User talk:Rodrick rajive lal

A Review of H.P. Lovecraft's novella, Shadows over Innsmouth

Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 08:57, 19 December 2014 (UTC)When the writer of this review somehow decided to pick up the book titled Shadows Over Innsmouth an Anthology of seventeen horror stories following the Lovecraftian genre, and edited by Stephen Jones, little did he realise that he would be impressed by the rather typical and unique kind of 'Horror' that would be thrown up by the first story in the anthology - an original novella by H.P. Lovecraft written in 1931, in its unedited version (so much so that the inverted commas  remain in their incomplete form  and the errors of editing are preserved in situ). The writer of this review respects Stephen Jones'  decision in keeping the draft for the novella intact and in its original form. While the first story in the anthology was a Lovecraftian original novella, the other sixteen were short stories written by sixteen other writers including: Beyond the Reef by Basil Copper,Big Fish by Jack Yeovil, Return to Innsmouth by Guy N. Smith, The Crossing by Adrian Cole, Down to the Boots by D.F. Lewis, The Church in High Street by Ramsey Campbell, Innsmouth Gold by David Sutton,…and so on. Shadows over Innsmouth has a distinct saltiness about it, and the reader can feel, if not sense the distinct dampness of the whole plot, that suggests thoughts that border one’s consciousness. Unlike most of the other horror tales that have a coppery taste of blood, as in the case of most of them, Lovecraft has managed to create a rather distinct aftertaste of fishiness as a distinct indication of things not so normal. The suggestion of an important member of the Innsmouth society marrying a woman from his marine adventures and travels to far away lands and his progeny developing distinctly fishy characteristics after a certain number of years suggests that something is wrong in Innsmouth. The word, ‘fishy’ is very strongly brought out by H.P. Lovecraft in his novella, Shadows over Innsmouth! The residents of Innsmouth who have been affected by the disease brought in by one of the important members of the Innsmouth society makes itself felt when once a year people who have reached a certain age swim towards a particular island, a point offshore to unite with creatures that unique marine life characteristics. Obed Marsh, the patriarch of the Innsmouth society is the man who first summoned the deep ones. Baranabas Marsh, the grandson of Obed Marsh, and the owner of Marsh refinery is one of the deep ones. He is probably the result of the union between Obed Marsh and a creature of the depths of the Oceans. He is a hybrid who will soon take to the waters once the transformation is almost complete. The Cthulhu Mythos brings out the myth of the union between human beings and the creatures of the depths of the oceans. The esoteric order of Dagon is all about a new religious order that promotes the interaction between human beings and the creatures that inhabit the depths of the oceans. Ultimately, H.P. Lovecraft was critical about his own writing not perhaps realising the potential of his writing. The story of the publication of the Novella, ‘Shadows over Innsmouth’ is one that is replete with instances of rejections by publishers. Is this thus an example of how the cornerstone that was rejected by the builders became the cornerstone of a genre of writing that has become the forte of writers who have adopted a particular genre of writing today?

Disclaimer, the views in this article are the personal views of the writer, and he doesn't claim to be an authority on Lovecraft. The observations are the result of what the writer of this article felt when he read the novella, Shadows over Innsmouth by H.P.Lovecraft.

