TRILOKI NATH NAGPAL

Happiness arrived in the house of Naraindas and Leelawati Nagpal, in the form of a baby boy on 29th December 1945. There was a curfew in town and it was very early in the morning. They already had five daughters and had desperately wanted to have a son. They had been to all the pilgrimage centers of India including Amarnath, Golden Temple and Vaishno Devi wishing and asking a boon from all the Gods to let them have a son. Their life’s desire was fulfilled and it was the greatest day of their lives, on this day. Their eldest daughter Phoolan who was already married, hired a musical band to go with fanfare to congratulate her parents. Oh! What a glorious and desired entry to this world was yours!!

You Trilokinath Nagpal were that baby.

You were Prince of Wales to Jijaji, Salaar Jung to Kailash, Kakoo to Avinash and Saale sahib to GK, and you were treated as an exceptionally loved brother in law. To your sisters, who each excelled in her chosen field you were the best brother. Each sister of yours made a name for herself and her achievement was enough to make her parents proud. Neena with her gold medal in Medical College, Prem with her P hD and published books, poetry and critiquing skills, Devi reaching her desired post in the Education department of Delhi and her numerous Degrees, Pholan bahenji a girl from the early 1920’s pursuing a career in teaching, Pushpa doing very well in her Medical career. Each one made her parents proud.

Being from such a distinguished family of achievers, you too had immense potential. You were given the best opportunities, guidance and examples in front of you, you too excelled in studies. You were always a topper in your Engineering degree class. Correcting your teacher also in the class room, you did become known as a person with all ‘fundas’ clear.

As a son you were par excellence. No one could have hoped for a better son. I always thought that you were actually a replica of the mythical Shravan Kumar. In fact even for your in laws, my parents, you were more of a son than a son in law.They trusted you implicitly. They loved you as their third son. My brothers also are exceptionally fond of you.

As my friend in Ranchi you were really great. Humorous, lively, insistent, always ready for adventure, fun loving, and full of life and joy. Such a great letter writer!!!

As a father, you were good. Friendly, steady, being always available to the children, to talk and listen to their stories. You were the epitome of patience, being there for them. Patient, loving and caring. A good teacher, who solved all their maths and Science problems in a jiffy.

My repairman and handy man, who always repaired each and everything that broke in my house. Every cup was repaired, every watch was dismantled and put back together again. Every electrical gadget never went to it's death until you had examined and investigated into it's potential. No repairman was good enough for you. You had to be the one to decide if it was repairable or not!

Even to this day, no plumber, electrician, mason can work in my house, unless he has been given exact instructions by you. I think it is a boon for me. Your immense interest in perfection in the sphere that you know very well, is really appreciated. I know, I grumble, but in my heart of hearts, I DO appreciate it.

For me, life has been good with you. Even if you are surprised by this statement, remember, truth is stranger than fiction!!

Thank you. Thanks for your patience, thanks for being the foil for my huge and bad temper.

I wish you a very happy birthday.

I wish we could replicate your birthday as it was celebrated by your parents. When Puris were piled up to your height and distributed to the poor. Your sisters staged plays for you. It must have been a gala event. Let your grand children become a bit bigger, then we will try to revive those days.

Till then, remember, you are a much loved nana and dada to Kunaal, Aaliya and Aaria. Little Aaria, looking at the laptop and asking for Dada...does it not make a shiver go down your spine? So much of love?? Kunaal loves playing with you. Remember those walks back from his school when you always bought a small White chocolate bar for him everyday? Aaliya, always asking, where's nana?

Enjoy your day. Have a great time. Have a great year. I wish you a lot of happiness, great health, lots of cheer, lots of slimming down, and lots and lots of money, money, money!!!

May all your dreams come true and all your wishes be fulfilled.

Thanks once again, Trilokinath for being what you are. For being who you are and always being there for me.

Christmas

This world is full of tricksters. We all have a mask on our face, all the time. Sometimes it is the happy face of Santa, who comes at Yule tide and brings a lot of happiness and joy on the face of children, the world over.

