Mr. Maths suddenly realized that zero was missing. ``where’s Zero?’’ he asked the other numbers. They looked around, but Zero was not be found. One, two and three went outside into the garden to search from him. Four, five and six went on to the roof to look for him. Eight and nine looked for him under the tables and chairs. Nine finally found Zero covered up in bed, sobbing aloud.

One seeing nine, zero burst out, ``I know I am of use. I don’t have any value. Everyone looks down on me, I wish I where of some use.

Nine led zero by the hand to Mr. Maths. ``why were you hiding, zero?’’ asked Mr. Maths. Nine said, ``sir, he thinks nobody value him and that he’s useless’’. Mr. Maths called zero to him. He put his arm around the sad number and said, ``zero, don’t you know your value?’’

Mr. Maths told one to stand at a particular place and then asked zero to stand next to him. `` see zero, with out you, one is of very little value, but once you’re next to him, his value increases ten times.’’. Mr. Maths called zero’s brother and made him to stand next to zero and one. ``now one is a hundred times more valuable’’. Mr. .Maths made many zero to stand in a similar way, increasing the value of one, to hundred, thousand, and ten thousand, a lakh and more.

Mr. Maths, saw zero’s face light up with confidence again, ``we all have a value, zero, no one is useless.’’

Zero was never unhappy again.

Everyone is important in the world. A field cannot be ploughed without a farmer. A building cannot be built without the laborers. Industries cannot be run without workers. At the same time, it is true that it is people, who buy the father’s again and it is the rich who pay the laborers and workers with their wealth. They need each other.

We should not look down on anybody. Each one of us should play our part to the best of our ability. However insignificant one is, when we join hands with others, the value of each of us increases. We work better when we work together and then the world will be a better place to live in.

Jesus Christ was an incarnation of humility.

Emperor Shivaji was a great ruler of the Marathas. His spiritual guru was saint Smarth Ramdas. Shivaji loved and respected his guru very much.

Once, along with his guru, Samarth Ramdas, Shivaji went to Sajjangad. He was constructing as huge fort there. At the construction site, Shivaji found thousands of people engaged in the work of the fort he had ordered to be built. Shivaji’s heart swelled with pride and he said to himself, ``there are thousands families working here, I have given them work and I feed them by giving them work. All these people are dependant upon me. How great I am.’'

Samarth Ramdas, who was standing beside Shivaji, heard his words. He wanted to make Shivaji aware of his pride. He asked Shivaji to instruct his workers to break a rock that was lying there. Shivaji immediately carried out his guru’s order. The workers split the rock into two. Shivaji was surprised when he found inside thee rock, a hollow space with a little water init, in which a frog lived. Samarth Ramdas turned to Shivaji and asked; Shivaji, are you the person who provided the space and water to enable the frog to live there?’’ how did you provide security and food for frog? It is wonderful!’’

Humility is a wonderful quality. It is the quality of the great. The greater the man, the more humble he is. A noble man never boasts of his qualities, because he knows he owes them to god.

Nobody loves a clever, but arrogant boy. Nobody loves a rich and an arrogant girl. It is wrong to be proud of knowledge and wealth.

The whole world knows about the qualities of Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda and Mother Teresa.

If you want to gain knowledge, be humble; after you have gained knowledge be even more humble.

Truth, non-violence, kindness, sacrifice, love and compassion are all the qualities of humility. A humble person is loved by all.

 

The film "Dunkirk" hit the screen last year. It was immediately hailed as a tribute to the British Soldier and a faithful representation of a true incident during World War II. The film depicts that when facing the onslaught of the German Army, evacuated from Dunkirk in the faceoff heavy adversity.

Bollywood acts

 I have been wondering why Bollywood could not make a similar film on the glory of the Indian Army. This has now happened and a film starring Dilip Dosanjh will hit the screen this year. Though it has not been specified, yet it is understood that the film is a true story based on the life of major general Sajjan Singh Rangroot.  He was a Sikh who was the ruler of the state of Ratlam. He joined the British Indian Army and rose to the rank of major general.He died in 1947. Sajjan Singh Rangroot was a classical individual and embodies the very best of military tradition. The film also is a tribute to the Sikh holders who gave their all for the British Empire and King. It is an account of the battle these Sikh soldiers fought along with the British soldiers against Germany during World War 1

