Life is action, not contemplation

[Points: Introduction—two parts—the first part—the second part conclusion].

This is a remark of Goethe, the great German poet and thinker that has almost passed into a proverb. The expression has two parts. The first part lays stress on the need of action for success in the world. Life is not a bed of roses. On the contrary, it is full of dangers and difficulties, trials and temptations, and man has to carry on a hard and constant fight against them. Any slackness in this fight will upset the whole thing and bring about ruin. So man must work and work, patiently and perseveringly. This duty of action is laid on man by the thinkers of all countries. The Hindu philosophy of Karmayoga attainment of the goal of life through Karma or action, the command of the Bible that man must earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, lay stress on the importance of action.

The word 'contemplation' is generally used in the sense of 'deep and serious thought'. But evidently that is not the meaning in which it is used here. For in that case the whole sentence would mean that deep and serious thought is harmful to man, and should, therefore, be avoided by all means. This is contrary to fact and is against the teachings of all great men. Thought precedes action, and it is the duty of every person to think deeply and seriously before he undertakes anything. And 'deep and serious thought' is in itself a form of action. In fact, it is this 'contemplation' that led to the discovery of all the great truths that guide mankind. The word is used here in the sense of vague thoughts, empty dreams, so to say. The saying thus means that instead of wasting our time in empty dreams or endless thinking, we should begin work with firm determination if we are to succeed in life. There are men who think too much and cannot make up their minds or find time for action. Such men, however gifted, cannot achieve their objects. Shakespeare's Hamlet was a young prince of great intellectual powers; still he could not carry out his purpose of avenging the murder of his father because he was constantly thinking of the propriety of the step and of questions like 'to be or not to be' unrelated to the purpose.

So for success in life, we should first think wisely and then 'act and act', firmly and patiently. Once the object is fixed, we should not allow our aim to be swayed by every counterblast of suggestion of warning or by the difficulties that may come in the way. We must remember that too much thinking is another name of irresolution, and irresolution means inaction and stagnation.

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Value of Time or, Time and tide wait for none.

[Points: Introduction—why invaluable procrastination—want of punctuality—conclusion.]

Time is invaluable. It flows ceaselessly on without any con sideration for the convenience of any man, however important or high-placed he may be. And time once gone is gone for ever. Lost wealth may be regained by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance and medicine but lost time cannot be recovered by any means.

Many do not realise this. They waste their time, thinking that they would make up the loss in future. But the hope may be never realised. Every moment of our time has its particular duty. Putting off our works, therefore, means over-burdening us, that is making our tasks heavier and more difficult in future. This is why students who neglect their studies from day to day often fail in spite of very hard labour before the examination. They can neither acquire knowledge nor build up character and suffer all their life in consequence. Besides, who can say what this future will be,-whether it will not be worse than the present? Some unforeseen obstacles may arise; we may be suddenly taken ill; there may be some family calamity, financial difficulties may fall un us; and then we shall find that the task has become much harder, if not too hard. Moreover, if we begin to put off things, we shall soon get into the habit of indolence and thus slowly bring about our own ruin.

Want of punctuality is another way of wasting time. An unpunctual man cannot finish his own duties and incurs the displeasure of others by wasting his time too. In the military field delay by a few minutes may change the destinity of a nation. Napoleon lost the battle of Waterloo because a Marshal of his was a few minutes too late to come to his side. And Waterloo decided the fate of Europe for many years.

If we look around we see that the successful men everywhere are those who made proper use of every moment of their time. The most prosperous nations are those that don't waste any time. We also should take lessons from them both for ourselves and for our nation.

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Peace hath her victories no less renowned than war

[Points: Aggressive wars—defensive wars—victories of peace against ignorance, disease, injustice, etc.—victories of religious leaders—victories of peace—more enduring—political victory by peaceful means.]

We generally honour a victorious general. The more countries he conquers, the greater the fame he wins. The names of Alexander the Great, Chengiz Khan, Napoleon have become immortal because of their military conquests. But the victories they won were aggressive victories inspired by their lust for conquest. So from the moral and spiritual points of view, there was nothing to be proud of in these victories.

There were also military victories of a different kind, deciding very important issues and sometimes even the fate of nations for a long time to come. Waterloo and Trafalgar decided the fate of Europe during the war with Napoleon. Charles Martel saved Europe at the battle of Tours from the Saracens. Miltiades of Greece has become immortal in the history of his country by his great victory at Marathon against the Persians. There is real glory in all these victories because they were won against aggression. 

But there have been victories of a different kind altogether, nobler and more enduring than these military victories. They were victories against evils-evils of darkness, ignorance, disease, injustice, etc. and were won by peaceful means. Just think of the difficulties that explorers like Columbus and Livingstone, scientists like Galileo, Faraday, Zenner, Pasteur, etc. had to overcome before they could make their glorious discoveries, resulting in the material, intellectual and physical wellbeing of the entire human race. Consider also the glory of religious teachers like Buddha and Christ, poets like Kalidas and Shakespeare. They have conquered the minds of men all the world over, leading them from darkness and disquiet to the way of light and peace. The empires built up by the military conquerors were limited in time and space. Even these limited empires melted away shortly after their death. But the heroes of peace will continue to rule the minds of men everywhere for all time to come. So their achievements are more glorious than those of the warriors.

So long political independence could be won only through rivers of blood. It generally left behind a feeling of bitterness between the contending parties. But Mahatma Gandhi has shown how victory can be achieved by peaceful means even in the political field without leaving any ill-feeling on any side.

