School LIVE May issue

L O O H C S

E V

I L 15 Volume 9 | May 20

Filmmaker

Rajkumar Hirani ‘Love is a Waste of Time’ School Camps Dharamshala, Nag Tibba

Not Just Camping: Top 6 Picks

Trekking With Kids Nandita Saini

contributors

S C H O O L

L I V E EDITOR IN CHIEF Richa Aniruddha richa@schoollive.in EDITOR Teena Baruah teenabaruah@gmail.com SUB EDITOR Smita Jain smita.jain2k8@gmail.com Principal Correspondent Prerna Jaiswal prernajaiswal@hotmail.com

Gaurava Yadav

Quizzer dares you to take our qiuz

JITIN CHAWLA

Educationist and career counsellor tells you how to pick the right course

EDITORIAL TEAM Garima Srivastava DIRECTOR SALES AND MARKETING Gaurava Yadav (East & South) gaurava@schoollive.in DESIGNER Ashish Kumar Mimansa Grafix PRINTED AT Eminent Offsets A-61, DDA Shed, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase-2 New Delhi-110020

NIVEDITA SINGH

Psychologist-counsellor answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life

Nandita Saini

A mom with a passion for travelling and photography and a project head with an IT firm

email queries@schoollive.in

S C H O O L

LIVE `50

Volume 9 | may 2015

Filmmaker

Rajkumar Hirani ‘Love is a Waste of Time’ School Camps Dharamshala, Nag Tibba

Not Just Camping: Top 6 Picks

Trekking With Kids Nandita Saini

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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E N J OY T H E I N C R E D I B L E TA S T E A N D F L AV O U R

PRESENTS

FROM GRANDMA’s Kitchen

ALOO PANEER CrisCpyhaat

Bengali

RECIPE BY KUNTI SOLANKI

Recipe BY Rama Das

Nimki

Ingredients: All purpose flour (maida)

1 cup

Refined oil

2 Tbs

Baking powder

1/4 Tsp

Salt

1/4 Tsp

Black cumin (Kala jeera)

1/4 Tsp

Warm water

4 Tbs or as needed

Oil

for deep frying

Chat masala

1 Tsp

Procedure: • Take a bowl and add flour, baking powder, chat masala, kala jeera, salt together and mix well.

Add refined oil and mix it well.

• Now slowly add water and mix. Make a nice smooth dough and divide them into small balls.

• Spread some oil on your rolling board and roll each dough into a thin roti. Now cut it into diamond shape or square shape.

• Heat oil in a pan to a medium heat. Put one nimki into the oil, if it sits on the bottom and puffs up, then your oil is hot enough. Now put a few pieces at a time and carefully fry them till they have nice golden colour on both sides. (Do not hurry while frying, otherwise it won’t be crispy enough). When frying is done, take it out on the paper towel to soak the excess oil. You can preserve it in an airtight container in room temperature (allow them to cool before preserve).

(This dish comes loaded with the goodness of calcium, while aloo has been added to enhance the taste. Chaat masala and lemon juice lends it a tangy flavour.)

An ISO 9001:2008 and HACCP CERTIFIED COMPANY Goldiee House, 51/40 Nayaganj, Kanpur-01 (UP) India fax: +91-512-2319479 | info@goldiee.com Consumer Care Manager Phone No.: +91-512-2316862 | www.goldiee.com

An ISO 9001:2008 and HACCP CERTIFIED COMPANY If you liked our recipe share your feedback queries@schoollive.in Goldiee House, 51/40 Nayaganj, Kanpur-01 (UP) India fax: +91-512-2319479 | info@goldiee.com Consumer Care Manager Phone No.: +91-512-2316862 | www.goldiee.com

If you liked our recipe share your feedback queries@schoollive.in

ed-note

S C H O O L

L I V E

Hi!

It’s been a strange weekend.

As I mentioned in my last note that we have shifted into our new home. Imagine the excitement of moving into your ‘dream home’ and in less than a month, your house suddenly shakes.

You see the hanging lights, the fans shaking. (You feel it much more when you are on the 18th floor!) You see the fear on the faces, you worry about getting down 18 floors by stairs. (Lift should be avoided). Suddenly, all the excitement, happiness, joy turns into FEAR. We humans fear a lot. What will happen if my building collapses? What will happen if I lose my near and dear ones? What will happen if I die? It’s only natural to worry and be afraid to lose all that we’ve earned and gained in our lives. But come to think of it, does worry help in any way? Does fear help in any way? No, they don’t. They only give rise to more worry and more fear.

Isn’t it a better idea to convert our emotions of worry and fear into care, compassion and above all, SENSITIVITY? It’s time we care about our environment, and about thousands of people who become victims of natural calamities. It’s time we take responsibility for such disasters and take responsibility to stop playing with and misusing nature.

Each one of us can do our bit. It was Earth Day on April 22 and the earth shook just 3 days later, only to create havoc and take away so many innocent lives. Let’s start doing our bit. Plant trees, gift plants on your friend’s birthday, avoid ACs whenever you can, switch off lights and fans in your room before stepping out, and save every drop of water and food.

Remember, the more we misuse the blessings of nature, worse will be the ways of nature to take revenge.

Save our Mother Earth. YOU can do it!

Wishing you all a GREEN life :) P.S. Just like you all, we are also taking a summer break. There will be no issue in June.

Wishing you a peaceful life Lovingly yours

MY ‘IT’ LIST

foodbis. Had loads

Jale onth this m of them

ipod

Aa Chal Ke Tujhe

by Kishore Kumar

Richa Aniruddha tweet to me @richaanirudh

book

More of a Calmer You By Sonal Kalra

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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Address- Maheshpur, Lahartara, Varanasi

S C H O O L

contents

L I V E 5 8

Editor’s Note Principal’s Pen:

Mayo College’s Surendra Kulkarni 12 Positively Positive:

Truck Racing at Buddh International Circuit

14

Cover

Exclusive:

Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani 18 Worthy Opponent:

Pros and cons of net neutrality 19 Career Chat:

Overview of career in

Dairy Science 20 Watch This Space: Events 21 Brainstorm:

Quiz 22 Page 99:

Ruskin Bond’s Ranji’s

Wonderful Bat & Other Stories 23 Ask Nivedita 24 Summer Workshops 26 School Travel Special: Shillong 28 School Travel Special: Dharamshala 29 School Travel Special:

Nag Tibba 30 Parenting:

Is it a good idea for a mom to go trekking with her city kids?

