Music - The Language Of Life

Music. The one thing that can describe the whole life of a person in just two-three minutes. Music can be a pass-time, a hobby, a love, or a passion. It can be the leisure of one, the career of another. It can bring up emotions, and it can wipe them away. It can bring tears to your eyes, or it can make you smile. It can liven up a dance party, or touch hearts through a ballet. Music can help you get over a sad time. Music can make you feel alright.

It is rightly said - "You enjoy the music when you're happy, but you understand the lyrics when you are sad". Music often helps one to forget the events of the past day, and relax. Many people believe that music is the best way to let out emotions and have a peace of mind. Music is an excellent way to express feelings, because as it is quoted - "Music is the language of life...it is moonlight in the gloomy night of life". Often, music can say what even a million words can't. 

Music is enjoyed by all, but only some have the ability to create this divine thing that gives relief to many souls. These people, including composers, lyricists, singers, instrumental musicians etc. together give rise to the music that is enjoyed by people all over the world.

Music can be instrumental, or in the form of songs. It can be of different types. It can be soft, fast, rock, classical, pop, slow, retro, hard rock, etc. Different people enjoy different types of music - some people like soft, soothing music; some like loud rock; some may like disco beat and pop; and some may just prefer the old, classic, retro music.

Music is used in medical sciences too. Music therapy is now a common way of treating patients with a variety of problems - psychiatric disorders, medical problems, physical handicaps, sensory impairments, developmental disabilities, substance abuse, communication disorders, interpersonal problems, and aging, specially those suffering from depression. Music causes an outflow of emotions, which helps the patient let out the problems piled up inside him/her. Music is also used to help people maintain their general health. 

It was quoted that - "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain". Music has extreme power. It helps many people lead happy lives. Music helps the people to let out the feelings they are otherwise not able to tell anyone. It can finally lead to peace of mind, heart, and the soul. Music is incredibly amazing, touching people, healing hearts, relaxing souls, helping millions...

CCE - Boon or Bane?

CCE - Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation. The latest education system introduced by CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education, India). The system is aimed at reducing the pressure studies exert on students of class 6th to 10th. It is also meant to evaluate a student on every basis. But does it really reduce the pressure? Does it actually evaluate the students in the right way?

In one way, CCE is a great way of reducing the final exam phobia, because the chapters taught in the first term will not be repeated in the second (final) term. Thus, during the final exams, students have almost half the portion of what they used to have earlier. CCE dilutes the portion, and this often helps average and below average students to score better. Also, regular tests throughout the year ensure regular revision. CCE also introduced a Problem Solving Assessment (PSA) for the classes IX and XI, starting with the batches of 2012-2013. This PSA helps students prepare for competitive exams like Olympiads. It aims at inducing the life-skills and problem-solving ability in students.

However, the evaluation continues throughout the year, creating tension for students. Students are evaluated for every single thing they do in the school, and often favoritism done by teachers creates problems. The regular tests have high importance in the final grade, which means that some pressure is exerted on the students throughout the year. Students have to submit several projects in each subject, but mostly these projects are not the least related to the portion, and often the projects are repeated. These projects are done by Google or Wikipedia, not the students. I am not saying that students shouldn't look up the information, but the projects are usually many in number, and require a lot of information. With the regular homework and tests going on, the students hardly get enough time to work properly on the projects. Also, the projects in no way help them in their general studies, except for some extra knowledge which is not the least related to the portion. As a result, students simply copy-paste information from the Internet to their projects, and submit them.

Also, a recent addition for the 2012-13 class IX batch includes Long Text Reading. This refers to reading novels which carry 10 marks in each term exam to develop a habit of reading books. This is a good habit, and thus the addition has positive effects. However, the books are prescribed by CBSE and the students are forced to read the books, for the marks they account for. Many a times, students don't read the book, because they don't have time, or because they simply don't have the interest. This causes a great loss in the marks and grade. It would be better if CBSE provided a list of minimum 5 books from which the students can choose the book they want to read, not the school. This would make reading a lot more interesting.

