ARE WE LOSING THE TASTE OF CULTURE??

 Change is the only permanence in this universe. It can also be explained as the first step of evolution.  Change is responsible for the development of the next generation. Whenever we refer to the Next-G, i.e.., the next generation, it should be a civilized and progressed one from the current one. As we all know, “Too much of anything is good for nothing”, applies very well to the next-g if growth proceeds in this exorbitant downtrend.

Though there are many fields to consider, the major affected ones are the health and the culture. Culture, is the value of the society. This has deteriorated to a great extent since the invasion of white men. Aping the west will improve our standard of living on par with developed countries, no doubt in it. But the loosening of our roots from our culture will destroy the mother civilization. India is called as the land of sanctity, with reference to the epics and puranas which went on during the time immemorial. Aping the western culture has become the mode of day-to-day life. Change in the attire could be accepted to a certain extent as our business environment demands the culture of the west. But the adolescence getting carried away by these traditions of aliens lets the loosening of our roots. The reason for the influence is the media which portrays the other culture as the way of life. Children think beyond their age group, knowledge of certain things which should not be known to them at their age leads to the urge to explore it. The dressing kind in these days, exposure to cosmetics at a very young age which is an impact of media is not a good sign. The proper guidance from their parents will help them know the right and wrong. The lack of time spent by the parents with their wards makes them look for a companion beyond their home. Here the media plays a role in inculcating the practices beyond their age and necessity. For example, falling into infatuation or getting addicted to ill habits such as smoke and drinks proves this. Infatuation is mistaken as love at the age when they are unaware about themselves and also life. Smoke and drinks are used by the English to accustom with their temperature conditions. This deterioration is getting worse at the schooling age. As heard from my teacher, the excessive exposure to media spoils their habits, behavior at school and also their respect for elders. This difference was found by her within a short span of three years. This will show the role and impact created by the media in day-to-day life.

In order to instill the values of tradition and culture, children can be made to study the epics and understand the moral of living, even from various scriptures on how to lead a disciplined way of life. This can be done by their parents, by spending their time with their children, teaching them the values from their young age. Some parents may justify by saying they are earning for their child’s betterment. But only their presence will lead to the real betterment of the child. Living as an example will help children learn these values better than teaching theoretically. Media should be used as a source to improve our knowledge in the right direction.

The other field of deterioration is health. These days, children rarely get time to play as we played or as our parents did. Though they play, playing in the soil will give them immunity to survive the micro-organisms from the environment, which has almost become nil. The food habits which are again due to the aping of the west, we suffer various kinds of illness. An increase in the amount of fat intake and the lack of physical activity is the major reason for the well known illness of the day-Obesity. Proper environment for a safe and peaceful life is also getting extinct due to pollution and an enormous increase in population. Through population exploitation cannot be reverted, a proper management of the resources to avoid pollution and to save it for future will help us build a better life-style. The awareness on physical fitness must be taught to children by indulging them in yoga, which has its roots in or country will help for their betterment both physically and mentally. Even healthier life can be attained by sticking our culture. To build a better future we have to prepare ourselves to teach them, here are a few online help for it.

As told by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, “The child of today is the citizen of tomorrow”. So we shall join together to know the values of our culture and take an oath to build a better future.

A few sites to enlighten about our culture and traditional values:

• This site explains about good parenting values.
  

http://www.indianchild.com/culture%20_1.htm

• This site gives us the values of Indian culture and various traditions followed in various religions.
  

http://www.indianmirror.com/culture/cul1.html

• This one is about the art forms, traditions and invaluable monuments of our country
  

http://www.indiancultureonline.com/ 

An Equitable Present

“She who takes care of you irrespective of your need. She will stand by you through your success and failures, your righteousness and mistakes.”

Every child places its first step on their mother’s womb, wonder how? The period they kick and start their moving inside. This gives an ecstatic feel for every mom. Generations are getting better and wiser as years move along, which was stated by Charles Darwin as “The survival of the fittest”. It may be behavior, appearance, brilliance, there is ascent as the years move on. People may become a billionaire, business magnet, athlete, top official of MNC at the culmination of life, but every man or a woman are going through the same phase of life. Women to specify have a greater responsibility than men in bringing up a child. As the proverb goes, “You educate a boy, you educate a person, whereas you educate a girl, you educate a family”.

Women can speak about liberty and freaky kind of attitude they would like to enjoy during their teenage. But a certain amount of restriction is an absolute must as a pinch of salt for cooking. A few girls can object this saying they can enjoy life to fullest and change later when situation demands. But “Ainthil valayaathathu aimbathil valayaathu” In a girls life a mother plays the most important role as she will know her stages having experienced the same. She cuddles the child everyday since the day break till the end of it, helping her to get ready to school, teaching her how to behave in class, inculcating good manners and habits, helping through the course of study, engaging the child such as playing, instilling culture and values.

