Science and War

Points: War today totally different from war in the past — War now a highly technical business — Science should help peace instead of war.

            War in modern times is completely different from the local fights of the earlier times. Now war is a highly technical operation. It s not all expensive, it is mechanical and depends much on science. The art of war has now become the science of warfare. All the modern inventions to science are made use of in a modern war.
            War is a now a push-button affair. Missiles are thrown from a long distance. The army men are just technicians of war. The air force is manned by a highly specialized team. What is more, the nuclear power is now harnessed for destruction. The atom bomb that destroyed Hiroshima and Nagasaki are nothing compared with those that are being stockpiled by USA and USSR.
            But must science be destructive? Was science designed primarily for war? If not, why is science today aiding and abetting the war- mongers? These questions are very relevant in the context of the modern world. It is for man to turn ‘science for war’ into ‘science for peace’. He can turn swords into ploughshares and turn all battlefields into source of food grains.

A Journey in A Crowded Bus

Points: No bus but crowded — Narrow space inside — A clumsy incident.

            Now-a-days all buses are crowded. Any journey by bus will be journey in a crowded bus. Only those who live near a bus terminus can be sure of getting a seat in the bus.
            I wonder how the conductor manages to walk up and down the floor of the bus which is over packed. It always creates a problem when some passenger tries to get down or get up. The ladies have it worst if it is office time. While passengers quarrel with one another, pickpockets quietly rob them of their purses.
            The other day I was going in a crowded bus to my uncle’s place. One gentleman was carrying a suitcase with him. It caused great inconvenience to others. But the gentleman paid no heed to others’ grievances.  At one stage a baby was badly hurt when his suitcase struck the baby. At this the other passengers got furious. Many abuses were hurled on him, and one young man was angry that he forcibly threw out the suitcase. The gentleman thundered in rage and a perfect pandemonium prevailed for some time. The bus conductor remained a dumb spectator. He was neutral to the passengers quarrel. And just when the noise subsided he began to collect tickets. I will never forget that journey and the strange experience I had as one of the passengers.

Science is a Good Servant but a Bad Master

Points: Ours is an age of science — Good and bad uses of science — Stress to be laid on the quality of man.

            Modern age is the age of science. From morning till next morning our life is helped and guided by science. Our fans are moved by electricity and aero planes are driven by petrol. We talk to friends through telephone and read newspapers which are printed by i rotary machine, Science is our excellent servant.
            But science has become so specialized and so complex that at times it seems uncontrollable. The war machines produce deadly weapons. Atom and Hydrogen bombs may destroy the entire population of the earth. Man is becoming more and more mechanized. A day may come when man will be just like robot. Our dependence on science may make us a servant of science. Unless we keep our control over science, science may be a destructive force, the worst master, a monster, a Frankenstein.
            When an Indian, Rakesh Sharma, goes to the space, we feel proud. His camera takes photographs of the difficult regions and thus helps us explore new natural resources. But if from a similar satellite deadly missile are thrown by an enemy, the picture becomes different. It is man who will ultimately make good or bad use of science. Therefore, as science develops we should pay more and more attention to man.

The Problem of Robbery in a Running Train

Points: Hazards of train journey — Operation of criminal gangs — drastic measures to be taken and public opinion to be mobilized.

            Train journey is no longer comfortable. Like crowded buses and mini-buses, over-crowded trains also have become normal scenes. What is more, journeys are no longer safe. Pickpockets and pilferers are thriving. In more recent limes, robbery in trains has become frequent.
            Organized gangs seem to operate in certain sections of railways. They commit dacoity in a running train, then pull chain and decamp. People complain that some railway men have connection with these gangs. Railway police seems to be either helpless or inadequate.
            Drastic steps must be taken and exemplary punishments given to the criminals to stop robbery in a running train. If we cannot give protection to passengers, we are not a civilized nation. There, should be special arrangement for armed guards in all trains, if necessary. Public opinion should be organized against such gangsterism. Newspapers have an important role in this. Resistance to robbery by the public should be more active than passive. Sometimes foreigners become victims to robbery and they carry a poor impression of our country. The government must take an all-out effort’s to stop robbery in both local and long-distance trains.

Technical Education

Points: One of the two main branches — Technical education neglected in the past — Use of the mother tongue should be encouraged — Reorientation of education necessary.

            Education may be broadly divided into general and technical. General education includes Humanities and Science. Technical education includes Engineering and Technology Polytechnics and various workshops are at the lower level, and colleges and universities of engineering and technology are at the higher.
            During the British rule, education was meant mostly for training up people for office jobs. So technical education was neglected. But after independence, India needed thousands of technicians and engineers to build up the country. So emphasis was laid on technical education. And hundreds of technical schools were set up.
            Unfortunately, technical education is imparted only through English. For mass education in technology we should write technical books in our mother tongue. We should start technical training from a very early age.
            Technical education should not be kept separated from general education. Until now it remains elitist one reason is that technical education is far more expensive than general education. As a result, the poorer section cannot afford it. If it is included in the composite course at school and college levels, only then it may reach all section.

