JUNE 2022
S
EAST AND WEST SERIES
ome of you know already how dear to me is the name of Mira. Some of her songs, I have read, again and again. Her songs are like the onrush of waves which rise to touch the Rock of the Ages — Sri Krishna. In the songs of Mira, you have the note of intense yearning for the Lord.
What society needs is not legislation but regeneration, illumination, aspiration. What society needs is a number of hearts that long for Truth and for Communion with the Wonder of the Universe. Ansari, the great mystic, singeth thus in one of his poems:
5
“O Lord! I, a beggar, come to Thee. I ask Thee not the thousand things which kings may ask of Thee. I ask Thee to give me Thyself!” This is the aspiration of the true bhakta. This realised Mira. She showed the path to many the path of union with the Lord, the path of bhakti. Mira renounces her palace, renounces her wealth and comes to Brindaban. Mira goes from street to street. Mira, the fair wanderer, with love-lit eyes-Mira, smitten with Love for Shyama Divine — Mira comes to Brindaban. What yearning in her heart! What bhakti! Men and women and children and birds and beasts and not merely all the living creatures but, I believe, all things in Brindaban loved her as their own. She cometh to Brindaban and she sings songs of wondrous beauty. Mira, to me, is a teacher, a great teacher of bhakti. And in the songs of Mira, the very secret of the spirit of bhakti sings to me.
(In an address)
*June 4 is the 92nd Foundation Day of the Mira Movement in Education started by Sadhu Vaswani in 1931 at Hyderabad Sind.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
6
Children — THE RICHEST TREASURE DADA J. P. VASWANI
The children are the richest treasure of a nation. New India, Sadhu Vaswani said, will not be built in the Assembly or the Lok Sabha, or in your conferences and seminars; a new India will be built in the Home and in the School. Therefore, take care of your children. Many many years ago, Sadhu Vaswani visited Shikarpur — the city of wealthy bankers. How they loved Sadhu Vaswani! One of them, indeed, said to him: “Stay in our city and give us your blessings. Make Shikarpur the headquarters of your work, and we shall give you many lakhs of rupees.” Sadhu Vaswani did not want lakhs of rupees. He stayed
in Shikarpur for four days. And on the fourth day, the whole city, as it were, turned up at the railway station to see him off. But the train was late. And the people said to him: “God wishes you to be in our midst for some time longer. Before you leave, pray give us a parting message.” Within a few minutes they fix up a platform — a platform on the railway platform. And Sadhu Vaswani stands up to speak. What does he say to them? “O people of Shikarpur! Here I stand before you on a platform. But I would fain go and stand on the top of the highest building in the town and from there I would
*Notes of the Address delivered on the occasion of the Annual Function of St. Mira’s English-Medium School, Dr. P. V. Cherian, Governor of Maharashtra, presiding.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
proclaim to you, I would say to you: “O people of Shikarpur! you are busy gathering silver and gold: but you have neglected your richest treasure. The richest treasure of a community, a society, a nation is the children.” The children are the richest treasure of a nation. This, Sir, is the faith of St. Mira’s School. And St. Mira’s School stands for a new type of education. A new type of education — is this not the one urgent need of India, today? For, today, India, alas! is wandering from distraction to distraction. Today, India lives in forgetfulness of the ideals that made her great in the long ago. Today, India lives in forgetfulness of her Vedas and her Upanishads, her Ramayana and her Gita, her Shankara and her Shivaji, her Kabir and her Nanak, her Gurus, her seers, her sages and her saints. And, today, in India both knowledge and power are running to waste, are being perverted into instruments of social chaos and destruction. Today, more than ever before, our urgent need is a new type of education, an education which may build up the character of the students through development of the body and through training of the will-power and the emotions. A humble, little attempt, is being made in the Mira Schools to train
7
students in this atmosphere of education, so that, in the years of their manhood or womanhood, they may become servants of India and humanity. Five factors, Sadhu Vaswani said, enter into the making of new education. And a very humble attempt is being made in the Mira Schools to keep in view these five factors. What are they? The first factor, Sadhu Vaswani said, is respect for the child. Respect the teachers, yes; but every teacher must respect the child. Who are these children, the little ones who come to the School, day after day? Behold them with Sadhu Vaswani’s eyes and you will see that they are angels of God who have come to bless us. Of every little one he sought blessings. Respect the child, he said to us, again and again. Do not punish the child; do not scold him, and never, never beat him. If you beat a child, you offend the angels of God. The second factor which enters into the making of new education is reverence for the universe, reverence for Nature. For Nature is a garment of God. Let the student come in contact with Nature, with trees and flowers, with rivers and rocks, with the bubbling brook and the flowing river that sings its song as it flows
