Everyone goes through changes, so did I;
Have a look *HoW*, give a thought *WhY*.Knickers in a twist, and a double heart beat,
won’t ever let you perform well, won’t let you succeed!Cribbing and crying,
falling and never flying;
Sad and depressed,
happiness never expressed!I used to shed tears for the pains given by lord,
but now I hug life, for every smile it brought.Positivity of my soul, shines in my eyes,
I’m thankful for every blessing, happiness always somewhere lies.From Silencer to a Chatterbox,
But in a positive sense;
Thoughts and imagination when expressed,
Have a value which is immense.I’m no more the girl, sitting near the window alone
No more the girl, who tries to escape.
No more the girl, who wears a mask of *All is Well*
Making sure, that her smile doesn’t look fake.Becoming self confident, ain’t a cake walk;
Obstacles will surely come, Life will laugh and mock.
That mockery isn’t to let you down,
Or to make you feel low.
It’s just to give you strength and a belief,
That you still too far can go.The road to success is never an easy one,
don’t lose hope, the journey has just begun!People come and people go,
Life doesn’t stop, keep going with the flow.
You’re not always wrong,
Don’t feel bad and blame;
It either is God’s set exam, Or Life’s testing game.Love yourself the most, make efforts to self adore;
everyone possesses faults within, the beautiful heart must be pure!Stand bold and keep fighting,
What matters is, Self Trust.
Use it as a thrust, To do what you must.You are worthy, more than you have ever known,
You are worthy, more than the world has ever shown.
Let the world fear you,
Take a charge now.
Decide the WHY on your own,
Stay stronger, you know HOW.
I found Myself
Education system – Commercialized, Privatized and Saffronized
Education is a never-ending system of which once an individual becomes a part, he or she remains a part of it for a lifetime because education is not confined to learning to read and write, it is far beyond the two as it consists of acquiring knowledge and experience over a period of time that makes one capable of a more comprehensive understanding of the nuances of life leading to a better and more productive life. The benefits of education make it a necessity for all which in turn necessitates its accessibility to all, but fulfillment of the purpose of education which is to cast humans into efficient and competent individuals has been obstructed by its commercialization, privatization and saffronisation.
There is a profusion of colleges and universities in recent times, most of these educational institutions are owned by political leaders and businessmen who establish such institutions to form a basis of local power and acquire large sums of money and profit from these institutions but these colleges and universities are either very costly due to their privatization and hence only the rich can afford them or they are in shambles with poor infrastructure and untrained teaching staff. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the state are compelled to allow for the establishment of such institutions due to pressure from powerful personalities even though there is no evidence of the need and quality of these institutions. If the UGC and other accreditation authorities try to close down these institutions or press them to improve their standards then it is opposed by their powerful owners. Hence quality of education is going down the drain due to its privatization and commercialization, most of these institutions provide degrees in engineering, MBA and MBBS, hence quality of engineers, doctors and management students being produced is poor and their number is high with little job opportunities for them, this has led to unemployment and underemployment and burgeoning IT and BPO sectors in India. Commercialization has also had an adverse impact on the quality of teachers emerging in the current times. Earlier the teachers were characterized by willingness and the zeal to shape amateur men and women into competent and proficient individuals but now a days teachers are indifferent to the overall growth and development of the students, they are only concerned with earning money by way of teaching, thereby now the educational institutions are producing a class of inept and incompetent individuals.
A major problem and threat to the Indian education system is its saffronisation where in the education system is being moulded to promote the Hindu culture and religion, this will have serious repercussions as this is against the essence of education and it distorts the truth and misrepresents the facts and sows the seeds of communalism and discrimination. With all the challenges faced by the Indian education system the government needs to act. Necessary programmes and policies need to be introduced and their implementation and execution should be carefully monitored, more investments should be made in all sectors of education on part of the government and fundings should not be mishandled for which government should ensure strict supervision of funds. An improvement in education system is a prerequisite for India’s development and success and this is possible only if the government dissociates itself from saffronisation of education and discourages its privatization and commercialization.
The society turned me into an Atheist
I was born in a nation where what people say is more important than what you believe. I was born in a nation where you are brought up to believe in what the society wants you to believe in.
