Song of Youth - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Song of Youth - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Former President of India)

 As a young citizen of India

        armed with technology, knowledge and love for my nation

I realize, small aim is a crime

I will work and sweat for a great vision

       the vision of transforming India into a developed nation

        powered by economic strength with value system

I am one of the citizens of the billion

        only the vision will ignite the billion souls

It has entered into me

The ignited soul compared to any resource

        is the most powerful resource

       on the earth, above the earth and under the earth

I will keep the lamp of knowledge burning

        to achieve the vision – developed India.

                                    ****

THE CONJURER’S REVENGE – STEPHEN LEACOCK

THE CONJURER’S REVENGE – STEPHEN LEACOCK

“Now, Ladies and gentlemen,” said the conjurer, “having shown that the cloth is absolutely empty, I will proceed to take from it a bowl of goldfish, Presto!”

All around the hall people were saying, “Oh, how wonderful! How does he do it?”

But the Quick Man on the front seat said in a big whisper to the people near him, “He – had – it – up – his – sleeve.”

Then the people nodded brightly at the Quick Man and said, “Oh, of course,” and everybody whispered round the hall, “He – had – it – up – his – sleeve.”

“My next trick,” said the conjurer, “is the famous Hindostanee rings, you will notice that the rings are apparently separate, at a blow they all join (clang, clang, clang) – Presto!”

There was a general buzz of stupefaction till the Quick Man was heard to whisper, “He – must – have – had – another – lot – up – his – sleeve.”

Again everybody nodded and whispered, “The – rings – were – up – his – sleeve.”

The brow of the conjurer was clouded with a gathering frown.

“I will now,” he continued, “show you a most amusing trick by which I am enabled to take any number of eggs from a hat. Will some gentleman kindly lend me his hat? Ah, thank – you – Presto!”

“He extracted seventeen eggs, and for thirty-five seconds the audience began to think that he was wonderful.  Then the Quick Man whispered along the front bench, “he – has – a – hen – up – his – sleeve,” and all the people whispered it on. “He – has – a – lot – of – hens – up – his – sleeve.”

The egg trick was ruined.

It went on like that all through. It transpired from the whispers of the Quick Man that the conjurer must have concealed up his sleeve, in addition to the rings, hens, and fish, several packs of cards, a loaf of bread, a doll’s cradle, a live guinea-pig, a fifty-cent piece, and a rocking-chair.

The reputation of the conjurer was rapidly sinking below zero. At the close of the evening he rallied for a final effort.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I will present to you, in conclusion, the famous Japanese trick recently invented by the natives of Tipperary. Will you, sir,” he continued, turning toward the Quick Man, “will you kindly hand me your gold watch?”

It was passed to him.

“Have I your permission to put it into this mortar and pound it to pieces?  He asked savagely.

The Quick Man nodded and smiled.

The conjurer threw the watch into the mortar and grasped a sledge hammer from the table. There was a sound of violent smashing. “He’s – slipped – it – up – his – sleeve,” whispered the Quick Man.

“Now, sir,” continued the conjurer, “will you allow me to take your handkerchief and punch holes in it? Thank you. You see, ladies and gentlemen, there is no deception, the holes are visible to the eye.”

The face of the Quick Man beamed. This time the real mystery of the thing fascinated him.

“And now, sir, will you kindly pass me your silk hat and allow me to dance on it? Thank you.”

The conjurer made a few rapid passes with his feet and exhibited the hat crushed beyond recognition.

“And will you now, sir, take off your celluloid collar and permit me to burn it in the candle? Thank you, sir. And allow me to smash your spectacles for you with my hammer? Thank you.

By this time the features of the Quick Man were assuming a puzzled expression. “This thing beats me,” he whispered, “I don’t see through it a bit.”

There was a great hush upon the audience. Then the conjurer drew himself up to his full height and, with a withering look at the Quick Man, he concluded:

“Ladies and gentlemen, you will observe that I have, with this gentleman’s permission, broken his watch, burnt his collar, smashed his spectacles, and danced on his hat. If he will give the further permission to paint green stripes on his overcoat, or to tie his suspenders in a knot, I shall be delighted to entertain you. If not, the performance is at an end.”

