Safety in Closed Doors and Closed Hearts?

We feel safe in the closed door of our room or closed door of our house, we feel even safer in the four walls and the boundary of our house.

We have a sense of security when we are with our own family and when some unknown person comes we are afraid.

 If we are left in an open place we become afraid we don’t feel secure. What is this safety that we are seeking in the closedness?


We are afraid of talking openly, we don’t want to open our heart and be plain and simple in our day to day interactions with others. Why? Because we don’t want to get hurt or we don’t want to get used by others, or even more valid reason because in that way things don’t happen in today’s world.

Knowingly or unknowingly we feel secure and safe when we build boundaries and walls around ourselves, whether it is a house or a heart.

We don’t want anyone to penetrate and share our space. Till the time there was only earth there was only the difference of races human and animal, there was only one race human race and every one lived together happily.



But as soon as people started building boundaries and boarders separation of people and separation of hearts started. My country, your country, my state your state, my language your language, my culture and your culture and the list is unending.

In earlier days people used to find safety and security living together and helping each other. Now a days we find it secure and safe in isolation and separation, whether it is humans or states or countries.


There is a huge difference in the times then and now and in the attitude of the people then and know. The lifestyle that we lead and the money race that we are in has hardened our hearts and made us seek safety and security in closeness, instead of being open, we are no longer free, we have imprisoned our bodies in the four walls and we have imprisoned our hearts in unseen walls.


But we have to realize the fact that real life lies behind those closed doors of our hearts and our houses. And the day we open our eyes to this fact and we open the doors of our heart, sunshine comes in throwing away all the darkness and bringing in new life.

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Apartment Blocks Really ‘A-Part-ments’

By G. Gayathri

This incident happened in real. A posh apartment complex in a metropolitan, with all the modern amenities and comforts. It's night ten o clock and someone is having dinner, someone is already asleep and someone is busy with the cores at home.

Suddenly there is lot of activity and everyone is running down to the cellar area, suddenly there is a knock on the door and all of us were asked immediately to switch off the main and leave to the cellar area.

There is some malfunction in the main of the block where all the electricity mains are there and it has caught fire and sparks were already seen in homes at the ground level.

So everyone is immediately alerted and asked to come down. Every one left home as it is and left for down stairs, where everyone is assembled.

Fire engine has come and everyone is talking about the accident and long it will take to restore the mains and how difficult it would be to manage without electricity.

As it is an apartment complex there are buildings opposite and beside this block where the incident took place. There, from that block, people are peeping from the windows and doors trying to find out what is happening and some are closing their already open doors, switching off lights, as if they have seen nothing and nothing matters to them.

There are nearly four blocks in the complex and not one person from another block has come to find out at least what has happened and offered any kind of help or anything.

All living in the same building, all working in corporate and multinational companies drawing salaries in lakhs, very well educated and living high end lifestyle.

I was wonder struck, what kind of educated persons are we and have our hearts also become so concrete, living in the concrete jungle? Don’t we feel anything for our fellow humans and are we just living life as money making machines and nothing else.

By God’s grace nothing serious happened and everyone was safe. But what kind of humans are we if something happens to a crow all other crows come and at least make noise, animals and birds have this sense, but what happened to humans?

People in the cities feel that they are superior to people in villages and in towns but in a remote place and in villages or for that matter in slums that are there in the cities if something happens every one comes together and stands united. These are the things that we definitely need to learn from them and from birds and animals even.

Let us get back to our basics and the roots from where we hail. Let us try to remember that we are humans and we are supposed to have a responding and sensitive heart. Our greatness and development does not lie in foreign degrees and corporate cheques, but the way behave and lead life, not just living for ourselves and for our family, but thinking of helping others in times of necessity.

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Donating Surplus Food – a Social Service Activity

Any occasion that is happy and auspicious is not complete without food. Any good news and we want to celebrate the occasion with our loved ones we call for a party. Any occasion whether it is good or bad it is not complete without food.

