Essays

It is a common belief, and it is right in itself, that happiness is a state of mind, and that it has nothing to do with one's possessions, physical charms and even intellectual attainments. Many poets and philosophers in ancient and medieval times considered life and this world a vale of sorrow. Even the Buddha is said to have stated that the world is a home of sorrows and miseries. Many romantic poets of England regarded this world as a valley where sorrow and nothing else rules. John Keats, perhaps the greatest among the romantic poets said about this world: "Where but to think is to be full of sorrow." We must remember that when the Buddha calls the world "A home of misery," he also tells us the solution to get out of this state of misery. According to him, the fundamental reason for man's misery is his endless more...

Indian aspirations to be an independent entity remained unfulfilled till the second half of the 20th century. National Movement was always subdued due to the lack of organized efforts against the well-organized masters. The real organized effort to achieve the political, social and economic liberty was felt only after the formation of the Indian National Congress in 1885. The first reason for evolving a feeling of nationalism was the political unification of India. Before the advent of the British, the subcontinent presented a collage of selfish kingdoms under rival chiefs and rulers. The coming of the British brought western influence, which inspired western education. The liberal and radical ideas of Europe influenced the Indian intelligentia and created a new educated middle class. The use of western education and English as a language for communication brought closer the population in various regions. Thus it helped in exchange of ideas and aspirations more...

Nature has remained supreme and invincible. Despite different discoveries and inventions, she could not be conquered. She has her own ways of telling her supremacy. Nature has given us everything we need to survive. Land to line on, water to drink, crops, fruits, vegetables to eat, everything we get from I our mother nature. She is nourishing us like a mother. We had been exploiting our “natural resources for our selfish interests. Unchecked exploitation brings her ire inform of floods, droughts, landslides, volcanoes and earthquakes. Earthquake has a power to destroy everything, which come under its impact. It can bring high buildings, Dams, towers, bridges etc. to the debris. It leaves it impression in the form of deep cracks, collapsed building, and hundreds and hundreds of dead bodies. A few years ago, we had gone to Gujarat to attend marriage. After the marriage had taken place, we went to our more...

A district has been the basic territorial administrative unit in India since times immemorial. The Mauryas were the first to constitute a district as the most important territorial unit where power rested with a single officer called the Rajuka at its hierarchic apex. All the succeeding powers whether they were the Gdptas, the Mughals or the British—in one way or the other worked on the administrative pattern set up by the Mauryas. The British, in fact, consolidated their territories generally according to the existing districts- Today, India is a classic pluralistic society and a massive federal polity, a republic with 28 States and 7 Union Territories constituting 535 Administrative Districts. Chamber's dictionary defines a district as "d sub-division of a division" while the Oxford defines it as a "territory marked off for special administrative purpose". Thus, a district can be defined as "a sufficiently large territory with an overall unity, more...

Nature is the most beautiful gift given to man by God. Man is creative. He tries to create art in accordance with the rules of nature. In the words of Victor Hugo, 'Nature like a kind and smiling mother, lends herself to our dreams and cherishes our fancies/It is true that day dreams, imaginations and fantasies are governed by nature. Through the ages nature has attracted man's attention towards its various features. She has a perfect combination of unlimited artistic forms. This has influenced man to create literature in volumes on the diversified forms of nature. Poets and writers have sung in her praise, criticized her furies and admired her manifold scenic beauties. Even today nature is an important subject of admiration and criticism. Artists are always eager to capture the changing faces of nature in their work. In fact, all creativities are inspired by nature. Man is the most more...

Abraham Lincoln defined democracy in the best possible way as-"Government of the people, for the people and by the people." Democracy, is literally, rule by the people (the Greek word demos means 'people', and kratos means 'rule'). The principles by which this rule is exercised, and indeed the people and meaningful control by them are central to various definitions of democracy. While the term democracy is often used in the context of a political state, these principles are also applicable to other areas of governance. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the word 'democracy' has been embraced by many parts of the world to such an extent that even many dictatorships claim to be democratic and often hold liberal elections to garner legitimacy, both internally and internationally. Most contemporary political ideologies include at least nominal support for some kind of democracy. Direct democracy, classically termed pure democracy, is a more...

In this modern and fast moving world, it is difficult to keep pace with it. Lots and lots of things happen every day. At each corner of the world some things new keeps on happening. It is very difficult to know about the happenings of the far of places. Newspapers come as a boon then. They give us the latest updates regarding then events of the world. Newspapers are the cheapest means of getting news around the world. You can get news about the whole world, sitting at one corner of it. Newspapers keep us abreast with different events of the world. Newspapers not only give us news but they enrich our knowledge on different topics and subjects. Latest developments in various fields are at our doorstep daily. Various political, economic and scientific developments are not far away from us now. In a democratic country, newspapers are the Pillars of democracy. more...

Capital punishment or execution as means of giving justice has become the most controversial issue, which pertains to the laws that govern our society- With the rise in demand for human rights, taking away a criminal's life has become the most talked about thing not only at the national level but also at the global platform. The recent hanging of Saddam 1-lussain, the ex-dictator of Iraq, led to worldwide protests. People and reformists have been demanding humane treatment for criminal and offenders, which is justified. In fact, the prison system was evolved keeping in mind the notion that people who go astray in their life and start proving harmful to the society should be kept in confinement for sometime and be given a chance to change and reform themselves- The prisons were supposed to be such places where the prisoners could be slowly reformed and reinstated in the mainstream of more...

The development of civilization has been dependent on wood based technologies. Where would we be without such aspects of our culture as fire, agriculture, the wheel, the use of metals, spinning, weaving, water and land based transport, building, and printing? Our technological culture could not have developed without wood. On many people trees exert a powerful emotional influence. To many of us a tree is a thing of spiritual sustenance and renewal. The tree is the embodiment of mankind's condition: birth, life, death, regeneration and rebirth. The rising sap is the spirit of life and seeds and fruit are the symbols of fertility. Trees are the largest and longest living organisms on earth. To grow tall the tree has become a miracle of engineering and a complex chemical factory. It is able to take water and Salts out of the earth and lift them up to the leaves, sometimes over more...

Regionalism stands for 'the feeling of love and loyalty towards a particular region or an area in preference to the nation or any other region'. Regionalism just like Communalism is such a conservative and parochial sentiment that it can blind people to larger, broader requirements and needs of the Nation. In a country like India where language, customs, traditions, costumes etc change every half a kilometre, regionalism, if not sewn properly into national fabric, can put wrinkles on its unity and integrity- Earlier these voices got subdued under the clarion call of country's independence. But with the birth of India as an individual nation and with the creation of Pakistan, such hushed voices have suddenly become more pronounced. Three major factors contribute to the rise of regionalism. Firstly, regional inequalities have been responsible for this problem to some extent because the economic development has been differential. Some areas are more more...