ज्ञान के सागर में सीपियाँ: पठन से प्रबोधन तक

 

"किताबें झाँकती हैं बंद अलमारी के शीशों से, बड़ी हसरत से तकती हैं... 

ज़बाँ पर जायका आता था जो सफ़ा पलटने का, अब उँगली क्लिक करने से बस एक झपकी गुजरती है।"

अपनी कविता 'किताबें' में गुलज़ार जी बड़ी सुंदरता से बदलते समय की एक समस्या की ओर, "इन्स्टंट इन्फॉर्मेशन" यानी "त्वरित जानकारी" की प्राप्ति के कारण कम होती हुई पुस्तकें पढ़ने की आदत की ओर संकेत करते हैं | लोग आजकल एक क्लिक से किसी भी विषय के बारे में जानकारी पाकर बिना उसे पूरी तरह समझे उसे स्वीकार कर लेते हैं|

लेकिन यह आधी-अधूरी जानकारी हमें पूरा चित्र नहीं दिखा पाती। इसके विपरीत पढ़ने की प्रक्रिया हमें अलग-अलग संदर्भों के माध्यम से विविध दृष्टिकोण समझाकर अपना स्वतंत्र व सूचित मत बनाने का अवसर देती है। यह हमें किसी एक दृष्टिकोण तक सीमित न रखकर समकालीन विचारों के भेद दिखाती है। इस प्रकार ये केवल अलग-अलग दृष्टिकोण को स्वीकार करना नहीं ,बल्कि पूर्व स्थापित संकल्पनाओं पर सवाल करना भी सिखाती हैं।

वाचन के इस महत्त्व को लोगों तक पहुँचाने के लिए डॉ. ए. पी. जे. अब्दुल कलाम जी के जन्मदिन के अवसर पर प्रतिवर्ष १५ अक्टूबर को "वाचन प्रेरणा दिवस" के रूप में मनाया जाता है| डॉ. कलाम जी को पुस्तकों से विशेष लगाव था, उनका मानना था कि बेहतरीन किताबें दिमाग के लिए प्रकाशस्तंभ हैं, जो जीवन के सफर में हमारा मार्ग रोशन करती हैं| इसी उद्देश्य से सन २०१५ से यह दिन विद्यार्थियों और समाज में वाचन की संस्कृति को प्रोत्साहित करने हेतु मनाया जाता है।

वाचन का महत्त्व सिर्फ आधुनिक काल तक सीमित नहीं है। प्राचीन भारतीय सिद्धांतों के अनुसार पाठक केवल उपभोक्ता नहीं है, उसे रचनाकार या सृष्टिकर्ता के बराबर का दर्जा दिया गया है| आनंदवर्धन जैसे महान विचारकों का मानना था कि कवि तो केवल एक बीज बोता है, जिसका सुंदर बगीचे में रूपांतर करने का कार्य पाठक की कल्पना करती है। यह भी माना जाता था कि जब आप किसी रचना में पूरी तरह डूब जाते हो तब आपका अहंकार लुप्त होकर आप ब्रह्मानंद सहोदर ( आध्यात्मिक आनंद जैसा सुख) की अनुभूति कर पाते हो।

पुस्तकों से मिलने वाली यह अनुभूति पाने के लिए पुस्तकों तक हमारी पहुँच होना भी उतना ही आवश्यक है। डॉ. कलाम कहते थे कि एक पुस्तकालय किसी भी राष्ट्र की रीढ़ के समान होता है। यह कोई विलासिता नहीं बल्कि जीवन की अनिवार्यता है| लेकिन आज के समय में वाचकों की घटती संख्या के कारण हमारे देश में पुस्तकालयों की संख्या भी घटती जा रही है, जिसका एक कारण शायद वाचन से मिलने वाले वास्तविक आनंद से अनजान रह जाने वाला आज का समाज है।

पुस्तकें हर व्यक्ति के लिए कुछ ऐसा लाती हैं जो उसके विचारों और अनुभवों से जुड़ जाता है।

