43 minute read
IN-FOCUS
from Education Nowadays
by Umang Goyal
World’s fastest Human Calculator of India
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Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash, a 23-yearold math magician from Hyderabad (India), is titled as the “World’s fastest Human Calculator of India” for his ability to solve multifaceted mathematical tasks at breakneck speeds. For his mathematical calculations, he holds 50 Limca records. He also won gold in the Mental Calculation World
Championship at the Mind Sports Olympiad in 2020. He founded Bhanzu with the intention of overcoming math phobia. Bhanu Prakash was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in 2022. He has also spoken at several TED talks, with the goal of inspiring young people with his story and drive to succeed.
Bhanu was born in Eluru, India, on October 13, 1999, to parents Srinivas Jonnalagadda and Hema Siva Parvathi. When he was five, he suffered a head injury that required him to be bedridden for an entire year; this was the first time he learned math and calculations, and he began competing in various competitions at that age. He was also a mathematical child from a young age. His education was completed at Hyderabad’s Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan’s Public School. In 2020, he graduated with honors from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi with a BSc in mathematics. Neelkanth Bhanu’s name appears on numerous records. He holds several world records for arithmetic calculations.
In 2015, Neelkanth was named International Speed Math Champion ’13,’ National Speed Math Champion ’11,’ and Math Genius Award. He has numerous gold medals. Bhanu broke Shakuntala Devi’s record (adding a two-digit number to itself as many times as possible in 15 seconds) and was dubbed the “World’s Fastest Human Calculator.” “Speed is not the only criterion for appreciating numbers,” he says. Bhanu’s goal is to eliminate math phobias and make numbers easier to understand and analyze. He believes that proper Math knowledge can prepare students to succeed in any profession.
Making Math Easier Through ‘Bhanzu’
“As a math lover, I had two options: be the face of maths or the face of math’s phobia,” Bhanu said. “I chose to be the face of mathematics because I want to inspire people to love numbers through their various interests. Math phobia affects three out of every four students worldwide. This is primarily due to students’ perceptions that math is the most difficult subject and that they do not find it relatable or interesting,” said the math wizard. Bhanu founded “Bhanzu” to make math learning easier and more enjoyable (a math educational startup to overcome the fear of maths).
After winning the Olympic Gold Medal in Mind Sports at the Mind Sports Olympics in the United Kingdom in 2020, the BBC stated, “Neelakantha Bhanu Prakash is to math (mental calculation) what Usain Bolt is to running.” When he suffered a head injury, his father gave him a puzzle, and that puzzle brought Bhanu closer to numbers, making him the fastest Human Calculator. Many international companies and leading political parties have offered him high-paying jobs, but he has turned them down. He is excelling in education, particularly in math. His works are admirable, and we hope to see more of him in the future.
CHESS PRODIGY
Praggnanandhaa
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (Pragg), a 17-year-old boy, has become a well-known figure in indoor sports. He is a grandmaster of Indian chess.
He is a chess prodigy who earned the title of
International Master at the age of ten and the title of Grandmaster at the age 12, becoming the second youngest player at the time to do so.
On 20 February 2022, he proved that ‘age is just a number’ by defeating current world champion
Magnus Carlse in the eighth round of the rapid game of the Airthings Masters Rapid Chess
Tournament.
Praggnanandhaa was born in a middle-class family on August 10, 2005 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. His father, Rameshbabu, is a TNSC bank branch manager, and his mother, Nagalakshmi, is a housewife. He is the younger brother of R. Vaishali, a female grandmaster and international master. In Chennai, he attends Velammal Nexus School. Pragg began playing chess when he was three years old because his sister Vaishali had a TV addiction and her parents wanted to wean her off the tube. So her parents tried chess, and Pragg followed suit. Rameshbabu and Nagalakshmi committed them to the best coaching Chess Gurukul by world’s best coach R.Ramesh when their chess knowledge became obvious.
Praggnanandhaa earned the title of FIDE master at the age of seven by winning the Youth Chess Championship Under -8 title in 2013 and thus began his life’s journey to success. In 2015, he won the Under-10 title. Pragg became the youngest international master in history in 2016 at the age of ten years, ten months, and nineteen days, and he earned the first grandmaster norm at the World Junior Chess Championship in 2017 by finishing fourth with eight points. On April 17, 2018, he received his second norm at the Heraklion Fischer Memorial GM norm tournament in Greece. By defeating Luca Moroni in the eighth round of the Gredine Open in Urtijei, Italy, at the age of 12 years, 10 months, and 13 days, he earned the third and final norm and became the second youngest Grandmaster ever, trailing only Sergey Karjakin, who attained the title at the age of 12 years and 7 months. He is the fifth youngest Grandmaster (GM) in history, following Abhimanyu Mishra, Sergey Karjakin, Gukesh D, and Javokhir Sindarov.
