Hunger -- Jayanth Mahapatra

 Hunger – Jayanth Mahapatra

 

It was hard to believe the flesh was heavy on my back.

The fisherman said: will you have her, carelessly,

trailing his nets and nerves, as though his words

sanctified the purpose with which he faced himself.

I saw his white bone thrash his eyes.

 

I followed him across the sprawling sands,

my mind thumping in the flesh’s sling.

Hope lay perhaps in burning the house I lived in.

Silence gripped my sleeves; his body clawed 

at the froth his old nets had dragged up from the seas.

 

In the flickering dark his lean-to opened like a wound.

The wind was I, and the days and nights before.

Palm fronds scratched my skin. Inside the shack

an oil lamp splayed the hours bunched to those walls.

Over and over the sticky soot crossed the space of my mind.

 

I heard him say: my daughter, she’s just turned fifteen…..

Feel her. I’ll be back soon, your bus leaves at nine.

The sky fell on me, and a father’s exhausted wile.

Long and lean, her years were cold as rubber.

She opened her wormy legs wide. I felt the hunger there,

The other one, the fish slithering, turning inside.

 

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 Comments.

Jayanth Mahapatra’s poem “Hunger” is one of the best poems which depicts the true picture of poverty that prevails evidently everywhere in India even after seventy years of Independence. At the surface level ‘hunger’ is utter shortage of food in poor communities that leads to gross violation of values and morals that have been set by privileged people.  Jayanth Mahapatra’s poem ‘Hunger’ deals with two kinds of hunger, one is ‘hunger for food’ and another is ‘hunger for sexual gratification’.  

 

The quest for fulfilment of fisherman’s hunger for food leads to pimp his own daughter with gross violation of morals and traditional values to a person who is hunger for sexual desire. The values have no place in such an utterly degraded human plight. The father’s pimping of his own daughter is a condemnation not of the father but of the society where such tragedy takes place. The title of the poem “Hunger” has relevance to the existing predicament of the poverty in the society. When the agony and the suffering become intolerable to a weak spirited person such person tends to surrender to inhumanity. It could have happened on the poverty-ridden sands of any beach in India.

 

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Your Attention, Please -- Peter Porter

Your Attention, Please – Peter Porter

 

the polar DEW has just warned that 

A nuclear rocket strike of 

At least one thousand megatons

Has been launched by the enemy

Directly at our major cities.

This announcement will take

Two and a quarter minutes to make,

You therefore have a further

Eight and a quarter minutes

To comply with the shelter

Requirements published in the Civil

Defence Code— section Atomic Attach.

A specially shortened Mass

Will be broadcast at the end

Of this announcement—

Protestant and Jewish services

Will begin simultaneously—

Select your wavelength immediately

According to instructions

In the Defence Code. Do not

Take well-loved pets (including birds)

into your shelter— they will consume

Fresh air, Leave the old and bed-

ridden, you can do nothing for them.

Remember to press the sealing

Switch when everyone is in 

The shelter. Set the radiation

Aerial, turn on the Geiger barometer.

Turn off your Television now.

Turn off your radio immediately

The Services end. At the same time

Secure explosion plugs in the ears

Of each member of your family. Take 

Down your plasma flasks. Give your children

The pills marked one and two

In the C. D. green container, then put 

Them to bed. Do not break

The inside airlock seals until

The radiation all Clear shows

(Watch for the cuckoo in your

Perplex panel), or your district

Touring Doctor rings your bell.

If before this, your air becomes

Exhausted or if any of your family

Is critically injured, administer

The capsules marked ‘Valley Forge’

(Red pocket in No. 1 Survival Kit)

For painless death. (Catholics

Will have been instructed by their priests

What to do in this eventuality.)

This announcement is ending. Our President

Has already given orders for 

Massive retaliation— it will be 

Decisive. Some of us may die.

Remember, statistically

It is not likely to be you.

All flags are flying fully dressed 

On Government buildings— the sun is shining

We are all in the hands of God.

Whatever happens happens by His Will. 

Now go quickly to your shelters.

