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Shampa Sadhya replied to the topic Do you revise before submitting a comment? .
There is nothing to be uncomfortable because mistakes may occur by anyone. Yes, it is always beneficial to revise but sometimes after revision also we fail to recognise the error so we need to be very alert.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Experiencing a situation which posed a challenge to me.
I loved arts, but my father was opposed to it. He belonged to an older cult where guardians preferred to adapt their children to the demands of the age. Naturally, science being the call, he thought that I was destined for it, what with my taste and propensities. But I stuck to my gun and my father had to bend his neck to the collar at the persuasion of his elders. But he did not call quits either. He agreed to my joining arts with a rider that I offer mathematics as one subject. I discerned that he felt that I was afraid of the subject.
I decided to take up the challenge. Although I was relatively deficient in the subject, yet I resolved to make up for it by devoting the superfluous time that I saved from my other studies.
But that is not the ‘challenge’ relevant to the subject today. The challenge that confronted me was at the annual examination of the subject. It was the days of stiff examinations. On receipt of the question as usual, I surveyed it thoroughly to assess my competence. Let me mention, here, that I have an odd habit of labouring at the most difficult things first. Usually I apply to it my best efforts and intelligence, solve it and go ahead with the characteristic aplomb of a man that brooks no hurdle. Napoleon’s utterance when one of his generals objected about the Alps, that there shall be no Alps, was a favourite adage for me.
One may call it foolhardiness, but it was a bent with me and I took up first the question on the forces of equilibrium. I laboured at it fourteen to fifteen minutes. The repeated failures reddened my earlobes and a treacherous diffidence seemed to get the better of me. I was literally in a fix and fidgeted on my seat trying to steal a glance at other answers around me, when I saw our principal gingerly walking along my lane of seats, shouting, “get out, get out.“ I knew I was done for; my pulse-rate doubled and my heart pounded inside. But he sailed past my thunder-struck look. I turned round to see that the poor victim was my room-mate Ram avatar. The principle tucked his copy under his arm, the hall shook with a tremor of nervous palpitation and the invigilator stood as if rooted.
I looked at my sum and then at my watch. Half-an-hour had passed. Although it was not an hour, the invigilator allowed me to have a head-wash. It wrought a change in me. What shall happen if I fail due to maths? My father would say that I deliberately let him down as he forced the subject on me. My friends would tease me as a dullard who wastes such valuable hours over nothing and my conscience shall admonish my obstinacy. Pass I must, I thought. My attention was diverted from the object of my foolhardiness. After a relaxed mood I saw that the thirty marks of calculus were handy, as they were equations. Success in the very first sum released in me the latches of calculation, the second and the third sum. I never looked back. Went over to Dynamics and solved sum after sum like a miracle boy. My diffidence vanished round the corner and even while engaged over a sum, the mind gleaned the missing formula that stood as an obstacle in the first sum. I solved it too! Strange is the behaviour of the human mind, I thought. It yields only when one to easy. So the great creations of the earth are made by those that do it playfully and not willfully.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article We are not happy as our forefathers were.
The subject is ambivalent and applies to the present age with special significance. The reasons are not too obscure to scan. It is an age when tradition and progress stand almost fact to face. The bourgeoning young generation bred in the culture of electronics, computers and meta-urbanism sniff at the past generation as one of idle meditation, rusticity and values that have fallen into disuse. In actual reality, both are correct as well as incorrect.
Our ancestors lived in a quieter and more stable world. Science and its advantages played only second fiddle to human values: traditional aspects of human life, like the joint family. Respect for elders, love and affection for juniors and compassion for the disabled and those relatively in penury. Superstitions die hard rituals, inhibitions and mass illiteracy hung like a millstone round the neck of the society, no doubt. But evils like air-pollution, random fatal diseases, political violence, and terrorism were not even round the corner. Men lived in peace and amity. Trains, roads and other media of transportation were not crowded to suffocation. Men of older generations today complain about dearth of space and time. Their old age is generally spent within walled, narrow apartments; they cannot stir out in relaxed mood as the roads teem with vehicles. Let alone cities and big towns, in the evening, even small towns become overlade with smoke and petro-fumes, thanks to the vehicle explosion of the modern industry.
But the life in the olden times was not an unmixed blessing, the modern youths would say. The March and progress of science in the modern age has brought the earth and even the sky close together. The marvels of science, like the cordless telephone, fax, speed post and electronic mails, have speeded up the rate and volume of research. The satellites have expanded the panorama of human knowledge. Meteorologists are more accurate about weather and we can know ground conditions for plantation and agriculture more surely. As against this our ancestors lived a life of miserable complacency, they would complain. They would lean on their time-worn ideas and lead the life of a drudge.
The above argument is too powerful to be gainsaid. It is the law of nature, itself, that when a particular system becomes spent up, exploration begins on further quest. It applies equally to literature, society as also to science. Thus the modern age has taken its birth on the past systems and values that are moribund, now fashions, knowledge, know-how travel faster. The world today is thinking to live like a family of the human genus from where the narrowness of nationalism, chauvinism shall be banished. It is the light of modernism that has illuminated the Dark Continent, removed colour-bar, and a new pan-humanism has come to stay.
It is true that today science has bounded forward, but one regrets, too forward. The untrammelled atomic tests and explorations into the space have also brought in its wake some fatal curses like ozone layer, green-house effects. The consequences are too horrifying to recount. Fatal diseases like cancer, physical deformities and unnatural births are let loose like a monstrous menace. The balance is lost and we are reminded of the famous lines of W.B.Yeats.”Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.”
So we better not fall out with our ancestors over the advantages and disadvantages of our conditions of living; nor should they with ours. We should, rather formulate that tradition and progresses are not mutually exclusive. But an axiom of all civilizations is writ large today too powerfully: the humans, the flora and the fauna have to live within a balanced parameter, or woe betides our race!
9 years ago
Paromit Chatterjee created new article Holi - A color Festival.
"Holi Hai", is the most common voice that can be heard in the streets of India during the Dol-Purnima, which was 23rd March of this year. The Color Festival of India. Much like the Halloween of the West but differs far in the origin and history. I remember my first "Holi" festival with my brother and my friends when I was 5. We played along the streets painting faces of each other with different colors and this is the day when you can paint any other person you encounter in the neighborhood without any jinx. This ancient tradition starts the day before when people starts piling up dry twigs and leaves and prepare a statue of the evil and burns at night, locally known as "Nera-Pora" in Bengal. Its delight becomes more enjoyable when people gather around during the burning and dances with rhymes in their mouth, "Aaj amader Nera- Pora, Kal amader dol, Purnima te chand uteche, Bolo Hori bol" which means "Today is our Nera- Pora, Tomorrow is the Holi, Full Moon is over the head, and Lord Hari I Praise you". The following day we celebrate from the morning. Children prepare themselves with colors in their hands, elders play with "abir" meaning the color of dusk, a traditional color for this festival. Also there are traditions like drinking "Bhang" a preparation of cannabis with milk, ghee and spices. Many neighborhood arranges games like "Handi Bhanga" or Pot Breaking where a clay pot filled with color is hanged up high with ropes and competition starts with breaking it by building a human ladder. In many localities this is how the festival starts for the day. Children love to eat traditional "Moth" a type of triangular, hardened sweet of various colors.
The origin of this festival is still properly not known but the custom can be traced back as "Holika" to the ancient religious manuscripts like Jaimini's "Purva-Mimamsa-Sutras" (300 - 200 BC) and "Kathaka-Grihya-Sutras" (around 500 BC). This day is also memorized for many imporatant events in the religious context related to the Lord Shiva turning Kam Deva into ashes with his third eye , "Holika" the sister of Hiranyakashipura, a demon king, tried to kill Prahlada the child devotee of Lord Vishnu. etc. Most scholars think that this festival has been initiated in Vrindavan by King Indradyumna, where it is celebrated for 16 days to memorize the divine love of "Radha" and Lord Krishna. This day is also known as the birthday of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, 1468 AD a devotee of Lord Krishna.
In most of the localities the celebration is ended by the noon. In the afternoon people wishes each other "Happy Holi", neighbor visits each others home with sweets and thus the celebration of colors are completed with the tint of the sunset in the west.
9 years ago
Jincy Aby created new article Importance of Calcium to Women's Health.
Calcium is one of the most important things in every stages of a woman's life. It is very necessary for the growth of teeth and bones and protects our body from blood clotting. Calcium is very important for the proper functions of our veins. According to new study, calcium prevents cancer and controls diabetic and high blood pressure. Women who eat calcium rich food can protect their body from osteoporosis. Delivery and breast-feeding are the two reasons why women lose large amount of calcium from their body. Normally they do not try to take food rich in calcium or calcium supplements according to the loss. It weakens their body.
Milk, pannier, peanut and green leafy vegetables are some of the richest sources of calcium. Egg and liver contain large amount of vitamin D. After the age of thirty, women should include food that contain large amount of calcium to protect their body from different kinds of diseases.
Food that contain large amount of calcium is must for girls in their teen ages. If they are allergenic to animal milk, give them soya milk. Yogurt is also very rich in calcium. All milk products contain calcium and so they can chose either of them according to their interest.
Calcium rich food is very necessary for women who are above fifty than all other groups. Their bodies become week because of age. The production of estrogen hormone is very less after menstrual period. As a result, their bones lose its strength. The intake of calcium from food also becomes slow. Therefore, they have to take calcium - vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is mandatory to intake calcium.
Women should eat calcium supplements during pregnancy. They have to continue this process until they stop breast-feeding. When they breast-feed their children, they lose sufficient amount of calcium from their body. During this period, they should drink a glass of milk everyday in the morning and evening.
Now it is clear that calcium is very necessary in every stages of women's life. Their bodies and muscles do not have so much strength like men. Intake of proper food is the best solution to solve this problem.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Scientific invention has helped mankind .
I think that computers are the greatest scientific invention during the last one hundred years that have helped mankind most. It has launched the human race into the twenty-first century much in advance of its chronological date.
The artificial satellites that conquered space bringing unthought-of of data from the outer world into the ken of human knowledge could not have been possible without the help of the computer. Their control form Houston is now a well-known story, not a miracle. These satellites fitted with curious devices give us the ground conditions of the topography. They are able to predict roughly the soil conditions through a study of the radiations of the sun rays on the earth’s crust.
The world today is fractured by nationalistic mean politics. But it is a happy sign that such diversions do not affect the sphere of knowledge. The geophysical researches are today global property.
The accuracy of the computer has far-reaching consequences. Tele-communications, railway reservations, art, painting and many other aspects of our daily and cultural life have come within the pale of computers. It effectively eliminates human corruption, as in railway reservations. The rush for tickets, fatiguing long lines, train timings and many such factors that drained human energy have almost disappeared with the advent of computers. The present and succeeding generation shall remain grateful to Messrs Eckert and Mauchly that launched this device for the first time.
The invention, no doubt, takes off from the basic sciences of its past ages. But the mechanical advantage that it gives to mankind is so overwhelming that the traditional systems seem to be thrown out of gears. Garment designing and fashions, effects of multi-media used in film photography, bewildering colour combinations are all today done by computers. The latest that it seems heading to achieve is cyberspace education of say, Tele-education. America’s Stanford University had already embarked on it.