Making of the Champion Par Excellence
Praggnanandhaa was invited to a four-game rapid match against Westley So in 2018. Pragg defeated So in the first game, and the score was tied at 1½1½ after three games. Unfortunately, Pragg was defeated by So in the final round, 2½-1½. But this defeat could not deter him. Praggnanandhaa tied for third place with grandmaster Alder Escobar Forero and international master Denys Shemlov in the Charlotte Chess Centre’s Winter 2018 GM norm in Charlotte, North Carolina, in January 2018.
Praggnanandhaa won the Xtracon Open in Denmark in July 2019 with a score of 8½/10 points, and he hasn’t looked back since, continuing his successful journey. On October 12, 2019, he won the World Youth Championships in the Under-18 category with a score of 9/11. He became the second youngest person to achieve a rating of 2600 in December 2019, at the age of 14 years, 3 months, and 24 days.
Julius Baer Group and Chess24.com organized a rapid online event for young talents in April 2021. Praggnanandhaa won the Polgar challenge, the first (of four) legs of the Julius Baer Challengers Chess Tour, with a score of 15.5/19, 1.5 points better than the next best competitor. Following this victory, on April 24, 2021, he qualified for the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour, finishing in 10th place with a score of 7/15(+4-5=6), including wins over Teimour Radjabov, Jan Krzysztof Duda, Sergey Karjakin, and Johansebastian Christiansen, and a draw against the world champion Magnus Carlsen.
Praggnanandhaa entered the Chess World Cup 2021 as the 90th seed and defeated grandmaster Gabriel Sargissian by 2-0 in Round 2 and grandmaster Michal Krasenkow in rapid tie breaks in Round 3. Maxime Vachier- Lagrave eliminated Praggnanandhaa in Round 4. He also competed in the Masters Section of the Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022, where he defeated Andrey Esipenko, Vidit Gujrathi, and Nils Grandelius, finishing in 12th place with a total score of 5½.
A Living Legend
Praggnanandhaa made history by defeating the World Champion Magnus Carlsen in the Online Airthings Masters Rapid Tournament of the Champions Chess Tour 2022 on February 20th. With this victory, Praggnanandhaa became the third Indian player to defeat the World Champion, following Anand and Harikrishna. In May 2022, at the Chessable Masters Online Rapid Chess Tournament, he defeated Carlsen for the second time in three months, and with this victory, Praggnanandhaa advanced to the finals. In the FTX Crypto Cup 2022, he also defeated Carlsen three times. However, he could only finish second in the overall standings.
Praggnanandhaa was asked by a media outlet how he planned to celebrate his victory in February 2022. “I think it’s just about going to bed,” he replied.
He has only just begun his path to success, but has made India proud. He has demonstrated that age is irrelevant. We should take lessons from him. We should appreciate all of our country’s children and instill in them the belief that they can achieve anything if they work hard and with all of their hearts.
Celebrating EK Bharat Shreshtha Bharat
its True Spirit
On December 11, 2022, National Book Trust celebrated Bhartiya Bhasha Diwas its Headquarters in New Delhi and simultaneously in all offices across the country. A Speech Contest was organised at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam on the theme of “Shared Knowledge – Shared Traditions” which saw enthusiastic participation from many school and college students in Hindi and Tamil. The students talked about the common thread in literature and culture joining all parts of the country as one entity, and adding to the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
Yuvraj Malik, Director, NBT-India, addressed young students and talked in detail about Bhartiya Bhasha Diwas and the 140th birth anniversary of Subrahmania Bharati. He spoke of the importance of knowing multiple languages as an aid for the nation’s development, building unity, and realising the goal of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. He encouraged them to take pride in their mother tongue, and also learn other Indian languages to communicate better with their fellow countrymen.
Various events were simultaneously organised in Regional offices of NBT-India located in Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru as well as at all Book Promotion Centres and Bookshops across Lucknow, Guwahati, Imphal, Agartala, Cuttack, Dehradun, Patna, Bhopal, Hyderabad, and Kochi, as well as in Delhi Metro bookshops, to celebrate all Indian languages and to emphasise the importance of knowing more than one language. Children read
books in their mother tongue and the official State language, and participated in storytelling and story-writing competitions.
Through the organised activities, the students learned about languages spoken in different regions, nature and structure of tribal languages, to say commonly spoken phrases and sentences in every major language of India, and also learn about the rich literature of these languages. More than 1000 students participated in this celebration of languages across the country at more than 16 NBT-India stores.
Under the Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat programme, all centres of NBT-India in different States were paired with each other to enhance interaction and promote mutual understanding between people of different States/UTs. Students interacted with each other through video calls and taught each other words in their respective languages. NBT-India also visited the NCERT Campus at Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi with its Mobile Exhibition Van (MEV) showcasing a variety of titles published across genres in more than 50 languages. While inaugurating the Mobile Exhibition Prof. Dinesh Prasad Saklani, Director, NCERT commended the efforts of NBT-India in making books available in multiple Indian languages for readers across the country.