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
on: “For men may come and men may go, but I go on for ever!” Let the student grow in reverence for Nature: and he will grow in reverence for life, for every unit of life — for every bird and animal, every fish and fowl, every creature that lives on land or in the sea or air. All life is sacred: and students in the Mira School are taught to cultivate friendship with brother birds and animals — to give them the love of their hearts and serve them. The third factor of new education is reverence for oneself. Let the student be trained to respect his or her body. Keep the body pure, undefiled! This is the teaching of Sadhu Vaswani to every student who comes to the Mira School. For the body is a Temple of the Spirit, a Temple of the Lord. Sariram Brahma Mandiram. Therefore, keep the body pure and keep it strong. The body must become a fit vehicle for the forces of the Spirit. Therefore, control your senses, your animal appetites, your desires, feelings and emotions. True discipline is self-control, self-discipline. The fourth factor of new education, according to Sadhu Vaswani, is reverence for humanity — reverence not only for the great ones of your race,
8
of your country, but reverence for all the great ones, the seers and sages, the poets and patriots and the heroes and holy men who have appeared in the East and who have appeared in the West. And the fifth factor that enters into the making of new education, Sadhu Vaswani urged, is seva, service of the poor and broken ones, reverence for the lowly and the lost. For the poor, Sadhu Vaswani said, are the pictures of God! To serve them is to worship God! I recall a moving, little incident in the life of Sadhu Vaswani. He and Mahatma Gandhi were present at a meeting held, many years ago, at Gurukul Kangri. The Vice-Chancellor requested Sadhu Vaswani to address the gathering. The pandal was fully packed. Thousands of people had gathered together at the meeting. In those days, there were no loud-speakers. Sadhu Vaswani stood up on the platform. He surveyed the sea of faces in front of him: he felt his soft voice would not reach the people. And so, joining the palms of his hands together, he offered pranams to the people on all sides and, without speaking a single word, he took his seat.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
The Vice-Chancellor, then, requested Mahatma Gandhi to make a speech. Gandhiji got up and said: “Sisters and Brothers! Sadhu Vaswani has already delivered a silent but very effective speech. I, too, would do the same. But I must not imitate. So, let me speak a few simple words to you.” And on that occasion Mahatma Gandhi delivered what is, perhaps, his briefest speech. It is one of the briefest speeches known to history. Mahatma Gandhi said: “Bharat ka sipahi bano!” In these four simple words, Sir, as it seems to me, is the message of the Mira School. The entire teaching of the Mira School to its students is enshrined in these four simple words. “Bharat ka sipahi bano!” we say to our students. Therefore, must you renounce all thoughts of separation and narrow provincialism. You all are one, children! You of the Maharashtra and Madras, you of Bengal and Bihar, you of Assam and Orissa, you of different provinces and religions, and castes — you all are one — soldiers and children of the one Mother — India, the Mother! Bharat ka sipahi bano! Therefore, build up your bodies! See that your bodies are
9
pure and strong. Grow in the strength of body and mind and heart and will-to-achieve. Bharat ka sipahi bano! Therefore, build your life in discipline and obedience. Dark days lie ahead of us. India has yet to pass through a period of tempest and storm. And if India is to survive, we must be disciplined people — each ready to sacrifice his own comforts, his little gains and profits for the larger good of India, the Mother. Bharat ka sipahi bano! Therefore, spend all you are, and all you have — your knowledge, your power, your time, your talents, your money, your life itself — O spend it all in the service of the poor and broken ones! Bharat ka sipahi bano! Bharat ka sipahi bano! Bharat ka sipahi bano! Become soldiers of the Mother! And build India, re-build India, into a nation of the truly strong, a nation of the truly free! Our humble little institution, which bears the hallowed name of St. Mira so, bless our little work here that out of the Mira School may go forth bands of young men and women who, spewing away all that is false and fleeting, may dedicate themselves to the service of India and humanity! I thank you!