Thus education shall become less costly and less cumbersome. It will not require school buildings; teachers will not have to go to remote villages. The computer sets and the re-oriented programmes of education will be able to cater to boys in the remotest part of the towns and villages. For countries like India it is still a far cry for economic reasons. One can foresee how this invention has already forced the coming generations to look up. We know of poets and writers like T.S.Eliot or Bernard Shaw who used to think with their typewriters. Now, does it seem very strange that in near future they have to do this with their computer sets?
The video-games for children are a very recent taste. It is delightful to watch them handling these as experts in the game. In fact all these are oriented towards a new feature.
The merits of the invention are too great for anybody to belittle it. But the question arises: what in distinct future shall be role and contributions of human limbs to the growth of its total personality. Will they become crippled through slow degeneration and disuse?
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Parents and teachers teach children always to speak the truth .
I agree that it is wrong to tutor children to tell truth. There is an English proverb that one example is far better than hundred precepts. Children are in general very intelligent. They have a great power of observation and their feelings are deep rooted. Only they cannot express it. They always observe their parents at home and their teachers in school.
The method of teaching morals to children is universal. The guardians think that it is their prime duty to do so. In fact our social set-up encourages this practice. If a child misbehaves or tells lies, people blame the parents for not teaching proper behaviour or telling truth. The teacher is blamed similarly.
Children take to lies for their personal gains. They are essentially clever and try to get what they want by foul means or fair. They will steal and say that they have not. To teach them that stealing or lying is bad will be lost labour. It is an unrealistic approach.
Moral lessons are generally hard to swallow for even grown-up persons, let alone children.
Hypocrisy is a kind of self-cheating and false behaviour. It a thief preaches against stealing or if a liar lectures on truth it is hypocrisy. Thus examples of honesty and truthfulness are more effective than precepts or moral preaching. Children are very sensitive. They fast copy their elders. Naturally a healthy and truthful environment is more helpful in training them. It is generally observed that the children that live in mean dwellings pick up the habit of lying and abusing in filthy languages. They lack manners. Even some children of cultured and refined families behave like this if they mix too much with dirty and bad children.
A child observes his elders to be truthful and honest. He shall imbibe some of their virtues, if not all. In schools the text books ought to be based on allegorical stories. Mere platform lecture by teachers on the value of truth and honesty would bear no fruit.
These days the government plans the texts of the children on these principles. In history, characters of great heroes, social reformers and prophets of truth are painted through colourful stories. These directly influence the personality of a child; they readily condemn the evil doers and the liars. They follow such allegories or parables as facts and believe them readily. Naturally, the values on which these stories are based strike root in their tender and sensitive minds. Like a tender seedling that grows if it finds good soil, the minds of children get a solid base.
Wordsworth believed that human civilization corrupts the soul of children. He was a very sensitive child of nature. In a famous poem he complained that it is a tragedy that whenever a child is born, his parents sit with a chart to chalk out his line of progress. It is indeed a suicidal method. Such rigid methods often destroy the soft and valuable asserts or virtues that lie hidden in a child. It is indeed a hypocritical process. To train a child through teaching moral lessons is not only unproductive, it is counter-productive. It may produce in him a disregard for such values as his mind is not willing to accept it at this stage.
The process of learning for a child is not magical. It calls for much caution and observation from his/her guardians.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A closely contested soccer match in a packed stadium .
Football is the most popular and perhaps one of the oldest games in our country. Its duration of ninety minutes remains packed with excitement. Perhaps no other game involves the fans so intensely. In recent times cricket has become equally or even more popular, but here the show element is more at play in ordinary matches.
The situation of a closely contested soccer match in a packed stadium is a very common sight. In Kolkata the match between Mohan Bagan and East Bengal is generally of the character. It is an age-old rivalry and its fans are sharply divided in their support. The supporters of the two teams are always at daggers drawn, though not the players. Often a good player of one team joins the other team and one seldom notices any feeling of malice prevailing between them. But their supporters sometimes become dangerous it a fan of the opposite side praises his team. Here the game is not judged purely on its merit. Here Personal feeling and sentiment of the onlooker counts for more.
But what shall the game look like if such personal feelings do not affect the judgement? If the match is closely contested the ball shall swing from pole to pole. It will generate a rising sensation. Each time a team succeeds there shall be applause. This impartial applause shall encourage both the teams and the tempo of the match rise with every goal.
In a sensational one-day cricket match also there is excitement with every ball bowled and with every run scored. But the excitement is interrupted between over or intervals. But in a soccer match it is a sustained affair. The fate of the team swings in the balance almost every moment. There is almost no break except for the half-time. The crowd becomes involved in the game for the entire gamut of the game.
These days the victories are celebrated through fire-works and crackers. Banners are displayed are displayed to acclaim individual players. Sometimes people cross the fence, even if a goal by their favourite team is given as wrong by the referee. In fact, the people remain so tense during the brief period; they often forget to behave like sportsmen.
In view of these risks the authorities tighten the reins of control during such matches. Sometimes in a tense match between two favourite teams the crowd becomes violent. And they become unhappy with the decision. To an observer it seems as if for them the match is their life’s stake. Sometimes even bets are entered into and the match remains a hot topic in trams and buses as the people return home.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A relief workers for earthquake victims .
The severe tremor shook us at early dawn. When I woke up I felt a strange sensation. There was an unusual silence, a queer quiescence in nature. There was no noise or activity of the birds. The earthquake came with a fearful subterranean underground sound. Under the feet the earth shook in frenzy and it seemed as if several high power turbines were running underground. The door latches, so simple in operation, got locked due to the tremor and would not open. The roof of an old building where a musical programme had been held last night collapsed causing many deaths. In some places the roads were cracked.
As a member of the relief team I toured widely. The places that were further from the epicentre were more severely damaged, especially in the villages. Many schools and government dispensaries were affected. In a Sadar hospital the earthquake caused a panic. Some patients with minor bone fractures fell that a victim to falling beams as they tried to run out of the main block in panic. The loss of life was not much as it was dawn. The people were mostly out of their beds. Had it been midnight the loss would have been much greater. Apart from this many railway tracks were damaged. The villages suffered more heavily as they lost much of their livestock. The cattle tied to poles in their sheds suffered bone injuries as their roofs collapsed at places.
The main problem for us was communication as the railroads were damaged and the telephone poles had fallen. We were provided with jeeps and first-aid teams that worked under us. There were others problems too, especially the purchase committee. It had to be formed with honest workers.
Firstly we managed to convert the schools into temporary hospitals at places. We began to receive monetary aids as well aids of clothing, mosquito nets and others necessary articles. The district authorities required the services of some capable teachers who were known for their loyal and honest service. Many of my colleagues were, thus, included in various relief committees. I was empowered by our D.M. to have direct contact with him, whereas others had to work within limited range.
We set up several distribution centres for giving relief materials to the affected persons. I disliked one such centre that was fixed to the house of a local advocate. He was shrewd and influential, but basically dishonest. I knew a lot about his misdeeds when he was the chairman of a consumers’ cooperative. He had a strong lobby and ascendancy. But I secretly confided the DM about his shady character. The result was that the DM struck off his name by virtue of his overriding power.
Different centres for medical help, food, clothing was set up. We had to work round the clock in turn and our boys were of great help in the matter. Thus more than a month was spent to instill confidence in the victims. But gradually things began to look up. I personally took the initiative in raising a fund for the families of the poor and affected victims. In this my colleagues joined hands with me because the spectacle of those ruined families was too miserable to see. Naturally the milk of human kindness induced them to come out of their selfish feelings and contribute their mite.
9 years ago
sarala created new article How to clean glass items in kitchen.
Separate the glass items in 2 categories, one of the items which are very delicate and the second with the strong items. Try to clean them with your hands very carefully. If you clean them with soapy water, then there may be a chance of slipping them from your hand. So it’s better to use soft foam or brush.
• While cleaning them it is suggested to use hot water. As hot water removes the bacteria from the glass items. Especially the grease and stickiness which will go very easily. If you use detergent to clean them, then they will shine as well.
• Due to the use of hot water, the stickiness of soaps and detergents won’t last for more time. To clean glass items never prefer using thicker cleaners. Because the shining of the glass will become dull. You can use vinegar, lemon, cooking soda to clean them. A pinch of each is enough to mix with soap or detergent and clean the glass stuff.
• White vinegar is an acetic acid. So this can be used to clean anything in the house. Just 2 drops of it on a soft cotton cloth and wipe the glass items and wash them immediately. The glass items will get a new look.
• Similarly, we can clean glass items in 2 methods using cooking soda. Fill a tub with cold water and then sprinkle cooking soda in it and then place glass items in the water. Therefore, by using a soft brush you have to rub them and clean them.
• By dipping glass items in hot water and later rubbing those with lemon slice, so that the stains and dirt which accumulated on them will go very easily. Moreover the smells of food items and juices also will go away.
• We can even clean glass items using tooth paste also.
• If you are cleaning glassware in the sink then don’t clean them directly placing in the sink. It’s better you place a tub and then start cleaning.
9 years ago
sarala created new article Amazing Health Benefits of Walking for Pregnant Women.
If a woman missed her periods more than 15 days, it means her pregnancy has started. Actually, pregnancy has 3 trimesters. These 3 trimesters will be different from each other. The occurrence of changes in trimesters completely depends upon the growth of the baby in the mother’s stomach.
Pregnancy is a very important phase in women’s life so she should be very careful during this period. The pregnant women must be strong physically and even psychologically. They need to take doctors’ suggestions to be physically happy and even should follow the diet suggested by health expert. For physical fitness doctors insist few physical movements and activities. Among those, walking is very easy and safe to practice.
Practicing walking can give pregnant women better sleep and reduce their stress levels. This will help the pregnant women in delivery and to get recovery soon.Compare to the other pregnancy exercise walking is the best. It is very easy to practice. Walking does not need any instructions, instruments and machines.
During pregnancy, walking has many health benefits. Let us discuss those health benefits.
Reduce stress:
During pregnancy every woman’s mood gets changed. At that time, they faced depression and stress. So, walking during this period produces endorphins in the brain. These enzymes create good mood. So pregnant women should walk to be in good moods and reduce stress.
Constipation:
If pregnant women walk daily then they can relieve from constipation problems. During pregnancy if you keep your body active then bowels also will be active. By having 15 to 20 minutes walk you can have a cleaner bowels and can treat constipation problem.
Reduces tiredness:
Many of the women during pregnancy period feel tiresome. Especially first and third trimester. In these trimesters, it is good to take some rest. But taking more rest also causes some problems. Walking will improve their energy levels and restore them.
Controls Blood Pressure:
During pregnancy blood pressure increases in women. Due to high blood pressure, it leads to pre-eclampsia. By walking you can keep blood pressure in control. This is the best benefits caused by walking during pregnancy.
Flexibility:
Walking increases body flexibility during pregnancy and hip muscles get stronger. Therefore, delivery gets easy and fast. Reduces pain. This is a health benefit of walking during pregnancy.
Better sleep:
Having brisk or leisure walk for half an hour, pregnant women can have better sleep. It reduces sleeping problems during pregnancy.
Maintains body weight:
Due to regular walk, pregnant women can control their weight. Slowly, the baby weight also comes under control. Due to walking there will be more chances for normal delivery. So walking has more importance during pregnancy.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Chandela's, Khujaraho Temples and Glory of Hinduism.