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The idle brain is the devil's workshop or, Satan always finds some work for idle hands to do

[Points: The brain can never remain idle—idle brain full of devilish thoughts—unemployment—so-called students—students and young men to be kept engaged in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities—duty of young men.]

The brain of man can never remain idle. Even when he is engaged in some physical labour, the brain is full of thoughts and ideals about how to do the work well. So if it is not occupied with faithful thoughts, all sorts of mischievous and devilish ideas will crowd in to fill the vacancy. And this will turn him to an agent of the Devil, not only to his own ruin but also to great harm to the society he belongs to.

We find the truth of this in the lives of many of the unemployed men, and so called students around us. So long as a person is-gain fully employed, his thoughts concern mainly his occupation--that is, how to do it well and thereby prosper in life and bring happiness to his family. But when a man is unemployed, the future seems dark and gloomy to him. Gradually despair fills his mind and he falls an easy prey to the prompting of Satan. He takes to wicked means to achieve what he cannot gain by fair means. We also see everywhere how public peace is disturbed by the mischievous activities of un employed young men and of boys who are students only in name. This is why unemployment is regarded as a curse and every state considers its removal to be one of its principal duties. And this is also the reason why our educational experts think so much, about how our young men may be kept away from undesirable activities. To suit their varied interests and varied energies academic curricula have been diversified. A wide variety of hobbies, excursions, cultural functions, social service works, etc. have been introduced to direct and guide their extra-curricular activities along fruitful channels.

But the success of these attempts depends a good deal on the young men themselves. Unless they become conscious of the evil effects of idleness, all attempts to save them from Satan will go in vain.

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Man does not live by bread alone

[Points: Importance of bread—other foods required—food for the mind and the heart—intellectual food—spiritual food—conclusion.] 

The word 'bread is used here in the general sense of material food, the food we eat Next to air and water, it is the most important thing for life. A person may live without it for some time; but after that he will surely die if he does not get it. This is why man wants food so keenly. In fact, want of food is the principal cause of most of the crimes committed by men, and of the political revolutions recorded in history.

But important as bread is, it is not the only food man wants. It meets only his physical needs; but as a rational being, he requires food for other kinds of hunger-hunger of the mind and the heart, hunger of the intellect and of the spirit. It is these hungers that dis tinguish him from the brute and have made him the lord of creation. It is these again that bind society together and have led to all the progress in civilisation.

Thus, family and society are based on the hunger of the mind and the heart for love and affection. A man may be very rich; yet he feels lonely and unhappy unless he has a family of his own to love and to be loved We all know how a man and a woman yearn for children. We also know how love and affection enable a person to go without material food for days together and bear great physical sufferings with a smiling face.

Intellectual hunger has led mankind from more to more of the light of knowledge. It has produced the masterpieces of science, literature and philosophy. It is at the root of the lofty thoughts and ideas that have inspired mankind at all times. Indeed, ideals are more powerful than caunon, and a life without an ideal is as useless as a boat without a rudder. We know how ideals have inspired men to bear great sufferings, even to sacrifice their own lives, in all ages and all countries.

The spiritual hunger is the basis of all religions. Man Jankers after material comforts and enjoyments. But he soon realises that they do not give real happiness of mind. So he hungers for some thing that will enable him to go through the joys and sorrows of life with cheerfulness of spirit, and set him free from the bonds of life. And this he finds in religion. So we see that, however important material food may be in a man's life, he has other interests also to inspire and guide him, to make his life worth living and to give bim true happiness.

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The pen is mightier than the sword

[Points: A strange statement in its literal meaning—real meaning—instances from history—empires based on military power limited in time and space—empires of great writers and thinkers wider and more enduring—supreme need of the modern age.]

We generally take the word 'mighty' to mean 'very powerful' in the physical sense. Thus, great military conquerors like Alexander, Chengiz Khan, Napoleon are still regarded as among the 'mightiest men of old. The empires that Rome, Spain and Great Britain built up were called 'mighty' because of their vastness and great military power. Even in modern times the United States of America and Russia are called the 'mightiest' powers of the present days. And the sword or military strength is at the root of all this 'mightiness'. Contrasted with this, the pen is a very humble instrument, not connected with any physical power. So, to say that the pen is mightier than the sword may seem an absurd or impossible statement.

Still the proverb, like all other proverbs, states a very simple truth. Here the words 'pen' and 'sword' stand for 'writer' and 'soldier' respec tively. The word 'mighty' also is used in a much wider sense to include moral and spiritual power or influence. The proverb, therefore, means that writers and thinkers exercise a much greater influence-wider and more enduring-on men and the world than any military conqueror. Let us take the cases of the heroes named above. They were among the greatest generals of the past But he empires they built up were limited to certain parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. And even these limited empires passed away almost with their death. The empires of Greece and Rome have gone. But Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Homer, Virgil, Dante still rule the minds of men everywhere. The British is no more; but Shakespeare is immortal. Our own country too had many mighty emperors. They and their empires are all gone; but Valmiki and Kalidas sway our minds yet. Rabindranath's empire. has been extending to distant corners of the earth. Woodin

The great books the Geeta, the Bible and the Koran were written long long ago. Empires have come and empires have gone in the mean-time; but the spiritual influence of these books has continued unabated through ages.

In the military sense too writers sometimes exercise a greater and wider influence than great generals. Let us take writers like Rousseau. Voltaire, Karl Marx, Tolstoy, Gorky. Their writings inspired epoch making revolutions in France and Russia, and are influencing the thoughts and ideas of people in many other countries.

