The Imaginary Adventures of an Umbrelle

              I was made in the Swadeshi Umbrella Factory, Kolkata, of such materials as steel, bamboo, cloth and other things. When I was ready, I was packed. along with ninety-nine other companions, in a wooden box and placed in a goods train. After about three weeks’ journey in a closed box, we reached the shop of a general merchant, in Chandni Chowk. Delhi.
              The merchant opened the box and inspected all of us. He found that some of us had been damaged during the journey, while others were all right. He made up his mind to sell the damage ones very cheap. I arrived in good condition and the merchant was struck by my neat and tidy look.
              I remained in the merchant’s shop for about a week when an old man came and bought me. Next morning, the old man took me along with him during his morning walk. All of a sudden a fierce storm rose and rain began to fall in torrents. He spread me out over his head. But so strong was the wind that it blew me off in spite of the strong hold of the feeble old man. The old man ran after me while I flew from bush to bush. After a hard chase, he was at last able to catch me. He again spread me over his bead, and again the wind blew away the entire cloth. I was badly damaged. I was, however, repaired the next day. But now was hot the same beautiful thing as before.
              Now I lie in the corner of the old man’s house, without being used by anybody. At times, the little children pay rue a visit and play with me. All my bones and ribs are jutting out. So much changed am T that you can hardly believe that I was once a beautiful, charming umbrella.

The Autobiography of a Fly

             I am a very small and innocent-looking insect. I am found everywhere. There are few houses in a city, and few shops in a bazaar, where you will not find me. I know people do not like me much. But still I manage to live. They have devised many ways to drive me away from their houses but still I am able to find my way there, somehow 

             I do not like all places equally well. I like the kitchen and the dining-room better than the office and the drawing-room. I do not like clean houses, which have wire-gauze doors. But I do like the houses that are dirty. I Like dirty and filthy places. I like filth because I was born in filth, grew up in it, and live on it. As the air is to man. water is to fishes, so is filth , i.e. I am in my element in it.

             As there are some places which I particularly like in the same  way there are some people I like better than others. For instance. I like the careless housewife very much. She keeps her foodstuff uncovered and her sweets unprotected. I also like some of these lazy fat confectioners very much. They never cover their sweets or use whisks to trouble me. The vendors at railway stations are also my friends. They never scare me away from their sweets and other dainties. I always bless the

people who run hotels and small kitchens, for they allow me to feast upon the most delicious dishes before they are tasted by human beings.

             As there are certain persons and places very dear to me, so there are certain days which are very welcome to me. For instance, I always like festivals and weddings very much. Even before the guests arrive, my friends and I sir on sweets and dainties and have a grand feast. What a happy and gay life!

             I hate the winter, when a large numbers of my friends and relatives die of the intense cold, and others are too benumbed to stir out. Oh. then life indeed becomes a burden!

Self-help

Points: Self-help and success go together — Lack of self-help among Indians: Japan, a contract — Importance of self-help.

             “Heaven helps those who help themselves. This is a proverb that sums up the experience of men of all ages. Samuel Smiles in his book Self Help has given us hundreds of examples of self-made men in different walks of life. Successful men are usually those who make their own careers by sheer will power and personal effort.
             Long years of political subjugation have largely damped the spirit of enterprises in our people. We want that somebody will Provide US with food and shelter, give us jobs,’ and make things easy for us. An utter lack of initiative and a general spirit of defeatism’, have caused our economic backwardness and stagnation’, On the other hand, Japan, our Asian neighbor, has become the world’s major producer of steel, and leader in ship-building and Electronics, Even after the experience of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan stands once again on her own legs. India, sadly enough, presents a contrast. She stilt suffer from poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy. The only thing that can change all this is the cult of self-help.
            A Sanskrit proverb says that ‘the preys do not enter into the mouth of a sleeping lion.” Like the lion, man also has to be energetic and active in order to achieve success. One should depend least on others and most on one’s own self.

Punctuality

Points: Value of time in life—Punctuality means discipline—The disastrous effects of unpunctuality.

