Why Do Nature Lovers & Saints Prefer Small Houses?

The Earth is big and beautiful enough  for those who're gifted with broad minds. They're proud to be its inhabitants. They don't even dream of any other planet to live. The Blue Planet which is endowed with luxuriant grass, aromatic leaves, colourful flowers, pearly grains, tasty fruits, quenching water, shiny days and starry nights is a heaven for them. They never insulate themselves from its natural cool breeze by raising impregnable high walls around them. They neither hate nor keep themselves out of the lap of their mother nature. That's why they're both mentally and physically safe. They don't  prefer imperishable concrete to boil their perishable bodies. Their aim is to eke out a tensionless, healthy and peaceful long lasting  life. But not a tension laden life solely for the sake of prestige,  business and money. But the world isn't sufficient for us because we're cursed with narrow minds. That's  why we restrict ourselves to the four walls of our homes or vehicles. And we strive day and night to achieve this.

How much lumber or wood we need to ready a house? Roughly  two cubic meters! How do we get it?  "Destroy about 10 mature leafy trees, stop the release of 5000 kg oxygen per annum into atmosphere, suffocate at least 100 people or animals, scare scores of birds to fly off, chase many a number of mammals and reptiles out of, and decimate millions or billions of tiny creatures!" Now we are content that doors, windows, panels and furnishings are ready. Is transforming the lively natural set-up into a dead one our achievement? ..... But many call it civilization or development!

How much iron or steel we need to ready a house? Roughly three tonnes! How do we get it? "Employ about 50 miners to toil, turn several square metres of soil infertile,  asphyxiate or poison millions of fish in nearby ponds or rivers and saturate the air with plenty of dust". 30 tons of mined dirt is ready! "Now burn half a ton of coal up to 1000 degrees Celsius. Another opportunity to add some more dust, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide fumes to the pristine air". Steel bars or rods are now ready! The transport of raw materials from excavation site to refining site and then to delivery site is an another nightmare. This adds fuel to the already burning piles of pollutants. The same kind of saga with respect to aluminium, burnt bricks, cement, ceramics, copper, glass, plastics, synthetics, tiles and so on. Don't worry. Our houses are ready. As big as they are that much we are called developed and consequently respected in the society. Don't think about others! Otherwise we will be called common men. Won't we?

But nature lovers and saints don't want animals or people to suffer. Even if we call them poor or underdeveloped, they don't tolerate any kind of damage to our body organs! They don't want even a few to breathe polluted air, drink non-potable water and eat contaminated food.  They believe that reduction in construction sizes would definitely reduce intolerable bad effects of mining, refining and transport, and thereby reducing the trauma of life. 

Small sized houses occupy less ground area to  suffocate or moralize subterranean creatures. They also let considerable spongy soil around to absorb naturally distilled rain water, besides accommodating a plenty of trees, birds and animals. They have less wall surfaces as substrata for harmful bacteria, fungi and viruses. No doubt, less requirement of poisonous paints too. Less consumption of electricity, water and maintenance. They facilitate frequent stepping of  dwellers into natural surroundings out of the choking indoor pollution!

Nature lovers and saints prefer small and simple houses to reduce the impact of deforestation, mining and transport on vegetation, animals and human beings! That's how broad minded people think. Great people think in great way. "Live and let live" is the philosophy of their lives. Transferring the wholesome nature to the future generations, for their peaceful,  free and healthy   living, is the ultimate goal! Simplest person is safest both to nature and society.  If we want to keep about 90% corruption and pollution at a bay, we've to tread the path of these pious people. Where the narrow minds try to control destruction and pollution superficially the broad minds are there to pull out the root causes abysmally! 

Builders of Super Shelters: Poor Brains or Super Brains?

Long long ago when the world  wasn't so developed  it was being said that food, clothing and shelter were the basic needs. As the "great" people began heating up the atmosphere and pouring down pollutants all around to show the mettle of their development the meaning of the basic needs too started changing.  Now the basic needs are sensed to be unpolluted air, potable water and unadulterated food, by the poor and the rich alike. So a new opportunity has emerged out as a bolt from blue  to quench our thirsty pockets! Start ups to sell moderators of air, temperature, humidity, water, food, etc are around the corner. That's where the talent lies!