A Visit to A Historical Building

            The Taj Mahal is a myth, a myth if the deathless beauty of the formless death that begets life eternal. This life is carved in the whiteness of milky marble of the Taj.
            I, too, could not express my enchanted wonder when I caught the first fleeting glimpse of that world-famous historical building, —the Taj Mahal. When I first set my eyes on the Taj from the window of my speeding train, I was simply amazed and awed to see its majestic minars. Then when on the next day I actually stood in front of the Taj. I was wonder-struck and I stood speechless.  My steadfast gaze feasted on the beauty of the marble-dream bathed in the bright beams of the young sun. After a long spell of reverie, I slowly traversed the garden- path to the tomb. The tomb stood on a big platform of white marble with magnificent minaret on each side. The main dome was hundred feet high. The mortal remains of Mumtaz and Shahjahan lay buried in the tomb. Architecturally every inch of the Taj is the creation of exquisite art. The walls are decorated with precious multicolored stones, — giving out a bright rainbow-like sheen.
            But the Taj must be visited in the moonlight that enhances its beauty thousand times. Fortunately, it was the full-moon when I visited The Taj next time. The sublime experience beggars description. The moonlit Taj seemed to stand like a poet’s dream conic true. The Taj is beyond Time. She is great in her reality, she is greater in reminiscences.

Rural Reporting

Points: Powers Villages neglected in the reports — False notions about village life prevail — New attention to rural reporting.

            Literacy has spread in our country. Al a result, more people now read newspapers. Newspapers print news and stories. But the villages are still neglected in them. The reporters are educated men of towns and cities. The readers, too, are mostly urban or semi-urban. That is why village scenes are not properly represented in the reporting’s. Only sensational news of the rural areas — murder, arson, robbery are reported.
            The reports present the rural world as either romantic and pastoral or base and primitive. Both the views are wrong. The villagers are poor, and they work hard for producing food grains. They have also their own beautiful cultures — the folk song, folk dance and the festivals and fairs.
            Now more attention is being paid to rural reporting. And the rural scenes and events are becoming more popular. Specially trained reporters are being sent to villages who can mix with the rural people more easily. Lady reporters are also going to villages. They are able to report on the conditions of women and children. Reporting on drinking water, health, sanitation, child care, local recreation etc. is assuming more importance now-a-days. Some of the reports have proved to be an eye-opener to the whole society.

The Non-aligned Movement

Points: The world divided between two super-powers — India and the non-aligned movement — The role of the non-aligned movement in the present world.

            The world is now divided, into two power blocs. One is led by U.S.A. and the other by U.S.S.R. America and Russia are two superpowers. Their rivalry causes anxiety. It may, we fear, lead to nuclear war, and total destruction of mankind.
            The non-aligned nations are a third force between the two power blocs. India, for example, does not belong to any power bloc. It is non-aligned. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru was the first spokesman of the non-aligned movement. Today more than one hundred nations are members of the non-aligned movement. Our Prime Minister is the present chairman of the Non-aligned Conference. The growing strength of the nonaligned nations is a great hope for mankind. It can keep off war and strengthen world peace. The nations freed from colonial rule are all joining the non-aligned group. For, they need peace for the reconstruction of their countries and for their rapid economic development.
            It is not correct to say that non-alignment means maintaining equidistance between the two super-Powers. During the Viet-Nam War, India was not last aloof, she condemned the America intervention.
            About Afghanistan, too, India does not support the presence of foreign troops indefinitely. The non-aligned nations take their stand judging each case on merit. The countries that are bound by military pacts like the NATO and the Warsaw Pact have no option. But the non aligned countries have their options. The non-aligned nations together command a great moral force in the world today.

Abolition of English from Primary Education

Points: Recent controversy — Importance utility of English remains — Practical considerations should prevail over theories.

            For many years English is being taught in India. But recently there was a government circular that English was to be abolished from the Primary stage in West Bengal. Naturally there was a long controversy over the issue.
            Why such a circular was necessary just now is not clear. English was retained because it certainly had its utility. Its utility still remains.That is why outside Primary schools many Spoken English Schools and institutions have sprung up. When English will cease to have any utility, it will automatically wither away. But just now we see that demand for English has increased rather than decreased. So the thought of abolition of English from any stage should be suspended now. The option should be there. If anybody chooses to learn English be should be allowed even at the primary stage. Theoretical debates should not override practical considerations.
            Something may sound excellent in theory but may not be so in practice. All theories about child education are such things. Monolingualism may be ideal. But in a country like India bilingualism, even multilingualism, cannot be helped. Moreover, the importance or utility of English is so great in the world today that its abolition directly or indirectly will be unfortunate.

