28 - I am real !

The family settled down for dinner at the restaurant. The waitress first took the order of the adults, then, turned to the seven - year old.

"What will you have?" she asked. The boy looked around the table timidly and said. "I would like to have a hot dog."

Before the waitress could write down the order the mother interrupted. "No hot dogs," she said. "Get him a steak with mashed potatoes and carrots."

The waitress ignored her, "Do you want ketchup or mustard on your hot dog?" she asked the boy. "Ketchup," he said. "Coming up in a minute," said the waitress as she started for the kitchen.

There was a stunned silence when she left. Finally the boy looked at everyone present and said, "Know what? She thinks I'm real!"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

125 - Two stories

Sumi was a girl who often went late to the school. The teacher would be angry with her and make her stand outside the class. The next day also she came late. The same punishment was given. This happened continuously for three months. Everyday she used to come late and the teacher used to make her stand outside the class.

One day Sumi came to the school on time. The teacher was very surprised seeing her in the class.

The teacher asked her, "Sumi, how come you are on time today?"

Sumi replied, "Ma'am, I had a brother who was handicapped. When my mother used to go for work, I was supposed to take care of him. When she came back, I used to hand over my brother to her and used to come to the school. My brother is now no more."

In Ekalavya we have almost 215 students ( out of 1000 ) who are on "Financial Assistance" - they do not pay the full fees, they pay whatever they can, year after year. Last Feb when I met a family, the mother told me "Sunil Sir, this is most probably the last year we will take Financial Assistance. My mother-in-law is ill with cancer and we have to spend Rs 20,000 per month on her, but now the doctor says that she does not have much time left, maximum a couple of months. After that, we will be able to pay the full fees."




source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

The Fluctuation

Any boardroom sitter with a taste for Wall Street lore has heard of the retort that J.P Morgan the Elder is supposed to have made to a naive acquaintance who had ventured to ask the great man what the market was going to do. "It will fluctuate," replied Morgan dryly.




Source: Business Adventures by John Brooks

121 - Naughty girl !

Sarojini Naidu, the poetess , was called 'the nightingale of India' - a title given to her by Gandhiji.

During the Civil Disobedience movement, she was sent to East Africa to establish contact with overseas Indians living in those parts. The khoja community living in that area organized a public meeting in her honor to greet her.

The principal speaker was a rich khoja businessman. As his knowledge of English was limited, a teacher wrote out a speech to be read by him. The teacher addressed Sarojini Naidu as 'Nightingale of India' at one place in the speech.

The khoja business faltered as he reached this portion of the speech. He never heard of this word in his life. He paused for a while and using his common-sense read - 'the famous naughty girl of India' making a mess of the entire speech!

As soon as he said this the entire assembly was drowned in laughter, at this unintended mistake. But was Sarojini Naidu offeneded? Not at all! Indeed it was she who brought home the story! An example of her famous and well loved sense of humor!

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

115 - Netaji - a courageous man

Once Netaji was taking a salute in a ceremonial march past at Rangoon. About 3000 troops were taking part in that parade. after he had delivered his speech, the march-past started.

As the Rani of Jhansi regiment started marching. British fighter planes were seen approaching Rangoon.

Sensing danger, most of the visitors including the Japanese Generals ran for cover. But Netaji did not move. And the girls too kept on marching, as if nothing had happened. Bombs were falling in all directions, but still Netaji stood there till all the troops had moved and taken shelter.

It so happened that the planes were flying very low, within a hundred yards of Netaji, and could have easily shot him and the girls, but the brave soldiers and their supreme commander did not move from their ground in the face of all the danger. Truly, Subhash was a man of courage.


source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

101 - A man of action

Subhash Chandra Bose was a firm believer in action. He believed that dreams were sensible only when they were followed by action !

Most of the times, he behaved and worked just like any ordinary soldier. Once, during informal talks, an officer suggested, "Sir, let us write the history of Azad Hind Fauz."

Pat came the answer that truly sums his views and personality. "Let us first make it. Surely, then there will be someone who will eventually write it."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

100 - Two "escape" stories !

A massively built woman strode into the registrar's office, slamming the door shut behind her.

"Did you or did you not issue this license for me to marry Jacob Jacobson?" she said, slamming the document on the table.

The registrar inspected the document closely through his thick glasses. "Yes, ma'am. I believe I did. Why?"

