Indian Teachers and Bloging

For long, a query is disturbing me. It has been placed by John Simkin in on educationforum.ipbhost.com in response to one of my post.


I consider John Simkin as my Guru in the field of bloging and using it as a tool in teaching and personal aggrandizement. Hence, any query by him is for me a moral duty to answer. However, I am not able to find any satisfactory answer to his query. His query was about the Indian Teachers who have developed their web sites as a tool of their teaching. This is something, which the European teachers are using as one of the aid for teaching. This is part of their ICT project. Use of blog and web site are two main features of their ICT projects. The Indian Government has launched Edusat and Gyandarshan a T.V. Channel as a part of their ICT project. Some of the teachers and the students of IITs have also developed some programmes in that direction. However, I was not able to explore much about them. The few links which I had opened through the UGC site, consisted of such technical instructions for use of the softwares which they had developed, that I did not find enough encouragement to explore them. I had started bloging and I was more interested in getting a practical shape for my efforts in field of bloging as a teaching tool. Anyhow, I have come across a web log which has attracted my attention.


The web log is titled India School News. It has address at Banglore Karnataka India. It has on it a directory of various schools. It is being aggressively used for placing the job placement advertisement by different school and coaching centers. There is one message section asking for membership in order to post the comments but there are very view discussions going on it. They must watch and explore the activities of educationforum.ipbhost.com of John Simkin in order to imbibe some finer points in order to make their more alive. Then there is a section on school products also. It is called school store. Presently they are promoting products of Encyclopaedia Britannica only. On the whole, it seems to be the right seed and may soon sprout into a green tree. However, they must explore the ways to popularize it.


I have been searching for the blogs by the teachers. I have found some of them. However, they intend to give many personal things on it apart from writing about the subjects in which they are dealing. The most impressive activity in this direction is that of Delhi Public School Delhi. Their computer section is doing something really worthwhile. I have a hunch that they are going to establish themselves as leaders in their field. This aspect, that is bloging as a tool of teaching will definitely emerge as an in thing.


In case of foreign teachers, I have been watching many such blogs. Some of them are really doing a great job. Some of the leading teachers and scholars are alive in blogs and regularly update their blogs and sites. I have made links to such blogs on my other blog at www.sumir-history.blogspot.com. I have commented on the contents of such blogs also. One of the main blog, which remain the centre of my attraction and am a regular reader of that blog is of Milind Brown. However, for the last two days, I have found that there is higher rate of attrition among the teacher’s blog. I have checked only in the field of history. Some of the blogs which I have are Teaching American History "HISTORY TOGETHER" Evaluation ; Teaching History is Fun ; Teaching American History to Today's Youth; History 479 & Student Teaching; Teaching American History : Podcasting in Action and many such other blogs. However, I have found that they are there only there for last one or two months. Secondly they are not updated after making some posting. Why have they discontinued? There seems to high rate of attrition in this field even in America and Europe. Further, they become very personal while making post. They discuss the working of their school environment and behaviour of their students. But they are discussing the subjects. Some of them are really talking something substantial but they are not of that level about which I have made links on www.sumir-history.blogspot.com .


I have to make some more searches and studies in order to answer John Simkin. I just remain short of telling him that I, the big I, seems on be the only one using Blogs as a teaching tool. That is other thing, it was he, or his forum which is equally well looked after by Andy Walker, that taught me about it. Some of regular teachers like Grahm Davis and David and apart from them a galaxy of young teachers and in addition to that Jane Walker from Australia, all of them have left their influence on the contents of my blogs. Further, I have not been able to pursuade my students to come to my blog. It is rather the American and Canadian students who are visiting my www.undergraduatehistory.blogspot.com for notes on Ferdinand II, Louis XIV, Feudalism, Industrial Revolution and many such other topics which have been developed as per the syllabus of Punjab University Chandigarh. Any how, I am still here. I am here only for the last one year. Secondly, I have also became dormant in case of above mentioned blog due to non-academic, discouraging and hurting atmosphere at my college where I teach. God saves me! The NAAC team, if it visit, may not read it.

_________

Edited on Friday, December 02, 2005 at 6.40 pm

In the posting Indian Blogs Mallika Chopra is discussing the similar thing but on different part of the spectrum.
Mallika and Shekar are discussing the plans and charter of the blog and how far it is achieving it. One thing which I found here, regardless of what is being said there, most of the blogger talk about politics and interested in giving their version on what is happening. One of the commentator had raised this point and nicely pointed out that all the talks are not enough pregnant to be delievered as concrete activity. Secondly, they are not confining to one field of discussion. It has been nicely pointed out by one of the commentator that with the links and connection, the people on the intent blog can bring around such a discussion which could help otherwise in some concrete terms.

Again, I am unable to understand the actual import of South Asia and then talk only about India. Mallika was right in pointing out that there should be some thought on similar blogs from Pakistan and Bangladesh. If she really knows there are some really good blogs from Nepal and they prefer to write in Devnagari.

Further, she finds it fascinating to talk about making links. She is impressed and fascinated by activities of some of them. I have read some criticism about such activities a year back. There was some force in the arguments of that blogger.

Finally how I wish that similar thing is done by Teachers of India, some thing similar to Delhi Public School of Delhi so that I can answer John Simkin.

ARGUMENTS IN FAVOUR OF ONLINE BOOKS

While studying the Indian social history, a question on the decline of Indian society is generally made an important issue of discussion. The reasoning given, as explanation of the decline of the Indian society is that it suffered because the spread of knowledge was stifled. A section of Indian society generally identified with the Brahmin caste tried to establish its complete control over the spread of knowledge. They restricted the spread of knowledge by putting restriction on the right of individual and classes to gain knowledge. In the Middle Ages they banned the low castes and women from seeking the knowledge of Vedas. Further, they restricted the spread of knowledge by restricting it to Sanskrit. Then, they restricted the learning of the Sanskrit language to a large number of castes. Gradually it effected the development of the Indian society. The myths and superstitions developed and flourished in such a scenario. As a result, India suffered on many fronts. The progress of knowledge suffered. The society suffered form many social vices. It badly effected the cultural growth and intellectual achievements of the Indian people. Finally, it became the cause of the servitude of Indians of foreign invaders for more than one thousand years.

Spread of knowledge and its easy accessibility are two main important operational aspects for saving the whole humanity from numerous and some major maladies from which it suffers. Another historic fact also stands in favour of readily availability of knowledge in practical terms the books and such information which is restricted because of many restriction. IN European history, the major change in the life of European people is attributed to many factors like decline of Feudalism, rise of middle class, the attack on Constantinople, geographical discoveries and so on. However, there are many scholars who would stress that above all such changes, the invention of press and availability of printed material to a large section of humanity was the most vital among. The invention of press and availability of the easily availability of the printed material is nothing else but a easily availability of knowledge. In those days, it was a big technological solution to availability of knowledge as it is today the availability of books online.


Those who are in not favour of this approach and counter its wider implications give following arguments.

They raise the issue of intellectual property right.

They raise the issue that the knowledge is gained through extensive research and development which requires lot of investment. Therefore, those who have invested on it, only they should have the right to possess it.

Some may say that unrestricted availability of knowledge can be counterproductive. The anomaly groups (read terrorists) would get access to knowhow of making atom bombs. They would destroy the world. Therefore, unrestricted accessibility of knowledge is not the right thing to achieve.

All the above arguments and many more like that are basically political and commercial section version.

The actual truth lies somewhere between both the arguments. It rather stands alone but favours in unrestricted and total accessibility of knowledge to all. The online solution is the answer to achieve that. Therefore, there should be online availability of knowledge.

Page Three of Blogdom

Here is something. It is called Intent Blog. It has a logo of a sunflower. So it is something pure and pious.


Nothing funny of the sort.


Including Administrator (Who is he?), there are 54 glibs in a party. Exclude him, then there are 53. Believe it, nothing of the cranky sort if you have not yet moved to that site.


Believe me, They are who’s Who of the world that matters.


If interested, then why do you not log in? Believe me it is nothing of f*** sort of thing.