In marriages or in other functions we see that lot of food and that too many varieties are offered to the guests. Now a days it has also become a fashion to offer multiple cuisines in such occasions, even after consumption lot of food is left out, and it goes waste.

On such occasion instead of wasting the food you can donate the leftover food to food banks, yes, these are the very people who collect the excess food from your place and distribute it among those who are starving.

There are many kinds of organizations that are offering these kind of services. Some people bring their own transport and vessels and collect the food and go.

In some other organizations you have to take the food to their place and then they will make arrangements to distribute the food.

Any way the food is not wasted and what is excess and waste to you fills the stomach of someone who is hungry.

These are voluntary organizations founded by persons like you and me who do this as service to the society. There are many such organizations that are undertaking these kinds of activities.

So, next time you are any where you see excess or left over and good food, instead of throwing it out you can suggest giving it to these organizations and help fill in some ones empty stomach.

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Man Kills 8-Month-Old Daughter, Because He Wanted a Son

At Gandipet village in the outskirts of Hyderabad city, a man allegedly killed his eight-month-old daughter by throwing her into a well because he wanted a male child, police said.

The couple already has a 3-year-old girl and he badly wanted a son when his wife delivered for the second time.

The police said E Ramulu, a laborer, made his wife drink toddy with him last night. When his wife was sleeping, he picked up the baby girl and threw her into a well in the nearby field and then returned to his bed.

In the morning, playing innocent he asked his wife about the baby and started searching her, but when the villagers suspected and questioned him. At last he confessed his act, and showed the well to villagers before escaping from the spot.

Police said, the girl's body was later retrieved from the well, police said. Narsingi police have registered a murder case against Ramulu and are searching for him.

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A New Definition for Service and Help

There was a time when the meaning of service and help was focused on others. But now with the changing times, the definition of service and help has changed.

The focus has shifted from others to self, today we say I give my services to the company and I get paid for my services, you go to a restaurant and there it is written self help.

Is this a change in the meaning of the words or the change in the mind set of the people? Is this a representation of the people belonging to the New World, whose focus is entirely on the self?

Help and Service are the words that have changes many people’s lives; these are the words that are a source of inspiration to many.

Help and service are the words that have given a direction to the life of many people and evolved them to the divine level from mere humans.

There is nothing wrong in using these words for the self, but we should not get drowned in this so deeply that we are on our way of forgetting its original meaning.

Let us try to shift our focus from the self, a bit, to our fellow beings and life. Let us at least once in a while, remember the true meaning of the words “Help and Service” and try to put into practice in our life.

We are leading a life in the changing world, changing time; we are surrounded by people who have a new mind set and attitude. Better or worse we know better, it is always welcome and good to have an adaptive attitude, but we should not forget our roots and the truth.

Let us once again remember the true meaning of Help and Service and try to live it, because we ‘Humans’.

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Protect Environment, Plant Tress

Time has to come, everyone should focus on the need for a movement to act aiming protecting environment. The environment has been deteriorated world-wide and it should be compensated by planting more trees, wherever and whenever is possible.

To know that we badly damaged the environment , no need for scientifically authentication rather we need to think differently. On a positive note, more and more tress can be planted to have a balance between the damage is done so far with nature.

If that can't be done early, then it would be very late for the next generation to get clear and healthy environment to live. When we talk about sustainable development, it defines for a consistent progress maintaining the available resources we have for a long time.

The rapid expansion of  industries and services might not be aiming with the view of sustainable development, rather it is no the path of short term developing or sky rocketing in short span of time.

There should also be plans to protect the nature, and we should abide by the thought that the next generation has a right to live a healthy environment, which we got fortunately.

Just thought, we could have missed the environment we have today, if the rapid industrialization took place in the beginning of 19 century.  There need for act, so please save the world, plant a tree to provide good and healthy environment for the next generation to come.