Late Running of Trains

Points: Late running of trains a nuisance — Time-table to be followed strictly — Causes of late running should be rectified.

            Late running of trains is a nuisance. If anywhere punctuality is essential, it is in the railways. All trains should depart and arrive on right times, otherwise the time-table will be a mockery. Late running of trains means late arrivals. Suppose a train which was to arrive in the evening arrives at midnight. The harassment of the passengers can be easily imagined.
            The time-table should be fixed after trial runs. Sufficient allowance should be given for possible delay or slowness. But once a timetable is finalized, the trains must maintain the timing. Strict discipline has to be imposed in this matter. If late running of trains be tolerated we will allow all kinds of slackness in other fields also.
            The causes of the late running of trains should be ascertained. In many suburban sections there are no double lines. As a result, an up train has to be detained for ‘crossing’ till a down train arrives there. The trains carrying commuters to office get priority over other trains. Then the vacuum chain is pulled very often on flimsy grounds. This halts a train and causes delay. Failure of electricity, defective signals and other mechanical faults are also responsible for late running of rains. These should be looked into carefully and remedied.

A Street-corner Meeting

Points: A common sight — Held for different purposes — Description of an interesting street-corner meeting.

             Street-Corner meetings are held very often. They are held on various issues. Usually small groups of people organize such meetings. A person is seen standing on a soap-box and making speeches. Most often there is no microphone the speaker has to shout’ at the top of his voice. He collects a small crowd around him. Persons come and go, but the crowd remains.
             Street-corner meetings may be for political agitation or for ventilating certain public grievances. Sometimes people sell cheap things by organizing street corner-meetings. They are usually held in the evening and near crossroads.
             I once witnessed a very interesting street-corner meeting. A number of young men and women gathered at the crossing of Mahatma Gandhi Road and Bidhan Sarani. The place was not far from Calcutta University and the Coffee House. They were carrying a placard containing a slogan ‘Read More Poetry.’ Soon after the meeting started, a young looking poet made a short speech. He said by ‘poetry’ one should mean only ‘modern poetry.’ All other poetry, he said, was trash. The poet-speaker recited poems after poems from Jibanananda Das. I had never witnessed such a literary street-corner meeting before. ‘Read More Poetry’ sounded to me very much Like ‘Grow More Food.’

Suggestions for Improving the Radio or TV Progremme

  Points: Programmes should be more imaginative — News bulletins and interviews — Some innovations to be included.

             Radio or Television is an essential part of modern life. It both entertains and educates us. But if it programmes lack voracity or imagination, they may be boring.
             So far as news bulletins are concerned, they should he direct and clear. Long and complex sentences should be avoided. A newspaper story may be elaborate, for we can read a sentence twice. But what we listen over the radio or TV we listen only once. So everything is not suitable for a radio or TV programme. Long talks, thus, are not suitable. Interviews and cultural features are good. But radio programme should be very lengthy. There should be more rural and youth programmes. Live broadcasts or telecasts from country fairs will he appreciated.
             Many innovations may be suggested. We are now living in a Space Age. Direct communications between the satellites, and the earth should be included in regular radio or TV programmes. Every week there should be a Library Hour. This should be devoted entirely to our past, to our celebrated men and their works in various fields of life. Here we can hear the recorded voice of famous men, recitals by poets and artistes, famous speeches from history and so on. The last two minutes of each hour may be kept reserved for important news in brief. The art of storytelling, specially telling of fairytales, is dying out. Expert storytelling mothers or grandmothers should be engaged in children’s programme for this purpose.

Our Duty to Old People

 Points: Different stages of life — Ripe experience of old age — Homage to old age is homage to life.

             Manes life passes through the different stages — Childhood, Youth and Old Age. These are like the beginning, the middle, and the end of a drama. Youth, it is true, is the most active and productive period of life. But old age has its role and charm too. An old man has the maximum experiences of life. He can advise best in many matters. Old teachers, old judges, old scholars are invaluable.
             A retired life need not be an idle life. It may not be strenuous but it can be fruitful. The society has a duty to its veterans — the old men and women. The Governments are nowadays establishing Old Men’s Homes. Some Associations are also coming forward. But individually we should pay respect to old men. This makes life graceful. There is a custom to celebrate the birthdays of the veteran people. The fiftieth, the sixtieth and the seventy-fifth years are observed as golden, diamond and platinum jubilee respectively.
             Life is a continuous process, from generation to generation. From parent to child, the river of life flows on. The old people are our lighthouses to guide the young sailors. One day the younger sailors will become old and become the lighthouses to guide the next young generation. This tradition is a treasure. And we must preserve it with care. Our duty to old people is nothing but our duty to ourselves, to our tradition, to the process of life itself.