Human civilisation is passing through a crisis. There is a mad race for deadly weapons to annihilate mankind. In times like these, man's only hope lies in firm faith in the truth of the proverb "The pen is mightier than the sword. It will make him give up ways of violence and take to ways of wisdom.

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We live in deeds, not in years

[Points: What the saying means—good deeds—a duty of man—when is life a blessing—examples of immortal men who died young—good deeds involve risks—conclusion.]

The proverb means that the value of a life depends, not on the number of years one may live, but on the number of good deeds one may perform.

This duty of good deeds is laid on man by the very fact of his being the best creation of God. Indeed, he has been endowed with the choicest blessings of his Creator. Every favour carries with it some responsibility and duty. The favour bestowed on man implies that God desires him to make the best possible use of it, that is, use it for the good of the world. In that way alone can man be true to his Creator and to himself too. He may die young; but if he has done something noble, his death will be deeply mourned by all and he will be remembered by the world for long years to come. Jesus Christ, Keats, Shelly, Vivekananda, Sankaracharya have become immortal though they all died very young. If, on the other hand, a man uses his gifts for self-interest only, there would be no difference between him and a beast. His life will be quite in vain, however long it may be, and he will die unwept, unhonoured and unsung.

Good deeds may sometimes involve risks, even of life. But a brave man is not afraid of this. He knows that death is the inevitable lot of all, and this death comes only once in life. So he considers it better to die in honour for a noble cause than to live ignobly like a coward. Gora of Chitore and Kshudiram of Bengal have become immortal by courting death, when still in their teens, in India's struggle for freedom.

So the main object of every life should be not merely to live in years, but to fill it, however short, with good and noble deeds to the best of one's power and ability.

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Everywhere the common people are on the march

Gone are the days of the tyrant kings and their outraged subjects. Gone are the days when the despots ruled ruthlessly and the common people cursed their fates. Those rulers enjoyed all the good things of life and considered themselves to be destined to rule over others. Power was monopoly for them. Those ruled were deprived of the basic necessities of life. They were not even considered to be human beings. The common people were denied all pleasures and opportu nities. We learn from history how the power hungry rulers oppressed their own people when they demanded the minimum requirements of life.

But of late, things have started to take different shape. The common people have started to establish their rights to live and to enjoy like any other human being much to the displeasure to the ruling class. They feel that they have long been cheated and that God had not sent any one to rule. Democracy was preached by Pluto and Socrates about 2000 years back; but how many countries do actually preach it? The frustration of the oppressed and neglected classes has driven them to the point of no return. They have now woken up much to the discomfort of the ruling class. They have started asking for justice and want to be treated equally. Look at Africa and the other Latin American countries. After centuries of slavery and deprivation they have awakened and that has led to political as well as socio-economic independence in many cases. Even in India, the down trodden people have awakened slowly but steadily, to establish their rights in the society. Political parties like the Naxalites are the outcome of this movement. They are preach ing the farmers and poor peasants to snatch away everything from the affluent communities if necessary, by force. This may not be considered an isolated political extremism but a legitimate demand of socio-economic independence from the clutches of the ruling class.

Everywhere they are on the march and are up in arms. The sooner we accept their rights, the better it is for the country. In one of his poems, Rabindranath pronounced, "A day will come when we shall have to share our food with the people whom we are neglecting, thumiliating and insulting today." They have at last woken up and are up in arms to take revenge for the injustice done to them over the centuries. They have realized that mere persuation or pleading would bring them no justice. We cannot afford to wait any longer. Let us acknowledge their rights in our society. They are already on the march. Let us accept them as one of us before it is too late.

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Our National bird

Peacock is our National bird. It is a symbol of grace, friendliness, caution, pride and community spirit. Its rhythm of gait, its akinness to the green vegetation, its keen response to the changing seasons-alt have drawn it closer to the poet than any other bird. Kalidasa has referred to the peacock as a perennial source of beauty and a constant symbol of nature's expressive personality.

The Indian sub-continent is the native home of the peacock. Here it is found in jungles near water and usually near cultivated land and groves. One of the most beautiful sights in the world of birds is that of a peacock displaying the beauty of its glittering tail feathers. The male bird cannot charm its mate by song, but it does so with bright colours. The fanning of the long tail feathers gives a most wonderful patterned effect and shows to full advantage to rich colours in sym metrical array. It is from this display that the simile "as proud as a peacock" comes.

In India, the Indian Blue Peacock (Pavo cristatus) is a universally known bird with a fan-shaped crest. In Assam and other north eastern States and Burma is found another species the Golden Green Peacock (Pavo muticus). The Indian peacock is not only protected now for being our National bird, but has been protected from time immemorial.

The peacock's sight and hearing are very sharp. It is away and careful. At night it generally roosts on a lofty tree or even on a roof. At dawn the jungle resounds with its shrill notes. It is very sensitive to its surroundings, especially the weather. A little cool breeze or black rain clouds in the sky is enough to send it into raptures. It is generally the first to detect the presence of any wild animal on the prowl and warns other animals of the forest.

It is an omnivorous bird with its main diet consisting of grain, vegetable shoots, insects, lizards and snakes. Like the Secretary Bird of Africa the peacock performs a very useful function in keeping the snake population down.

The breeding season starts from July and generally the eggs are laid in August. The hen lays the eggs amid dense bushes or on the very low branches well covered with foliage. The clutch varies from four to six cream-coloured eggs and the incubation lasts for 26 days. The young ones of both sexes look alike till they are two years of age when the tail covers of the male bird begin to grow and develop their brilliant splashes of colour.