32 Rap up: Reviews 35 Potpourri:

Timeline of Railways

S

Quick Edit

ince the day my daughter Tara went to school I’ve dreaded summers as it meant little-to-no child care options.

I always wondered why parents can’t get summer vacations so we too can play in the sprinklers at the playground with the kid, or go on invigourating family trips to the Himalayas. But now, as School LIVE takes a break next month, I too get my summer vacation. So here I am planning travels and summer activities with you to keep yourself busy. Hopefully, this issue, a Travel Special, will help keep your summer calendar gloriously busy.

Happy reading!

Teena Baruah

14

25 S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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Future Lies in Collaborative Educa Prerna Jaiswal catches up with Mayo College Ajmer’s newlyappointed principal, Lt. General Surendra Kulkarni

T

ell us about your journey I began my journey as an Economics Graduate and was a UGC Merit Scholar at the Global Institute of Politics and Economics at Pune. Thereafter, I spent four decades in the Army, where I acquired four Masters

Degrees and an M Phil. I was appointed principal of Mayo College in January 2015 and officially took over in March 2015.

Q. What do you want to change in the current education system in the country?

ation

P r i n c i p a l ’ s

P e n

I would like to see a system which promotes free exchange of ideas, both within and outside the classroom, in a genial environment.

Despite steps being taken to improve the system, the current education system offers limited choices to students and is heavily skewed in favour of marks/ grades. I would like to see the focus shift from textbooks and marks to research and collaborative learning. Technology has transformed the very meaning of classroom learning and should be tapped more by the schools.

I strongly feel that the role of teachers in the development of a child is crucial. Therefore, the teachers need to stay in tune with current and emergent trends. I would like to produce alumni, who are capable of handling global challenges in a responsive and ethical manner.

Q. In Mayo, a great emphasis is laid on sports like horse riding, polo and golf. Could you tell us the belief behind this?

These are just a few of the sports we encourage our students to play. We offer nearly 20 sports in our school. It is a unique op-

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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M e n t o r ’ s N o t e of discipline and we continue to encourage our children to strive for this. In the event of aberrant behavior, we address each case as a unique one. Fairness and transparency are the twin pillars of our disciplinary process. The school remains in constant touch with the parents of the students and partners with them to counsel the child.

Q. Principals today have stopped taking classes/lessons. Does that not bring about a disconnect and hamper the bond between the principals and students?

In a residential school, the classroom is but one forum for interaction. They interact with each other all through the day in numerous activities even in the classroom. The bond between the principal and students in a boarding school is sacred.

portunity that parents and their wards can take advantage of. Exposure to and excellence in sports are two sides of the same coin.

Q. What are the challenges in running an all-boys residential school?

Unlike the day schools, where the day ends after a particular time, a boarding school never sleeps.

The opportunity to keep the students fruitfully engaged after their classes is a distinguishing feature of a boarding school. The challenge is to allow each child’s unique persona to flourish even as we conduct numerous group

activities.

Q. How do you deal with undisciplined students?

Discipline remains a cause of concern for most schools, boarding or otherwise. Discipline, does not mean curbing the freedom of students to express themselves or imposing unnecessary restrictions on them but to help students make optimum use of their time in the school, inculcate values of respect, tolerance and fraternity in them. Thus, the school endeavors to provide the right environment to the students.

Self-discipline is the highest form

Q. You have had an illustrious academic career abroad. What parallels and comparisons would you draw between the education systems?

While many Indian schools still follow a text-oriented approach, schools abroad are guided by a research-oriented approach. This promotes crucial skills such as inquisitiveness, ingenuity among students. The flexibility offered by schools abroad, especially in terms of curriculum and course design, where the interests of the student is given paramount importance, should be adapted by the Indian school system as well.

Though Indian schools are beginning to realise the significance of collaborative learning and are adopting technology to aid the learning process, this is integral to the education system abroad.

We need to give due recognition to the interplay between academics, sports, co-curricular activities, etc.

S C H O O L

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P o s i t i v e l y

P o s i t i v e

VROOM

VROOM!!!

A whooping 45,000 spectators braved rain to witness the Second Edition of T1 Prima Truck Racing at Buddh International Circuit, Noida, recently. Twelve Tata Prima race trucks, modified to achieve a top speed of 130 kmph, were driven by international truck racing drivers from the acclaimed British & European Truck Racing Championships.

Funny man Manish Paul was the emcee, while performances were by Dayal, Badshah, Garima Yagnik, ShankarEhsaan-Loy. Added attraction were the pit girls in sky-high heels and hair-raising stunts by drivers.

By Kaustubh Aggarwal Class IX, Amity International School, Noida

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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E x c l u s i v e

Redefining

Raju

Perhaps the only filmmaker who juggles commercial success with meaningful cinema in Bollywood, Rajkumar Hirani chats with School LIVE reporters Adhip Tanwar, Amlaan Kumar, Siddhartha Shaw about school life, dreams, likes and challenges and his love for films with loads of warmth and no attitude. Rithik Jassar and Teena Baruah report Q. It is said that Rajkumar Hirani gives the Indian viewer what he likes. Are you looking at stepping outside this usual method of comedy and experimenting with a different genre?

Let me answer your question through an example. Can you tell Sachin Tendulkar, you’ve done a great job playing cricket, now how about testing yourself in hockey? I don’t need to prove myself in a specific genre, by making a horror or thriller film.

I make films on subjects that interest me, I make films on issues that I want to talk about, not because comedy has worked for me in the past, but because that is

the style I deem fit.

