The Tiger and The Fox

Once upon a time there was a fox chased by a tiger in a forest. He ran as fast as he could in order to save his life. But suddenly, he fell into a well which was covered with shrubs that obstructed his vision, as he was running. He could not come out of the well. Now the fox knew that death had been waiting for him in that well. He was sad.

Soon the fox heard a goat bleating nearby. He shouted loudly from inside the well to call the goat. The goat came near the well and asked him, "Friend, what are you doing there in the well?"

The fox said, "Friend, have you not heard that a drought is soon coming in the country, and there will be no water anywhere? So I've come here to enjoy the sweet water of this well. The water is so tasty that I do not even feel hun­gry. Why don't you join me, friend? Just jump into the well, and give me a pleasant company!"

The foolish goat believed the fox and agreed to join her friend. As she jumped, the clever fox placed one of his feet on her horn and escaped from the well. Now the poor goat was inside the well. She cried, "Friend, why do you leave me here alone? Come back."

The fox said, "Friend, you should have looked before you had leaped into the well to see if it was possible for you to come out of it. You did not do that, and hence let you suffer."

The fox left the place, and the goat lay in the well counting the days for her inevitable death.

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The Wind and The Sun

Once upon a time there was a beautiful contest happened between the sun and the wind. It was to see which of the two was stronger than the other.

The wind was very proud of itself and its prowess. It said, "Even the mighty clouds bow before me. They know that I can drive them away.

And the clouds can envelop you. So you are a small thing before me." The sun said, "It is the time that will tell you who is stronger of the two."

Soon they saw a man who was wearing a coat. The sun said, "Let us see who makes the man to take off his coat."

The wind tried first. It blew harder and harder. But the man instead of removing his coat, wrapped it more and more. So, the wind failed.

Now it was the turn of the sun to try its strength. It began to shine. It became hotter and hotter.

Fiercer and fiercer. Ultimately, the man felt obliged to remove the coat. The wind lost and the sun won.

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Responsibilities of a Citizen for his/her country

We are all citizens of one country of India. We acquire citizenship of our country generally by virtue of our birth. But to be a good citizen requires a lot of training and understanding. As the subject of a country, every citizen has some duties and he enjoys at the same time certain rights. All of us have a right to take part in the legislative as well as judicial activities of this country and can give free expression to our views and opinions from the platform and through the press.

A good citizen, therefore, is one who is always broad minded. He must, if living in India, consider himself an Indian first and anything else afterwards. He is ready even to shed his blood for the honour and glory of his country. A good citizen has the good of his country at heart. To raise his country to a higher level of civilization must be his aim. He must not forget that the future, no less than the present, is always lined with the past.

A good citizen must keep the welfare of his town or city or village foremost in his mind at the time of elections. He should understand the existing educational and other institutions of his country and make efforts to bring about desirable improvements. He must love his neighbours. He must be sympathetic, broad-minded and generous.

In this way, a good citizen should always be ready to forget and forgive. In a word, he should be a perfect gentleman.

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Mahatma Gandhi: Most Popular Person in India

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in the town of Porbander in the state of Gujarat on 2nd October 1869. He had his schooling in nearby Rajkot, where his father served as the adviser to the local ruler. 

Though India was then under British rule, over 500 kingdoms, principalities, and states were allowed autonomy in domestic and internal affairs: these were the so-called 'native states'. Rajkot was one such state.

Mahatma Gandhi was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India. As such, he came to be considered the father of India. Gandhi is internationally esteemed for his doctrine of nonviolent protest (Satyagraha) to achieve political and social progress.

In the eyes of millions of his fellow Indians, Gandhi was the Mahatma (“Great Soul”). The unthinking adoration of the huge crowds that gathered to see him all along the route of his tours made them a severe ordeal; he could hardly work during the day or rest at night. “The woes of the Mahatmas,” he wrote, “are known only to the Mahatmas.” His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and only increased after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is now one of the most universally recognized on earth.

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Bheem Rao Ambedkar: Most popular person in India

B. R. Ambedkar was born on April 14, 1891 at Ambedkar village in Ratnagiri District of Maharashtra state. His father was Ramji. He was the 14th son of his father. He is known as Bheem Rao Ambedkar.