Analysing Aldous Huxley's Take on Education in the twenty-first century (with reference to his novel, Island
While reading Huxley’s “Island”, a philosophical novel categorized as a modern classic, I was particularly drawn to his ideas on education as described specifically in the thirteenth chapter of the book. While no doubt, the whole novel is a treatise on the impact of greed, mass communication, increasing population and expansionism on the individual, education can be seen as the only palliative that can rid us of these dehumanizing influences. What Huxley wrote in 1962 on education on the Utopian Island Pala does have significance even today, in an age where modern day educationists have begun modifying pedagogy to accommodate experiential learning, holistic learning, and integrating the timeless qualities of respect for one another, the environment, inclusion, and collaboration in their learners. Huxley addressed major issues in the field of education in 1962, in his book “Island” which are relevant even today! Take for the example, “the criterion of a good school”, what emerges from the dialogue between Will, the protagonist in the novel (who is also the mouthpiece for the inquisitive ant curious Huxley) and Mr. Menon, the Under Secretary of Education is that it is based on ‘ “Success” ‘ in achieving “actualization, for being turned into full-blown human beings”. As a corollary, to the above, the boys and girls undergoing education on the island of Pala are not being trained for mass consumption, mass communication, mass advertising, mass opiates, nor are they strengthening the “the national state” nor are they meant to be trained to be cannon fodder, industry fodder, agriculture fodder or even road building fodder”! The criterion of a good school is one which allows students and learners to become what they really are and not what the state tells them to be! True self-actualization arrives when the learners recognize who they are, they are able to achieve their full potential and are able to integrate themselves into the society without allowing their individual differences to create a disruption to the society. This brings the idea of how to maintain discipline in the school, and how to ensure that the students maintain discipline after school. In the thirteenth chapter of his novel, Island, Huxley talks about the preventive interventional treatment of students with behavioural problems. He talks about a regimen that might be somewhat difficult to follow even today, but then who knows that this might be possible in days to come, ( In any case, schools are today equipping themselves with the services of medical personnel and counselors in a big way)? To address discipline related problems, Huxley suggests, through Mr. Menon that schools should start with an early diagnosis of weaknesses in students and this should be followed by early intervention. Intervention and treatment according to Huxley include addressing the mind and the nervous system, giving hyperactive students appropriate physical work so as to moderate excess energy, allowing students with disparate character traits to sit in mixed groups (in today’s terms, crew setting), channelizing fears, energies, and power towards a specific goal. Huxley goes on to suggests how, “Potentially harmful power” can be “directed into channels where it’s not merely harmless, but may actually do some good.” Huxley makes it clear that there is a need to distinguish between visualizers and non visualizers, where the former think in terms of geometrical terms, while the latter preferred algebra and imageless abstractions. As far as the subjects that the students in Pala study and when they study, and the pedagogy is concerned, Mr. Menon clearly states that any “intelligent student can learn practically anything provided always that you present it to him in the right way.” He goes on to suggest that even the most abstruse and vague concepts can be taught through games. Games can be used to implant an understanding of the basic principles. Thus, even a game of spinning cards, drawing lots, playing with cards, especially flash cards can be used effectively. The purpose of teaching Chemistry and Physics at the school level should be to impart the “sciences of life and mind” to school students! When asked when the Palanese students start the teaching of science, Mr. Menon replies, that it is at the same time when they start teaching multiplication and division. What I believe is that Mr. Menon is not talking about the right age, but the right cognitive development or the right cognitive stage is what determines when a student learns a particular subject. An interesting description of what progressive schools today term as expeditionary pedagogy, or for that effect, experiential learning can be seen in progress in the description of how students at the New Rothamsted School in Pala study Biology. Mrs. Naraynan, the Principal describes how the students learn the different parts and functions of the flower. Each student is given a common flower. The students are asked to examine the flower and then they are told to “write a full analytical description of the flower, illustrated by an accurate drawing.” The ideal expeditionary pedagogy for teaching a student about environmental degradation would probably be to arrange for a visit to ten acres of gullies and blowing sand. What matters, in this case, is to develop environmental morality to show how our treatment of nature will affect the quality of life! The overall process of formal education in Pala flows from an understanding of the structure of the topic or unit followed by an analysis of the logic behind the topic. This reminds me of Dr. Dennis Litky’s suggestion that students learn the “Big Picture” instead of the metaphysics of the unit or the topic. What this means can be summed up as cutting out the extraneous and instead focussing on the core topics – chunking as some would call it. The metaphysics of the topic or the unit can often overwhelm us. Take for example reading comprehension. When I went into my grade twelve class and at the beginning of the Note-Making class asked my student how many of them really knew how to read, all of them raised their hands, except for a couple of students who smelled something fishy. I then told them that what they thought about reading was not really reading. Told them how most of them were really reading for data and information and not ideas! In the recent Board twelve papers, many students struggle through the first section which was because they spent too much time on the two reading comprehension passages and the note making passage. They went too deep into the passages, and if they didn’t know the meaning of a particular word, then they fretted and spent so much time on it that they lost track of the central idea of the passage, and then, as a result, they had to go back to the very beginning of the passage. They were too fixated with facts, they were too analytical, they over analyzed each sentence, each word so much so that they lost everything! It was for this reason that when I went to class this time, I told my students to simply let go of their previous apprehensions, and preconceptions and to just read the passage with an open mind. I told them not to spend too much time on a word whose meaning they did not know and instead to move on. I gave them five minutes to read a difficult passage and at the end of the three minutes, most of them could describe the central idea, and the supporting ideas! Students according to Huxley need a “Training in receptivity” in contretemps to “training in analysis and symbol manipulation” where symbols represent the language component of educational pedagogy. In such cases, the importance of pure receptivity cannot be underpinned! Some of our students, in the interests of experiential and progressive pedagogy, have been so spoiled that they go on asking one question after another and simply not move on with their reading. The mention of the word questions reminds about how some of the best classes I have observed have included those where lead through judicious questions put up by the teacher. In many cases, tactfully posed questions can lead students to the truth or what is evident but not stated in writing or textbooks. Huxley suggests how important the art of questioning is when he describe how Will the protagonist of the novel Island gets to observe a lesson in Elementary Applied Philosophy. In this class, the learners try to explain what it was that Mahakasyapa had been able to understand from the Buddha’s wordless flower sermon where he showed the gathering a white flower. The answers that the students present to their teacher’s strategically placed questions steadily draws them to what might be an obvious answer. Many a time we are not able to look at the obvious picture staring at us in the face because our minds are cluttered with so many things. Call it over analysis, or information overload, whatever it is, unless we develop the Mahakasyapa attitude towards learning, we will never be learners of ideas!

Reference: Island–Huxley Aldous, Flamingo-1994

Disclaimer:Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 04:08, 13 March 2015 (UTC)The ideas in this post are based on the writer's interpretation of his reading of Huxley's book, Island which was initially published in 1962. Any errors and inconsistencies are the responsibility of the writer of this article.

April 2015
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== A Preview of the Novel, The Other Side of Love: Beyond a Shade of Doubt, a Novel by Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 07:18, 9 May 2015 (UTC)Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 07:16, 9 May 2015 (UTC) by Rodrick Rajive lal ==

Love is special!. In its best form, it defies the ability of Science to analyse it. It is all in the heart and not the mind, so when it comes to shooting your beloved for the sake of saving the world, what would you do? It is said that even the powers in Heaven look down with pity when they see a beautiful relationship ending in grief. But then wait - is it possible that there might be another solution to the whole issue? Is that when inspiration shows a way out? The book is based on the typical "boy meets girl story," and it is all about the right Chemistry, but then, there are complications in the story. This is not a typical romance about two young people falling in love with each other, and then tying the knot in the presence of friends, family and relatives! The nightmares are real, and the dangers loom high over two people. Is one of them hiding a secret about being half human and half alien? Is there a hidden plan behind this seemingly random meeting between two young people? Set up in the context of modern day life in Delhi, “The Other Side of Love” will provide light reading for those who would like to take a welcome break from their hectic schedule. Written as a small book that will easily fit into one’s purse or college bag, the book can easily be taken out while travelling in the metro, and it can be read at one go or in bits. I would like to give just a teaser about what the book is about as revealing too much about the book would spoil the surprises that the ‘twists in the tail’ (pun intended) should leave the reader pleasantly surprised! Also, there will be a surprise waiting inside the book for those willing to purchase the same when it is published soon.

Some more aboutRodrick rajive lal (talk) 04:42, 10 February 2016 (UTC) my novel, The Other Side of Love, Beyond A Shadow Of Doubt
The novel written by Rodrick Rajive Lal, highlights the idea that Love is special! In its best form, it defies the ability of Science to analyse it. Love is all in the heart and not the mind, so when it comes to shooting your beloved for the sake of saving the world, what would you do? It is said that even the powers in Heaven look down with pity when they see a beautiful relationship ending in grief. But then, wait - is it possible that there might be another solution to the whole issue? Is that when inspiration shows you a way out? In this relationship between two young people, is one of them hiding a secret about being half human and half alien? Is there a hidden plan behind this seemingly random meeting between two young people? Although the book is based on the typical “boy meets girl story,” but then it however goes deep into the  Chemistry of love. The complication in the story is brought out by the possibility of an alien involvement in their affair. Can Rohit somehow save the whole world and retain Neena, the only girl has ever loved and is likely to love, since none other will ever do? The nightmares are real, and the dangers loom high over the two people. Gradually two more people become victims of the violence unleashed by the alien parasite residing within Neena, they are Mr Sinha, her estranged father, and the Mahant Biswas, the in charge of the Maha Bodhi Ashram. Set up in the context of modern day times in Delhi, “The Other Side of Love” will provide light reading for those who would like to take a welcome break from their hectic schedule. Written as a small book that will easily fit into one’s purse or college bag, the book can easily be taken out while travelling in the metro, and it can be read at one go or in bits. It contains elements of the science fiction genre along with modern day romance and will appeal to those who prefer reading the two different genres.

