Cinema as a Means of Education

Cinema as a Means of Education

There are many ways of educating oneself as well as others. One is through sight education through sight means that whatever is to be taught should be put before our eyes. It is also called visual education. This form of education is very effective and one learns very quickly through it.

Film is a form of visual education. We get all sorts of information and enlightenment. Film is a practical teacher. Education through films is very interesting. It is easily understandable too. We learn through it, in a couple of hours, what otherwise would have taken a very long time to learn. Mountains, rivers, jungles, battlefields, damns, mills and hundreds of other things are shown in films. We see big and new cities of the world. We learn customs and manners of different peoples. We come to know their way of living. All this broadens our outlook and are minds get enriched.

Films depict social evils and arouse public sentiments against them. Evils of dowry system, unsociability, caste system communalism, terrorism etc. are brought before our eyes. Seeing them we become conscious of our duty to end eyes. Seeing them we become conscious of our duty to end these evil practices and see their bad effect on our society.

Utility of films as a means of educations is very great in the developing counties. The majority of the people here is illiterate and cannot benefits themselves by reading. Hence they can acquire a lot of 

knowledge and information through films.

In our country, unfortunately the box office and commercial value of a film is given greater weight age than its educating value.

The lure of lure induces both producers and exhibitors to bid good-bye to art, to sacrifice moral and social value and forget the canoes of decency and decorum. A tendency to blindly imitate the glamorous Hollywood films and show the audience all the exotic things of foreign lands cannot but be prejudicial to the larger interests of our society and nation. 

To meet the requirements of different sections of society people of different age and stages in life, there should be a clarification of picture for children, for the middle aged, for the old, for agriculturist and fore factory workers etc. To the pictures certified for adult viewing only, children and students of 

tender age should strictly not be admitted.

In free India, the cinema has an important role to play by spreading knowledge and instruction and by providing innocent entertainment for the weary and the frustrated. The Indian film industry, which was one backward among other things, in artistic and technical excellence has made remarkable program in recent times. Our films are matching technical quality of Hollywood films, exploring new means and getting high international recognition for their content and presentation. Let us make full use of this medium of entertainment to educate ourselves and our countrymen.

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Uninvited Guests

Uninvited Guests

Guests are pests, at least so I thought when I saw a large number of guests in our house. Some were known, but some were quite unknown to all of us. We had never seen them, never thought of them. Have you even heard or experienced so many guests at your house, without any notice, letter, telegram or telephones?

It was last Christmas when this happened. We were all invited for lunch at a friend’s house. My mother was unwell but she accompanied us for company’s sake. The man folk had finished their food and the ladies were about to begin when our servant came running to ask for the house keys. He also told us that a large number of guests had arrived. I was very happy because I had no friends to play with but unwell and was not informed by the guests. We had only one servant, so all the load would 

come to her.

When we reached the house, some guests were relaxing with their legs on the house, and some guests were relaxing with their legs on the table and heads on the embroidered cushions. Children were playing the music system. The number of people who had come were so many, that some of them, I was meeting for the first time. My mother asked me to prepare tea and some snacks for them. After having tea they left the cups near the table and chairs and the floor was strewn with pieces of snacks for them. After having tea they left the cups near the table and chairs and the floor was strewn with pieces of snacks left by the children. Instead of helping us in cleaning everything they announced threat they were going to the market for shopping. Furious with anger, I and my mother cleaned the living room. We sent the servant to buy vegetables for dinner. My mother in spite of her illness began to cook the evening meal. I tried to help as much as possible.

The guest returned at dinner time and had a hearty meal. They announced that since it was very late at night, they would be leaving only the next morning. That meant that we had to make arrangement for their night stay. We did not have so many beddings and asked the servant to borrow from some from our neighbors. Now the beds were insufficient for so many people. So my father asked us to vacate the bedroom for the guests and move into the leaving room. We set the beddings on the floor for ourselves and the guests slept on the beds. Late at night our servant informed us that the water tank had become empty and so the next morning we had to take buckets and bring water from the hand pump nearby.

By the time our guests left we were totally exhausted and did not have any strength left. My mother had developed fever and the servant complained of body pain. The uninvited guests had caused so much inconvenience and problem to us. Whenever we go somewhere we should always inform the hosts of our programme in advance so that adequate arrangements can be made and everyone can enjoy the stay.

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Courtesy

Courtesy

“Courtesy costs nothing but pays a huge dividend” is an apt maxim which has been guiding mankind through all the stages of civilization.” A man without a sense of courtesy” says the great essayist and moral teacher, Francis Bacon, “is an animal with human form.”