 

                   -----

  Your Attention, Please – Peter Porter

 

Peter Porter’s poem “Your Attention, Please” reflects the disarray and disastrous situation of  contemporary times. It echoes the theme of death, division and decline as does in the poems “An Exequy, “The Delegate”, “The Easiest Room in Hell” etc. Peter porter always juxtaposed the power of art against the degrading powers of applied science and technology. In the famous and often published “Two Minute warning”, the warning stands not as a forewarning for those people alone, rather it is a pointer for humanity in general. It is a reminder to man who is cutting of the branch on which he is sitting. Immersed in a world of money, material, and munitions, human values have shown a marked deterioration. In an era of competition, Time, and Destruction reign supreme. This becomes obvious when the poet repeats “two and a quarter minute” and “eight and quarter minute.” We are reminded of the futility of life as in Philip Larkin’s “Ambulances”. In an ironical stance, “a specially shortened mass in telecast” to signify the corrosion of spirituality. The announcement says that Protestant and Jewish services will begin simultaneously. It suggests, how in the face of death, all communal rivalries vanish into the thin air.    

 

However, only human life is valued at least slightly here, for, people are asked to abandon their pets as “they will consume fresh air”. The Homo Sapiens (human beings) are content with the assumption that the “fresh air” is solely theirs. The callousness of the contemporary generation is revealed in their disregard for the old and the bed-ridden— the rule is that they HAVE to be left behind. The capsules marked “Valley Forge” survival kit in red pocket No.1 is a medicine for painless death drives home the paranoiac sense of victimization, meaninglessness of life and pointlessness leads to a sense of nihilism. 

 

In a satiric tone, the poet ascertains that the President has already given orders for Mass retaliation. The decision is decisive”. The ordinary citizen has no say in this matter. Nor do the military personnel involved. This proves to be very significant in the modern-day context, where America plays Big Brother role to all the other nations. Under authoritative rule, “human beings have lost their individuality”. It is unlikely to be “you”. All flags are fully dressed on Government buildings where power reigns supreme. 

 

There is also the conflict between religiosity and self-love that the poet projects with pungent irony. The announcer asks them to administer pills to have a painless death and thereafter the Catholics will be instructed by the priest what to do in such an eventuality. However, this is suicide or the Eternal Sin for the Catholics, and the mention of a Catholic Priest seeing to their final rites in outright obnoxious.   

 

The superfluity of advanced science and technology is stressed here. The nuclear weapon is itself a child of science and technology. Nevertheless, the helplessness of science in the face of calamity caused by itself is made explicit here. The omnipresence of science is reinforced by devices like the Geiger Barometer, Radio, Valley Forges, Plasma flask, Television, Radiation Aerial. They enhance the theme of the victory of science over the Art and Life. The poem is therefore a harsh indictment on the race for power politics and amassing of weapons of mass-destruction in the modern times. The best way to win a war is to prevent it. Peter Porter asserts: “The truth is a story forcing me to tell it. It is not my story or my truth.” It is an eternal truth that has its foundation rooted in humanity.

 

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edited.

(we use the material for educational purpose only)  

Ode on A Grecian Urn -- John Keats

 Ode on A Grecian Urn – John Keats

 

Thou still unravish’d bride of quietness,

Thou foster-child of Silence and slow Time,

Sylvan historians, who canst thus express

A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme:

What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape

Of deities or mortals, or of both,

In Tempe or the dales of Arcady?

What men or gods are these? What maidens loth?

What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape?

What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy?

 

Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard

Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on;

Not to the sensual ear, but, more endear’d,

Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone:

Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave

Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare;

Bold lover, never, never canst thou kiss,

Though winning near the goal — yet, do not grieve;

She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss,

For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!

 

Ah, happy, happy boughs! That cannot shed

Your leaves, nor ever bid the Spring adieu;

And, happy melodist, unwearied,

Forever piping songs of ever new;

More happy love! More happy, happy love!

For ever warm and still to be enjoy’d,

Forever panting, and forever young;

All breathing human passion for above,

That leaves a heart high-sorrowful and cloy’d,

A burning forehead, and a parching tongue.

 

Who are these coming to the sacrifice?

To what green altar, O mysterious priest,

Lead’st thou that heifer lowing at the skies,

And all her silken flanks with garlands drest?

What little town by river or sea shore,

Or mountain-built with peaceful citadel, 

Is emptied of this folk, this pious morn?

And, little town, thy streets for evermore

Will silent be; and not a soul to tell

Why thou art desolate, can e’er return.

 

O Attic shape! Fair attitude! With brede

Of marble men and maidens overwrought,

With forest branches and the trodden weed;

Thou, silent form, dost tease us out of thought

As doth eternity: Cold pastoral!

