Love - the Key of Life

Those were the auspicious days for marriages. Anand and his wife, Anuradha were in search of a suitable match for their beautiful daughter Anushka. They wished her that she should live happily and comfortably. They thought of the ways and the situations to achieve perfect happiness for her. She should live happily with her would-be husband.

The parents too had a son named Anurag who had already married and was working as a Software Engineer at a company of high repute in the city of Hyderabad.

Anand and Anuradha thought that they were ideal as they thought like the parents in the twenty-first century. They thought of the ways:

"The life-partner of my daughter should be very handsome."

"He should be either a doctor or an engineer from an aristocratic family."

"He should have a class job to draw a high salary."

"He should have immovable properties in the city and about a hundred acres of land in the village by the roadside."

"He shouldn't have parents and sisters."

The parents went to many national, state and local marriage bureaus and registered as members, paying big amounts. They did not give the complete details of their daughter in the profile. They made up their mind to give the details to the boy of their choice after the selection was over. They at the same time told the managers of the bureaus to give a special preference to their daughter Anushka in finding a very suitable match, promising them tip after the marriage.

The parents searched for a match without parents. They did not find a match without parents. Then they tried a match without sisters but failed to get. They decided to compromise with a match having parents and sisters. They wished that the parents and sisters should be away from his daughter, Anushka.

Although the parents, Anand amd Anuradha could not find a suitable match for a long time, they did not try to call for any match. They had a lot of confidence that the boy would come to them definitely. 

On a fine day, the manager of a famous marriage bureau called Anand and Anuradha and informed a suitable match for their daughter, Anushka.

"A suitable match is there for your daughter, Anushka but the thing is that the boy has parents and a sister."

"I see... Do the parents stay in the place the boy works?" said Anand

"They live in the village looking after fields," 

"Very good...You didn't tell about the sister?"

"I doubted that you would ask this question...That is why I enquired about her studies... She completed her studies. The parents are searching for a match for her," said the manager.

"She'll get married and go way to her in-laws. I wish that she should get a match in Delhi not in Hyderabad where my son Anurag is working. Very good, your preferred match for my daughter, Anushka, is also working in Hyderabad...Well done, I welcome your wise preference," said Anand happily. 

"Okay I give the match, Akash your details. They contact you on the phone before they come to you," said the manager of the bureau.

The boy Akash with her parents Raghuram and Janaki came to Anushka's house after informing her parents. Anand with his near and dear waited at the gate and received them to the house. They directed them to the hall. There were four big sofas for twelve people to accommodate. All sat in the hall. It was time for Anushka to appear before the boy with her scintillating appearance. 

As per the auspicious time, Anushka appeared and occupied her seat specially arranged for her to sit. She was very beautiful as per the dreams of Akash. He was in very good impressions about the girl.

Akash felt like telling Anushka, "I love you." He did not tell so but he smiled to her heartily, giving a chance to his parents to speak to her.

Meanwhile, Raghuram and Janaki asked her to tell her name and study details. Anushka told them her name and her study details.

Anushka smiled all the time, looking at Akash. It all seemed that they were ready for their marriage. The smiles of the boy and the girl were a clear sign of their liking each other very much.

"We like the girl," said the parents, Raghuram and Janaki 

Akash felt that he had ascended the first step in the marriage process.

After discussing certain things, they fixed a date for the marriage. Akash felt that he had ascended another step. When the date of their marriage was near, he felt on the top of the world.

Within that short period before their marriage, Akash and Anushka spoke to each other several times. He sometimes visited her before their marriage. He did not find any objection in visiting Anushka. 

Their marriage was a big celebration in the city-famous function hall. The guests were in seats leaving no seat vacant. Amid the tunes of musical lutes and drums, the priest (Purohith) was chanting marriage mantras. As per the auspicious time, Akash tied the holy knot to her neck when she bowed her head in grace. Her face glittered with smiles. Later she lifted her beautiful face and looked at him, smiling heartily. All the guests blessed the newly married couple while Anuradha and Anand looked successful as they got a match as per their wish.

Akash was very happy. His parents were also happy. The parents of the couple met their guests in the function-hall and thanked them for attending the marriage. 

The photographer was busy taking photos of the couple during all the stages of the marriage as he was to arrest all the memorable scenes in the camera. 

There was a call that the dinner was ready for the guests. They had sumptuous food items to their choice. After having dinner, they left the function hall.

Marriage celebrations came to end with the new couple. There was the loveliest scene of the bridegroom's showing the star of Arundhati to the bride in the skyline. Anushka saw the star Arundhati in the sky when Akash was showing it, by raising his hand. The photographer cared a lot to photograph this picture very realistically. 

Later, the new couple sought the blessings of their parents and all elders. All, the parents of the new couple, and near and dear blessed them happily. 

The couple, Akash and Anushka had meals along with their parents, and near and dear. Anushka was busy speaking to her husband, Akash. 

Raghuram and Janaki sat with their son Akash and their daughter-in-law, Anushka were sitting separately to relax for a while after their being busy and tired of marriage preparations. Their faces were aglow with the wedding joys. They were happy for their son Akash to have married the girl of his choice. They congratulated their son and daughter-in-law very happily,

"Live a long life in all joys in the sojourn of married life."

"Thank you," said the couple, touching their feet.

They fell in a casual conversation about the future in the wake of his son's marriage, celebrated grandly.

"Dear parents, you've been in the village looking after agriculture. You spent all your days in toil. You can relax by giving the lands for lease and stay with me in the city," said Akash to his parents.

"We're also planning in that way," said Raghuram and Janaki.

Meanwhile Anand and Anuradha joined them, taking their seats. 

"I'm very happy that you stay with us happily retiring from farming," said Akash with a glittering smile in his face.

Akash looked at Anushka to see happiness in her face on the happy occasion.

"My dear brother, Raghuram is interested in agriculture very much. I heard about him highly in the village," said Anuradha.

"Yes...he, my brother-in-law is a model farmer...He's an inspiration to his fellow farmers," said Anand.

"He's a model farmer. He got the best farmer ('Uttama Karshak') award. The people in the village revere him," said Anuradha.

"Who else has got that honor in the region?" said Anand.

"My brother, Raghuram got it...I'm proud of him," said Anuradha.

"Congratulations, my dear uncle. I heard about your greatness for the first time," said Anushka with all smiles.

"Now it is the time for marriage procession. Get ready. All are waiting for the couple,' said Anurag coming to them.

Akash and Anushka were in the car, decked superbly to suit the occasion.

The marriage procession, "Baraath" started in a grand manner. The people joined them while the musical pipes and drums were going on. The enthusiastic youths danced to the tunes of songs of the films released recently. The marriage party came to the boy, Akash's village. 

The girl, Anushka entered the in-laws house with a selfish goal. She was from a rich family. As per her plan, her in-laws should stay separately. She planned to live with her husband happily. 

Raghuram and Janaki went along with their son Akash and daughter-in-law, Anushka to stay in their house in the city of Hyderabad as per their plan.

Anand and Anuradha with their son Anurag came to them and lived with them for some days. They secretly put their efforts in reaching their selfish goal.

Two months hardly passed. One night, Anushka and Akash were busy to settle an issue in a heated discussion,

"Dear Akash, I don't want to live here...You've another building in the city, Let's live in that building," said Anushka.

"Why...?," said Akash.

"That building is near your office," said Anushka.

"With my parents...," said Akash.

"You don't know many things. For a marital life, we should have privacy. You never feel so and realize so," said Anushka, shouting.

Raghuram and Janaki heard her shouting. They understood why she had not been speaking to them for some days. They recalled what her parents had said on the day of the marriage. They made up their mind to go to their village to look after the farming in the village. 

The next morning, they called their son, Akash. He joined them after a considerable lapse of time.

"Dear son, Akash... I feel like watching my fields. I feel like living in my house in the village," said Raghuram.

"Yes, we want to go our village..." said Janaki.

"We'll be happy there, working in green fields and watching nature filled with the sights and sounds of chirpings of birds," said Raghuram.

Raghuram and Janaki went to their native place and lived there.

Time passed on its wheels to witness Akash and Anushka blessed with the twins named Rashmika and Rasika,. They were school going to study in their first standard. They were brilliant. They drew the attention of the teachers and the Principal by their cuteness and goodness.