WHY
The Gangster Films Appeal To The Viewers
By Shashank Nath Mishra
From Chandra Barot’s ‘Don’ (1978) to Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘Maqbool’ (2004) the gangster genre of Bollywood has something to offer to everyone. It has produced some of
Bollywood’s most memorable movies over the years.
People have always had a fascination with violence and crimes and that’s part of the reason behind the success of the gangster genre in Bollywood, but to say that it’s the only contributor to the genre’s success will be a gross over-simplification. These films provide viewers with a world where law and justice don’t exist, death is an everyday occurrence the story preys over the week, violence is the norm and despair engulfs everything. It’s the gateway to a world that everyone has heard or read about yet it seems so foreign.
Bollywood’s first movie based on a real-life gangster was Amitabh Bachchan’s blockbuster and all-time classic Deewar (1975) which was based on the life of Haji Mastan. It played a huge role in popularizing the angry young man trope. However, a better starting point for the gangster genre would be Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro (1989) as it laid the groundwork for not only the characters of gangsters but also the various other elements that are present in different movies of this genre. This includes an emphasis on Mumbai city life, the stark class divide present there, corruption and its role in increasing underworld’s influence, violence, gang wars, religious segregation and its relation to the underworld.
The rise of “taporis” in Bollywood
The movie revolves around Salim Pasha, a man with a limp leg who commits petty crimes like collecting protection money and smuggling goods to earn a living. It is one of the earliest portrayals of the “tapori” archetype in Bollywood. From their unique fashion sense, a loose yet confident body demeanor, and hot-headed attitude to their language that is a bastardized amalgamation of
Hindi and Marathi (or rather, Bambaiya Hindi) these characters are easily identifiable in contrast to all the others that are on screen. This rise of “taporis” in Bollywood coincides with a real-life phenomenon that was happening in Mumbai as many young people were left unemployed due to a shortage of jobs and ended up turning to the streets for guidance. This archetype later became so popular that many consider it to be the Bollywood equivalent of Hollywood’s gangsters.
Salim and his ideals go through a gradual progression that progresses throughout the movie. Salim grows from someone who feels alienated from society due to his religious identity and can’t help but feel animosity towards Hindus, to someone who has finally found the motivation to lead a better lifestyle and, in the process, has found his identity as a Hindustani.
The mentality of ‘us’ vs ‘them’ that both Hindus and Muslims use to antagonize each other gets deconstructed in the movie. But it’s also made clear that this mentality is a symptom of a much bigger problem. The characters give an insight into how Muslims perceive and are affected by communal issues, with some believing that they are being antagonized and the police is openly biased towards Hindus, while others have a more reasonable approach on these issues. After getting humiliated by a police inspector and witnessing another death related to communal violence, Salim decides that it’s time to change and get his life on the right track.
Mumbai’s gangland
Just as he’s seen happily celebrating his sister’s marriage, he is stabbed to death by Rajan as an
act of revenge for snitching on him to police. This
triviality of death in Mumbai’s gangland becomes a recurring trope in the genre as a means to highlight the social standings of such individuals and also as a reminder that, at the end of the day, these gangsters are still humans. It doesn’t matter how invincible they might seem or if they have a genuine change of heart to redeem themselves, their fate is ultimately to die and be forgotten for being outcasts by society’s standards. Ironic to its name the movie ends up making the audience sympathize with Salim. There was potential in him to turn around his life for good and make a name for himself, but all that was thrown away for some petty revenge.
Movies in the gangster genre are known for their violence and the ability to create a dark and unsettling atmosphere that fills its viewers with a sense of dread and helplessness. This trend can be tracked down to the 1989 smash-hit ‘Parinda’ that many critics consider to be the turning point in the introduction of realism in Hindi cinema. The ordinariness of Parinda’s revenge plot is set apart from other films by its clever cinematography that plays around with darkness and sound to create a noir-esque experience and its portrayal of violence in a much more extreme manner than what was common at the time.
A huge emphasis is put on Anna’s guilt and how he’s coping with the fact that he burned both his wife and son alive. The theme of the past and how it shapes a person’s present reality is explored through both the protagonists and the antagonist, but their ways of perceiving it are in direct contrast with each other.
The Focus
While both Kishen and Karan had a rough childhood due to being forced to fend for themselves at such an early age, Karan remembers it for the fond memories that they made with Paro and Prakash while Kishen despises it for reminding him of the innocence of childhood and the passion of his youth that was stripped from him. On the other hand, Anna’s approach to his past is completely different. His continual efforts to forget this horrific crime and escape his guilt are rendered useless by his pyrophobia which keeps reminding him of the said event.
