LEARNING IS LIFE

  Heroic Couplets on Swadharma Principle of the Bhagavad gita A heroic couplet is a traditional poetic form in English literature consisting of two rhyming lines written in iambic pentameter.   The two main characteristics of such couplets are as follows ·          Meter:   It is written in iambic pentameter, meaning each line has ten syllables with an alternating unstressed and stressed rhythm or it has five iambic feet per line. ·          Rhyme Scheme:   It follows a strict paired end-rhyme pattern (AA, BB, CC). Here are five heroic couplets on ‘Swadharma’ principle enshrined in the Bhagavad Gita   Walk your own path, the one you’re meant to tread, Your soul knows best; allow it lead ahead. Your spirit whispers songs both soft and deep, Hear closely now the promises you keep.   You have no need to wear a borrowed mask, To be yourself is your most honest task.  ...

 ODE TO PEACE LOVING INDIAN GEN-Z IN QUINTETS Young Gen Z, with clear-eyed might, Said, "Status quo's wrong, it's not right." Oppression's sway, They pushed away, And stood for all, in reason's light. Gandhi's path, with minds so bright, See through shadows, banish night. Oppression's chain, They'll break again, For educational rights. For learning bright, Gen Z strive 'n seek, With open minds, they freely speak. In lands so wide, With diverse pride, Democracy's the path they keep.

    Need to switch over to whole brain teaching methods In a recent teacher training, it was asked from the participating teachers that how many of them had read any new book on education consulted a research journal in education or tried out any evidence intervention in the classroom in the last two years and no hand was raised to affirm it. This indicated that there exists a huge theory and action gap among teachers as well as educators. An AI prompt (Google, 2026) [1]  and an article in merinews.com (see inset clipping) revealed. "Dr. Lalit Kishore is a Jaipur-based educationist and researcher who advocates for whole-brain education (WBE) to foster self-awareness and holistic cognitive development over rote memorization." The core philosophy of WBE advocated by Kishore has the following components. Integration of Brain Hemispheres : He stresses that both hemispheres of the brain must work together for true, holistic understanding.The  WBE Formula: He defines whol...

An AI prompt (Google 2026) [1] 'Dr lalit kishore educator on pedagogical experiments' led to the following information on pegagogical experimentation, "Dr. Lalit Kishore is a Jaipur-based educator and researcher recognized for innovating low-cost science experiments and actionable pedagogical interventions." His reported key contributions to pedagogical experiments are as follows. Action Research Cycles: He defines pedagogical experiments as structured, self-reflective interventions where teacher-researchers plan, modify, observe, and reflect on teaching methods to improve classroom outcomes. Low-Cost and Micro-Science: He develops affordable, hands-on toolkits and toy-based science projects using everyday household items to replace expensive laboratory gear in resource-constrained or rural schools. Three-Stage Learning Model: His framework transitions students systematically from teacher-directed instruction to peer-group collaboration, culminating in independent stu...

"There's need to make science, mathematics and technology courses female friendly. It has been often articulated during conferences and seminars that in India, there is a severe under-representation of women in both science and technology education and employment. Also, the main reason attributed to such a situation is that the gender roles were quite entrenched in society and women are deemed fit for professions like teaching, nursing and medicine, but never for hard science and technolog< wrote this blogger on merinews.com in 2015, while emphasising the need for gender equity in STEM education, STEM GENDER EQUITY POEM INSPIRED BY THE ARTCLE Let minds bloom, bright and wide, In science, tech, and math's great tide. No girl held back, no boy in shade, A fair field, where dreams are made. Let balance grow, a steady hand, Across the STEM, throughout the land. With equal steps, we'll reach the height, And fill the world with knowledge bright. Let doors swing wide, for ...

