Urban Challenges and How to Meet Them

Urbanisation has created many challenges. We can meet them through proper planning and sustainable development. Some of the important measures can be the following:

1.1.       Planning Cities: Many problems of urbanisation can be overcome by planning our urban spaces. Cities should be well-designed with adequate infrastructures, like roads, railways, parks, residences and public facilities, as well as spaces for businesses and industries etc. We have several planned cities, in full or parts, like Chandigarh and Jaipur.

2.2.       Strengthening Infrastructure: When basic infrastructure is improved in cities, better living conditions are created. It is the duty of the government to pay attention to basic problems, like traffic congestion, drainage, water logging, waste management, lack of hospitals etc.

3.     3.  Better Living Conditions: Better living conditions can be created in cities through providing affordable housing and improvement of slums. Also, reliable water supply, sanitation and electricity, and good quality healthcare and education facilities help to improve living conditions.

4.4. Creation of Employment Opportunities: A proper environment should be created by which employment opportunities can be created. This can be done through encouragement to industries and businesses. For this, efforts should be made for skill development of people.

5.5.       Conservation of Environment: Pollution is created in several ways. The problem of air, water and noise pollution has reached a new high in many cities. Awareness should be created about planting trees, conserving water and controlling pollution.

66..       Promotion of Sustainable Cities: A hearty effort should be made to promote sustainable practices, like the use of renewable energy, energy-efficient building and environmental-friendly technologies.

7.   7.    Good Governance: The government should make and enforce laws by which all people are able to take advantage of the infrastructure in a collective manner. People should be involved in decision-making. Also, the government should ensure efficient delivery of public services.

8.      8. Spreading Awareness and Discipline: One of the massive problems that almost each Indian city faces is dirtiness, as people are not aware of the value of cleanliness. Gandhiji said: “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” We all should learn how to dispose our waste in a proper way. This can be achieved when we all have a sense of discipline regarding the spaces around us.

All these measures can help to make our cities cleaner, safer, more inclusive and better places to live.

Dialect

A dialect is a language used in a limited area with a peculiar usage and it may vary from its parent language. The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines it as ‘the form of language that is spoken in one area with grammar, words and pronunciation that may be different from other forms of the same language’. The Webster’s dictionary defines it as ‘the usage or vocabulary that is characteristic of a specific group of people’. The most important feature of a dialect is that it may not have its script, while it is as good as mandatory for a language to have one. An important feature of a dialect is that it often is the first language or mother tongue for a large part of the population; therefore, to know about it assumes significance.

A speaker of a standard language finds himself at odds when he comes across a person who speaks a dialect of the same language, because several of its features make it incomprehensible to him. Can we say that a dialect is a blemish on the parent or standard language? No, we cannot. There are reasons when we claim this. The sole purpose of a language is to express ideas, describe things and interact with others, and if a dialect is able to carry out this purpose, it is a meaningful thing, despite the fact that it may inconvenience some people; at the same time, it may be source of several types of avoidable misunderstanding.

It has been seen, however, that the people of certain dialects do not like to change their style or expression even when they are interacting with other people who cannot understand his dialect. It may be due to a number of causes, like their inability to express themselves in the parent or standard language; or they may use their dialect as a mark of their identity. If the use of a dialect mars clarity, a person should shift to the parent or standard language, so that the basic purpose of interaction is served.

Characteristics of a Dialect

From the above discussion, the following characteristics of a dialect become evident :

1. Limited Area : A dialect is limited in terms of area. In India, it is popularly said that language changes its hue every two miles and a half. It signifies that while the parent language remains the same, the spoken or in-use language changes with a change in the area. While the number of proper languages in India is limited, the number of dialects goes up to thousands.

2. Peculiar Usage : A dialect has a peculiar usage. That is, people speaking a particular dialect use the parent language in their own peculiar way. Thus, with the change of dialect, the use of certain words, terms or sentences can undergo a change.

3. Like but Distinct from Parent Language : A dialect is like its parent or standard language of the area, but is quite different from it too. That means that while a dialect can be identified by an outsider which language can be its parent language, it may be difficult to understand it clearly. For example, Hindi is the parent language of Haryanvi, and an outsider will be able to know that certain people are speaking in Haryanvi and he will be able to pick certain words and usages; however, he will not be able to understand the language clearly. Moreover, a person living in Ambala speaks this language differently from a person living in Rohtak. This variation can be so great in some parts that the dialect of the same language may not be understandable to a person from other area speaking the same dialect. This can be clearly seen in Punjab, where a person living in Amritsar finds himself at odds to understand what is being spoken by a person from Patiala. This occurs the world over. English as spoken by an Indian is quite unintelligible to the British.

4. Use of Different Words, Grammar and Pronunciation : You must have heard scores of jokes being told about the variety of languages and dialects. For example, ‘bari’ is ‘cupboard’ in Bengali but ‘window’ in Punjabi. ‘Bera Patna’ is ‘to know’ in Haryanvi while it is ‘to tear off’ in Khari Boli. You can find different usages of the same words in different dialects and languages. In the same way, you can also find different usages of grammar and pronunciation. All these characteristics make a dialect limited to a particular area and group.

5. Pertaining to a Particular Group : Generally, a dialect extends over an area, but there may be instances when a dialect pertains to a particular group of community. For example, in many places, the people of a certain caste or occupation use a different dialect from other people of the same area. Such ‘group dialect’ evolves because of extensive usage of it in the group which may be irrelevant for other people. Migration of people can also be a reason for this. When people migrate from one area to another, they carry their culture and dialect with them, and they keep using it. This evolves into a particular dialect over a period of time due to their interaction with other people in the place. For example, the people of Punjab who migrated to different areas in Uttar Pradesh continued to speak their native Punjabi in the initial period; but as they came into closer contact with other people, their use of Punjabi was influenced by the surrounding dialect and language, and they introduced several such words in their own language. The Punjabi of Uttar Pradesh people is quite different from the native Punjabi of Punjab mainly because of this reason.