The Novel published by Partridge Publications will shortly be available throughout the world online, it will be on sale on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Flipkart, and many more.

Year of Publication: June, 2015 Name of Publisher: Partridge Publications Genre: Science Fiction/RomanceRodrick rajive lal (talk) 07:39, 2 June 2015 (UTC)

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Three important strands in literature that the CBSE develops through grades eight to twelve in its textbooks
By the time Indian students of English Core reach grade level twelve, they will have gone through similar strands at different grade levels to build an understanding of specific genres of literature. Here I would like to reiterate the ideal case scenario where students typically take up English elective till the grade ten level and then switch over to the English Core syllabus till grade twelve. In such a case, the curriculum framers have made a judicious collection of short stories, poems and drama pieces. Here I would like to specifically state that I am limiting myself to an analysis of lessons in the textbooks. Thus, if I were to divide the Literature lessons into themes or units, then I would like to trace the following themes or strands or even genres that run through grades eight to twelve as follows: Satire: exposing the foibles or weaknesses of individuals or weaknesses in the society, Transformational Literature, whether it is transformation of the individual that has been brought about by intrinsic factors or for that effect extrinsic ones, Relationships, filial, familial, Aesthetics, a study of what makes things beautiful, and so on. I will now break up the English course through grades in the form of the following strands: 1. Exposing the foibles of the society through Satire: ( The Collins COBUILD Student’s Dictionary 2006 edition explains satire to be ‘the use of humour to mock or criticize political ideas or the way that people behave.’) Satire as a genre is one of the important strands that the CBSE develops from grade nine English Elective to grade twelve English Core. Take for example the lesson ‘Mrs. Packletide’s Tiger’ that students study in grade nine. Grade nine (Elective):The short story criticizes the foibles weaknesses and vanity of the upper class British women’s society during the British Raj. The only reason Mrs Packletide  wants to shoot a tiger in India is not because she wants to leave India a safer place, but rather because she wants to put to shame her social rival Loona Bimberton who flew eleven miles in a plane flown by an Algerian Aviator! The short story by Saki makes use of irony, hyperbole, and paradox to poke fun at the vanity, and undercurrents of jealousy that drive the upper class society of women. The dramatic irony of Mrs Packletide aiming her gun at the old tiger weakened by senile decay which has a echo in The Tiger King, a short story in Grade twelve written by Kalki and the literary irony of Loiusa Mebbin naming her cottage Les Fauves all are important elements of a satire that exposes the hollowness of a particular section of the society. Grade eleven (English Core) : Students come across the poem by Vikram Seth in the supplementary reader titled, ‘The King of Melon City”. This is a poem unlike the two other pieces. Vikram Seth uses satire and irony along with hyperbole and paradox to expose the great blame game that bureaucrats and leaders like to play when things go wrong. First and foremost, the King of Melon City claims to be ‘just and placid’ so when he orders that someone should be hanged for the effrontery done to the state when the Crown was  dashed to the ground by the low arch, it is clear that he would have to be hanged since it was he who had ordered changes in the blue-print of the arch. Also, the poem pokes fun at the people of melon city who are happy to have a melon as their king because they don’t like any interference in their lives. There is an oblique comment about the randomness of the democratic system of electing leaders for responsible posts. This is an important poem that should be taught to students of grade eleven as an important example of satire. Students should be made to understand about the importance of satire and how it can be an important vehicle for social and individual transformation! Grade twelve (English Core): In grade twelve, students get to read ‘The Tiger King’, a short story by Kalki. ‘The Tiger King,’ a satire draws a parallel with Saki’s ‘Mrs Packletide’s Tiger’ because the climax of the story lies in the incident where the Tiger King thinks he has shot his hundredth tiger, but in fact misses his aim. Like in Saki’s ‘Mrs Packeltide’s Tiger’ the tiger in ‘The Tiger King’ is in an advanced stage of ‘senile decay’. Kalki’s short story like the previous works of literature is a comment on the political and bureaucratic system existing in the country. The attitude of the mighty and powerful towards wildlife and nature is questionable, and so is the kind of relationship of hierarchical protocols with subordinates is brought under the scanner. The selfishness of bureaucrats, their putting the self before the state, their obsession with all things foreign, their expectation that others will give them gifts, like the maharaja expected the shopkeeper to give him the wooden tiger free and not take any money for it are all exposed in this short stories as foibles and weaknesses of the bureaucratic system that is almost as aristocratic as the British Raj. The Tiger King thinks he can go scot free after killing all those tigers, he thinks he can bully his servants and minions into doing what he wants, he thinks he is above the law, but then although he might dictate terms and conditions of jurisprudence, he is however not beyond Divine Justice! The manner of his death is ironical enough, and it is a message to all those bureaucrats who think that they can get away with their excesses that the sword of Damocles hangs over each one’s neck. The Indian society is full of instances of the rich and powerful trying to destroy wildlife whether it is in the form of shooting black bucks or killing deer, either way, history has shown how the long arm of the law does finally catch up with such people! The theme of a holistic responsibility of protecting our environment and ecology is developed all the way through grade nine, grade eleven and grade twelve with a culmination in the lesson, ‘The Tiger King.’ 2. Using literature as a vehicle for the Transformation of the individual: Grade Ten (Elective course) ‘The Letter’ by Dhumaketu in grade ten, English literature is an important short story that has the theme of transformation at its core. The postmaster in the lesson is a hard hearted man, unfeeling and insensitive by nature. He calls Coachman Ali ‘a pest’ and wonders why he keeps visiting the post office for a letter that never comes. Coachman Ali’s persistence and patience with which he visits the post office without fail for five years speak of a father’s love for his daughter, a conviction that she will send him a letter one day. A story so touching and full of pathos, it fills the reader’s heart with sympathy. The transformation that takes place in this lesson is in the postmaster’s attitude. The postmaster who initially thought of letters as mere pieces of paper, now realises that there is a beating heart inside each letter. The postmaster understands how it is to be a father when his own daughter in another town falls ill and he doesn’t get to hear from her for a few days, compare this with the five year of no new in the case of Coachman Ali! The story also describes the transformation that takes place in Coachman Ali himself. He was a shikari with an exceptionally good aim and a sharp eye and he did not have any scruples in killing wild game even if it meant orphaning their offspring. The change in Coachman Ali however takes place when his daughter Mirriam marries an army man and leaves her father to settle in a far away town in Punjab. This separation from his daughter makes Ali realise how the offspring of the wild animals and birds must have felt on being separated from their parents. Grade eleven (English Core): One lesson that is no longer in the course is the play Titled, ‘Mother’s Day’ by J.B.Priestly highlighted the transformation in the attitude that a husband and their two children undergo when Mrs. Annie Pearson is helped by Mrs Fitzegerald an esoteric neighbour who is adept in switching bodies! The play, a humorous one, depicts the reaction of Mrs Pearson’s family when she tries to stand up for her rights. The play written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family. The play that portrays various issues and problems that are relevant even today delivers a strong message of social reform especially in the way mothers are treated in the family. Grade twelve (English Core): There are three lessons in grade twelve that have transformation as a very strong central theme and these include the Play, ‘On The Face Of It’ by Susan Hill,’ ‘Deep Water,’ by William Douglas, and ‘The Rattrap’ by Selma Lagerloff, all deal with the transformation of the self. The only difference between the three is that while the transformation in the central characters in ‘On The Face of It,’ and ‘The Rattrap’ are brought about by external agents, the transformation that takes place in the author in ‘Deep Water’ is self induced. Also which ‘On The Face of It’ is a drama, ‘The Rattrap’ is a short story belonging to the allegorical genre written as a fable or a fairy tale. William Douglas's ‘Deep Water,’ however belongs to the autobiographical genre. In the Drama, ‘On The Face Of It’ the central character Derry undergoes a transformation when he comes across Mr Lamb. That one conversation convinces Derry that he can overcome his handicap, pessimism and live a life of joy, only he has to make a choice. In the case of ‘The Rattrap’ the transformation in the peddler is brought about through his interaction with three people, The old Crofter, The Iron Master, and finally, Edla. The moral of the lesson is that there is goodness in all human beings, and this goodness can be brought out through the kindness and generosity of others. The power of unconditional kindness and generosity in transforming human nature has been highlighted here. ‘Deep Water’ is however different from the other two because it highlights the importance of self-motivation in bringing out visible transformation of the self. ‘Deep Water’ is like a self help book that tells you about the processes and means for bringing about your own transformation. A task analysis of ‘Deep Water’ will reveal that what it takes to overcome one’s handicaps include accepting the one has a problem, taking an expert’s help, persistence, determination, and hard work, doing things on your own, and finally pushing your limits! 3.Literature and Aesthetics: (The Collins COBUILD Student’s Dictionary, 2006 edition, states, ‘Aesthetic is used to talk about beauty or art and people’s appreciation of beautiful things.’ Grade eight:The poem ‘Daffodils’ by William Wordsworth is taught in grade eight as an example of Romantic Poetry and to describe Worsdworth’s appreciation for the beauty of nature as seen by him and his sister while taking a stroll in the mountains. The image of the dancing daffodils was to remain in his mind long after the day they saw the flowers, and the author mentions how when he was down at heart he fell back on the memory of the dancing daffodils and how that memory helped bring good cheer to him. Now that is what aesthetics is! While the poem describes the meaning of beauty as something that never dies, it also highlights the beauty of nature. Grade Twelve (English Core): The Poem, ‘A Thing of Beauty’ by John Keats, like the poem, ‘Daffodils’ as read by students in grade eight highlights the meaning of beauty as something that never fades away, and in fact beauty, real beauty is something whose value grows as time passes. Keats moves ahead of Wordsworth when he adds a list of beautiful things that includes, lambs, trees, musk rose blooms, clear rills of water, and even the stories of bravery and sacrifice of people who laid down their lives for a good cause. Keats, himself a romantic poet goes further to suggest that beauty has a spiritual source since it flows from the fountain in heaven to help us tide over difficult times and bear the brunt of indifferent minds, malicious intentions, and ‘dearth of noble natures’. I have identified three very deep strands of theme that run through the CBSE English course from grades eight to twelve. This analysis is limited to the textbooks prescribed by the CBSE and prepared by the NCERT. It doesn’t mean that other strands don’t exist, in fact they do, but then I guess I would pick them up some other time! Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 03:46, 7 September 2015 (UTC)