One day, the teacher informed the children that there would be the Grand Parents' Day celebrations on the sixteenth of this month after two days, saying

"The children, Rashmika and Rasika, Bring your grand parents to the Grand Parents' Day celebrations this time. You did not bring your grand parents last year." said the class teacher. 

The children recalled what happened the last year,

"Mummy, call my grand parents," said the children.

"Shut up...Don't talk of your grand parents," said Anushka.

In that way, the children did not force their grand parents to the function last year. 

After listening to the teacher's instructions to bring their grand parents, this year, the children went home. They told their parents about the Grand Parents Day celebrations after two days.

The children forced the parents to show their grand parents as they saw their friends enjoying the company of their grand parents on the eve of the Grand Parents' Day last year. They wanted to see our grand parents this year. 

"Without grand parents, we do not want to go to school this time," said the children earnestly. 

They got the phone number of their grand father, 'Raghuram in their father' mobile. They called him from Akash's mobile, speaking to him,

"You and grand ma... should come... to attend... the Grand Parents' Day without fail... This programme starts... at 10 o'clock sharp. You should be here... by 8 o'clock sharp... on the sixteenth, the day after tomorrow. If you don't come, we don't go to school," said the Rashmika and Rasika. 

The previous night and the early morning at 4 o'clock on that day of the Grand Parents Day celebrations, the children reminded their grand parents to come without fail.

Raghuram and Janaki got ready and went to their grand children by car as per the promise. They reached there by 8 o'clock. The grandchildren rushed to them and hugged them happily, saying 

"Thank you, grand pa, grand ma"  

All including Anushka and Akash went to the school. They Principal and the staff received them with due regard,

"Welcome, sir"

The programme went on successfully. The children talked on the occasion, Grand Parents' Day.

Then the Principal came to the dais and spoke nicely to the gathering on the importance of Grand Parents' Day.

"Nowadays, the relation between the grand children and grand parents is missing. The grand parents have a lot of love for their grand children. There is no chance for them to evince their love for their grand children, as they are not living together. Family does not mean parents and children. It includes the grand parents to show their love for their grand children. Then it is a complete family and all have to welcome the gesture heartily."

Anushka listened to the Principal attentively and realized her mistake in ill-treating her in-laws. Anushka only said,

"Grand parents are the members of a family." 

"I'm not just the daughter of my parents, wife of my husband, Akash, mother of my children, Rashmika and Rasika but also the daughter-in-law of my parents-in-law, Raghuram and Janaki. This is my role."

"My children's love for their grand parents, Raghuram and Janaki transformed me into a good wife to her husband, Akash, a good daughter-in-law to them, her husband's parents to be a good mother to my children and good woman to the women world."

"Every woman is a power to promote her family, in turn into the world family for peaceful existence of man's race."

Published

CLRI Contemporary Literary Review India

Nov-2020 Vol. 7 No. 4

https://www.literaryjournal.in/index.php/clri/article/view/715/837

Speaking, the Skill of Skills: A Comprehensive Study

Abstract

Speaking is primarily the skill of skills by which one expresses one’s feelings, ideas, reflections, thoughts, etc. Grammatical accuracy, phonetic proficiency and non-verbal efficiency are the means of effective communication. Crying, grumbling, bemoaning, shouting, etc are also indirect forms for the expression of one’s emotions, feelings, reactions, anger, pain, etc. By means of gestures, postures, signs and so on also express certain ideas. Emotional cries include sounds and expressions to signify the influence of joy, fear, anger, surprise, pain, wonder, shock, sorrow, etc by means of interjections. There are social utterances like greetings, polite expressions, utterances, words of emotions, claps, semi-linguistic noises, etc to communicate certain feelings, ideas, etc. One can achieve the art of effective communication, especially as a student by practicing the other activities like story telling, joking, group discussions, debates, JAM sessions and so on.

The students with ordinary skills have stock expressions like 'thank you', 'sorry', 'Happy New Year, etc by which they convey their thoughts. The students with moderate skills mark a clear-cut difference in the level of their communication. The students with good skills certainly have an edge over those with moderate skills, as they are good at grammar and pronunciation. The students with excellent skills stand better as their communication reflects their body language apart from the correctness of language and the aptness of pronunciation. By virtue of communication skills, they can achieve the reward of employment and career in life. 

Keywords: Art of speaking, phonetic proficiency, non-verbal efficiency, effective communication, communication skill.

Introduction

Speaking is primarily the skill of skills and the gift of gifts of man. One expresses one’s feelings, ideas, reflections, thoughts, etc. by virtue of the skill of speaking. The art of speaking that plays the most vital role in the expression of ideas, thoughts and feelings and so on depends on the key factors: the correctness of language, the aptness of pronunciation and the positive body language. One can therefore build up one’s career par excellence by virtue of grammatical accuracy, phonetic proficiency and non-verbal efficiency. One should practice all speaking activities to achieve spontaneity and fluency.

Language, the Vehicle of Expression and its Skills

Language is an instrument or vehicle to ventilate one’s thoughts, feelings and so on. One speaks out one’s thoughts, feelings and reflections aloud in a social set-up through language. All such mental acts, therefore, take the form of speaking, the verbal expression in the form of a language. When one expresses thoughts, feelings, and so on, others listen to them by means of attentive listening. Speaking and listening go simultaneously for the communication of thoughts, feelings and so on. 

Listening and speaking are the primary skills and reading and writing, secondary skills and advanced skills. Of all the four skills, the art of speaking plays the most significant role and none can deny its prominence at all. It is primarily the skill of skills for communication. One can impress people more by speaking to them in person or on the phone than by the letter of correspondence, the art of writing. Only human beings have the art of communication as Palmer calls human beings “homo sapiens”. It is the art of speaking which human beings acquire naturally when they step into the world. On its advent, the baby attracts the attention of the near and dear by crying, which is a human being’s primary form of speaking. There are other forms of speaking like crying, grumbling, bemoaning, shouting, etc to express one’s emotions, feelings, reactions, anger, pain, sorrow, etc.

Symbolic and Gesture Communication (without utterances):

Gestures, signs, colors, postures, etc. serve as symbols to express certain ideas. Primarily language is according to R. H. Robin’s: General Linguistics, ‘a symbol system’ since words act as symbols that are concrete signs to stand for abstract ideas. By learning this, we can say that not only words but also gestures, postures, smiles, signs, colors, etc. express ideas, feelings and so on. For example, one expresses ‘yes’ by nodding the head and ‘no’ by shaking the head. In the same way, the concrete sign of the cross stands for Christianity. A skull and two bones laid across stand for danger and the wearing of black clothes, for mourning. The three colors of the tri-color (the Indian flag): saffron, white, and green are symbolic of toil and sacrifice, peace and green crops respectively. Similarly, the signals at the crossroads by means of colors: red, orange and green stand differently: the red to stop, the orange to get ready and green to proceed. Gestures like signs express certain ideas more effectively than words. Postures express moods. The signs of body language, therefore, speak volumes and various expressions.

Sounds and Utterances Communication

Emotional cries include ‘sounds’ and expressions to signify the ‘influence of joy, fear, anger, surprise, pain, wonder, shock, sorrow, etc by means of interjections: O!, Ah!, Oh!, Au!, Welcome!, Alas!, Hurrah!, Wow!, etc .

A baby cries on its advent to this earth and makes the near and dear elated by its presence but it may not have any purpose of crying. A baby cries to express its hunger or pain as long later as it does not know how to speak. In the later stages, it will therefore have some purpose to cry. An old man who is bed-ridden, grumbles, growls, rumbles, etc to draw the attention of the other dwellers in the house. The act of grumbling or bemoaning serves as an instrument of expression or communication. As a result, some one who listens to the old man attends to him promptly and positively. A player during the game encourages his fellow players by shouting with the expressions like “Well done!”, “Excellent!”, “Lovely”, etc. A man in troubles shouts or cries so that the people for help and so someone will come to his rescue. 

One expresses one’s impatience, intolerance, disgust, frustration, hesitation, sorrow, etc by uttering certain expressions to oneself. If something goes against one’s expectations in spite of one's best efforts or trials, one scratches, pinches or hits the head by the hand and utter certain sounds (or expressions) to express one’s feelings of impatience, intolerance or nervousness.

