"My Country"

Bombay for beauty
Delhi for Majesty
Bengal for courtiers
Punjab for Fighters
Kashmir for looks
Tamilnadu for cooks
Nagaland for hill
Ahmedabad for mills
Gujarat for wealth
U.P. for health
Kerela for learners
Maharashtra for workers
Bihar for mines
Himachal for pines.
And this is my country
Where unity in diversity
shines.

Tinny

"Where and There"

Where there is will
There is a way.
Where there is ray of light
There is hope.
Where there is sea
There is shore.
Where ther is sun
There is brightness and warmth.
Where there is health in body
There is soul too.
Where there is life
There is death too.
Where there is heart
There is heart beat.
Where there is love
There is broken heart.
Where there are friends
There are enemies too.

Nirmala Thakur

Why we have friends

God knew that everyone needs
Companionship and cheer,
He knew that people need someone
Whose thoughts are always near.
He knew that we need someone kind
To lend a helping hand,
Someone to gladly take the time
To care and understand.
God knew that we all need someone
To share each happy day,
And to be a source of courage
When troubles come our way.
Someone to be true to us
Whether near or far apart,
Someone whose love we can always hold
And treasure in our hearts...
And that's why God gave us friends!
And That's Why I'm Glad He Gave Me You!

Bhanu Vohra

HEY STAR

I spoke
"Hey Star! Tell me why,
Live you high in the sky?
For what? You shine, tell me dear
Every where, here and there.
How long? Will yous gleam and glow
What aim you have? Let me know."
Star replied
Listen my friend, I shimmer and shine
With a style sober, behaviour fine
My living is simple, thinking is high
I am not selfish, silly and shy.
Mine twinkling is thine delight
I trust in God and do the right.
If you wish to shine like me.
Be humane and be friendly.
I spoke
Thank you my dear little star
Source of inspiration, mine you are
Thank you Thank you Thank you
Thank you, Thank you my dear
little star.

Dheeraj Raina

"The Nostalgia"

The playful days won't be forgotten.
My birth-place is one to which I am beholden.
A little valley is it, but is beautiful
As a child I used to wander, and had no fear.
Some nut trees and other plants ladden with fruits.
Wherever I may be, but there are my roots.
Playing and telling stories of bride-grooms.
Building the houses of sand so keeping them in separate rooms.
When it rains heavily, we make some grinder machines.
Gathering all at once, so were moments to be seen.
Leaving for school but steeling somewhere fruit.
Next day getting punishment, third day again in field of jute.
In these days sibling-rivalry was at the peak.
But the helpful hands were there, which today too seek.
I am getting myself trapped in paroxysm.
Being one, who is beholden to this land.
This is my beautiful home-town.
Where I born where I born where I born.

