Thursday, October 26, 2017

An Opportunity to Listen to Shivani ji Live

On 11th September 2017 I was standing outside the shop ‘Ibadat’ in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi.  It was around 7:00 pm.  My wife Rina and daughter Navleen Kaur had gone inside ‘Ibadat’ for buying few dresses for themselves.  As it was a ladies shop I had preferred to stay outside for the shop was crowded with ladies.
While standing outside I had the opportunity of both reciting my evening prayer ‘Rehras’ and also watching families from various parts of the country as well as from neighbouring countries thronging into the market for purchasing clothes, shoes and various other household items.
As soon as I had finished my ‘Rehras Sahib’ path and had done my ‘Ardaas’ (Prayer after the path) two middle aged ladies draped in beautiful and elegant sarees had come and stood in front of me.  One of them had asked me if I was aware of who ‘Shivani’ was.  She had said, “Have you heard of Shivaniji who is a Brahmakumari ?”  My immediate response was, “Not just heard about her but I have heard her also several times.”  On hearing this she had smiled at me and then had taken out a flyer and had given it to me which was an invitation to listen to her in New Delhi on 12th September 2017.  I had thanked both the ladies for the invitation before they had left.
When my wife  and daughter had come out of the shop I shared the information with them.  We regretted the fact, that we had to leave New Delhi the next day.  We missed the opportunity of listening to ‘Shivaniji’ live.
It is a well known fact that when one longs for something from the core of ones heart the Universe conspires to enable the person to get what he had desired for.
Yesterday  when I was about to leave my office at around 2:30 pm a group of Brahmakumari devotees from Waidhan had dropped in to invite me to Vewa Club, Vindhyanagar this evening from 7:00 to 9:00 pm to listen to Shivaniji.
We all look forward to this opportunity.

S.S. Thaper
26th Oct. 2017

Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Functioning Under the Three Modes of Nature

Goodness (Satvic), Passion (Rajasvik) & Ignorance (Taamsic)

Depending on the kind of life we lead we get either elevated, remain at the same level or get into a  degraded life in our next birth. 

Whatever we do, we do it under three modes of nature as per what Gita says. 

The three modes of nature are mode of Goodness (Sativc), move of Passion (Rajasvik) and mode of Ignorance (Taamsic). 

The more we function under the mode of Goodness more the chances will become of taking birth as a human being in families that are better than the present ones as far as social position, wealth, health and knowledge is concerned.

This is the only mode which will ultimately lead us towards salvation when we will learn to function in this very mode even at our sub conscious level. 

Functioning in the mode of passion will give rise to a status quo.  We shall get our rebirth in families, backgrounds of the same level.

Those who degrade themselves by intentionally functioning in the mode of ignorance will not get born as humans in their next birth.  This is for certain.

Sukhwant Singh Thaper
17.10.2017

Monday, October 16, 2017

All that Glitters is not Gold!

All that Glitters is Not Gold !
Staying at one place has given me the opportunity to observe the behavior of students, parents, society at large for almost two decades.
I have been in touch with mothers whose children (especially girls) have been studying in the school right from Nursery class and are now in senior classes, i.e., from IX to XII.
This is the time when the children, as teenagers, do things that need parental and teachers control & guidance.
Two of the teenagers were caught in the last two weeks bunking their classes / activities and spending the time with the boys of senior classes.
After reprimanding / counseling the children couple of the mothers from among the group mentioned above, were summoned to the school for being briefed regarding their daughter’s misdeed so that they could be guided properly.  Initially they heard about the whole story and felt bad about it.  but then spilled the beans of all daughters of other friends in their group.  Not only about the daughter but also revealed the wrong doings of their mothers who were their own friends.
All these years I had been observing very good bonding between these very ladies at various social gatherings.
On interacting with couple of other mothers I got the impression that all were bent upon to spoil the image of other ladies in their group.
I really felt bad at how it didn’t take much time for the ladies to spill beans about each other.  Specially after having spent time of two decades of social friendship. This was odd and painful.
Each one is of the opinion that their families are of high moral values so their daughter can’t walk the wrong path.  And each one of them revealed to me that their friend’s daughters were emulating their mothers in befriending boys.
All that glitters is not gold!
What appeared to me outwardly for two long decades as great friendship was built on walls of jealousy and hatred for each other.  The smiles and laughter with which they greeted and interacted with each other were all false and fickle.
More than the mothers I am worried about the daughters who are my students. 
What kind of ladies they will grow into with such mothers around them ?
Sukhwant Singh Thaper
Principal
DPS Nigahi 16th Oct 17

