with Sarah has schooled me in self-deception, which I find, as she did, to be an excellent training in deceiving of others. Of course I know that she did nothing of the kind. My wife was far too sane, far too rooted in the present to think of harming herself. In my opinion she never gave a thought to what she had done. She was incapable of guilt. It was I who killed her.' In a cold winter afternoon just hours after the cold blooded murder of his wife, seventy year old James Farrell watching the setting sun from his room high above the sea, in Seton Castle on an island off the Cornish Coast unfolds the tragic story of his life and first love. Sarah and James had a happy and contented life, lived together for forty years in the Castle in style, well keeping with Harcourt family traditions of over three hundred years. Sarah was dutiful and devoted to her husband.
She was so young and beautiful with blue eyes and a look-alike of her cousin in their twenties when she meticulously planned and executed deceitful, deceptive ways leading to the virtual elimination of her beautiful and sensitive cousin Ella Harcourt, the first love of James. Thus, Sarah inherited for herself the title and fortune of the family. In the process, Sarah killed Ella's father Alexander in a party in the very presence of two hundred people. Ella was made to pay dearly for Sarah's crime. Sarah held all her secrets close to her chest for over forty-five years until the day before, when James discovered it and extracted Sarah's confession. No law on earth could have brought Sarah to justice and undo the fatal injustice done to Ella depriving her of a full and satisfying life. James, however reluctantly though, however not given to violence all these seventy years, administered the ultimate justice by shooting Sarah down, point blank. For once, and for all, Sarah who mastered the art of treachery, deceit and self-deception ceased to be the master of her own fate. James Farrell was a promising youngster at Oxford. His parents had high hopes on him like merchant banking. James had other designs, infatuated with his violin, totally unacceptable to his parents to think of James as an impoverished musician. To escape from conflict at home he went running in Hyde Park where he met lonely Ella in a similar mental frame. James chased Ella from then on. Born to nobility, but raised for long in America, Ella thought "Society is like an ocean" and she had been washed up where she was by the people's currents of strong expectations. All people are swimming as if one in a school of fish dutifully with the current and easily through their particular sea not knowing their direction or destination. She tried to swim by herself, not so safe in the big ocean, but found it easier to swim with the current than against it. Much against her wish and taste, she, niece of Earl and Countess of Seton was
engaged to Charles Stanhope, eldest son of Sir Lachlan and Lady Stanhope of Barton Manor, educated at Eton and Oxford as the most eligible by family considerations "suitable" to wed Ella Harcourt. James, driven by an innate desire to liberate Ella from the clutches of convention won the heart and depths of love of Ella. Their love bloomed. Painlessly, Ella broke off her engagement with Charlie. Sarah, Ella's first cousin born and brought up in England, perfect in her English accent and well bred in pure conservative English tradition considered herself the most eligible to occupy Seton Castle, though legally by inheritance Ella should reign over the preserve. Naturally, there was born rivalry and jealousy between the two sisters. Sarah was infact madly in love with Charlie. Ella took him from her and conveniently discarded him when time came. All to spite Sarah. Sarah, vengeful, meticulously planned the course of her life on her own terms to settle scores with Ella. She published and ran down the Harcourt family history as conspicuous with people of unsound mind and suicidal instincts. James excelled in his other love violin and rose to fame with his accompanist Eric, the pianist. His pursuit of excellence further took him to Prague to take lessons from Eduard Mendl whom James adored since his childhood. Ella's love took her to Prague. James and Eric spent time with Ella in France at the Harcourt's country house called Les Varreges. James earned Ella's love, Eric's friendship and his own musical success. The bosom friendship between Eric and James acquired tinges of passionate love between man and man. Ella grew envious of this unholy relation and challenged James to prove his loyalty to her by dumping Eric's love which he did painfully. Eric drowned himself in a disused stone-quarry. James could not bear the guilt of responsibility for the death of Eric.He broke off from Ella, his first love. James recovered. His violin took him to greater heights. Michael Fullerton, The Times' columnist adjudged him a genius. Ella broke down emotionally, consulted psychiatrists. The newspapers pried on her, being a celebrity herself, to sensationalise issues. They said the heiress was bitten by the Harcourts' curse of insanity and unnatural death. Eric's death was also linked that way. As the climax should have it, at the Seton Party, Sarah played a double role for a few moments, taking advantage of her resemblance to Ella, threw Ella's father out of the balcony in front of more than two hundred guests, seemingly everyone was convinced that Ella killed her father. Poor Ella alone knew her innocence. Ella pleaded and cried hysterically and accused Sarah the murderer, but of no avail. Her psychic condition was cited evidence of an ungovernable paranoia and Ella, the innocent, unfortunate lover was awarded the maximum punishment. No convicted criminal was to inherit Harcourt title and property, thus the way was made clear for Sarah's elevation in course of time. James, crestfallen, disappointed and disillusioned finds solace and fascination in Sarah's body form and they were soon married. James saved himself from 'drowning'. They lived on Sarah's terms until that fateful day. Amazing indeed the way the twenty-one year old Richard Mason knit the story with ease and deftness in a flowing language of simple words. The philosophical notes are full of wisdom. Mason dealt with the emotions and aspirations of the youth in their twenties with a depth of much understanding matching, if not surpassing that of the seventy year olds. The insight into the characters set against the conservative English society and American liberalism is at once noticed. He had included every minute detail in this book as also in the swiftness of his narration Mason did not ignore minor details even, such as the sound of James' sneeze breaking his and his friend's tension while examining the dusty Turkish rugs and drapes in Late Madame Mocsary's apartment. The tale of "The Drowning People" will inevitably move the reader to look for more such exciting fiction from the author. The book is worth giving a second reading. The printing, binding and the artistic flap are also tempting enough to possess a copy.
"THE DROWNING PEOPLE",
Richard Mason, 1999,
Micheal Joseph, London, 311 pp.
Copyright Protected
'My wife of more than forty-five years shot herself yesterday afternoon. At least that is what the police assume and I am playing the part of grieving widower with enthusiasm and success.
Life with Sarah has schooled me in self-deception, which I find, as she did, to be an excellent training in deceiving of others. Of course I know that she did nothing of the kind. My wife was far too sane, far too rooted in the present to think of harming herself. In my opinion she never gave a thought to what she had done. She was incapable of guilt. It was I who killed her.' In a cold winter afternoon just hours after the cold blooded murder of his wife, seventy year old James Farrell watching the setting sun from his room high above the sea, in Seton Castle on an island off the Cornish Coast unfolds the tragic story of his life and first love. Sarah and James had a happy and contented life, lived together for forty years in the Castle in style, well keeping with Harcourt family traditions of over three hundred years. Sarah was dutiful and devoted to her husband.
She was so young and beautiful with blue eyes and a look-alike of her cousin in their twenties when she meticulously planned and executed deceitful, deceptive ways leading to the virtual elimination of her beautiful and sensitive cousin Ella Harcourt, the first love of James. Thus, Sarah inherited for herself the title and fortune of the family. In the process, Sarah killed Ella's father Alexander in a party in the very presence of two hundred people. Ella was made to pay dearly for Sarah's crime. Sarah held all her secrets close to her chest for over forty-five years until the day before, when James discovered it and extracted Sarah's confession. No law on earth could have brought Sarah to justice and undo the fatal injustice done to Ella depriving her of a full and satisfying life. James, however reluctantly though, however not given to violence all these seventy years, administered the ultimate justice by shooting Sarah down, point blank. For once, and for all, Sarah who mastered the art of treachery, deceit and self-deception ceased to be the master of her own fate. James Farrell was a promising youngster at Oxford. His parents had high hopes on him like merchant banking. James had other designs, infatuated with his violin, totally unacceptable to his parents to think of James as an impoverished musician. To escape from conflict at home he went running in Hyde Park where he met lonely Ella in a similar mental frame. James chased Ella from then on. Born to nobility, but raised for long in America, Ella thought "Society is like an ocean" and she had been washed up where she was by the people's currents of strong expectations. All people are swimming as if one in a school of fish dutifully with the current and easily through their particular sea not knowing their direction or destination. She tried to swim by herself, not so safe in the big ocean, but found it easier to swim with the current than against it. Much against her wish and taste, she, niece of Earl and Countess of Seton was
