Mountains and Rivers of India

Great poets have sung songs in the praise of mountains  and rivers of India. They are the country’s valuable natural resources. Her big rivers and gigantic mountains  are a  source of great pride and joy for every Indian.

             If we look at the map of the country, we find a long range of mountains in the North. They are the Himalayas. They remain covered with snow throughout the year. They have some of the highest peaks of the world. In Central India also we find big mountains. They are the Vidhayachal and the Satpura range. They separate Southern and Northern India. Besides these, Aravali and Nilgiri Hills are also famous.

             Mountains  are very useful from various points of view. First,  the high Himalayas  are called “The Sentry of India”. They are so high that no enemy could invade India by crossing them. So they are like a natural wall which separates India from Tibet. Sherpa Tensing, an Indian citizen was the first person to conquer the highest mountain peak of the world i.e, Mount Everest. He made history and so did Bichendri Pal, the first women to conquer this peak. We are proud of them.

            Secondly, our mountains  are very good agents of controlling the climate. The North-Western cold winds are checked by them from entering the country. The monsoon  winds  are checked by them from going straight to Central Asia. In fact, it is due to them that we get rainfall in the Northern and Southern India.

           Thirdly, many valuable plants grow on them. Some of them are of great medicinal value. We get good quality tea from Darjeeling and Nilgiri.

           Besides this, mountains  are advantageous  in many other ways also. Great saints and sadhus go there in search of peace. They provide a beautiful and calm natural environment in which one can elevate himself spiritually. When the snow melts on the high mountains, it flows in big streams. They come down flowing the fields in the form of rivers. Further, mountains  and their  forests are the abode of a large number of wild animals. So our country has world famous mountains which are very beneficial for us.

           In our own country, there are two kinds of rivers. First there are rivers which remain full of water throughout the year. Such rivers are found in Northern India. They get their water supply from the snow of the mountains. Secondly, there are rivers which dry up in summer season. Such rivers are found in Southern India.

Some of our rivers are world famous. In the North we have the Ganges, the Yamuna, the Brahmputra and their numerous tributaries. The Ganges is regarded as sacred by the Hindus. They call it “Ganga Mata”. In the south, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada and Godavari are very famous. Many of our big cities are situated on the banks of these rivers. They are important places of pilgrimage, for example, Allahabad, Hardwar and Varanasi.

               We are rightly proud of our rivers. Some of them have made world famous fertile lands. They have been depositing good alluvial  sand year after year. In this way, the Ganges- Yamuna plain has been formed by Ganges and Yamuna river.

                The rivers help us irrigate our fields. Canals have been dug out of the rivers and they supply water to the farmers. Thus progress and success of our agriculture is closely linked up with the rivers.

                In ancient times rivers were a good source of transport. In modern times also they are used for transport. Large wood logs are carried by them from the mountains to the plains with the flow of water. Boats and steamers also help in carrying  passengers and goods, throughout the rivers.

                Now a days multipurpose projects are being constructed on them. They help in generating  power. They help in the breeding of fish. Rivers are also good source of picnic and enjoyment.

              Rivers and mountains  are real wealth of the country. Thanks to  them, we are sure to make great progress in the near future. These natural resources should be exploited fully and properly so that our country may prosper.

An Indian Astrologer

An astrologer is a common sight in Indian towns and villages. He can easily be recognised by his dress and appearance.He wears a big round turban, a kurta and dhoti. His dress is generally shabby,showing that it has been used for a number of days. On the forehead, he has a long vermilion spot which is considered holy by the religious men. His long black mustaches, together with a holy mark, makes his appearance impressive. The effect is further increased by the rubbing of ash on the face. His eyes seems to glitter through his
 mustaches, and the simple and the rustic take him to be really inspired. They bow down their heads before him, as before one who has the sacred knowledge of the stars and understand their ways. All of us must have seen frequently such a person sitting by the roadside. He is the roadside astrologer.

        The Indian astrologer selects his place of work with great care. The simple villagers, labourers, women and other uneducated people, and also superstitious sections of society, are among his clients. He, therefore, sits by the roads which is usually frequented by them. The road he sits by is a busy one but he would select for himself a shaded place, a bit removed from the busy road. He would sit under a peeple tree
, sheltered from the sun, and a little removed from the "pukka", "metaled" road. With an eye to attract customers, he prefers to sit by municipal electric pole or near a hawker, for he carries no light of his own.