A few weeks back I had asked a young student of a public school whether he knew who the Chandela's were. He had expressed his ignorance, though he was well aware of the Kutab Minar, Kutabdin Aibek and Mohammed of Ghazni. This ignorance of Indian history is not surprising as the policy of the Congress party has always been to negate the contribution of Hindus to the composite Indian culture. Thus history text books talk more of Mughals and others than about the Hindu warriors and rulers. For an assessment of the Indian Hindu kings one has perforce to read the English historians.
The temples of Khujaraho are temples embellished with erotic images of men and women in group and single sex. These temples were built by the Chandelas, who were powerful Rajput rulers of Central India, an area known as Bundlekhand. They held sway over this region from about the 9th to the 13th century. They were powerful rulers and they also repulsed the attack of Mahommed of Ghazni. In fact Mahommed of Ghazni, shrewd soldier as he was avoided a direct combat with the Chandela king popularly known as Raja Bhoj. The initial capital of the Chandela kings was Khujaraho and they carried out all their constructions here.
The Chandela kings built about 85 temples dedicated to Hindu and Jain gods. After the dynasty ceased to rule the temples went into disuse, known only to the locals. These men kept the temple location a secret as they feared that they would be destroyed by the Muslims , who had at that time become the rulers of India. This fear was justified, for I have seen a similar carnage by Mohammed of Ghazni at the temple at Chouthan, close to Barmer in Rajasthan. The Chouthan temple is on a hill and at one time had lovely figures of nude men and women. It appears Mohammed was offended and broke each and every sculpture. The broken images can still be seen today.
What to talk of Mohammed of Ghazni, the Indian national leader Mahatma Gandhi also wanted these images to be destroyed. This now appears silly and shows that Gandhi was basically a politician and self styled Mahatma. He had no comprehension of art.
The temples remained in oblivion, till the British Raj came. There is a mention of these temples in the writings of Ibn Battuta who reportedly visited the place in 1322 and Abu al Riham Baruni who visited this place in 1022. One can thus surmise that these temples took over 200 years to be built. The temples over centuries went into decay, till they were discovered by a British engineer named TS Burt. He was an Army engineering officer. India must forever remain indebted to Burt for this discovery and his subsequent efforts to salvage the temples. For the record about 24 of the original temples were restored and today are part of the Indian glorious heritage. It is also a world heritage site as declared by UNESCO.
The temples are unique as they represent the earthy nature of man and woman and also lend credence to the tantric concept of a sexual union as a path to Moksha or salvation. This is something that is not easy to understand and I am afraid 80% of the Indian Hindus, do not know the significance of these figures carved in stone depicting men and women in single and multiple sexual unions. Many still like to think like Gandhi, who abhorred them, but enlightened Indians and most western men and women are understanding the deep philosophy of these temple images. The images represent the Gods and the Hindu philosophy that sex and god are almost together. The western world is now realising the true significance of Hinduism.
A description of the temples can be found in any book and many images are available on the net. What we will discuss here is the deep philosophy that these images contain. Hinduism is beaten with a rod for its ills of caste and untouchability among other things. However these are superficial things and they served a purpose at that time. The fault is that they were persisted with. Even in the west there was a caste as the names Smith, Carpenter signify. The west got over it, but vested interests led by the Congress party institutionalized it. There is a need for the people to learn about the deep philosophy that Hinduism brings forth. Here is a religion that shows a road to God through many paths. Hinduism also accepts an all-mighty and the other devas and gods are only ancillary to the one and only super mighty being, the Akal.
Hinduism realized the nature of man and the inherent energy hidden in a sex act. If channelized, it can work wonders and I do recollect when I was at the Ashram of Swami Shraddanand, he had mentioned that through the sex act one can even learn about the past birth. This is tantra the age old Hindu concept of reaching god through a union between a man and a woman. So many Indians denigrate this thought. This is sad as there is a lot of truth in it and I am told many western men and women are now deeply influenced by tantra.
The temples at Khujaraho are a delight and for the serious student and a lover these are worth visiting, The Chandela kings thought that these acts of sex brought a man and a woman closer to god, hence the carvings are on the temple walls. There are thousands of them and the women are all buxom and nude, wearing only ornaments. They took hundreds of years to carve under guidance of a man with a lot of knowledge. Let us thank god that these temples have survived for a thousand years. Let us also thank the British TS Burt who saved these temples. Come to think of it , India owes a lot to English rule and one shudders to think ,what would have happened if Pax Brittanica had not ruled India. This is the refrain of Nirad C Choudhry the most celebrated of Indian English writers.
Visiting Khujaraho is easy as it is connected by air to Delhi and Varanasi and Patna. I wonder why no city of MP is connected to Khujaraho? This is another mystery !
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Embarrassing experience of my life .
An embarrassing situation is one where a man is in a fix. He is not in a position to control it. One such situation is narrated here.
I was coming home to attend my sister’s marriage. I had missed many marriages since I remained outside in different state. This time I had to make time as she was my only sister and my father’s letter had made it clear that it was mandatory to attend. I had covered almost the whole distance except the last leg the journey. As usual the trains in the North Bihar were crowded. Over and above, it was the marriage season.
Piyush, my IIT friend, joined me in Delhi. We made a dash for a first class compartment and managed to have two seats. Among others there was one passenger who endeavored to make the distinguished. He was of short height but self-conscious. He behaved as if the whole compartment belonged to him. The young chap with him served him like a page-boy. We learnt that the train would take some time to start. At my friend’s suggestion we took a stroll on the platform and bought a packet of cigarettes. One railway staff saluted the man which made it clear that he was some important officer.
The others in the compartment too, observed a respectful distance with this man. Piyush, however, disliked this behaviour. He told me that thus we demean our own selves. This is the direct evil effect of the British rule. Whoever pretends to be like an Englishman becomes an object of admiration for us?
We entered the compartment and took our seats. We lit up two cigarettes and were sitting just opposite to the man. Piyush noticed that the man had removed my airbag from its position and put his fibre suitcase. He promptly brought down the man’s bag and put mine there. The man asked his chap to throw out my bag. But Piyush was tall and too strong built and prevented the boy. The man abused us in English and we retorted. The train was in motion. Piyush taunted him for his stupid imitation of British manners. The man told that angry young men like him are the nation’s curse.
The situation was coming to a head. In the next station the man complained to the railway police against us. Because he was a big officer the police decided one-sided to remove our luggage, I resisted and Piyush, in a fit of anger, lifted the man off the earth and posed to throw him into the platform.
It made matters worse. The police got positive proof of our misconduct. I realized that there was no other way but to withdraw. I took the officer aside and requested him to be lenient as we were going home to attend my sister’s marriage after a long time. We changed into a different compartment. Piyush fretted and fumed like a hungry lion.
It was the marriage day. Piyush and I were allotted one separate room in our fairly big mansion. After completing the formalities of bowing before seniors I took Piyush to be introduced to my sister. A small boy interrupted our chat and said that we were to present ourselves to be introduced to the eldest son-in-law of my family. I had long been out and little knew who was who. Many guests were pouring in and were getting lost in the big household of our joint family.
We entered the room of the guest. My father told us that Sanjay was in the bathroom. He said that he was eager to see me, as I was a blue-eyed boy of the establishment for my brilliant record and career. Father began to ask Piyush about his life in IIT and other matters.
In the midst of these the guest came out. His head was down and covered as he was mopping it with his napkin. We both stood up. My father drew his attention towards us. As he revealed his face we were totally unnerved to discover that he was none other than the little man whom Piyush had lifted to throw out. We remained there stock-still for quite some time as father performed his introduction formality. We even forgot that we should bow to him. How could we, we were his sworn opponents, if he discloses? Piyush felt it would be even worse than the police lockup. To throw out the eldest son-in-law, and the culprit none but a friend of his brother-in-law!
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Social injustice .
I heard and read the expression ‘social justice’ when I was in my school days. It was often mentioned in my civics book. But it was only part of a compulsory lesson; it made no sense to me. Lower caste, upper caste, economic equality and social injustice were dead counters to me. I played with the children of our servants, sometimes shared with them the stolen guavas of an orchard.
A little later, when I joined the college, the term became somewhat clear. Although of middle class origin, my father managed to admit me to a good government college of north Bihar. There for the first time I learnt what casteism is.
In the election of office bearers in the hostel the votes were divided according to caste. I personally felt no difference, but the others were very rigid. This was visible in a more violent form in the college elections. The Bhumihars were dead opposed to the Yadvas and the Brahmins to the Shudras. I had an intimate friend who was Paswan by title as well as caste. He was poor by living and dress. But I loved and liked him because he was very sharp in mathematics, which was my weak point. Once, one of my friends abused me for mixing with him and for sharing food with him. At first the point was not clear to me, but gradually I realized the matter.
Some of the lower caste boys were in worse condition. Their parents were not wealthy, and they were looked down upon by the upper caste boys. Even in the class this lower and upper distinction was noticeable. The professor in charge of the ‘poor boys fund’ was a Brahmin. In the list of students that were given grants out of the fund, the name of my poor friend did not appear. Among those who received grants there were some who were meritorious but not poor. This struck me for the first time as an instance of social injustice. He had scanty clothing and often borrowed books from me. It was clear to me that the Brahmin professor at the head of the committee had organized a lobby. Only those who were influential among the backwards reaped something from the fund.
Among the remedies, the first is to man all posts with men of character and impartial outlook. He must, necessarily, belong to some caste or the other. But such petty considerations can never influence a man of strong character. Such persons are obviously less in a society, but ten healthy potatoes command greater strength and nourishment than hundred rotten eggs. Secondly, the curse of poverty has to be removed. The contempt for poor that is affecting the health of the nation like a virus shall automatically disappear if their poverty is removed. This is one of the basic theories of Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi.
It goes without saying that the rich and poor are man-made distinctions. To treat the poor as ignorant and fool is silly. Even the poorest of the poor is sometimes much more meritorious than the rich and the privileged. Even the most crippling poverty could not check the progress of men like Vidyasagar and Rajendra Prasad. Talents are not the exclusive privilege of a particular community. Naturally we ought to see that more and more opportunities for learning are given to men at large.
These alone can cure our society of its deep rooted evils. A politics that is dominated by money can never cure social injustice, for money breeds corruption. Money unites the corrupt elements in a country across caste lines. Therefore a person that holds the stings of the country’s purse must be chosen with absolute care. Otherwise we shall bury our nation’s fate under the burden of democratic theories. Remedy shall be worse than the disease.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Burkha or the Hijab: Mark of Identity or Subjugation?.
Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and hundreds are converting every day to this faith all over the world. Islam is supposed to be a monotheist religion that talks of one god. It is also supposed to be a classless religion, though Islam also has a number of sects, who are in perpetual war with each other. One of the distinctive symbols of Islam is the Burkha, which is worn by Islamic women. It is not mandatory to wear the Burkha, but generally Muslim clergy and true believers will exhort their women to wear the Burkha.
I will now write on a personal experience before writing further. When I was posted in Mumbai as a YO( Young Officer), I once while riding on my Enfield felt an excruciating pain in my tooth. I parked the bike on Mohemadali Road and looked around. By luck, I saw a small board of a dentist. I decided to go inside and was surprised that the dentist was a young girl. The board outside conveyed that she was Muslim. She treated me and called me again for another session. She charged Rs 40 for her labor.
This was the begining and I once asked her if you would like a date for a lunch at the US Club in Colaba. After a moments hesitation she consented. She was a modern girl and her mind was uncluttered with dogma. I often took her to the US Club and she also expressed a desire to learn to swim. I got her enrolled in the swimming group for beginners on my name. She looked wonderful in a swim suit, which I picked as a gift for her from me from Warden Road, the elite shopping area of Bombay.