Nothing cantankerous.


Nothing Obnoxious.


I assure you, if you are associated with India, you wont grumble if you are a serious person. I tell you it is nothing that mama forbades to do. Take her along or call her when you log in.


Mind it, it is nothing funny sort of thing and do not complain if you do not get expected "Real Thing".


Well, if you already knew about it then 123.

MSN in Fighting Mode

Recently two changes have been observed on msn search engine and msn portal.


It seems that Bhai log of internet are feeling the heat and the war is becoming serious.


On the MSN search, if you try to search for some concept, term or terminology, you get an answer from msn to that also. I think it is a recent feature.


There are now many search engines which give such a feature. However, most of them have some type of mechanism to collect the information from the web and display it as their answer.


"Oh, come on, the man has taught the artificial intelligence to behave as a crook. It is indulging in plagiarism."


One of the search engines , ‘beta.previewseek.com’, provides answer to such terms and events. The engine even claims to declare that it knows about many people and provides a brief biography of a name, if you seek information on a name. It starts with the claim, "PreviewSeek also knows this about: Aamir Khan" if you have typed the name Aamir Khan.


It can be said from a personal experience and interaction with previewseek people that, they collect the information mostly from wikipedia. In case of one recent search of a similar kind, the previewseek administrator himself pointed out about their source of information.


However, the contents and information provided by wikipedia continue to be questioned, doubted and remain an issue of debate.


Now MSN people have also set out on the same path. They are also going for collaboration with cyber users for building their information bank. However, they are giving it a level of respectability for every search term for which msn also suggests it own answer. They are calling all to edit and update the information. They use their highly rated contents and information of Encarta Encyclopedia and invite all to add to it. But they point out that it would be checked by the team which looks after the encyclopedia. I, myself, have been using it. However, a recent feature on Google, the Books.google.com, has overshadowed it for the utility for which I was using Encarta CD. Now that CD does not permit me to watch the additional information. But it hardly matters, because I now get it from Books.google.com.


The second feature of msn, which has been engaged into top-gear, is blogging. In case of India, they have adopted an amusing marketing strategy. Now I know, that why Bill Gates was visiting Indian again and again. (Blink). It is an unconfirmed report that msn has joined with the stars of Bollywood to promote and popularize their blog feature, which has been successfully turned into an effective marketing tool by the googles. Even Yahoo has lately awaken to this fact. The best example is Mangal Pandey Blog by Aamir Khan. I learned it just a week back but it is there since July 2005. That is other thing that there is no entry for September, October and November 2005 archives. Is it over now?


I am wondering that how many of Bollywood stars are now punching keys for msn. Is it not fascinating that Aishwarya, Preti, Rani and young babes blogging while sitting before their laptops? "Hey, where they do all this."


I float a suggestion to msn to promote their blog space. The MSN should approach President of India, Honourable A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. He is a techno savvy person. He is quite popular among the teenagers. It is not difficult to see that if Mr. President becomes available on a blog, how many hits his blog will get. The visitors will be children and it is up to blog provider to attract them to their services. President Abdul Kalam is a person, who can understand the potential of such a medium to reach out to the people and the arrangements can be made only if the bureaucracy may not bring in their tardy and unnecessary sneering approach. President Abdul Kalam is from a state, which is also known for its techno-savvy population. The e-tutors of Kerala and Tamil Nadu are quite popular now these days. Therefore, a good idea is here, waiting to get exploited. As far Google is concerned, they are already having on me on the role. Yeah, I mean it.



In recent months, I am using Yahoo, Previewseek and Google as my search engines. However, I will remain with them and blog through googles. However, I am watching msn also because many of visitors to my sites are being directed to my sites by msn search.

sumir-history: More Digital Book Sources available ONLINE

The google book project is taking my time. Numerous thoughts are just jamming my brain. It has become a cause of going for more searches on the net and yielding more information. It is also becoming a cause of many more thoughts. I may write them out on my blog otherwise they are making me to turn again and again in my chair and holding me back from my other important tasks.

The post on sumir-history contains information in a form which can be used. But, I My Me has yet to take over here.

Is the Contention Against Google Print Valid?

I am unable to understand that why there is so much hue and cry about the Print Google.

They have been accused of stealing the printed contents of the rightful owners and making them available to the rest of the souls on the earth without any price and thus causing the monetary loss to the writers and the publishers. They are being accused of infringing on the intellectual property rights and copyrights and thus forcing the victims to take them to the court. They are being accused of starting the trend in which the laws have to be re-written.


For three days, I am trying to experiment with the Print Google dot com. I am using the terms, concepts, the names and authors related to Indian history. I am getting a huge list of books. It is very exhilarating to see the list of the books, the name of the authors, the date of publication and all the material, which are required for any research scholar to start his work. The lists which comes up can be used by a teacher or student or a researcher in a field to plan his study in more effective way. I am excited to see them because I feel that if I have to submit a synopsis in future for some research work and write a bibliography then I will be able to do all that while sitting before my monitor. The time will be saved. With a well defined question in the research activity, the work will be done in one sitting for collecting the material which is required for the research.

However, If I try to check the links, I am showed some pages under the link “some more results for the book”. I am definitely showed some of the pages. However, some of the pages are listed there but with a rider that they are not allowed to be seen there. I am also showed the contents of the book and also the bibliography section along with the index. I can tell from experience that all those pages are gif files which are created on scanning a book. (Please do not sue me in telling that because I know some may have concluded that even I have scanned some books.) But I am not shown the whole book. Yes, they do not show you the whole book. You can check the whole book in a book store and come out without buying any book. Here you are shown the book for some pages as per the query you have put in the search. But you are definitely not shown the whole book. Further, for each page there is warning that it is a copyright material.

However, if you are interested in buying that book, just on the right hand side they have given the links to the publisher or froogle or some other book selling portal. But you can not see the whole book at all. Well I can understand that by changing you query for search, you may see more pages but I have not tried that yet.


Well, what actually has this Print Google done? I think they have done a great job. They have given a practical shape to a great Idea. I think that all the publishers and authors should be dancing on their own heads and shouting for coming good days. They should thank the google people for having done that. They should go and kiss their hand. They should pray for their long life and the company. They should visit their houses and sweep their floors for what they have done to earn fortune for them. (Sweeping floor of someone is an Indian concept.) But No and Big NO. They have not done that. I have learned that they are suing the Google for this trouble.

Are they really true businessmen? Have they themselves checked that what is the true picture? Whatsoever is accessible on Print Google, you can get it by visiting any bookstore and library. In some of the libraries, they are even providing the photostat facility. In India, I have found people getting a whole book Xeroxed. I have seen medical students having Xerox copies of established book which cost less by being Xeroxed than to buy a fresh copy. Well, I am revealing a breaking of law in India but it is quite rampant here. Similarly, if you have good rapport with a bookseller, he may allow you to get a book Xeroxed. But whatsoever the google people are doing, it is not going to do any harm. What I see is that it will rather boost their sale. I believe that they are doing a free job for the publishers. They are promoting their sale. But it is strange that the publishers are perturbed and annoyed by their act. It is strange.

On thing is sure that those who are leveling different allegation against the google, have not actually checked what they have done. They are unnecessarily making wrong noises. They should first check what they are doing. They are becoming self appointed sales men. It is really goes to credit of those publishers who have offered them their books. They have made the smartest move of their business activity. They are going to be benefited.

Those who are undertaking a tirade against the Print Google, they better first check what actually they have done.

________

Edited on November 18, 2005. Local time 10.00 pm

The Google print is now Google Book Search.

Next Stage in the Project of Google Print

Google should not be cowed down by the fear of lawsuits and negative verdicts.

I do not have any idea about the American laws, American Judiciary and the Intellectual Property Right. One thing is sure that those books which have come into the public domain can be brought online. Whatever may be the verdicts, one thing is there, the Google Print will have enough books to bring online and this Project will not be shelved.

There is need to envisage a next future course of the Goolge Print. The very idea which prompted the Google Print to bring the books online is to provide the right content matter on the net. They want a "Counter to Nonsense" as Miland Brown had said.