I was born with a million thoughts. Started dressing myself in hope as years went by. I had no control on my thoughts but they were crushed down. A realization dawned upon me that nobody cares about what I feel or what I think. That there were certain pre-existing and established rules that I was supposed to follow and not rebel against it. With every imposition, I asked “why?” I was told how God made women subservient to men. How you have to submit to all the male members in your life. How I’m incapable of protecting myself because God made me weak. How God doesn’t want me to visit him in the temples when I’m menstruating because I’m dirty during that period. I was taught early in my life that I have to marry somebody someday because apparently, marriage is a God given legacy too. I was asked to be devoted to my future husband like Sita was to Lord Ram. The way I need to submit to my potential husband even if he is devoid of virtues or seeks pleasure somewhere else, as stated in the Manu Smriti. I was supposed to be virtuous while my husband had the liberty to do whatever he felt like doing because he was lucky to have been born as a male and it was my ill fate that I was born as a girl.
But the question that was crucial to me was,”why?” I was born to defy all the norms that were imposed on me under the pretext of God’s command. Every instruction made my heart beat on my ribs in indignation.
I couldn’t change the society,as was obvious but I couldn’t let “I dare not” wait upon “I would”. The society turned me into an atheist and I’m ever grateful for that.
A Train to Pakistan
A Train to Pakistan
Not forever does the bulbul sing,
In balmy shades of bowers,
Not forever lasts the spring,
Nor ever blossom flowers……..
Not forever reigneth joy;
Sets the sun on days of bliss,
Friendships not forever last,
They know not life, who knows not this.
The above lines fittingly describe the inevitability of partition. We fought for freedom for around a century, but it was achieved at the cost of partition in which more than 15 million people were displaced and more than 2 million died in the sweet name of religion. Certainly, freedom meant nothing for them besides the carnage.
A train to Pakistan is a magnificent story of a few fictional characters, namely, Imam Baksh (a local weaver and the Mosque’s Imam), Juggat Singh (a dacoit) and Iqbal Singh ( “a mona sardar”). It is set during the partition of India, i.e., during the summers of 1947 in a town named Mano-Majra. Mano-Major is a small village near the border of India and Pakistan. The inhabitants of Mano-Majra were majorly Muslims and Sikhs, who lived in harmony for centuries. Religion in no way was a bone of contention between people.
Mano-Manjra was landmarked by only a few public buildings. It had a railway station at which only a few trains stopped. The important ones, including the Express trains never stopped. The ones that stopped included a train from Lahore to Delhi and back from Delhi to Lahore.
One afternoon, one such train stopped at Mano-Majra which wrapped the whole town in a brooding silence when it was discovered that the train carried over 1500 brutally killed corpses of their Hindu and Sikh brothers and sisters. Certainly, the train had arrived from Pakistan. This was when the people of Mano-Majra were introduced with the atrocities and carnage of the separation. An air of suspicion, doubt and hatred dwelled over the denizens of Mano-Majra. What followed next were people in large numbers coming in as refugees from Pakistan and settling in Mano-Majra, leaving behind all their belongings and houses. The Communal riots resulted in many of these migrants being killed, their houses and properties looted, women raped and children tortured.
What made Hukum Chand (The Magistrate of Mano-Majra) more feverish that night was the fact that it was raining and over a thousand charred corpses would be sizzling and smoking while the rain would put out the fire. Beads of sweat broke out on his temples.
What followed next was even more terrifying and frightened everybody out of their wits.
Few days later, with the incessant rains, the sea level of the Satluj rose. The most horrifying site of dead bodies floating down the river from Pakistan paralyzed people with fear. This led to the inevitable killing and looting in Mono-Majra, itself. People who lived for centuries in harmony, decided to kill all the migrants who travelled on the train to Lahore, which included the muslims of Mano-Majra and of a few more neighboring towns. The once tranquil atmosphere of Mano-Majra was soon changed into an inferno of death and destruction. And with the gale of summers ended the once happy lives of denizens of Manu-Majra…..
Khuswant Singh’s novel best describes the impact of separation, which saw the largest mass migration in History. Mass suicides among girls, rapes, dacoities, horrifying communal riots history ever witnessed and unfulfilled heart-rending stories of lovers who could never meet again.
