New Resolutions for 2016

As every year I have set some goals for 2016; some personal and some professional. I will list the personal ones here.

• Lose weight
• Eat healthy including lots of fruits
• Achieve a degree for some teaching subject
• Read some 30-40 new books
• Do meditation and yoga on daily basis
• Visit the Shirdi Baba shrine in May-June

The year is just going to start and I am full of hope and conviction of fulfilling all my goals.I have come to the realization that eating healthy is the key to rooting out all problems.Regular studying and cogitating keeps the mind alert and happy.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MYSELF

Twisty travel tales

The latest in fleecing people of small change is observed in toll booths while driving down the highways.This trend is also seen amongst vegetable sellers,small shops; what we call kirana stores or our neighbourhood grocer's.
I am sure you know what I am talking of.
Yes, the 50 paise or 25 paise candy which is passed on to the customer in lieu of small change with a plea...."chutta nahi hai"
 The height of this practice was when recently I was given a 5/ worth packet of haldiram namkeen at the toll booth! Duh! I was flabbergasted and in the process was speechless. What to do? Accept and drive on or throw it back on his face and face the ire of the other drivers lined up behind me and honking impatiently. Of course you know, it was this psychology the chap was playing upon......................which driver would pick up a fight for such a lowly item during peak hour traffic.

So on I drove, wondering what instructions the Road and Surface Transport Ministry or whoever that implements these toll taxes must be getting? Would my-friendly-neighbourhood-tollgate next supply me with samosas and kachoris and perhaps some sweets to go with them? The conversation would go something like this
Law Abiding Citizen(LAC)-65 ka ticket dena(giving a Rs 100 note), chutta nahi hai
Law Abiding Tollbooth Guy(LATG)- yeh lo, 65 ka ticket and 10 ka samosa, 20 ki kachori aur 5 ki tofee
LAC- eh heh....(gulp)..eh...eh...
LATG- sauce free hai............................enjoy
LAC(wobbling at the wheels)- yeh, yeh...samosa? kachori?
LATG- aage baro...can't you see green light is blinking?
LAC- par chutta.................?
LATG-poore ho gaye.

Period

I am seriously thinking of stocking up on some tiffin boxes to store these toffees,candies,some samosas(maybe),etc when next I approach the toll gate on any journey.Why spoil the fun........maybe I can buy some gulabjamuns to go with it down the road

The Art of Persuasion



We all have had that experience, buying things even when we know it is not really needed. While I won't go into the details of shopping instinct, shopaholics,et al, One thing which we have encountered in this experience(shopping without meaning to) is the sales patter coming from the person behind the counter.
We generally will dismiss his/her talk as 'salesmanship' but do you agree that he has the power of persuasion? He cajoles, argues, and finally persuades you to shell your precious dough.

So what is it that he has that makes you so malleable in his hands?

Obviously he is empathetic and establishes the connect with you quite effortlessly
He enters your world- how? by listening to you carefully
He understands your body language and he patterns his body language to it
He has the gift of the gab- all good businessmen,entrepreneurs, politicians, in fact all successful people have this gift
He understands human emotions; the foibles and frailties, all of it

You may think how all these is possible when we are spending such a short time with him?

Malcolm Gladwell in his book "Blink" gives a very good and logical explanation to this phenomena. In fact he asserts that all of us use this technique called- Thin Slicing. It is the perception our mind has when we first meet a person or situation and  surprisingly, it is 9 out of 10 times absolutely correct!

The art of persuasion depend on thin slicing technique to a large extent and then it is followed by all the effort one puts into it. The quicker and better the bond we establish with the 'customer' the higher and better is the sale quantum.

So next time you buy something needlessly know that you been 'Persuaded' 

            8 things that make me see red!

Coming back from office to see the house littered

Cribbing about workload

Expecting beyond one's abilities

Disrespecting elders

Finding fault in everyone and everything

Using foul language and gestures

Dissatisfied people

Hypochondriacs

The desire to be beautiful

Man or woman, everyone desires to be beautiful. The mirror asserts our image as we grow up and slowly our self image takes a firm shape in our minds.This helps in creating our self esteem also.

You may have noticed that a child spends little time in front of the mirror,but as he grows older the time increases exponentially. Every girl or boy thinks of himself as the most desirable and beautiful person on earth...God's gift to the opposite sex. In some cases self love or narcissism sets in quite early and continues for a long long time.

Whatever be the case the desire to look beautiful is a very strong instinct and we spend both time and money to appear the best. An entire industry runs on this psychology which is exploited to the maximum. Strangely it has nothing to do with age or social strata.How others see us is perhaps equally important and relevant in seeing ourselves in our own eyes.

The only aspect which we tend to forget in this mad rush to be beautiful is the fact that we need to be beautiful from within. There are no cosmetics to do it for us. It's something which we need to work upon on our own. But the reward for it is tremendous; it complements our physical beauty and adds to our personality.

Cleopatra was supposed to be the most beautiful lady in the ancient world and so was Helen of Troy for whom a 10 year war was fought! But the essential difference between the two is cone stood for the bold,courageous and magnetic beauty while the other was the garden variety type. Both enamored, both brought massive destruction yet both remain examples even today of great beauty.

These two aspects of beauty certainly tell us that beauty really lies in the eyes of the beholder 

Managing New Gadgets

Tough job, right? All these days I had thought of myself as gadget-savvy; after all I could work on the computer,run various household gadgets,talk intelligently on newbies coming into the market. Imagine my surprise and shock when I relate the following incident.

 It so happened that last week I bought a camera. This was primarily for my use and sometimes to be used by sonny dear.

No big deal! A small luxury or maybe not even that.....But after buying it I realised that there are more additional attachments which may/will be required later if I have to pursue this hobby, so pehla dhakka.
The second dhakka was that the gadget is too highend for me as it has be manipulated with scores of adjustments!
Third mukka(for now the dhakka has turned to mukka only)- some physics and mathematical calculations required for focus,light and dark shades,etc......Phew!


I am keeping a straight face and persevering with my tinkering, fast approaching a position when I know it will become my son's domain

You understand where all this leading to? Straight out of my hands to new generation sonny. Well i stand defeated and chastened till my next run-in with another gadget


                                                  
                                             

RANDOM THOUGHTS

                                               

The story of Krishna's birth is known to everyone; mothers,fathers and grandparents tell these lores to the children and it is passed on from generation to generation.Similarly Rama's birth and his sojourn culminating in getting Sita back is also another mythology deeply ingrained in every home in our country. Our moral and spiritual education takes on all these stories at its core.

When we look at Rama and at Krishna, we find lots of essential contrasts. Rama is 'maryada purushottam' whereas Krishna is our 'makhan chor' 'raas rachaeita' 'master planner of kurukshetra' 'skillful negotiator' and so much more.

