Doomed destinies

“Student hangs himself to death”, “Youth commits suicide”, and many more such headlines have become common in newspapers nowadays. The pertinent question that comes through is the fragility of the concept of hope in the youth of today. One may answer, “Because of excessive pressure to study”, while others may opine that it is “due to excessive punishments.” However, such things were present earlier too. It was not so copious then, so why now?
Each student has a life that they hold dear. Why will they lose their lives for so simple a matter? They do it not just for one reason. There are plenty of reasons that make a youth develop hatred for his/ her life that is enough to make him/ her commit suicide. An average child today has a routine of getting up in the morning, getting fresh, and sitting for study (or tuition), and then getting ready for school. A little breathing space isn’t granted to them either. There are certain reasons behind this as well which include vast syllabus, competition and others. The child is burdened with all these things. He/ she has no time to rejuvenate…. and enjoy their childhood. They little time they get as leisure, too is consumed by televisions showcasing violent serials or inane computer games. No physical activities, no fun of group play, no laughing out loud, no dancing in the rain.
Apart from this, some children are forcefully sent to art school, sports schools, etc despite their unwillingness. If a child likes it from within, it is okay. But if the child doesn’t like it, he/ she won’t ever excel in it. Some parents are in a mad rush to make their child proficient in every field. The child has to tackle so many things at a tender age.
Coupled with this if the child also has to punishments for their poor results or threats, it becomes unbearable. This compels the child to despise life. This drives them to commit suicide.
This is not the tragedy of just one or two children, but the entire youth of today. It is pathetic to see this dooming destiny of the youth. An average youngster, who should get ample time to play in tandem with his studies, is placed amidst bulky books every time, three to four or even more simultaneous tuitions, school homework, tuition homework, assignments and the likes.
To stop this, one must see that one’s child gets ample time to play, to enjoy. Study and play must go simultaneously. Only then the child will experience the fun of surrounding childhood. And the youth will again flourish.

(see this article of mine in the 'durgapur-asansol plus' page of 'The Times of India' of December 30, 2011)

Memorising Life

Once a person was asked, “Why do most of the Bengalis not become officials of the highest ranks? They are reduced to serving the capacity of junior staff or subordinate employees.”
The person answered, “Because of today’s system of education and learning. The students of Bengal mostly go for coaching classes and mug up notes given there. Seldom do they try to analyse the matter it contains. This is why the students from other places come to Bengal, study here, and and attain higher position in the hierarchy of life while our own children can’t do that.”
The statement of this person doesn’t just apply for the students of Bengal, but a good portion of students of today. The students feel mugging is a shortcut to score high marks in the exam. They go for so many tuitions, where more than understanding things, they ‘purchase’ the notes from their teacher, and spend days and nights mugging them up, just to replicate them in their answer paper then forget everything. Does this actually serve the need?
The practical knowledge is not yet received. The students can get good marks in the test, but cannot get that knowledge to innovate. They can solve problems, but can’t invent new ways to solve it. As a result, they later become junior staff, following the orders of their senior. They become soldiers, but not kings. They become trend-followers, but can’t ever become trendsetters.
The world is full of such examples where the persons who have succeeded just due to their ability. Isaac Newton never appeared for IIT, but still his name is in science books, and his laws are studied. Bill Gates, a dropout of Harvard University, is now the founder and chairman of Microsoft, where many IITians and engineers are now working under him. There are many more such examples. In this case the teachings of Baba Ranchhor Das is applicable ‘Son, don’t run after success. Run after ability, and success will itself come to you.’
See this article of mine in 'The Times of India' of January 13 in the 'Durgapur Asansol Plus' page.

e-World rules???