The movie focuses on the gruesomeness of violence that takes place in the world of gangsters. Anna’s gang members kill someone from a rival gang at the beginning of the film. The violence of the film isn’t limited to punches and kicks but goes as far as showing the torturous methods that gangsters use to instill fear in their underlings, like Anna piercing a hole in Iqbal’s leg through a drill machine. The film completely destroys the audience’s idea of intimacy. Just when Karan and Kishen are shown having a heartfelt moment with each other they are attacked by Abdul and his men. The moment of intimacy between the two brothers is shattered by the constant barrage of bullets being fired on them. Another shocking moment happens when Karan is making love with his childhood friend, Paro while Anna and his men are approaching him to take revenge for killing his gang members. Paro and Karan are shown lying together, finally having consummated their marriage and happily discussing the name of their child while suddenly Anna barges in through the door and ruthlessly guns them both down. Their lifeless bodies fall next to each other and viewers are left shocked.
The bar that Parinda set for the on-screen portrayal of explicit violence in Bollywood cinema is truly noteworthy.
Bhiku Mhatre’s Character
Released in the year 1998, Satya encapsulates multiple elements that make the gangster genre so unique. From high-intensity gang wars, violent shootout scenes, intense chase sequences, and exploration of the deep nexus that the underworld had with politicians and Bollywood stars, to a gang of characters that are brimming with personality and have great chemistry with each other the movie has almost every element that defines the gangster genre. Satya, the protagonist of the film, is an immigrant who comes to Mumbai looking for a job but ends up joining Bhiku Mhatre’s gang, taking a step into Mumbai’s underworld. His past remains ambiguous till the very end. He’s just like any other person who comes to Mumbai seeking opportunities for a new life. Satya explores its gangsters as not just criminals but as multilayered characters who have a life outside of the underworld as well.
On one hand, Bhiku Mhatre commits crimes like extortion and murder but the moment he enters his home he behaves not like a gangster, but as a husband. He bickers with his wife over getting drunk so late at night and they argue just like a normal couple would. This complexity is also explored through the chemistry between Bhiku and his gang members. They are shown joking around and celebrating each other’s success as if it was their own and staying loyal to one another even when times are grim. All these details make moments like Mule’s betrayal and Kallu Mama’s sacrifice even more impactful. As is tradition, the movie also has a corrupt politician Bhau Thakurdas Jhawle who ends up killing Bhiku for murdering Guru Narayan despite him ordering otherwise. After finding out about this Satya decides to take revenge for Bhiku instead of leaving for Dubai.
Satya manages to kill Bhau and escape with Kallu Mama, albeit getting injured in the process. He then goes back to Vidya’s apartment with the aim of telling her the truth only to find that she already knows everything. When Satya finally manages to break open the door he’s immediately killed by the policemen before being able to say anything. Satya drops down dead in front of the love of his life.
Whether it be the morbid curiosity inside of us or the desire to explore what lies behind the façade of a morally just and ideal society, such things are given a means of exploration in the form of gangster films. This genre is a reflection of India’s complex socio-economic status as a society and, naturally, deals with multiple issues that were or still are plaguing our society. The unique nature of the genre provides filmmakers with a wide scope of possibilities in terms of storytelling. Vaastav: The Reality (1999) is about the tragedy of a man who is unwillingly drawn into a life of crime. Satya (1998) explores the culture of gangsters and what life in Mumbai’s underworld is like from an insider’s perspective. The film Company (2002) deals with the conflict between individuality and what’s good for an organization while Maqbool(2004) is a film filled with literary nuances and subtle symbolism which brings Shakespeare’s Macbeth to Mumbai’s gangland. All this goes to show the variety that the gangster genre has to offer.
How do the students in the classroom learn best?
By Anurag Tripathi, Secretary CBSE STORY
There are four learning styles by which children learn best. These are auditory (listening), kinesthetics (hands-on devices), visual and reading and writing. Identifying the students as visual, auditory, reading/writing and kinesthetics learners and aligning the overall curriculum with these learning styles, will prove to be beneficial for entire classroom. Sometimes, a combination of all four sensory modalities may be the best option. Curriculum policy strategies in many countries promote the development of competences, as well as knowledge, including those often called “21st century skills.” Competences such as collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking are not so much taught. If the 21st century competences are to be systematically developed, rather than left to emerge by accident, then pedagogies must deliberately foster them. Pedagogy means the “art, science or profession of teaching “. This is the way of teaching by which teachers make their classroom effective and innovative. There are five different pedagogical approaches-
1) Constructive: Learners are actively involved in the learning process, creating their own meaning and knowledge of the material
2) Collaborative: Multiple learners work together, like in small group instruction, and they all contribute and help each other to learn
3) Inquiry-Based: Students address real-world problems, like in project-based learning, by asking questions and doing further research 4) Integrative: Using multiple academic disciplines and common language, students engage with cross-curricular material
5) Reflective: Both teachers and students reflect on lessons, projects, and assessments to see how to improve them in the future
Pedagogical Approaches
Besides above there are another set of Pedagogical approaches which are being practiced by practitioners-
1) Blended learning- This approach aims to be engaging and coherent for learners, as well as to optimize access to teacher expertise by
reducing routine tasks. This includes three main forms of blending: the inverted flipped classroom, lab-based models, and “in-class” blending.