And amid a glorious burst of music from the orchestra the curtain fell, and the audience dispersed, convinced that there are some tricks, at any rate, that ate not done up the conjurer’s sleeve.

- - - -

The Fun They Had – Isaac Asimov

The Fun They Had – Isaac Asimov

[Science fiction is a kind of fantasy that usually concern changes that science may bring about in the future. Many science fiction stories take you to an imaginary world, such as another planet, the future on Earth, or a spaceship in another galaxy.

This story was written in 1951 was written in 1951, many years before computers became common teaching instruments in schools and at home. As you read, think about how the writer feels about these “mechanical teachers.”  Have any of his predictions come true? How do you predict computers will be used in classrooms by the year 2155?]

Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed may 17, 2155, she wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!”

It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper.

They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to – on a screen, you know. And then, when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had had when they read it the first time.

“Gee,” said Tommy, “What a waste. When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess, Our Television screen must have had a million books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I wouldn’t throw it away.”

“Same with mine,” said Margie. She was eleven and hadn’t seen as many telebooks as Tommy had. He was thirteen.

She said, “Where did you find it?”

“In my house.” He pointed without looking, because he was busy reading. “In the attic.”

“What’s it about?”

“School.”

Margie was careful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.” Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.

He was a round little man with a red face and a whole box of tolls with dials and wires. He smiled at her and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right and, after hour or so, there it was again, large and ugly with big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. That wasn’t so bad. The part she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in no time.

The inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted her head. He said to her mother, “It’s not the little girl’s fault. Mrs. Jones, I think the geography sector was geared a little too quick. Those things happen sometimes. I’ve slowed it up to an average ten-year level. Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory.”  And he patted Margie’s head again.

Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.

So she said to Tommy. “Why would anyone write about school?”

Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. “Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds of years ago.” He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, Centuries ago.” 

Margie was hurt. “Well, I don’t know what kind of school they had all that rime ago.” She read the book over his shoulder for a while, then said, “Anyway, they had a teacher.”

“Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”

“A man? How could a man be a teacher?”

“Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions.”

“A man isn’t smart enough.”

“Sure he is. My father knows as much as my teacher.”

“He can’t. A man can’t know as much as a teacher.”

“He knows almost as much I betcha.”

Margie wasn’t prepared to dispute that. She said. “I wouldn’t want a strange man in my house to teach me.”

Tommy screamed with laughter, “You don’t know much, Margie. The teachers didn’t live in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there.”

“And all the kids learned the same thing?”

“Sure, if they were the same age.”

“But my mother says teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.”

“Just the same, they didn’t do it that way then If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read the book.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.” Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny schools.

They weren’t even half finished when Margie’s mother called. “Margie! School!”

Margie looked up. “Not yet Mamma.”

“Now,” said Mrs. Jones “And It’s probably time for Tommy, too…”

Margie said to Tommy, “Can I read the book some more with you after school?”

“Maybe.” He said, nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the dusty old bool tucked beneath his arm.

Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

Then screen was lit up, and it said: “Today’s arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday’s homework in the proper slot.”

Matgie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the schools they had when her grandfather’s grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighborhood came, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.

And the teachers were people….

The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: “When we add the fractions ½ and ¼ ……”

Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking about the fun they had.

-----

May I Compare Thee to Summer’s Day. - William Shakespeare

May I Compare Thee to Summer’s Day. - William Shakespeare

Sonnet XVIII (18) – William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;

And every fair from fair sometimes declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st:

Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee

William Shakespeare was a celebrated poet, dramatist and an artist of Elizabethan Age. A literary acumen and consummate artist. Every ward was so carefully chosen for both reference to sense and sound, so as so his diction became not only melodious and musical but also touching the deepest depths of philosophical insights of human nature.

Sonnet – 18, is a sublime example for his perfect craftsmanship of writing in his own style, comparing the ‘Patronage’ of an unidentified patron at his crucial times of poverty to the ‘Summer’s Day’. According to him the unidentified person’s presence may be equivalent to the joy of summer, which is the happiest season of Europe. Whatever is ‘more lovely’ or beautiful is liable to be ‘more temperate’ Rough winds of the Nature do disfigure the most beautiful the ‘darling bud of May’ (rose). Even ‘summer’s lease’ may be ‘too short a date’ wherein the ‘eye of heaven’ (sun) be faded away. Whatever is ‘fair’ (beautiful) that comes from the ‘fair’ (nature) may have very short span of life. ‘Chance’ (fate) and the ‘nature’s changing course’ (time) are always working against to their (fairies of Nature) and disfigure the Nature’s beautiful things.