"Because," said the woman, "he has escaped. What are you going to do about it?"

A teacher of Eklavya school observed that one of the little boys in her class was pensive and withdrawn.

"What are you worried about?" she asked.

"My parents," he replied. "Papa works all day to keep me clothed and fed and sent to the best school in town. And he's working overtime to be able to send me to college. Mummy spends all day cooking and cleaning and ironing and shopping so I have nothing to worry about."'

"Why then, why are you worried?"

"I'm afraid they might try to escape."







source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

098 - Three stories of encouragement

A tourist arrived late at the golf course and had to take a young lad of ten as caddie. He was a tiny fellow, knew next to nothing about the course or the game and he spoke only three words of English.

Thanks to those three words, however, the tourist made him his caddie for the rest of his stay. After each shot, regardless of the result, the little fellow would stamp his foot and shout with feeling, "Damned good shot!"

A woman was deeply hurt by the behaviour of her fifteen year old son. Each time they went out together he would walk on ahead of her. Was he ashamed of her ? One day she asked him.

"Oh, Mom, no," was his embarrassed reply. "It's just that you look so young and I'm worried my friends will suspect I have a new girl friend."

Her hurt vanished as if by magic.

A little girl went to her teacher one day and said, "Ma'am, ma'am, look at my paper!"

She showed her paper and every word was spelt wrongly. The teacher looked at her and said, "Dear lady, I really  like your paper - the margins are nice and neat and your printing is clean and readable."

And she said, "Thank you Ma'am. I have really been working hard on it. Next time I am going to work on my spelling."



source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

097 - One hundred asherphies

Akbar told his ministers, "I give you 400 asherphies (silver coins) each. You are required to spend them in such a way that I get 100 asherphies back on earth, 100 asherphies back in heaven, 100 asherphies neither here nor there, and you must return 100 asherphies to me intact."

This problem was too difficult for all except Birbal. He took the money. The son of a rich trader was getting married. He went to him and said the king has send 100 asherphies as a wedding gift. The trader was very happy and gave larger amount of money as return gift. The Birbal bought clothes for 100 asherphies and distributed them to the poor in the name of King Akbar. Afterwards he threw a party and spent 100 asherphies towards it. The remaining 100 asherphies he returned to Akbar.

At court, Birbal explained that 100 asherphies which he gave to the trader were here, 100 asherphies which he distributed among the poor were for there, 100 asherphies which he spent on the party were neither here nor for there, and rest 100 asherphies he returned to the King.

Everyone appreciated the wisdom of Birbal.


source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

095 - Honesty - best qualification

C.V Raman had built the Raman Research Institute in 1949. Several applicants were interviewed for the post of scientific assistant. After the interviews were over, Raman found one applicant ( who was found unsuitable for the post ) still waiting outside the interview room.

Raman approached him and asked sharply, "What are you doing here? I told you, we cannot take you in. Why do you linger here?"

"Sir, I know that, but I've come back to return the excess travelling allowance paid to me by mistake by your office" ... the applicant stuttered.

"Oh, is it?" said Raman, surprised, keeping his hand on the applicant's shoulder, and taking him to his office. "Come in, you have just been selected for the post ! It matters not if your physics in inadequate. I can teach you that. You're a man of character. That's important to me!"

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

088 - Three anecdotes from Leena Sarabhai

Leena Sarabhai is the sister of Vikram Sarabhai and no less an illustrious person herself, co-founder (along with Madame Maria Montessori) of the finest school for children of the age group 2.5 to 5.5 years - Shreyas, Madame Maria Montessori stayed here for a year.

Leenaben was born in 1914 and is now old. She likes me a lot and I like her a lot. She loves to talk, about many things : her experiences, her life, many things. Many of the things she says I have heard often - repeated maybe as many times as I have met her - yet these stories and the experience of meeting her have touched me deeply.

J Krishnamurthy once spent a month in the home of the Sarabhai's when Leenaben was 14 years old. Later she wrote a booklet recollecting that month. She gave me a copy to read. I read it and went back to her wanting to ask her a question. I had folded the top-of-the-page which was related to my question. As I asked her my question she took the book and lovingly unfolded that fold and with a lot of pain in her voice asked me, "You do this to books, do you?"

"Yes", I replied. (It did not hit me then.)