  QUOTE The material process is working in darkness, in time, in knowledge, in ignorance, and so on. When insight takes place, there is the dispelling of that darkness. That is all we are saying. Insight dispels that darkness. And thought, which is the material process, no longer works in darkness. Therefore that light has altered–no, it has ended–ignorance. ~J Krishnamurti   INSPIRED COUPLETS Worldy progress, a shadow deep, While deeper truths, we fail to keep. More gadgets gleam, our minds grow dim, Ignorance blooms, on progress' whim. We chase the false, with eager eyes, Blind to the truth, behind the lies. Look inside, your mind to mend. See the lie, the truth transcend. Darkness flees when insight's bright. Ignorance fades in wisdom's light. When thoughts are gone, the mind at ease, True insight flows, like gentle breeze. All thinking born of matter's fray, No deeper truth to light the way. Insight's bright gleam, a waking sign, Dispels the dark, the mind's...

Milad-un-Nabi: Ode to Advent of the Prophet Muhammad    A blessed day, a time so sweet, The Prophet Muhammad, we greet. Gift from above, so pure and bright, He fills our hearts with love and light. With hearts so full, we share and care, A bond of love, beyond compare. In unity we stand so tall, Harmonious love for one and all. In harmony, a peaceful way, Community brightens every day. Together strong, we stand as one, Our loving journey's just begun.

 HAPPY ONAM: START LIFE AFRESH PURPOSEFULLY Onam is the most celebrated harvest festival Kerala. Observed in the Malayalam month of Chingam, in 2026, it falls on August 26, it lasts for ten days.The festival marks the annual homecoming of the legendary benevolent King Mahabali. People decorate their homes with colourful floral kolam called Pookkalam and enjoy the grand Onasadya feast served on banana leaves. Traditional snake boat races and folk dances highlight the joyous unity and cultural spirit of the celebration Onam Couplets Pure heart and faith so true, Bring folks together, me and you. Thankful for earth, its gifts so grand, Nature's bounty, close at hand. Giving freely, without a thought, Helping others, love is taught. Give what you have, with a happy heart, Thank the skies for each new start. Help others freely, without a doubt, Find what you're meant for, and live it out.

 Breaking Chains Through Contemplative Study POEM Let's break the chains, a gentle plea, For eyes to see, truly, freely. Chants and words, a whispered hum, Repeat the old, till understanding's numb. Rituals done, with careful hand, But the heart's not touched, on shifting sand. Praise sung loud, a hollow sound, When meaning's lost, nowhere to be found. Glib sermons, a tidy art, But truth's not learned, in this bare part. This outer show, a painted door, Lets not the light shine evermore. It builds a wall, so strong and deep, Where thinking minds are lulled to sleep. From this dark spell, we must awake, For our own journey, our own sake. To question why, to seek the core, And not just echo, anymore. Contemplate 'n learn, with open mind, The truths within, we're meant to find. Not just to follow, blind and slow, But to fathom aim 'n truely grow. Reference   for citation Kishore, L.. (2026, August 24).  Breaking Chains Through Contemplative Study, Lalit Kis...

  Be reflective to deep learn: Only contemplative  self-study of holy texts reveals Svādhyaya is mentioned as one of the divine virtues in Bhagavad Gita verse coded as BG 16.1, it has also been mentioned in BG 17.15 as regular recitation of Vedic texts. The sanskrit versions of the two verses and their English translations are as follows.  BG 16.1 अभयं सत्त्वसंश‍ुद्धिर्ज्ञानयोगव्यवस्थिति: । दानं दमश्च यज्ञश्च स्वाध्यायस्तप आर्जवम् ॥  BG 16.1: English Translation Lord Krishna said: Fearlessness, wholesome purity, adequate attunement to and abidance in spiritual wisdom (swadhyaya), charitability, sensory regulation, acting with full dedication to the supreme Reality (yajña), study of scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness. (Tirtha, 2019) [1} BG 17.15 अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं च यत् । स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव वाङ्‍मयं तप उच्यते ॥  BG 17.15: English Translation Austerity of speech consists in speaking words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial, and not a...