Krishna in comparison to Rama looks a more colorful character and more humane with his faults,his sly ways, his love affairs,marriages and finally his message The Gita. Rama in comparison seems quite dull; more of a follower of rules,conventions and societal norms.His message is never direct but always what he lived for through his entire life.
The modern world can find more meaning to Krishna's teachings as the principles behind it looks more suitable and matching with our current society, it's diabolical ways, the intricate relationships,the overlying and underlying meaning to even commonplace transactions.

We  revere Lord Rama but we love Lord Krishna
We look upto Lord Rama but find ourselves one with Lord Krishna
We rarely can match Lord Rama's call to duty but find kinship with Lord Krishna transgressions
We fear Lord Rama's 'Laxman rekha' but feel happy with Lord Krishna's convulated thinking
But we need both Rama and Krishna, in our lives!

Revenge.................the art of it

Recently read some interesting articles,essays on this topic. In some it is advocated that revenge is justified as the wronged person gets the satisfaction of redress. But for that to happen revenge has to taken by first making the person know by name and action that you have taken revenge. Because to revenge silently does not give so much satisfaction!!

Another school of thought says that revenge is only possible by rising above it and letting the wrong be ignored as this gives the wronged person a better and cleaner feeling as it showers peace and God's blessing on him.This school of thought enjoins us to forgive and forget. The wrong done can never be righted and one should rise above such petty comeuppance and pardon the wrong doer.

One more philosophy says that to pardon the wrong done by a acquaintance is still an option but wrong done by a friend should never be forgiven or pardoned. A treacherous and faithless friend can never be pardoned as he is more detrimental than the other.

My question to all readers is what is more beneficial to let go Or to take revenge and then let go?

Why are we always in such great hurry

You all will agree that it's a common phenomena, an almost natural tendency in all age groups.The moot question is,why???

The small infant is in tearing hurry to grow up
The child is in a hurry to finish whatever he is doing and play,enjoy
The young adult is in a hurry to pass out and take a job,fall in love,marry
The adult is in a hurry to amass a bank balance,make a house,buy some luxuries,retire comfortably
The middle aged is in a hurry to see his children marry,settle down and maybe enjoy his grand children
The old are in a hurry to meet his creator
Who knows, perhaps we are in a hurry to get reborn, in the nether world too?

It is never ending.

What is it that makes us hurry so much,always wanting to outdo others,ourselves in this rat race.Deep down we are all looking for that 'something' that what we think will give us happiness. We think we will be happy if we get this, then something better and bigger comes along and we start thinking of that as what we want.
In contrast nature is never in that state, maybe that makes for its permanence in a bigger sense.Even the most scorched piece of earth is patient enough and there comes a time when it gives rise to shoots.
Let us strive to be happy,enjoy and savor our everyday moments rather than hurry for a future which we haven't seen and in the process lose our present.











                                                                

To be or not to be...that is the question

This age old question is plaguing us for eons; at every juncture that we take a crucial decision, this question comes to haunt us.Shakespeare put it bang on target when he made his character speak about this life changing dilemma in his great tragedy Hamlet. 

The poets and writers often can be pretty clairvoyant and look to the human nature and our psyche in ways different to our own thoughts. Take the Sermons on the Mount by Lord Jesus or when Krishna is speaking the Gita on the battlefield of Kurukshetra or the Quran as revealed to Prophet Muhammad. Even if we take Krishna to be a purely mythological character spouting the thoughts of Ved Vyaasa, one can still observe the far reaching glimpses of human life. The most important aspect is that the truths remain true for all ages.

Let us think of the more relatively recent poets, Walt Whitman in his poem "Leaves of Grass" or Shelley in the "Ode to the Grecian Urn" or William Wordsworth in "Solitary Reaper" or Tagore in his offering "Gitanjali" or modern poets of India like Keki Daruwala,Vikram Seth or Kamala Das..................................they all talk of human nature in relation to his psyche,the world,nature at large and showing us glimpses of the future.

When we are taught the classics in school and college, we study them as part of our syllabus, never  really going in to the depths, the underlying meaning...it all becomes realistic to us when we experience the real world.

So the question remains........................to be or not to be??????? 

Thank You Kids............................................................you have fulfilled me.    

RANDOM THOUGHTS 


Tomorrow is my birthday; I turn 48. Its nothing special but another year added to my life cycle.There are still lots of things left to do in life; many peaks to climb in fact. Hopefully the lows in life have been left far behind. The years have added, to my personality and experience both, rounding the sharp edges and sharpening the blunt ones. Living in the world of kids, both small and big,have taught me many things and made me deeply aware of their developmental cycle. I have also realized that children feel changes happening around them more than we anticipate. We often are dismissive of this fact and very matter of factly say.."oh , they are kids" perhaps underestimating their abilities to comprehend.
We are perpetually in a hurry to fill our children with 'all' that we know forgetting that children have the capability to create knowledge and contribute as our equals.

My years in the school has taught me;

that there is always a different perspective
that one can get love from various and unexpected sources
that there is always something you can do for everyone
that there is beauty in every child
that potential can be hidden and comes out only if you persevere
that every view point needs to be listened to patiently
that there is hope of getting success even in the worst case scenario.





                                                 

LIFE'S LESSONS FOR THE YOUNG

Sometimes life throws us bouncers, sometimes a curve ball while sometimes its a straight googly! What is interesting for us though is, how we deal with it- take it on the chin, on the shoulders or on our head, ugh.....it hurt. What does all this leads us to? taste of reality with a jhatka of real life or a test of our inner strength; how mentally and physically strong we are?

The way we have been born and brought up matters a lot.The early experiences,the teenage associations,the adulthood interactions all add up to what we become later. Out of all this, i believe, our childhood experiences leave the deepest and most profound impact. Our sub-conscious mind keeps on registering the events,incidents,the snatches of conversation,even the nuances of all that was good and not so good,which had happened,in our early years and like a film it rewinds when we enter into adulthood. The more we move towards middle age, the more we start viewing happenings,people,etc differently.Past life keeps on playing in our minds eye like a film, a movie in retrospect.

Memories are good and we need to invest in making of good memories. Ex-President Abdul Kalam said once that "you will never remember how many classes you attended in college, but you will certainly remember how you bunked classes for a movie"  Memories keep us warm on a rainy day and therefore i talked of 'investing' in it. Similar is the case with happiness, you need to work on it!

Coming back to life's googlies, i would say that memories of our childhood and early teen years, definitely are the investments we fall back on to meet them, at these times.

What do you think,readers?

