MY PERSONAL DIARY: July 2009

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Four reasons you should refrain
from corporal punishment.

1. Hitting children teaches them to become hitters themselves. Virtually all of the most dangerous criminals were regularly threatened and punished in childhood. It is nature's plan that children learn attitudes and behaviors through observation and imitation of their parents' actions, for good or ill. Thus it is the responsibility of parents to set an example of empathy and wisdom.

2. In many cases of so-called "bad behavior", the child is simply responding in the only way he can, given his age and experience, to neglect of basic needs. Among these needs are: proper sleep and nutrition, treatment of hidden allergy, fresh air, exercise, and sufficient freedom to explore the world around him. But his greatest need is for his parents' undivided attention. In these busy times, few children receive sufficient time and attention from their parents, who are often too distracted by their own problems and worries to treat their children with patience and empathy. It is surely wrong and unfair to punish a child for responding in a natural way to having important needs neglected. For this reason, punishment is not only ineffective in the long run, it is also clearly unjust.

3. Punishment distracts the child from learning how to resolve conflict in an effective and humane way. "When we make a child afraid, we stop learning dead in its tracks." A punished child becomes preoccupied with feelings of anger and fantasies of revenge, and is thus deprived of the opportunity to learn more effective methods of solving the problem at hand. Thus, a punished child learns little about how to handle or prevent similar situations in the future.

4. Punishment interferes with the bond between parent and child, as it is not human nature to feel loving toward someone who hurts us. The true spirit of cooperation which every parent desires can arise only through a strong bond based on mutual feelings of love and respect. Punishment, even when it appears to work, can produce only superficially good behavior based on fear, which can only take place until the child is old enough to resist. In contrast, cooperation based on respect will last permanently, bringing many years of mutual happiness as the child and parent grow older.

http://farrukhsiddiqui.blogspot.com/2009/07/do-you-hit-your-children.html

Feb 5, 2009

A quick trip to Ajmer and Pushkar was not only rejuvenating but also enriching. Since this post is rather delayed, I am gonna keep the descriptions rather short and crisp.

These are shots taken at the Ana lake, an artificial lake named after Anaji Chauhan. It is the beautiful marble pavilions alongside the lake, built by Shahjahan, that enhance the overall beauty of the place. The dusking sun's golden hue added to the serenity of the place.

The 'Dargah Sharif'' is one of the most sacred Muslim shrines in the country. It is the tomb of Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chisti, a Sufi saint who came from Persia and devoted his life to the service and upliftment of the poor and downtrodden.

The pilgrims make rich offerings called 'nazrana' at the sacred spot where the saint has been entombed that include rose and jasmine flowers, sandalwood paste, perfumes and incense that put in to the fragrance that floats in the air inside the shrine. Outside the holy place of the Dargah, professional singers called 'qawwals' sit in groups and sing hymns in the praises of the saint. Qawwalis at the shrine and fragrance of the incense sticks together create a divine effect.

Information source: http://www.rajasthan-tourism.org/prime-attractions/dargah-sharif.html

The lane to the dargha is thronged with shops selling rose and jasmine flowers, sandalwood, incense and the chaadars that devotees offer as their nazrana inside the tomb.