Digital world woes: Couplets Screens glow bright, a hurried race, Lost in data, leaving no trace. Too much digital, minds unbound, Feeling lost, on shaky ground. Emotions blur, what's right, what's wrong, Digital excess, where do we belong? In virtual worlds, we start to fray, Real connection fades away. Synthetic faces, what do they hold? Our true selves, bought and sold. The cost is high, a heavy toll, Lost in pixels, losing control. Replicas lure, a siren's call, Psychic wounds, stand up tall. Digital maze, a tangled thread, Societal chaos, fills our head.

  Digital farce: Couplets Our eyes gaze at screens, a digital sheen, Lost in a world, a vibrant, fake scene. With endless new things, our minds start to fade, Copying others, a life half-made. The joy disappears, a dull, heavy haze, Trapped in the glow of these digital days. Invisible bonds, they quietly bind, To stuff and to shows, leaving peace far behind. Politics clash, with words sharp and mean, Lost in the echo of the digital screen.

 Digital age blues: Couplets The screen glows bright, a hollow, vacant stare, My heart feels lost, no real world to share. We buy and chase, a never-ending race, Leaving behind a lonely, empty space. Our minds are split, in endless, fractured views, Searching for meaning in these digital blues. We chase quick joys, a fleeting, hollow gleam, And find ourselves caught in a restless dream. We fight for likes, a shallow, empty prize, While real connections slowly start to die. The constant buzz, a strain upon the soul, Losing ourselves, beyond our own control.

  Alienated Minds and Societal Disorientation: The Cost of Digital Saturation and Consumerism A short note Modern discourse frequently highlights how digital saturation and materialistic paradigms contribute to pervasive existential alienation and societal disorientation. Cognitive despair is further exacerbated by systemic imitation, intense rivalry, and the proliferation of synthetic media like deepfakes. This unchecked pursuit of hedonic pleasures and operational shortcuts inherently generates psychological distress, ethical ambiguity, and protracted sociopolitical friction. Consequently, contemporary society has inadvertently constructed a dehumanised framework governed by hyper-consumerism and cognitive fragmentation. Inspired poem A screen's soft glow, a world unseen, We chase its lure, a hollow prize. Lost in its maze, we're in between, Real joy and simulated skies. Each click, a want, a deeper need, To mimic lives, that brightly gleam. Ambition burns, a frantic seed, Fu...

 Failure Beyond Opposite of Success: Embracing Failure to Move Forward Couplets The path to success, you must understand, Is paved with tries, across the shifting sand. Each time you falter, don't you cease your quest, For every setback, puts you to the test. It’s not the end, but a different start, A stronger spirit, a brand new heart. A stumble is not a fall, it's a chance to learn. A lesson in disguise, making your spirit burn.

The concept of silent music delves into the deep emotional and psychological effects of the absence of music. Instead of complete silence, it highlights intentional pauses, ambient sounds in the environment, and the internal perception of melodies. A prime example is John Cage’s renowned minimalist composition 4'33", where the audience engages with the surrounding sounds rather than with deliberate musical notes. The central idea is to create an acoustic environment where silence serves as a backdrop, enhancing and giving significance to the notes, thereby forming a mental image. This approach fosters both self-awareness and awareness of the environment, allowing ambient noises such as one’s own breathing, the echo in the ears, the wind, nearby sounds, or distant traffic to become integral to the composition. With practice, silent music compositions can evoke internal resonance and harmony, enabling the brain to continue imagining and feeling the music long after the sounds ha...

 Senior Citizen Day, August 21 : A Proposal Poem World Senior Citizens' Day is observed each year on August 21 to honor older adults, recognizes their lifelong contributions to families and society, and raises awareness about important issues they face, such as healthcare access, financial security, familiar d issertation , abuse and social isolation.  In such a situation self-care and spirituality could be the savior.s. Proposal Poem For your well-being, friend, Be a wise elder, transcend. Keep your mind sharp, bright, Hold back losing its light. Don't just wait, but believe, New life's meaning conceive. Tend your spirit with grace, Find your inner, calm space. Meditate each sun's rise, Chores done with mindful eyes. Your own health, it is key, Set your spirit truly free. Turn your "old" into "gold," Stories bravely unfold. Mind and body you mend, By tending spirit, my friend.