Q. Would you like to make a film on politics? You can send your social messages through it too.

It’s not my world. I have not exposed myself to the world of politics. I’ll be a fake if I talk about subjects that I do not understand. Religion, astrology and Gandhi’s Non Violence are my pet subjects, Richa (School LIVE Editor-in-chief) knows that. Prakash Jha makes films on politics because that’s the world he knows the best.

Q. Did you always dream of becoming a film director?

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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I grew up in Nagpur, and had taken Science as I had planned to become an engineer, the only legitimate professions those days. If you could not get into Medicine or Engineering, you were supposed to take up B.Com, if not, then settle for B.A. That was the hierarchy of vocations. After failing to become an Engineer I tried out B.Com where I was equally miserable.

I still get confused between credit and debit.

Finally, I gathered courage to confront my father to confess that I was tired of doing B.Com. I incorporated this personal experience in Farhan Qureshi’s scene in 3 Idiots. However, unlike Farhan’s father, my father understood my concern.

Q. Tell us about your relationship with your son Vir. Is he interested in filmmaking?

More than a parent, we have an equation that one shares with a friend. Even during our confrontations, the idea is to reason than argue. It is similar to what I had with my own father, and I don’t coerce him into doing anything he doesn’t like. My dictum for him is to do what he enjoys doing.

He is studying IB at SIS Mumbai and has taken filmmaking as a subject. His film was screened last year at the International Children’s Film Festival, Hyderabad. This year he made

a film, a self-portrait. He began by saying, ‘Self portraits are a bunch of lies’ and shot short interviews of his friends, teachers and me as we talked about him.

But since all of us criticised him, he changed his strategy. He asked his teachers about their ‘best students’; his friends and me about our ‘best friends’ and their qualities. Then he replaced our best friend’s and his teacher’s best student’s name with his own.

Ingenious!

Q. How were you as a student in school?

In school, I was a mild, wellmannered student. But when I went to college, I opened up.

My three years in Nagpur College and five years in Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, were the most formative years for me. I interacted with friends, got exposed to life, did lot of masti and pranks. I think those years gave me a lot of my stories. If you look at all the filmmakers today, most of them and their stories come from smaller towns and Delhi.

Very few stories come from Mumbai, where, because of long commutes and deadlines, life is restricted to schools, office and home. Friends are more on iPads.

Q. What mesmerises you about filmmaking?

It is the sheer joy of seeing your work on the screen, all your hard work and effort, the short lived high of the first screening of your film. I still

E x c l u s i v e a certain dialogue. It is the people who associate with some dialogues and make them their own. When I was writing Lage Raho Munnabhai I knew how people had started using Jaadu ki Jhappi, so I thought in this film I would make “get well soon” popular. However, what did become popular was Gandhigiri. So you can’t plan such things.

Q.I want to be an actor, can I audition for your film (Adhip Tanwar queries)?

One of my friends brought his Class XII son some years ago. The boy wanted to play guitar, but his father wanted him to be an Engineer.

So I told the parents that in films guitarists make enough money to have a career. But his mother said an interesting thing. “Do you have

Q. Do you really think love is a waste of time (in reference to the PK song)?

It is a waste of time, no? You keep sending messages, calling each other all day. Your phone needs to be charged three times a day.

Aapke baatey hi khatam nahi hotey. I’m not saying it’s bad. It’s a great emotion. But, time jaata hai. So how many of you have girlfriends? (Rithik Jassar quips, “Last thing we would want to do is tell Rajkumar Hirani about

a guitar at home? Ask him to play the guitar.” She was hinting that he couldn’t really play guitar. So, passion is not enough. You need to be obsessed about what you want to do. Do you get up in the morning and tell yourself that you want to act? Do you do plays, create voices and act all day? Does that give you joy? If yes, then defy your mom, dad, teachers, and chase your dream. Or else, think about it, go on that path, expose yourself to that world and see if it is working for you.

our girlfriend.”)

Shooting shots

A film you wish you had directed?

Lagaan What was the moment that changed your life?

Going to the Film and Television Institute of India Describe the censor board of India in two words Getting there Favourite character, Munna, Rancho or PK? Munna Favourite directors I enjoy Anurag Basu and Imtiaz Ali’s work Best Actor you’ve worked with?

Boman Irani Best Actress?

Rohini Hattangadi Favourite part: filming, editing, or writing?

Editing remember the first film I made was 5 minutes long. The day it was to be screened for students of my Film Institute, I felt like I was on cloud nine. That sense of achievement and fulfillment defies words.

Q. Tell us the story behind your ideas - Jaadu ki jhappi, ‘All is well’ When you’re writing a script, you’re not specifically pitching

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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W o r t h y

O p p o n e n t

Battle for

Bandwidth

School LIVE sums up the pros and cons of net neutrality A step towards preserving the integrity of the Internet

Importance of net neutrality is overstated

In the simplest of terms, net neutrality refers to levelling the playfield for all the players on the Internet. If you are a multimillion dollar enterprise with offices in 50 different countries, or if you are a start up running out of a basement plot, you deserve the same terms under the ambit of net neutrality. It is a step towards preserving the integrity of the Internet which is one of the very few platforms left in our world which come close to representing absolute freedom of expression.

Net neutrality isn’t just an important right to have in place for younger start up firms, but it also is essential to hold in place our right as users of the Internet to have the freedom to access whatever websites we want. Without net neutrality, it would become easy for firms to discriminate against people on the Internet on the basis of their economic background, that is, only people willing to pay for certain services on the Internet get to use those, as compared to the Internet being a free-for-all user-friendly platform.

Hence, the importance of net neutrality cannot be undermined, and that is why so many prominent personalities have come out in vehement support of it.

The importance of net neutrality as a practical utility is overstated, while its philosophical basis is nothing more than compromised. To call for absolute equality on the Internet is equivalent to undermining the amount of hard work the already existing firms have put into building their bases and user networks. Economically speaking, there will always exist a divide in a competitive market. And the Internet is far from non-competitive.

