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.