Candid

  Robo Sons and Daughters Today morning it crossed my mind, like a passing cloud— soft, unclear, almost forgettable. And now it returns again, a little heavier, as if it wanted to be written. Robo assists and manages life for lonely souls— silent homes now hum with presence. Soon, robo becomes family, the new child in the house, not born, but brought in. Not just battery and wires sustain it— it is fed with love, with irritation, with jealousy too. Very soon, comparisons begin: “My robo is the best.” “My robo goes to school.” “My robo needs a companion… a family.” And one day, quietly— my robo spends less time with me. It seems… he is busy in his own world now. Humans will tailor-make robo, shape it in their own image— teaching it how to accept, how to reject. And in the end, they won’t create something new— they will simply recreate themselves.

    Religious Diversity in India: Concept, Characteristics, Causes of Communalism, Challenges, and the Role of Education Introduction India is one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world. It is the birthplace of major religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, and has also been home to Islam, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism for centuries. This rich plurality of faiths is both a defining strength and a complex challenge for Indian society. Religious diversity refers to the coexistence of multiple religious beliefs, practices, rituals, and communities within a single national framework.   Concept of Religious Diversity Religious diversity in India means that no single religion holds an exclusive claim over the nation's cultural or social life. The Constitution of India recognises this reality by declaring India a secular state, ensuring freedom of religion to all citizens. Religious diversity implies mutual respect, peacef...

  QUESTION 1 Elaborate the efforts of National Policy of Education (NPE) 1986 in addressing the unique socio-cultural diversity and challenges of the times. Introduction India in the mid-1980s was a nation grappling with deep and layered challenges — widespread illiteracy, stark regional inequalities, the marginalisation of women and disadvantaged communities, and a crisis of national cohesion in the face of extraordinary socio-cultural diversity. The National Policy on Education 1986 was formulated under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's government as a direct and comprehensive response to these realities. It was the first major education policy after NPE 1968 and came at a time when India needed not just an educational overhaul but a social vision translated into educational practice. Background and Context The NPE 1986 was preceded by extensive national consultations and acknowledged openly that the education system had failed large sections of Indian society — particularly w...

  Catch Them Young, Guide Them Right (Reflections of an educator-poet on the art of shaping futures) There is a quiet revolution that happens in every classroom — one that rarely makes headlines, yet changes the world one child at a time. It begins early. Long before a child knows the weight of ambition, they carry within them the seed of a future. As educators, our most sacred task is not to plant that seed — it is already there — but to water it with attention, to guard it with care, and to let it grow toward the light of the child's own longing. Catch them young . This is not about urgency or pressure. It is about presence. To catch a child young means to meet them where they are — in their wonder, their questions, their fears, their first bold attempts at dreaming. It means to show up before the world tells them who they should be. Guide them right .Not the right of authority , but the right of love and wisdom. To guide rightly is to walk alongside, not ahead. It is to...

Season of Love The season of love and happiness has just commenced, Optimism has awoken from its slumber, and pessimism lost its popularity. Celebrations and jubilation are here to stay for long. Anxiety, fear and hatred lost the race. The fervour of hope has taken the centre stage, join the celebration with full enthusiasm. Welcome the new season with open arms, embrace it with your warmth. Love yourself gently, for in life’s quiet reflection memories walk alone. Then only true love returns, blessing the lover from a pure and peaceful heart. And in the end we understand, only one who loves oneself can truly love another, with a full and gentle heart. -- Arya (First published December 2020 | Updated 2026)

  Polaris — the North Star—guides navigators. The Earth drifts toward it in silent gratitude. Gold may lose its lustre, silver may still shine, yet the dark sky finds its meaning in Polaris. I am drawn to the North Star— not for boon, power, strength, or acquaintance, but to know how it feels to remain powerful for twenty-six thousand years, standing firm in one place, watching restless immortals from a height no one else can reach. Is it consumed by power, or afraid of being replaced? It smiles and replies, “These are your figments of imagination. I am duty-bound to serve the lost. Generations come and go, yet nothing has moved me from my path. In this spiral universe, where every entity follows its orbit , I remain unshaken and witness instability .” No power is greater than willpower . Mortal beings, unaware of their own strength, cross others’ orbits— and through comparison and envy, distance themselves from their dreams and aspirations .

    From cave walls to cosmic orbits , the wheels kept turning— yet the man who drove them remained the same. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The wheels moved on, and so did the man from the cave. Each new invention carried him farther away from nature. Villages emerged, the hunter-gatherer faded. Farming began— seeds were sown, songs were sung, and clans rejoiced together. Then arose the idea of supremacy . Within the clan, power learned to speak louder than wisdom. Fights followed, and betrayal found a home. Armed men no longer hunted beasts alone; they hunted their own kind. Warriors defended and ruled, swearing in God’s name, yet the cave-born belief— that might is right — remained a primal inheritance. Ages passed. Rulers rose and perished, empires bloomed and crumbled, but the psyche never diminished. Each advance sharpened authority’s blade. Progress armed the ruler to perfect the art of tyranny . Machines, forged by hum...