On taking a beautiful journey of a girl’s life, she is being treated as a princess of the house and being pampered till she becomes a school going kid. As she attains her puberty, she is being restricted slowly from her previous enjoyments like playing with her group which might constitute a greater number of the other sex. These kinds of restrictions would bother her and throw her into a world of perplexity. The girl is reared under a conservative environment instilling our traditional and cultural values. Once the girl comes out of her adolescence, she realizes the values of precepts taught by her mother especially. Though a child may call herself a pet to her dad, she is much more out-spoken to her mom. The beautiful period of a human is when they realize and admire the beauty of Mother and Motherhood. This may be at any phase of life, but this realization will transform the person into a complete and matured one. The early realization will help to serve the creator and understand her better. This would be the period for repentance and self- realization.

The realization will take you through the memory lane to show the way She cared for you while you were sick, encouraged you to overcome the suffering at bad times, chided you for mistakes and you would have hurt her gravely with impinging words without a even botheration to apologize. The times She would have boasted with pride about you to the kiths and kins for a trivial benevolence. You will be the ever beautiful and charming person in the world for Her. She might have complained about your behavior to neighbors, but will never let you down even if you are a sinner. You might have pestered her for a snack in spite of her illness; she would complete the snack within minutes to see the smile in you. Though you might put up a long face after a tiff, she would come back and cuddle you with an innocent smile at her face.

She will be the happiest if we obey her words which by default, would be for our betterment. She will be the happiest to see you smile for ever. She will adore you though you may no longer be a kid, forgive your faults invariably. She is our MOTHER- an angel sent by God to enlighten every human to salvation. There goes a proverb, “When you start accepting that your parents are right, you will have a child who thinks you are wrong”. 

MEIN EISA KYON?

I was a GRE aspirant in my college days wanting to start a new phase of my life at a new destination. I was encouraged to study well, aim for it and reach it. It all started very well. I was eagerly waiting for my admit. I got admits from two universities out of five I had applied for. I was very happy, stepping on to my dream chair, thinking about the steps I had to take to adapt myself at a new place. But the came financial problem as a great stumbling block. This is no surprise for any MS aspirant. But my gender played a role to hold me back to my roots. I being the only child for retired parents, from a middle class conservative family, moving abroad was a matter of fear, anxiety, and a Himalayan task. Being immature I tried to convince my parents to apply a loan, a huge amount as a necessity. As I was neither a topper nor an achiever I could not het a waiver or financial aid. Parents will always want their kids to be safe and stay happy without undergoing heavy distress in life. That too me being the only child and the large separation of four years during my under graduation turned out to be a cause for the check they laid for my graduation in a foreign land. I was not tenacious to extract my needs by hurting my creators. Their age and financial instability was pressurizing them to search for my groom. I was made to abandon my dreams in order to satisfy my parents at least by my presence.

This was the position which asked me so many questions like, y dint I maintain an excellent academic record? Y was I born a girl? Y did I burden my parents with such a financial constraint?

I managed to come out of this disappointment and look for job. Though I was offered a job through campus placements, the financial down trend had hit the IT firms badly especially the one which I got placed. I hunted for a job to come out this boredom and took up one as a tele-marketing executive. It dint pay me well, yet I enjoyed the work place. My nurturers were not happy with my job. I too found the situation to be an under-employment for myself. So I came out trying for other options.

Enjoyed with my parents by visiting my relatives place, attending family functions, etc... But my friends were being called join from their respective firm. This created agony in my mind and I started another business of my own of making fashion jewelry. I started getting orders from my colony inmates. I felt excited about it and enjoyed my work. But this too dint work out for long as I had to find new customers for the business to go on. This was also seemed to be a low-grade job for my parents.

I am still in search of the right place for me that would satisfy my parents, to help me repay my loan. Is it all possible? Or is my life going to change upside down by entering a family side? God alone Knows. When is it all going to happen?  Where is my fighting spirit? Why am I so submissive by just accepting the stuffs happening to me? Is it because of the over-protection? But I think I have been vested with a good amount of inner strength to undergo these troublesome situations. Thank you god for having me sustains these hardships. But as everyone would say, there must e something better in store for me. The happiness I attain through this is the empty state of mind after pouring out my agony in this form and to stay smiling forever. Why am I like this?

 Am yet to discover my true self!!

                                                                                     

A peaceful holiday spot!!

Here is my experience about my visit to a beautiful town

It is NEYVELI. It is almost made by NLC namely Neyveli lignite corporation. Everyone must be aware of it as, this supplies a major share of power to our state. I dint nurture any preconceived notion about the town, though I had made my living there when I was in my first and second standard. My uncle welcomed me to enjoy riding his TVS excel. I was awaiting the same as it has been 4 years since I rode a vehicle. I reached my relatives place late in the evening, so couldn’t go round that day.