The Art of Advertisement

Points: Advertisement as a link between the buyer and the seller — Should be informative and decent — It is an art.

             Advertisement is culled the soul of business. Through advertisement we come to know of the new products available in the market. It is the link between the buyer and the seller, between demand and supply. A would-be buyer gets a lot of information from the ‘ads’. There are various media of ads, like the newspaper, the radio and TV, the posters and other displays. Cinema slides are also used widely now- a-days.
             Advertisement is necessary. It is good so far as it is informal live. Sometimes an ads is very attractive. It uses cartoons and pictures. But sometimes tall claims arc made in favor of a particular commodity and indecent pictures are printed. There should be some check on them. Advertisements should be factual and dignified.
             Advertisement is an art. It not only sells goods, it also keeps the buyer in good humour. Advertisement can make a buyer a cheerful buyer. The market is a place of hard competition. So advertisement plays an important part to eliminate inferior goods. The people of West Bengal are lovers of poetry. So lines from the poems of Tagore and Jibananda are often used in advertisement here. This is commendable.

Your Favourite Book

Points: The particular book — The reason why I find it so interesting — Its universal.

             My most favorite book is Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhunit Bandyopadhyay. I have read ii times without count. Every time I read it I find new joy out of it. It is a modern classic in Bengali literature. Apu and Durga are the eternal brother and sister of a Bengali family. The hardship of the life of a poor Bengali villager is vividly described in this novel.
             The descriptions of Nature are also brilliant. Bihubati bhusàn was a great lover of Nature. By the magic touch of his pen the trees and creepers seem living. I can almost smell the flowers in the wood and visualize the village paths. I also feel for the characters like Sarbajaya the mother, and Indira Thakrain the grandmother.
             Satyajit Ray has made the story of Pather Panchali world-famous by his great film. When I saw the film for the first time, I thought it was in many ways different from the novel. But when I saw it for the second time I corrected my mistake. The film had to be different because it was made by a camera. Bibhutibhusan made his novel with words. Pather Panchali is full of sentiment and has a universal appeal. Even after seeing Satyajit Ray’s film, I find joy in reading the novel. It is an immortal book.

Knowledge is Power

Points: Secret of man’s power over Nature and animals — Knowing the laws of Nature has made man so powerful — Knowledge in war and in peace.

             Man is the most powerful of alt animals. But physically the lion or the tiger, or even a buffalo is stronger than man. Yet man has kept all animals under subjugation.  He has made the whale of Nature his storehouse. He commands far greater knowledge of Nature than a wild animal does.

             Man’s pursuit of knowledge has made him a scientist. Science is nothing but organized knowledge of Nature. Science is the source of man’s power. This means knowledge is the source of man’s power. That is to say: knowledge is power. A bird can fly. Man could not fly. But now man can fly much higher than a bird. Man’s rocket sails across the outer space. He even landed on the moon. He could do this because he knew well the laws of motion and gravitation.

             In times of war, espionage becomes a very important factor. If the position of the enemy is known beforehand it becomes easier to win. The satellites are sending us photos. With their help we flow know better the conditions of cloud and storm. This knowledge gives us the power to forecast weather. Knowledge, in brief, is power.

The Plays of Shakespeare

             Shakespeare is called the greatest dramatist in the world. He was born in England and wrote his plays in English. But his plays have been translated into most of the languages of the world. Shakespeare today belongs to all peoples of the world, and not merely to the English.
             Shakespeare wrote about three dozen plays — some tragedies, some comedies and some historical plays. Some of his best known tragedies are Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello and King Lear. The comedies include Merchant of Venice. Twelfth Night. As You Like It, Comedy of Errors, and the historical plays include Henry IV, Julius Caesar etc. He also wrote some romances like Tempest and The Winter’s Tale.
             The men and women characters created by Shakespeare are vivid and universal. Portia is a young lady who can outwit the seasoned lawyers. Shylock is a typical money-lender. Desdemona is killed by her own lover, Othello. Hamlet stands for the man who can never make up his mind. Romeo and Juliet are the idols of all young lovers; they die as martyrs of love. Lady Macbeth is a masculine type of lady who instigates her husband to commit a heinous act of murder. Some scenes of Shakespeare have become immortal, such as the sleep-walking scene in Macbeth, the storm scene in King Lear, he abdication scented in Richard II, the wooing scene in Richard III etc. Some Shakespeare quotations, too, are well known such as:
(1) Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow (Macbeth),
(2) To be, or not to be: that is the question (Hamlet)
(3) As flies to wanton boys, are we to the gods (King Lear)
(4) Put out the light, and then put out the light (Othello)
(5) Friends, Romans, Countrymen lend me your ears. (Julius Caesar)
(6) We are such stuff as dreams are made on (The Tempest)
(7) The quality of mercy is not strained (Merchant of Venice)
(8) Finds tongues in trees, books in running brooks (As you like it)
(9) Some arc born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them etc. (Twelfth Night)
             Shakespeare’s plays re very popular in India. They have been translated into all Indian languages. Shakespeare is now part of world culture.