engaged to Charles Stanhope, eldest son of Sir Lachlan and Lady Stanhope of Barton Manor, educated at Eton and Oxford as the most eligible by family considerations "suitable" to wed Ella Harcourt. James, driven by an innate desire to liberate Ella from the clutches of convention won the heart and depths of love of Ella. Their love bloomed. Painlessly, Ella broke off her engagement with Charlie. Sarah, Ella's first cousin born and brought up in England, perfect in her English accent and well bred in pure conservative English tradition considered herself the most eligible to occupy Seton Castle, though legally by inheritance Ella should reign over the preserve. Naturally, there was born rivalry and jealousy between the two sisters. Sarah was infact madly in love with Charlie. Ella took him from her and conveniently discarded him when time came. All to spite Sarah. Sarah, vengeful, meticulously planned the course of her life on her own terms to settle scores with Ella. She published and ran down the Harcourt family history as conspicuous with people of unsound mind and suicidal instincts. James excelled in his other love violin and rose to fame with his accompanist Eric, the pianist. His pursuit of excellence further took him to Prague to take lessons from Eduard Mendl whom James adored since his childhood. Ella's love took her to Prague. James and Eric spent time with Ella in France at the Harcourt's country house called Les Varreges. James earned Ella's love, Eric's friendship and his own musical success. The bosom friendship between Eric and James acquired tinges of passionate love between man and man. Ella grew envious of this unholy relation and challenged James to prove his loyalty to her by dumping Eric's love which he did painfully. Eric drowned himself in a disused stone-quarry. James could not bear the guilt of responsibility for the death of Eric.He broke off from Ella, his first love. James recovered. His violin took him to greater heights. Michael Fullerton, The Times' columnist adjudged him a genius. Ella broke down emotionally, consulted psychiatrists. The newspapers pried on her, being a celebrity herself, to sensationalise issues. They said the heiress was bitten by the Harcourts' curse of insanity and unnatural death. Eric's death was also linked that way. As the climax should have it, at the Seton Party, Sarah played a double role for a few moments, taking advantage of her resemblance to Ella, threw Ella's father out of the balcony in front of more than two hundred guests, seemingly everyone was convinced that Ella killed her father. Poor Ella alone knew her innocence. Ella pleaded and cried hysterically and accused Sarah the murderer, but of no avail. Her psychic condition was cited evidence of an ungovernable paranoia and Ella, the innocent, unfortunate lover was awarded the maximum punishment. No convicted criminal was to inherit Harcourt title and property, thus the way was made clear for Sarah's elevation in course of time. James, crestfallen, disappointed and disillusioned finds solace and fascination in Sarah's body form and they were soon married. James saved himself from 'drowning'. They lived on Sarah's terms until that fateful day. Amazing indeed the way the twenty-one year old Richard Mason knit the story with ease and deftness in a flowing language of simple words. The philosophical notes are full of wisdom. Mason dealt with the emotions and aspirations of the youth in their twenties with a depth of much understanding matching, if not surpassing that of the seventy year olds. The insight into the characters set against the conservative English society and American liberalism is at once noticed. He had included every minute detail in this book as also in the swiftness of his narration Mason did not ignore minor details even, such as the sound of James' sneeze breaking his and his friend's tension while examining the dusty Turkish rugs and drapes in Late Madame Mocsary's apartment. The tale of "The Drowning People" will inevitably move the reader to look for more such exciting fiction from the author. The book is worth giving a second reading. The printing, binding and the artistic flap are also tempting enough to possess a copy.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
THE CHANGING INDIAN WOMAN
THE CHANGING INDIAN WOMAN
Copyright Protected By: -Manu Nair
It is said, the woman should walk alone at midnight, free and fearless. A woman whom Shakespeare called 'frailty' (abala) and Mahatma Gandhi termed sabala. It's still a man's world, saints are few and far between. If man is not born free, woman is born in chains, in bondage. She is indoctrinated and brainwashed that parents would take care of her in childhood, the husband would protect her in her youth and the children would look after her in the old age, she is the possession of man to be used at his will. Exceptions go to prove this rule, dictum, man is superior, and woman is only subordinate. The Indian woman came a long way to emerge from the shadow of man and asserted herself for her emancipation. The Indian Society in ancient times started exceedingly well realising the equality of sexes while accepting the irreversible biological roles and the marginal inherent disadvantage of woman in physical strength, compared to man. In Vedic ages, from 3500 yrs to 2600 yrs ago (from now), man and woman in Hindu Society enjoyed equality in all walks of life and pursuits. They received the same religious and philosophical education. Woman philosophers like Ghosha (daughter of Sage Rakshivan), Lopamudra (wife of Agastya), Apala, Gargi and Maitreyi are quoted to have written hymns in Rigveda. During the Epic period too, the woman occupied a place of prestige and reverence in the Society. The bride was free to choose the bridegroom amongst the eligibles. Ravana, though stole Sita, respected her womanhood. In Hindu Religion, Saraswathy is depicted as the goddess of learning and Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Even in the realm of gods and goddesses, the female manifestations Lakshmi and Saraswathy reign supreme. According to Manu Smriti, the Mother is the most respectable, worshipful person on earth in preference to the father and the teacher too. Manu warned of the breakup of families if their womenfolk suffered. However, through the Epic period man's physical prowess and skill at weaponry elevated him to the status of protector of women. Man bestowed on himself a superiority complex that the woman was relegated to a secondary status. And, she suffered from a sense of inferiority complex. Besides, the numbers counted at times of war, racial conflicts and the race for social dominance. With the motto of 'increase and multiply', the woman's role got more confined to the home and the hearth. She became a prisoner of her own biological role, her world narrowed down to one of satisfying the wishes of others, the lust, greed and pleasures of man. The women became an oppressed lot and an object of exploitation in labour and wealth. In some societies, she was even denied the right to inherit the property of her parents. The male dominated society even laid down that in addition to her normal attire, she cover her head and face (with a purdah) to keep her away from public gaze. Modern social scientists observed that "From about 200 AD, pre-puberty marriage became the order of the day". Sati, committing immolation at the funeral pyre of her husband was considered honourable and desirable, if not enforced by the self-proclaimed moralists and guardians of the society. Widows were segregated and separated from their families and almost condemned to a life of indignity. The unfortunate women resigned themselves to their 'fate'. Casteism in Hinduism added to the misery of the womenfolk as most people of the lower caste were even denied education. The advent of Islamic Religion in the early second millennium though promised equality of human being did not help in improving the status of the Indian woman. The women at large remained illiterate as compared to the men folk despite the fact that there were outstanding learned and powerful women all through the centuries. Nevertheless, the Mother had a powerful influence and some authority in her own household, particularly in matrilineal societies. The awakening of the Indian women came about while under the British rule in early 19th century. Raja Rammohan Roy spearheaded women's welfare movement and persuaded the British to ban Sati (from December 4th, 1829). The Indian Independence movement in early 20th Century saw a mass awakening of the Indian women. Gandhiji propounded and upheld the equality of the freedom of the man and woman in society and in politics. Speaking of the union of man and woman he observed "Between husband and wife there should be no secrets from each other. I have a very high opinion of the marriage tie. I hold that husband and wife merge in each other. They are one in two or two in one." Millions of Indian women, young and old, roused by the Gandhian way of nationalism founded on truth and non-violence took to Independence Struggle on equal footing with men. The struggle for Indian Independence is unique, it is not the story of able-bodied men alone fighting the establishment, but is of the entire populace resorting to non- cooperation with the colonial rulers and their agents and participating in Satyagraha in a resolute manner and accepting all the sufferings thereon. Women in droves took off their ornaments and contributed their mite to sustain the freedom movement. Gandhiji visualised the emancipation of woman in a holistic manner, political, economic and social, Mrs. Indira Gandhi ordered her troops to march to Bangladesh to liberate Bangladesh,Rani Lakshmi Bai fought bravely against the East India Company,Razia Sultana laid down her life fighting the forces of male machinations and then we have the example of Joan of Arc and not only pertaining to the war women like Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale had rendered their services and their valuable time to tend to the old, the sick the needy and the wounded respectively. We also find women from other countries like Lady Diana, Benazir Bhutto, Sheikh Hasina,Khaleda Zia and Suu Kyi not only in the political field of all who had made left an impression in their day’s politics in their own countries.Therefore a woman is truly the preserver of the human race, for that matter the female is the real preserver of her own species.
Education-enabled knowledge, freedom of thought and action was the foremost efficacious tool of transformation of the Indian woman to modernity. Apart from the enlightened men of India, the Christian Missionaries amply contributed to the development of women's education in India by establishing innumerable institutions from late 19th Century throughout the length and breadth of the country. Jyotsana Kamat observes that "When Gandhiji assumed leadership, the average life span of the Indian woman was only 27 yrs. Babies and the pregnant women ran a high risk of dying very young. Child marriage was very common and widows were in large numbers". (To be more precise, official estimate of male life expectancy was 26.9 yrs. and of female was 26.6 yrs. in 1931. The males lived a little longer than the females.) By the end of the coming decade from now, the female life expectancy is projected to rise to 71 yrs. while that of male to 67 yrs. This is a measure of the tremendous progress of the Indian woman even ahead of her counterpart. She has adopted a small family norm and so is left with enough time and vigour for intellectual pursuits. Today, women of India are abreast of men in all civil activities and professions, in politics, administration, business, education, healthcare, arts and crafts, science, engineering and technology and whatever under the Sun. She walks on the earth free, holding her head high and radiating an air of enlightenment all around. She is the Mother, mother of all creation.
In India at the time of the marriage of the girl she needs to dress in the traditional attire that is the sari or saree and when both of them get married she is known as Lakshmi as she brings with her a lot of happiness and wealth when she enters into her husband’s (boy’s) house. Goddess or God Saraswati (not to distinguish between women and men as they are equal) is also considered as the God of Learning and wealth. Learning means knowledge which in relation transforms into wealth.
Yet, she should be cautious in walking on an unknown path alone at midnight because there is evil lurking around.Lots of women work in call centers late in the night and this would lead to a lot of ills especially in metros like eve teasing, rape and murder. She is also in the midst of evils like dowry, male violence against her, greed and jealousy of others. Man's insatiable sexual greed knows no bounds. All cannons of civilised society do not stop altogether all men and women from committing crimes. The criminal hopes to evade detection or to escape with light punishment. Detrimental, retributive punishment being meted out, e.g., in some of the Islamic countries can give women safer haunts. Even men of substance are not safe in midnight darkness particularly in democracies like ours. Women, though equal to men in most ways should rather not tread in where men dare too. All social evils cannot be eradicated at once. Keep away from evils, avoid getting caught in the evil designs of others. Repose faith in God. Life is enjoyable living with dignity.
