STORY OF SURYA AND VAYU

Calm Over Might

     In the following story, two Hindu gods, Vayu and Surya argue about their strengths. The story criticises the tendency of humans to triumph by might and force rather than a more balanced and thoughtful approach to life.

     One day, the Sun God (Surya) and the Wind God (Vayu) had an argument about who is greater. Each argued that he is mightier than the other. While they were arguing, they happened to notice a traveller walking in the forest on Earth. As was customary at that time, he was wearing an upper cloth to cover his body. They decided to use the traveller as a subject to show their prowess and came to an agreement that whosoever can make him remove his upper cloth would win. 

     Vayu decided to try first. Surya accepted and disappeared behind the clouds to give way to Vayu.Vayu started blowing strongly, with fierce force. He also summoned his friend, the Rain God Varuna, to his aid and they started gathering the clouds and making rumbling noises. The traveller got scared of the strong winds and started to shiver as it was getting wet and cold. The more Vayu tried to blow the cloth out by force, the closer the traveller held the cloth to his body in an attempt to protect himself from the wind and cold. 

     Vayu’s efforts appeared fruitless, so Surya came out of the clouds and started to shine to drive the cold away. As he shone, the atmosphere became hotter and hotter. The traveller started to perspire and tried to take cover under some trees. Finally, he could not bear the heat and took away the cloth from his body to cool off for a bit. 

     In life, many people try to get their work done by being loud and aggressive. This behaviour is similar to that of Vayu, who tried to force his way by showing his muscle power, but that didn’t have the desired effect. Surya, on the other hand, stayed calm and used the power within him to get the desired effect. It is not necessary to achieve things by using force or might. Instead, one needs to use his/her mind to attain one’s goals in a calm manner.

INDIA'S FIRST WOMAN IPS OFFICER

 Kiran Bedi

     Kiran Bedi was born on June 9, 1949 in Amritsar, Punjab. A national-level tennis champion while in college, she did her BA (Honours) in English and MA in Political Science, after which she worked as a college lecturer for two years. In 1972, she cleared the Civil Services exam and joined the Indian Police Service. After her police training, she was posted as the Sub-Divisional Police Officer at the Chanakyapuri Police Station in New Delhi. In 1975, she became the first woman to lead the all-male contingent of the Delhi Police at the Republic Day Parade.

     On one occasion in 1978, Kiran's platoon was deployed to curb a protest demonstration at India Gate. Armed with only a cane, she charged the protestors. One of them ran towards her with a naked sword. Heedless of her personal safety, she charged him and others with the crane and eventually chased him away, preventing a riot. For this incident, she was awarded the President's Police Medal for Gallantry the following year. 

     Kiran proved her mettle in 1981 when, posted as DCP (Traffic) in Delhi when the city was in total disarray with construction works in full swing in preparation for the forthcoming Asian Games, she regularised the traffic, pulled up offenders, and got wrongly parked cars --- including, on one memorable occasion, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's car --- immediately towed away by cranes. This gutsy move, which showed Delhi residents that no one was above the law, earned her the nickname 'Crane Bedi'.

     Even while working, Kiran continued her education and went on to do her LLB from Delhi University and Ph.D. from IIt, Delhi. In 1987, she founded an NGO named Navjyoti India Foundation, aimed at de-addiction and rehabilitation of drug addicts. In 1993, posted as inspector General, Delhi Prisons, Kiran started a reform programme at Tihar Jail that won her worldwide acclaim and earned her the Ramon Magsaysay Award the following year. 

     In 2003, she became first Indian and first woman to be appointed as head of United Nations Police and Police Advisor in UN Department of Peace Operations. She resigned in 2007, to focus on social activism and writing.

She wrote several books and runs India Vision Foundation. Her books include Demand for Swaraj, It's Always Possible: One Woman's Transformation of Tihar Prison, As I see, Leadership & Governance, Dare to Do, for the New Generation.

During 2008–11, she hosted TV court show Aap Ki Kachehri. She was part of 2011 Indian anti-corruption movement and joined Bharatiya Janata Party in January 2015. She unsuccessfully contested 2015 Delhi Assembly election as the party's Chief Ministerial candidate. In 2016, she was appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and removed on 16 February 2021.

Today on 9th of June, wishing this "lady of steel" on her birthday a happy and healthy life.

ZEN TALE

 Useful Wood

     There once lived a farmer who was very old and could no longer work on the fields. Most of his days were spent sitting or sleeping at home while his son toiled. 

     "The old man does nothing! He is of no use at all!" thought the son grumpily. Over time, the annoyance grew to anger, making the son frustrated. 

     One day, the son built a wooden coffin and dragged it to a porch where his father was lying down. He rudely shook his father awake and pointing to the coffin, he ordered, "Get in!"

     The old man said not a word. He got up and lay down inside the coffin. The son closed the lid and hauled the box to the edge of a high cliff. Just then, he heard a light tapping sound from inside the box. He opened the lid.

     The old man looked up at his son and said, "I know what you want to do. But let me give you a word of advice before I go. Throw me over the cliff if you like. But preserve this coffin."

     "Why?" asked his son, surprised.

     "It is a good wooden coffin. Your children may need to use it for the same purpose when you grow old."

