Army Day.

15^th January is very important day for The Indian Army. It is called the Army Day. The day is celebrated to honor the courage and brave soldiers of our army who sacrificed their lives for the nation. The reason why the Army Day is celebrated on 15^th January is because the first Indian General K. M. Cariappa took over as commander-in-chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher. This took place on 15^th January 1949. Since then Army Day marks an important event to salute the brave soldiers of our country. General K. M. Cariappa was later designated as the First Field Marshal of the armed forces.

 

The celebrations comprise of a Parade with tributes being paid to Army soldiers who sacrificed their lives at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate in New Delhi. In fact, the Parade starts after paying homage at the Amar Jawan Jyoti – the eternal flame that reminds us of the lives of brave Indian soldiers.

After the Parade which includes military shows to display new technology and accomplishment in the Indian army, Bravery awards and Sena medals are distributed on this great occasion. During the military show the developments like missiles, tanks, military vehicles, helicopters all are displayed. The nation celebrates the Army Day as an inspiration to all who are connected with Indian Army that protects our motherland.

 

 

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Makar Sankranti

According to the Gregorian Calendar Makar Sankranti is celebrated every year on 14^th January. There are only rare exceptions when the festival is celebrated on 13^th or 15^th January. Most of the other Hindu festivals fall on different dates.

 

 Til Gul Ladu

 

Gul Poli

It is a festival to celebrate harvest. In many parts of the country this harvest festival is celebrated with lot of activities. The great thing about Hindu festivals is that they promote social interaction. Makar Sankranti is no exception. In Maharashtra the festival is celebrated by exchanging sweets. Halwa and Til Gul Ladu are particularly prepared on this day. Gulachi Poli which is a delicacy a served during lunch. Gulachi Poli is a traditional Indian bread-chapati/paratha with a difference that there is filling of ground till, besan(gram flour) and lot of pure ghee. People greet each other with ‘Til Gul Ghya, Ani Goad Goad Bola’- promoting better interpersonal relationship. Haldi Kunku is distributed among married women. The gifts of utensils, clothes and sweets are exchanged.

 

Makar Sankranti is also an auspicious occasion on which Sun God is revered. Millions of people take bath in Holi Rivers. Ganga Sagar where river Ganges flow into the Bay of Bengal is particularly popular.

 

In Tamil Nadu the festival is known as Pongal and is celebrated by preparing lots of sweets and Tamilian dishes. These are served on planten leaves. Another marked feature of this festival is that people fly kites in open spaces. Very decorative and colorful kites are made for the occasion. It is a wonderful festival where people participate with the enthusiasm and gusto.

 

 

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Stream of Consciousness

In the earlier 20^th century fiction saw a unique change in disrupted treatment. James Joyce was the four runners who heralded this new movement. It was called stream of consciousness novels. This kind of literature was also known as a demonstration of the working of the mind. Before Joyce no writer of fiction of so four grounded the process of thinking. While on one side critics loaded the movements there are others who called it “inimitable, and also possibly mad”.

 

Born in Dublin, Ireland James spends most of his time in France and Switzerland. In fact he had migrated permanently to continental Europe. Yet most of his characters are drawn from different cities of Ireland where he spent his early days.

Joyce is best known for Ulysses (1922), a landmark work in which the episodes of Homer‘s Odyssey are paralleled in an array of contrasting literary styles, perhaps most prominent among these the stream of consciousness technique he utilized. Other well-known works are the short-story collection Dubliners (1914), and thenovels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (1916) and Finnegans Wake (1939). His other writings include three books of poetry, a play, occasional journalism, and his published letters. (From Wikipedia)

Time magazine considered James Joyce as one of the very important writer of the 20^th century. The magazine went to the extent of saying “Joyce….revolutionized 20^th century fiction”

 

On 11^th January 1941 Joyce had to undergo surgery in Zurich. After the surgery he improved a little bit. Doctors were thinking that he will regain good health. However he had a relapse and despite all efforts fail into a coma. On 13^th January 1941 he at 2 am he opened his eyes, asked for a nurse and requested her to call his wife and son. However within 15 minutes, before they arrived Joyce breathed his last.

