Commonwealth Games, 2010

India is all set for the Commonwealth Games, 2010,

It is a popular topic of discussion among most men, women and children.

Thanks to the C.G.F’s* decision,

India will soon become a popular tourist destination.

Formerly known as the “British Empire Games”,

It was first conceptualized in the land of the Thames.

Four separate teams represent England, Scotland ,Wales and Northern Ireland,

In 2014, the Games will be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

Many new bridges, buses and buildings have come up in Delhi,

The Delhi Metro has changed the definition of commuting, entirely.

There seems to be a shopping mall in every nook and corner,

A lot of money is being spent on infrastructure.

It is the nineteenth edition of the Commonwealth Games,

And the ninth to be held, under this name.

Every Indian is waiting for this event,

The bond between the commonwealth countries, it will certainly, cement.

(*Commonwealth Games Federation)

Uncle Tony and His Workouts

Uncle Tony met Molly at a gym,

Where the light was very dim.

Molly appeared just right,

In the dim, dim light.

The lady responded to his glances,

So Uncle Tony made controlled advances.

His smile exposed a set of whiskey teeth which were barely visible,

And shy Miss Molly’s voice was hardly audible.

Uncle Tony knew they were made for each other,

Very much like bread and butter.

He asked if she could join him for cup of tea,

And the lady graciously accepted his plea.

The twosome stepped out of the gym,

Where the light was so very dim.

Uncle Tony looked at Molly, in broad daylight,

He yelled, ‘God what a fright!’

Poor Uncle Tony’s conquest,

Was a wrestler, a man, in his vest.

Mr. Mallard alias Molly, gave him a wily grin,

And kicked him on his shin

After that Uncle Tony never went to that gym,

Where the light was so dangerously, dim.

The wrestler’s kick, caused him serious physical and mental injury,

And these days Uncle Tony only associates with the clergy.

Mahatma Gandhi

The man who showed us the road to emancipation,

Popularly known as the father of the nation,

An advocate of universal brotherhood and equality,

Yes, I’m talking about Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhiji spread the message of love and mutual tolerance,

He was opposed to all forms of violence.

A crusader for women’s liberation,

He always raised his voice against caste discrimination.

A practitioner of vegetarianism and ‘Ahimsa’

He vehemently propagated the use of the ‘charkha’.

"Truth is God" was his philosophy,

He believed that “The science of non-violence alone can lead one to pure democracy...”

To London he went for higher education,

In South Africa, he fought for the rights of the Indian population.

An absolute altruist by nature,

His knowledge, and global experience changed our nation’s future.

Education

Education is the key to success,

It is an ongoing process.

Each day of existence,

Adds to our knowledge, wisdom and experience.

Alas! We live in a world where degrees matter,

So many dreams, does this harsh reality shatter.

For education is not easily accessible,

In this overpopulated world, where even basic amenities are not available.

That education does not mean mugging different precepts and concepts,

Is a popular theory which every eminent educationist accepts,

Alas! The same educationists support the system of examination,

Which demands rote memorization.

It is a myth that we can attain knowledge,

Only at a school or a college.

Self-education is the best kind of learning,

Knowledge thus gained, is permanent and enriching.

My College Days

Those were the best days of my life,

When fun and frolic was rife.

A refreshing realm of knowledge,

That was my college.

Funny friends and loving lecturers,

Freaky fundas and flexible study hours.

Riddles and rumours, gossips and giggles-umpteen,

Added spice to the junk I hogged at the college canteen.

I majored in English Literature,

And the subject suited my sensitive nature.

I was initiated into the world of stories, poems and plays,

Each lecture set my imagination ablaze.

My college was a literary paradise,

Where I learnt to critically analyze,

Every text that came my way,

Be it poetry, prose or play.

Free from the fetters of school,

I willingly jumped into the knowledge pool.

Where education was mixed with entertainment,

At college learning was never a punishment.

Kindergarten Kid

The conniving kindergarten kid,

Presents many excuses valid,

A variety of 'aches', he loves to feign,

Oh! Going to school is such a pain.

Alas! Mummy is never convinced,

She knows her child is an actor accomplished.

He goes to school with a long face,

The hatred for school, he can hardly efface.

He enters the classroom and faces his teacher,

Oh! how he hates this frightful creature.

He moves to the back bench cautiously,

For his shoes aren't polished properly.

He loves to read and write,

The dance and drill classes are an absolute delight.

Alas! If only he could do things freely,

Everyday he would go to school willingly.

The Terrorist

Terrorism is the gravest problem in the world today,

The terrorist judiciously keeps logic at bay.

Violence is his biggest obsession,

He revels in causing large scale destruction.

Communal hatred and extremist beliefs cloud his reason,

Warmongers instigate him to commit treason.

By slaughtering people he seeks to attain notoriety,

But the shameless sadist claims that he is reforming the human society.

The terrorist targets the common man,

Who dreams big and never hesitates to plan.

He works hard day and night,

And sacrifices his present, to make his future bright.

The terrorist loves to see the common man cry,

His craving for power, he must satisfy.