 Dismissing Dissent: How Toxic Brains Shift the Blame QUINTETS When folks ask what's wrong and you spew, And call names, it's a cowardly view. A system so weak, Lets bad actors speak, And dodge what is rightfully due. A system, quite shady and grand, When questioned, would shift like the sand. With name-calling and jeers, It silenced all fears, A farce, with its managers planned. My brain, when asked what's up, Cries, "You're a threat, you pup! We'll lock you away, And end your bad day, So hush, and just shut up!" Questioning mind with doubt, Found freedom was truly shut out. "Why so?" was a crime, Lost track of all time, In a world where "Just follow!" cried out

 The event that is being revisited is that 'Rajasthan observes National Scientific Temper Day with virtual panel discussion' which goes as follows. To mark the National Scientific Temper Day and remember Dr Narender Dabholkar – a lead scientific temper campaigner who was assassinated by religious fanatics – on his death anniversary, a virtual panel discussion was organised by the Bharat Jan Vigyan Samiti and Janvadi Mahila Samiti, Rajasthan, on August 20 during COVID 19  lockdown a few years ago. Panellists Lalit Kishore, Rajiv Gupta and Komal Srivastava made their statements in context of education,   society and gender vis-a-vis scientific temper, which was followed by discussion by 40-odd participants that included science educators, women activists, NGO representatives and school teachers. According to panellist Dr Lalit Kishore, currently, the eroding scientific temper, intolerance and lack of reasoning or autocracy have now become matters a serious public conc...

  The Habit of Questioning: Discovering Reality Through Rational and Logical Thinking To mark the National Scientific Temper Day and remember Dr Narender Dabholkar – a lead scientific temper campaigner who assassinated by religious fanatics – on his death anniversary, many citizen groups and NGOs organize the awareness campaigns to bust suprestitions and myths prevalent in society and awaken rationality as safeguards against irrationality, conditions, brainwash and blind following. People are encouraged to questioning and discovering truth. Inspired Quintets A mind that is both  keen and bright, Seeks truth with all of its might. With logic and care, No guesses to share, Researching, a rational delight. A mind, in old chains tightly bound, With fears and myths all around, Can break brain-wash lie, Reach for the sky, With logic, true knowledge's found. A mind that's free, and wants to know, Questions why, true keeness may grow. Blind faith's tight hold, Rituals so old, On sc...

  World Humanitarian Day 2026: Message is to Act for Humanity World Humanitarian Day (annual observance; August 19) is being observed with campaign centered on the theme "Act for Humanity," focusing heavily on 'honoring fallen aid workers through their families' stories and demanding immediate safety for health and humanitarian personnel under attack in global conflict. "Attacks on humanitarian personnel have consequences far beyond the individuals directly affected. They interrupt food deliveries, health care, protection and other life-saving services, leaving communities with even fewer ways to survive and recover, Stated the UN. The UN urged that this World Humanitarian Day, the world community should take the following steps Respect and protect civilians, humanitarian personnel and medical personnel. Allow and facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Prevent arbitrary arrest and detention, an...

  What Happens When You Don't Follow the Master Blindly! QUINTETS A ruler, quite used to his throne, Found his subjects had minds overgrown With what they were taught, No new thought was brought, "Why follow?" they'd never have known. In halls of might, a shadowed plight, Where power sits, with all its light, With petty jeers, and threats they make, The truth they fear, for goodness sake. Just insults fly, and threats ignite. A questioner, earnest and keen, Found "cerebral naxals" unseen. "Why and what for?" he cried, But the order replied, "Be gone, lest you taint the regime!"