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
12
WHAT MIRA
MOVEMENT STANDS FOR SADHU VASWANI
On this institution St. Mira is inscribed the name of a holy one. She was a saint, a singer and a great teacher. To India, still questioning, still struggling for the larger freedom of life, Mira gives the message: You are not free till your womanhood is free and until you have redressed the wrongs of the masses — the real people.” St. Mira, I regard as a great teacher of humanity. In her poems rich in beauty and inspiration, she sings of four sources of education: (1) nature; (2) heroes and saints; (3) the village-folk; and (4) the little ones. The Mira School, as a servant of the world’s sages, rishis and saints greets you. It stands for a new type of education. Our emphasis is not on numbers but on these five things: (1) quality; (2) character; (3) community
service; (4) love of Indian ideals; and (5) reverence for humanity. We emphasise quality in education: and so, students are taught to have faith in themselves. “Believe in your selves,” we say to pupils of the Mira School; “believe and achieve!” Therefore, our emphasis, secondly, is on character. Education of character is what we aim at. Our emphasis is not on text-books, though we prepare our pupils for various examinations and the School has shown commendable results at the S.S.C. examination, year after year. Our emphasis is on the following qualities of character: (i) Courage, The Mira School’s great word is, ‘‘shakti”. Be strong, we say; meet failure with success! Work on in
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
strength of body and mind and heart and the will-to-achieve! “Say not the struggle not availeth: say not the labour and the wounds are vain!” (ii) We recognise, therefore, the value of games. At once, Greece and India, in the long ago, believed in the moulding power of games. The Mira School is trying to build up a system of games which may be a synthesis of Indian and western games. Body-buildings, we believe, is nation-building. We recognise the value of military drill. We, also, believe in the value of Indian system of breathing exercises and archery as helpful in building the powers of concentration. (iii) We believe more in the transforming power of the teacher than text-books. The word, character, radically means, impression. Who impresses? The teacher of the true type. And so, we endeavour to bring to this School teachers of the true type. Clever men are plenty: but the need is of teachers who are friends of the pupils. Such teachers have easy access to the pupils’ minds and hearts. Such teachers inspire trust. In an atmosphere of shraddha did pupils move in the ashramas of old. In an atmosphere of trust must the pupils of today move to receive right education. Only
13
in such an atmosphere may teachers and pupils participate in a common life. We endeavour to see that the Mira School builds up a community of teachers and students. The Gita, we regard as a scripture of shakti, therefore, as a scripture of India’s national life. Great is our emphasis on ‘‘Gita and Games”. In the Gita we read of samveda — dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna. True education is a dialogue between the teacher and the pupil, is a communion of their minds and hearts — one with the other. (iv) The fourth quality of character we emphasise in St. Mira’s School is discipline. Its secret is voluntary obedience, not compulsion which is bound to arouse rebelliousness and which may result in humiliation and disunion. True discipline is not interference with the pupil but an endeavour to influence him. True discipline is what, in the medieval books of Japan, was called Boshido, the “knightly way”. In India it was called the “way of the kshatriya”. India needs today centres of culture where teaching may be given in the right kshatriya way. India needs today a new revival of the spirit of the kshatriya. I look around and see that the homes and lives of my beloved Sindhi brothers and sisters are
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
broken. I wish the Mira School to re-build the community and the country. For this bands of young men are needed who, filled with the true kshatriyaspirit, may become servants and saviours of society. (v) The fifth quality of character is reverence for great figures. The image of some great character must go into the heart of every student. With a view to this, we desire to construct, in the new Mira Building, a “Hall of Heroes”. There students will be brought together in the presence of the great ones of East and West and receive the inspiration of their deeds and devoted lives. Man, becometh what he thinketh upon — said a rishi of ancient India. Not a system of maxims, but models, great figures, great characters, radiant with the light of great ideals, can really shape the lives of pupils. With this idea, we, in the Mira School, celebrate the days sacred to the great ones of humanity — the poets and prophets, the seers and sages, the rishis and thinkers, the heroes and holy men, men of action and devotion, men and women of dedicated lives — from the days of Yagnavalkya and Arjuna to the later period of Shivaji and Rana Pratap, of Kabir and Guru Nanak, and the more modern period of
14