यह ज्ञान के महासागर के समान होती हैं और हमारा ध्येय उस पूरे सागर को समा लेना नहीं बल्कि हमारे दिल को भाने वाली अनोखी सीपियों और शंखों को इकट्ठा करना है। क्योंकि पठन केवल ज्ञान अर्जित करने का माध्यम नहीं, बल्कि एक ऐसी अनुभूति है, जो खयालों को नई उड़ान देती है और आपके मन को छू जाती है।

संस्कृत भाषा में एक श्लोक है :

पुस्तकस्था तु या विद्या, परहस्तगतं धनम्।

कार्यकाले समुत्पन्ने, न सा विद्या न तद् धनम्॥

इसका सुंदर प्रतीकात्मक अर्थ यह है कि पुस्तकों में सीमित ज्ञान तब तक हमारे लिए निष्क्रिय हैं, जब तक हम उसे पढ़ते नहीं है। पुस्तकें ज्ञान को अपने भीतर सँजोए हमारा इंतज़ार कर रही हैं, आवश्यकता केवल उन्हें खोलने, पढ़ने और उस ज्ञान को अपना बनाने की है।

- श्रीला कुलकर्णी

From Postboxes to Inboxes: The Forgotten Art of Postal Communication

 

कुछ तो बातें हैं अंदर, जो कहने को बेक़रार हैं,

न जाने कितने हफ़्ते, महीने, साल बीत गए,

पर वो लफ़्ज़ों से अनजान हैं. . .

Letters.

They were really slow. Sometimes they got lost or misplaced. Sometimes the handwriting was messy. The reply took three weeks or more, and half the time it said, "All fine here, hope you are fine too." But the honest answer is that the slowness, the bad handwriting, and the dull news were never the point. The point was that a letter proved that someone actually sat down and spent real time thinking about you for longer than a minute.

Think about what actually went into writing one. You picked a single person out of everyone you knew, sat down and stayed in their company, on paper, for as long as it took to fill a page. Your pen pressed hard on the sentences you were sure of and went faint on the ones you weren't. A reader could see exactly where you hesitated. You can’t see a pause or a shaky hand in a digital font, can you?

Then came the part that felt like magic. You wrote a name and a few lines of address on an envelope, handed it over to a total stranger, and it reached a door you had never seen, sometimes in a town you would never visit. Nobody in between knew what you had written, and nobody needed to. They just made sure it arrived.

And then, the journey would end. Someone held the same page you touched, carrying a trace of your quiet afternoon or late-night memories, and put it in a drawer, a diary, or tucked it inside an old book. Years later, you open it, and suddenly you’re listening to that person exactly as they were back then, and the same smile creeps onto your face. Today, a chat thread just scrolls away into infinity. A letter actually stays put.

We type out more words in a day now than a letter a writer sent in a year, yet somehow we skip the points that matter. Messages arrive before we've finished feeling them. We type, backspace, rewrite, and twist every sentence. "Seen” has quietly replaced "Received," and those long waits are quietly disappearing. Nothing is wrong with speed. But somewhere between the typing dots and the thumbs-up, we stopped staying with a person long enough to mean it.

Each October, National Postal Day comes around, reminding us of something we rarely stop to think about: why did people once write letters so often, and why have we stopped?

It celebrates the postal system, that vast, unglamorous network built around a beautifully simple task: Carrying one person’s words across distance and placing them, unchanged, into another person’s hands.

- Nisha Gupta

IAF: Just Two steps away from ‘World’s Best’ Title

 

Founded on October 8, 1932, the Indian Air Force came into existence at Karachi’s Drigh Road, with just six RAF-trained officers, 19 air soldiers, and four Westland Wapiti IIA biplanes. Over the decades, it transformed from a small auxiliary unit into the world’s fourth-largest air force. Its motto, “नभः स्पशृं दीप्तम” (“Touch the Sky with Glory”), borrowed from the Bhagavad Gita, makes the chest of every Air-Warrior swell with pride. From its early operations to the critical precision strikes of 1971 and turning the tide during the 1999 Kargil War, the skies have long echoed with the formidable roars of the MiG-21, Folland Gnat, Hawker Hunter, Sukhoi Su-7, Mirage 2000, and the MiG-29. Yet, behind these gloriously fought victories and elite tactical excellence lies a side of the force that demands a hard, honest look. 