Ambedkar was a brilliant child. His teacher at school, who noticed this, was impressed and added a surname to him. It is also said that his earlier name was Bheemrao Ambedkar and it was his teacher who made it Ambedkar and gave him the full name as Bheemrao Ramji Ambedkar.

After leaving school, Ambedkar studied F.A., at the Elphinstone College, Bombay (Mumbai). With the help of the Rajah of Baroda, Ambedkar went to Colombia University, America and completed his B.A., and M.A., degrees, in 1912 and 1913 respectively. For his M.A. degree he Zwrote a research paper “Commerce in India”. He wrote many more research essays while staying at Colombia. They are:

(1) Religious in India and their origin, (2) Nationalists in India-a historical study. For the latter research paper he was awarded Ph.D., by the Colombia University. With this he became Dr. Ambedkar.

He went to England to study law. Along with law, he studied Economics and political Science. He acquired the degree of Barrister-at-law and also M.Sc. degree simultaneously. Dr. Ambedkar hails from the community of Mahars who are condemned as untouchables. On this account Dr. Ambedkar had to face a number of problems. He was looked down upon and ill-treated. Hence he wanted to agitate against untouchability.

In 1918, he took up a job as a professor in a college and in 1920 he took part in the first meet of the Depressed Classes held at Nagpur. In 1923, he started practice at Bombay High Court. In 1924, he started a paper “Bahishkrita hitakarini”. He took up the cause of the Depressed Classes before the Simon Commission which visited India in 1928. He attended the First Round Table Conference held at London and argued that the Depressed Classes should have voting rights and the right to elect their own leaders.

Dr. Ambedkar had a sharp mind. He said that all men are equal in all matters. Once he entered the Veereswar temple where Mahars were not allowed. A case was field against him by the temple authorities. The court justified the action of Dr. Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar could not reconcile to the domination of upper castes. It was Mahatma Gandhi who could convince Dr. Ambedkar against this and bring him back to the mainstream.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was first Law Minister of India after we got Independence in 1947. He was also the chairman of the drafting committee of our Constitution and in fact, he is one of the main architects of our Constitution. As a brilliant law minister and an intelligent person, he could include in the Constitution, the required safeguards for the depressed Classes. On November 1, 1949 the Draft Constitution was approved by the Government and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was since then called, the “Modern Manu of India”.

The caste system in Hinduism forced Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to embrace Buddhism along with 5 lakhs of other Depressed Class people. He attended a conference of Buddhists in Sri Lanka in 1950. He was a lover of books. On a visit to New York, it is said that he purchased as many as 2000 books. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar passed away on December 6, 1956.

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s life is an example to others. He had shown how men born in humble surroundings could rise up in life, by sheer hard-work, sincerity and steadfastness. 

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Most popular festival in India: Onam

Onam is the biggest festival of the year in India's southern state of Kerala. Much of Kerala's culture is showcased during Onam festivities. These Kerala Onam pictures reveal the color and splendor of the celebrations. 

Onam is a traditional ten day harvest festival in India that marks the homecoming of the mythical King Mahabali. It’s a festival rich in culture and heritage. People strikingly decorate the ground in front of their houses with flowers arranged in beautiful patterns to welcome the King. The festival is also celebrated with new clothes, feasts served on banana leaves, dancing, sports, games, and snake boat races.

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Makar Sankranti

Makar Sankranti is considered as one of the most auspicious days for Hindus. The festival is celebrated differently in different parts of India. Most Hindu festivals follow the position of the moon and are based on the lunar calendar. Thus, the dates of festivals change every year. But Maker Sankranti is a festival which falls on the same day every year as it follows the solar calendar. However, once every eighty years, due to revolution, the day is postponed by one day. Makar Sankranti is celebrated on the 14th of January every year.

As Makar Sankranti is one of the oldest solstice festivals and falls on the equinox, day and night on this day are believed to be equally long. Post the festival; it is officially the beginning of spring or the onset of Indian summer and the days become longer, and nights shorter.

