Buddies forever

Do you have any???

Our hearts feel heavy when it comes  to keeping secrets. You need someone with whom you can share any secret with full trust. Who is better for the job than your friend? 

But how would you find the trusted one? Because in the modern era, everyone you know or have met a couple of times are termed as a friend, but only a few would have the privilege to call someone a true friend.

This is what I got to learn from the result of a survey conducted in our school about friendship. A majority of students felt that they were very friendly while very few admitted themselves being choosy. 

The maximum number of respondents had friends who were schoolmates, while many others had friends among their relatives. A few children said they choose friends who are equally talented in academics while many others just wanted their friends to be good at heart. 

The survey also revealed that most of the students felt that standing for their friends in need is very important to maintain a friendship. Others believed that sharing would strengthen friendships. Some other students felt that there should be a better understanding between friends.

I have noticed that many times even if someone gets in trouble due to their friends, he/she would not like his/her friends to be in a problematic situation because of them. 

Most of the children want to continue their friendship through thick and thin. I salute such friends for their unbreakable trust and friendship. 

It needs only a little amount of cooperation, better understanding and complete trust to lead your friendship to a height many would have just wished for.

(Published in The Gulf Today on October 11, 2014)

Spirit of sacrifice

I have noticed that in this fast world, very few people have time for others. Many people are so busy that they don’t realise what is going on in their neighbourhood, leave alone the incidents taking place in other parts of the world. But thanks to festivals, these busy people sit with others and talk for at least a while.

That is why I always look forward to festivals. Eid Al Adha, or Festival of the Sacrifice, is one of my favourite festivals. During Eid Al Fitr many people leave for India. But on Eid Al Adha, all of us have time to sit together, especially we children, and discuss  various things — from schools to games, movies to cartoons, etc.

Eid Al Adha is also an occasion that reminds us about making sacrifices and submitting to Allah to seek His blessings.

This festival honours and reminds us of the two prophets of Islam, Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) and Prophet Ismail (PBUH) who submitted to Allah’s will. Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) was ready to sacrifice his son, Prophet Ismail (PBUH), and the latter was ready to give up his life for the sake of Allah. Allah accepted their act and provided a lamb to sacrifice, which we still follow.

Unfortunately, it looks like it has become just a ritual and people do not follow the actual message. It is hard to find people submitting themselves to Allah’s wish or sacrificing for the sake of Allah. I hope we all realise our mistake and begin sacrificing as well as submitting ourselves to Allah.

(Published in The Gulf Today on October 4, 2014)

Caution key

I was surprised recently when I read the news about Facebook’s plan to give access to children under 13 years too, although I knew that many children have created their accounts on it giving a false age.

Many of my friends as well as cousins, younger than 13, have also created their accounts.

The good aspect of the new service is that the account will be under parents’ supervision. The children’s account will be connected to the parents’ FB account. No one would be able to send friend requests or accept it without the parents’ knowledge.

Yet I have a doubt. Will Facebook remain safe for them? I have heard many people talking about cases when strangers obtained one’s address from his account and reached the house. 

Many people have reacted to the news in positive and negative ways. A few of them have said that children should go out and play instead of sitting and chatting with friends. Facebook is no place for kids. While others felt that Facebook has taken a good decision and support it.

Later, I realised that this news shouldn’t have surprised me, because many schools have already started a similar system for students, who can create accounts on “educational sites.” Unfortunately, the students are slowly turning it into a chatting site.

Once, my cousin shared her experience. She said, “The teachers asked us to create an account on an educational site only for school purposes. Through it we could request teachers to clarify any doubt after the school hours, while teachers could put important notes on it. But many students have started chatting on these sites instead of asking doubts or clearing them.”

I suggest all children not to waste time on these networking sites.

(Published in The Gulf Today on September 27, 2014)

Evergreen writings

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet,” so true was this famous quote of William Shakespeare, the greatest litterateur of the English language.

Shakespeare is the greatest poet, dramatist and playwright of the English literature which makes me a great fan of him. Many dialogues and phrases from Shakespeare’s plays and poems have become part of our day-to-day life. His great understanding of human nature is another reason of him being my favourite. He was baptised on 26 April, the month I share for my birthday.