        Having selected the place, he would spread his simple goods. First he spreads a small piece of cloth with a guddi on it. This is his seat- his office chair. Then he spreads before him his maps and charts of heavenly bodies. Often an Indian astrologer is also a palmist, and he usually carries with him big prints clearly showing the various lines on the palm. These too, he place before him. Thus, he is ready to commence the work of fortelling the future of those who come to him for the purpose. His charges are low one rupee to two rupee or even lower in the dull season when the clients are few are far between.

        The road side astrologer is an intelligent judge of human nature. He is a student of human psychology and he uses his knowledge to make a living. He can judge the needs and problems of a client mereley by exchanging with him a few words. He does not talk much himself, but he encourages others to talk, for he knows that the more they talk the more he would tell him about themselves. In this way he gets ready to answer their questions and tell them about their respective futures. If it is a young woman,she would certainly want to know either when would she get married or, if already marries, when she is likely to get a son. Aged ladies want to know about the marriage of their sons and daughters or why do their husbands not love them any longer. If it is a man, he would be more concerned with money maters, as future crop-prospects, possibilities of promotion in the near future or of getting employment.

        In either case the astrologer's answers are vague and ambiguous. They can be interpreted in different ways and every one is sure to interpret them according to the turn of future events. Whatever may happen, the astrologer would never be wrong. He never tells unpleasant things, and always encourage others to hope for the best. This is what most people like, and this is what they pay him for.

        Many of us would be inclined to condemn the roadside astrologer as a cheat and hypocrite. He has no knowledge of the stars, and he simply tell lies and cheat simple, believing people. They would like him to be punished suitably or at least see him put out of action. But we cannot agree with such estimates. In our opinion, the astrologer is an honest man who earns his living by using his brain, as most of us do. He may not know the ways of the stars, but he understands the ways of human beings and this knowledge is much superior and more difficult to acquire than the knowledge of the stars.

Diwali: An Indian Festival

India is a land of fairs and festivals. Many festivals are celebrated in  India, regularly every year. Holi, Diwali, Dussehra and Raksha Bandhan are four great Hindu festivals. Though Diwali is celebrated by all the Hindus, it has a special significance for the Vaish community.

            The festival is celebrated at the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the winter season. Sometimes it takes place towards the end of October, and at other times at the beginning of November. According to Hindu calender, it falls every year in the month of Kartik. The season at this time is pleasant. It is neither hot nor too cold.

            The festival is celebrated in the honour of goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth. It is believed that the goddess blesses those with prosperity, who keep  their houses neat and clean on this day. The Goddess is supposed to visit the Hindu homes at midnight. The Jains also celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm because it was on this day that Lord Mahavira achieved Nirvan.

            The day before the festival great preparations are made. Houses are white washed and well cleaned. Furniture, doors and windows are all polished and varnished. The walls are decorated with curtains and pictures. Buntings and festoons are specially prepared for the occasion and are hung at places. In every house sweets are prepared or purchased from the market. Sweets are exchanged among friends and relatives.

            The day itself is marked with great rejoicing and merry making. The word 'Diwali' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'Deepawali' which means ' a row of light'. The illumination at night is a sight to see. Their are rows of light to be seen on the roof of every house building. Earthern lamps are lighted in large numbers. Many people now use multi coloured electric bulbs to illuminate their houses. The festival ends with the worship of Goddess Lakshmi at about ten or eleven pm. A picture or a small idol of goddess is bathed in milk, prayers are offered and sweets are distributed.

           The Hindu festival of light has many advantages. Houses are all cleaned and white washed on this occasion. The burning of sarson (mustard) oil purifies the atmosphere and kill insects that breed during the raining season. It provides an occasion of merry making for all. The children especially enjoy it. They get toys, sweets and delicious sweets to eat. As sweets are exchanged on this occasion, the festival also serve to increase mutual love among friends and relatives.
            The festival also has certain disadvantages. Sometimes, owing to neglect, or forgetfulness, fire breaks out and much damaged is caused to life and property. It is also traditional to gamble on this occasion. Some people suffer heavy losses. Infact, gambling starts several days before the festival. Those who lose, especially among the poorer sections, try to make good their loss through theft. Hence there is a marked increase in crime.