Role of metaphors in Selma Ragerloff's The RattrapRodrick rajive lal (talk) 05:11, 12 September 2015 (UTC)
The short story, the Rat Trap by Selma Lagerlof has a few rather distinct metaphors used by the protagonist, the pedlar, to describe the world in which he lives. He uses these metaphors to describe the situations he falls into from time to time. The most important metaphor is the metaphor of the rattrap, which incidentally is the title of the lesson. Another powerful metaphor is the forest in which he loses himself.The third metaphor is the metaphor of the ‘lion’s den’ while the fourth metaphor is the note that the pedlar addressed to Edla at the end. It is interesting how Selma Lagerlof uses metaphors in this story to create interest in the reader and to help convey the message that the essential goodness in a human being can be awakened through understanding and love. These metaphors are integral to the allegorical genre, fables and fairytales such as which this lesson happens to be. The author begins the story like a fairytale, and like a fairy tale, the lesson delivers a specific message. The metaphors used by Selma are like cues and symbols that deliver a message in the form of images, whether it is the image of the rat trap, the dense forest or even the lion’s den! Metaphors are images that structure our thinking.Metaphorical thinking underlies the way we make sense of the world conceptually. It governs how we think and how we talk about our day-to-day lives. (Libby Brooks, 2015). So then, it is important that we go deeper into the lesson and pick up each metaphor to analyse their meanings and how they impact the message of the story. 1.The Rat trap: It shouldn’t be surprising that even a peddler can fall into a philosophical line of thought when it comes to thinking of the world in terms of images. He had naturally been thinking of his rattraps when suddenly he was struck by the idea that the whole world…was nothing but a rattrap. It had never existed for any other purpose than to set baits for people. (The Rattrap) This is an extreme view of the world, rather pessimistic, negative, and vitiated in nature. Moreover, even ordinary things like joys, shelter and food, her and clothing are baits to tempt hapless victims into the rattrap. Apparently, all those things, even basic necessities that the peddler has been deprived of are baits! All the people he has known and who have been a little bit more successful than him are according to him victims of the rattrap! The author however explains that this extreme view of the world was in fact his way of getting back at a world that had never been good to him. It was his way of taking revenge on a world that had slighted him, it was his way of passing time while plodding along. That the peddler should see the world as a rattrap shows how vitiated, revengeful, and vindictive the peddler is, and it is in this area that Selma Lagerlof wants to show a transformation taking place in him. In the allegory of the rattrap, Selma wants to show how good people like the old crofter, the ironmaster and Edla, all agents change are able to bring about a change in the peddler from a man who thought of the world as a rattrap to one who discards the very idea when he presents Edla with one of his own rattraps! 2. The Woods: The peddler dared not walk on the public highways after stealing the thirty Kroners lest he should be arrested for the crime, so he takes to the woods. In the beginning he had no problems, but then later in the day, things became worse, for it was a big and confusing forest which he had gotten into. He tried, to be sure, to walk in a definite direction, but the paths twisted back and forth (The Rattrap) and it was then that he realised that he had become trapped in a forest which was an impenetrable prison from which he could never escape.(The Rattrap) The woods too can be seen as a metaphor for the circumstances that the peddler has fallen into, all because of stealing the thirty Kroner from the old crofter. The irony of the situation is that in the forest, the peddler gets a taste of his own medicine! Why on earth did he think so poorly of the world, even if he was not that successful as an entrepreneur? One could end the lesson here and show how the peddler died because of his crime, a recipient of “Divine Justice, or Divine Retribution” but then that would defeat the very purpose of the allegory, more is yet to come, and it is the sound of the hammer strokes of the Ramsjo Ironworks that give him hope and draw him to the relative warmth of the factory. The moral, well, I guess it would be that there is always a way out of thick soup, and that one should not lose hope. 3. The Lion’s Den: Later when accosted by the Ironmaster as Nils Olof and not denying that he has made a mistake, believing that he would get a few Kroner, the peddler gets more than he had bargained for when the former invites him to the manor. No, i couldn’t think of it! … To go up to the manor house would be like throwing himself voluntarily into the lion’s den.(The Rattrap) The vagabond dimply does not want to go to the manor. What if someone recognises him for what he is - the petty thief who stole the thirty kroner?What if the Ironmaster sent for the sheriff to arrest him? No, the manor would be like a lion’s den! The metaphor of the Lion’s Den is however, at a slight variation from the metaphor of the rattrap because in the latter, you don’t have lions prowling in search of easy prey. The lion’s den is a den with a hungry lion waiting to tear you up! It is clear from the above analysis that the metaphors employed by Selma Lagerlof vary from circumstance to circumstance. However, the metaphors are all a slight variation of the central metaphor in the lesson. The choice of metaphors made by the peddler represent his mindset before the process of transformation was complete. The images and the metaphors that one creates about the world are highly dependent on one’s experiences. The peddler could think of the world as a rattrap because he was closely associated with rattraps and could not think of anything else. Perhaps if he had been a seller of oranges, then he might have thought of the world as an orange! Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 05:11, 12 September 2015 (UTC) 1. Liibby Brooks. Metaphor map charts the images that structure our thinking. 30 June,2015 http://www.theguardian.com/profile/libbybrooks,30 June 2015 2.Lagerlof, Selma et al. Flamingo text book for class XII (Core Course). New Delhi: NCERT, 2007 Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 05:11, 12 September 2015 (UTC)

