Upload
jay-tekwani
View
42
Download
3
Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
One of the newsletters created in grade 11, grade 10 was very busy but we did make a few newsletters. However, they were not good enough to be uploaded.
Citation preview
FREEDOM MEANS BEING ABLE TO DISAGREE–Luna ma‟am Freedom is independence– Yash Free-
dom is not worth having if it does not connote freedom to err-Mahatma Gandhi
Freedom is what every country needs–Pratik Freedom is when you are responsible—it
comes with responsibility and you have to make correct decisions when you are independent–
Namrata Bhadania Freedom is about having a choice –Jay Tekwani Freedom is something in
which we get a chance to show our abilities–Rachit Popat You have freedom when
you’re easy in your harness– Robert Frost Freedom...the ability to
express yourself without any fear of reproach. Without freedom there would be no crea-
tivity in the world — Jay Batavia Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves
-Nietzsche Freedom is independent action. Helps people come up with innovative ideas
without worrying about the society–Priyanka Patel Freedom means choosing your burden-
Hephzibah Nenuhin Freedom is life without rules–Pranav S Freedom is the oxygen of the soul-Moshe
Dayan Freedom is something that encourages me to give my own wills and fulfill my
dreams–Janki Freedom is being allowed to make mistakes–Kishen If one is going to err,
one should err on the side of liberty and freedom—Kofi Annan Freedom is
doing each and everything you want to–Parth B Freedom is all about expres-
sion–Kunal R Freedom is being able to voice your opinion without
anyone going against you or taking any actions-Teesta Freedom is living life the
way you want to-Shyam P Freedom is life, without freedom life would not be as simple
and beautiful as it is-Neel Bhanvadia For what avail the plough or sail, or land or life, if
freedom fail?-Ralph Waldo Emerson Freedom is a right obtained by a person whenever he/she
is born. Freedom is being able to do whatever you want at a given point in time–Sonark We
are free, truly free, when we don't need to rent our arms to anybody in order to be able to lift a
piece of bread to our mouths-Ricardo Flores Magon
The AZADI special
On the verge news, views and more from the galaxy school Volume 1, issue 2 ...of celebrations
2 /
Editor’s Note until very recently that I realised this state-
ment has a really profound economic idea.
In today‘s scenario this holds true for almost
everything - from our rampant corruption to
the widespread economic depression - that
the world faces. This is true for every nation
from the developed to the developing. Take
any global issue from climate change to ter-
rorism - all of it seems to mould into these
lines spoken by Gandhi. The latest paradigm
of development that the world suggests after
years of capitalistic and communist setups,
is what Gandhi, without the hullabaloo,
says. The idea of sustainable development
that the world is trying to embrace is unde-
niably Gandhian. So this 2nd October, I real-
ise that the world is still trying to be Gandhi
years after his assassination.
The stereotype that we have created
of Gandhi is only of a freedom fighter and
even more rigidly, the Father of our Nation.
This edition attempts to explore Gandhi in a
wider and a contemporary perspective. The
articles in this issue explore different dimen-
sions of freedom — from the slave trade, to
Kashmir to women, among others.
So here it is, our AZADI special!
This editorial had to be about Gandhi
as it follows 2nd October. The same old man
with a stick in his hand smiling a toothless
smile at us out of a frozen picture, who
seems banal and outdated. Now imagine
Gandhi in contemporary India: he seems to
have no place. He seems too good to be a
Politician, too idealistic to be a Lawyer, too
simplistic to be a Religious Leader, too slim
to be a Bollywood Star; in short, Gandhi to-
day would have nothing to do. I personally
think he would be locked up somewhere for
supporting some fundamental movement
(not fundamentalist) and surely he would
have had plenty to choose from. So now
what do I write ? Recently, while doing my
Econ Essay and researching the latest para-
digm of development, I realised that Gandhi
is a great economist. I know he doesn‘t wear
those fancy blazers and stuff but believe me,
this new aspect of Gandhi really fascinated
me.
We often hear that Gandhi said
‗There is enough in the world for every-
one‘s need, not for everyone‘s greed‘. I
knew that Gandhi said this, but it was not
p a g e
1
Jay Tekwani, IDBP1 (with the editorial team)
9 11
9/11 is
most often
associated with the
terrorist
attacks of
2001, but
this day
represents more than
one vision of
the future...
