The other day, my 12 year old brother comes to me and genuinely pleads" bhai can I take the mobile phone to school ?“
Though I was not flabbergasted with that request, but it just made me wonder did I ever had the audacity to actually go in front of my parents and ask them for something so small, even though I did my schooling from one of the best schools of the country, in New Delhi.
A child requesting his parents for a mobile phone is not a big deal in today's changing times, but the point to be pondered upon here is why the child is making such requests.
Even if one student brings a mobile phone to the school the status quotient in the peers becomes so high that within a span of one week the whole class carries a mobile phone and that too without the notice of teachers.
Is it so unsafe today that students who travel in the school buses have to carry mobiles, in case they face an emergency ? Or the parents suddenly fell so much in love with their children that after every single hour they end up calling their children asking them whether the class was good or bad or the children are fine and not undergoing any sorts of loose motions or pain in their stomach ?
Then why it becomes necessary for the parents to give mobile phones to their young children when they are coming to a social place like school ?
Don’t the schools have telephones or the teachers do not support the children when they are in any kind of need ?
Just because you love your children doesn’t mean that you are going to fulfill their every demand which may be absolutely out of the place at a certain point of time .
The scientific studies show that prolong use of mobile is bad for health. We the elders dint start using mobiles form that small age and still it is harmful for us in the longer run, think about the children !!
Twelve years of age a child is yet to enter the teens, the adolescence period has just begun and we are not supposed to ease their paths into the darker directions. At such an age even the concept of girlfriends and boyfriends isn’t a big deal for these children because the society is like that where the younger ones observe their elder siblings having long chats on the mobiles or the internet, which may be with any person for that matter, what really matters here is that what this young child grasping from his observations. They are our responsibilities and we are the craftsmen who are designing a new individual who is fit for the difficult world of tomorrow.
Everything has a right time, We don't hand over a tricycle two a one year old and make him ride it, just keeping in mind that on fine day the kid has to ride it, the same is with the mobiles !
The parents have to make sure that their child is prepared to handle such a device and is mature enough to take the responsibility of it rather than just using it as a status symbol, which is not at all his but of his parents .
Why not make him realize the values of things in life rather than serving him on a silver platter which he might just throw away in a course of time not realizing the worth of it !
What really adds to the scenario is the impact it has on the child’s attitude towards others around him, these small children tend to follow the child who carries a mobile, and just through his possessions he becomes the leader of the group and his friends surround him coz of his belongings and not for what HE is! Do we wish our child to develop friends who are materialistic or to have friends whom he has chosen through his values than by our ornaments.
Let’s make our children rich with the values which we inculcate in them rather with the possessions with which we present them. Let’s make them themselves.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
MY COST IS 25 LAKHS
Final year of my engineering degree and one small sentence shakes me from within!!
Supposedly a naked and open truth. I do not intend to name the person who told me this nor the place from where he comes from but all I want to put emphasis is on the thought process.
Some people are so aware of the purpose for which they pursue something.
• Get an engineering degree and your rate is somewhere close to 10 to 15 lakhs*.
• Get an engineering degree with a placement in a good company and you are proud enough to admit that your cost is 25 lakhs.*
(* conditions apply-How the girl looks ?)
Supposedly the market value –oh I guess I forgot to mention the market.
• Buyers – The Girls’ family
• Entrepreneurs – The Boys’ family
• Product – The Engineer Boy (preferably with a placement)
The Buyers-
Boy oh boy
There is always this hue and cry when a child is born in the family.
Girl oh girl
There is a lot of planning to be done!
The calculation starts right away. Her expenses, education, how much are they going to save for her every month so that the contribution can be made to the savings account where the money is being collected for matching the price of the product.
The girl child is bought up with a theory “One day you shall leave this place and go to the product’s house.” Her say in these matters is absolutely no say!!!!
The Entrepreneurs-
Boy oh boy
And it always is boy oh boy...
He is groomed; he is given all the intelligence in the world after all he is the khazana
He has a say in everything, he has the right to do anything, he is sent for higher studies
All his deeds are overlooked and covered up; After all he is the khazana!!!!
The product-
This is one market where you actually know that your product cannot fail. A market where you know that you’ll get the value for what you have sown for so long.
Yes the boy has the rights to do absolutely anything in this world, just because he is the khazana!!