6. Limited Usage : A dialect has limited usage. Some languages too may find it hard to have application in diverse phenomena; for example, a Bengali or Kashmiri may find it difficult to express notions in science, technology and research, for which they may need the help of Hindi/English. However, when it comes to a dialect, its usage is very limited. It has to take the help of the parent or other language to fill the slot. For example, a dialect may find it hard to express itself in topics of literature, science, technology, poetry, commerce and the like, for which it needs to take the help of the parent or standard language.

Vocabulary : How It Expands

A child's vocabulary expands with ageing. From studies, it has been revealed that a 12-month-old child has 5-8-word vocabulary; at 18 months, it expands to 10-15 words and at two years, it reaches 250-350 words. When a child starts to go to school at 4-5 years of age, his vocabulary reaches 2000-2500 words. By the time he reaches class 9-10, it has expanded to about 8000-9000 words. A child's vocabulary can be divided into two parts :

1.       General Vocabulary : General vocabulary comprises those words which are not included in any specific category, such as rising, sitting, speaking, room etc. A child learns names of objects first, and then learns names of actions, and after this, he learns adjectives concerned with these objects. It is after this that he learns adverbs, terms of address and pronouns etc. All these words are included under general vocabulary.

2.       Specific Vocabulary : Different specific references are placed in this category. The main types of this vocabulary are as follows :

(a)    Vocabulary Related to Names of Days and Months : A 4-5-year-old child comes to know the names of days and months.

(b)    Vocabulary Related to Names of Animals and Birds : A 4-5-year-old child starts to tell the names of several animals and birds.

(c)    Vocabulary Related to Names of Colours : A 4-year-old child knows the names of most colours.

(d)    Vocabulary Related to Body Parts : A 3-year-old child know names of most of body parts.

(e)    Vocabulary Related to Numbers : A 4-year-old child can count up to 100.

(f)     Vocabulary Related to Time : A 4-5-year-old child starts to use the time words like morning, afternoon, evening, night etc., being used at home and school.

(g)    Secret Vocabulary : Children, mostly girls, learn to talk in code words with their friends. For this, they use certain terms and indications.

(h)    Vocabulary Related to Money : A 5-6-year-old child starts to distinguish the shape and value of different coins, and some can even distinguish between paper notes of different values.

Work and Labour

Work is like worship, and it ought to be so. It is closely related to our psychological level, because we tend to look at work from the norms that have come to be set in the society. Work, high or low, highly paid or lowly paid, considered inferior or superior, remains work and any person, society or nation cannot do without it. If the work of a minister is important, the work of a plumber or electrician or mason is also equally important. This was the reason that Swami Vivekananda said, "Each work has to pass through these stages—ridicule, opposition and then acceptance."  In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "If a man is called to be streetsweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great streetsweeper who did his job well."

There is a great need to put our education in a new perspective so that it can do good to the individual, society, nation and world. The most basic body part involved in learning to do a work is the hand, that must act in conjunction with the brain; in other words, the brain is educated through the hand. Gandhiji too said that those who do not train their hands, who go through the ordinary rut of education, lack music in their real life. Thus, it is very important that the importance of work is understood by each teacher and student.

The scope of work comprises different numerous aspects of life, some of which can be mentioned as follows :

1.   Work that meets individual needs, such as those of nutrition, health, hygiene, clothing, shelter etc.

2.   Work that meets social needs, like creating of amenities and infrastructure in the society.

3.    Work that meets community needs, like cultivation of cultural and civilizational needs.

4.   Work that meets educational needs, such as the activities pertaining to teaching-learning.

5. Work that meets livelihood needs, such as imparting and cultivating skills and qualities through work education, vocational courses, craft education, professional courses etc.

Work

Work is part and parcel of life and we cannot think of life without work. Bob Greene said, "Work is a mysterious thing; many of us claim to hate it, but it takes a grip on us that is so fierce that it captures emotions and loyalties we never knew were there." Rising from sleep in the morning, brushing teeth and taking a bath, cooking and eating food, wearing cloth and reading newspaper are also kinds of work. Work is not done merely by the body, but it also includes the thinking process. So, two broad categories of work are :

1.       Physical work : In physical work, our body limbs are more active.

2.       Mental work : In mental work, our brain is more active than the physical limbs.

It should be amply clear to us that both body and brain are intricate components of work, and no work can be done without the other. Even when we do a physical work, say wearing a shirt or digging a pit, we cannot do this without applying some degree of the brain. Same is the case with mental work; we cannot write a letter or article without using our hand. Thus, both body and brain are integral parts of the process of work.

Work is defined in different ways in different subjects; for example, in physics, work is deemed to be done when a force acting on a body displaces it through a certain distance. While the scope of work comprises almost all aspects of our daily life in the context of self, society and universe; however, for the purpose of our study as part of education, we need to limit its scope to those activities which are aimed at inculcating in students the qualities and skills which put him on the path to earning a livelihood while proving himself/herself for the greater cause of progress of the self, society, nation and world. For example, craft education is one way in which students can be prepared to take part in personal and national life to bring about all-round progress. Thus, we can define work in different ways. Let us begin with the dictionary meaning of work :

"Work is an activity directed toward making or doing something."

Some dictionaries also define work as "a product produced or accomplished through the effort or activity of a person or thing".

For the purpose of education, work can be defined as follows :

"Work is an activity which involves mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result."

Thus, a work a task or a series of tasks to be undertaken for a particular purpose. When it comes to its purpose under 'work education', it means inculcating the skills and qualities in students by which the purpose of work education can be accomplished. The purpose of work education is to help students to grow into able citizens who are able to earn their livelihood through socially useful and meaningful occupation.  The effect of work can be short-term or long-term. Some tasks result into immediate results; for example, when you dig a pit, it is dug as soon as the work is finished. On the other hand, when you learn a skill, the task is not fully accomplished unless you have tested it under a practical situation, because there might be certain aspects which require to be updated OJT (on the job).