            Inspite of these drawbacks, i like this festival the most of all. Foreigners who have had occasion to enjoy it, have also praised it highly. There is nothing to equal it in any country or religion.

Life In Indian Cities

Though India is mainly a land of villages, there are many cities as well in the country. Some of the cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata are very big. They have a population of several millions. Life in these big cities is quiet different from the life in a village. Let us her consider, in brief, the life in a big city and point out some of its important advantages and disadvantages.

           In big cities, we find good arrangement for education. Big colleges, even universities, are found here. Even a person of ordinary means can give his sons and daughters  the highest education according to their mental capacity. There are also a number of schools both for boys and girls in every city. They also provide well equiped libraries and reading rooms for public use. Such arrangements do not exists in small towns and villages.

           Cities also provide ample medical facilities. In every city, there are good hospitals in which the poor get free medicines and treatment. Many well qualified private doctors also serve there to serve the suffering. Lack of such medical arrangements is a drawback of villages.

           Besides this, cities also provide many fine opportunities for amusement and recreation. In every city there are a number of cinema houses and theaters, where we can enjoy the best of pictures and dramatic performance. There are also a number of restaurants and hotels where we can get food, tea etc, of the finest quality. There are also many parks and gardens where we can enjoy natural beauty at its best. The markets of the city, specially when brilliantly lighted at night, are better than many exhibitions and fairs.
            The most important advantage of cities is the availability of avenues of employment. There are centres of trade and commerce. There are big offices as well as a large number of factories and mills. Persons with every kind of qualification can easily find jobs to suit them. No such opportunities exists in villages where the people depend mostly on agriculture.

             There are many other advantages of city life. City people are more cultured and refined. There we find opportunities to mix with people from every corner of the country as also from foreign countries. We meet people who have different nature, different ideas, and different ways of living and thinking. In this way. our outlook is broadened and our views enlarged.

              Cities have disadvantages also. The remark of the English poet Cowper " God made the contry and man made the town" is quiet true. In the city, we cannot enjoy the beauties of nature, as we can do in villages. City life is artificial. Man lives cut off from nature. He cannot appreciate the charms of birds and flowers, or the beauty of the day dawn and the sunset as in villages.

              City life is extremely unhealthy. Air pollution, water pollution and sound pollution have converted the city life into hell. The smoke coming out of a number of factories make the atmosphere dirty. The sky is always covered with black clouds. The people get no opportunity to breathe free and pure air, or to enjoy clear sunshine. Besides this, the food in the cities is dirty and adulterated. We cannot get pure milk and ghee. The food sold in the market is entirely unwholesome and unfit for consumption. The villages suffer from no such drawbacks.

               One has to face many difficulties in a big city. Life is very costly. People have to live with pomp and show. A simple life, like that of a village, is impossible in the city. Besides, the cities are over crowded and people get very little accommodation. Rates are high and newcomers have to put up with a great deal of hardship. Distances are long and much time is wasted in going from one place to another.

               People in the city do not have sympathy for others. Even next door neighbours do not know each other. There is no fellow feeling. That sympathy and close interdependence which is so marked in village life is entirely lacking in the city.

Such is the life in a big city. That is why so many people do not like to live there. Others prefer it owing to its medical and cultural advantages. It is all a matter of taste. I myself like to live in a city in a close vicinity of a city.

Importance of the study of English

India want to grow into a powerful nation. She is trying to progress in all spheres. The economic, social and political life of the people is to be changed. This is a gigantic task. To fulfill this, people must have upto date knowledge of the different branches of sciences. Without expert technicians, mechanics and engineers much progress is not possible. We need them in increasing numbers. Besides this, a growing nation has also to guard itself against various internal dangers. Under such conditions,  the selection of language to be studied by the youth of the country becomes very significant. English is the store house of scientific knowledge. Hence its study is of great importance for a developing country like India.

