Spoorthi third edition, colors theme. We bring you a bigger, better edition. We've included new sections in this edition, while retaining the theme of the older one. Also, there is a photography special this month, with amazing clicks to boast of.

1. EDITION #001 ▪ JANUARY 2050
achievers - invincibles - topping the troops - people next door - and more
Cover Story: Pathway to Peace
by Fazeela Mollick
COLORS
SPECIAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
SPECIAL
EDITION
PLUS NEW
SECTIONS
April-May 2013

2. CONTENTS
regulars
04 Cover Story: Pathway to Peace
06 Topping the Troops: Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh
07 Invincibles: Story of Aparthied and South Africa Cricket
08 Achievers: Oye Dipankar Dipankar Oye
16 People Next Door: Atithi Devo Bhava (Guests Are God)
columns
09 Youth and Spirituality: It’s the Circle of Life
10 Musical Healing: Introduction to Classical Music
11 From Across Two Oceans: A Rainbow Nation
12 Modern Day Fables- Junglenagar: Tortoise and Rabbit
creatives
13 Fulfilling Art: Parzania- A Place To Be
14 Hearty Tales: We Loved But in Pauses
15 Ageless Verses: The Window Seat
18 Picture Power: Colors Theme Photography
think it over
23 The Burning Question
Photography Special Volume: Colors
Spoorthi Team
Editors (editor@spoorthimag.com)
Aman Arora
Fazeela Mollick
Raghav Gautam
Designer (For Colors Issue)
Raghav Gautam
SPOORTHIMAG
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002
WELCOMECONTENTS

3. MESSAGE FROM
THE EDITOR
The artist’s canvas often
greets the eye with color. That was
pretty much the idea behind this
theme. Paintings, photographs, the
traditional costumes of peoples
from around the world, any visual
artistry, from man-made pottery to
computer-generated graphic images
impress us with their beauty in their
colorful presentations.
We are surrounded by
colors. An artist’s life is a testimony
of colors. A writer uses colors to
describe scenes and emotions. A
production unit for TV or film plans
out the location, lighting, and set up
apparatus to make colours appear
authentic.
When we have to leave our
homes for any social occasion we
try on a number of outfits from our
wardrobe and make our choice
depending on what suits the activity,
our taste or mood. What we do by
this simple act is attempt to create
an individual style using colours.
We enjoy nature and click
numerous photographs because
nature is beautiful and we wish to re-
cord its beauty. Each color has a role
and a space, like the instruments in
an orchestra that blend to create a
perfect harmony.
Certain colors or combination
of colors could affect our senses,
some soothe, and others agitate or
make us uneasy. Colours may also
create divisions. The colors of team
jerseys or flags show our allegiance
to a team or country. Even in religion
colors that are part of rituals, cloth-
ing and symbols may indicate the
faith we follow. Sometimes such
divisions, due to our loyalty and
devotion, can become hostile and
make the beauty of the colors less
appealing.
We selected the theme
‘Colors’to respect all colors of life, to
appreciate differences and variety
and to see the beautiful in our color-
ful world.
Aman Arora
Fazeela Mollick
Maharajah
Inspired reading the second edition of Spoor-
thi..!! My Respect on Women have increased
much more... The way you guys presented
and covered the topics are highly commend-
able... From sports to charity to defence to
a very common women yet being powerful
were presented very well... One Persona that
was missing to my opinion is Madam Marie
Curie... but outstanding collections of Articles,
Poems and some interesting arguments on
rapes...I now look forward for the forthcom-
ing editions...I am volunteering to write one
on FOOD for May Month...(if space available)...
Men of Quality, Respect Women’s Equality
#Class
Tanushree R Sarkar
I love both the sketches of this edition.
The article on Kiran Bedi and Mahadevi Verma
was superb, get to know so many things
about these two ladies. I didnt know that
Kiran Bedi used to play tennis also. Wow!!!
how cool is that??? It must have inspires
many woman like me.
Jayeeta Ghose
In the second edition of‘Spoorthi’it reminds
us, the women and also the men of our
strength…. it empowers us and gives us the
sword (in writing) to move on…. highlighting
on the lives
of women across diversified social and eco-
nomic strata…. their achievements against
various and all
possible odds….‘Spoorthi’gives us the cour-
age to believe in ourselves…. reaffirms us
that we can….
We selected the theme‘Colors’to respect all
colors of life, to appreciate differences and
variety and to
EMAIL: editor@spoorthimag.com WEB: www.spoorthimag.com
Feedbacks For Women’s Special

4. PATHWAY TO
PEACE
“We share the same biology regard-
less of ideology.” (Sting)
Religions colour the world, as do nature’s most attractive species of
flowers. Infused in the scriptures of each faith there is prose and poetry to
amaze and elevate, to contemplate and analyse. Although forms of worship
will differ, they all incorporate recitation, reading and study of their Scriptures
in various languages as well as chants, music and inspirational songs. There
are holy days when adherents commemorate or celebrate an event or occa-
sion on their religious calendars, some joyful, others more sombre.
Human beings from the dawn of civilization have based their faith
on the commands and guidance of a deity or in some cases, deities. They
worship, praise and acknowledge that there is a being or presence on whom
they rely, and to whom they ask for favours, blessings, forgiveness, mercy and
sustenance. In all parts of the globe there are houses of worship that have
been in existence for centuries and many are still in use. These buildings,
monuments and sanctuaries continue to attract countless visitors, some to
worship, others to admire their ancient architectural grandeur and beauty.
That we could construct temples, mosques, churches and synagogues
as sanctuaries for worship and meditation speaks of the inherent spiritual
nature of human beings, a nature with the capacity for goodness, kind-
ness, generosity, understanding and compassion. Unfortunately misguided
religious leaders have used their sermons and lectures to incite hatred and
intolerance propelling their followers into acts of violence and barbarism all
in the name of religion. The primary teachings of all religions focus on peace,
moral behaviour and harmonious relations among all peoples. And yet,
countries have fought religious wars; various religious sects have committed
despicable acts of violence against each other; neighbours who once lived in
harmony kill each other. Today we are witness to frenzied mobs destroying
holy sites and burning libraries while others, including security forces engage
in the rape and murder of innocents.
It may appear that religion, instead of saving our souls, have made us
lose our humanity. Thankfully the innate goodness of human nature gives us
tremendous hope for the future. The good news is that today there is much
AUTHOR: Fazeela Mollick EMAIL: fmollick@gmail.com
COVER STORY
004