Thus, for the purpose of work education, we can define 'work' in a more specific manner, as follows :

"Work is a distinct set of activities and skills which a child is provided so that he can make use of them during the course of performing educational, social and economic activities inside and outside the scope of classroom, and which would enable him to learn and understand scientific principles and procedures involved in different types of tasks."

Agricultural Operations

In India, agriculture is not merely an occupation, it is a way of life which for centuries has shaped the thought and outlook of our population. During the course of freedom struggle, Gandhiji stressed that development of India could be achieved only through better farming practices. This remains true even today when a large portion of our population directly or indirectly depends on agriculture. It is the backbone of our economy. Agriculture is mostly practised in villages as there is open land available there. However, several types of agriculture is also practised in urban areas, like fruit and vegetable farming.

In agricultural practice, a large variety of operations are undertaken which help in better produce and management of land, water, fertilizers and other resources. Some of these can be mentioned as under :

1.       Soil Preparation : The first step in raising a crop is to prepare the soil. The soil in which a crop has to be grown is prepared by ploughing, levelling and manuring.  Ploughing is the process of loosening and digging of soil using a plough or a tractor. This helps in proper aeration of the soil. After ploughing, the soil is distributed evenly and levelled in the process called levelling.

2.       Sowing : Selection and acquisition of good quality seeds are important steps in the process of sowing. After the soil has been prepared, these seeds are dispersed in the field and this is called sowing. Some types of seeds may have to be put under the earth. Sowing can be done manually, by hand or by using seed drilling machines. Some crops like paddy are first grown into seedlings in a small area and then transplanted to the main field.

3.       Manuring : Crops need nutrients to grow and produce yield. Thus, the supply of nutrients at regular intervals is necessary. Manuring is the step where nutritional supplements are provided and these supplements may be natural (manure) or chemical compounds (fertilizers). Manure is the decomposition product of plant and animal wastes. Fertilizers are chemical compounds consisting of plant nutrients and are produced commercially. Apart from providing nutrients to crop, manure replenishes soil fertility as well. Other methods for soil replenishment are vermicompost, crop rotation, planting of leguminous plants etc.

4.       Irrigation or Watering : It is the supply of water. Sources of water can be wells, ponds, lakes, canals, dams etc. This frequency and interval between successive irrigation operations depend upon the type of crop.

5.       Weeding : Weeds are unwanted plants which grow among crops. They have to be removed either by the use of weedicides or manually.

6.       Harvesting : Once a crop has matured, it is cut and gathered, this process is called harvesting. After harvesting, grains are separated from the chaff either by threshing or winnowing.

7.       Storing : The crop is then stored in granaries or bins at godowns for later use or marketing. In order to protect the crop from pest and rodents, cleaning, drying, fumigation, etc., are done prior to storing.

Selling or Consuming : If agriculture is practised for sale of produce in the market, arrangement is made for its sale. If it is meant for consumption within the family or community, then arrangement will have to be made for its safe storage to meet this purpose. 

The Cattle

Milk is the major source of animal protein in the diet of a large number of people in our country. The cattle are not only a source of milk, but also other products including meat, leather and horns for making different products, and dung as fuel and manure for farming. Besides, the cattle, especially cow and bullocks, have a religious value too, especially in the Hinduism. They have been attached importance right since the Vedic Age, and the cow is regarded as mother, and the consumption of beef is disfavoured. Lord Krishna is believed to have been born in the family of cow-herders and his early life passed among cows, so he is also called Govind, which means the protector of cows. You can find Nandi, an image of the bullock, in every Shiva temple. Nandi is believed to be the mount of Lord Shiva. Also, a cow's five products (milk, urine, dung, curd and ghee) are called Panchagavya and are attached religious value for purification. The cows are so venerated that the slaughter of cows is prohibited in several states.

The cattle were domesticated at a very early stage of human civilization and we have seen them depicted in mythology and animal tales. The drawings and carvings in the prehistoric cave have revealed depiction of the cattle, especially as beasts of burden. Evidence has also been found of their use in the Harrapan civilization, which existed about 5,000 years ago. The domesticated cattle are different from the wild ones by their smaller size of body, horns and development of milk characteristics.

By cattle is meant the domesticated animals reared for milk, meat and other products. In India, the cattle include cows, buffaloes and bulls, though in different countries, several other animals are also included in the category. India possesses one of the largest heads of cattle, numbering over 18.59 crore, second only to Brazil. The cattle found in India are unique to the Indian subcontinent and are not found in European countries.

If we compared cow with buffalo, we would find that buffalo yields more milk than the cow, and its milk is also richer than that of cow by 50 percent more fat. Despite this fact, cow milk in India is considered healthier because it is light and is also used in several religious ceremonies. The bullock and buffalo-bullock are important draught animals, they may be slow, but are very powerful, and play a vital role in Indian economy. They are used in transportation of goods as well as in several agricultural operations, like ploughing, threshing, churning, harvesting, lifting water and so on. Of late, machines and transports are replacing them fast. However, they remain important when it comes to small landholdings.

In our country, the cattle are a farmer's second most precious possession after land, because they are useful to him in several ways, including farming, transportation and food. They also replenish the fields by supplying manure.

The cattle are also used for entertainment purposes, like rodeos, bullock-races, bull-fighting etc. Of course, these types of entertainment are opposed by animal rights activists who consider these as torture and cruelty to the animals.

The number of breeds of cattle in the world is surprisingly large. In Europe, there are as many as 40 to 50 distinct breeds, 11 alone in Great Britain. In India, there are 26 well-defined breeds of cattle and 6 breeds of buffaloes. Some of the important breeds in our country include Amritmahal, Bachuar, Bargur, Dangi, Deoni, Gir, Hariana, Khillari etc. Different breeds have different body characteristics, and are useful for different purposes; for example, some breeds are good as milch animals while others are good as draught animals. In recent times, some exotic breeds have also been introduced to improve the milk-yielding capacity, such as Jersey, Holstein-Friesian, which are imported from abroad.