1893
First meeting
of the
Parliament of
World
Religions
3
Model UN
1973
Pinochet ousts
Chile‘s
democratically
elected Marxist
President
Salvador Allende
in a coup
1989
A gap in the
Iron Curtain
opens between
Hungary and
the West, a
portent of the
fall of the
Berlin Wall
1998
Opening cere-
mony for the
Common-
wealth games
in Malaysia—
the first Asian
country to host
the games
2005
Israeli troops
pull out of
Gaza
1961
Foundation
of the
World
Wildlife
Fund
Contents
page 3
page 4
page 5
page 6
page 7
page 9
page 10
page 11
page 12
page 14
page 13
page 15
Checkmate: Chess Tournament at TGS
Debating Matters
Journey to the Philippines
Anywhere but here:
Musings on Leh-Ladakh
10/10/10:
One Day on Earth
Azadi: for India, for Kashmir
Frontier Gandhi
Women and Liberty
Book Review
Dariyalal
Songs of Freedom
Monuments of Rajkot: Ka ba Gandhi no Delo
From the Principal’s Desk
This issue brought to
you by:
Jay Tekwani (IBDP1),
Oona Mackesey-Green
(IBDP1); Editorial and
d e s i g n g u i d a n c e :
Gopika Jadeja
Contributors: Parth Me-
hta (AS Level), Dev
Viramgama (AS Level),
K u n a l K a m a n i a
(IBDP1), Neel Rakholia
(IBDP1), Juhi Palan
(IBDP1), Jay Batavia
(IBDP2), Rachit Popat
(IBDP2), Shivali Kan-
sagra (9B), Vaidehi
Chhotai (7); Quotes
from students on front
cover by students of
Grade 7; Erratum: Mit
Patel was one of our pho-
tographers for Issue 1. We
revert that his name was
not mentioned in the
list of contributors.
Hindi Week
4
Checkmate: Chess Tournament at TGS The Intergroup Chess Tournament was held from 20th September
to 24th September 2010. Here are some glimpses. Photographs by Rachit Popat (IBDP2) and Jay Batavia (IBDP2)
Jal 4 4 8
Prithvi 2+1 3 6
Agni 3 2 5
Akash 0 1 1
Juniors (Std. 7-10) Seniors (Std.10-12) Total KEY FOR POINT TALLY
1st position 4
2nd position 3
3rd position 2
4th position 1
5
After two weeks of extensive research and
debating practice, it all ended beautifully on the 29th
of September at the Ahmadabad Management Asso-
ciation when we stood convincingly victorious in
four out of six debates. Credit to the efforts of each
of the fourteen members in our team, The Galaxy
Education System displayed one of its best perform-
ances ever in the regional round of Debating Mat-
ters India, a highly reputed debating competition for
high school students organized annually by the Brit-
ish Council in collaboration with the Institute of
Ideas, UK. Twelve schools across the state of Guja-
rat had qualified for the event, which comprised of
three stages: the knockout stage, the round robin
stage and the final stage.
We departed for Ahmedabad on the 28th of
September, the day before the event, at around two
in the afternoon. School in the morning coupled
with five hours of travelling meant that we were all
exhausted on reaching the flat in which we were
supposed to stay overnight. But there was work to
be done; everybody was up till around three work-
ing on the final arguments they were going to put
forward in the upcoming debates.
The knockout round began at nine in the
morning. Jay Tekwani and Kunal Kamania of The
Galaxy School were up against Saint Kabir School
debating AGAINST the motion “A caste based
census is central to achieving social justice in In-
dia” .Not only did they succeed in winning the de-
bates convincingly, but Jay also received highly
praiseworthy remarks from all the judges, owing
to the immense clarity of thought he displayed
throughout his arguments.
In the next round, Ketshi Bavishi & I of The Gal-
axy School were up against Atul Vidyalaya debat-
ing FOR the motion “It‟s time for India to grow
GM food crops” while Jay Batavia & Dev Vi-
ramgama of The Galaxy School Anandalaya de-
bating AGAINST the motion “Traditional Indian
family practices are incompatible with moder-
nity”. The Galaxy School won the first debate, but
couldn‘t defend the second.
Owing to the loss mentioned above, we did
not manage to make it to the finals. There was dis-
appointment all around, because, rightfully so, we
deserved to be a part of the final stage, which de-
bated the motion “Scepticism is crucial to debates
about climate change”. Nevertheless, there was a
good amount of satisfaction for we knew that we
had successfully made an impact on the event as a
whole. The fact that Jay Batavia and I received a
special mention for valuable contribution across
the event insinuates that we, as a whole, performed
well. After satisfying our hunger with the likes of
Subway and McDonald‘s, we returned home from
an event that, before all, offered loads of learning
to everyone who was a part of it.
DEBATING
MATTERS By Parth Mehta , AS Level
The TGS Team takes
on the Public Speaking
challenge
6
It all started eight months back, when Parth and I decided
to pursue robotics as a skill. The experience turned out to
be nothing less than spectacular. We learned about all sorts
of gears, levers and pulleys. We programmed cars to move
in a specific way. It was exhilarating! Fun made the work
easy. A lot of things we learned within a small duration of
time.
Equipped with almost all theoretical knowledge, we de-
cided to give The World Robot Olympiad (WRO) a shot.
Being amateurs to the field we were slightly skeptical. Our
task was to make a ‗bot‘ (short for a robot) that climbs up a
2 feet pole, takes a ping pong ball, climbs down, goes to
another pole, climbs that 1.5 feet pole, grabs another ping
pong ball and comes down. The task was certainly daunt-
ing, but hard work, patience and, not to forget Binal
Madam‘s guidance, turned out to be invaluable. The first
step to (WRO) was getting through the Indian Robot Olym-
piad (IRO). Three months of relentless work ensured that
we made a ‗good enough‘ robot to clear IRO. We travelled
to Delhi for the competition, confident of getting through,
but it had a few goose bumps in store for us. We were
given a total of two runs, but only the best run would be
counted. Our first run was a complete fail – our robot man-
aged to climb only one pole. The second run was slightly
better as the robot climbed the first pole completely and the
second pole partially. However, the other teams were no
better and we ended up as runner ups in our category. The
winners were from Amity International School, Vasant Vi-
har.
