The Teacher Who Planted Forests Schools have a beautiful kind of chaos before an event. There are teachers checking the programme schedule one last time, students carrying props from one corner of the campus to another, clubs putting the final touches to their displays, and someone always looking for something that seems to have disappeared at the last minute. It is a kind of chaos that only schools understand. Somehow, despite everything, it all comes together. Yesterday was one such morning. It was the 72nd Raising Day of our school, and every corner of the campus was alive. One group of students was preparing for the tree plantation drive. Another was getting ready for the cake-cutting ceremony. Different clubs were busy with their own responsibilities. There was excitement in the air, but there was also the familiar rush that accompanies every school event. The Reading Club had its own little challenge. Our banner had not arrived. For a moment, we wondered what to do. B...
What Does God Need? For the past week, the news has been filled with reports of thefts in temples. Every time I hear one more story about money being stolen from a donation box, I find myself thinking about the same question. What exactly does God need from us? Recently, I found myself in a discussion on this subject. I casually suggested that perhaps temples could encourage digital donations. Not because faith needs to become modern, but because it might reduce the possibility of theft and ensure that contributions reach their intended purpose. The response came quickly. “Not everyone will be satisfied with a digital transaction.” And perhaps that is true. For many people, placing a note or a coin in a donation box is an emotional act. It is tangible. They feel they are personally offering something at the feet of the deity. Faith is often guided by the heart more than by logic. Yet the thought has stayed with me. Does God really need money? Whenever I stand before a d...