The cattle are herbivorous animals which convert plants and vegetable feeds into milk, meat and working energy for the benefit of man. They require sufficient, well-balanced feed, which should be satisfying to them, both qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

Interestingly, the cattle have one stomach, which is divided into four sections, so it is also said that they have four stomachs. The first three are mainly the enlargements of the food pipe. The first stomach acts as a store for food which has been cut into small pieces and mixed with saliva. The second stomach acts as a store for water. When an animal has finished eating, the solid portion of food is sent back to the mouth by the contraction of the first and second stomachs. It is chewed again and converted into a finer mass, which goes into the third stomach. It is here that the food is squeezed and ground, and then it passes to the fourth stomach to be processed by the digestive juices.

Care should be taken for their diet, because reduced diet can lead to weakness which is often hard to make up over a period of time. Their diet should comprise dry grass (bhoosa), green fodder and grain mixture (like gram). The cattle can differentiate between different types of feeds as they have developed taste buds.

Often incorrect method of milking can spoil milch animals. Milking should be carried out after cleaning or washing the animal and teats, so that clean milk is obtained. If milk is not clean, it may cause several diseases as it can carry bacteria. The diseases caused by unclean milk can include typhoid fever, dysentery, diphtheria, septic sore-throat, scarlet fever and tuberculosis. Pasteurisation helps to preserve milk over a longer period of time.

The cattle should be housed in a clean shed, and attention should be paid to their hygiene and sanitation. A shed should be designed keeping in view the number of animals to be kept there. The calves should be kept separate from the milking cows, and should be brought to the cows only at the time of milking.

Some of the diseases that a head of cattle can catch include anthrax, black-quarter, foot and mouth disease, pox, mastitis and tuberculosis etc., which can also infect their milk. So, it is important that the cattle are taken care of properly, as our health is also related to them.

The cattle may not be able to speak, but they also have emotions and feelings, and they want to be heard. A person who rears cattle also cultivates several qualities, such as understanding, kindness and honesty. When you come in close proximity of the cattle, rather any animal for that matter, you will find that they are looking for care and delicate feelings in you. Only these qualities will help you befriend with them. Next time you see a cow, just caress its forehead or the neck, and you will find how benevolent and full of affection it is!

Uncertainty and Depravity

It is certain that every person faces uncertainties in his life. Uncertainty is part and parcel of life which can either make or break a person. A person cannot predict the sea of future uncertainties in his life, be it personal or professional. A hazy picture of uncertain or uncontrollable factors gives a person an opportunity to develop his critical thinking and hone his skills. It is the mark of a critical mind to show prudence in the event of an uncertain scenario and react wisely.

Uncertainty is like a teacher that tests your ability to get through a tough situation. It is worth remembering the story of the ‘thirsty’ crow, which you read when you were very small. The crow flew all over the fields looking for water, failed, still did not lose hope, put in more effort, found a jug of water but with a little amount of water in it, gave thought to finding a solution to this problem, and succeeded. This story is inspiring in the sense that a combination of physical and mental labour is the generator of new ideas to solve a problem. It leaves an indelible impression on the minds of an impressionable student to take cues from the uncertainties itself and take adequate steps in accordance with the goals. Analogous to the maxim that necessity is the mother of invention, an uncertainty could be the generator of creative mind.

In the event of uncertainty, four factors play their part – courage, determination, self-faith and fear of failure. A man with immense courage does not lose hope and fights back hard in whatever situation he might find himself. Courage may be physical or mental or a combination of both.

The unflinching determination to tackle difficult situations is like a span that joins two ends of a bridge. Determination to achieve a goal is a key feature of people who succeed in life while overcoming uncertainties.

And self-faith is like the cable that holds the bridge from above, functioning as a support system. Martin Luther King Jr., a great American leader, aptly said, “Faith can give us courage to face the uncertainties of the future.” Self-faith is the underlying feature of the mind that keeps it calm despite all adversities a person might face in life.

One factor that keeps a person inactive during a period of uncertainty is the fear of failure. This mindset tells a person to not act as it could result in failure. It is important to learn how to overcome the fear of failure. There are no chances for a person to succeed either unless he tries. Overcoming the fear of failure guides a person to allow everything to fall in its correct place and at the appropriate time; and this leads him to succeed with flying colours. Difficulties and obstacles keep coming in life, but learning to tackle them comes from overcoming the fear of failure.

Uncertainty implies the suspense that the future holds. It is difficult to speculate that everything will occur as has been planned or calculated; sometimes things go wrong. But in it lies the adventure of life. Sometimes, tackling an uncertain situation might lead to failure, but it certainly leaves behind a lesson. This learning acts as a stepping stone to success in the times to come.

It would be appropriate to quote the well-renowned Indian industrialist Ratan Tata here: “I don’t believe in taking right decisions. I take decisions and then make it right.” What this great man implies is that a decision should be taken after rigorous analysis of the ground situation, but it should open the flood of possibilities to mould decisions to achieve a future goal.

Man is inclined to think negative. It is easier to fall prey to a difficult situation than stand and face it. Sometimes a person can hope to solve a difficult situation by taking recourse to negative ways; this situation is called depravity. A weak mind is overwhelmed by the uncertainties and chooses not to face them squarely.

Starting from the earliest times, life has been filled with uncertainties. It is through these uncertainties that the world has progressed to the present level. The cell, which is the first life form to have come into existence, faced a much more uncertainty than what humans face today. The cell overcame uncertainty to bloom the world into the most diverse creatures that we can find around us. Similarly, our forefathers have faced uncertainties of a higher order than we face today; they came up with novel ideas to resolve the darkness of uncertainty to make the world a better place to live in.

Every generation faces challenges of its own kind. It is from the womb of uncertainties that the world progresses and evolves, and it also shapes creativity, imagination and thinking of a person.

The Murphy's law states that if anything can possibly go wrong, it will go wrong. It is advised to keep calm and do your work meticulously without thinking much about the results. Lord Krishna says in the Geeta, "You have control over action and not the result, which lies with the Divine." So, act you must boldly and not fall victim to depravity. This alone will lead to success.