A peacock's call is a loud trumpet-like scream. In Northern India the bird is credited with being especially noisy and happy at the approach of rain;

Hindu mythology abounds in references to the peacock. In the Bible too, when the Queen of Sheba visited King Solomon, peacocks featured among the gifts she brought to him. When Alexander decided to go back from India, he took with him about 200 live peacocks to delight his people.

During the Gupta period the peacock established itself as the royal bird. Kumara Gupta (413-35 A.D.) issued a gold coin which showed, on one side, himself feeding a peacock with grapes, and on the other Kartikeya on a peacock. In his edicts, Asoka said that the slaying of deer and peacock in the wild was an offence. Aurangzeb also ordered a ban on the shooting and killing of peacocks. Everyone has heard of the famous Peacock Throne of Shah Jehan. The Kushan King Kanishka also had adopted the figure of a peacock as his personal emblem.

Thus from time immemorial, peacock has drawn the attention of poets, emperors, invadors, warriers for its beauty and grace. It is no doubt one of the most beautiful creatures of the world.

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Our National flag

[Points: What a National flag is—When our National flag was adopted—design of the flag—what its different colours stand for—how it should be used.]

Every country has its own National flag. It is the symbol of its honour and ideal and as such it is held in the highest esteem by every patriot.

The National flag of free India was first adopted by the Constituent Assembly on July 22, 1947. It is a horizontal tricolour with saffron at the top, white in the middle, and dark green at the bottom, all the stripes being equal in breadth. Saffron stands for courage and sacrifice, white for truth and peace, green for faith and chivalry. In the centre is an exact reproduction of Asoka Chakra, the wheel of the Asoka pillar at Sarnath. The colour is dark blue and the wheel has 24 spokes.

As the National flag is the symbol of the country's honour, great care is to be taken in using it. It is to be regarded as something holy, and should, therefore, be kept above all internal controversies,-poli tical or religious or ideological. There may be quarrels in between parties and groups, but there can be no quarrel with the National Flag; all should bow down before it and keep its honour bright. Nor should the flag be used lightly and indiscriminately as if it were a mere play .thing like a toy flag in the hand of a child. It is to be deeply regretted that our people are often found wanting in this respect. We some times find torn or soiled National flags on house tops and cars, even in dust-heaps. We also sometimes find these flags in the hands of demonstrators marching along the streets. All these prove that the offenders are not conscious of the sanctity of the National flag.

To guard against the misuse of the National flag, certain rules have been laid down by the Government. Some of the most important of these are:-(a) It should not be lowered before anything. (b) No other flag or emblem should be placed above the National flag or to its right. (c) When carried in a procession, it is to be borne on the right shoulder of the standard bearer and carried in front of the procession. (d) When the flag is flown horizontally, the saffron end should be at the top. (e) Normally, the National flag should be flown on important Government buildings. Frontier areas may however, fly it at some special points. (f) Its use is unrestricted on certain special occasions such as the Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday and during the National week.

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The autobiography of a watch

I was born some ten years ago at a small town in Switzerland. My makers were famous for their skill all over the world; and consequently, as soon as I saw the light of day, I was shipped with a large family of brothers and cousins to Calcutta There I lay in a showcase for some time, being taken out and exhibited occasionally to would-be purchasers, who all found me too dear for them.

At last came a young man, a out 17 years old, accompanied by an elderly gentleman whom I afterwards knew to be his father. From their talk, I learnt that the boy had just passed the Secondary Examination, and the father had come for a good watch as a present to him. The boy took a fancy to me, and I was transferred from the showcase to his wrist. How happy he looked as he walked out of the shop with his new treasure! He showed me with considerable pride to his friends, who all praised my shape and brightness and congratulated him on his possession. He winded me punctually to the minute every day and kept me carefully shut up in the drawer except when he went out.

Gradually we became so fond of each other as to be almost regarded as inseparable friends.

After three or four years, my master one day failed to wind me at the appointed hour. I felt surprised; but the surprise was soon changed into anxiety when I learnt that he was down with cholera. I heard doctors coming in and going away, hushed voices all over the household and anxious enquiries, throughout the day. My heart began to fail, and when at midnight piteous cries announced the end, I fell into a swoon.

How long my fit lasted I cannot say; but, on opening my eyes, I found myself on the hand of a lad of about 14 whom I at once recognised to be the brother of my last owner. It appeared that I had been transferred to him, and though still smarting under the recent shock, I accepted the change with a good heart. He was a bright boy and loved his brother very much. So he began to take the utmost care of his brother's momento and would not allow anybody else to touch me. Things went on in this way for about three years more, after which came another turn in my fortune. I was one night stolen by a grown up man. He was very careless and indifferent, often drunk. He did not take proper care of me, winding me at irregular hours and subjecting me occasionally to rough handling. In consequence, my health began to break down and I failed to keep proper time. In disgust, the thief decided to dispose of me altogether and came to a shop for the purpose. The owner of the shop examined me carefully, and requesting the man to wait for a few minutes, went out only to return with a police constable to arrest him. The fact was- that my real owner had reported his loss to the police, and my number and description had been circulated among all the watch-repairers in the town. I was kept in police custody during the trial, which resulted in the punishment of the thief. I was then restored to my rightful owner, the lad, whose delight in having me back was more than words can express. I am still with him. His fond care has completely restored my health and brought me back to the hope of many years of useful service still.