Emotional Expressions

There are certain commonest linguistic expressions: ‘Damn it’, ‘What a sight’, etc. which are used to express one’s intolerance, disgust, anger etc with certain expressions or utterances though none else is there to listen to one. Utterances to express emotions, according to David Crystal, are to “get rid of our nervous energy when we are under stress”. Such utterances are mere expressions but not “the communication of ideas” in the absence of a person to listen to the speaker as David Crystal says, "An old man leans his walking stick against a wall, but it falls all over. He tries several times, and it falls all the times. He roundly curses the walking stick". He curses the walking stick by some utterance though he has no person to communicate with about its fall. He just expresses his emotion of nervousness by cursing the walking stick impatiently. 

Social Interactions

There are greetings, utterances, words of emotions, claps, etc to communicate certain feelings, emotions, etc.

i. Utterances

When a baby sneezes, the listener says “God bless you a long life!” when ‘X’, a grown-up does the same while eating, ‘Y’ says, “Bless you” or “All the Best” and ‘X’ responds to say, “Thank you”. This all takes place not to communicate ideas but “rather to maintain a comfortable relation between people”.

ii. Polite Expressions

People use the expressions of social civilities along with the tilt of their eyebrows and all their moods and manners that play an important role in the maintenance of social relations. By the use of ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, ‘sorry’ and ‘never mind’, etc. as A. G. Gardiner says in his essay ‘On Saying, Please’, “We keep the machine of life oiled and running sweetly. The event of not saying “please” injures self-respect and causes humiliation on the part of the listener.” ‘Please’, “thank you’, ‘sorry’, ‘never mind’, etc. are not mere words or phrases to communicate with fellow people but to maintain social relations with them. If a wrong doer politely seeks apology by saying "Sorry or extremely sorry", the victim says "Never Mind" though the wrong doer hurts him. Certain words, expressing manners make the society run in a smooth manner. Whether one's communication is soft or harsh depends on one's expressions or utterances in a given situation.

iii. Greetings

Greetings like “Good Morning”, “Hello”, “Good Luck”, “A Happy Journey”, etc are used for the purpose of maintaining human relations in society but not for the communication of ideas in the usual sense. Well wishing is for well-being and well keeping. Not only greetings but also pleasantries reflect one's cordial concerns and relations with the other.

iv. Semi-Linguistic Noises

Interjections are words to express sudden feelings or emotions. They are according to David Crystal, “Semi-Linguistic noises” but they have linguistic and literary function in language. Interjections: ‘wow!’, ‘ugh!’, ‘ouch!’ etc are noises providing “an outlet for our attitudes while we speak”. The emotional interjections, Ah!, Au!, Pshaw!, Alas!, etc are used to express the involuntary exclamations of pain, pleasure, surprise, sorrow, etc.

v. Claps (Applause or Otherwise)

Claps, during speaking, show that the speech is interesting. When the audiences are under good impressions with the ideas convincing, reasonable and interesting, they clap as an indication of the joy of concurrence. When the speech is boring, the audiences are likely to clap in a different way to disagree with the speaker.

vi. The Power of Sound

Laborers sing songs to feel inspired by their melody, tone and content to work happily and forget their strain of reality at work. Children play while singing rhymes to maintain rhythms. Boatmen have their own songs called ‘boat songs’ sung during rowing. The power of sound, ‘the sonic potential of language’ leaves inspiration and positive effect on the users or listeners.

vii. Gestures

Smiles bloomed in faces spread cordial atmosphere. The smile of a beloved keeps her lover happy. The smile of a teacher reflects his or her love and care for the students. Positive facial expressions leave good impact for the sunshine of atmosphere in society. Nods reflect to agree. Shakes display to disagree though nods and shakes of the head are gestures. 

Human Communication Vs Animal Communication

There is a clear-cut contrast between human communication and animal communication. Human communication has verbal (spoken and written) and non-verbal communication (body language) whereas animal communication has characteristic or limited sounds. Birds and animals have a limited number of sounds to attract one another. Male animals and birds attract the female ones by their respective sounds. The hen makes some sound repeatedly as a sign of danger or risk to its chicks when it expects some dangerous incident to them. Any how the animals make limited sounds in contrast with human beings who are ‘homo sapiens’ and ‘species specific’ by virtue of their speaking, the art of speaking, the skill of skills and the gift of gifts.

Significance of Verbal Communication

Speaking is a reflection of thoughts and an outlet of emotions. One’s thoughts must be clear to enable one to speak clearly. One should use speaking inevitably to give, extract or transmit information in normal and everyday situations. One can clearly communicate with others when one has clear basic-verbal communication. The way one speaks decides whether one gets friends or enemies. One can impress others by one’s impressive and pleasing communication. Interpersonal skills are to be in practice for harmonious relations with officials, colleagues, businesspersons, fellow-beings, strangers, etc. One should know what matters much in speaking to be amicable and amiable to others. John Morley says it clearly. “Three things matter in speaking; who says it, how he says it and what he says. And of the three the last matters the least”. Basic verbal communication enables one to communicate with others without much aptness or correctness of language that is required for effective Verbal Communication on all occasions.

Kinds of Activities to Promote Speaking Skill

Students promote their communication skills by practicing face-to-face conversations, telephone conversation, video conferencing, negotiating, debate, role play, public speaking (extempore or prepared), interview skills, JAM (Just A Minute Sessions), descriptions of objects, situations and people, information transfer, asking for and giving directions, group discussions, situational dialogues Oral reporting, etc. One should be thorough in presenting all the activities of speaking by knowing the procedure and objectives for a successful interaction in different socio-cultural and professional contexts and situations.

Extra Activities a Must

One can achieve the art of effective communication, especially as a student by practicing the other activities like story telling, joking, sharing sessions, etc. It is also highly essential to listen, to speak, to read and to write with a rapt attention to accomplish mastery in the field of one’s profession. One should make a note that one can achieve accuracy and fluency by the study of novels, biographies, magazines, journals, etc. One should have a rich treasury of vocabulary to be an accomplished speaker or writer. One needs an adequate treasure of word-knowledge to present any speaking activity at ease without fumbling or stumbling for words and junk (filling) words. One proceeds to speak effortlessly, spontaneously and fluently in different socio-cultural professional contexts when one possesses the knowledge of vocabulary: synonyms and antonyms, prefixes and suffixes, word-origins, one-word substitutes, idioms and phrases, etc. To have command over English, one ought to follow the TIS rule (Think it, ink it and sink it). To enrich one’s language, one should be conversant with idioms and phrases. The WIN principle: Word-treasure, Idioms and phrases and No flaws of grammar and pronunciation for effective communication. One's command over a language enables one to speak successfully, making the audiences spellbound. 

Right Style and Right Word for a Right Cause

The speaker of any activity is supposed to select the appropriate style and the right language to suit the context, situation or setting. When one speaks to friends, relatives of equal age and equals, one resorts to informal style without minding politeness, social behavior, etc. In a formal presentation, the speaker ought to judge the standards of audiences to the extent possible and employ language and style to make his presentation enjoyable. One employs the formal language when one refers to officials, superiors, strangers and so on as a mark of respect. One expresses in a formal way: “If you could lend your helping hand, I should feel rewarded for it.” “Could you please forgive me if I am wrong?” Sometimes one uses strong language without minding any thing when one is confident of a fact or truth in the matter. “He did it all wrong. He was foolish to do so”. There is blunt language which is used without minding to hurt others.” To speak the truth, you are not at all fit for the job.” “Your status is too low to be in their professional matters. They encourage their customers by using inspirational language. A doctor has to inspire a serious patient saying, “You are going to be all right. I am sure of that”. A teacher can encourage a failed student with his inspirational words, “If you work a little harder than before you will be able to get through the ensuing examination. I have confidence in you. Failures are stepping stones to success.” He should never say, “You will fail many times.” The student consequently feels despondent rather than confident. In the same way, the other professionals have to deal in their professional matters to be successful.

Some use harsh language without minding or knowing to hurt the feelings of others. For example, a boss may say to his subordinate, “You, foolish .You have spoilt the system and it is beyond repair.” Similarly, a doctor says, “You are to die soon.” It will be very harsh and disheartening to the patient.

Some are open and frank in expressing their views in a direct language rather than in a diplomatic language, “I am sure. You are capable of doing the work assigned.”

