Creative Writing

A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

A very old proverb, but an effective one. I have no time, I wish I had more time, can you give me few more days, oh! How time flies, I promise to finish this by tomorrow.....numerous excuses, but do they help us? I don’t think so. Nothing better than finishing our work on right time because timely action always prevents great loss. This is what this phrase by Thomas Fuller is all about." Never leave that till tomorrow, which you can do today."

Negligence, imperfection, faults, carelessness are normal human tendencies. Most of us have the habit of delaying things. We tend to forget that, if we keep on delaying and pushing our work, the work gets piled up. Be it home or office, school or college, everywhere the same rule works. This in turn creates more problem as we are unable to handle them. The writer has very efficiently used the example of one stitch, which if timely done, saves us the time, trouble and expense of nine stitches. This is not limited only to stitching, but this proverb covers every aspect and every sphere of our life. Nowadays postponing our work has become a very usual thing for us. Although it causes dissatisfaction and agitation, but still we tend to do so.

Every action done at the right time saves not only time and money, but also many other things like misunderstandings, conflicts and even relationships. Every step that we take in our life matters. I think we all have had such experiences in life. The most common mistake that we tend to do is, neglecting our health. Most often it is seen that what could be healed in one day, takes weeks, only because of our indifference. What could be cured by ordinary medicines needs costly drugs. Not only does it harm our body, but it creates a big dent in our pockets. Apart from that the other family members are also harassed. We all are aware of the proverb "prevention is better than cure".

 Sometimes a small word like "thank you" or "sorry", if not said at the right time can create problems. These words show your concern for others. Relationships thrive on these word. Sometimes a small call or a small letter, but on time, can create magic and vice versa. "Shun delays: they breed remorse". Sometimes we see that our lives are at stake when we don't react immediately. Everyday lots of accidents takes place on our roads. Many people die, not because of these accidents, but only because nobody took action at the right time. Mostly it is heard that, "had you come a bit earlier, we could have saved him". Time is precious or............ is it priceless! We should respect time. Napoleon Hill has rightly said "time is valuable, and when it is gone it is gone. Time is wealth, and unlike money, when it is gone, you cannot replace it".

This proverb encourages timely effort to solve problems and complications   and is a stimulant for the idle. Small mistakes and little carelessness makes things unmanageable. Sometimes we are scared and we dread the problems and keep on neglecting them, but we forget that in doing so we are piling them up and in due course they will boomerang with greater force. Maybe then it is too late. "Time and tide wait for none".

According to me the partitioning of India and Pakistan is another example of sheer negligence. If the differences created were handled and sorted out at the right time, things would not go out of control. Every minor issue should be taken care without delay to avoid making it a major one.

 Michael Altschuler has rightly said "The bad news is time flies. The good news is you are the pilot." Handle time carefully, respect it, value it and you will be successful.

Adult Education In India

HENRY FORD has rightly said," Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning is young."

I think not only me, but all of you will agree to this. Learning is a continuous process. At every stage of our life we experience and learn new things. Getting education and gaining knowledge is key to our success. It is our fundamental right and it is a necessity and no one should be deprived of it. Knowledge enlightens us and illiteracy takes us towards darkness. Illiteracy is a social evil and it hinders our progress, growth and development and it begets ignorance, which in turn causes sufferings.

In our country illiteracy is a big problem and I consider it as a social evil. It needs to be uprooted in order to make India economically prosperous, healthy, free from violence and a very strong nation.  

To understand what adult education is all about, we should know in the first place what educated means. In order to be considered educated, a person should know to read, write and should know arithmetic. It is a national shame for us that 60% of our population is illiterate and we also contribute to 35% of the world's illiterates. Nowadays, a lot of underprivileged children get the opportunity to study and some of them even make it big. But there are many grown-ups who never got the opportunity to study and learn. In order to get them educated, the government of India had started this drive against illiteracy. Any adult, who is 18 years and above and uneducated, can participate and benefit from these programmes. In our country we can see uneducated people not only in villages, but also in big cities. There is a huge disparity between the rich and poor, educated and uneducated which needs to be eradicated.

In spite of governments endeavour to promote adult education, I think we have yet lots to achieve. But at least we can be happy that it has begun and many people, although not 100% have benefited from these programmes. Confucius has rightly quoted "it does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop". In a place like India where there are lots of social and cultural issues it is not easy to incorporate and implement ideas and bring about changes radically. Adults especially women are shy and hesitant. Girls are restricted from learning which I think is the biggest blunder made in our society. According to Brigham Young "you educate a man; you educate a man & you educate a woman you educate a generation" .

Apart from this, adults unlike children are the bread earners in the family. Children can dedicate their full time to studies, but adults can't. They have many other worries in life. You cannot teach an adult right from the beginning. In order to cope up with this problem the government has developed many programmes so that the people can get educated according to their needs. For ex a farmer is taught how to improve his yield, women are taught hand work which they can choose according to their interest. Students from big cities can participate in educating the underprivileged and poor. In order to arouse interest for studies different mediums like TV, videos, films, radios, demonstrations, dramas, charts, exhibitions and field trips can be organised. People tend to remember more when they see, than when they read. Discussions can also be used as a medium to educate. These might seem to be very costly, but when it comes to our countries progress everything should be acceptable. Walter Cronkite's quote "whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to that of an ignorant nation".

According to me there is a big task ahead, but we should be positive as the countdown has already begun. "We can and we will" should be our slogan. This task might not be as easy as cutting our forests (as we have been doing), but it is also not as difficult as irrigating our deserts.

Are Advertisements A Nuisance

Advertisements "A judicious mixture of flattery and threats."

- Stephan Leacock

Today it is your parents anniversary or your best friends or maybe your spouse's or your child’s birthday. You need to buy a present, but you are confused. You decide to go out and look for a suitable present to grace the occasion. You are strolling through the market and you set your eyes on a beautiful bouquet. You are enticed and attracted by the beauty and the fragrance of the flowers and you are compelled to buy these beautiful flowers. Actually when we observe nature, we see so many things that arouse our instincts and we are overwhelmed by the notion to possess them. In a way, nature uses exotic colours, fragrance, beauty and utility just to seek our attention .I hope you agree too. What do the advertisements do then ......they also try to grab our attention and attract us and believe me they even have the potential to persuade us.

"It is what all advertisements are supposed to do: create an anxiety relievable by purchase." -David Foster Wallace

What are advertisements meant for?  Their sole purpose is to educate us about the products they speak up for. They bring products into the knowledge and notice of the buyers and also for the personal gain of the producer. They are just tools for sharing information. Newspapers, magazines, T.V, radio, internet, brochures, leaflets, hoardings and also calendars are used to endorse products. For customers they are free of charge and many think it as a trick to woo and the customers.

What is wrong in this? Everybody has the right to speak for oneself and if you able to prove yourself, others will speak about you. But you need to take the initiative. Then why is it so that nowadays advertisements are is being regarded as a nuisance by many of us. I think this is debatable.

 As a kid I always loved advertisements. I think like me, many of you will also agree to this. Children love advertisements. They are eye catching and attractive. Then what went wrong. Why do people now find them boring, annoying, deceptive, irrelevant and some even take it as a harassment, torture and wastage of time. To some extent I also find the same. To see the ads in between your favourite shows is very irritating. It becomes unbearable and people have started ignoring them. People think that they are being overloaded with the ads and overdose of anything is not welcome, be it medicines or even food. They cause harm. Apart from that "to possess" has become the hallmark of modernity. The more you see......the more you want........, the more you have...... the more you desire.

In the ad world people should not forget the difference between marketing and publicity. Ads are today persuasive and they try to pressurize people into commercial transactions that might otherwise be easily avoided. Today’s society is driven by consumerism. We have an insatiable thirst, our demands and wants have overshadowed our needs and advertisers use this as a tool to manipulate customers. They play with the emotions of the people and evade our brains through our hearts. False information, manipulation, persuasion have become the order of the day. For me it is surprising to see them first claiming for certain positive results and at the same time putting a disclaimer to avoid legal proceedings in case.....! Brene Brown rightly puts up, "It is in our biology to trust what we see with our eyes. This makes living a carefully edited, overproduced and photo shopped world very dangerous."

Advertisement can be humorous, informative, sensuous or even vulgar. Since they are being catered to a vast number of people at the same time, advertisers should be aware of their limits. Children are the primary victims or targets of these advertisements. They are gullible and they do not know how to differentiate between right and wrong or good or bad and even needs and wants. But is it right on my part to blame only the children. I think we adults also do the same. It would not be right to claim as some people do, to claim ads as a nuisance.We should learn and know where to put full stops and commas. Positivity and negativity are two sides of a coin. One cannot exist without the other. It is our duty, not to get drowned in the well of consumerism. It is very easy to blame others for the mistakes we do. We are solely responsible for our actions. The world is moving very fast and we easily jump into conclusions.  It is a powerful media and as educated humans we should not be easily be influenced and controlled by them, but surely try to benefit from them.

Can The World Have Permanent Peace

"An eye for an eye end up making the whole world blind".

                                                                                              Mahatma Gandhi

World peace...........although millions dream of it, but I doubt, I really do. It is not bad to dream and dreams do, if not always, sometimes come true. But you must dare to dream and so do I. Then why is it so that this dream, which millions dream of, is far away from coming true.

Greed, jealousy, ego, conflict, aggression, delusion has become the order of the day. Everybody wants to rule the other, wants a better life only for himself, never satisfied with his wants and always claim to be superior than the other. Compassion, responsibility and humanitarianism has taken backstage, creating crime, disaster, violence and the outcome is war. "Survival of the fittest" has become the mantra of survival and in order to be the fittest people have started taking short and fallacious steps.

Peace, comfort, security and happiness.......is it too much to ask for! I think every individual has a birth-right to these. A world free of war and conflicts is becoming difficult to attain. Every morning when we switch on our radios or TVs or read newspapers, there is war, fight, killings and murders everywhere. When you go out in the morning you are not sure if you will come back home alive. Sitting in a cafeteria and having a cup of coffee in the morning and getting killed or going to work in the morning being uncertain what lies ahead that day....a bomb blast or maybe a terror attack.......it is indeed too much. Terrorism has become a normal act. Humans killing humans.  I think hardly any other species in this universe does so. Humans very surprisingly claim of being the most superior of all.

Peace today is a desirable thought. But why is it getting so difficult to have peace? I think not only me, but all of us will agree that religion and politics is making world peace unattainable. Politics  is to certain extent acceptable, but religion! Isn't it shocking! Religion, the basis of humanity, is being used by many to kill many. But there are also many, who are trying their level best to help many. The two sides of the coin you see. This is what keep our hopes alive. Peace and love are eternal and beautiful then why is it so that we are losing them to war and hatred.

"It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it". Eleanor Roosevelt

Modern day war is becoming more and more dangerous. Having a nuclear bomb has become necessary for all countries to ensure their security. Albert Einstein thinks "peace cannot be kept by force, t can only be achieved by understanding" so do I and I am sure so do you. War is the only thing according to me, which has only negativities. People use it as a medium to solve problems......or rather create them. A child would also know that this is impossible. Then what is wrong with these war mongers. Children get orphaned, women are widowed, families devastated, women mishandled, economy and progress hamper and cities destroyed. Poverty, hatred, disease, hunger, death......what not. Still the war continues. Apart from that force is being used to suppress these antisocial or anti peace elements, which to some extent is also responsible in making the problem bigger. "You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist". Mahatma Gandhi.

To build something it takes days and days of hard work, but destruction needs few minutes. Sometimes I wonder what God must be thinking when he sees his beautiful creation getting destroyed. People get killed brutally and mercilessly. God must be devastated and when we fight in the name of God he must be shattered. Religion is said to refine us and make us spiritually and also mentally strong, but calm. But people are becoming fanatics in the name of religion. Politics on the other hand has become a puppet in the hands of rich and corrupts, who manipulate it for their personal gains. This also creates turmoil and makes our life difficult.

We all know that "charity begins at home". So it is our duty to begin with our own country. Until and unless we are reformed how can we expect others to be. Nevertheless, organisations like UNO, league of nations, red cross are trying their best to curb war and attain peace and also help the needy. Hope is the need of the hour and it is the one thing that keeps our life going. The light of peace and justice seems to have extinguished and needs to be rekindled. George Clooney has rightly said, “peace is a full time job. It's protecting civilian, overseeing elections and  disarming ex-combatants. Peace, like war, must be waged."  On a very positive note I would like to say that, in this war to attain peace, it the duty of every responsible citizen of this world to participate actively and work towards WORLD PEACE because "the more we sweat in peace, the less we bleed in war." Vijaylaxmi Pandit.

