‘Coming Together of Goddess Laxmi & Saraswati’

Normally it’s believed that Goddess of Wealth ‘Laxmi’ and Goddess of Knowledge ‘Saraswati’ do not come together.  Their blessings are seldom showered together on a person.  If it happens it’s very rare.  In other words people who are very wealthy do not have children who are good in studies and on the other hand those whose children are good in studies are seldom effluent.
One of the persons that I have come across in my life upon whom both these Goddessess were merciful was Dr. Uday Kumar Sahu.  I met him way back in 1983 at SCB Medical College, Cuttack.  He was in second year MBBS alongwith my childhood friend Dr. V.S.V. Prasad.
I had gone to Cuttack to pursue my PG in English Literature in Ravenshar College.
Instead of staying in the hostel of Ravenshaw College, wherein I was enrolled, I was fortunate to stay at Dr. Prasana Kumar Prusty’s (Proff. of Medicine at SCBMCC) house along with my classmate Shivendu Sen who was from Anantpur, Odisha.
Prasad was the most brilliant among all my school mates and college mates.  He had qualified for pursuing MBBS in the year 1982 itself.  Because of his presence in Cuttack I was permitted to do my PG in Cuttack which was around 500 Kms away from Jeypore, our native place.
As I stayed in the residence of Dr. Prusty I used to have my food in the Medical College mess, which was run by Vishwanath, instead of Ravenshaw College mess.
Shivendu Sen and me used to spend most of our second half in the medical campus. Due to this I could befriend various medicos of SCBMCC which included Dr. Uday Kumar Sahu.  He was allotted a room in the New Boys Hostel but used to be in Prasad’s room very often.
One of his paternal uncles Amar Kumar Sahu was a renowned person of Jeypore.
Uday belonged to a family involved in liquor business both Desi and Foreign in two states, i.e.,  Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.  His father had unfortunately met with an untimely death.  He could have easily joined his family business empire but he preferred to go in for doing his MBBS.  Moreover, we used to appreciate him all the more because of the fact that he had cleared the competition and had qualified for the seat in SCBMC Cuttack and had not got in through any unfair means.
His family used to live in Titlagarh.  His mother out of pure love had sent a new Contessa Car for him.  Instead of feeling happy Uday had rather felt embarrassed and had sent the car back by giving the excuse that Cuttack lanes were too narrow for a big car.  His mother had immediately sent a replacement in the form of a Fiat (small) car for him.  He already had a Bajaj Chetak, best two wheeler of those days. Instead of parking the car in the Medical Campus he preferred to keep his car in their ware house which was situated in Cuttack itself so that he could avoid embarrassment.
Uday seldom took his scooter out when we all friends used to go out.  As we all moved on our bicycles he too used to join us on a bicycle or hop on one of ours.
Once I remember he had asked Shivendu Sen and me. "How much amount do you spnd in a month?"  On being told that we were managing with about Rs. 400/- to Rs. 500/- per month, he too had tried to do so.  How many rich brats will do this ?
I can also recall the few journeys that we had taken in his Fiat car to Puri and Nua Nui beach.  He used to make us all pay for the fuel charges on contributory basis.  However, after reaching Puri he used to give us all a lavish lodging boarding facility in his family Guest House of Puri.
I had the opportunity of meeting Uday way back in December of 1994 when I had gone to Hyderabad to get trained by CIEFL and Plymouth England faculty members as ELT Resource Person of CBSE. He had not changed a bit.  He had completed his PG in Pediatrics  and was working as CMO of CDR Hospital, Hyderabad.
He still resides in Hyderabad along with his beautiful and smart wife Abhilasha and two naughty and cute teen aged boys.
Dr. Uday Sahu has proved himself to be one of the renowned Pediatrician of South India.
His family still awaits him to join their business empire but his love for the noble profession that he is in is not deterring him from his path.  May God bless him and his family and may his tribe increase.