Few highlights from his novel include:
- Population – How could you check increase in population? In the land of Kamasutra, the home of phallic worship and the son cult.
- We say Das (10) Number ka Badmash – derived from the number of the police register in which names of bad characters are listed.
- We say 420 to cheaters and liars – derived from Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code which defines the offence of cheating.
- His writing style is incisive and very secular; holding equal disgust for all:
“Logic was never a strong point with Sikhs; when they were roused, logic did not matter at all.”
… and this came from a Sikh.
About the Author: An alumnus of St. Stephen’s College, Delhi and King’s College,
London, Khushwant Singh is one of South Asia’s finest historians and novelists and who also came up with the original ‘Santa-Banta’ jokes. He wrote ‘A Train to Pakistan’ in 1956. Some of his other great works include ‘The Company of Women (1991)’, ‘Delhi: A Novel (1990)’, ‘Truth, Love and a Little Malice (2002)’ and many more.
Unity in Diversity or is it just Hypocrisy?
India, a place where diversity thrives in its fullest form, a place which is said to be the archetype of unity in diversity, is appreciated for the assortment of life forms and cultures that flourish here. Indeed, it is a land where you find a miscellany of traditions, customs, norms, religions and ethnicities besides diverse life forms. Every person who is asked to quote words of admiration for the country does not forget to mention the variety and multiplicity of things found here. But do you think with all the existing diversity in India, there is as much unity as is projected to be, is India as united as it’s people, it’s political and social leaders and various celebrities have claimed it to be on both national as well as international forums. My own experience suggests the contrary. One thing is certain that you will find diversity in every nook and corner of the country, but speaking of unity, well, there are very hypocritical standards for it. India is a major religious centre for a number of religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism to name a few, people belonging to these religions easily claim to respect the other religions. But is this claim true? I guess not, I have seen these very people making such high claims perform deeds contrary to them, they mock the Gods and Goddesses of another religion, they claim their religion to be the one that should be followed and quote all others as false, they emphasize the rectitude and piousness of their own practices, culture, traditions, customs while accusing others culture, practices and traditions to be diabolical, they claim themselves to be the believers while others who are of a different religion to be non-believers, these people fight over bans on cow and pig slaughter, or over construction of temples, mosques and church, you might question what is the evidence for all of this, well, there are ample instances that make it evident that though there is diversity in India but the existence of unity is dubious as can be seen in the Hindu-Muslim riots that take place every now and then, most prominent of them being the Godhra riots and the Muzaffarnagar riots, while other instances include the Ayodhya dispute and the beef ban.
Let alone religion, is there unity among the various castes that exist in India? The answer would be obvious to those who are aware of the prevailing conditions in India. Caste discrimination is apparent and still exists in various parts of India, many of the upper castes still practice untouchability and look down upon the lower castes, especially the dalits, does this kind of treatment suggest any sort of unity among these people, well, all one could notice is unity of the upper castes in demeaning the lower castes, though this kind of discrimination happens mostly in the case of economically backward lower castes while those who are wealthy and powerful and belong to a lower caste are hardly looked down upon for their caste. India has great regional diversity, every Indian state has something peculiar to it, something unique and special, culturally these states are very different from one another, they follow different customs and traditions and differ linguistically as well. Because of cultural differences people of two states find it difficult to adjust in a setting, there are disputes between them that sometimes turn into riots, many political parties take advantage of the diversity among people to create tension between them and instigate riots for their own political reasons.
India is not only rich in terms of diversity in caste,religion and region but also economic diversity. You will see a stark contrast in the conditions of the three sections of the society divided along class lines, that is, the upper class, the middle class and the lower class. People from the three categories mostly despise one another, the upper class look down upon the other two classes, the middle class dislike the upper class because they are exploited and oppressed by them while they look down upon the lower class because of their status in society, also reservation is a strong bone of contention between the middle and lower classes, the middle class believes the lower class takes away opportunities for them due to reservation, the third class which is the most disadvantaged despises the other two classes because they are humiliated by them or even if they are not they believe their interests are different from the other two classes. In fact, it is a common realization among all the three categories that their interests differ and hence they dislike one another.