In rural and coastal areas, cock fights are held as an important event of the festival. As the festival is celebrated in winters, food prepared in this festival is made to keep the body warm and give energy. Laddu of Til (Sesame) made with Jigger y is the festivals specialty. The festival of Makara Sankranti also honours and pays respect to Saraswati - Goddess of Knowledge. Makara Sankranti represents a period of illumination, peace, affluence and happiness. Makar Sankranti generally marks the beginning of the Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh while in South India, in Kerala, one of the most austere and difficult pilgrimages of Shabrimala ends on this auspicious day.

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The Wolf and the Lean Dog

Once upon a time there was a wolf living in a deep forest. The Wolf raiding near a village one evening met a Dog. It happened to be a very lean and bony Dog, and Master Wolf would have turned up his nose at such meager fare had he not been more hungry than usual. So he began to edge toward the Dog, while the Dog backed away.

"Let me remind your lordship," said the Dog, his words interrupted now and then as he dodged a snap of the Wolf's teeth, "how unpleasant it would be to eat me now. Look at my ribs. I am nothing but skin and bone. But let me tell you something in private. In a few days my master will give a wedding feast for his only daughter. You can guess how fine and fat I will grow on the scraps from the table. Then is the time to eat me."

The Wolf could not help thinking how nice it would be to have a fine fat Dog to eat instead of the scrawny object before him. So he went away pulling in his belt and promising to return. Some days later the Wolf came back for the promised feast. He found the Dog in his master's yard, and asked him to come out and be eaten.

"Sir," said the Dog, with a grin, "I shall be delighted to have you eat me. I'll be out as soon as the porter opens the door." But the "porter" was a huge Dog whom the Wolf knew by painful experience to be very unkind toward wolves. So he decided not to wait and made off as fast as his legs could carry him.

Moral: Do not depend on the promises of those whose interest it is to deceive you.

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The Rabbit and the Turtle

Once upon a time there was a rabbit lived in jungle and nearby a pond a turtle lived. They became friends in shorten time. One day the rabbit was boasting about how fast he could run. He was laughing at the turtle for being so slow. Much to the rabbit’s surprise, the turtle challenged him to a race. The rabbit thought this was a good joke and accepted the challenge. The jackal was to be the umpire of the race. As the race began, the rabbit raced way ahead of the turtle, just like everyone thought.

The rabbit got to the halfway point and could not see the turtle anywhere. He was hot and tired and decided to stop and take a short nap. Even if the turtle passed him, he would be able to race to the finish line ahead of him. All this time the turtle kept walking step by step by step. He never quit no matter how hot or tired he got. He just kept going.

However, the rabbit slept longer than he had thought and woke up. He could not see the turtle anywhere! He went at full-speed to the finish line but found the turtle there waiting for him.

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Two Friends and the Bear Story

Once upon a time there were two friends lived in a small village. There was a dense forest situated near this village. One hot summer day friends were going for a friend’s birthday. During their journey they should cross the forest. They knew that anything dangerous can happen to them at any time in the forest. So they promised each other that they would remain united in any case of danger.

Suddenly, they saw a bear coming from the corner of the road. One of the friends at once climbed a nearby tree. But the other one did not know how to climb. So being led by his common sense, he lay down on the ground breathless, pretending to be a dead man.

The bear came near the man lying on the ground. It smelt in his ears, and slowly left the place because the bears do not touch the dead creatures. Now the friend on the tree came down and asked his friend on the ground, “Friend, what did the bear tell you into your ears?” The other friend replied, “The bear advised me not to believe a false friend.”

Moral: True Friend is the one who always supports and stands by you in all situation. 

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Sweet Love Letter to Girlfriend

Beloved Dear,

When I first met you, I was unsure about how things would turn out for us. Looking at things now, I can be glad to say that it was one of the best decisions of my life to have chosen you, for you bring so much joy into my life, you are the one who makes my heart so glad. When I write to you today, I want to ask you for something, I want you to love me and never let me go. 

I love you, always have and always will and I know that I am yours forever to keep you happier than everyone. I love you so much.