He detests all kinds of celebration,

So during the festive season, he causes the maximum destruction.

He plants bombs in crowded public places,

All the risks he willfully embraces.

Guided by false ideals, he becomes a suicide bomber,

And in a second the festive atmosphere turns somber.

There are charred and mutilated bodies everywhere,

The innocent common man encounters his worst nightmare.

With his own blood, his future plans are wiped away,

Alas! The terrorist holds his little world, in his sway.

Oh God! The universe is the result of your hard work and dedication,

You alone have the right to destroy beings of your own creation.

Then tell me God, why do these terrorists get away,

And why is Terrorism the gravest problem in the world today?

Beauty and Brains

‘All that glitters is not gold!’

Yet it is believed and often told,

That ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’,

Then why does a beautiful woman need to be clever?

For the lovely Lida, Lord Zeus turned into a swan,

Consequently, the beautiful Helen was born.

She became the cause of the Trojan war,

Alas! The great Greek men thought she was worth dying for.

Cleopatra had all the mighty Romans at her feet,

For Beauty’s sake poor Honour has often acceded defeat.

Then why should a 'Beauty’ bother her brain?

After all she’ll get everything without any toil or pain.

Oh! Heartless cynic dost thou know?

How hard it is, to get that galvanizing glow?

A nymph like frame, is not easy to maintain,

To look beautiful, the 'Beauty’ has to use her brain.

Hunger and temptation, she willfully desists,

Exposure to the sun, she judiciously resists.

Carefully, she observes every facet of fashion,

Exercising is her biggest passion.

Alas! She cannot always look like a mermaid,

With time, beauty does fade.

So, of her life, she takes the responsibility,

Nourishes her mind and polishes her personality.

It is written in accounts, authored by wise men,

That Helen and Cleopatra were both interesting and intelligent women.

‘The Beauty’ has now trespassed, the former male domain,

So the desperate dotard decries the 'Beauty’ who uses her brain!’

Wealth

Anything in excess is bad,

But an excess of wealth, never makes a mortal sad.

Alas! A human being is never satisfied,

His needs, wants and desires are rarely ever gratified.

A humble abode, he always resents,

For comfort and relaxation, he needs a luxury apartment.

Expensive gems and gyms, take care of his health,

Friends and females, flatters and fine people, are all lured by his wealth.

Designer clothes and accessories affect his deportment,

People hesitate to meet the wealthy man, without an appointment.

To his servants, he assigns all his work,

And greets everyone with a smirk.

He makes rules for others to abide,

After all, the best friend of wealth is pride.

Alas! Wealth cannot buy real respect, love and friendship,

If not used properly it always causes pain and hardship.

Remember friends, wealth befits only the wise,

For others it sponsors and supports all manner of vice.

Mother Nature

Spare some time to praise Mother Nature,
And she will ensure that you have a happy future.
Remember, she loves to avenge her ill-treatment,
Earthquakes and eruptions, floods and forest-fires are but shades of her temperament.

So plant more herbs, shrubs and trees,
Clean the rivers, lakes and the seas.
Conserve water and electricity,
Reduce the pollution in your city.

For an animal its natural habitat is the ideal,
Life in a cage is nothing but an ordeal.
Hunting and poaching laws must be revised,
Those who use animals for entertainment should be penalized.

Plants, animals and human beings are the fruits of God’s imagination,
Their harmonious co-existence gives him immense satisfaction.
You have a duty towards posterity,
So preserve nature with all your dexterity.

An Ode to Shakespeare

If of English Literature, you are a connoisseur.
It is impossible to overlook the works of ‘William Shakespeare’,
Through poetry and drama, he earned his high repute,
The dead bard still reigns the literary world, without dispute.

‘Revenge’ is the underlying theme of ‘Othello’ and ‘Hamlet’,
A tribute to ‘Love’ is ‘Romeo and Juliet’.
His works depict a variety of human emotions,
After analyzing them, people express different views and notions.

Many say that he never wrote his plays,
His works remain exemplary no matter what the jealous cynic says.
Even though his life was short and strenuous,
No mortal can match his literary genius.

They say that good literature mirrors the contemporary world,
It reveals truths that are generally never told.
Shakespeare’s understanding of the world around him was astute,
Thus, of the literary world he still is the monarch, absolute.

Human-fox (A Poem For Children)

It was a bright sunny day,
After all it was the month of May.
My friend and I stopped by a mill,
Everything out there was so still.

The mill was near the seashore,
We both wanted to stay there for sure.
We had stolen money from Mr. Smith’s chest,
And seeing this abandoned place, we decided to rest.

Mr. Smith’s house was beside a huge rock,
So we fancied that no one had noticed us when we broke the lock.
However, a concerned neighbour had come enquiring,
While we were busy counting.

To prevent him from revealing that we had a role,
We gagged him and tied him up, against a pole.
We crammed all the money in a box made of wood,
And ran as fast as we could.

The abandoned mill, seemed just right,
For it was surrounded by trees and plants which didn’t allow much light.
I asked my friend to take out the wooden box,
But suddenly I realized that my darling friend was actually a human-fox.