Diversity exists in terms of the rural-urban-local divide as well, and discussing all spheres of diversity in India and the unity among them would be cumbersome, hence I have only cited a few examples of diversity in the country and the unity they implicate. The diversity that characterizes India gives it a unique and revered position in the world and it is indeed praiseworthy that in spite of such myriad of cultures, religions, castes and states in India it has been able to subsist as a consolidated nation with peace and harmony in comparison to many other nations and this has been facilitated by some amount of unity among the Indian people. But with such diversity unity persists only at a superficial level, hence, the need of the hour is to respect the differences we share at a deeper level and this is all that needs to make the country advanced and triumphant.
Hope, be optimistic, because it’s never too late
Are you a passive person? Do you wait for things to happen and if they don’t then do you just give up? Do you think if you’re late then it’s futile trying anymore? A lot of us do that,but is that a solution to any problem in this world? This question has been discussed and speculated for long,but,well, it is subjective and contingent on every person’s point of view, their perspective and ideas, there is no absolute answer to the question. I believe it’s never too late, why give up on something you desire just because you think there’s no time now, the opportunity has slipped away or it’s late, why not strive,why not struggle, why not work harder, why not endeavour to accomplish your goals and your aspirations even if you believe you’re lacking behind and it’s a little too late. In reality if you delve in an earnest observation of the world around you,you would certainly realize it’s never too late for anything if you are determined, dedicated, devoted and passionate. Imagine a situation where in you have had a fight with a friend, a family member, or a loved one, you do not wish to apologize because of ego issues though you are aware that you are the one who is at fault and time passes by in this way.
It’s been long since you and the person close to you have exchanged words, there is no communication or interaction between the two of you, but you feel as if you are missing out on something, as if a part of you is yearning and longing for that person, you know it’s too late, years have passed but you feel you lack something and that is when you realize you need to act upon the problem, you meet that person and you reconcile with them, what does this signify, apparently something that is very obvious that it is never too late. Often we are inhibited in our expression because of the doubts, worries, the lack of conviction that surround us, hence, we do not feel confident and we are afraid to express ourselves, our wishes and our wants to those we feel close to, such as our parents, family and friends, our inhibitions bury our wishes and time flies away, we regret not acting upon them when there was time but can nothing be changed? Do you think if you try to fulfill or express your desire now, you will not succeed? The answer lies in the manner in which you perceive life, if you believe you are the maker of your destiny you can certainly achieve the unaccomplished, unfulfilled dreams because you believe it’s never too late. Suppose that you always had the urge and the passion to be a painter or a writer but because of societal pressures you could not gratify this intense urge and you eventually had to pursue engineering, which stereotypically happens in most Indian families, and after you do become an engineer you do not feel content and satisfied, you do not feel the internal bliss and happiness that you should and you realize that it is because of your unfulfilled passion for painting or writing, do you think it would be an awful idea to consider becoming a writer or a painter after pursuing a degree in engineering? If you do, then you would probably never experience what it feels like to accomplish ones own aspirations, but if you have faith in the notion that you can still become a writer or a painter, then it’s never too late for a person like you, you could almost always overcome barriers and obstacles in life whether they are present in your relationships, your education or career and you would experience the true joy and the bliss of accomplishing and achieving your dreams, thereby, I would conclude by saying that hope and optimism is all that you need to live a healthy and happy life so never give up because life goes on for those who move on with positive notions and believe it’s never too late.
Hope-the anchor of soul
Hope is the anchor of soul .Hope is what people need and the lack of it discourages even the most beautiful souls.we make plans for next day, next month even next years .What is that what makes us believe their is a tomorrow ? It’s HOPE
Angels ? Happily ever after ?Afterlife ? Are there angels or a forever or an afterlife ?
Like most of the things that are not either black or white and are grey ,the answer to imaginations is not yes or no .The answer is FAITH . Yes faith ,which we often loose in even in the most beautiful things at times and Even ourselves .