But the creatures with poor-brains have no such a talent to manipulate living factors and modulate  the supply-demand curves, as they neither invent nor know the value of money. The modern man needs not to worry any more about surrounding temperature,  relative humidity and air ventilation. It's pity that the other poor creatures still try to get these factors of comfortability from nature.  We the human beings with super-brains are proud of inventing super needs like energy-driven fans, coolers, air conditioners and the sunlight-imitating artificial lighting devices for the concrete, metallic or synthetic enclosures. Unlike that of poor-brains we needn't have to depend on brainless trees, weightless clouds and shapeless soil. In place of trees we have RCC slabs, instead of clouds we have multi-billion dams, and instead of soil we have extensive terrestrial or extraterrestrial lands to run real estate business.  Why shouldn't we be proud of our achievements?  Or bank balances? Aren't  we different from these poor-brains?  Yes, we are! We should hate and keep off these poor-brains from our highly civilized societies. Do you know why? Because they don't know the meaning of civilization or development, at least!

Have you watched the poor creatures like baya weaver birds, honeybees and termites struggling to create the shelters of comfort? That too without destruction. Yes, but they're indeed the enemies of our economies.They don't want to become a part of our developmental efforts. Instead they demonstrate comfort making without spending a spark of energy or a coin of money. Should we let them to live in our vicinity?  Definitely may not ....... dirty creatures. No appliances. No devices. No machines.  No inventions. No innovations. Because they don't know how to do business! Certainly the poor-brains  are anti-developmental elements. Our scientists are yet to know the psychology of these poor-brains.  In-depth exploration may be going on in this field of studies. One thing we can't understand, "Why don't they build super shelters?", "Why don't they try to develop? " , "Why don't they deforest lands?", "Why don't they do mining?" and "Why don't they pollute their colonies?". But, why should they make homes when they can't do business with their fellow-beings? We shouldn't be amazed to find that some scientists might be trying to genetically modify the poor-brains to suit to the nice looking suicidal behaviour  of the modern man!

The pendulant spongy homes of bay weaver bird, raised sand castles of termites and waxy hexagons of honeybees are a blot on our stupendous multi-billion economy.  Is it great to build homes of natural comfort without destroying forests and punishing uncivilized animals? Is it great to live without electricity by not facilitating earthquakes or landslides while harnessing  energy?  Is it great to live in pristine environs without pollution, degenerative diseases and multi-speciality hospitals? Is it great to live in darkness without light pollution and corrected eye visions?

Absolutely a remark on our civilization! Now we can say who can make super-shelters. Poor-brains or Super-brains? Now we can say who can care for future generations. Poor-brains or Super-brains? Could we tolerate if anyone tries to build homes of natural comfort without the need of electrical  energy or money?

The Other Mother's Lap for Education

Is there any place in the world equal to that of the mother's lap, with so much aura of care, love and warmness? Definitely not! Is there any primary school which can match this free gift of nature? No, certainly not. Whether it's day or night, summer or winter, healthy or unhealthy that comfort touches anyone's  heart.

Could we get the similar hospitality through out. No, not at all possible. As we grow we have to distance ourselves from that heaven of cosiness.  From primary to high school; then from pre-university to university studies, a lot of changes occur in the kind of atmosphere and care we get. One could visualize one's academic performance and its relationship with factors like availability of sunlight,  air ventilation, air quality, humidity and temperature. These factors boost up the understanding of the subject,  memory retention, creativity, and performance in examinations. Could we expect such an ideal atmosphere for education, these days? Hardly one can expect!

