Colours of nature

I was in Dhauladhar range of mountains in Himachal last week. The beauty of hills is not at specific tourist attraction points rather, it is spread all around . As Dale Carnegie puts it, "One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today "

Truly, all one need is the sight and sense to see and feel that beauty all around. because we really do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.  Below are some pictures that prove that the nature has its own way  kaleidoscopic canvas with ephemeral colors that change with time of day. 

Here are two photos of morning  that show sun rays finding there way through trees and plants

then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.

  

And then ,the day begins to end and the nature begins to spread all its colors in the sunsets ,These photos were taken in span of total ten minutes but  notice the changing colors over mountains.

 

It would not be out of place to quote this beautiful poem by Chelsea Poshini

Have you seen the Sunset and Sunrise

And the Horizon that's a prize

How the colors mix and melt

And look as soft as felt

How they float away into black

As you wish them back

And that feeling that makes you sad

How the tears come and just make you mad

But then you see the stars

That are so small they could fit in jars

Now there are so many

You'd buy each one with a penny

How they shine so bright

And don't put up a fight

So you stand watching them twinkle and shine

Then you realize you feel fine

So you sigh

And say goodbye.

Take care , observe the  surroundings, stay healthy and be happy Always.....

Wise after Event

If the responses on social media are any indicator, whole country seems to be jubilant at the news of Kailash Satyarthi being jointly awarded the Noble prize 2014 for peace in recognition of  his work on prevention of child labor . The question that arises in my mind is what really is more important in our society to get appreciation and acceptance? Is it Great work or Great award?

Where were we, the Indians, since 1990 when he started his work on combating the child labor? Where were all the admirers who post his photo today, when he was struggling to set up and fund his NGO? US has given him at least 7 awards, Spain, Germany, Netherlands all have applauded and awarded combat of his group for freeing the children of tender age from clutches of brutal and inhuman labor. One is forced to think where was our Indian Government all these years? More importantly where was our ubiquitous media, whose priority seems to be reporting affairs of film stars and tantrum of politicians while the positive and inspiring work of such hidden heroes does not come to lime light till it gets recognition from across the borders. 

Isn't it sad, that talent of music maestro like Vishva Mohan Bhatt was recognized in our country only after he got Grammy Award? Isn't it pathetic that we could not offer a respectable job to likes of Har Govind Khurana, who had to migrate to revolutionize the world of bio science with his work on interpretation of the "genetic code and its function in protein synthesis". As a countryman it is justified to feel pride in achievement of an Indian but shouldn't we be ashamed of ourselves that such people exist in our neighborhood but we fail to identify them till they get recognition from across seven seas. Although we have got independence from British decades ago, the cobweb and fungus of colonial mindset still layers our minds. Irony is, inspiring leaders , passionate anthropologists and talented craftsmen exists among us but they are often opposed, ridiculed, scorned, bullied and even beaten till they get appreciation and award from west and then masses, media and so called system of our country share their photos and make them angels. 

The second important thing is we are a ‘person centrist’ and not an ‘issue centrist society’. We don't follow the ideals and thoughts of person .Instead, we make their idol , garland them and sing praise in their name. In this process people are transformed into super heroes in lime light and the cause they stood for becomes gets marginalized on side lines. It will be interesting to see how many of these people who are singing songs of his laurels join hands and come to support his NGO "Bachapan Bachao Aandolan"(Save Childhood Movement)? There are reports that many children he freed were forced to go back to work because of hunger and poverty that prevails in those families. Isn't somewhere , someone responsible and accountable for human resource development and for ensuring that at least children get basic education and two square meals.

Majority of our output from our premium institutes like IITs and IIMs settles abroad and not all of them go there just for more dollars. In our holy land, they don't want a scientist to remain a scientist, they want to make him an officer. We transform them into an elite head clerk who can sign applications and tenders and write useless committee reports. Whereas, a fertile mind wants to do work on the chosen field of specialization that one has passionately pursued. He or she wants a laboratory , equipment , books, fellow researchers , students to pursue their passion . Their  priorities are not a plush office with 9 to 5 mockery with dictation from ministerial authorities who don't know S of science R of research or E of education.

If we really have to become a progressive society then we have to be rational in our approach, sensitive in our observations and sensible in our actions . We have to develop sense of right and wrong within us because wisdom is in setting correct course before and during event as "even a fool is wise after the event ".

All the power is within You

“Anyone can make a difference and everyone must try”. Though this famous John F. Kennedy axiom is  a perfect success formula for any profession but it is especially true for teachers. It is because good teachers fill some lives with hope and give some good reasons at-least to a  few,  to embrace all aspects of life.

Those who are privileged to be part of teaching  fraternity should never forget that it is a responsibility , a duty and an obligation to groom the future generation not only by imparting skills that are essential to make a success in life but also to inculcate values that will make the young a better person and a better citizen. The difficulty is that the values cannot be taught just by preaching. Ethics and principles are to be integrated through examples; the strength of character of the teacher is the cement that fabricates holds and glues morals in young minds.

To be good in any field requires hard work and expertise. To be a good teacher besides having good knowledge of one’s subject one should be a good communicator and patient listener. Besides being a professional guide, one has to be essentially a good human with calm and composure because when heart is a sweltering volcano, flower of compassion can never bloom.

The biggest reward of being a teacher is the affection and respect one gets from the people whose life they touch .A good teacher is fondly remembered by thousands of people for the rest of their lives. The kind words and greetings of students on 'teachers day', instead of creating an overwhelming euphoria or conceit should be a source of motivation  and this is indeed an occasion for every teacher to introspect and correct course for how he or she can contribute to society by molding good scholar and rational thinking individual who are sensitive to surroundings and who are not blind followers of any faith , leader or ideology.

Some good teachers get carried away by success and begin to believe that they are maker and creators of talent. It is not true, talent is an  attribute of individual student . A teacher at his best can only try to groom the potential of child by cultivating a right attitude .A teacher can show the path,  kindle the spark but the zenith of success is to be climbed by the student only by bearing and walking through the smoldering heat of hard work .

 These beautiful lines of Shel Silverstein have always been my advice to fellow students because to teach is to learn twice. I urge all learners to understand them..

There is a voice inside of you
That whispers all day long,
"I feel this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you--just listen to...
The voice that speaks inside.”

You may also read Teacher's day :Time to introspect and prospect