We all are in search of something that will make us happy . We try all that we have and blame God for all that we don’t . And this search never seems to end in our life . let us ask ourselves are we so lost in search for our “something ” that we forget to live and just breathe ?are we doing what we really want to or are we busy finding the dreams and fulling them which are society’s notion of a “good life ” or just concerned about about what the people will think . After all there may be times when deep down our heart we fear that what will people say and it’s completely okay . It’s okay to be scared as it’s okay to be brave .
But the question is what are we afraid of? About being judged ? About failing ? About not being happy ?But the reality is even when we follow the “safe path” -the one led by the society for us .We are not always happy ,we fail and we are nevertheless judged ,then what is the point of it ? In reality there is no safe path . There ‘s only one path and that is the path you choose . Life comes with no guarantees. Maybe life will not be what you thought of it to be . it may be better or may be worse.One day the sun may swallow the only earth we have. But then decide what do you want to do ? Die everyday of your life Or try to live most of the days of your life.
There are moments when you feel like dying ,the pain is unbearable, one which cannot be expressed . It hollows you. You can’t really escape pain. Life doesn’t work that way . But at least make the choices about who and what is worth giving you pain , when you can .Probably the answer would be the thing or person you love the most ,not the people or things that never mattered . So take those risks , don’t be in search of that safe path or that saviour or that something . God gives us the strength to save ourselves , but we can see it when we believe in him and when we believe in ourselves , when we are willing to give things a chance and most importantly when we believe that there’s a future waiting for us that requires us to live our present to its full extent ,to not find things that will make us complete but to realise that we all are complete in our own ways ,perfectly imperfect and not running blindly to fill that incompleteness which we create and yet realising that we all are connected by some or other way. After all life is complex .
Some forevers are shorter than others . Some infinities are bigger than others . You Never know what will happen . Stop fearing and give yourself a chance , a chance to recapture yourself from all the things you’ve lost yourself into, beacuse bad souls are the good souls that got lost in the darkness . Create your own light. Who said sun is the only source of light ? Dare to see the power of a candle !
Stop finding the fault in your stars and dare to be YOU . We are often more capable then we think of . HOPE is the anchor of soul!
ARE MATCH REFEREES REALLY NECESSARY?
New Zealand Cricket have scrapped the Match Referees off their payrolls for their domestic Plunket Shield season. Budget cuts are the primary reason behind this unconventional stance taken by the board. But it raises a legitimate question. Are Match Referees really needed to officiate a cricket match? Or are they simply a waste of space and resources?
Match Referee is someone who is appointed by the ICC to oversee the match. He analyses the game from a third person’s point of view and documents it. He takes the pitch and conditions into account and sends in a report to the ICC every match. According to the Marylebone Cricket Committee rule book, the duty of the match referee is to “ensure that the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is upheld during the game, to assess any breaches of the Code, and to hand out penalties for any breaches”. He administers the toss in every match. Over the course of the past year the added responsibility of the match referee is to identify bowlers with suspect actions and to report them. But thinking more rationally, the on field umpires and the third umpire are at a much better position to judge the bowling actions.
Given the fact that there are already two on field umpires, a third umpire as well as a reserve umpire, the role of a match referee is pretty much negligible in the actual match functioning. The duties he/she performs doesn’t have a direct influence on the match proceedings. The function of the Match Referee is that of a judge when it comes to miscommunication and issues on the field. This role can well and truly be done by the third or the reserve umpire as well. The decisions that the referee makes in general have a post-game effect and given the fact that the conclusions they come to are with inputs from the on field umpires, the duty they have to perform is basically downright minimum.
Given the fact that most countries excluding the Big 3 – India, Australia, and England are facing financial constraints. Leaving one individual out of the pay roll could make a genuine difference over the long run. They are paid a fixed amount on a yearly basis. The match referees have to be transported and accommodated. They are also given their regular match fees for doing work that can in turn be fulfilled by the third umpire or the reserve umpire. Most matches taking place at the domestic level in most countries don’t have a match referee. Matches played at the associate and the affiliate levels don’t have a match referee. Yet, these matches function smoothly.
Over the course of the years, ICC is trying to incorporate technology into the game more and more. And the first Hierarchical post that is under threat is definitely the position of a match referee. Following New Zealand’s lead, I think it is high time ICC considers scrapping the post of a match referee. The Third Umpire would be the best person to fill the mediocre tasks the match referees have been performing overtime.
