SUMMER TIME – GALA TIME
Come vacations and the students slip into festive mood. It’s a time for which they wait all the year through. They make elaborate plans to ensure a gala time. From excursions to summer camps, visiting grand parents to kids alone parties, they have everything on their agenda. Summer Vacations is a time for throwing the heavy back packs into cub boards and chill out.
Apart from fun and frolic, students can also utilize their time simultaneously in planning for their future. The aim of education is not limited to book learning and knowledge. It covers a wider spectrum. As teachers, we should strive to make complete individuals rather than just doctors and engineers. Parents should also realise that every child can not be a topper. The top slot can accommodate only one winner. Therefore rather than stressing your child with studies, summer vacations are also a time to pursue various hidden talents that every child has in him. Dance classes, aerobics, yoga, singing, skating, swimming, acting, are various activities that bring out the best in a child. It gives an expression to their personality. Therefore, summer time can be best utilised in such endeavours. It is absolutely necessary for the parents to give their kids the freedom to chase their dreams in vacations. Unlike other nations, we are a nation where a child is evaluated only on his percentages and grades. In this mad race for the best scores for their children, parents knowingly subvert their hidden talents. Probably, this is the reason why an Indian is still not a world leader in fine arts, sports etc. Educational institutions should utilize the summer vacation time to nurture these hidden skills in the students.
Summer vacations are also a perfect time to work on your weaknesses. Students have ample time at their discretion to improvise their writing and speaking skills. Short courses on language speaking are a boon. Students should spend at least one hour daily in reading good literature. If not books, newspapers always come handy and can be read anywhere. It serves a dual purpose of developing your reading skills and also makes to updated with the current happenings around you.
So let your kid unleash the hidden talent in him and allow him the freedom to be. Who knows if he can be the Picasso or Einstein of tomorrow?
Monday, June 29, 2009
Relevance of religion
Relevance of Religion in Promoting Values for Communal Harmony
Religions are many and diverse, but reason and goodness are one. As a child, I used to hear a line which says that a religion always preaches us to be good. I wonder if this line is still relevant in the present scenario.
Religion is the most commonly misunderstood word today. People use this word to fulfil their own selfish motives. Hindus use their religion to encourage untouchability and caste discrimination. Muslims use Islam to spread violence in the name of Jehad. Sikhs had separatist tendencies while Christians always tried to prove themselves as a superior race. Whatever may be the reason, religion always emerges to be the loser. No religion supports violence. Those who resort to violence in the name of religion are doing a disservice to their faith and humanity at large.
Guru Nanakji once said in one of his sacred books, “There is but one God. His name is Truth. He is the creator, He fears none. He is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self illuminated, He is realized by kindness of the true guru. He was true in the beginning, He was true when the ages commenced and has ever been true. He is also true now.”
Religion and communal harmony go hand in hand. Religion is needed in the formation of character. The idea of communal harmony is not possible in the absence of an organized religious way of life. Modern life has multiplied our desires. And when desires are multiplied without the corrective sense of spiritual values, they lead to greed and lust. Lust for power, money and fame. It finds fresh tools for evil and facilitates greater indulgence in all forms of greed. The only thing that fortifies men against temptation is the religious sense. It is religion that fixes good and sound habits of thought and of external activity. Morals, like empty bags, cannot stand on their own feet unless they are based on religion. And all religions of the world are great as all of them have a message of love and humanism.
When it comes to communal harmony, India has always set an example for the world. Communal harmony, therefore, is the basic building block of our country. Swami Vivekananda’s views during a summit on “Parliament of Religions" in 1893 were thought provoking. He proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity were not the exclusive possessions of any church or mosque in the world and that every system had produced men and women of the most exalted character. His address before the parliament was broad as the heavens above us, embracing the best in all religions and the ultimate universal religion was charity to all mankind and good works for the love of God, not for fear of punishment.