Copyright Protected By: -Manu Nair
It is said, the woman should walk alone at midnight, free and fearless. A woman whom Shakespeare called 'frailty' (abala) and Mahatma Gandhi termed sabala. It's still a man's world, saints are few and far between. If man is not born free, woman is born in chains, in bondage. She is indoctrinated and brainwashed that parents would take care of her in childhood, the husband would protect her in her youth and the children would look after her in the old age, she is the possession of man to be used at his will. Exceptions go to prove this rule, dictum, man is superior, and woman is only subordinate. The Indian woman came a long way to emerge from the shadow of man and asserted herself for her emancipation. The Indian Society in ancient times started exceedingly well realising the equality of sexes while accepting the irreversible biological roles and the marginal inherent disadvantage of woman in physical strength, compared to man. In Vedic ages, from 3500 yrs to 2600 yrs ago (from now), man and woman in Hindu Society enjoyed equality in all walks of life and pursuits. They received the same religious and philosophical education. Woman philosophers like Ghosha (daughter of Sage Rakshivan), Lopamudra (wife of Agastya), Apala, Gargi and Maitreyi are quoted to have written hymns in Rigveda. During the Epic period too, the woman occupied a place of prestige and reverence in the Society. The bride was free to choose the bridegroom amongst the eligibles. Ravana, though stole Sita, respected her womanhood. In Hindu Religion, Saraswathy is depicted as the goddess of learning and Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Even in the realm of gods and goddesses, the female manifestations Lakshmi and Saraswathy reign supreme. According to Manu Smriti, the Mother is the most respectable, worshipful person on earth in preference to the father and the teacher too. Manu warned of the breakup of families if their womenfolk suffered. However, through the Epic period man's physical prowess and skill at weaponry elevated him to the status of protector of women. Man bestowed on himself a superiority complex that the woman was relegated to a secondary status. And, she suffered from a sense of inferiority complex. Besides, the numbers counted at times of war, racial conflicts and the race for social dominance. With the motto of 'increase and multiply', the woman's role got more confined to the home and the hearth. She became a prisoner of her own biological role, her world narrowed down to one of satisfying the wishes of others, the lust, greed and pleasures of man. The women became an oppressed lot and an object of exploitation in labour and wealth. In some societies, she was even denied the right to inherit the property of her parents. The male dominated society even laid down that in addition to her normal attire, she cover her head and face (with a purdah) to keep her away from public gaze. Modern social scientists observed that "From about 200 AD, pre-puberty marriage became the order of the day". Sati, committing immolation at the funeral pyre of her husband was considered honourable and desirable, if not enforced by the self-proclaimed moralists and guardians of the society. Widows were segregated and separated from their families and almost condemned to a life of indignity. The unfortunate women resigned themselves to their 'fate'. Casteism in Hinduism added to the misery of the womenfolk as most people of the lower caste were even denied education. The advent of Islamic Religion in the early second millennium though promised equality of human being did not help in improving the status of the Indian woman. The women at large remained illiterate as compared to the men folk despite the fact that there were outstanding learned and powerful women all through the centuries. Nevertheless, the Mother had a powerful influence and some authority in her own household, particularly in matrilineal societies. The awakening of the Indian women came about while under the British rule in early 19th century. Raja Rammohan Roy spearheaded women's welfare movement and persuaded the British to ban Sati (from December 4th, 1829). The Indian Independence movement in early 20th Century saw a mass awakening of the Indian women. Gandhiji propounded and upheld the equality of the freedom of the man and woman in society and in politics. Speaking of the union of man and woman he observed "Between husband and wife there should be no secrets from each other. I have a very high opinion of the marriage tie. I hold that husband and wife merge in each other. They are one in two or two in one." Millions of Indian women, young and old, roused by the Gandhian way of nationalism founded on truth and non-violence took to Independence Struggle on equal footing with men. The struggle for Indian Independence is unique, it is not the story of able-bodied men alone fighting the establishment, but is of the entire populace resorting to non- cooperation with the colonial rulers and their agents and participating in Satyagraha in a resolute manner and accepting all the sufferings thereon. Women in droves took off their ornaments and contributed their mite to sustain the freedom movement. Gandhiji visualised the emancipation of woman in a holistic manner, political, economic and social, Mrs. Indira Gandhi ordered her troops to march to Bangladesh to liberate Bangladesh,Rani Lakshmi Bai fought bravely against the East India Company,Razia Sultana laid down her life fighting the forces of male machinations and then we have the example of Joan of Arc and not only pertaining to the war women like Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale had rendered their services and their valuable time to tend to the old, the sick the needy and the wounded respectively. We also find women from other countries like Lady Diana, Benazir Bhutto, Sheikh Hasina,Khaleda Zia and Suu Kyi not only in the political field of all who had made left an impression in their day’s politics in their own countries.Therefore a woman is truly the preserver of the human race, for that matter the female is the real preserver of her own species.
Education-enabled knowledge, freedom of thought and action was the foremost efficacious tool of transformation of the Indian woman to modernity. Apart from the enlightened men of India, the Christian Missionaries amply contributed to the development of women's education in India by establishing innumerable institutions from late 19th Century throughout the length and breadth of the country. Jyotsana Kamat observes that "When Gandhiji assumed leadership, the average life span of the Indian woman was only 27 yrs. Babies and the pregnant women ran a high risk of dying very young. Child marriage was very common and widows were in large numbers". (To be more precise, official estimate of male life expectancy was 26.9 yrs. and of female was 26.6 yrs. in 1931. The males lived a little longer than the females.) By the end of the coming decade from now, the female life expectancy is projected to rise to 71 yrs. while that of male to 67 yrs. This is a measure of the tremendous progress of the Indian woman even ahead of her counterpart. She has adopted a small family norm and so is left with enough time and vigour for intellectual pursuits. Today, women of India are abreast of men in all civil activities and professions, in politics, administration, business, education, healthcare, arts and crafts, science, engineering and technology and whatever under the Sun. She walks on the earth free, holding her head high and radiating an air of enlightenment all around. She is the Mother, mother of all creation.
In India at the time of the marriage of the girl she needs to dress in the traditional attire that is the sari or saree and when both of them get married she is known as Lakshmi as she brings with her a lot of happiness and wealth when she enters into her husband’s (boy’s) house. Goddess or God Saraswati (not to distinguish between women and men as they are equal) is also considered as the God of Learning and wealth. Learning means knowledge which in relation transforms into wealth.
Yet, she should be cautious in walking on an unknown path alone at midnight because there is evil lurking around.Lots of women work in call centers late in the night and this would lead to a lot of ills especially in metros like eve teasing, rape and murder. She is also in the midst of evils like dowry, male violence against her, greed and jealousy of others. Man's insatiable sexual greed knows no bounds. All cannons of civilised society do not stop altogether all men and women from committing crimes. The criminal hopes to evade detection or to escape with light punishment. Detrimental, retributive punishment being meted out, e.g., in some of the Islamic countries can give women safer haunts. Even men of substance are not safe in midnight darkness particularly in democracies like ours. Women, though equal to men in most ways should rather not tread in where men dare too. All social evils cannot be eradicated at once. Keep away from evils, avoid getting caught in the evil designs of others. Repose faith in God. Life is enjoyable living with dignity.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
THE GOOD GIRLS
THE GOOD GIRLS
William Wordsworth put it 'The child is the father of man'. Well said figuratively. It follows, the girl child is the mother of human race. She is the mother of all, of Jesus Christ, of Sita the virtuous, of Mahatma Gandhi, of Mother Teresa, of Albert Einstein, of Leonardo da Vinci, of Liz Taylor and also, unfortunately, the mother of Adolf Hitler, of Ivan the Terrible and of a few of such species. She is the communicator. Everyone speaks the mother tongue. The girl is made more at home than the boy ever. Right from day one, she is the father's pet and her mother's joy. Love and care are the first things that she is exposed to, in the family. Purity of tradition and culture is to pass down the generation through her. She is to be homely foremost. It's a quick but a long journey, memorable indeed, to adolescence, womanhood and then, to motherhood. All along she is guided by the family, by the society and the culture. The initial awareness of the girl as distinct from the boy comes from the most colourful attire she is adorned with, and the long hair the parents prefer her to grow which differentiates her from the boys. She is more tagged with the mother and the womenfolk. She is part of her mother, close to her (where most people would disagree) and is one with her, the father a disciplinarian often, to be held separate at a little distance and admired, always looked to for material comforts and luxuries. Stern advices may come from him at later stages. Love seeks no barrier towards both the parents. Providing security for the girl is the main concern for both the parents on hand.
Madhu is a good girl. Her mother is awake and at the chores in the kitchen, making tea and some breakfast. Madhu too is up as it dawns and lends her mother a helping hand. The lessons in accomplishments start there. She learns how to cook food, make up a breakfast (sometimes out of nothing), serves it to others, then serves it to herself, gathers her books, gives finishing touches to her home-work, gets ready and dresses up pretty to be off to school. She is the object of love and tender care by others in the household. Madhu is helpful, she too cares for others. She is self-dependent, learns to be self-confident. She need not be reminded of a morning wash, she selects herself a clean and fresh dress, shoes polished by her the evening before, she doesn't shout at her mother to arrange her books and some snacks for break, she is in time, spick and span, ready for her transport. Confident, poised, she is amongst her friends in the school, college or at her work place as appointed. Madhu is all smiles, radiates happiness from within all around. She has a happy home, she always belongs to them, come what may in the rough and tough of the outside world. She is happy to return to the fold. For Madhu, the school lays the foundation of character building, for acquiring knowledge and developing inter personal relationship. All her classmates are carefree. All are in the same uniform, none shows off 'big' in expensive attire or neither 'too small' to dress shabby. Some maybe tall, some short, some are fair, and some dark. That's the way God made them, the genes are different, racial and ethnic differences persist. Yet, they are equals as they see one another, the teacher too sees them as one, ready to learn, ready to grow. Religious and cultural differences do matter little. All stories are told at one time in the same language, the poems seem to mean the same thing to everyone. She comes to arrive at the same result as the other girl, if they got their arithmetic right. Boys are taught the same lessons as the girls. She perceives a certain equality of opportunities without discrimination. Though some are blessed with higher intelligence and some with less, she finds that there is place for everyone. There is competition, yet there is ample scope for co-operation. The girl who was absent for a week due to illness can be helped with missed lessons without losing the competitive edge. Madhu easily makes friends with others. They have the same interests in music and dance. After the regular classes too, they take to learning classical music and dance. Music and dance are pleasing to mind and body. Madhu feels relaxed. Mixing with her classmates, juniors and seniors exposes her to interactive skills of inter-personal relationship. She learns to keep up friendship and make no enemies. She is happy to excel others in English Language but not disappointed when she loses out on History. She is excited at winning the race but not heartbroken at losing at the hurdles. There is always another time. To play and participate in games makes the essence of competition. She is also happy in others' success. She can put up with both success and failures. Madhu shares her food with others at breaks which she too enjoys. She lends her books to the needy. She enjoys being with her friends at leisure. She is not utterly selfish or greedy. She is happy in sharing her joys with others. She wouldn't mind spending her money even if it maybe her pocket money in buying you a Coke or some Chips. She is not unduly secretive or reserved. Madhu is communicative, frank and fair. She does not talk ill of others. Madhu is reliable, she is independent, she can easily distinguish between the right and wrong and goes with what is right. By the time she leaves the school she has formed a character of her own and is able to set a goal for herself which is acceptable to her family and attainable to her. Madhu enters the college with a specific goal of academic or professional courses and studies. She is now widely exposed to both good and evil alike, may even be in the midst of storms of uncertainty and distractions from the goals set. She enjoys more freedom. Parents accept her individuality, often under the impression that she knows the way about. She is good who stays on course and steers her way clear through many a storm. The Indian curse of ragging can take the toll. Ask the senior who rags the junior in the most brutal manner why she or he does it? Quickly, she or he retorts that they have been ragged earlier. Humans, the boys have a darker side of their personality of takes the pleasure out of troubling others. They derive pleasure from this instead of becoming good citizens.