Though we were happy, we were not satisfied. We continue
to make amendments to our robot which is supposed to per-
form the same task at WRO, in Manila, Philippines. This
has been an unbelievable quest and we are eagerly looking
forward to the 5th of November.
Journey to the
Philippines
By Neel Rakholia, IBDP1
& Parth Mehta , AS level
14th September is celebrated as the Hindi Divas
(Day), a day of respect to our
National Language. The Language that unites
us amongst all differences. The language that
has had a strong connection with our independ-
ence movements and has stirred our patriotism
since then. The language that has had the likes
of writers like Munshi Premchand and poets
like Harivanshray Bacchan. The language of
our bollywood movies. The language that is we
all have been studying since our early days in
school. This language deserves a Day.
On account of Hindi Divas the school cele-
brated the Hindi Week. Hindi Week is a range
of intergroup competitions in Hindi. The fol-
lowing are the competitions:
14/09/2010, Tuesday - Hindi Debate
15/09/2010, Wednesday - Essay Writing
16/09/2010, Thursday - Hindi Advertisment
Quiz
17/09/10, Friday - Hindi Literature Quiz
The debate was very exciting and close it surely
deserves a mention. The topic debated was:
Commonwealth Games- A Golden Opportunity
Agni and Jal were for, and Prithvi and Akash
were against the topic. The judges were Parag
Sir and Siddharth Sir.
The debate started with the ‗for‘ team stating
their views on the topic followed by the against
team doing the same. And then began the one-to
-one argument round. The attacks and counter
attacks were very interesting, as were the vari-
ous points raised by both the teams. Issues vary-
ing from poverty in India to systematic training
infrastructure in China were skillfully weaved
within the broader issue of the Commonwealth
Games. Issues like the development of infra-
structure (roads, stadiums, etc.) in Delhi for the
Games, the trouble it caused and the huge
amount of money squeezed out of Govern-
ment‘s annual budget were also taken into con-
sideration. These were the main highlights of
the debate although it raised many other issues
for discussion. Overall, it was a great event and
the results are as follows: Prithvi and Akash
came first while Agni and Jal came in second.
-Juhi Palan, IBDP1
Hindi Week (14th - 17th September 2010)
7
You will be the Delegate of Japan, speaking on
‗Piracy in Somalia‘ and ‗Disarmament in Iran‘. I
catch my breath. WHAT just happened?!
Model United Nations, to quote from the Wikipe-
dia, is an academic stimulation of the United Na-
tions that aims to educate participants about civics,
current events, effective communication, globalization and multilateral diplomacy.
Phew, that just summed up my entire article to follow.
But to us first timers, it is also much more. Faced with topics on a global scale, we need to prepare ourselves
on what a completely different country given to us feels about the issue. It is like visiting a foreign land, full
if uncertainties. My take on it:
We reach Ahmadabad on the 21st, not knowing what lies in store for us for the next day. We try to get some
sleep that night, but anxiety and sleep have never been the best of friends.
All of us need no waking up on the next day; we rise as fresh as one can be after tossing and turning on a
bed all night long, and get ready real quick. The car ride to the Ahmadabad International School, the school
hosing AIMUN since the past four years, seems like a very short one, not giving us enough time to prepare
our opening speeches and glance at our position papers for the last time. The car stops and we catch our
breath. Here we are, after all that research, hassle and groundwork, standing, facing the school where we‘ll
meet a bunch of other students, debate with them on issues we believe strongly in, and make new friends/
enemies.
After the opening ceremony, my friends and I part our ways to go into our separate councils, with different
chairs and different council members, all having important issues at hand to discuss and debate upon.
During the next two hours, I learn a lot about patience. You have to maintain decorum. Decorum and formal
language is something you never lose control of at conferences such as these. Placards are given to maintain
the same. Before you speak, one had to raise the placard in the direction of the chair and wait to be recog-
nized in order to speak, or to answer a question addressed to you, as that matter of fact. And there is no ‗I‘,
‗you‘, and ‗us‘. Just third person pronouns. You also learn a lot about ‗respectful disagreements‘, wherein,
even when you don‘t agree with a delegate of another country, you need to keep your calm and answer pa-
tiently, and try to make them see your point. It can get frustrating at times, when you have to deal with a
stubborn delegate!
After opening speeches, debate, lobbying, at the end of the day, all the resolutions are read out loud by the
chair, all the amendments are made, and then the voting begins. The resolution with the most nations sup-
porting them passes. That is the end of a tiring yet fun day one.
The second day is pretty much the same, the only difference being the general plenary and the closing cere-
mony. The general plenary is where all the resolutions passed by the committees are read out and voted
upon by delegations of all the countries. After that is the teary part as you bid farewell to all the new friends
you made in these two seemingly-short days are, all too soon, over.
Discussing these world matters not only made us more aware and conscious citizens, but also better people.