It is a logical progress of the google Print project that they shall bring the unpublished doctoral thesis and research papers which lie dumped in universities libraries, department libraries and faculty stores. Those unpublished theses are storehouse of information which can prove decisive in this age of fast communication and exchange of information unhindered by geographical distances.

However, if the Google Print undertakes such a project of bringing the unpublished but approved thesis and dissertations on online, then again they will face strong opposition.

They will be opposed by Research Laboratories and university faculties. They will be again countered with argument of propriety, intellectual property rights and undue misuse of research funds at the expense of their efforts.

However, they may oppose Google print due to many other fears which many of them will never like to speak out but they know it will seal their fate and very existence. They will oppose them because their pseudo-intellectual hollowness will be exposed. They will fear that their act of plagiarism will be exposed and then they will be sued for infringing on the intellectual property rights of other scholars. They will fear that the emptiness and hollow research and claims to high intellectual achievements will be exposed. Many universities and research laboratories would cry hoarse shouting against bringing out the truths and secrets of their efficiency.

On the other hand, many publishers will join in as regular visitors to Google Print to find probable manuscript for their press and sale counter. They do not care to check and find the material worthy for printing. They expect that the writers should come to them and seek their kindness to get their work published. When such a work become business success then they can boost of promoting the author who had been pestering them sometime back and they had been behaving as imperious czars. However, soon they would visit the Google Print to find material to print in order to earn their bread and butter. The day will come when any good writer or researcher will directly publish on net and then where will these publisher go.

Google Print should definitely consider this proposal and send their scanning teams to Theses section of every university and Research Institute. It will also bring before the respective governments the need, the viability and significance of funding different research projects and different universities.

Letter in Support of Google Print

Dear Google,

First of all, be sure, you are doing the right thing. Continue with your activity with full conviction.

I, being a student of history can tell you, that you are getting freedom for the world by bringing the old books on line. Gutenberg.org has been doing this job and they were the only people doing it. However, during the course of my browsing, I have been able to locate similar sources on web which I am regularly posting on sumir-history.blogspot.com.

I will like to attract your attention to one of my post which was mainly a response to a comment on a statement by Miland Brown on World-history-blog.blogspot.com which is at following link. The link is http://sumir-history.blogspot.com/2005/10/counter-to-nonsense.html

In that post, I have just commented on the attitude of the publishers of the books who are now opposing your activity (at the time of commenting I did not know that you were facing the law suits against you from them.). The poor people (publishers) who claim themselves to be big businessmen are unable to foresee that what benefit will this activity bring for them in terms of sale. I will rather suggest that you should put fees on putting anything on google print for publishers if they want their book to be there. No doubt, there are portals that are promoting their books. But they did they fail? It is only because an interested person who can be their buyer just do not get opportunity to see what is there in the book. How can one buy a book without knowing the actual position of content of the book?

I can tell you my experience. If I like a book, I read it for two to three times. But If I have to borrow it again and again from the library, then only I go to buy book. On the other hand, while visiting a bookstore, if I just buy a book because it has just attracted my interest, most of the time, I am not able to read it for many months. For nearly two to three years, I have only bought such books which I have first read it in the library. I suggest you that just show this comment to the publishers who disturbing you by taking you to court.

I have a hunch. Very soon, these people who are taking you to court, will line up and seek personal favour in getting their books on line. They do not know that some of the books which are out of print can again become saleable commodity if they are brought before the readers. There are many such books which did not get the attention of the buyers but they are definitely needed by many readers which include research scholars, educators, students and even those who start trends in the field of business.

If you believe me, then kindly continue with Google Print project. It is going to be a big success. It will be beneficial for the google, the publishers and writers in terms of money and revenue and benefit the readers who are ready to pay for it.

Good wishes.

________

Post Script:

This is an email directed to google blog in response to Google Print Debate

It has reference to a previous post content A Counter to Nonsense and Google Print .

Tehri Dam

The site of the Tehri Dam was chosen in 1961. It was an urban center on the banks of the river Bhaghirthi, one of the three rivers which join at Deoprayaga to form Ganga. The plan also envisages another dam named Koteshwari Dam. The project is being looked after by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation. The Government of India and Government of Uttranchal are the joint partners of this corporation. The Planning Commission had sanctioned the Tehri Dam in 1972. The work on the dam started in 1978. The land was acquired in 1976. The Koteshwari Dam will be started only when Tehri Dam will be completed. Hence, there will be two reservoirs on Bhagirithi River before it joins Alaknanda River at Deoprayaga.

In 1980, the then prime minister of India, Indra Gandhi, again got it reviewed. At that time, the committee under Dr. S. K. Roy strongly ruled against the project and the project was abandoned. It is on record that there is a comment by Prime Minister Indra Gandhi on the file that the project would benefit only the contractors.

In 1987-88, this project was reviewed by the government of the time. At that time, the Soviet Union showed interest in it. The standing committee of Ministry of Environment and Forest of Government of India again ruled against it. However, the Government of India overruled the recommendation of the ministry and sanctioned the project.

Even before that, this site was chosen for making a dam by the British Indian Government. However, due to strong opposition by the people and under the leadership of Madan Mohan Malvia, it was abandoned.

The site stands on seismic activity which when come into play may create a earthquake of the magnitude of 8 to 9 on the Richter scale of 12.


The dam will impound 700 billions gallon of water. The height of the dam will be 260.5 m. The dam will produce nearly 2400 MW of power. It will also facilitate irrigation of nearly 2.6 lakh hectares of agricultural land. It will provide the 270 million gallons of drinking water to Uttranchal, Uttar Pardesh and Delhi. The life span of dam is estimated at 30 years from 2015 onwards. After that, it has to be abandoned due to siltation.

The electricity generation machinery is being provided by Voith Siemens. The construction work is being carried out by JP Industries.

On December 5, 2001, the impounding of the water has started.


The Controversies and Issues:
Since the day of inception of this plan the project has been embroiled in controversies.

The first issue came in form of concern for the environment and preservation of flora and fauna. There was strong demand for environment studies that should be carried out and also need for the clearance from the environment ministry. However, the clearance of environment ministry came in 1990.

The second major issue was the location of the project and the design of the dam. It is still strongly contended that the dam stands in a seismic sensitive area and will cause great damage in case of earthquake. Related to this issue is the design of the dam which is made to withstand Peak Ground Acceleration of 0.25 g. It is argued at in case of a earthquake of the magnitude of 8, the PGC will be 1.0 g. In addition to that, there are regular landslides which will be cause of increased siltation reducing the total life span of the dam before the estimated age of the dam. Further, the cost of generation of electricity will be more than what is being generated from other hydroelectric units. It is argued on the basis that the cost of raising the dam has already increased to a level that it will be not profitable at all for the Uttranchal government. It is further argued that beneficiary states in case of irrigation and electricity will only be Uttar Pardesh and Delhi.

The third issue is the rehabilitation of the displaced people. It is strongly protested in the press media that the government is not keeping its promise in rehabilitating nearly one lakh people displaced in and around Tihari. However, the rebahilitation is being carried out as per the recommendation of Hanumantha Rao Committee. Hanumantha Rao Committee was established in 1996 after environmentalist Shri Sundar Lal Bahuguna went on hunger strike. The recommendations of Hanumantha Rao Committee was accepted in 1997. However, the dam has displaced a large number of people and created a major social problem for the area which requires compensation more than what the committee has recommended. The Janmanch has given an extensive report on the Resettlement and Rehabilitation.

The fourth issue is the emotional and religious issue which comes again and again in form of headlines. It is belief of Hindus that the three streams which join to form Ganga are vital for the present characteristics of the water of Ganga. When the dams will be raised on Bhagirithi and Alaknanda (Which is the second project after Tehri), the water will be entrapped for a longer period. That will destroy the original purity of the water of Ganga. They argue that only the flowing water will ensure the purity of the water of Ganga. The second issue is that Bhagirith had brought down the river Ganga for the salvation of his ancestors. It is a matter of belief that the same credit is gained by all the followers of Vedic religion (Hindu Religion). As per mythology, any obstruction or stopping of Ganga at any stage will bring catastrophe for the region. There are some stories in Puranic literature which tells that in case Ganga disappears, it brings great hardship for the people of the region.