Luckily I used to get this kind of opportunity in natural and pristine environs around my place. Whenever I had holidays I used to squat with a couple of books under the shade of my favourite tree, Karanj or Kanuga, botanically Milletia pinnata or Pongamia glabra (old name). The evergreen tree with a massive canopy of light green foliage and all-around drooping branches was the best alternative to my mother's care. The cushiony thick carpet of fragrant, pink, purple or white tiny flowers on the ground, was the best alternative to my mother's lap. The intense heat and sunlight of the summer used to chase me out towards this tree of great refuge. The occasionally-visiting chirping birds was an additional recreation for me. I hardly felt bore-some during my exam preparations. Sometimes I used to enjoy sighting a lofty bow of gleaming rainbow through the water-dripping twigs during brief summer showers. I hardly used to feel tiresome because of the amazing cooling nature of the tree due to its effective transpiring surface. No need to spend money on purchasing energy for running fans or coolers. This is not an exaggeration, please. I used to assimilate, grasp or memorize  subjects at a pace more than what I could expect at my home or in my classroom!

Can't we present our tender children and sensitive students of the day this kind of heart touching and ever-soothing environment? Definitely we can! This will save pupils and students from increasing health disorders due to accumulation of pollutants in living places to the alarming levels. The best way for saying goodbye to Sick Building Syndrome (SBS), Sick School Syndrome  (SSS), or Sick Car Syndrome  (SCS) is by spending a few hours a day outdoors in green environments. We are not dearth of champions of education, children-lovers and billion-dollar planners in this era to save the children. A lot of scope is their to modify the present monotonous classroom system. This will also be  a way to avoid shifting of focus of students from studies to the travails of  dripping-wet-hair through profuse perspiration. Besides the colourful-but-cluttered classrooms, it would be better to have a live garden around, full of colourful flowers, attractive birds and shade-giving trees. It would be a relief from boredom too. So we shouldn't miss this opportunity of getting the blessings of the helpless and innocent children by providing tree shade!

Could Animal Activists Rescue the Modern Ape Too?

As a child I was very much fond of watching animals and birds. I was one of the first visitors to any circus that happened to have shows at my place.  I used to  visit  zoos too. It's pity that I wasn't  educated enough or matured enough at that age to perceive the agony of those animals which were entertaining me.  Yes, off course that's true! I couldn't notice that the poor creatures, which were supposed to entertain me, were being chained, shackled,  tethered or cramped in artificial cages. Did they have enough space to roam about?. No, they weren't  getting favourable environment and enough space as much as what they get in their natural habitats. It's being told that these animals were accommodated in spaces that's 18,000 times less than what they could have been in their wilderness! They weren't on their own choice of food, movements and mates too. Anyhow a day of enlightenment came to me. My biology teacher and animal lover narrated the bad fate of those animals. I'm very thankful to him for changing my attitude towards the artificial confinements.

My mind was still reminiscent of bellowing of deer, roaring of big cats, trumpeting of elephants, and chirping of birds.  Thanks to animal activists who have changed the conditions of captive animals.  Now we can watch the animals at their comfort  in spacious enclosures. Safari parks and zoological parks are there to replicate their natural habitats. It's great that some human beings have become humane towards wild animals! In the modern parks the animals ate provided with sufficient space, grass lands and tree canopies to make them healthy and stress free.

One day when I was watching the human like behaviour of chimpanzees,  gorillas and orang utans at a zoo park,  a little girl who was standing beside me,  muttered, "These apes are better than us to play, roam around and enjoy lives in natural surroundings". That's true. When cool breeze, grass lands and tree canopies are must for animals then what about this another biological creature, the man.

Let's hope one day the animal activists would turn their focus from animals to  "the modern ape", whose condition is severe than that of the zoo animals. Are our living factors not akin to those of zoo park animals? Lions and tigers in the circus are driven out from their cages into temporarily raised tunnels, and then into high enclosures to display to the spectators. Can we deny the fact that our living factors are also a little bit similar to theirs? We too are confined to concrete buildings, metallic vehicles and concrete offices or schools. No natural habitats to live. No fresh air to breathe. No cool shade of trees to sit under. At least for a part of the day! Every thing is artificial. There has been incessant efforts to dump a lot of cement, glass, burnt clay, marble tiles, plastic, steel and other metals around us to raise the temperature of development. Don't we need sufficient natural space for gaining natural immunity, health and vigour?  Could we expect changes in the human world  at least for the future generation? But be optimistic!   Animal activists are there. One day they will rescue this modern ape too,  from the perils of the intolerable concrete enclosures!