                                                     

                                              

RANDOM THOUGHTS


The HT Book Challenge is on......and I realize that I am way behind in my reading list,especially in reading the works of new authors.
There was a time when we used to buy a whole lot of books from various sources, mostly second hand markets. Dad would fetch books for us from Delhi, Calcutta,Madras or whatever place he would go on his business trips.
In fact I remember we sisters would get books as 'gifts' on almost all occasions, be it Christmas,new year,birthdays,etc. How excitedly we would wait for 'our' Santa Dad to leave us gifts of books.

This is how we got introduced to classics; Gone With the Wind,Little Women,Lolita,Twenty Thousand Leagues under the sea, Man in the Iron Mask, Persuasion and Lady Susan,Jane Eyre,Wuthering Heights,Pride and Prejudice and of course lots and lots of romances and who-dun-its and poetry.We moved quite quickly from those mandatory Enid Blytons and Nancy Drews onto adult stuff. We were helped and egged on much by our parents' impeccable taste in literature and their discussions around the dining table.

Sadly today's kids have been totally deprived of such pleasures; I am sure they do not even know what they are missing

                               
                                  

     

Today is Rathyatra. This year is especially important for Rathyatra as it is Nabakalebara year;the new form of Lord Jagannath, the year when Lord Jagannath is carved out of the sacred 'Daaru" wood. This auspicious event happens only when two Asadha months in the Hindu calendar fall in the same year(once in 12 to 19 years). In this process, the body changes but not the soul.The soul is transferred to another body.The sacred Daaru is found through divine guidance and then the process begins.The most important part is the transfer of 'Brahm' from the old idol to the new which is done very secretly.

When we were in Rourkela this day used to be quite exciting as we would wait for the rath or chariot to appear and we would all rush to view the Lord sitting in the chariot along with his other siblings-Balaram and Subhadra. The Lord travels to his aunt's house on his annual visit for 10 days and then returns.

The whole concept is very piquant and refreshing; perhaps He is the only God who goes on this annual journey.I miss the sight and every year when I see the calendar listing of the festival, it brings back so many childhood memories. 

                                       




Nature Diary

When my son was very young I used to read to him stories. One particular story was about birds.A pair of birds searching for a home to make nest and lay eggs.Finally they build one on a shelf in Mr Smith's garage As they settle down the Smith family notices them and every member shows a different reaction.They change their outdoor routine to accommodate the birds activities by making the least noise.Their comes a time when they tiptoe around all outdoor work so the babies are not disturbed. The climax comes when the babies are attacked by a bigger bird one day, when both parents are out to gather food.....

What struck me in the story was the compassion shown by the family in propagating the birds' life cycle and the protective feeling they developed towards the visitors who were obviously there for a short time.Animals can help us develop our inner love.Just watch yourself when you hug your pet;a feeling of intense joy and compassion flows in you.You feel energetic and happy.You tend to attract good luck around you as you are feeling 'lucky'. The Bible says that God created animals to help us and its not for the obvious reasons only. We need to give some thought on how they help us.

                                                             
                                               Light and Darkness: The Essence of Life



We all agree that 'light' signifies enlightenment,a ray of hope,purity and progress. Conversely darkness indicates ignorance,evil,regression and perhaps all what is not good.Logically both is required and is a sign of the presence of the other.We cannot see light without experiencing darkness and vice versa.Light can only be understood with the wisdom of darkness.

Perhaps that's the reason to string lights during all our festivals and social/religious occasions.

Nature Diary-

Monsoon has finally come to Rajasthan. The parched soil was waiting for the first drops and simply drank away the water.Ah! what bliss. The grass, the shrubs and trees swayed to the joy of the wet winds as if dancing to the music of rain. So many sounds of the rain....pitter-patter of the needle like drops,the plop-plop of the fat drops from the roof,the tip-tip of the water from the leaves and the swishing sound of the branches laden with rain drops.

Mother nature is at its best now. Overnight grass has come up on our fields and gardens and the sand dunes and mud banks along the roads have a thin sheen of green. After a long time saw some frogs in our area, a rarity.

Wishing and hoping this continues and I can go for a long drive or maybe a trek or maybe a rain dance party followed by some good food?

Random Thoughts


How can "fat" chance and "slim" chance be similar?

I read this very interesting sentence in TOI yesterday.It set me thinking about the underlying meaning......we generally use 'fat chance' to mean that the person or situation has very very less chance to be successful, while 'slim chance' is used to mean the exact same sentiment.....then why use diametrically opposite terms to mean the same thing.

The English language abounds with such treasures. We all know of various literary devices and keep on using them liberally in our conversations.Whether we do it appropriately or not is again another story.......our own regional languages are sometimes a barrier here and of course our brand of English- the Hinglish plays a decisive role. Interestingly all countries once ruled by the British or otherwise have come out with their own brand of English. In fact the official page of Oxford University Press comes out with new additions to the Enaglish language from different sources(including countries,etc) every year and it's incorporated in their Dictionary with source and root word.

A friend forwarded a nugget, worth sharing, about a little known device- Paraprosdokian

A paraprosdokian is a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected; frequently humorous(Winston Churchill was a master in using this device and loved them).

1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it.

2. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.But it's still on my list

3. Since light travels faster than sound,some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

4. To steal ideas from a person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.

5. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.

6. You are never too old to learn something stupid

7. I'm supposed to respect elders, but its getting harder and harder to find one now.

8. To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target

9. Women can never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer belly and still think they are sexy

10. If I agreed with you we would both be wrong.

Readers, let's add some more,huh?

RANDOM THOUGHTS

When we were young a good way to make friends was through the system of penpals.All newspapers,magazines would carry lists of penpals.We would avidly wait to see those lists and find out people who would match our interests and hobbies. Next step would be to write them the first introductory letter and then wait for their replies.A girl or boy would write to many with a hope to establish contacts with diverse group of people from all around the world.There was no bar of any kind.In fact parents happily endorsed these friendships and at times encouraged it.The whole friendship hinged on the idea that it was to be continued through letters.

We never thought that it could be potentially dangerous to get to know pure strangers and put out our personal details with them. Perhaps the world was more trusting and less a hunting ground for all sorts of crime one encounters now.

Many romances would flower,marriages consummated, life long friends made,family friendships established, visits take place, from these penpal system.

My first penpal was a postgraduate student when I was myself in school, probably in primary! One fine day he came on a 'surprise' visit and my parents and sisters and my 'penpal, all of us had a gala time with lots of good food and outing to the movies.I still have a an old snap of me and my sister with my penpal. Looking at the snap makes me wonder now what I could have been communicating with him those days??

Some days ago I was reminded of this bygone trend when I read a post of my friend on FB. Now I wonder whether those innocent friendships perpetuated and carried on through letters is something to be treasured? I do not know how the younger generation would view it.

Letters do not get written so much, esp personal letters.The time spent in selecting the type of paper,envelopes, in sitting down to write your innermost thoughts seemed so private,so precious.The joy of receiving your letters,opening the seal,saving those uncommon stamps to add to one's collection and then the pleasure of reading the letters for as many times cannot be appreciated by youngsters now.