Nitu Sharma

Dear contestants, before proceeding further here is our message. Write a paragraph not more than one hundred words on the topic“ Reasons for dismal performance of Indian Hockey” .Send your answers to Quiz No 567 at our below given address.
QUESTIONS FOR THE WEEK:
1: Who is Zaheer Abbas?
2: Who was the father of hockey player Ashok Kumar?
3: Who was called magician of hockey?
4: How many runs were scored by Sachin in the second cricket one dayer of DLF Cup?
5: Who won this match?
6: Who is Rashid Latif?
7: Who is wicket keeper of Windies team?
8: How many runs were scored by Irfan Pathan in second one dayer?
Identify the picture?
ANSWERS TO QUIZ NO 566:
1: Iran
2: Volleyball Coach University of Jammu who is accompanying Indian Volleyball team as Manager in Tehran Championship?
3: India, West Indies and Australia.
4: Indian hockey team goal keeper.
5: Vasudevan Baskaran
6: Malcolm Speed
7: Priya Ranjan Dassmunshi
8: 533 wickets
It was the picture of Romesh Sharma Volley Ball coach of Jammu University.
WINNER OF THE WEEK:
The first prize for the best paragraph writing has been bagged by Shokat Ali, S/O Mohammed Shafi, R/O Bainlat Kala, P/O Chowki Choura, Akhnoor. Congrats Shokat, keep it up.The second position goes to Sarujeet Kour (Ajja), D/O Mr Joginder Singh, H No 115, Gobind Nagar, Digiana, Jammu.
The Third Position goes to Raj Rani, Hindi Teacher, Convent School, Sunder Bani, District Rajouri.
CORRECT ENTRIES: Udhay Pal Singh, C/O Jawahar Public High School, Ward No 9, Dallean Bari Brahmana, Jammu, Sushant Sharma , S/O Master Nater Parkash Sharma, C/O HEM, Hr. Secondary School, Jawahar Nagar, Rajouri, Sachin Yadav, S/O Munijar Yadav, C/O HEM Hr. Secondary School, Naban Mohalla, Rajouri, Mantu Sambyal, S/O Mr Jaipal Singh, Ward No 9, Bari Brahmana, Preeti Kaul, D/O Mr Ashok Kaul, R/O Gari Garh Karam Bagh Jammu, Ramesh Kumar Kaul, C/O Surgery Department ASCOMS Hospital Sidrah Jammu, Miss Pankaj Manhas, D/O Mr Angrez Singh, R/O Karail Manhas, Teh. Bishnah, Jammu, Gurleen Kaur, Akbhar Hussain Najar, C/O Tagore Hostel, Government P G College, Udhampur, Sanjay Dhar, Lane No 1, H No 3, Upper Laxmi Nagar, Sarwal, Rahul Bhat, H No 316/1, Vinayak Nagar, Upper Muthi Jammu, Athinder Paul Singh, S/O Avtar Singh, Adarsh Vihar , Sainik Colony, near Shaurya Motors Depo Centre, Jammu, Vibhar Sharma, C/O Block H, Q No 6 A, Police Line Channi Himamt, Jammu, Parabjit Kaur D/O S Joginder Singh, H No 115, Govind Nagar, Digiana, Jammu, Sushant Sudan, 162, Bharat Nagar, Rehari Colony, Jammu, Arvind Ashok, C/O H NO 13,Swaran Vihar, Durga Nagar Jammu, Prejwal Handoo, 93 A, Upper Laxmi Naggar Sarwal, Jammu, Pooja Raina, C/O H NO 51/1 B Anuradha Puram Jammu, Irfan Mir, R/O Batwani Ganderbal Kashmir, Sunil Mahajan, R/O Jawahar Nagar Rajouri, Prabhat Kumar Jha, C/O SIDCO Housing Complex, Bari Brahmana , Ashish Sharma, S/O Satish Sharma, Qtr No 22, W NO 4, Adarsh Colony Udhampur, Sourabh Shastri, S/O Devinder Shastri, Patel Nagar, Kathua, Amit Mahajan, S/O Late, Shashi Mahajan, Qtr No E 5, near Sericulture Deptt. Udhampur, Sushant Sharma, S/O Master Niter Gulabh Singh, Student of Government Boys Higher Secondary School Doda, Anchal Kaul, D/O Mr Jitender Kaul, Jammu, Vaibhav Pandita, S/O Mr J K Pandita, R/O H No 4, Vikas Vihar Canal Road, Gangyal and Kuljeet Kumar Betab, C/O TDC Jammu.
DO YOU KNOW:
1: Javed Miandad’s verbal attack on PCB for sacking team manager Zaheer Abbas has promoted a strong response from cricket authorities who said the former Pakistan Captain’s comments had done a great damage to image of the Board?
2: India may have lost the bid to host the World Cup in 2010 to Rotterdam, The Netherlands, thanks to their poor show in the ongoing championship.
Send your mail before Thursday, (21-09-2006) to:-
Sports Quiz Daily Excelsior, C/O Excelsior House, Janipur Jammu, Pin 180007. The participants in Sports Quiz must note that the award of Rs one hundred is only given to first prize winner.