Byomkesh Bakshi

Some fictional characters are so lifelike that they are often accepted as real. These characters have been created by writers and films. William Shakespeare has given several immortal characters, so have a number of foreign and Indian writers. Even Indian films have not lagged far behind in this achievement; just one illustration is Gabbar whose dialogues continue to echo in all the assemblies that take place all around us.

One of such fictional character remains that of Byomkesh Bakshi, whose sketch has remained popular over a long period of time. Whenever you take this name, your mind immediately wanders to a typical Bengali person, wrapped in a dhoti, cleaning the glasses with a corner of the dhoti, with bright eyes and exploring and searching looks, while the visage is covered in innocence and intelligence. Of course, the face remains indistinct only because of the fact that this fictional character has been played on screen by a number of actors; but the underlying spirit remains common to all of them. As you think more of him, a spirit of mystery starts to envelop you from the very outset; and that is the beauty of the marvellous creation, made a reality by the well-known Bengali writer Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay.

Byomkesh Bakshi has been a popular character in Bengali literature for decades ever since he was characterised by the writer in 1932. The writer went on to write thirty-two completed stories, and when he was in the course of writing the thirty-third, the cruel hands of death snatched him away from us, and with this our desire remained unfulfilled to have more intriguing and mysterious stories with the ingenuous detective at work. The first story by the writer was Satyanveshi in 1932, and it became an instant hit; and there were causes behind its becoming popular in no time. The thirty-second story, the last complete one, by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay was Lohar Biscuit, published in 1969. Just imagine the length of time, about four decade long, in which the writer has immaculately cultivated and developed the character, from youth to old age while still keeping his investigative skills intact; and that remains a beauty of his writing. The last story, which could not be completed by the writer owing to his unfortunate death, was Bishupal Bodh in 1970.

It would be interesting to know the names of the other stories by Sharadindu Bandyopadhyay, which are as follows : Pother Kanta in 1932, Seemanto-heera in 1932, Makorshar Rosh in 1933, Arthammanartham in 1933, Chorabali in 1933, Agnibaan in 1935, Uposonghaar in 1935, Roktomukhi Neela in 1936, Byomkesh O Boroda in 1936; after this, there came a gap of 15 years and then came the next story Chitrochor in 1951, Durgo-rahasyo in 1952, Chiriyakhana in 1953, Adim Ripu in 1955, Banhi-patanga in 1956, Rokter Daag in 1956, Monimondon in 1958, Amriter Mrityu in 1959, Shailo Rahasya in 1959, Achin Pakhi in 1960, Kohen Kobi Kalidas in 1961, Khunji Khunji Nari in 1961, Adwitiyo in 1961, Mognomoinak in 1963, Dushtochokro in 1963, Henyalir Chhondo in 1964, Room Number Dui in 1964, Chholonar Chhondo in 1965, Shojarur Kanta in 1967 and Benishonghar in 1968. We have already told you about his last complete story Lohar Biscuit which was published in 1969 and the incomplete story was Bishupal Bodh which could not be completed due to untimely death of the great author.

Indian literature in general and Bengali literature in particular were not devoid of stories and books revolving round detectives; but most of them attained only mediocre popularity. Though Byomkesh Bakshi was just one more addition to the list of detectives, yet the way he worked distinguished him from the other detectives of his genre. The earlier detectives seemed to be heavily drawn from the immortal character of Sherlock Holmes, as created by Arthur Conan Doyle; and the setting seemed to be London or other parts of Europe in disguise for Kolkata. This was the first time that a writer had depicted Kolkata in its essential characteristics, with hidden features and surprises that the city threw up at every turn in fictional and factual life. Moreover, the stories depict the people of the city in far more realistic terms. To add to all this, Byomkesh Bakshi thinks in a unique way, and does not try to copy Sherlock Holmes or Hercules Poirot; rather adopts some original method in resolving mysteries without having to sacrifice his ethical code of conduct as observed by Indians; and this approach made him instantly popular with the readers. One more thing that worked in favour of his mass appeal is that he loves a woman and is married to her and has a family unlike the other famous detective characters. His wife's name is Satyaboti, who never shies away from a battle of wits with her illustrious husband and is described by Byomkesh Bakshi himself as ‘a remarkable girl who retains rare grace under pressure, unlike the greater percentage of Bengali girls who turn into wooden dolls’.

Byomkesh Bakshi's portrayal in films and television serials has only made him one of the most enduring characters of Bengali and Indian literature. The first film based on him came in 1967 which was based on Sharadindu’s story Chiriyakhana and was directed by Satyajit Ray and had an ensemble cast of contemporary stars. Uttam Kumar played Bakshi in this film, and Satyajit Ray went on to win a National Award for this film.

The next film to portray the sleuth was Shajarur Kanta in 1974, directed by Manju Dey and produced by Star Productions. In it, Satindra Bhattacharya acted as Bakshi, and the film was popular with the viewers.

There was a gap of over three decades for the next film to be made, but this was the time when the Doordarshan made a serial on the character, which made him a household name in India. This serial was telecast in the year 1993 in which Rajit Kapoor did the role of this famous detective Byomkesh Bakshi in a graceful and elegant manner. K.K. Raina acted as Ajit, Byomkesh Bakshi’s chronicler, assistant and dear friend, and was the perfect fit for the role. The role of Satyaboti was played by Sukanya Kulkarni. The series became so popular in India that people started to recognise Rajit Kapoor as the real detective named Byomkesh Bakshi. The series was aired for 33 episodes on DD1 in 1993, and again in 1997. Its popularity can be gauged from the fact that during the lockdown in March-April-May 2020 due to Corona pandemic, the serial was re-broadcast along with such famous serials as Ramayana, Mahabharata and others.

In the year 2004, the Doordarshan went for another series on this great detective, titled Byomkesh Bakshi. It was directed by Swapan Ghoshal, and the role of the detective was played by Sudit Mukherjee, Ajit was played by Debdut Ghosh while Satyaboti was played by Maitreyi Mitra. The serial went on to attain accolades for its delicate picturisation and portrayal of the surroundings.