The fifth controversy is that there is a section of experts who say that there is not need of raising huge dams. They claim that it is there expeerience that such huge dams are not profitable in long run as they cause more environmental harm. Ramaswamy Iyer of the Center for Policy Research in New Delhi is strongly against such big dams. He believes that water harvesting is the better answer. (Quoted from a report of Don Oko given on the website of www.grist.org)

The sixth controversy is the corruption and embezzlement while undertaking the rehabilitation and resettlement.



Sources:
Sanctuary Asia

Rehabilitation of the uprooted people from Tehri Dam area (PUCL Bulletin). It contains statistical data on rehabilitation.

A Dam Shame

A Saffron Twist by T. K. Rajalakshmi, Frontline, Volume 18, April 14-17, 2001. Discusses the Religious Issue and the role of VHP.

Janmanch A people’s Forum. Detailed report on Rehabilitation and Resettlement.

A Counter to the Nonsense

Miland Brown has made the following comment on his post The Napoleonic Revolution and I quote, "I always like it when professors put there (their) lectures online. It is such a great counter to much of the nonsense which passes as history online."


The comment has a bigger meaning and may materialize sometime in future. It may not be surprising that many pundits in the field of communication and education may read this comment but care little about the actual import of this comment and move on with their activity without getting hooked to this comment.


The internet and its future modification in form of availability of text, audio messages, video messages, graphics, simulation and animations on hand held devices like cell phones, or a futuristic device which may become more interactive by becoming sensitive to input commands like touch, voice, or even just a look at a thing on a screen just in order to activate the commands hidden behind them, is already taking into a world wherein new beyond-imagination activities would take place.


However, before that, the situation at present is that one has to put it on the web the information which can be sought by someone on the other side.


There is general mythical belief that everything is available on Internet. How far is it true that everything or all the information and thing available on Internet? No, it is not like that. For anything information to become available to the user of Internet, the most important thing is that someone should first put it on the Internet. Now this factor, "someone", is the most crucial factor at present.


This "someone" is not some thing new. It has been there since long, dominating all the media which somewhere I feel is decisive in outlining the perspective and opinion of the common man. The general held perspective and opinion about ones own surrounding decides you consciousness about yourself and your surroundings. This collective consciousness is your history, but in your present, it becomes the vital core of your being alive in present and actions which you take that effects your future.


The need is that the actual pundits for their corresponding epistemology should come forward to put their paradigm on the Internet. But they are not coming. No doubt, lot of nonsense is available on Internet. There is no counter that. The people, who can counter them, they do not do that. May be, putting information and paradigm on Internet is still a futuristic thing to happen. May be, they are too busy. May be a new set of ethics are required in the field of knowledge and more effective activity. May be, there is need to attach some monetary value to the activity which can become an incentive for the required pundits to bring their knowledge on the internet and everybody can access it without paying directly to the pundit.


An issue, which does not seem to have attracted the attention is that what type of information generally available on the Internet. The information is given by the political authorities or the government. The information is given with an idea to make some deal or result into monetary gain. Now these factor of monetary gain are based on ones own perspective of making a business and deal out of a general activity. However, there is no information of a category which is gained only by spending much on research and development. There are addresses of such organisations which give such information but they remain short of providing you information about the latest findings and future implications of those findings.


However, there are many pundits or professors, who can tell so much to the people. There is need that they may also come and play this role.

________

Note:

It is a double copy of already published post at sumir-history.blogspot.com. However, the administrator has found the contents of this post equally relevant to basic core of the blog.

Hindi Granth Karyalay: Munshi Premchand : A brief life sketch

The essay is by Hindi Granth Karyalaya and Publisher of Mumbai. It is about the life sketch of Munshi Prem Chand. However, the essay covers all the works of Munshi Prem Chand and there are further links on which the information on Munshi Prem Chand can accessed.

Civil Services Prelims: Sanskrit Literature: Books and Authors Bank

On the link, there is an article from the Banglapedia on Sanskrit literature. It is a very detailed article on the history of Sanskrit as a language in India and different literature and research on it from the earliest time, that is from the Vedic times to present day. It is written from the perspective of Bangladesh scholars. However, the chronological evaluation of the development of the Sanskrit is quite prefect. Different written works in Sanskrit are discussed as per the chronological manner. Hence, it turns up a very good article on the history of Sanskrit literature. My study of history of Sanskrit literature is based on Wonder That Was of India by A. L. Basham. I have not found even a single fact in conflict with the presentation given by A. L. Bhasam, the Australian Sanskrit Scholar who had spent his time Calcutta before compeleting his work.

In addition to that, the essay includes number of such books and authors which are not found mentioned in Wonder That Was India.

Sitemeter Talks

Yes, the sitemeter talks.

I am not a marketing expert or an advertising expert. But I feel that I have been able to work like a true marketer and an advertiser.

My experiment with blogs started somewhere in February 2005. I got the idea, vision, motive and confidence from the discussions on educationforum.ipbhost.com. I knew about the blogs before that. As I do not have knowledge about computers and working of internet, I did not give much attention to the concept of blogging. However, the people of education forum in their e-help and e-learning section were aggressively talking about using web sites and blogs for teaching purpose. It was there that I was made to think seriously and try my hand at putting up on the web my professional achievements. Finally, in the month of February, I was able to locate the Blogger.com and pressed their three step buttons. I learned that I could do that. However, they immediately asked me to make some entries, and I developed sumir-history and I got my first address on the web as www.sumir-history.blogspot.com. If I remember it right, it was February 14 or February 18, 2005 when this thing happened. (Well, it can be checked from the records on blogger.com itself.)

After that I stopped for two days. I thought and thought over my new discovery. I was really excited and wanted to use it as a teaching tool in my job. I did not have any idea how I would reach my students and what would I put in to use it as a tool for my teaching. Gradually I developed a picture about what actually I would do. In the meantime, I just posted one posting. I added some of my already written and published views. I borrowed them from my Email enrollment with H-Asia of H-Net. Somewhere, I thought that my readings and writings could be useful for civil services aspirants and UGC NET applicants. Therefore, before I had made my blogs for teaching purpose, I created three more accounts after browsing through the contents of Blog Knowledge links on the blogger.com. I had written manuscripts for TATA McGrow Hill which they had refused to accept after having encouraged me for sometime. I knew that I had a good idea behind that manuscript and I posted already written some material on civil services blog.

In the meantime, all my attention was diverted to the working of blogs. It was summer holidays in the university. Earlier I used to read some books in those days or write some material for my lectures or visit places. But I spent those days on blogging. I started visiting other blogs and looked into the contents. I was definitely impressed by the appearances of many blogs and envied those who had developed their blogs nicely. One thing which always increased my jealousy was sighting a meter wherein it was showed that how many hits that blog had received. Some how, I learned from the Blog Knowledge of Blogger.com that it was an add-on feature which I could also use. By that time, I had also developed my undergraduate and postgraduate blogs with a plan how to use them as my teaching tools. I got the site meters in all my blogs. It also gave me some confidence in fiddling with the template and HTML. Here again, education forum became handy. They had the suggestions and lessons for learning HTML. I did not learn whole of HTML. However, I had learned how to check the HTML page, what was css and what does HTML and body code or tags do.

I had desired that my first blog should have become popular. But, I soon learned that it was my civil services blog which was receiving hits. It was during those days that I also managed to register for the Adsense feature in my blogs. I had learned about the HTML codes and I had become confident and I was able to implant them nicely because I could read and locate the tags. The Adsense account also gave me reports that where the people were visiting me.

In those days, that was in the month of April and May 2005, the sitemeter was not all that elaborate as it is today. I think the person who is looking after it, is David. He is a true professional because if you email him, be sure, that you will get back a reply. However, the site meter contents showed me about the referring URLs and also the search terms which were used in search engines which had directed the net surfing people to my site.