"It must be hurting the paper, isn't it?" she said.

I just gaped at her !

Hundreds of times she has asked me, "Sunilbhai, how can a teacher shout at her students asking them to keep quiet?" And I have seen this happening in hundreds of schools and hundreds of classrooms ! And everytime I remember Leenaben!

Once I was visiting Shreyas with her and saw a wooden-board about 2 ft x 3 ft in a corner. On the board were written numbers vertically from 1 to 10 and then 11 to 20  and so on upto 91 to 100. The board was dusty since out of use. I asked her - "Why don't you use it?"

"Don't you see? It is not a square, it is a rectangle." said Leenaben.

I did not quite realise until lightening struck! When you are teaching 1 to 10 and 11 to 20 and so on, the board needs to be a square matrix. Or else you are telling the students that 1 to 10 horizontally is different from that vertically or vice versa.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

083 - Necessity becomes a ritual

A swami lived with his disciples, somewhere. Swamiji had a pet cat, which licked food off all the plates and bowls at dinner-time making it jootha. So, the swami told one of his disciples to tie the cat to a tree nearby till dinner was over.

A few years passed. The swami died. After some more years the cat died. One of the disciples remembered the old swami, and said it was auspicious to tie the cat to a tree nearby during dinner time. So they bought a new cat and tied it to the tree!

Earlier it was necessary to tie the cat to the tree. Now it was a ritual.

From necessity comes a solution,
then becomes a ritual and continues
even when necessity is not there.

In olden days people would circle their thaali with a handful of water before starting the meal. This was to wet the earth to prevent ants from wandering into the thaali. Now a days many people circle their thaali with a handful of water on a formica dining table at home!

Margaret Thatcher upon becoming Prime Minister visited a southern port of England. There was a tower. She climbed the tower, met a soldier, asked him what is his duty, and he answered, "I am here to watch for Napoleon's navy and shout when I see them approaching." Waterloo was 1815, this was 1978 ! Napoleon died, the post continued !

During the World War canons were used. These were bulky affairs - pulled by 2 horses and had 5 soldiers in attendance. One to feed the canon, one to fire, one to clean it, and two to hold the horses. When Sam Maneckshaw became Field Marshal he saw the army still employed 5 soldiers per canon (now there were no horses, but a motorized vehicle !)




source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

068 - Proof of God

Newton had a friend who was an atheist scientist, and one day he paid a visit when Newton had just finished making his solar system machine. The man saw the machine and started cranking the handle of the machine, and the planets went round. He asked, "Who made this?" Newton stopped writing and said, "Nobody did." Then he carried on writing.

The man said, "You didn't hear me. Who made the machine?" Newton replied, "I told you. Nobody did."

"Now listen, Issac, this marvelous machine must have been made by somebody, don't keep saying that nobody made it."

At which point Issac Newton stopped writing and got up. He looked at him and said, "Now isn't this amazing? I tell you that nobody made a simple toy like that and you don't believe me. Yet you gaze out into the solar system, the intricate marvelous machine that is around you - and you dare say to me that no one made that. I don't believe it."

The story goes that the atheist went away and he was no longer an atheist. He was suddenly converted to the idea that God was behind the laws that were found in creation.

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html

053 - Concentration

Once while in the US, Swami Vivekananda was watching some boys standing on a bridge and trying to shoot at egg-shells floating on the river.

The egg-shells bobbed up and down. The boys could not hit any of them.

They fired the gun many times but they always missed the target!

They noticed that Swamiji was watching them. So they called out to him, "Well, you are watching us. Do you thing you can do better?"

Swamiji smiled and said, "I'll try."

Swamiji took the gun and aimed at the egg-shells. He stood very still for a few minutes. Then he fired the gun. he fired twelve times, and everytime he hit an egg shell ! The boys were very surprised.

How could any man shoot egg-shells like that? they thought.
They said to Swamiji, "Well, Mister, How did you do it?"

Swamiji laughed. He liked the boys.

"Whatever you are doing," he said, "put your whole mind to it. If you are shooting, your mind should be only on the target. then you will never miss. If you are learning your lessons, think only of the lesson. In my country boys are taught to do this."

source: Stories from Here and There, Ekalavya Education Foundation - By: Sunil Handa - http://www.eklavya.org/storyhere.html