The boys and girls brought up under the watch of the family and the school are left free at the college, more often, away from their home. The college teachers treat them as equals to them. Knowledge is only for the seeker. In the present day nuclear families, the children have been pampered so much that they are not in need of material wants which can be easily acquired through money. All pleasures are just for the asking except the pleasure of enjoying others' suffering or predicament. She's lucky if she escapes the wrath of seniors. The good girl too can get entangled, as ill luck should have it .The law prohibits ragging. There is seldom any dress code for girls in supposedly higher seats of learning. If anybody imposes it, it should be resisted tooth and nail; the girls and the parents would agree. The fashion and the cosmetic industry is worth billions of dollars have risen due to this. The wealth has to be flaunted, wants have to be created among fashion conscious. It is bread and butter, on both sides of the bread for some. If money is not coming by enough, mark your future for the present. Lenders are many, honest takers are few. There is a glut in the money market, there's plenty to mismanage. In the name of fashion, the dress recedes from the top and shrinks from the bottom. The good girl stands out fashionable enough, befitting to the occasion, place and time. She values her body beautiful, keeps her head high against temptations. She's tradition bound, holds herself in high esteem. She loves her family, friends and relations; she is being loved and cared for. She is accomplished and self-assured to face the realities of life and take maximum happiness out of it. She carries others with her. She is Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Madame Curie, Rani Laxmi Bai, Indira Gandhi- all future editions in the making, as also the ordinary mortals, the home manager, manual worker, teacher, nurse, doctor, lawyer, office worker, administrator, business woman, writer, journalist, social worker, singer, dancer, artist and the like. She is cool, collected, empathic, good natured, active, honest, patient, committed, religious, resourceful, quick and sharp-witted, self disciplined and above all, calm and serene. And, quiet flows a good girl's wisdom. Girls are girls, bold and beautiful. They are quite a wise species. They live longer than their opposites. Some of them have climbed to the pinnacle of success by dint of their hard work, and fortune smiling on them. Yet others are shy due to some inner restraints and unfounded fears or anxieties. They too turn the tide duly and leave their indelible footprints on the sands of time, in their respective roles as a wife, a mother or a business tycoon.
A good old girl, none else played her role better!
William Wordsworth put it 'The child is the father of man'. Well said figuratively. It follows, the girl child is the mother of human race. She is the mother of all, of Jesus Christ, of Sita the virtuous, of Mahatma Gandhi, of Mother Teresa, of Albert Einstein, of Leonardo da Vinci, of Liz Taylor and also, unfortunately, the mother of Adolf Hitler, of Ivan the Terrible and of a few of such species. She is the communicator. Everyone speaks the mother tongue. The girl is made more at home than the boy ever. Right from day one, she is the father's pet and her mother's joy. Love and care are the first things that she is exposed to, in the family. Purity of tradition and culture is to pass down the generation through her. She is to be homely foremost. It's a quick but a long journey, memorable indeed, to adolescence, womanhood and then, to motherhood. All along she is guided by the family, by the society and the culture. The initial awareness of the girl as distinct from the boy comes from the most colourful attire she is adorned with, and the long hair the parents prefer her to grow which differentiates her from the boys. She is more tagged with the mother and the womenfolk. She is part of her mother, close to her (where most people would disagree) and is one with her, the father a disciplinarian often, to be held separate at a little distance and admired, always looked to for material comforts and luxuries. Stern advices may come from him at later stages. Love seeks no barrier towards both the parents. Providing security for the girl is the main concern for both the parents on hand.
Madhu is a good girl. Her mother is awake and at the chores in the kitchen, making tea and some breakfast. Madhu too is up as it dawns and lends her mother a helping hand. The lessons in accomplishments start there. She learns how to cook food, make up a breakfast (sometimes out of nothing), serves it to others, then serves it to herself, gathers her books, gives finishing touches to her home-work, gets ready and dresses up pretty to be off to school. She is the object of love and tender care by others in the household. Madhu is helpful, she too cares for others. She is self-dependent, learns to be self-confident. She need not be reminded of a morning wash, she selects herself a clean and fresh dress, shoes polished by her the evening before, she doesn't shout at her mother to arrange her books and some snacks for break, she is in time, spick and span, ready for her transport. Confident, poised, she is amongst her friends in the school, college or at her work place as appointed. Madhu is all smiles, radiates happiness from within all around. She has a happy home, she always belongs to them, come what may in the rough and tough of the outside world. She is happy to return to the fold. For Madhu, the school lays the foundation of character building, for acquiring knowledge and developing inter personal relationship. All her classmates are carefree. All are in the same uniform, none shows off 'big' in expensive attire or neither 'too small' to dress shabby. Some maybe tall, some short, some are fair, and some dark. That's the way God made them, the genes are different, racial and ethnic differences persist. Yet, they are equals as they see one another, the teacher too sees them as one, ready to learn, ready to grow. Religious and cultural differences do matter little. All stories are told at one time in the same language, the poems seem to mean the same thing to everyone. She comes to arrive at the same result as the other girl, if they got their arithmetic right. Boys are taught the same lessons as the girls. She perceives a certain equality of opportunities without discrimination. Though some are blessed with higher intelligence and some with less, she finds that there is place for everyone. There is competition, yet there is ample scope for co-operation. The girl who was absent for a week due to illness can be helped with missed lessons without losing the competitive edge. Madhu easily makes friends with others. They have the same interests in music and dance. After the regular classes too, they take to learning classical music and dance. Music and dance are pleasing to mind and body. Madhu feels relaxed. Mixing with her classmates, juniors and seniors exposes her to interactive skills of inter-personal relationship. She learns to keep up friendship and make no enemies. She is happy to excel others in English Language but not disappointed when she loses out on History. She is excited at winning the race but not heartbroken at losing at the hurdles. There is always another time. To play and participate in games makes the essence of competition. She is also happy in others' success. She can put up with both success and failures. Madhu shares her food with others at breaks which she too enjoys. She lends her books to the needy. She enjoys being with her friends at leisure. She is not utterly selfish or greedy. She is happy in sharing her joys with others. She wouldn't mind spending her money even if it maybe her pocket money in buying you a Coke or some Chips. She is not unduly secretive or reserved. Madhu is communicative, frank and fair. She does not talk ill of others. Madhu is reliable, she is independent, she can easily distinguish between the right and wrong and goes with what is right. By the time she leaves the school she has formed a character of her own and is able to set a goal for herself which is acceptable to her family and attainable to her. Madhu enters the college with a specific goal of academic or professional courses and studies. She is now widely exposed to both good and evil alike, may even be in the midst of storms of uncertainty and distractions from the goals set. She enjoys more freedom. Parents accept her individuality, often under the impression that she knows the way about. She is good who stays on course and steers her way clear through many a storm. The Indian curse of ragging can take the toll. Ask the senior who rags the junior in the most brutal manner why she or he does it? Quickly, she or he retorts that they have been ragged earlier. Humans, the boys have a darker side of their personality of takes the pleasure out of troubling others. They derive pleasure from this instead of becoming good citizens.
The boys and girls brought up under the watch of the family and the school are left free at the college, more often, away from their home. The college teachers treat them as equals to them. Knowledge is only for the seeker. In the present day nuclear families, the children have been pampered so much that they are not in need of material wants which can be easily acquired through money. All pleasures are just for the asking except the pleasure of enjoying others' suffering or predicament. She's lucky if she escapes the wrath of seniors. The good girl too can get entangled, as ill luck should have it .The law prohibits ragging. There is seldom any dress code for girls in supposedly higher seats of learning. If anybody imposes it, it should be resisted tooth and nail; the girls and the parents would agree. The fashion and the cosmetic industry is worth billions of dollars have risen due to this. The wealth has to be flaunted, wants have to be created among fashion conscious. It is bread and butter, on both sides of the bread for some. If money is not coming by enough, mark your future for the present. Lenders are many, honest takers are few. There is a glut in the money market, there's plenty to mismanage. In the name of fashion, the dress recedes from the top and shrinks from the bottom. The good girl stands out fashionable enough, befitting to the occasion, place and time. She values her body beautiful, keeps her head high against temptations. She's tradition bound, holds herself in high esteem. She loves her family, friends and relations; she is being loved and cared for. She is accomplished and self-assured to face the realities of life and take maximum happiness out of it. She carries others with her. She is Mother Teresa, Florence Nightingale, Madame Curie, Rani Laxmi Bai, Indira Gandhi- all future editions in the making, as also the ordinary mortals, the home manager, manual worker, teacher, nurse, doctor, lawyer, office worker, administrator, business woman, writer, journalist, social worker, singer, dancer, artist and the like. She is cool, collected, empathic, good natured, active, honest, patient, committed, religious, resourceful, quick and sharp-witted, self disciplined and above all, calm and serene. And, quiet flows a good girl's wisdom. Girls are girls, bold and beautiful. They are quite a wise species. They live longer than their opposites. Some of them have climbed to the pinnacle of success by dint of their hard work, and fortune smiling on them. Yet others are shy due to some inner restraints and unfounded fears or anxieties. They too turn the tide duly and leave their indelible footprints on the sands of time, in their respective roles as a wife, a mother or a business tycoon.
