Myriad Thoughts

                                    Image by  OpenClipart-Vectors  from  Pixabay   Gender equality is a basic human right. It entails the concept of all human beings being free to develop their personal abilities. Each one having their own choice without the limitations set by stereotypes, rigid gender roles and prejudices. Gender equality is when people of all genders have equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities.  Gender equality means that the different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are considered, valued and favoured equally. It does not mean that women and men have to become the same, but that their rights, responsibilities and opportunities will not depend on whether they are born male or female. But our world faces a persistent gap in access to opportunities and decision-making power for women and men. Though, women are better off today, they are still far from being equal with men. HOW DOES GENDER EQUALITY STAND IN THE WOLD? Globally, no country has

  “ People say that life is the thing but I prefer reading.”—Logan Pearsall Smith. “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” --- Fran Lebowitz The above two quotes are my personal favorite!! I penned down this blog article on the occasion of Book Lovers Day which is celebrated on August 9 every year, but when it comes to my love-affair with books, everyday is a book lovers day.  The day is observed to encourage bibliophiles to celebrate and cherish their love for books and the habit of reading.I celebrate this day by feeling grateful for all the knowledge that I have imbibed through books. If there were no books to read, the world would be a very boring place. Thus, we must understand the importance of the day. The best thing about this day is that all generations can celebrate it. There are no rituals to adhere to and there are no rules. However, the essence of the day is more important that it seems.  On this day, I always start a new book. In my view, this day should be

         Corona virus has affected many aspects of our lives – physically, economically,  socially and emotionally. It is normal to feel stressed as we are indoors and our interactions with people have been cut down.  A paradox of Covid 19 outbreak is that while social distancing is required to contain the spread of corona virus, it is also contributing to poor health due to decreased social interactions. Loneliness is causing damage to the health of the people . It is a well known fact that isolation increases the likelihood of depression, anxiety and hyper tension.  Man is a social animal and during these times we have been deprived of our freedom to move around freely.These factors are mainly responsible for developing mental health issues like anxiety or depression. They can also affect the immune system’s ability to fight infection — a fact that’s especially relevant during a pandemic. Feeling depressed by anyone is a great risk and the most important factor for suicide too. Me

                                                Picture courtesy The recent incident of brutal killing of a pregnant elephant in southern Indian state of Kerala by feeding the pineapple stuffed with crackers has caused wide spread sensation and criticism in the ent ire nation. This unpleasant incident exposes the extent of human cruelty. The suffering of the female elephant in Kerala's Silent Valley shook everyone, especially the animal lovers. It was hard to imagine the plight of the mother and her child.   It was extremely disheartening and shocking to associate this with the state of Kerala, which is recognized as a complete literate state. Despite having many feathers in its cap like high literacy rate and great tourism attractions, it has lost its sensitivity towards animals.   As per Hindu traditions, elephants are sacred animals. They are considered to be the living incarnation of God Ganesha, the most revered one. The Indian culture prevents them from being kill