Whether Corruption is Famous or Notorious?

Whenever a student asks the question, "What's life?", the teacher's answer is "the period between birth and death ". Some students protest too and say that's for animals. They consider life means enjoying tasty food, living in bungalows,  driving posh vehicles, doing international journeys, and so on. That's true for majority.  That's why we are determined to develop. Development doesn't demand hard work only, a little bit of smart work too is required. We know that there's no life worth of living without Vitamin M - marks for children and money for elders, a modern belief.

What does a human body comprise of?  It's nothing but symmetrically arranged bones, adorned beautifully with flesh and skin of different complexions. Does this body need Vitamin M? No.....  never. It needs perpetual supply of pristine air, periodical supply of potable water and proteinaceous  food.

If every human story is so then what about the "class difference" in the society? Where are "prestige" and "status" be hidden? Don't to be worried! There are many inventions waiting for that purpose. But some people still live in small earthen huts. They walk on grassy soil,  amidst bird-roosting trees. They have no choice other than to breathe cool natural breeze. No electric bills and no high cost of living. Here's a chance for the rich to make a  difference. They can live in non-porous houses built out of concrete and glass to fit fans and coolers. These dwellings are amidst modern heat islands,  floating in dust and smoke. No nasty soil. Only glazed tiles and marble. The rich are distinct for restricting themselves to the four walls of houses, cars and flights. No soil, no trees and no birds to be worried about. What a great luxurious life it's! It's pity that the poor can't even dream of it. Alas! Nature is the poor man's only alternative. The fate is such that the poor are free from risks and tensions and full of peaceful and tranquil life.

The poor are not rich enough to take polished-lean cereals, junk food and carbonated cool drinks, instead they have to depend only on nutrient-rich unpolished cereals, millets, fruits and vegetables. Very pathetic! The poor aren't obese enough to beat the rich on weighing machines. Further they have no accessibility to posh vehicles, but walk miles together or make journey on donkeys, mules, horses or camels. "The poor animals of the poor people even don't know how to make noise and pollute the air". Very strange!".

Majority of the poor have to live through out with the same body and same organs what they were borne with. They won't get any opportunity to make changes to their bodies by replacing their organs. They don't know how to spoil their bodies and also to visit super speciality hospitals. If possible they may donate their own healthy organs to the rich.  It's fortunate that the poor can't compete with the rich at bars, clubs and pubs. They neither accumulate currency notes nor hide to spend to win in elections or destroy forests or wildlife by purchasing materials for making posh homes. And they don't have enough excess money to spend as lavishly as the rich. We must be very much thankful to the word, "development", that has given a clear cut difference between haves and have-nots. 

Anyhow to live a rich life and let the coming generations to live so, we have to develop.  This modern superstition is effectively propagated all over the world. It's not so easy to develop without Vitamin-M.  For that  many a number of professionals are required to give consultancy. They show us the ways for rapid earnings and secured savings. We have a plenty of inventions to do corruption - bribery, black marketing, commissions, dirty money making, deforestation, pilferage, poaching, looting, scandals, scams, smuggling, trafficking and many other known or unknown methods. So many international banks and agencies are there to hide the present illegal earnings for future generations. The great word of development has been given so much publicity that everyone, from a beggar to billionaire, is behind this. The meaning of life has been changed. That's "from birth to the dooms day". Even some active poor people are migrating to slums with a greed to develop. But the lazy poor man is still lying there cool and content in darkness, far away from Panama.

(Regarding some people only)

What Does Unrest at Educational Institutions Indicate?

The importance of education and it's role in moulding the lives of students is well known. A lot of emphasis  has been universally given to educate children. Whether that intention of education is still continuing or something else has taken its place is a question.  The kind of unrest prevalent in educational institutions these days is a witness.