You must be wondering why am I talking about Shakespeare all of a sudden?

No prize for guessing it right.

I decided to recall this great dramatist and his work because of the immense interest generated by an upcoming Hindi film, Haider, which is based on the famous play Hamlet.

The movie is directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, who has adapted the play and presented it in the Indian context. I have read the story of Hamlet so many times that it has made me curious about the film. I am eagerly waiting for the release of the film to know whether it does justice to the play or not. While watching the trailer and listening to the songs, I keep comparing it with the original one.

I am quite hopeful, because this is not the only movie made by Vishal Bhardwaj based on Shakespeare’s plays. Haider will complete the trilogy of films made by this illustrious filmmaker based on Shakespeare’s plays. The other two movies — Maqbool adapted from Macbeth and Omkara, story of Othello — have been blockbusters starring Irrfan Khan and Ajay Devgan respectively.

I am sure that Shakespeare would have been proud if he had been alive. More so, because Vishal Bhardwaj’s these three films are expected to be published as books too.

Besides, the famous play Romeo and Juliet has also provided an easy plot to many Indian filmmakers who have made many hit films based on it, be it Aamir Khan-starrer  Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Salman Khan-starrer Sanam Bewafa, or the recent blockbuster Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela.

Be it a film, a short story or the original works, I am sure Shakespeare’s evergreen writings will continue to entertain everyone, for generations.

(Published in The Gulf Today on September 20, 2014)

Magnificent Mary

Priyanka Chopra as Mary Kom

Any discussion about boxing icons revolves around male boxers. Boxing legends Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson, who are considered all-time greats, are equally popular among elders as well as youngsters across the world. Vijender Singh, who won India’s first Olympic boxing medal, has become a hero of young Indians.

All of a sudden, we the Indians have got another boxer to feel proud of, the Magnificent Mary or Mary Kom.

But, she isn’t a new sensation. She has been the five-time World Amateur Boxing champion, and the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each  of the six world championships. 

Achieving such success is not an easy job. But she was maintaining a low profile, staying far away from the madding crowd. Her achievements were barely known to ordinary Indians until the news of her biopic caught fire.

Thanks to the Hindi film industry which reintroduced her to the world. Famous actress Priyanka Chopra, portraying Mary Kom on the screen, has really done a good job.

Mary Kom is not the first film to bring a forgotten sportstar to the limelight. Only a few of the young generation would have information about Milkha Singh, until a film on his life and achievements was released.

Hats off to all those creative minds who got the idea of making feature films on these famous personalities, be it Omung Kumar — director of the biographical sports drama film on Mary Kom, or  Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra — who made the film on Milkha Singh.

It is frequently mentioned that Bollywood is nothing but songs and dances. I hope these films prove them wrong. Bollywood is more ahead than just songs and dances.

(Published in The Gulf Today on September 13, 2014)

Guiding lights

   Cruel Teacher                 l               Kind Teacher

On Sept.5, Indian students paid tribute to their teachers, who have always been their guiding light. I too take this opportunity to thank all my teachers for being my inspiration and encouragement.

Teachers are very important for children. They teach children who in turn become the leaders of next generation. They spend their entire life just to teach and help children gain confidence. Teachers have their own ways of teaching. Some might be grumpy, but most of them are supportive with a good sense of humour and teach in fun ways. Yet they all understand their students very well.

One of my favourite teachers had said, “If a teacher shouts at you that means, it means that she loves you. She wishes to see her students become famous leaders of the next generation.”

I trust her, because, at times we feel bad when a teacher shouts at us. But as we get promoted to the next grade, we miss her. We want her to be promoted with us too.

After spending a year with the teachers, the student–teacher relationship scales a new height. It graduates to a relationship similar to that of a mother and her daughters. Teachers are the second parents for any child. Just like parents, they too encourage you, boost your confidence, and stand by your side. They help you cope up with studies. Like parents, teachers too can easily understand the feelings of a student. When their students achieve good grades or marks, their happiness knows no bounds.