2) Gamification - These pedagogies explicitly build on features of games such as rapid feedback, badges and goals, participation, and progressive challenge, as well as on the human elements of narratives and identities, collaboration, and competition.
3) Computational thinking- Develops problem-solving by looking at challenges as computers would and then uses technology to resolve them. Its basic elements include logical reasoning, decomposition, algorithms, abstraction, and pattern identification—using techniques such as approximate solutions, parallel processing, model checking, debugging, and search strategies. Computational thinking envisions programming and coding as new forms of literacy.
4) Experiential learning - Occurs through active experience, inquiry, and reflection. Its four main components are concrete experience, reflective observation, conceptualization, and active experimentation. Guidance and scaffolding play pivotal roles. Pedagogies in this cluster include inquiry-based learning, education for sustainable development, outdoor learning, and service learning.
5) Embodied learning- Looks beyond the purely cognitive and content acquisition to connect to the physical, artistic, emotional, and social. Embodied pedagogies promote knowledge acquisition through the natural tendencies of the young toward creativity and expression, and encourage the development of curiosity, sensitivity, risk-taking, and thinking in metaphors and multiple perspectives. The report identified three main forms: school-based physical culture, arts-integrated learning, and the construction of tools and artefacts.
6) Multiliteracies and discussion- It aims to develop cultural distance and critical capacities. Critical literacies situate knowledge in its different political, cultural, and authorial contexts and deconstruct narratives. Class discussion, always valuable, becomes central in questioning ideas and dominant language. This pedagogical approach uses students’ life experiences to create meaningful classroom activities, constructive critique to create distance from received knowledge, and encouragement of students to extend their horizons.
These clusters are not stand-alone approaches, and they can be combined in different ways.
ADVERTISMENT
A Rabit Gudia&
By Mohammad Aleem
Those were the last days of December. Of late, the fog had started covering the whole things around. Usually, the mornings had been misty and cloudy. At a stretch, the sun had not come out and shown its warm and loving face. So, the days looked much gloomy and sad, and the nights long, boring, forlorn and unkind. Though, I had experienced this kind of weather earlier too, this time, it was the most frustrating. I hate Winter. For us poor creatures, it really proves fatal. All the time, either I was shivering or running for a comfy place to hide and warm myself. But alas! Not much was available in that tiny flat where I was residing.
Other members of the household were also sneezing and coughing all the time. And it looked odd. But they were lucky. They had electric room heaters to warm themselves. But me and the maidservant, Gudia were not so lucky. If we ever tried to sit with them, they would just force us to go away in our room as we were not creatures of God like them, but priceless objects on the road. We, most of the time, left alone to cope with our own problems which were so many to count. But I will come to it later, neither, it may make you bore.
My master’s house was four-storied high. It was on a main road in the colony, fully ventilated and open from three sides. We were living in a small flat with two bedrooms on the second floor of the building. It had a long balcony. Though, the flat was not big, it was quite airy. In one room, my master’s plump and chubby wife, Rehana, slept with her three children. And in another, I along with the maidservant slept. My master’s wife’s brother was also living in the same room with us. But, most of the time, he was off in his college. More so, he kept always himself occupied with his books and computer. He was unfriendly towards us. He was a taciturn and looked always hazy. He was infected with some neurological problems, as we came to know about it when they talked at length about it. He would take medicine almost daily to keep his mental equilibrium in check. If he forgot to take it, it would prove dangerous for him. His sister, Rehana, was always caring towards him.
However, whenever he needed some works get done by Gudia, he would not hesitate for a single moment to pass the orders. Often, he was harsh and somewhat dictatorial. If Gudia ever tried to disobey him, he would retort to chiding and beating. He was a six-foot-tall and plump man in his twenties, pursuing a course in engineering. His face was round and he wore glasses with quite strong powers. We really shivered just to look at him.
But, why am I bothering you to describe about all the members of my master’s family? But until I
unravel all the secrets about everyone in the house, my story will not be complete.
First, I come to the description of my master’s three naughty children. The older one was a boy. His name was Aman. He was about ten years old. His face was square, but quite white complexioned. His eyes were small, but penetrating. He was studying in class five in one of the expensive English medium schools of the city.