Our relationship blossemed, but there was always a nagging fear of the future as the girl was Muslim and the exhortions of my mother always rang in my ears. She used to say to me no BMW,which reality meant " No Black, No Muslim and no Working Nurse". One day after a swim, we proceeded to Leopold Cafe in Colaba for a Biryani. She excused and went away and came back with a burkha. I was surprised and I asked her why she had worn a burkha, as she was a liberated woman who often donned the swim suit? She repolied that sometimes she wanted to wear it as a mark of identity. This surprised me that an educated and modern girl wanted wear a Burkha as a mark of identity. We drifted apart as she mentioned in one of our private chats that God is one and what harm is there if I also follow Islam. I was not ready to follow Islam and now all that is left are memories of some sweet kisses on the ramparts of the sea wall at the annexe of the US club.
The fact is many Muslim girls and Women wear the Burkha out of conviction. But in many nations it is enforced like in Saudi Arabia. Over many centuries nobody paid attention to the Burkha and it was accepted as something integral to Islam. But times changed and a resurgent Islam emerged in the 20th century. The leadership of this religion went into the hands of the Wahhabi group, who believed in a pristine Islam and return back to the days of the Caliphate, when Islam was the centre of knowledge and arts. This has sown the seeds of conflict with non Muslim nations. Suddenly nations and people have started taking note of the Burkha. This black dress like a cape covers a woman's body and is usually black in color..
Europe and in particular France saw it as a mark of subjugation of the Muslim woman and set the ball rolling by banning it. The French president supported the ban and Muslim women were banned from wearing it in public places. It is important to note that Muslim clergy in France supported the ban. There is no doubt that the Islamic religious scriptures do not mention anything about the Burkha. I am not aware that even the Hadiths mention anthing about the Burkha. All the scriptures say is that a woman must dress soberly. The Burkha is a much later development, but now the Wahhabi leadership enforces it. There have been cases even in India where woman are forced to wear this dress. I do recollect reading that a woman was killed by her lover in Bhopal for not wearing the Burkha.
The situation has now become volatile and for non-Muslims a Burkha is the negation of human values. Talking of me personally, i am indifferent to it. Yet i will be telling a lie if I don't state that a Burkha on a woman of beauty is a great allure. It creates a mystery and for a man of imagination sitting with a lovely woman can bring forth lewd thoughts of what could she be wearing under her cloak. This mystery is alluded to in some lovely poems as well.
The Burkha has now become a political tool. Not many are bothered about emancipation of the Muslim woman. In case this was the aim Muslim personal law would be refined. Yet the Sharia is followed in all Muslim nations. The one non Muslim nation allowing the Sharia to flourish in personal law is India. The Indian social and political leadership must explain this, as no non Muslim nation from China to America allows Muslims to practice and follow Sharia. Many non Muslim nations have banned wearing of Burkha. Among them are China and Europe. China has gone a step forward and also banned fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, on the grounds that it is detrimental to health of Muslims, particularly children.
The Burkha has now become a symbol of Islam. A simple dress has become a tool of identity as well as supression. There can be no doubt that many do not want to wear it, yet many wear it as a mark of identity. It cannot be wished away
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Leisure time.
Leisure time may be a problem with some but it is not so with me. I read in a book that Churchill painted during leisure hours. I feel attracted when I see some interesting handicraft piece anywhere. I feel curious to know how it was done.
Daily routine of studies and household duties often bore me. My mind looks for some diversion. Since my childhood I have seen my mother create various designs with her needle. Although my mother said those designs were too difficult for my age, yet I felt tempted to try the handicrafts done by girls of my age.
Once my father was charmed to see a TV cover I made. Since then he has been alert and prompt. He never refuses me money when I ask for fabric paint. Thus I devote my leisure time in pursuing these art and crafts. I have made several doormats from choirs of different colours. I made a pen-pencil stand for my father by rolling colourful calendar pages and cutting them into sizes. Once I saw my elder sister paint some art on a gramophone record. At one time gramophone records were popular and my parents bought their favourite songs. But now these are out of use and the records lie piled up in our corner. I also paint on them. Thus I fill up my leisure hours with such activities. I love cricket and follow the career of great cricketers. I have inherited this passion from my father and uncle. They were great cricket fans. It has, now becomes my hobby to get paper and magazine cuttings of photographs and news scoops concerning cricket.
Some of my friends make fun of me for my habits. They say that it is idle and useless. But I know that such practices during leisure hours are rewarding. The mind becomes tired with compulsory duties. These duties are generally devoid of pleasure as they put pressure on the mind. They are necessary because they discipline our mind. But it is with the mind as it is with the body. A tired body doing compulsory physical labour wants entertainment. So does the mind. These little activities bring nourishment to the mind. It is done with pleasure and profit.
Leisure time becomes a problem for those who are dull. Some of my friends waste their leisure time sleeping, by gossiping and by doing idle or useless things. They forget that such habits make life dull. There is an English proverb. All work and no play makes jack of a dull boy.
I am, however, lucky to have parents like mine. They do not scold me when I do these things. This practice has stimulated my curiosity. Wherever I go, I look out for curios. Once from a museum, I copied one art that I felt to be beautiful. My father had gifted me with a cut-piece set. As soon as I saw that craft in the museum I felt attracted. I sat with the gifted set. In course of handling those cut pieces I suddenly felt that what I was making was becoming similar to the museum piece. It was an old model of a car. My mind made up an image of that antique car and after several trials, it was done. When I showed it to my father, he was delighted. I felt he was proud for me.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A boy from outer space knocking my door.
It was pre-dawn hours. I was in deep slumber as I had kept up late hours at night. I woke up to a knock and started to see a boy between fourteen and sixteen seeking admission. I did not know him. He told that his name was Rakesh and he came from outer space.
His introduction thrilled me. At such an hour, tranquil and clam, I least expected a caller!
After a moment of dazed wonder, I let him in. I narrate what he told me of his life in outer space.
He lives in space and his little world hangs in it as this earth. It consists of a small group of families who live a compact life of harmony and accord. Over the years, they have grown plants and crops. But their ancestors had to struggle much as the ground conditions of their world were very rough and savage. His ancestors used to speak of this earth which is vaster and heavily populated, but he was the first person to visit it.
The boy looked wild and untamed like the Homo sapiens. He was much taller for his age and his limbs were like those of a wrestler and shaggy. But his eyes were innocent and searching. He said that they live in the caves, till their own lands and live on bartering of corns and foods. They fight like ferocious animals in personal matters. But when some enemy from another planet attacks they unite like brothers. He said that he was surprised to see that here men take away truck-load of goods, but pay nothing but a few colourful paper slips. In their world a commodity is exchanged for another commodity. The value of commodity depends on its utility and national stock.
At night they observe the shooting stars. When the sky is clear they view the earth that looks splendid. The waters around her at first amazed them as some liquid wrapper that is wound round her. But later they learnt the actual fact. His great grandfather and those before had no language of communication. They used symbols and spoke through meaningful gestures.
He was amazed to see our vehicles that emitted smoke. He said at first he felt choked as he entered the earth’s atmosphere. In the course of our conversation he told that they had no allopathic doctors. They had a health-expert almost in each family on the average. Therefore their knowledge of the herbs was very sound. It had come to them from their ancestors as a family wisdom.
Suddenly he became restive. The conversation lasted hardly for half-an-hour. He got up and ignoring my requests to stay further, slipped out even before the birds woke up!
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Medieval Poem " Song of Songs" is in Reality a Poetry of Sex.
Introduction
Poetry many a time gives a gloss to sex. A veneer that hides the real meaning. This was more so in the medieval age when sex was not so open as today, particularly in Europe which with the advent of Christianity was caged in a wall of puritanism. Ancient India was way ahead and what America is today, India was miles ahead at that age. India appreciated art and sex and enmeshed them together. It was not so in Europe and during the medieval age a poem titled " Song of Songs" was written. Theoretically this poem refers to the love between God and the soul. Poems in that period had to bring in God, so that the church did not come down heavily on the poet. This poem expresses love between the soul and God. It gives an analogy of this love like between the love of a bride and bridegroom. The poem eulogises the love of the soul and God and compares it to the most intimate moments of carnal love between a bride and a bridegroom on the nuptial night.
The composer of this poem was Barnard of Clairvaux. Who was he? He was a French Abbot and a reformer of the Cistercian order. Barnard wrote this poem in an inspirational mood and today it is a poem that draws the greatest attention for the latent meaning of love. Barnard could not finish his work and died just when he was beginning the 3rd chapter. Never the less the poem arouses great expectation and is considered a work of art.
The Song and Lusty Sex
The song created ripples in the art world in the 19th and 20th century when the renaissance movement of reality was ushered in. People began to read it as a lusty celebration of human carnal desire. There are hints and clues and reading the poem will bring a reader to the depth of the soul. The poem alludes to the sex acts of the Shulammite women with Solomon. By Shulammite, the writer refers to the women of Jerusalem and the acts of pleasure with Solomon who was the ruler.I may point out that this was the period of the orgy and the Pagan dance made immortal in the movie "Solomon and Sheba".
The poem or song presents carnal intercourse as a mystery, as well as a obsession. In modern times the mystery has gone, but the obsession has remained. Now all are aware that sex is a clash of bodies and exchange of fluids. There is no magic in it, but the song presents this as a mystery. It represents the mood at that time which was puritan.
All said and done the song is however an exponent of lusty sex, albeit hidden in the love of God for the soul of man. Probably if this song were written today, like the poetry of Iris Murdoch the verses would have been more open and god may perhaps not have figured.
The song is great literature and it also teaches a lot. If I may add this song is the essence of erotic literature. The message of the song is that the body when in the act of love is all powerful and the centre of everything. The song brings out the power of a physical union as Solomon who is the lover throws away everything in the world to just love his bride. The poem says that Solomon loves deeply and he discovers and gets a glorious insight into the soul inside his bride. This theme is the beauty of the song and gives the song an eternal look and feel. As per the poet the strength of love (physical) is greater than the forces of death.
Allusions to God
The poem repeatedly brings in God or alludes to him. These verses are certainly not for the puritan for God in his wisdom invites his beloved to the "house of wine". All around are forests, orchards and figures in temples. What a lovely scenario. One is almost reminded of the Indian temples of Khujaraho, with nude carvings in the most explicit depictions. Wine adds impetus to the act of carnal knowledge and God is pleased. The poem brings out the power of carnal knowledge disguised as a reference to god.
The song brings out the fact that sex is something deeper and in that respect Christianity was way behind Hindu tantra and philosophy, which accepted sex as a path to salvation or moksha. The puritan church in Europe would not allow it and so we have this charade of love of god for the soul. The song is a great way to have a fantasy and reading it with a beloved with a glass of wine is an afternoon well spent.
Last Word
The poem is also a great study of human nature, of passion and desire. These are the qualities that must be allowed to flower and not suppressed. The song plays a central role in fertilizing the imagination which in the main is sexual in nature. For there is no doubt that a physical union is the greatest way to be liberated and that is where Tantra comes in.
I will close by writing and recommending all to read this song. It is archaic English, but in the company of a girl who understands the language, it can be a great and elevating experience.
9 years ago
Shampa Sadhya replied to the topic Do you revise before submitting a comment? .