It was May 13, 2005, when the civil services result was announced. Suddenly, the rush to my civil services blog increased. I checked into my site meter for civil services. I found that most of the visitor had visited me to check the result. I immediately visited the UPSC site and implanted the desired link on my site. On May 15, 2005, the prelim test took place. From May 16, 2005, the hits on my site suddenly increased. I checked into the site meter. I found that most of the visitors who visited me were seeking the answers to civil services prelims paper. As my address was civilservices-prelims.blogspot.com, the search engines were locating my site for the search query.

One of my relatives had cleared the civil services in the already announced result of the Civil services. I phoned him and asked me to procure the papers of Civil services especially of history and also of general studies. I was able to procure general studies papers for me. The paper reached me on May 23, 2005 and I started posting the questions from May 25, 2005 onwards. On May 25, 2005, the total hits to my generalstudiesupsc.blogspot.com were hardly 10. All those visits were made by me. By June 4, 2005, I had solved whole of the paper and posted it on the blog. I had posted some wrong answers. But the demand of the question and answer to them was so great that people joined in to correct the answers. Here, one engineer, Tripathi really played a big role. By June 10, 2005 the total hit to my General Studies blog had crossed three hundred.

Now after seven months, the total hits on civil service blog and general studies blog have crossed 1000 hits for each blog. On the other hand, the visits to other blogs which I cherished that they should have become more popular, have not crossed even 500 hits each. I was highly disappointed when I found that my students, who are so eager to show off their latest and costly gadgets, did not visit the blogs whereas I have given enough useful material on them. It was only when I posted their lecture statement on my blog that they started visiting the blog. But, that was not my aim. I wanted to use the blog as a teaching tool and to improve my own learning by exploring the net for information and then using that information on my blog to increase my knowledge and that of my students.

In between, I have stopped looking into the sitemeters. But, the onsite meter on civil services is showing that it is still receiving rush. I have stopped posting new material on it. But it has enough content on it that it is attracting the visitors. Now when the total count has suddenly crossed 1100 on civil services, I visited the site meter reports. I was astonished to see the people and their queries with which they had visited me. It really amused me. They were not only from India but from virtually all the continents except Africa. The maximum numbers are from America and Canada. Some of the details even fascinate me. There are many people in America who are interested in Civil services examination of India. Who are they? Secondly, many of them are interested in Ancient India. I have made a list of the query phrases. It has given me a great boost to work further on blogs.

Now two things come out of my experience of blogging for the last seven months.

First, if the contents of your blogs have some stuff in it, then you will definitely get the hits.

Secondly, You must know what actually is in demand. In case of general studies blog, the answers to the latest question paper was in demand. I learned about it from the site meter. I provided the material. My material was not correct. Even then I received the visitors and gradually appreciation also. Some of the people prefer to email you instead of placing the comments. Or they do not get the idea that they can reach the blogger by placing comment below the post. But they are prompted enough to search for the email address or email icon and send a message to you.

The second observation is more important. In order to remain popular, you must know what actually the seeker wants to know. If you have the right material and knowledge then provide it. You will start getting the visits. But, before that, you must know that what they want to know. You must know what is being sought out there. Here, site meter has really become very handy.

Why Was Gandhi Not Given Nobel Prize?

"He is undoubtedly a good, noble and ascetic person - a prominent man who is deservedly honoured and loved by the masses of India...(But) sharp turns in his policies, which can hardly be satisfactorily explained by his followers. He is a freedom fighter and a dictator, an idealist and a nationalist. He is frequently a Christ, but then, suddenly, an ordinary politician," Professor Jacob Worm-Müller, 1937.

The above quotation is of a committee's advisor of Nobel Prize Norwegian committee, Professor Jacob Worm-Müller, who wrote a report on Gandhi in 1937 when his name was nominated for the Nobel peace prize. This is a quotation taken from a report which has appeared in Times of India dated October 8, 2005 at 12.10. It may appear in Print on October 9, 2005.

My main motive to bring this post here is not to discuss Gandhi and his contribution or the working of the Norwegian committee for deciding Nobel prize. It is one of the aim of this blog to collect the quotations of historic personalities and similar judgements on Historic personalities and historic events.

I have not brought any such post as yet and this turns out be the first one. Why have I picked up this quotation? Why have this very words attracted my attention?

Well this is another question. I have not studied Gandhi in detail. However, being a student of history and teacher, I have been studying Indian history. It is the result of the study of history, that I have spoken a number of times during my lectures that Gandhi has been presented out of proportion in the history of India. I have been studying about Surender Nath Banerjee, Gopal Krishan Gohkle, Bal Ganghadhar Tilak, Feroze Shah Mehta, Subash Chander Bose, the activities of Hindustan Revolutionary Party and many others. I have studied the role of different people and felt that they were the people with a vision and personality and Gandhi was one among them. However, there is so much talk about Gandhi and he is being studied as an institution. I have been giving a justification for that. I say that as it was the Congress party which came to power after the independence and therefore, the party in power projected the history overshadowing the achievements of other people in order to leave impression about its own achievements in making and raising of India. It was in course of such an attempt, the party in power had a mascot which it could project. Therefore, Gandhi became so important. Definitely, it had given rise to the controversry between Tara Chand and his work "Freedom Struggle" versus R. C. Majumdar and his writings with Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan series work.

Did the same government not present an apology when they bestowed upon Subash Chander Bose the Bharat Ratna? Who were the people who denied him such recognition for such long time and why?

I am not speaking against Gandhi. I have read only one book by Gandhi and that was My Experiment with Truth. When I read that book, (I have never completed its reading), I had also read "The Discovery of India" by Jwahar Lal Nehru. I have read the whole book. I am so much impressed by the writing ability of Nehru that he infatuates me. However, my study has remained confined to 1947. I have not studied beyond 1947. On the other hand, I have fully read the book by Sumit Sarkar, "Modern India 1885-1947". I have read with great attention and interest those pages in which Sumit Sarkar had studied the issue that Gandhi was a myth or what was the cause of the popularity of Gandhi. He had discussed this issue that how far it was true that the general public had a true perception of Gandhi. Somewhere he was accepted as a representative of Viceroy and on the other hand a special officer directly appointed by Queen of England who was even over and above the Viceroy. I have also studied the STS strategy of Gandhi as presented by Bipin Chandar. From those reading, I have acquired this confidence to say what I have been saying in my lectures. Now, here, I have found another quotation which was given somewhere in 1937. This quotation also gives the impression which Sumit Sarkar had tried to elaborate.

It is not an issue here that Gandhi could not be praised over and above all. I believe that he was the only person among Indians, who had the charisma and influence, and only he could have negotiated with person in authority at that time. No body had acquired the stature and vision that Gandhi possessed at that time. The country needed a leader and he was the person who could fulfill their need.

Why was then, Gandhi killed? Without going into different interpretations and generalizations, if we take the historic causes, then it was that, at that time of partition and after the partition had materialized, he was towing a liberal line towards Pakistan. He was creating an opinion about dealing with Pakistan on softer lines. He was in favour of giving the compensation which was being demanded by Pakistan but refused by the authorities which had taken over the responsibilities of the governance. The general public was pained by the massacre and communal riots that had created an environment, in which, the fundamentalists did not like his soft approach to Pakistan. They were not ready to accept the division. Gandhi, a politician and apostle of peace knew better than they did. The fundamentalists were not ready to accept a reality that Pakistan had become a reality. They were not against Islam or the Muslim population that has remained in India because their heart is in India and they are true Indians. The fundamentalists were against the political stance which Gandhi had taken on the issue of divisions of assets when the rest of nation was watching with dismay the sufferings of the refugees and riot effect Indians which included both Muslims and Hindus.