Isn’t it an amazing business venture for the next 25 years to actually reproduce a child and try hard that he turns out into a boy, spend on him coz after all he’ll take care in the future, he’ll be the khazana!!!
We may argue that our nation is developing, we may say that mind set of the people is changing, but this is the under the bed sheet truth of a majority of the Indian families. Even though it might not be to this extent in some, but the mind of every parent does bother about such a situation. We have grown out of this system, earlier it prevailed everywhere now it is a crime, but then things are still done in the name of goodwill.
The female pays the price of her life and her family pays the price of her debt. The guys on the other hand are on a joy ride. Firstly they choose which girl they would marry, secondly there is bargaining for him and thirdly he enjoys his life.
Selfish!
Earlier they were selfish openly and now they are veiled. The process starts from an elementary level where a few toil hard to get across higher institutions for further studies while the others do family planning it’s all what they are taught from the beginning !
“You are the Prince of our family”
It is like a fungus deteriorating the society form within where it all becomes stale and disgusting for a few and a matter of exploitation for the others.
People may not agree with what I mentioned here but the underlying truth remains as it is. They may say that they aren’t like that but somewhere down the line they encounter the same situation in some way or the other. All we need is respect, understanding and an option which one should give to the other person to live rather than wiping tears and wondering why the person even lived.
Supposedly a naked and open truth. I do not intend to name the person who told me this nor the place from where he comes from but all I want to put emphasis is on the thought process.
Some people are so aware of the purpose for which they pursue something.
• Get an engineering degree and your rate is somewhere close to 10 to 15 lakhs*.
• Get an engineering degree with a placement in a good company and you are proud enough to admit that your cost is 25 lakhs.*
(* conditions apply-How the girl looks ?)
Supposedly the market value –oh I guess I forgot to mention the market.
• Buyers – The Girls’ family
• Entrepreneurs – The Boys’ family
• Product – The Engineer Boy (preferably with a placement)
The Buyers-
Boy oh boy
There is always this hue and cry when a child is born in the family.
Girl oh girl
There is a lot of planning to be done!
The calculation starts right away. Her expenses, education, how much are they going to save for her every month so that the contribution can be made to the savings account where the money is being collected for matching the price of the product.
The girl child is bought up with a theory “One day you shall leave this place and go to the product’s house.” Her say in these matters is absolutely no say!!!!
The Entrepreneurs-
Boy oh boy
And it always is boy oh boy...
He is groomed; he is given all the intelligence in the world after all he is the khazana
He has a say in everything, he has the right to do anything, he is sent for higher studies
All his deeds are overlooked and covered up; After all he is the khazana!!!!
The product-
This is one market where you actually know that your product cannot fail. A market where you know that you’ll get the value for what you have sown for so long.
Yes the boy has the rights to do absolutely anything in this world, just because he is the khazana!!
Isn’t it an amazing business venture for the next 25 years to actually reproduce a child and try hard that he turns out into a boy, spend on him coz after all he’ll take care in the future, he’ll be the khazana!!!
We may argue that our nation is developing, we may say that mind set of the people is changing, but this is the under the bed sheet truth of a majority of the Indian families. Even though it might not be to this extent in some, but the mind of every parent does bother about such a situation. We have grown out of this system, earlier it prevailed everywhere now it is a crime, but then things are still done in the name of goodwill.
The female pays the price of her life and her family pays the price of her debt. The guys on the other hand are on a joy ride. Firstly they choose which girl they would marry, secondly there is bargaining for him and thirdly he enjoys his life.
Selfish!
Earlier they were selfish openly and now they are veiled. The process starts from an elementary level where a few toil hard to get across higher institutions for further studies while the others do family planning it’s all what they are taught from the beginning !
“You are the Prince of our family”
It is like a fungus deteriorating the society form within where it all becomes stale and disgusting for a few and a matter of exploitation for the others.
People may not agree with what I mentioned here but the underlying truth remains as it is. They may say that they aren’t like that but somewhere down the line they encounter the same situation in some way or the other. All we need is respect, understanding and an option which one should give to the other person to live rather than wiping tears and wondering why the person even lived.
Friday, January 16, 2009
SABOTAGED ENGINEERING
I still remember that day when I was singing this song from, "Bunty and Bubbly" -
"chote chote shehron se,
khali bore dupahron se,
hum to jhola utha ke chale...."