Child Is The Father Of The Man

"When you finally go back to your old home, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood."

                                                                                                                                                                                  Sam Ewing

The word "child" and "childhood" brings out lots of emotions within us.  We are smothered with the sense of warmth, love, affection, attachment and responsibility. Childhood is the shortest, but the sweetest phase of human life. Of course there are exceptions, but it is what we expect it to be.

When one reads this quote written by William Wordsworth for the first time, I am sure he is puzzled. How is it possible? What are the poet's thoughts and what compelled him to think so? And what is he actually trying to convey? But when you take a deeper look you find, how the poet has enhanced the importance of childhood with just  few words. B C Forbes quote  "Upon our children......how they are taught, rests the fate.....or fortune.....of tomorrows world" also intensifies our sense of duty towards our children.

Children bring hope, joy and happiness. They are our future and our dreams. They bring smile on our lips, twinkle in our eyes and lots of faith in our hearts. We believe in them. Henri Frederic Amiel has beautifully brought out the essence of  childhood in his quote, which we all will agree to. "Blessed be childhood, which brings down something of heaven into the midst of our rough earthliness".   With all its charm and beauty, what childhood offers, it still remains the most important years of our lives. These years are the most formative  and absorbing years of our life. A child's mind is like a sponge, which absorbs things easily....good or bad. They learn what they see, they hear and they feel. It is very important for parents to see that good values, healthy attitudes and positive traits are imbibed in the children  as they are the men of tomorrow. They are not only our future, but also an example for their next generation. "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children." Walt Disney. In Fact children are the creator of men. We all know "reap as you sow".

When we observe children we notice that, every child demonstrates different shades of nature. Some are quite, some are rowdy and mischievous, some very intelligent, some are slow, some very shy and yet some very confident. But as parents, every child needs to be moulded and groomed, irrespective of how he is. As a child inherits not only from home, but also from his surroundings, a healthy surrounding is also very important. When we see a sprout, we recognize the future tree. But good soil, enough water and proper fertilizer is needed to get a healthy plant and also to improve the yield. The transformation of a child to a man can easily be related to this. With good education, proper upbringing and lots of love we can help a child grow into a proper man. This is important for both the family and also for the society. Kazuo Ishiguro rightly says "many of our deepest motives come, not from an adult logic of how things work in the world, but out of something that is frozen from childhood."

For some people this quote has a different meaning. We have often seen small children twisting and twirling their parents around their little fingers. With their innocence and sweetness they make their parents dance to their tunes, manipulate them and rule their world. We design and shape our life keeping them in mind and their needs and wants become our priority.  Yet some others interpret it differently. Children are great teachers. They teach us patience and responsibility. They bring us closer to our parents. They bring back our smiles which we often forget due to our stress, tension and worries of adulthood.

Whatever the interpretation, childhood remains the most important phase in our life. What we create out of our children totally depends on us.  We always carry the values taught to us by our parents and they become a part and parcel of our life. As morning shows the day, childhood shows the man. So childhood should not be taken lightly and every possible step should be taken to make it beautiful, fruitful and useful.

Environmental Pollution

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

Pollution –The scare word of the earth. Air –unfit for breathing; water –unfit for drinking; this has been the consequence of the mad rat race among all nations of the earth. Little do they understand that the so called development is jeopardizing the health of man himself.

Pollution can be understood as an undesirable change in the physical, chemical and biological characteristic of air ,water and soil that harmfully effects life and creates a potential health hazard  to any living organism. Hence when there is any direct or indirect change in any component of the biosphere which adversely effects living components especially man then there should be a serious concern all over the world regarding this.

At UN conference on environment on June 14, 1972 at Stokholm ,Sweden  our late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi had said “ Modern man must re-establish an unbroken link with nature and with life . He must again learn to invoke the energy for growing things and to recognize, as did the ancients in India centuries ago, that one can take from earth and atmosphere only so much as one put back into them.”

Pollution is caused by substances called pollutants, which can be solid, liquid or gaseous substance and are present in such concentrations which is injurious to the environment. Pollution can be categorised in various forms-Like air pollution, water pollution, land pollution, noise pollution, radioactive pollution, thermal pollution, marine pollution, solid waste pollution etc.

Man as the most intelligent animal on planet has been too inquisitive about nature and in the process has created a planet where if proper measures are not taken in time our dear mother earth might become a no man, no animal, no plant planet.

The environmental pollution is not caused by industries and nuclear tests alone. The smoke left behind the automobiles, the increasing use of synthetic detergents, nitrogen fertilizers and insecticides contaminate both air and water. The water we drink, the air we breathe and even the vegetables and fish we eat are all contaminated to-day. Hence the world is afflicted by a number of dreaded incurable diseases.

The exploitation of nature by human beings has also led to an abnormal behavior in seasons all over the world. The floods, earthquakes and landslides occurring every now and then in every part of the world should be an eye opener for everyone.

But it is heartening to find the entire world aware of the menace. Most countries have already taken some measures to meet this problem .In India the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), statutory organisation, was constituted in September, 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974. Further, CPCB was entrusted with the powers and functions under the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

It serves as a field formation and also provides technical services to the Ministry of Environment and Forests of the provisions of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Principal Functions of the CPCB, as spelt out in the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, (i) to promote cleanliness of streams and wells in different areas of the States by prevention, control and abatement of water pollution, and (ii) to improve the quality of air and to prevent, control or abate air pollution in the country. Some people are vehemently protesting the exploitation of the

bounties of our mother nature.

But larger measures need to be taken if we want to  restore the ecological balance right now, it would be too late to-morrow.

Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword

Is pen mightier than the sword? Is it really so? Yes, I actually agree with this phrase which was written by Bulwer-Lyton (1839) for his play - Richelieu, or The Conspiracy.

India’s struggle for independence by non-violent means and finally its success in gaining it is the best example to prove the validity of this phrase. Gandhiji, who is the father of modern India, decided to discard violence and win independence for India through ‘Satyagrah’. Newspapers, magazines and books were used to spread the message of nonviolence and to convince people about its power. Finally pen gained supremacy over sword. Over generations we have seen that power has been used to suppress and overpower people and mankind has strongly stood against it and retaliated against it. Power has never been able to dominate human mind.

What message does this phrase actually convey? It states quite obviously that if you want to influence a person’s thought process, it can easily be done by writing rather than by using violence. Writing usurps more influence and power than fighting.

When we use pen as a medium of influence, it is easier to reach out to more people in a shorter time and at the same time we also respect the opinion of others. This is necessary in a cultured society. But when we use sword to change others opinion we are being disrespectful to them. Force is being also used with violence which cannot be tolerated in our modern educated society.

According to me there is more fun in influencing the thoughts of other people and convincing them to change their thoughts rather than killing them or by inducing fear in their minds. Violence is less effective than distributing ideas.

Pen can be used as a constructive as well as destructive tool. A pen can definitely be used to hurt a persons feeling or his reputation .It may cause him harm but if a person lives he can fight back but a dead person is incapable of anything. Everyone has the right to choose and make his own decisions.

Nowadays whenever we read newspaper or listen to news, we can see violence all around. Some people are using inhuman and violent ways to change the beliefs, faith and ideas forcefully. Sword brings pain, anguish, terror, poverty, disease and negates the society and creates a void in it. Pen on the other hand, if used in a right way, can make this world a beautiful place to live in. Thousands of books has been written over thousands of years which still continue to enlighten our minds and propagate our thoughts, ideas and beliefs in a positive way. Knowledge has been transmitted through centuries to shape up our lives. Our ideas of life is based on the famous books like Geeta, Bible, Quran, Vedas and Purans which have been written by great men in the past.

But what does war leave behind? People like Hitler and Alexander tried to conquer the world with sword and blood but they did not succeed.

Nowadays we can see war in many parts of the world bringing misery, death, and pain which is making our world a difficult place to live in. Bloodshed has never been a solution to any problem.

Sword depicts negativity. Pen on the other hand has the power to build and it depicts positivity, knowledge and enlightenment, wisdom and culture which makes it definitely more powerful than the sword.

Evils Of Corruption

"Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts....perhaps the fear of a loss of power." JOHN STEINBECK

Normally we always read and believed that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupt absolutely." But this quote by John Steinbeck actually makes it very clear about the role of power in corrupting people. When people attain power and start enjoying the advantages it brings along with it, then the thought of losing it becomes unacceptable for him. Supremacy and power is enjoyed by all and when a person tastes it , he gets addicted to it and the thought of losing it fills him with fear and anxiety. According to me this addiction like many other addictions is dangerous.

Corruption is a social undesirable evil which has disabled the society in many ways. It is prevalent in almost every corner of the world. It is only that in some parts it is more rampant than others. When morality, integrity, purity of thoughts, honesty, virtue and truth is replaced by cheating, lies and greed, then corruption comes into existence. When the selfish motives of certain people take an upper hand and the needs of others are ignored only for personal gains, then comes corruption into being. When some human beings cease to being humans then comes corruption to make this beautiful world a hell and an undesirable place to live in.

Corruption actually begins from a very low strata of the society. Clerks and peons take money in order to get a work done. Corruption at this level although not justified, is to some extent tolerable. These people do not get enough salary and it is very difficult for them to make both ends meet and I think this makes them tend to become corrupt. What could not be accepted is, the rich and the affluent becoming corrupt only to become richer. Their desires are becoming insatiable and in their quest of greed they are creating a society which is a curse for mankind. Theodore Roosevelt's quote "A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car, but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad", very successfully brings out the truth prevailing in our society.

Honesty, morality, truth, virtue nowadays are being devoured by corruption like a deadly serpent devouring its prey. But it makes me think that will it be right on my part to compare corrupt people with these deadly serpents or monsters. There demand is driven by need, but is it really so in a corrupt society? Our necessities and our needs are not so great but, our wants and our greed has overpowered our needs. In order to fulfil our wants we tend to do things which should be avoided to create a healthy and a well balanced society where every human being gets equal opportunities in life.

Corruption is responsible for the inflation which in turn leads to poverty. The biggest irony is that the people responsible to take care and safeguard our society are the ones who are the most corrupt and betraying their motherland. According to me the most important duty of every citizen is to fight corruption. G Edward. Griffin has rightly said-"To oppose corruption in government is the highest obligation of patriotism." Red-tapism, malfunctioning of law and order, bribery, nepotism have become the order of the day. Instead of cleaning the society our politicians and bureaucrats along with the criminals are giving birth to scams and scandals. Quite surprisingly not only social, economic and political field is bearing the brunt of corruption, but religion has also been not spared by the corrupts.

The most disturbing and alarming thing is that we have stopped reacting and accepting corruption mutely. In doing so we have lost control over corruption and it has engulfed our society bringing instability, uncertainty, insecurity and internal conflict just like the cancer cells eating up the living cells and harming our body. This is playing havoc in our socio economic development.

But I think it is time that we shed our fears and stop taking things for granted. It is our duty as human beings to stop anything wrong happening in our society and start reacting to issues that are unacceptable to mankind. Our youth today is well educated and at the same time sensitive. It is high time now and our youth should join hands and uproot the deep rooted weeds of corruption and stop its growing menace. As we all know that "united we stand and divided we fall", we should jointly wage a war against corruption and uproot and destroy its existence and create a beautiful world without greed, malice and hatred.

The Gift Of Friendship

To love and to be loved, to understand and to be understood, to appreciate and to be appreciated, to trust and to be trusted is what friendship is all about.

"I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light." -Hellen Keller

Friendship is golden and friends are like treasures who bring glitter in our lives. Just a thought about a friend brings a smile on our lips, makes our heart warm and gives us immense pleasure. Friendship requires just two people to come together and share some beautiful feelings between them. It does not cost a penny but still is one of the costliest thing it this world which we can treasure and cherish all throughout our life. When we need support we can lean on them, at bad times they encourage us and lend us a helping hand and at the same time we chill out and have fun with them.

Aristotle had rightly said "What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies."

According to me friendship is a word which cannot be defined but only felt. Good friends are a gift of God to us humans. Mutual affection, understanding, sympathy, empathy, trust and loyalty without any fear are shared between friends. It is about sharing and caring about one another’s happiness, grief, success and failure. To be able to confide in a person, to enjoy ones unconditional support ,to be helped and encouraged when needed are the highlights of friendship.