Let all elements of Nature are subjected to fall as victims to the snares of ‘fate’ and ‘time’ but the ‘patronage’ of the dark person is eternal and immortal. The poet is here immortalizing the patronage of the dark patron without fading away in the due course of time. So the poet is proudly saying that the ‘patronage’ of the dark person may be remembered forever so long as his poems survive. He brags ‘so long as men can breathe or eyes can see so long lives this (poem) so long as give life to thee’.

****

Tryst with Destiny – Jawaharlal Nehru

Tryst with Destiny – Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of India. He was a great statesman who is responsible for all the progress of India. As the prime minister of India, Nehru shaped the foreign policy of the country and gave gibe support for the development of science and technology Nehru was originally a lawyer but he was also an expert in most other subjects. The people of India respected his vast knowledge and called him 'Pundit Nehru'.

India won Independence from British rule on the 15th August, 1947. At the very stroke of midnight in the clock, Nehru announced the happy news of the freedom of India to the entire world. During the colorful ceremony held at New Delhi, the flag of British was pulled down and the new tricolor national flag was hoisted. After that, Nehru delivered a historic speech which is known as "Tryst with Destiny".

Nehru began his speech by referring to the pledge made by Indians long years ago to win the freedom for the homeland. Freedom has finally come and the long suppressed soul of the nation is liberated. Nehru asks the people of India to dedicate themselves to the service of India and to the service of the whole mankind.

India emerged as a new nation in the early hours of 15th August, 1947. Behind this success lies the long and great sacrifice done by the freedom fighters of many generations. According to Nehru, the people in India will collect their courage from the principles of the past. The success celebrated on the 15th August is only an opportunity for great successes in future. He asks the people on India to accept this challenge and to serve the future generation of India.

Nehru reminds the people of India that freedom and power bring responsibility before 1947, India used to depend upon England for leadership and guidance. After 1947, India is her own master. The country has to take its own decisions, learn from mistakes and move forward. India has to grow into a mature and wise nation and be a model to other nations.

Nehru feels that all Indians should work hard for the development of their dear nation. Doing service to India means doing service to millions of poor people who suffer all over the county. Nehru feels that the past is over and it is the future that has to be taken care of. It is for the future generations that we have to dedicate ourselves. Nehru urges the people to labor and to work hard to give reality to the dreams of the nation. Those dreams are not only for India but for the entire world. According to Nehru, all the countries in the world are closely connected. No one can live in isolation. Peace, freedom and prosperity are the common property of all humanity. Nehru warns the people that disaster in one part of the world can affect everyone else, because the world cannot be divided into small isolated pieces.

*****

INTRODUCTION TO "TRIBUTE TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA"

INTRODUCTION

        

It gives me immense pleasure indeed to talk on  scholarly papers to pay a splendid tribute to the great sage on the occasion of this conference “A Commemoration of 150^th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’ On this special occasion I would like to extend my special thanks for those who have come from far off places to participate in the glorious event and present papers flooding substantial light on the life and achievements of Swami Vivekananda and  enlighten us on the subject of this conference. The papers are really well written and made me fall into the sense of fascination to bring out all papers in this form of book.

Before I proceed further I would like to express my constraints and limitations in preparing arrangements of two day National Conference. By the time, when I was assigned to host  the conference there was little time left in my hand to hold the conference especially on this particular day i.e. on 11^th September 2014. We decided to hold this conference only today against all odds because of its special significance. Nearly 120 years ago exactly on this day of 11^th September 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his unforgettable speech in the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, USA. In this shortest time possible I had to make all necessary arrangements with the best possible efforts with assistance of my friends and colleagues.

Therefore, on behalf of the Organizing Committee I must confess that when I was first informed to host this conference I was rather skeptical about my ability to manage the conference at my present stage of inexperience of organizing a National conference. However, the members of the organizing committee have come to my aid, and helped me by patting on my shoulders with their fullest support and filled my heart with courage in every step to go ahead with full confidence to organize the facilities to cater for a two-day National Conference. I never forget the unexplainable help rendered by our Principal when I was groping for the right way to go ahead in the darkest hour. 