He took out a knife,
And I submitted, in order to avoid a strife.
He ran away with all the money,
And I stood there like a loony.

The human-fox turned back and gave me a nasty glare,
And I realized that true friends are but rare.

CINEMA AND EDUCATION

From the standpoint of a layperson, education can mean a couple of degrees or good academic performance. But a true educationist will find it hard to subscribe to such ideas. Education means the modification of human behaviour. It is a never ending process of inner growth and development.

Like many other things, ‘Cinema’ can also educate us. A lot of people with different perspectives and varied experiences are involved in the making of a movie. Thus, those who believe that cinema does not educate us must also necessarily believe that education ends after a certain stage in life, which is not true.

These days an increasing number of educationists advocate the use of audio visual aids in the classroom. Why do they do that? This is because time and again, it has been proven that images and sounds make a stronger and lasting impact on the minds of children.

How many of us would willingly gather information about the nationalist struggle or read books on famous historical characters? Hardly any! But films based on historical characters, epics and themes of patriotism, give us lessons in history. Films like ‘Earth 47’, ‘Gadar’ etc depict how love turned into animosity in no time, at the time of the partition. History reminds us of the mistakes that we made in the past and instructs us, not to repeat them.

Cinema presents social reality. They depict the victory of good over evil. The success and popularity of such movies proves that our society respects and admires certain qualities and traits in individuals and people who display such behaviour, are well adjusted members of the society. Thus, the children feel encouraged to imbibe the same values.

Films that deal with social evils can certainly bring about a transformation in the mind set of the people. The film ‘Lajja’ presents a very authentic picture of the situation of women in India. It encourages girls and women to fight for their rights.

Finally, most Indian films are shot in Western locales. For those who have never had the opportunity to cross the Indian shores, this is indeed a treat. It creates a degree of curiosity amongst children and they feel encouraged to find out more about these places, this adds to their knowledge.

When highly successful, attractive and dynamic actors and directors, say something through the medium of movies, people listen. If we’ll see cinema merely as a source of entertainment, then it will remain just that. What we need, is a change, in our own attitude.

Woman of Rural India

Woman of rural India courteous and dutiful,
Victim of Patriarchy, but Oh! So beautiful.

When she is born, her mother is called a sinner,
But her gender is ignored when she becomes a bread winner.
She serves her parents to become an 'ideal' daughter,
But loses her childhood in the barter.

Then comes the most important phase of her life,
This is when she becomes a slave-wife.
Soon she is instructed to multiply,
And Oh! she has more beings to satisfy.

She endures her domestic and maternal drudgery,
As if she was born to bear this overdose of misery.
But, what else can she do?
Education cannot come to her rescue.

A symbol of strength and perseverance,
Few admire her power of endurance.
Woman of rural India, courteous and dutiful,
Victim of Patriarchy, but Oh! so beautiful.

EROSION OF VALUES IN OUR SOCIETY

“Where wealth accumulates values decay”

The erosion of values is causing havoc in our society. Cases of murder, kidnapping, forgery, dowry deaths etc. are on the high. Why? Money……Money my friends is the root cause of all these problems. Thus, value education is imperative in today’s world.

‘All things in nature are dependent on one another!’ ‘Man is an integral part of nature!’

I SEE………… INTERESTING! Environmental pollution, ecological devastation, ozone depletion, rivers filled with industrial wastes, concrete jungles in the cities-all these things , tell us, just how much we love mother earth ! After all, I can’t stop to think about rivers and trees when my next door neighbour is buying a luxury car and planning to go on a world tour Eh !

Love, Friendship and Universal Brotherhood, what do these words mean anyway? Ah! Let’s see! People from the villages and small towns have started moving to the big cities, in order to make money. This has lead to the collapse of the joint family system. “Daddy’ and ‘Mummy’, both have to work and young siblings have to fight for the attention of their parents. Thus, instead of loving each other, they learn to compete against each other.

Every day parents also remind their children that if they don’t work hard they are going to be left behind in the game of life. Their friends are going to move ahead. These are the values which parents of the 21^st century inculcate in their children. Instead of teaching them to feel happy for their friends, they teach them how to envy them. Deplorable!

In earlier times people used to do everything on their own. This disciplined their minds. Now of course, we have machines. If one gadget stops working, you can always buy another. Thus, hard work, patience, discipline, persistence etc. are forgotten values. And people want to increase their bank balance so that they can keep buying more machines.

What can people do? They are human after all. Advertisements and films convert desires into needs. A person who does not use a deo- spray, a hair dye or an anti –dandruff shampoo is scoffed at, in most ad – films! As if he had committed a crime against humanity!

Sharing, mutual love and understanding, co-operation etc are forgotten ideals!

Thus, value education in schools and colleges can help in reforming our society and restoring our faith in humanity.

In the words of economist J.C. Kumarappa “Our life is something higher than material possessions. The personality of an individual does not require for its development, the satisfaction of a multiplicity of wants. In fact the simpler the life, the more conducive it is to exercising the higher faculties.”