To sum up, it is inevitably prominent on the part of the speaker to speak to people in a style and a language suitable to the social context and the prevalent situation. The speaker must be meticulous about accuracy of language and pronunciation and the positive body language for the presentation of communication of skills in a quite effective manner. 

At the outset, one should have a strong and persistent desire for the swiftness of progress in communication through initiation and practice of verbal or oral activities. One gains confidence through preparation. Lincoln used to prepare himself before speaking with the subject widening and enlarging in his mind. In the same way, famous speakers prepare their addresses well in advance. One should promote strong memory to present one’s speaking as per his plan. Change of pitch , vary the rate of speaking, bearing smiling face, good start arousing curiosity in the audience, raising a laugh, quoting fitting verse of poetry, suitable conclusion etc. are essential factors of communication. The body’s physical movements that communicate volumes without words must express one’s activeness and sharpness. One should therefore be aware of Kinesics (nonverbal communication): personal appearance, postures, gestures, facial expressions, eye- contact etc. Proxemics, a study of physical space in interpersonal relations tells the importance of space to signal power and status in professional dealings. It is the part of cultural variation. At the same time, one should be conversant about para-linguistics that deals with quality (the unique voice), volume, rate of words per minute, pauses for speaking effect etc. Finally, one should be conscious of cronemics, the study of time followed for participation or presentation.

Levels of Communication Skills

“Effective communication is the back bone of success.” The speaker must be sharp enough and have acuity to judge the standards, aptitude and mood of the listeners or the audiences before performing a speaking activity. Students or employees are successful in their fields when they have effective communication. All especially the students need to practice all verbal skills to have a successful future career. The levels of the communication skills of students are as follows.

1) The students with ordinary skills have stock expressions by which they convey their thoughts, ideas, experiences, etc. They can express thoughts by means of broken sentences, broken spoken English, incomplete thoughts, use of mixed languages, etc. 

2) The students with moderate skills are somewhat better than those with ordinary skills are in their communication for they know the principles of grammar. The use of correct, chaste and pure language by means of the rules of grammar: Singulars, plurals, Persons, Agreement of the verb with the subject, conjugation of verbs, actives and passives, direct and indirect speaking, analyses of simple, compound and complex sentences, synthesis of sentences, degrees of comparison, figures of speaking, so on. They consequently frame correct sentences but they lack in the skill of pronunciation and the knowledge the positive body language. The life of language is grammar: the appropriate use of verb (tense) form, the correct sequence of words and appropriate use of words: nouns, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles; punctuation marks, etc. One must know a clear-cut distinction between the active voice and the passive voice. One student wrote a letter to his father regarding his payment of fees: “I was paid fees yesterday” did not know what it meant for him. What he meant is different from what it meant. People use passives where actives are used. In the same way “I was completed Intermediate”,” I was bought the text book” etc are due to inadequate knowledge of grammar. Another student wrote in his letter, “I am well and I hope that you are in the same well.” What he thinks of conveying in his letter is different from what the sentence means. He thinks of the correspondent’s well-being but the sentence does not mean so.

One must be very careful about the use of adverbs in the correct position. In a chart of principles, a sentence with the use of an adverb in a wrong way conveys differently. For example, “Students shall follow the principles that College evolved scrupulously.” Here the sentence means differently from what the framer means. It means that the principles were evolved scrupulously .Here the position of adverb is wrong. In fact, it is to be written as “Students shall scrupulously follow the principles that college evolved.” What one learns from the use is that one should be very careful about the arrangement of words since the structure gives life to a sentence. A student with the knowledge of grammar can express and communicate clearly without ambiguity, confusion, etc. The mistakes made by non-native speakers are innumerable and they are “common mistakes”. The speaker must be meticulous about the appropriate use of nouns, verbs, adjectives, question tags, pronouns (Objective and Subjective), relative pronouns, singulars, plurals, articles, prepositions, words, sequences, etc.

3) The students with good skills certainly have an edge over those with moderate skills, as they are good at grammar and pronunciation. Communication with good skills is a better category than that of communication with moderate skills as the accuracy of language and the aptness of pronunciation are maintained in it. The speaker ought to have the knowledge of accurate pronunciation with the right tone, accent and intonation apart from that of correct and appropriate language with structural and syntactical patterns. The most standard pronunciation to be followed is ‘the Received Pronunciation’ (RP) which is accepted as the most standard one all over the world. It is the non native speakers who face the problem of pronunciation as their languages are phonetic as their pronunciation sounds in accordance with spelling and so the non-native speakers are under the influence of their respective Mother Tongues’ Influence (MTI) on their English. They mispronounce many English words and let the listeners identify their respective mother tongue because of MTI on them. English is different from other languages especially Indian languages because they are phonetic but English is not. Indians tend to let others know their identity or mother tongue or lingua franca when they speak English. Bernard Shaw once said, “No matter how well is man dressed or behaved, he betrays his origin the moment he opens his mouth. This holds true for an Indian.” When one aims at achieving excellent pronunciation, one must make meticulous efforts to minimize and overcome Mother Tongue’s influence (MTI) on one’s English pronunciation, stress and intonation. Certain letters in words receive stress and others do not. One must be very meticulous regarding the stress shift and the pronunciation of adjectives, verbs and nouns. One should refer to the dictionary to know the appropriate pronunciation of words and the rising and falling tones of intonation, etc.

4) A student with excellent skills stands better than that with good skills of communication minds the accuracy of language and the aptness of pronunciation which alone are not enough to make one’s communication impressive and effective. Apart from the correctness of language and the aptness of pronunciation, the positive body language with its gestures, postures, facial expressions, eye contact, etc. is very essential on the part of the speaker to be successful in effective communication in all situations and contexts. The student with excellent skills stands best in the art of speaking.

We should ‘get in touch with the way the other person feels. Feelings are 55 percent body language, 38 percent tone and 7 percent words’ as quoted in Communication Skills for Engineers. The facial expression plays more an important role on the part of the speaker than postures. The speaker can make his speaking interesting by attracting the attention of audience by virtue of eye contact. According to Patricia Ball, “To effectively communicate, it’s not always what you say, but your body says that makes the difference.”

The student with excellent communication skills builds up confidence to have competence to speak in all situations. He is bold and fearless to speak to audiences. He modulates his speaking to be convincing and interesting to the audience. The excellent presentation mainly depends on the eyes, the voice, the expression, the appearance (dress style) and postures. The success of one’s speaking mainly rests on the correctness of language and pronunciation with a felicity of expressions, a mosaic of quotations, a fine array of idioms, a series of examples in the comprehension of the content, fluency (speaking flow), and preeminently the positive body language with gestures, straight standing and brisk walking, postures, eye-contact, facial expressions, etc. The presenter can attain authority over speaking by presenting the points, to be precise five or six, in a logical order. One can make one’s presentation more effective and impressive by the use of visual aids and information charts.

Conclusion

The world in the 21st century with its growing challenges invites students with the command or proficiency of English in the global employment market. A student with great or excellent communication skills; the accuracy of language, the aptness of pronunciation and the positive body language should be competitive enough to reach his goal and have victory in the competitive job market. He builds up excellent career and comes up with flying-colors in all the fields. A manager with excellent communication skills is successful in his professions. Managerial skills depend on how he communicates or interacts with others. The heads of all departments are supposed to have command over communication for harmonious co-ordination and smooth administration. It is the excellent art of speaking which bestows on all especially on the students the reward of employment and success in life. 

References

1. Crystal, David. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Pres, New York, 1987.
2. Ramakrishnarao. A and others. English Language Communication: A Reader cum Lab Manual, Course content and Practice. Anuradha Publications, Chennai, 2006.
3. Rizvi, Ashraf. M. Effective Technical Communication. Tata Mc Graw Hill Publishing Company Ltd. New Delhi, 2006.
4. Sunitha, Misha & Muralikrishna. C (Quote John Mortley) Communication Skills for Engineers, Pearson Education Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi 2004.
5. Krishna Srinivas. K. & Kuberudu. B. Business Communication and Soft Skills. Excel Books, New Delhi, 2008.
6. Sood, SD (ed) & Others. Developing Language Skills. Manohar Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi, 2005.
7. Elah. P. A Handbook of English for Engineers and Technologies. B.S. Publications, Hyderabad, 2003.
8. Meenakshi Raman, Sangeeta Sharma. Technical Communication Principles and Practice. Oxford University Press, 2009.
9. Dale CarneGie. How to Develop Self-Confidence & Influence People by Public Speaking. Sulabh Publications, 2003, Agra – 3.
10. Course Authors, Anna University. A Text book of English for Engineers and Technologists. Orient Longman, 2004.
11. Ramakrishnarao A. Learning English. A Communicative Approach. Orient Longman, 2006.
12. Balasubramanam & G. Anbalagon. Communication Skill in English. A Text book for Engineer Students. Aunuradha Agencies, 2004.