I had walked through the streets of my small town, talking to them in a strange language, waving them goodbyes, and telling them that I head for a new journey, a new venture, away from those very old Friends with whom I grew up, in the search of those new pals. There was a little excitement, a little nervousness, a little fear and a little smile, after all I was about to become an Engineer four years hence.
Little I had known what happens in engineering, all I knew was it was not the IITs for me, all i knew that even though a little less than that I am going to be an Engineer.
VBDs, G4s and tutions, my first lessons as an engineer. "That's how we have scored 70 % in our semesters." supposedly the Golden words by my seniors and the tradition, still continues.I was truly at a new place, all by myself, learning to take care of my own things, with people of diverse cultures all clubbed in one hostel, I realised that this world existed beyond the outskirts of my native city. People with different languages and people with amazing communication skills all at just one place and I somehow wondered, from which part of the world they came from !!
Suddenly those smart geeks started to bother me a lot, they had their own ways of living, interacting with girls was never a problem for them, girls who never gave a glimpse to me, spent hours talking to them and here I was all by myself just in little ways trying to imitate these people and still nothing came to my hands.
From somewhere love happened, she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, her eyes were like blossoms in the blue waters, her hair like the petals floating over the ripples and the calm on her face was exuberant. So cute, such a lovely voice and that smile...I wish I could never take my eyes off them. I could have done anything and everything for her, all I wished that she be mine and nothing else......!!!
All I dreamt was of me and her walking hand in hand, in the most exotic locations of this beautiful city
All I dreamt was her and me together
And then from somewhere came that stylish cool guy on a bike, with her holding him tight.....
And my hands gasping for her touch...whom only he could feel..whom only he could gasp......
Shattered and broken I decided to be like him, I knew if I had a bike I would have a girl.I started to speak in english, and people laughed, I still tried and my friends stopped talking to me and those cool guys came, talked and walked away laughing. Though I never gave up the pursuit of speaking english, but I decided that I'll speak in english only when it is required, after all my mother tongue is my mother tongue!!!!!
Papers came and went, I learnt what do you mean by backs, I learned how to smoke, I learned how to drink, I watched many silent movies, I spent my time boozing, fagging, dreaming and desiring...!!!
Life has been going on this way since the past few months, unfettered and not bothered, that's what I have become or that's what has been made out of me!!!
Yesterday when I woke up I never knew that my day would turn out to be something like this, A normal lecture going on smoothly when suddenly one of my batch mates walks into the class, holds a girl and tries to kiss her. I was out of my senses for a second, but then immediately regained it and along with others pounced on the guy.
The picture of the whole college changed drastically, the guy has been rusticated from the college and I wonder whats going on with that girl.
What must have been wrong with that guy that he took such a drastic step? Was he more frustrated than I? Or was he a satyromaniac? Or he really loved her and this seemed to be his last option?
So many budding engineers in this small place and thousands of them undergo the same saga every year. What that guy did is an extreme case but there are so many students who have to undergo the same amount of pressures, cultural shocks and personality shocks. They start hating themselves and in the process start degrading themselves, it is a process which continues and eventually a student who walks in with a bag full of dreams, walks away crippled holding a bag full of failures and disgrace to his own self.
Who is to be blamed? Is it the education system or is it those people who have had the advantage of being bought up in environments where they become metrosexuals as soon as they enter their teens?
The blame game may continue, but this is a clear example of a society which is still immature and which still looks behind and conserve their children with the cultural or physical boundaries. It just shows that there is still prevalence of inequality in the lifestyles of people around the same region. Those who even though are intelligent enough to come up to the level of the elite ones are not ready to compete with them at the same levels.
The picture is not clear though, when we talk of growth, it doesn't mean just the economic growth, it actually refers to the ability to accept the changing scenarios of the world around and preparing our youngsters for these scenarios rather then leave them on their own to decipher their own routes, which may lead to destruction at times.
The social systems prevailing in this nation are still laid back, they are not ready to accept what the others have already accepted, they need to break the shackles of their old conservations and allow the youngsters to breathe a different air which they might have to use when they come at a stage of competition .
Its time for us to look into ourselves and evolve from our roots and give shape to our own lives, our own destiny and the destiny of many others who would walk along with us .