It is thus both an honour and pleasure for me on behalf of my great Veerashaiva College to host this function despite many short comings in organizing this event. I am indeed delighted to be associated with all my dear colleagues who helped me a lot and their invaluable help will never be forgotten.

We are all well-aware that Swami Vivekananda’s contributions in various fields and unparallel services for the welfare of the society. It is universally acknowledged that Swamiji revitalized his philosophy within and outside India, in spite of her (India) innumerable linguistic, ethnic, historical, and regional diversities, India has had from the time immemorial a strong sense of cultural unity.  It was, however, Swami Vivekananda who revealed the true foundations of this culture and thus clearly defined and strengthened the sense of unity as a nation. Swamiji gave Indians proper understanding of their country’s spiritual heritage and thus he gave us pride in our past. Another greatest contribution of Swami Vivekananda was to build a bridge between Indian culture and western culture. He did it by interpreting Hindu Scriptures and Philosophy and the Hindu Way Life and its Social Institutions to the western people in an idiom in which they could understand. He made western people realize that they had to learn much from Indian spirituality for their well-being. It was the principal reason for the enthusiastic reception of Yoga, Transcendental Meditation and other forms of Indian spiritual self-improvement in the West.

Further, Swami Vivekananda espoused the idea that all sects within Hinduism and all religions are different paths to the same goal. However, this view has been criticized as an oversimplification of Hinduism. He is indisputably considered that Swamiji was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the modern world who awakened India through his invaluable messages and stirring lectures. The most inspiring and unique lectures he delivered at the World Parliament of Religions held at Chicago, USA on September 11^th 1893 and subsequent teachings for four and half years in USA and Europe, he succeeded to a great extent in changing the opinion of Western people about India.

In the background of emerging nationalism in British-ruled India, Swami Vivekananda crystallized the nationalistic ideals. In the words of social reformer C. F. Andrews, “Swamiji’s intrepid patriotism gave a new colour to the national movement throughout India. More than any other single individual of that period Swami Vivekananda had made his contributions to the new awakening of India”.  His nationalistic ideas influenced many Indian thinkers and leaders. Sri Aurobindo regarded Swami Vivekananda was the one who awakened India Spiritually; Mahatma Gandhi counted him among the few Hindu reformers “who have maintained this Hindu religion in a state of splendor by cutting down the dead wood of tradition.”

Swami Vivekananda is a universal ideal for modern youths. He achieved so much in his life and contributed so much to the welfare, progress and spiritual elevation of humanity during the short period of his youth. His unparallel teachings infuse self-confidence and inner strength to face the problems of life such as failure, criticism, and depression and so many psychological inhibitions. His teachings are perennial source of inspiration and eternal hope for the young generations to attain true fulfillment and peace in their lives. 

The inspiring god man, Swami Vivekananda with his infinite knowledge in Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, with his art of eloquence, with his brilliant conversation, with his broad human sympathy, with his multifaceted personality, with his glowing and attractive countenance made an irresistible appeal strove across the world to promote peace and brotherhood on the spiritual foundation of the Vedanthic Oneness of existence.

Swami Vivekananda taught us very deep aspects encompassing Spiritualism, Universal values, Religion, Character building, Education, Spirit of Service and other social issues. His thoughts caught the imagination of people in diverse societies and cultures because of the universality of his preaching and the exalted goals that he set for human beings. The eternal idea in the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda was religious universalism. All religions are universal, equal and true! Truly he is a citizen of the world.

Many historians pointed out that swami Vivekananda will be eternal in the whole history of Indian religion, for moulding the modern world, especially as far as Asia is concerned.

During this celebration of the 150^th Birth Anniversary, it is the time for us to pay tribute to the great soul. Swamiji’s works and message could be the best inspiration for us today. We hope that, the participants must be inspired by the eminent lectures on Swamiji’s thoughts and works which will definitely help them to mould their way of thinking and the perceptions about Religion, Humanity, Selfless Service, Spiritualism, Universal values, Character building and Education. With these a few observations I conclude my introduction of this conference. I thank you and I will be thankful to one and all whose gracious presence to make this event successful and I wish every participant of this conference may reap golden harvest of invaluable Knowledge,

Thank you.

