Gerald D'Cunha

  “To win the people, always cook   them some savoury that pleases them.” Aristophanes, The  Knights   S ome months ago, when I first came across a YouTube video by the name ‘Village Cooking Channel’, I instantly fell in love with it. Village-cooking videos on YouTube are not a novelty… There are thousands of them. But, this one was distinct and special in many ways. It was brisk, it was authentic… and, it filled the viewers with energy and joy. So much so, one felt like not only visiting such villages, but settling down there, permanently.       I remember watching a couple of videos from this YouTube channel some days ago… It was late night, and I was feeling extremely low. These guys brought a smile back on my face, and fired energy back into my heart! The very night, I wanted to blog about them. Somehow, the night passed and days, too, without a blog on them. And, just a while ago, I watched this one, their latest… S o many of us ...

"And no one will listen to us until we listen to ourselves.” -       Marienne Williamson O ne reason why I took up teaching was to overcome my shyness and stage fear. The same was the reason why I started THE DAWN CLUB and have spent about three decades helping little ones and young ones to overcome their shyness and stage fear… I still teach… I still help… yes, for the same reason. What is the use of our education if we are not able to face our own fear of speaking in public? I haven’t overcome my own shyness and fear fully… I still feel nervous and anxious. But, that very state keeps me alive and going! A greater section of mankind has the fear of stage. The ones who don’t have it… well, I consider them, really, fortunate! I am nor a psychologist. Hence, I will not speak from that perspective… I will speak from my own experience and struggle. I had a childhood - and, particularly, youth ...

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.” - Helen Keller L et me clarify my position right at the start, here: I am not writing this Post as a supporter of Congress Party or its President, Mr. Rahul Gandhi. As I have told many times before, I keep party politics and hardcore religion at bay. Particularly, if my writing is going to poison the minds around me… If it is going to divide and polarize. I have been observing Mr. Rahul Gandhi’s political growth just as any of you would – reading about him, watching videos of his speeches and interviews, listening to people debate about him And, what had shocked me, always, was how systematically and relentlessly he was made to look like a joker, an idiot… a ‘Pappu’… and so on. What is even more shocking was this: most of my friends around me would think and believe so… would ...