Kolkata and its Beauty

             Kolkata is one of the biggest cities of the world. But it is not an ancient city like Rome or Varanasi. It is hardly four hundred years old now. Its importance grew when it became the capital of British India. Even after the capital was shifted to Delhi, its importance did not decline.
             There have been rapid changes in Kolkata after Independence. The partition of Bengal brought crores of people from East Bengal down here. As a result, thousands of new houses were built in and around the city. Many skyscrapers have shot up and the skyline of Kolkata has changed completely. The new fly-overs — near Sealdah and Howrah Bridge — have given a new look to the city. The Metro Rail and its stations are adding a new dimension. When fully completed, Kolkata’s Metro Rail will be a great attraction to tourists. The Circular Rail is already operating along the river Ganga. When fully completed, it will ease the burden of traffic, specially of the commuters.
             But it will be wrong to suppose that the new look of a city depends only on new buildings and constructions. The most important thing is maintenance. It Kolkata remains unclean and its parks dirty, the new buildings will only make the city look dirtier and uglier by contrast. It is good news that campaigns for a clean Kolkata are gaining momentum day by day. Recently, the students took part in such a campaign and got pres for their commendable work. In some parts of Kolkata roads have of late been weekend. This has really given a new look to the city. Trees are being planted every year along the roads the Southern Avenue and the Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue are good examples. The toy train at Rabindra Sarobar and the ‘Jhilmil’ park at Salt Lake have become new attractions to children. Such things really give a new look to Kolkata.

Processions

Points: Various kinds of processions — Road-jamming and other features of  processions — Group psychology operating in processions.

             There is hardly any week when there is no procession on the road. Processions are of various kinds, There are marriage processions. religious processions, political processions and processions by trade union people. Processions arc a feature of the city-life. Some of the processions are highly colorful, some are more musical. Flags and festoons are parts of most of the processions, specially the processions of the May Day, Sports Day, Health Day etc. 
             When a procession passes along a road, the vehicular traffic comes to a standstill . Slogans are repeated and if it is a protest march, angry fists are displayed by the marchers. Maharam processions are marked by the loud utterances of ‘Hai Hasan, Hai Hosain’ by the devotees. The Durga Puja immersion processions turn the whole city into a sea of human beings and lorries. Processions on the national days such as the independence Day (15th August) and the Republic Day (26th January) are marked by the display of National Flags and singing of national songs. While processions of mourning are solemn and silent, processions of victory are full of joyous outbursts and songs.
             Men forming a procession lose their individual identities. The procession itself assumes a character of its own. The individual ego then is overpowered by the social ego. Processions thus symbolize the gregarious nature of man.

Keep away from Evil Company

Points: Man must mix with others — Need for being careful — Man’s company may be either good or evil.

             There is a saying that man is known by the company he keeps. There is great truth in this saying. Man is a social animal. He cannot live or thrive alone. He has to mix with other people and make friends with some of them.
             We cannot always choose our neigh hours. So we may not be very selective about the people we should mix with. And is not easy to know beforehand who is good and who is bad. Still we should be careful about choosing our close friend. It is always good to keep evil company at arm’s length. After we know that somebody is dishonest, it will be foolish to keep company with him and still hope that corruption will not touch us.
             Keeping away physically may not always he possible. What is important is to keep away mentally. Good or evil operates in our mind. So it is the mental aptitude which decides everything. Every company does not always mean company of evil persons. It also flanks the company of hooks and films that corrupt us. We may not be extremely choosy, but we should be alert.

Self-taught is Best Taught

Points: ‘Education’ is not ‘literacy’ — We are taught at school hut we learn at home — Character is formed at home 

             By ‘education’ people usually mean the lessons caught in schools or colleges. Now-a-days school-going is almost compulsory for every child. But ‘education’ and ‘literacy’ arc not the same thing. Emperor Akhar was illiterate, he did not know how to read or write. But he was not uneducated. Take the example of Rabindranath Tagore. He did not have much of formal training in schools or colleges. But was he not one of the wisest and most educated among the Indians? He was not taught but self-taught.
             In fact, education is self-development. We become educated by what we learn and not by what we are taught. We are taught at school, but we learn a lot elsewhere. We learn most at home and best by ourselves. We learn to love and respect a home where our character is formed. Education at home is, therefore, as valuable as education in school.
             We can say that we have more of ‘learning’ in school, But we have more of ‘education’ at home. Learning refers to knowledge and skill. ‘Education’ refers to character and outlook. There is, of course, no opposition between the best result is obtained when we can combine both learning and education, school and home, knowledge and character. But even after all education in school, college or university, our whole life remains to be self-taught.