5. greater understanding and co-operation among faiths. However, the
noble and selfless work of visionaries of all faiths in this area is not as well
publicized, as it should be. This may be because positive images and stories
do not attract sufficient readers and viewers.
Among many such positive stories is one about a church in Scotland
that gave its neighbours in a nearby mosque an area to pray, as the mosque
was too small to accommodate all the worshippers. In a small village in Por-
tugal, members of different faiths share space in one building and combine
their efforts in looking after the needy.
Inter-religious understanding and cooperation is vital if the peoples of
our world are to exist in harmony, in peace and safety. No one wants a world
where fear controls our existence, where lovers cannot marry and are harmed
because they’re from different faiths, where people are not allowed freedom
of worship. We want religious leaders to guide the adherents of their faith
to attitudes and behaviours that reflect the dignity of all human beings and
their noble qualities. These leaders have a responsibility to speak words that
will inspire and motivate their listeners to actions that will benefit societies
not disrupt them.
In my part of the world, (and perhaps elsewhere) people often refrain
from discussing religion and politics. The reason is that these two topics often
cause heated arguments and can cause gatherings and relationships to turn
as sour as a lemon. We ultimately choose to argue from the point that“my
belief system is better than yours”, or“my party should be in government, not
yours.” Of course passionately giving opinions as to why this should be so.
Leaving politics aside, it seldom occurs to us to discuss religion with
a view to understanding and appreciating similarities with the hope that in
doing so we can remove fear and increase our knowledge.
Martin Luther King Jr. said,“People fail to get along because they fear
each other. They fear each other because they don’t know each other. They
don’t know each other because they have not communicated properly with
each other.”
And that may be the crux of the problem – communication and
furthermore, how we communicate. Our utterances can change the course of
a conversation or interaction. Gracious words, respect, listening attentively,
responding in a polite manner are all ways in which we can communicate
successfully. There’s a saying that“it takes two to tangle”so if one person re-
fuses to become embroiled in an argument, it will not take place. To improve
our inter-religious relationships we must remove that fear through increased
and respectful dialogue.
In so doing, we can decrease or eradicate enmity, hatred and intoler-
ance while encouraging friendship, love and understanding.
Furthermore, we need to focus on what connects us, rather than what
separates and divides. We should never admit defeat and hand over our com-
munities, our societies to those whose agenda it is to create and maintain
disharmony through their misguided notions.
We should daily practise charity and show compassion for our fellow
human beings. We must believe our collective good actions can effect posi-
tive change.
Nature, in all its grand and gorgeous colours, delights our eyes. We’re
a blaze of colour ourselves – the diversity of races, cultures, music, religions.
We’re as beautiful as a field of flowers. And through this diversity we can
strive to find common ground to create and sustain harmonious societies.
005

6. “A CLEAN FIGHTER WHO FACED HIS ENEMY IN THE OPEN FIELD… HE
WAS LIKE A SPARK WHICH BECAME A FLAME IN A SHORT TIME AND SPREAD
FROM ONE END OF THE COUNTRY TO THE OTHER DISPELLING THE PREVAIL-
ING DARKNESS EVERYWHERE”described Pandit Nehru at Congress Karachi
Session in 1931, thus acknowledging that the popularity of Bhagat Singh was
leading to a new national awakening. A martyr symbolizing eternal youth, his
ideas continue to enthrall and motivate the youth.
Born into a family of revolutionaries, Bhagat Singh was highly influ-
enced by ideologies of Kartar Singh and was eager to follow his footsteps.
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre left an indelible impression of atrocities by
Englishmen on his mind. He keenly participated in Non-Cooperation Move-
ment but after Mahatma Gandhi called off the movement (because of the
violent murders of policemen by villagers), he realized that Gandhi and he
can never be on same wavelength. Being well aware of the need for a unified
youth front, which could help the political leaders whenever need arises, he
founded Naujawan Bharat Sabha in March 1926.Though he was still a teen-
ager ,he travelled far and wide ,leaving no stone unturned to motivate youth.
An ardent fan of Karl Marx and the doctrine of Socialism, he renamed
the Hindustan Republican Association to Hindustan Socialist Republican
Association (HSRA). He wanted socialism to be the model for India, and that,
after studying on the subject all over the world. One thing that is missed
about him is his education. He was fluent in at least five languages, and had
studied world history, was also well aware of the current affairs in the world.
These all helped shape his ideology for an Indian revolution. He shunned all
the worldly desires and was whole-heartedly dedicated towards the freedom
movement.
To avenge the death of Lala Lajpat Rai in 1928, Bhagat Singh and his
compatriots killed John Saunders. Though this action was widely criticized by
political leaders but it exalted these revolutionaries in the eyes of common
masses. Inspired by a French anarchist, Bhagat Singh and BK Dutt exploded
smoke bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly, showered leaflets stat-
ing their purpose and shouted the slogan“Inquilab Zindabad!”(“Long Live
the Revolution!”). The idea was to make their voices heard by the deaf ears
of British Government and not to kill anybody, as their own eminent leaders
were part of the Assembly. To clear away their terrorist tag, they decided to
surrender and instead use the trial as a means to spread their message to
every nook and corner of the country.
Even inside the jail, Bhagat Singh and his companions continued to re-
volt against the ways and methodologies of British governance. They started
an indefinite hunger strike demanding same rules and facilities for both
European and Indian prisoners. Following his example, hunger strikes were
started in many jails of the country. This enraged the Viceroy and a special
tribunal was setup to speedily complete the trial. The hunger strike lasted 116
days and at that time the popularity of Bhagat Singh was nearly at par with
Gandhi’s popularity. When Bhagat Singh came to know that his father had
written a petition to the Tribunal, he felt flummoxed and an excerpt from the
reply states“I feel as though I have been stabbed at the back. Had any other
person done it, I would have considered it to be nothing short of treachery.
But in your case, let me say that it has been a weakness - a weakness of the
worst type”. Few days before the date of execution, Bhagat Singh wrote a
petition to the government stating that he was a war prisoner as he had
revolted against the King George 5th and thus should be shot dead instead
of being hanged.
Bhagat Singh never feared death and he knew that his death would
inspire many youngsters to be a part of the uprising. In a letter to his father
he stated“My life is not so precious, at least to me, as you may probably think
it to be. It is not at all worth buying at the cost of my principles”. He truly lived
by the motto he coined for Naujawan Bharat Sabha -“to suffer and sacrifice
through service”. Being a rational thinker and an erudite person, he always
emphasized that motive of action should be the main consideration while
judging the offence of an accused. He believed that non-violence as policy
was indispensable for mass movements and violent means should be used
only when it becomes a terrible necessity. Unlike his peers, who believed that
God provides them the necessary courage and motivation, Bhagat Singh
relied on his mind for the strength and denied the existence of God. He also
did not advocate any particular religion as it could lead to communalism.
The legend of Bhagat Singh continues to captivate the youth. Over the
years several filmmakers have made films on Bhagat Singh’s life. He was voted
as the“Greatest Indian”in a poll by the Indian magazine India Today in 2008,
ahead of Subhas Chandra Bose and Gandhi.
SHAHEED-E-AZAM
BHAGAT SINGHAUTHOR: Vaibhav Bahl EMAIL: vaibhbahl@gmail.com
TOPPING THE TROOPS
006