We all know that "Man is a social animal". Without interacting with one another it is very difficult to survive. Loneliness, boredom, depression and finally misery comes our way, when we have nobody to interact. According to me friends are like beautiful butterflies, fluttering their wings and making our lives colourful, in the garden of our life. They give us a reason for our existence and also give a meaning to our life. The famous roman statesman Cicero had beautifully quoted that "Friendship increases happiness and diminishes misery by doubling our joy and dividing our grief." They are indeed an elixir in our life. Friendship can also be enjoyed between siblings, between spouses and also between parents and children.

But, we should also remember that " All that glitters is not gold". Friends bring solace in our lives, nevertheless we should be careful while making friends. We should be able to differentiate between true friends and fair weather friends. There are certain people who come in our lives in good times, but leave us during adversity. Then there are certain people who take advantage in the name of friendship. "Fortune brings friends but adversity tries them. "It is in our hands whether to make it a boon or a bane.

Friendship is a blessing and if cherished an asset in our lives. It feels divine to be loved, wanted and admired by someone who really matters to you. Caste, creed, race and sex should not be a barrier in friendship. We should enjoy this gift of God to make our life thrilling and beautiful.

Value Of Humor

"A day without laughter, is a day wasted".

                                                        Charlie Chaplin

A fresh gust of wind in a stale afternoon, a sweet and short drizzle on a hot and sweaty summer day, a colourful rainbow after heavy rains or new green leaves and beautiful flowers after a harsh winter....I think this is what is humor to life. With so much of stress, anxiety, monotony and depression that life has offered us, life has also gifted us with an antidote. Yes, you are right......it is humor I am talking about. Like me I am certain you all will agree that, it is an antidote and a medicine against all the negative feelings in life. "Mixing humor and harsh reality is a very human behaviour, its the way people stay sane in their daily lives." Jorge Garcia

Humor is as old as life and as effective as medicines. It has been with us from times immemorial. Not only in Indian literature, but also in western countries vidushaka or clowns have been an important and inseparable part of our culture and society. Humor is not easy and according to me it does not come to everyone. A person needs to be really brainy to be humourous. Nevertheless, we all are capable of laughing and that, I think is a very good news.

Humourous people are welcome everywhere. They are loved, admired and even desired by all. Humor brings lots of positivity in our life. It is good to have humor around you. Humor bring smile, which in turn brings happiness and joy followed by connectivity and finally creates intimacy. Man being a social animal needs them. Humor and laughter, I have always seen is infectious and very contagious. It is also capable of creating balance between our mind, body and soul, which is very important to lead a healthy life. By diminishing our stress it also boosts up our immune system. The most striking and amusing thing about humor is its capacity to lighten up tense situations and to create comedy even out of tragedy. The most difficult situations in life can be easily dealt with lots of ease if we infuse humor with it. It can make worst situations tolerable and bring sweet diversions from negativity. I find Rufus Wainwright's quote very appropriate. "There's no life without humor. It can make the wonderful moments of life truly glorious, and it can make tragic moments bearable."

Humor can also bring success to one's life. A humorous boss is always adored, loved and respected than a boring one. Research has shown that a funny commercials contribute to a bigger and larger sale of products than a normal one. Comedy films, TV serials, comedy shows and even books enjoy lots of appreciation. A person with a good sense of humor is often considered clever and intelligent than his counterparts. Humor is a universal language. It catalyses smile and laughter. Edward de bono says, "humor is by far the most significant activity of the human brain."

 I find Greville Kleiser's quote also very appealing. He quotes "good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keep friends. It lightens human burdens. It is a direct route to serenity and contentment." Life is to be lived and to be enjoyed. But, is it always really so? The ups and downs of life cannot actually be scripted. We all face ups and downs in our life, but it is advisable to pep up and spice up our life with humor in all situations. It is refreshing, sometimes exciting and the best thing is it is priceless. If we can spice up someones life with a little humor, laughter and joy then why not!

Humor according to me, is a wonderful gift of God to we humans. We are the sole species in this universe who are blessed with this delightful gift. We sometimes see that people use humor as a tool to hurt others, which according to me is wrong. Such people not only hurt others but i think to a certain extent disrespect God. We should know that there is a fine line between making fun of someone and insulting someone.

With lots of goodness and almost no drawbacks, humor should be made a part of our life. To laugh, to enjoy and to be happy is our birthright. We should not deprive ourselves of these beautiful moments that life has gifted us with. Finally, I think it would be not justified if I deprive you of the beautiful quote by Simon Wiesenthal " Humor is the weapon of unarmed people:it helps people who are opposed to smile at the situation that pains them."

Growing Violence

“An Eye For An Eye Will Only Make

The Whole World Blind”

-Mahatma Gandhi

Despite all the brouhaha created over establishing a modern, scientifically and technologically advanced society, the fact still remains that we have created a society which is morally deficient as compared to the previous generations, and this, certainly not a blessed development.

Joint family had been the tradition of Indian culture and the maker of the thought “live and let live”.

As urbanization has paved way for set up of nuclear family, it has brought with itself several negative results too. A child, specially a single child in a nuclear family is engulfed in melancholies and loses his capacity of sharing and caring. Such children turn aggressive and intolerant in their behaviour.

Nuclear family system has developed show-off tendency wherein willingly or unwillingly it is a cause of growing intolerance and in turn growing violence. Nowadays even villages are turning into industrial colonies, where persons are machines involved in work and unknown to next door neighbours.

Economical corruption and in is also a cause of violence. It can be analysed that most of the young criminals belong to parents of  higher strata of the society who have lots of black money drained by their kids in rave parties, drugs and building of criminal gangs.  The wide gap between the rich and the poor also paves way for certain types of violence in the society.

Young generation is turning impatient at each and every step whether it is a parking lot, road, hotel or bars .They do not want to adjust and turn brutal often. The country cannot forget Jessica Lal murder case for no matter at all.

The blind following of western culture has developed friendship with opposite gender as social status and for the youth of suburban areas this is a root cause of violence as we have seen the outcome in Muzzafarnagar in U.P.

Indian Education system is totally unexplainable. Even Indian constitution is a wonder. It is mainly a copy of British democracy and American Presidential System. In order to make an in between case of the federal system and independence of states, we have got an amalgamated constitution which is incapable to develop patriotism in the hearts of those Indians who were born in independent India.  Independence day and Republic day are considered as holidays and many Indians are not even aware of the importance of these days. Even the birthdays of personalities who believed in restless work such as Father of the nation ,Mahatma Gandhi or the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the  Indian  Constitution, Dr. B.R.Ambedkar are enjoyed as holidays.

In my opinion, honest work without harming others is patriotism and since every individual is a part of the nation, there should be a sense of unified Indians who will shun the path of violence which can harm his fellow countryman.

With the development of IT sector, people are connected on social media but they are still isolated. To minimize violence in youth, India should follow its rich cultural heritage where knowledge was the symbol of status and simplicity was the symbol   of greatness.

Social network should be developed by intermingling directly and specially children should be allowed to intermingle with their peers without any prejudice which will develop tollerence, love, faith and togetherness in children.

From early childhood they should be given concepts of Srimad Bhagwad Gita, Upanishads, Vedas and Puranas instead of letting them to watch  cartoon characters of TV. The children should be taught and told about the benefits of yoga and meditation and pranayama and made to do it regularly to develop a perfect co-ordination between body and mind and enhance their intellectual capabilities.

Dalai Lama has rightly said “if every 8 year old is taught meditation, we will eliminate violence from the world within one generation.”

Food habit is an essential factor of our personality development. To avoid mental tension we should follow Indian system of food habits. India is a land of diversity having much more temperature than that of European countries. So our food habits should be traditional and plain. Chinese and junk food have penetrated into Indian markets and creating a havoc with the health and  mental set up. Why is chicken burger more sold rather than beaten rice and curd which is a soothing food for the stomach and mind too?

Its time we wake up to the nuisance created by junk food.

Indian myth says that if the almighty gives us some sort of weakness, he also rewards us with strength in another form. Surdas was blind but his imaginations of Lord Krishna was colourful and vivid than those with eyes. Similarly the reverse also holds good. If one is weak in mental faculties he is bestowed with muscle power and uses it for violence ad disturbs the society.

Conclusively, the social, economical and technical lifestyle should be changed and Indian culture and heritage which is considered as a symbol of backwardness in our so called developed society should be adopted soon or we shall see a world devastated by violence.

                                                                  

Knowledge Is Power

While going through the quotes about knowledge, a Nigerian proverb attracted my attention the most.

           "not to know is bad, not to wish to know is worse".

"Knowledge is power" To understand actually what  sir Francis Bacon  wanted to convey when he used this quote, we should know what knowledge is and what actually is power. According to me, accumulation of important information to create awareness can be considered as acquiring knowledge. To acquire knowledge one must learn, study, read and then understand. We can also acquire knowledge by our own experiences and also by experiences gained by others. Our acquaintances also help us in acquiring knowledge. Now, what is power? When we are capable of doing our work efficiently and effectively by the dint of our knowledge it is power.

Being able to do or being capable gives us happiness. It gives us the power to differentiate and distinguish between the right and the wrong, the good and the bad, high and the low and helps us to choose our own path. Being able to make our own decisions make us indeed powerful. History has shown that the nations who have given importance to education are the most advanced nation in the world. As we all know that education is the key to knowledge, and knowledge is power, it is our responsibility to be educated and when possible to educate others. Without education the growth and development of a country is impossible. Today America is a prosperous and a powerful nation and many people dream of going there and become successful in life. But everybody can’t afford to go abroad to pursue their dreams. So why not make each and every nation so educated and powerful that one can pursue their dreams in their own country. This is only possible when we can spread knowledge through education and empower everybody. Knowledge gives us opportunity and opportunity in turn is responsible for advancement.

When we go through history we always see that the educated and knowledgeable have dominated the illiterate and ignorant. Apart from that education had been only for the rich and powerful and we all know that power begets power. The educated and the powerful became richer and dominated the society, whereas the poor were always victimised and taken for granted.

Although we know that with knowledge comes power, it is very sad and disheartening to see that power and knowledge is being misused by many. This is causing harm to our society. Hiroshima bombing, Chernobyl disaster, Fukushima disaster and even global warming are a few to name. When Knowledge is used without wisdom it is very dangerous. When man becomes powerful he tends to  lose his wisdom. He begins to think himself the master of nature, which obviously impossible. Without wisdom, knowledge is failure as it leads to misuse of power. Some people get confused between wisdom and knowledge. Knowledge is, as i have earlier said, accumulation of information, but wisdom is something that we have within us. It is the ability to reason, to understand and to judge.

Rob Liano has rightfully quoted "Knowledge is power? No. Knowledge is on its own nothing, but the application of useful knowledge, now that is power."

Knowledge brings fascination. It elevates our self-confidence and our self-esteem and helps us to grow. When a child begins to learn, it yearns for more. Similarly, we adults in quest of knowledge love to unfold the mysteries of nature which leads to inventions and discoveries. Knowledge has always we worshipped. Today famous scientists like Galileo Einstein, Edison and Marie Curie are not amongst us, but we still remember them and they dominate our heart and mind and will continue to do so. Famous writers, poets, musicians have always been loved, adored and remembered by us.

Finally I would like to say that indeed knowledge is powerful, but it is we, who are responsible to use this power sensibly and appropriately.

If Winter Comes Can Spring Be Far Behind

"Before the fruits of prosperity can come, the storms of life need to first bring the required rains of testing, which mixes with the seeds of wisdom to produce a mature harvest".

-Lincoln Patz

Not only do we admire nature, there are times when we fear it. When the temperature soars to  45 or 50 degrees, when it rains so heavily that we are tormented by floods or when we experience a biting winter or even when volcanoes, earthquakes or tornadoes hit us, we come to know the power of nature . It  brings destruction  and along with it comes pain, agony and despair but, life goes on and on and on. This is the truth of life which cannot be ignored.

The quote "if winter........." has been written by Shelley in his poem "ode to the west wind". Shelley has very beautifully and effectively presented before us the vicious circle of life. Life and death are two sides of the same coin. Without death, life would not be so important. Similarly adversity and prosperity have been granted to us by God as two inseparable truths of our life. Adversity makes prosperity more beautiful, enjoyable and admirable.

 We all love spring season and I think, it is the most awaited season. What makes spring so beautiful and why do we always anticipate spring? I think not only me, but you all will agree that winter also has a major role to play. Winter is often equated to hardships, melancholy, despair, sorrow, sadness, loneliness and everything negative. Not only are the days short, chilly and dull but nature also loses its charm and beauty. No flowers, no birds, no butterflies are to be seen and the earth looks tired and sleepy. What more can a person hope for, other than spring to come! Springs brings along with it colour and with that comes joy, merriment, happiness and also hope. The earth looks fresh and vibrant. The quote exuberates optimism to the core. We all are well aware that "failures are the pillars of success." Failures, how bitter they might be, are not to be relented but to be used as a tool to learn more, to improve and move ahead in life and finally succeed. How can we forget that bitter medicines are adhered to cure illness.