There is nothing to be uncomfortable because mistakes may occur by anyone. Yes, it is always beneficial to revise but sometimes after revision also we fail to recognise the error so we need to be very alert.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Experiencing a situation which posed a challenge to me.
I loved arts, but my father was opposed to it. He belonged to an older cult where guardians preferred to adapt their children to the demands of the age. Naturally, science being the call, he thought that I was destined for it, what with my taste and propensities. But I stuck to my gun and my father had to bend his neck to the collar at the persuasion of his elders. But he did not call quits either. He agreed to my joining arts with a rider that I offer mathematics as one subject. I discerned that he felt that I was afraid of the subject.
I decided to take up the challenge. Although I was relatively deficient in the subject, yet I resolved to make up for it by devoting the superfluous time that I saved from my other studies.
But that is not the ‘challenge’ relevant to the subject today. The challenge that confronted me was at the annual examination of the subject. It was the days of stiff examinations. On receipt of the question as usual, I surveyed it thoroughly to assess my competence. Let me mention, here, that I have an odd habit of labouring at the most difficult things first. Usually I apply to it my best efforts and intelligence, solve it and go ahead with the characteristic aplomb of a man that brooks no hurdle. Napoleon’s utterance when one of his generals objected about the Alps, that there shall be no Alps, was a favourite adage for me.
One may call it foolhardiness, but it was a bent with me and I took up first the question on the forces of equilibrium. I laboured at it fourteen to fifteen minutes. The repeated failures reddened my earlobes and a treacherous diffidence seemed to get the better of me. I was literally in a fix and fidgeted on my seat trying to steal a glance at other answers around me, when I saw our principal gingerly walking along my lane of seats, shouting, “get out, get out.“ I knew I was done for; my pulse-rate doubled and my heart pounded inside. But he sailed past my thunder-struck look. I turned round to see that the poor victim was my room-mate Ram avatar. The principle tucked his copy under his arm, the hall shook with a tremor of nervous palpitation and the invigilator stood as if rooted.
I looked at my sum and then at my watch. Half-an-hour had passed. Although it was not an hour, the invigilator allowed me to have a head-wash. It wrought a change in me. What shall happen if I fail due to maths? My father would say that I deliberately let him down as he forced the subject on me. My friends would tease me as a dullard who wastes such valuable hours over nothing and my conscience shall admonish my obstinacy. Pass I must, I thought. My attention was diverted from the object of my foolhardiness. After a relaxed mood I saw that the thirty marks of calculus were handy, as they were equations. Success in the very first sum released in me the latches of calculation, the second and the third sum. I never looked back. Went over to Dynamics and solved sum after sum like a miracle boy. My diffidence vanished round the corner and even while engaged over a sum, the mind gleaned the missing formula that stood as an obstacle in the first sum. I solved it too! Strange is the behaviour of the human mind, I thought. It yields only when one to easy. So the great creations of the earth are made by those that do it playfully and not willfully.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article We are not happy as our forefathers were.
The subject is ambivalent and applies to the present age with special significance. The reasons are not too obscure to scan. It is an age when tradition and progress stand almost fact to face. The bourgeoning young generation bred in the culture of electronics, computers and meta-urbanism sniff at the past generation as one of idle meditation, rusticity and values that have fallen into disuse. In actual reality, both are correct as well as incorrect.
Our ancestors lived in a quieter and more stable world. Science and its advantages played only second fiddle to human values: traditional aspects of human life, like the joint family. Respect for elders, love and affection for juniors and compassion for the disabled and those relatively in penury. Superstitions die hard rituals, inhibitions and mass illiteracy hung like a millstone round the neck of the society, no doubt. But evils like air-pollution, random fatal diseases, political violence, and terrorism were not even round the corner. Men lived in peace and amity. Trains, roads and other media of transportation were not crowded to suffocation. Men of older generations today complain about dearth of space and time. Their old age is generally spent within walled, narrow apartments; they cannot stir out in relaxed mood as the roads teem with vehicles. Let alone cities and big towns, in the evening, even small towns become overlade with smoke and petro-fumes, thanks to the vehicle explosion of the modern industry.
But the life in the olden times was not an unmixed blessing, the modern youths would say. The March and progress of science in the modern age has brought the earth and even the sky close together. The marvels of science, like the cordless telephone, fax, speed post and electronic mails, have speeded up the rate and volume of research. The satellites have expanded the panorama of human knowledge. Meteorologists are more accurate about weather and we can know ground conditions for plantation and agriculture more surely. As against this our ancestors lived a life of miserable complacency, they would complain. They would lean on their time-worn ideas and lead the life of a drudge.
The above argument is too powerful to be gainsaid. It is the law of nature, itself, that when a particular system becomes spent up, exploration begins on further quest. It applies equally to literature, society as also to science. Thus the modern age has taken its birth on the past systems and values that are moribund, now fashions, knowledge, know-how travel faster. The world today is thinking to live like a family of the human genus from where the narrowness of nationalism, chauvinism shall be banished. It is the light of modernism that has illuminated the Dark Continent, removed colour-bar, and a new pan-humanism has come to stay.
It is true that today science has bounded forward, but one regrets, too forward. The untrammelled atomic tests and explorations into the space have also brought in its wake some fatal curses like ozone layer, green-house effects. The consequences are too horrifying to recount. Fatal diseases like cancer, physical deformities and unnatural births are let loose like a monstrous menace. The balance is lost and we are reminded of the famous lines of W.B.Yeats.”Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.”
So we better not fall out with our ancestors over the advantages and disadvantages of our conditions of living; nor should they with ours. We should, rather formulate that tradition and progresses are not mutually exclusive. But an axiom of all civilizations is writ large today too powerfully: the humans, the flora and the fauna have to live within a balanced parameter, or woe betides our race!
9 years ago
Paromit Chatterjee created new article Holi - A color Festival.
"Holi Hai", is the most common voice that can be heard in the streets of India during the Dol-Purnima, which was 23rd March of this year. The Color Festival of India. Much like the Halloween of the West but differs far in the origin and history. I remember my first "Holi" festival with my brother and my friends when I was 5. We played along the streets painting faces of each other with different colors and this is the day when you can paint any other person you encounter in the neighborhood without any jinx. This ancient tradition starts the day before when people starts piling up dry twigs and leaves and prepare a statue of the evil and burns at night, locally known as "Nera-Pora" in Bengal. Its delight becomes more enjoyable when people gather around during the burning and dances with rhymes in their mouth, "Aaj amader Nera- Pora, Kal amader dol, Purnima te chand uteche, Bolo Hori bol" which means "Today is our Nera- Pora, Tomorrow is the Holi, Full Moon is over the head, and Lord Hari I Praise you". The following day we celebrate from the morning. Children prepare themselves with colors in their hands, elders play with "abir" meaning the color of dusk, a traditional color for this festival. Also there are traditions like drinking "Bhang" a preparation of cannabis with milk, ghee and spices. Many neighborhood arranges games like "Handi Bhanga" or Pot Breaking where a clay pot filled with color is hanged up high with ropes and competition starts with breaking it by building a human ladder. In many localities this is how the festival starts for the day. Children love to eat traditional "Moth" a type of triangular, hardened sweet of various colors.
The origin of this festival is still properly not known but the custom can be traced back as "Holika" to the ancient religious manuscripts like Jaimini's "Purva-Mimamsa-Sutras" (300 - 200 BC) and "Kathaka-Grihya-Sutras" (around 500 BC). This day is also memorized for many imporatant events in the religious context related to the Lord Shiva turning Kam Deva into ashes with his third eye , "Holika" the sister of Hiranyakashipura, a demon king, tried to kill Prahlada the child devotee of Lord Vishnu. etc. Most scholars think that this festival has been initiated in Vrindavan by King Indradyumna, where it is celebrated for 16 days to memorize the divine love of "Radha" and Lord Krishna. This day is also known as the birthday of Sri Krishna Chaitanya, 1468 AD a devotee of Lord Krishna.
In most of the localities the celebration is ended by the noon. In the afternoon people wishes each other "Happy Holi", neighbor visits each others home with sweets and thus the celebration of colors are completed with the tint of the sunset in the west.
9 years ago
Jincy Aby created new article Importance of Calcium to Women's Health.
Calcium is one of the most important things in every stages of a woman's life. It is very necessary for the growth of teeth and bones and protects our body from blood clotting. Calcium is very important for the proper functions of our veins. According to new study, calcium prevents cancer and controls diabetic and high blood pressure. Women who eat calcium rich food can protect their body from osteoporosis. Delivery and breast-feeding are the two reasons why women lose large amount of calcium from their body. Normally they do not try to take food rich in calcium or calcium supplements according to the loss. It weakens their body.
Milk, pannier, peanut and green leafy vegetables are some of the richest sources of calcium. Egg and liver contain large amount of vitamin D. After the age of thirty, women should include food that contain large amount of calcium to protect their body from different kinds of diseases.
Food that contain large amount of calcium is must for girls in their teen ages. If they are allergenic to animal milk, give them soya milk. Yogurt is also very rich in calcium. All milk products contain calcium and so they can chose either of them according to their interest.
Calcium rich food is very necessary for women who are above fifty than all other groups. Their bodies become week because of age. The production of estrogen hormone is very less after menstrual period. As a result, their bones lose its strength. The intake of calcium from food also becomes slow. Therefore, they have to take calcium - vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D is mandatory to intake calcium.
Women should eat calcium supplements during pregnancy. They have to continue this process until they stop breast-feeding. When they breast-feed their children, they lose sufficient amount of calcium from their body. During this period, they should drink a glass of milk everyday in the morning and evening.
Now it is clear that calcium is very necessary in every stages of women's life. Their bodies and muscles do not have so much strength like men. Intake of proper food is the best solution to solve this problem.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Scientific invention has helped mankind .
I think that computers are the greatest scientific invention during the last one hundred years that have helped mankind most. It has launched the human race into the twenty-first century much in advance of its chronological date.
The artificial satellites that conquered space bringing unthought-of of data from the outer world into the ken of human knowledge could not have been possible without the help of the computer. Their control form Houston is now a well-known story, not a miracle. These satellites fitted with curious devices give us the ground conditions of the topography. They are able to predict roughly the soil conditions through a study of the radiations of the sun rays on the earth’s crust.
The world today is fractured by nationalistic mean politics. But it is a happy sign that such diversions do not affect the sphere of knowledge. The geophysical researches are today global property.
The accuracy of the computer has far-reaching consequences. Tele-communications, railway reservations, art, painting and many other aspects of our daily and cultural life have come within the pale of computers. It effectively eliminates human corruption, as in railway reservations. The rush for tickets, fatiguing long lines, train timings and many such factors that drained human energy have almost disappeared with the advent of computers. The present and succeeding generation shall remain grateful to Messrs Eckert and Mauchly that launched this device for the first time.
The invention, no doubt, takes off from the basic sciences of its past ages. But the mechanical advantage that it gives to mankind is so overwhelming that the traditional systems seem to be thrown out of gears. Garment designing and fashions, effects of multi-media used in film photography, bewildering colour combinations are all today done by computers. The latest that it seems heading to achieve is cyberspace education of say, Tele-education. America’s Stanford University had already embarked on it.