7. His home country raised objections against his selection in the opposi-
tion team. The laws of Apartheid disallowed any black, colored or Indian play-
ers in the South African team or in any team touring South Africa. When Eng-
land picked Basil D’Oliveira in their squad in their 1968 tour to South Africa,
South African Prime Minister John Vorster refused to let him into the country
and termed D’Oliveira’s inclusion as an attempt to fulfill“political objectives.”
The tour was called off by the MCC. Following this, South Africa away tours
to England in 1970 and Australia in 1971-72 were cancelled in protest against
apartheid. The International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1971 banned South Africa
and the world was deprived from seeing the likes of Graeme Pollock, Barry
Richards, Mike Procter and others. These cricketers played the World cricket
series for the Rest of the World team and in Rebel tours from 1982-90, but the
international stage was denied their performance.
What South Africa cricket lost, the world of cricket also lost. Politics
has affected sports as it affects all the spheres of life in a country. In their last
series, before isolation, South Africa had beaten Australia 4-0 and who knows
if they could have challenged the mightiness of the mighty West Indies.
South Africa finally came back into international cricket in 1992 and
played what was their first one-day international, against India in that coun-
try. They participated in the 1992 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand
and began hosting tests. While success on the cricket field was mixed, it was
the mixed crowd that made former South African captain, Ali Bacher, approve
of the team’s new beginning. He said,‘‘Two or three years ago, if you saw 100
blacks that would have been a lot. Now the crowds truly represent the people
of the country.”While black faces made the core of the football team, the
cricket team had no black player until Makhaya Ntini made his debut in 1998.
But the black people cheered for the team just the same. Ntini’s career could
have come to an early end when he was charged and convicted of rape in
1999 but the South African cricket board supported him and he went on to
become a successful cricketer.
South African Cricket once had to put reserve spots in the team for
Black cricketers. It is unfortunate, however, that with seventy-eight percent of
the population being Black, they needed a quota for Black players. However,
one needs to understand how things work in a country which has been ruled
by the Whites, and where Blacks lacked basic rights including rights to good
education and jobs. This situation has improved to some degree. Quotas are
good only until they serve the purpose. The present South African Cricket
Board has learned enough lessons and the success of the team testifies to
this. They don’t need any quota; they don’t need to judge a cricketer by the
color of his skin. They can easily choose the best players available, and be the
best team they can be. And they have proven this time and again.
Obviously, one can’t get back players like Graeme Pollock, Barry
Richards or Mike Procter; neither can one get players like Allan Lamb, Robin
Smith, and partly, Kepler Wessels to shift their international records to reflect
them as representing Cricket South Africa. Today, Dale Steyn and Vernon
Philander have more than replaced the magic of Shaun Pollock and Makhaya
Ntini. They’re ranked one and two respectively in ICC Test Rankings. Add
to that, Hashim Amla sits firmly at the top of Test and ODI batting charts, a
position shared with A B De Villiers in the ODI charts. Lowan Tsotsobe is the
highest ranked South African bowler in the ODIs at number five, having been
at one recently. It’s not that because of Blacks that the team is doing well in all
formats, neither because of Whites. They became the first team to be ranked
number 1 in all three formats on 28 August 2012. It’s that the nation’s true
potential can be realized only when skill and not skin color is responsible for
selection.
STORY OF
APARTHEIDAUTHOR: Aman Arora EMAIL: aman@spoorthimag.com
INVINCIBLES
“THERE IS NO EASY WALK TO FREEDOM ANYWHERE, AND MANY OF US WILL
HAVE TO PASS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH AGAIN AND
AGAIN BEFORE WE REACH THE MOUNTAINTOP OF OUR DESIRES.”
NELSON MANDELA
007

8. Sometimes, when I see stereotyped Indian‘masala’movies where
a dashing hero with immeasurable power lifts a car with his bare hands,
smash a dozen bad guys with it, and rescues the sensuous young lady from
the captivity of a nasty old villain, I cover my face with disappointment and
question to myself,“for how long will they use the same plot and ingredients
in their movies?”
Well, I am glad there is other side of Indian cinema too, a parallel side,
where some gutsy directors attempt to do something out of the ordinary.
Parallel or alternative cinema provides a platform to those who love to go
unconventional. The aim is to give more scope for creativity and aesthetically
rich production in the realm of film-making. Fortunately, box office collec-
tion is not a concern but focused more on delivering something useful to the
society.
Dibakar Banerjee, a name which has created a niche for itself and is
counted among some intelligent brains in Indian Cinema. Earlier used to
be an ad-maker, he set foot in Indian Cinema and opened his account with
Khosla Ka Ghosla in 2006. A Delhi based complete family entertainer which
touched everyone’s heart with its crispy dialogues and relatable characters
gave Dibakar a dream start.
He continued his venture and came up with more interesting, novel
and controversial concepts. In 2008, he came out with his next movie,“Oye
Lucky! Lucky Oye!”, co-written and directed by him. Unlike‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’
it did not featured any veteran actors like Anupam Kher or Boman Irani in
the lead role. Although, Paresh Rawal’work was impeccable but it was Abhay
Deol who got all the limelight with his unorthodox dialogue delivery and
boy’s next door image. The tale of a smart thief who adopted a unique style
and gained expertise with a love angle was surprise hit. It was a mixture of
satire and realism. It highlighted another characteristic of Dibakar, his unique
taste in casting actors for his movies. After this movie, Abhay Deol became a
poster boy for alternative cinema.
Both movies grabbed him National Film Awards which recognized his
talent and potential of bringing a paradigm shift in Indian film industry. As
a director, he achieved not only critical acclaim (usually what an unconven-
tional movie gets) but his movies were even successful in terms of box office
collection.
His third addition, in 2010, fetched lot of controversy for him. It
became India’s first film shot entirely on Digital Camera,“Love, Sex aur Dhoka
(LSD)”. In an interview with a leading newspaper of India, he admitted,“Even
if I had more money, I’d shoot in this format. Using the digital format, I’m try-
ing to capture this new aesthetics.”Well, how many mainstream directors can
dare to attempt that!
LSD had three stories interlinked, told by three different cameras of a
sting journalist, a diploma film-maker and a security agency. Again with an
unexpected star cast, he created a marvel. A cutting satire on lapsing social
morals fueled by materialistic greed and technological media advancement
fetched him not only accolades but it also featured in many international
festivals.
His latest venture was in 2012,“Shanghai”which was a political thriller.
This time he casted Imran Hashmi, a successful mainstream actor which cre-
ated an element of doubt in minds of other people linked to this film
Based on a Greek novel“Z”, it was not able collect much at the box of-
fice but he was applauded for his attempt for selecting an unorthodox genre,
a rare thing for both our film industry and audiences.
Dibakar Banerjee is often pegged as‘New age Hrishikesh Mukherjee’
because of his portrayal of middle-class mentality and raising issues concern-
ing them with a touch of satire and simplicity. Dibakar and Anurag Kashyap
are two names responsible for taking alternative cinema to new heights. Their
movies don’t only receive critical acclaim but surprisingly get hit in terms of
revenue collection.
OYE DIBAKAR
DIBAKAR OYEAUTHOR: Purnank Kaul EMAIL: purnankkaul@gmail.com
ACHIEVERS
008