the heroes of our history like the Lokamanya Tilak, Subhas Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi. The emphasis of the Mira Movement, then, is firstly on quality and secondly on character. Our emphasis in the third place, is on communityservice. In emphasising community-service, we teach our students to think of others and specially of the poor and needy ones. Our community today, alas! is broken. Since the fateful day of partition, our Sindhi community has wandered and has not yet found its home. It is our aspiration to see that the Mira School helps in building a new community and giving it a new home, a new centre of true life. We also emphasise love for Indian ideals. The Mira School believes that to build up India’s destiny anew, we needs must be in touch with agricultural needs, with peasants and labourers. Cities, we believe, are soul-less. And I look forward to the day when the Mira Movement may become a real movement of new education, by opening centres of true Indian culture in India’s villages and draw together the village-folk in the service of Indian ideals. Friends of the Mira Movement, therefore, are needed in many parts of India.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
And lastly, the emphasis in the Mira plan of education is on reverence for humanity. Let every teacher and every student of the Mira School be an ambassador of humanity. Let not our nationalism, be narrow, egoistic, but let the ideals of peace and a new community of the nations, a new Asain brotherhood as a symbol of world brotherhood, be impressed upon everyone who would be a helper and a servant of the Mira Movement. We are not rich, in material resources. We are not strong in organisation. Humble and simple and poor in the things of the world are our workers and our students. But rich are we, I believe, in the dream of a day when a little of our ideals may be realised. Of all our resources, we believe, the richest are the minds and hearts of a few who feel the fascination of the life dedicated. They and such as they, in different parts, will, I believe, be the architects of a new India, an India of emancipated masses, of happy prosperous village folk. They and such as they will be the builders of a new unity of mankind, a new brotherhood of the races. They and such as they will, with faith in unity and the will-to-achieve, fulfil the dream in mine eyes. They and such as they will bring some back to their own unity, the
15
unity of the self, the unity of the atman. They and such as they will, I trust, be to many, in the years to come, the interpreters of St. Mira’s message. In a few words this message is briefly this: “Awaken thy soul, O student! and dedicate thy powers to the service of India and humanity. For thou art an atman!” The motto of the School is, in a few significant words, thus: “O wanderer! Thy homeland calleth thee!” Our homeland is the atman, the spirit. This, indeed has been the voice of India and her sages through the ages. It is the voice of St. Mira. I, an humble servant of the world’s thinkers and sages, I turn to India’s youths and in humility say to them: “Your urgent need, the need of India’s educational institutions and cultural centres, the need of India’s public life and social activities is “cultivate the soul”. For this stands the Mira School. In this is the secret of Mira’s songs. This is, to my mind, the true greatness of beloved India and though, today she still struggles and strives, not without hope to re-build her strength in freedom, she still has the courage to pass on in humility and faith to America and Europe, to nations of East and West, the message of her deathless sages, her immortal rishis: “Cultivate the soul!”
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
22
SADHU VASWANI Fellowship The first point, the first thought which I wish to pass into the heart of every one of you is the thought that the Mira School is meant to be a fellowship. You all, brother teachers, sister teachers, are meant to constitute a fellowship. I wish the School to grow in the spirit of fellowship and I look forward to the day, when I can truthfully say that the Mira School is become a happy family of workers and servants in the field of education. There is no great, there is no small in the sphere of true service. The
Mira School, may it become a true fellowship! Leadership The second is the thought of leadership. There is the principle of leadership in the Mira School. We are all fellowworkers, fellow-labourers in the one field — you and I: I do not exclude myself, for I am one of you, one with you. We all belong to one fellowship. But this fellowship has a leader, and we must learn to obey the leader. If we want to do any work at all, if we want to build the institution, we must follow our leader. And I wish to say this to you, the
*Excerpts from Sadhu Vaswani’s address at the monthly meeting of the members of the staff of St. Mira’s High School.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
Headmaster is our leader, and we must follow him, carry out his instructions. Discipline Discipline, I believe, is the secret of any institution that would grow. If the Mira School, the Mira Fellowship is to grow, then it must grow in the spirit of discipline. I spoke of the spirit of discipline on the very opening day of the Mira High School. I spoke of it on the opening day, because the thought of discipline sits very much on my heart. And I pray that you all may grow in the spirit of discipline and may help the Mira School to grow in the spirit of discipline. Devoted Teachers The Mira School will grow in the measure in which it has devoted teachers. A band of devoted teachers — this is my ideal for the Mira School: teachers devoted to their subjects, devoted to the good of their pupils. Devoted teachers, not teachers, as I have seen some in some schools, who will say we shan’t work if, indeed, we are not paid for the work. May I share with you a secret of my heart? I believe no one of you is paid enough. I believe no good teacher is paid enough. But a good teacher says, “I shall be devoted to my work: I shall be devoted to my pupils.”