Yet another television adaptation was Byomkesh in 2007, which was again directed by Swapan Ghoshal in collaboration with Tara Muzik, a private Bengali television channel. The role of Bakshi was played by Saptarshi Roy; this serial gave secondary importance to the roles of Ajit and Satyaboti.

In 2014, yet another television series titled Byomkesh was aired on ETV Bangla, in which the role of Byomkesh Bakshi was played by Gaurav Chakrabarty.

In 2014, Byomkesh Bakshi acquired international connotations when in the episode The Mommy Observation of the US TV series The Big Bang Theory, the character Bernadette Rostenkowski refers to Bakshi as Indian Sherlock Holmes while Raj Koothrappali refers Sherlock Holmes as the English Byomkesh Bakshi.

As far as the silver screen is concerned in the new millennium, the Byomkesh Bakshi fever has again caught on with Dibankar Banerjee’s Sushant Singh Rajput starrer Detective Byomkesh Bakshi, which was released in 2015.

The audio adaptation has been taken for a total of seven novels of Byomkesh Bakshi for airing in the Sunday Suspense series of 98.3 Radio Mirchi (Kolkata), in which are included Satyanveshi, Makorshar Rosh, Agnibaan, Roktomukhi Neela, Khinji Khunji Nari, Adwitiyo and Lohar Biscuit.

It would be interesting to note the way Byomkesh Bakshi works. He abhors the word ‘detective’ and likes others to call himself ‘Satyanveshi’, one who is the seeker of truth. It can be seen in some of the stories where he is more interested in finding the truth rather than giving justice to the parties involved. He uses the method where he puts himself in place of the criminal and then thinks what he would himself have done. This, however, sometimes makes him empathise with the criminal and thus he would let the criminal escape from the hands of the law. He has a working knowledge of many Indian texts and Sanskrit classics as he would frequently quote from the Mahabharata or other Indian texts. He would use the method of deductive reasoning, that is, logic or reason to arrive at the final opinion or inference so as to crack a particular case, and he amazingly finds himself at the most adequate one, and here lies the greatness of this great fictional character. This is this quality of him that fools readers and viewers not to disbelieve in the actual existence of him, so realistic the portrayal is.

Games and Development

The first thing ever a baby does after he has learnt how to move his hands and feet is to play. When he moves them, he is the happiest soul on earth. As he grows, he likes to do only three things – suck milk, sleep and play. This spirit continues to grow as he grows. Childhood is the best time to play, and it is at this stage that he learns to play new games and learn their rules.

Playing is not an activity alone, it is much more than that. While a child plays, his body begins to build, his muscles and bones become stronger, and he is able to handle difficult situations through strength, agility and flexibility. At the same time, playing also cultivates in him several mental qualities as tolerance, team work, honesty, abidance by the rules, sympathy and fair play. A combination of these physical and mental qualities helps a person to become mature and competent in his life.

There is no other activity in human life that is more vitalising and exciting than playing. It remains the most favourite activity for entertainment. This is the reason that our sportsmen fall in the category of great entertainers and are termed heroes, winning a large number of followers.

There is little doubt that games do good to a player in his individual capacity; it also does good to the society and nation as a whole. If you look at the medal tallies of the international events, you will find that the countries that win more medals are also more developed. This gauge can never fail. Let us take the example of Germany. Prior to the Second World War, in 1936 Olympic Games, it captured the largest number of medals in different sports events. It was the same Germany that showed its brute force in bringing the world to its feet in the years following it. After it was severely battered in the war, its medal tally in games also went down drastically. And just make a conjecture which country played the most crucial role to defeat Germany; it was none other than America, the same country which was just second in the medal tally. If you look at the medal tally in the just concluded international events, you will find the developed nations winning the most medals. This proves that sports is not a mere means of entertainment, it also lays the foundation to build the nation.

In our country, playing has been part of the Indian tradition, from much before other civilizations came into being. There were played different contests, mainly wrestling, sword-fighting, mace-wielding and chariot-racing. Most of the Hindu gods have been depicted holding weapons, the bow being the most popular one. Rama held a bow, Hanumana a mace and Krishna a Chakra. We hear of the ancient most sports when Raja Janak called a competition and the winner was to have the hand of his daughter Seeta. The item to be performed was no easy one; it comprised lifting up a massive bow and shooting from it. Several kings and princes participated in the contest, but none could match the prowess and skill shown by Rama, who not only lifted the bow but also broke it into two while trying to thread it.

The next major ancient sports event is mentioned in the Mahabharata when the Pandava and the Kaurava princes showed their skills in different weapons. Later, in an open contest, Arjuna won the hand of Draupadi in one of the most difficult and skilled test of archery, in which he shot at the eye of a revolving fish by looking at its image in the pool of water below.

It will be amazing to note that Siddhartha, who later became the Buddha, had mastered great skills in archery, fencing, charioteering, wrestling and lance-throwing. In a fencing contest, he is said to have cut through a massive palm tree in one sweep of the sword, such that the tree did not fall down until it swayed in the wind some time later.

The traditions of sports continued in the ancient period as there is evidence of charioteering during the Harappan period and the Vedic Age. However, with the onset of the medieval period in the eighteenth century, Muslim invasions started to take place in waves after waves. These invaders were cruel barbarians, who chose to destroy whatever came their way; they adopted looting, arson and pillage as well as dishonouring women as the tactics to subdue people. Their only aim was to subjugate the minds of the native people through conversion, and massacre who did not agree to them. This put an end to the sporting events that were commonly held in different places. However, the tradition of games continued to a limited extent, especially in rural areas. Maharana Pratap was a great hunter, while Shivaji was a wrestler.

When the English ruled over us, some of the new games were also introduced, like badminton, cricket, hockey, boxing and others, and the traditional games like wrestling, kho-kho and rope-pulling went into oblivion, though they continued to be played in the rural areas.