As far as we users are concerned, an Internet devoid of net neutrality isn’t close to the satanic image that it has been endowed with. Most of the apps and websites that we are using now, will still be available then without us being charged anything extra for it, because large enough firms like Facebook and Whatsapp can easily negotiate and bargain with telecom providers in India to have people use their services without any problems.

Thus, one does not need to have net neutrality in place for the Internet to be a proper place.

On the contrary, a lack of net neutrality can be means to fighting the spread of malware and pornography on the Internet for it will then be easier for us to discriminate against such content.

By Aritro Bose Class XII, Genesis Global School, Noida

By Keshav Priye Dhall Class X, Genesis Global School, Noida

Milking It

C a r e e r

C h a t

Career Counsellor Jitin Chawla provides an overview of career in Dairy Science

T

he dairy industry plays a pivotal role in driving India’s agro-based economy.

With dairy products becoming a major source of foreign exchange for the country, let’s find out how dairy science as a career option is gaining popularity.

Course: A B.Tech degree in dairy technology or dairy science and technology provides extensive knowledge about milk processing, quality control and engineering aspects of dairy processing equipment. The postgraduate programme offers intensive training in various aspects of production, processing and management. The students can choose to major in dairy microbiology, dairy chemistry, dairy technology, dairy engineering, animal biochemistry, animal biotechnology, animal genetics and breeding, livestock production and management, animal nutrition, animal physiology, dairy economics and dairy extension.

Institutes offering Dairy Sciences: National Dairy Re-

search Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana, is a pioneer institute in research in dairy science and technology. Sheth MC College of Dairy Science (Anand) is another renowned college which boasts of an automated dairy plant with a capacity of one lakh litres. Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur) offers B.Tech (Hons) in Agricultural and Food Engineering and M.Tech in Dairy and Food Engineering. Other institutes in-

Eligibility criteria

Those seeking admission in B.Tech programme should have cleared Class XII exam with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as core subjects. The selection is based purely on the rank obtained in the common entrance examination

clude Dairy Science College (University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore); College of Veterinary Science (Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Telangana); Andhra Pradesh Agricultural University, Hyderabad; College of Dairy Science (Rajasthan Ag-

ricultural University), Udaipur; Sanjay Gandhi Institute of Dairy Technology, Patna; West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences; Faculty of Dairy Technology, Mohanpur Campus, Allahabad Agricultural Institute, etc.

Opportunities

galore:

The entry of multinationals like Nestle, Cadbury, Britannia, Kellogg’s, Heritage Foods, KFC, HLL into the Indian market has increased employment opportunities in the field. The success of traditional Indian market leaders like Indana, Mother Dairy, Milkfood, Amul, Dalmia, Dabur, Vadilal, Parag, etc has given further impetus to the industry.

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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W a t c h

t h i s

s p a c e dren’s International Chil

Starry Affair

Film Festival

The prize distribution ceremony of International Children’s Film Festival was recently held in City Montessori School, Kanpur Road, Lucknow. About 500 educational children’s film from 80 countries participated in this nine-day film festival. Bollywood celebrities like Juhi Chawla, Swara Bhaskar, Jay Bhanushali and Darsheel Safary visited the film festival. Borderless (Iran) directed by Amir Hossein Asgari, was declared the Best Children’s Feature Film.

olarship

l Science Sch a n o ti a N r io n u J ll She

Circle of Winners The felicitation ceremony of the winners of Shell Junior National Science Scholarship was recently held in New Delhi. Nearly 15,000 students from Class IX and X, across 650 schools and 20 cities participated in this scholarship programme organized by Shell India.

Yash Dixit (DPS, Bangalore North), Sarthak Singh (St. Mary’s Inter College, Lucknow) and Kushagra Juneja (Apeejay School, Pitampura, New Delhi) were adjudged the winners of the scholarship. Chairman Shell India Yasmine Hilton, felicitated the winners.

Food Festival

laya Sardar Patel Vidya

The annual Sardar Patel Vidyalaya Food Festival Palaharam was held on a warm Saturday morning in April. SPV parents (and even parents of alumni), put up stalls in the school and served up home cooked treats. All food items were sold at prices ranging from Re 1 to Rs 10. Parents and children created decorations and posters for the stalls (all from reused or recycled material). Food was served in pattals or other eco-friendly ware.

B r a i n s t o r m

School Quiz League What’s in a name?

1

2

Name the most expensive player sold at the auctions, during IPL 8?

Which global Chinese company recently bought the PayTM app from India?

4

Which is the national sport of Bangladesh?

7

George Lazenby, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore—name two more to add to the series.

Which city in Europe is called the Diamond Capital of the World?

5

Who founded the social enterprise ‘Sulabh’?

6

3

8

Which popular term was coined by Tim Wu?

9

If you are a Rhodes scholar, you are an alumni of which university?

Renault, the automobile major, belongs to which country?

10

Yet Another Hierarchical Officious Oracle is better known as __________.

• For answers see page 33

S C H O O L L I V E May 2015

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P a g e

9 9

Fire Escape Ruskin Bond’s book bats for a cricket-obsessed India

A

dog from the village ran beside him, barking furiously. Romi shouted to the dog, encouraging him in the race.

Then the road straightened out, and Romi began pedalling again.

The dog, seeing the forest ahead, turned back to the village. It was afraid of the forest.

The smoke was thicker now, and Romi caught the smell of burning timber. But ahead of him the road was clear. He rode on.

It was a rough, dusty road, cut straight through the forest. Tall trees grew on either side, cutting off the last of the daylight. But the spreading glow of the fire on the right lit up the road, and giant tree-shadows danced before the boy on the bicycle. Usually the road was deserted. This evening it was alive with wild creatures fleeing from the forest fire.

The first animal that Romi saw was a hare, leaping across the road in front of him. It was followed by several more hares.

Then a band of monkeys streamed across, chattering excitedly.

They’ll be safe on the other side, thought Romi. The fire won’t cross the road. But it was coming closer. And realizing this, Romi pedalled harder. In half an hour he should be out of the forest.