How eager is the face of a small child,wanting to know,where the carrots and milk and cookies for Santa and his reindeer should be kept, so that Santa sees it and has a feast when he comes to leave the Christmas presents. The anxiety, the planning, the waiting is such fun to watch. We who live in this real world with our complexities, need to see little kids with their major anticipation, and revel in the beautiful wonders of childhood.

Such a wonderful stage of life,where the whole world is beautiful, full of love and joy.

It was once upon a Christmas time....once again.

Lights, joy,and gifting time.

Enjoy the spirit of Christmas and spread warmth and cheer.

Live today, for no one has seen tomorrow.

Merry Christmas.

WORDS

"It's only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away " heard the song by Boyzone? They are not only words, they are the key to the survival of humankind.... Our species - the most vulnerable and easy prey for predators. The species which did not have four limbs to flee fast, nor the strength to use brute force, nor wings to fly, nor speed to run away. We were thus easy prey for larger, faster animals, and yet we survived and have developed ourselves beyond compare.

Words that we speak are so important. Language is a unique tool developed by human beings for communication. Human beings are the weakest species on earth. In the process of evolution as the world developed, the weaker species kept eliminating themselves, as they either got eaten up or perished as they could not fend for themselves. The Dodo, a bird found mainly in the island of Mauritius, could not fly. With the incoming of Europeans to Mauritius, dogs also got an entry into this island, as man's best friend. These intruders to the island found these birds which could not fly and ate them up. "As dead as a dodo"-heard that one?

Dinosaurs got eliminated, so did the mammoth. The Kiwi of New Zealand and the Tigers of India are already an endangered species and are on the verge of extinction. This is all a part of evolution and the theory of "Survival of the fittest". The basic instinct of "Fight or flight" keeps any species alive.

Human beings had certain traits which made them easy prey for larger and faster animals. They therefore honed certain skills which helped them to survive and take care of each other so that their species could survive.

The use of vocal chord was one unique and distinct trait that the human beings had. We developed the technic to modulate our voice, and express fear, or send out signals of warning and danger, to others of our kind, so that they could either fight or take flight. With this art of communication, we, the weakest species survived!

Human beings also had the advantage of having a limb which was different from all the other animals. We had a thumb which was facing our other four fingers, which gave us the advantage of having a grip. A grip which helped us to grasp an object, to hold and thus create a tool which could be used with force and power. No other animal including the chimpanzee have this unique advantage.

We could use these two advantages to help preserve our species from elimination. If we go back in time to the stone age, and try to visualise these two tools, we will be able to understand how great these two features were, which helped us reach where we are today.

Language and the words that we speak are so important in our life. We humans honed this skill and because of being able to communicate, laws of nature, theories of science, mathematical equations, computers, Internet and everything else developed. How important are W O R D S?! Ever thought of that? We only looked at words as ways of communicating our feelings? To hurt, humiliate, express love, write poems, create elegies and epitaphs and study? The elementary role of words for survival has long been forgotten.

Language evolved and although I have not made a detailed study of similar sounding words with similar meanings in different languages, by common observation I have gathered a few words, which would be interesting to read. This is just a sample of similar sounding words having the same meaning in two different languages.

Just read and be amazed.:-

Serial HINDI ENGLISH

1 Galti guilty

2. Idhar hither

3. Kaat cut

4. Khaat cot

5. baandhna bandanna

6. khaand candy

7. chitthhi chit

8. khichdi kedgeree

9. loot loot

10. shakkar sugar

11. baramda verandah

12. bangla bungalow

13. tipai teepoy

14. payjama pajama

15. biradar(i) brother

16. cheent chintz

17. kalantar calender

18. paanch punch

19. safar safari

20. shameez chemise(camisole)

21. daar(ghar-daar) door

22. phool flower

23. sipahi sepoy

24. behtar better

25. udhar other

26. ardali orderly

In everyday use I found how fascinating is this journey of mankind to preserve our species. Language our biggest tool which was developed to simply warn another of our kind about imminent danger, has brought us where we are today. The most advanced, resourceful, and also the unkindest species in the world. We are the only species which" kills for pleasure". All the others kill as they have the "need to kill". I leave you with these thoughts to ponder over. This is all that I have to say today.