Courtesy is a term which can be explained and interpreted in various ways. Courtesy, as a matter of fact, is a term that embraces every walk of life and concerns all of us. Each of us is normally bound with one or other forms of curtest. We have to show courtesy, on one part to elders while they, on their part too, maintain certain principles of courtesy to be extended to their young ones. That is why the cult of courtesy is governed by the principle of “give and take”.

There are numerous instances of showing courtesy to others very simple and easy causing you absolutely no difficulty on strain. For example, if you are traveling in a bus which is packed with people and you have got seat but a lady is standing. It is the principle of courtesy that you should offer her your seat, no matter whether she accepts your invitation or not.

Another form of courtesy which is generally ignored by us is that of “thanking” and saying “Please” If someone offers you a cup of tea, before you accept it, you should say “thank you.” Even if you do not want to drink it, you should say.” Thank you, but I do not drink tea.” Similarly people also refuse to use the word “Please” which as a matter of fact costs nothing. It also has a tremendous impact on the other person.

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My Idea of a Happy Life

My Idea of a Happy Life

We all wish to live a happy life. But few can tell how to get happiness in this world. Experience teaches us that unmixed happiness is not a thing of this world.

In my opinion a happy life means that life which is free from cares and worries. This freedom from worries cannot be obtained with a lot of money. It can be obtained by habit of mind. Many people worry about small things. Many of us worry about the future and the trouble that will come. However mostly these troubles never come.

Money is a necessary thing but it is not the only thing that will keep us happy. So many millionaires spend sleepless nights. I want enough money for my normal expenses but not excessive money. Health is wealth is a famous quotation and I full subscribe to it. A healthy body and a healthy mind is essential to keep one happy. A sick man can never be happy. He will want to die rather than to live in misery. A healthy person can work hard and sleep well. He can eat well and enjoy all the good things of life.

I want to possess only those many things that I need for myself. I know that many numbers of things cannot make a man happy. The more things a man has, the more he wishes to have. He is never satisfied. A content man only can be happy. Midas, with all his gold was a sad man while a goldsmith is happy with his small earnings.

To be really happy, a man should lead a truthful and honest life. He should help his fellowmen and love them. A man loved and respected by other is always happy. To be guide by love in all the action is the key to happiness. We should love and fear God. We should love faith in him and pray to him.

Thus we see that a happy man is he who has enough to eat, who enjoys sound health, is contended leads a truthful and honest life and has faith in God. Such is my idea of a happy life.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword

“If I get sword, I shall kill thee, Oh my mighty master! But if thou gives me a mighty pen, mightier than the sword of Alexander, I shall keep thy name immortally fresh” thus said Bismarck to his teacher Father Roader.

The controversy whether the sword is mightier than the pen or it is the pen which can overwhelm the sword, has been decided straight through. Now it has been established universally that the power and significance of the pen are much more than that of the sword. With the exception of certain foolish people, there is none in the modern world who would advocate the supremacy of the sword over the pen. Of course, in the good old days, when might was right, people did prefer the power of word to that of the pen.

The history of mankind bears written to the fact the power of word, in the long run fades into insignificance. Great and mighty conquerors like Alexander, Caesar, Nero, Timur, Babar and many others could not retain the short lived glory, which their conquests had given them. Of course, so long as they lived, they did maintain their fame but after their deaths the were regarded as murderers and blood spiller of the common people for their personal gratification. Even to this day they are condemned as enemies of peace. On the other hand the great heroes of the pen. Homer Shakespeare, Milton, Firdausi, Tagore to name a few, who gave new enlightenment to the world are remembered with adoration and respect. The great intellectual conquests, attained by these mightily heroes of the pen, can never dwindle into insignificance. In an age where violence in being abhored peaceful coexistence is the new mantra, the pen will always be mightier than the sword.

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A journey by Bus

A journey by Bus

A journey by bus is dull and boring. Once we occupy a seat, we remain stationery there till we reach on destination. We cannot move freely in a bus. Heat in the summer and cold in winter make the journey troublesome and unbearable.

I seldom travel by bus, but this summer I had to travel by bus to Manali since the entire family was going on a summer vacation by bus. Our luggage was loaded on the roof of the bus and I managed to get a window seat, much to the envy of my cousins.

We left at 6 O’clock in the morning. The weather was quite pleasant. Sunshine was filtering in through the windows on the other side of the bus, so my side was quite cool. Cool breeze was blowing and it was very refreshing. All family members started chatting although a few elders tried to catch some sleep since everyone had woken up quite early.