Monday, October 9, 2017

How can one be so Dumb?

Scoring  above 90% & less than 33% in all subjects is both amazing and shocking to me.
As a Principal when I go through the answers sheets of all subjects of students of both bright and slow learners I always get impressed as well as disappointed and shocked.
Impressed to see students scoring above 90% marks and disappointed to see students scoring less than 40% and shocked to notice students scoring even less than 33%.  Few even score less than 10 and 5 or even 0 !
I often wonder that how one could score above 90% as well as below 33%.
Upto some extent we can comprehend the reasons behind students doing well and scoring above 90%.  Like their intelligence, parental / teachers, guidance, good books, resources available online.
But scoring less than 33% and 10% is beyond my comprehension.
How can one be so dumb?

“Teacher is the most ignored part in India’s private Educational Sector.”


Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu
Guru Devo Maheshwaraha
Guru saakshaat ParaBrahma
Tasmai Sri Guruve Namaha
This means,
Guru is the Creator (Brahma)
Guru is the Preserver (Vishnu)
Guru is the Destroyer (Maheshwara)
Guru is the absolute (Singular) Lord Himself.

Salutations to that Guru.

A teacher in India is still looked upon with utmost respect by the parents and students as far as his knowledge, integrity and talent is concerned but unfortunately his knowledge, integrity and talent doesn’t get the same respect from the people who are running the Educational shows in the country under the private sector.

Big schools, small schools irrespective of the brands under which they are functioning / prospering inspite of spending huge amount for developing their 3 star, 5 star rated infrastructures, don’t pay their teachers what they deserve.

Boards, like CBSE & ICSE, have it in their affiliation bye-laws that the salaries paid to the staff need to be at least at par with the states in which the schools are located. But, this is seldom followed by any of the schools across the nation.  During the time of inspections all papers related to the salaries, including acquaintance roll, salary slips, bank documents are made available to the inspectors assigned by the Boards which show that proper salaries are being paid to all staff members but the ground realities remains dismal.






More than the rules the ethics of school promoters needs to be changed in order to enable the teachers to get their dues. This doesn’t seem to be happening.  Couple of my ex-colleagues who always stood by great idealism when they were teachers have ventured into establishing great learning institutes which get categorized under K schools are also not doing justice with their staff as far as their salaries are concerned.

Hence, I have formed a negative opinion about the fact that the situation will ever stand a chance to improve. It’s high time that the Indian Govt. needs to take cognizance  of the prevailing situation and bring about a revolutionary change in the field of education at all levels, i.e., schools, undergraduate institutes and post graduate institutes.  The sooner it is done the better it will be for the country.

When Government / PSUs can run various schools, JNVs, BHUs, IITs, IIMs, AFMCs, AIIMs kind of educational bodies then with their forevision and good intentions can change the prevailing circumstances and save not only the parents from being cheated by the so called Educational Mafia but also help to provide to the students of the country nothing but the best that is available and also raise the standards of the teachers who are treated to be higher than the God,

“Guru Govind dou Khadhe Ka Ke Lagu Pai
Balehari Guru Apne, Gobind Diyo Batay.”

Both Guru and God stand before me, whose feet do I touch first ? I bow down to my Guru first because without him I would have never been able to recognize God.


S.S. Thaper
Principal
Delhi Public School Nigahi

6.10.2017-6:00 pm