9. The meaning of the above lines is quite deep and thoughtful, and
that is what makes them one of the most beautiful ones ever written. We,
human beings, are special, not only because we have developed technology
and have used our gifted minds, but also because we possess the radical
power of evolution. Unfortunately, most of the human beings are unable to
tap the infinite potential which lies within us and succumb to the more trifle
things which are ubiquitous. Has anyone of you ever wondered why some
people evolve to such an extent that they eradicate every negative emotion
including hatred, jealousy, apathy, anger, etc.? That most of them feel nothing
of these at all? Regarding the ones which are unevolved, I dare not say that
it’s because of lack of trying or a ludicrous attempt, but simply a matter of
receiving the right guidance. I’m not going to tell you anything which hasn’t
already been said by the erudite ones, but it’s only my humble attempt to
explain and make this appeal to the ones who are taking out their precious
time in reading this.
So, we all know we have seen
some of us performing remarkable feats, the only reason being that they
have freed themselves of the invisible shackles of chains bounding us. It’s
because they have awakened the hidden power, their Chi(as referred to in
the farther east) or Kundalini( as we call it) or the serpent energy which lies
dormant at the base of our spine. Most of us regard this concept as a com-
pletely preposterous one but it’s only because we haven’t experienced it yet.
It’s like the wind, like emotions, like the sudden blissful energy whose joy is
limitless once you start feeling it inside you. The happiness it blesses us with
is so great that once you start feeling it, all the negative emotions dissolve in
it just as how smoke dissolves into the surrounding air and is never to be seen
again. This energy, which is coiled at the base in the form of a snake, cleanses
our chakras (which are also known as different energy centers of our body).
These Chakras, or energy centers are what cause different types of emotions
in our body, we have different moods, sometimes we want to just jump
around or hug someone, sometimes we like to eat a lot (or it’s always the case
for some people) but nonetheless we can’t be happy forever if those chakras
are really out of control.
Mind, the ever running ath-
lete, always difficult to control, tame, is also related to this energy, one who
doesn’t have control over mind has no control over anything. The control of
this energy gives you a 100% control over the mind. Tell me how many times
it has happened that you’ve tried really hard concentrating and mind has
drifted you off to some place completely irrelevant from what you were do-
ing. This sea of thoughts has bothered everyone, and I was no different. They
just keep coming, waves after waves, never slowing, and never giving peace
to the mind. For spiritual growth and to experience the divine power, the
guidance from above, one must master the mind, for the mind is the master
of all. The only catch being, the process of spiritual ascension, possessing
complete control over mind and eternal happiness comes gradually and to
people having great patience, the ones who really have the utmost desire to
find out what’s beyond. What I’ve aimed at through this article has been to
give a brief preview regarding the world of spirituality but it’s not it, it’s an
endless ocean of no bounds and definite. We have a lot to talk about in the
coming times I hope. A beautiful quote to be always remembered is; we are
not human beings having a spiritual experience, rather spiritual beings hav-
ing a human experience!
IT’S THE CIRCLE
OF LIFEAUTHOR: Pranjal Malav EMAIL: pranjalmalav@yahoo.in
YOUTH AND SPIRITUALITY
“THEUNIVERSEISMADEUPOFEXPERIENCESTHATAREDESIGNEDTOBURNOUTYOURATTACHMENT,YOURCLINGING,
TOPLEASURE,TOPAIN,TOFEARTOALLOFIT.ANDASLONGASTHEREISAPLACEWHEREYOU’REVULNERABLE,THE
UNIVERSEWILLFINDAWAYTOCONFRONTYOUWITHIT.”
— RAMDASS
009

10. There are some misconceptions about Indian Classical Music
• It is for only age old people, not for youngsters. – Many great musi-
cians of Indian Classical Music like Mia Tansen, Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi,
Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, Bharat Ratna Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir
Hussain and many others had started to learn Classical Music when they were
young. There is a definite trend in media‘Jo dikhta woh bikta hai’. Since there
are less classical programs shown hence it is not popular among youngsters.
• Classical Music is too lengthy and boring – A detailed rendition
of a Raag may go up from thirty minutes to one and a half hour. It may be
boring for few but not for all. It’s like those who have started to watch cricket
from T20, find test cricket boring. It is because they are not exposed to the
classical music and never been told its significance.
• Film Music is completely different from Classical Music – Ofcourse
film music sounds different from classical music. But almost all film songs
are based on Raag (scale) of classical method. Raag Yaman is called‘Sahasra
Mukhi’– a Raag which has thousand faces, gives all the emotions. A Hindi
song like‘Aansoo Bhari hai’is based on Raag Yaman.‘Jabdeep jale aana’,‘Woh
shaam kuch ajeeb thi’,‘Chandan sa badan, Chanchal Chitwan’are also the
melodies of Raag Yaman. You will be surprised to know‘Kajrare’, in lamhon
ke daaman mein of Jodha Akbar and many other songs are based on Raag
Yaman. Much popular song of 1990s‘Tu chees badi hai mast mast’is based
on Raag Bhimplas/ Bhimplasi. The famous song‘Dhoom Machale’and‘Laga
chunari mein daag’is based on Raag Bhairavi. Everyone must have heard Sha-
kira’s‘Waka Waka’, it is composed in Raag Shudd Kalyan. A common listener
just listens to the melody but a musician looks at it differently.
• Classical Music is old fashioned – No! In this technical era Windows
XP becomes obsolete when Windows 7 comes to the market. So is the case
with Windows 7 against Windows 8. But the Raaga’s like Yaman, Bhairav,
Bhairavi, Malkauns, Durga, Bhoopali so on are the same from the day they
were invented. That means even after more than 1000 years these Raaga’s
have so much to offer to the society. They have not become obsolete. Even to
this date they are the same.
When a child is born it utters few words letters like ba, aa, ka, pa,
ma etc then it says mama, papa. Child learns the language and forms the
sentences. Initially there will be few mistakes but elders will correct. Over the
year child becomes man and he will have command over the language. But
if he is not been taught the language after mama and papa he would not
able to make any sentence afterwards. If is he is taught only‘How are you?’
Where are you? He would know only these two sentences. Classical Music
is language. If you know a tune you can sing that tune. If you know how to
compose a tune you can create many tunes and sing. Just like if you know
how to form sentences you can speak fluently.
Music touches heart and it doesn’t matter whether it is classical, filmy,
western, pop, rock or any genre. As said in the beginning music has only 7
notes. Composition of notes changes to mood and genre. One must have
open mind to appreciate all forms of music.
INTRODUCTION
TO CLASSICALAUTHOR: Sameer Havaldar EMAIL: sameer707@gmail.com
MUSICAL HEALING
MUSICSTARTSWHERESPEECHENDS.MUSICHASNOLANGUAGEBARRIER.MUSICHAS7NOTESALLAROUNDTHEWORLD;
BEITINDIANCLASSICALMUSICORWESTERNCLASSICAL.
“MANISYETTOINVENT8THNOTEWHICHISALREADYCORRUPT”
–DR.NAGARAJRAOHAVALDAR.
0010

