Wednesday, April 15, 2009

The ValuEd Class...

Things change, times change and with the times some thoughts change. There were a lot of things that were taught to us at grass root levels. Mainly, the Value-Education class, the first half an hour was dedicated to valuEd teachings. A time for all the students to catch up on the sleep they had missed early that morning, to complete their home-works, to update their bench partners with what happened the day before or to munch on some half-eaten breakfast.

Proverbs always formed an integral part of this ValuEd class. Many-a-times it was the class monitor’s duty to write one right on top of the blackboard. The famous one was “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” A healthy proverb I say! Probably by listening to this one, the kids scared of needles would quietly gulp down an apple for each day. How obedient!

Years passed on and the kids grew up. From grade 1 to grade 7 and further on, each class and each grade, they successfully moved on. And oh ya! Not to forget the healthy habit. And as teenage creeped in, things changed, times changed and some thoughts changed. Value Education class was still there (we had it all through our school life). And students continued their same routine of ‘T.P.’ during this ValuEd class. And with all the changes around, the healthy thought was re-thought to:
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,
If the doctor is handsome keep the apple away!”

Or the boys would frame it their way:
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,
If the doctor is a babe then keep the apple away!”

Ahemm.. yes! Right! Changes! Isn’t it? Suits the first line of this article right?

More than a decade has passed by, making a lot of us forget about this proverb unless expected to teach it to a toddler. The other day I was just gazing at the wonderful sky and wondering about this thought. And Bingo! I had my version ready. A version which at some point of my life, I’ll have to use it.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,
If the doctor is handsome keep the apple away.
Damn the Apple, Damn the Doctor,
Whatever happens sweety you don’t go away!”

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Actions Speak Louder Than Words...


The feeling of Love and Concern,
Hatred, Anger, Warmth, Sadness or Fear,
Tears for dear and for Thoughts very clear;

Words aren’t really needed,
For thoughts and feelings deeply embedded.

Even he, who can’t speak,
Wouldn’t really feel all bleak,

For the smile says it all,
And the eyes speak it all.

A loving dog who wags his tail
And a baby when she wails,
A cat when she purrs
And a tiger when he glares,

The feeling of Love and Concern,
Hatred, Anger, Warmth, Sadness or Fear,
Tears for dear and for Thoughts very clear;

Words aren’t really needed,
For thoughts and feelings deeply embedded.

The A Mag Editorial, 2007 - '08.




I Loved writing this one. The Magazine Editorial. It's a special one! The second time I could write an editorial, I was on Cloud # 9. My joy seemed no bounds. Yes!! Not only articles i could write Editorials too.... Whopppeee!! Yaayyy Woww!!

No picture describes a youth better than that of a university student. It is in our college days that we learn to strike a balance between studies and (ahemm..) realities of life. Yes Readers, we have dedicated this year’s Annual Magazine to the ‘The Spirit of Freedom – The Youth’s Perspective‘mainly implying on the Attitude, Thoughts and Deeds of Today’s Youth.

“Dil hai chota sa.. Choti si asha, Masti bhare man ke, Bholi si aasha..
Chaand Taaron ko Choone ki Aasha, Aasmanon mein udne ki Aasha..
Dil hai chota sa.. Choti si Aashaa… “
These words sing in a true picture of the tunes that sums up the mind of a teenager blossoming her way to being a responsible youth. With Freedom comes Responsibility!

Hopes, Dreams, Aspirations… all of these and more create a sense of Responsibility, Passion and Dedication in the minds of the euphoric youth adding another beat to the heart.
It may not be as rosy as it seems for today’s youth has to excel at academics, behave responsibly towards our society & our nation, and compete with the peers.

“Boond boond se saagar banta hai”, this well known Hindi adage may sound clichéd but is true to its core. “We” as college students may not be contributing a great deal towards our society and nation, but it is the little things we do that can make a great deal. Our thoughts and attitude towards various concerning issues is what decides the solution of the issues. In this magazine we have not only included the thoughts and attitude of today’s youth towards various issues but also included a few of those Inspirational Youth Icons who channelize the passion and are idols to today’s Youth.

The Cheerfulness of the heart and the Innocence of the mind, the harsh truth of practicality and the bitterness of reality; In spite of these “we” as responsible youth must vouch for ourselves, to act sensibly in every situation, for it is our responsibility to pave a smooth way for our living as well as reaching our nation to Her highest Peak.

To know what experience has to say and to be aware of the happenings in our society, with immense pleasure, we – the Editors of The Annual Magazine have brought back ‘The Alumni Section’ and have introduced a new section ‘A Section of Social Relevance’.

With this, we would like to extend our best wishes and gratitude to all those who have put in their efforts and time to make this magazine a meaningful piece!


The first editorial written by me! It was for the section of Social Relevance fr our College Magazine.



Society – A place where we have been living; where our thoughts were born, kindled and nurtured; a place which forms a part of our identity.

‘A Perfect Bed of Roses’ is what can be said of how today’s society presents itself to be; a platter which seems very pretty and pink from the surface but only the individual knows the smile he has been keeping despite the thorns he has grown through.