Talent Vs Good Behaviour

A person may be exceptionally intelligent and talented but unless he is well behaved he is not accepted by the society.  Temporarily his associats may adjust with him but such people can’t build long term relations with anyone.

On the other hand a person with less intelligence and talent is liked by people around him if he has a good behavior.

Now the question which rises is, “What is good behavior ? and “What is bad behavior?”

We will have to see things at two levels, surface level and deeper level.  At surface level ‘shouting’ and ‘yelling’ at someone is bad behavior and being ‘polite’ and ‘soft’ is good behavior.  ‘Wishing’ people we meet, everyday or the known is good ‘not wishing’ them is bad.  ‘Rinsing the utensils’ in which we eat is good ‘not rinsing’ after we have finished is bad, and so on.  These are all outwardly behavior which can easily be seen and also learnt. 

A person gets recognized and liked or disliked due to his behavior which may or may not be physically visible but can be felt by others.

In this context things that matter are :

In execution of ones work. Does the person complete his tasks with efficiency or does he need to be prodded every now and then ?

Is he a facilitator of the policies of the company or an institute or acts as a hindering block in attaining the goals ?

Socially whether one is a supporter type or a back stabber ? whether one has an open mind or is a bigot ?

A person with good habits can only make a permanent impression on the minds of people and can make a permanent place in people’s heart. His high achievement can’t do so. 

Think Twice Before Entrusting Your Girls to Family Friends

Mr. Mohan is perplexed.  He is unable to decide as to how he should help a Class XI girl of his school.

Mr. Mohan is heading a very reputed educational institute of the country. His school is situated in one of the remotest parts of the country.  Inspite of its remoteness the school is known for its best board results.  Children of the school also qualify in professional exams. Mr. Mohan himself has been conferred with many Sate & National level awards.  He is one of the most popular Principals of the area.  Parents, staff and students love him.

This is the reason why Jia (name changed) had shared her problem directly with her Principal Mr. Mohan.  She had suffered a lot from having been humiliated sexually by the son of one of their family friends.  She has been going through the pain since summer break and finally decided to teach a lesson to the boy so that he won’t dare to repeat it with another girl.

Jia has been studying in the school from class Nursery onwards and is an exceptionally brilliant child.  Mr. Mohan had always felt nice to felicitate her on stage every year during various Inter House Competitions.  She is one of the best athletes of the school.

Jia with her friend had walked into her Principal’s Mohan Rao’s Chamber and requested for making a call from his landline.

It is a normal practice followed by students who have some problem to call their parents from Principal’s Chamber.

Mohan Rao gestured through his eyes that yes she can.

But instead of picking up the phone she requested him to spare some time to listen to her.  She sent her friend out and herself moved towards the chair and sat on it.

Principal said, “Yes, Jia, what’s your problem. ? Hope you are in good health.”

Jia said, “I’m fine but not so fine and want to share my personal problem with you if you have enough time.”

Principal assured her in an affectionate voice, “Yes, Jia I do have free time.  Please tell me why are you troubled ?”

Jia said, “Sir during the winter break as my parents had to go to the home town they had left me behind with one of our family friends. They have two sons, one is in Class VI in our own school and the elder one is studying in class XII in my mother’s school.

Uncle was also out of station.  Anuty slept with both of her sons and made me sleep in a separate bed room so that I can be comfortable.  From her side she tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible.  At around 3:00 am I felt someone touching me.  When I woke up completely I realized that the elder son whom I always treated as my elder brother was lying with me on the bed and was holding me down with his hand.  He had pressed his hand on my mouth lest I may shout. Initially I didn’t shout out of embarrassment and later I didn’t dare because of the awkward position we were lying. I had felt that if I had shouted Aunty and the younger son would have come and seen us in that odd position and Aunty would naturally support her son and would have blamed me for having called him to my room.  Inspite of my resistance he did what he wanted to.  I cried the whole night.  At 6:00 am I made a call to my mother and told her everything.  I got ready and as per my mother’s advice and shifted to another Aunty’s place by 7:00 am.