Technology has reached its climax in the modern era. Today, one cannot even imagine of progress without a computer. It is true that computer and its related gadgets have made our lives a lot easy. They indeed act as fourth dimension, helping us reach our goals faster. But whatever it be, one must never forget the utmost truth that e-world is quite different from the real world.
Today, every Dick and Harry is seen tapping the buttons of their phones when idle. A child, who is expected to play outdoor games, is often found playing video games, or chatting online. Ironically, an average child of today plays cricket, football, etc, but nothing real. Everything is limited to the computer screen, and the keyboard/ joystick.
One cannot just disregard the fact that while busy with some socially networking site a person is close, yet far away from their near and dear ones. The pleasure in being with someone physically is much more than that being with them online. Although they say that internet helps us to be close to one another when we are far apart, the paradox lies somewhere within. If we see closely, phones and internet are taking us far from one another. Just look at our past- the time when we didn’t have a phone and perhaps didn’t know what internet is. We often moved from one place to another just to wish a happy birthday of some dear one. A get-together during some festival was mandatory.
Now just have a look at ‘today’. We get online regularly, but often cannot meet our near and dear ones for months, even years. We think, internet serves us the need. Season of Raksha Bandhan- just upload the best photo of rakhi shown by google on sister’s profile, and send some money in her account, and phone her ‘Happy Raksha Bandhan. I’ve sent some money. Get a present for yourself,’ and it is done. Relative’s marriage- wish him/ her via phone and also send the blessings via satellite, and it is done. This continues for months and years, too long to make us forget the last time we had actually met. We often say that our vast life and tough job doesn’t allow us time for a real meet. In this case one has to admit that these gadgets have not reduced, but increased the work of people. Life was not so vast when these weren’t there.
Does it mean one must discard these gadgets? The answer is ‘no’. One must make the fullest use of these gifts of Technology and Science. However, one must keep in mind that everything has a limit. One must make sure that one rules a machine, and not be ruled by it. Also one must never ever forget that there is a life apart from e-life, which is far more beautiful and worth-living.

Enjoy your life...

"What do you want to do for future?" the teacher asked.
Some students replied, 'MBA', 'CA', and many other such abbreviated letters. When my turn came, I said, 'M.Com'. The class stared at my answer. Later, a student came and specially asked me, 'what will you do by doing just M.Com? Why not CA?'

I'd like to put forward a question. Suppose you get chance in CA, MBA, IIT, AIEEE, or anything as such. You labour hard, get good marks, and a high post job in a named company/workplace. You earn lakhs. But what's your life? You spend 20 hours in office, and work even on Sundays. You don't have time for family and relatives. You can't complain as you earn lakhs, a big amount. Will you be able to enjoy your life? What's the use of the lacs of money when you just can't enjoy it?? First, You burn midnight lamps preparing for the tough course. Then you get a job that keeps you locked in the office for the rest of your life till you retire. Increase in blood pressure. Tension at every step. Life's a complete hell!
Instead, if you follow some simple line, say, a bachelor's degree in something followed by another such thing, you can get a good job. You may earn in thousands, not lacs. But you can enjoy the money you earn.
One may ask, this world is competitive in today's era. So should we not accept the challenge? My answer is, of course take the challenge, but only if YOU enjoy the race. Don't just run because your friends too are running or your dear ones want you to do it. You run after IIT, and then spend the days writing assignments you don't fully understand and solving boring problems following the bookish process, and cursing the poor teacher and the fellow who had invented IIT. You won't get a good rank in your IIT in this case because you are not enjoying it. Instead, if you like it, of course take part. You will enjoy solving problems and they won't be boring. You enjoy classes and practising the matter. You enjoy life at every step, and even get a wonderful rank. This would get you a good job, and you'd enjoy there too. But this will only happen if you like the subject from within.... not because your friend likes it, or some relative wants to see you as engineer. Craze won't be valued everywhere, especially on something your entire life depends on.

So What I want to say, is, don't just run after 'anything'. See that whatever you do, you enjoy it. Think about your future, but keeping in mind you have a life to LIVE.... to live fully and enjoy it. See that your career or job does not turn your life to hell. Nothing can be worse than this. Thank you...