Mastanappa Puletipalli

11^th September 2014

B. A./B. Sc./B. Com./B. B. M./B. S. W./BCA II Semester May - 2016 (Grammar KEY)

B. A./B. Sc./B. Com./B. B. M./B. S. W./BCA Second Semester

Degree Examinations (May – 2016)

Basic English (New Syllabus)

Time: 3 hours                                                                                                  Maximum Marks: 80

Text: Words and Beyond and Language Components

I.                    Annotate any Two of the Following:                                                             (2x6 = 12)

a.       Baldeo was conscious only of a searing pain down his back, and then there was blackness and the night closed in on him forever.

—The Tiger in the Tunnel – Ruskin Bond

b.       And, of course, I want a wife who will not demand sexual attention when I am not in the mood for it.

—Why I Want a wife? – Judy Brady

c.       It was only later that Hardy decided that Ramanujan was, in terms of natural mathematical genius.

—Hardy and Ramanujan – C. P. Snow

d.       Angoori was very proud of her silver jewellery, elated by the mere touch of her trinkets.

—The Weed – Amrita Pritam

II.                 Answer any one of the following:                                                                 (1x16 = 16)

a.       Describe the background of Baldeo and the nature of his duties as a watchman and his pride of his axe.

b.       “The Weed” is the story of innocence and ignorance, Elucidate.

III.               Annotate any Two of the Following:                                                            (2x6 = 12)

a.       Between my finger and my thumb

The squat pen rests.

I’ll dig with it.

—Digging – Seamus Heaney

b.       And our social Psychology workers found

That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.

—The Unknown Citizen – W. H. Auden

c.       Remember, we who take arms against each other.

It is the human earth that we defile.

—No Men are Foreign – James Kirkup

d.       They didn’t tell me

how much of my tears

they needed to hoist

a jungle of their pride;

—Gandhi – Niranjan Mohanty

IV.               Answer any one of the following:                                                                (1x16 = 16)

a.       How does W. H. Auden draw a pen picture of a socially-regimented citizen in a materialistic Utopia of Modern Age in his poem “The Unknown Citizen”?

b.       ‘Plough and Pen have great impact on the development of human society, but Seamus Heaney took the Pen’. What did he want to do with it? What was the background of his family? 

V.                 Language Components: 

a)      Change the following into reported speech:                                              (4X 2 = 08)

1.       He said, “It may rain today.”

—He said that it might rain that day.

2.       “I am very busy now.” She said to her friend.

—She said to her friend that she was very busy then.

3.       She said to me, “What are you doing?”

—She asked me what I was doing.

4.       She said, “Alas! I am undone.”

—She exclaimed sorrowfully that she was undone.

b)      Fill in the blanks with suitable modals given in the brackets:                      (4X 2 = 08)

1.       If it is made of wood, it ……… (can / will) float.

If it is made of wood, it will float.

2.       This is delicious, you ………… (may / ought) to try some.

This is delicious, you ought to try some.

3.       Children over the age of twelve ……….. (will / must) pay full fare.

Children over the age of twelve must pay full fare.

4.       No civilized country ……….. (should / might) allow such terrible injustice.

No civilized country should allow such terrible injustice.

c)      Frame ‘wh’- questions so as to get the underlined part as the answer:         (4X 2 = 08)

1.       She is the second child to her parents.

     —How manieth child is she to her parents?

2.       In some districts, farmers use donkeys for agriculture.

     —Where do farmers use donkeys for agriculture?

3.       The Minister inaugurated the newly constructed bridge.

     —What did the Minister inaugurate?

4.       There are fifty students in the class.

     —How many students are there in the class?

******

The Home Coming – Rabindranath Tagore

The Home Coming – Rabindranath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was an educator, social reformer, poet, playwright, novelist and short story writer. His poetical collection Gitanjali was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. The Home Coming is the tale of a 14 year old boy who was a nuisance to his mother, was sent away for studying and died there unloved, longing for his home.