11. When Bishop Desmond Tutu visited the twin island republic of
Trinidad and Tobago some years ago, he dubbed it a“Rainbow Nation”. He
was fascinated and impressed by the diversity of races and religions living in
harmony in these tiny islands with a population of 1.3 million. Trinidad, the
bigger island is my native land. In the mélange of races are people of African,
Indian, Syrian, Chinese, Portuguese, French, English, Spanish and Lebanese
descent. There are also descendants of the indigenous inhabitants of these
islands, the Caribs, who were here when Christopher Columbus“discovered”
these islands. Inter-racial marriages have produced people of mixed race. So,
Bishop Tutu’s description of my islands was quite apt.
A few weeks ago I attended the funeral of a close friend’s mother. My
friend is a Hindu and part of the funeral rites was conducted at the family
home. As I sat among the mourners while the Pundit intoned words from the
Baghvad Gita, I heard the prayers and hymns from a nearby church. Opposite
my friend’s house is a mosque where daily a congregation gathers for the
ritual prayers. Further up the road is a Catholic church where a few years ago
I was present to witness the funeral service for another friend’s grandmother.
This friend is Muslim but her family are Catholics.
At any religious ceremony in Trinidad and Tobago, whether it’s a
funeral, a wedding, a religious event or observance, one can find people of
other religions as guests and participants. Especially at Diwali, Eid al Fitr and
Christmas the celebrants invite their friends and neighbours who are not of
the faith, to have a meal and enjoy the day with them. In fact, these occasions
are public holidays in Trinidad and Tobago.
English is our mother tongue but we also have a peculiar dialect, dif-
ferent from other islands in the West Indies. Our accent too is not the same as
a Jamaican, a Barbadian or St Lucian. Once in Amsterdam while on duty travel
for the company I worked for, my colleagues and I were seated in a restaurant
awaiting our meal. Like all Trinis who are in a relaxed atmosphere, that is –
liming –(look it up in the Oxford dictionary) we were laughing and talking
quite animatedly. The Dutch diners kept looking at us curiously. I imagined
that they couldn’t quite believe that these folks who all looked very differ-
ent from each other were speaking the same language! There we were, an
Indian, an African and others of mixed races all having a great time. We could
export our brand of harmonious living to other countries!
In Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) there is a group called the Inter-Religious
Organization or the IRO. It comprises representatives of all the faiths. Mem-
bers are invited to participate in inter-religious services at State functions
when the occasion requires it. I believe this is the only organization of its
type in the world.
About 2 years ago I sat on a panel hosted by the Presbyterians to
discuss inter-religious marriage and I also represented Muslims on a radio
programme hosted by the IRO. The cooperation among the faiths here in
my country is very cordial, and there has never been an occasion when faith
has been the reason for discord. I live on a street where the majority of my
neighbours are Hindus. When my children were little they used to help their
friends light deyas on the occasion of Diwali. When the members of the Je-
hovah Witness faith stop at our gate to hand out pamphlets, we politely take
them and engage in an exchange of ideas if time permits.
I attended a Presbyterian high school where religious and cultural
events were part of the school’s activities and continue to be. In fact it is com-
mon practice now for most schools as well as companies to recognize and
celebrate some major religious occasions.
It is difficult to tell the religion and/or ethnicity of my compatriots by
their name. Yusuf Ali is a Christian with Muslim grandparents, Merle Jones
is a Muslim of African descent and Viren Ramkissoon is a Christian of Indian
descent. Inter-racial and inter-religious marriages have blurred the lines of
identification and created a‘Rainbow Nation’.
In addition to other art forms, our diversity is celebrated in Calypso
and Soca (soul calypso) genres of music that have their origin in T&T. David
Rudder, a genius and exponent of Soca wrote the wonderful“Ganges meets
the Nile”where he collaborated with a famous Trini sitar player, Mangal Pate-
sar. Take a listen if you wish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_
embedded&v=9r6mM_QgxtI
And of all these rivers that shaped this land
Two mighty ones move like a sculptor’s hand.
And today those hands, across the land, man, they’re still landscaping.
We recognize and acknowledge our ancestry but we are proud citizens
of a land where, as it’s stated in our national anthem,“every creed and race
finds and equal place.”
Life is not always sweet in Trinidad and Tobago for we have our chal-
lenges like other countries but living in harmony in these islands where
colours blend and dance, is a blessing indeed.
A RAINBOW
NATIONAUTHOR: Fazeela Mollick EMAIL: fmollick@gmail.com
FROM ACROSS TWO OCEANS
0011