23
One Fraternity May we all grow in the spirit of fellowship! And growing in the spirit of fellowship, may we give of our love to the Mira School! May we send out thoughts of love to the students! May we think of them as members with us of one fraternity! The Radium Ray There is such a thing as the radium ray of sympathy. Sympathy and Brotherhood, Sympathy and Fellowship— there is the great inspiration for the Mira School. So, may it be with you: so, may you give to your students the spirit of sympathy and love. So, may you, by your example and teaching, by your daily work and conduct, help your students to grow in the true spirit of education! This is the vision in my heart concerning St. Mira’s High School.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
24
WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR KOHINOOR? DADA J. P. VASWANI
Addressing a meeting of wealthy bankers, millionaires and multi-millionaires, Sadhu Vaswani said: “You are busy gathering silver and gold, but you have neglected your richest treasure. The children are your richest treasure!” How true it is that the richest treasure of a family, a society, a country, of humanity are the children. And how true it is that we have neglected our children. It was a great horticulturist who said: “We pay greater attention to the
growth of plants than we do to the growth of our children.” Not many seem to realise the tremendous responsibility that is theirs as parents of children. The responsibility of a parent begins the day the child is born and keeps on growing with passage of time. Addressing a meeting of parents, a man of God said: “Suppose God were to place in your hands a huge diamond, as big as the Kohinoor, how much care would you not take of it? Forgetting everything else, you would be concerned with
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
the safety and security of the diamond. And yet diamonds, bigger than the Kohinoor have been placed by God in our hands. You do nothing to take care of them. You pay no attention to their upbringing. You do nothing to inculcate in their minds, qualities of character which alone lend a meaning and value to life. You do not train them to grow in the love and fear of God. These diamonds, bigger than the Kohinoor, are your children. Take care of them!” I recall having read how a 15-year old boy in France, was sentenced to hard labour. He heard the sentence coolly. Then he asked for silence and shouted at the top of his voice, so that his words could be heard by all present in the courtroom. He said: “I forgive the judge, for he has sentenced me justly. I forgive the guards: they have done their duty. However, there are two persons in the court-room whom I can never forgive. They are my father and mother. They paid no attention to my upbringing. They did not object when I visited cinema houses, where seeds of crime are planted in young hearts. They did not take care of the company in which I moved, with the result that I have grown full of vice and crime. The fault is theirs,
25
though I have to pay for it by going to the prison.” Not many parents seem to realise their responsibilities towards the children. It was William Tame who said: “Men are generally more careful about the breed of their horses and dogs than of their own children.” And of Plato — the Great Greek Philosopher, it is said that when he found a child doing wrong, he went and corrected the father for it. Fathers usually feel that they have no share of responsibility in bringing up their children in the right way. They believe that is the mothers’ job. They come and go in the house as boarders with no active interest in the welfare of the children. They treat demands of business as the cause of their neglect. It must not be forgotten that no amount of piling of the earth’s treasure can compensate a man for the loss of his incomparable jewels — his children. A father was a member of so many societies that he could not stay home even for a single night. Fie was away in the morning before the children were up and returned late when the children were asleep. Even on Sundays he was not at home: he had to attend meetings of associations of which he was a member. The children pined for their
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
father’s company. Until they had an idea. They formed a family association and, of course, named the father as the president. Now he has to stay home at least one night in a week, to preside the nonpolitical domestic group. A stage comes in the life of every growing child when what he needs is a friend more than a parent. It is at this stage that the parent must learn to play a dual role. In addition to being a parent, he has to be a friend. When a parent offers unsolicited advice to a growing child, specially a teenager, it may be misunderstood as interference. When a friend advises a teenager, he immediately responds. If you would wish to influence your children, make friends with them. Watch over your children as parents, but advice them as friends. It is only as friends that you can advise them and lead them to purity and perfection. Paramam, Pavitram, Poornam – said the ancient Rishi - is the goal of life and its endeavours. Paramam is the Supreme: Pavitram is the EverPure: Poornam is the Perfect. Lead your children to the Pure and the Perfect and you will have done your duty by them. Make friends with the child — and the generation gap will disappear. Make friends with
26
the child — and he (or she) will have no secrets from you: his life will be to you an open book. I know of families in which daughters and sons regard their parents as their friends. The children have no hesitation in opening out their hearts to the parents.