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Man is a Social Animal: Just Thought

Rightly said, man is a social animal. Man can't live without society. A question strike to mind that, is that quote remains same worthy as it used to be.

Since this is the age of social networking, gadgets define our life. Facebook, twitters are part and parcel of life.

Fifty per cent youth might be addicted to these social networking sites in the age of digital technology. Thanks to latest gadgets those helping them hanging to these social networking sites for their online friends.

Days are gone by, when people used to remembers the best quotes to write in exam, public speaking or participating in debate competitions.

In the age of modern internet, you need to just Google the word, if not then just post it on Facebook or ask on Twitter, instant answers are ready on your screen.

It is being told that, man can't live without society, but seems this need some correction to 'man can't live without social networking sites'.

Even schools students own facebook account and their aim to have chat, its not about serious business rather friendship.

The level addiction has crossed it boundaries, students, you, man, professional all are busy finding their online friends and might often forget to wish face-to-face.

There is alarm about the rapid changing in social behaviour because these social networking sites, attention is must for the people those was to ratify their error addition with these sites.

Not this post is not against these social networking sites at all rather about the changing behaviour and trends in the society.

Massage is clear, man is social animal, please don't make them social animal addicted to social networking sites, at least.

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What Matters in Life? Practical Knowledge or Theory

Many of the times in life we learn in life by reading, reading during student life, reading about the life of great people when we become young. But most of the life’s valuable lessons and unforgettable lessons we learn only from experience. What we may read we may forget, but what we learn from experience lives with us till our last breath. It not only helps us to go-ahead with life it even helps other to learn, when we share our experiences with others.

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Student Life: Choices

Peak examinations time and time to get prepared for the final examinations, only then a new picture of our favorite hero or heroine will be released. Another time you have cricket matches lined up, if not any of these you have elections coming up? All this only in the core time when you have final exams or you have campus interviews. What do you choose? Those who have plans for the future and are serious about it, forego the present happiness or temptations for the sake of better future, and those who give up and step ahead to enjoy today, will have to regret tomorrow.

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Women: Just an object of enjoyment?

There has been severe increase in the rate of crime, in the recent years. Especially teenagers committing, severe crimes in the name of love. Acid attacks on girls, cutting the throat of the girl, if she rejects the boy. Raping and murdering three year old girls and sixty year old women. We have been hearing lot of this stuff these days. And it is quite saddening and fearful also.

Some times I really wonder if this is the same India, where, women used to be treated with respect and where elders used to teach their children, that where women are treated with respect, Devatas will be there. The influence of western channels, or drastic changes in the lifestyle, and freedom that is really leading us to dogs. The movies whether bollywood or Hollywood, with no piece of acting but just uncovering the naked facts, Really wonder what to blame and whom to blame for all this.

Recent reports and research have shown that that has been a drastic increase in the crime rate, especially towards the girl child. Father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi said “when a women can move freely in the midnight, without fear, that day we have achieved real freedom” I really feel those days were far better than these days, today we fear sending a three year old girl child outside the house, not in the midnight but in the day light only.

Where is all our culture of treating women next to God gone? When have we started seeing women and even babies, as mere objects of pleasure? Sometimes I really feel, that the older generation, were better than us in matter of morality and values. They might be uneducated, but they treated women with respect. They never even thought of crossing limits in matters of morality and values. These are the things that we should inherit from our elders and older generation. Because these are the real mile stones of progress. Our real progress as humans.

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Is the Middle Class in India Becoming Increasingly Materialized?

Left with no other option, yes, middles class people are definitely becoming more materialized than ever. And surprisingly, still their life style needs and necessities, keeps increasing, but never decrease. Reason, ever increasing standard of living, and ‘never’ increasing salaries. The pace at which the prices of commodities, vegetables, and fuel are increasing, hardly can a middle class person sleep peacefully.