After the nerves, the excitement, the exhausting preparations and the overwhelming research, the anxiety
and the satisfaction that follows is nothing I can write about, one has to experience it for himself/ herself;
but I‘ve tried my best.
Now, here we are, back to school, already itching to go to our next MUN conference and meet more like-
minded people, make new friends, and discuss more issues that concern the world and us.
By Shivali Kansagra, 9th
AIMUN
8
“There are three wants which can never be satisfied: that of the rich, who
want something more; that of the sick who want something different; and
that of the traveler, who says „Anywhere but here‟”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
An evolutionary instinct and the structure of our society urge careful con-
sideration of the future, immediate and distant, with constant vigilance.
Plan, be prepared, and be careful, practicality preaches – you are your
own insurance for success. The ultimate irony is that we pour our efforts
and worry into securing immaculate arrangements for the unknown, de-
spite the fact that the probability of events unfolding according to our ex-
pectations is usually nil; it is a venture as futile as packing for a trip with
no given destination. The preparation pays off when reality and our vi-
sions do align, and often cushions us in our downfalls as well (even if we
have not packed for the right climate, anything is better than an empty
suitcase). However, it devalues indulgence into each passing moment; our
ceaseless pursuit of what may be comes at the expense of what is, and
nurtures a cycle of narrow-minded expectation.
Our experienced mountaineering guide, Pratik sir repeatedly assured the
30 students that the trek would impart on us the virtues of humility; no
one can stand below or atop the Himalayan giants without some sense of
their own insignificance. After two months in an unfamiliar country with
unfamiliar people, and another eight pending, memories of home and fan-
tasies of an early return constantly nagged my mind. If this trip turns out
as character building as promised, I thought, perhaps some newly found
inner nobility will grant me the endurance to last the year. I waited impa-
tiently for the epiphany to strike.
We reached Leh after an exhausting day and night in India‘s airports.
Bags had been forgotten, sleep forsaken, and edgy voices began to echo
with an indistinguishable mix of anticipation and irritation. As we stum-
bled down the steps onto the runway, the sparse air – cool, dry and empty
of oxygen – afforded immediate relief. Circling around on the tarmac, I
felt like I stood at the bottom of a huge bowl; on all sides sloping walls of
mud and grass lead up to the ridged blue rock of the mountains. The
town‘s calm lent a sense of serene satisfaction, but it could not dull the
collective energy now rising with a buzz; we would spend the next two
days finalizing preparations with thoughts centered enthusiastically on the
impending trek.
A straggling line of students stretches through the dust. With the sun fero-
ciously persistent and our drooping packs pulling us downwards, even the
heavily laden donkeys that pass us as we plod along seem sanguine, con-
tent to keep the secret of their hardiness. As we sprawl panting in the
shade, Pratik sir squints at the path ahead. A kind half-smile remains on
his face for the ten-day trip, a token of the comfortable confidence and
ease he radiates.
Anywhere but here:
Musings on Leh-Ladakh by Oona Mackesey-Green
9
At the first campsite, several hours pass before the day‘s casualties
manifest themselves. Sleeping bags and mats laid across the rutted dirt
fail to offer aching bodies their desired reprieve, and in some, the adven-
turous spirit has begun to dwindle. Minds wander back to the luxuries of
the guesthouse they had eagerly deserted, or even further, to nest them-
selves in the haven of Rajkot. Others hope only for the days to speed by
and leave them standing on the summit. We are beginning to understand
what Pratik Sir and Parag Sir meant by ‗mental strength‘. Walking for 5-
8 hours a day leaves lots of time for contemplation and clearly the stam-
ina required will extend beyond the rigors of a cardio workout.
Surprisingly, I am more homesick than ever. I also fill the silent hours of
walking with memories, envisioning how Madison must look this fall,
what it would be like if I was there, or if my family, my sister were
here… It is a distraction from our endless marching, but a draining dis-
traction rather than a fulfilling one. The moments when I pointedly ig-
nore these images and allow them to dissipate into the towering back-
drop of mountainous peaks and valleys feel more like an escape than
when recollections reign my imagination.
Around the second day, we notice a phenomenon. So obvious, I wonder
how it took so long to make an impression. Forget kind half-smiles (but
remember the ease and confidence), the Sherpa‘s who trek the same dis-
tance as we do in half the time, are beaming. As we heave our collapsed
bodies to the top of hills, they dance up the steep ascents with enough
breath left to send calls of elation echoing through the air. There is some
secret here, it has become apparent, known to our guides, to the
Sherpa‘s, even to the donkeys – some key to resilience that escapes us
students.
By the end of the trip, my homesickness had mostly faded into its usual
low-key presence, and while I loved all ten days and wished desperately
that I could stay in Leh, surrounded by prayer flags and mountains, I felt
shorted my epiphany. I was disappointed I had not reached the summit
and that no sudden second-consciousness had descended to sweep me
from my gloom. But, of course, this was entirely the point.