The theme of Gandhiji’s teachings was also similar. He wanted the individual to rise above fear, jealousy and hate. When such individuals combine themselves into a community, the problem of communal jealousy and discord will disappear.
Guru Nanak in his first statement after his prophetic communion with God said, “There is no Hindu or any Mussalman.” If God was to be found, he would be found in the inner chambers of human heart. If a man is intoxicated enough with the name, memory and thought of God, he would experience him in his own self. For Nanakji, such a person was a true yogi and not the one who wore orange robes for appearance sake.
Although India has been a confluence of religious plurality for over two millenniums, we are still far away from developing an inter-religious spirituality in the minds of our people. The rise of communalism is a major threat to our spirituality. The spirit of negativity dominates and shapes our religious attitudes. It is this that leads us to mistake our neighbours to be the enemies of our faith. Though all religions recommend values such as generosity, selflessness and charity, increasingly people resort to religion only to secure limitless and unmerited advantages in this world and the next.
The time has come for us to work earnestly towards evolving a shared spirituality keeping pace with the demands of a secular democracy. The need of the hour is the spiritual renewal and reform of all the religions. The practitioners of a religion have to develop adequate sensitivity and due respect for the religious practices and sentiments of others. We cease to grow when we blindly adopt a religion with all its dogmas. Rather than glorifying ourselves to be superior over others, we need to handle our spiritual heritage with humility and compassion. There is an urgent need to evolve an inter-religious code through mutual consultation. It should accommodate the genius of each religion and minimize the offence of what is unique and different.
We need to set an example of religious tolerance and communal harmony again. Our ancestors have been known to enlighten the world from time to time. It is time for us to depict hope to the world.
“When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.”
And that should be the spirit.
Religions are many and diverse, but reason and goodness are one. As a child, I used to hear a line which says that a religion always preaches us to be good. I wonder if this line is still relevant in the present scenario.
Religion is the most commonly misunderstood word today. People use this word to fulfil their own selfish motives. Hindus use their religion to encourage untouchability and caste discrimination. Muslims use Islam to spread violence in the name of Jehad. Sikhs had separatist tendencies while Christians always tried to prove themselves as a superior race. Whatever may be the reason, religion always emerges to be the loser. No religion supports violence. Those who resort to violence in the name of religion are doing a disservice to their faith and humanity at large.
Guru Nanakji once said in one of his sacred books, “There is but one God. His name is Truth. He is the creator, He fears none. He is without hate, He never dies, He is beyond the cycle of births and death, He is self illuminated, He is realized by kindness of the true guru. He was true in the beginning, He was true when the ages commenced and has ever been true. He is also true now.”
Religion and communal harmony go hand in hand. Religion is needed in the formation of character. The idea of communal harmony is not possible in the absence of an organized religious way of life. Modern life has multiplied our desires. And when desires are multiplied without the corrective sense of spiritual values, they lead to greed and lust. Lust for power, money and fame. It finds fresh tools for evil and facilitates greater indulgence in all forms of greed. The only thing that fortifies men against temptation is the religious sense. It is religion that fixes good and sound habits of thought and of external activity. Morals, like empty bags, cannot stand on their own feet unless they are based on religion. And all religions of the world are great as all of them have a message of love and humanism.
When it comes to communal harmony, India has always set an example for the world. Communal harmony, therefore, is the basic building block of our country. Swami Vivekananda’s views during a summit on “Parliament of Religions" in 1893 were thought provoking. He proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity were not the exclusive possessions of any church or mosque in the world and that every system had produced men and women of the most exalted character. His address before the parliament was broad as the heavens above us, embracing the best in all religions and the ultimate universal religion was charity to all mankind and good works for the love of God, not for fear of punishment.
The theme of Gandhiji’s teachings was also similar. He wanted the individual to rise above fear, jealousy and hate. When such individuals combine themselves into a community, the problem of communal jealousy and discord will disappear.