The booming social media with its associated lingo has robbed this generation of the rich diversity of language at least................................

You cannot find peace by avoiding life
                                                     Virginia Woolf,Writer


.......so said the person who was deeply troubled during her entire life. Woolf was continuously buffeted by depression,mental illness,phases of intense happiness and then periods where she didn't know where her life was headed. She committed suicide by drowning at the age of 59. Despite battling with her demons she produced some of the best works in English literature with modernistic outlook.

She knew that peace cannot be had by running away from life, by avoiding or shutting out life.

Today I want to address some of my friends who are going through some upheavals and are suffering from depression.I know them to be perfectly capable good human beings who can face life and find happiness.But something seems to be pulling them back, not allowing them to reach out and turn the tide.

What is it that people who face death,experience life changing events turn to?Some have their religion,some have their close families while some are doing it, i.e, turning the tide, on their own.So what is their secret?To me the most relevant and important factor is the will power to take stock and convince oneself that 'I' and 'only I' can do it. No one can live your life, no one knows what you are going through so no one can suffer your pain,your angst,your voices-in-the-head. Yes, a loving family, a good partner can definitely help but finally it's you who has to do the turnaround. More than religion its spirituality that can contribute to our mental health and put things in perspective.All other aspects like positive outlook,physical exercises particularly yoga can do wonders.The ancient techniques of breath control, pranayam, is in itself a spiritual exercise and helps stable the mind.

So dear friends, reach out and take control of your life

कई बार हमें यह समझना बहुत मुश्किल लगता हैं की लोग दुसरो के बारे में इतना चिंतित क्यों है। आपने घर से ज्यादा चिंता उनको आपने पड़ोसियों की है। वह क्या सोच रहे है?  पड़ोसन ने यह यह क्यों कहा?  क्या खा रहे है? उनके बच्चे क्या रहे है? उनके घर में क्या नयी चीजें  आ रही है? उनके घर कोन  आते है,व्यग्यरा ,व्यग्यारा। अगर पास-पडोसी नहीं तो ऑफिस की पॉलिटिक्स ही सही या फिर माँ -मामी,सास-ससुर,देवर-देवरानी यानी की फैमिली पॉलिटिक्स।

पुराने जमाने  से हमारे बुजुर्ग हमें यह सिखाते  आये की पड़ोसिया के बारे में ताक झांक करना बहुत बुरी आदत है; इसमें घर में क्लेश बढ़ता है,झगड़े बढ़ते है और घर की शांति छिन  जाती है.

तो फिर सवाल यह है की यह उत्सुकता क्यों?

मनुष्य सामाजिक प्राणी है और वह अकेला नहीं रह सकता। उसे आपने चारो ओर आपने ही जैसे सामाजिक प्राणी चाहिए,तभी वह बोलना सीखता है,उनकी तरह हाव भाव सीखता है, सोच विकसित होता है और आपने आप को समाज का हिस्सा मानता है। बादशाह अकबर ने यह प्रमाण  करने के लिए एक गूंगी औरत के साथ कुछ बिलकुल छोटे बच्चे एक जंगल में उनका पालन पोषण के लिए भेज दिया। कुछ साल बाद जब वह बच्चे वापस आए तो वह भी गूंगे थे और उन्हें माँ, बाप,आदि रिश्तो का कुछ पता नहीं था ! इसलिए बच्चा जब  पैदा होता है तब उसे बाषा  देने में उसकी माँ और उसके परिवार का बहुत अहम हिस्सा होता है।परिवार में रह  के बच्चा आपने रिश्तो को भी धीरे धीरे समझता है।

मनुष्य समाज में रहते हुए दूसरे लोगों के बारे में जब  उत्सुकता दिखाता है तो इसमें उसका Left-Brain/Right Brain Activity कायम रहता है। यह सोचना गलत है की brain development 18  या 21 या एक समय के बाद बढ़ना बंद कर देता  है।

ज़रा सोचिए अगर जानने की उत्सुकता नहीं होती  तो क्या आज दुनिया उस मक़ाम तक पहुँचती जहाँ आज हम हैं ?

Random Thoughts

The fact that your child is growing up and stepping into a really competitive zone is scary itself, but it is compounded more by the fact that in our country our children are slaves to the dreaded quota or reservation system. Those of us who are unaware of this system be warned that if you are a parent you will realize its implication soon....its a monster waiting to give you that rude shock one of these days.
Over the years the percentage of reservations for the downtrodden has increased by a huge margin and is seriously hampering the entire system whether it be admission to colleges, government jobs,et al.

 Nobody is concerned about the fact that children of the new generation whether general or otherwise all have right to education. All of them need to go ahead in their chosen fields of interest.Not realizing it may cause them to be frustrated and turn them against the society/system forever.

Now even with very high scores general category students run from pillar to post during admission time while students with relatively poorer scores are landing plump seats in premier colleges just because they are stamped "SC/ST/OBC/Minority,etc".

Though successive governments have been talking of excluding the "creamy layer" from these categories, the actual efforts on ground do not seem to be having the desired effect; still we see large no of rich and super rich so-called downtrodden castes easily availing the quotas meant for the really poor or backward.

Nobody knows when this system of quota will end. Rather everyone is scared that the percentage may further increase.

Perhaps the day is not far when general categories need to be put in quota system and have seats blocked for them?

Nature Diary

Every day afternoon when I finish my lunch and stack up the dishes I open the rear door of the kitchen to let in the afternoon sun. On the steps is waiting a pie dog, rather a ragged one, for the scraps that I may put out for him. I have come to look forward to his presence and often when I do not see him there, feel his absence.

On Sundays this fellow is more astute and parks himself strategically on those low steps leading into the kitchen garden, from mid-morning itself. He knows that something special is cooking and waits patiently. I have developed some affection for him and try to find something more than the scraps from our Sunday lunch. After all it’s his Sunday too!

One fine day an intruder in the form of another dog tried to steal his lunch….so what did I do; stood guard till he finished his fare of chicken and rice. To show his gratitude, next morning he came and sat near me on the porch, quietly for some time, sharing my solitude. I am convinced that all things respond to love, even nature and its creatures.

It is really silly the way we gravitate towards foreign breeds when it comes to buying pups and keep them with such care and expenses. Perhaps we are more concerned with status and glamour associated with these high faluting names; Dalmatian, Golden Retriever, etc. It would do all of us a world of good if we can adopt one of our own Indian pie dogs and lavish care and affection on it. They are low-maintenance, easy to manage and give you the same pleasure. They can be incredibly hardy and stay with you for a long time giving you the perfect companionship.