We Live in Deeds, Not in Years.

Points: Man is known by his work — Great men In different fields live in their undying fames —The quality of life depends on the quality of our performance.

             Man’s life is measured by his work. It is not the number of years a mart has lived which makes him adorable? Man is known by his good or had deeds. Flame, says the proverb, makes man immortal: Kirtir yasya sa jivati.
             A good man is one whose work is good. A man’s charitable work lives long after his death. Great men of old are remembered through centuries. A great inventor or scientist lives in our memory. A notorious man, too, lives in our memory. But he is remembered as a Satan or a tyrant. The social reformers are adored for their noble works. Iswarchundra Vidyasagar, for example is a household name. Poets anti artists, too, are cherished with love in the memory of mankind. We do not know much about the life of Kalidasa or Homer but their poetry has left them immortal. Raphael, Da Vinci, Picasso are great artists who still live in their works. Our great poets Valmiki and Rabindranath will live as long as the Himalayas exist.
             Life is short. We cannot hope to do everything we like in one life. So we have to put our mind to some chosen areas. It is the quality, not number, which is important. So whatever we perform we should perform well.

Choice of Books

Points: Book explosion in modern times — High and low categories — Room for individual tastes.

             When there was no printing press, books were all in manuscript. The number of books available was also limited. But today hundreds, even thousands, of books are being published daily all over the world. It is impossible to keep track of them by a single person.
             When there are so many books, we have to be choosy. The general reader chooses books of general interest. A specialist will procure a honk related to his special subject. Students will be interested in textbooks. Common readers always like novels and travelogues.
             We should read the classics if we want to cultivate our taste. Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Rabindranath, Whitman, Rolland are for all times and all ages. It is true we must also choose, for our recreation, light and humorous books. Choice is always personal. Choice of books is a matter of personal preference.  One’s choice need not be restricted to the so-called ‘good’ books only. Good, bad, indifferent — all kinds of hooks are enjoyable at different times. A reader should be allowed to develop his own taste without being over taught by his guides.

A Farewell Meeting

Points: The meeting — Some highlights of the occasion — Reminiscences flees of the old days.

             A few months ago our beloved teacher Harisadhan Babu retired from school. On the occasion of his retirement a farewell meeting was organized. The ex-students of the school look the initiative in the matter. The Headmaster helped them in all possible ways.
             The school took a festive look on that day. The hail was decorated. Many well known persons of the locality were invited. Most of them were once students of Harisadhan Babu. After the Headmaster made a few introductory remarks, an address was read out on behalf of the students and ex-students.
             Some songs were sung and a dhoti and a chadar were presented to the beloved teacher. Harisadhan Babu spoke nicely, recalling the old days and the old boys. We listened with rapt attention. He was speaking of the time when we were not yet born. It was a fascinating account. The oldest pleader Sudhir Babu lamented that the old tie between the teacher and the taught had been slackened now-a-days. Harisadhan Babu, he said, combined in him both discipline and love. He gave many instances of Harisadhan Babu’s love for students and sense of charity.

The Night Scene in a Town

Points: The evening scene — The scene at late hours — The mysterious night sky.

             The town I live in is not as big as a city. Still it is full of bustle in the daytime. At night it is not as quiet as a village. But it becomes quieter than in the daytime. At nightfall there is a rush of cinema-goers for the evening show. The commuters return from offices, mostly from Calcutta. The shops still make good business if there is no load- shedding.
             As the night deepens, the streets become more and more deserted.The street lamps look like watchmen’ of the town. A few cycle rickshaws ply from and to the near-by railway station. At a particular hour, the cinema goers return from the night show. They often discuss loudly the hero or the heroine. Slowly the town sinks into silence and sleep.
             If the smog is not too heavy, the stars look bright and dazzling. The Great Bear or Saptarshi (seven stars) shines prominently in the midnight sky like a big question mark. A lone passer-by may often be heard singing an old song. The night scene is, on the whole, dreamy and drowsy.