Educational process seems to have been derailed from the right path of its true destiny. Has  the aim of education been diverted from human values to material values or anything else? If education is totally in the hands of eligible,  qualified and professional people then why human values and professionalism are lacking among the students?

When the management,  teaching and non-teaching staff are divided on the basis of caste and creed or economic and social status then how could we expect humanistic values among their products?

Now the main focus is shifted from purpose to profits. Education is no longer showing  its holistic approach towards moulding the overall life of a child, instead towards amassing wealth through the business of textbooks, stationery, uniforms, etc. This business further needs politics to dominate the field. The mind of the people of the education field is now obsessed with funds, business and profits rather than with the actual purpose of improvement of education, skills, child and human values.

The knowledge is now restricted to books. But the minds of students are empty or filled with other means of entertainment. No true essence of knowledge is there. When the school management and  teachers need money, parents and children need marks and grades. A very few concern about reading skills,  writing skills, oral skills and other life skills among students.  The target is merely marks and grades in exams.

Unless the aim of education is stressed upon and mentality of management,  teachers, parents and children is changed we can't  expect peace and tranquillity. It's  very shameful that illiterate people are aghast to see the barbaric deeds of educated ones at educational institutions. Once education was a means to transform the barbaric people into civilized ones. But now it seems that the wrong format and motto of education has transfored  the civilised people into barbaric ones. Atleast now the authorities should open their eyes to enrich the minds of students with knowledge, moral values and universal brotherhood, rather than with selfish mottos. Otherwise education will remain  a fashion rather than a purpose.

Good teachers, lecturers, professors and students never bow down to money power, muscle power, political gimmicks and communal forces;  instead they dedicate themselves to the purpose of their staying at holistic places of education.

True Social Justice in Education and Profession

The scope of social justice is very wide, which includes the well-being of every class and caste. It includes education as well as employment, the security and dignity of the individual. Justice will be ensured only when the standard of education is improved.

It's very glad to know that Mrs Smriti Irani, HRD Minister has announced to give free education to SC/ST communities in IITs. Since the adaptation of our constitution different Indian governments have been announcing and providing opportunities for underprivileged sections to change their lives with the intention of economic and social justice. And undoubtedly the electoral justice! That's to transform the waivers into voters, has been successfully achieved. What has happened to the intention of achieving standards in education and profession? This question is hardly found in the great discussions and speeches of our great leaders.

Despite spending billions of rupees in the form of reservations, free education, buildings for educational institutions, free food, free clothing, scholarships, etc where are the expected educational standards, language skills, communication skills, managerial skills, professional skills, etc among these students.

Are we really doing justice to the children or students of underprivileged sections? Or merely placating them to recognise and vote for us? How many of these students can come out successfully from interviews from private company jobs or MNCs? How much money, time, energy and efforts are being spent and how much productivity we are gaining?

Even the leaders who represent these communities seem to bother least about the standards in education profession. Instead they push for reservations. Atleast now our national and community leaders should contemplate on this kind of injustice done towards the children of underprivileged sections.

I think that if we had spent money, time, energy and efforts judiciously we might not have got this kind of products with inferior educational and professional standards (though some great personalities are emerging out due to other reasons). This kind of neglected education is mostly responsible for a lot of depression and disappointment among the youth of underprivileged communities.

What's the quality of education in BC/SC/ST schools vs other schools? Why the products out of these schools are not on par with private or international schools? Though fundings and claiming are very high! Despite degrees most of the students are not competent enough. What could be the mind of students when they could not meet the demands from the employers? What about their mental status?

A lot of heartful work from teachers and lecturers is required at both grassroots level and also at the higher levels to do a genuine justice. Or else bodies remain without soul and purpose.

Social justice is now in the speeches of politicians instead of the ground reality. It is visible because everything is clear. Apparently the social inequality is decreasing, but in absolute terms it's different. Now it is the responsibility of the government to implement standards in social justice in a ground reality instead of writing and speaking.