After three days when my parents returned we went to their home and as I had feared Aunty told, “My son was called into the room.” “Tell me Sir, if I was interested then why would I be complaining.” Principal said, “Yes, I do understand. What happened next?”

Jia said, “Now my parents want me to keep quite over the issue.  I’m ready to keep quite but the boy is troubling me.  He is going around and telling everyone in this area that he has had me.  So you can imagine how I must be feeling.  Everyone is looking at me with bad eyes.”

“Without telling my parents I had dialed 1089 to register a complain against the boy.  They provided me with a cell no. I have come to you advise as to what should I do.”

Principal, “Let me talk to your parents.”

Jia, “No Sir, they will not like the idea of me having told you this.”  My parents are planning to shift me from this place.  My point is why should I suffer because of the boy’s fault?.

I’m feeling humiliated in the eyes of my friend.  My parents are not supporting me.  Aunty is blaming me. And this boy is going around boasting about his machoness.

Principal said, “See Jia, it was not a macho act done by the boy.  Rather it was a very cowardly of him to have done so.

“It is sad but true that majority of the parents behave exactly as your parents are doing.”

“You don’t bother about what your Aunty is saying.  You know the truth and that is more than enough.”

“How are you sure that the boy is spreading information about you ?”

Jia, “I’m not sure but the other day when I had gone to the Stadium I believe there were few boys of other school who were eyeing me differently.”

Principal, “May be you are prejudiced.  Don’t worry about what people are saying.”

“It’s sad that you have gone through a bad experience I would really love to have a word with your parents in this regard.”

Jia, “No Sir, please, it’s my humble request not to talk to them.  I plead you, if I talk and complain to the no. that I have won’t they arrest him.  Will my name get revealed ?  I would love it if they act on my complain and arrest him and put him behind bars without involving me and my parents?”

Principal, “I’m afraid it’s not as easy as you are desiring,”

Jia, “Then Sir leave it.  I’m already feeling comfortable after having spoken to you.  Your support and faith in believing in me has given me lot of courage.”

Saying this she left for the class leaving behind the Principal.

Mr. Mohan is bit worried as to how to deal with such a situation. 

Parents of teenagers should be very careful. Specially parents of girls should take all precautions. They need to think a lot before entrusting the responsibility to someone to look after them during their absence. 13.7.2015

Let’s Pray to be Earnest, Hopeful & Humble!

Many have come and many have gone. 

Many will come and many will go.

The life that we live is unfathomable.

Life is a process of ups and downs.

Paupers become Kings and Kings paupers.

Strength and ego get shattered in no time.

The meek becomes the ruler.

Few get recognized and become renowned.

Few remain inconspicuous throughout their life.

There are moments that make us rejoice.

And then there are moments that make us lament too.

We rise we fall.

We cry we laugh.

We fight we love.

We take we give.

We live the worst moments of life.

We are blessed with the best moments too.

We can learn to bear the brunt.

And also learn to live in ecstasy.

Only if we learn to accept the doing of the Lord in all its earnestness and remain hopeful during difficult & sad moments and humble during good and happy moments of our life.

Sukhwant Singh Thaper

16.07.2015

Why Not be Good on All Days ?

Today is the morning assembly children of Class IV-B took up the theme of Id-Ul-Fitr and explained its relevance and importance. In their speeches they conveyed how Id-Ul-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan (Ramzan) in which Muslims keep fast for the whole day for 30 days.

Followers of various religions observe such fasts according to their customs.

During such times followers are also supposed to remain truthful and honest and also adopt non-violence methods.

Various countries who are at war also declare ceasefire during such days.

My point is why do we have to restrict our truthfulness, honesty, non-violence to a certain limited no. of days or a month ?

Why can’t we remain so 365 days of the year ?

How beautiful the world will turn out to be .

Let’s pray to the Lord for such blessings.

Sukhwant Singh Thaper

17.07.2015

“Religious Places Shouldn’t Make One Feel Guilty.”