"chote chote shehron se,
khali bore dupahron se,
hum to jhola utha ke chale...."
I had walked through the streets of my small town, talking to them in a strange language, waving them goodbyes, and telling them that I head for a new journey, a new venture, away from those very old Friends with whom I grew up, in the search of those new pals. There was a little excitement, a little nervousness, a little fear and a little smile, after all I was about to become an Engineer four years hence.
Little I had known what happens in engineering, all I knew was it was not the IITs for me, all i knew that even though a little less than that I am going to be an Engineer.
VBDs, G4s and tutions, my first lessons as an engineer. "That's how we have scored 70 % in our semesters." supposedly the Golden words by my seniors and the tradition, still continues.I was truly at a new place, all by myself, learning to take care of my own things, with people of diverse cultures all clubbed in one hostel, I realised that this world existed beyond the outskirts of my native city. People with different languages and people with amazing communication skills all at just one place and I somehow wondered, from which part of the world they came from !!
Suddenly those smart geeks started to bother me a lot, they had their own ways of living, interacting with girls was never a problem for them, girls who never gave a glimpse to me, spent hours talking to them and here I was all by myself just in little ways trying to imitate these people and still nothing came to my hands.
From somewhere love happened, she was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, her eyes were like blossoms in the blue waters, her hair like the petals floating over the ripples and the calm on her face was exuberant. So cute, such a lovely voice and that smile...I wish I could never take my eyes off them. I could have done anything and everything for her, all I wished that she be mine and nothing else......!!!
All I dreamt was of me and her walking hand in hand, in the most exotic locations of this beautiful city
All I dreamt was her and me together
And then from somewhere came that stylish cool guy on a bike, with her holding him tight.....
And my hands gasping for her touch...whom only he could feel..whom only he could gasp......
Shattered and broken I decided to be like him, I knew if I had a bike I would have a girl.I started to speak in english, and people laughed, I still tried and my friends stopped talking to me and those cool guys came, talked and walked away laughing. Though I never gave up the pursuit of speaking english, but I decided that I'll speak in english only when it is required, after all my mother tongue is my mother tongue!!!!!
Papers came and went, I learnt what do you mean by backs, I learned how to smoke, I learned how to drink, I watched many silent movies, I spent my time boozing, fagging, dreaming and desiring...!!!
Life has been going on this way since the past few months, unfettered and not bothered, that's what I have become or that's what has been made out of me!!!
Yesterday when I woke up I never knew that my day would turn out to be something like this, A normal lecture going on smoothly when suddenly one of my batch mates walks into the class, holds a girl and tries to kiss her. I was out of my senses for a second, but then immediately regained it and along with others pounced on the guy.
The picture of the whole college changed drastically, the guy has been rusticated from the college and I wonder whats going on with that girl.
What must have been wrong with that guy that he took such a drastic step? Was he more frustrated than I? Or was he a satyromaniac? Or he really loved her and this seemed to be his last option?
So many budding engineers in this small place and thousands of them undergo the same saga every year. What that guy did is an extreme case but there are so many students who have to undergo the same amount of pressures, cultural shocks and personality shocks. They start hating themselves and in the process start degrading themselves, it is a process which continues and eventually a student who walks in with a bag full of dreams, walks away crippled holding a bag full of failures and disgrace to his own self.
Who is to be blamed? Is it the education system or is it those people who have had the advantage of being bought up in environments where they become metrosexuals as soon as they enter their teens?
The blame game may continue, but this is a clear example of a society which is still immature and which still looks behind and conserve their children with the cultural or physical boundaries. It just shows that there is still prevalence of inequality in the lifestyles of people around the same region. Those who even though are intelligent enough to come up to the level of the elite ones are not ready to compete with them at the same levels.
The picture is not clear though, when we talk of growth, it doesn't mean just the economic growth, it actually refers to the ability to accept the changing scenarios of the world around and preparing our youngsters for these scenarios rather then leave them on their own to decipher their own routes, which may lead to destruction at times.
The social systems prevailing in this nation are still laid back, they are not ready to accept what the others have already accepted, they need to break the shackles of their old conservations and allow the youngsters to breathe a different air which they might have to use when they come at a stage of competition .
Its time for us to look into ourselves and evolve from our roots and give shape to our own lives, our own destiny and the destiny of many others who would walk along with us .
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