He used to go to school daily by bus and my master’s wife, Rehana would go to see him off by herself. Gudia would carry his heavy bag on her delicate and fragile shoulders. They would not pay heed at all what she suffered under the weight of that bag. They would never carry the bag as it was against their status and position. His mother would think not to hurt him at all.
These days, crime against young women and children had risen sharply in the city. I knew about all these things through the blabbering of news channels all the time. Rehana was very fond of serials. After the daily chores, she would keep herself, most of the time, glued to the T.V set. She had a long list of TV serials to be watched. When the clock struck nine, she was before the television religiously as something would miss very important if she did not make her presence there at her appointed time. She would even forget to do other important work in the house. She would instruct for every small and big work to her maidservant.
Gudia would do the cleaning, mopping and washing of the dishes. And even, whenever, her tiny two children ever went to the toilet, she had to wash them properly. And that made Gudia on her toes all the time. Our master’s wife even did not like to be disturbed while watching her favorite serials by any. So, she would often instruct Gudia to take her little children away, a son, who was one and a half-year-old along with his sister aged three in another room or upstairs. On the third floor of the building, one of her elder sisters was living with her own family of five. These two children were also very naughty and would not leave any chance to harass me or Gudia.
I would also like to describe about the maidservant in detail because her story was much pathetic than mine. She was four sisters and two brothers. She was third among her siblings. Her other two sisters were married off in very young age about thirteen or fourteen. They were passing a very turbulent married life. Even at home or in the village, they were not safe. The rich boys of the village had tried many times to molest them or play with their chastity. So her parents thought best to send her off to some far places so that they could be saved from any unpleasant situations. Our master also came from the same village. So his father sent this little, Gudia to help them while living in Delhi.
Earlier, they were living in a foreign country. Her husband was a computer software professional. I had still not seen him, but heard a lot about him. Most of the time, my master’s wife would be talking with him on her mobile phone. She was an avid talker and always kept her phone ringing in the house. You could not sleep in the day time if you ever tried.
When I first landed in this tiny flat, I thought that a new company of people would make my life comfortable and
enjoyable. But alas! It was not so. Still, I dread to think how my erstwhile master had brought me to sell in the nearby weakly market, putting me into a big carton box, along with my other four siblings. It was called Mangal Bazaar, which was held every Tuesday in our colony. And I knew later that my master’s wife would never miss it visiting there.
When I first came in the bazaar, it was much crowed and cramped. Most of the visitors were women and young girls. And they were madly thronging at those stalls where they could get new and fancy clothes and other daily household items.
My former master had chosen to sell us from a safer and less crowded place. He had put my elder brother on the top of the carton box, so, everybody could know what we were, and, for what purpose we had been brought here. He had put two hundred fixed prices for everyone of us.
I was a little bit shy and also scared of people and crowds. So, when my master’s wife came with her
elder son and daughter to buy something from the market, they soon saw us. Her children were attracted so much towards us; they just forgot every other thing around. They started coaxing her mother to buy us for them. And my master’s wife would not hesitate for a moment to do the things which pleased her children. She bought two from five of us. I and my elder brother were picked up by the new buyer. And soon, after paying the asked price, we departed to our new abode.
We were much happy at that moment. Our first master was poor, so he did not give us proper food. We always slept with half empty bowels every night.
I looked, at that time, to my elder brother askance as though I was asking what he thought or felt about it. But instead of saying anything, he just kept seeing me blankly. Perhaps, he was not much sure about what would happen in the end.
And he was right. Soon, after landing in our new home, our plight began. The naughty children of our master started playing with us like we were not a living being, but a toy without blood and veins. They just tossed us everywhere cruelly. We soon started looking for safer places to hide. But most of the time, we were unsuccessful.
One day, my elder brother dared to cross the threshold of the room to get some warmth of the sun and freshness of the air. But he could not realize that it was not safe. He mistook it as an open field and started running helter-skelter. He forgot that he might fall from the balcony. And it sadly happened soon. From the gaping hole of the railing, he tried to sneak out. But he could not do it properly and lost his balance. He fell on the main road of the colony. It was a concrete road. So, it struck him hard. And he lost his calm and poise in no time. He shivered for some time and slipped into coma, soon. He was not given any medicine, nor, my master’s wife tried to take him to any veterinary doctor. He did not deserve that kind of respect in their eyes. He died, soon after the fateful incident, writhing in severe pain and convulsion. It was a hard blow for me.
For the first time, I was facing death of my dear and near one so close and so cruelly and brutally. And I feared for my own safety and life. I mourned many days to come and looked lost all the time. I never kept my foot outside room and even did not like to peep out from the balcony.
This went on for some more days to come. Soon, I left everything behind and learnt to live the life as the almighty God had destined for us.
