The Whispers Of My Heart

 Yesterday I saw a group of five students from a government school, relishing samosas from a roadside vendor.  Perhaps due to paucity of money, they bought only three samosas, savoured them jointly with immense satisfaction, joyfulness.  As compared to their public / convent school counterparts, I have found that government school students are far more robust, realistic.  On my evening walks, I often see rickshaw pullers, huddled together, singing devotional songs, ecstatically beating dilapidated small drums.  Although they sleep in the open, have very little to eat or sometimes have to sleep empty stomach, they celebrate life, rejoice as if they have found heaven on earth.  On the contrary I have seen many wallowing in luxuries, but always with long faces, utterly discontented with their lives.  They can't sleep without taking sleeping pills! Clearly happiness does not lies in accumulation, riches.  I have observed that the inside world of most of us is chock-a-block with unfulfi

 Obesity is the chief cause behind many deadly diseases like diabetes, hypertension.  According to a study by America's Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC), 42% of US population was obese in 2018.  Presently about 67% of US population is overweight.  No wonder, US has been hard hit by Covid-19!  Realizing the importance of good health, Government Of India has launched Fit India movement with a catchy slogan :  "फिटनेस का डोज, आधा घंटा रोज"  ( to remain fit, one must do some kind of physical activity like jogging, yoga, climbing stairs for atleast half an hour every day ).   I firmly believe that human bodies are meant to move, not to sit endlessly behind computer screens, or lie lazily on a couch.  It is heartening to find that more and more people are coming out of their houses in Chandigarh, albeit for different, amusing reasons.  I have noticed that most of the youngsters jog with their mobiles tied firmly on their biceps, griped in their hands.  On being

 Last month, an old acquaintance of mine met me accidentally.  "Sharma ji, after putting in thirty years of service, I am going to retire this month (February).  I want to do some business after retirement. Kindly suggest." said he.  "But why the hell do you want to work again?"  "Are you going to face financial crunch after retirement?" "Won't you get retirement benefits, gratuity, pension?" I asked.  "By the grace of God, I would get hefty gratuity, pension.  All my children are well settled.  I want to start some business for my grandsons." he said "Don't be a stupid sir, just as the ripples created by a stone thrown in a pond multiply ceaselessly, likewise the worldly responsibilities never come to an end" I laughed.  "Then what should I do" he asked.  "Start preparing for your death!" I advised.  Stunned by my advice, my acquaintance became crestfallen and said, "Sharma ji, I have always c

 During my teaching career I have taught students from various nationalities.  Once a group of young, handsome pathans called on me, "Sir, we are from Afghanistan. We have taken admission in different colleges of Chandigarh. We have taken Economics as one of our subjects. Due to civil unrest, poverty in our country, our studies have been sponsored by Indian Council For Cultural Relations (ICCR).  Sir, we can only pay very nominal fee to you. Kindly teach us Economics."  Having seen life's ups and downs, people of various hues, I could easily see that they were sincere.  I agreed to teach them.  Withn a short time, they became very friendly with me, started treating me like their elder.  Once Najibullah asked me, "Sir, is there any mosque nearby? We often get late for our evening namaz after the class"  I told them that if they don't mind, they can offer their evening namaz in my house after their class.  Stunned by my response, Najibullah said, "But sir

 I honestly believe that a teacher ceases to be a teacher when he becomes contented with his knowledge, refuses to learn further from others, surroundings.  A teacher must always remain an eternal student!  There is a beautiful Shloka in Rig Veda :  आ नो भद्रा: क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वत:  ( Let noble thoughts come to us from every side. Let us learn from all. ) The year was 2009, it was extremely cold evening of December.  A gentleman in his seventies came to my house and requested, "Sir, my grandson is doing Masters in Business Administration (M.B.A) from Indore.  He is not comfortable with Macroeconomics and Statistics.  Will you do me a favour by teaching these subjects to him?"  I told the septuagenarian to send his grandson the next day.  Sartaj Singh came at the appointed time, humbly touched my feet.  I blessed him and asked him to introduce himself.  He told me that he was from a farming family of Punjab ( incidentally his village is at a stone's throw from mine), staye