The Indian Air Force faces severe structural, technological, and operational vulnerabilities that threaten its combat readiness in an increasingly hostile neighborhood. Despite efforts toward self-reliance under Atmanirbhar Bharat, the IAF remains caught in a loop of operational shortfalls due to mismatch of Sanctioned Squadrons numbers with effectively working Squadrons, engine technology voids; for example, the Kaveri engine 1.0 program was asked to shut and was de-linked from the LCA Tejas fighter jet project in 2009, as it could not consistently generate the required 90+ kN of wet thrust (maxing out at ~72 kN) and faced severe thermal metallurgy challenge, fifth-generation delays because Of intergovernmental delays and lack of technological advancements, and last, the dependency on Foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs); for example, the acquisition of 36 Rafales did bring instant operational superiority, but they come with high life cost, and with Restricted source codes.

Being the youth of our country, I believe that addressing these vulnerabilities is not a disrespect of our armed forces; it is the first prerequisite for true greatness. A nation that builds its own defense systems builds an unassailable future. To ensure the IAF remains a world-class aerospace power in the 21st century, India must pivot sharply toward radical structural reforms: Defense R&D should not remain confined to state-run laboratories alone; it must foster deep partnerships between DRDO, academia (IITs/NITs), and private defense startups to achieve breakthroughs in stealth materials, hypersonic tech, and propulsion—fields that demand venture-style agility and massive initial funding.

India boasts the largest youth population on Earth—a pool of unmatched software engineers, roboticists, and AI pioneers. By integrating young talent into defense incubators, drone warfare research, and autonomous systems development, we can take technological development in Research and Development sector on a 6th Generation Level. And the biggest pride of any young mind will be that their innovations helped the nation.

The men and women in uniform have proven time and again that their courage and tactical skill are second to none. It is now up to the nation’s visionaries, researchers, and young innovators to match that courage with world-leading indigenous technology. When our engineers and our warriors fly together in locally designed, high-tech machines, the Indian Air Force will not only touch the sky with glory—it will command it. Jai Hind.

- Manprit Shekhawat

And Then There Was Her: The Queen of Crime

 

Around a century and three decades ago, a little girl took up a voracious hobby of reading. Although her mother homeschooled her, the latter’s made-up tales fueled her imagination, ultimately earning her the title of the ‘Queen of Crime’. Amusing herself, little Agatha loved making up imaginary friends, playing with animals, and writing poems. Author and family friend Eden Philpotts often remarked on Agatha’s mother’s aversion to the girl’s writing and poetic whims by saying, “The artist is only the glass through which we see nature, and the clearer and more absolutely pure that glass, so much the more perfect picture we can see through it. Never intrude yourself.”

She loved travelling, and often found herself a visitor of many cities, from living in the French capital to the archaeologically affluent city of Cairo. As she grew more in love with her husband, Archie Christie, she also had to face long years of loneliness while he was away at war, fighting for the Allied powers. The atrocities of the First World War affected both spouses. Archie, posted in France, and Agatha, on the Home Front, each played their part in the war, with Agatha working as a nurse with the Voluntary Aid Detachment in a Red Cross Hospital in Torquay.

Agatha Christie is a household name today among the all-time bestselling authors in the world, courtesy of the Belgian, methodical detective with the waxed moustache, Hercule Poirot. Known for his wit and keen understanding of the real world, Poirot’s character was inspired by a Belgian refugee and former great policeman who had settled in Torquay. As for the murder method in her novels, she naturally settled on poison, putting her knowledge and experience of the dispensary to use.

According to UNESCO’s Index Translationum, she remains the most-translated individual author and was also voted the best crime writer, while The Murder of Roger Ackroyd was voted the best crime novel ever by 600 professional novelists of the Crime Writers’ Association. Following the war, Agatha continuously experimented with different kinds of mystery and thriller novels. Her well-renowned novel that lifted her to fame was the debut novel featuring Hercule Poirot, The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

Towards the end of 1927, Agatha had created another intriguing amateur detective—a white-haired old lady from a seemingly sheltered village named Miss Jane Marple. 