When old age shall this generation waste,

Thou shalt remain, in midst of other woe

Than ours, a friend to man, to whom thou say’st,

‘Beauty is truth, truth beauty’   — that is all 

Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.

 

                              ----- 

 

 

 

 

 

The Chimney-Sweeper's Complaint -- Mary Alcock

 The Chimney-Sweeper’s Complaint – Mary Alcock

 

A Chimney-sweeper’s boy am I;

Pity my wretched fate!

Ah, turn your eyes; ’twould[mp1]  draw a tear,

Knew you my helpless state.

 

Far from my home, no parents I

Am ever doomed[mp2]  to see;

My master, should I sue to [mp3] him,

He’d flog the skin from me.

 

Ah, dearest madam, dearest sir,

Have pity on my youth;

Though black, covered o’ver with rags,

I tell you naught[mp4]  but truth.

 

Me feeble limbs, benumbed with cold,

Totter[mp5]  beneath the sack,

Which, ’ere [mp6] the morning dawn appears

Is loaded on my back.

 

My legs you see are burnt and bruised,

My feet are galled[mp7]  by stones,

My flesh for lack of food is gone,

I’m little else but bones.

 

Yet still my master makes me work,

Nor spares me day or night;

His ’prentice[mp8]  boy he says I am,

And he will have his right.

 

‘Up to the highest top,’ he cries,

‘There call out Chimney-sweep!’

With panting heart and weeping eyes,

Trembling I upwards creep.

 

But stop! No more – I see him come;

Kind sir, remember me!

Oh, could I hide me underground,

How thankful should I be!

 

                     -----

 

 

 

 

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 [mp1]it would

 [mp2]destined

 [mp3]appeal to

 [mp4]nothing

 [mp5]walk in a shaky way that looks as if you are about to fall

 [mp6]before

 [mp7]injured, hurt 

 [mp8]apprentice (agree to work for a period of time and often for low payment)

Song of Radha, The Milkmaid - Sarojini Naidu

Song of Radha, the Milkmaid – Sarojini Naidu

 

I carried my curds to the Mathura fair…

How softly the heifers were lowing…

I wanted to cry, “Who will buy

These curds that is white as the clouds in the sky

When the breezes of Shravan are blowing?”

But my heart was so full of your beauty, Beloved,

They laughed as I Cried without knowing:

Govinda! Govinda!

Govinda! Govinda!

How softly the river was flowing!

I carried the pots to the Mathura tide…

How gaily the rowers were rowing!

My comrades called, “Ho! Let us dance, let us sing

And wear saffron garments to welcome the spring.

And pluck the new buds that are blowing.”

But my heart was so full of your music, Beloved,

They mocked when I cried without knowing:

Govinda! Govinda!

Govinda! Govinda!

How gaily the river was flowing!

I carried my gifts to the Mathura shrine…

How brightly the torches were glowing!

I folded my hands at the altars to pray

“O shining ones guard us by night and by day” –

And loudly the conch shells were blowing.

But my heart was so lost in your worship, Beloved,

They were worth when I cried without knowing:

Govinda! Govinda!

Govinda! Govinda!

How bright the river was flowing!

 

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Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller

 Death of a Salesman – Arthur Miller 

 

Willy Loman is a salesman living in New York City in the late 1940’s. He lives with his wife, Linda, in the same house for the last twenty-five years. The house once set apart from other houses, now it is surrounded by apartment buildings, which makes Willy feel closed in. 

 

Willy is having trouble in concentrating on driving and often makes mistakes such as crossing the white line, driving off the road, and running red lights, while stopping for green lights. He has begun to talk to himself more and more, which causes concern for Linda. He, at the beginning of the play, has come home from a business trip because he has had trouble with his driving. He is also concerned, because his sons are not progressing in the business world the way he had hoped they would. His first son Happy does have a job and lives in his own apartment, but his second son, Biff, rambles from job to job, as a farmhand, never making much money. 