One day, my master came from his foreign sojourn. The house was full of merry and enjoyment. Everybody was relishing this moment fully, except, me and Gudia. They would go every evening to a nearby park and restaurants and enjoy their free hours with food and other things. But, we were left alone in the flat to mend with ourselves. Gudia longed deeply to go on those short outings with them, but they would never do that. It was against their reputation to enjoy their holiday with a little maidservant.
Once, they planned to go to Nainital, the famous tourist spot, to enjoy the coolness and breeziness of the mountains. Gudia and I was a big hurdle for executing their plan.
They did not want to take us there. They thought about many options. Finally, they decided to put her in their relative’s flat and I was sent with a maidservant who used to come in the relative’s flat, upstairs.
When I left the flat I was both relieved and sad. I was happy because I could now come out from that dark shell, but sad to think that I might never get an opportunity to see Gudia again who had turned by that time a dear friend of mine. She was so sweet and so charming and loving, I can’t describe in words. She would fondle me lovingly in her free time and tried to talk. Her language was different though, but we felt each other passionately and understood each other’s feelings well. There was warmth of love in her every spoken word and touch. How could I ever forget her who had given me so much love like a sister and the company of a good friend? We could never meet again, but we kept communicating in our dreams at regular intervals. All night, she would come to me and talk and ask about my well being. It was more than enough for me.
I was happy in my new house, because, though the people were wretched and poor, they were well mannered. But, I was sad to think that Gudia’s life was still miserable and painful. And it pained me a lot.
I would often ask to myself, why she could not live like a normal child and go to school as every other child. What was her fault? And how could she come out from that mess of life? Was she destined to live this way or someday she will see a ray of hope?
The story writer is a Sanskriti Award-winning novelist, playwright, scriptwriter, and journalist.
Mythological reading & its significance
One of the fondest memory of my childhood was my inclination towards our mythology. When I was a kid, the whole family sometimes neighbors too, to get together at my place to watch Ramayan, Mahabharata, and Shri Krishna. It was a time when everyone could not afford a television. I just loved seeing amazing stories of Bal Krishna, Rama, Ravana, Kauravas, and Pandavas. How did Hanuman help Lord Rama to find Devi Sita and win over evil? My love for mythological stories led me to read more and more of them and try to learn new things from them.
Let us come to why am I talking about mythology today? As a mother of growing son, I feel that teaching my kid about our mythology is very important, as many times he comes up with questions that need to be answered soon. As our child grows, we should try to get their focus towards our mythological stories. The right time to nurture our little ones with the versatility of our culture is to let them know from the very beginning.
Why encourage mythological reading in kids? A child should bring light to mythology from the very beginning. Understanding our mythology helps the child come out of any trouble and could help them lead a better life.
Teaches moral values to a child
Mythological stories are a great source of moral values. The Puranas are full of these stories. It helps kids know about the old traditions of that time
and the life of real heroes and their moral values. These stories can help them learn predominant life lessons. Each mythological story proved to be a great source of moral values, rules, and regulations to lead a happy and prosperous life. Mythology teaches kids moral values in a very interesting way so that they feel connected to them.
Sibling bonding
In most of the mythological stories, we came across the bond between siblings is incredible. We can take examples of the bond between Rama and Lakshmana, Krishna and Balrama, Pandavas. In the present world, many siblings are having disputes related to property, dictatorship. So if your child has a sibling, then bringing light on the sibling bonding can help them boost their relationship with their siblings.
Differentiating between good and evil
In most of the stories, either it is the story of Lordess Durga, Lordess Kali, Lord Rama, Pandavas, or Lord Krishna, they give us a lesson of victory over evil. From childhood, we should train our children to differentiate between right and wrong. We should always teach our kids that it is good that you get what you desire but adopt it rightly.
Respect for Women
The story of Ramayana inspires everyone to respect women. For instance, in the incident when Ravana kidnapped Seeta he did not touch Sita out of her will. Though she was kept at Ashoka Vatika at his kingdom then also she never forced himself over her. On the other hand, if we take the example of worshipping Lordess Durga for nine days in Navaratri and worshipping little girls as a replica of Lordess Durga also shows respect for women.
Respecting Elders, teachers, and Parents
Mythology teaches us to respect not only our parents but also our elders and teachers. There are many examples set by mythological heroes in way of respecting decisions made by elders. In Ramayana, even though Lord Rama knew that Kekayi’s decision is not appropriate than also respected her will and left his kingdom for 14 years. Another instance if we take is of Guru Dronacharya and Eklavya, we can see Dronacharya did not accept Eklavya as his student then also when asked for Eklavya’s finger as Guru Dakshina, Eklavya respected his Guru’s order and offered his fingers.