This had raised the question that why did Gandhi not taken this stand during the All Party Conference of 1928? Does this mean that it was only during the course of time, he evolved his doctrine of peace and modified his philosophy of Ahimsa after 1928? Did the Poona Pact frame his doctrine of peace? But that is not true. His doctrine and philosophy of Ahimsa might have undergone a variation but it was there well in place when he first visited Champaran in 1915. No doubt, the fundamentalists were wrong and Gandhi approach was right. Now if we go by the argument of the fundamentalist of that time, then they should also treat Atal Bihari Vajpayee playing Gandhi while dealing with Nawaz Sarif with their stiff dealings. In the recent days, the fundamentalists were again infuriated when L. K. Advani, playing a politician, called Jinnah a secularist. However, the issue of presenting and interpretation in history still demands some different approach. India needs a history written for the Indian nation. In that, a large number of people had also played a role which has not been rightly highlighted but the image of Gandhi is being created to such a proportion that their existence is being overshadowed and overlooked, should be brought before the country. The above mentioned quotation directs the attention to that fact, that the perception about Gandhi at that time, that is during 1930s was not such that he was the only leader. There were doubts about his overall role. When such doubts are expressed then it also suggests that a person, who has tried to doubt, knows something else also. He, here Professor Jacob Worm-Müller, who might had at that time, read some reports about other Indian leaders, had felt that if Gandhi was to be praised and recognised for his peace role, then there were other people also who were giving meaning to the struggle for peace. However, who were they? Well, this again a question of debate. But it seems that an impression was carried that he was one of the freedom struggle fighter. The politics of those time, that was Gandhi versus Bose, might have been read and reflected upon the judgement of Jacob Worm-Müller. Gandhi for him was a politician fighting for his nation in the country of Buddha and Mahavira (Jacob Worm-Mülle might not have studied about Mahavira).

Factor of Eight and India

Today, in the morning, India was shaken by an earthquake. The epicentre of the quake was in Muzzafrabad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. The date is October 8, 2005 or 8-10-2005. The total of the numerals in the date is 7. It is 8+10+2005; that is 8+1+7 and that is 16 and finally 7. They are two numbers i.e. 8 and 7 in that order.

On December 26, 2004, the southern shores of India was hit by Tsunami. Again the date was 2+6 equal to 8. In this case also that the date was 26+12+2004. It makes 8+3+6 and which adds up in the order to the total of 17 and finally 8.


On another date, that is January 26, 2002, Bhuj was visited by an earthquake. Again the total of the date was 8. The total of the numerals in the date was 26-01-2002. It adds to 8+1+4 and it makes 13 and finally 4.

In the coming days, the dates 17 October, 2005 and 26 October, 2005 will make the same total.


Another date, that was August 17, 1988 was another important date when Zia-ul-Haq, the then Military President of Pakistan died in an air crash.

Well there is no scientific basis to predict the natural calamities or historic events. However, such patterns do emerge. The numerologists may stand up and give justifications and patterns behind it. The astrologers may also join in. However, there are no ascertainable basis for such numbers and their correlation with events. You can not predict that when an earthquake emerge.

On the other hand, August 8, 1942 is considered as an important date in the freedom struggle of India when Quit India was announced. There are many scientists who were born on a date which added to the total of eight or the date was eight.

The issue of date eight had emerged when Tsunami visited. But if we take this argument further in the year 2006, eight will emerge number of times. In that case, 2006 would see many startling events. It is difficult to say whether they would be natural calamities or the historic events. But the factor of eight continues to reappear.

UGC Aspirants and Search Engines

UGC NET HISTORY has remained a neglected blog.
For some days I had watched that the visits to this site had increased. I had not placed any major posting on this blog. It has remained neglected because I have plans to develop it on a later date. Secondly, I am working on a plan to first attract my students to my blogs and then to use blog as one of tool in teaching. While writing for undergraduate students, I may be writing on such topics which will cover the Indian history as well as World History. As far the Philosophy of History is concerned, I want to write some original essays on this topic on Sumir-history Blog and Review View Analysis blogs. Any how, I found that my UGC blog was receiving regular hits.

I have not checked the reports of sitemeters for some time. When I had placed the sitemeters on the blogs, I was always eager to know who visited my blogs. I spent lot of time on reading the sitemeters reports.

I have learned many things from reading the sitemeters. I learnt that what were the main search phrases of the visitors. That had given me many ideas to write the posts. I also learned about many search Engines. However, lately, I have discontinued watching the reports. The rush to some of my site had increased and I was hard pressed for time. There is a perennial problem of electricity cuts. I do not know how India Today has declared the Punjab as the most progressive state. I have not read the magazine at all because I can not relate it with the suffering which I am experiencing while living in Punjab.

I checked the site meter of the UGC blog. A very fascinating thing was observed. Nearly twenty recent visits to this site was reached through MSN search. Is MSN search becoming popular?


However, when I checked the referral url which took me to msn search engine, I did not find any major change in the research results of the MSN. It is same old type set up. Secondly, I am not able to use its preview section at all. I have found my visitors coming to my blogs from MSN preview.

It is my general observation that most of the users use google search or yahoo search. Yahoo search has tremendously improved in recent months. It seems that it is trying to give competition to googles. Even I have now shifted to yahoo. Just a day back, while getting Acrobat, the yahoo tool bar had been embed on my browser. First I thought of removing it but then I decided to maintain it for the time being.

On the other hand, I am getting infatuated by the search results of beta.previewseek.com. It is really a different material. I have started using its left hand side classification. It is more helpful then to check whole of the list as the search engines dish it out before you. It is definitely a more intelligent device.

The other important thing which I found about visitors to my UGC site is that they are from technical field and more concerned about clearing ugc cisr. I can understand why they are doing it. But their preference only for one particular engine really attracts and fascinate me. The visitors from Hyderabad were all MSN users.

Another visitor amused me more. He visited my site while seeking information for Rahon sword. The searcher, as per the sitemeter, is placed in America. He was also using msn search engine.


Somehow, I am made to conclude that the people who are in research field and students (because they have yet to clear ugc/csir eligibility in order to pursue their higher studies), they prefer MSN search engine. However, I have found google, yahoo and beta.previewseek.com as more effective tools. May they just place their desired term in IE address and the inbuild MSN search option find it for them.

Now, in coming breaks, I will check the reports of civil service blog as the visitors has suddenly increased and crossed 1000 mark.

Previewseek: A Search Engine

Previewseek Limited is a privately held, UK based company.

It is based in London. The exact names of the owners and professionals are not given.
The Previewseek claims, "Our mission is to help ordinary people find exactly what they are looking for quickly, easily and efficiently." It is their claim that one does not have to visit number of search engines in order to check other available information for the answers sought for a question. It is further emphasised that their search engine is based on twenty years research and such technologies which are not yet tried by other people.


They consider google as their standard benchmark. They claim that they have an edge over it and set ahead than googles. This is their main selling point.

They have a point when they elaborate on the point that their search engine is better than google. No doubt, they paid due regards to google people. But when they talk about their good points, they are not bragging. However, after using it for a week, I may say, they are different, practically useful but as I have talked once about Kartoo.com, one has become so accustomed to google searches that he may turn back to google results also. For some time, even Yahoo searches have showed improved results. It seems that they have also added some thing into their device that one can use them also.


They also claim that their results include the searches of other search engines also. If I remember, there is another search engine which tells that which variable is given in a particular form on different search engines. However, their presentation is definitely a work of a professional.

The engine also gives you a picture of the web page on the left side. They call it is their discreet presentation or prescient feature. If I remember, it is also done on MSN. That is other thing, where it is now, I do not know. It has reverted back to its older form. MS has thirst only for getting money even for breathing while you are using their softwares. That is other thing, a person like me may ask Gates to pay me first in order to even remember that he is there.

On the whole, it is a good search engine. I am using it for some days by now. It was only then I desired to look in for the people who are running it. The remarks evoked some feelings which I am not able to express here. I had actually done it to record those feelings but a type of write up has come up.


I here acknowledge that I learnt about it from Chittah Vishav.


The site link to previewseek is http://beta.previewseek.com/

Achilles’ heel of intellectual world

The scholars base their facts on assumptions. The whole of the intellectual world starts with an assumption that a given thing is a fact. The best example is mathematics. They begin with the assumption that there is a zero and there is a quantity which can be equated to one.

You change the assumption, the whole world of logic and reasons become redundant.

The truth remains exclusive just like the god.