Phatik Chakravarthi was a fourteen year old Bengali boy whose father died very early. He grew up lazy, wild and disobedient. His younger brother Makhan Chakravarthi was quiet, good and fond of reading. Phatik thought about doing new mischiefs each day. One day he and his retinue of boys pushed into the river a wooden log meant to be shaped as the mast of a boat. Makhan, objecting to this and sitting firmly on the log, was thrown to water along with the log. At home, when he was questioned about this, he beat not only his brother, but his mother also. It was then that his uncle from the far off Calcutta City arrived. He agreed to take the boy along with him to Calcutta to be educated there. The boy was only glad to leave, but the mother was only half- relieved and half- sad.

Phatik's uncle had three sons of his own and his aunt did not like the new addition to the family. A fourteen year old boy will have his own problems too. He was fast growing up. He was neither a child nor a man. He had missed the meadow, mountain and river of his native village. Therefore it was no wonder he became a failure at school. He answered no questions, was beaten badly daily at school and ridiculed by all including his cousins. He grew impatient about returning to home and began asking always, when the holidays would come.

One day Phatik lost his lesson book and was scolded and abused much by his aunt. It was the last hurt to break him. On a rainy afternoon after school, feeling fever and headache, he sought shelter somewhere and did not return home. He did not want to trouble his aunt any more. Police help was sought the next day. They brought him home, shivering and fallen into a delirious state. He talked about things in his native village, asked his mother not to beat him anymore and called out fathom- marks which the steamer- sailors in his native village river did. He moved restlessly, his hands beating up and down. His condition seemed critical to the doctor and his mother in the village was sent for. When his mother arrived moaning and crying, and calling his names, he was nearing his eternal home which is Heaven. His last words were: Mother, the holidays have come.

The question is, how we treat our children. Children are the flowers of humanity. Yet, we do not see the grief in those tiny hearts. Up to four years, a child is said to be in the hands of the God, but since then they are the World's. A bit of love, a soft touch of solace or a tiny word of comfort would be enough for them, but we do not spare them. Millions of children are worn out for want of care, nursing, assistance. Tagore's was one of the first glances into the grief and sorrow of a little mind. Another of its kind is Coventry Patmore's poem, Toys.

****

On Doing Nothing – J B Priestley

On Doing Nothing – J B Priestley

‘On Doing Nothing’ is an essay by J B Priestley debating over the idea of work and relaxation. He talks of the idea of unwinding oneself and the benefits we would enjoy from doing nothing. He, thus, stresses on the idea of doing nothing and spending time in leisurely activities which is as necessary and beneficial to human life as work. The life of man is fraught with work and all of us are involved rat race directly or indirectly. Such a life is necessary and can also make us prosperous. But it is not the ‘be all’ and the ‘end all’ of all matters. There, thus exists a world outside work – the world of leisurely activities and past-times. We are all to spend sometime consciously in such matters. Nature is beautiful and it, not only soothes the mind, but also a teacher and a nourisher. Nature only regains our mental health and achieves a position where we can work better and more efficiently.

However, the irony is that not many people realize this value. They spend most of their lives at break-neck speed and pass away without even looking at nature. The author does not conform to such an idea of life. However, the author does not instruct us against work. Work is important and necessary and absolute, no work would only mean laziness couple with aimlessness. He only wants us to blend our work with the perfect mixture of rest and pastimes. There things in moderation only helps us to perform better. Thus, we should make conscious efforts to enjoy nature and relax. It is only then, that, our lives become a complete circle.

This is the reason why he enjoys his outing with his artist friend at Forkshire Falls. Such communion with nature helps him to retain his saintly intact. On the other hand, he denounces the likes of Mr. Gordon Selfridge who curse the waste of time. Such people work only for profit motives and in reality miss out a considerable portion of life. The tragedy, however, is that many of us don’t even realize the value of pastimes.

This makes the author suggest instances in our history, who would uphold the author’s notion of life and its value. Thus, William Wordsworth would only be happy to vouch for such kind of life. Priestley goes to say that a devil is usually busiest being and majority of the world’s fuss is created by overwork and impatience. A break from the usual, monotonous and humdrum affairs of life only helps us to avoid such irritation. In short, the author tries to hold before us a way of life and its intrinsic value. There is more to life than just work ceaselessly. Work and leisure, if blended properly not only helps us to go a long way, but also in a better and more fruitful way.

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