Thus education shall become less costly and less cumbersome. It will not require school buildings; teachers will not have to go to remote villages. The computer sets and the re-oriented programmes of education will be able to cater to boys in the remotest part of the towns and villages. For countries like India it is still a far cry for economic reasons. One can foresee how this invention has already forced the coming generations to look up. We know of poets and writers like T.S.Eliot or Bernard Shaw who used to think with their typewriters. Now, does it seem very strange that in near future they have to do this with their computer sets?
The video-games for children are a very recent taste. It is delightful to watch them handling these as experts in the game. In fact all these are oriented towards a new feature.
The merits of the invention are too great for anybody to belittle it. But the question arises: what in distinct future shall be role and contributions of human limbs to the growth of its total personality. Will they become crippled through slow degeneration and disuse?
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Parents and teachers teach children always to speak the truth .
I agree that it is wrong to tutor children to tell truth. There is an English proverb that one example is far better than hundred precepts. Children are in general very intelligent. They have a great power of observation and their feelings are deep rooted. Only they cannot express it. They always observe their parents at home and their teachers in school.
The method of teaching morals to children is universal. The guardians think that it is their prime duty to do so. In fact our social set-up encourages this practice. If a child misbehaves or tells lies, people blame the parents for not teaching proper behaviour or telling truth. The teacher is blamed similarly.
Children take to lies for their personal gains. They are essentially clever and try to get what they want by foul means or fair. They will steal and say that they have not. To teach them that stealing or lying is bad will be lost labour. It is an unrealistic approach.
Moral lessons are generally hard to swallow for even grown-up persons, let alone children.
Hypocrisy is a kind of self-cheating and false behaviour. It a thief preaches against stealing or if a liar lectures on truth it is hypocrisy. Thus examples of honesty and truthfulness are more effective than precepts or moral preaching. Children are very sensitive. They fast copy their elders. Naturally a healthy and truthful environment is more helpful in training them. It is generally observed that the children that live in mean dwellings pick up the habit of lying and abusing in filthy languages. They lack manners. Even some children of cultured and refined families behave like this if they mix too much with dirty and bad children.
A child observes his elders to be truthful and honest. He shall imbibe some of their virtues, if not all. In schools the text books ought to be based on allegorical stories. Mere platform lecture by teachers on the value of truth and honesty would bear no fruit.
These days the government plans the texts of the children on these principles. In history, characters of great heroes, social reformers and prophets of truth are painted through colourful stories. These directly influence the personality of a child; they readily condemn the evil doers and the liars. They follow such allegories or parables as facts and believe them readily. Naturally, the values on which these stories are based strike root in their tender and sensitive minds. Like a tender seedling that grows if it finds good soil, the minds of children get a solid base.
Wordsworth believed that human civilization corrupts the soul of children. He was a very sensitive child of nature. In a famous poem he complained that it is a tragedy that whenever a child is born, his parents sit with a chart to chalk out his line of progress. It is indeed a suicidal method. Such rigid methods often destroy the soft and valuable asserts or virtues that lie hidden in a child. It is indeed a hypocritical process. To train a child through teaching moral lessons is not only unproductive, it is counter-productive. It may produce in him a disregard for such values as his mind is not willing to accept it at this stage.
The process of learning for a child is not magical. It calls for much caution and observation from his/her guardians.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A closely contested soccer match in a packed stadium .
Football is the most popular and perhaps one of the oldest games in our country. Its duration of ninety minutes remains packed with excitement. Perhaps no other game involves the fans so intensely. In recent times cricket has become equally or even more popular, but here the show element is more at play in ordinary matches.
The situation of a closely contested soccer match in a packed stadium is a very common sight. In Kolkata the match between Mohan Bagan and East Bengal is generally of the character. It is an age-old rivalry and its fans are sharply divided in their support. The supporters of the two teams are always at daggers drawn, though not the players. Often a good player of one team joins the other team and one seldom notices any feeling of malice prevailing between them. But their supporters sometimes become dangerous it a fan of the opposite side praises his team. Here the game is not judged purely on its merit. Here Personal feeling and sentiment of the onlooker counts for more.
But what shall the game look like if such personal feelings do not affect the judgement? If the match is closely contested the ball shall swing from pole to pole. It will generate a rising sensation. Each time a team succeeds there shall be applause. This impartial applause shall encourage both the teams and the tempo of the match rise with every goal.
In a sensational one-day cricket match also there is excitement with every ball bowled and with every run scored. But the excitement is interrupted between over or intervals. But in a soccer match it is a sustained affair. The fate of the team swings in the balance almost every moment. There is almost no break except for the half-time. The crowd becomes involved in the game for the entire gamut of the game.
These days the victories are celebrated through fire-works and crackers. Banners are displayed are displayed to acclaim individual players. Sometimes people cross the fence, even if a goal by their favourite team is given as wrong by the referee. In fact, the people remain so tense during the brief period; they often forget to behave like sportsmen.
In view of these risks the authorities tighten the reins of control during such matches. Sometimes in a tense match between two favourite teams the crowd becomes violent. And they become unhappy with the decision. To an observer it seems as if for them the match is their life’s stake. Sometimes even bets are entered into and the match remains a hot topic in trams and buses as the people return home.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A relief workers for earthquake victims .
The severe tremor shook us at early dawn. When I woke up I felt a strange sensation. There was an unusual silence, a queer quiescence in nature. There was no noise or activity of the birds. The earthquake came with a fearful subterranean underground sound. Under the feet the earth shook in frenzy and it seemed as if several high power turbines were running underground. The door latches, so simple in operation, got locked due to the tremor and would not open. The roof of an old building where a musical programme had been held last night collapsed causing many deaths. In some places the roads were cracked.
As a member of the relief team I toured widely. The places that were further from the epicentre were more severely damaged, especially in the villages. Many schools and government dispensaries were affected. In a Sadar hospital the earthquake caused a panic. Some patients with minor bone fractures fell that a victim to falling beams as they tried to run out of the main block in panic. The loss of life was not much as it was dawn. The people were mostly out of their beds. Had it been midnight the loss would have been much greater. Apart from this many railway tracks were damaged. The villages suffered more heavily as they lost much of their livestock. The cattle tied to poles in their sheds suffered bone injuries as their roofs collapsed at places.
The main problem for us was communication as the railroads were damaged and the telephone poles had fallen. We were provided with jeeps and first-aid teams that worked under us. There were others problems too, especially the purchase committee. It had to be formed with honest workers.
Firstly we managed to convert the schools into temporary hospitals at places. We began to receive monetary aids as well aids of clothing, mosquito nets and others necessary articles. The district authorities required the services of some capable teachers who were known for their loyal and honest service. Many of my colleagues were, thus, included in various relief committees. I was empowered by our D.M. to have direct contact with him, whereas others had to work within limited range.
We set up several distribution centres for giving relief materials to the affected persons. I disliked one such centre that was fixed to the house of a local advocate. He was shrewd and influential, but basically dishonest. I knew a lot about his misdeeds when he was the chairman of a consumers’ cooperative. He had a strong lobby and ascendancy. But I secretly confided the DM about his shady character. The result was that the DM struck off his name by virtue of his overriding power.
Different centres for medical help, food, clothing was set up. We had to work round the clock in turn and our boys were of great help in the matter. Thus more than a month was spent to instill confidence in the victims. But gradually things began to look up. I personally took the initiative in raising a fund for the families of the poor and affected victims. In this my colleagues joined hands with me because the spectacle of those ruined families was too miserable to see. Naturally the milk of human kindness induced them to come out of their selfish feelings and contribute their mite.
9 years ago
sarala created new article How to clean glass items in kitchen.
Separate the glass items in 2 categories, one of the items which are very delicate and the second with the strong items. Try to clean them with your hands very carefully. If you clean them with soapy water, then there may be a chance of slipping them from your hand. So it’s better to use soft foam or brush.
• While cleaning them it is suggested to use hot water. As hot water removes the bacteria from the glass items. Especially the grease and stickiness which will go very easily. If you use detergent to clean them, then they will shine as well.
• Due to the use of hot water, the stickiness of soaps and detergents won’t last for more time. To clean glass items never prefer using thicker cleaners. Because the shining of the glass will become dull. You can use vinegar, lemon, cooking soda to clean them. A pinch of each is enough to mix with soap or detergent and clean the glass stuff.
• White vinegar is an acetic acid. So this can be used to clean anything in the house. Just 2 drops of it on a soft cotton cloth and wipe the glass items and wash them immediately. The glass items will get a new look.
• Similarly, we can clean glass items in 2 methods using cooking soda. Fill a tub with cold water and then sprinkle cooking soda in it and then place glass items in the water. Therefore, by using a soft brush you have to rub them and clean them.
• By dipping glass items in hot water and later rubbing those with lemon slice, so that the stains and dirt which accumulated on them will go very easily. Moreover the smells of food items and juices also will go away.
• We can even clean glass items using tooth paste also.
• If you are cleaning glassware in the sink then don’t clean them directly placing in the sink. It’s better you place a tub and then start cleaning.
9 years ago
sarala created new article Amazing Health Benefits of Walking for Pregnant Women.
If a woman missed her periods more than 15 days, it means her pregnancy has started. Actually, pregnancy has 3 trimesters. These 3 trimesters will be different from each other. The occurrence of changes in trimesters completely depends upon the growth of the baby in the mother’s stomach.
Pregnancy is a very important phase in women’s life so she should be very careful during this period. The pregnant women must be strong physically and even psychologically. They need to take doctors’ suggestions to be physically happy and even should follow the diet suggested by health expert. For physical fitness doctors insist few physical movements and activities. Among those, walking is very easy and safe to practice.
Practicing walking can give pregnant women better sleep and reduce their stress levels. This will help the pregnant women in delivery and to get recovery soon.Compare to the other pregnancy exercise walking is the best. It is very easy to practice. Walking does not need any instructions, instruments and machines.
During pregnancy, walking has many health benefits. Let us discuss those health benefits.
Reduce stress:
During pregnancy every woman’s mood gets changed. At that time, they faced depression and stress. So, walking during this period produces endorphins in the brain. These enzymes create good mood. So pregnant women should walk to be in good moods and reduce stress.
Constipation:
If pregnant women walk daily then they can relieve from constipation problems. During pregnancy if you keep your body active then bowels also will be active. By having 15 to 20 minutes walk you can have a cleaner bowels and can treat constipation problem.
Reduces tiredness:
Many of the women during pregnancy period feel tiresome. Especially first and third trimester. In these trimesters, it is good to take some rest. But taking more rest also causes some problems. Walking will improve their energy levels and restore them.
Controls Blood Pressure:
During pregnancy blood pressure increases in women. Due to high blood pressure, it leads to pre-eclampsia. By walking you can keep blood pressure in control. This is the best benefits caused by walking during pregnancy.
Flexibility:
Walking increases body flexibility during pregnancy and hip muscles get stronger. Therefore, delivery gets easy and fast. Reduces pain. This is a health benefit of walking during pregnancy.
Better sleep:
Having brisk or leisure walk for half an hour, pregnant women can have better sleep. It reduces sleeping problems during pregnancy.
Maintains body weight:
Due to regular walk, pregnant women can control their weight. Slowly, the baby weight also comes under control. Due to walking there will be more chances for normal delivery. So walking has more importance during pregnancy.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Chandela's, Khujaraho Temples and Glory of Hinduism.