== Are we doing enough to promote the habit of reading in our students?Rodrick rajive lal (talk) 04:01, 29 December 2015 (UTC) ==

When a librarian shared statistical data with about the number of books issued grade wise, I was understandably dismayed by what I could see! The greatest number of books were issued by students belonging to the grades One to fourth, and the least number of books were issued by students of grades eleventh and twelfth over a period of time! What I could see was a distinct trend with a graph steadily declining as it reached grade eleven and twelve, although there was a distinct spike upwards in grade ten!

A few questions that came to mind regarding this trend included:

1.Does this trend of a decrease in the number of books issued by grade eleven and twelve students indicate a decreased interest in reading?

2.Is the trend of borrowing a large number of books at the primary level the result of teacher intervention? Is it artificially induced or are the students already into books?

3. Can anything be done to maintain the trend throughout the grades till grade twelve?

I could also see that throughout a range of upcoming schools that senior grade students were never given or allotted a Library Period, unlike students studying in lower grades. It is clearly visible that not allotting a library period for students of grades eleven and twelve within their weekly schedule of studies is a major drawback in the promotion of reading as a healthy habit throughout grade levels.

A plea to educationists and policy makers in the country is to consciously promote the active reading of books and journals throughout grade levels even till the final grades in school. One argument in favour of promoting the habit of reading because reading helps expand the students’ perspectives, enrich their minds with ideas, and help increase their vocabulary. One of disturbing trends I have observed in students of grades eleventh and twelfth in all the streams, Humanities, Commerce, and Science was how poorly they performed in Comprehension tasks. Their inability to perform well in Comprehension tasks was because they did not know how to tackle the task. They generally read the questions first and then try to lift the answers from the passage as the answer. This is a strategy that works well with questions that are factual but not well with questions that are based on reasoning, analysis and even interpolation! If students don’t know how to read at the senior grade levels, then is it not high time we taught them to read effectively? But then how do you teach student different reading skills unless you actually expose them to a wide range of books of different genres? True, students can access a large number of free e-text on the internet, but then you would need to carry your own device to access the internet, and BYOD is yet to be introduced in schools. Another issue with reading on the internet is that it promotes majorly the limited reading skills, perhaps skimming, or scanning but certainly not in depth reading, or reading for the big idea. Also there are limited possibilities for doing annotations, or taking down detailed notes from an e-text.