The Village Scene at Night

Points: The scene at nightfall — The scene at midnight — A dreamy and strange atmosphere

             At sundown, the village I live in looks like a different village altogether. As if by magic the crowds of people vanish and all noises die down. The roads or mites become almost invisible. The trees form a mass of shadow. It is so dense at places that even a full moon cannot cope with it. 
             As the night deepens, fire-flies are seen floating in the air. The crickets chirp hidden in the grass. Some night-birds and bats scuttle across the treetops. A lone passer-by on the highroad is heard singing an old song. Dogs bark at a distance, now singly now in a chorus. The Chowkidar is out on his round. The village defence party is also out with its volunteers and torch lights. They challenge every stranger they come across on the road.
             The Great Bear or Saptarshi (seven stars) hangs pasted on the midnight sky like a big question mark. The village at night appears to be a cradle of fairytales and dreams. Each tree seems to be a living person, having a story to tell.

Dress and Food-habits of Bengali People

Points: The Bengalis a nationality dress on ordinary and on festive days — Their food on normal and special occasions.

             India is a vast country. It is almost like a continent. So is called the Indian subcontinent. India is one nation hut it comprises many nationalities. The Bengali people form one of the major nationalities of India. Like the Bengali language, the Bengali dress and food-habits also are peculiar to the Bengali people.
             The traditional Bengali dress is dhoti and panjabi for the men and sad for the women. An old man often wears dhoti and chadar. Sometimes he does not wear any upper garment at all. Nowadays the male working people are adopting trousers and shirts in place of dhoti and Panjabi, but the working men still prefer saris to skits. The Bengalis arc not used to any head dress like turban or topee. On festival or national days men revert to dhoti and punjabi and wear light chappals instead of shoes. In ceremonial meetings they often wear chadar over panjabi. The women, on special occasions like marriage, puja or birthday wear additional ornaments, specially gold and jewellery.
             As regards food, they relish rice and fish. A typical Bengali prefers parboiled rice to sun-dried rice. He likes fish very much, and is fond of various preparations of fish — like fish fry, fish soup, fish gravy, fish with mustard, fish sour or chatni. With hilsha fish is prepared dahi-ilish. The Bengali's are usually non-vegetarian. They are also fond of sweets and milk preparations such as rasagolla, sandesh and payas (milk pudding). Rice is their staple food. But they also take polao and luchis, instead of bread, on festival days.

Communication Through Satellites

Points: Communication iii the Space Age — Lie broadcasts of far-off events possible with the help of satellites — The satellites arc our platforms in the sly.

             We are now living in the Space Ag. The outer sky is already crowded with satellites launched by the different countries. They are called communication satellites because through them long-distance communications can he made. Many of them are being used for relaying radio-waves and receiving radio signals across the countries.
             Sports events in Los Angeles may be directly telecast over the TV network in India. Olympic Games and Asiad games may be viewed by spectators as if they were national or local events. What a thrill it was when the Indian viewers viewed our first man in space, Rakesh Sharma, in his space capsule. The very launching of the satellite was telecast live with the help of another communication satellite. Accurate weather forecasts are possible flow with the help of the idea-photographs sent by the satellites. But nothing matched the live pictures of the games from abroad in which India won world championship.
             The powerful television cameras fitted to the satellites are like mankind’s new pair of eyes in the outer sky. Through them we are communicating or trying to communicate with the strange, unknown world of the stars and constellations. The satellites are our platforms in sky or farthest roofs. Going over them we can see a vaster region we can communicate with much longer distances.

Life is Action, Not Contemplation

Points: A person is known and assessed by his work — Character is formed by action — Contemplation also may be active like action.

             We Live in deeds not in years Man is judged by his output, not longevity. A good football player is one who has actually played many excellent games. A good debater is also a man who has won many trophies in debates.
             Merely wishing for something or dreaming of something great has no value in life. We must live up to our Ideas. Some of our thoughts have to be brought into practice. Just as a tree is known by its fruit, so a man by his action. Good intentions is not enough, good performance is also necessary. One may spend all the time in planning without doing anything at all. Such planning is useless.
             It is through work that our ideas become clearer. It is through work that we gain our character. It is through action that man achieves success and wins fame. There are some actions which are very much associated with contemplation, but not idle contemplation. When a writer writes a novel or a poet writes poetry, his work is not like the work of an engineer or a farmer. It is the product of contemplation. But here contemplation is productive and, therefore, active. It is also a kind of action.

Uses and Abuses of The Newspaper

Points: The role of a newspaper in a democracy — Press and censorship — Freedom does not mean license.

             There is no freedom where there is no freedom of the press. Free press and free country are almost synonymous. The press or newspaper has a big role to play a democracy. It organizes public opinion. In fact, it educates the public also. Newspapers supply us with news of all kinds everyday. Newspapers arc also views paper. They make public criticism on various matters. The editorials are essays on public events or issues. Some of these are local or national, some International.
             The newspapers cater to the tastes of the readers. News on sports, films, accidents and natural calamities are also displayed in the press. A newspaper brings the whole country closer by highlighting’ the national events everyday. In short, the newspaper is one of the most powerful mass media It Is called the fourth estate.
             But if the power of the press or its freedom is misused it can do a lot of harm. If it foments encourages communalism and fails to denounce anti-national or anti-Social forces, it only abuses its power. We want freedom of the press. But freedom should not mean license or responsibility. In a democracy there is no formal restriction to writing. Nobody will support censors of the press. But the journalists themselves should seek public opinion from time to time and guide themselves accordingly. No one is above law, and no one is above criticism — even the press. The press is free, hurt it is not free to weaken or destroy the freedom of the country.