What I missed when I examined myself for soul shifting revolutions,
were subtle differences. We kept logs, assessed our health, pondered our
motivations and moved ever onwards. We discovered the power of every
two minutes of rest within six hours of walking, reclining in the shade
and for once, refusing to think about what was next. It escaped our ob-
servation that each day our legs were tougher, feet sturdier, mouths more
silent. We learned that one second spent sharing the Sherpa‘s gleeful
smiles, or focusing and gathering the self-control to measure slow steps
like Pratik, rewards with bounds of new energy. Returned to that land-
scape, rather than forward thinking, instinct necessitates life in the mo-
ment. The magic was shattered by thoughts of warm showers, clean
clothes, but the most vivid memories are still from the moments savored,
rooted in our surroundings, in an image, a sound, a step. We had to sat-
isfy ourselves with the knowledge that we chose this, we placed our-
selves here, and here we would stay, at least for the moment.
10
It‘s the halfway through the year and Grade 7 is
bubbling with activity. It‘s presently working on a
project called ―One day on Earth‖. On 10/10/10,
across the planet, people recorded their experience
of a particular topic over a 24 hour period and
showed their culture to the world through a video¸
photo or collage. They showcased the diversity of
culture and tradition all over the world on one day.
There were people all over the world making docu-
mentaries and clicking photos like, one group, with
members coming from all over the world worked on
a topic called, ―Giving birth on 10/10/10‖and one
other group which also had members coming from
all over worked on a topic called ―Weddings on
10/10/10‖.
Grade 7 went on work on 10/10/10 which was a
Sunday to different places of Rajkot to document its
culture. They had done many pre-preparations be-
fore finally documenting it. First they made groups
according to the different specialities of Rajkot. The
groups which were then formed were—Landmarks
of Rajkot, Markets of Rajkot (traditional), the traffic
and transport, the taste of Rajkot, the Race-course,
the tribes in Rajkot and Election.
After making groups they needed to learn photogra-
phy as they were going to take photos of whatever
topic they chose so thus they then had an input and
session by Rachit Popat from IBDP 2. He taught the
different aspects of photography and some impor-
tant techniques to click a photo.
Now Grade 7 was ready to go... on Sunday-
10/10/10 they went to various places and captured
all the uniqueness and commonness of Rajkot to
showcase it to the world. There was activity all
around, from the smallest sweet shop to the most
visited place in the city. There were interviews
taken, photos clicked and videos documented.
They were all excited and enthusiastic to work on
this project. It was actually amazing to have had
work on such a project...a real opportunity to con-
nect with the world and share your culture out
LOUD!
10/10/10:
One Day on Earth By Vaidehi Chhotai (with inputs from students of Grade 7)
Transport
Traffic
Elections
11
On 15th of August, in the city of Srinagar the Indian tricolour is hoisted in the city-centre.
Had it been a scene from any other state-capital of India, it would have consisted of thou-
sands of the general population in attendance to witness our celebration of the(A) azadi we
got from the British all those years ago. But not in Srinagar; here the ceremony is met with
deserted streets and empty intersections, with the majority of those in attendance being a
few dozen military personnel and some school-children. A very disconcerting image isn‘t
it. And it is with this image that Sanjay Kak‘s documentary, Jashn-e-Azadi, opens.
It is interesting to note how one word can have different meanings for different people.
―Freedom‖ is one such word. The online Oxford dictionary defines it as: ―the power or
right to act, speak, or think as one wants‖ but I define it differently, to me freedom is sim-
ply being in control of one‘s own self more than
anything else. So then we may say India is a free
country. Indians are a free people.
However, there is a community in this country
who would beg to differ. A Kashmiri‘s vision of
freedom is one that we may not even be able to
comprehend; not because it is complex. But be-
cause a free man‘s (ours) definition of freedom is
different from a man who is enslaved in his own
free country (a Kashmiri‘s). One may argue that
Kashmiri‘s are indeed in a free country and that
they are free themselves. For them I only have
one question: Is living in constant fear, fear that
one‘s beloved may not come back home from a
routine trip to the market or fear that a mother‘s son may be taken away on his way from
school or fear that one‘s sister may be raped, actually being free? Is it, then, unjustified
that the separatists have so much support? Perhaps not.
All is not so gloomy though; recently for the first time ever, the Indian government sent an
all-party delegation to Kashmir to better and understand the grievances that the separatists
have and to come up with possible solutions. Although these talks weren‘t as successful as
was hoped, it was deemed a step in the right direction even by the separatists themselves.
It was the first time in a long while that clear lines of communication were opened up by
the Indian government to listen to what the Kashmiris had to say.
We may be moving forward with the Kashmir issue for now, but there is a problem. It re-
mains so that a significant part of the Indian population remains unaware of what the
―issue‖ is. People still think its India vs Pakistan when it comes to Kashmir and fail to un-
derstand that there is a lot more depth to it than that. Perhaps it is out of ignorance or in-
difference, but the fact remains that till we don‘t have more documentaries like Jashn-e-
Azadi, till we don‘t have more poets like Agha Shahid Ali, Indians won‘t realise that there
still exists a place in this azad land of ours where people don‘t live free. And once we real-
ize it, will we then pride ourselves on being the largest democracy in the world? Some
food for thought.!