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If I were a Dictator

[Points: What a dictator is—my tasks: (a) suppression of corruption and reducing the gap between the rich and the poor, (b) education, (c) health, (d) unemployment, (e) politics, (f) foreign policy—conclusion.]

A dictator is one who rules a country with absolute power. There is no opposition party, no legislature, no council of elected ministers. The dictator appoints his ministers and dismisses them at his own pleasure.

I wish I were the dictator of India for a pretty long time. I would then be able to make my country happy and prosperous.

My first task would be to suppress corruption and reduce the gap between the rich and the poor. These are at the root of most of the evils that affect the country. People are losing faith in the ability of the leaders to relieve their miseries. It is this feeling of desperation that causes so frequent outbursts and prevents the people from offering the desired co-operation to the government. I shall begin by abolishing costly offices, cutting down higher salaries, and putting a curb on extravagance of all forms. Quick and exemplary punishments shall be inflicted upon the culprits for corruption, including black marketing, adulteration and profiteering, so that the evil may be rooted out from the country. As no country can progress unless the people are educated, I shall make education free up to the secondary stage, and establish adult education centres all over the country. I shall establish a network of hospitals, dispensaries and clinics so that everybody may have proper medical help and advice.

To meet the problem of unemployment, I shall encourage small scale and cottage industries to give employment to a greater number of people. Every effort shall also be made to solve the food problem. Political parties shall be banned, because, in my opinion, politics has become the bane of our country. Political leaders think more of their leadership and party than of the people and often mislead them. Even the sincere among them are often compelled to sacrifice their conscience to party interests.

My foreign policy shall be one of peaceful coexistence. I shall continue friendly relations with every country, irrespective of its political creed. But I shall not allow any country to interfere in the internal affairs of my own land.

These measures, I am sure, will make the people realise in their everyday life that the Government is their own affair. This will create faith and enthusiasm among them and inspire them to exert more active co-operation, resulting in quick improvement of the country.

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The secular concept in India

[Points: Introduction—two nation theory—real meaning of secularism—secularism in Indian constitution—example of secularism in India—concept—conclusion.]

In India, the concept of secularism was originally born as a res ponse to the challenge of the theory of two nations. Indian nationalism proclaimed that India is a secular country and that there is no scope of differentiating between Hindus and Muslims. However, the two nation theory was ultimately forced upon India in the sense that India was divided into India and Pakistan.

Secularism in India is a positive, revolutionary and comprehensive concept which takes within its sweep all the communities in India following several religions. It is not negative in nature, it is not anti God or anti-religion; Indian secularism recognises the importance of religion in human life. It believes that no religion has the monopoly of philosophical wisdom. It allows all religions to discharge their function within their legitimate bonds. If citizens want to worship their God, Indian secularism recognises the need and right for such prayer and worship. It does not prescribe the practice of any one religion. Complete freedom of religion is assured in our constitution.

Secularism can also be non-religious, anti-religious and sceptical. Indian secularism, from this point of view is just non-religious. So long religious functions are held within its legitimate domain, Indian secularism is strictly neutral.

It is remarkable that though the word 'secular' and 'secularism is not mentioned in our constitution, it guarantees equality of all religion before law. In that respect our constitution is strictly and essentially founded on secular concept. Our constitution guaran tees fundamental rights of religious freedom. Our constitution makers were aware that religions as practised all over the world assume an organised communal form and sometimes this organisation may attempt to regulate socio-economic matters even. Such an attempt will not be tolerated by the Indian constitution.

Let us cite one instance. When the Hindu Code Bill was placed before parliament, considerable opposition was voiced by the conser vative section of the Hindu community. According to them, parliament was interfering with the age old provisions of the Vedas in matters of personal law. Parliament ignored the sentimental opposition of the conservative Hindu community and put the Hindu Code Bill on the statute book.

The enactment of the Hindu Code Bill is a triumph of Indian secu larism. It firmly established that personal law is a secular matter with which religion has nothing to do. Secular concept in India has become fully mature in the eyes of the world.

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Pollution and mankind

[Points: What is pollution—reasons behind pollution—pollution in atmosphere, water, food, and in agricultural products—nuclear pollution—danger to mankind—conclusion.]

Any abnormal change in chemical, physical and biological charac teristics of environment is called pollution. At present our environ ment is getting polluted every moment. This is causing extensive damage to all sorts of life on earth. In fact its damaging effect is so extensive that it is one of the most widely discussed topics nowadays.

Environmental pollution is a direct consequence of industrial progress. It is, therefore, more pronounced in larger cities and indus trial belts. In these areas the air is getting polluted by the exhausts of automobiles, furnaces, industrial shoots, etc. Decomposition of garbages and other refuses also make the atmosphere heavy. In discriminate burning of all sorts of conventional and unconven tional fuels, and last but not least, random destruction of plant popu lation are responsible for large accumulation of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other fumes in the, air we breathe. These cause great damage to the health of living creatures. According to one survey, the residents of large industrial cities like Birmingham, Hong kong, Manchester, Calcutta, Chicago, etc. are subjected to bronchial injuries equivalent to smoking twenty cigarettes a day. In winter, the smoke cannot move quickly. It thickens the air and causes burning sensation in eyes and also damages lungs, etc. In fact, these cities are choking to death with their own fumes.

With the development of industries, large amount of municipal and industrial wastes are poured into rivers, lakes and bays, con taminating them with highly toxic chemicals resulting in death of marine lives. Polluted water is also dangerous to agricultural products. Even the sea is not free from pollution. Emissions from oil refineries float as sticky oily substance running over hundreds of miles in the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. It is destroying marine lives and even coastal vegetation where it strikes.