Glory of Sikh soldiers

The producer of the film has done a great service to the soldiers of the Indian Army. During the days of the  Raj this was known as the British Indian Army and was mostly officered  by English and Scottish officers. Many of them in subsequent memoirs have testified to the glory of the Sikh as soldiers. I have no hesitation in stating that the Sikh soldiers cannot be compared to any clan, cast, or creed in India. They are in fact the finest embodiment of military chivalry

Sajjan Singh Rangroot was born in 1880 and educated at the Daly College Indore and the Mayo College Ajmer.  In 1897 he was made the ruler of Ratlam state and also joint the British army. He was promoted a lieutenant colonel during World War 1 and this film is an account of his life at that time.The film brings out the emotional wrenching that took place in the winds of the Sikh soldiers who fought for the Crown and wondered whether the blood they would shed would bring freedom for India. This is one of the glories of Sikh history  

 The role of Sajjan Singh is played by Dilip Dosanjh.  I have seen the trailer and can say without any hesitation that he has given a glorious performance. He is an intense actor and he leaves his imprint in the film. There is another magnificent role played by Yograj Singh as a Subedar Major who motivates the soldiers to fight. This is this one role which cannot be forgotten. The film brings out how the British soldiers initially look down on the Sikh soldiers. The Sikhs overcome this by sheer bravery and finally battle the Germans and beat them. But it should also not be forgotten that in the battle in the Middle East the Sikhs under command of general Allenby broke the back of the Turkish Army. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire is entirely the handiwork of the British soldiers, in reality, the Indian Army. 

WWI and Congress

 World War 1 is a watershed in world history.  The Indian Army fought for the king against Central Powers led by Germany. Their contribution has never been given their due as the political policy of the Congress Party was not to honor Sikh Soldiers. It was only when Narendra Modi took over as the Prime Minister of India he visited the cemetery of Indian soldiers who died in battle fighting the Germans in France and Italy. This glorious chapter  of Sikh history with the Indian Indian Army has not been told and it is to the credit of the film on the life of major general Sajjan Singh Rangroot that it will be brought to the knowledge of the millions of Indians who do not know their own heritage and culture

Last word

The film when released will be in Punjabi.But to a committed Student of the film history, a man  will be able to relish the glory of the film and the greater glory of Sikh soldiers who form a significant portion of India's population

I was in Mumbai on the 14th January when the world premier of the movie "XXX: the Return of Xander Cage" took place. I was lucky to get a pass for me and my girl and we attended the premier. Vin Diesel and his co-star the Bollywood starlet Deepika Padukone along with the producer and other of the cast were also there. It was a great occasion and though Vin was some distance away one could not mistake his muscular and macho look. There was also a tremendous chemistry between the two lead actors and I was not surprised when it was announced that Vin and Deepika would be together again in the next sequel to Xander Cage as well.

The original Xander cage movie was made in 2002. it did not fetch rave views and most critics gave it an average rating, but the film stormed the box office and garnered $270 million. That's a lot of money and one wonders why it took Vin 15 years to act in a sequel. Well after 15 years Vin is back doing the same things he did 15 years ago, but he is 15 years older and he has a new girl in the dusky Deepika Padukone. But one will have to doff one's hat to Vin Diesel as he looks every inch what he was 15 years back; macho and muscular. This bald actor has a niche of his own.

The film runs for 110 minutes and is shot in 3D and 4D. This heightens the effects. The story line is weak, but the death-defying stunts are what the public wants to see and they are superb. Vin thrashes the bad guys and gets his girl the lovely Deepika. In between, there are some steamy scenes and the chemistry between the duo exudes from the screen to the viewers. Vin Diesel and Deepika decided on the world premier in Mumbai and now a week later the film is released all over the world.

Vin Diesel had said that Deepika will be the new Hollywood star on the horizon in 2017. One will have to wait and see whether this prophecy comes true. Deepika flaunts a tanned body and is a good foil to the muscular Vin Diesel. But her English accent is a giveaway and one can see that she is Indian. The other girl also in Hollywood Priyanka has better diction. Maybe because she schooled in the United States.

The film has a furious pace and at the end, one does get the feeling that 110 minutes is less. Vin carries the film and it has an international cast. But minus the action sequences the film does not have much of a storyline. However, it's a feather in the cap of Deepika who after decades of Mumbai films has at last broken into the citadel of Hollywood and one hopes she is a hit and she becomes the new Hollywood star of 2017.