Are you choosing the Right Career for Yourself
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
Stephen Covey
In this chaotic world, it seems that no one has the time to take a step back and think as to what path they are headed. Let’s not make the mistake of joining that ignorant populace. Everybody seems in such a rush to get a degree, score a job and settle down that in this process we have lost track of the most important aspects of living. Questions such as:
- Are we passionate about our work?
- Are we enjoying ourselves?
- Do we like the course that we have opted for?
- Are we sacrificing our desire to elect for a different path?
These questions may have plagued our mind at least once in our lifetime. But we have the tendency to put these questions in the far back corner of our mind. People rarely know which career path is the right one for them. Some may get it right in the first time but for some it may take years!
But fear not, we have come up with some easy pointers which may help you choose the right path.
- Think of what you always wanted to become. Always remember you can achieve anything you choose to be, no matter what others say. Sky’s the limit!
- You can turn your hobbies into an occupation. As they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
- Decide the kind of lifestyle you want in the future. Choose your career accordingly.
- Think of your skills and what you excel at. You can turn that into your career.
- Money may not be more important than passion but we still need it to survive. So consider money also as a relevant factor while choosing your career.
- Mental Satisfaction is an essential factor to live a peaceful and pleasant life. So think of the things that give you inner peace and try if you can make a career out of it.
- If you have already chosen a career for yourself and do not like it then try the above mentioned steps along with taking a few classes related to your interested career.
- If you are confused or hesitant to make a decision then don’t be afraid to talk to your close friends and family. They know you the best and can tell you points which you may have overlooked.
There you have it folks! Try these steps to pick a career which you will enjoy because don’t forget what Mr. Covey said in the above mentioned quote: A man is a product of his decisions.
Why do we need feminism
FEMINISM. Have you ever wondered about feminism or saw it as any other political ideology or considered it as only for women ? If you have associated with only women .Then think again beacuse feminism fights patriarchy that affect both men and women .
Thousands of women in our country are victims of domestic violence. They are not considered to be good enough or intelligent enough to participate in the public sphere. Thousands of voices, the screams, the anger goes unheard, that is why we need feminism. Once a boy was raped by a woman ,the “intelligent” men said that he has no reason to be disturbed, he must have enjoyed it rather. The feminists said NO, its wrong and supported the boy. That’s why we need feminism. Women are sexually abused and then our society rather then supporting them to get justice that is their right, brings about faults in that women encouraging rape culture. Questions, counter questions and counter counter questions.
That woman gets more wounded and,a part of her dies. She loses hope. Her voice goes unheard. That’s why we need feminism.
In the so called sophisticated urban families Which in reality are not sophisticated enough to respect the women of their own family is visible enough in the fact how the male members often try to suppress the women by forcing them to stay confined in the houses and prevent them from doing a job. If some women are able to do a job and do it better then the male ego tries to find fault in the women though ways like lack of responsibility as a mother or a daughter in law. women often tend to find their own faults in the situation, try to do what that man wants them to do. They completely change their identity sometimes. In a country where women are not allowed to be themselves, where they are constantly told what to do –what to eat, wear, or what to be or what or think, is a country that needs feminism.In a country where men are supposed fit in the “macho” image
or be the protectors ,or behave in a certain way they become victims of patriarchy . It’s patriarchy that encorages men to behave in a certain way even if many of them deep down their heart may not agree with it . Men have equal right to express their emotions , that’s why we need feminism.
Feminism is not anti-male, It believes in equality of men and women but equality does not mean sameness . There is emphasis on protection of women’s rights as apart of belief that women are equal humans beacuse it has been the women who have been oppressed for centuries .Feminists understand that women are more than cooking and household chores, they do not have to listen to the patriarchal morons because its not their society, its our society as well. Before someone else’s wife, mother, or daughter, we are women and humans. We have an identity of our own. We are strong, a lot more stronger than the men know us. We have no reason to be subjugated or victimized and every reason to explore the world equally and find our identity and be what each of us wants to be. That’s why we need feminism.