            India's foreign policy is the focus of attention of all the countries of the world. The whole of the world expects to quench its  thirst for peace with this policy. India wants to be friendly with all countries. She has to explain and convince others that her point of view is correct. This cannot be done without an effective medium for the exchange of ideas. English provides us with such a medium. This is a language which enjoys the status of an International language. In fact the majority of the countries of the world conduct their business in this tongue. If India wants to play her role in international matters effectively, her people must study it.

           India is a country in which people living in different parts have their own language. The regional language are quiet different from one another. On the whole, there are 15 officially recognised languages and more than 1650 languages and dialects in India. The leaders and the administrators of the country cannot remain in contact with all these regions without a common language. It is not possible for everyone to know 10 or 15 languages. We do not have any common language except English. During the English language all tried to learn this language. We can feel at home in every corner of the country if we know this language. English is the language best suited for maintaining internal unity. If we want to crush the provincial, communal and separatists tendencies of our people, we must continue to study it. English is the most important means of national integration with terrorism raising its ugly head in different parts of the country. We must study English or perish.

          This is the age of science. The world is changing at a terrific speed. This is all due to the scientific and technological progress which the other countries have made. If we want to keep pace with these fast moving countries, scientific and technological  research must be made in our land. We can advance only through a knowledge of these subjects. Our own regional languages do not have the capacity to serve this purpose. Ultimately we have to depend upon English. To produce first rate scientist and technicians, English must be taught to our people as good and useful books on these subjects are available in this language only.

           For proper mental development it is essential that we study the best literature. If we want to shed the feeling of false superiority and to broaden our minds, we must be ever- ready to take the best from others. Now the literature of other countries and of our own different languages can be easily obtained in English. In our own languages, modern upto date literature is not available. This makes it essential that our young men continue to learn English. Moreover many a youngmen go to foreign countries for advanced countries. They need good knowledge of English. Its importance for such scholars is indeed very great.

          English must remain a compulsory subject for quiet a long time. It must also continue to be the medium of instruction at least in science and technology and in other subjects in higher classes. Every effort must be made to develop our own language. But till our languages are fully developed we must continue to provide facilities in our schools and colleges for its study.

Some Indian Superstitions

Superstition can be defined as a belief in the power of omens, the usefulness of ceremonials, and the existence of supernatural beings. Superstition and ignorance go together. The Indians are ignorant and backward. Most of them do not know even how to write their names. So India is a land of superstitions. The people believe in a number of omens, perform a number of ceremonies to achieve their ends, and live in a constant fear of ghosts and evil spirits. But this does not mean that such superstitions are peculiar to India alone. They exist in every country of the world. for example, even the advanced and highly educated Europeans are highly superstitious. To give only one example, number thirteen is regarded as inauspicious among them. Even today, we find not a single one of their hotels with a room having the number thirteen on it, for no one would like to stay on it.

           Even a moment's thought reminds us of a number of common Indian superstitions. One should not go out if any one sneezes, or if one sees a man with an empty pitcher, or a cat crosses one's path, for these are ill omens and are sure to bring ill luck. to see a one eyed man early in the morning is considered highly inauspicious, and one who sees him is sure not to get his meals during the day. The sitting of an owl over the house top is a sure sign of approaching ruin and destruction. If a crow crows early in the morning, the housewife is sure that she would have some guest during the day.

           Many of the Indian superstitions are based on sound reasoning and common sense. The grown ups should not cross over the child as it would check his growth. This superstition is an embodiment of wisdom. If the grown ups cross over the child, they might injure it. The food of the baby should be covered with a cloth or a towel. This is a warning against the baby being given exposed food with a possible bacterial infection. Its food should never be left uncovered. Closed wells are abode of evil spirits and so one should never go closer to them. We now know that poisonous gases  come out of such wells and are likely to cause great injury to the health of a person who goes near them. Similarly, the superstitions that peepal trees are nightly abodes of ghosts and that it is a sin ti pluck flowers at night are all based on sound scientific reasons. They are the attempts of our ancient sages to teach science to people in a popular way.