Published

CLRI Contemporary Literary Review India

Nov-2020 Vol. 7 No. 4

https://www.literaryjournal.in/index.php/clri/article/view/223/823

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACHES FROM THE LEARNERS’ POINT OF VIEW

                                       

 

Introduction:

 

            A teacher plays the pivotal and vital role in multifarious aspects. His primary goal is to shape the future of the students today, the citizens of tomorrow by means of his knowledge, and enrich society and civilization by virtue of his wisdom. It is worthy to quote in this regard Dr. S. Radhakrishnan’s view: ‘the teacher is the pivot of civilization’. His role begins with the student in particular and culminates in society in general. In every profession, one primarily needs a guide, teacher or coach in the stages of learning to reach perfection in one’s field. The teacher of English has more responsibilities than the one of other subject.  He has to teach any piece of literature in terms of language: grammar for correctness, pronunciation for aptness and body language for effectiveness and train his students with in a commitment to transform them into competent students enabling them to face challenges in career capture and life settlement. .

 

            The academic opportunities are nowadays at our doorstep due to the mushroom growth of institutions in the arena of privatization. Students seek admission in professional colleges with high expectations. At or after the undergraduate level they wake up to realize the vital importance of English in the internet generation. They feel English is life and life is English as English becomes the language of interviews on the campus or outside, competitive examinations to achieve a successful career. Their aspirations are too high for them to reach for they are with the inadequate knowledge of English to face the keen competition in all fields. They ascribe their inadequacy of knowledge to various reasons: regional language medium background, shortage of experienced and qualified faculty, insufficient exposure to English, irregular attendance in the class, etc and cut a sorry figure. 

 

            In professional colleges, the classroom situation is different as we find the students at various communication levels and a clear-cut gap between the teacher, especially the teacher of English and the students:  many below average, some average, a few above average and very rare availability of extraordinary talents in rural setting. He has to train them in various aspects starting with fundamentals and bring them to the higher levels to bridge the gap with the spirit of challenge. As per their standards and merits, they are in four categories as per classification: the students with ordinary skills, the students with moderate skills, the students with good skills and the students with excellent skills.

 

Students of Ordinary Skills

 

Most of the technical students in technical colleges nowadays are below average, not up to the mark as far as their communication levels are concerned. They fail to impress the interviewers and see themselves crest-fallen as they lack in communication skills. They can communicate only certain and limited ideas as their acquired English is confined to stock expressions: ‘Good morning’, ‘a nice trip’, ‘a happy journey’, ‘a happy new year’’ nice to see you’, ‘What cost is it?’, ‘What brand?’ and so on. However, they use the sentences to which they are frequently exposed. They cannot create new expressions, as they do not know grammar to go beyond their stock expressions. They cannot express their ideas adequately. In such situation, the teacher has to teach the students of the category the essentials of grammar, the building of vocabulary, etc to enable them to frame correct sentences for accuracy and bring them to the level of the students with moderate skills.

 

Students of Moderate Skills

 

            Students with moderate skills communicate clearly and correctly, as they have command over the rules of grammar as the life of language is grammar:  They have a clear idea of how they have to construct sentences. For that, they should be quite aware of structures or the verb patterns. The sentences with proper structures lead to clear-cut understanding. They know well grammatical technicalities and syntactical devices but lack in the art of pronunciation. to have fluency. Under the guidance of the teacher of English trains them to rise to the level of the students with good skills.

 

Students of Good Skills

 

            Students with good skills belong to a better category than those of moderate skills as they maintain not only the correctness of language but also the aptness of pronunciation. They have the knowledge of accurate pronunciation with the right tone, accent and intonation apart from that of correct and appropriate language with structural and syntactical patterns. The most standard pronunciation is ‘the Received Pronunciation’ (RP) which is acceptable all over the world. It is none but the non-native speakers who face the problem of pronunciation, as their languages are phonetic as their pronunciation sounds in accordance with the spelling of words. The teacher should always guide them to pronounce words as per the appropriate pronunciation with stress and intonation. Under his great care, the quality of voice should be properly maintained or modulated. Pitch, speed, modulation, etc are important ones followed to achieve steady speaking and attentive listening that should go hand in hand for the clear comprehension of the subject. At this stage, the teacher enriches their standards with the knowledge of body language, the non-verbal communication to be the students with excellent skills.

 

Students of Excellent Skills

 

            Apart from the correctness of language and the aptness of pronunciation, the students with excellent skills have the positive body language with its gestures, postures, facial expressions, physical appearance, eye contact, etc. to be successful in effective communication in all situations and contexts. It is the body language to speak volumes. By means of body language, the speaker can make his presentation effective for it reflects his inner state of emotions. An effective speaker establishes a synchronizing coordination between the mind for thought flow and the body for body reaction in the form of gestures, postures, facial expressions, eye contact, etc as the face is the index of the mind.  Apart from verbal communication: grammaticality, the correctness of language and the aptness of pronunciation, the body language (GPB formulae: grammar, pronunciation and body language) is very essential on the part of the speaker while speaking. We should not forget the significance of body language on the part of a speaker for it is an integral part of speaking. According to Patricia Ball, “To effectively communicate, it’s not always what you say, but your body says that makes the difference.”

 

            They should ‘get in touch with the way the other person feels. Feelings are 55 percent body language, 38 percent tone and 7 percent words’ as quoted in Communication Skills for Engineers. The communicative ability of the hands and the legs, especially the face plays a vital role on the part of the speaker. The speaker can make his speaking interesting by attracting the attention of audience by means of eye contact. They build up confidence to have competence to speak in all situations. They are bold and fearless to speak at audiences. They, at the same time, modulate their speaking to be convincing and interesting to the audience. They rise to the level to learn the fact that excellent presentation mainly depends on the eyes, the tone, the expression, the appearance (dress style) and postures. They have to learn grammar, pronunciation and body language (GPB) one after the other.

 

Teacher’s General Approaches

 

            We are able to express our ideas, feelings, experiences or reflections effortlessly and spontaneously in our mother tongue, vernacular, learnt from our mother, family and region. It does not mean that we speak fluently as per RP and accurately as per the rules of grammar. The fact is that we express our ideas and the listeners receive them with proper comprehension and prompt reaction on their part to respond to us, the speakers in a spontaneous manner. Whoever speaks effortlessly and spontaneously may not be able to speak fluently and accurately. To speak fluently and accurately, they need proper coaching and teaching; methods and techniques; approaches and guidelines in the process of learning. There is a dire necessity of a teacher to equip students to speak fluently and write accurately. The teacher may possess enormous knowledge in his diverse disciplines or in his own discipline but the knowledge he has, must be translated into the reality of imparting it to students by means of his pedagogical approaches from the learners’ point of view. In the coveted and committed mission, his approaches are bound to be from the learners’ point of view as he plays the most prominent role in shaping not only an individual in particular but also society in general. He should create a general impression in their minds that he is there for their welfare and well-being.

 

            The teacher is a living Supreme and seen Divine when he is for the welfare of students. There is a bounden responsibility on his part to promote their standards, enabling them to reach the highest pinnacle of success. He should be impartial in evaluation and unbiased in treatment, etc. He should pat, encourage and inspire all of them especially average and below average students to shine in studies. As a teacher of English in particular, he should see that they overcome their shyness, stage fright, inferiority complex, etc and the obstacles and hurdles in their path of success. They should feel that their teacher is there to support them morally to shape them into good articulates and worthy candidates to have success in career capture and life pursuits.    

