In ancient India, during Gurukula period, to learn tougher part of Veda/Upanishad,  there used to be, a kind of, entrance test. Intended student has to clean his head very neatly -- not a single trace of hair. He has to sit in some corner of the class room, so that he is visible to the Rishi. A copper bowl containing burning charcoal to be placed on students shaven head. Student has to sit unmoved till Rishi orders to remove the bowl. If pupil moves and bowl falls or unable to tolerate the heat and pupil himself  removes the bowl,  then he's considered as failed. To learn  tougher topics, student needs to be mentally tough, with the attitude of ----  "I want to learn at any cost". That attitude being tested in the above test. Student has to believe in Guru -- "Guru takes care that my head is NOT burnt". If student thinks other way -- "Why should I tolerate this non sense and burn my head. It is not Guru's head that's being heated…", etc...

Was watching a program in NG (or Discovery) yesterday on Universe. Immersed in deep thought. So huge is the universe -- billions of times bigger than Sun !!!!! Containing countless stars, many galaxies, black holes, etc etc. No end. Just we cannot measure and all numbers become numb. So old. Millions of years is the story of star. Universe billions of years elder. Time stops at times, awestruck  !! Compared to that story of earth is so young -- still counting million years. Homo sapien  is very nascent. Human recorded history -- vedic period, biblical period, Mayan culture --- just born baby. So tiny infront of universe -- just nothing. Heard that whole universe is made up of so many gases/energy. We, human, included in this same material/energy. Densely packed energy displayed as our skinny structure. Our body is lesser than minute dust particle to compare in large universe(earth itself is like a dust particle compared to universe). Questions like "where our bo...

Was going through some stats.. Average Life expectancy data across globe look like this. Average Life expectancy in India is ..   The term "Average Life expectancy" depicts, in simple/rude terms, average age of a person when he dies. The "Life" as I define,  is a period, when a person leads an active routines independently, feel part of the same generation to large extent and  never feel out of place. It is not just a physical parameter -- whether brain is functioning or not OR heart is beating or not. Life span has to be define considering physical, social and mental conditions. Till age of 30, we never worry about our health. Body (and mind) is strong enough to take care of itself. Lots of energy. Mid 30 onwards we get into exercise or physical fitness domain. In 40s start taking health bit seriously.  Dieting, exercise becomes part of normal routine. But why do we do all this ?  To lead an independent and healthy life beyond, say 60 ? Are we ...

What is the definition of education? Is it teaching letters and getting bookish knowledge ? As per some source, education has following explanations According to some learned people, the word "Education" has been derived from the Latin term "Educatum" which means the act of teaching or training. A group of educationists say that it has come from another Latin word "Educare" which means "to bring up" or "to raise".   Through Education person develops some understanding about the deeper things in life, the complex human relations, and the cause and effect relationship and so on. He gets some skills in writing, speaking, calculating, drawing, operating some equipment etc. He develops some interests in and attitudes towards social work, democratic living, co-operative management and so on. As per Rousseau,  " Education of man commences at his birth; before he can speak, before he can understand he is already instructed. Experie...

Have you observed how healthy our people are across society. Myth looking fact could surface. When you imagine poor/lower middle class people, you get an image of pale, but active, physically hardworking folks and rich/upper middle class means, fat, sedate figures. But surprisingly in Indian cities the figures are turning upside down – not 'figuratively' , but literally. The rich and middle class becoming more health conscious. Only they can afford healthy food – fibre rich vegetables and fruits, etc. With limited space available in the city, only 'haves' can get access to sport facilities/gym, etc. While healthy food getting costlier, readymade junk food becoming affordable to all. Poor and lower class are feeding increasingly on tasty and inexpensive junk food. This tendency is increasing amongst educated young poor people, as a sign of prosperity. With two wheelers becoming affordable to all, machines at office/factories, physical labour is g...

Playing is  fun for every one. Who donot enjoy playing ?  I always thought  -- when playing itself becomes your bread earner, how wonderful it will be. You never feel -- "OOff I have to go to office/shop/factory  today...".  Recently I read (cyclist) Lance Armstrongs book -- "My journey back to Life". When Lance started biking practice after his cancer treatment, he records the experience as below, " I didn't love the bike before I got sick. It was simple for me; it was my job and I was successful at it. It was a means to an end, a potential source for wealth and recognition. But it was not something i did for pleasure, or poetry; it was my profession and my livelihood, and my reason for being, but I would not have said that I loved it. " Just wondering most sport-persons, when they go and play and use it as a profession, never enjoy the game like we do. When fun becomes profession, looks like, they need another hobby or fun activity for leisure...

In  the morning cycle ride every day, I come across a patch, where there is a downhill followed by steep uphill. About a  year back, when I started cycling, I used to enjoy downhill in this stretch -- allowing the bike to free-wheel and giving complete rest to my legs and pedal. The struggling part was left to the subsequent uphill. Anyway, uphill is an uphill, require more than regular effort and hardship. Speed used to go down and was using all my body muscles to push through and mindset was to somehow finish the climb. At times, I avoided that piece of the road due to this steep climb. After a few weeks/months of cycling I realised, there is an easy way out. Started pedalling with full stroke in the downhill. It was enjoyable and less strenous. The following rise became easy and not an uphill task at all. Could even beat a few moto-bikes, autos, etc. Now I just wait for that part of the road during my morning ride. In life  we come across some downhills.  Esp...