After independence, India has not done well in the international sports arena. India possesses one-sixth of the world population, but when it comes to medals in international meets, we find ourselves in the company of some small poor nations. India and China were freed about the same time, but we lag far behind it in sports, so do we in development. The message is clear -- if we wished to be a developed nation, we would need to excel in sports too. The two are inextricably linked.

It is heartening to note that India is paying more attention to sports at present, and we can see its positive outcome in the number medals; and with this we can also see that we are taking longer strides in the field of development. We are already doing good in regional games, like SAARC Games, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, but we still stagger far behind in the sports events that encompass the developed nations, like the Olympics and World Championships.

There is a negative side to our increased participation in sports too. Most of our young people want to become professionals; they want to play the game for money; they want to emulate the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli who have grown multi-millionaires. Playing should cultivate the qualities of skill, speed, stamina and strength, and these qualities cannot be developed without taking part in amateur games, which ensures 'a sound mind in a sound body'. So, we need to look beyond to games other than a few money-yielding ones. This alone will help to build the nation and put us on the path to development.

Scarcity of Water

There is so much of water on the earth's surface that our mother planets appears blue from the space, so it is also called Blue Planet or Watery Planet. Despite the fact that water is very abundant, all of it cannot be used, so there is scarcity of usable water.

·       * Nearly 97% of total water is in the oceans, but it is saline, and cannot be used.

·      * In addition, more than 2% of water is in the frozen state and is deposited in the ice-caps and glaciers, which again is not available for use.

·       * Then there is some water in the form of evaporation and groundwater.

Thus, we are left with a very little amount of water.

Recycling of Water : Thank the nature, it recycles for us. This process of recycling involves evaporation, condensation and precipitation. At first, the water evaporates from water bodies and plants; then it condenses in the form of clouds; and at last, it falls to the ground as rainfall or snowfall. Some of this precipitation becomes part of ice-cap or glaciers, and the remaining water flows in rivers and canals. Some water seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater. This process is called water cycle or hydrological cycle.

Thus, water is found in different forms : solid, liquid and gas. Water in its gaseous form is responsible for producing all freshwater resources on the earth through the process of precipitation.

Why Do We Face Scarcity of Water?

It is a pertinent question why we face scarcity of water. We use water in three main ways :

1.      Domestic Use : We need water at home for drinking, cooking, washing, bathing etc. This type of use is not very large. The water is disposed of in the drains, from where it flows into water bodies.

2.      Agricultural Use : A lot of water is consumed in irrigating the fields for growing crops. A large amount of this water flows back to the river bodies. So, this type of use is not very large.

3.      Industrial Use : Water is extensively used in industries for washing and processing. Once again, this water is allowed to flow into drains which ultimately flow into major water bodies.

The Big Question : If water from all types of uses goes back to water bodies, why is there its scarcity? Its answer is simple.

·         We pollute water when we use it.

·         And then we allow this polluted water to go back to clean water bodies, polluting them too.

Thus, we pollute more water than we use it. Ultimately, we get water from polluted water bodies. Have you read in newspapers about dirty water being supplied by the municipality? This is because we have dirtied our water bodies.

Therefore, it is essential that we take adequate steps to meet the scarcity which we have created by our own actions.

The Runaway : Summary

The protagonist in the story 'The Runaway', written by Morley Callaghan, is a young boy named Michael. He is described to be a boy whose life is divided between the pleasures of childhood, the pangs of love and the problems at home. He was younger than some of his friends but he was much bigger physically, his legs were long, his huge hands dangled awkwardly at his sides and his thick black hair curled up all over his head.

Adolescence is the most difficult stage of life. Teenagers are difficult to manage. They can be very sensitive, perhaps too sensitive on some occasions. It is hard to understand what they are going through; and due to this, they are likely to do strange things which is done by Michael in this story.
An adolescent, like Michael, in some way, is a little boy, but in others, is like a young man. He has fun with his friends, and suffers because of the tensions at home between his father and his stepmother. He is in love with a girl, but he can't find the right words to talk to her. Nothing in his life seems to be perfect; so for him there is only one possibility to make things better, that is to run away.

Michael's behaviour is affected by the tensions he is undergoing at home and in his love life. It is due to these tensions that he at first jumps down on the sawdust and the same tension disallows him to jump down the second time, while all other boys are able to do so, so he becomes a subject of jeer. He goes out to fight with a coloured boy only to establish his superiority, but then he makes friends with him and finds seveal qualities in the opponent. He loves his father and also his stepmother, he has a soft corner for his stepmother, but is unable to establish a good relationship with her because she reprimands him, though for his own good. What disturbs him more is that his father and stepmother quarrel all the time and that makes Michael feel unhappy and sorrowful. He is also ashamed that their hot arguments can be heard by the passersby and those living in the neighbourhood. This is one of the major reasons for him to decide to run away from home. He feels trapped in a society where everyone knows everyone and a family where his father had constant arguments with his stepmother.  He decides to run away from home to be with unknown people, but then he is going to his uncle in the city. Thus, we see that he is suffering from contradictory feelings all the time, unable to decide clearly what he wants.

Added to this tension is the fact that he is unable to establish communication with the girl he loves. It is then not a surprise that Michael feels the need to escape, to run away from everybody and visit “places with beautiful names, places like Tia Juana, Woodbine, Sartoga and Blue Bonnets.” He has a little doubt that he could find some solace with the girl he loves, but when he finds that she is in a relation with another boy, he bids her goodbye and firms up his decision to escape.

Michael, however, is not an irresponsible guy, he has plans to settle with his uncle in the city and he plans to write his agony to his father from the city. The story ends with a wide open future to the young boy.