The scholars begins with an assumption. He assumes that a given thing or proposition is a fact. Around that seed he builds a world of truth and realities.


It seems that every assumption, if it is taken as true, has the right to acquire life. A world can be built around that assumption. The world gives the impression that it is true and final.


You change the assumption, the whole world created around the earlier assumption will crumble down as a house of cards.

The scientific methodology helps us to ascertain the veracity of a fact. However, it is an assumption which helps us to define any experiment. It is again a set of assumptions which are used to classify and derive conclusions from the data gathered from the experiment. It is again an assumption when the conclusion is used to pass the verdict on the thesis.

One thesis is proved to be true at a one point of time. But soon a counter fact emerge and dismantle the veracity of that thesis. If that thesis was true at a given point of time then how it has happened that it is proved wrong at other point of time. There is only one reason and that it is that the intellectual world begins from an assumption. The time changes, the assumption changes and thus the conclusion changes. Here is Hegel went wrong. He gives a rule. But if you start questioning that why every thesis would be followed by antithesis, then before jumping to the argument that it the gradual revelation of the idea, try to use the paradigm that it was the assumption which was changed. The assumption can change with time, it can change with place, it can also change with the circumstances which is again the function of time. In Shantiparva of Mahabharta, Bhimshma Pitmaha had put it is more effectively. He explained to Arjuna that whatsoever is dharma today will become Adharma tomorrow. The Adharma of today will become Dharma of tomorrow. The change take place with time, place and circumstances. Similarly, the same process and mechanism is explained in the last chapter of the Tulsi Ramayana. It is explained through Shakbhushundi, a crow.

Here again the question arises, that it is being explained as an ordained mechanism. It also try to same that it is a law that change would take place in a particular pattern. But, if we break ourselves from this type of understanding and try to question that if it happens like that, then why does it happen in that manner? It will bring you to the point where you may be compelled to ask that what actually goes in your thinking process when you identify a fact, or an information or a thesis as true. You call it hypothesis before declaring it as a thesis. It is a process by which the brain identify an assumption and then take that assumption as a thing or as an assertion. Then begins all the play of intellectual exercise.


Take any example of adopting a given fixed criteria with some variables. Now, through logic you can deduce a world of intellectual conclusions. But then declare that the starting premises was mere an assumption, you may find that all the derivations were mere exercise in mental imageries. The best example is accepting a god. For a second, do not identify god either with Christ, or Allah, or any symbol of god. Do not identify it with non descriptive existence or "Onkara" or the ultimate. Just try to feel and understand that it is an assumption. You will soon find, that whole of the world works like that. The best example of this exercise which have given results is mathematics. The quantification of any force, or anything thing, or even time, is an assumption. But try to see. Can you do without them now in this scientific world.


Further, the truth exists exclusive of your understanding of the truth. You can understand English. You may make out sense out of whatsoever is written up to this point. The same thing can be said in Chinese, in Arabic and Sanskrit. It can be said in Latin and Greek. But if they are used to convey whatsoever is said here in English, you would not able to understand anything. But the understanding can be conveyed to you in the language in which you can communicate. In India, many people know Hindi. But they do not know Sanskrit. Same thing can be said in Sanskrit. But a common man will not be able to make any sense out of it. Tell the common man the same thing in Hindi, he would understand what is being said here. Therefore, it means, that fact is exclusive of language.

For the same arrangement, it can be said, that truth remains as it is. Whatsoever, you consider as true is merely your assumption. Some assumptions help you to live a time with seemingly fruitful activity. But that does not mean that you actually know the truth. The truth remain separate from you assumption. It is only that your assumptions present a seemingly workable paradigm. But soon you realize that there is a shortcoming in your understanding. You do not say that your assumption was faulty. You would say that you have not understood the truth in the right form. There are some more contours of the truth which you have discovered now therefore, what you understand earlier was a half truth. This is how the world of intellect works. As far as the successes and achievements are concerned, they are mere mirage. The ultimate truth remain untouched and it keep on goading you to reach it but you never reach there. You can not get the truth. Whatsoever is with you is an assumption, which you take as true. That is not true. But you believe that it so. You have identified a method of enquiry which you call scientific enquiry. It is again an assumption. But it has shown some results. But it is not the ultimate way of learning the truth. The main lacuna is that it is based on assumption. It is some thing which Preto has said and explained. This is how the intellectual world lives. No doubt, the Indian Rishis were true and right, when they said, that wait for the intuition to receive the truth. That seems to be the only way. But again, it raises the same question and that it is, is it not an assumption?

My photo

Is it a News for ME?

Me and Me.

I am getting dreamy and falling into a reverie.

There is a news for bloggers from the Sarkar. HEEE HEEE.

India government is thinking about e intelligence and doing e thinking.

My dear Sarkar, Kindly first ensure regular supply of electricity and pot and pond less roads. At least in Punjab they are not there since Ravi Sidhu is behind bars.

A news item is HERE.

The most marvellous thing is that this news item has been found on daily reporting on Blogger Buzz. Hey, Do you know, you sitting there on other side of the Atlantic (or the pacific, which ever way you have placed your desk),. I am not sure to complete writing this because I do not know when the electricity would go off.

Yesterday, I remained awake the whole night. The electricity men had slept without attending their duties and I was able to blog and do work on my computer.

I was able to do three things.

First I was able to record some pages which I have been writing when there was no electricity.

Secondly, I was able to post a tabulation in HTML under heading "A Trial" on one of my inactive blog. I do not know much about HTML. But I am sure, if someone look at the work, he would definitely exclaim, "Man you have done a hell of a job."

Thirdly, I was able to post in Hindi. There is so much talk about promoting Hindi. I am in the middle of the Book, British Paramountancy and Indian Renaissance. In the first three chapters, there is discussion on the English in colonial India. There is another essay which I have downloaded from net titled "A dubious Qoutation". I desire to pass a comment on that. The book that I have mentioned is written by a nationalist historian Dr. R. C. Majumdar. It is worth reading. It is astonishing to learn the detail about how English was introduced in India. Then the dichotomy will be revealed. Then one can see how dubious are the talks and desires of the people who want to promote the national language and how they have failed in nurturing sincere desires. Is it also a part of Apadadharma? Well, what PaP can be there when Ganga is following?

The Alchemy of Desire

The address of the web site of Tarun Tejpal the author of The Alchemy of Desire is as follows:

Site address: http://www.taruntejpal.com/default.htm

The Indian edition of this book costs Rs. 500/-

I went to buy it but returned buying some other books.

The author seems to have launched his site for promoting his book. However, in the biography link, he has given his other writeups also. It is good to have this site because when Tehlka was in news, being over conscious, I abstained from accessing it. Later when I tried to open, it did not download. Here, this site just appears without efforts.

Another section section contain the comment of the general readers which include leading names from the world of art, cinema, intellectual world and others.

(Category: Resources on Net)

nct-Griffith

nct-Griffith

Just for general interest. Requires earliest review.

Are You Ready

(Refer here to A New Discovery – A relieving letter, Friday, December 08, 2000 5:05:54 AM.)

It is the only real truth. You say your thing forcefully. You make your own virtues. You free yourself from the set of values which the society is professing. You try to discern the real set of values. They are based on opportunism.

I still believe in the existence of god. My god is not what the set of values the society profess. My god is a center of power which is there to help you and work for you. Rather you are here to use him. Just use him. You act like Dr. Fastus. You god is not a satin. He is god. He will show the right path. He is not bound by the values as professed by the society. He helps those who help themselves. He is having his own way of rewarding. He does not evaluate you as per the standards of the society. If you try to be humble it is not that you do it to appease the god. You act in that manner only to appease the society. If you want to appease the god then do that what the people whose names are recorded in history had done. Just achieve whatsoever you want to achieve.