 

Willy has been demoted from a salaried employee to a commission employee at his job. This means he makes less money to support himself and his wife. This combined with the constant driving and lackluster sales, causes Willy so much stress, that he begins to hallucinate. He thinks he is living in an earlier time in his life. He speaks to people who aren’t there, and he disturbs his friend, Charley, who come over to play cards with Willy. During the game Willy thinks his dead brother, Ben, is in the room with them. He is talking to Ben and Charley at the same time, which causes Charley and Willy to have a disagreement about the card game, Charley leaves, but Willy is still talking to Ben asking him how he made his fortune. Ben had gone to Africa and worked in the diamond mines; this is how he became rich. Willy also needs Ben to tell him he is proud of Willy and his sons. During this hallucination the boys are teenagers and Biff is the sports star at his school. Willy sees a very bright future for his son, but in reality, this does not come to pass. Willy is not as proud of Happy, who does all he can to garner some attention from his father. He is constantly telling his dad about the weight he has lost, but Willy instead of praising his son, tells him more ways in which to lose weight. 

 

Biff and Happy are surprised at the turn their father has taken. Happy knew his father would often talk to himself but did not know he was so loud about it and how often it occurred. Biff, meanwhile, had no idea his father was behaving in this manner. Now their mother tells them the car accidents Willy has been having, are in fact attempts at suicide. The boys agree to try to stay closer to home and start a business together. Biff decides to ask his former boss for a loan to help start the new business. 

 

At the beginning of act two. Willy and Linda are full of hope for their family’s future. Willy is going to talk to his boss, Howard, and try to change his job from that of traveling salesman to floor salesman in the store. They are also hopeful about Biff’s and Happy’s future business venture. If Biff can receive the loan from his former employer, then it will mean a bright future for the boys. Biff at age 34, needs to settle down and make a career for himself, he sees that and so does his parents. 

 

Willy tries to talk to Howard about the job change, but Howard tells him he just doesn’t have a position open for him in the store. He needs Willy to keep selling to the clients in the New England area. Willy becomes angry with Howard and starts to yell at him. Howard after trying to calm Willy down, eventually has to fire him. 

 

Biff is left waiting in his former boss, Bill Oliver’s office for six hours and he only sees Bill, as he is leaving for the day. It is clear either doesn’t remember Biff or doesn’t want to speak to him. Biff, after all did steal some basketballs from Bill’s business. Biff in a pique of anger enters Bill’s office and steals his pen. As he is making his escape from Bill’s office, he realizes he and Bill never did have a real relationship and he has made a mess of his life. 

 

Biff and Happy have made plans to meet their father in a restaurant to celebrate the anticipated good news from the day. Instead, it is all bad news and Willy is not willing to accept the truth from Biff. The two boys meet some girls and leave Willy alone in the restaurant, which causes Willy to have another hallucination about a woman he had used to cheat on Linda. 

 

At home, Linda is furious with the boys for leaving their father behind at the restaurant. She tells them it would be better if they left and never returned, because they cause so much stress for their father. Willy and Biff finally tell each other how they feel, which makes Willy understand that his son loves him. Willy decides the insurance money, or twenty-five thousand dollars would benefit his family. He talks to Ben and decides to kill himself. Afterward, Linda has a hard time dealing with Willy’s death. She cannot bring herself to cry, because she keeps on waiting for him to return from another business trip. She is sad, because finally the house is paid for and now, she does not have a husband to share it with.

 

This play shows how false perceptions of ourselves and others can bring about the ruin of a person. If a life is based on a lie, then eventually the truth can be too much to endure.

 

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All The World's A Stage - William Shakespeare

 All The World's a Stage -- William Shakespeare

All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players

They have their exits and their entrances;

and one man in his time plays many parts, 

His acts being seven ages. As, first the infant

Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms.

And then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel

And shining morning face, creeping like snail

Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,

Sighing  like furnace, with a woeful ballad

Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then the Soldier

Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard.

Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation

Even in the cannon's mouth. and then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lined,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts

Into the lean slipper'd pantaloon, 

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;

His youthful hose, well saved , a world too wide

for his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,

Turning again toward childish treble, pipes

And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, 

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

                                 -------

 

On The Day Of My Superannuation

On The Day Of My Superannuation 

The most respected and honourable Chairman of our College Governing Council Sri Gonal Rajashekar Garu

The most revered and honourable Principal of our College Dr. Rajashekar garu

My beloved secretaries of our Staff Club Dr. Thippeswamy and Sri Mallanagoud garu

And my most beloved colleagues and my bosom friends

Sri. B O Sathayanaryanareddy, Sri Manjunath, Sri Nagareddy, Dr. K C Sajjan, Sri A Mallikarjunappa, Sri Siddaram Mualji, Sri. P Suresh, Sri. Vidya Sagar, and many others who remain absent on account of Carona propagation.