Right from, house rent, electricity, you name it and everything is on a hike except salary, what option they are left with. Though they are becoming materialized, their standard still remains same, Middle Class. The lower class, live happily with whatever they get, they earn on a daily basis and they live for today, and every person in the home does some work or the other and is a earning member, so they have no problem.

The higher class, have no problem, their income levels are high and they can spare enough to invest, and save, so standard of living, increase in prices have a little or no effect on them. Left are the middle class people, always in the middle of everything, they can neither climb up, nor climb down, they always struggle in the middle. They can neither dare do anything and any kind of work like the lower class to increase income, nor can invest and save like the upper or higher class.

They are stuck in false prestige and sentiments that do not benefit them or allow them to grow. There is only one person working in the home and the others dependent, how can ever one expect any kind of growth. The single salary is not sufficient to meet the needs, and there is no other alternative source of income, what will happen to that person taking responsibility? What else can he think of except money and needs to meet? So, if middle class is become increasingly materialized, there is valid and genuine reason behind it. But, if becoming so is helping them prosper or helping them live better, is a question better answered by them alone.

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We are Unable to Fight War against Child Labour

Though Government has made laws, to eradicate child labour, to what extent it has been successful we all know. There are separate departments even, entrusted with the responsibility to take care of this but to what extent the department is sincere, in discharging its duties, the evidence is the results. Laws are in their place, departments are there to take action, but still, things are going the same way, they have ever been.

When we step out of the house, we see, child labour working in hotels, mechanic workshops, and many other places. Those who make them work, feel that they are supporting their families, by giving employment. Parents, who make them work, feel, if he will work he will earn some income for the family, what he will do studying. This is how the vicious and endless circle goes on.

Where does the root cause lie? Same old answer, poverty and ever raising prices and standard of living. These are the factors that are making parents willingly or unwillingly, to make their children work as child labour. If schemes are implemented to remove these things, then maybe we can expect a decrease in the number of child labour. Taking action against business people are employers who are employing child labour is not a solution to the problem, our focus should be on the parents, and to know what factors are forcing them to do so.

If we can convince parents of these children, educate them, and provide them with alternatives for income, then we can eradicate this problem. We as responsible citizens, should not, to our extent encourage this practice, and stop employing children. If these steps are taken, and the responsible department also takes up the responsibility, sincerely and takes, necessary action, and functions properly as it should, then there will no more be any child labor.

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Has the caste system completely ruined us?

Any doubts? Well, in various fields caste system has played different roles, but all only on the negative side. This is definitely one of the biggest reasons, behind country’s lack of development and progress. It is because of this caste system that the merit students and students with real capabilities are left behind, in the race of securing seats or jobs. One really wonders as to what justice, this caste system has done and to whom. But it definitely has ruined many students’ lives, students who are meritorious and talented, but are left behind because of caste factor.

This is in relation to students, and, when it comes to politics, it has a major role to play and is the deciding factor for confirming candidate’s seat, which caste does he belong to, or which religion he belongs to, how many votes he can secure, if contesting from what place? This is the sole deciding factor now a days, nothing else, not the eligibility of the candidate, background, character; nothing matters in front of this.

This caste system has penetrated so badly into the minds of the people that now a days we find there are separate organizations and communities, formed in the name of the each caste. Shame on us, the great people, of a secured country, who keep boasting about our unity and integrity. Now a day’s people prefer going to the doctor or a professional for assistance to a person belonging to their own caste, why? Because, he may offer them a discount or do a favor on the basis of caste, need, is not criteria for helping, it is the caste that has become a criteria to offer a helping hand and to lift one up, our fellow human being, this is the way people have started thinking, and such is the ill effect of the caste system.

If our country should prosper and citizens should prosper, we should leave behind our caste system, stop misusing it, and should develop evolved thinking, a sort of thinking that benefits what is right and what is good. Only then, do we, have a right to call ourselves, true citizens of this country, and only then do we as citizens have a right to point out our fingers at others let them be politicians or any other persons.