By Jay Batavia (IBDP2)
Azadi: for India, for Kashmir
12
other and remained very good
friends. On top of that both
played an instrumental role in
leading our country against the
British rule in the early 20th cen-
tury.
A Muslim. A Hindu.
Something you usually don‘t
see together, but Gandhi and
Khan were not to be separated
by any barriers. They were such
idols that Khan was named
―Frontier Gandhi‖. As he came
from the North West Frontier
Province he got the title
―frontier‖ and no one would
need an explanation for
―Gandhi‖. Though both have
multiple nominations for the
Nobel peace prize, Khan‘s fame
is very limited to India, Pakistan
and Afghanistan whereas Gan-
dhi‘s floats throughout the
world.
Ghaffar khan founded
the Khudai Khidmatgars
("Servants of God") to achieve
his dream of a united and inde-
pendent India. It worked on a
simple principle which was very
similar to the Satyagraha move-
ment started by Gandhi. He told
its members:
"I am going to give you such a
weapon that the police and the
army will not be able to stand
against it. It is the weapon of
the Prophet, but you are not
aware of it. That weapon is pa-
tience and righteousness. No
kindly refused. Nevertheless he
remained an active member of
the INC throughout his life.
Peace, unity and religious har-
mony is what he strived in
maintaining. However he was-
n‘t able to succeed in the
―unity‖ part when, in 1947, In-
dia was partitioned into two
countries: a Muslim Pakistan
and a Hindu India
What is common to
Barack Obama, Martin Luther
and Liu Xiaobo? They are all
not just the winners of the Nobel
Prize winners for Peace but they
were also deeply influenced by
Gandhi and his principle of non-
violence. And so was Frontier
Gandhi. Frontier who? When we
hear the country‘s most famous
last name, Gandhi, we usually
associate it with Mahatma Gan-
dhi. So then who was Frontier
Gandhi? Frontier Gandhi was
born Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan,
also known as Badshah Khan.
Though an outstanding
personality, he was never re-
nowned or ever became famous
with the public even though he
worked on the same principles
as those of Gandhi, mainly non-
violence.
A disciplined, dominant and de-
termined personality, standing
tall at 6-foot-6 – towering high
above others, he was fearsome
yet very gentle and calm in his
approach. He was so inspired by
Gandhi and his principles that he
became a very devout follower
of them. They both shared a
very good rapport with each
power on earth can stand
against it."
He was also proffered
with the presidency of the Indian
National Congress which he had
Sadly today, we remem-
ber only Gandhi. Khan is long
forgotten or less remembered.
The man who did so much for
this country is not heard of on
generations that come. Parents,
schools and teachers say ―hail
Gandhi‖ yet they forget to talk
about Khan. In fact, the only
place where you see these
names are in history.
In 2008, a documentary,
titled The Frontier Gandhi:
Badshah Khan, a Torch for
Peace, by filmmaker and writer
T.C. an, premiered in New
York. The film received the
2009 award for Best Documen-
tary Film at the Middle East In-
ternational Film Festival.
In the capital city, we
have the Khan Market which to
this day is one of the most ex-
pensive and prestigious mar-
kets. Khan was recently in-
cluded in a list of 26people who
have changed the world. It‘s
time the present generations
know the real heroes of our
freedom struggle. Let not Shah-
rukh be the only word that
comes in your mind when you
hear KHAN!
Teachers we less know...
FRONTIER
GANDHI By Kunal Kamania, IBDP1
Jay B
atavia
13
Women
&
Liberty
I stepped onto the tarmac in disbelief, made
my way to the baggage claim dazed and stunned. A
small entourage of Rotarian families trickled from the
airport‘s entrance and spilled across its front steps;
completely disoriented, I heaved my baggage outside
and the host ushered me with smiles into the front seat
of a car. I looked over, bewildered, to find myself be-
side an Indian man who had begun to drive. Trees and
dirt roads rushed past, scooters and rickshaws honk-
ing furiously; we swerved to avoid the bony backside
of a cow ambling across the road – the animal ap-
peared quite unperturbed but my bafflement bal-
looned to new levels. One year. 364 tomorrows to go.
In the last three months, my perplexity has
somewhat subsided; those marvels which over-
whelmed me in the first twenty minute trip to my host
home remain indicative of the most significant cul-
tural differences between Rajkot and Madison, but as
I adjust to new food, new dress, new rules, new lan-
guage, the loss that pangs the most is that of my in-
dependence.
Perhaps it is this acute sense of liberty lost
that makes me note so keenly the relative limitations
particular to women. Wearing clothing below my
knees and over my shoulders is a small sacrifice to
give for a year abroad, but especially traveling from
a country so candidly uninhibited, it rings of larger
inequalities. The hazy benefits of arranged marriages
and the stigmas attached to divorce, the gender
spheres which confine men to the role of primary
breadwinner and decision maker while women re-
main domestic caretakers… all revelations shocking
to my born and bred Western mind, yet somehow
very familiar. The United States, of course, is still
struggling with the patriarchal tendencies and tradi-
tions so deeply rooted in the origins of our nation,
and now I am catching a glimpse of the attitudes and
atmosphere surrounding our own gender relations
several generations ago, or, perhaps, nearly as they
are today, only in a more pronounced and outwardly
accepted form.
