Battle of Bulge

The editorial on child obesity was an eye opener (“Parents are the first line of defence in child obesity fight”, Gulf News, December 21). The newspaper has truly pointed out that obesity among children has become a serious cause for concern in the UAE. Most of the children are either overweight or obese. The reasons are aplenty including lack of exercise, excessive eating and frequent intake of junk food.

Since obesity can lead to a number of diseases, we should take care about this. However, the fight against obesity is not possible until and unless parents take part in it too. Parents are often seen to pamper children by over-feeding them and allowing them to have junk food frequently. Many parents are so busy that they forget what their children are eating and the consequences of this.

However, the responsibility also lies with the school authorities. They must realise that the well-being of children depends on their food intake. Groceries, supermarkets and school canteens are filled with oily snacks, sweets and other food items that may affect health of the children. The authorities should carry out awareness campaigns more frequently and ask school managements to make sports activities mandatory for all students. After all, this battle of bulge can be won only by collective efforts.

(Published in Gulf News on December 28, 2015)

And miles to go before I sleep...

The excitement of New Year celebrations are still in the air. While people celebrated the arrival of New Year in their own unique ways, one common thing to be found in almost every house on this occasion could be a long list of resolutions that people prepare to follow the rest of the year.

I will gain weight, I will lose weight, I will quit smoking and eating junk food, I will earn more money, I will excel in academics, I will give more time to my family, I will share happiness with others, I will reconnect with long-lost friends and relatives... the list goes on.

But it is quite common to see people breaking promises they made to themselves. I often wonder why people make resolutions if they are not serious about it. It is unfortunate that New Year resolutions have become those solemn promises which are often left incomplete.

Resolutions play an important part in bringing positive changes in one’s life. Despite this realisation people fail to complete them. It makes me wonder, because the reasons for making them are always very strong.

Die-hard habits and peer pressure could be some of those obstacles. It is difficult to change one’s old habits, especially when a friend or a relative forces to return to those old habits. But the main cause could be the lack of willpower. If there was firm determination, then these obstacles could not falter our firm decisions.

I also fail to understand why people make resolutions only on the first day of New Year. Instead of waiting for a new year to start a good practice or leave a bad habit, we should try to change ourselves from the moment of realisation.

I hope that people would realise this and make sincere efforts to complete their resolutions of this New Year.

I would like to conclude my thoughts by mentioning a stanza penned by Robert Frost: “The woods are lovely, dark and deep / But I have promises to keep  / And miles to go before I sleep  / And miles to go before I sleep.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on January 2, 2016)

Tube dilemma

A recent study has stated that most of the children under the age of 13 in India are hooked to YouTube, one of the most trending video-sharing sites on the Internet. I was surprised when I read this.

The statistics are sad and worrying because YouTube requires account holders to be 18, but even a five-year-old can easily sign up with parents’ permission. 

The study also reveals that despite these clearly stated and published age restrictions, a large and growing numbers of children between the age of 7 to 13 are using social media networks and access YouTube. 

But the most worrying aspect is that they connect to YouTube without their parents’ knowledge and consent.

Often my friends and I discuss whether YouTube or other social media sites are good or bad. But we could never find a satisfying result. We always concluded our discussion with the thought that just like a coin has two faces, these sites also have many advantages as well as disadvantages that a child might not be aware of.

YouTube is a site where videos related to various topics can be watched either for self-entertainment or educational purposes.

On one hand, a child’s studies could be disturbed badly if he concentrated more on this while on the other hand, his studies could become stronger after watching a few educational videos. Fearing their child’s studies, health and other aspects, many parents prohibit children from visiting such sites. 

But will a parent stop a child even though the child is using this site as a source of education?

Many young kids have been noticed learning rhymes through YouTube. The bigger ones also enrich their knowledge by watching videos based on various academic topics. Sometimes one can understand a particular concept by watching videos, if he failed to get a grasp of the topic in the school.

Once again I feel unable to come to a conclusion that could satisfy me. 

Yet I have realised that it is the duty of parents to check what their child is doing online.

(Published in The Gulf Today on December 26, 2015)

Explore, dream, discover

People nowadays are becoming more and more adventurous. The love for adventure makes them do daring things that only few others would dare to do.

Many such adventurers are seen every now or then performing stunts on land, in air as well as on water. I have also noticed that many of them celebrate holidays in a manner that is very different to visiting beaches. Many people do stunts on bikes while others somersault in the air either while flying an airplane or skydiving.

When these people are tired of such things, they try to perform stunts that they watch in the movies. Sometimes they even forget that such stunts are performed by professionals in reality.

However, the point to ponder over is why are people becoming so adventurous. There are various answers to this question. It might be because people are getting bored by their daily routine or maybe because they feel they are stagnating and need to achieve something more.

The other option could be loneliness. In this vast world, often people do not get time to be with friends or relatives. Due to this the colour of life starts to turn pale. Thus people try to add life to their lives.

