Education – Now a Profession, Teacher – A Merchant

As the heading suggests, wasn’t the condition 20-30 years ago. It (knowledge) was used to be given by a well-known and learned person to another in a positive manner. Positive in this respect that, they didn’t bother about the money or, what they would get in return. Their sole purpose was to give all their knowledge, share every experience and transfer all goodness to the young ones so that, they could become good, lead their nation and be able to educate the coming generation. In ancient times too, there were teachers like, Dronacharya – who transformed Arjuna into a great warrior (though he was biased towards him), Chanakya – who helped in the unification of India by helping Chandragupta Maurya achieving a great feat etc. They (teachers) used to be completely devoted to their disciples – through mind as well as soul. But now, things have been changed for bad and transitioning into worse, though not completely. Now-a-days, teachers run behind money. They don’t bother about the future of students. We also have teachers like Ramakant Achrekar – Sachin Tendulkar’s coach, S. Iyer – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam’s teacher, who devoted their life in spreading knowledge. Today also there are teachers like them but, there numbers are few. It’s because of those good teachers that the society is in equilibrium. Otherwise, their anti-parts believe that “wicked and not-so-good in study” students could be transformed only through punishment, which is a conjecture and a false notion. They (students) could be changed through love and care also, as love comes more naturally than hatred. Whatever be the reason, it needs to be sorted out or, it would transform into an epidemic.

After all – A Teacher is one who makes two ideas grow, where only one grew before.

An Era of Bathing Soaps – a look back into 90s

It was a cloudy day while I was resting in the lawn, at the backdrop of my house. There were clouds floating in the sky. Dull & grey clouds - covering the whole city so as to put a veil of obscurity on all its inhabitants. Suddenly, from somewhere, came a fragrance of lemon riding on the back of air that was breezing swiftly. As I looked around to inquire about its source – from where it was coming, I was left stunned for a moment. Shraddha, my neighbour – looking literally beautiful and hot – adorning a red suit, was drying her hair, as the clouds were fading away and allowing the Sun to shine. That very fragrance made me nostalgic and took me back to my childhood days down my memory lane.
During that period, there were ample soaps available to choose from, like – Lux – which always used celebrities for its advertisements starting from Leela Chutnis to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Lifebuoy – symbol of freshness and tandoorusti (health), Dettol – a health brand, Hamam, Cinthol – featuring Vinod Khanna, Liril – again a widely known symbol of freshness, coolness and hotness too, Medimix, Nima – endorsed by Sonali Bendre, Breeze, Palmolive etc.
Lux’s ads were ubiquitous back in those days and one bar of it used to be present in, not all but, most household. Lux believed that “beauty is a female instinct that shouldn’t be denied”. Lux encouraged women to celebrate and indulge their femininity with the “Play with Beauty” philosophy, with stars like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
When one heard the “tandoorusti ki raksha” (Protection of health) Lifebuoy jingle, it brought to mind cleanliness and health.
Indian housewives valued her privacy, and that when she went for her bath, it felt like escaping into her own world, away from her monotonous, prosaic, mundane life. “Liril”, was a “Liberation Soap” with a simple proposition of freshness.
Anshu, Anshu……Suddenly I heard my name (nick name) being called and it was my mother calling me for the lunch. It was a very good journey down my memory lane into the 90s. I hope you all will like it.