12. In sector 60 extension: Junglenagar, lived Tim the Tortoise with his
poor mother. They lived in a small twenty-five square feet rented house which
was on the outskirts of Junglenagar, a low lying area. His mother worked as a
receptionist in a dental clinic for rabbits, where she endured social discrimina-
tion owing to her speed.
Tim was so poor that he didn’t even own a Blackberry. He used a Nokia
1100 which was his father’s. His father was very ambitious. He wanted to play
football for Junglenagar. Everyone called him the crazy Tortoise for that. His
dream of playing football could never materialize leaving him depressed. He
left his family and went away from Junglenagar the day he failed to clear his
trials, the last one he could try for. Since then, Tim and his mother were living
alone.
Tim didn’t like his school as it was far away from his home and he got
tired walking that long. Being slow, he often reached late. His teacher would
scold him for being unpunctual, despite knowing that he was a tortoise and
couldn’t walk fast. Nobody liked him at school. They teased him because
he didn’t have a good phone. They would play games like Angry Birds and
Hangman and communicate on Whatsapp. He wanted a smartphone but
also wanted to fight against the social discrimination the tortoise community
faced for years.
One day at school, it was announced that there would be a five-
thousand meters race and the winner would be awarded an IPhone. Ross, the
rabbit was also participating in the race. He was the fastest rabbit Junglena-
gar knew. No one dared to compete against Ross.
Tim, the tortoise, perhaps had a few genes of his father. He announced
that he would participate in the race.
At first, everyone was too stunned to laugh. When they realized that it
wasn’t a joke, they couldn’t react. Few laughed, but checked themselves out
of pity. Moreover, they wanted to save the best jokes for the last. Some were
busy preparing jokes under hundred-forty characters; others were busy edit-
ing images for Facebook shares.
When Ross, the rabbit heard this, he laughed it off.
“Once upon a time, one of your forefathers beat my forefather, and
you’re still living that story. He was a stupid rabbit, I am not.”
Tim, the tortoise heard all the taunts but kept his calm.
Tim was determined. He was practicing very hard for the race. He used
to wake up early, exercise and run fast. Everyone praised his efforts, most
praises filled with sarcasm.
The race was trending on twitter the day before its schedule. Every
animal wished Tim good luck but with a tongue out smiley.
The day of the race finally came. Ross, the rabbit was looking cheer-
ful. His furs were looking very white as if he washed himself in Ujala (chaar
boondo waala- the four drops remedy). The tortoise was determined, but he
looked tired as he had already travelled some distance to the race track.
Both the participants were asked to switch their GPS on. Most of the
animals were supporting the rabbit, but few were supporting Tim too. The
whole tortoise community had come to support him, hoping against hopes.
The race started. Ross took the lead right from the start, not wishing to
make the mistake one of his ancestors committed. He was running fast as a
hare. The tortoise was trying hard, but lagged far behind.
Ross had covered more than two third of the distance when his
girlfriend Binny the Rabbit called on his Blackberry Bold. He thought that the
tortoise was out of sight so he could perhaps talk to her for some time. He
started talking to her.
After a little while, tortoise had passed him. He began pleading Binny
for letting him go.
“Baby, what would you give me when you win the race?”she asked.
“Anything you ask. But, now let me go, we have been talking very
long.”
“Talk for some more time if you love me.
“I love you but...”
“You are avoiding me, aren’t you?”
“No, sweetie, I love you.”
It took some more time for Ross, the rabbit to convince his sweetheart.
But, as soon as he put the phone, he ran to the finish line.
When he reached the finish line, he found out that the tortoise was
fractions away from the finish line. He decided to have a run for it but tortoise
touched the finish line just a little earlier. All the rabbits were cursing him and
he felt very bad.
The tortoise had won the race and got the IPhone.
TORTOISE AND
RABBITAUTHOR: Aman Arora EMAIL: aman@spoorthimag.com
MODERN-DAY FABLES: JUNGLENAGAR
0012

13. Where the buildings are made of chocolates, the rooftops are made
of halwa, the rivers are made of kheer, and the mountains are made of ice-
creams, is Parzania, a place of sweetness. Parzania, in the end, comes out
to be a far off land, a dream land, where everything is happy. Parzania is a
beautiful metaphor of the land where we don’t cut each other’s throats on
the basis of our surnames, or the color of our skins. It is a place where happi-
ness is the most important acquisition, yet is easily distributed on the barter
of love.
Parzan, a young Parsi boy, is a cheerful young boy in love with cricket.
The story is about his family, his cute little sister, his strict mother, and his
friendly father. The story is also about a small society of friendly people of
various religions but one common thread binding them – love and care. And
when the news of railway compartment full of Hindu pilgrims reaches, within
24 hours, a mob attacks the city, including this society.
It is a story of family’s struggles after the child goes missing. Based on
a real story of Azhar Modi, whose family is still searching for him, Parzania
never tries to be preachy. The narrator, Allan, who carries forward the story,
has come for a thesis on Gandhi. He is an unbiased narrator, and one may
or may not agree to his views. The scenes of violence are pretty graphic,
but what is implied is that the real scenes were far worse than we can ever
imagine.
The story is as humane as it can get. Parsi people don’t bury the dead
or burn them. They believe that soul stays alive, and moves on. But the body
must be returned to the earth. They leave it on top of towers where the scav-
enging birds and sun help deliver what is of earth to earth only.
Rahul Dholakia is a Hindu director, but he clearly has asked some valid
questions with this film, how come mass-scale agitation was so neatly ar-
ranged, which looks really impossible. He hasn’t question Hindus or Muslims
in this film. He has just question the pre-planned genocide, and has brought
out through a beautiful heart-warming story that humans have only one
religion. He says through the story that when you take away a person from
the family, you’re paralyzing all the others. When you provide them with a
picture, it’s not going to go away from minds of people. When you carry out
plans of vengeance, you’ll not be spared and some other person will take
your life for vengeance.
Naseeruddin Shah’s one of finest performances, overshadowed by that
of Sarika (who made a comeback after many years), and the little children
(Parzan played by Parzan Dastur is adorable, Pearl Barsiwala as Pearl is amaz-
ingly natural), and Corin Nemec as Allan is absolutely natural.
If you’re going to watch this film as a Hindu, you’ll find the film is
anti-Hindu. If you’re going to watch this film as a Muslim, you’ll find that the
revenge they’d been planning was anti-Muslim and you’ll find ways to justify
many attacks later on. If you’ll watch this film as a human, you’ll know that
religion is a personal way of reaching peace which can never be attained by
these popularity gimmicks and Klu-Kulx-Klan kind parties and movements.
A PLACE TO BE
PARZANIAAUTHOR: Spoorthi Team Contribution
FULFILLING ART
”’ARTISABOUTEXPRESSINGTHETRUENATUREOFTHEHUMANSPIRITINWHATEVERWAYONEWISHESTOEXPRESSIT.
IFITISHONEST,ITISBEAUTIFUL.IFITISNOTHONEST,ITISOBVIOUS.’-
CORINNEMEC”
0013