Yours for ever

Manish

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Love Letter to Boy friend

My Dear Rashmi,

You are the one who has always picked me up when I was falling down. I know that you are that ray of sunshine in my life, which dispels all clouds of gloom and brings together what can only be called the best of a lovely day. I can never be the same again, now that I know you. I love you more than you can ever imagine and more than anyone else in the world ever can. I do not say this with pride or vanity; I say this because it is a simple and the honest humble truth.

You are the answer to all my prayers and I know that I am luckier because I have you in my life.

Yours

Geeta

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Guru Purnima

The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashadh (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa. Guru purnima is the new year for the spiritual seeker. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa even taught Saibaba 'Duttatreya', who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus. It is a day to be grateful for all the
blessings and knowledge received and to see how the knowledge has
transformed our life.

This day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a 'puja' of their respective spiritual preceptor or 'Gurudevs'.

Guru purnima is of deep significance to the farmers, for it heralds the setting in of the much-needed rains, as the advent of cool showers usher in fresh life in the fields. It is a good time to begin your spiritual lessons. Traditionally, spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual 'sadhana' from this day.

The period 'Chaturmas' ("four months") begins from this day. In the past, wandering spiritual masters and their disciples used to settle down at a place to study and discourse on the Brahma Sutras composed by Vyasa, and engage themselves in Vedantic discussions.

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Car Festival at Puri Jagannath, Ratha Yatra

Ratha Jatra, the Festival of Chariots of Lord Jagannath is celebrated every year at Puri, the temple town in Orissa, on the east coast of India. The presiding deities of the main temple, Sri Mandira, Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, with the celestial wheel Sudarshana are taken out from the temple precincts in an elaborate ritual procession to their respective chariots. The huge, colorfully decorated chariots, are drawn by hundreds and thousands of devotees on the Bada Danda (big road), the grand avenue to the Gundicha temple, some two miles away to the North. After a stay for seven days, the deities return to their abode in Srimandira.

Ratha Jatra is perhaps the grandest festival on earth. Everything is on a scale befitting the great Lord. Full of spectacle, drama and color, the festival is a typical Indian fair of huge proportions. It is also the living embodiment of the synthesis of the tribal, the folk, and the autochthonous with the classical, the elaborately formal and the sophisticated elements of the socio-cultural-religious ethos of the Indian civilization.

Sanctity and Significance of Ratha Jatra (Car Festival)

The festival is also known as Gundicha Jatra, Ghosa Jatra, Navadina Jatra, Dasavatara Jatra and by a variety of other names. For the devoted and believers, it is considered the most auspicious occasion. Rathe tu vamanam drishtwa punarjanmam na vidyate A glimpse of the Vamana, the dwarf form, an incarnation of Lord Jagannatha, is sure to ensure emancipation, release from the cycle of birth and death.

Jatra is an essential part of the ritual of the Hindu system of worship. Jatra literally means travel or journey. Normally, it is the representative deities of temples more popularly known as Utsava Murti in south and Chalanti Pratima or Bije Pratima in Orissa, partake in these journeys. It is rarely that the presiding deities come out of the sanctum for such ritual journeys. The Jatra for the Ritual Journey take two forms – one involving the short circumbulation around the temple and other involving a longer journey from the temple to some other destination. The Jatra is considered as an important part of festivities and ceremonies of each temple and is considered as a special and sacred occasion.

Rath Jatra being unique among all Jatras is the grandest festival of the supreme divinity that has manifested himself in the Kali Yuga to emancipate humanity and to relieve them from their sufferings. Lord Jagannatha is identified fully with Vishnu and Krishna. In his original manifestation as Nilamadhaba, he was worshipped in a sacred Nyagrodha Briksha or banyan tree. The branches of the tree had spread for several miles and any one entering this area was instantly emancipated and was relieved of the travails of the birth and re-birth. In fact, the influence of Yama, the God of Death, is supposed to have been curtailed in the sacred city of Puri – Srikshetra on account of the presence of Lord Jagannatha and therefore it is also called the Yamanika Tirtha.