A few weeks back I had asked a young student of a public school whether he knew who the Chandela's were. He had expressed his ignorance, though he was well aware of the Kutab Minar, Kutabdin Aibek and Mohammed of Ghazni. This ignorance of Indian history is not surprising as the policy of the Congress party has always been to negate the contribution of Hindus to the composite Indian culture. Thus history text books talk more of Mughals and others than about the Hindu warriors and rulers. For an assessment of the Indian Hindu kings one has perforce to read the English historians.
The temples of Khujaraho are temples embellished with erotic images of men and women in group and single sex. These temples were built by the Chandelas, who were powerful Rajput rulers of Central India, an area known as Bundlekhand. They held sway over this region from about the 9th to the 13th century. They were powerful rulers and they also repulsed the attack of Mahommed of Ghazni. In fact Mahommed of Ghazni, shrewd soldier as he was avoided a direct combat with the Chandela king popularly known as Raja Bhoj. The initial capital of the Chandela kings was Khujaraho and they carried out all their constructions here.
The Chandela kings built about 85 temples dedicated to Hindu and Jain gods. After the dynasty ceased to rule the temples went into disuse, known only to the locals. These men kept the temple location a secret as they feared that they would be destroyed by the Muslims , who had at that time become the rulers of India. This fear was justified, for I have seen a similar carnage by Mohammed of Ghazni at the temple at Chouthan, close to Barmer in Rajasthan. The Chouthan temple is on a hill and at one time had lovely figures of nude men and women. It appears Mohammed was offended and broke each and every sculpture. The broken images can still be seen today.
What to talk of Mohammed of Ghazni, the Indian national leader Mahatma Gandhi also wanted these images to be destroyed. This now appears silly and shows that Gandhi was basically a politician and self styled Mahatma. He had no comprehension of art.
The temples remained in oblivion, till the British Raj came. There is a mention of these temples in the writings of Ibn Battuta who reportedly visited the place in 1322 and Abu al Riham Baruni who visited this place in 1022. One can thus surmise that these temples took over 200 years to be built. The temples over centuries went into decay, till they were discovered by a British engineer named TS Burt. He was an Army engineering officer. India must forever remain indebted to Burt for this discovery and his subsequent efforts to salvage the temples. For the record about 24 of the original temples were restored and today are part of the Indian glorious heritage. It is also a world heritage site as declared by UNESCO.
The temples are unique as they represent the earthy nature of man and woman and also lend credence to the tantric concept of a sexual union as a path to Moksha or salvation. This is something that is not easy to understand and I am afraid 80% of the Indian Hindus, do not know the significance of these figures carved in stone depicting men and women in single and multiple sexual unions. Many still like to think like Gandhi, who abhorred them, but enlightened Indians and most western men and women are understanding the deep philosophy of these temple images. The images represent the Gods and the Hindu philosophy that sex and god are almost together. The western world is now realising the true significance of Hinduism.
A description of the temples can be found in any book and many images are available on the net. What we will discuss here is the deep philosophy that these images contain. Hinduism is beaten with a rod for its ills of caste and untouchability among other things. However these are superficial things and they served a purpose at that time. The fault is that they were persisted with. Even in the west there was a caste as the names Smith, Carpenter signify. The west got over it, but vested interests led by the Congress party institutionalized it. There is a need for the people to learn about the deep philosophy that Hinduism brings forth. Here is a religion that shows a road to God through many paths. Hinduism also accepts an all-mighty and the other devas and gods are only ancillary to the one and only super mighty being, the Akal.
Hinduism realized the nature of man and the inherent energy hidden in a sex act. If channelized, it can work wonders and I do recollect when I was at the Ashram of Swami Shraddanand, he had mentioned that through the sex act one can even learn about the past birth. This is tantra the age old Hindu concept of reaching god through a union between a man and a woman. So many Indians denigrate this thought. This is sad as there is a lot of truth in it and I am told many western men and women are now deeply influenced by tantra.
The temples at Khujaraho are a delight and for the serious student and a lover these are worth visiting, The Chandela kings thought that these acts of sex brought a man and a woman closer to god, hence the carvings are on the temple walls. There are thousands of them and the women are all buxom and nude, wearing only ornaments. They took hundreds of years to carve under guidance of a man with a lot of knowledge. Let us thank god that these temples have survived for a thousand years. Let us also thank the British TS Burt who saved these temples. Come to think of it , India owes a lot to English rule and one shudders to think ,what would have happened if Pax Brittanica had not ruled India. This is the refrain of Nirad C Choudhry the most celebrated of Indian English writers.
Visiting Khujaraho is easy as it is connected by air to Delhi and Varanasi and Patna. I wonder why no city of MP is connected to Khujaraho? This is another mystery !
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Embarrassing experience of my life .
An embarrassing situation is one where a man is in a fix. He is not in a position to control it. One such situation is narrated here.
I was coming home to attend my sister’s marriage. I had missed many marriages since I remained outside in different state. This time I had to make time as she was my only sister and my father’s letter had made it clear that it was mandatory to attend. I had covered almost the whole distance except the last leg the journey. As usual the trains in the North Bihar were crowded. Over and above, it was the marriage season.
Piyush, my IIT friend, joined me in Delhi. We made a dash for a first class compartment and managed to have two seats. Among others there was one passenger who endeavored to make the distinguished. He was of short height but self-conscious. He behaved as if the whole compartment belonged to him. The young chap with him served him like a page-boy. We learnt that the train would take some time to start. At my friend’s suggestion we took a stroll on the platform and bought a packet of cigarettes. One railway staff saluted the man which made it clear that he was some important officer.
The others in the compartment too, observed a respectful distance with this man. Piyush, however, disliked this behaviour. He told me that thus we demean our own selves. This is the direct evil effect of the British rule. Whoever pretends to be like an Englishman becomes an object of admiration for us?
We entered the compartment and took our seats. We lit up two cigarettes and were sitting just opposite to the man. Piyush noticed that the man had removed my airbag from its position and put his fibre suitcase. He promptly brought down the man’s bag and put mine there. The man asked his chap to throw out my bag. But Piyush was tall and too strong built and prevented the boy. The man abused us in English and we retorted. The train was in motion. Piyush taunted him for his stupid imitation of British manners. The man told that angry young men like him are the nation’s curse.
The situation was coming to a head. In the next station the man complained to the railway police against us. Because he was a big officer the police decided one-sided to remove our luggage, I resisted and Piyush, in a fit of anger, lifted the man off the earth and posed to throw him into the platform.
It made matters worse. The police got positive proof of our misconduct. I realized that there was no other way but to withdraw. I took the officer aside and requested him to be lenient as we were going home to attend my sister’s marriage after a long time. We changed into a different compartment. Piyush fretted and fumed like a hungry lion.
It was the marriage day. Piyush and I were allotted one separate room in our fairly big mansion. After completing the formalities of bowing before seniors I took Piyush to be introduced to my sister. A small boy interrupted our chat and said that we were to present ourselves to be introduced to the eldest son-in-law of my family. I had long been out and little knew who was who. Many guests were pouring in and were getting lost in the big household of our joint family.
We entered the room of the guest. My father told us that Sanjay was in the bathroom. He said that he was eager to see me, as I was a blue-eyed boy of the establishment for my brilliant record and career. Father began to ask Piyush about his life in IIT and other matters.
In the midst of these the guest came out. His head was down and covered as he was mopping it with his napkin. We both stood up. My father drew his attention towards us. As he revealed his face we were totally unnerved to discover that he was none other than the little man whom Piyush had lifted to throw out. We remained there stock-still for quite some time as father performed his introduction formality. We even forgot that we should bow to him. How could we, we were his sworn opponents, if he discloses? Piyush felt it would be even worse than the police lockup. To throw out the eldest son-in-law, and the culprit none but a friend of his brother-in-law!
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Social injustice .
I heard and read the expression ‘social justice’ when I was in my school days. It was often mentioned in my civics book. But it was only part of a compulsory lesson; it made no sense to me. Lower caste, upper caste, economic equality and social injustice were dead counters to me. I played with the children of our servants, sometimes shared with them the stolen guavas of an orchard.
A little later, when I joined the college, the term became somewhat clear. Although of middle class origin, my father managed to admit me to a good government college of north Bihar. There for the first time I learnt what casteism is.
In the election of office bearers in the hostel the votes were divided according to caste. I personally felt no difference, but the others were very rigid. This was visible in a more violent form in the college elections. The Bhumihars were dead opposed to the Yadvas and the Brahmins to the Shudras. I had an intimate friend who was Paswan by title as well as caste. He was poor by living and dress. But I loved and liked him because he was very sharp in mathematics, which was my weak point. Once, one of my friends abused me for mixing with him and for sharing food with him. At first the point was not clear to me, but gradually I realized the matter.
Some of the lower caste boys were in worse condition. Their parents were not wealthy, and they were looked down upon by the upper caste boys. Even in the class this lower and upper distinction was noticeable. The professor in charge of the ‘poor boys fund’ was a Brahmin. In the list of students that were given grants out of the fund, the name of my poor friend did not appear. Among those who received grants there were some who were meritorious but not poor. This struck me for the first time as an instance of social injustice. He had scanty clothing and often borrowed books from me. It was clear to me that the Brahmin professor at the head of the committee had organized a lobby. Only those who were influential among the backwards reaped something from the fund.
Among the remedies, the first is to man all posts with men of character and impartial outlook. He must, necessarily, belong to some caste or the other. But such petty considerations can never influence a man of strong character. Such persons are obviously less in a society, but ten healthy potatoes command greater strength and nourishment than hundred rotten eggs. Secondly, the curse of poverty has to be removed. The contempt for poor that is affecting the health of the nation like a virus shall automatically disappear if their poverty is removed. This is one of the basic theories of Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi.
It goes without saying that the rich and poor are man-made distinctions. To treat the poor as ignorant and fool is silly. Even the poorest of the poor is sometimes much more meritorious than the rich and the privileged. Even the most crippling poverty could not check the progress of men like Vidyasagar and Rajendra Prasad. Talents are not the exclusive privilege of a particular community. Naturally we ought to see that more and more opportunities for learning are given to men at large.
These alone can cure our society of its deep rooted evils. A politics that is dominated by money can never cure social injustice, for money breeds corruption. Money unites the corrupt elements in a country across caste lines. Therefore a person that holds the stings of the country’s purse must be chosen with absolute care. Otherwise we shall bury our nation’s fate under the burden of democratic theories. Remedy shall be worse than the disease.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article The Burkha or the Hijab: Mark of Identity or Subjugation?.
Islam is the world's fastest growing religion and hundreds are converting every day to this faith all over the world. Islam is supposed to be a monotheist religion that talks of one god. It is also supposed to be a classless religion, though Islam also has a number of sects, who are in perpetual war with each other. One of the distinctive symbols of Islam is the Burkha, which is worn by Islamic women. It is not mandatory to wear the Burkha, but generally Muslim clergy and true believers will exhort their women to wear the Burkha.
I will now write on a personal experience before writing further. When I was posted in Mumbai as a YO( Young Officer), I once while riding on my Enfield felt an excruciating pain in my tooth. I parked the bike on Mohemadali Road and looked around. By luck, I saw a small board of a dentist. I decided to go inside and was surprised that the dentist was a young girl. The board outside conveyed that she was Muslim. She treated me and called me again for another session. She charged Rs 40 for her labor.