Issues of concern such as those of the under-privileged ones, of those who are able yet unable to achieve their ambitions are hardly a fraction of matter of the picturesque of today’s society. There is so much more to deal with, in and around, the place we call ‘ours’.

Thus, taking a step forward, We, The Annual Magazine Committee, are introducing a new section – A section of Social Relevance- to bring to the limelight the haps and mishaps in our surroundings. The articles that form the content of this section in some unique way give a message to each one of us which we hope is rightly discovered.

Thinking lines of today’s youth reflects of what can be done of our society.
By giving birth to a section of social relevance, we aim to create the right awareness amongst today’s youth whose attitude plays a major role in today’s generation.

With due acknowledgement to all those who have contributed towards making this section a meaningful one, we hope the readers have a great time reading the articles.



Unlock the “You” in you …

How often has the sight of those who are partially disabled or the homeless ones struggling to earn their living left you feeling pitiful about them? Families without enough support struggling to educate their children and having prosperous visions about them. If we have to categorize them under the name of ‘The Underprivileged Ones’, the types enlisted may never end. And looking at them what is the first feeling that strikes us back to reality?

Generally, people would thank their stars for they belong to none of these. They accept the fact that they are leading a normal carefree life and enjoying life as it comes and taking up the so-called challenges. Hah! We call these challenges and maybe to quite an extent they are. But what about the situations that these kids have had to face with absolutely no fault of theirs? It wasn’t their fault that they were orphaned. Nor was it theirs when they realized that they can’t enjoy things that children of their age can. Then how is it that most of them are still living? To be true, many-a-times their kind is more cheerful and more optimistic as compared to the privileged ones .

Haven't you ever observed a group of children singing popular songs in our local trains to earn their living? They’ve got music and a bunch of them singing to the best of the tunes thus, managing to get away with a few chillars. It may not mean much to us, but spare a thought for their enthusiasm when they are at work that too passionately with a pitiful smile.

This was just a snippet of the most likely situations in our local trains. Lord alone knows whose fault it was when penury struck their families leaving their entire generation struggling for a mere bread of survival. There might a few kids who know how important education is but even though education is given free there are other things that are not viz. books, uniforms, etc. What could they possibly do if their families can’t or don’t want to support them? Earn while they study? While that may seem to be a practical proposition, it's absolutely back-breaking for a 9 year old to juggle between a job and studies.

There are even others who have everything to support them but don’t have the ability to. Financial background along with people standing by through thick and thin in all means for them but the situation comes to a standstill when they are naturally obstructed to.
We, ourselves, feel completely disheartened and lost when we are unable to do things the way we want to because we are not allowed to and yet we complain about how bad life is. How great we are!
Spare a thought for those who want to be great journalists but their impaired vision prevents them from achieving their dreams? Imagine the plight of someone confined to a wheel-chair who wished to be an ace pilot. Though they are acutely aware that they won’t be able to subjugate their dreams, they continue livin life in a manner more cheerful than most others. A Smile – a kind gesture is what one would always find on their faces! And yes, it works wonders for them.

Doesn’t it plainly mean, that instead of grumbling around our style when we don’t get things we want, we should learn to adapt to at least some kind of simplicity? In a way, we definitely need to salute the peak level of cheerfulness these gems live through and learn to live life with a simpler attitude.

All said and done… May be visits to the social institutes as a part of our curricular Social Studies; hoping that we would earn a few more marks. Even if it is watching a sensitive, heartfelt movie; tears, emotions, pity and everything wrapped around it takes charge of our hearts and minds. But apart from feeling lucky for ourselves, how much do we try to do anything for them? This is not aiming towards the ones who smile at homeless kids on the streets or try to support the underprivileged ones even if it is the least possible manner that they can. But it is towards those who feel that such kids can be a nuisance around their sophisticated surroundings or even those, who always try to think of how they can earn more, enriching their lives with better standards of living, leaving them with no time for ‘others’.

Life is a creative empty web which is up to you how you can make it look attractive and valuable. We only want to fulfill our own desires and seek heavenly pleasures failing which we turn sour and erratic. Most of us forget the reason why we humans exist. Yes, you read me right … humans exits for social indulgence and survival. But at the very crux of it we forget that the underprivileged children or men/ women are an equal part of this social system and they have every right to seek and get the same desires. But only almighty knows the reason for their disability to seek the freedom which they don’t possess but which they can only feel or see. It becomes our duty to indulge in to their life and decorate their web too. Please note that the only way you can add value to your web is by helping and filling joy in people’s life who deserve it but can’t experience it with one’s help.

This plainly reminds me of one of our most circulated sms:
“Be close with someone who makes you happy. But be closer with someone who can’t be happy without you!”

Lucky, we live a normal life and can get more blessed if we contribute anything towards those deserving ones thus, helping them live a meaningful life and making us realize of a contented life.
All in all, it simply brings to my mind what our beloved Mother Teresa once said, “If we cannot love the one whom we see, how can we love God whom we cannot see?”