First of all let me pray and  pay my heartfelt obeisance by touching the lotus feet of Goddess of Learning Sri Saraswathi for her unparalleled blessings and filled my begging slings with wisdom to fulfil my duties as a teacher, meeting with thousands of pupils (students) to share my knowledge for their betterment of life during my service of 29 years 5 months and 21 days.

At this moment I must be grateful to the Government of Karnataka for giving me this opportunity to serve in this holy state which considered to be the land of Lord Shiva though I was belonging to other state. On that moment when I joined to my job, I owed to be faithful to my duties till to the last day of my service and retained my owe to the core of my heart.

Secondly, I must be grateful to the most respectable Veerashaiva Vidya Vardhaka Sangha, Ballari for   providing me the most conducive space to discharge my duties. At this juncture I must be grateful to the Sangha, under whose warm wings I took shelter with unflinching confidence and trust for the successful completion of my service.

On this occasion I must remember and be grateful to all principals from Prof Gurubasavaraj sir, Chandrappa Shetty sir, Maregouda sir, Jayaprakash gouda sir and many others who remain unsung here though their names registered in my heart with golden letters  and down to my beloved Principal Dr. G Rajashekar sir whose munificence identified my strengths and shaped me as a teacher  to perform my duties to the satisfaction of my soul.

I never forget my bosom friends and colleagues whose intimacy is very close to my heart helped me in all respects when I was in difficulties and encouraged me when I was in the mood of discouragement  and invited me to participate in their happy occasions shared their joys and tears without making me feel as an outsider. They treated me as I am one of their family members. For all those friends and well-wishers, I am indebted which is never repayable.

On this occasion I must remember all Office Personnel by name Smt. MB Rajeswari Madam

Sri Ameresh, Sri Panduranga, Sri Basavaraj, Sri Chandre gouda, Sri Pramod, Sri K Veeresh, Sri Pamapapathi, Sri Nagaraj KB, Sri Umapathi, Sri Yerriswamy, our Principal’s personal assistant Sri Shanmukha, and Sri Ramappa who treated me great respect and held me whatever I need from the office and library. Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks for their memorable cooperation in discharging my duties successfully.  Thank you, my friends.

I hope this is not the end of my gratitude to my colleges where I worked and finally to the sangha it will be remembered till to the last day of life and remember every moment of help, I received in the wee hours of every morning.  

Finally, I must be thankful to my wife Smt. Rani and my children Chirangeevi Rishal babu and Chirangeevi Rishvanth babu who supported in all my critical times and helped me to take care of my duties. With their help I did nothing to my family but my professional duties. I extend my special gratitude to my family who pulled me back from the jaws of death in 2012 and gave me second life with the blessings of the God in Whom she has faith. She is responsible to make stand before you and to talk with you all today.

With all these sweet memories

Thank you and thank you one and all for giving me this warm farewell felicitation.

Adieu

 ------

John Milton (1609 - 1674)

John Milton (1609 – 1674)

John Milton was an English poet, best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost, was born on December 9^th, 1609.

Milton was educated at St. Paul’s School. London. He was originally destined for a ministerial career, but his independent spirit led him to give this up. He matriculated at Christ’s College, Cambridge in 1625 and studied there for seven years before he graduated as Master of Arts cum laude on July 3^rd, 1632. At Cambridge, Milton tutored the American theologian Roger Williams in Hebrew, in exchange for lessons in Dutch. On graduating from Christ’s College, Milton undertook six years of self-directed private study in both the ancient and modern disciplines of theology. Philosophy, history, politics, literature and science, in preparation for his prospective poetical career. As a result of such intensive study, Milton considered to be among the most learned of all English poets. In a Latin poem, possibly composed in the mid 1630s, Milton thanks his father for supporting him during this period.

Milton spent several years devoted almost entirely to prose work in the service of the Puritan and Parliamentary cause. The onset of glaucoma (a type of Eye disease), caused by his labours setting the typeface for numerous controversial pamphlets (Thus straining his optic nerve), eventually le to permanent blindness, forcing him, from 1654, to dictate his verse and prose to his granddaughter.