Her mother’s death and her inevitable divorce in 1928 brought a significantly dark turn in her career. This marked the moment when, writing was no longer pleasure but a profession.

Alongside writing novels, Agatha also began to take an interest in playwriting ; following the disappointing adaptation of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd into 'Alibi' by Michael Morton in 1928. In 1930, she wrote a brand-new play featuring Poirot, Black Coffee, after which she decided to remove Poirot from future stage productions, arguing that he took attention away from the plot. In 1947, Agatha was approached by the BBC to write a radio play for the 80th birthday of Queen Mary, who was an avid admirer of her work. The result was Three Blind Mice, which ultimately became The Mousetrap, the longest-running play in history.

Agatha’s writings were gaining critical popularity. In 1948, Penguin published 100,000 copies of ten of her novels; then, in 1950, Collins printed 50,000 copies of her 50th book, A Murder Is Announced. Her works are consequential proofs of the phenomenal events of her life. 

From being a young girl immersed in creativity to rightfully becoming the ‘Queen of Crime’, who imprinted her creative soul on the pages of more than a hundred literary works.

Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, along with her merited fame, has also earned an evergreen place in the hearts of those of us who are mystery and crime-fiction enthusiasts through her extraordinary skill in weaving some of the most sophisticated yet gripping thriller tapestries of all time. As we celebrate her 136th birth anniversary, her stories remind us that great mysteries may be solved, but the fascination of her world of secrets, suspense, and human nature never truly ends.

-Krutika Mali

स्व. प्रा. यास्मिन शेख : मराठी भाषेच्या भाषायोगिनी

 

मराठी भाषा ही केवळ संवादाचे माध्यम नाही, तर ती आपल्या संस्कृतीचा आणि अस्मितेचा प्राण आहे. पण या भाषेचे व्याकरण, तिचे शुद्धलेखन आणि तिची नेमकी रचना अभ्यासपूर्णरीत्या जपण्याचे काम काही मोजक्याच विदुषींनी केले. त्यातलेच एक आदराचे नाव म्हणजे ‘भाषायोगिनी’ प्रा. यास्मिन शेख. संपूर्ण आयुष्य मराठी भाषेची अखंड सेवा करून २४ ऑगस्ट २०२६ रोजी त्यांनी या जगाचा निरोप घेतला. कोण होत्या त्या...? तर एक अत्यंत आदराचे आणि प्रगल्भ नाव म्हणजे प्रा. यास्मिन शेख.

ज्यू पार्श्वभूमीतून येऊनही मराठी भाषेवर अगाध प्रेम करणारी आणि तिच्या प्रत्येक शब्दाचा पोत लिलया समजून सांगणारी ही व्यक्ती म्हणजे मराठी भाषेची एक निष्ठावान ‘साधक’ होती. त्यांच्या जीवनप्रवासाचा आणि भाषेसाठी त्यांनी दिलेल्या योगदानाचा हा एक मागोवा...

प्रा. यास्मिन शेख यांचा जन्म २१ जून १९२५ रोजी झाला. त्यांचे पूर्वाश्रमीचे नाव ‘जेरुषा रुबेन’ असे होते. १९५० मध्ये त्यांचा विवाह अझीझ अहमद इब्राहिम शेख (डॅडी शेख) यांच्याशी झाला. विवाहानंतर त्यांनी ‘यास्मिन शेख’ हे नाव स्वीकारले. वैवाहिक आयुष्यासोबतच त्यांनी आपली शिक्षणाची आणि साहित्याची आवड जोपासली.

यास्मिन शेख या पुण्याच्या प्रतिष्ठित सर परशुरामभाऊ (एस. पी.) महाविद्यालयाच्या माजी विद्यार्थिनी होत्या. येथून त्यांनी आपले उच्च शिक्षण पूर्ण केले. सुप्रसिद्ध साहित्यिक प्रा. श्री. म. माटे हे त्यांचे गुरु होते. त्यांच्या मार्गदर्शनाचा यास्मिन शेख यांच्या जडणघडणीवर मोठा प्रभाव पडला.