The latest addition to environmental pollution has come from nuclear explosions. Nuclear explosions and radioactive wastes pollute the atmosphere to an extent beyond imagination.

So the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we take are not always absolutely pure or healthy. The price of pollution could be the death of mankind. Technically advanced countries have already taken steps to face the gravity of the situation. London, Paris, the Ruhr districts of W. Germany are now relatively free from the notorious smog a combination of smoke and fog. The authority has forced the citizens to use smokeless fuel. Effluent treatment of water is a must before its discharge to rivers or lakes. Water Pollution Boards have been established at the state and national levels to formulate and enforce pollution control regulations strictly. Scientists are now taking steps to isolate and destroy radioactive elements which are a real danger to mankind.

To create ecological balance new plantations are on the way. Sensing danger, the United Nations Environmental Programme is sponsoring 5th June of every year as the World Environmental Day to evolve fruitful possibilities of international collaboration for this global problem. Seminars are being regularly held all over the world to apprise the people of the impending danger to mankind. We must follow the guidelines to create a better environment and save life on this beautiful planet.

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The press—its uses and abuses in democracy

[Points: Introduction—necessity of having press—power and duties of a good press—roles to play in democracy—potentiality of press—how it is misused—conclusion.]

No civilised society can live without the press. Taking into account its utility in modern life one can understand very well why it has become so important. Let us consider its influence on masses. A good press educates and helps in forming sound and healthy public opinion. It has direct communication with masses and so can influence them both for destructive and constructive work. The favour and disfavour of the press can make or mar a politician's career. Through newspapers, the press gives us information about our day-to day political, social and commercial activities. It keeps people posted also with new and informative articles on literature, sports and science. The editorial comments' often serve as guidelines to the government for constructive work. People give vent to their feelings through the letters to the editors.

The press serves the great task of bringing about social reforms. Many of the social evils like untouchability, dowry system, smuggling activities, etc, are ruthlessly attacked and criticised by the press. Government servants as well as public high-ups are now more careful because of the fear of being exposed by the press. In short. there are very few people who are hot afraid of its power.

In a democratic system the press has many important roles to play. It can harass any stable government by poisoning public opinion It can also bring them a big success by favouring government action and taking public opinion with them. The press gives information about the proceedings of the parliament and assemblies and all the important political events in the country. Without these, people would be in the dai! about the political and social trends in the country

But because its potential power is in the hands of vested interest, the press is sometimes employed for harmful propaganda. Very often the press distorts or suppresses facts to mislead and confuse masses. In a developing country, the press is even influenced by foreign powers to twist facts and mould public opinion to suit their political ideology. In a democratic country, where the press is mostly run by private agencies and big industrial houses, the press safeguards their own interest first.

In fact, the press is a two way weapon. If used carefully, it can help in building up the nation forming the right public opinion. If misused, it can erode the very foundation of democracy.

The press should, therefore, abide by the principle of truthfulness. The primary duty of the press is to establish the truth and work in the interest of the public.

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Modern civilization

[Points: Introduction—realities of modern civilization—loss of finer qualities of life—deviation from spiritual life—getting self-centered—Nationalism and Internationalism of modern civilization.]

The true meaning of civilization has not become clear to mankind despite many centuries of so called civilized life. Each nation or society interprets the word "civilization" according to its own norm. There fore, the exact meaning of civilization is not clear.

Civilization connotes culture and refinement, qualities of head and heart which lifts a civilized man above a primitive one. Love, charity, sacrifice, regard for truth and honesty are some of the essential characteristics of a civilized person.

Modern civilization attaches more importance to the material comfort of life. The term material comfort of life implies good food, sound health, nice shelter, high standard of living with the use of electronic gadgets. The craziness of American people in pursuit of auto mobiles is joked upon by others as "America's Automobile Civilization." One thing we are certain of is the general degradation of mora value in this modern civilized world. Endless demand of materialistic gain leading to frustration has become more prominent in modern civilization.

At present, the pursuit of material wealth rather than, spiritual, has become all pervading. In his beautiful sonnet, "The world is too much with us," the poet Wordsworth said that material wealth is a sordid boon to which we have given our hearts away. In modern world investment on factories and giving employment opportunities are considered wise national investment rather than setting up of an Asram and providing spiritual food for large number of people.

Another important characteristic of modern civilization is the importance given to one's appearance. A person is judged by the dress he wears. his general demeanour and the connection he has rather than the intrin sic qualities he may possess.

In modern civilization education has come to play an important role. It is no longer restricted to priviledged classes only. Opportunities are now open to every individual to educate himself.

In these modern days, common people take active interest in the happenings around them. With the broadening of outlook, modern civilization has strengthened the bonds of Nationalism and Internationa lism at the expense of family ties. The old joint family system is gradu ally vanishing. The family unit is narrowing down. The solid and strong personalities which the joint family system produced are no longer to be seen in modern society.

Nevertheless, we must admit that modern civilization may be considered to be superior to and better than the older civilization in many ways. Though there is a trend towards individualism, in modern civilization there is a greater sense of unity among mankind. Science and technology has brought the whole world and the human being very close by means of quicker and improved communication system.

If mankind is able to do some constructive thinking on the removal of poverty, ignorance, inequality and injustice, which are still predominant even in the 20th century, modern civilization would be really something to be proud of.