 

In Dublin the work and life of Joyce is annually celebrated on 16^th June every year.

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Patriotic Saint

12^th January is a very important day in India. This is celebrated as National Youth Day. Swami Vivekananda who is also known as Patriotic Saint was born on 12^th January 1863. He was the Chief Disciple of Ramakrishna who was a well known saint in Bengal during 19^th century. Swami Vivekananda is credited with founding of Ramakrishna Math and the Ramakrishna Mission. The latter has spread throughout the country and is engaged in learning many educational institutions.

 

Narendranath Datta (the real name of Swami Vivekananda) was born in an aristocratic Bengali family of Calcutta. His father Vishwanath Datta was an Attorney at the Calcutta High Court. His mother Bhuvaneshwari Devi was a devout house wife. The progressive rational thinking of Narendra’s father, and the religious temperament of his mother helped shake his thinking and personality.

 

Swami Vivekananda was instrumental in the introduction of The Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the western world. He was a great public speaker. His confident participation in the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893 brought him laurels. The beginning of his speech by addressing Sisters and Brothers of America… is remembered by religious leaders of various countries even today. He was considered the most effective and influential speaker at that meeting.

 

Swami Vivekanada’s teachings emphasize human development. According to him each individual has a soul potentially divine. The goal to manifest this divinity should be prime for everyone. This is possible through devotion to one’s duty. This is possible by mental discipline or prayers. Contemplation on human soul is also very relevant. This is the very essence of any religion. Rituals, dogmas, books or temples or forms are just secondary details.

 

Swami Vivekanada’s influence on Hinduism is paramount. According to him, Love and respect towards the Motherland was the solemn duty of every citizen. He is respectfully known as the Patriotic Saint.

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Film Actress Nanda.

One of the most expressive faces in Hindi Films was that of Nanda. Her face had a remarkable child like expression. In fact, she started to work in films as a child artist. Her father had died at the young age of 41 so she started working in films as a child artist to support her family.

 

 

In 1956 her uncle V. Santaram one of the famous producer of his time gave her a big break by casting her in Toofan Aur Diya in the year 1956. The film was a big hit. Thereafter Nanda featured in films like Bhabhi, Kala Bazar and Dhool Ka Phool.

 

 

In the year 1959 she played the title role in L. V. Prasada’s Choti Behen the movie was a big hit. It made her a star. Thereafter she got lead roles in Hum Dono and Teen Deviyaan against popular star Dev Anand. She also got an opportunity to play the lead role in B. R. Chopra’s Kanoon in 1960. A good human being at heart, she is said to have signed as many as 8 films with Shashi Kapoor when he was not a successful actor in Hindi Films. However their film together ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’ was a big hit. This film played a significant role in shaping and bringing success to Shashi Kapoor as a star in Hindi Films.

 

 

We remember her on her birthday that is January 8^th. Appreciating all the good work that she had done for Hindi Films.

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Naushad Ali- The Gretest Indian Music Director.

Naushad Ali was born on 25^th December 1919 in Lucknow. His father was a court clerk who never wanted his child to have anything to do with Music. But Naushad was fond of Music. He would visit the Annual Fair at the Deva Sharif in Barabanke near Lucknow. Here, the all the great Qawwals and musicians of those days would perform before the devotees. His love for music grew intense by listening to them.

 

 

His family was so much against music that he was turned out of home. He started tuning Harmonium with his keen sense of notes (Sur). After sometime he came to Mumbai. He had to struggle initially. He would sleep on the footpath but he dreamt that one day his film will be a great success in the theatre in the same vicinity.

 

Some of his well known films are Mughle- Azam, Baiju Bawara, Mother India Urran Khatola and many more. But the first movie which gave him success was Ratan.