Guru Nanak in his first statement after his prophetic communion with God said, “There is no Hindu or any Mussalman.” If God was to be found, he would be found in the inner chambers of human heart. If a man is intoxicated enough with the name, memory and thought of God, he would experience him in his own self. For Nanakji, such a person was a true yogi and not the one who wore orange robes for appearance sake.
Although India has been a confluence of religious plurality for over two millenniums, we are still far away from developing an inter-religious spirituality in the minds of our people. The rise of communalism is a major threat to our spirituality. The spirit of negativity dominates and shapes our religious attitudes. It is this that leads us to mistake our neighbours to be the enemies of our faith. Though all religions recommend values such as generosity, selflessness and charity, increasingly people resort to religion only to secure limitless and unmerited advantages in this world and the next.
The time has come for us to work earnestly towards evolving a shared spirituality keeping pace with the demands of a secular democracy. The need of the hour is the spiritual renewal and reform of all the religions. The practitioners of a religion have to develop adequate sensitivity and due respect for the religious practices and sentiments of others. We cease to grow when we blindly adopt a religion with all its dogmas. Rather than glorifying ourselves to be superior over others, we need to handle our spiritual heritage with humility and compassion. There is an urgent need to evolve an inter-religious code through mutual consultation. It should accommodate the genius of each religion and minimize the offence of what is unique and different.
We need to set an example of religious tolerance and communal harmony again. Our ancestors have been known to enlighten the world from time to time. It is time for us to depict hope to the world.
“When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.”
And that should be the spirit.
Friday, January 16, 2009
We the teachers
Greetings at every step, walking in an aura of pride, welcoming smiles and bowing heads. Welcome to the world of a teacher. A glance at our life will make you believe that each one of us is no less than a queen in ourselves. There is an aura of royalty attached to the life of a teacher. The students always make you feel on top of the world. Our words are their commands. They adulate us. Imagine 10 students rushing to lift your pen when you accidentally drop it. Isn’t it flattering?
The best part of the teaching profession is that one gets to relive her childhood everyday. The kids remind me about my days in school. Sometimes their mischiefs make me laugh because they remind me of my long forgotten ones. I see a reflection of me in them. They have the ability to bring out the best in me. A glimpse on their face makes me proud because they all belong to me. I feel responsible for their actions. Their success delights me while their failures are my failures. I cherish the moments when I actually look at myself in some of my students. A school girl which I was. Plain, simple and so ignorant of the world outside. With eyes full of dreams and ambition to take on the world. Did we ever imagine as kids that life could be so complicated? Weren’t those the best days of our life? I feel blessed because I get to play my part of a kid everyday. Blessed are the ones who love and are loved in return. I am beholden to my students who shower me with affection everyday.
Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition. It is heartening to see that in the time of cut throat competition and corporate rivalry, teaching is not looked upon as a first career option. Most of us take to teaching not out of choice but by compulsion. It is only considered to be the best career option for a married woman or a mother. Reason, it allows ample time for family and kids. To be honest, I also gave it a try only out of compulsion. But I am happy that I did. Today I am on my path of discovering a new me in myself. I feel elated when my kids look upon me as a friend, philosopher and guide. We must not forget that teaching is a profession that teaches all the other professions.
The teaching profession provides a challenging and enriching career with varied fields of excellence that cater to your talents, abilities and aspirations. Our professional duties may extend beyond formal teaching. Outside of the classroom we also accompany students on field trips. We make them learn the nuisances of dance during school celebrations. I tried my hand at choreography during our annual day celebrations and was amazed to discover this new part in me. School picnic was an all and all awesome experience. I was pampered to the hilt with everybody offering something to me before having it first. The students’ enthusiasm to serve their teachers was unexplainable. And I was reminded about every bit of my school picnic.
But at the same time, teaching is not an easy task. In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so maybe for years. A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image. We have to make an image in the minds of our students. We have to prove our worth as their role model which is no less than a Herculean task in itself. As it is said, “It is difficult to win confidence but easy to lose it.” And we cannot to afford to lose our students’ confidence even for a moment.