  Beyond the obstacle, the ride is smooth— though the road still remembers its bumps. No challenges , no deadlines , no anxiety waiting in line. The hunger of achievement is over, fulfilment at its apex. On the hill, relaxing like the winner of the game of snakes and ladders. No distinction remains between friends and foes— everyone now only an acquaintance. On this horizon, looking at the vast universe , every struggle seems like a mere dot.

  Only When A rock in the ocean , undaunted by the endless waves— currents may strike again and again, yet transformation comes only when it chooses to give in. Nature plays its quiet symphony , and relationships grow stronger only when given time to breathe, to unfold. Just like Pluto , unmoved by whatever status we assign him— his existence stands unquestioned. His acceptance of the world’s call can only come when he is ready to part with his solitude. Old bones wait for release. Liberation of the soul comes only when the hunger for life is finally surrendered. Responsibilities will be sweet only when duties are not considered bitter. Celebrations will be jubilant only when hard work is pumped in. Waiting for success will end only when patience is practised consistently.

  A Bucket Full of Clouds A bucket full of clouds pours over the mountains, bringing delight to thirsty eyes, with overflowing fountains. A meandering river flows, carrying silt of stress, combed through a web of expectations and desires. Blessed are those who drench their worries in running waters, eager to be washed away in the sea. Cursed are those who hold their burdens, like stagnant puddles that fester in silence. Festivities and gatherings rise like a canopy of umbrellas , shielding hearts from the downpour of disintegration. Memories of sailing paper boats , flickering moments of time— urge us to absorb the nature, for it believes in today and no investment in future.

Colours, colours and colours are never real, Bright and shiny colours are surreal, bounded by only dreams. True colours are visible only in testing times. Fake colours erode, leaving behind dullness and gloom. Floating colours never drown but jump ship full of opportunities. Ultimately, in the battle of perception , no colour has any face value. What is blue to me is black to others. Purple never exists but everyone is passionate about it. Yet, the cornea is fascinated by colours and rainbows . Every event and mood in human life is associated with colours. Yet, the water, the elixir of life , is colourless—brought down by dark clouds .

A contemplative poem on life journey. Essence of life lies in moving on — from stages of attachment to detachment , desires to nothingness , compulsion to repulsion , selfishness to generosity , darkness to enlightenment , fakeness to authenticity , certainty to uncertainty , vocal to silence — and sometimes, just being an observer and not being judgemental.

  The symphony of food within the body gives birth to good health. Yet the tongue refuses to twist toward the wholesome — it favors flavors that cause cacophony inside . It disobeys good advice, even when the brain speaks with reason. The symphony of languages in communication builds a healthy society . If tongues agree, there’s no war or hatred — only peace . But here again, some tongues disagree, choosing war over dialogue. The tongue resists new words and foreign tones. Too lazy to learn, it asks the brain to decode machine languages — lifeless, voiceless and silent. The symphony of values shapes idealistic individuals . But the tongue spits venom, not virtue , preferring foul language and fleeting pleasure . It excuses itself, claiming: "I was compelled to speak this way." The tongue twists rules, and stays silent at wrong times — a master of mischief in the mouth of many .  

  Add me to the group — I want to stay connected with virtually everyone. Aware of the latest trends and slang — let me in. Ancient to modern, and also the contemporary, I want to be with every genre and group. Admit me, and give me access to universal recognition — of the real-time and technology that changes with my every blink. Always an asset to the group, I shall never revolt. An atmosphere of continuous happenings baffles me — a mini-universe in its kind, functioning on flexible rules and stardom, attracting attention from strangers to respond and justify ethical choices. Amidst noise and chaos, if ever it arises from their views, then I will exit from the group. After a brief pause, I will join another group — where stars twinkle bright. AI , I am at the door — let me in.

  Perpetual Desires Desires are perpetual in nature, ranging in size from quantum to enormous. They beget passion, power , control , strength, money , and love . Desires turn naïve souls into monsters, never satisfied, always craving more. Perhaps the elixir of life on Earth is desire itself —undeniable, unrelenting. A life devoid of desire makes the very act of existence questionable. Unfulfilled desires leave their owner desire-deficit , yet he borrows new inspirations to nurture new desires. Just as economic transactions keep an economy alive, it is desire that keeps humankind dreaming, moving — reaching and becoming. Believe it or not, even the greatest hermit desires to find the divine . Desire to be read and appreciated — a poem's subtle longing also belongs to the poet's perpetual desires .