The poor-mark child

30 out of 100...! Is this Marks?! Slap! Slap! I spent a lot for u, gave u whatever you needed, wasted thousands on your tuitions, still... What's the result? RED MARKS?!!
The child listens this silently, with a heavy heart. He knows, he has to listen this from many more places. He is making himself ready. Papa is a friend of so many neighbours, even the grocery shop owner. He'd go and tell everyone. The child would be scolded from every side.
The child also knows one more thing. He'd fail in the next exam. But is too young to say this. Why won't he fail? He has the habit of overstudy. His day begins with pinchings and pushings by his mother early in the morning for his tuitions. He has to present himself there by 6, or even 5.30. The teacher is praised because he is never late there. Why would he? He knows he won't earn money if he doesn't go there. It is his daily bread. And what else does that teacher do? He cannot get through the books of his student, just reads and explains the matter more to himself than to the students. He calls the students 4 to 5 times a day to open their books and revise. Hence, the teacher becomes great in the eyes of the parents. The child can see just books around him. Wherever he goes, to the playground to grocery shops, his papa's friends say 'don't u have studies?'. Even in school, papa has some teachers as friends. Those teachers are the his spies. The child does a single mistake, and the news reaches his papa.
The child gets hatred for studies. He keeps his book open, but can't study. He memorizes, but forgets soon. Something else is going on in his mind during studies. What's that thing? TV, games, comics,....those which he didn't enjoy, or rather, couldn't enjoy. His tuition times never allowed, and his poor marks added fuel in the fire. Game is a necessary part of life, which he didn't get in optimum amount.
The tutor once said, 'your child doesn't study. Just takes poor exam, and after that, asks his friends 'tum kya likha, tum kya likha, tum kya likha'. Yes, the child did so, but why? To know if his own answer matched with his friends' answer. But what was parents' reaction? 'U take poor exam, and r concerned of what others have written?! U r guardian to those students?! See yourself. What will u do by knowing what they have written??' The child was told by papa the next day, 'your every movement in school would be watched, and the information will directly reach me. I have phone, Mr..... (some teacher) also has phone. He and the other teachers would inform me of every thing u do at school. What u write in exam, what you do after exam,....everything'. Papa tries to frighten the child. He has actually done nothing so much. But the child is too young to understand this. All he does is fearing the teachers. He finds himself in chains. His mania reaches to such an extent that even if he laughs with his friends at school, on seeing one of those 'spy' teachers, he stops laughing and hides himself. He seldom plays in the recess breaks, fearing his spy teachers would see, and complain his papa. He always tries to hide from them.
The child can't play, and as a result, doesn't have knowledge about games. He can't even hold a cricket bat properly. His papa directly told him 'your games are banned' on the day he saw the failure result. But he had actually banned his child's games long ago, when he appointed tuitions for him, one which taught him 4 times in holidays, and twice in classdays. Still the child struggled. Struggled with all the mental pain, and brought good marks in all subjects, but flunked in one, where 90% of his classmates didn't get the pass marks. He expected better reaction from his parents this time. But, poor fellow, he never knew that a new line would be added in papa's scolding words. 'You have failed in this subject knowingly. U have been able to get good marks in the rest, means you would pass in this subject too. U have knowingly left the questions so that you fail. You have failed on your own wish'. Forget the praise for the efforts the child did to get 75% and 85% in the other 14 subjects. The child could tell of his classmates' performance. But he knows this would work only if his friends had done better. 'All others could pass. Why can't you' was the sentence his papa used. But now, he would say, 'what scores others have done, no need to look at. Just tell why YOU have failed'.
'Had I failed in some more subjects, papa would have scolded me less. I'd not be blamed for failing knowingly', the child thinks. And he knows, he would score poor marks even in his next exam.

7 YEARS LATER

'You have not lived your life, son. At your age, we played so many games. You cannot even hold a cricket bat properly. All you do is staying at home, and increasing your tummy. You are not at all fit for today's world'.
The child, sorry, the college guy looks at his papa. He asks in his mind, 'who's the cause behind this, papa?' but can't speak out. The fear that had grown in him long back for his papa, still haunts him. The mania remains....

A friend with love....