Besides recently, I was told by someone that I have always loved to shout at my own mistakes. And my profession gives me ample opportunities to shout at people. What more can I ask for? Therefore, instead of being slaughtered everyday in a corporate environment, why not be surrounded by angels all the time? Give it a thought……..
The best part of the teaching profession is that one gets to relive her childhood everyday. The kids remind me about my days in school. Sometimes their mischiefs make me laugh because they remind me of my long forgotten ones. I see a reflection of me in them. They have the ability to bring out the best in me. A glimpse on their face makes me proud because they all belong to me. I feel responsible for their actions. Their success delights me while their failures are my failures. I cherish the moments when I actually look at myself in some of my students. A school girl which I was. Plain, simple and so ignorant of the world outside. With eyes full of dreams and ambition to take on the world. Did we ever imagine as kids that life could be so complicated? Weren’t those the best days of our life? I feel blessed because I get to play my part of a kid everyday. Blessed are the ones who love and are loved in return. I am beholden to my students who shower me with affection everyday.
Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition. It is heartening to see that in the time of cut throat competition and corporate rivalry, teaching is not looked upon as a first career option. Most of us take to teaching not out of choice but by compulsion. It is only considered to be the best career option for a married woman or a mother. Reason, it allows ample time for family and kids. To be honest, I also gave it a try only out of compulsion. But I am happy that I did. Today I am on my path of discovering a new me in myself. I feel elated when my kids look upon me as a friend, philosopher and guide. We must not forget that teaching is a profession that teaches all the other professions.
The teaching profession provides a challenging and enriching career with varied fields of excellence that cater to your talents, abilities and aspirations. Our professional duties may extend beyond formal teaching. Outside of the classroom we also accompany students on field trips. We make them learn the nuisances of dance during school celebrations. I tried my hand at choreography during our annual day celebrations and was amazed to discover this new part in me. School picnic was an all and all awesome experience. I was pampered to the hilt with everybody offering something to me before having it first. The students’ enthusiasm to serve their teachers was unexplainable. And I was reminded about every bit of my school picnic.
But at the same time, teaching is not an easy task. In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so maybe for years. A teacher's purpose is not to create students in his own image, but to develop students who can create their own image. We have to make an image in the minds of our students. We have to prove our worth as their role model which is no less than a Herculean task in itself. As it is said, “It is difficult to win confidence but easy to lose it.” And we cannot to afford to lose our students’ confidence even for a moment.
Besides recently, I was told by someone that I have always loved to shout at my own mistakes. And my profession gives me ample opportunities to shout at people. What more can I ask for? Therefore, instead of being slaughtered everyday in a corporate environment, why not be surrounded by angels all the time? Give it a thought……..
Friday, January 2, 2009
Singh is King
Let us talk about our very own Banta Singh, who has been making you lose your wits since time immemorial. He is the cynosure of most of the jokes which people love to laugh at. People make fun of him in whatever he does. He is always scorned off by people as being stupid, funny and absent minded. But mind it; this is not the real picture of a Sardar.
If you think of any section of people in the world who have embraced life as whole heartedly as possible, they are the Sardars. Sikhs will be more correct politically, but that’s just a religious identity. To be a sardar is something different. He is vivacious and innocuous. Always full of life, enthusiasm and vitality, they live their life, king size. Everything related to a sardar is unconventional. The ability to laugh at one's identity and not feel any less proud about it is ‘Sardardom’ in my definition. And this ability is indeed applaud able. They have successfully made a genre for themselves in the joke world. They may be the laughing stock of the world, but they are so large hearted that when they tell jokes, they make themselves the subject rather than offending any other ethnic group. I have never seen a Sardar proving his superiority in front of our other self obsessed regional groups. What constitutes a sardar is something totally different. And I am beholden to them for this. Isn’t their zest for life remarkable? What matters is they have the mindset to take criticism in their stride and even turn it into something positive.