Milton wrote propaganda for the English Republic in the early 1650s, including the Eikonolastes, which attempts to justify the execution of Charles I. When he was caught and arrested in October 1659, he was not summarily executed several influential people had spoken on his behalf. Milton then lived in retirement, devoting himself once more to poetical work, and publishing Paradise Lost in 1667, the epic by which he attained universal fame (blind and improvised, he sold the publishing rights to this work on April 27 that year for £ 10), to be followed by Paradise Regained, together with Samson Agonistes, a drama on the Greek model, in 1671.      

Milton penned paradise Lost and Paradise Regained through dictation because of his blindness. This required him to store vast portions of the poems in his memory oral recitation.

Milton’s literary career cast such a formidable shadow over English poetry in the 18^th and 19^th centuries that he was often judged favourably against all other English poets, including Shakespeare. 

The unparalleled scope of Paradise Lost, his masterpiece, sees Milton justifying the ways of God to men, and the poem also depicts the creation on the universe, earth, and humanity; conveys the origin of sin, death, and evil; imagines events in hell, the Kingdom of Heaven, the garden of Eden, and the sacred history of Israel; engages with political ideas of tyranny, liberty ad justice; and defends theological positions on predestination, free will, and salvation. Milton’s influence on the literature of the Romantic era was profound. John Keats found the yoke of Milton’s style debilitating; he exclaimed that “Miltonic verse cannot be written but in an artful or rather artist’s humour.” Milton died on November 8^th, 1674. The John Milton Society for the blind was founded in 1928 by Helen Keller to develop an interdenominational ministry that would bring spiritual guidance and religious literature to deaf and blind persons.

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Communication Skills for IV Semester Basic English Students (part - 2)

Communication Skills for IV Semester Basic English Students (Part – 2)

Personal Conduct and Appearance

·      Etiquette and Manners

According to OALD the Etiquette is “the customary code of polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession or a group” and Manners is something “a person’s outward bearing or way of behaving towards others”. 

It will create poor impression on a person who behaves himself / herself badly despite his / her educational qualifications and experience. The way in which we behave ourselves says a lot about our character. Others judge us by our behaviour rather than by what we say. A well-mannered person finds it easy to work within a group and contribute towards its success. Now let us examine some forms of behaviour that are generally recognised as good manners.

1.     It is considered courteous to make a room for elderly people and women with children while getting in and getting off a bus or a train. Giving up your seat for a person who deserves it more adds beauty and grace to your behaviour.

2.     Listen to your friends and relatives or even to strangers when they wanted to share their problems.

3.     In case you feel like sneezing or coughing in crowded places, hold your handkerchief over your nose and mouth, and apologise later to the people around you by saying ‘sorry’ or ‘excuse me’.

4.     Being on time to a meeting, class or any other appointment is considered polite and professional. If you do happen to be late for such an event, apologise to the people who have been kept waiting.

5.     Pointing your index finger at a person especially at close range is considered offensive body language. Try to avoid such gestures.

6.     Showing undue interest in personal details of others and being inquisitive about them can be irritating to others.

7.     ‘I disagree with you’ is very simple to say to a person with whom you disagree but it is crude expression.

8.     Looking into the personal files of others’ mobile phones and reading personal letters without their permission and knowledge is considered as bad etiquette.

9.     Taking away to a little distance and whispering with one of your friends in front of other friends creates suspicion among other friends and it will be considered as breach of trust. 

10.  Whispering to the person seated next to you during a meeting, especially while some one speaking, is not an acceptable behaviour.

The way you behave yourself and the language that you use are the important parts of your personality. Rudeness and insensitivity to other people’s feelings will harm your image.  A well-behaved person is always be noticed and people are happy to interact with such person.

·      Table Manners

There is a code of conduct, called table manners, that is considered acceptable at the dining table. We cannot behave in a way that may irritate others seated with us while eating something at a dinning table. Table manners are context-specific, and they also differ from culture to culture. A loud burp of after a meal may considered as an appreciation of the food in some cultures, whereas it could be considered uncultured behaviour in some other cultures. So, you try to be very sensitive to others’ likes and dislikes when you are at the dining table, especially when it is a formal meal.

Here are some tips to improve your manners and mannerisms while you join other at a dinning table.