But then, before I stray further, I would like to turn back to the first question mentioned initially. I don’t believe that the decrease in the number of books issued by students of grade eleven and twelve indicates a decreased interest in reading in students of senior grades. It is difficult to imagine that the students who had a voracious habit for reading would suddenly shun them in the senior grades because they had suddenly started hating the habit of reading. As far as the second question is concerned, I very strongly believe that the habit of reading books and the interest in books is strongly driven by the teachers in lower grades. What needs to be researched further is whether there might not be a correlation between the reduction in the number of books borrowed at the senior grade levels with lack of teacher interest in reading. Here I would like to affirm that I have seen teachers of lower grade levels accompanying students to the the library, helping them in choosing the books they should read, and even organising active reading sessions. Turning to the third question, I strongly believe that a lot can be done to maintain the reading habit in senior grades. First and foremost, a library period should be set aside for all students. Secondly students should be encouraged to do active research on different topics in different topics not only from the internet, but also from actual books found in the book. They can practice active note making in the library by consulting Reference Books which are not issued. Promoting the habit of reading for information should be encouraged not just by the language teachers, but also teachers of other subjects! But then the first step would be to add at least one library period in the timetable of students of senior grades. While teachers might accompany the students initially, this can be stopped gradually as students learn to navigate through the shelves. Reading session based on themes could however be conducted by the language teachers.

Popular English newspapers in India very often carry articles that suggest that traditional books are still popular in spite of the entry of the Electronic version. These newspapers also suggest that the reading habit still exists! According to one blurb appearing in the Brunch Supplement “Indulge” of the Hindustan times today, the 13th December, 2015, “The ebook may be here to stay; but the physical book is alive, and well, and doing better than ever,” the writer goes on to the writer, “According to a recent article in The New York times, ebook sales fell by 10 per cent in the first five months of 2015 in America. And a Nielson survey showed that the portion of people who read primarily on an e-reader fell to 32 per cent in the first quarter of 2015 from a high of 50 per cent in 2012.”- Goswami Seema, The Writing Is On The Wall, Indulge; Hindustan Times Brunch-December 13, 2015. If reading “physical” books is still in trend then is it not high time we thought about reviving our now defunct libraries for senior grades? Agreed that reading ebooks is a new trend, but then how do you doodle, and make annotations on an ebook with an ink pen?

Perhaps the best thing we can do is to conduct our reading and writing workshops in libraries instead of class rooms. Active reading and active writing go hand in hand so why not teach the 6+1 traits of writing by taking students to the library and showing them exemplary works by authors who exemplify the use of the 6+1 traits of writing? I know this would mean additional work for the teacher to go to the library and pick out works that he thinks exemplify the 6+1 traits of writing. In a world where we are moving towards experiential learning and expeditionary learning isn’t it ironical that we tolerate the ersatz rather than the real stuff? Perhaps by taking students of grades eleventh and twelfth, might we not be able to not only read better, but also write better?

Rodrick rajive lal 06:44, 24 February 2016 (UTC)== Elements of determinism and existentialism are evident in Joseph Conrad's short storiesRodrick rajive lal 06:41, 24 February 2016 (UTC) ==

Conrad’s deterministic view of what makes the story of mankind tragic is because in spite of all his genius and intelligence,  he is an unconscious victim of nature. As long as one is not conscious of this fact, life is easy, but the moment one realises how one is enslaved to this Earth, things become painful! Joseph Conrad’s short stories, a few of which I will attempt to examine, question the very meaning of life, in a civilized society, especially when we are fed the concepts of religion, propriety,youth, ambition, love, and brotherhood. Unfortunately, the moment one steps out of the protection of a civilized society, things begin to change. Take for example the case in the short story and Outpost of Progress where Kayerts sees no purpose in returning to the civilized world because his exposure to a primitive world, unmitigated savagery, and the primeval instinct that he sees hiding beneath the veneer of a civilized culture have proved to him that he is just another savage. Another story by Conrad, The Lagoon, questions the purpose of life when one is deprived of the company of his beloved. Ultimately Arsat’s sacrifice of his brother for the sake of eloping with his beloved, and the risk he takes in eloping with Diamelen, a woman belonging to the ruling family end in the moment when he states to his western friend, Tuan, ‘In a little while I shall see clear enough to strike-to strike. But she has died, and …now…darkness.’ Arsat had sacrificed his brother, he had involved him in the plan but had to abandon him so that he could flee with his beloved, while his brother was overwhelmed by their pursuers, the ruler’s men. The final words describing Arsat are poignant enough, ‘Arsat had not moved. He stood lonely in the searching sunshine; and he looked beyond the great light of a cloudless day into the darkness of a world of illusions.’ Arsat’s romance ends in tragedy, and grief, and a descent into a realm of darkness and a world of illusions. If all the struggle, all that planning, all that risk, and the guilt of choosing Diamelen and leaving his brother to die, even when he called out for help was in the long run worth it. Earlier, immediately after his beloved had passed away from fever and illness, Arsat said to his western friend whom he called Tuan, ‘Now I can see nothing – see nothing! There is no light and no peace in the world; but there is death – death for many. We were sons (His brother and him) of the same mother –and I left him in the midst of enemies; but I am going back now.’ Romance has ended up in a sense of emptiness, and life will end up in a sense of guilt for having abandoned his brother. Death, for Arsat is the ultimate reality! Conrad’s short story, Youth attempts to examine the meaning of youth especially youthful visions of success. In some ways, it even brings out the emptiness of the visions that young people have about future careers of success, building up business empires and making a mark on the professional front. In the short story, Marlow describes how he looked forward to his first Voyage to the East, and his first voyage as second mate on a ship named Judea. He had high hopes of it being a successful voyage. His vision of the voyage and its future benefits are described in his own words, ‘It was one of the happiest days of my life. Fancy! Second mate for the first time-a really responsible officer! I wouldn’t have thrown up my new billet for a fortune.’ Unfortunately, the ship turns out to be a jinxed ship that barely sails. On its final journey, the coal in the holds of the ship catches fire and the whole ship sinks. There something rather tragic about the way the ship lingers on, and how Captain Beards stays on board the doomed ship till the last moment, attempting, as it were to salvage whatever can be saved for the underwriters. Ultimately, the survivors board their life boats and manage to reach Eastern shores where they tie up their boats for the night at a jetty. Twenty years after the whole episode, Marlow recounts to his gathered friends the whole story and he analyses the emptiness of that vision of youthful adventure and excitement and opportunity that his appointment as second mate on board Judea had given him. In his words, the East is ‘contained in that vision of …youth.’ His trip to Eastern shores made Marlow understand the paradox of life, that within that vision of youth, to which the East is connected, ‘a stealthy Nemesis lies in wait, pursues, overtakes so many of the conquering race, who are proud of their wisdom or their knowledge, of their strength.’ Marlow had thought that he would be a swashbuckling second mate on an English ship and that he would go to the East, Malay and win all that he saw. It was a truly romantic vision of success and adventure. In Marlow’s own words, ‘And for me there was also my youth to make me patient. There was all the East before me, and all life, and the thought that I had been tried in that ship and had come out pretty well.’ He was young and the vision was young, the words on the ship’s stern spurred him on with the exhortation, “Judea, London. Do or Die.” What starts with a bang for Marlow ends with a whimper when he sees what he had once thought to be less cultured than him look down at the exhausted sailors  as if in pity. Marlow describes the moment to his friends in the following words, ‘And then I saw the men of the East – they were looking at me. the whole length of the jetty was full of people..I saw brown, bronze, yellow faces, the black eyes, the glitter, the colour of an Eastern crowd.’ It is this defining moment that challenges Marlow’s vision, he had though he was going to bring civilization to the East, but here were people who were perhaps more civilized than he was, this was a culture that was ‘so mysterious, resplendent and sombre, living and unchanged, full of danger and promise.’ Who knows how they perceived the survivors of  the Judea, perhaps they looked like savages to them? Ultimately it all boils down into the following words, ‘But you here…you all had something out of life; money love – whatever one gets on shore – and, tell me, wasn’t that the best time, when we were young as sea; young and had nothing, except hard knocks – and sometimes a chance to feel your strength – that only what you all regret?’ What did that  feeling of strength and false bravado displayed by the narrator and his fellow sailors on board the doomed ship amount too? It all came to nothing and thereof lies the existential question, was it worth it after all?

