Ode to life

What is life?
A saga of breath-
One after another
In rhythmic chime.

What is life?
A trek through the dark greens
On shadowy path-
Strewn with thorns and boulders-

A journey –
A pilgrimage –
in search of that evasive love
which seems near yet is so far –
a journey, nevertheless…
in search of that eternal light.

Life is an uncertain saga where the only certain element is ‘breath’ which is the fuel that infuses life with all its triumphs and travails. Just like fuel, when it is contaminated, causes vehicular hiccups, in the same manner, the breath, when contaminated, cause life to hiccup. The hiccups, which I am referring to, are the various trails and tribulations that a person faces.

A moment can change ones’ destiny- that is make or break a person. Now this is certain in life. The reality is – we have absolutely no control over anything be it on a person or for that matter life. It is wrong to assume that everything we have is for keeps- be it our husband, our children, or material possession.

The more we hold on to these worldly possessions, the unhappier we will be. The sooner this truth is realized, the better it is for all.

Has teacher day outlived its importance?

When Dr. Radhakrishnan became the president of India in 1962, some of his students and friends approached him and requested him to allow them to celebrate 5th September, his "birthday". In reply, Dr, Radhakrishnan said, "instead of celebrating my birthday separately, it would be my proud privilege if September 5 is observed as Teachers' day". The request showed Dr.Radhakrishnan's love for the teaching profession. From then onwards, the day has been observed as Teachers' Day in India.

Remember Socrates. Well, he considered himself a learner as well as a teacher. For Socrates, love and friendship were the proper contexts for the pursuit of wisdom and goodness. Socrates saw himself only as a catalyst. He felt it was not his teaching, but actually the power of the Divine, which enabled the person, he was talking with to improve himself.

Teachers are supposed to mold the lives that they influence. Lessons learned from teachers remain with their students throughout life.

On this context, I ask my reader “ Has teachers day outlived its importance?”

Be honest and speak out. Do you really feel that teacher’s day celebration is heartfelt?

In the rat race of life and materialism, we have forgotten the reasons for the reverence of this particular day as teacher’s day.

I vividly remember how teachers would dress up in gaudy clothes with ‘greasepaints’ on their faces, carrying extra big bag for teacher day celebration. Later on, I realized that the number of cards, flowers or gifts (received surreptitiously) a teacher receives determined her popularity. In fact she acted like the queen bee, calling the rooster and showing off her possessions.

I would also like to mention the writings in Manu Smriti, which states, "By accepting gifts the divine light in the person gets extinguished". Manu warns every individual against accepting gifts for the reason that it places the acceptor under an obligation in favor of the person who gave the gift and ultimately it results in making a person to do things, which are not permitted according to law.

I wonder whether these ‘learned ‘ people ever experiences pangs of guilt. I have my doubts.

Look around you; notice the sudden demand for tuition teachers. Now, who is responsible for this? Parents are forced to send their wards for tuition because their children’s marks have suddenly plummeted and the only one who could salvage their sagging marks are their teachers. It is like our famous coalition government – high marks and tuition.

Looking from a broader perspective, we cannot really blame the teacher’s alone for creating a demand for private tuition.Many teachers are exhausted from their workload and responsibilities. They have their own families, financial and life stresses that challenge them along with everyone else. And what does a teacher earns vis-à-vis the amount of labor he/she puts in?

But, then, who are suffering? -The students, the teachers and the fate of our world. We all can see the results on newspaper and televisin. The recent killing of the professor in Ujjain speaks eloquently about the attitude of the student fraternity towards the educators.

This makes me ponder on the relevance of celebrating teachers’ day. I feel that we are making a mockery of the great teacher’s wish. He would have never, in his wildest dreams, have fathomed the deteriorating ethical standard in the teaching profession that is ubiquitous now.

It is a sad reality that teachers that break down barriers and reach into the souls of the students that they are responsible for do not get the recognition or gratitude they have earned. Teachers need encouragement and support from the community to feel that their devotion to students is appreciated.

When I say teachers, I mean all individual, whether they are professional teachers or not. Infact, every adult, by default, becomes a teacher.

What are we teaching our children? Do we really want another scene from Ujjain to be recreated?

Anti-Rape Female Condom

( This is an excerpt from the mail sent by my sis, Navanita)

A South African inventor unveiled a new anti-rape female condom that hooks onto an attacker's penis and aims to cut one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the world.

The device, made of latex and held firm byshafts of sharp barbs, can only be removed from the man through surgerywhich will alert hospital staff, and ultimately, the police.

It also reduces the chances of a woman falling pregnant or contracting AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases from the attacker by acting in the same way as a female condom.

South Africa has more people with HIV/AIDS than any other country, with onein nine of its 45 million population infected. Ehlers, who showed off a prototype on Wednesday, said women had tried it for comfort and it had been tested on a plastic male model but not yet on a liveman. Production was planned to start next year.

You can read more on it at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9145415/

I would love to hear your views on this - what do you think? Do you think this will reduce the frightening statistics on violence against women? DO you think this will deter rapists? What about gang rapes? What about rapes during war? What about rapes on women living in refugee camps with no orvery little access to resources?

Pathelic plight of Indian sportsperson

The shining- yellow, white….…and tanned stars……….
Dangling from Athens….afar….
Reckoning… come…get me……
Gearing up _
Our athlete speeds…
A little more gas pumped in _
_ Accelerator buzzing….
The end looks near _
Oh! _ Just around the turn_
Smiling _ (dreaming about the crown)
Wondering into yonder land….

Alas! Speed slackens,
From nowhere land, an athlete
Whizzes by………
Leaving us gaping – with rounded eyes
Slipping the medals from our clutch.

Excuses come forth…
…. A galore…
Partiality… We cry
Blaming everybody… but us.

India- one of the greatest civilization of mankind, with a history and a culture running into thousands of years…. But now, far, far away from being the best in almost all aspects of life – especially in sports...

We have all known the shame of waiting day after day for India to appear on the list at all, as countries a hundredth our size, record gold upon gold. And Indians athletes succeeded, in spite of problems, not in the absence of them.
So why can’t we? Why are those glittering rounds eluding us? Where have we gone wrong? Indeed it is a desperate situation- 1 billion people and just 1 silver.

We have to set up a system that will help us to win medals.