A lot of organizations are working towards making our different species(Rampur Hound,Indian Mastiff,Kuchi,Kaikadi,Kanni,Taji,Bhutuya,etc)find a good home. They offer  free adoption and free clinics for their care.This may also also help the poor beasts to be taken of roads and get good loving homes.

What makes historical spots/places attractive to us

As I traveled to Aurangabad for my sightseeing tour, this question puzzled and made me cogitate on the urge that drives people to visit ancient sites.

What is it that makes historical sights,monuments,etc still so attractive to us?Haven't we, the space age humans, made progress so much that history should become redundant by now. Then why do we see droves of people in such places.I saw bus loads of people from almost all parts of India reaching these far flung places and gawking at the murals,sculptures,etc with awe struck wonder. Some seemed to listen very carefully to the guides tale and many asked questions related to that period and otherwise. The young brigade were of course seeking out places and positions for 'the' pics and obviously FB posts. Even so it was wonderful to see people actually stop to think about what and how our ancestors were.

I'm sure these places are simply not visited for chilling out or for photo ops(though the opportunities abounded).

Then what is it? The thirst to seek out the past must surely be related to the present, or is it only intertwined to our future.I think that in our mad rush to seek and secure our future we have somehow forgotten our present. We tend to evaluate everything to our past and scramble to make our future better than that.In the process we forget to live our present!

Another reason could be curiosity.Or maybe solace that we get far from the madding crowds,a few days respite and soon.

Readers, you be the judge.............

Hey guys......guess what?
I have managed to reach some of my goals I had set out for myself before vacation.

This summer I took a long break and combined business with pleasure. My visit to the holy shrine of Shirdi was really good and we had a good darshan. We were 'showered' with blessings both literally and figuratively.
The high-point of our trip was the journey to Ellora and Ajanta Caves at Aurangabad. Will write more about the trip later.
The lowest point was the bus journey to Aurangabad when we were bound to our seats for practically 22hrs!!!! Total nightmare.No matter how comfortable or rich your cage is, it's still a cage.

Currently the heat of Rajasthan is something to cope up with after the cool climes of Bangalore. Can you imagine, it is 46 in our place. The announcement made on the Jaipur tarmac as we landed hit us straight like lead.All I want to do is drink water and something cool.If only the monsoon would come a little early.Looks like I have to wait like everybody else.

Nature Diary


Sundays can be pretty boring at times. Especially when you are alone at home.The heat wave prevents any outdoor movement for a greater part of the day though late evenings are pleasant.

In my early morning walks, I find large number of peacocks and peahens in the colony. Generally I find them perched atop lamp posts with their beautiful tails hanging down or spread fan like. Looking at those brilliant colors I wonder at the artist sitting upstairs.What a difference it makes to our dry and dusty brown,yellow,mud color surroundings.
The pigeons of course take the cake, as far as their population goes here. Rajasthanis firmly believe that putting up bird seeds of all kind daily for our feathered friends adds to the 'punya'. I observe people regularly doing it besides filling the multiple water pots placed strategically. These birds being restless types rarely feed at long stretches and seem to be continuously moving in droves; taking a short circular path above the house,school and again settling down to feed.
As I sit on my porch with my tea, the red bottomed and yellow bottomed hoopees alight near me and start trilling; they are waiting for the biscuit crumbs. I like to think that its the same pair and they kind of recognize me.

I also watch some fellow walkers put sweets or sugar or molasses near ant hills. This ritual is  followed by many in other states also. When I first came to Rajasthan I  found one quaint custom.Housewives, on starting to cook first thing in the morning, would bake one chappati for the dog/cow/crow/any cattle and keep it aside. Thereafter food is cooked for the rest of the family.

The ideology of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam" encompasses not only the world and his family but also the other creatures in it.

Ides Of March


Every year around this time, I go through lot of suffering, mental and physical. The angst is so high that it affects me quite a lot. I run to the loo several times and lose sleep for many days, wake up suddenly at night, get restive, break into a sweat and what not. I curse myself, my colleagues,praise myself, my colleagues,get irritated, think of multiple ways by which I could have done this and that and so on and so forth. Now you may ask me what is so special during this period of time?

Well my dearies, its Result Declaration Time; an annual event when lakhs of students all over India are in state of flux.

To be true to them, they are appearing the schools boards once in their lifetime but I have been appearing the boards since 26 years!!!!!!!
Now I'm sure I have shocked you. You may look at me as a very poor student who could not clear the exams since when.............
Or you may commend  my tenacity of taking the boards every year....

What a situation to be in.

But I am gritty and cling on tenaciously; like a limpet.I am sure you have seen those small monkeys who stick to their mothers while she jumps hither and thither.The baby is sanguine that the mother will never let go and there is absolute blind faith and trust.

I likewise cling to the 'faith' that the result declaration day will bring forth laurels and every year move forward with 'trust'.


You see...............I head a school.

The Times of India GRAFFITI today read

"Kids disgrace us in public by acting the way we do in private"



I found it very interesting and revealing. It speaks volumes about us, adults. I do not know how many of you will agree with me or have the courage to admit this banal truth publicly.

To top it all we say that 'we' are the best parents,teachers,grandparents,relatives,mentors and so on.We also claim to have done many 'sacrifices' for our children. The important question here is not how many but how. 

My Pet Fears

I have always been afraid to face certain things in life and some of them are failure, loneliness and illness. People often say that God tests us by making us go thru many crises to check us out or to make us stronger. My question to the person sitting upstairs is- Why couldn't you choose someone else to make them stronger, brighter like steel? At times I feel that the theory of more-of-the-same-kind is good  is pretty flawed.Does going again and again through many problems make you stronger or weakens and kills you finally. It is hard to say for sure.

All books written by those know-all self development gurus( believe me the world is full of them!) assure you of success if you keep on trying. I also agree to it.
I only ask God
"Hey buddy, why do not you choose some other lucky guy?" "I could recommend some(sic)"
"What if you lessen the period and add a few rainbows to it?"
"What if you could just bypass me this time?"

All these and many more of the same kind. I hope you get my drift

I have often read the adage that if life has handed you lemons, make lemonade.

Ugh! Imagine sustaining oneself on lemonade only. Surely we deserve some wine now and then?
Also think what all these vast quantities of 'lemonade' will do to your 'insides'.

Dear Lord, pl send some apples once in a while and if you can add strawberries to it.............WOW

Sputnik: 5 WAYS TO RECOGNIZE A BULLYWe all have met bull...

Sputnik: 5 WAYS TO RECOGNIZE A BULLY


We all have met bull...: 5 WAYS TO RECOGNIZE A BULLY We all have met bullies sometime or other in life. Bullies have distinct characteristics and can be identifi...