ST. MIRA’S EDUCATION Knowledge is born and nourished in an atmosphere of love and service. A child is a centre of creative life. This needs to be opened as a flower is opened, gently — by sympathy, not force. Gentle forces are the best. Teachers of the right type are an urgent need — teachers who would use gently, forces of sympathy and understanding to educate the pupils. — Sadhu Vaswani
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
30
LAUGH
YOUR WAY TO HEALTH A Sunday School teacher finished a talk on behaviour and what we must do to go to heaven. “Now, Tommy,” she said, “tell me what we must do before we can expect forgiveness of sin.”
***
“Father,” asked the little fellow, “if it’s polite to let women be first in everything, why did God make Adam before Eve?”
Thomas Huxley, the great scientist and grandfather of Dr. Julian Huxley and Aldous Huxley, though he had a mind crammed with scientific fact, was one of the most absentminded men about ordinary things.
“Because, son”, was the reply, “He didn’t want any advice while he was making Adam.”
He arrived at Euston, London, once for an important lecture. The train was late. So, he jumped into a cab and shouted, “Hurry! At top speed!”
Mrs. Meena: Why are you knitting your son three socks instead of a pair? Mrs. Leena: He just wrote home that he’s grown another foot since being in the Army.
Tommy thought a bit, then replied, “We gotta sin.”
As they raced along, Huxley realized that he did not know where he had to go, so shouted to the driver, “Cabbie, do you know where I want to go?” “No, your honour,” said the Cabbie, “but I’m driving as fast as I can!” ***
***
*** The major looked up from his desk at the first class private and snapped: “Now really, I ask you. In civilian life would you come to me with a puny complaint like this?” “No, sir,” was the reply, “I’d send for you.” ***
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
31
An English teacher, having read some of Milton poetry to her young class one day, mentioned to them that the great poet was blind. One question asked on the examination the next day was:
“Dear me! How strange to look at it that way,” said the other bucket. “I enjoy the thought that, however, empty we come, we always go away full. Look on it in that light and you will be as cheerful as I am.”
“What was Milton’s great affliction?”
***
On one paper was scribbled, simply: “He was a poet.” *** An optimist and a pessimist went into business together. Trade flourished. “Well,” said the optimist, “We’ve had a wonderful month. It’s been one constant run of customers.” “Yeah,” agreed the pessimist dryly, “we have had some good business. But look at those front doors if people keep shoving through them, the hinges will be worn out in another week.” *** The Vicar asked little Nellie the difference between an audience and a congregation. “An audience listens; a congregation doesn’t.” *** There is a fable about two buckets on their way to the well. One commented, “How dismal you look.” “Ah,” replied the other, “I was reflecting on the uselessness of our being filled — for we go away full, but we always come back empty.”
On one of Groucho Marx’s television programs there appeared a 102-yearold man who matched wits quite successfully with the professional comedian. When asked why he was so cheerful, the oldster said: “Every morning when I get out of bed, I have two choices: to be happy or to be unhappy. I always choose to be happy.” *** Doctor: Well, it looks as though you’ll get along all right. Your left leg is swollen but I wouldn’t worry too much about it either. Patient: No, and if your left leg was swollen. I wouldn’t worry too much about it either. *** An impatient dowager fumed because the hotel elevator did not arrive immediately when she pushed the button. “Where have you been?” she snapped at the operator. Came the sensible reply: “Where can you go in an elevator?” ***
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
Children’s Corner Strike Which pins must be knocked over to score exactly 100 points? (Hint: There are three!)
Keypad Which number should replace the question mark to form accurate equations, knowing that three numbers are shown per row (i.e. two of the numbers form a two-digit number)?
Credit rating Which number is missing on the bottom credit card?