Suddenly, from the side of the

road, several pheasants rose in the air, and with a whoosh, flew low across the path, just in front of the oncoming bicycle. Taken by surprise, Romi fell off. When he picked himself up and began brushing his clothes, he saw that his knee was bleeding. It wasn’t a deep cut, but he allowed it to bleed a little, took out his handkerchief and bandaged his knee. Then he mounted the bicycle again.

He rode a bit slower now, because birds and animals kept coming out of the bushes. Not only pheasants but smaller birds too were streaming across the road—parrots, jungle crows, owls, magpies—and the air was filled with their cries. Everyone’s on the

move, thought Romi. It must be a really big fire.

He could see the flames now, reaching out from behind the trees on his right, and he could hear the crackling as the dry leaves caught fire. The air was hot on his face. Leaves, still alight or turning to cinders, floated past. A herd of deer crossed the road and Romi had to stop until they had passed. Then he mounted again and rode on; but now, for the first time, he was feeling afraid.

Excerpted from Ranji’s Wonderful Bat & Other Stories (149 pages, Rs 199), with permission from Puffin Books (Penguin Books India).

a s k

N i v e d i t a

No worries Counsellor Nivedita Singh answers your queries about relationships, family, school and life

Patience Pays

Stay Out My parents fight a lot. They As a child the best continuously argue and yell at thing to do is to stay each other. I can’t stand this out of the argument. behavior anymore because it is It is best to be not at affecting me and my thoughts the scene. badly. I always live under the fear that they would break into an argument or fight while conversing with each other. Please help.

Most children worry when their parents argue.

Loud voices, angry words or cold silence can make a child feel scared, vulnerable and upset. If the argument has anything to do with the child, he might think he has caused it; leading to a feeling of helplessness and guilt. The biggest challenge here is that individual thresholds to deal with high levels of expressed emotions are subjective in nature. Some children can barely handle ‘X’ amount, while others cringe only when it has reached ‘X+5’ level or maybe even more! Whatever the case, as a child, the best thing to do is to stay out of the argument. You could go to your own room, shut the door and find something to do until it is over. It’s not advisable to play a referee. In case of physical abuse, intervention becomes necessary. You should seek the help of another adult in the family. Talking to a teacher, a school counsellor or any adult whom you trust can be of help.

I don’t get along with my brother at all. We used to be the best of buddies till four years back. I’m 15 and he’s 10. Our relation is getting worse day by day.

Siblings at loggerheads at ages 10 and 15 is a welldocumented phenomenon. Youngsters always see their elder sibling as a role model, so it is important for you to treat him the way you would like him to treat you. To begin with, you can try being a patient listener. This is the best way to show that you care for him. Ask him if there is anything or anyone at school or at home that is troubling him. Try and explain to him what you don’t like about his behaviour. Be gentle, but firm and remember to choose the right time to take up the issue with him. Choose

a time when he is free and not angry, hungry or tired. If he is rude, get up and leave after telling him that you find his behaviour unacceptable. Tell him it is important to give respect if one expects to be treated respectfully. Convey firmly to him that you will not play with him or communicate with him for an hour/an evening/a day (be specific) … if he continues to be rude. Don’t change your stand even if he pleads. Don’t make an issue about every small thing you dislike. Choose one thing which you find most unacceptable and motivate him to change that. Also, don’t forget to acknowledge your mistakes and apologise.

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S u m m e r

w o r e s h o p s

Not Just Camping Your search for the perfect camp ends here. Smita Jain recommends some great camps for all types and tastes, without busting the budget

Nurturing Minds, Changing Lives Organiser: The Kids Company

Catering to children between 3-7 years of age, the curriculum of the workshop has been designed to enable learning through an interesting blend of educational games, I.Q. sessions, puzzles, mazes, crosswords and other mentally stimulating activities.

Venue: Andheri West, Mumbai Date: June 1 - July 31 Contact: 09819119835, dhara@thekidscompany.in

Where Adventure Begins Organiser: Rana Eco Tours

If trekking, caving, rock climbing and rappelling gives you an adrenaline rush, it is time to pack your

bags and leave for Mount Abu. Run by a team of professionally trained instructors from government certified mountaineering institutes, the camp promises thrilling adventures like rappelling and camping, and much more. The nature trail through 18-20 specialised routes promises the spectacular view of the Aravalis and an opportunity to explore the flora and fauna of the region.

Venue: Mount Abu Date: Tailor made/ activity-based trips Contact: 09799780703.

World is a Stage Organiser: Rangshala, Delhi

Rangshala is a platform for children interested in theatre and performing arts. The theatre and puppet workshops conducted throughout the year and

S u m m e r

especially during summer vacations helps a child explore herself/ himself, the society, family and surroundings through group-based interactions, games and allied arts like writing, painting, etc.

This year a host of workshops are being organised across Delhi and will culminate in a presentation at Epicenter Auditorium.

Venue: Epicenter, Gurgaon Dates: May 11 - May 29 Age group: 4 to 6 years and 7 to 11 years Venue: DPS International School, Gurgaon Dates: June 1 - 14 Contact: 9811676371, roopak@rangshala.com

Breathe in a Bit of Rajasthan Organiser: Virasat Experiences, Jaipur

If everyday monotony of life is pinning you down and your idea of a holiday is exploring the nook and crannies of rural India, then this is just for you.

The organizers hold heritage walks across Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur with an aim to preserve the rich cultural heritage of the state and to empower local communities by providing employment opportunities through small scale tourism initiatives.

The carefully designed city walk not only provides a sneak peek into the life of the locals, the rich history of the region, popular art and craft activities, a chance to marvel at architectural brilliance of temples and monuments, but it also gives an opportunity to savour traditional regional cuisine.