          Superstitions regarding ghosts and evil spirits are signs of human weakness. Man is weak and he lives in constant fear of unknown dangers that lurk in the dark and lonely corners. No one has ever seen a ghost in the broad daylight or on busy thoroughfare. Man's intellect is baffled by the numerous accidents and unseen misfortunes that befall him so suddenly and when he least expect them. Who can be their cause and author? Surely they must be caused by some evil spirits that hover around them always ready to do him harm. He must keep them in good humour, for his own good. Hence the performance of various ceremonies to please them and to win their favour.

          Ignorance breeds superstition. Hence they tend to disappear with an increase in literacy. Once people begin to understand the right relation of things and the real cause of phenomenons, they ceased to be superstitious. With the march of science and popular awakening, many of the superstitions have already lost their hold on the minds of the people. But many of them are so deeply rooted that no amount of knowledge or science can weaken their hold or fully shake them off. That is why so many superstitions still persists, even in the most advanced countries of the world.

The Evils Of Drug Addiction

In recent times drug addiction in India has assumed menacing proportion and the evil is in increasing by leaps and bounds. It is widespread in the hostels and universities and technical and professional institutes in the country. Charas, ganja, heroin, smack or brown sugar 'bhang' and even 'LSD' are in great demand and are purchased at exhorbitant prices.

            Taking of drug is a great evil. A number of causes are responsible for the evil. In many homes, growing boys and girls do not get the love, care and attention which they should receive at this stage. Often both the father and mother are in service and consequently have no time to look after their children. In other cases the husband and wife are not in good terms with each other. They often quarrel, the quarrels increase in intensity and violence, and life in the home becomes most unhappy and unpleasant. Such quarrels may lead to even divorce and the breaking up of family. In still other cases, the father remains busy in his business or office work and the mother remains too busy in her own social life to look after the children. The result is that young people in such homes feel lonely and neglected. They feel frustrated. Deprived totally of parental love and affection, they seek consolation elsewhere. They go astray. Their so called friends who are themselves drug addicts, mislead them and induce them, at least to have taste of it. The drug sellers fully exploit them. Drugs are in the beginning provided to them quiet cheap, but the price goes on increasing as the evil habit takes hold of them and they can no longer do without drugs.

             Drug addiction is an acute problem which has defied all efforts and its solution so far. The drug addict cannot do without drugs even for a short while. and the habit goes on increasing and soon the addict find himself a helpless victim of this degrading habit. He must get his dose of it at the fixed time and if he does not get it, he weeps and cries, and becomes incapable of the least movement. The result is that he borrows money, or he steals it from his own home or from any other place which may be within his reach.He or she is exploited in various ways by their so called friends or the sellers of these vicious drugs. The drug addict steal and quarrel with their parents and other members of the family so much so that the life in the house becomes a hell. Often the evil results in suicide and the ruin of the whole family. The only beneficiary are the vendors of these drugs. They thrive while the victims perish.

             Total eradication of the evil is the urgent need of the hour and fight against it must be undertaken on a war footing and on a number of fronts. Public opinion must be created against it and the different media of the communication- the press, the radio, television, the cinema, the public platform and the class room must be pressed into service to combat this evil. In this way the people, more particularly the youth must be made aware of the evil consequences of this habit. They must be made to realise that the friends who initiated them into this evil practice are not their friends but their enemies.They exploit them for their own nefarious ends.

             Secondly their must be a concentrated drive against smugglers who smuggle these drugs into the country and made huge profits by selling them to unlucky, helpless victims. Thirdly de-addiction centres must be established in all major cities where the victims of this vicious practice may be treated and gradually weaned away from it. The drug addicts needs sympathy and an understanding of their problems. They should be treated as essentially sick people and not condemned as wicked criminals. Change in social attitudes is also essential for successfully tackling the problem.

             We are glad to note that the government if fully alive to the urgency of this problem. Mass media has already begun to stress this problem and form public opinion against it. Programs aim at the eradication of this evil are televised frequently. The drive against these smugglers and the vendors of these drugs has been intensified and huge quantities are being seized particularly every day. De- addiction centres for the treatment of these helpless people have already been established in cities like Delhi, and it is hoped that more and more areas would soon have such centres. The fight against this social evil has begun and its eradication is a matter of time only.