We all know that life is never the same. The vicious circle of joy and sorrow, day and night, rain and sunshine, ebbs and tides and not to forget life and death are incomplete without each other. One cannot exist without the other. One is needed to compliment the other so also winter and spring compliment each other. Shelly uses winter to relate to the sorrows in life and spring to happiness, peace and prosperity. According to Rumi "sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter." Apart from that adversity is a testing time to know your real friends. "Prosperity gives you friends but  adversity tests them".

With all its follies, winter is an important time of the year. "Winter makes a bridge between one year and another", says Andy Goldsworthy. This quote brings to our attention the importance of this season in our life. According to me nature is the best teacher we can expect to have. Disappointment, dejection, despair and depressions brings pain in our life and we tend to lose our self confidence. It is very natural to react negatively to these situations but if we gather courage and if we are optimistic, we can rise again and maybe we even do better in life. "Adversity introduces a man to himself." Adversity  or difficult situations help you to know and discover more about yourself. William Faulkner very effectively paints the importance of pain in our life. He says, "given the choice between the experience of pain and nothing, I would choose pain". Winter and spring have been used to symbolise failure and triumph, life and death and joy and sorrow. The truths of life are hidden in  nature but it is we, who are responsible for unveiling it. Time  good or bad passes, circumstances change, people came and go, the tide of time goes on with its rhythm but it is we, who must learn how to  flow with time-not  be afraid of failures and not be overwhelmed or get carried away with success. Some people find it very difficult to handle success.

What better than this quote from Khalil Gibran to conclude my essay...

            "Some of you say joy is greater than sorrow and others say, Nay, sorrow is the greater. But I say unto you, they are inseparable. Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed."

                                                                                                                       

Importance Of Family

"Family is not an important thing. It's everything."

- Michael J. Fox

FAMILY- This small cozy little word itself oozes out a plethora of feelings … feelings of love, compassion, security, bonding, belonging, faith , hope, warmth , affection  and many other  hidden feelings of the heart .

Family has been the foundation of our society, its strongest unit. Family is the first school of the child where he starts learning just as it is born. Here a child receives the basic values of life. The morals and the values learnt in the family later on become the guiding force in the ups and downs of life. They make the character of a person strong or weak.  The very first foundation of thinking is laid down by family where good or bad values are inculcated. Universally a family is where the love and care takes a start. After a bad day; when everything comes to an end; one always looks towards family as a last place of comfort. Families are there to support and help a person without being judgmental.

Families are of two kinds –First type is the traditional family in which grandparents, parents, all brothers and their families, unmarried sisters etc live together under a single roof and eat through the same kitchen. In such families three generations live together. Traditional family has been the back bone of our social milieu as far as we can look back into time.

The second type is the modern family or nuclear family in which only parents and children stay together. The nuclear family is gaining  popularity by leaps and bounds as the traditional family structure is fast disappearing. In western countries the son stay separate from their parents and become independent at a very small age.

In fact both the types of families has its own pros and cons.

In traditional family a child learns to share and to care. The respect for parents and grandparents is more. The children have to obey the rules and follow them. They learn tolerance and patience.

But in a modern nuclear family where only the parents and a child or two lives , they are not much sensitive to the needs of the other people and humanity in general. They are more independent and have the liberty to follow their heart. They do not have the burden to keep so many members happy by their choice.

As economy has undergone a huge change, employment has shifted from farming to heavy industries, banking, IT sector and real estate sector etc . The rise of multinational corporate has given a different lifestyle to man. The focus is on individuality and people like to think about themselves only. People have less time as they are busy with their own work and jobs. They hardly have time to think about their family and friends. After the multinational corporates have come into the foreplay, most of them have set up their offices in metros or big cities. Our youngsters seeking employment have to leave their village and hometown and their parents to settle in a new place to earn their living. Mostly it happens that they become emotionally away from their family and close to the friends around them who help during their moments of crisis when they are away from their family. The following lines by Jim Butcher summarizes this phenomenon aptly.

 “I don't care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching--they are your family.”

― Jim Butcher, Proven Guilty

The latest fad in this direction is on- line life which the youngsters are leading. They do not have time to talk to their parents or grandparents . Their maximum time is absorbed by the internet.

It’s difficult to argue on which family is better traditional or modern but one thing is clear that family is one constant element in life.

A Morning Walk

"I have two doctors-my right leg and my left leg"

Of all the quotes I read, this quote written by G.M.Trevelyn impressed me the most. In today’s materialistic world, when everybody is busy in pursuing a mechanical life these two words "morning walk" sounds magical to me. These two words instigate a feeling of freshness and vitality.

Morning walk, as we all know and i think we also agree that it is the most simplest, cheapest and the best form of exercise. Cerrie Latet has rightly said, "morning walk is the most ancient exercise but the best modern exercise. "According to me it is also the best medicine.

When we go for a morning walk not only do we stretch our body but also our mind .In the morning it is quiet and calm and we can hear our heart beating and our pulse racing and our mind and body harmonizes together and radiates a lot of energy. Our mind and body energizes and we feel fresh and relaxed and we are ready to begin our day with lots of positivity.

"A morning walk is a blessing for us". Henry David Thoreau

I think we all agree to this but actually how many of us really follow. How many of us actually have the time and the desire to go for a walk in the morning. Morning walks are beneficial for our health. Neglecting our heath has become a fashion for so many people these days. Eating unhealthy food and leading a sedentary life has become a part and parcel of our life. The world has become very fast today and our body and mind lacks the much needed oxygen. We deprive ourselves from one of the most important thing that is needed for our survival. A morning walk provides us with ample oxygen necessary for us and at the same time we spend time amidst nature and greenery.

To keep our body healthy the blood in our body should constantly flow in circular motion. Walking makes the flow of blood easier and it reaches our heart easily and from there to the lungs where it needs to be oxygenated. When we walk our body gets the necessary oxygen and the blood circulation also improves. Some people think morning walk is boring. In such cases people can go out in groups. Walking together with friends and family members is even better.

Our body is like a machine which like any other machine needs to be taken care of. If we neglect ourselves than we fall sick. Not only do we suffer, but also our loved ones suffer with us. Nowadays our younger generation is more interested in going to gyms or taking expensive aerobic classes which according to me is unnecessary.

As exercise energizes, motivates and empowers us. It elevates our mood, cleanses our body, boosts our immune system, makes us disciplined and also flexible so it very important that we exercise regularly and what better than, "A MORNING WALK".

"Walking gets the feet moving, the blood moving and the mind moving and movement is life". CARRIE LATET

National Integration.......Rise INDIA Rise

"What is a drop of rain compared to a storm? What is a thought compared to the mind? Our unity is full of wonder which your tiny individualism cannot even conceive. " Ken Levine

Sometimes, it occurs to me that my country, India, is no less than a museum. It is vast, it is varied, it is diverse, it is beautiful and it has a glorious past and a rich history. In short it is unique. We all know that a museum needs a lot of care for its maintenance.  Now the question is, did we do so? Have we succeeded as a country? Have we enough respect for our country? Do we really love our country? Do we value what we have inherited?

India is the only place in the world, which is blessed with so much diversity. Be it food, be it languages, be it clothes, be it the weather, the culture or the festivals and not to forget the religion. No other place in the world enjoys the variety that we have. We are indeed lucky and this is a matter of great pride for us. But instead of preserving and conserving what we have, we tend to dismantle and destroy our uniqueness. Instead of connecting and joining with one another, we love to disconnect and break. Instead of uniting and flaunting our rich culture and heritage to the world we are busy fighting within ourselves and destroying our oneness and unity.

It is very difficult to break a bundle of sticks, but one stick can be easily broken. As children we have read so many stories about the power of unity and integrity. In every culture and in every language we have stories to inculcate values in a child. We hear these stories , we enjoy them, we repeat them to our children and then....! Do we really bother to follow what we have learnt? I really doubt. Disrespecting and hurting the feelings of others, always trying to feel superior than others, being selfish, putting our personal interest above our country's has become the order of the day. Apart from that illiteracy, poverty, ignorance and not to forget superstitious beliefs share the limelight in India. They make you weak and you become vulnerable. India has seen so many communal riots. These riots has shamed us in front of the international community. India is sovereign, secular and republic. Then why is it so that, post 70 years of Independence, national integration has to be preached and taught to  us. We must naturally inherit it. If we understand this simple idea that teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success, it will bring a big change in our society.

"Fear is for the powerless. Fear is for the alone. But, as you stand together, you are neither of those. Together, you amplify each other's strengths; you nullify each others weaknesses." A.J. Darkholme. True indeed! What a beautiful thought a what a strong message. In India, we give a lot of importance to region, to religion, to province, to caste and creed and to our culture. Regionalism and provincialism has taken front stage and the feeling of oneness and harmony has taken a back stage. Everybody claims to be superior than the other.

 When we look at the history of India, we see that we have suffered a lot because we never united. We have always been invaded by foreigners and this had made us very weak not only economically but also mentally. Our pride and self esteem was at stake. But, due to the fore sight of some very brave and intelligent people we again got back out lost identity. But it is very sad to see that still we do not value it. In every region there is a demand of creating separate state. Although we all know that "united we stand and divided we fall", then why do we ignore this mantra. I don't understand why do we need to divide. I think that, people driven by greed and selfish motives make such demands. Everybody wants a separate identity. What better than being only addressed as "WE INDIANS" . More states, more politicians and more corruption......i know you all will agree with me. 

During India's fight for independence, during war with Pakistan and also China, Indians have proved that they can unite and work together. Now it is time to work against the enemy within. Winston Churchill has rightly said "when there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you." It high time we understand this and act accordingly.  Communal harmony is the cry and need of the hour. Casteism, regionalism and religion should be kept aside and we all should unite only as Indians and work to make India the best place in this world. Today's India is slowly waking up. Our youth understand the need of the time. They know how important it is to bring India at the top globally.  They just need to be supported and I strongly believe that this dream, which many of us dream, will certainly become true very soon.

Pleasures Of Reading

One fine day I realised that, I have to spend a night alone, as my husband was travelling and my sons were also busy with there engagements. It was the first night in my entire life till now when I was supposed to stay alone at night. The thought was a bit chilling and although I was a bit scared I was not ready to admit it .As I am not an ardent T.V fan i decided to spend my entire evening and night just reading a book. To my surprise as I had anticipated, I did not feel lonely, not even for a second, as my best friend my book was there with me. Indeed books are our best friend. When our friends and family is not there, they are there for us with there unconditional support and togetherness.

Reading is a pleasure. According to me, the people who can read and write should consider themselves lucky and blessed. Reading helps us to gain knowledge, widen our horizon, broaden our insight and at the same time they provide us with entertainment.

VERA NAZARIN has rightly said:  whenever you read a good book, somewhere in the world a door opens to allow in more light."

Books helps us to connect with the world, to understand it better and helps us to make the world a better place to live in. Here I would like to use a quote by John green" Great books help you understand, and they help you feel understood".

Reading is something that should be done out of interest and liking. I think sometimes we get confused between studying and reading. Studying in something which we do out of necessity but reading can be pursued as a hobby, for sheer pleasure and entertainment.

It is very sad to see that our not many of our youngsters are interested in reading books. They are more interested in playing video games or spent time in the social media or idly sit in front of the TV.I think the habit of reading should be imbibed from childhood so that the children gain a lot by reading. Ideas and thoughts of great people continue to influence our lives and help us shape it. Further more books take us to a fantasy land, where children can fantasise to be ‘The Alice In Wonderland’ or ‘Travel with Sindabad the sailor’ or visit some strange land with Gulliver. They can be The Spiderman or Batman and fight with strange people and fantasise themselves as heroes. Such is the power of a book

In this modern world where nuclear families are more on the growth and both parents busy ,the children need something to connect to. Not only children, but also adults find it very refreshing and rejuvenating after reading a good book. I would like to use another beautiful quote written by Neil Gaiman. He says "Book is a dream that you hold in your hands". After a long and tiring day, it is always a very pleasant moment for book lovers to find out some time and indulge themselves into their favourite books and forget the worries that life has to offer to us. This world has a wide range of good books to offer and it totally depends on us that we use this lovely opportunity that has been bestowed on us and make our lives more worthy.

Social  Service

"The happiest people  are not those getting more, but those giving more." Mahatma Gandhi.