A good old girl, none else played her role better!
THE OTHER SIDE
THE OTHER SIDE OF BANGALORE
Bangalore the dream city…….. Remember……….surprised …..Part 2…… not likely!
The traffic volume was at its lowest ebb during the year 19998 but recently it has increased tremendously. At that time there were efficient traffic authorities to manage the traffic as not that of today, within or less than 20 minutes we could reach our destinations. Quite right Bangalore had been different those days where we use to hold cricket match practices on the main roads of Koramangala in order to prepare for tournaments which were held in stadiums and parks only, the tournaments were only for 22 overs each side.
Poverty is yet another feature prevailing in Bangalore and Karnataka, as it can be seen that the poor people do not have enough milk to feed their babies and neither from their mother’s breasts too (as a kid which I had also experienced on).
The lakes have almost subsided as earlier we had about 400 lakes and an equal number of tanks but now you could literally count the lakes and tanks on your fingers and indeed now we talk about rain harvesting? Where is the land or the space to do so?
Because of the above disappearance of the lakes and tanks the migratory birds are a few now. The Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Lores,White Eyes, Garblers, the Fly Catchers, the Stone Curlew, Black Bucks, Babblers, the Redheaded Merlin the Redstart, the Jungle Bush Quail, Wood Shrike, White browned Bulbul, Crow Pheasant and the Grey Partridge have disappeared from the city………naming a few………Few ? The disappearance of tank beds has been also responsible for their disappearance. Little Grebe & Green Heron are not visitors anymore! Rightly so, Bangalore has been a result of poor planning and management on hand as the lakes are filled with rubbish.
Education has been another feature. The middle class and the poor people in India are forced to study in inadequately equipped schools where there are no playgrounds and no toilets. Those fortunate enough to undergo education do not find teachers ready to teach them. Has enough been done for the teachers? Do we need to propagate education if this is the situation?
Thefts, robberies and crime have been other prevalent features of Bangalore. Bangalore has now turned into the city of crimes as the girls working in the call centres are either kidnapped or murdered. Elderly people, even sisters and daughters are not left alone which maybe either due to money or revenge. ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ prevalent earlier is not in prominence as the police have turned a blind eye towards the criminal activities of the criminals. Cases are not often registered by the police. The ‘Hoysala’ which was the main attraction is nowhere in the picture in the present days.
The citizens of Bangalore have become too lazy as they can now easily acquire money for themselves but have forgotten their love & compassion towards others for them to reach to their current position which been of primary importance. Money has been the necessary Evil corresponding to the Competitiveness Spirit of all the people of Bangalore. Political gimmicks have also added its flavour to Bangalore. Will our so called the younger generation see Bangalore………………as Singapore?
Namma Bangalore is known as the dream city, garden city, pensioner’s paradise, the silicon valley of India, granite capital, air conditioned city, pub city, the living city, the fashion capital, floricultural capital. But are these enough? Could we not do better by adding more names to the list?
Bangalore sure has a long way to go to become Singapore in the years to come!
From:
Manu Nair.
Bangalore the dream city…….. Remember……….surprised …..Part 2…… not likely!
The traffic volume was at its lowest ebb during the year 19998 but recently it has increased tremendously. At that time there were efficient traffic authorities to manage the traffic as not that of today, within or less than 20 minutes we could reach our destinations. Quite right Bangalore had been different those days where we use to hold cricket match practices on the main roads of Koramangala in order to prepare for tournaments which were held in stadiums and parks only, the tournaments were only for 22 overs each side.
Poverty is yet another feature prevailing in Bangalore and Karnataka, as it can be seen that the poor people do not have enough milk to feed their babies and neither from their mother’s breasts too (as a kid which I had also experienced on).
The lakes have almost subsided as earlier we had about 400 lakes and an equal number of tanks but now you could literally count the lakes and tanks on your fingers and indeed now we talk about rain harvesting? Where is the land or the space to do so?
Because of the above disappearance of the lakes and tanks the migratory birds are a few now. The Great Indian Bustard, Lesser Florican, Lores,White Eyes, Garblers, the Fly Catchers, the Stone Curlew, Black Bucks, Babblers, the Redheaded Merlin the Redstart, the Jungle Bush Quail, Wood Shrike, White browned Bulbul, Crow Pheasant and the Grey Partridge have disappeared from the city………naming a few………Few ? The disappearance of tank beds has been also responsible for their disappearance. Little Grebe & Green Heron are not visitors anymore! Rightly so, Bangalore has been a result of poor planning and management on hand as the lakes are filled with rubbish.
Education has been another feature. The middle class and the poor people in India are forced to study in inadequately equipped schools where there are no playgrounds and no toilets. Those fortunate enough to undergo education do not find teachers ready to teach them. Has enough been done for the teachers? Do we need to propagate education if this is the situation?
Thefts, robberies and crime have been other prevalent features of Bangalore. Bangalore has now turned into the city of crimes as the girls working in the call centres are either kidnapped or murdered. Elderly people, even sisters and daughters are not left alone which maybe either due to money or revenge. ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ prevalent earlier is not in prominence as the police have turned a blind eye towards the criminal activities of the criminals. Cases are not often registered by the police. The ‘Hoysala’ which was the main attraction is nowhere in the picture in the present days.
The citizens of Bangalore have become too lazy as they can now easily acquire money for themselves but have forgotten their love & compassion towards others for them to reach to their current position which been of primary importance. Money has been the necessary Evil corresponding to the Competitiveness Spirit of all the people of Bangalore. Political gimmicks have also added its flavour to Bangalore. Will our so called the younger generation see Bangalore………………as Singapore?
Namma Bangalore is known as the dream city, garden city, pensioner’s paradise, the silicon valley of India, granite capital, air conditioned city, pub city, the living city, the fashion capital, floricultural capital. But are these enough? Could we not do better by adding more names to the list?
Bangalore sure has a long way to go to become Singapore in the years to come!
From:
Manu Nair.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
BANGALORE A DREAM CITY –
By Manu Nair Bangalore,
Situated on the Deccan Plateau is endowed with a salubrious climate, never too hot, never too cold or wet for long, the year round. The four-season weather pattern of Northern and Eastern India is not easily felt here, as it is green all over, with tall and shady trees. It is as if this city of over five-and-a-half million people is camouflaged by greenery. Roads and lanes are lined with trees of every sort that particularly in summer, they burst with flowers of various colours. Bangalore rightfully earned its reputation, as The Garden City. It is truly cosmopolitan and home to many cultures and languages. Besides being the capital of Karnataka State, it's a hub of industrial activities. Many of the major national and international companies have their shops here. Products range from silk, fabrics, handicrafts, tools and machines, watches, heavy earth moving machinery, aircrafts, electrical and electronic goods and every bit of information technology and IT enabled services. Bangalore in fact is the home to giants in IT that it is also called the Silicon Valley of India. Quality educational facilities from primary to post graduate levels in arts, science, commerce, law, engineering, medicine, agriculture and at super professional levels exist. Pioneering research institutions, some of them jewels of the nation are housed here with their immense resource of scientists and technologists. Entertainment, hotel and tourism industry flourish in Bangalore with innumerable facilities. World class hospitals and medical centres are also available. Bangalore is well connected by roads, rail and by air traffic. No wonder, Bangalore is a preferred city to live in and work. Singapore is an extremely prosperous island city-state connected to Malay Peninsula by a causeway (a little longer than a km). It is about 616 sq.km in area with three million people. Literacy is very high, so also, the per capita income which is at least a hundred times more than that of Karnataka. Roughly 77% of the population is Chinese, 15% Malays and 6% of Indian origin. Singapore is the largest centre of trade, industry and shipping in South East Asia. International trade and finance is at the core of the economy. Singapore is altogether glamorous, strikingly clean, green and beautiful with plenty of shops, entertainment centres and business establishments. Naturally, the city is busy with traffic that it is unwalkable. Jay-walking is strictly prohibited, pedestrian cross-walks are inadequate and the traffic signals are too long. Cleanliness comes at a big price. Stiff fines are imposed on littering. Chewing gum is banned. Public toilets are clean and many. The roads are clogged with automobiles, comparable to those of Salsette Island (Mumbai). But, traffic management on Singapore roads is superior to that of any Indian city. Traffic controls and restrictions in Central Business District and the Area Licence Scheme are subjects of technical discussions. Yet, road accidents and casualties are high, the children and the aged are most vulnerable. Traffic regulations are stringent. Focused on Bangalore was Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the dynamic former Chief Minister of Karnataka with a vision to transform Bangalore into the best of Asian cities by the year 2004-2005 on lines with Singapore. Been highly educated he wanted to transform Bangalore in the lines with Singapore. He was the right person to take Bangalore forward. The Government needs be a facilitator rather than an executive at a project. Once the infrastructure is there, the people will do the development on their own. The Government shouldn't interfere and throttle private enterprise. IT business in India bloomed because it was least controlled and influenced by the bureaucracy in the Government. But now could Bangalore be called the Garden City as the garbage are strewn on almost all the roads, traffic jams are an everyday affair, the metro rail has created more problems as we will lose out on the flavours of the Coffee and the sweet dishes which does water our mouth, across the Indiranagar and CMH Road. We will also miss the so called advertisements like the one on the Kurl- On (Indiranagar, Blr.) –“We have curtains for all windows except Microsoft Windows”. Potholes and pits have risen on almost all the roads.
A pity that the pedestrians would have to walk on the road risking themselves from the busy oncoming traffic too. Clubs and pubs are essential enjoyable part of city life. Bangalore is dotted with exclusive clubs, old and new for the benefit of the affluent. Bangalore is littered with pubs where alcohol and food is relished by a large section of the upper crust of the society. The pubs are frequented by the youth, both men and women. These are meeting places for both good and evil. Intoxication leads to crime and unruly behaviour. Nowadays, the Govt. insists on closing the pubs by 11p.m. to reduce crimes and drunken driving. The response is mixed.. Liquor is a major source of income for governments, be it in Singapore or Bangalore. Almost everyone agrees that Bangalore roads are very poor in standards. Somebody even suggested a guide map of potholes, humps and channels across the road will help. There is no disputing the fact that the existing roads in Bangalore need constant attention in maintenance by the concerned authorities. Potholes and pits have risen up on almost of all the roads. The drains on either side of the road get clogged. The water on the roads even otherwise cannot find its way into the drains.