36
Answers: Strike: 13, 39, and 48; Keypad: 6. Read every row as follows: (3 + 2) x 2 = 10; (1 + 9) x 2 = 20; (0 + 8) x 2 = 16; (7 + 5) x 2 = 24 Credit rating: 8. The number formed by the two first digits is always doubled. 12, 24, 48, 96, 192 on the top card and 23, 46, 92, 184, 368 on the bottom card. Creamy: 54. The percentages consist of all numbers from 0 to 9, with the larger number first. Berry puzzling: 6 berries. The next branch always contains just as many unripe berries as ripe berries on the previous branch.
How many unripe berries are missing on the last branch?
Berry puzzling Which cream percentage should replace the question mark?
Creamy JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
37
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
38
Green olives, uncooked and halved..................... 15 Pasta (preferably tricoloured fusilli)...............1 cup For the Dressing Thousand island dressing........................... 4-5 tbsp Curd, beaten...................................................3 tbsp Oregano.......................................................... ½ tsp Basil................................................................ ½ tsp Sugar.............................................................. ½ tsp Pepper............................................................ ½ tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method:
RECIPES FOR THE MONTH SPINACH AND NOODLE SOUP Ingredients: Noodles, boiled................................................1 cup Spinach, finely chopped..................................¾ cup Ginger, finely sliced........................................1 tbsp Butter..............................................................1 tbsp Water..........................................................4-5 cups Pepper powder............................................... ¼ tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method:
• In a pressure cooker, heat butter and sauté ginger. • Add the spinach, water and salt and pressure cook it. (1 whistle). • Just before serving, add noodles and pepper. Serve hot. PASTA SALAD Ingredients: For the Salad Purple cabbage, shredded..............................2 cups Carrot, grated..................................................1 cup Capsicum red/yellow, cut into long strips..............½ Corn niblets....................................................½ cup
• Boil the pasta with a little salt and oil, drain and allow it to cool. • Mix all the ingredients of the dressing. • Toss in the salad ingredients into the dressing. • The dressing should coat all the vegetables well. • Chill for an hour and serve. CHINESE BHEL Ingredients: For the crispy noodles Plain flour.......................................................1 cup Salt................................................................. ¼ tsp Plain flour (separate).....................................½ cup Water............................................... to make dough Oil.....................................................for deep frying For the marinade Onions - very finely chopped...........................1 cup Capsicum- very finely chopped........................1 cup Coriander leaves- very finely chopped...........2 tbsp Red chilli powder............................................1 tbsp Vinegar.............................................................2 tsp Sugar..............................................................2 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method:
• Mix all the marinade ingredients together. • Leave for about 5-7 hours in the fridge. • Make a firm dough with 1 cup plain flour, salt and water. • Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. • Roll out each portion into a fairly thin, large chapati. • Sprinkle dry flour over this chapati.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
39
• Fold into half. Sprinkle flour again generously and repeat the procedure until left with a long roll. • Now cut this roll into very thin strips breadth wise. Gently open the strips into long flat noodles. • Do the same for the remaining chapatis. • Place these noodles in a sieve and dust out the excess flour and leave to dry for 10-15 minutes. • Deep fry till crisp and light brown in colour. • When cool, store in an air tight container. • To serve, mix the marinade and the noodles. Serve immediately.
Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Dry mango powder......................................... ½ tsp Cumin seeds.................................................... ½ tsp Oil...................................................................1 tbsp Salt...............................................................to taste
INDONESIAN RICE NOODLES
• Mix all the ingredients for the paneer filling and keep aside. • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds. • When it starts crackling, add peas and all other masalas for the peas filling. • Fry for 2-3 minutes, till moisture is absorbed.