Absolutely yes, they are, but are we humans actually so giving by nature? Although we know that by giving others we serve them and in turn we serve God, do we actually take social service seriously. What is then social service? When we render service to the society for the betterment of the society, without expecting any personal gains or selfish motives it is social service. But I think it would be wrong to say that there are no personal gains because if we are successful in improving the society, we will also be the ones to benefit from it indirectly. It is rightly said "reap as you sow".

Man is a social animal. It is not only difficult, but almost impossible to live and survive in this world alone. The society has been generous in giving us innumerable things that we need for our daily life. According to me, we owe to the society for what we gained from it and in turn it is the duty of every able and successful individual to serve the society selflessly.

Some people get confused between charity and social service. But actually charity and social service different. Each and every person can contribute the make this world a better place to live in. A doctor , an engineer, a lawyer, a teacher, a singer, a dancer, a sportsman  and even students can serve the nation. Although money is a necessity, but service can also be rendered to the society by people who cannot spend money. Students can give free tuitions, doctors can give free checkups, lawyers can give free advice to the poor who have been cheated.

In our modern society, we claim about equality, but is it actually so. There is a big percent of underprivileged and disadvantaged section in the society.  They are mostly oppressed and discriminated and they do not have an equal access to the fundamental, economic and social rights that are enjoyed by the other half of the society. As responsible and grateful citizens we owe an equality to the society. Equality brings peace and contentment, which are the key to a successful functioning of a society.

Why do we need to serve the society? Why has  the situation deteriorated to such an extent? What are the mistakes that we have made the or some of us have made so that the others have to make amendments to improve the condition? With the passing time man is surrounded by greed, selfish motives and materialistic trifles. Duties towards others, good deeds and thoughts have taken backstage. The rat race for being superior and rich by any means has taken centre-stage. Businessmen, Politicians, Public servants have forgotten their promises and their duties towards the society. This has worsened the society further more. It is high time we should renew it. Lord Buddha has rightly said -" teach this triple truth to all: a generous heart, kind speech and a life of service and compassion are the things that renew humanity".

When we look around us we see the beautiful flowers, the lovely birds, the insects, the trees, the moon, the sun and the twinkling stars i.e the beautiful nature around us,we see that they give us selflessly within their best capability. They do not expect anything in return. Still, we, human beings do not learn to be selfless although we utilize everything to the most. According to me the new motto of our life should be "Help Ever And Hurt Never". Until and unless we inculcate the habit and the tendency of serving others we cannot bring changes in the society, which has become a demand of the hour.

Finally I would love to quote the beautiful thoughts of Deepak Chopra, who says,  "Everyone has a purpose in life...... A unique gift, a special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals".

Time And Tide Waits For None

"Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone forever." Samuel Smiles

I think every parent tells this to their children a thousand times and most of the children think at a certain point of time .......oh my God ........again! This child in due course conveys the same message to his or her child and this cycle goes on and on.

Time, the most precious commodity, yet priceless. You need not pay to use time for your personal gains. You respect time, you value it and handle it wisely, you get back the same. Success is yours. If properly handled time gives us fame, fortune, happiness and finally satisfaction. If you tend to neglect time, time never tolerates it, neither does it care for you nor considers you and you encounter failure. "Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind." -Nathaniel Hawthorne

 We are responsible for handling time properly, or we are foolish. Philip Stanhope has rightly said, "Know the true value of time; snatch, seize and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: neither put off till tomorrow what you can do today". Although we all are aware of these facts, still there are many people who tend to ignore it. They hardly realize their mistakes and I am sure you all will agree that, procrastination is human nature. Each and every person gets opportunities in life, but wise and intelligent grabs them and create favourable conditions for themselves. Time might be something that is abstract, but the footprints it leaves behind are real and concrete. It flows in its due course. I find Benjamin Franklin's quote "you may delay, but time will not" very apt.

Some of us have a notion of time not being right for a certain purpose. We keep on waiting for the right time to come and it never comes. We suddenly realize that it is too late and not worth the wait. Nelson Mandela quotes "we must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right." Time according to me is the perfect example of ultimate democracy. Rich or poor, young or old, man or women all have access to the same amount of time. The only difference is how we manipulate it. Time is also known to symbolise opportunity. If we lose it, it cannot be compensated by any amount of repentance. Time management according to me is the biggest problem. Some people just excel in it, while some find it difficult and yet some do not bother.

In order to get a good harvest, a farmer has to sow seeds at the right time. If you don't sow, simply you don't reap. Same logic works for time. You miss the time, you lose the golden opportunity. I find Roger Bakson's quote very appropriate "Let  him who would  enjoy a good future, waste none of his present." We humans do not value things that is free of cost, but is it the right thing to do!

Apart from neglecting time and mismanaging it, we also prefer being governed by the clock. I think we should be the one managing and governing time, but on the contrary time rules us and tend to govern us. Every problem that is related to time is created by us, humans. We are solely responsible for its expenditure. It is eternal and the course of time cannot be changed, no matter how hard one tries. It is the only commodity which can be used and spent without giving a second thought, as it is doesn't cost a penny. Apart from that, the more we use it the better are its returns. In short time is priceless, yet precious and valuable...it can be used and spent without being worried of any loss and last but not the least, the more we use it better are the returns. Finally I found Steve Job's quote very suitable to end my essay. He quotes" My favourite thing's in life does not cost money. It's really clear that the most precious resource we all have is time." And I hope you also agree to it.

Tourism

"I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of almost everything."                                                  

                                                                    Bill Bryson

Adventure, fun, excitement, entertainment, relaxation, rejuvenation, knowledge! what more can one ask for! Over the last few decades tourism has bloomed to its fullest and today it is one of the most flourishing and thriving industry that exists. I assume you too will agree with me that, this list is enough and speaks for itself. "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. " Augustine of hope

The mysterious snow capped mountains, the exotic sunny beaches, the enchanting deserts, the fascinating historical monuments, the alluring waterfalls, the enticing old market place, the mouth-watering cuisines and goodies, the captivating picturesque sceneries, the museums, the people.... yes.... the list is endless and enough to entice you to become a tourist. "Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote,-and  I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life "Michael Palin. I think some people are born tourists and there are some who slowly get into it. Yet there are some who think it as wastage of time and money. Sometimes I wonder is it really so! For the poor and the underprivileged I agree but for others who can afford, you must taste it. Believe me it is wonderful!

Let us first focus on the advantages of tourism. I think it gives us a break from monotony and recharges and refills our drained batteries, so that we start our life fresh, revitalised and rejuvenated. I assume that you all will agree that tourism improves the economy of a country. Some countries thrive only on tourism. The government works on improving the infrastructure and makes innovation and invest a lot to attract tourists. Many other industries like transport (planes, trains, buses etc), travel agencies, hotels and restaurants, art, sightseeing( museums, zoos), local shops benefit a lot from tourism. New jobs are created which helps revenue production and with that lifestyles are improved. I think if we consider poverty as an illness, tourism is a medicine to covet it. Apart from that, tourism helps shrink boundaries. Our big old world has become a small place to live in. Thanks to tourism! But it would be mistake on my part if I don't mention about technology. Technology has brought tourism at our fingertips. Finding a tourist spot, booking our flight tickets or finding and booking a hotel was never so easy. I still remember earlier people stood in long queues in order to book tickets.

As we all know that advantages and disadvantages come hand in hand, tourism is also not spared from certain drawbacks. Tourism to some extent brings pollution. Tourists tend to litter after they are done. They are capable of spoiling the serenity and beauty of a place which affects the environment adversely. Kidnapping, terrorism, prostitution are yet some negative things what tourism has to offer.  It is also not unknown to us that in order to build resorts and hotels builders harass poor local people to sell off their lands at very cheap rates. On the other hand they make a lot of money for themselves. This according to me is unethical and inhumane.

With all the flaws that it has, tourism has a special charm. Holidays spice up our lives. It is a pleasure, it gives us joy. For some travelling is passion, for some a dream, for some it is an addiction and yet for some a religion. According to Robert Runcie "in middle ages people were tourists because of their religion, whereas now they are tourists because tourism is their religion." The best part of travelling for me is that the travel continues even after the journey ends, in my mind, in my heart and in my soul.

              "Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow"-Anita Desai

                                                                                           

Water Scarcity

There are some lucky people in this world, who do not know, what water problem is. I think they are not just lucky, but they are the luckiest. When i see flowing water, I connect it with prosperity, growth, development and also good health. According to a Slovakian proverb "Pure water in the world's first and foremost medicine". Today we consider ourselves to be civilized and highly educated, but why is it so that LIFE has become scarce. I think, we all know that "water is life". The world population is steadily increasing but life is becoming scarce! Time to wake up and react before it is too late.

Thomas Fuller has rightly said-"we never know the worth of water till the well is dry." Well let us join hands and stop the well from drying and save our world.

Some people consider water just as an amenity, but I think it is wrong to do so because it is our national wealth and we should treasure it. Although water is so important for us, then why is it so that we cannot hold it and keep it for us.  Why is water getting scarce? To understand this we should know what actually water scarcity is.

When there is inadequate supply of water and when demand exceeds availability then there is water scarcity. Secondly, inspite of having enough water but there are little resources to bring it to the needy, then we face water scarcity. Sometimes we also see that certain regions like deserts naturally lack water. Water is renewable but a finite source. In its journey, water completes one cycle from land to atmosphere and back again. It sounds so easy to sustain water, then why is water getting more and more scarce everyday? Obviously, there has to be some cause for it. Population expansion, urbanisation, pollution, deforestation and climate change has contributed a lot to make water scarce. Wastage of water and neglecting the sources are also important factors in doing so.

Water scarcity creates a lots of problem like hunger, poverty, ill health and illiteracy. Hunger, poverty and ill health due to water scarcity can be easily explained, but illiteracy! Some of you might find it difficult to figure it out how water scarcity creates illiteracy. In places where water is inaccessible, the young children are expected to fetch water for their family. In doing so they are not able to attend school,as they are busy the whole day bringing water for the family. This in turn hampers the economic development of a place as the potential of people are limited to these factors. Sickness and hunger take an upper hand and mere survival becomes the prime thing. If we keep on neglecting these problems they will become uncontrollable and very complex. Have you ever thought, that the amount of water being spent for a five minutes shower equals the amount of water used by some families for the entire day. Isn't it just shocking.

Water is sacred, valuable, its pure and sometimes I think it is sheer magic. Loran Eisely has rightly quoted "if there is magic in this earth, it is contained in water". It is a necessity. Our survival will be at stake without it. Without water the huge and immense diversity of this world would not flourish. The distribution of water should not be uneven. It should be accessible to everyone and should be easily available as water is needed for every human activity. The importance of water is also quoted in the holy Koran, "by means of water we give life to everything". We should not waste water and we should do everything we can to preserve it. By creating awareness, by using water wisely, by curtailing pollution and global warming and by participating in various programmes related to water,we can curb this problem which is slowly becoming a menace.

Where There Is A Will, There Is A Way

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Walt Disney

What separates we humans from others? Does the story of our growth and progress ring bells in your mind? Do you sometimes wonder how we achieved everything that we have today? Should we feel proud to be a humans? Yes, we should be indeed! Humans have been gifted by God along with the ability to think and speak also tremendous and extraordinary willpower and strong determination. This makes us capable of attaining what might at times seem unattainable.

Human desires are numerous. They are unlimited. For humans "sky is the limit". When i think of famous scientists, discoverers, explorers, writers, musicians or leaders, I am awestruck by the quantum of their willpower, their fierce desire, their conviction and their hunger and greed to know and to learn and yet yearn for more. This helps them to unravel the unknown or to the creator of their creation. This definitely is also fuelled by their efforts and also patience. According to me they are a boon to the mankind. I wonder if heaven and earth put all their force together to help them in their want to conquer! "When one is willing and eager, the gods join in." Aeschylus

Willpower is something that all humans possess, but only some use. It is something that should be used and not preserved. I could not stop myself from using the quote by Robert Frost which i found quite interesting" the world is full of willing people, some willing to work, the rest willing to let them." In this world where failures are seen as pillars of success, why should we fear failures? In our quest to conquer there are so many times we fail. We are easily discouraged, we lose hope and we are disheartened. But if we decide to learn from the obstacles, I think we would emerge as a better human. Fighting back is also a human tendency which keeps us going. Many people do not like the word "impossible" to be a part of their life. According to Napoleon "Impossible is a word in the dictionary of fools." Making mistakes is a human tendency. If you use your mistakes to improve yourself what better than that! When we see the great inventions and discoveries we never think about the amount of hard work, dedication, tenacity and passion for their work and not to forget the number of failures the person faces in order to achieve his goals. I think coming back is much more easier than coming because when you come back you are more prepared and more experienced. We all know that "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall".