In CCE, the loss of even half a mark can cause the loss of a grade, and a grade means everything. On one hand, that is good, for it teaches students the value of even half a mark, and prepares them for the competition they will face once they leave the school. But on the other hand, it becomes a curse for the students, because good grades are precious and the loss of a grade by just half a mark can be very upsetting.

CCE is directed at removing competency among students, because a student scoring 100% or 92% will have the same grade, and thus the same result. However, this will be properly implemented only if the marks are not revealed to the students at all. Since the marks are revealed, there is still a lot of competency within the class, if not between schools. The marks of students can still be compared, and that can be stopped only when the marks are either revealed personally to each student or not revealed at all.

Many argue that CCE makes students take studies light, due to the diluted final exam portion. This is not true, because the tests continue throughout the year, and to get a good grade, students just have to work hard throughout the year, instead of just before the final exams. But, after getting habituated to the lesser final portions, students get a jerk when they have to study the whole year portion in the finals of 11th and 12th classes, since CCE continues only till class X.

Currently, CCE has just as many disadvantages as advantages. However, CCE can be a boon to the life of a student, provided there are a few changes and proper implementation.

Hyderabad blasts - Feb'13

Looks like life is nothing but just a toy...a toy to play with. A toy that can be broken, destroyed. The recent bomb blasts in one of the most populated areas of Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh) left everyone shocked. According to current news updates, the blasts took the life of more than 11 innocents, and left around 83 others injured.  There were two bomb blasts in the area of Dilsukhnagar, a populated area with the largest fruit and vegetable market in the city. The blasts took place around 7 PM on 21st February, 2013. The first blast was outside a tiffin center, and the second outside a movie theater. The people killed were innocent pedestrians, unaware of the danger lurking nearby...unaware that they were walking the last few steps of their lives.

What fun did the bombers get by this? They not only killed people, but they also destroyed their families, friends, close ones. The government is giving compensation to the families affected, but can that bring back the loss of their loved ones? Surely not. And the people who were severely injured? What about them? Their lives were spared - but only to live in misery. The lives of hundreds of people will never be the same ever again. 

But what difference does it make? Explosions continue to occur anyway. No amount of security keeps these blasts away. Because what has happened once, can certainly happen another time. Bomb blasts occur, and security is tightened at once. But only in places like malls, big cinema halls, and other developed places in a city. What about areas filled with small shops, fruit and vegetable markets, slums etc? Are the people living in or visiting these places not innocent? Don't they deserve some protection too? 

This is exactly what happened in Hyderabad. In 2007 August, similar twin blasts killed 42 Hyderabadis, and injured more 54. These explosions took place in a good, popular park and a restaurant. Since then, there has been a great increase of security in places like big parks, restaurants, malls, hotels etc. But the general public places still lack in security, and this lead to the bomb blasts in 2013. 

The explosions shook the whole city. How could the bombers be so inhumane? What exactly did they get by  taking the life of several innocents? Did it seem like a firework show to them? Why can't they just be human and live normal, good lives like others? 

These blasts lead to security increase throughout the country, specially in the advanced cities like Mumbai and Bangalore. But all this still can't change the damage done to the victims and their families. The blasts killed over 11 people this time. But another one could kill many more the next time. It could be any innocent person, walking down the street, planning out the next day...just unaware that his/her next day will never come. That they'll never live to see the sun rise again. It could be someone you know. Or it could be you or me.

And yet, there is no permanent solution to stop these blasts. Increase of security helps, but it is not a permanent solution. Firstly, there has to be severe punishment for such people. But even then, it's not the best way. Because most of the terrorists have no love for life - be it other's lives, or their own. The only way has to come from within the terrorists. And that way is a feeling of humanity, love, and peace. Nothing else can ever stop this horrifying terrorism. Nothing else can take away the fear within the masses. Nothing else can stop the untimely, terrifying death of several, unaware, innocents.