Ingredients: Rice noodles, boiled........................................4 cups Cabbage, sliced................................................1 cup Chinese cabbage...................................................½ Bean sprouts...................................................½ cup Tofu, diced and fried.......................................½ cup Oil...................................................................2 tbsp Soya sauce........................................................1 tsp Sweet soya sauce......................................... 1 ½ tsp Fresh red chillies – coarsely pound....................1-3 Pepper corns– coarsely pound...........................6-8 Garlic– coarsely pound...........................8-10 cloves Salt...............................................................to taste Method:
• In a pan, heat the oil and fry the pound ingredients for 3-4 mins. • Add the cabbage, sprouts and sauté on a high flame for 2 mins. • Add the tofu, noodles, soya sauce, sweet soya sauce and salt. Mix well. • Serve immediately. TWO-IN-ONE PARATHA Ingredients: For the Dough Wheat flour................................250 gms (2½ cups) Melted ghee....................................................1 tbsp Salt...................................................................1 tsp For the peas filling Peas, boiled and coarsely mashed...................1 cup
For the paneer filling Paneer, grated............................................200 gms Coriander, chopped.........................................2 tbsp Green chillies, chopped.......................................... 2 Red chilli powder............................................ ½ tsp Dry mango powder......................................... ½ tsp Garam masala..................................................1 tsp Salt...............................................................to taste Method for the Fillings:
VARIATION: Instead of the peas filling grated cauliflower or boiled potatoes can be used. Method:
• Knead the flour with ghee and salt into a soft dough. • Divide the dough into similar sized balls around 12-15 in number. • Roll 3 balls into 3 small chapatis. • On the first chapati, spread the paneer filling. • Cover with the second chapati. • Spread the peas filling over it. • Cover with the third chapati and seal the edges with the fingers. • Roll gently into a bigger paratha. • Fry on the tawa with ghee till crisp on both sides. • Repeat the procedure with the remaining dough. • Cut the paratha into 4 pieces. Serve hot with curd or pickle.
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
40
SIMPLE RULES OF HEALTH BRITTLE NAILS
Trying to put a finger on the cause of frail nails? You could blame dry, overheated houses: When we stoke up the dry heat in winter, dry nails are one of the results. Or you could blame Father Time: After age 35, the natural aging process makes nails more brittle. Mostly, though, you should blame water. “People don’t realise that when your hands are soaking, your nails can absorb between 20 to 25 percent of their weight in water. So, if you do a lot of dishes, or swimming, or even bathing, you’re more prone to brittle nails.” Nails expand as they absorb water, then contract when hands are dry. The more water you expose nails
to, the more they expand and contract —and that weakens them. But here’s how to keep them firm, so they’re tough enough to withstand the rigours of clean living and water sports. Chow down on cauliflower: A little-known nutrient called biotin can thicken nails to help prevent splitting and cracking. “Biotin is absorbed into the core of the nail, where it may encourage a better, thicker nail to grow.” Cauliflower is a rich source of biotin, as are legumes such as peanuts and lentils. One study showed that people consuming 2,500 micrograms (2.5 milligrams) of biotin daily had marked increases in nail thickness after six months. To get this much biotin, you’ll
JUNE 2022
EAST AND WEST SERIES
need to take it in supplement form. Get cooking with cooking oil. “A regular soaking with vegetable oil is very effective. It replenishes the moisture lost from having your hands in and out of water frequently.” In fact, vegetable oils are better than many commercially sold nail care products because they don’t have the alcohol-containing fragrances that can dry out nails. Messy soaking in oil isn’t necessary: Just brush on the oil and massage it into the nail. “Put some safflower or vegetable oil in a clean, empty nail polish bottle and brush it on the nails several times a day.” “And don’t forget to put a drop of oil on the underside of the nail at your fingertip.” Use an over-the-counter moisturiser. You should moisturise nails right after you wash your hands. “And do it every time.” If you use a commercial moisturiser, look for the kind that contains urea or lactic acid, two ingredients that attract and bind moisture to your nails. Trim nails short. If you’re plagued by brittle nails, trim them shorter. Longer nails are just more likely to crack or tear. Trim your nails right after
41
washing or bathing, when they’re softer and less likely to crack or break. Massage your fingertips. “Regularly massage your fingertips three or four times a day — or at least in the morning and evening to improve blood circulation around your nails.” If you also use some petroleum jelly while you’re at it, you’ll moisturise as you massage. Don’t play taps. Forget that old folk remedy that calls for tapping your nails on a hard surface in order to toughen them. “If you traumatise them in some way, they will grow faster.” “And because they are newer, younger nails, they may seem like they are stronger, but they’re really not.” For the same reason, avoid nail biting: Your nervous nibbling is just another trauma for your nails. Glove ‘em if you love ‘em. Washing dishes? “Always wear rubber gloves with separate cotton gloves inside.” “The rubber keeps water off your nails, and the cotton absorbs sweat, so nails won’t get soggy inside the gloves.”