Avtar Bhat

MOHD RASHID, GUJJAR NAGAR
Q: The ‘real name’ is defined in modern society in relation to the clothes you wear, the way you can drive and even the tooth paste you use. Please comment?
A: With ther change in time the perceptions to recognize a person have also marked a sea change. Earlier a person used to be recognized by ‘Dastar’, the head gear he is wearing, ‘Raftar’, the speed by which he is approaching you and then ‘Guftar’, the way of his speech. Now-a-days only external posture of a person is given preference and all other qualities have been put to back burner. The end result is telling upon the society as a whole.
VINAMRATA SHRIKANT, KATHUA
Q: Do you share my view point that instead of using religious books for taking an oath, the oath should be administered on the name of their family members especially their wards, so that before taking an oath their conscious may revive and they speak the truth?
A: A system has been made in the courts of law where the accused or the witnesses are required to take an oath on a book wrapped in a piece of cloth and the book could be a dictionary or the like, because the cloth wrapped around is never opened. But still all the people consider them as ‘holy books’ and take an oath and even after that speak the lie for obvious reasons. That way your suggestion looks to be most appropriate and must be put to practice, but if law of the land allows for that.
M A CHOWDHARY, JAMMU
Q: What should one do when coping with the circumstances gets very difficult?
A: Since there is no problem without a solution, one should, in such circumstances, leave every thing at the mercy of God Almighty, because after all the God is Great and He is the only one which has answer to every question coming in the way of human beings.
GAZI SYED BUKHARI, GOOL
Q: Future depends on education while education depends on concentration. Your view?
A: The future of any thing depends upon hard work in the right direction, be it a technical field or some thing else of the sorts. The future also depends upon the thinking of the concerned persons, be they for good or bad.
AKHLAQ H NAJAR, GOOL
Q: Quality of umpires is degrading due to the advancement of technology in cricket. Comment?
A: The umpiring in cricket has all along been manual and the system prevails till today. The quality of umpiring has not degraded but the advancement of technology has put a question mark on the judgments of umpires, who are also human beings and may not be more quicker than the cameras noting their movements, but still there is every necessity of two umpires on the ground because not every Tom, Dick and Harry can become the umpire, but a few selected persons with extra vision.
SUBASH MAGOTRA, ROWN DOMAIL
Q: Why don’t birds get electric shock while sitting on live electricity wires?
A: Because the birds sit on a single wire, which may be carrying positive or negative current. because the shock gets only produced when negative and positive lines get connected together, or any of them touches the earth. Since the birds sit on a single string, that too well insulated by the insulators, the flying objects sitting on power strings survive, because they don’t touch the earth.
JAIDEEP KATOCH, UDHAMPUR
Q: Learning is a treasurer which accompanies its owner everywhere. Am I right?
A: Learning or knowledge is such a treasure which none can rob or steal. That way your view point is hundred percent right.
LOPA MUDRA, BISHNAH
Q: To get profit without risk, experience without danger and reward without hard work, is as impossible as it is to live without being born. Comment?
A: A mother won’t feed her baby unless it weeps then how come that one gets everything without putting in hard labour in any sphere of life.
YASIR BUTT, KISHTWAR
Q: If friendship once get rooted deeply, no storm can uproot it. Please comment?
A: It is always the deep rooted friendship, which ends up in animousity. Because one opens his mind to his best friend and that friend turns hostile when his own self-interests come in the way. One should always bear in mind that all the enemies are one time friends.
RAMA GUPTA, BISHNAH
Q: Days are also nights for those who dream, but nights turn into days for men of actions. How far do you agree?
A: It is generally said that the day dreaming leaves a person of no where, while those who see the dreams during night and wake up to turn them into reality are really the men of action.
AAMIR MINTOO, KISHTWAR
Q: Any thing that begins with anger ends in shame. Comment?
A: Krodh (anger) is one of the five elements responsible for bringing doom of any person, others being Kam, Lobh, Moh and Ahankar. Any thing beginning with anger is bound to bring shame for that person. Your assertion is absolutely true.
AMRITA KATOCH, UDHAMPUR
Q: The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg and not by smashing it. Do you agree with me?
A: I fully agree with your view point, because patience is one such virtue which possess the quality to dis-arm a person having come to eliminate you. Patience gives ample time to a person to think and act accordingly in place of showing instant reaction.
SANJAY DHAR, JAMMU
Q: Help the needy and God will help you. Comment?
A: Helping the needy is a best virtue of a human being and it is said that God also takes care of those who take care of have-nots or down trodden needy people. I may add to your view point that one should Trust in God and Do the Right.
PRABHAT KUMAR JHA, JAMMU
Q: At times I am in a dilemma regarding your intellect and wisdom since you are able to answer each and every question put up to by readers. Don’t you think you better become an author?
A: I express my gratitude towards your feelings about me with a piece of suggestion of becoming an author. For your kind information, I am a journalist, who is considered more than an author. To add to your knowledge further, I have several manuscripts which will be published at an appropriate time.
NAMERTA SHARMA, UDHAMPUR
Q: What are your views about teacher-student relationship after taking into consideration some recent happenings in the country?
A: I must dare say that teachers, who used to be called and respected as Guru have lost their self respect only because of lust for getting more and more money by way of tuition. In the process they don’t hesitate to harass those who do not succumb to their pressuer tactics. Gone are the days when the teachers in Government schools used to call the students on holidays to learn and during those days teachers used to enjoy lot of respect from students. If teachers become self-centred, what else can be expected from their taught?