शिक्षण पूर्ण केल्यानंतर त्यांनी केवळ नोकरी न करता, आयुष्यभरासाठी ज्ञानदानाचे तप स्वीकारले. तब्बल ३४ वर्षे त्यांनी अनेक पिढ्यांना मराठी भाषा शिकवली. मुंबईच्या गजबजाटातही मराठीचा दीप तेवत ठेवणाऱ्या एसआयईएस (SIES) महाविद्यालयाच्या मराठी विभागाच्या प्रमुखपदी सहा वर्षे त्यांनी केवळ जबाबदारी सांभाळली नाही, तर मातृत्वाच्या भावनेने तो विभाग जोपासला. त्यानंतर SIAC, मुंबई येथे तब्बल दहा वर्षे त्यांनी देशाची सूत्रे हाती घेणाऱ्या प्रशासकी अधिकारी होऊ पाहणाऱ्या तरुणांच्या जिभेवर व्याकरणासोबतच मराठी अस्मितेचे संस्कार कोरले.

प्रा. यास्मिन शेख यांचे योगदान फळ्यापुरते कधीच मर्यादित नव्हते. त्या केवळ वर्गात शिकवत नव्हत्या, तर महाराष्ट्राच्या मनात मराठीचे बीज रुजवत होत्या.

‘बालभारती’च्या पाठ्यपुस्तक समितीत सात वर्षे त्यांनी जे शब्द पेरले, त्यातून आज लाखो मुलांच्या मनात मराठी रुजत आहे. ‘कार्यात्मक व्याकरण’ हे पुस्तकी ओझे न राहता मुलांच्या जगण्याचा भाग व्हावे, यासाठी त्यांनी जीवाचे रान केले. ‘अंतर्नाद’ मासिकाच्या १५ वर्षांच्या वाटचालीत त्यांनी केवळ सल्लागार म्हणून नव्हे, तर मासिकाचा भाषिक आत्मा म्हणून कार्य केले. ‘लोकसत्ता’च्या ‘भाषासूत्र’मधून अनोळखी वाचकांच्या एका छोट्याशा शंकेचेही त्यांनी कधी उत्तर टाळले नाही; अत्यंत आपलेपणाने प्रत्येक शंकेचे निरसन केले.

“बोली ही मायेची ऊब आहे, पण प्रमाण भाषा ही आपल्या संस्कृतीचा कणा आहे. वाङ्मयात तो कणा ताठच हवा,” हा त्यांचा आग्रह हट्ट नव्हता, तर आपल्या भाषेवर असलेले आईसारखे प्रेम होते. त्यांच्यासाठी भाषा हे केवळ माध्यम नव्हते, तर तो त्यांचा श्वास होता; अस्मिता होती; अस्तित्व होते.

आणि म्हणूनच, या तपस्वी वाटचालीसाठी मिळालेले पुरस्कार हे केवळ सन्मान नाहीत, तर महाराष्ट्राने आपल्या या लेकीप्रती व्यक्त केलेली कृतज्ञताच आहे.

वयाच्या १०१ व्या वर्षी, २४ ऑगस्ट २०२६ रोजी पुण्यात त्यांचे निधन झाले. त्यांनी जरी जगाचा निरोप घेतला असला, तरी त्यांनी मागे ठेवलेले भाषेचे भांडार, शब्दलेखनकोश आणि त्यांच्याकडून शिकलेल्या पिढ्यांच्या रूपाने त्यांचे कार्य सदैव अमर राहील. मराठी भाषेवर इतके अगाध प्रेम करणारी आणि तिची आयुष्यभर सेवा करणारी ही ‘भाषायोगिनी’ मराठी माणसाच्या स्मृतीत नेहमीच दीपस्तंभासारखी मार्गदर्शक ठरेल.

पुन्हा एकदा स्व. प्रा. यास्मिन शेख यांच्या चरणी विनम्र अभिवादन...!!

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