I have had an amazing experience with my teachers. Be it complicated maths problems or difficulty in understanding a scientific formula, they have always been on my side. They never gave up hope.

Unfortunately, this student–teacher relationship has been portrayed in a negative way in Bollywood movies. Blockbuster film, 3 Idiots, shows the principal as a grumpy man who never tries to understand his students. Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par represents a supporting teacher. But his advice are turned into jokes. No one believed his advice. And Rishi Kapoor’s character in the film Do Dooni Chaar shows that a good teacher would remain poor throughout his life.

I just hope that Bollywood starts showing positive sides of the profession and present teachers as role models, as I see them.

(Published in The Gulf Today on September 6, 2014)

Annoying invitations

Yesterday, my cousin shared with me an interesting incident.

“Last night when everyone was sleeping, my mobile buzzed. I woke up with a startle. Thousands of thoughts flashed in my mind. Sleepily, I switched on the mobile wondering about the message. The next moment I felt like killing my friend who had sent me an invitation to play the popular game Candy Crush Saga,” she narrated.

At first, I couldn’t stop laughing. But then I wondered about it. Many people are targeted every day by others sending them invitations to play Candy Crush Saga, Farm Heroes Saga, Pepper Panic Saga or other games. 

It’s not only the Candy Crush invitation that annoys others. Many people even have the habit of whatsapping late at night disturbing the sweet dreams. While many people get infuriated by companies that send messages to promote their products without realising other’s problems.

One must realise that someone might be sleeping or might be busy in a meeting. They may get startled as the notification tune rings. And when they check it, they come to know it was a useless message. Although no one gets harmed, it worsens the mood. 

It reminds me of my uncle who faced a similar situation. He was busy in a meeting when he got a series of messages on the phone. He couldn’t check the phone immediately, but kept thinking about it all the while. Later, when he checked, to his annoyance, the messages were sent by a company to promote its products.

Here I wish to recall in a lighter vein an interesting writeup on a blog, where the blogger had mentioned that the Candy Crush notifications may cause the third World War.

He wrote: “Imagine a situation when the desperate Russian President Vladimir Putin would send American President Barack Obama a Candy Crush invitation just for fun. Obama might then ask the British Prime Minister David Cameron to send Pepper Panic Saga invitation to the Russian President. Then China will come out in support of Russia. This will divide the world in two parts. Thus the World War III will begin.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on August 30, 2014)

Ambassador of smiles

Modhesh, the Ambassador of Smiles

Cartoon characters are loved by everyone. While children won’t get tired of talking about their favourite characters, even a casual mention of different characters would bring smiles to the faces of older people, though the choice might be different.

My friends and I would often discuss our favourite characters. The choice varies from Pink Panther — the hero of a TV cartoon, to Hello Kitty — the female white Japanese bobtail cat.

“I love Hello Kitty, because she is cute,” says one.

Another prefers Ninja Hattori, while someone else mentions Shaktimaan, the hero of Indian children.

When it is my turn, I’d proudly say, “I am a great fan of Modhesh, the Ambassador of Smiles.”

I also tell them about my collection of items of Modhesh which includes toys, diaries and other entertainment products. On seeing the collection, my friends would wish to be in my place.

My dream came true recently when I shook hands with Modhesh during a surprise visit to the Modhesh World in Dubai, where Modhesh has brought many new games, attractions, rides and shows to keep children entertained all summer long.

I wanted to chat a lot with him, but he replied only with heart-warming smiles.

During the visit I realised that my collection is still incomplete as Modhesh, meaning ‘amazing’ in Arabic, has become a premier entertainment and educational brand with an established portfolio of over 1000 products.

But I am glad that my favourite character is now competing with all the other cartoon characters popular in various parts of the world. If Hello Kitty has made thousands of children her fans, India has created its own character Shaktimaan and America’s Superman has been the idol of many children, Dubai has its own character, Modhesh — the true Ambassador of Smiles.

(Published in The Gulf Today on August 23, 2014)

Friends forever

“A friend in need is a friend in deed” is an age-old saying. But nowadays many people say that it’s not easy to find a true friend and that friendship between two people is short-lived. Friends leave as soon as their interests are fulfilled.  