But the most important reason perhaps is that a man is never satisfied. We human beings are those wild creatures who cannot be satisfied with one thing. Adventure does not only mean stunts but it also means every new thing that one likes to try. Yet some of these creatures have become tame and thus stopped craving for adventures. However, that does not mean the others shall also stop.

I remember a quote by Mark Twain on this topic, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

(Published in The Gulf Today on December 19, 2015)

Museum of the future

Qasr Al Muwaiji

Museums are known for preserving historical artefacts. But in the modern era, museums are also undergoing changes. The latest example is the Qasr Al Muwaiji, the recently opened museum in Al Ain.

Qasr Al Muwaiji had once been the palace for the royal family of Abu Dhabi. It was renovated and opened recently for the general masses. Soon after its opening, it has started attracting huge crowds. It was quite natural too. After all, it has introduced a new concept that is equally incredible.

For the first time, I saw a modernised museum showcasing the olden times. Various sections of the museum have been fitted with modern gadgets that provide information of the forgotten era.

There were tablets and touch screen computers to guide the visitors. The information stored in those gadgets was about the royal family, renovations of the fort and the artefacts found during the renovation. The introduction of gadgets to share the history has won the hearts of many tourists.

Photographs and short films are shown to highlight the life of His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the first President of the UAE and the Father of the Nation. It also showcases the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s childhood, education and pastimes. The visitors were awestruck by the way the history of the palace was represented.

Many items of historical importance are showcased in transparent glass boxes. From Sheikh Khalifa’s golden dagger to signing pens to his falconry equipment, everything is presented in a way that attracts the tourists. The floor in a particular area is made of glass revealing the archaeological structures that lie beneath it.

Qasr Al Muwaiji is a hi-tech museum that has connected us to its past with the help of modern technology. It is a perfect example of such hi-tech museums that shall be popular in the future.

(Published in The Gulf Today on December 12, 2015)

Celebrating unity

Being a resident of the UAE is like getting special privileges in life. No, I am not talking in material terms, but the special privilege I am talking about is the “Unity” between the citizens of the UAE and the expatriates who have made this country their second home. 

There are many wonderful places around the world, yet I feel the UAE has those charms that make it one of the best countries. Emiratis and expatriates living together and working shoulder to shoulder to develop the nation is one of those fascinating experiences that bring people closer.

The unity shown by various expatriate communities, living across the UAE, during the National Day celebration proves me right.

This year, the National Day celebration was the grandest. The special show at the Zayed Sports City marked the Spirit of the Union and brought a sense of pride. There were also various other carnivals held at the Abu Dhabi Corniche to entertain the residents. Similarly, the National Day Parade was held at Downtown Dubai. 

There was also a National Day Heritage Celebration in order to show and promote the UAE culture.

But the residents also expressed their love for the UAE in many different ways. 

Some of them decorated their cars while many others bejewelled their houses with UAE flags and balloons. Many schools also organised activities to promote the Spirit of the Union among the students.

Although the National Day celebration is over, one should never forget the Spirit of the Union. 

The UAE has become the fastest developing country across the world due to this spirit.

(Published in The Gulf Today on December 5, 2015)

Unforgettable moments

The period of 1950s, 60s and 70s is said to be the golden era of Indian film music. The era produced some of the best singers including Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Manna Dey and Mukesh. They got this recognition because they gave us many beautiful songs.

But the essence of those songs is slowly vanishing into thin air. Due to contemporary film music, people are forgetting songs of the golden era. 

It comes as a shock to my friends when I tell them that I prefer olden songs over modern ones. Sometimes I feel that not many fans of those golden songs are left.

But, I change my mind when I see the crowd at “Lamhe,” Dubai’s longest running  annual music concert to pay tribute to legendary singers of the forgotten era. 

A team of young singers imitate the original singers Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Geeta Dutt, Mohammed Rafi, Kishore Kumar and Mukesh, so perfectly and flawlessly that the audience feel as if they are virtually living in those times.

This year too, some of the songs were sung so nicely that they sounded better than the original ones. For example, a popular song “Ek chatur naar” was originally sung by three veteran singers but at the concert it was sung by one singer. 

Despite being a solo performance, it was mind-blowing. It was very difficult to sing the song without forgetting some or the other words. Similarly there were other mind-boggling performances. There were songs from the films of Dev Anand, Shammi Kapoor and other popular actors.

There were songs such as “Mana janab ne pukara nahin,” “Leke pehla pehla pyaar” and “Laal chhadi.” But the similarity between all the songs was that they all refreshed our minds.

In between the musical performances, the compere shared anecdotes from that era thus connecting us to those special moments of the film and music celebrities of that era.

Like its name, “Lamhe” gives us many unforgettable moments to treasure. It has already been 14 years of this concert and I just hope that it is held every year so that those evergreen songs keep inspiring youngsters like me.

(Published in The Gulf Today on November 28, 2015)