 

            The teacher is supposed to have practical approaches rather than theoretical approaches.  The methods and techniques he follows as per theoretical methods may not be practicable in a given context or situation. Then the teacher has a wise option to switch over to practical approaches conducive to the situation to make his students understand the subject he is teaching as he has a good deal of experience in the field of teaching. The practical experience is more a teacher to help students than the theoretical knowledge. He has to cite living examples from his practical experiences to enable them to understand the content or the subject perfectly and have command over the subject. When we talk of the learning of English by technical students at advanced levels, the teacher should have pragmatic perspectives in shaping them into worthy students to be competent and confident in facing the challenges in this age of healthy competition of the internet generation. Under his supervision, they browse the software programs in the advanced levels to keep his knowledge up-to-date

 

            Many people do not know simple expressions like ‘one of my friends’ ‘one and half hours’ etc but they say ‘one of my friend’, ‘one and half hour, ’etc, and think that they know how to speak English. They never try to know the fact of their mistakes. One must be very careful about the use of the parts of speech all other items. A student with the knowledge of grammar can express and communicate clearly without ambiguity, confusion, etc. The mistakes made by non-native speakers are innumerable “common mistakes". The teacher has to concentrate on common errors in the classroom to make his students realize common errors and enrich their knowledge up to the mark in respect of English for technical budding graduates. Mere the completion of the textbook does never serve the purpose. The teacher should have special approaches to the teaching of English in the enrichment of their standards in respect of correctness.

 

            The non-native speakers are under their respective Mother Tongues’ Influence (MTI) on their English. They mispronounce many English words and tend to let others know their identity or mother tongue or lingua franca when they speak English. Bernard Shaw once said, “No matter how well is man dressed or behaved, he betrays his origin the moment he opens his mouth. This holds true for an Indian.” The teacher should enable them to take meticulous care to minimize and overcome Mother Tongue’s influence (MTI) on their English pronunciation, stress and intonation. Certain letters in words receive stress and the others do not. They must be aware of stress-shift in respect of verbs, adjectives and nouns. The nouns have stress on the first syllable and the corresponding verbs have stress on the second syllable. There are letters present in the spelling of words but are missing in pronunciation. He should cite various examples for the purpose. Stress, stress shift, pitch, intonation, modulation, volume, speech rate, etc. Kinesics is the first subject to deal with postures, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, physical appearance, etc. Proxemics is the second subject to deal with space distancing between the speaker and the audience during communication or presentation to maintain dignity and decorum. Paralinguistics  is the third  subject to deal with tone, volume, modulation, speed, etc as per the necessity and Cronemics is the final one to deal with time to be taken in presentation are the prominent subjects of a teacher for his successful career.

 

            The world in the 21^st century with its growing challenges invites students with excellent communication skill.  The students to settle in their career must be under the supervision of a teacher par excellence.                                       

Published
EDUTRACKS
Vol. 20 No. 1 Oct-2020

Also published
Strengthening English Language and Learning:
Issues and Challenges
Excel India Publishers, New Delhi.
Pp 305-307

Sweet Dream in life

                                                      Dream is a part of life,

                                                      A beam of the moon,

                                                      A gleam of the boon

                                                      As a solace to all strife.

                                                      Flow a mental stream 

                                                      Shorter but sweeter

                                                      Shorter but brighter

                                                      Specialty of the dream.

                                                      The present is to recall,

                                                      The past to revive,

                                                      The dead to relive

                                                      The foremost windfall.                                                      

                                                      Dream is life's variety

                                                      In wry monotony

                                                      As sweet harmony

                                                      The bounteous beauty.

                                                      Life excels by a dream

                                                      To transcend tears

                                                      To transform fears

                                                      A ride in a jolly stream.

                                                      The shorter is sweeter,

                                                      Glow of the flower

                                                      To mark the greater

                                                      In life like the treasure.

                                                      The most delicious feast

                                                      Spring in its stature

                                                      Youth in its measure

                                                      To welcome once at least.    

   

                                                      Life, undoubtedly longer

                                                      Finds a dream shorter

                                                      But definitely sweeter

                                                      Labor knows its glamour.                                                         

Published

METVERSE MUSE

Diamond Jubilee Issue

Oct 2020

Instinct and Insight

                                                       I saw a hen tuck chicks,

                                                       Its instinct never feigns.

                                                       Realities in their reigns

                                                       All free from gimmicks.

                                                      

                                                       I learnt from my pet dog

                                                       It wags its tail, a love-sign,

                                                       Protects the house of mine,

                                                       Keeps its master from fog,

                                                       I watched the butterfly fly

                                                       Flower to flower for honey

                                                       Care a pin to the rules any:

                                                       Not to allow any passer-by.  

                                                       Insects, animals, and birds

                                                       Know no lies to misguide

                                                       Know no pretexts to hide

                                                       Try no sugarcoated words.

                                                     

                                                       They glow in real colors

                                                       No disguise to look true 

                                                       No mask in blue be blue

                                                       Indeed, fair are creatures.

                                                       Tending to pretend never 

                                                       By their false appearance,

                                                       A scintillating side-glance,

                                                       To hide their actual nature,

                                                       They are what they appear 

                                                        A goat-skinned wolf never

                                                       A cow-faced tigress never

                                                       A snake in the grass never.

Published

METVERSE MUSE

Diamond Jubilee Issue

Oct 2020

Marriage Flawless

                                                         Marriage is flawless

                                                         With all smiles won,

                                                         One and one are one

                                                         Two in one, all bless.

                                                          

                                                         Born of two wombs

                                                         Brought up separate

                                                         For union in the state

                                                         Of marriage to tombs.    

                                                         

                                                         All find they are two,

                                                         As entities in function

                                                         They are one in union

                                                         As better-halves true.

                                                         Marriage, one-plus-one,

                                                         Transformed into a one

                                                         From the two in unison 

                                                         To flow in communion.

                                                         

                                                         They are for a mixture

                                                         Of two true substances

                                                         To become all chances

                                                         Nectar for their rapture.

                                                         Never becomes poison,

                                                         The source of prejudices,

                                                         The venue for injustices,

                                                         To prove a wrong union.

                                                         They rise as lovers akin

                                                         In the marriage horizon

                                                         With no flaws in vision:

                                                         Race, status or any, a sin.

                                                         

                                                         It is not just social bond

                                                         For them to live confine

                                                         But the will of the divine

                                                         For them to live beyond.

Published

METVERSE MUSE

Diamond Jubilee Issue

Oct 2020

Manas Bakshi's Poetic Concerns for Human Relations: An Overview with a special reference to Parnassus of Revival

A poet is one who has an observant eye and a sensitive heart for human concern and social relation in the welfare of man. He marks a clear-cut distinction by virtue of his distinctive features and special characteristics in the genre of poetry. No two poets are alike or same but they may be similar or dissimilar in presenting thematic treasures and poetic ideals, technical brilliance and artistic excellence. Here is a poet belonging to the class of poets par excellence in the galaxy of contemporary Indo-English poets. He is none other than Dr. Manas Bakshi who occupies a significant place in the poetic panorama by virtue of his rare merits in the contemporary era. 

           In the anthology of poems, entitled Parnassus of Revival Manas Bakshi deals with kaleidoscopic themes underlying life. Time with its past, present and future and man's predicament in time's reign, nature with its lovely scenes, social evils, lacking in faith in human relations, dilemmas, perplexities, confusions, conflicts, degeneration of values, degradation of standards, anarchy and so on in the current society enriched his thematic plenty. He delineates the wide range of themes employing striking imagery, felicity of word-clusters or expressions and precise and crispy lines to exemplify his poetic dynamics. He deserves all encomiums for the merits of the anthology.  

Manas Bakshi grows into a humanist by virtue of his good background or sweet disposition. He criticizes the present society for lacking in human relations and social concerns. The prevalent social distinctions and discriminations, status variations and economic depressions to cause inequalities and injustices are against his principle as a poet and man. Through the spectrum of poetry, he shares his heart-felt feelings to the readers in the most convincing and appealing way.  

As a poet and man, Manas Bakshi is deeply committed to man's peaceful existence and human relations. Man to aim at man-for-man or human relation therefore becomes the focus and fulcrum of his poetry. He presents his feelings, moods, experiences, findings, happenings and so on, as he has broad mission and wide vision as a poet of human relations and concerns. 

A poet of human consciousness and social awareness is bound to respond to all the evils confronting the society today. I quote my (Dr. Rajamouly Katta's) definition of poetry from my article in Susheel Kumar Sharma featured in Language, literature and Culture,

                     "Every poet lets us listen to his heart-throbs for our heart-responses. It is        his primary goal and bounden responsibility to describe events, incidents,           experiences, dilemmas, problems, etc that he glimpses through, and weapon            and organ he fights with for the aimed reforms and desired solutions. It rises          from the reality and actuality of life in the way the plant rises from the ground       of truths to bloom the flowers of facts".      