Population Explosion

Points: Population figures alarming in India — More population means greater poverty — Comparison between India and the advanced countries of the west.

              India is known to be over-populated. Next to China it is the most populate& country of the world. Its population has more than doubled within the last fifty years. This is very alarming. With more mouths to feed, our per capita income is bound to fall. This means greater poverty. Our production is increasing. But our population is increasing even more. If the growth of population is not checked, food shortage will occur and poverty will increase.

              People should be properly educated about this danger. Explosion or outburst of population will only mean more misery and more suffering. The poorer section of the people will suffer most. So they should be taught how to keep the size of a family smaller.

              In the advanced countries of the world, population growth is almost zero per cent annually. It is possible because most of the people there are educated and responsible. In India poor peasants and poor workers think that more children would mean more money earners. They care little for how to bring up the children properly. They do not care at all for their education. The result is, the poor family is burdened with more poverty, more hunger, more want, more dirtiness and more disease.

A Debating Society

Points: Debating, an art, needs practice — Value of speech in a democracy — Debating in schools.

              A school or a college has its debating society. All students are members of such a society. Debating is an art. It is a form of elocution. Without practice nobody can be a good speaker or orator. In ancient Greece, oratory was highly valued.
India is a democratic country. Indian people elect their representatives’ by votes. During the election, many public meetings are held. Good speakers make very good impressions upon the voters. In the Parliament, only good speakers can be good speakers can be good parliamentarians.
              A school or college debating society helps a student to acquire the power of speech. Debating competitions are held among different schools and colleges every year. Sometimes all-India debating competitions are organized. Ready wit, presence of mind, sound general knowledge and a sense of humor make a good debater. All these can he developed through a debating society.
              School debates teach discipline. Every debater has to conform to rules. He has to maintain the time limit very strictly. The mover of the motion is like the opening batsman. He introduces the subject of the debate in the form of a motion or resolution as in the Assembly. He appeals to the audience to support his motion. The leader of the opposition these come up. He tries to point out the hollowness of the motion. After all the speakers have addressed, the mover of the motion gets his light to reply. After his reply, the motion is put to vole.  A competition debate takes the form of a debate in the Assembly or Parliament. It is often called a mock Parliament.

Strike

Points: What it means — Strike in industrial disputes and elsewhere — Strike In India.

              ‘Strike’ means cessation of work by workers or employees. It occurs when negotiations fail between the employer and the employees. When the employers stop production and close down the work, it is called lock-out. In a factory, the workers may demand an increase in pay or allowance. The authorities or owners may not agree to the demand. As a last resort, the workers often declare a strike. They down tools and bring the factory to a stand-still. If there is no work there will be no profit also. Sometimes a strike continues for months till a settlement is reached.
              There are also strikes in banks, offices and even in schools and colleges. All strikes are not for wages or allowances. Some strikes are called to protest publicly against some wrongs. Sometimes general strikes are called when all offices, factories and transports remain practically suspended. Strike is an organized pressure. It should not be used on a flimsy ground.
              In India strike is a very common occurrence. Every year good many workdays are lost owing to strikes. Sometimes the strikers become violent. Nobody supports such violence. We should try to create a condition so that there is neither strike nor Lockout. Let all disputes be settled In a spirit of cooperation for the good of the nation.

Energy Crisis

Points: Sources of energy — Crises due to limited stock — Alternative sources to be explored.

              No work is possible without energy, and for energy man depends on Nature. We get wood from Nature, with which we make fire. By burning fire we cook food, light lamps, and melt iron. After wood came coal. It is an underground storage of energy. We dig up coal and burn it. Oil also is another source of energy. By burning oil we get heat and light. Petroleum or gas came later on. Our motor cars and aero planes are run by them. Electricity is the widely used form of energy in the modern world. From the rivers we get hydro-electricity.
              But the source of energy in Nature — coal or petroleum — is not unlimited, Petroleum may be exhausted within a few decades. Scientists are warning us that mankind may soon face energy crisis. That is why people are seeking alternative sources of energy like nuclear energy and solar energy.
Solar energy has an unlimited supply. In a tropical country like India, solar energy has a great future. Indian agriculture may be revolutionized if solar energy be available to our peasants. The initial cost of installing the apparatus is still heavy. If that could be reduced, our energy crisis would have been solved for good.