The Kolkata fire that broke out in Stephen Court in the Park Street area, keep many thinking about the safety norms that are followed by the Municipal Authorities and the Government for buildings in the different parts of this country. Only some time back there was the Bangalore fire which is still fresh in the minds and now this sad happening.
Is it not the time for the State and the Central government to rise from their sleep and do something constructive to improve the safety norms in the buildings? We cannot simply brush away by saying the building was old and did not have the present safety norms. After all each building, big or small in size, pay their annual taxes. So it is very much within the knowledge of the authorities about each and every building and new construction that’s taking place. Seeing that the safety norms are in place becomes the foremost consideration.
After reading all the reports in the newspapers and on the television, it is very clear how the top two floors had come up. So many lives have been lost and many are still missing. For this great havoc whom do we hold responsible? A question that’ll be searching for answers but in the end the whole episode will be swept under the carpet.
India is growing, in which areas??? It is hard to say. Lives lost in fire breakouts in massive buildings, mishap after mishap at Metro Construction sites in Delhi, terror attacks like the one in Mumbai, price rise, the list is too long. Is India growing at the cost of the lives of the Aam Admi? What is the cost of the life of a common man?
A pondering thought till next general election...and then...will the same story be retold...
Friday, March 26, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Of Languages...
Tulika Books has announced a Blogathon 1 and the topic is:
How different are the written and spoken forms of your first language? If you want children to become familiar with their first language, which form would you look for in children's books - formal or informal? Why?
The topic is interesting, not simple, but difficult, if it comes up for a debate.
The other day I met a family at a party, small family of father, mother and son. It amazed me to find the parents talking with their child in Hindi and not in the language the parents speak. Are we really ashamed of our first language?
India. The country of Unity in Diversity has so many languages and dialects. Very often in the streets and public places we hear more of spoken English than an Indian language. And following English people prefer to converse with one another in Hindi.
I have had the privilege of learning to speak, read and write in my mother tongue. Being an Indian, apart from English I can read, write and speak 3 other Indian languages and it makes me happy. Though not good with speaking I can understand 2 more regional languages. It gives me a sense of pleasure that at such a time when the first language is losing its grip I’m lucky about languages.
I’ve always encouraged my children to speak in Bengali at home. Knowing more than one language is an advantage and in school where the first language is English there is always the benefit of learning a second language. Being a bilingual is easy nowadays. Then there is the chance of learning the language of the state you’re living in (even if someone is living there for a short time). Learning languages is a personal interest and depends very much on the individual...easy for a child.
I think the best way of letting the children learn their first language is by reading out stories in their first language from a very young age. They pick up words and understand them and then are able to speak in it. During their long summer holidays, parents or even grand parents can help in this. The children can be made to write and read, like doing a page of handwriting writing regularly, as I pointed out, during their holidays. They can be kept occupied and once they develop an interest they’ll have that good feeling of knowing and learning something new. Creating the interest is of importance and this can be possible to some extent by speaking with the children in their first language at home.
Now I find many youngsters making an effort to learn their first language, for, as they are growing in life they find the feeling of belongingness in this...which they have not been interested in,earlier. Many have started reading books of great regional writers (starting with their translation works in English) and want to know more from their writings. Our regional literature is very rich, and if such a move comes up, regional literature will no doubt get a boost and encouragement. Hope such moves can help in the interest and revival of our regional languages!
How different are the written and spoken forms of your first language? If you want children to become familiar with their first language, which form would you look for in children's books - formal or informal? Why?
The topic is interesting, not simple, but difficult, if it comes up for a debate.
The other day I met a family at a party, small family of father, mother and son. It amazed me to find the parents talking with their child in Hindi and not in the language the parents speak. Are we really ashamed of our first language?
India. The country of Unity in Diversity has so many languages and dialects. Very often in the streets and public places we hear more of spoken English than an Indian language. And following English people prefer to converse with one another in Hindi.
I have had the privilege of learning to speak, read and write in my mother tongue. Being an Indian, apart from English I can read, write and speak 3 other Indian languages and it makes me happy. Though not good with speaking I can understand 2 more regional languages. It gives me a sense of pleasure that at such a time when the first language is losing its grip I’m lucky about languages.
I’ve always encouraged my children to speak in Bengali at home. Knowing more than one language is an advantage and in school where the first language is English there is always the benefit of learning a second language. Being a bilingual is easy nowadays. Then there is the chance of learning the language of the state you’re living in (even if someone is living there for a short time). Learning languages is a personal interest and depends very much on the individual...easy for a child.
I think the best way of letting the children learn their first language is by reading out stories in their first language from a very young age. They pick up words and understand them and then are able to speak in it. During their long summer holidays, parents or even grand parents can help in this. The children can be made to write and read, like doing a page of handwriting writing regularly, as I pointed out, during their holidays. They can be kept occupied and once they develop an interest they’ll have that good feeling of knowing and learning something new. Creating the interest is of importance and this can be possible to some extent by speaking with the children in their first language at home.
Now I find many youngsters making an effort to learn their first language, for, as they are growing in life they find the feeling of belongingness in this...which they have not been interested in,earlier. Many have started reading books of great regional writers (starting with their translation works in English) and want to know more from their writings. Our regional literature is very rich, and if such a move comes up, regional literature will no doubt get a boost and encouragement. Hope such moves can help in the interest and revival of our regional languages!
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