1.     It is bad table manners to eat nosily. Many people make slurping sounds while eating. This is considered bad manners especially in western culture. The best thing that you can do is keeping your mouth closed while munching the food and avoid making unpleasant noises which may irritate others.

2.     The noise made by a spoon, or by a knife or by a fork on a plate can be irritating to the person seated next to you. Therefore, you are requested not make any such noises while stirring the contents of a cup.

3.     The way you place your cutlery on the table and the way you use them are also part of your table manners. Hold the fork in your left hand and the knife in your right hand. Hold the food item with the fork and use the knife to cut it.

4.     Similarly, placing the fork and knife on the plate may indicate some meaning. If you place them (the fork and knife) on the sides of your plate indicate that you need another serving, and placing fork and knife crossed on the plate indicate that you finished your meal.

5.     In an Indian context, smacking your fingers during a meal or afterwards is considered a sign of appreciation. The person who cooked the food feels flattered by such behaviour but, in modern life, smacking fingers is considered bad manners.

6.     Leaving the dining table in the middle of a meal without specific reason is certainly considered bad manners. If you must leave the table on an important reason you must beg the pardon of the others at the table. 

The manners and behviour of person at a dining table enhances your personality that can yield respect from others. Therefore, you are advised to identify your weaknesses in your behavioural attitude and try to amend them.

·      Dress Code

The clothes you wear can express your personality. The colours of dress you choose, the ornaments you wear and other accessories you use will certainly tell about that what kind of person you are. Feel free to express yourself with your appearance, but there are conventions that you need to follow when dress suitable to the occasion. Of course, being well-dressed is not always an indicator of being cultured.  

The formal dress code varies according to the cultural milieu according to the context. For formal meetings or interviews you are advisable to wear a dark-coloured trousers, a light coloured shirt and matching despite well shined shoes. This type dress may be appropriate for men. If this type of dress code recommended in your organisations, you must also wear a coat. Students appearing for an interview may also follow this basic dress code. 

Black trousers with brown shoes, white shirt and a maroon coloured tie will be a bit odd to look at. A well shined black shoes, black trousers, a shite and a grey or blue tie would look sober. The dress code for women in an Indian company is usually a simple silk or well-starched and ironed sari with matching blouse, may not be acceptable in specific regions, but commonly acceptable dress code in all over India. Avoid wearing a lot of jewellery when you are going to your workplace. A couple of bangles, a pair of simple earrings and a chain around your neck may enhance your personality and appearance. Using odd and gaudy coloured dress may not express your personality in a proper manner.

·      Gender Bias in Communication

Gender Bias is the tendency to prefer one gender over another gender. Generally speaking, Bias or Biased Communication is prevalent in every aspect of our lives. Usually our brains are hardwired (very insensitive) to categorise things which we encounter every day the incidents of bias in order to make sense of the complicated world around us. However, biases can cause us to form prejudice against other, which allow very egregious inequalities to form between different demographics of the society.  

Bias can be experienced in many forms in day-to-day life. Those are for example, communal bias, caste bias, religious bias, linguistic bias, regional bias etc.  But here I have to focus on gender bias as per the topic I choose, and its role within the workplace. This topic covers what is gender bias, where and when it happens along with a few remedies which can reduce gender bias and ultimately build a more diverse and inclusive workplace. It should be noted that while there is a spectrum of gender identities, due to constraints within existing literature will focus on the gender binaries – male and female.

We have several instances which are deeply ingrained gender prejudices against women in our everyday conversations. We prejudiced that certain professions are prerogative rights of men only. We are not ready to accept that women can also be successful professionals like surgeons in medical sciences, pilots in Air Force or Civil Aviation, truck drivers, Loco pilots or any other such jobs. We always think that women are likely to be primary school teachers, nurses in hospitals, receptionists, secretaries etc.   

Traditionally, women have not been given prominent roles in our society, but today several organisations have given women very prominent roles in decision making and Execution in their organisations successfully. Arundhati Bhatacharya, former Chairperson of the State Bank of India, Chandra Kochhar, former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ICICI Bank, Indra Nooyi is an Indian American Business Executive and former Chief Executive Officer of Pepsico are the best exemplary women who had led their organisations successfully. Therefore, using disrespectful or abusive language to women colleagues either in their presence or in their absence is absolutely unacceptable and such incidents will lead to angry protest. Giving respect to women which is due to them creates a pleasant working environment, which will increase efficiency and productivity.

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