Some of the observations made by modern-day thinkers still ring in my mind. One writer observed that friends are like balloons, if they are left to go once, you won’t get them again. He also believed that friends are like a cup of coffee, warm but sweet and bitter at the same time. And also compared friends with air – “precious, always there and priceless.”

 Someone has rightly said, “Friends are like money, easier to make than keep.” So true indeed! I realised that we should make friends and care for the special relationship.

 Friendship Day has been celebrated with joy and happiness all over the world. While Friendship Day for everyone is celebrated on the first Sunday of August, the third Sunday of August (tomorrow) is celebrated as the Women’s Friendship Day.

My Friendship Day is dedicated to my sister-like friend. When I joined the new school, I was alone. I didn’t know anyone, thus felt shy to talk to my fellow students. Then she gave a helping hand. She invited me to her group. She gave me confidence. She introduced me to everyone. To make me cheerful she gave me gifts on such special days. She has a big contribution in my life. I don’t know what would have happened if she wasn’t there with me. I will never forget her all my life.

A Happy Women’s Friendship Day to you and to my sister-like friend too.

(Published in The Gulf Today on August 16, 2014)

Mobile manners

You got to praise both of them

Nowadays praising the features of one’s mobile phone has become a social etiquette. Many people keep buying mobile phones of the latest model in order to show off. Many a time, if you don’t admire or comment on the new phone, they might get irritated. 

I realised this when one of my aunts visited us. When I asked about her new cellphone, she explained every feature in detail, and stopped only with a comment about her neighbour.

“My new neighbour is very ill-mannered and backward,” she said. 

Explaining, she said, “When I went to her house to have ‘a pleasant talk,’ she didn’t ask anything about my new phone. Instead she kept talking about my family all the time.”

 There I realised that, it is fine if you don’t ask someone about his family. But you shouldn’t forget to ask about the features of his/her new mobile phone and the deal he/she got it for. 

 I have also noticed that if someone keeps his mobile in his pocket, it means that he owns a very old phone. Because, no one keeps a Dhs3,000 worth phone in a pocket. So if your guest keeps his phone prominently on the table and keeps checking it every other moment, it needs your instant attention (read admiration.)

Whatever be the cost or the type of the mobile, you have to praise everyone for their choice. I have noticed that many people change their words according to the situation. 

 If the mobile’s cost is below Dhs500, they would say, “This is a good choice. Why to waste money on mobiles.” 

If the price revolves around Dhs1,000, they would say, “It’s a good choice. Your phone has got every feature that a costly phone will have. Why spend more.”

If the mobile costs above Dhs3,000, they would say, “You only know the true meaning of life. We spend so much time with mobiles, why shouldn’t we spend on it?”

Watch out when you meet a friend with a new phone. 

(Published in The Gulf Today on August 9, 2014)

Power of humour

Jokers make us laugh even when we are quite disturbed. I was awestruck when I read about Joker’s Week, to be celebrated from Aug.1 to Aug.7. I was surprised because so far I had heard about various DAYS celebrated on special occasions like Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Children’s Day, Republic Day, Independence Day. But here, there is a celebration for the clowns, which will last an entire week.

However, I changed my thoughts soon. Why should the news surprise anyone? They well deserve it. After all they prove themselves a fool just to make us laugh and to earn their bread and butter. I can understand that making others laugh is not an easy work. It would be too hard for me if someone asks me to make a crying person laugh. That’s exactly what the jokers do.

In the past, people have shown their respect to jokers in different ways. Many movies have highlighted their life and the hardships they have to suffer. One example can be India’s great showman the late Raj Kapoor’s hit movie “Mera Naam Joker.” The movie has portrayed the life of a clown who must make his audience laugh, despite deep sorrows in his life. After all, they must follow their motto  — “the show must go on.”

Charlie Chaplin made this art more popular through movies. He did similar things that a clown does in real life to make us laugh. Everyone’s favourite Mr Bean too has made great efforts. How can a child forget Ronald McDonald, the famous clown character used as the primary mascot of the McDonald’s fast-food restaurant chain?