5 WAYS TO RECOGNIZE A BULLY


We all have met bullies sometime or other in life. Bullies have distinct characteristics and can be identified by some intrinsic behavioral features. The class bully,the office bully,the family bully,etc all are present with us but we fail to recognize them early on in our interactions with them.

Bullying tendencies in children start very early in life. Nobody can say how and at what age it starts specifically. But I think the family environment plays a big role to its development. The child often feels sidelined when a sibling comes in to the family. He may feel unloved or neglected or worse still consider the new baby as instrumental for this new situation. He then deeply resents the brother/sister and simply takes to making it difficult for him/her.
Alternatively he may be from a dysfunctional family or have strong feelings of neglect for multiple reasons like poverty,constant strife in family,too little attention from parent,targeted in class for his race,color, physical attributes,etc

We need to recognize these kind of people. So here goes; 5 easy tips

1.Bullies love to 'talk down'
This is always the first aspect. Bullies love to talk big, throw their weight around, speak loudly, dress loudly,  posture aggressively and generally treat others as inferior to them


2. Bullies love to 'give pain'
Use of slang,twisting arms,heckling,pushing,organizing serious and harmful pranks causing physical and mental pain gives them a high. The feeling of distress to others makes them feel they are one-up


3. Bullies will always have ' groups'
Bullies will invariably collect a group of followers around them. Following is important for them both as a shield and as a means to cow down others outside the group.The adulation of  group members keeps them going.Its like a parasitic relationship.


4.Bullies generally will have 'disturbed family back ground'
Dysfunctional families, divorced,separated parents, strife in family gives rise to anger which the bullies pour out on others.Lack of appreciation from family and friends,school and work organisations tend to bring out the worst in them.


5. Bullies will generally be 'poor'
Poor student,poor employee,poor parent.......all are common to them.Poor academic standards lead to poor achievements in life. Bullies lack proper guidance, mentorship which makes them poor workers later. To hide all these, bullying becomes a way of social transactions both in personal and professional areas.


There are many other attributes which can be of higher level and more dangerous to the ones listed above. The important point is to recognize and take self-preservation actions at the right time.

When the world conspired to spoil my day 


Some days just start like that. It's like everything is destined to go wrong. You are late leaving the bed,late for your walk,exercises,the newspaper has not been delivered with the milk.And to top it all your maid, yes you have guessed it right, rings up to inform she is not coming for the next two days..................................did she have a premonition about the refrigerator breaking down the previous night?

Wow! what a start

You go to the kitchen and start thinking about breakfast and lunch, seriously now. You are absolutely clueless( I know what the self righteous do-it-yourself moms are thinking now about me!)

That nagging question, "Aaj kya banayein? Shall I manage with bread?Should I ring up and find out what is available at the corner shop?The kids will love it. Aren't they always nagging for something chatpata?"

You have now successfully negotiated that problem of breakfast. Now casting a dirty look at the sink and taking a deep breath you start attacking the dishes, all the while cursing your hard luck, the maid,your neighbors and the world in general.

Remember that question-aaj kya banayein still is bothering you, when you have brainwave, an absolute spectacular flash!
Wasn't chotu complaining about stomach ache last night and now see he has gorged himself of all that junk food, kind courtesy breakfast. REALLY.

You head into the living room and announce clear and loud

OK, EVERYBODY. ITS  KHICHRI  FOR LUNCH!!!!!!!!!

"If you are not yelling at your kids, you are not spending enough time with them"

How many of you agree to this statement. When I first read it I found myself disagreeing; I took it more literally, viewed it from a cultural perspective. Why should a mother yell at her kids?What kind of mother is she that she needs to communicate through yelling? Again what manners and etiquette is she passing on to her children?

See my logic?

Read the statement again and had a deep look into myself. Thought back and recalled comments given by my child that I yell and show 'disproportionate' amount of reaction to even smaller situations, mundane happenings. Then I asked myself, Am I less of a mother for 'yelling' at my child? Are there mothers who show passivity to all that their children do,good,not so good,anything? Does it make them better mothers than me?

I remember my neighbor who was going through a extended period of post-partum depression. It had made her aloof and silent. She would hardly show any reaction to anything that was happening at home. She was unable to engage with her sons and seemed quite hands off to her children. Her son once told me, "Aunty, if only I knew what Mom thinks really"

Yelling at your kids doesn't mean we are finding faults with them, rather we are finding faults with the situation.It also does not show that there is no love or affection for the children. In contrary it shows our deep involvement with our children at all levels.

 I was wrong to interpret the statement literally.

Yes friends, I would rather yell than stay aloof as I love my child too much to stay silent.

Managing Teenager Angst

Teenagers are a tricky lot. It is difficult to predict what they are feeling and what they want to express. Their desire to assert themselves and create an identity of their own surfaces during this period and emotional storms are a normal thing. To a large extent their friends start exerting a considerably bigger influence on them than family.

While parents tend to be protective of wards in general, they are specifically worried about the new influences coming into their teenage sons/daughters. Again here fathers react differently to a teenager than the mothers. To understand this one needs to understand that for the father the son is basically coming into the age when he feels extremely comfortable to relate to the adultish pursuits while the mother views it as the child cutting his apron strings and moving out to 'other women' in his life who might be his classmates, girlfriends, lady tutors,etc.Their strong opinions,likes and dislikes color their judgement and often situations affecting or involving them tend to get out of hand.

Teenagers may view the love of his parents as 'conditional or 'restrictive' and rebel against it.It often comes out as
 "You do not listen to me"
"I do not have say in this house"
"Nobody cares a damn"
"No, I won't do this"
"Why can't I watch TV till late?"
"What's wrong with chatting with friends?" and so on................

Dealing with a teenager at home is almost like walking on eggshells.

Yeah, all parents out there

Take a deep breath and start again

Watched an old movie today "The Blind Side" The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.The mother played by Sandra Bullock and Micheal played by Quinton Aaron in the movie was really great. The woman who starts initially as 'Lady Bountiful' and later becomes the genuine caregiver and motivator for the boy was something to watch.You could see the bumbling boy slowly coming to grasp the changes happening around him and responding to the new environment and finally overcoming all his inhibitions to become the confident man

It was a "Mother's Day" movie. Good one.

It reminds us of what we, who are blessed with so much,can do for the society, if we want to.Most of us are busy denouncing the authorities, our neighbors,our relatives,friends but forget what we as individuals can do to contribute to society.

It  profoundly reminds us of the importance and impact of a 'mother'. We need to take this responsibility seriously and understand its many nuances. Putting food on the table or getting the child ready for school or taking him to the dentist doesn't define our role. Nor does it impact the child.A mother can and should do much more and one of the things she needs to do is to lead by example.

What else did I do today? 

Baked a cake and made some yummy chicken.Both turned out super. Gulls presented me a painting,my m.day gift.

Thank you son.Hope I am a good mother to you. 