We had packed sandwiches and cold drinks which we had for breakfast in the moving bus itself. It was a lot of fun since everyone had to pass the eatables to and fro in the bus. I was carrying story books, magazine and the morning newspaper with me. First I read the newspaper to catch up with the latest developments and then went through magazine for some time.

It was lunch time and we decided to stop at the roadside Dhaba in one of the villages of Punjab. The food was very delicious and different from what we eat at home. Everyone stretched their tired limbs and some people even lay down on the cots for some time.

After lunch it became quit hot. I drew the curtain at the window and decided to sleep for some time. With a full stomach and rocking bus, I full asleep within a couple of minutes. When I woke up I could not believe my eyes. The bus was negotiating steep curves and I realised that we had entered the hills. Tall trees cast their shadow on the road and very fresh wind livened everyone up. The children started singing songs and the elders joined by clapping vigorously. It was getting chilly and we took out light woollen to cover ourselves. We refreshed ourselves with hot tea and started to enjoy the lovely scenery. 

We could see terraced forms, small streams of water and waterfalls running down the mountainside and the local hill people cheered whenever they saw our bus. There were apple orchards, plum trees and tall chinar trees. It was like a dream come true and was just like the story books that we had read. As dusk started to fall, the conductor announced that we had reached out destination.

One didn’t know how time flew and this bus journey was very different from the usual dull and loving journeys. I will remember this bus journey all my life.

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A Street Fight

A Street Fight

Street fights are very common amongst people who are uncultured and quarrel on trifles. Usually street quarrels are very simple in nature but sometimes they take a serious turn and cause serious injuries to many and death to few.

One day I was studying in my room when, all of a sudden, i heard hot words being exchanged between two persons in the street. I paid no attention, thinking it would be a minor quarrel but soon I heard the voices of a large number of people. I peeped from the window and saw that there was a street quarrel. I went downstairs and reached the spot in the twinkling of an eyes. I was at my wits end on seeing that both of them had come to blows. The people were standing around them and enjoying their quarrel but none tried to pacify them.

I asked a person standing in the crowd about the cause of their quarrel but I could know nothing about the cause. One of the persons, who were quarrelling, was my neighbour. His forehead was bleeding because the other person had hit him on the head. All of a sudden, a young man came forward and tried to separate them. He alone could do nothing. The latter was still abusing my neighbour, warning him that he would set him right when he met him again.

There was an old man standing in the crowd and it was decided that he should come forward and resolve the dispute. He was to give his decision on the matter and both the parties agreed to act accordingly. First, my neighbour said that the other fellow was going on a bicycle through the street and fell headlong. He received a few scratches on his body. He advised the latter to ride slowly and cautiously because rash driving always causes injuries. They cyclist took this as words against him and started calling my neighbour bad names. He could not pocket the insult and exchanged hot words which took the shape of a fight.

The other fellow said that he was riding the cycle very carefully. All of sudden the child ran and wanted to cross the street. So he dashes against the child and fell down. My neighbour abused him but he remained silent. Then my neighbour slapped him. This was a matter beyond his control. He lost his temper and in return gave a tight slap to my neighbour which then caused their open fight.

The old man declared that it was my neighbours’ fault, because he should have listened to the explanation being given by the cyclist instead of reprimanding him. So my neighbour apologised to the cyclist who went his way. The entire persons present were also satisfied and went back their homes.

The lesson we learn is that one should drive carefully on the road and be patient in case someone has committed a mistake. Harsh words should be avoided and temper should be kept in check to avoid unpleasant street fights.

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Our School Library

Our School Library

I study in a big school. The library in the school is also a very big one. It has over 50,000 books in it. It is on the first floor of our school and occupies almost half the floor. The classrooms are all on the ground floor. This keeps the library calm and quiet and the noise of the students does not reach here.

The library is huge hall and divided into sections with glass partitions. It has a reading room and one room for the librarian and the staff of the library.

Different sections in the hall are meant for different kinds of books which are placed on iron shelves. One section is meant for languages, one for literature, one for humanities, on for sciences, for sports and so on.

All kinds of books are available in our school library such as books on literature, history, civics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, painting, music, sports, magic, geography, zoology etc.

The biggest section of books in the library contains children’s books. These books cover stores, adventure, fairy tales etc.

I visit the library very often because it is a charming place; I sit and read a book in my free period. Once a week we get a chance to issue a book of our choice.

The library also contributes to a number of magazines and newspapers. A book is given to a student for a week. We have to look after the book and not let it get torn. The magazines and newspapers have to read in the library itself.

Our librarian is a kind man. He helps us locate the books we need. In case of any problems he consults the catalogue to help the students in locating a book of their choice. 

I like my school library very much.

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