SENDING MAIL

From the Snail mail to Email

      Indian postal system is the most widely distributed postal system in the world. We send letters, greeting cards, books and several other things via post office. It is called the mail or post. Usually these are delivered on the following day if within a state in India. The letters to other states take three of more days for delivery. For the countries outside India, it usually takes minimum seven days to get them by airmail. The Universal Postal Union helps to send letters and other materials around the world.

     Egyptian postal system is the oldest postal system in the world. In ancient Egypt, the Pharaohs used messengers to deliver decrees within their country some 4400 years ago. Letters sent through post office is now called snail mail.

     The message sent by email is faster. However, it is slower than the speed of light . A few seconds only required for the computers to encode the message and decode it back to light beams.

     In 1978, V. A. Shiva Ayyadurai invented the email system. He was a 14-year old boy then. It all came out of a young boy's play. He is hailed as the inventor of the electronic mail. Today it is called email in abbreviated form.

Popular Email Service Providers:

Gmail : a free email service developed by Google launched on April 1, 2004

Yahoo! Mail : An email service launched in 1997 by the company Yahoo!

Mail : This is an email client by Apple Inc.

Outlook.com : This is Microsoft's email client which replaced the Hotmail in 2011. 

AOL mail : AOL stands for America Online and it is an email service owned by Verizon Communications.

FATHER OF THE INDIAN ARMED REBELLION

 Vasudev Balwant Phadke

Vasudev Balwant Phadke was born in Raigad, Maharashtra. He was mentored by freedom fighter Lahuji Vastad Salve, who motivated the youth to free the country from colonial rule.

Salve was a wrestler; he taught Vasudev Balwant Phadke the art of wrestling. Phadke then learnt by himself the art of shooting, horse-riding, and fencing.

At the age of 30, Phadke organised an army of 300 people, comprising of Ramoshis, Kolis, Bhils and Dhangars. He did not get support from the educated Hindus of his region.

As he did not have funds, he raided British treasuries, to buy weapons. He also helped the famine-affected villagers with the collected funds. He successfully led several raids in the Pune region.

The British labelled him as a dacoit. Phadke recruited another band of 500 Rohilas and trained them in the art of warfare. With 800 men, Phadke was all geared up for war against the British. He, along with his men, started attacking British posts.

He even declared big rewards to anyone who could capture the British Governor of Bombay or kill British officers. He led a surprise attack on Pune, defeating the British and getting hold of the city for a few days.

The British offered a big reward for Phadke’s capture. A traitor gave information about his whereabouts to the British. Before he was caught, Phadke encountered the British in a fierce battle at Kaladgi near a temple. It was 20 July 1879. The British deported him to Aden in Yemen where he was jailed.

Phadke escaped from his jail cell, taking the door off from its hinges. It was 13 February 1883. He was recaptured. He breathed his last at Aden jail on 17th February 1883. He was then aged 37 years.

JUNE 5, WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

 #Beat Plastic Pollution

     Our environment is going through a crisis. Devoting a day to create awareness about the environment and the challenges it is facing is important. 

     Since 1974, the United Nations has been observing June 5 as World Environment Day. It is celebrated in more than 100 countries and this year marks its 50th anniversary. This day helps us understand more about the dangers to the environment and the need to protect and conserve it. 

     Several factors such as industrial emissions, releasing industrial effluents into water bodies, overuse of plastic and deforestation have led to environmental pollution. These issues, in addition to others that cause pollution need to be addressed properly. The Government, industries, communities and individuals have to start acting responsibly in order to prevent environmental pollution. 

     Children can play a major role in saving our environment by promoting the message of World Environment Day. Every year the UN selects a topic of concern for that year. The theme of this year is ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution’. This year’s hashtag and slogan is #Beat Plastic Pollution. 

     More than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once. An estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas annually. This affects our biodiversity and pollutes our ecosystem right from the mountains to the ocean floor. This is a major concern for our survival. That is why this topic is selected this year. We need to create awareness among the public about the dangers and educate them about reuse and recycling and proper waste management. 

     Let us be vigilant about this and try to make a difference by avoiding the use of single-use plastics.

NEW ACADEMIC YEAR, A NEW BEGINNING

 The best is yet to come

     Summer holidays are over and you are about to start a new academic year. You are now one step up in your educational pursuit. Make sure you begin this educational year with new hopes and a positive mind. Make your school life more useful, meaningful and successful. Pay attention while learning, absorb what is taught and retain it. Acquire wisdom through reading and listening. Don't harbour any kind of enmity in your mind.

     I wish you the very best for a wonderful new school year rich in knowledge and friendship and  would like to remind you of a thought provoking quote, which will inspire and motivate you in the unending process of learning by, Ralph Marston :

"The best book has yet to be written. 

The best song has yet to be sung. 

The most beautiful picture has not yet been painted. 

The best day has yet to be lived. 

The best food has not yet been served. 

The most exciting discovery is waiting to be made. 

The greatest building has yet to be built. 

The most useful machine is not yet designed. 

The biggest sale has yet to be sold. 

The most successful business has not even been started. 

All the great achievements the world has known to date are but a prelude of what is to come. 

In every field of endeavour, in every walk of life, there's ample opportunity to be the best. 

In every person is the seed of greatness, in every day is a dream to fulfill. 

The best is inside you, waiting for you to bring it to life."