Apart from the obvious cultural differences,
however, the state of ‗feminism‘ and other gender
related movements and beliefs in India will inevita-
bly progress differently than they did in the United
States. Hollywood movies whiz across oceans, face-
book pages connect international users and corpora-
tions go global as their ads plaster the cities of their
new markets. The double standards and expectations
for women are shamelessly displayed; my drive into
Rajkot was witnessed by a towering billboard featur-
ing Kareena Kapoor
in a skin tight and
closely cropped
dress, advertising for
Vaio laptops. I could
not, and still cannot,
discern why it is ac-
ceptable for the me-
dia to display
women as scantily
clad and objectified
by Oona Mackesey-Green, IBDP1
Continued on the back cover
14
Author: Gunvantrai Acharya
Translator: Kamal Sanyal
Publisher: Dictum (in association with Thema)
Page: 130
‗Dariyalal‘, a tale of heroic fearlessness, of pride, of brotherhood,
of the value of the word, of freedom!! Featuring Gujarat‘s fasci-
nating maritime past, ‗Dariyalal‘ describes the life and history of
Gujarati traders settled in Jangbar, currently the island of Zanzibar, specifically of a firm named
Jeram Shivji. It portrays how a few brave men and a few fortunate incidents brought about sweeping
changes in the practice of slave trade in Africa.
The protagonist in this story is Ramji, the personification of devil, the very form of fear, the ruthless
slave-catcher. He would go about plundering villages and gathering slaves, making women widows
and children orphans, for these slaves were never to return. One day however, he underwent a clas-
sic ‗hriday parivartan‘ and this is how it all happened:
Ramji had just caught hold of 20 slaves and after tying them all together, he led them towards the
settlement. Suddenly, a mad rhinoceros appeared and trampled 19 of the 20 slaves to death. Seeing
this extremely gruesome sight, Ramji felt a strong feeling of guilt overflowing inside him, for had he
not tied them together, they would have escaped…
The guilt of this bore so heavily on him, that he decided to give up slave-catching. He made such a
major decision because it wasn‘t the 19 slaves dying that made his heart heavy; it was also the
awareness of that same heart being too black and too cold to have not noticed the agony of the fami-
lies of the slaves. It was the thought of his own sweet family who would have the same tears in their
eyes as in the eyes of the children who were orphaned by him. All these thoughts made him leave
the community and become an itinerant traveler in the jungles of Africa.
Time presented him with a lot of opportunities wherein he could help his community in midst of se-
vere crisis. Be it the task of finding a lost English traveler and send him back to his land or of freeing
a Gujarati woman from a pirate, Ramji not only was willing to help his people, but also gave his
word.
The word, the promise, is considered so important in this community that Ramji knew he couldn‘t
come back without success even if it meant his life was at stake. But he was successful every time
and for reward, he took a simple promise from the leader of his community that slave trade be abol-
ished. And again, as promises are meant to be kept, slaves were freed!
Freedom, a truly well deserved freedom – a freedom justified by the fact that the very person who
was bent on curbing people‘s freedom, now fought to protect it. A freedom that came at a high cost.
A freedom that would now require them to toil in the fields to compensate for the financial losses
that would be faced by the Gujaratis. But a freedom after all.
This book presents an excellent insight on how just a change in perception of ‗right‘ and ‗wrong‘
can change lives of many people - a change seen in Ramji. The juxtaposition of Ramji before and
after change reveals how people may not be essentially bad and how forming a definite view about
something determines which way life will lead.
The author has also presented a completely different meaning of freedom to us. Freedom would al-
ways sound a chord of loyalty and patriotism in us when we would hear the word, but freedom does
not only mean liberty of nation. Freedom means right to determine your own identity and not let it
get trampled underneath someone else‘s interests. It also means right to support what you think is
right.
So, ‗Dariyalal‘ becomes a must read not only for adventure or history lovers, but also for all those
who believe in the concept of freedom. By Juhi Palan, IBDP1
Dariyalal:A Book Review
15
Gandhi's childhood home:
Kaba Gandhi No Delo
Amidst the hustle and noise of the bazaar, in one of the
streets of Ghee Kanta Road, lies a place of complete calm
and serenity which was once the abode of our nation‘s fa-
ther. Kaba Gandhi No Delo literally means ‗the house of
Karamchand Gandhi (nick-named as Kaba Gandhi),‘ who
was Mohandas Gandhi‘s father. This place was constructed
in 1880 and Karamchand Gandhi resided there when he was
the diwan to the then king of Rajkot - Lakhajiraj Jadeja.
This place, where Gandhi spent the early years of his life
(1881-87), is now renovated and converted into the Gandhi
Smriti Museum (not to be confused with the one at Delhi).
The museum holds a collection of photos and his belong-
ings, and is a great place to be if one wants to know about
him and his great works for humanity.
I felt calm and relaxed just upon entering the traditional
styled arch-shaped big wooden door which serves as the
main and the only entrance to the place. Though it has been
renovated to a great extent, the structure of a traditional
house clearly stands out with a verandah in the center and
rooms surrounding it. The walls of the rooms are now cov-
ered with photographs and some other memorials of Gandhi
and some of them are really interesting to see. It is here that
we get a glimpse into the life our great leader.