There is certain vividness in a Sardar’s character. It is not like that they always need to be fools. We have our most educated PM to date, in the robes of a sardar. The Sikhs are also the most migratory and successful community abroad. You will find a sardar in every nook and corner of the world. In Canada, they hold the greatest number of political and business posts. Punjab is the richest state in India, capita-wise. They are a sacrificial lot when it comes to fighting for their country. 80% of casualties during India’s independence were of Sikhs, despite being a mere 2% of the population. The Punjab regiment is the most award-winning and distinguished regiment in the Indian army. Bhangra is the most popular form of dance, full of pep and energy. You will find people tapping their feet to the music of a Punjabi song in all parts of the world. Their Gurudawaras are unbelievably organized and well maintained compared to our temples. Overall the Sikhs are extremely hard working, religious and humble souls. I have never seen a Sardar beggar in my life. This proves their social standing in society. The religious teachings of Sikhism are far more liberal and secular than anyone. Their ideology is all embracing.
When it comes to hospitality, they have no equals. Those who have been treated to a typical Punjabi hospitality will swear by my words that a sardar is a scintillating conversationist. He will make a complete stranger feel at home. Their magnanimous hearts can accommodate anyone and everyone. But at times he is prone to flattery. He is an epitome of love and trust.
Forgive me if I sound biased. To clarify, there is a huge difference between being a Sardar and a Punjabi. They are not necessarily the same. I am not a sardar but I do wish if I was born one. So the next time you hear a sardar joke, do not forget to have a word of cheer for their stoical spirit. These Singhs are indeed the Kings.
If you think of any section of people in the world who have embraced life as whole heartedly as possible, they are the Sardars. Sikhs will be more correct politically, but that’s just a religious identity. To be a sardar is something different. He is vivacious and innocuous. Always full of life, enthusiasm and vitality, they live their life, king size. Everything related to a sardar is unconventional. The ability to laugh at one's identity and not feel any less proud about it is ‘Sardardom’ in my definition. And this ability is indeed applaud able. They have successfully made a genre for themselves in the joke world. They may be the laughing stock of the world, but they are so large hearted that when they tell jokes, they make themselves the subject rather than offending any other ethnic group. I have never seen a Sardar proving his superiority in front of our other self obsessed regional groups. What constitutes a sardar is something totally different. And I am beholden to them for this. Isn’t their zest for life remarkable? What matters is they have the mindset to take criticism in their stride and even turn it into something positive.
There is certain vividness in a Sardar’s character. It is not like that they always need to be fools. We have our most educated PM to date, in the robes of a sardar. The Sikhs are also the most migratory and successful community abroad. You will find a sardar in every nook and corner of the world. In Canada, they hold the greatest number of political and business posts. Punjab is the richest state in India, capita-wise. They are a sacrificial lot when it comes to fighting for their country. 80% of casualties during India’s independence were of Sikhs, despite being a mere 2% of the population. The Punjab regiment is the most award-winning and distinguished regiment in the Indian army. Bhangra is the most popular form of dance, full of pep and energy. You will find people tapping their feet to the music of a Punjabi song in all parts of the world. Their Gurudawaras are unbelievably organized and well maintained compared to our temples. Overall the Sikhs are extremely hard working, religious and humble souls. I have never seen a Sardar beggar in my life. This proves their social standing in society. The religious teachings of Sikhism are far more liberal and secular than anyone. Their ideology is all embracing.
When it comes to hospitality, they have no equals. Those who have been treated to a typical Punjabi hospitality will swear by my words that a sardar is a scintillating conversationist. He will make a complete stranger feel at home. Their magnanimous hearts can accommodate anyone and everyone. But at times he is prone to flattery. He is an epitome of love and trust.
Forgive me if I sound biased. To clarify, there is a huge difference between being a Sardar and a Punjabi. They are not necessarily the same. I am not a sardar but I do wish if I was born one. So the next time you hear a sardar joke, do not forget to have a word of cheer for their stoical spirit. These Singhs are indeed the Kings.
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