The next day my uncle took me a ride and was with me to take ride by myself. It was the road towards the township. Marvelous sight, scintillating breeze awakening every cell of my soul. Road was elegant bordered by eucalyptus trees. Behind those trees were the cashew trees. A must mention, this town exports a major percentage of cashew both within and outside the country. I wont say it was lush of green, it can be described as temperate region with respect to geography we studied at school. The scent of eucalyptus rose as I was driving. That evening we had planned to visit Chidhambaram NATRAJAR temple which would take an hours time from this town.

My parents said this temple is where I we used to spend our evenings atleast twice a week while we were at chidhambaram. This would have been the substantial reason for my affinity towards the deity lord Natraja(Shiva). The temple is definitely a master-piece. You will be astounded on the first sight of loty gopurams in the four cardinal directions.

This temple is a must visit for artists and performers of our classical art form Bharathnatyam. The gateways are etched with 108 poses of Bharathnatyam as enunciated in Natya Sastra. An interesting fact about this temple, according to scientific proof, the place where Lord Natraja has his right foot is the centre of this universe. The deity is in one of the dance postures called “Ananda Tandavam”.

To the right of Shiva, is the revered Chidambara rahasyam - or a representation of emptiness garlanded with golden vilva leaves. The curtain in front of the Chidambara Rahasyam, representing Shiva (and Parvati) in the formless form (Aroopam) is lifted ceremoniously during worship services, with offerings of lamps. A legend, comemorating the dance between Shiva and Kali is associated with Chidhambaram. Shiva is said to have lifted his right foot towards the sky in the “Urdhuva Tandava” posture, a definite male gesture, which Kaali could not reciprocate, thereby causing Shiva to emerge victorious, assigning Kaali to the status of a primary deity in another temple in the outskirts of Chidambaram. “Sai raksha” is the one offered to the Lord at Sandhya kaalam(6 pm). The pooja with various kinds of abhishekam and Aaradhana were mind blowing.

My first Blog !!

This has been a long wait. Here are my thoughts and experiences to share. Though I have been under a perception that writing a blog needs enormous amount of writing experience, here I start to gain experience. Am VARSHINI completed my UG in a college amidst forest, which ultimately turned out to be a paradise during my final year and which deserves extraordinary salutation for making a person of today J

Terminal semester at college: one of the few to regret

It was the final semester at our paradise. Classes were almost suspended or left free with mere attendance. As every second in the clock ticked, the minds of every final year student sulkily wanted their 4 memorable years back. It was hard to digest the fact that we have completed four years of under-graduation. This was the only thought flickering in our minds. Most of the final semester was lent for our projects. Only one third of us were at the college doing our project. Though we were enjoying ourselves in our ravishing JVC, the whole edifice seemed empty. It wasn’t vanity in reality. It was because of the absence of our dear batch mates who were away for their projects, the stairs seemed deserted, and the anteroom looked desolated.  The department regained its ebullience once in a month. Wondering how!!!  It was the review that was scheduled for three days, first two assigned for projects done outside and final day was for us.

Although we missed the gang enjoyment and celebration, it was me and Swapna who relished in the beauty of Mother Nature who showcased her beauteous forms through her breezy environment with birds chirping to wish a beautiful morning as would stride to the laboratory to record the first readings for the day. Every day would pass as we shuttle between the class and lab noting down the readings. It was fun learning through mistakes, but we learnt only after committing it more then twice. J Our most investigative project mate is Tamil who should have been into research by now for her dedication to elicit a solution and adept knowledge of the subject. “As the saying goes man proposes, God disposes” she is now working in an It concern. And to say about Swap, she is my best enemy and my worst friend. She had her terrible time in the final year being my neighbor. Waking me up every morning, updating news about class works, assignments, lending them with bounteous generosity for me to copy.  She was my companion in class, lab, hostel, almost all the time. She had to stand my so called naughtiness of scaring her every time I sneak into her room wordlessly, hitting hard on her under the name of patting, pinching her in the course of conversation. We used to bask at the beautiful sight of sunset through the branches of blossomed gulmohar tree graced by the yellow flowers.

         Another normal day began with me and Swap rushing to the class as only 10 minutes was left for the class to terminate. Class was occupied with other hostilities and day scholars. The first class of almost all the days was just for the sake of attendance. We cracked jokes about the staff commenting on his language. We had only 4 hours of lecture per day, the other hours for our project. We enjoyed with our friends in the class discussing about horror stories, teasing each other, pairing up with our class mates and other stuffs. We used to capture the beauty of sastra during the incubation period of the experiment. This was our full time job at the festivities of sastra, namely the tech and cultural festival.

It was on that day there arose an argument regarding the procedure to be done and the segregation of work among ourselves. It was a trivial incident which kept on building as we dint speak out our thoughts at the spur of the moment. This led to arguments of other cadre pointing out the earlier incident. This became a barrier amongst us because of which we lost too many joyous moments that could have been engraved in our hearts. And I still repent for being so in those days, yet thank my friends for giving me support through out the period and help me in this transformation.