Keeping promises and commitment
King Dashratha knew that after his separation from his beloved son Rama, he will die in his bereavement. Then also he kept his promise that he made to Rani Kekayi when she saved King Dasaratha from his enemy in a war. Likewise, we can look from the example set by the promise given by Bharata to Lord Rama that he will not take the throne and keep Lord Rama’s sandals at the throne as he is the mighty king of Ayodhaya.
Keep away from Bad Advice
As we know that mythology is full of bad advice given to a character which leads to various miseries in their lives. Be it Manthra from Ramayan or Shakuni from Mahabharata, they have proved to be a bad advisor which leads to so many misfortunes in the life of others.
Unlocks imagination
Mythological stories have a world full of imagination, from flying chariots to multiple incarnations to unimaginable powers and so on. It helps to develop imagination and creativity in the kids.
Strength of women
Lord Kali, Lordess Durga, Lordess Sati, Maa Parvati, Maa Sita all are great examples of strength. We all know that women have been given a great strength to bear childbirth. She always proved herself to be strong in every situation. Likewise, we can learn more about women’s strengths through reading mythological stories.
Bond of friendship
Shri Krishna and Sudama portray a great example of the true bond of friendship. Although one came from the royal family and the other from the poor family both while heartedly respected the bond of friendship.
Teaches about our culture
Mythology also teaches kids about our culture. They are the true source from where kids can get to know more about their cultures and traditions. These stories are part of rich cultural heritage.
Value of education
We can see from each Indian mythology that either it is a prince or a normal child or an incarnation of God everyone visited Gurukul to attain education and enlighten themselves. No matter who the person is, everyone was treated equally in Gurukul.
Developing concentration
The example of Arjuna hitting the rotating fish eye or Lord Rama breaking the Shiva Dhanush all are examples of sheer concentration. With their concentration power only they were able to win among the others.
Developing faith
Taking the example of Prahalad, he had full faith in his Lord Vishnu. Once his father out of rage made him sit in the fire but it was his faith in Lord Vishnu that he easily escaped the death. Another instance is of Lord Hanuman, he had his full faith in Lord Rama and because of his faith only he was able to make a bridge with floating stones in the sea.
This, we can see Indian mythology are full of life lessons. Each story will teach you how to choose good over evil, how to keep faith in yourself and others, respect elders, teachers, parents, women, and everyone’s dignity. There is more than this you can learn from Indian mythology. It helps you to connect with your roots. It helps you to understand when there is a will, there is a way. It helps you to understand the value of time.
TO BE A CHAMPION, FIGHT ONE MORE ROUND
−Dr. Abhishek Srivastav
(Author/Motivational Speaker/ Student Coach)
As a child, he could play the piano better than most adults and any percussionists. His father, a terrible drunkard, was more interested in the money he could make by exploiting him. But his mother was supportive. He was 17 when she died leaving two younger brothers under his care. The child soon grew to be recognized as a truly great musician. But misfortune struck when at the age of 28 he became deaf. Deafness for a musician is inexplicably cruel. But he overcame his disability with great courage and wrote some of his best music even after he had lost his ability to hear. At one time, he agreed to conduct an orchestra at Vienna. With his back towards the audience, he directed the music he himself could not hear. The audience was enthralled. When the recital was over, he kept standing with his back towards the audience, getting his things together. One of his companions understood what was happening and turned him around. Only then did he see that he was receiving a standing ovation. The audience, who saw that he could neither hear his own composition nor their standing ovation, was moved to tears by his exemplary courage. He was an internationally acclaimed musician Beethoven who was initially told that he had no talent for music, but he gave some of the best music to this world. Believe it or not, champions know adversity is the synonym to victory. They believe if you remove the adversity, you remove the victory. As a result, they tend to view adversity as a challenge through which learning and growing occurs. Their world view is evident in the way they describe the adversities they face. While average people choose the path of least resistance, a champion operates at a higher level of self-awareness. He understands that stress and struggle are the key factors in becoming mentally tough. While average people watch television and hang out at happy hour, the great ones continue to push themselves mentally and physically to the point of exhaustion. Only then will you see them in rest and recovery situations. Adversity, to average people, equals pain. Adversity to champions is their mental training ground. It’s how they become mentally tough. It’s how they are committed. See, you can’t keep a committed person from success. Place stumbling blocks in his way and he takes them for stepping stones and on them he will climb to greatness. Take away his money and he makes spurs of his poverty to urge him on. The person who succeeds has a program; he fixes his course and adheres to it; he lays his plans and executes them; he goes straight to his goal. He is not pushed this side and that every time a difficulty, an adversity is thrust in his way. If he can’t get over it, he goes through it.
GET READY FOR THE REAL ACTION!
List the three most different adversities you have faced and five good things that happened to you as a result of each one. Train yourself to see the good in adversity, and your fear of future challenges will dissipate.