One of the most common elements which we in India come across when we visit a religious place is a sense of feeling of being cheated.

Whether we visit a temple in the South or North or West or East of our country we get surrounded by the tauts who pod you to spend money to buy products related to the worship or to get across the long queries to reach the deities in lesser times.

Once we manage to cross the hurdle of these tauts another set of looters await us in the holy disguise of priests who pounch upon the visitors as an eagle catches its prey.  Their services are such that a simple God fearing person can’t but accept them. Their questions are like, “Are your parents living ?” If one says, “Yes”, they suggest “You need to go around a pole 7 times while I recite the slokas for their long life and it will cost you such and such amount.  If one says “No”, they suggest, “In that case you need to go around a pole 7 times while I recite the slokas for their souls to rest in peace and it will cost you such and such amount.  Now how can one come out of the situation.  One needs to be very rational and also strong from within to drop both the options and return from the temple without feeling guilty.  This is just one small example by which the tauts and the priests try to cheat the pilgrims.  It doesn’t just end here.  While we try to leave the temple one has to again cross long line of beggars who will really make you feel bad if you leave without giving them the alms.

When one, however, visits a Sikh Temple which is called Gurudwara (Master’s Door) the experience is totally different.  One never comes across any tauts outside trying to prod the visitors to buy any stuff from them for being offered inside as part of any worship.

Once inside the premises there are no queues to be followed or lines to be crossed on payments.  Ones prayers are not dependent on having any priest as a mediator. Everyone is entitled to pray directly on his own.

People inside the Gurudwara are always more than eager to serve you in some way or the other.  They love to serve the visitors with holy Prasad, with langar (food), tea, snacks, drinks whatever may be the occasion.

One can either sit along and relish the serene atmosphere or join the sangad (holy congregation) and take part in the on going keertan (singing of words in the Lord’s praise).

As the organizers of Gurudwara take good care of feeling everyone including the poor one seldom sees any beggars in and around any Gurudwaras.

Note :             The article is not written to hurt any ones sentiments.  I’ve just tried to reflect my personal feelings and experience.

 16.05.2015

Be Truthful, Grateful & Empathise !

In the early 16^th century there lived a man called Bhumiyar in Dhaka which is now the capital of Bangaladesh.

Bhumiyar used to spend all his earnings in feeding the poor and the needy.  All traders used to have their food at his place, rest and move on.

Once a holy man visited Bhumiyar’s village.  He had an amazing glow around his face and people loved to be in his company and came from far and wide to hear him. Bhumiyar also went to meet him and requested him to visit his place and have food from his free kitchen.  The holy man too had heart a lot about the free kitchen which was run by the Bhumiyar. 

Before leaving for Bhumiyar’s place the holy man asked Bhumiyar, “It’s nice to know that you are feeding the poor and the needy every day and spending your full income in this charitable task.  But may I know the source of your income ?”

The question was asked so abruptly that Bhumiyar was taken aback.  Till date everyone had appreciated his noble endeavor of feeding the hungry and were in awe.  No one had dared to ask him about his source of income. 

As he was a hardcore dacoit he was in a fix regarding what to say.  The glow on the holy man’s face, who was in fact Guru Nanak himself, was of such high intensity that he couldn’t dare to speak a lie to him.  Hence, he said, “I’m a hardcore dacoit. I have been looting and even murdering the travellers since long.  Now a days of course I’m not doing this directly.  I have deployed various men to do the job for me.  However, I can assure you that 100% of the earnings is put into feeing the poor and the needy.”

Nanak said, “Bhumiyar, the food that you are providing in your house has been earned by looting and killing people.  Hence, it renders the food unsuitable for being eaten by me.”

Bhumiyar was highly aggrieved at this and still pleaded Nanak to visit his place and have food by assuring him once again that he spent all his earnings in running the free kitchen.