  Remembering Neta Ji Subhash Chandra Bose on His Death Anniversary The death anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose is observed on August 18, marking the reported day in 1945 when his overloaded plane crashed in Taihoku ,Taipei, Taiwan. Bose remains a monumental icon of the Indian Independence Movement, widely celebrated for organizing the Indian National Army (Azad Hind Fauj) and his legendary war cries like "Jai Hind" and "Give me blood, and I will give you freedom". A Poem Inspired by Life and Wisdom of Neta Ji Bose Freedom's fire, it's not a gift, Netaji's words, a powerful shift. We must seize it, take our stand, Not wait for it from any hand. To yield to wrong, a wicked stain, A deeper hurt, a sharper pain. To bend to lies, to bow to might, Is to extinguish freedom's light. The cost of liberty, a heavy toll, Paid in hot blood, soul by soul. No gentle talk, no reasoned plea, Can break the chains and set us free. Through struggle's heat, ...

 Dark Horizons: Slavery and Despair Beneath a Ruthless Rule A heavy hand, a silent dread, Words unspoken, futures bled. No laughter rings, no colours bright, Just shadowed days and starless night. Schools are shut, apart they keep, Tests get leaked, promises sleep. The joy is gone, the songs are mute, A bleak future, no ripening fruit. Chains are forged, though not of steel, The spirit bound, no chance to heal. Just endless toil, a weary sigh, Beneath a gray and watchful eye. For what is lost when freedom flees, And spirits bow on bended knees. A world of gloom, a lonely plight, Lost in the dark, without a light.

 Right to Dissent: The Pillar of Thriving Democracies QUINTETS A voice that cries out, "This is wrong!" Can make the mighty feel less strong. For when we speak, The truth we seek, And help the laws be right and long. A voice that dared to shout, "No more!" Challenged what came before. Old ways had to bend, A new path to transcend, For progress, we all adore. To call dissenters "unpatriotic," Is a thoughtless, rather idiotic, Narrative they spin, A hollow din, Their reasoning, quite idiotic. When leaders grow a bit too grand, And power slips right from their hand, The right to speak, Makes their flaws peek, And keeps them in check throughout the land.

Sumit Sarkar (1939-2026) was an Indian historian and author of Swadeshi Movement and authority on Social History He was a founding member of the Subaltern Studies Group as well as one of its most important critics.  He was born in 1939 and died and died on 13 August 2026 at an age of 87 years.   QUINTETS INSPIRED BY HIS THOUGHTS ON TRUE NATIONALISM   A nation, in fervour and pride, With symbols held deeply inside, Can blind with its might, And darken the light, Where reason 'n empathy subside.   A nation where all can find their place, With fairness and a smiling face. Democracy's bright light, Equity shining bright, Justice for all, in every race.

  NO KINGS MOVEMENT TAKES WINGS ACROSS GLOBE In the States, a loud chant did take wing, "No Kings!" did the people all sing. "Constitution, not liege!" Against Trump's growing siege, For democracy, their hearts did spring. 'No Kings' rallies loudly proclaim, "Our courts must stay free from blame!" With rights they will fight, For truth and for light, And hold power to account, that's their aim. In India, a chant arose, "No kings!" and power's sway it chose. No one man's decree, For all eyes to see, Accountability, it bestows. The firms with wealth, quite a big sway, Made education go astray. Prices shot up, jobs took flight, Monarch ruled day and night, So voices cried, "No Kings Today!" Gen-Z protest arose, loud  'n bold, For schools were not teaching, we're told. With prices so high, And tests gone awry, And kings in their castles of gold.

  Ideology and Conflict: Voices Under Fire Limericks A fellow, quite staunch extreme right, Called thinking a terrible blight. With a furious frown, He'd shout the world down, "No thought! Just my furious might!" A leader, quite grand, in his seat, Said, "Naxals of thought, we must meet! Like the armed ones of old, Their influence bold, Must be finished, completely, discreet!"