Civilization is not static. We had the Stone age, the Copper age, and the Iron age civilizations. Now we are going through the Electronic and Automobile civilizations and are on the verge of Nuclear civilization. Who knows what awaits us two thousand years from today ?

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Wild life conservation

[Points: Introduction—different wild lives in their natural surroundings—necessity of wild life, national parks in India and in other parts of the world—conclusion.]

Most countries have their own peculiar brand of animals or birds. Australians have kangaroo and emu, the New Zealanders have kiwi birds, the Middle East is synonynous with camel, the ship of the desert. India is famous for her Royal Bengal Tigers, lions, elephants and beau tiful peacocks-our national bird. We cannot dream of Africa without zebras, zirraffes, leopards, rhinos, hippos, wild elephants and host of other wild animals. Where on earth can we expect to find white bear except in Siberia? Thus each country has enough wild life and is synonymous with that animal.

For a long time, we had been totally indifferent to these creatures around us. However, it is gratifying that of late people as a whole has become conscious and interested about the wild lives scattered in different parts. They have become conscious of the necessities to preserve wild life to keep a natural balance in the animal world. They have also become conscious of the fact that preservation of wild life is necessary to keep a natural and ecological balance. Because of these reasons, preservation of wild life has become an official pro gramme in many countries.

Our country is rich in wild life. We have the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers roaming in the Terai and in the Sundarbans. We have wild elephants in the Terai and in Karnataka state. In the Gir forest, we still have a few dozen of lions. Single horned Rhionos are given shelter in Kazirangha National Park, Assam. Nowhere else in the world this type of animals can be seen. To give wild animals safe habitat forests have been earmakred as National Parks or Reserve Forests. Thus have grown National Parks at Simlipal, Orissa; Jim Corbet, U.P.; Cunha, M.P. and Gir, Rajasthan. Even the crocodiles are not forgotten They are reared up in their natural surroundings in the Sundarbans and in Orissa. The largest bird sanctuary in India is at Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Strict laws are enforced to protect their interests.

The largest National Park of the world is at Tanganyka. This park can boast of animals like lion, zebra, ziraffe, rhino, hippo, antilope, bison, elephant, etc. Thousands of tourists come to this Safari Park to have a look at them in their natural surroundings. They also shot them with their cameras.

Similar National Parks have come up in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and in many other countries of the world. In countries like Canada and England where there is not much of wild life, local authorities have imported animals from different parts of the world to establish Safari Parks. The animals move about freely in these parks and the visitors can have a close look at them from a hand shaking distance.

Still, there are some people who have no love for wild life. They poach and kill these animals illegally not for self defence but for money. This is really an unhealthy sign. However, people are getting more conscious of the necessity to work for the preservation of wild life. They have at last realised the importance of preserving these immensely valuable creations of God.

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Your favourite film

[Points: Introduction—name of the film—director, writer, superb screen play, music, acting, direction and representation of rural life of India—acclaimed as one of the best films—international award winner—conclusion.]

I am not a regular film goer ; yet I have seen a couple of good Indian and foreign films. If I am asked to name my favourite film, without hesitation, I will vote for Pather Panchali. This film was produced by the Government of W. Bengal in 1956. From the very first show it created a stir among the film lovers. This film is the work of Satyajit Roy, the director, based on a novel of Bibhuti Bhusan Banerjee, the literary genius. Only after seeing the film I could under stand why this film has been universally acclaimed to be one of the best ever produced.

"Pather Panchali" means something like "Song of life". It is not a novel in the conventional sense. It is a narration of the day-to-day life of a poor family, the like of which can be found all over.

Harihar, the head of the family, is a poor Brahmin. He is barely able to make both ends meet as a poor village priest. He has his sister, his wife and two lively children Apu and Durga to look after. Apu and Durga are always full of life in spite of all round poverty. They live in their own world roaming about in the nature. They represent two harmless creatures who have nothing in home but so much in the nature to gather knowledge from.. One day Harihar leaves the village for several weeks to earn more for the family. In the meantime Durga dies after a short illness. Harihar learns this only after his return. Then he decides to leave his ancestral home for good. So, one day the family leaves for Beneras.

The story is simple and from this simple story Satyajit Roy created a superb film. One of the greatest qualities of the director is that he presented the film in such a way that one never felt that one was enjoy ing a film. Everything looked so natural. He did not neglect any detail. And the minutest details like rain drops falling on a bald head, the butterflies swinging about, Apu and Durga looking in amazement at the train for the first time in their life,-made this film a classic one. As for acting, it did never appear to me that they were acting in a film; they looked natural-they just fitted like a T to their respective roles. The scenario, photography, location shooting everything looked classic and flawless. And the director presented the film in such a nice manner that the filmgoers never feel that they are witnessing a world of make believe. I can never forget the scenes which ultimately signalled the deaths of Durga and Indira Thakrun. I think they are the best shots ever taken in celluloid. Last but not least, the music composed by Ravishankar was really soft and 'musical.' The background music of a street vendor hawking on streets closely followed by a stray dog by the side of a pond always haunts me. The music gave a strange poignancy to the film.

In short, the film reflects the life of the millions of rural popula tion. It has a universal appeal and that is why this film has won the hearts of its viewers and critics in different international film competi tions. I was told that even in the U.S.A. some critics expressed that it was an experience of a lifetime to see such a film. No wonder, it has won laurels all over the world. To sum up-it is not a film, it is a classic poem in celluloid.

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My native village

[Points: The name of your village—communication with neighbouring places—population—poor farmers and villagers—facilities available natural beauty—ponds—narrow muddy lanes but picturesque general feeling among the population—unemployment—conclusion.]