Accidents do occur when there are many who don’t obey the rules by jumping signals especially by the two-wheeler riders which is becoming quite famous in Bangalore. Autorickshaw drivers take people for granted by asking for extra money above the meter but once in a bluemooon you will find a autorickshaw driver who will take you to the right destination, give back the exact balance but he will also observe you closely if you offer a smile to them they would be happy and would talk to you and even pray for you too! Repeated complaints by the people to cover the drainage near the RBANMS Ground near Shree Complex on St.John’s Road has fallen on deaf-ear potholes .If a student falls in this drain would the Student or would the Authorities be responsible? The green cover in our city has been lost since many trees are cut for one reason or the other but are we replacing these trees? No in these places tall and multi-storeyed buildings do rise up.
Yes Mallus (Malayalees) are living in Bangalore, but would they stay for long……..
Can Bangalore be transformed in another Singapore? And could time tell…….NO?
Off to New Zealand next year as Bangalore would be a city of HAVOC!
But the youths need to be proud of the city, 'THE GARDEN CITY' for its own individuality for the city has opened up challenges for the youth to THINK & ACT.
By Manu Nair Bangalore,
Situated on the Deccan Plateau is endowed with a salubrious climate, never too hot, never too cold or wet for long, the year round. The four-season weather pattern of Northern and Eastern India is not easily felt here, as it is green all over, with tall and shady trees. It is as if this city of over five-and-a-half million people is camouflaged by greenery. Roads and lanes are lined with trees of every sort that particularly in summer, they burst with flowers of various colours. Bangalore rightfully earned its reputation, as The Garden City. It is truly cosmopolitan and home to many cultures and languages. Besides being the capital of Karnataka State, it's a hub of industrial activities. Many of the major national and international companies have their shops here. Products range from silk, fabrics, handicrafts, tools and machines, watches, heavy earth moving machinery, aircrafts, electrical and electronic goods and every bit of information technology and IT enabled services. Bangalore in fact is the home to giants in IT that it is also called the Silicon Valley of India. Quality educational facilities from primary to post graduate levels in arts, science, commerce, law, engineering, medicine, agriculture and at super professional levels exist. Pioneering research institutions, some of them jewels of the nation are housed here with their immense resource of scientists and technologists. Entertainment, hotel and tourism industry flourish in Bangalore with innumerable facilities. World class hospitals and medical centres are also available. Bangalore is well connected by roads, rail and by air traffic. No wonder, Bangalore is a preferred city to live in and work. Singapore is an extremely prosperous island city-state connected to Malay Peninsula by a causeway (a little longer than a km). It is about 616 sq.km in area with three million people. Literacy is very high, so also, the per capita income which is at least a hundred times more than that of Karnataka. Roughly 77% of the population is Chinese, 15% Malays and 6% of Indian origin. Singapore is the largest centre of trade, industry and shipping in South East Asia. International trade and finance is at the core of the economy. Singapore is altogether glamorous, strikingly clean, green and beautiful with plenty of shops, entertainment centres and business establishments. Naturally, the city is busy with traffic that it is unwalkable. Jay-walking is strictly prohibited, pedestrian cross-walks are inadequate and the traffic signals are too long. Cleanliness comes at a big price. Stiff fines are imposed on littering. Chewing gum is banned. Public toilets are clean and many. The roads are clogged with automobiles, comparable to those of Salsette Island (Mumbai). But, traffic management on Singapore roads is superior to that of any Indian city. Traffic controls and restrictions in Central Business District and the Area Licence Scheme are subjects of technical discussions. Yet, road accidents and casualties are high, the children and the aged are most vulnerable. Traffic regulations are stringent. Focused on Bangalore was Somanahalli Mallaiah Krishna, the dynamic former Chief Minister of Karnataka with a vision to transform Bangalore into the best of Asian cities by the year 2004-2005 on lines with Singapore. Been highly educated he wanted to transform Bangalore in the lines with Singapore. He was the right person to take Bangalore forward. The Government needs be a facilitator rather than an executive at a project. Once the infrastructure is there, the people will do the development on their own. The Government shouldn't interfere and throttle private enterprise. IT business in India bloomed because it was least controlled and influenced by the bureaucracy in the Government. But now could Bangalore be called the Garden City as the garbage are strewn on almost all the roads, traffic jams are an everyday affair, the metro rail has created more problems as we will lose out on the flavours of the Coffee and the sweet dishes which does water our mouth, across the Indiranagar and CMH Road. We will also miss the so called advertisements like the one on the Kurl- On (Indiranagar, Blr.) –“We have curtains for all windows except Microsoft Windows”. Potholes and pits have risen on almost all the roads.
A pity that the pedestrians would have to walk on the road risking themselves from the busy oncoming traffic too. Clubs and pubs are essential enjoyable part of city life. Bangalore is dotted with exclusive clubs, old and new for the benefit of the affluent. Bangalore is littered with pubs where alcohol and food is relished by a large section of the upper crust of the society. The pubs are frequented by the youth, both men and women. These are meeting places for both good and evil. Intoxication leads to crime and unruly behaviour. Nowadays, the Govt. insists on closing the pubs by 11p.m. to reduce crimes and drunken driving. The response is mixed.. Liquor is a major source of income for governments, be it in Singapore or Bangalore. Almost everyone agrees that Bangalore roads are very poor in standards. Somebody even suggested a guide map of potholes, humps and channels across the road will help. There is no disputing the fact that the existing roads in Bangalore need constant attention in maintenance by the concerned authorities. Potholes and pits have risen up on almost of all the roads. The drains on either side of the road get clogged. The water on the roads even otherwise cannot find its way into the drains.
Accidents do occur when there are many who don’t obey the rules by jumping signals especially by the two-wheeler riders which is becoming quite famous in Bangalore. Autorickshaw drivers take people for granted by asking for extra money above the meter but once in a bluemooon you will find a autorickshaw driver who will take you to the right destination, give back the exact balance but he will also observe you closely if you offer a smile to them they would be happy and would talk to you and even pray for you too! Repeated complaints by the people to cover the drainage near the RBANMS Ground near Shree Complex on St.John’s Road has fallen on deaf-ear potholes .If a student falls in this drain would the Student or would the Authorities be responsible? The green cover in our city has been lost since many trees are cut for one reason or the other but are we replacing these trees? No in these places tall and multi-storeyed buildings do rise up.
Yes Mallus (Malayalees) are living in Bangalore, but would they stay for long……..
Can Bangalore be transformed in another Singapore? And could time tell…….NO?
Off to New Zealand next year as Bangalore would be a city of HAVOC!
But the youths need to be proud of the city, 'THE GARDEN CITY' for its own individuality for the city has opened up challenges for the youth to THINK & ACT.
Knowledge
As the room is filled with darkness, as the candle is lit, though the flame is small, burns bright with all its energy , and power it has got, and goes beyond, which spreads, across the room, and lights the room of darkness, therefore a little knowledge, which is spread on, travels a long way, in helping all, and helps in driving darkness out, therefore acquire knowledge, as much as you can, who knows, you may benefit someone, you will never know.
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Indo-German film festival at Lavanya Theatre
The Indo-German film was on from the Nov.17 to Nov.23, 2006 in Lavanya Theatre. On 19th Nov.,2006, I had been there and did watch two movies. Both movies were very interesting. Robber Hotenplotz had been a robber and he liked stealing and he liked stealing a coffee-grinder and ultimately he succeeds in doing so, the tricks the boys play to catch him but he somehow escapes by tripping and rolling over but later the robber traps them. The robber, the witch make the boys do their work Frou Schlotterbeck , Wasti and the fairy Amarllis are interesting characters to watch . The special effects did transform all of us into an entire new world of fun and fantasy. The other picture was the Bungle where the children had no playground to play. The only playground that remained was an empty plot of land belonging to a rich sick man. He agrees to give the land for the children to play but his US son did want to sell the land. The ways the boys developed the playground, the way they took care of the old rich sick man had been interesting to see and ultimately in the end the action taken by everyone in protecting the playground had been a sight to see & ultimately the land was not sold but remained as a playground for the children to play. It was really surprising to see that most of the seats in the Lavanya Theatre were occupied mostly by the girls though there were little kids and babies too to watch.
Romance / Love.....Poem
As the daylight struck, as I walked into the park, with the sun in its glaze,
I saw a pretty girl swinging on the swing, With twinkling eyes,
And tiny ears, as soon as our eyes met, she stood up, on her high heel sandals,
and began walking away from me, from me,
Was she shy? I wondered, I looked at her again and again, still walking gracefully,
away from me, away from me, wondering
whether she would return,
I waited and waited, until the moon creped out,
in its full glow, wondering would she return to the park again,
as the moon glowed , with all its might, but she never, never returned,
Was it love? Or was it romance, I will never know, It ever again!
I saw a pretty girl swinging on the swing, With twinkling eyes,
And tiny ears, as soon as our eyes met, she stood up, on her high heel sandals,
and began walking away from me, from me,
Was she shy? I wondered, I looked at her again and again, still walking gracefully,
away from me, away from me, wondering
whether she would return,
I waited and waited, until the moon creped out,
in its full glow, wondering would she return to the park again,
as the moon glowed , with all its might, but she never, never returned,
Was it love? Or was it romance, I will never know, It ever again!