This was the begining and I once asked her if you would like a date for a lunch at the US Club in Colaba. After a moments hesitation she consented. She was a modern girl and her mind was uncluttered with dogma. I often took her to the US Club and she also expressed a desire to learn to swim. I got her enrolled in the swimming group for beginners on my name. She looked wonderful in a swim suit, which I picked as a gift for her from me from Warden Road, the elite shopping area of Bombay.
Our relationship blossemed, but there was always a nagging fear of the future as the girl was Muslim and the exhortions of my mother always rang in my ears. She used to say to me no BMW,which reality meant " No Black, No Muslim and no Working Nurse". One day after a swim, we proceeded to Leopold Cafe in Colaba for a Biryani. She excused and went away and came back with a burkha. I was surprised and I asked her why she had worn a burkha, as she was a liberated woman who often donned the swim suit? She repolied that sometimes she wanted to wear it as a mark of identity. This surprised me that an educated and modern girl wanted wear a Burkha as a mark of identity. We drifted apart as she mentioned in one of our private chats that God is one and what harm is there if I also follow Islam. I was not ready to follow Islam and now all that is left are memories of some sweet kisses on the ramparts of the sea wall at the annexe of the US club.
The fact is many Muslim girls and Women wear the Burkha out of conviction. But in many nations it is enforced like in Saudi Arabia. Over many centuries nobody paid attention to the Burkha and it was accepted as something integral to Islam. But times changed and a resurgent Islam emerged in the 20th century. The leadership of this religion went into the hands of the Wahhabi group, who believed in a pristine Islam and return back to the days of the Caliphate, when Islam was the centre of knowledge and arts. This has sown the seeds of conflict with non Muslim nations. Suddenly nations and people have started taking note of the Burkha. This black dress like a cape covers a woman's body and is usually black in color..
Europe and in particular France saw it as a mark of subjugation of the Muslim woman and set the ball rolling by banning it. The French president supported the ban and Muslim women were banned from wearing it in public places. It is important to note that Muslim clergy in France supported the ban. There is no doubt that the Islamic religious scriptures do not mention anything about the Burkha. I am not aware that even the Hadiths mention anthing about the Burkha. All the scriptures say is that a woman must dress soberly. The Burkha is a much later development, but now the Wahhabi leadership enforces it. There have been cases even in India where woman are forced to wear this dress. I do recollect reading that a woman was killed by her lover in Bhopal for not wearing the Burkha.
The situation has now become volatile and for non-Muslims a Burkha is the negation of human values. Talking of me personally, i am indifferent to it. Yet i will be telling a lie if I don't state that a Burkha on a woman of beauty is a great allure. It creates a mystery and for a man of imagination sitting with a lovely woman can bring forth lewd thoughts of what could she be wearing under her cloak. This mystery is alluded to in some lovely poems as well.
The Burkha has now become a political tool. Not many are bothered about emancipation of the Muslim woman. In case this was the aim Muslim personal law would be refined. Yet the Sharia is followed in all Muslim nations. The one non Muslim nation allowing the Sharia to flourish in personal law is India. The Indian social and political leadership must explain this, as no non Muslim nation from China to America allows Muslims to practice and follow Sharia. Many non Muslim nations have banned wearing of Burkha. Among them are China and Europe. China has gone a step forward and also banned fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, on the grounds that it is detrimental to health of Muslims, particularly children.
The Burkha has now become a symbol of Islam. A simple dress has become a tool of identity as well as supression. There can be no doubt that many do not want to wear it, yet many wear it as a mark of identity. It cannot be wished away
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Leisure time.
Leisure time may be a problem with some but it is not so with me. I read in a book that Churchill painted during leisure hours. I feel attracted when I see some interesting handicraft piece anywhere. I feel curious to know how it was done.
Daily routine of studies and household duties often bore me. My mind looks for some diversion. Since my childhood I have seen my mother create various designs with her needle. Although my mother said those designs were too difficult for my age, yet I felt tempted to try the handicrafts done by girls of my age.
Once my father was charmed to see a TV cover I made. Since then he has been alert and prompt. He never refuses me money when I ask for fabric paint. Thus I devote my leisure time in pursuing these art and crafts. I have made several doormats from choirs of different colours. I made a pen-pencil stand for my father by rolling colourful calendar pages and cutting them into sizes. Once I saw my elder sister paint some art on a gramophone record. At one time gramophone records were popular and my parents bought their favourite songs. But now these are out of use and the records lie piled up in our corner. I also paint on them. Thus I fill up my leisure hours with such activities. I love cricket and follow the career of great cricketers. I have inherited this passion from my father and uncle. They were great cricket fans. It has, now becomes my hobby to get paper and magazine cuttings of photographs and news scoops concerning cricket.
Some of my friends make fun of me for my habits. They say that it is idle and useless. But I know that such practices during leisure hours are rewarding. The mind becomes tired with compulsory duties. These duties are generally devoid of pleasure as they put pressure on the mind. They are necessary because they discipline our mind. But it is with the mind as it is with the body. A tired body doing compulsory physical labour wants entertainment. So does the mind. These little activities bring nourishment to the mind. It is done with pleasure and profit.
Leisure time becomes a problem for those who are dull. Some of my friends waste their leisure time sleeping, by gossiping and by doing idle or useless things. They forget that such habits make life dull. There is an English proverb. All work and no play makes jack of a dull boy.
I am, however, lucky to have parents like mine. They do not scold me when I do these things. This practice has stimulated my curiosity. Wherever I go, I look out for curios. Once from a museum, I copied one art that I felt to be beautiful. My father had gifted me with a cut-piece set. As soon as I saw that craft in the museum I felt attracted. I sat with the gifted set. In course of handling those cut pieces I suddenly felt that what I was making was becoming similar to the museum piece. It was an old model of a car. My mind made up an image of that antique car and after several trials, it was done. When I showed it to my father, he was delighted. I felt he was proud for me.
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article A boy from outer space knocking my door.
It was pre-dawn hours. I was in deep slumber as I had kept up late hours at night. I woke up to a knock and started to see a boy between fourteen and sixteen seeking admission. I did not know him. He told that his name was Rakesh and he came from outer space.
His introduction thrilled me. At such an hour, tranquil and clam, I least expected a caller!
After a moment of dazed wonder, I let him in. I narrate what he told me of his life in outer space.
He lives in space and his little world hangs in it as this earth. It consists of a small group of families who live a compact life of harmony and accord. Over the years, they have grown plants and crops. But their ancestors had to struggle much as the ground conditions of their world were very rough and savage. His ancestors used to speak of this earth which is vaster and heavily populated, but he was the first person to visit it.
The boy looked wild and untamed like the Homo sapiens. He was much taller for his age and his limbs were like those of a wrestler and shaggy. But his eyes were innocent and searching. He said that they live in the caves, till their own lands and live on bartering of corns and foods. They fight like ferocious animals in personal matters. But when some enemy from another planet attacks they unite like brothers. He said that he was surprised to see that here men take away truck-load of goods, but pay nothing but a few colourful paper slips. In their world a commodity is exchanged for another commodity. The value of commodity depends on its utility and national stock.
At night they observe the shooting stars. When the sky is clear they view the earth that looks splendid. The waters around her at first amazed them as some liquid wrapper that is wound round her. But later they learnt the actual fact. His great grandfather and those before had no language of communication. They used symbols and spoke through meaningful gestures.
He was amazed to see our vehicles that emitted smoke. He said at first he felt choked as he entered the earth’s atmosphere. In the course of our conversation he told that they had no allopathic doctors. They had a health-expert almost in each family on the average. Therefore their knowledge of the herbs was very sound. It had come to them from their ancestors as a family wisdom.
Suddenly he became restive. The conversation lasted hardly for half-an-hour. He got up and ignoring my requests to stay further, slipped out even before the birds woke up!
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Medieval Poem " Song of Songs" is in Reality a Poetry of Sex.
Introduction
Poetry many a time gives a gloss to sex. A veneer that hides the real meaning. This was more so in the medieval age when sex was not so open as today, particularly in Europe which with the advent of Christianity was caged in a wall of puritanism. Ancient India was way ahead and what America is today, India was miles ahead at that age. India appreciated art and sex and enmeshed them together. It was not so in Europe and during the medieval age a poem titled " Song of Songs" was written. Theoretically this poem refers to the love between God and the soul. Poems in that period had to bring in God, so that the church did not come down heavily on the poet. This poem expresses love between the soul and God. It gives an analogy of this love like between the love of a bride and bridegroom. The poem eulogises the love of the soul and God and compares it to the most intimate moments of carnal love between a bride and a bridegroom on the nuptial night.
The composer of this poem was Barnard of Clairvaux. Who was he? He was a French Abbot and a reformer of the Cistercian order. Barnard wrote this poem in an inspirational mood and today it is a poem that draws the greatest attention for the latent meaning of love. Barnard could not finish his work and died just when he was beginning the 3rd chapter. Never the less the poem arouses great expectation and is considered a work of art.
The Song and Lusty Sex
The song created ripples in the art world in the 19th and 20th century when the renaissance movement of reality was ushered in. People began to read it as a lusty celebration of human carnal desire. There are hints and clues and reading the poem will bring a reader to the depth of the soul. The poem alludes to the sex acts of the Shulammite women with Solomon. By Shulammite, the writer refers to the women of Jerusalem and the acts of pleasure with Solomon who was the ruler.I may point out that this was the period of the orgy and the Pagan dance made immortal in the movie "Solomon and Sheba".
The poem or song presents carnal intercourse as a mystery, as well as a obsession. In modern times the mystery has gone, but the obsession has remained. Now all are aware that sex is a clash of bodies and exchange of fluids. There is no magic in it, but the song presents this as a mystery. It represents the mood at that time which was puritan.
All said and done the song is however an exponent of lusty sex, albeit hidden in the love of God for the soul of man. Probably if this song were written today, like the poetry of Iris Murdoch the verses would have been more open and god may perhaps not have figured.
The song is great literature and it also teaches a lot. If I may add this song is the essence of erotic literature. The message of the song is that the body when in the act of love is all powerful and the centre of everything. The song brings out the power of a physical union as Solomon who is the lover throws away everything in the world to just love his bride. The poem says that Solomon loves deeply and he discovers and gets a glorious insight into the soul inside his bride. This theme is the beauty of the song and gives the song an eternal look and feel. As per the poet the strength of love (physical) is greater than the forces of death.
Allusions to God
The poem repeatedly brings in God or alludes to him. These verses are certainly not for the puritan for God in his wisdom invites his beloved to the "house of wine". All around are forests, orchards and figures in temples. What a lovely scenario. One is almost reminded of the Indian temples of Khujaraho, with nude carvings in the most explicit depictions. Wine adds impetus to the act of carnal knowledge and God is pleased. The poem brings out the power of carnal knowledge disguised as a reference to god.
The song brings out the fact that sex is something deeper and in that respect Christianity was way behind Hindu tantra and philosophy, which accepted sex as a path to salvation or moksha. The puritan church in Europe would not allow it and so we have this charade of love of god for the soul. The song is a great way to have a fantasy and reading it with a beloved with a glass of wine is an afternoon well spent.
Last Word
The poem is also a great study of human nature, of passion and desire. These are the qualities that must be allowed to flower and not suppressed. The song plays a central role in fertilizing the imagination which in the main is sexual in nature. For there is no doubt that a physical union is the greatest way to be liberated and that is where Tantra comes in.
I will close by writing and recommending all to read this song. It is archaic English, but in the company of a girl who understands the language, it can be a great and elevating experience.
9 years ago