Demand from the god. Sit and ask for his help and then start working. He would help you. He is the real creator. He is the real doer. Be his medium. Be his machine. Do not think much. Have faith in Him. He knows all. He is just waiting for you to identify him. He does not reveal himself in scriptures. He reveals himself directly to the seeker. The books written about the saints are written by men. Nanak did not speak to appease the people. He was rather chiding the people. Did Chaitanya care what the people were saying about him? People call such people as mad. They call Hitler an oppressor. They praise Mahatma Gandhi. But try to see the clippings. What message do they give? Was not Nehru as great as Gandhi was? People would like to call Mahatma Gandhi a saint but not Nehru. The simple soldier who dies on the border is not the saint but Gandhi is. This is what the fact is. Be a real soldier. Soldier dies may be for his bread or his nation. He is called a martyr. He is not called a saint. So do not think much what the scriptures say. Believe in yourself. Believe it that you have discovered the real truth. Achieve the uncharted success. Buddha claims to have learned about the real truth. Mahavira claimed to have learned about the real truth. But in what form do you find their followers. The Jains are rich. What actually do they do? They are sought not because they are the followers of Jainism but because of their money. Where are the Buddhists? They are admired because they had the esoteric powers. What about Tibet? Is Buddha not helping them? Is Shangila of no help to them?

Keep on reading more and more history. Just do not remain confined to Indian history. Learn about the history of other nations and other people. Learn about other subjects also.

Develop the idea given in this write up. Do not get worried my what is happening between you and them. Just believe in yourself. ---------------------------------------- (Personal lines omitted). Why do you wait that God would do the justice? ------------------ (Personal Lines omitted). Do you see that schemer? It seems that he also have the similar thoughts. It is why that when he has to attend to his agenda he justifies his entire act in the name of necessity.

Why do you try the unimaginable today? Be strict with your self also. ARE YOU READY?
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Old Bag

Expression on History reading. Wednesday, July 11, 2001

I read about Peter of Russia from Fisher. What is written on him? It was a story of a man who did not have virtue. He had the courage. He lived to kill.


What actually is recorded in history? it is always similar type of records. They are the records of the men who had invaded, oppressed killed and ravaged. They are admired even for their inhuman acts. They are shown to have brought civilization towards perfection.

What is happening even today? There are rich and poor people. There are oppressed and oppressors. The system of government virtually suffocates. It is not for the benefit of the man. It is just providing a situation in which you can live for the next day. If you want to achieve something you should be oppressive, scheming and lucky. If you are not lucky then you just cry because of the pain. Riots take place. People are killed. A man with money ride over you. People try to acquire power not because they have divine origin but it is useful to be in power. The human beings keep on living under the mirage of living a better tomorrow. The saints fool you. They say that god is there so be nice.
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Old Bag

Thoughtless Me Or HE

Inspite of the earlier experiences, the man is prone to repeat his mistakes. It is mark of some a major flaw in the personality of the person. The main reasons of such causes are his earlier training and experiences especially form his childhood years. When the man becomes mature, he realises and discovers the flaws but he finds it difficult to overcome them.

The solution to his problems can only be found in the strict discipline.

Other way out is stoic approach to one own self.

The third approach is the psychological approach.

In any case, only his own will power can provide the protection from the maladies from which the man is suffering. The question of will power is bit mystic in nature. It takes one to the question of God. God worship then becomes one more solution. The god affairs give the hint of delays. It does not result into immediate result and rather it works with lot of procrastination, which rather increase the problem of the man.

In defence of God, it can be said that the creator does not go against his own creation. The laws, which he had made, he permits them to work and does not interfere in them. If the person is suffering from the maladies, it is he who is to blame.

But the person would like to ask the question, that first of all why he was not informed of the liabilities of the action on his part. He would like to argue that if he was doing any thing as per the law of the nature and then why was there no caution. Why was he not told about the language by which he could judge and understand the liabilities? Why are the remedies so difficult? Why are the remedies not readily made available to him? All these questions have strength and validity.

It seems that the human existence is a punishment. In it, there is chance of partiality. Some of the people get the access to the remedies and easily get themselves absolved of their liabilities and others are intentionally made to suffer. Why does every one not get the food? Why minimum required facilities are not available to every one? Why am I better than him but worst than him? It seems that even the God is not fully perfect.

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Old Bag

Walking Theories

For some days I have been again going for walk. It is a good experience. On the walk I am getting the mystic thoughts once again. I had been passing through the phase of acute procrastination. It was as a remedy that I had started the walk again. On the walk I am again getting the thoughts which I call the mystic thoughts.

I ponder upon the real nature of life. I try to understand the real nature of soul and the human existence. During the internal discourse I get the new vision this time. I am able to conclude that all the confusion about the validity of the soul and spirituality is the result of the confusion of the brain or the carnal existence. That confusion is normal feature of the carnal existence. There is existence of soul and all the souls are equal. Those who seem to be totally manipulative, abusive and lecherous are just responding to the confusions of the carnal existence. They all suffer from the inner fight of soul and the human existence.

The theory of this confusion is based on other theory. The main theory is that whatsoever has its beginning in birth, it will ultimately perish. The thing which is born is always in flux. As it is said in Buddhism that you are different from what you were a second before. Anything which is passing through this existence of birth and death, will suffer the confusion. That which is born, marches strongly towards its end. Therefore, whatever is true for it for this second, it does not remain true with the next second. Buddha said to Ananda, "See what is here in my hand is true. The leaves which are lying on the ground were true. The leaves on the tree are true. But our perception of truth is confined only to those leaves which are in our hand. Hence, anything which is flux, it bound to change and this change is cause of confusion.

Another theory which I have developed during the internal discourse is that the nature is all a result of soul. The man’s soul and the soul of nature are at perennial competition with each other. The nature tries to impose her forces on the carnal existence which is her creation. The soul which gives life try to use the time of her existence in the carnal form and is given the task to become stronger than the soul of the nature. The scientists try to overcome the shortcomings of the nature or try to understand the laws of nature in order to settle their confusion. In the process they learn about the weakness in their understanding. They are trying to get the material knowledge but it is the silent existence in them which is most benefited from the efforts of the brain which again is a carnal and perishable existence. When the scientist dies, he is not able to enjoy the fruits of his discoveries. It is his successors who are benefited from the knowledge which he had gathered from the womb of nature. It is wrong to say that he had lost all when he dies. Actually, it his soul which is benefited from his efforts. The other souls try to get the benefit from the knowledge which he leaves behind for the posterity.

With in few years we are going to gather so much knowledge about the nature that no one man can in his life time be able to learn whole of the knowledge which the humanity is able to gather through her scientific procedures. Does that mean that after some time we will be not able to benefited from the knowledge gather from science. No it is not true. It is the soul which is benefited from the knowledge and when that soul again come back to the earth it will be in a position to enjoy that knowledge. Actually the soul of the nature is the standard for the soul living in carnal existences to achieve.
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Old Bag

It is better not to seek some answers

Such questions should never be asked answer to which might destroy some existing setup. Was the creation of Pakistan justified? Now if the answer to such question is negative, then what will be the result? Pakistan is in existence for fifty two years by now. They had raised such people who are there because Pakistan is there. Then should one avoid asking this question? The answer to the first question can be big no. But should the question still be asked? The answer to the preceding question is yes. Today if some answer negates the existence of any setup, then we are enough mature to decide the fate of the existence of the existing structure in fruitful manner. If the answer to the question of the justification of the Pakistan is negative, then the question will be to give a justification to the present setup of Pakistan. But then, numerous questions will also emerge which will defy any answer. However, even then answer should be sought to such questions answer to which may destroy the present structure.

Should a husband or a wife inquire about the extramarital relations of their spouses? In this case, answer can be negative. It is question of individual preferences. A person may digest a possibility of extramarital relation of his or her spouse, but not everyone should be expected to behave in the similar manner. In that case, a particular solution is expected. If that solution is expected, then some one say, that if you are going to accept the extramarital relation of your spouse then where is the question of inquiring about the possibility of the existence of extramarital relation of your spouse. Then the question and possibility will rise to give the justification to the concept of the extramarital relation. The argument will be sought from the antiquity. Hence, it is better not to learn about such questions and their answers, which may destroy the existence of the present setup.

No doubt, If you dislike duality and seek truth, then sometime the truth hurts.
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Category: OLD BAG