A glimpse of Lord Jagannatha on the chariot is considered to be very auspicious and saints, poets and scriptures have repeatedly glorified the sanctity of this special festival.
The sanctity of the festival is such that even a touch of the chariot or even the ropes with which these are pulled is considered enough to confer the results of several pious deeds or penance for ages. In fact, there is a famous Oriya song which says that on this occasion, the chariot, the wheels, the grand avenue all become one with Lord Jagannatha himself.

The concept of the chariot has been explained in the Kathopanishada in the following words-

Atmanam rathinam viddhi sareeram rathamevatu

Buddhim tu saarathim viddhi marah pragrahameva cha.

The body is the Chariot and the soul is the deity installed in the chariot. The wisdom acts as the charioteer to control the mind and thoughts.

The Skanda Purana glorifies the sanctity of the Rath Jatra in the following words-

Gundicha mandapam namam yatrahamajanam pura

Ashwamedha sahasrasya mahabedi tadadvabat.

Those who are fortunate to see the deities of the Srimandira in the Gundicha Temple, the final destination of the procession of the chariots, derive the benefits of a thousand horse sacrifices, an immensely pious deed. Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja in his famous Vaidehisa Vilasa mentions that the Lord comes out from his sanctum for participating in the Gundicha Jatra, another name of the Festival of Chariots, only for redeeming the fallen, the patita jana who get the opportunity to behold their dearest god at close quarters on this occasion. Similarly, saint poet Salabega waxes eloquent in praise of his dearest dark darling and says that the Lord swaying and moving like a wild elephant arrives at the Grand Avenue and rides his chariot and destroys in a flash all the sins of his devotees, even if these may be grave or unpardonable.

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Buddha Poornima

Buddha Poornima, which falls on the full moon night in the month of Vaisakha (either in April or May), commemorates the Birth Anniversary of Lord Buddha, founder of Buddhism. In spite of the summer heat pilgrims come from all over the world to Bodh Gaya to attend the Buddha Poornima celebrations. The day is marked with prayer meets, sermons on the life of Gautam Buddha, religious discourses, continuous recitation of Buddhist scriptures, group meditation, processions, and worship of the statue of Buddha. The Mahabodhi Temple wears a festive look and it is decorated with colorful flags and flowers. The Chinese scholar, Fa-Hien has recorded celebration of this festival.   

It is an important to give a summarized description on the Buddhist festivals in India, especially in the main places of worship. The principal annual ceremony for the entire Buddhist is the Vaisaka Purnima known in Sri Lanka as Wesak festival and in India as Buddha Jayanti. Vaisaka Purnima day is fixed by the full-moon day of the month Vaisaka, which falls in May. Like all other Buddhist festivals it falls according to the Lunar year. It was of this day of the year, according to the year.

He attained Supreme Enlighten or Buddha hood, beneath the Bodhi-tree at Boddha Gaya. Forty-five years later at the age of eighty, he finally passed away in Parinivana on the same day of the year at Kushinagar. Vaisaka Purnima is celebrated especially in Boddha Gaya, Lumbini and in Kushinara as they are the holy places that were connected with the blessed ones birth, enlighten and the Parinirvana.

Buddhists in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Tibet, China, Korea, Laos, Vietnam, Mongolia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal, Japan and quite a number of western Buddhists participate 'Vaisaka' Purnima Day religious activities in a festive mood. Sarnath the capital of Buddhism too celebrates Vaisaka Purnima day in a grand way.

The great Buddhist festival 'Vaisaka', although is an occasion for rejoicing doesn't encourage hectic gaiety and abandon. The happiness that the Buddhists feel when they are celebrating it is a tranquil, peaceful joy. The festival has its gay side as well. In most of the Buddhist countries the villages, roads, streets, temples and houses are brightly illuminated with color Lanterns, electric lights and colorful decorations.

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Few words about this blog

In this world of confusion and anxiety, we cry for purpose, direction, guidance and inspiration and I am sure that this blog will provide us recipes for a better living and erase our worries. As cool water satisfies a thirsty person, they may also open to many the fountain of eternal life and live happily in this world.


I would also like to express my appreciation for the help given me by my beloved sister. My earnestly hoped, will inspire the readers of this blog.

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