One more day to go and school will close.While addressing morning assembly today I wished children safe holiday and asked them if they were waiting for the holidays? Got the answer in their smiles and sparkling eyes.
There are very contrasting views on whether these long summer holidays add to the academic excellence or add any value to their progress. Studies in the US have shown that assessment done after the long holidays yield lower results than assessment done during the course of an academic year. In contrast in another study it was found that students from affluent families tend to do much better than their counterparts from poor families. Reason?
Affluent parents keep scheduling their children's holidays by sending them to new and varied experiences; a dance class, a drama class,a language course, trips to museums,exhibitions, summer camps,an extra tuition for weak subjects,etc. Whereas children from poorer homes will enjoy their summer but it will not help them to hone their skills and increase their knowledge.Poor parents are too busy earning their living to care or even think of channelizing their children's long holidays into such activities.Moreover these parents 'leave' all this to schools and thereby fail to realize the immense role they can play in parenting their children.

Concluding part of the short story.............THE TEA-STALL

During those long summer months Kalu made several visits to the school, always to drop something off; tea, coffee, packets of biscuits, etc. Then one day, walking along the corridor, past an open door,he felt something cold against his skin. Kalu stopped. What was it? How could the air suddenly become this icy? Slowly he inched forward and peeped into the room. Well at first glance it seemed empty, when in the gloom he spied somebody. Of course he knew that man. It was Masterji, who often stopped for tea and chatted with Chachu.

Quickly he backed out and ran back silently out of the gate. Phew! Hope masterji had not noticed him. He did not want Chachu to get any complaints. He wanted to continue visiting the school.

Evening came and all at once Kalu found Masterji at the tea stall standing quietly and sipping tea. Kalu was scared, heart beating fast. What if Masterji had noticed him peeping inside the rooms? Would he tell ?

“Beta, come here”

It was Masterji calling at him. Kalu approached, fear dilating his pupils. “yes sir” replied Kalu.

“Would you like to study in the evening?”

“I don’t know sir” replied Kalu, looking over his shoulder at Chachu. Chachu was listening to the exchange; hands poised mid air in the act of pouring tea.

“What do you say, Bhola Bhaiya” Masterji asked Chachu raising his voice. “Can you spare him for an hour in the evening?”

Chachu was silent, confusion writ clearly on his face. He could not decide where his duty lay. He remembered Kalu ‘s question to him that night, the day he had visited the school for the first time. His own children, Reena and Hari, were studying in schools. Wasn’t it why he was toiling so hard, far away in the city? All these flashed through his mind.

“Ji Masterji,  why not?”

“When can he start?” “Can he come after the shop closes every day?” replied Chachu

Masterji nodded and patted Kalu on the back. “Let’s start today. Come around at 9pm”, said Masterji

Kalu’s eyes were shining, bright with tears. He gazed stunned at Chachu and gave a tremulous watery smile. Chachu smiled back. Here was his reward.

                                                                       THE END

Second part of my short story.............THE TEA-STALL

Summer had reached the city and everything was boiling. Kalu could make out the irritation and heat in the words of the customers. The lazy chitchat, hands lovingly holding on to the heat of the glasses of tea had disappeared. It seemed everyone was in a hurry, rushing, rushing away to the cool confines of their homes, impatient to cool off wanting to take off the dust and heat of the sun.

Summer had brought quiet to the street, the buses no longer plying. No laughing children, no daily bells and closing of gates. Only the lone chowkidar at the gates.

Kalu looked up at the skies, steel blue and hurting, not a shred of wind. He yearned for his village, the riverside frolic with his friends. He felt alone, completely alone far away from the loud noises, the blaring music from the barber shop nearby, the shouts of the cart pullers, the cacophony of myriad voices…

“Kalu, Oye Kalu, come here”

Kalu woke up, it was his uncle. Swiftly he ran inside, “yes Chachu”

“Son, go to the school and deliver this jug. Be careful, it’svery hot” “Its coffee”

“ Go inside and ask the chowkidar where to deliver”

Kalu was stunned. Finally he will be able to go inside the gates! What luck. He couldn’t believe his ears.

Carefully balancing the jug with both hands Kalu reached the other side and walked timidly to the chowkidar

“Sir, I have brought coffee, where should I deliver it?” The chowkidar looked up, busy chatting on his mobile.

“Go inside the building, somebody will guide you to the pantry”

Kalu ran inside, his bare feet almost soundless along the corridors,eyes darting here and there,open in wonderment. So many rooms,such cool walls.Ah! what was that? Something written and bright like a splash against the walls. He could not understand but the colors seemed to speak to him,bursting into his soul.Kalu was mesmerized and stood rooted to the spot.

“Oye, beta…who are you? “Are you the tea seller? Did you bring the coffee?” One after the other, the questions brought him out of his reverie. Oh yes, the coffee. My goodness,what was he thinking?

“Yes,sir,here it is”

“Come,quick. You are already late, don’t dawdle”. Here is the money. Do not loiter,mind you.You may go now” the peon admonished.

Kalu went back along the corridor but his steps slowed down as he neared that wall. What could it mean,what did the words say? Should he ask somebody? A million questions seemed to crowd his mind. Tentatively he put out a hand, softly touching the bright colors

Kalu could not forego this chance of exploring. Slowly with trepidation he went along the corridors and looked at the closed doors wondering what could be inside.  “ What did they the kids do inside?” “what did they learn?” How he longed to find out.

He tried to look inside the windows but they were all barred making him think of his own barriers.

 Lying on the bed  that night, Kalu’s mind went back to that splash of colors like a magnet. The bright oranges,bold reds,the pastel greens reminded him of his village,the summer skies,the sunsets,the soft sunrises above the green fields. He could see himself running with his sister, hand in hand amidst  the yellow mustard fields. “Bhaiya,bhaiya” echoing off the hills.

Watch this space for the concluding part

                                                              

Everyone is against working on Sundays.....Bible says its a rest day, so does other religions. Just to think objectively about this, why do we need rest? What is it that happens on Sunday which is so much needed?

What do we all do? Sleep late, of course

Or get up real early go for a walk and then enjoy the cup of tea lazily chatting with your partner,parents or flipping  the newspaper

Or many of us spend time planning the day's menu or the day's outing 

Or for some it starts with work, yeah, sheer hard work of the grinding type. So what's this work. Oh yes, attacking the week's clothes,the week's ironing,checking your child's homework,the pending paperwork and finally meeting the demands of the kids vis-a-vis food! Everyone automatically expects a sumptuous lunch AND a special dinner.

No wonder the lady of the house doesn't get a "sunday". 

So who thinks about it? Not sure.

What happens to the homemakers? Do they earn Sundays or they not entitled to one? I leave the question open for you all.