As a poet, Manas Bakshi believes that poetry is the expression of realities that lurk in his mind and heart. The poem, 'A Poem of Untold Moments'(26) reflects his views on poetry,

                                              Words not always enough to delineate

                                              The bubble surfacing on 

                                              A purple heart's edge---

                                                 ...           ...         ...

                                              That is always a poem

                                              Of untold moments

                                              In untold words

                                              Of metaphoric exuberance.

           

            As a poet, Bakshi defines a good poem as a choice, preferred to any material offer, the only option for him as unfolded in his poem, 'Aesthetic Balm' (9). It should touch the heart by a message of consolation as a lesson for the reader's inevitable learning,

                                              What will you opt for

                                              A handful of Dehradun rice

                                              Or, a fine poem that touches a lacerated heart,

                                              As the winter-end breeze blowing over

                                              The paddy field after harvest?

                                                 

Manas Bakshi's love for man is the nucleus theme of his poetry as revealed in the collection of poems. He, as a poet and man, loves the race of man and so he wishes man's world to be safe and peaceful. He exhorts every individual to grow into an ideal family and all families into society to reflect human values. His appeal to the race of man ultimately culminates in his universal wish that the earth must be safe. In the poem, 'Caution'(7), he indirectly appeals to the race of man to live in happiness, saving the earth the world for man' existence, averting all evil happenings

                                                     Don't destroy me

                                                     To destroy yourself...

                                                      ...        ...        ...

                                                     Your first succour, last resort

                                                     It's me, Mother Earth.

                The poet indentifies with Mother Earth and appeals to his fellow man with profound feelings of helplessness to stop his act,

                        

                                                      Don't bite  

                                          To bring out 

                                                      My last drop of blood...

                         

    Humanism is the heart of Manas Bakshi's poetry for he loves family relations. In the poem, 'Smile a Day' (61) he gives full marks for marital ties and familial relations,

                                                    But full marks?

                                                    Sorry, I can't!

                                                    Have my wife and children

                                                    Waiting till I breathe my last.

       The poet loves conjugal life as the ideal and preferential one for it gives him solace and bliss. What man gets in marital relations is missing in extramarital relations. In the poem, Surrealistic' (21) he distinguishes the marital with the kiss to bestow on man bliss and the extramarital with a 'secret kiss' to be short-lived and 'half-finished',

                                                  Halcyon days are short-lived

                                                  As a secret kiss,

                                                  Looking back often means

                                                  The surfacing of a hidden urge

                                                  To refurnish all

                                                  That is half-hearted, half-finished;

                 For the poet, love is pure.  It is the choicest emotion. In the poem, 'Moving Leeward' (27) he criticizes the lovers today for their non-commitment to love. They are not true lovers.  It is for their temporary pleasures,

  

                                                   And love---

                                                   Mere a conjunction

                                                   Dominating a secluded space

                                                   Of momentary togetherness

                  Manas Bakshi's faith in humanity is comprehensive and compulsive on the part of man. In the poem, 'Moving Leeward' (27) he therefore loves humanity built with the bricks of faith in cordial, harmonious human relations and peaceful existence of man, 

                                                  

                                                     When faith is no more

                                                     A condition of living,

                                                     Marriage seldom sacred

                                                     Relations often sartorial

                                                     Down a life-line

                                                     Staid, turmoil-stained.

                   Truth to reflect love in man helps man love fellow men to have unity as a sign of humanity. The poem, 'Clairvoyance-like' (8) expresses the truth, the truth of humanity,

                                                Truth is the moment of love

                                                We feel united

                                                Since birth.

                   He advises his fellow beings in his poem, 'What Likely the Art of Living Is' (44) to wish for the safe existence of man, maintaining man-to-man or human relations in the age of man-created barriers,

                                                    Only for

                                                    Raising a storm inside the orbit

                                                    Of the suffering human psyche

                                                    Mired in the textures

                                                    Of relations mechanized.

As a poet and man, Manas Bakshi is against human suffering. He does not like inequalities and injustices, discrimination and humiliation, so on. He is upset more and more with male domination to result in gender discrimination. For him, poetry springs from pain and he expresses the idea in his poem, 'Parnassus of Revival' (14). The theory of his poetry is that it begins in the pain of a girl-child and it is evident in the lines,

                                                    Poetry beginning with pain

                                                    As a girl child

                                                    Born wretched

                                                    On the Indian soil.... 

His poetry mirrors his bitter feelings and unbearable experiences in the sad incidents of humiliation meted out to women in the long past, the past and the present. He portrays his deep concern for woman in his first poem, 'Indian Woman' (1). The feelings related to the incidents of humiliation to women haut him and hurt his heart deeply for he has high reverence and soft corner for women, He identifies with the woman in suffering,

   

                                                  An Indian woman,

                                                  An emblem of duty to family

                                                  And love for husband,

                                                  Affection to children

                                                  And devotion the Creator,  

                                                  Sustaining for aeon

                                                  The legacy, lechery and lapses

                                                  Of a male-dominated domain---                          

                                                 

    He identifies with woman in different aeons. She faces 'the fire ordeal' to prove her chastity. How it is to see her suffering! He shares the suffering of Sita as she suffers for no fault of hers,

                                                  Having no fault of my own

                                                   ...          ...          ...

                                                  Had to face a fire ordeal---

                                                  To prove my chastity

                                                  With feminine courage.

            As a poet and man, Bakshi shares the woes and throes of the Pandavas. He feels that the action of the Kauravas as 'shameless'.  He shares Draupadi's suffering, identifying with her. The suffering of women did not lost but continued as ' a stigma of yore!' to the 20th century,

                                                 The legacy followed 

                                                 Even in the 20th century

                                                 To adorn me with a crown

                                                 Of a royal devotee,

                                                 Offered forever to the deity

                                                 Of imposed myth

                                                 And imagined glory-gaiety!

                                                 Neither a Goddess

                                                 Nor a call girl

                                                 Branded Devdasi---                                       P2

             

              He has deep anguish for the tragic fate of 'Lower caste woman in Kerala!' a hundred years ago. He expresses his vehement protest, indentifying with her, Nangeli saying,

  

                                                I preferred chopping of my breast

                                                To paying tax 

                                                To the king of Travancore

                                                For covering up the same.                                 P3

  

It is shameful to think of the humiliation meted out to woman in the form of molestation and rape even in the 21st century in the so-called civilized society with the sense of equality in the democratic setup,

                                 

                                                I am that Manipuri girl

                                                Baring my body in vehement protest---

                                                Many of you 

                                                21st century civilized male 

                                                 Unblushing, unfazed, remorseless

                                                 Just relax again!

             Bakshi as a fellow being feels ashamed of being a male to victimize a woman to unbearable agony and suffering. He referred to women: 'Padmini of Chittore with deep feelings.  He wishes woman to be very strong to avert all the evils related to her and fight like Indian soldiers for her motherland,

                                                I've the fighting spirit 

                                                Of Razia Sultana,

                                                The indomitable courage of Rani of Jhansi,

                                                The patriotic spark of Matangini Hazra

                                                And the undying zeal of Kalpana Chawla;               P3

               Years glide on in time's ride but there is no change in woman's fate and existence. She becomes a victim to rape, sometimes rape and murder, stealing her money and treasures, the triple crime. There are ghastly incidents of rape of babies, girls and women of any age for the satiation of man's barbaric act in his demonic lust. He feels hurt for the pathetic and tragic plight of Nirbhaya identifying with her,

                                              

                                                My fate hasn't been changed---

                                                Still I am one after another Nirbhaya

                                                In the hands of the criminals 

                                                Gang raped and slain!                                     P4.

Woman lives in the society today amidst fears confronting her all the times. She feels insecure because of brutalities and cruelties of man's violence in various forms. 