 

 

He was awarded Dada Sab Falke award in 1982 and was comfort with Padmabhushan in 1992. In spite of his success he was afraid of telling his parents about his Music profession. It is said when he was married the Band of the Barat was playing one of the songs which was created by Naushad himself. Yet he kept quiet.

We are proud of this great musician.

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Indo Pakistan War of 1971.

16^th December happens to be an important day for our Nation. It was on 16^th December 1971 that the instrument of surrender was signed by the Unified Commander of Pakistan Armed Force’s Eastern Military High Command. The then Prime Minister of India Shrimati Indira Gandhi asked the Chief of the army staff General Manekshaw to go to Dhaka and sign the instrument. However the General said that the honor should go to his Army commander in the east, Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora.

 

 

The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was the direct military confrontation between India and Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971. Indian, Bangladeshi and international sources consider the beginning of the war to have been Operation Chengiz Khan, when Pakistan launched pre-emptive air strikes on 11 Indian airbases on 3 December 1971, leading to India’s entry into the war of independence in East Pakistan on the side of Bangladeshi nationalist forces, and the commencement of hostilities with West Pakistan. (Source Wikipedia)

 

It was one of the shortest wars between two countries. it lasted only 13 days. Indian Bangladeshi and international sources consider that Lt. General Jagjit Singh Aurora had meticulously planned the operation.

 

At the outbreak of the war on 3 December 1971, as the GOC-in-C of the Eastern Command, Aurora oversaw the Indian ground forces into battle in East Pakistan. In a meticulously planned operation, forces under Aurora’s command formed numerous small combat teams and launched a four-front attack with the strategy of confronting and defeating the Pakistani forces on selected fronts, while bypassing Pakistani forces on others. In under two weeks, his forces advanced from the Indian border to capture Dhaka, the capital of East Pakistan. (Source Wikipedia)

The Unified Commander of Pakistan Armed Forces’s Eastern Military High Command, Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi was forced to sign an unconditional Instrument of Surrender. The photograph of Niazi and Aurora at the signing of the Instruments of Surrender became an iconic image of the war,^[7] with The Guardian describing the scene as “the glum Pakistani officer bowed over his signature. The turbaned figure beside him, showing not a scrap of elation”.^[8] The 90,000 Pakistani troops under Niazi’s command surrendered to General Aurora as prisoners of war.^[2] Pakistan lost almost 57,000 square miles (150,000 km²) of its territory and 70 million of its people to the newly formed nation of Bangladesh. (Source Wikipedia)

Many of our officers and soldiers lost their lives. On this day we pay our tribute to all of them.

 

Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora

 

General Sam Manekshaw

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Walter Elias “Walt” Disney.

Walter Elias Disney was an American Business Magnate and a filmmaker. But he was one of the greatest Cartoonists this world has ever seen. It is particularly true when we are thinking of one cartoon. When we are thinking of one character created by a cartoonist which has survived more than a century. The character is Mickey Mouse.

 

 

Of and on Mickey Mouse makes fashion statements on t-shirts, sweat shirts and children pajamas. It appears that the character is going to live another century. Walter also created Donald duck and Goofy. These are also good but nothing to beat Mickey Mouse. He won 22 academy awards including a record of four in just one year. It gave him the honor of being one with maximum nominations (59) and 22 awards.

 

 

Disney Land theme parks in US, Japan, France and Hong Kong are the places which attract tourists from all over the world. If the family travels with children there is no way that they could miss the Disney lands if they are visiting that particular country.

 

He died on December 15 1996 from longue cancer in California. He had created a large number of animated shorts and future films. The company created these parks and animation studio which bears his name. At times we think how could a cartoonist create a cartoon that transcends the limits of time and space. What Shakespeare is to drama and literature, Walt Disney is to entertainment particularly for the children.