India's struggle for Independence is an excellent example of willpower, courage, patience and determination. Without it our Independence would be impossible. When we lack determination then only are we deterred by difficulties. With a strong willpower all the obstacles and hardships can be removed and eventually success becomes ours. Our present Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi is an excellent example of willpower and determination. Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama are yet another names who exuberate confidence, determination, desire and hope. Dr Napoleon hill says, "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve."

The story of the thirsty crow, King Bruce and the spider, the mighty lion and the rat are a few stories which are used to boost the willpower of children. But, according to me not only children but adults should also learn from these stories. With age we tend to forget what we teach our children. If we all have strong willpower, we can succeed in achieving what we want. I bet this world is going be a better place to live in.

Youth.....It Is Springtime

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future." Franklin D Roosevelt.

Youth...to dream, to dare, to challenge, to change, to achieve and yet yearn for more. I think, this is what being young is all about. In the dictionary youth is considered to be the transitory phase between childhood and adulthood. That is why I think youth has the essence of both. The innocence and the curiosity of childhood and the maturity of adulthood. I think, you all will agree that, it is the springtime of our life. When spring comes it brings colour and freshness with it. Similarly, youth also offers lots of newness in life. It it the time to learn, to explore, to experiment, to discover and to get acquainted with life. This is the season to plant and sow healthy seeds and remove the weeds to get a successful harvest. If this field is neglected and not properly fertilized and watered it might be a disaster. Youth is fresh....it is vibrant and full of life. William Allen White says "Youth should be radical. Youth should demand change in the world. Youth should not accept the old, if the world is to move on."

Different people have different perspective regarding youth. Some think it is short lived, while some consider it is eternal. Whatever the perspective, indeed it is the most important and the most valuable time in our life. Youths have always been burdened with lots of responsibilities. Be it social, economic or cultural and even political. Lets not forget about the environmental problems knocking at our door steps. They have to cope up with all these problems. The maintenance of what we have and to develop it further for the betterment of the society and finally our country is on their shoulders. Not only do they have to fulfil their own dreams and expectations, but also the dreams of our country. For doing so, they need to be educated so that they can shape up their existence. These valuable days of life should not be wasted away because, "Childhood sometimes does pay a second visit to man, youth never." -Anna Jameson

I think, the word hope can be considered the synonym for youth. Youth is also about having attitude and being positive. If not, how will the dreams and aspirations be fulfilled. Each one of us today wish to live in a world free of war, unemployment, poverty, inequality and last but not the least exploitation. But is it easy to achieve this dream world of ours! Apart from this the youth of today also want to eradicate illiteracy, improve the status of women in the society, spread awareness about health and hygiene and combat corruption. Although not easy, the youths of today are taking steps in doing so.

 As I was going through the quotes on youth, the quote by Herbert Hoover touched me the most. He quotes "Older men declare war. But it is the youth that must fight and die." It is a bitter truth and I think we have been always ignoring this. I find this quite unacceptable and I consider it a sin. It is a shame for all, because we are ripping a bud before it has bloomed. No one has the right to do so.

If the youth are capable of making, they are also capable of breaking. Drugs, crime, vandalism have become the order of the day. There are people misguiding them for their personal gains. Today's youth also want fast progress and easy money. This can prove fatal for the society. We all know that home is where education begins and then comes school and then of course the society. The sense of duty and the sense to differentiate between the right and wrong should be embedded from a very early age. This helps young people to take right decisions in life. They are the guardian, the custodian and the conservator of tomorrow and so they demand our attention, our patience our guidance and lots of love.

Article Writing

Non-Recycling Of Used Batteries; A Grave Environmental Hazard

How Can We dispose My Used Batteries? Anybody Listening?

Last summer, while visiting Barcelona, I saw a big see-through bin in a shop and the bin was full of small household batteries. On closer inspection, I found that they were old used batteries. Instead of throwing them away in the trash, the responsible citizens, collect them in bins placed in public places where people can drop their used batteries .These are then recycled or trashed in a responsible manner, thus minimizing environmental pollution.

Now, that set my mind thinking and I tried to find out more from various sources, especially the internet.

Batteries come under ‘Household Hazardous Wastes’ in many countries and it is illegal to throw them away with household trash. Many types of batteries employ toxic materials such as lead, mercury, and cadmium as an electrode or electrolyte. When each battery reaches end of life it must be disposed of to prevent environmental damage. Batteries should not be tossed in the regular recycling bin because they contain highly toxic chemicals -- but they shouldn't be tossed into the trash, either, for the very same reason. Many batteries contain heavy metals like lead and mercury that can easily contaminate our drinking water if left to deteriorate in a landfill.

The Ministry Of Environment And Forests Notification, New Delhi, dated 16th May, 2001, some of the responsibilities of manufacturer, importer, assembler and re-conditioner are as follows:

(i) ensure that used batteries collected back are of similar type and specifications as that of the new batteries sold(ii)set up collection centres either individually or jointly -at various places for collection of used batteries from consumers or dealers;(iii)ensure that used batteries collected are sent only to the registered recyclers,(v)ensure that necessary arrangements are made with dealers for safe transportation from collection centres to the premises of registered recyclers ;

They are also supposed to create public awareness through advertisements, publications, posters or by other means with regard to the following:

(a)hazards of lead;(b) responsibility of consumers to return their used batteries only to the dealers or deliver at designated collection centres; and (c)addresses of dealers and designated collection centres. They should also use the international recycling sign on the Batteries.

However, as I guiltily throw another battery to the trash bin, I hope that some agency will come up with public drop bins for such batteries. I am thinking of contacting some malls for this purpose. Meanwhile, whosoever is reading this article, please try to create an awareness in your locality as I have done my bit by writing this article.

Car Dealers, Garages / Repair Shops And Taxi Stands Parking In Public Land

Residents of our colony make it a point to leave home for work with ample time in hand. Not an unusual practice for a Delhite, but one has to be extra careful as it takes 20-30 minutes to just get out of our colony to the main road. The same is the case while returning home as one may be stuck on the road in the colony itself for about half an hour. With the pavement in front of the houses and the market areas blocked by cars, one has to maneuver the way out of a maze of irregularly parked vehicles.

Chittaranjan Park is not alone in its suffering. The congestion and resultant space constraint are difficult to miss on most of the adjoining colonies. Pavements and roads are choked with cars. But what many may not know is that most these cars do not belong to the residents. They belong to second-hand car dealers who encroach upon public land with impunity. Each dealer parks 10 to 15 cars on public land on an average. Also, car repair shops without proper garage space eat up a substantial part of the public road leading to narrower driving spaces. Taxi stands are equally responsible for encroaching public land and parking spaces .

Another culprit, is the running of commercial activities from residential areas where the customers park  their vehicles in front of others houses, gates,  and turning points. Leaving a car on turnabouts, pose a high-risk of accident as the moving cars cannot possibly see if any other vehicle is approaching or not.

These encroachers of public land need to be removed by the concerned authorities to resolve the congestion on the roads and residents should be able to drive comfortably in and out of the colony.

Right To Clean And Safe Water

If there is right to information (RTT), right to education (RTE),then all citizens should have right to clean and safe water. Water is most basic to human existence. We don’t want free water but safe water from our government say the residents .

Whenever we travel abroad to any developed country (Australia, European Countries, Singapore, Dubai) we can drink water directly from the tap of washroom. The governments over there are supplying potable water to its citizens. Whereas the citizens of Delhi, the taxpayers, have to spend a fortune to get quality water by installing reverse osmosis filters, Aquagaurds and Kents. Isn’t it the duty of government whose coffers are overflowing with tax payers money, to at least provide us with continuous supply of safe water?

Sometime ago , people of GK Enclave 2 got their water tested which revealed blue and black deposits and the water was declared 30% impure. The chlorine content is also not monitored and there is grit and corrosion in bathtubs. The underground tanks collect water from DJB supply and when this water is supplied during morning and evening hours it is mixed with the water from borewells which are connected to the main water line. This also adds to the impurity level of water level. The residents of neighbouring colonies also complain of the same problem. In the area if one drinks water directly from the tap, they are sure to develop chronic stomach problems. The water purifier suppliers are doing a roaring business in the city. The annual maintenance charges they generate are also huge. And the amount of water that is wasted or goes down the drain while purifying water through reverse osmosis is huge!! We talk of water preservation, saving precious water etc, but what happens to the excess water generated during the purification process ? It just goes down the drain!! One may try to divert this water generated from the purification process and store it for purposes of watering plants or cleaning the house.

So the problems related to water is manifold. Trying to save precious water, getting up at odd hours to fill water in the overhead tanks, installing RO systems and checking overflow of water tanks are many jobs that our Government has gifted to the citizens. If we had a continuous supply of water we would not have to worry about storing it. So the problem of getting up at 4 o clock in the morning and the problem of overflowing tank gets solved easily. If we get pure water we would not install RO systems and in the process save precious water too! But no!! who cares ? Only big slogans are written, false promises are made, elections are won based on these promises but still after 65 years of independence people die here by drinking unclean water!

Water Overflowing From Overhead Tanks

Repeated Reminders From Well Meaning Neighbours Fall On Deaf Ears

Water is a precious resource for the survival of mankind. It is one of those elements which make life on earth possible. It is used daily to do tasks like washing, bathing, drinking and so on. It is also used for watering plants, for generating hydro-electricity, for growing crops, in industries it is used for cooling the machines and is also used for the boilers in industries to produce steam.

In these times of water scarcity it is a sin to waste precious water when so many people in the vicinity are suffering because of acute water shortage. The residents of the colony feel lucky to have a sufficient supply of water to suffice their needs. They know how precious water is and also realize that many colonies of Delhi are not as lucky and suffer from acute water shortage problem. Knowing full well of such water shortage problems, the residents are very careful not to waste precious water and use this precious resource very sparingly.

Some residents however, are not so thoughtful about conserving this precious resource. The overhead tank of some houses have been noticed to overflow continuously in the morning hours despite repeated requests by well meaning neighbours. It is once again requested that the owners take care of the situation and stop the overflow of water and save this precious resource.

A ‘Jal Rakshak’ team should be formed at the colony level and a ‘Save Water’ campaign needs to be carried out.The campaign will address the issue of water conservation by adopting rainwater harvesting and preventing wastage of water through overflowing water tanks and augmenting groundwater reserves. The “Jal Rakshak” teams will include volunteers who will contribute to water conservation. The campaign will help reduce wastage by training plumbers to install water overflow prevention devices in water tanks, identify houses with frequent tanks overflow, gather information related to rainwater harvesting requirements of the area concerned to develop an overall plan and execute it with the help of the RWAs.

Such campaigns have been carried out effectively in the past in the neighbouring colonies with help of DJB and FORCE NGO in collaboration with the RWA. The same can be adopted in this colony too and wastage of water can be stopped. Other clubs like the ‘Inner Wheel Club’, ‘The Sunshine Asha’ etc can be roped in for the cause of ‘Save Water’ education. This is a people's movement and the aim is to make people aware, sensitize them about how much water is wasted because of overflowing tanks. The ‘jal rakshaks’ should not only point out the residents whose tanks are found overflowing but will also help them in fixing the problem. With such collective effort one can easily stop wastage of precious water.

Street Lamps During Day Time Wastes Precious Electricity

Electricity is one of the most important energies in people’s daily life. Without electricity, life will be tough and boring. We could only use candles for illumination and firewood for cooking. There would be not PCs, no TVs, and even no radios. Electricity brings us a great life and it is an affordable energy.

At a time when the city faces acute power shortage and people are asked to save electricity, many street lights are seen burning in the day time on the colony roads. The wattage of sodium street lamps vary from 100 to 500, depending on the need for illumination for the particular stretch. More wattage means more brightness and more power consumption. On an average, 250 watts of electricity can light-up a few fluorescent lamps and a fan in a home for a few hours.

Keeping around 25 such sodium street lamps of 250 watts each burning for a day here and there would mean wasting power to meet the needs of an average home for almost a month. This happens very often on the .Alert residents should call the concerned officials and make them aware of such day-light street lamp burning.

On one hand we see the street lamps burning during the day-time and on the other hand we see streets devoid if street lighting. The street lamps are not on in many parts of the city making the roads dark and un-negotiable. There is a hazard of falling down and hurting oneself by stumbling upon some obstacle in the dark. Also, darkness brings about other illegal activities and crimes like theft, rape and even murder. People fear to go out in the dark when the street lamps are not on. It is therefore very important, that in the interest of the security of the citizens, street lamps consuming unnecessary energy during the day time should be stopped. Such loss of electricity in the times of acute shortage is definitely not desirable. The concerned authorities should keep a strict watch and check the areas for such day time burning of street lamps. Also, the citizens who see such street lights on during the day should notify the officials.