             Time is an important part of our life. Time doesn't wait for anyone it follows it's own way. What is most remarkable about time is that it brings opportunities. For a man it may be the chance of a lifetime. Punctuality makes us time-conscious.
             A punctual man disciplines himself to work according to schedule. He thus gains self-confidence and inspires confidence in others. The lazy man is usually unpunctual. He keeps others waiting and fails to keep his own appointment. Such a man is doomed to failure in life.
             One of Napoleon’s secretaries used to be very late. He always blamed his watch for it. “Either you must get a new watch,” said Napoleon bitingly, “or I must get a new secretary’ Napoleon valued ‘punctuality’.
             Unpunctuality may create all kinds of bottlenecks. It may cause stalemate in business and industry. If goods are not delivered in time, both buyers and sellers will suffer. If appointments are not kept announced, there will be only chaos. Students, in particular, should be conscious about time. They should go by the watch in everything— study, rest, play and exercise. This will give them strength and discipline and build their character.

Superstition

Points: What It is — Accidental origin — Its evil effects and how to eradicate it.

             Superstition, which is belief without reason, is common and widespread. It thrives on ignorance.
             There are various kinds of superstition prevailing in different parts of the world. A Large number of superstitions must have originated from accidental coincidences. Thus ‘13’ is an unlucky’ number; if someone sneezes or calls from behind, it is bad omen; the cry of an owl or a raven or the mewing of a cat is inauspicious; a comet is a portent and so on.
             Before the vent of modern science men were more superstitious. Superstitions destroy our self-confidence. They damp our will to work. Man could never have built up civilization if he relied entirely on irrational beliefs. Only by spreading education can we fight superstitions like untouchability or caste hatred. But once it becomes a habit of mind, it persists. A superstitious man does not know that he is superstitious.
             Sometimes superstitions are modernized under scientific terms. The quacks use medical jargons and cheat people. We have to form a really scientific attitude and encourage the power of reasoning if we want o remove all superstitions.

Tourism and Joy of Travelling

Points: Travelling past and present — Tourism as an industry — Travelling as education.

             Travelling in the past was different in many ways. In those days there was no tourist lodge or holiday home. There were a few wayside inns, but hotels or motels were out of the question. Cars were unknown and people would go on a pilgrimage either by boat or simply by slogging on.

             In this jet age, the old concept of travelling has changed radical. People now go round the world at supersonic speed with only a few stop-over’s en route. Modem travelling is less risky and more organised. It takes far less time. It is a modern industry. There are spots that attract travelers—we call them tourists— from all parts of the world. The Taj in Agra, the Kanchanjangha in Darjeeling, Stratford-upon-Avon in England where Shakespeare was born and the Niagara Falls in America are such world-famous spots.

             Travelling is both for pleasure and for education. It removes many of our narrow prejudices1. It also strengthens our patriotism. We get a fair idea of our beautiful country and its people. We realise that India is a land of unity in diversity. It also assures us that mankind is one and indivisible.

A Cultural Function

Points: Time and occasion — Early preparation — Some highlights of the function.

             The rains were over. It was autumn, and our local Club was active planning for its annual social function. We were happy when Mr. Dey, the famous musician, accepted our invitation. But just then an awkward thing happened, an anonymous letter came threatening our musical soiree. We went to the local police. When we invited the O. C. personally, he assured us that his men would see that the function went off smoothly.
             On the day of the function, the dais was carpeted and seats were marked for ‘members’, ‘guests’, ‘press’ etc. The microphones were tested and the entire locality was echoing with incessant “hello, hello hello.” The musical soiree was a tremendous success. Mr. Dey sang quite a few songs, and each was a ‘super hit’. The boys and girls of the local schools presented folk songs’ which were acclaimed. There was no disturbance and we heaved a sigh of relief.
             The last item was a film show. The chief guest Mr. Mukherjee introduced it with a neat speech. He said that film was a new form of art and demanded new awareness. A taste had to be created for it. One of the world’s most famous films ‘Battleship Potemkin’ was shown after that. It kept the spectators spell-bound. I was thrilled by its vast canvas and grand presentation. It climaxed the success of our cultural function.