 

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The Great Sardar of India

Sardar Vallabhbhai Javerbhai Patel was born on 31^st October 1875. He left this world on 15^th December 1950. Every Indian needs to remember the great Sardar of our country on this day. He left us but not before completing his task. India as we see it today was creation of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He is also known as the Iron Man of India.

 

He was adet in negotiating skills. There were so many small and big princely states at the time of independence. But for his ability to unite all these states, we would not have seen our motherland as a mighty nation as reckoned today.

 

At one time there was a consideration in the party, among the senior leaders that he could be the Prime Minister. But the Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was chosen to be the Prime Minister. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel acted as his strong deputy- the Deputy Prime Minister. He could take decision which possibly Pandit Nehru was not able to conclude.

He was the first Home Minister. He organized relief for the refugees in Punjab & Delhi. At the time of partition there was great confusion and intense riots. Law and order was totally disturbed. It required the strength and the leadership of Sardar Patel to handle the very difficult situation. He took charge of the task to forge a United India from the British Colonial provinces and more than 500 self governing princely states. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Nation had great regards for this “Iron Man of India”. Sometimes he also had known as “Bismarck of India”.

 

Let us all pay our hearty tribute to the great leader of our country.

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Guru Shishya Parampara 2

Today, I will talk to you about the qualities of a great Guru in the context of present day teaching. While in our country, our Education System seems to have drifted away from the traditions, some of the teachers in the US are following our traditions.

 

The Guru-shishya parampara always emphasized that the Guru should also be a mentor. It meant that he/she does not just give lectures. But the classroom sessions are made interactive and participative. Here in India, we see that most college students have to rely on private classes. It is not only unnecessary, but also wasteful. Students lose the time spent in the college. At the same time College Lecturers are also unhappy because they don’t find devoted students.

 

Now I will describe how a good and passionate teacher is rated in a typical US school or college. The teacher ensures that the class is interesting. He/she does not stick only to the text, but gives examples from life to ensure a clear understanding of the subject. The teacher is always willing, and in fact wanting to help. The teacher displays deeper understanding and carefully listens to the students. Polite and human, the teacher ensures that everyone in the class understands the material before he/she is subjected to any kind of tests. The message is given repeatedly that Teacher should never bring personal problems to school. The teacher should have great respect for the students.

 

At the same time, the teacher motivates the students to come to the class on time. They are mentally prepared to learn, in fact eager to learn, and to respect each other. Students must listen when another student is talking. Of course there should be no cross talking during the class. The teacher repeats to the students, never say I can’t. Further, the teacher reassures them not to be afraid to say “I don’t understand”.

I hope that the new government and the HRD Minister will take suitable steps to ensure that we go back to our tradition.

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Guru Shishya Parampara

The Education System in our country was based on Guru-Shishya Parampara (tradition). Each individual who was educated in this tradition was able to think for himself/herself. However, The British did not want this system to continue. They only wanted followers who blindly obeyed their diktat. They needed manpower in administration. So they disbanded this system. The present education system is based on recommendations of Lord Macaulay who felt it necessary to tame the citizens into becoming unthinking followers. This system continues till today.

 

The biggest problem of our current education system is that even though students have great imagination, extensive knowledge, they have difficulty to express themselves. They lack courage and confidence. In complete contrast, the Guru Shishya Parampara creates a bond between the teacher and the disciple which transcends the traditional teacher student relationship. The Guru acts as a mentor ensuring that each of his Shishya feels free to ask any questions which he considers duty bound to explain.

 

As a mentor, the Guru considers it his duty to ensure that the future of Shishya is well protected. The Guru ensures that Shishyas develop the capacity to think for themselves. Further, they inculcate the necessary skills to deal with each other and conduct themselves elegantly among people.

 

Great knowledge of our scriptures can be disseminated properly by bringing back the system even though in a new modern avtar.

 

The biggest challenge for the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is to give proper orientation to the teachers. Besides, the number of students in a class should be between 10 to 15 but never more than 20.

 

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