Saturday Reading-An Extraordinary Human Being!

Saturday Reading-An Extraordinary Human Being! 


                                        Robben Island, South Africa: A freedom fighter's prison – Orange County Register
                                                          Robbin Island, South Africa: A freedom fighter's prison
                                                          – Orange County Register-Prisoner No.46664
                                         
Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary who became the nation's first black president, serving from 1994 to 1999. Born in 1918, he joined the African National Congress (ANC) in 1944 and was a key figure in the resistance against the apartheid government, leading to his 27-year imprisonment for his activism. After his release in 1990, he played a crucial role in dismantling apartheid and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 before his historic election as president. He died in 2013, leaving a legacy as a global advocate for human rights and a symbol of peace and reconciliation. 
Story of Forgiveness and Nelson Mandela
After Nelson Mandela became President, he asked one day some members of his close protection to stroll with him in the city, have lunch at one of its restaurants. They sat in one of the downtown restaurants and all of them asked for some sort of food. After a while, the waiter brought them their requests. Mandela noticed that there is someone sitting in front of his table waiting for food. He told one of the soldiers: ‘Go and ask that person to join us with his food and eat with us’. The soldier went and asked the man so. The man brought up his food and sat by Mandela side as he asked and began to eat. His hands were trembling constantly until everyone had finished their food and the man went.
The soldier said to Mandela: ‘The man was apparently quite sick. His hands trembled as he ate.’ ‘No, not at all,’ said Mandela. ‘This man was the guard of the prison where I was jailed. Often, after the torture I was subjected to, I used to scream and ask for a little water. The very same man used to come every time and urinate on my head instead. So, I found him scared, trembling, expecting me to reciprocate now, at least in the same way, either by torturing him or imprisoning him as I am now the president of the State of South Africa…but this is not my character nor part of my ethics!
The mentality of retaliation destroys states, the mentality of tolerance builds nations. The weak can never forgive…forgiveness is the attribute of the strong".
 -Searched and Illustrated by Tejinder Kamboj 
 
                         (1940 -20??)

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sunday Special--Sidhus and Brars Laadley' of Sikh Gurus!

Image
H Istory of Sidhu and Brar Clan Origin and history Sidhu Derived,from Sanskrit 'siddha'  meaning ‘accomplished’ The Sidhu are a Rajput Sikh clan descended from Bhati Rajput Rawal Jaisal , King of Jaisalmer . Rao Jaisal constructed the fort in the Indian Golden City of Jaisalmer. Rao Khewa Jat, the great grandson of Rao Jaisal, married into the Jat clan, and thus Sidhu Rao , the founder of the Sidhu clan was born. Geographically, the Sidhu are from the Punjab region of India . B aba Ala Singh, a  Jathedar of Phulkian Misl, who  became the first ruling chief of Patiala, was born in 1691 at Phul, in present day   Bathinda district of the Punjab, the third son of Bhai Ram Singh. His grandfather, Baba Phul, had been   as a small   boy blessed by Guru Hargobind, Ala Singh's father and his   uncle, Tilok Singh, had both received    the rites    of         initiation   ...
Read more

Sunday Special-Surkhaab ke Par!

Image
Surkhab ke Pankh! Nihayaeti tanz hai –Hindi Muhavara , " Surkhaab ke par lage hona . " Yeh aam taur par kisi aise shakhs ke liye jo apne  aap ko kuch – Khansahab Turram Khan,Fanneh Khan ,Nadhu Khan ki tarah – ziadah samajh raha ho ya apne ohdey se uncha ya alag salook ki umeed kar raha ho. Rahul Gandhihi ke' kaun se Surkhab ke par lage Hai.n' jo Congress Party uss ko Prime Minister of India banana chahti hai?  . what has he done to be a PM? except to be born at the right place at the right time, no earned credentials at all and even not ‘Having a Golden A ss’   implying that this guy having tremendous attitude, exhibiting style and mannerism very different from ordinary persons. 'सुरख़ाब का पर लगना' मतलब - अनोखापन होना; श्रेष्ठतासूचक; विशेषता होना; विलक्षणता होना। Surkhab Persian سرخاب Red river Persian Ruddy shelduck Surkhaab--(Surkh---aab) In Persian Surkh means Red . Aab means Paani We often hear  and use some idioms wi...
Read more

Sunday Special--Som Ras ,The Drink of Gods!

Image
Soma Ras, the Drink of the Gods! Soma is a Vedic Sanskrit word that literally means "distill, extract,Sprinkle" The oldest known distiller in South Asia. was discovered from the ruins of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization in Pakistan’s present-day Sindh province. The distiller is said to be over 4000 years old. Displayed in a museum in the Pakistan city of Taxila, archeologists say it was used to distill oil and alcoholic beverages. An ancient painting showing a Hindu deity drinking soma. Soma was a wine made from the extract of wild mushrooms and some other plants. The drink is first mentioned in the earliest sacred Hindu text, the Rigveda (composed 3000 years ago). Interestingly, though Rigveda advised people to desist from drinking alcoholic beverages, it encouraged them to prepare and drink soma which it described as ‘holy.’ Rigveda 1.91.22 states that: “O Soma, You alone create the medicines that heal us. You alone c...
Read more