Nanak said, “It doesn’t matter how you spend your earnings. What matters is the process in which you have earned your wealth. Looting and killing in order to do charity is not acceptable.  Have you ever thought of the pain and anxiety that you have caused to the ones whom you and your men have looted ?  Have you ever thought of the grief that you and your men have caused to the kith and kin of those whom you and your men have killed ? In the Lord’s house charity done through hard earned money is only accepted.” Bhumiyar was pretty impressed with Nanak’s sermon and he requested him to guide him further.  He was in fact worried about the fact whether he will be forgiven by the Lord for all his wrong doings or not.

Nanak said, ”Look here Bhumiyar if you want to be forgiven by the Lord for your misdeeds and be rewarded for the charity that you are dong then try to adhere to three basic  tenets from now on :

1.     Always speak the truth.

2.     Be grateful to the one whose salt you eat and

3.     Empathise with the poor.

 After staying in Dhaka for few more days Nanak left the place. Bhumiyar went on with his charity as usual but had stopped looting and killing the poor people.  Soon he ran out of money.  In order to continue his charity he made a bold decision of robbing the king.  According to his thoughts king was rich and moreover his earnings were not entirely his own hence, he presumed God will also not mind it very much.

That evening Bhumiyar dressed himself in a royal manner and went towards the palace.

The gatekeeper asked Bhumiyar, “who are you and why do you want to go into the place ?”

By now Bhumiyar was trying his best to follow Nanak’s advice.  When the gatekeeper asked him the above question he remembered Nanak’s advice of always speaking the truth.  So he said, “I’m a thief and I want to go into the palace to steal.”

The gatekeeper was surprised to hear Bhumiyar’s reply.  He was confused as to whether he should raise alarm or allow him to go in.  The boldness with which bhumiyar had answered made him take it for granted that the man must be close to the king.  So instead of stopping him he allowed him to go inside with a sweet smile on his face.

Bhumiyar spent the whole night inside the palace.  He could make a good collection of precious gems, ornaments and other artifacts which would surely fetch him great wealth for his future charitable tasks.  He was very happy with himself. Before leaving the palace with all his loot he saw a bottle of ‘churan’ (dry mixture of various minerals and salt).  He knew the taste of the churan and couldn’t resist himself from eating it and pocketed the bottle.  But soon after having eaten churan and tasting the presence of ‘salt’ in it he realized his mistake of having eaten king’s salt.  He remembered Nanak’s second tenet, “Always be grateful to the one whose ‘salt’ you eat.” He felt all that he had so painstakingly collected in the palace itself and reached his home safely.

Next morning when the king came to know that a thief had made an unsuccessful attempt to steal the precious gems, ornaments and other artifacts of the palace he became very upset.  His men started questioning the guards.  While doing so they were intrigued to hear from the guard who narrated about Bhumiyar’s entry.  The guard was immediately put behind bars for being executed soon.  Various poor men and other peasants were arrested and beaten mercilessly by kings men in order to catch the culprit.

On hearing about the guard and other poor men and peasants sad plight Bhumiyar’s heart cried out in real pain for the first time.  He was reminded of the third tenet of Nanak, “Empathise with the poor.”  He couldn’t stop himself from confessing to the king about his attempt to steal from the palace. He immediately rushed to the palace and pleaded guilty and requested the king to spare the guard and other poor men and peasants.

Everyone was surprised at what Bhumiyar had one for this would surely have led to his execution.  The king asked Bhumiyar, “Are you not scared of confessing your crime ?  For this would lead to your death for sure.” Bhumiyar narrated about his background in detail and told the king and others about Nanak’s blessings and his teachings.  The king was highly impressed with his story and in order to set a good example he set Bhumiyar free and made proper arrangements to ensure that he would be able to run his charitable task of feeding the poor and the needy without any hindrance. Bhumiyar alongwith his friends and relatives became a true follower of Nanak and used to congregate everyday and recite Nanak’s hymns which he had taught them during his stay over there. Bhumiyar’s house was converted into a Gurudwara in Dhaka.

Sukhwant Singh Thaper

09.06.2015 1:25 pm