I live at Shatpura, a small village in Burdwan District. The nearest town is Burdwan, some 25 k.m. away.

The small village is not connected by railways. It is, however, connected by bus service with Burdwan, Chandannagore and other nearby places. There are several katcha roads that wind up through the village. But the link road with the national highway is a metalled one. Our village is flanked by the national highway on the north and on the south we are having the Damodar, which is barely one k.m. from the heart of our village.

There is none amongst us who can be called rich; there are some jotedars, a couple of businessmen who are a bit better off than most of us. We have a few graduates, some of whom are school teachers in a nearby high school. Others travel by bus to Burdwan or Memari to earn their living. There is a post office, a charitable dispensary and a health centre nearby. The population of this village is around two thousand, including children. There are quite a few pucca buildings, all single storied. Rest are all katcha buildings, thatched or tiled.

Our village is really beautiful. In spring it appears just like an island in the midst of lush green sea. Vast green fields stretch from the outskirts of the village to the horizon except on the south where the river flows. However, during monsoon the village all ys become inaccessible. But as good rain brings good crops, the villagers, who are all cultivators, welcome heavy downpour during monsoon.

A gram-panchayet in our village looks after the interest of the villagers. There are also occasional 'jatras' to entertain us. Despite groupism, the villagers all feel for others and join hands to celebrate the Durga Puja every year. The chandimandap is the place where the old people assemble to spend time in idle gossip. There is also a primary school attended by some 45 kids. It sits in a thatched two storied house looked after by a benevolent jotedar.

The big pond around which our village stands is the only source of water. We use the pond for bathing, washing and even for drinking. The pond is surrounded by many palm and coconut trees. There is also a mango grove nearby.

All said, it must be admitted that the villagers who are mostly land cultivators are very poor and they lead a miserable life. It is only during the sowing and harvesting seasons that they can get two square meals a day. During the rest of the year they live in utter poverty. However, recently, the younger generations are getting engaged in small scale industries. It is gratifying to note that the local youths are busy doing some constructive works in the village.

I feel proud of my village when the crops around the village smile. It is all green at that time. The villagers may not be well off, but they are simple and honest. I love my village-it is the abode of peace.

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Apartheid

[Points: Introduction—apartheid in ancient periods—apartheid in South Africa and in other countries-problems created by this policy—international pressures and criticisms—apartheid in sports conclusion.]

It is said, "God created man and man created divisions among mankind." We don't know the complexion of the first human being on earth. But civilization has made us more conscious about the complexion of our skin.

Truly speaking, apartheid is not new to mankind. In India the Aryans practised it keeping themselves away from the non Aryans. They always kept a separate identity all levels. The same treatment was meted out by the Romans to the conquered tribes. Racial discrimination in one form or other thus did always exist in the history of mankind.

Later, when the Europeans established colonies all over the world, they felt they were superior to the conquered races. Most of the colonial powers kept themselves aloof from the local people calling them aboriginals, barbarians, etc. . Even in India, during the British rule, there were many clubs restaurants, educational institutions which were reserved only for the Europeans.

However, in South Africa, the white Afrikkanar regime, mostly of Ditch origin, not only kept the locals away but also deprived them of all sorts of social and human right. Apartheid, which signifies racial segregation, is being still practised in railways, cinema shows, buses, shops, restaurants-everywhere. Not being satisfied with the rough treatment, the government opened separate zones for whites and the 'coloured people'. In fact, the coloured students even now are barred from entering educational institutions marked for whites-"the privileged classes." Any social gathering between them is prohibited by law. The world had known all about these since the beginning of the century. Gandhiji, we all know, had launched his famous satyagraha movement against ill treatment of Indians in S. Africa. Another neighbouring count y Rhodesia was not lagging much behind. In defence, the governments of these two countries advocated that it was absolutely essential to let grow the culture and society of the respective races.

As it is in a sense taking away human rights, this policy is being criticised and condemned universally. It is oppressive and brutal. International pressure has been created by passing resolutions against this policy. To intensify pressure, economic blockade was enforced on these we countries and many seaports and airports refused to headle their wares. After intense political pressure for over thirty years South Africa was at last thrown out of the Commonwealth in 1961. Sensing danger from inside and outside and after a lot of useless bloodshed, the white Rhodesian government at last handed over power to the sons of the soil and thus paved the way for the formation of a new country Zimbawabe.

But things are still totally different in South Africa. The govt. of S. Africa is still defying U.N.O. resolutions and do act hesitate to enforce the heaviest penalty possible to maintain this shameful policy of racial segregation an' consequent degradation of the coloured people. It is surprising that though almost all the countries of the world has condemned the policy of apartheid vocally, there are still a few countries who are supporting apartheid secretly to boost up the morale of the whites. They are also helping them for economic and all round development. Nobody knows actually how many leaders of the coloured people, the sons of the soil, are languishing behind the bars. Nobody knows how ranny people were actually killed who opposed the principle of apartheid. In fact, it is due to this inhuman policy, even in spits and garzes, South Africa has been thrown out of different international sports councils, commonwealth games, and so on.

It is a strange fact that though racial discrimination is not the declared policy of say government, its presence can be felt in all the white countries. To stop this unethical assaults on the coloured people and to establish their rights, all the Afro-Asian countrier should unite to become more powerful both economically and politically.

It is only then when they are at par with the so called "Super whites" throwing challenge to them at the opportune moment that they will be able to establish the rights of all coloured peoples of the world.

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