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Are Beauty pageant just a way of objectifying Women

Fashion industry, fashion trends, and beauty related industries, such as cosmetics etc, have a very huge influence on today’s women. With the increase in the number of working women, and that too in the corporate sector, it has become a must for them to look up to date, and modern. So, to attain a confident and corporate look, it has become a must to adapt modern dressing style, and makeup, to a great extent.

Peoples dressing style and make up style change according to the time, place and need. Right from the attire you wear, your hair style, make up, jeweler, to the slippers that you wear should blend, that too with the time and occasion. With the changing times and changes in the society, and to get on in the work place and in the society and neighborhood, it has become a must to follow the trends in the fashion and make up and others, otherwise you will be treated as odd one out.

So, to keep up with the changes in time and in the society, women definitely follow the trends in fashion world and in the beauty world. In fact, new fashionable clothes and designs are created keeping in mind the needs of the various women, their life style and even age. Even new range of cosmetics and beauty care products are designed and made, keeping in view different age groups and their needs. Jewellery is no exception to this, a wide range of designer collections are available, depending on need and occasion. So, this is enough to state as to, how much, the trends in fashion and beauty influence women in the society.

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Can Manual Scavenging be flushed from our country?

By Jyoti Parida

Every day 1.3 million people in India (of which more than 80% are Dalit women) are forced to clean human excrement with their bare hands for little to no wages, a practice called manual scavenging. It was introduced during the British rule in India perhaps in the late 19th century when municipalities were organized. The toilets often used a container that needed to be emptied daily or in the other ways we can say it as the dry (non-flush) latrines. This dehumanizing job was basically given to the lower caste or the untouchables. Basically with a very few exception, all the manual scavengers are from the schedule castes. These scavengers are rarely able to take another occupation due to discrimination related to their caste and are thus forced to remain scavengers.

In 1970, Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak introduced his “Sulabh” concept for building and managing public toilets in India. This was a hygienic and well-managed public toilet system. But still then manual scavenging still survives in many parts of India. From a survey it was found that the more number of manual scavengers are in the Uttarpradesh then Bihar then Uttrakhand and so on. On June 17, 2011, Honorable Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of India referred to manual scavenging as "one of the darkest blots on India's development process" and asked all state Ministers in his country to pledge to eliminate this scourge from every corner of India in the next six months, by the end of 2011.

A 36-year-old woman Usha Chaumar from Alwar, Rajasthan, who was once a manual scavenger, was invited to deliver an address at the World Water Forum in France’s port city Marseille. She told the world about the lives of hundred of women who are into this profession is very pathetic. Now because of Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak Sulabh we can renew our hope and she was also rescued of by this means only. She also told that at the age of ten she was married and was forced into manual scavenging, the only livelihood her family has known for generations. It was extremely humiliating, but there was no choice as we had been doing this job for years and upper caste people insisted that we were only good for this.

In 1970s the state of Karnataka passed a law to ban manual scavengers. The employment of manual scavengers and construction of dry latrines (prohibition) act, 1993 punishes the employment of scavengers or the construction of dry (non-flush) latrines with imprisonment for up to one year and/or a fine of Rs 2,000. Like wise the other Chief ministers from their respective states had given a strict warning to stop this practice and to use new engage mechanized cesspools. But the strange thing is that prevailing of so many acts or laws, the biggest violator of this law is the Indian Railways, which has toilets dropping all the excreta on the grounds/stations and they employ scavengers to clean it manually. Mahatma Gandhi in Bengal in 1901, Dr.Ambedkar and Thanthai Periyar in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia in Lok Sabha in 1967, raised topics on this horrible working. This topic was being raised before the Independence but still now no conclusion why? Is anybody not interested in solving the most humiliating problem of our country? India is trying to advance/ is already in every fields than why not in this manual scavenging.