Demand Of The Times

Solar Street Lights To Light Up Dark City Streets And Colony Roads

As the month of peak summer is here with the usual power cuts , the streets are left dark and dangerous for the residents to commute. Why can the Authorities not install solar street lights, wonder the residents. Costly electricity will be saved and our streets will also have permanent lighting.

Conventional electricity is a costly method of lighting and along with that electricity is manufactured from the raw materials that will end one day. Keeping this in mind, residents of Saket demand that solar powered led street light, which are equally effective and functional as that of conventional electric powered lights be used to light up the otherwise dark colony roads. Solar Street Lights are an intelligent method of lighting. In areas where the sun is highly gracious and sunshine is intense Solar Powered Street Lights is most ideal product. In domestic as well as in commercial areas the powered street lights are a sensible choice .This saves precious electricity which can be consumed for other useful purposes.

As Delhi reels under power cuts one wonders why the alternate source of lighting is not being put into use by the concerned authorities. What stops them from switching to solar methods of lighting?

The Delhi government on 8th June instructed authorities to switch off high-mast halogen street lamps for a few hours every day and cut power supply to malls after 10 pm, as part of a plan to stabilize the rolling blackouts in the city. At a time when North India is in the grip of an extreme heat wave, power supply to several parts of Delhi has become very erratic and Saket has also been affected by these power cuts. The power cuts and switching off of halogen street lights which are already few in number is a cause of concern for the residents. The concerned authorities should look for and install alternate sources of lighting expeditiously. Already there is an increase in crime statistics in the capital and this darkening of the areas will give ample scope to the thieves and pick pockets to loot the residents.

Amidst Delhi's soaring temperatures and frequent power cuts it is surprising that till now no solid steps have been taken to institute solar lighting. Hope that good sense will prevail soon and solar power will be available for use for street lights, as well as domestic and commercial purposes.

Interviews

The Fascinating Story Of Philately: Inderjeet Singh

Of the very few freedoms still left to us in our regimented life today, the freedom to spend our leisure in the manner of our choice is one. Pursuit of a chosen hobby is one of the most common means of spending one's leisure. When the chosen hobby merely helps to amuse oneself while passing time, it remains a mere pastime and no more. But when the hobby not only helps to relieve one of ennui but also in an enriching experience by itself, it becomes an ideal pursuit in one's leisure. Philately or the art of stamp collection has for this reason been rightly called the King of Hobbies and the Hobby of Kings.

Inderjeet Singh of 50, Hemkunt Colony enjoys the privilege of enjoying this "King of Hobbies". His interest in this hobby arose when he was staying in his college hostel in Udaipur with his friend Suresh Goel, who used to buy postal stationary for selling. Later when he joined Bank of India, his hobby kept on being fed as he collected numerous stamps from the posts received in the bank. He also enrolled himself as the Member of 'Philately Division' of Indian Postal Services.

Inderjeet Singh feels that this hobby of Stamp Collection  or Philately is a most informative and educative hobby. He has collected and arranged his 40,000 odd stamps into various 'Thematic Albums' under various themes like vehicles (sub-divided into locomotives, aeroplanes, cars, cycles etc), flowers, birds, dogs, horses, important persons, places and so on and so forth.

As told by Mr Singh stamps are graded as mint, multiple mint stamps, single used stamps, stamps used on covers, misprinted stamps and misprinted stamps on cover. While it is better to get stamps in mint or excellent condition, those which are rejected by postal authorities or are printed on cover are exceptions. Stamps are probably the most popular collectibles. Some rare stamps are deemed to be worth a fortune. However, every old stamp is not necessarily expensive. Even recent stamps can be extremely expensive, because a stamp’s value depends on rarity.

We spent a really enriching evening in the company of Inderjeet Singh and he delighted us by showing his most prized collection of stamps , very meticulously preserved with love and care.

Koi Naon Na Jaaney Meraa…….

Gurpreet Singh and Anindita Roy in an interview with noted metaphysical poet, Dr Jaswant Singh Neki

In a leisurely evening , as we sit talking  about various aspects of spiritualism and theology from eminent metaphysical poet, Dr Jaswant Singh Neki , a whole new world unfolds before us . Narrated in a succulent manner, his various anecdotes enthrall and grip us. We spent 2 hours listening to the amazing stories narrated by this bubbly and charming octogenarian soon to turn nonagenarian .

Dr Neki was born in village Murid, Distt. Jhelum (Pakistan), on 27th August, 1925. His father, S. Hari Gulab Singh and his mother, Smt. Sita Wanti were both God-fearing and loving individuals. During his very infancy, his parents shifted to Quetta (Baluchistan) where he did his schooling . For his graduate course in medicine and surgery, he joined King Edward Medical College, Lahore and later finished the course from Medical College Amritsar after partition. He married Kanwerjit Neki in 1955 and they have two children who are well settled. Dr Neki gives the credit of his success to his loving wife and says that “she is the greatest reward of my life”.

Dr Jaswant Singh Neki is a well-recognized metaphysical poet in Punjabi who has contributed ten volumes of original verse. His autobiography, “ Koi Naon Na Jaaney Mera” in verse is a well known work in the Sikh Circle. He also writes influential, inspirational prose as evinced by his books Achetan di Leela, Meri Sahitak Swaijeevani and Ardas. He has earned several significant awards in literature which include the Sahitya Akademy Award, Asan Memorial Award, Shiromani Sahitkar Award (Languages Deptt.), Sarvotam Sahitkar Award (Punjabi Akademy, Delhi), Bhai Vir Singh Award, KS Dhaliwal Award, Puran Singh Memorial Award. Guru Nanak Dev University conferred on him PhD honorous causa for his contribution to literature. He has been a member of the jury (Punjabi) for Sahitya Akademy Awards and member of the Advisory Committee (Punjabi) for Jnan Peeth Award. He is one of the past Chairmen of Punjabi Akademy, Chandigarh. Currently, he is the Honorary General Secretary of Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, New Delhi.

His another celebrated book, Ardas of the Sikhs, is an inclusive, yet discreet work on the subject. In this book he acknowledges the universality of prayer and its efficacy. Ardas for the Sikhs is the way of life ordained by the Gurus. It is a way of ‘simran’ or ‘Practising the Presence of God’. The book  condenses the cosmic glory, spiritual experiences and ethical values enshrined in the perennial holy Word of the Adi Granth. Deeply illustrative of every expression of the Ardas, the book has been considered a precious addition to the existing spiritual literature of the world.

A short translation of one of his important works is available in the name of ‘Pearls Of Wisdom’ in which he has narrated short anecdotes from his experiences which is deeply inspiring. Reading the book is an eye opener as everyday anecdotes are written in a very simple and engaging manner and inspires the reader in a very subltle manner. “Nature creates us, our culture mis-shapes us and divine grace saves us” says Dr Neki a strong believer in Divine grace.

We wish Dr Neki a very healthy and happy life alongwith his loving wife, children and grandchildren.

Man With A Mission , N.P Thareja (D94 Saket)

Empowerment-Economic and Social of the Common Man is the motto of N.P Thareja , D94 Saket. To achieve this mission a Human Care Charitable Trust was opened on 12 Aug, 1996 and this Trust has been all along endeavouring to do their best to bring succour to the students, widows, sick, disabled and financially weak persons and provide finances to the institutions which are engaged in the social activities.

Born on 12 December,1925 in Mainwali (now in Pakistan), NP Thareja moved to Delhi in 1947 and got married to Ms Kaushalya on 5 December,1949. His two sons and a daughter and grandchildren are well settled and supportive of their fathers' work.NP Thareja was a banking professional and retired as Asstt. Gen Manager from State Bank of India on 31 December , 1985.

Even as a teenager , his aspiration was to serve humanity . He also attained knowledge to the extent possible , on occult sciences of Astrology, Palmistry and Numerology. He has authored  a book - 'Palmistry made Easy' and has written many articles on the subjects of Astrology , Palmistry and Numerology.

This knowledge of occult sciences proved a boon towards realising his teenage aspirations to do something positive to alleviate the sufferings of the underprivileged and needy. All contributions which come in for the services being rendered to people by him , on the basis of Divine Sciences are being channelised into the 'Human Care Charitable Trust' to fund its acitivities. till date over Rs 300 lakhs have been disbursed by the 'Human Care Charitable Trust' solely by the contributions of his clients. Even before HCCT came into being in 1996, he donated generous contributions from 1985 onwards to various religious and charitable organisations.

His 'Dream Project'  of adopting a village has come true in the form of adoption of village

"Kheri Kalan" by HCCT. In October 2012, a 'Gaushala' was opened with 12 cows in this village.The opening of 'gaushala' has provided employment opportunities to a number of persons who are connected in one way or other with the 'gaushala'.Besides monetary benefit , the people are also benefitting from the consumption of milk and milk products. Arrangements are also in hand to generate employment by making manure from dung and also production of Agarbatti, Dhoop etc . The required training is being provided to the suitable people.

A free primary school with 250 children is also running in this village now which will be later upgraded to middle level. A dispensary and library have also been opened in the complex.

NP Thareja wants this village to become a 'model village' and hopes that other people will also adopt such villages and uplift them from poverty. I wish that this dream of NP Thareja will come true and People and Institutions will adopt villages for their upliftment.

"Gardishey Aayam Tera Shukriya, Hamne Har Pahlu Se Duniya Dekh Li"................

Born in 1927 , in East Punjab in Jallandhar , Col Dr S.D Nayyar is an ardent lover of Urdu Shayari . Music is the second love of this octogenarian doctor who served the army for 22 years.

In a most compelling way, the story of his life, work and his retired life held us spellbound while we listened to his stories about partition and his participation in the three wars which he witnessed first hand after partition. Conducting the interview, we had some amazing stories of adversity, fear, violence, and strength unfolding before our mind's eyes.

Dr Nayyar had just finished his 1st year of studies in medicine in 1947, when the partition drama broke loose. It was announced by All India Radio that all medical students of Lahore medical college should reach Delhi for admission. He had to suffer many acute post partition hardships after which he reached Delhi only to be told that he had been awarded a seat in Madras medical college. However, Dr Nayyar somehow managed to get a seat in Amritsar medical college from where he completed his MBBS.

After completing his medical studies and serving for paltry amounts here and there he decided to join the army .

Dr Nayyar was an active participant in the  Sino-Indian War  that occurred in 1962. Indians suffered heavy casualties, with dead Indian troops' bodies being found in the ice, frozen with weapons in hand. After the defeat Dr Nayyar was sent to receive the causalities at the foothills of Bhutan. One day while attending to the wounded soldiers , General Kaul came inside his tent. He wanted to address the defeated troops and Dr Nayyar arranged for and witnessed General Kaul address the demoralised army.

The 1965 war witnessed some of the largest tank battles. Dr Nayyar witnessed this tank battle first hand and related the story of victory with pride and emotion.

India won the 1971 Bangladesh war and  Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Aurora, accepted the surrender. India took approximately 90,000 prisnors of war, including Pakistani soldiers and their East Pakistani civilian supporters. When General AAK Niazi, Commander of Pakistani forces in East Pakistan was kept as a Prisnor of War in Jabalpu, Dr Nayyar was the attending doctor there. He met him regularly and Dr Nayyar remembers the day when General Niazi told him , " God make you a general soon .. but not a General like me !!"

Col Dr S.D Nayyar practiced as a doctor in Meerut Cantonment for 30 years after retiring from the army. However, in 2006 he had a heart attack while visiting Dalhousie after which he decided to retire from active practice and come to Delhi to live with his son. He started to offer free consultation from the premises of 'Sanatan Dharm Sabha Mandir' in Saket . Dr Nayyar can be seen in 'Sanatan Dharm Sabha Mandir' from 10.30-12.30am offering free consultation and at times free medicines also to needy patients. He is very happy offering this service to the needy patients at the evening hours of his life and to this effect he recited the following 'Sher' for our readers .

'Mandir ke Saye mei ek Ghar banaya hai,

Ye Nachiz banda ab khuda ka humsaya hai "

The Decks Are Cleared And It's Time For The Shuffles; Time For The Aces, Kings, Queens And The Jokers’ Ruffles

Anindita Roy in an interview with Suyash Prakash, 47 Hemkunt Colony, New Delhi (9871795322)

Bridge is by far the greatest card game of all, and it can provide immense mental challenge and enjoyment for the rest of your life, says Suyash Prakash,  47 Hemkunt. A retired IAS Office, he enjoys a game of bridge on the internet as he has no companions to play bridge with. Suyash Prakash retired from Government of Delhi as Director Training of Civil Servants. Selected for civil services in 1976, he came to Delhi. His passions are reading books on self-science, philosophy and fiction .He loves playing a game of bridge which he learnt from some fellow officers and he also plays an occasional game of golf in the Qutub Golf Course.