I was sad to read that the number of people opting for this profession is on the decline, just because they are considered a laughing stock. People shouldn’t forget that “Humour is serious business.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on August 2, 2014)

Befitting Dubai

Today, most of the people are aware of gaining extra weight due to a lavish lifestyle. Many of them also wonder that it may make them obese. Yet the tempting junk foods like pizzas and burgers as well as lack of exercise prevent many of them from getting slimmer.

Realising this, the Dubai government launched a campaign, “Your Weight in Gold” a year ago to encourage maximum number of residents to lose weight. Encouraged by the immense success, the Dubai Municipality has started a similar drive this year under the slogan, “Your Child in Gold,” as this year obese children can also participate.

I was surprised as well as amazed when I heard about it. The government wants us to be fit and fine. They are sure that people would lose their weight in order to claim the gold. I was astonished when I came to know that more than 15,000 people have registered this year, which is double than the number of people who participated in the campaign last year.

They are encouraged by getting two benefits – getting gold as well as getting slimmer.

I hope that the Dubai government achieves the objective within a few years, so that there would not be a person in the city who is fat. This wonderful city will also be known as the healthiest city, if this continues. I am also sure that every participant will get enough gold coins to keep them motivated to stay healthy.

I just wish “All the Best” to the people who are participating for the gold as well as to lose their weight. Also wish Dubai to become the healthiest city.

(Published in The Gulf Today on July 26, 2014)

Food for thought

Do you waste food too?

Ramadan has started and so have begun the Iftar parties and Suhour gatherings. Recently, I was overjoyed when we were invited to a wonderful party.

I enjoyed a lot there. Everything was exciting. The food items were delicious. A raffle draw was organised too. The fortunate ones got gift vouchers, a few others got expensive gift hampers and the luckiest one got a Sony Bravia TV. It was an evening full of enthusiasm and one of the best and unforgettable moments in my life.

Yet I was sad as I saw a lot of food and drinks being wasted. People stuffed a lot of food on their plates but they ate only a little and left the remaining food on the plates. The waiters came and threw the food in the dustbin. The drinks met the same fate. A big amount of food and drinks on the table was wasted in a similar manner.

It would have been better if the money spent on parties would have gone to charity. It’s the month of Ramadan and the organisers would have got big rewards from Allah for the charity. In Ramadan, the rewards gained by giving charity are multiplied too.

Alternatively, the amount of food wasted could have been offered to those who couldn’t afford it. The money spent on the expensive gift hampers could have been donated to a country or city whose inhabitants are suffering from a lot of difficulties.

Or simply this money could have been donated to the UAE Suqia, the Water Aid campaign launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on the first day of Ramadan, to provide access to fresh drinking water for 5 million persons around the world.

(Published in The Gulf Today on July 19, 2014)

Bright side

Is your glass half empty or half full?

It was another difficult day for me as I was pondering over a topic for my weekly Short Take. When I couldn’t think of anything worth writing, I wished to skip one this week. Thus I forgot about it and went on with my other work.

Soon, I started the filing of old articles which I had forgotten to do for the last few weeks. While doing so I came across many of the articles that were most appreciated by readers.

I smiled seeing them. I realised that I should continue writing to reach the heights of success and should try not to skip one just because I can’t get a topic. 

After all, even Sachin Tendulkar had a bad patch in his illustrious career. 

The most successful captain of Indian cricket,  Mahendra Singh Dhoni, also lost a few important matches. 

And most recently, one of the most triumphant soccer teams, Brazil, also got out of the World Cup with a humiliating defeat.

After finishing the filing of my latest articles, I brought the file of my old articles out of the cupboard.

Soon there was a visitor. Without realising what I was going through, he commented, “You shouldn’t rest on your laurels.”

I wanted to reply that he was wrong. I was going through my old work, which had won me much praise and helped me get inspired and motivated to produce much better work than those.

It is rightly said, “The glass is never half empty but always half full.” Why do we need to see the negative side and not the positive side?

(Published in The Gulf Today on July 12, 2014)

Spiritual goal

The Fifa World Cup 2014 has reached a very interesting phase now. I have been thrilled to watch a number of matches, many of them were too intense to watch. Since I come from India, which is crazy about cricket, I am not in favour of any particular team participating in this contest. Instead, I love the game and appreciate each and every team for their amazing performance.