Many people in this country still don’t know the meaning of manual scavenging. India got Independence but manual scavenging didn’t. The manual-scavenging demon is still now attracting all the poor people towards it. Come on everybody with our bare hands we all will dump this manual scavenging into the soil by using the improved technologies instead of the old one.

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Second innings for Senior citizens

Press Release

Indore, 20 July 2012: Senior citizens need love and affection. In the later years of their life, they need a life partner, who can understand their feelings. Recognizing this need of senior people Being Responsible, an NGO dedicated to the welfare of senior citizens, has started match making facility punarvivah for senior citizens so that they can find a suitable partner. Through this service they can find a life partner of their choice and then can marry him or her or live in a live in relationship. Atul Malikram President Being Responsible says, “We are happy that a show being broadcasted on TV has put the condition of elders and their requirements before the nation. We have been keeping elders busy in different creative activities for a long time. We feel that the role a life partner plays in sharing their feelings can never be played by anyone else. This is the time when an elder needs a company most. Therefore we have started match making facility for elder people so that they can live their remaining life with a life partner. Through this service they will get a new goal to live a happy life.”


For further information contact: Atul Malikram 9755020247 Website: www.beingresponsible.in, www.punarvivah.net

About being responsible

Being responsible is a social group of Indore city, aiming to provide various social services to the society. This group is dedicated to the welfare of senior citizens. It has pioneered to give a new direction to elders in later years of their life. The group is running the following activities at present:

1- Two Senior Citizens Day Care Centers –at (a) 148 B Mahadev Totla Nagar, Ring Road, Indore, and (b) 137 Sarva Sampanna Nagar, Kanadia Road, Indore.

2- Assistance to needy senior citizens by grocery.

3- Mobile Medicare van- Main Hoon Naa.

Our future projects:

1- Opening of 2 more Senior Citizens Day Care Centers.

2- Opening of Old Age Homes- Aasraa.

3- Opening of a physiotherapy center.


For media more details, please contact

Ritu@9827092823, breakfastnews@gmail.com

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Child Abuse in India: A Secret?

By Jyoti Parida

Is child abuse India’s worst kept secret? Isn’t it sound’s so shocking. Still now many people are not aware of the child abuse. But it’s the truth and it’s going to touch its peak. Is everybody sleeping peacefully and not aware of the environment in which they are, has been already polluted. A survey conducted in 2007 by the Women and Child Development Ministry and the NGO Prayas in association with UNICEF and Save the Children across 13 states and with a sample size of 12,447. The shocking details were laid bare to the entire nation. The survey found that 53.22 per cent of children reported having faced one or more forms of molestation. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and Delhi had reported the highest percentage of such incidents at that time. In 50% of the cases, the abusers were known to the child or were in a position of trust and responsibility and most children did not report the matter to anyone.

The child abuse in different types is rising day by day like molestation, under age girls throwing into flesh trade, domestic violence, child labor and many more. Why? These types of crimes are being created. I don’t think those people whoever are committing these crimes are normal. He/she must be a mentally sick person. Everybody say that child is gods gift. A gift of god means it is related to god. So how can they think to do such dirty things to the little once? So don’t wait until your child turn comes. So “It’s better to do your job before than after” following this proverb come forward and decide what will be the right way to stop child abuse. I am giving my view to stop child abuse.

STOP CHILD ABUSE

• Parents should be a best friend of a child so that he/she can share everything with his parents.
• Donate to a genuine NGO for children so that some children can be saved.
• The person who is being punished for child abuse simultaneously they should be mentally cured inside the jail. They should realize what they have done.

World Day for prevention of child abuse is 19 November. Is one day enough to kill the germs of child abuse? Where everyday, at every moment or at every second somewhere a child is crying for help. We can’t hear or we don’t want to listen the screams of the child. I think everyday should be a prevention day for child abuse. Come on wake up everybody and do something for a secured and better tomorrow for your loved ones.

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