Reference: Conrad Joseph, Selected Short Stories, Wilco Publishing House, Mumbai India, 2006

Rodrick rajive lal 04:50, 16 March 2016 (UTC)== What are some of the forces that conspire to keep children in poverty and also prevent the eradication of child labour in India according the lesson, Lost Spring by Anees Jung ==

The Lost Spring, a short story by Anees Jung, highlights the plight of slum children and those employed in the bangle making industry in India. What makes matters worse is that these people are not able to emancipate themselves even if they want to! When Anees asks a group of young men, bangle makers in Firozabad why they don’t organise themselves “into a cooperative”, their answer is that “Even if (they) get organised, (they) are the ones who will be hauled up by the police, beaten and dragged to jail for doing something illegal”. It is clear that children like Saheb and Mukesh are stuck between two worlds, a world of superstition, dead rituals, orthodox beliefs, and the conviction that one is born into a caste - in this case, Mukesh is born into a caste of bangle makers, therefore it is “his Karam, his destiny” to be a bangle-maker. To even think of breaking out of this “god given lineage” is unthinkable according to Mukesh’s grandmother. Mukesh has a dream, a dream of becoming a motor mechanic, but then one wonders if the society will ever allow him to change his profession. Bangle making is a child intensive industry and it is clear that laws are doing little to address this problem. In many cases, it is lack of will to implement laws, that prevents the eradication of child labour, in others it is about lack of knowledge about this social evil. Apathy towards the problem of child labour, procrastination, the presence of greedy middle-men, commission agents and politicians are a few other reasons why child labour continues to exist in our society today! The title of the lesson, “Lost Spring” is in itself evocative of a major social evil that abounds in our society even today. It suggests lost opportunities, lost innocence, lost happiness, and lost hope. In a nutshell, it spells out how poverty has robbed children of their childhood. In some cases, there are natural forces that conspire to keep people and children in a state of perpetual poverty. In the case of Saheb, it was because of the “the many storms that swept away their fields and homes” that forced his family and him to migrate to “the big city” in search of “gold”. One is reminded about the gold rush in America which caused a large number of people to leave their homes in a futile search for what would be an elusive El-Dorado! In India, we have come across people who have left their homes, and often happy lives to join the film industry in Mumbai. Many were left destitute as their dreams for a better life soured in no time. Rag pickers like Saheb might scrounge for gold in the garbage bins but the only gold they might recover could be limited to a ten rupee note! That poverty breeds even more poverty can be inferred from a case study of rag pickers all over the country. What begins as a game of scrounging in garbage bins, and turning up with surprise items soon becomes a harsh struggle for survival as children born in rag-pickers families become “partners in survival”! Hard though it may seem, these children soon grow into their profession and they begin to find some kind of comfort in their profession. Thus, for Saheb, rag-picking was an easier task than working at the tea-stall because according to Anees, “The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag he would carry so lightly….The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the tea shop.” The “rags to riches” story does not work for children like Saheb, or even Mukesh! Films like Slumdog Millionaire might romanticise poverty and the abrupt turn of fortune, but the reality is worse. Poverty is a vicious circle, a whirlpool that sucks in hapless victims and never lets them go! In many ways, I would say that Lost Spring is a rather disturbing lesson that brings out the tragedy called child labour. This is surely a lesson that disrupts our sense of security and forces us to step out of our comfort zone.

Reference: Flamingo Textbook for Class XII (Core Course) http://rodrickwrites.blogspot.in/2016/03/what-are-forces-that-prevent.html

Escape from Athabasca, A Collection of Short Stories and Poems - A Review
Escape from Athabasca: A Collection of Short Stories and Poem deals with a wide range of themes taken from everyday life. The book attempts to depict life as a complex mix of the mundane and the extraordinary. Would it be a big surprise if we heard about how someone who has never flown a plane before manages to fly one with great success? While some of the stories and poems in the book deal with mundane domestic marital issues there are those that highlight importance of friendship, risks and dangers in space travel, or even the impact of virtual game shows on young people. Just because we live secure lives in the 21st century, it doesn't mean we can be complacent about life. The poems in this book provide a poetical rendition of a world that is sometimes offset by bereavement or at other times the comicality of a roadside barber trimming and shaving the hair of his clients unperturbed by a disturbed world that rushes by.