I would really recommend this place to one and all as it is
very interesting, and full of information and events from the
life history of Gandhi. It is open to the common public from
9 to 6 during the day on all days except Sunday. It is not at
all time consuming and I guarantee a great experience to all
those who plan to visit the place. By Dev Viramgama, AS level
Big Yellow Taxi
Joni Mitchell (1970)
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
With a pink hotel, a boutique
And a swinging hot spot
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They took all the trees
Put 'em in a tree museum
And they charged the people
A dollar and a half just to see 'em
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Hey farmer farmer
Put away the D.D.T. now
Give me spots on my apples
But leave me the birds and the bees
Please!
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Late last night
I heard my screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi
Took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
I said don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got
Till it's gone
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot
Songs
of Freedom
Our Principal's selections of songs that speak to us
Monuments of Rajkot
16
WOMEN & LIBERTY
continued from page 12
from the Principal’s Desk
David Udry
In my first article for this space I wrote on
the idea of ‗community‘. Part of being in a commu-
nity is that we take an active role in shaping its
course. At TGS we are working to form a Profes-
sional Learning Community, defined as a place
where all members have a voice in the key decisions
which affect the school. Our member-
ship consists of our students, our faculty
and staff, and our parents.
All members of the community
are important and their views have to be
considered. Part of my job is to create forums for all
community members to voice their opinions. I be-
lieve firmly in two things: first that all community
members have an equal right to their opinions and
views and secondly that all members of the commu-
nity have a right to express these views. When I was
in secondary school, wearing lapel pins was very
popular. I always wore one that read QUESTION
AUTHORITY. I believe in this slogan even more
today while I am in a position of authority. All mem-
bers of the community have the right, no the respon-
sibility to ask me questions. By asking questions and
giving your views we are better equipped to build a
school that provides for each of its community mem-
bers.
It is this process of questioning and an-
swering that is important as we try to cre-
ate a school based on the ideals of equal-
ity; openness; and community. In order for us to
achieve this vision we must allow this process of
questioning to take place in the open. We must all
learn to trust and respect each other‘s opinion. Often
we will disagree. We will argue. We may even get
mad at each other. But at the end of the day we must
all pull together and work for the success of each
other. That is the true spirit of community.
―All members of the
community have the
responsibility to ask
me questions”
as their counterparts in the US, yet all cultural taboos
forbid this blatant sexuality from everyday dress. Popu-
lar Bollywood and Hollywood movies alike overwhelm-
ingly portray their female characters as weak and de-
pendent, continually running to their male heroes for
protection, their doe eyes wide with fear as they trot for-
ward on stilettos. Strong female characters, like Ange-
lina Jolie‘s character in Salt, are defined by their sexual-
ity; they become objects to be ogled at – sold, bought
and traded - as plastic and replaceable as Vaio laptops.
Two months into my exchange, my host sister
and I took a scooter ride through the streets near our flat.
Within the first ten minutes, we were swerving and tak-
ing quick turns to try and lose the scooters following us.
Most of the boys driving gave up after a couple of turns,
but one bike followed us persistently, calling out slyly,
―hi, want to be friends?‖ and shouting lewd remarks at
us in Gujarati. I was furious and indignant, suffocating
under my sister‘s rational warning not to respond; even-
tually, in order to avoid showing them where we lived,
we parked at a hotel and went inside, waiting for them to
leave and for my sister‘s male cousin to come and escort
us home. Unwanted whistles, honks, stares follow
women across the globe; innocent at first, they perpetu-
ate the idea that women exist to be admired for their
looks, to fulfill the pleasure and amusements of others.
In 1970, tired of the leering and catcalls, feminists in the
United States organized ―ogle-ins‖ and reversed the ver-
bal harassment. Women lined the streets of New York
City and shouted comments at the passing businessmen
and construction workers: ―I bet you've got nice, hairy
legs. Why don't you wear shorts?‖ The harassment com-
ing from males had been passed off- ‗boys will be boys‘,
and many (unlawfully) defended them against com-
plaints by evoking their right to ―freedom of speech‖;
coming from women, however, the remarks were seen
as absurd and degrading to their ‗femininity‘.
Freedom is more than simple opportunity and
basic empowerment. Freedom is not only the ability to
ignore naysayers and cultivate self-confidence; freedom
is an ambience, a culture, an attitude. I believe women
should be free to wear short tops and skirts, if they
choose to, without fear of judgment and scrutiny; how-
ever, they should also be free to despise cosmetics and
dress modestly without it being deemed ‗unfeminine‘. I
believe that women, equal in rights to men, should de-
termine their own futures – their marriage, their career,
their family life. Womanhood ought to encompass an
infinite scope of options which encourages individuals
to pursue their own goals, regardless of gender. India, as
well as the United States, still waits to accomplish this
freedom; a freedom not merely written in laws or touted
in college enrollment levels, although these are impor-
tant components, but a freedom exercised without fear
of cultural backlash; a freedom embraced by the society
and by individuals.