The poet feels sorry for the inhuman act of foeticide. To resort to foeticide by a woman in modern age is a sinful act. He wishes to have security for woman against prevalent insecurity in the present society,

                                               

                                              Sorry to say

                                              I have neither a foeticide-free sky

                                              Nor the deserved

                                              Social security reign!                                    P4

 

                Manas Bakshi as an optimist whole-heartedly wishes that the people should change the pitiable plight of woman in the present inhuman scenario,

                                                 I will, for sure, one day

                                                 Make India worthy 

                                                 Of woman's existence---                              P4

The poet feels that a child gladdens its family by its sweet smile and strengthens the nation by its brilliant caliber and career when grown. He wishes that no foul means should spoil the child's smile. In the poem 'Bugbear' (11), he equates 'child' that gladdens the near and dear with 'flower' that sweetens the atmosphere,

                                              A smiling flower

                                              A smiling child

                                              Bliss of Nature

                                              Sacred and divine

                                               

                                              Flower torn

                                             Smile forgotten

                                             Religious fanaticism: a knife

                                             Flashing vengeance 

                                             From behind.

            The poet presents the portrait of man and woman living in an unwelcome situation against his wishes in the poem, 'Unmasking' (15),

                                       

                                             I will make a portrait

                                             Of man and woman

                                             Going deep into the realm

        

                                             Where the trite terms

                                             Of a prosaic living entail

                                             A nomadic shibboleth,

                                             Where everyone's

                                             Aimless wandering

                  The society today is mired in numerous ill-treatments to the poor, 'Pavement dwellers and pedestrians' as the sign of marginalization. There is no way set to solve their problems. In the poem, 'Live from Kolkatta Pavement' (30), the poet presents the city's realistic picture to reflect their pathetic plight of the poor for miserable lives,

                                               Marginalized as they are since birth

                                               Groveling for survival in shady shanties,

                                               Like the very footpath

                                               Sheltering the alive and the dead

            The poll promises go in vain. The promises are the words wrought on the surface of water. The leaders are in fact for good governance as per democracy but not poli-tricking for poly tricking. The poet aptly compares votes to fallen leaves to say that they have no value and power after elections. He presents the most unwelcome situation,

Vote is over, 

                                                Torn ballot papers

                                                Mute as the fallen leaves

                                                Can't divulge the secrets of poli-tricking

            

            The poet feels sorry for the martyrs are remembered once in a year in the way the great leaders of great sacrifice are forgotten. It is done as a show but not as a mark of real respect for the departed leaders,

                                               

                                                 Swirl around a martyr's tomb---

                                                 Martyrs initiated at the baptismal of fire

                                                 Remembered once in a year!

 

 .     The nature-lyric depicting the sun 'Saluting the Sun' (54) making a fact that there are unwanted children and they might not know their male parents. The children grow to be unruly and violent with every possibility of turning terrorists,

                                                 Justice? No, not the real cause,

                                                 It's all myth

                                                 Really is virgin mothers

                                                 Of unwanted child still

                                                 Scream in the blind alleys of life,

                                                 And Karnas today

                                                 Often turn terrorists!

            

            In the poem 'Aesthetic Balm' (9) the poet feels that the worldly life is losing its glories against his wish. He concurs with time's powers as time conquers man's life,

         

                                                  As worldly life loses its charm 

                                                  To a sardonic smile of Time.

            The poet presents the picture of the world today in the poem, 'Introspection' (12). He unfurls the fact he is against absurdities and calamities,

                

                                                   It's is a polarized world

                                                   Some having more than needed

                                                   Some having nothing, superseded

                                                   Some enjoying nocturnal glee

                                                   In longing eyes

                                                   Some dying in the street

                                                   After day-long pitched fight!

            The poem, 'Aesthetic Balm' (9) lends a poetic utterance to his ideas about the pathetic plight of the people in the prosaic society today,

                                                   We're wandering in wilderness

                                                   Craving for a festival of colours

                                                   For minds and stress

                                                   For eyes away from

                                                  The wonder of a poetic landscape!

  

In the poem, 'Introspection'(13), he lets his unbearable feelings known to the readers. To all these unwanted happenings and violent incidents, God is silent. He is indifferent to human suffering,

                                     

                                                    Nowhere to go

                                                      ...      ...     ...

                                                    Better to close

                                                    The windows and the door

                                                    And feel emotional flames

                                                    Burning within

                                                      ...       ...       ...

                                                    Silent God

                                                    At the other end

                                                    Playing Sudoku

                                                    In the secluded corner of human mind.

             

             The poet, on behalf of man, wishes God to avert man's suffering and hurting feelings, He is man's God to be in reign for the welfare of man. It is His responsibility as the Almighty. But God is silent. In the other poem, 'Dwelling on a Stone God' (19), the poet expresses the indifferent attitude of God to man's resorting to violent ways,

                               

                                                     The stark residue of a stone-God

                                                     Showing neither anger nor smile                      P19

            The poet ironically unfolds the view that God is busy having so many schedules that He is not able to redress man's grievances. Thus, man throws the sole blame on God for His being over busy,

                                                    For God

                                                    Always acting like a minister

                                                    Overburdened with several portfolios

                                                    Is never spared with a single blame

                                                    In human eyes full of vengeance!                          P19   

                                      

Here the poet echoes the satirical vein of Kamala Das on the life of hypocrisy in the hues of reality led by many in the society today and God is in heaven away from man with the sense of hypocrisy as presented in her poem, 'Fancy-Dress Show ',

                                                  God is in his heaven and all

                                                  Is right with this stinking world.

The society is full of 'miseries and mistake'. In the poem 'A Cyber Age Poem', (10) he wishes man in the society today to be 'neo-human' and all the past history not to repeat in the present, 

                         

                                                  Cyber age; world seems within reach.

                                                  Flower, fruits and vegetables---all hybrid....

                                                  Days nearing the pinnacle of global warming

                                                  For a fresh start with neo-human seed?

            The poet loves peace from the heart of his heart in the poem, ' As the Pigeons Saw It' (63). He expresses his love for peace by the traditional symbol of pigeons, 'Flying in a jubilant mood'.  He loves India for its universal peace and communal harmony,

                                               Some white pigeons 

                                               Messengers of peace

                                                  ...        ...      ...

                                               Crossing the border

                                               They felt comfortable and safe

                                               In the peace-loving Indian territory,

                                               Were amazed to see here

                                               Secular majority heralding the cause

                                               Of global peace and communal harmony

                                               Sparing not even an inch

                                               For terrorism to creep in---

               The poet says that the pigeons had good image about our nation as it was meant for peace and so they felt comfortable to enter it. They felt disappointed as they found all chaos and unrest in India today against their expectations in a peace loving country,

                                              The pigeons felt sorry for

                                              Being driven to a wrong place,

                                              Felt ashamed too

                                              For being stripped off

                                              Their hallowed image!

              

            The anthology mirrors the state of lacking in man-to-man, man-to-woman, man-to-nature, man-to-God relations in human society especially in the present society. It is slender but it is a good blender for blending all noble thoughts and bright ideas for their beauty in variety like the pretty flowers put together into an exquisitely beautiful garland. The beauty lying in the variety of poems of the anthology, Parnassus of Revival, bestows on the readers gaiety. 

Dr. Manas Bakshi has had excellent poetic career, spanning four decades and winning encomiums from the literary firmament. Through the medium of his poetry, he marks variety by the rich use of evocative imagery, symbolic modes, thematic variety and artistic excellence for the snapshot delineation of widespread evils: injustices and prejudices, hypocrisies and jealousies, inequalities and insecurities, and so on in the current society. He is not a silent spectator but a keen observer of evils and events, he witnesses in the spectrum of society. He records all his feelings, expectations, experiences, observations, happenings and so on to fulfill his poetic objective from the social perspective. His poetry mirrors the society he lives in. It reflects the satirical vein as the nucleus to satirize the evils in the society. Thus, he proves to be a poet par excellence from the soil of the poets like Rabindranath Tagore.               

Works Cited,

Bakshi, Dr. Manas. Parnassus of Revival, The Poetry Society of India, Haryana, 2017

Rajamouly, Dr. Katta. 'Poetry for Reform: Susheel Kumar Sharma's The Door Is Half Open', Yking Concise Encyclopaedia of Language, Literature and Culture, Yking Books, Jaipur, 2014

Das, Kamala. 'Fancy-Dress Show', Poetry and Prose Selections, Amar Publishers, Guntur, 1995

 

Published

Poetcrit

Vol 33 No. 2 July-Dec 2020

Also published in

Creation and Criticism

Issue. 22 June 2020