She was my friend, then best friend, then... more than just friend... And then, Love. This was what chain of relations I had made with her. She was my friend from the beginning. She even became my best friend, on my proposal. But I never talked to her of my further relations I had secretly made with her.
We then lost tracks. She went somewhere, I went somewhere else. We had no touch for a year. I didn't have her number, and we weren't on facebook. I missed her, but didn't care much. My 'love' was not perpetual. And I feared, if she falls in love with someone there... What would happen to me?? I can't spend my entire life as Devdas. I have to forget her. No, she was never my love. Just friends.
We suddenly met after a year on facebook. Yeah, she was still my friend. She didn't forget me. From facebook we switched to phone. Often we talked. One day I wrote on facebook, 'i'm in great problem'. Soon I got a call from her. She asked what problem I had. What should I tell this? Love?? Yeah, of course its love. But this love is from a dearest friend. She had never 'loved' me, but always loved me as friend. And I kind of enjoyed it. I felt angry on myself for bringing in all such crap. Even I had tried to forget her while we were away. But she didn't lessen her true friendship. This touched me the most.
I've come to a decision not to bring topics as love. I enjoyed more as friend.... A pure, doubtless and problem-free love that's 100% genuine. It is free from crap such as jealousy. Of course, it took time to change my mind. I felt jealous when she talked and joked with other boys. But tried to control it.
Today, everything is ok. She's still my best friend. I no longer feel jealous of other boys talking with her. We even say, 'hey, when are you getting married?' She smiles and says, 'Shut up!'
I'm waiting for the day when I shall dance a lot in her marriage.... In the marriage of my lovely best friend.

O Friendship

You are life, you are love....
You are the best thing, in the world....
You are hope, you are joy....
You can be gifted, but not sold....

O friendship, you are a boon,
You are born with a golden spoon.
Between two strangers, when you bloom,
In both the hearts, you make a room....
O friendship....!!

There's a joy, or sorrow to share....
No one else is needed, if a friend is near....
In case the world, doesn't at all care,
It’s the true friend, who'd always be there....
O friendship....!!

They will fight with you, in their leisure....
They will do this, just for pleasure....
But they will prove the biggest treasure....
When there is a problem, without a measure....

O friendship, you are a magic....
A relationship that's most unique....
No barrier nor any hindrance....
Can come in between two friends....

O friendship....!!
O frieऽऽऽऽndship....!!

Angel's diary

An angel had a great wish to see how the world is. He requested God. God turned him to a human being and sent him to Earth for a day, with a diary to note down whatever he saw. In the evening when he returned, God asked him for his diary. In it, the angel had written: 
"I've come to this beautiful world with beautiful creatures in it... But the most beautiful ones are the ones they call 'people'.... The ones like whom i myself look.... I speak like them, i feel like them. I'm laughing in happiness, crying in sorrow.... All... Just like them. Then why do they differentiate me from themselves?? Goodness! They are differentiating even themselves from each other!!
Some say 'I'm a hindu', and some, 'I'm a muslim' but i see they look just alike. Let me come bit closer... Oh! What am i seeing?! Difference after difference!! The hindu says to his hindu friend, 'i'm a brahman, u r a shudhra'. Is it the same in the other place too? Yes.... The muslim says to his friend, 'i'm a shia, u r a sunni'.... The christian says, 'i'm a catholic. You go to Protestant Church!'
Amazing! But all of them look alike.

I can see a beautiful house. A young child celebrating his b'day with several kids like him. All are dressed like angels... No! One is in torn clothes....
Yes... The birthday-boy's mother has come. She saw the boy with torn clothes. She is coming near him.... Yes! He'd be dressed like them now!

No! What am i seeing? The lady tells that boy to sit on the floor, not on the sofa like others! She chids the her son for allowing her maidservant's son to sit on her sofa... Goodness! This is the training centre of differences?!

I can see a giant mango tree outside this training centre. Let me go to the poor servant's house.... Amazing! There too, is a mango tree.... Same big! The mango tree didn't find any difference! But the people who look the same, have discovered differences among themselves?!

Yeppie! Its raining!! Sky showering drops free of cost!! Same water everywhere! The wells in all the houses have increased their water level. Amazing! They didn't show partiality... All are benefitted.... The Brahmans, kshatriyas, veshyas, sudhras, shias, sunnis, catholics, protestants, sikhs, poor, rich..... None is left behind. Nature shows no difference. Then why do the people make themselves aloof from one another??

Sad scene! A nearby house has lost a near and dear one... They are silently taking the body for burial. I'm pleased at their respect to the passed-away. But a similar scene on the other side! Another dead person is being taken to the place of creamation... The people are not quiet. They are repeatedly praying for the peace of the departed soul.... Difference in dialect! But intention is same.... Showing respect to the dead.

I can see many more things.... Festivals! They are religion-specified, but are present in all religions. Amazing! The persons of every religion wear new clothes and enjoy in their respective festivals!

People are same.... They look same, and are same even from heart. They have just created unnecessary differences among themselves"