14. After a long wait, it rained. A magical scent filled entire place, carrying
a soothing touch.
It was the same dithering feeling when she touched me. Her hand was
on mine but my whole body could feel it. I never thought that we were going
to be beyond happiness and sorrow. Fingers were trying to merge in each
other and eyes struggled to find the courage for same. I wanted to see her
eyes, but the surroundings were in no mood to allow.
“What is wrong with me? I never felt like this. Is it your presence?”I
asked her, sitting on the bench looking at the plant with drops falling on it. It
was looking ultra-green today.
“No, it is you.”The unspoken answer popped up.
Again, words seemed useless. No thought, no word was coming to
my mind.“Plop….Plop….”Sound of the falling drops was the only sound that
could be heard. In between, a flash of light with roaring sound was making us
tremble to our deepest conscience.
But this was the time, when I got to know how precious words could
be in life. How much difference one could make being an extrovert.
“So are you sure of this decision??”she was still looking at the grass
with her hands in mine.
“You tell me what……..”I tried to open my mouth but it was very hard
for me to assert anything in that moment.
“Just say yes or no.”she was looking very still, at grass or sky. I wasn’t
sure; but not at me, that’s for sure.
She had never been so assertive to me. It was the first, and probably
the last time I was seeing her this way.
“See R*******, it’s not about a yes or a no.”I replied and took a pause,
expecting a resistance but nothing came. I took a deep breath. A combina-
tion of her odour and the odour of rain went inside me.
“It’s about love. Who am I? A student of class twelve. What do I do? I
study. What I earn? My father feeds me. And what am I going to do? To intro-
duce this world to my beloved who is 7 years older than me.”I had no idea
whether I was talking to her or just to myself.
A few seconds of pause.
“Even if we stay together, it’s not feasible for our families and society.
Would my father support me? How will I feed you?”
“So what? I can. Whole life you will, so what if for few early years I do
this.”She looked so beautiful.
Will your parents allow you? What about the society?”I tried to argue.
“Why are you so much concerned about the society? I thought you
don’t care the least about it.”It was a taunt.
A masculine heart always feels hurt when someone hurts its feminine
feelings.
“I still don’t give a damn about this. Fair enough, we can announce
ourselves today. But you answer me; can we live together? Where will we
live? Can you imagine a 16 year boy living with his 23 year beloved, going to
attend daily his classes of 12th in his school dress every morning? Is it really
possible?”I said in an impulse but then I realized that I asked a question of
which nobody could answer.
Again a pause for almost a minute.
But this time it was scarier. So I regretted it but bullet was already fired.
“Listen R********, I know it’s not easy for you. It is also disheartening for
me. But this is the only thing that we can do for both of us. You can’t wait for
me that long. So go with your parents, marry whomsoever they have chosen.”
I consoled her after that fiery, impulsive sentence of mine.
She again said with the same posture,“what do you think; will I be
happy with what you are suggesting to me?”
“Yeah, surely you will be.”I encouraged her smelling the changed mind
of hers.
“Do you know that guy?”
I didn’t even know whether he was a man or boy or what. I could lie
to her. But this was the time I realized the importance of being a liar to the
person you love most.
“……no……a…a….actually I don’t.”I said with a very low sound, but
was enough for her to hear, sitting so close to me.
“Then how can you say I’d be happy?”
I always hated lawyer-cum-girls who asked too many questions. She
was a silent, shy girl. Perhaps that’s why I loved her so much. But today she
was arguing like never before.
It was making me a bit irritated; but honestly, the real reason was that I
had no answer. I had no idea what to say.
Again a long pause.
“R*******, please do this. It’s futile to argue now. And no matter
whether we are going to be together or not, we love each other and we will
continue to.”I sounded like some character from Mills and boons.
“No, it matters to me, to live my life with somebody else.”She again
said with a very feeble voice.
“Please R********, marry as your parents say. We both are going to get
nothing out of this relation. Please understand this and do as I say. I love you.”
I said.
“Do you still think you love me?”she asked. I felt a red hot dagger in
my chest.
Again a few seconds pause.
She got up. Hands were still in hands.
It was time for her to go. I wanted to say much but there were no
words in any of the languages that I knew. We both were standing, facing
each other.
I looked at her. She was looking at me.
I could see her face. A smile was flowing on her lips but a big drop of
water was in her both eyes.
“Water is trickling from everything. Why aren’t these tears coming
out?”I thought.
I wanted to hold her hands again; I wanted to feel her warm soothing
touch again. I wanted to smell her odor again, talk to her, walk with her, and
even argue with her all over again.
But she smiled and finally turned without saying anything.
I wanted to hear her voice again.
“Oh! Please R*******, don’t go.”My heart cried but whole sound turned
into water and came in my eyes.
She had started her scooty and again gave me a faint smile and
swooped.
I wanted to see her smile again. But what I could see was only her. My
world was going away from me at a speed of thirty kilometers an hour.
WE LOVED BUT IN
PAUSESAUTHOR: Manas Mishra EMAIL: idharath2006@gmail.com
HEARTY TALES
0014

15. THE WINDOW
SEAT
AUTHOR: Aman Arora EMAIL: aman@spoorthimag.com
Carefree wind strikes my head.
My hair has lost its address.
Its coolness kisses my willing cheeks.
My ears listen what it speaks.
The world is stationary inside.
Routine voices gloomily recite,
A song with no rhythm no rhyme.
An escape to music, the window seat.
Traveling through Earth less traveled.
Visiting places still to be unravelled.
Vestal beauty of varying soils.
My eyes rejuvenate the Nature’s bless.
An eyesore, the everyday colors.
Arranged in set patterns.
Binding the horizon for my wild eyes.
A bridge to beauty, the window seat
0015
AGELESS VERSES

16. ATITHI DEVO
BHAVAREPORTER: Praseeda Kalkur EMAIL: write2prasi@gmail.com
While planning a trip, the first consideration is usually about how great
the place is. Second,the shopping lists. And then, the warnings come; beware
of this and that. We, girls’gang, packed our bags with excitement, shopping
lists and stuffed up with the warnings in the end for our Easter break to Scot-
land; while we were for internship in England. We did a little planning and
basic booking, and headed to Glasgow. We trusted our feet, used maps, and
relied on calling the hotel guys to reach the place. Being without a vehicle
actually helped us explore the city better. Also, it makes you aware of the
place more, and is a good way to get quality photographs.
We reached the city of Inverness late in the evening after exploring a
few places in Scotland. We hardly had any information about the place, and
didn’t even know the postal code of the hostel. Even Google maps couldn’t
help us much. Tight budget made us carry the luggage on our backs and toil
hard on foot. Following the receptionist’s advice, we walked by the river Ness
but had difficulty finding Rosedean (from where we were supposed to take
left and reach a hill where the hostel was. Now the warnings’started haunt-
ing.‘Scotland is famous for drunkards’made us wary of asking anybody who
couldn’t walk straight. Many others, like us, were on Easter break themselves,
so couldn’t help us with directions. Then, the lonely road reminded us of
another warning:‘Inverness is famous for pickpockets). Without giving voice
to inhibitions, we carried on.
Finally, we had company, after we’d walked for what I felt as eternity.
We chanced upon an old couple who seemed helpful. The lady constantly
mentioned that she had heard the road but couldn’t quite figure it out
exactly. We asked‘Rosedean House’then, and she knew where it was. They
motioned us in the direction of the river, where we’ll get Rosedean at a junc-
tion. We needed to take left from there.
They asked us where we came from. My perception was that all
foreigners think of India as what movies like Slumdog Millionaire portray.
However, their warm and friendly smile upon hearing‘India’cleared all our
misconceptions. They’d been to India three weeks back, and been to Delhi,
Darjeeling, and Gangtok for four days each. They stayed at the Taj, Gurgaon
in the NCR of Delhi. Their son’s friends threw a bash at their parents’fiftieth
marriage anniversary, and they were invited. The hotel guys arranged for
sight-seeing for them.
They also went on the toy train ride in Darjeeling. They went early
morning to the Tiger Hills to see the sunrise; however the clouds disrupted
their plans. Second time lucky, they eventually saw it while returning. They
liked the places, the familiar cold temperatures being the similarity. They
explained their experience to India as awesome.
They bid us adieu, sympathizing about the long walk we needed to
take to reach the place. We also filled up our list of to-dos while in Inverness
and headed towards the Rosedean. We couldn’t find a single person this time
on our way back. Two girls, lonely road, no surety of which direction to go
made it a mental challenge as much as physical. Even after a long walk, we
couldn’t get around the famous Rosedeal House. While I wondered on action,
PEOPLE NEXT DOOR
016