But since the Holy Month of Ramadan has begun, I kept wondering about the Muslim players participating in it. In fact, everyone in my surrounding was curious to know whether the players will be fasting or they will skip it. For the first time in about three decades, the FIFA World Cup has coincided with Ramadan. It has put those players in a difficult spot.

Many athletes participating in the Olympics 2012 had also faced such a hard situation. But they were allowed to eat during Ramadan so that they make no mistakes while competing for glory. They were allowed to make up  for those fasts later.

Germany’s Mesut Ozil, Barcary Sagna of France and many other players have stated that they will not be fasting during matches. I can understand because if they stay away from food and drinks from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, they might feel weak and their performance might be affected.

But I was surprised when I came to know that the Muslim players of a few teams like Algeria and Nigeria had decided to continue fasting irrespective of their matches. Although now Algeria and Nigeria are out, they were the true heroes for me.

They maintained their religious duty as well as their national duty.

(Published in The Gulf Today on July 5, 2014)

An Ode to Dad

Dear dad

Never be sad

Always keep smiling

If you wish to see me shining

I've so many times disappointed you

Plz forgive me because I love you

Father's Day today is,

Today I realise what a great boon my father is

I appreciate his patience as to tolerate me

How he selflessly spends on me

I don't deserve it yet he gives me the position

For my happiness, he has many times changed his decision

If you wish take my test

Yet I'll say my father is the best

He has a lot of tensions

Sometimes about home, sometimes about pensions

But the tension, he never shows

What's in his mind, no one knows

I never want to go far from him

In life, there is no fun without him

Father's Day is a special day,

Not like Sunday or Monday

To thank your father, today is the best day

This is Father's Day

 (Published in Time Out, weekly tabloid of The Gulf Today on July 3rd 2014)

Dearest dad

It was Father’s Day recently. I was very excited. It was a special day when I could tell my father how special he was to me, give him gifts and appreciate him for showering me with love and affection.

I planned many surprises for him. I bought a perfect gift for the perfect father, prepared a refreshing tea and baked a scrumptious and amazing cake. I wrote a beautiful poem. Trying to give him a surprise, I also decorated the room as much as I could.

This was my way of telling him how important he was in my life. He is the light of my life. It was an amazing day and one of the best memories of my life. My father was very happy and I too was satisfied to see my father happy and smiling.

The next day was just like any other day. I got up early in the morning, went to school and the rest moved on as usual.

On reaching school I told my friends about the special day and how I had planned so many surprises. They all were amazed. I recited  my poem too, which made them speechless.

Just then my close friend came and said, “And what did you do today? Your father is the same person even today and you are the same as you were yesterday. Then why don’t you celebrate Father’s Day today too?”

I began wondering at her words. True, why should we celebrate Father’s Day once a year? My father has not changed nor have I. Then what about the remaining 364 days? Should we not love our father on those days? Should we not make them happy every day?
(Published in The Gulf Today on June 21, 2014)

Beating boredom

Electronic gadgets have become so popular that almost every other person is seen carrying one and spending most of their free time playing with it.

But the excitement associated with owning a gadget has started turning into boredom as no one shall continue to do the same thing again and again. How long will you go on playing games or watching videos on a phone?

I feel that people should start exploring the unending possibilities associated with gadgets like smartphones and Tabs, which certainly go beyond playing games or watching television shows.

One can do many things to get rid of boredom. Try to learn something new that you have never tried before. Listen to music that you like, read books and magazines or invite a friend for a chat.

You can create a new challenge for yourselves. Improve your skills. Figure out what you really want to do and do it. Make a list of things that you wish to achieve and see what else you can find to do now.

Your imagination is a powerful tool in the fight against boredom. Think and write an interesting story. You can even share your feelings or write an account of that day in a diary or online journal, known as blog. Create an interest for the things in your surroundings.

If you do not own a gadget, then simply go out for a refreshing walk or just take a nap.

 (Published in The Gulf Today on June 7, 2014)