Bridge is the card game derived from whist, through the earlier variants of  bridge whist and auction bridge. The essential features of all bridge games, as of whist, are that four persons play, two against two as partners; a standard 52-card deck of playing cards is dealt out one at a time, clockwise around the table, so that each player holds 13 cards; and the object of play is to win tricks, each trick consisting of one card played by each player. Another feature is that one suit may be designated the trump suit (i.e., any card in that suit may take any card of the other suits), but the methods of designating the trump suit (or of determining that a deal will be played without trumps) differ in the various bridge games.

The World Bridge Federation is the international governing body of Bridge. The WBF is responsible for world championship competition, most of which is conducted at a few multi-event meets on a four-year cycle. The most prestigious championships are those for national teams in Open, Women, and Seniors categories: the Bermuda Bowl , Venice Cup and Senior Bowl (jointly the biennial "World Teams Championships"), and the quadrennial World Team Olympiads, incorporated in the World Mind Sports Games .

Suyash Prakash is on the lookout for some people who can play bridge with him and he is ready to teach them even , free of cost if they want to learn the game and play with him. Patience, concentration, logical thought and retentive powers are among qualities a bridge player brings to the table and the cerebral jousts can be very addictive, he says. One can even become a member of the Delhi Bridge Association and also play in bridge tournaments. Various pairs events also take place in many clubs of Delhi and one can enjoy participating in those events once you have learnt to play a game of bridge.

The Lost Art of Hand Embroidery

Excerpts from a meeting with Mohani Dhillon (50, Hemkunt Colony, New Delhi)

In my happy long ago childhood, we were taught how to embroider and stitch. It was a part of a girl's education. We learned a variety of stitches, cross stitch, outline, french knots, shadow work, satin stitch and many more. We worked designs on dish towels, hankies, scarves, table cloths, sofa covers, bed sheets or just on pieces of cloth which could be framed and used as wall art. These handmade pieces were used by us as gifts too, apart from decorating our interiors. We also knitted sweaters, scarves and shawls for all our winter needs. My grandmother even wove and embroidered the 'durry' that came as my marriage gift. 

In those days every girl owned an embroidery basket, which held thimbles, needles, scissors, embroidery frames of various sizes, various shades of coloured threads and pieces of fabrics .We worked diligently, embroidering every spare moment and when the embroidery was finished there was still work to do. It was still necessary to hem the product or provide a suitable edging. By then the piece was crinkled and bedraggled from all the handling, but when it was sprinkled and ironed , it became a gift fit for a queen .

Our generation produced tons of embroidered fabrics, which still adorn our homes and we still gift our next generation a gift intertwined with love. But the next generations is too busy with their mobiles , laptops and tabs to learn such a beautiful art. As of now , embroidery refers to custom designs, produced by computers on T- Shirts and ready-made wear and is produced by the machines. It is a thriving industry today but lacks the charm and warmth of love that was woven into the dupattas, kurtis, table cloths, bed sheets, wall-hangings and hankies that we made.

STORY WRITING

Short Story

CHARBAGH

Iona walked into the open courtyard “Charbagh”. Her fair oval face was framed in golden curls and her bright blue eyes looked around curiously. She had come to India on deputation to teach English at the British Council, Delhi. Today was her first day and she had to spend three months in this place. She stood clutching a few books to herself and took in the surroundings. She was looking for the canteen where she could have a small lunch before she resumed her afternoon session. She had half an hour to herself.

The month was November and a mild chill hung in the air. The afternoon looked quite pleasant with a gentle breeze and a waft of flowery smell reached her .She decided to sit outside and enjoy the quiet afternoon. There were four wooden tables at the four corners of the courtyard and there were a few chairs arranged around them. Iona walked towards the nearest table and took a seat.

A small fountain was bubbling merrily in the centre of the courtyard which was paved in stone. On one side the courtyard was flanked with red stone walls of the main building. On one of the other walls there was a painting depicting monuments of Delhi and a tribal art work decorated the facing wall. The wall facing her was sculpted in some grey and black meditative face. The other tables were occupied by some students and members of the Library. A few people were also sitting on a short wall surrounding the fountain.

A gentle breeze carried a smell of food from the canteen and Iona was woken up from her reverie and was reminded of food again. The smell was pleasant and she was forced to walk towards the canteen. She went into the canteen and ordered some sandwiches and a cup of hot cappuccino and came back to her table in the courtyard.

The sculpted face on the wall caught her attention and leaving her books on the table she went towards it to see it closely.

That part of the courtyard was not paved and was a step higher than the rest of the courtyard and had green grass growing on it. Someone had crushed the grass at one place and a pleasant grassy smell filled the atmosphere . The winter sun and the smell of the grass  reminded Iona of her home in a small village town just outside London. She looked closely at the sculpted wall and found that it depicted the five senses: Sight, smell, sound, touch and taste.

A light smile played on her lips as she remembered her English teacher telling her about the five senses and how they can be used in creative writing. She came back to her seat and took up the cup of cappuccino and began to sip. The taste of coffee brought to her mind the “Starbucks coffee Shop’ in London where she would go to have coffee with Robert , her fiancée.  She tried to sense the other senses. The chip of birds, the screech of some green parrots and coo-ing  pigeons delighted her. She bit into the crunchy grilled sandwich and felt the tinge of mustard sauce . Ah, taste, another sense, she thought. The warm ‘touch’ of the cup of cappuccino warmed her fingers. I should tell my students about the use of these senses as she munched happily and sipped her coffee. Refreshed , she was ready to face another session with her students now.

EXPAND THE SENTENCE:

The woman sat alone on the train. She had expensive clothes on and was nervously drumming her fingers on a suitcase which she held close to her on her lap. It looked apparent that she was waiting for someone as she nervously glanced around. The time was late afternoon and the winter sun was setting down fast. A mild chill was settling in the atmosphere as the derelict train stood unnoticed at a far corner of the small station on the outskirts of the village. Oh, she thought, it is going to be dark soon and if Daniel does not come on time to take his suitcase I’ll have to leave it somewhere and go home. She got up and put the suitcase on the seat beside her. She put her head in her palms and was lost in thoughts. Suddenly she felt a nervous chill. She looked up and glanced around, but she could not see anything. What caused this discomfort?, she thought, there was no one around. The door of the train compartment was shut and all the windows were closed too. Still she felt that somebody was there with her. She stood up nervously. I should leave now. Daniel is already late and it is not safe for me to stay on in this place all alone, she thought. She started moving towards the door.

Daniel walked through the portico and stood in front of the massive mahogany doors .The beautiful mahogany doors which once gleamed with pride were now dusty and the once shining brass handles were covered in dust and soot too. He pushed the doors and they screeched open on their rusted hinges. He stepped in and entered the hallway. He looked around and tried to adjust his vision in the dark foyer. The foyer too was dusty and dirty. Paint scrapped off the walls and fell in chunks on the floor. The once shiny and gleaming Italian marbled floor was caked with filth and grime. Daniel tiptoed past the mess and entered the main hall. The winter afternoon light filtered in through the broken window panes. He walked up to the lofty French windows and threw open the shutters and looked out. The rose garden to which the French windows opened was now in a withered condition. Wild Shrubs grew all over the once beautifully tended rose garden.

 Daniel closed his eyes. He was transferred into his childhood memories and he could see in his mind’s eye his mother bending over the rose bushes and lovingly caressing the full bloomed blood-red roses. He could also see a small Daniel running gleefully along the tracks encircling the rose garden. He held a small butterfly net and ran after colourful butterflies which sailed gracefully amongst the shrubs and trees laden with a variety of flowers and fruits. He could almost smell the faint fragrance that always hung in the air in the autumn-winter afternoons. The taste of the savoury sweet and sour apples and oranges which the garden produced in abundance, also lingered on his taste buds.

The sound of something metallic falling at the back brought Daniel out of his reverie. He looked around and saw that a rectangular metal panel had fallen off the wall facing the windows. He walked curiously towards the hole in the wall. He remembered that a big portrait of his Grandfather used to hang on that part of the wall. He reached the wall and cautiously put his hand in and felt a knob. He pushed it with some pressure and the wall started to move to reveal a small doorway. Daniel stepped in through the doorway and found himself in a rectangular room. He had at last found his Grandfathers’ famous secret chamber. Daniel looked around excitedly and found rows and rows of rare books lined along the panelled wall. The books were in perfect condition and the book-lover in Daniel was highly ecstatic. He had really found a great treasure. His visit to his childhood home after so many years had not gone in vain. 

DIALOGUE WRITING

 “Hello Moon!” the setting sun greeted the rising moon in the dusky twilight hours of a wintry evening. “Hello Sun, how was your day?” the moon greeted back warmly.

“A beautiful day today. No clouds to hide the lovely Earth from me. I could see the snow capped mountains, vast blue oceans and the lush green jungles clearly” said the sun.

‘Oh, that’s wonderful!” said the moon. “However, there is so much noise and pollution in the cities these days. How do you cope up with this during the day? It must be tiring!”

“Yes” said the sun sadly. “Human beings have become very careless and they are not taking good care of planet Earth .The atmosphere is being defiled and both land and oceans have been ravaged. At least at night there is less noise and air pollution and you have a peaceful time”.

“True”, said the moon “Humans should take more care of planet Earth or soon it will become inhabitable for them. The plants and animals will also suffer for this careless attitude of humans”.

“Well I wish we could do something about it”, said the sun, setting further down slowly. “Goodbye for now and enjoy the peaceful night. See you later at dawn”.

“Goodbye dear, let’s not worry about this anymore .Let us just do our duty of lighting up the Earth and   hope that good sense will prevail and the Humans will preserve planet Earth for their own good”, said the moon gliding up the dark sky.

SHOW DON’T TELL

Preeti came out of the office and moved towards the florist across the road. There was a light smile playing on her lips and her feet tapped while waiting for the florist to pack her bouquet of roses. I will wear the navy blue long dress for the party tonight. And I will take out the diamond jewellery that mother gave me for my 21st birthday. It will go well with my dress today, she thought happily.

The florist handed over the bouquet. “Thank You so much”, Preeti said warmly. She made her payment and walked towards the car park to her office. She got into the car after carefully placing the bouquet on the back seat.

“I will take a long soak in the tub with rose petals and aroma candles when I get back home” Preeti said to herself, nursing her aching back. It was a long day and the hectic meetings and brainstorming sessions at office had been tiring.

She veered her car towards the hypermarket to pick up  a bottle of wine for the diwali party thrown by her friend Geetali. It was a sort of college reunion too. Preeti felt happy and looked forward to meet her friends after a long time. Her fiancée Rajan would also join her for the party. Suparna and Sumeeta were coming too with their husbands and she really was looking forward to meet them. There was a song on her lips and her fingers tapped the steering wheel and she drove through the busy streets of Mumbai.

THE NIGHT WATCH

The members of the botanical trip were thoroughly engrossed in a ghost story as they sat around the bonfire enjoying the music and the hot soup that chilly winter evening in a jungle resort. Sourabh suddenly spoke up, “I daresay that none of you will be able stay up on a tree on a night like this. I bet a thousand rupees”.

The challenge was thrown up jokingly but the rest of our classmates took it up seriously. Despite knowing that our teachers disapproved this kind of risk taking, me and my friend Anubhav crept out after dinner into the jungle and climbed up a big tree and settled on a broad branch. “What harm can come out of this? It should be fun”, Anubhav said. But as the night progressed, the occasional screeching of the night birds and howling of wild animals started making us nervous.

After sometime I could hear Anubhav’s soft breath at my side. A scuffle at the bottom of the tree suddenly attracted my attention. A huge white Tigress with her three cubs were looking up and sniffing. Then the tigers walked up to a nearby bush and settled down cosily. I slowly shook Anubhav out of sleep and pointed towards the resting tigers. Thereafter, the fear, the chill, and the noises of the wild kept us wide awake.

Around 6’O clock in the morning the tigers stretched up and walked away into the forest while we sat frozen on the top of the tree. The fever that we caught staying out in a jungle in a chilly night and the reproach that we got later from our teachers was nothing compared to the fear we felt that night by taking an undue risk .I promised myself that I would never do anything like that again.