Poem
As the darkness prevails around, and as the sun sets in,
as the birds return to their nests, as the moon creeps out,
as to shed out a little light, that goes a long way,
in helping the young and the old, to find their way,
which in turn, gives a new look to the world around us,
as the plants, the leaves and trees look prettier,
than they were ever before, with the help of stars of different shapes , and sizes, shining bright,
as if calling out to the kids, the young and the old,
to come out and play, telling us a little light helps in driving darkness out, so don't be afraid of the dark,
as we are here to help you, and to protect you,
so come out of your houses, and enjoy, the light, that I shed!
as the birds return to their nests, as the moon creeps out,
as to shed out a little light, that goes a long way,
in helping the young and the old, to find their way,
which in turn, gives a new look to the world around us,
as the plants, the leaves and trees look prettier,
than they were ever before, with the help of stars of different shapes , and sizes, shining bright,
as if calling out to the kids, the young and the old,
to come out and play, telling us a little light helps in driving darkness out, so don't be afraid of the dark,
as we are here to help you, and to protect you,
so come out of your houses, and enjoy, the light, that I shed!
THE LOST COIN
THE LOST COIN
The sun shone brightly and the skies were clear. The boy had to go out for buying snacks. A little later, he was out of his house and was on his way to buy the snacks, just as he walked a little he had met his friend and both agreed to walk to the shop. They reached the shop and bought the snacks and has the boy paid the money he found that he had only one-rupee coin left with him. As they were about to walk back they saw that the dark clouds had gathered in the skies and it was going to rain at that moment itself and already little drops started falling. They ran to a shelter and reached it, by then it started raining heavily. A little later his friend offered him tea .The boy was still holding the one rupee in his hand with the packets of snacks that he bought. They agreed and had the tea and the snacks. After having the tea, the boy threw the plastic cups and the empty packets and after throwing these, he realizes that he had lost the one-rupee coin which was in his hand.
By this time the skies had cleared and his friend had gone off and then boy began searching on for the one rupee. He could not find it and became worried. It was neither near the cups he threw nor in the empty packets. He saw in his pockets and later he realized that his pockets were torn and thus it may have fallen down on the way. He began searching but could not find it and thus he gave up his search. He then began recalling and then a thought had arised in him that had he eaten it with the snacks as the snacks and the one-rupee coin were in the same hand? He really got scared. As he was returning to his house the weather had become chill and his hands were feeling cold, because of this he had put both his hands in the pockets and as he began putting his hands in the pockets he found that something was tinkling inside one of his pocket. As he took it out he found that
“It was the one rupee coin that he had lost.”
Though all his pockets were torn he found that the rupee was stuck right inside one of his pocket where there was a little material of his pocket left.
The sun shone brightly and the skies were clear. The boy had to go out for buying snacks. A little later, he was out of his house and was on his way to buy the snacks, just as he walked a little he had met his friend and both agreed to walk to the shop. They reached the shop and bought the snacks and has the boy paid the money he found that he had only one-rupee coin left with him. As they were about to walk back they saw that the dark clouds had gathered in the skies and it was going to rain at that moment itself and already little drops started falling. They ran to a shelter and reached it, by then it started raining heavily. A little later his friend offered him tea .The boy was still holding the one rupee in his hand with the packets of snacks that he bought. They agreed and had the tea and the snacks. After having the tea, the boy threw the plastic cups and the empty packets and after throwing these, he realizes that he had lost the one-rupee coin which was in his hand.
By this time the skies had cleared and his friend had gone off and then boy began searching on for the one rupee. He could not find it and became worried. It was neither near the cups he threw nor in the empty packets. He saw in his pockets and later he realized that his pockets were torn and thus it may have fallen down on the way. He began searching but could not find it and thus he gave up his search. He then began recalling and then a thought had arised in him that had he eaten it with the snacks as the snacks and the one-rupee coin were in the same hand? He really got scared. As he was returning to his house the weather had become chill and his hands were feeling cold, because of this he had put both his hands in the pockets and as he began putting his hands in the pockets he found that something was tinkling inside one of his pocket. As he took it out he found that
“It was the one rupee coin that he had lost.”
Though all his pockets were torn he found that the rupee was stuck right inside one of his pocket where there was a little material of his pocket left.
“THE CAT HAS HIS OR HER DAY.”
SHORT- STORY
“THE CAT HAS HIS OR HER DAY.”
It was a bright and sunny day and a slight breeze had been blowing around as the trees and the plants danced on to the tunes of the wind. The boy looked outside and thought that this was a good day for him as the sun rays were penetrating in his bedroom through the open window. He then decided that this was the best day to look for his life partner and thus he began to browse through all the matrimonial advertisements and ultimately he had chosen one as she was pretty and nice and looked very impressive. As he was just about to send his marriage proposal to the girl, he looked out of his bedroom window and saw a cat very clean and brown in colour walking majestically in front of his balcony. Until this day he had not seen any cat walking around any of the houses in his surroundings and thus he knew that this marriage proposal would not click on. But he decided to send it. After a week, there had been no response from her but he was slightly hopeful and decided to send a reminder to her, just as he was about to send it again he saw the same cat on his balcony again. He then knew that this proposal would not work but he decided to send her a reminder again. Two weeks had passed and there was no message from her and then for the last time he decided to send her another reminder but before this he had to go to the temple and as the bells rang in the temple he entered the temple and prayed on. As he finished praying and came out of the temple he was still thinking about the girl and about the reminder that he was about to send and just at that moment the same cat had crossed his path and now he felt it was certain that his proposal for marriage would be declined but after thinking a lot about it, yet again he did send her the reminder.
Within two days atlast, he gets a message that she has:-
“Declined his proposal for marriage.”
He then began thinking superstitions do have a meaning. When a cat or a black cat crosses your path, the sweeping brooms when you are about on your way to the office or for an interview or starting a new thing on a Tuesday or Friday, it is really better to go in with these superstitions as the thoughts had arised in him.
Beware of the cats that cross your path, the sweeping brooms and avoid doing new things on Tuesdays and Fridays he warns others too.
“Does the cat have his or her own day?” The boy talks to himself, “The cat cannot have his day it should be her day!”
“THE CAT HAS HIS OR HER DAY.”
It was a bright and sunny day and a slight breeze had been blowing around as the trees and the plants danced on to the tunes of the wind. The boy looked outside and thought that this was a good day for him as the sun rays were penetrating in his bedroom through the open window. He then decided that this was the best day to look for his life partner and thus he began to browse through all the matrimonial advertisements and ultimately he had chosen one as she was pretty and nice and looked very impressive. As he was just about to send his marriage proposal to the girl, he looked out of his bedroom window and saw a cat very clean and brown in colour walking majestically in front of his balcony. Until this day he had not seen any cat walking around any of the houses in his surroundings and thus he knew that this marriage proposal would not click on. But he decided to send it. After a week, there had been no response from her but he was slightly hopeful and decided to send a reminder to her, just as he was about to send it again he saw the same cat on his balcony again. He then knew that this proposal would not work but he decided to send her a reminder again. Two weeks had passed and there was no message from her and then for the last time he decided to send her another reminder but before this he had to go to the temple and as the bells rang in the temple he entered the temple and prayed on. As he finished praying and came out of the temple he was still thinking about the girl and about the reminder that he was about to send and just at that moment the same cat had crossed his path and now he felt it was certain that his proposal for marriage would be declined but after thinking a lot about it, yet again he did send her the reminder.
Within two days atlast, he gets a message that she has:-
“Declined his proposal for marriage.”
He then began thinking superstitions do have a meaning. When a cat or a black cat crosses your path, the sweeping brooms when you are about on your way to the office or for an interview or starting a new thing on a Tuesday or Friday, it is really better to go in with these superstitions as the thoughts had arised in him.
Beware of the cats that cross your path, the sweeping brooms and avoid doing new things on Tuesdays and Fridays he warns others too.
“Does the cat have his or her own day?” The boy talks to himself, “The cat cannot have his day it should be her day!”
Few Steps Required for Marriage.
Few Steps Required for Marriage.
In the board daylight I had walked down the busy road of Brigade Road in Bangalore as people of both sexes were walking to and fro and then an idea struck me on that I needed to write on and that is of marriage.
Preferences in marriage of both parties may not match as they may go on varying.A liking for each other is a must and both must be loved and respected. The other aspect that stands ground is caring or concern for each other and also they need to spend time together. Therefore togetherness does play an important role in marriage. Both need to be trustworthy of each other and should not be doubtful or suspicious. Compassion is yet another necessity for marriage. At certain times compromise does play a role i.e. certain things have or need to be discussed or negotiated upon under a calm and not under an angry atmosphere. Certain adjustments may have to be carried on too in matters relating to income and expenditure of the household, or dividing the work between them, or spending time together, or looking after the children, and many other things. Sacrificing on some things by both the boy and the girl may be needed at certain times before or after they get married too or for their own children.
Last but not the least, the thing we least do remember is the aspect of forgiveness. Forgiveness is necessary for the success of marriage in the long run as disagreements may arise on but they should be solved through talking to each other.
To add on these factors do hold good before and after marriage also as these are the essential elements needed for the marriages to be successful.
In the board daylight I had walked down the busy road of Brigade Road in Bangalore as people of both sexes were walking to and fro and then an idea struck me on that I needed to write on and that is of marriage.
Preferences in marriage of both parties may not match as they may go on varying.A liking for each other is a must and both must be loved and respected. The other aspect that stands ground is caring or concern for each other and also they need to spend time together. Therefore togetherness does play an important role in marriage. Both need to be trustworthy of each other and should not be doubtful or suspicious. Compassion is yet another necessity for marriage. At certain times compromise does play a role i.e. certain things have or need to be discussed or negotiated upon under a calm and not under an angry atmosphere. Certain adjustments may have to be carried on too in matters relating to income and expenditure of the household, or dividing the work between them, or spending time together, or looking after the children, and many other things. Sacrificing on some things by both the boy and the girl may be needed at certain times before or after they get married too or for their own children.
Last but not the least, the thing we least do remember is the aspect of forgiveness. Forgiveness is necessary for the success of marriage in the long run as disagreements may arise on but they should be solved through talking to each other.
To add on these factors do hold good before and after marriage also as these are the essential elements needed for the marriages to be successful.
Carry On.
Carry On.
As I felt bored and needed to pass time after my exams I walked into several libraries but I was faced with the problem of fewer books that were available or was not satisfied with the people running the library. As I was going to give up but I decided to have a last attempt of finding out a good library and at last I was successful in finding one.