Escape from Athabasca is my fourth book and it was published by Partridge Publications in the month June, 2016. The book is available online in the e-book and soft cover formats on WWW.Amazon.com.Rodrick rajive lal 06:11, 6 July 2016 (UTC)

https://rodrickwrites.wordpress.com/2016/06/15/a-sneak-preview-into-escape-from-athabasca-a-collection-of-short-stories-and-poems/

The Church of The Epiphany, Civil Lines, Gurgaon, Haryana, India a Brief History
The Church of The Epiphany has a long history going back to the late 19th. century. The architecture, reminiscent the British architecture of the nineteenth century is distinct and unique. Owing to the constraints of space because of a growing congregation, it was decided to build a new church adjacent to the old one. The Church was built in the Gurgaon Cantonment as opposed to the village by the Government in 1862. It was consecrated by the Bishop of Calcutta in 1866. It was a place of worship for the few British Civil and Military officers stationed in the town of Gurgaon. The Church was maintained by the Government continuously till 1942 when it was handed over to the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel and the Cambridge Mission both in Delhi. The Church in Gurgaon initially part of the Diocese of Lahore was transferred to the Archdeaconry of Delhi which became the Anglican Diocese of Delhi. The Epiphany Church of Gurgaon became part of the Diocese of Delhi after the formation of Church of North India on November 29, 1970. Although it is an Anglican Church, it has among its members those belonging to the Presbyterian, Methodist and various Baptist Missions. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent their first Catechist to Gurgaon in 1873 and soon after the Zenana Mission sent women workers to minister in the Zenanas. The frequency of services in the 1890s. and the early 1900s. was dependent on the fervour of the Deputy Commissioner of Gurgaon. Two ardent church goers were Mr. J.M. Drummond and Dr.Barron, the Civil at that time. The service was usually evensong at any time between 6:30 and 7:30 p.m.. On an average 12 persons would attend church. It appears that at that time no collection was taken. There was Holy Communion whenever a visiting Presbyter turned up. In 1893, Revd. G.A.Lefroy who later on became the Bishop of Lahore used to conduct Mass at the church. His program for the day included celebration of the Communion in the morning. The service was in English and collection was taken. Later in the day there would be Evensong in Urdu. The names of some of the visiting priests from the Cambridge Mission, Delhi included Rt.Revd.Purton, later Bishop of Calcutta, Cannon S.S.Allnut-St.Stephen’s College, Revd. C.F. Andrews, Professor N.G.Leather, St.Stephen’s college, and Rt. Revd. Bishop Christopher Robinson. The first recorded baptism was that of Cecil Harold Bhattacharjee on June 9, 1893. His parents were Rajindra and Indira Bhattacharjee. In March 1896, Dr. Barron left Gurgaon and regular Matins and Evensong ceased. They recommenced when King was the Deputy Commissioner briefly and then when Lt.Col. A Elliot joined as DC. in January 1917. Regular services took place till April 1919 when the DC left. From April 1919 to May 1951 there are only intermittent records of the services conducted in the Church. There is only a single entry in the records about Rev.O.A. Finch who held a dual charge. Rev. W.T.Williams has made a number of notes in the Church records. He came in 1922 as the Principal of the Industrial Training School and also served as Pastor from 1932 to 1945. It also became a trend that the Presbyter of the Church was also the Principal of the Industrial training Institute later renamed as the St.Crispin’s School till 1970. After this the Church and the School began to have different heads. Revd. Moti Lal ( my grandfather) was the Principal of the St.Crispin’s School as well as the Presbyter In Charge of the Epiphany Church from 1960 to 1966. Church of the Epiphany The New Church Building By the early 2000s. the church had become too small to accommodate the growing number of Parishioners so planning for the new church building took place. The far-sightedness of some of the parishioners of the church bore fruit with the consecration of the new Church Building in on Tuesday, the 6th. of January 2009 on the occasion of Epiphany Day by the Rt.Revd.Bishop Sunil K. Singh. The vision of the elder members of the church thirty to forty years back, coupled by the vision of the Rt. Revd. Bishop Sunil K. Singh (who was the Presbyter In Charge of the Church of the Epiphany) finally came to fruition by the Grace of the Almighty Lord. It was a solemn and emotional moment for the congregation and all those who had worked unstintingly for it. Revd. Suresh Kumar, The then Secretary, Diocese of Delhi, and Mr.V.K. Samuel, the then Treasurer, Diocese of Delhi Graced the occasion. Some of the Pastors who had served in the Church and were present on the occasion were, Revd. Baldev Sandhu, and Revd. Prabhakar Mahlan (presently the Secretary of the Diocese of Delhi). Revd.Sudhir Rumalshah, who had served the church as Deacon was also present. Also present were Presbyters from various Churches of the C.N.I. Diocese of Delhi. Providing a list would be difficult! I remember, particularly Colonel Sen who was an important member of the building committee, but is no more with us. Image0111 Colonel Sen and Shirin Sen, Stalwarts of the Church The day started with the cutting of the ribbon and unveiling of the foundation stone by the Rt. Revd. Bishop Sunil K. Singh. This was followed by a worship service which included the Sanctification of the Altar, and the entire new building. A confirmation service also took place on that day. At the end there was a fellowship dinner for all those who were present. It was a red letter day for the members of the congregation of the Epiphnay Church of Gurgaon who rose to the challenge of building the church and contributed wholeheartedly to the noble cause!

The vision for constructing a new Church was seen by the members of the Congregation thirty to forty years ago. This vision was then taken up by the Rt.Revd. Bishop Sunil K.Singh who was the then the Presbyter In Charge of the Church. On 6th. January, 1998, the then Bishop,Rt. Revd. Karam Masih blessed the land on which the new Church Building was to be constructed and thereafter there was no turning back! The successful completion of the new Church building is a testimony to the support of the Diocese of Delhi, the Congregation, which were generous with its contributions, the guidance of our Bishop, who was the then Presbyter In Charge, and the stalwarts of the building committee, Mr. Scott, Col. Datta, Mr.S.S. Hughes Mr. D.D. Lal and Mr.Sunil Massey. (I will always remember Colonel Ranjit Sen who was on the building committee for such a long time. He left us for his heavenly abode at the end of the year 2011.) Today, The Church of The Epiphany has a Parish which is growing. There are more than one hundred and fifty families and more than seven hundred individuals who form part of the Parish. https://rodrickwrites.blogspot.in/2013/03/church-of-epiphany-civil-lines-gurgaon.htmlRodrick rajive lal 08:08, 8 February 2017 (UTC)

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