17. my friend took route to
worry- fear of having taken the
wrong road, a red car stopped by.
‘We’re here to help you, welcome
to India’were the words of the old
couple who wanted to help us reach
safely to our hostel. They wanted
to return the favour, the hospitality
that they received in India having
overwhelmed them.
Atithi Devo Bhava is a famous
saying in India. Guests are God.
Even Scottish believed the same, I
realized.
‘You won’t find the peep-
peep (honking) or lots of people
here’she told while driving.
‘That’s the sad part’I replied.
‘Back in India, if lost, we could always
ask someone. But here, it’s difficult to
find a person to ask.’
I remembered how we were
lost in Glencoe, when to reach the
village no signs or people were there
to help us. My friend had to run
leaving all her luggage to stop the
vehicle and ask for directions when
we found a guy finally. Although
we’d walked a mile in the wrong
direction, we thanked God that we
ultimately found it was the wrong
direction.
Even after getting in the car,
we didn’t reach the place soon. They
weren’t sure of the place, but were
ready to find out. She had maps to
check, while I switched to Google
Maps. It showed, now, that we
were a couple of miles in the same
direction as the place. They showed
us Rosedean soon, and had it not
been for their presence we wouldn’t
have recognized the place even after
reaching, there was no placard in-
dicating the same. We went slightly
ahead, and then the lady took the
right turn and took us to our hotel
safely.
‘Shukriya’was what my vocal
cords felt right to say.
Please they were, having
learned few Hindi words in India.
They folded their hands for a‘Na-
maste’. We reciprocated. They told us
that back in India, people didn’t do
it often. We were being reminded of
our tradition by foreigners. I asked
for their names, so as to never forget
the people. They were Jeff and
Moreen. I asked for their numbers so
as to show them around if they came
to India again. Lady frankly told
that they’d like to see some other
places and had no plans for India. I
understood their feelings and didn’t
press on.
I don’t know of the hospitality
they received in India, but we earned
the rewards of that. We felt proud
Indians there and then, and of the
value system our country possesses.
PRASEEDA
KALKUR
PHOTO-
GRAPHY
“IT IS NOT THE QUANTITY OF THE
MEAT, BUT THE CHEERFULNESS OF
THE GUESTS, WHICH MAKES THE
FEAST”
EDWARD HYDE
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Deepanshu Anand
deepanshuanand93@yahoo.in
https://www.facebook.com/pages/DEEPS-Photogra-
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Deepanshu Anand
deepanshuanand93@yahoo.in
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phy/246529102145193
Aman Agrawal
amanashu123@gmail.com
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23. HASPHYSICALAPPEARANCEBECOMETOOIMPORTANTAPARTOFOURMODERN
CIVILIZEDSOCIETY?
Well, I think it’s not necessary. If a person is fat, the society teases him for his
physical appearance and if he’s thin then also he’ll be teased. Society won’t
accept anyone who’s correct. They have got nothing else than commenting on
others. So we have to live as per our own values and not according to society
Supriva CV
Yes, it has become an important part of our so called civilized society because
appearance is the first thing on which we judge an individual. His/her appear-
ance tells us how well a person takes care of oneself. Appearance has and will
always remain a primary thing on which a person gets attracted to one another
and also for job these days.
Rupaksh Gulati
Yea, without any doubt appearance has become way too important in this
modern world. And without having good appearance, it’s almost impossible to
live and also to get a good life Partner. The main reason I think behind it is the
modernization of world. But social networking websites like FB, Orkut & Twitter
[virtual identity]are a few means where your appearance has no effect and that’s
why I like these because here you need not bother thinking what your fellow
friends will say on the way you appear. Here your intelligence and thinking mat-
ters.
Sathya Asheerv
Physical appearance somewhat has become a must in this century. Like in creat-
ing the first impression or giving detailing in a matrimony site. And this begins
right after birth. Everyone is concerned about how you are dressed, how well you
look, how fashionable and up to date you are, what brand you are wearing, what
trends you are following. In school the uniform, in college the formals (are the
dress codes). And if you do not have that a better physical appearance you need
to apply again. A second chance (may come) but who wants a second chance!
And again it’s not that physical appearance or good looks are always to impress
or show off and also it increases the confidence
Neha Ghosh
Probably, physical appearance is the first thing you would notice in a person.
Stressing more on personality development in modern society is seen these
days,(and it) maybe for good reasons. But people take it the wrong way. I feel
maintaining your appearance as decent is one of the essential parts, which may
help you personally. Other way is when people behave like racists, don’t just
jump on it because there are proportions of people who discriminate but many
would like to see people developing according to the nerves of society.
Who would not like to look cool?
Sreehari Gagillapuram
According to me it does play a vital role in our modern civilized world. We gener-
ally makes a vague opinion about others by observing their personality and
physical appearance. A strong physical appearance and a good personality make
you confident and helps achieving heights...
Bhawna Saluja
Well, according to the society it’s gaining more importance these days. People
with looks easily gain popularity. But iin my view, good appearance does not
matter a lot. One who is more intellectual as compared to person with good ap-
pearance is naturally very smart.
Intellectually matters a lot as compared to good looks.
Reena Rani
Yes, it has because no one pays attention to an average everyday face. The whole
of the world is in a battle to outdo the other one. Good dressing sense, certain
uniqueness seems to be attractive to our society now.
Pankaj
023
THE BURNING QUESTION

24. When I born, I black.
When I grow up, I black.
When I go in sun, I black.
When I scared, I black.
When I sick, I black.
And when I die, I still black.
And you white people.
When you born, you pink.
When you grow up, you white.
When you go in sun, you red.
When you cold, you blue.
When you scared, you yellow.
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey…
And you calling me colored??
written by a south african
child - UN best poetry
nomination of2006
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