Dear Patrons,
The length of the Great Wall of China is 2400 km. Through draw of lot from amongst the correct replies the prize for the week goes to Mr Kuljeet Kumar Betab, C/o J&K Tourism Development Corporation Ltd; Tourist Reception Centre, Veer Marg Jammu- 180001. Congratulations Kuljeet Kumar Betab for winning the prize. Please pay a visit to the Office of The Daily Excelsior Janipur Jammu alongwith your credentials to obtain the prize money in cash.
QUESTION FOR YOU:
Who has become the Acting Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a period of 10 days in ther absence of Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is on a foreign tour?
Dear Patrons,
Due to some technical snag the answer of the last question could not find a place in the column, which technical snag is regretted. The said question along with the answer is being published in the column of today.

Hi Friends! We are back with your favourite column for the week. Please have a look at OUR MESSAGE before you send in your message to us.
We, nevertheless, begin with your message:-

1. To all from Aditya: ‘‘ If we cling to the past, present becomes difficult and future seems impossible”.
2. From Shyam to all: ‘‘ Let us remember that the only way to find happiness is not to expect gratitude, but to give for the joy of giving ”.
3. To all from Sudhir: ‘‘ When you stretch your hands to catch the stars, don’t forget the flowers at your feet”.
4. From Udhay to all: ‘‘ Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to love,to work, to play and to look up at the stars”.
5. To all from Anil: ‘‘ Destiny is nothing but a sense to recognise an opportunity to the ability to take advantage of it”.
6. From Rajan to all: ‘‘ Never leave a chance to make a friend and never make a chance to leave a friend”.
7. To all from Kuldeep: ‘‘ The true friend is your’s only mother”.
8. From Pooja to all: ‘‘ Hot heads and cold hearts never solve anything”.
9. To all from Akshit: ‘‘ Success usually come to those who are too busy in their task”.
10. From Sanjay to all: ‘‘ Wealth is not who has it, but who enjoys it”.
11. From Ivneet to all: ‘‘ Time is like river you can’t touch the same water again because the flow that has passed will never come.So cherish every moment of life”.
12. To all from Pooja: ‘‘ Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there”.
13. From Anita to all: ‘‘ All sucessful relationship are built on foundation of love, truth, harmony of wisdom”.
BEST MESSAGE
The award of rupees 100 for this week’s best message has gone to SUNNY BAKSHI R/O HOUSE NO-14,LANE NO-6 EXT, GREATER KAILASH, JAMMU for message to all: ‘‘ Freedom is not worth having, if it does not include the freedom to make mistake”. Congrats.You have to collect the prize money from the EXCELSIOR office within week’s time.

Haresh Singh