Here is my first short story.......check it out. Do not forget to post your comments. Next part on Monday.


THE TEA-STALL
                 Ipsita Choudhury


       Kalu  stood in front of the shop, under the tree, watching as he always did, the bus disgorging its occupants. The children, tumbling out excitedly chattering and laughing as they streamed in through the school gates. Lines of buses all bringing students to the school. This was a scene he was never tired of watching. Then he heard the bell and the gates closed bringing him back to earth.

Kalu’s day had begun early, washing and scrapping the utensils, cleaning out the tables and shelves before the first customers arrived for the early morning cuppa. The owner, his distant uncle, had brought him from his village and put him to work. Kalu remembered that day well. How could he forget? The trauma of leaving his little sister, his friends back home and being thrust into the hustle bustle of the city. Now his life was confined to that ten ft by eight ft tea stall; his workplace and home.

Late that night Kalu asked his uncle, “Chachu, what do these children do within those high walls?” “Can I go in and look?”

Chachu remained silent, suddenly waking up with a jolt to the fact that Kalu too was a child, curious and impatient to discover. What could he reply. He said, “Go to sleep child, tomorrow is again a long day”

Silently Kalu turned aside and drifted off to sleep thinking of wonderful magical things inside those gates. Those high walls seemed to mesmerize him, making him yearn to discover the unexplored…..if only he could discover the key to this unknown magic world.

Well here I am..............after a gap.
Have been reading a lot of books and making a list of things to do in the summer break. I am sure you all must be doing the same. Summer starts with a determination to accomplish a lot of things and plans,goals to achieve.
This year my list contains
Books to read
Places to visit
Yoga sessions and walks to start again after a hiatus
New dishes to cook, at least 2 new ones not done earlier ever.
wardrobe or shopping to do
Blah,blah,blah.
Intend to compare my list again at the end of summer.

Waiting for the last working day before we close, when school will suddenly feel like a silent tomb, no chattering students,no footsteps running down the corridor,no giggles on the hallways and no nothing basically.
How happily students say these two words on the last day before term break" happy holidays,ma'am". But I know I am going to miss them all and by mid-break wish for the chattering throngs once again.

Will write something interesting about how and if summer break helps students academically tomorrow; been thinking and reading about it

The act of seeing  your children fly away from home and you facing a lonely home is probably very painful.I think its more so for a single parent.Its called 'empty nest syndrome'. Some of you won't agree probably while some would say, let go, how long do you want your child attached to your apron strings?

The child wants to spread his wings while you really donot want to let go fearing so many obstacles on his behalf, his ability to deal with them,his lack of experience,etc, all the time actually knowing full well that its you who is afraid of the emptiness ahead.........

In this regard I think westerners are way ahead, children automatically move out of the family homes and this transition is taken so matter-of -factly. Even parents start a new phase of life thereafter; some entering new relationships,some starting a new way of life and so on. Too much attachment  leads to too much despair. The Gita says' keep away from Moh-Maya(desire and attachment). Not an easy job!

What happens when we do not plan?  Well, we fail.
That's the standard reply to my question.
what happens when we plan to fail? Can we call it success?Or is it also called failure? Can it be called "collective failure" then?

These and many more questions are preying on my mind. Reason being that I am about to embark on a project that seems to be just ideally planned for failure.Then I will gleefully say ......mujhe to pata tha ji or I told you so! How I detest these Know-Alls.

Collective failure is what is ailing us everywhere; we are all busy to reach that end directly or indirectly. And it is happening in every sphere of life, be it sports,education,politics,health...you name it and you see it aplenty. Sad part is, we never realize it till its too late.

Came across something very interesting today morning........how "stuffocated" can get you ill.Well stuffocated actually means stuff you keep on hoarding over years. It maybe something innocuous like greeting cards,an old dress,old gadgets to something of value to us emotionally or value wise.

It seems we all are hoarders whether man or woman and all this can clutter our house AND minds. This leads to stress and spills over as anger issues. I know how stressing it can be to reach home to find clothes strewn around,shoes scattered,half eaten plates of food piled up and to top it all sink full of dirty dishes! Being a working woman you are expected to balance both home and job but frankly all this can be too much. Single parents can only fall back on themselves and what is the result? You either spill your guts on your kids or take a deep breath and start attacking the heap, dishes and all.

Guess I am no different

                                 RELEVANCE OF ART EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

                                                                                                      

                                                                                           

  The expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power is defined as art.

Art education comprises of both the visual arts as well as the performing arts. For the common man, it’s interpreted as gaana, bajaana, drawing, etc and something which can be pursued in addition to academics.

From time immemorial art has been regarded as a separate discipline but unfortunately not given its due. Careers arising out of pursuit of art are inclined to be considered a non-profiting and non-career making option for students. In a society where everyone is thinking of making his/her child an “engineer” or a “doctor” art as a career is almost sacrilege.

 With the advent of CCE in schools ‘Art’ has been  given its place in the co-scholastic domain to be taught and evaluated as part of the child’s holistic development.  CBSE contributed by developing the content and performance standards vis-a-vis western and eastern benchmarks.

Schools are now more focused towards developing the child’s latent talent in several forms of visual art, be it art brut, ceramics, paintings in different media, drawings, photography, sculpture, print media, etc. Performing arts, i.e, music (vocal & instrumental),dance forms, etc have also gained ascendancy and its rightful position in the curriculum.

It’s time for parents to educate themselves and let their wards explore different career options involving these art forms. But the leading question is- Are we ready for it????? Can we, as parents, accept it and allow and support our children to pursue careers which are not run-of-the-mill?

I think we can. All it needs is an open mind and orientation to understand the nuances.

Right from jewellery  designing, furniture designing, aerodynamics, landscaping, metalwork, architecture, Installation art to ceramics, graphic art, woodcuts, video art, computer art, print ,fashion technology, sound engineering, musicology, professional instrumentalists, dancer, performers, etc there are many options and avenues.

We must remember that Art is a panacea to many ills; it inspires, it soothes, it energizes, it consoles…………..Who can forget the lovely strains of music Lata Mangeshkar sang on Pt.Nehru’s request to inspire our soldiers after the 1962 war? The happiness we feel on reading a good book or watching a good movie is inexplicable. Don’t we feel good to see the breathtaking beauty of a Raja Ravi Verma painting or the art brut of Nek Chand’s Rock Garden?

It has been proved beyond scientific doubt that art exposure gives knowledge not only about art but also about related fields. It increases our measure of tolerance, adds historical empathy and creates diversity of ideas. It challenges our existing thoughts by challenging their existing perspectives. Besides all these it increases our cognitive ability, reading skill, critical thinking and verbal skill.

 When I think about the purposes of education, there are three. First we are preparing kids for jobs. We are preparing them to be citizens. And we are teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two.