Five-Twenty : Summay

In the short story 'Five-Twenty', written by Patrick White, we can find the themes of confidence, freedom, guilt, identity, control, isolation and escape, all woven together. Narrated in the third person by an unnamed narrator it becomes clear to the reader that White may be exploring to set the theme of lack of as well as gain of confidence as the most important one. Ella lacks any sort of confidence, bowing before the whims of her husband, and after his death, she seems to have regained her confidence and sets eyes on getting new things in life. Her life appears to be revolving around every whim that Royal commands. She does everything for him even though he is ungrateful to her. So low is her confidence that she seems to be controlled by him. It is as though she lives her life at his beck and call in the first half of the story.

Ella and Royal Natwick, having retired to a small bungalow along Parramatta Road, a decaying suburb of Sydney, are spectators to the modern, industrial world that passes by them. Their chief activity in the summer is to sit at the veranda and watch the traffic flow on the road in the front each day.

Royal, a belligerent, insensitive invalid, is confined to the wheelchair. Ella, his lifelong devoted mate, dotes on him, suppressing any display of emotion that might upset him. As they watch one of the frequent traffic jams, Royal singles out for ridicule a man driving a pink-and-brown Holden: The car’s colour betrays masculinity, and the man’s head appears deformed. Ella, without directly challenging Royal, suggests that the man may have a domineering wife and notes that the man passes each day at five-twenty, suggesting that he may be a business executive. That comment brings further slander from Royal, who complains ironically about the lack of achievement by white-collar workers: His own life has been a failure to achieve the status that he now belittles.

One evening, Ella assists the victim of a traffic accident that occurred in front of their house. Royal, who is indifferent to others' tragedy, worries only about how Ella will wash the blood from blankets that she has provided. In response, she kisses him on the forehead, immediately regretting her public display of affection for underscoring his powerlessness in the chair. Royal’s only concerns are what he is to eat, his illusion of superiority over Ella, her proper care for him, and the habitual flow of traffic, in which Ella always notes “that gentleman . . . in the Holden”.

The narrator provides, amid their evening recollections, fragmented flashbacks over the course of the Natwicks’ lives. Royal’s family had settled in Australia from Kent. Royal’s ambitions surpassed those of his bookkeeper father, but he never made them fruitful despite a series of moves from one town to another, until finally settling in Sydney.

Ella is depicted as subservient to Royal, she is ready to do anything for his sake, without thinking of herself. At Fulbrook, she had worked as a waitress, nurturing both their savings account and her husband's deluded self-image as a successful businessman. At another instance, at Sarsaparilla where Royal opened a grocery store, she postponed having a child at Royal’s admonishment that starting a new business would not be compatible with starting a new family. Throughout those years Ella defended Royal from customers’ complaints and continued her devotion to him.

Ella is so low on confidence that she does what he tells her to do without thinking about herself. It is only after his death that Ella cultivates a sense of freedom, and with this, her way of thinking and working undergoes a change. She allows the dust to gather in the house and she is not as bothered about having to do things as she had previously been. From her conduct, it may seem to suggest that her lack of concern for the world around her is a sign of depression after her husband’s death; but the facts bear out clearly that it is more likely that she starts to feel free after his death and wants to come to her own. She has committed her whole life to Royal and appears to have suffered from low confidence as a consequence.

Royal has spent his life belittling Ella and she has only too readily accepted that she may not be as clever as Royal. He is seen correcting her use of words, though at the same time, he himself is unable to pronounce the word 'cineraria'. Ella doesn’t really have a voice and feels guilty that she may not be a good wife, the quality of being 'good' is defined through Royal’s eyes.

It is also interesting that Ella has never questioned Royal about the possibility that they may never have a child due to his infertility. Rather she bears the responsibility for being childless on her own shoulders, even though the doctor has told her that the problem could be with her husband. She lacks any sort of identity or individualism. Her life is based entirely around Royal’s life and how he wants to shape life. She never questions any of his actions nor does she ever answer him back. It is also noticeable that she has no friends in the story, highlighting the fact how immersed she might be in her marriage. There are no outside influences or friends that she speaks to. She lives her life isolated from others.

The end of the story shows remarkable change in Ella's personality. Royal dies the same year. Until now, she had been conducting herself as per the wishes and whims of her husband, but now, she feels freer. She appears to have found her voice. She is not only no longer answerable to Royal, but also gets an opportunity to live her life with passion, and she comes to have come under the control of her passion. Until now, she had not taken care of herself, but now she goes out to buy make-up for herself. She also takes fancy of the man who drives the Holden. She seems to be looking after herself rather than somebody else. It is also noticeable that her confidence is restored while she is waiting for the man who drives the Holden. It is as though she has rediscovered who she is.

Despite her age she is a vibrant woman who feels free of her past. She is trying to break free of her past, yet is a little unsure of herself, which is clear from the incident when she does not move Royal's teeth kept in the bathroom. The man who drives the Holden is an important symbol as he represents not only the escape, but also passion for her. The reader can sense that there was previously no passion in her life while Royal was alive.

But the situation takes a different turn towards the end of the story. Ella comes to see the man driving the Holden in close proximity when he calls in needing to make a telephone call. Despite the ugly shape of his head, Ella comes to like him as his eyes shows kindness. During the very first meeting, they came close, holding and embracing each other; she seems to be expressing her suppressed love and sexuality. The man returns with a promise to come the following day.

On the following day, Ella grows anxious as the new man in her life was very punctual, bypassing her house at five-twenty everyday, but today, he had promised to come, but was late. She hears of an accident in which some people had died. As the man does not come, she is anxious and imagines if he had been injured or killed in the accident. And the worst comes before her before long.

The man appears at the gate and she rushes to him, snapping the flowers on her way. The man complains of pain, first in the arm, and then in the shoulder, and then he seems to be slipping down to the earth. As he seems to be not breathing, she says he needs air, and puts her mouth on his, still he seems to be slipping past her. He dies, and Ella did not know his name even.

The symbolism used in the story becomes a mask for the quest of love. Even Ella’s kisses in the mock mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of the final scene symbolises her attempt to love both of them back to life. Her attempt to save the dying man is a last attempt to save her own momentary wholeness on which her goodness rests, and gasps. And did he die because she pressed her lips against his too hard?