Venue: Jaipur, Jodhpur and Udaipur Date: Subject to booking Contact: 0141 5109090/95, vipul@virasatexperiences.com

Out in the Wood

w o r e s h o p s

Organisers: Trek India Outdoors Pvt Ltd, Himachal Pradesh If the snow clad mountains and crystal clear rivers entice you, it is time to pack your rucksack and head to Himachal Pradesh for an experience of a lifetime. The camp has interesting activities like trekking, river crossing, rappelling, Burma Bridge, sloth walk, rope management, etc. These are aimed at instilling discipline, self confidence, teamwork, courage, and improving logical thinking, problem solving skills, self-management, communication and interpersonal skills etc in the youth.

Venue: Naggar, Manali Date: Expedition to Dhana Kunnu Pass- April 1-June 30;Adventure Camp- March 15-Dec 15 Contact: 09418465230, info@trekindiamanali.com Exploring the wild Organisers: Frolic Boonies Nature Camps for Kids,

Bangalore This is for those who love dwelling in bamboo huts, breathing in fresh air mingled with jungle scents and delving into the jungle buzzing with life. Conducted by wildlife enthusiasts Nivedita and Balamurgan, the camp provides a wholesome learning experience on wildlife and conservation to children through fun-filled activities. The camp is aimed at not only cultivating love for Mother Nature, but also introduces children to aero modeling and astronomy.

Venue: Mudumalai forest border, close to Bandipur National Park Date: May 12-15 Contact: 09448476888, camp@frolicboonies.com

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T E E N

T R A V E L

Shillong Diary A Heavenly Abode

Prakshal Jain says khublei to Scotland of the East

I

t all started with a phone call from my aunt, who had recently visited Shillong and could not stop raving about the breathtaking beauty of the land, popularly known as the Scotland of the East. The family who had not escaped the hustle and bustle of city life for a long time could do nothing but bite the bait.

I was not only excited about travelling to an unknown land, but was looking forward to travelling by air for the first time. As there was no direct flight from Jabalpur to Shillong we took a train up to Kolkata from where we were supposed to catch a connecting flight to Shillong. However, weather gods decided to play spoilsport and made us disembark at Guwahati. This did not dampen our spirit, rather, it gave us the opportunity to explore Guwahati, the gateway to northeast India. We spent the day visiting Kamakhya temple, Birla temple and a small temple situated atop an island on the mighty Brahmaputra River.

As the crimson ball disappeared into the blue sky, we rushed to catch a cab to our destination. It seemed the scenic and

picturesque land was beckoning us to set foot in the undulating valley covered with pine and rhododendron trees. We reached Shillong late at night and decided to put up at Shree Rajasthan Vishram Bhavan.

We woke up early morning to the chirping of birds and found a guide waiting to take us around the hill state. He told us that monsoon was the best season to visit the state. As we got ready to leave for St. Francis Church, we were greeted by a group of cheerful women. Our guide told us that Meghalaya is a matriarchal society, where women bring home their husbands after marriage, and children adopt the surname of their mothers and not their fathers. After paying our obeisance

to the Almighty and lighting candles at the church we left for our next destination, Shillong Peak.

Situated approximately 1996 meters above sea level, this peak is known to be the highest point in the hill state of Meghalaya. As I enjoyed the panoramic view of the city, I could not stop admiring the cluster of houses on the hillock. Our next halt was at Don Bosco museum, a museum that offered valuable insight into the ethnic tribal culture and traditions of indigenous tribes of the state. The museum also has the distinction of being Asia’s largest museum of indigenous cultures of its kind.

We made our way through misty valleys, foaming rivers and swirling clouds to reach Cher-

T E E N

All about Shillong

How to reach: By air: Borjhar Airport in Guwahati, Assam, is the nearest airport.

By rail: There are no railway lines in Meghalaya, the nearest railhead is Guwahati.

By road: Shillong is a 4 hours drive from Guwahati.

Best time to visit: An all-year-around tourist destination Recommended tourist circuits: Kaziranga-Guwahati-Shillong- Cherrapunji -Shillong Shillong-Mawphlang-Weiloi-Mawsynram-Shillong Shiilong-Smit-Nartiang-Thadlaskein-Jowai-Thlu Umwi-Shillong Guwahati-Dudanai-Bajaengdoba-Angore-Tura-Barergapara-BaghmaraSiju-Balpakram-Shillong

T R A V E L

rapunji, which was 56 kilometers away from Shillong and was once known as the wettest place on earth. Mawsmai Falls looked breathtaking, bathed in the vibrant colours of sunset. Early next morning we decided to visit Mawsmai caves. The caves, made of limestone were well lit, but an eerie silence greeted us as we entered them through the caverns.

It was interesting to see the roof and the floor of the caves join together to form pillars, thus adding to the beauty of the place. while at some places, the openings were big enough for a person to just about crawl through, in some other caves the roofs were as high as 40 feet! Interestingly, while the entrance was large and roomy, the exit was so small, that a full-grown person had to kneel down to get out in the open. Other sightseeing places that we visited during our trip include Air force museum and Lady Hydari Park. In the end, none of us wanted to return back to our maddening city life.

By Prakshal Jain Class XI Ashoka Hall Senior Secondary School, Jabalpur

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Camping Dharamshala Diary

O

ur 6-day school trip to Dharamshala - out of which 2 were spent travelling – was trully a case of hits and misses.

Tired singing and dancing nonstop to peppy Bollywood numbers on the 17-hour bus journey from Noida to Dharamshala, our first day at the camp was spent acquainting ourselves with the campsite, our tents and instructors. We were divided into three groups and the only consolation was that we could select any ridiculous name for the group; and thus Khooni Samose, Maut Ke Saudaagar and AK47 Youreka groups were born.

Day 2: We packed rucksacks with supplies for the night and set off on a treacherous trek to climb 3,000 feet from McLeod Ganj to Triund. The trek panned out for 5 hours. Many cramped muscles, sprained ankles and muttered curses later, we reached the top of the mountain, looking straight ahead at snowy peaks – the view called for some serious introspection. But we were called back to pitch our tents on a slope. It

was cold and wet and our campsite was chaotic. There was not enough dry wood for a bonfire and when it was finally lit, it bellowed thick, black smoke. Teary eyed, we retired for the evening only to spend the entire night shivering and slipping down to the end of our tents because of how they were pitched!