Before I leave you today, one question, "Do you know the origin of the word Dewan?"

They were the financiers to the erstwhile rulers of this country, and they used to have two annas share in the sixteen annas(Rupee one) revenue of the King. Two annas are do anna or duanni, which colloquially became dewan. Simply as those living next to the nahar(canal) were referred to as woh Nehrwale and so on and so forth, ultimately becoming Nehru.

I have to thank Ujjwal, my brother for most of the theory matter written above. Words and language are mine.

More later, when I find the correct w. o. r. d. s to communicate!!!!

MY DAUGHTER

It was a full moon night. The sky was as beautiful as one can imagine it would be in the month of December, when winter is setting in on a full moon night. My very pretty daughter was born on such a night. The date was the first, the moon was up, shining, bright and beautiful, with a clear blue sky and a golden-ish moon. My daughter had to be born with all those characteristics. A round face, bright, cheerful, with the most arresting smile ever. She was called the Smiling captain in her school!!

Daughters are always a mother's best friend. Oops, did I get it wrong?? You bet? I am usually never wrong, or rather I try to correct myself as soon as I make a mistake. Here I am not mistaken at all. A mother is usually a harassed person with the burden of the entire world on her shoulders. Isn't she the one who is responsible for all things to happen smoothly in the house? She has eyes at the back of her head and also on the sides of her head. Everyone asks the mother for everything, from helping in the homework, to relief from a hurt or pain or some imagined fear, or food or uniform or anything under the sky. The mother is also held responsible for everything that goes wrong with ANY member of the family.......anywhere!!

The one person who understands the pain of the mother, without any words being exchanged is that daughter-however small or big she may be. A daughter just looks, understands and sits next to her mother. Her silent presence is the balm which that lonely mother seeks-always. A daughter never fails her mother-she is usually the exact replica of her mother. She need not look like her mother, but in all other things the daughter will follow and ape her mother diligently. She is her mother's alter ego. Even if a mother and daughter do not get along very well and keep fighting all the time-still the mother's best friend is always her daughter.

A mother is able to confide all her miseries, sorrows, happiness and anecdotes with her daughter. Husbands usually have no time for frivolous behaviour and activities of their wives, but trust a daughter to be ever ready to see her mother recounting all her naughty experiences in life.

Both the mother and daughter love to indulge in pampering each other. There is a bonding which is inexplicable. It is unique. It is passing on the baton. Women have unique problems of dealing with the world, and a mother and daughter are able to relate and share these problems without any need for explanations.

My daughter has been my friend, confidant, support, conscience keeper. She has scolded me, fought with me, been impatient with me, whenever she felt that I was putting up with injustice. She has always tried to boost my ego by giving me correct feedback and pointing out things to me from her point of view. The problem with the rest of the world is that there is a lot of politeness, political correctness, diplomacy involved, and so often one receives complements where none is really due. A daughter does not mince her words. She is brutally frank and honest. This gives one the much needed impetus to improve and change.

My daughter looked after me when I was ill. She was my mother's life saviour at the age of three. My mother and she were alone in the house, when my mom suddenly had a dizzy spell and her blood pressure went down. Chaitali switched off the gas, rang up my father who was in office and told him what had happened. Dad came home and my mother could be taken to the hospital in time.

A daughter is always ready to help. With her arms flung around you, she is liberal with her show of affection. She cries with you, laughs with you, looks a bit like you, and hates to be told that she is like you. Nevertheless as you see yourself in your daughter, you enjoy the youthfulness of life once again with her. The joys of living become doubly rewarded with a daughter in your life.

Many Happy Returns of the DAY dear daughter. May you always be cheerful, happy, bubbling with life. May all your wishes be fulfilled. May your life always be as beautiful as you are. Be Happy and spread happiness.

Anurag, wait, your turn too will come. You know you ARE the best in the world!!

Jharna, of course, you are my daughter too.

OK Raj, I do understand what life is for you with my firebrand daughter. Never mind-All the BEST.