As I entered into this library and looked on I could find Agashta Christe‘s and Ayn Rand, books as I paid the membership as it was very cheap and then I took Paulo Coelho’s books the ‘Alchemist’ and ‘Veronica Decides To Die’ which were very interesting to read on. Coming on to the others the ‘Silent Night’, ‘The Lottery Winner’, ‘Moonlight Becomes You’, ‘My Gal Sunday’ by Mary Higgins Clark are the best books I have come across as she keeps her writing very simple, it is easy to read and to comprehend . Coming on to others ‘Inseparable’ by Ann Major, ‘The Book Fair’ by Anna Porter, ‘Waterfall’ by Carla Naggers and other authors like Barbara Taylor, Barbara Delinsky, Barbara Bradford, Nancy Taylor Rosenburg and Laura Van Wormer’s ‘Any Given Moment’ had impressed me quite a lot.
Though there were other writers like Sidney Sheldon which is a craze for many, Ken Follett, Jeffery Archer, Robin Cook and Salman Rushdie and the above mentioned ones need to be read on by all. Thus there is no shortcut to learning as learning helps in reading various books.
As I felt bored and needed to pass time after my exams I walked into several libraries but I was faced with the problem of fewer books that were available or was not satisfied with the people running the library. As I was going to give up but I decided to have a last attempt of finding out a good library and at last I was successful in finding one.
As I entered into this library and looked on I could find Agashta Christe‘s and Ayn Rand, books as I paid the membership as it was very cheap and then I took Paulo Coelho’s books the ‘Alchemist’ and ‘Veronica Decides To Die’ which were very interesting to read on. Coming on to the others the ‘Silent Night’, ‘The Lottery Winner’, ‘Moonlight Becomes You’, ‘My Gal Sunday’ by Mary Higgins Clark are the best books I have come across as she keeps her writing very simple, it is easy to read and to comprehend . Coming on to others ‘Inseparable’ by Ann Major, ‘The Book Fair’ by Anna Porter, ‘Waterfall’ by Carla Naggers and other authors like Barbara Taylor, Barbara Delinsky, Barbara Bradford, Nancy Taylor Rosenburg and Laura Van Wormer’s ‘Any Given Moment’ had impressed me quite a lot.
Though there were other writers like Sidney Sheldon which is a craze for many, Ken Follett, Jeffery Archer, Robin Cook and Salman Rushdie and the above mentioned ones need to be read on by all. Thus there is no shortcut to learning as learning helps in reading various books.
Is it necessary?
Is it necessary?
Dark clouds hovering around in the sky and rain pouring down. As I peeped out of my bedroom window waiting for the rain to clear. Ten minutes had passed on and the sky had cleared and the sun rose from behind the clouds with its beaming rays. My bedroom window faced on to a bus stand from where I could see various types of buses parked on. As I peeped out of the window again, I saw a girl stepping out of the bus with her mother with their own luggages. Then I cried out in my heart of heart, “Oh not again.” Few paces away from my house there had been a college which did have a hostel on its campus, where most parents used to bring their children of seeking admission for their children. Some of them had left their children alone in the hostel. The child's or the daughter's wailing could be heard from far too, The question that pertained to my mind was, is it right to leave your own children in the hostel and is it really necessary?
As I walked on the road, I did see the tears in the eyes of the children who were left behind by their parents. Recent times have changed as both parents leave their homes for their work, leaving their children behind at home or at school and return late from work due to work pressures from their bosses. They hardly do find time to sit with their children and spend time with them, help them with their studies or talk to them. Some of the parents need to attend kitty parties, or go for other parties or attend meetings if they have been elected by various clubs. Are we thus following the right path?
The parents should spend as much of their time with their children by talking to them, going out with them, by visiting museums, historical sites, discussing with them, playing with them, taking them out for picnics,movies and also helping them out with their studies.Try to keep one day free for your children, probably Saturday and let your child enjoy too.As a matter of fact parents too need rest.
Parents need to involve their children so that they evolve the feeling that they also belong to the same family and they should have a feeling that they are cared for by their parents.
Dark clouds hovering around in the sky and rain pouring down. As I peeped out of my bedroom window waiting for the rain to clear. Ten minutes had passed on and the sky had cleared and the sun rose from behind the clouds with its beaming rays. My bedroom window faced on to a bus stand from where I could see various types of buses parked on. As I peeped out of the window again, I saw a girl stepping out of the bus with her mother with their own luggages. Then I cried out in my heart of heart, “Oh not again.” Few paces away from my house there had been a college which did have a hostel on its campus, where most parents used to bring their children of seeking admission for their children. Some of them had left their children alone in the hostel. The child's or the daughter's wailing could be heard from far too, The question that pertained to my mind was, is it right to leave your own children in the hostel and is it really necessary?
As I walked on the road, I did see the tears in the eyes of the children who were left behind by their parents. Recent times have changed as both parents leave their homes for their work, leaving their children behind at home or at school and return late from work due to work pressures from their bosses. They hardly do find time to sit with their children and spend time with them, help them with their studies or talk to them. Some of the parents need to attend kitty parties, or go for other parties or attend meetings if they have been elected by various clubs. Are we thus following the right path?
The parents should spend as much of their time with their children by talking to them, going out with them, by visiting museums, historical sites, discussing with them, playing with them, taking them out for picnics,movies and also helping them out with their studies.Try to keep one day free for your children, probably Saturday and let your child enjoy too.As a matter of fact parents too need rest.
Parents need to involve their children so that they evolve the feeling that they also belong to the same family and they should have a feeling that they are cared for by their parents.
THOSE DAYS
THOSE DAYS
From Manu Nair
Born at Calcutta on 16th August, 1974, within one hour of my birth I had an attack of pneumonia and one of my lungs had collapsed and this was my Journey into the new world and then arrived at Lucknow where I studied in St.Francis College cum School and was selected to play for sports for Francis’ House in the same institution as the College had 5 Houses. But could not pursue this as we had to move to Bangalore due to my father's transfer.
Travelling from Lucknow to Bangalore the search for admission for the Xth standard had been going on. Just after two days of search I got admission in a prestigious school in Bangalore. The classes were to start the next day. I felt nervous as how I would adjust to this new environment as I had been a very shy boy and would not talk to anyone at all. Speech impediment (stammering) was, has been and is one of my set backs.
The next day the classes began and a week had passed. Our English Madam had noticed that I had been keeping away from others. The next day, she remarked in front of all the other students, “Manu, you are still in the egg shell, when are you going to jump out? It is time for you to break up from your shell and come out in the open as you may have seen the chicks hatching out from the eggs and are ready to face the world.” I was taken aback and shocked as inspite of teaching all of us which comprised about 70 of us she had observed each and everyone. This had helped me to break out of my shell and come out in the open to face the due challenges of the world.
Few months passed by and the school had decided to organize an exhibition on Saturday from which I did back out at first but the same English Madam did not allow me to do so and made me the Incharge of the Ice-Cream stall. I had to collect the paid coupons for the Ice-creams and then sell the ice-creams. The day came and I began selling the Ice creams. There was a large crowd for the ice-creams and as I was busy selling the ice-creams. As I had been selling them someone had placed the soft drink tray over the ice cream cart and as I just opened the cart the soft drink tray jumped out and the bottles broke spilling out the Pepsi on a teacher’s sari who was standing just beside me. Her sari had been spoilt. This matter came to the notice of the English teacher and I was forgiven. When the classes began on Monday, the English teacher remarked that all the ice creams had been sold on that day.
Looking over the pages of my diary when I look back I owe my thanks to the teacher who had helped me to overcome my shyness and face the world with confidence. If I was not to break open from my shell I would have remained a shy boy forever! If it were not so I would have remained aloof from the world. Now I am having a Job as well I also do write for leading Newspapers and Magazines.
From Manu Nair
Born at Calcutta on 16th August, 1974, within one hour of my birth I had an attack of pneumonia and one of my lungs had collapsed and this was my Journey into the new world and then arrived at Lucknow where I studied in St.Francis College cum School and was selected to play for sports for Francis’ House in the same institution as the College had 5 Houses. But could not pursue this as we had to move to Bangalore due to my father's transfer.
Travelling from Lucknow to Bangalore the search for admission for the Xth standard had been going on. Just after two days of search I got admission in a prestigious school in Bangalore. The classes were to start the next day. I felt nervous as how I would adjust to this new environment as I had been a very shy boy and would not talk to anyone at all. Speech impediment (stammering) was, has been and is one of my set backs.
The next day the classes began and a week had passed. Our English Madam had noticed that I had been keeping away from others. The next day, she remarked in front of all the other students, “Manu, you are still in the egg shell, when are you going to jump out? It is time for you to break up from your shell and come out in the open as you may have seen the chicks hatching out from the eggs and are ready to face the world.” I was taken aback and shocked as inspite of teaching all of us which comprised about 70 of us she had observed each and everyone. This had helped me to break out of my shell and come out in the open to face the due challenges of the world.
Few months passed by and the school had decided to organize an exhibition on Saturday from which I did back out at first but the same English Madam did not allow me to do so and made me the Incharge of the Ice-Cream stall. I had to collect the paid coupons for the Ice-creams and then sell the ice-creams. The day came and I began selling the Ice creams. There was a large crowd for the ice-creams and as I was busy selling the ice-creams. As I had been selling them someone had placed the soft drink tray over the ice cream cart and as I just opened the cart the soft drink tray jumped out and the bottles broke spilling out the Pepsi on a teacher’s sari who was standing just beside me. Her sari had been spoilt. This matter came to the notice of the English teacher and I was forgiven. When the classes began on Monday, the English teacher remarked that all the ice creams had been sold on that day.
Looking over the pages of my diary when I look back I owe my thanks to the teacher who had helped me to overcome my shyness and face the world with confidence. If I was not to break open from my shell I would have remained a shy boy forever! If it were not so I would have remained aloof from the world. Now I am having a Job as well I also do write for leading Newspapers and Magazines.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)