Upon our return to camp the next day, a short break later, we were readied and once again taken on a trek, thankfully a shorter one, to a frigid water stream.

Hours later, drenched and cold, we commenced our return trek to the camp.

Next, was the trip to McLeod

Ganj, starting at a calm and serene Buddhist monastery where we watched monks intensely debating on Buddhist teachings.

After that, we were ‘unchained’ at the McLeod Ganj market. The only catch was that we had two hours to do whatever we wanted and everyone rushed about buying earrings, necklaces, praying beads, T-shirts and Freedom of Tibet flags. With grumbling stomachs and pockets light we hunted for a Thukpa place.

Our return journey seemed to be a show and tell contest, where everyone shared stories of what they did at the market, the things they bought and how they were looking forward to the last night at camp. The instructors surprised us with a DJ night. The trip helped me know my friends outside the four walls of the classroom and will always hold a special spot in my memory.

By Anoushka Anand Class XII, Genesis Global School, Noida

T r a v e l

B l o g

Nag Tibba

Diary Day 1

6:52 am: Boarded the train. Everyone is so quiet, when we should be jumping around with excitement right now.

11:25 am: We played antakshari till ma’am told us to shut up.

Now these guys are teaching me how to play ‘teen patti’. It’s pretty confusing.

1:40 am: Reached Dehradun station 20 minutes ago. Two of my friends had a fight already.

7:51 pm: We just reached our campsite after a good climb. I had chicken, dal makhani and rice for dinner. The weather here is awesome! BUT all we have for a washroom here is two holes dug in the mud, inside a tent that can’t even be locked.

Day 2

6:25 am: Woke up half an hour

ago (surprisingly). We gossiped using code names till 2 am last night! It’s so cold that my fingers are numb after brushing.

We changed inside our sleeping bags.

2:14 pm: Went to a village. We interacted with the kids, painted a school wall. There was a snake temple where people were crowding to see the exorcism of a woman. She looked very scary, though I’m pretty sure it was all a drama. Now we’re back to the campsite, and I just clicked like a

couldn’t have a bonfire cause it’s raining so heavily! I have no idea how to get inside the wet sleeping bag.

Day 4

8:17 am: Woke up at 7 am. We

million selfies.

11:13 pm: Food was yum. But the best part was the bonfire - I sang a few songs and was applauded.

That felt nice.

couldn’t even use the washroom at night due to the rain. I didn’t brush because the water is too cold. Had lots of double mint chewing gums to freshen up instead.

10:55 pm: Sitting at the railway station. Most of my friends are crying for their own different reasons.

Day 3

Day 5

wards Nag Tibba at 7 am.

Trekked almost 6 km! The climb is SO tiring.

2:22 pm: We reached our campsite at Nag Tibba. This. Place. Is. Beautiful. Now we’re relaxing in our tent.

8:27 pm: My hands are numb, I can’t even write properly. We

reaching Delhi in a few minutes.

I cannot believe the trip is over.

But I’m dying to see mom, dad and everyone at home.

10:12 am: Started trekking to-

6:12 am: Just woke up. We’re

By Ayesha Thatte Class X, Step by Step School, Noida

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P a r e n t i n g

Take a Hike

Is it a good idea for a mom to go trekking with city kids? Nandita Saini tells us as it is

M

y friend, who runs a travel company called GoMissing was organising a trek near Manali during the Dussehra break. I was keen to take the children out for a different kind of vacation, so I called him. He told me that it was a medium to easy grade trek with no prior experience required and that the kids, if they were active, would easily do it. I didn’t think twice, I just signed up!

Well, the folks who were part of the trek will know what I mean when I say, “Left from that tree”.

For those who weren’t will have to join GoMissing’s next trip to Lama Dug and Khanpari Tibba to find out!!

The trek started in Manali and after walking the first hundred meters starting from old Manali, the town just disappeared. For me, my 10-year-old son Naoise and my 15-year-old daughter

Saoirse, this was simply delightful. We were in a beautiful forest following a trail led by our genial guide Surendra and the ever smiling Chote Mian as the kids insisted on calling him.

Now, it had been quite a while since I had been on a trek and my kids were trekking such long distances for the first time. The first hour took my breath away, literally. However, the trip did make me realise what totally amazing

P a r e n t i n g kids I have. For the entire duration, they were always walking far ahead of all us adults, right up with Chote Mian. My son actually kept turning around and calling me with a mild mixture of humour and restless reprimand in his voice because he wanted to show me something or the other.

At one point, he actually said, “Will all those 30 years older than me please catch up?” Though it was intended for his mother who was constantly reminding him that he was 30 years younger, it certainly put the wings on many an adult step. Surendra’s 8-yearold daughter Saina, our little pixie, was a wonder. I don’t think the three children showed any fatigue at all on the first day.

We trekked 8 kms and gained a height of a 1,000m that day to camp at this cozy little bowl of a meadow called Lama Dug. The next day, we trekked up another 7 km and climbed another 700m, just short of Khanpari Tibba, but returned before we could touch the tip. It would have been wonderful to make it to the top, but it didn’t much matter. Nothing could match the beauty of walking through that quiet, hushed space, the expansive loveliness of the almost uninhabited region.

And the colours that seemed to burst everywhere - brightest reds, gold, myriad greens, browns, whites, ochres, and endless hues that we saw on the way.

The folks at the camp fed us well - stuffing us with energy giving, simple but delicious meals, tea, pakodas and even Maggi when the kids wanted some.

It was one of the most unique experiences that I’ve shared with my children. And a true discovery of their ability to enjoy the exhilaration and beauty of the mountains unfettered by the paraphernalia, gadgets and reality that rules their daily lives.

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R A P

U P

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!

Director: Dibakar Banerjee

A

clean detective story, devoid of all the useless subplots and extravaganzas, is something of a rarity, especially coming from Bollywood, where people mistake elegance for flamboyance. The fact that the title included the words Detective didn’t help either. If it wasn’t policemen, it had to be detectives, busy deploying their own model of justice. To my pleasant surprise, Detective Byomkesh Bakshy is not one of those movies, it’s better!!!

Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, directed by Dibakar Banerjee, stars Sushant Singh Rajput donning the role of the eponymous detective forever inscribed in the works of Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay. It is set in Calcutta, in the early 1940s, well into the crisis of World War II, when there was a constant fear of a Japanese invasion. Bakshy was hired by Ajit to trace his father, missing for over 2 months. The police think he’s run away. Bakshy is convinced that the old man has been killed. While investigating, Bakshy finds himself in the centre of a greater conspiracy, involving the Chinese drug trade and exotic dancers yearning for love.

This movie is a masterpiece on many levels.

How it manages to interweave all the subplots together to form a story, coherent and thrilling, while at the same time stay slow and steady, is just applause-worthy. While to some, the movie may seem to move at a snail’s pace, it is actually an imperative to allow the audience to soak into the tour de force that Banerjee and his team has created on a technical level. The narrow winding streets of Calcutta are so beautifully recreated that they almost seem like a mute character, ominously watching the protagonist as he tries to connect the dots. The music is brilliantly realised; the humour, subtly cool; and the dhoti, refreshingly fashionable.

While DBB does not exactly reinvent the detective genre, it sure has reignited it.

I don’t usually hand the stars like candy, but this is a movie that you might not want to miss and so I have By Amlaan Kumar to go with 5 stars.

Class X Please, watch this Amity Internation al School movie.

Noida

R A P

U P

Apple Watch

Amazon Kindle Voyage

ith a beautifully carved chassis and a sapphire glass display, Apple has really hit the chord again with this watch. Not only it’s packed with a bunch of amazing features, but also blends perfectly with one of your attires. But when it comes to serving the real purpose, the Apple Watch fails miserably. With a battery life of less than a day, this device is more of an inconvenience when compared to your humble watch.

ith an impressive high-resolution display and a vast content catalog to match, the Kindle Voyage is easily the best e-reader Amazon has ever crafted. Even with a not so modest price tag, it succeeds in being an irresistible choice for the ardent reader.

W

The Good

An alluring design and use of premium materials make Apple Watch a perfect fashion accessory. It comes in two sizes giving buyers a choice based on their wrist size. It has a heart-rate sensor, a touchscreen and a force sensor, a very sleek wireless charging system, voice control (Siri enabled) and all other features common to every Apple device.

The Bad

The watch itself is very thick and heavy to be worn all day. With a price band of Rs 35,000 to a whopping Rs 9 lakh, Apple Watch is surely an expensive device considering how it will be undermined within a year or two by its successor. The battery, as claimed by Apple, will last up to 18 hours but when tested by critics it comes out to be just 11 hours. All the hassles required to use the basic functions aren’t worth your hard earned money.

Overall

Unlike many other gadgets, watches are timeless which unfortunately the Apple watch isn’t. With a poor battery life and compatibility only with iPhone 5 and upwards it’s apt to say that Apple watch is nothing but a beautiful toy.

W

The Good

The thin and light magnesium body makes you forget that you are holding an electronic device, let aside reading from a screen. Amazon’s PagePress technology, which allows you to turn the page without lifting a finger, has taken the e-reader industry by storm. Flush, pixel-dense screen is the best seen on any ereader till date.

The Not So Good

At Rs 16,000 for the base variant, Kindle Voyage is quite expensive for a standalone ereader. Amazon has included mandatory random popout of advertisements with the base variant which may prove to be a deal breaker for the ones in quest of a humble e-reader.

Overall

Voyage is the best e-reader you can buy right now. It’s a no compromise device which stands on each claim the company makes.

Though ads are a sure bummer, if you are a bookworm who yearns for paper in a world which is rapidly leaving it behind, the Voyage is for you. Though it’s not of much benefit to someone who has just started to read Enid Blyton or Ruskin Bond.

By Raghav Aggarwal Amity International School, Noida

SCHOOL QUIZ LEAGUE

ANSWERS

1.Yuvraj Singh 2. Alibaba.com

3. Antwerp(Belgium) 4. Bindeshwar Pathak

5. Kabbadi 6. Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnon(James Bond series actors)

7. Net Neutrality 8. France

9. US and Ukraine 10. Tennis

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P o t p o u r r i

Timeline of

Railways

As India celebrates 162nd anniversary of its first passenger train, here’s some interesting trivia about the railways

600 BC:

A basic form of railway, the rutway, existed in ancient Greek and Roman times. It measured between 6 and 8.5 km and remained in service for 650 years.

1550:

Hand-propelled tubs known as ‘hunds’ existed in the provinces forming modern day Germany.

1803:

The first public railway, Surrey Iron Railway, began in London.

1807:

The first fare paying passenger railway service was established on the Oystermouth Railway in South Wales.

1812:

The first commercial steam locomotives were used by the Middletown railways, in Leeds.

1831:

First passenger railway in Australia was created for an agricultural company.

1844 :

1932:

1853:

1948:

1863:

2000:

1877:

2007:

1885:

2010:

The First Atmospheric Railway, the Dalkey Atmospheric Railway, arrives.

dia.

Passenger train makes its debut in Mumbai, In-

First underground railway, the four mile Metropolitan railway, opened in London.

Vacuum brakes are invented in the United States of America.

Canadian Pacific Railway was set up to physically unite Canadians from coast to coast.

1895: 1924:

Japan’s first electric railway opens in Kyoto.

Union.

First diesel-electric locomotive built in Soviet

Moscow.

First children’s railway is opened at Gorky Park,

British Railways formed by nationalising the assets of the Big Four companies (GWR, LMS, LNER, SR).

Amtrak introduces the Acela Express in Northeast corridor in the US.

High speed trains travelling at 350 km/hr introduced in Spain.

Shanghai Metro overtakes London Underground as the world’s largest urban transit system.

By Kushik Naveen Alumni AIS Noida

SPONSORED FEATURE