उनकी चार साल की लडकी है । सदैव व्यस्त रहती है वह छोटी-सी बच्ची । कथक सीखने जाती है, तैराकी सीखने जाती है, माँ से कविता और कहानी सुनती है, खेलती है । मैंने उसकी माँ से पूछा कि इतनी रत्ती-भर की लडकी के लिए ज्यादा नहीं है ? उन्होंने कहा, “बात सीखने की नहीं है, बल्कि देखने की है । अगर उसे अति लगता, तो बंद करवा देती । मैं तो चाहती हूँ कि वह दुनिया देखे, जाने कि क्या-क्या है इस दुनिया में देखने और सीखने लायक । एक बार जब स्कूल जाने लगेगी, तो फिर कहाँ समय मिलेगा देखने, सुनने, सीखने का ।” सच ही तो कह रही थीं वह । कहने को तो शिक्षा हमें मनुष्य बनाती है, किन्तु साथ ही हमें आसपास के वातावरण से, तथा संस्कृति के सूक्ष्म तत्वों के प्रति उदासीन बना देती है । मिलता है वह ज्ञान जिसके व्यावहारिक उपयोग में संदेह है, और न जिसमें विद्यार्थी ही आनन्द प्राप्त करते हैं । मुझे याद है एक बार मुझे पढते देखकर एक फौजी ने कहा था, “भाई, कुछ समय के लिए सफेद को किनारे रखकर हरे को भी देख लिया करो ।”
photo credit: R.Mitra aka @the.photoguy (instagram) bemused! via photopin (license)
Pradyot 
You have encouraged observing skills for the functional objects of surroundings. In school education, time is passed in listening to the teaching and writing notes for preparation. Homework is given to children and so they are not free at home too. Watching the facts and events of the world is important for brainpage development. Thanks for good writing.
You have summarized it so well! Thank you so much!
Hello Pintoo, saw n read your creatives after so long….tried and read some of them today. Kis kis lekh ki tareef karoon… aur koun koun se chhod doon….. saare hi bahut bahut acche and practicality se judey hain. Bahut bahut ..bahut hi achhe likhe hain. Keep it up my Bro!!!!!
Thank you Didi for your kind appreciation and constant encouragement! 🙂
So cute! I am sure it is a great post with a photo like that! 🙂
Translation:- She has a four year old daughter. That little girl is always busy — learns dance and swimming, listens to poems and stories from her mother, plays. I asked her mother, “Isn’t it too much for such a small girl?” She replied,”It is not about learning, instead about seeing. Had she felt it to be excess, I would have stopped. I want that she sees the world, and knows what all is there to see and learn. Once she starts going to school, then won’t find time to see, hear, learn.” Indeed, she was right. We are told that education makes us human; but at the same time makes us indifferent to our environment and minute elements of culture. In their place, we get that knowledge whose practical usefulness is doubtful. Even students do not enjoy it. I remember once an armyman saw me reading, and commented,”Brother, sometimes you should keep the white aside and look at the green.”
A double like!! Thank you for the translation. Very enjoyable to read. I knew it was going to be good 🙂 Happy February 2 (Groundhog day here)– 6 more weeks of Winter.
A beautiful piece – once school and studies begin, the time for free observation is sacrificed…….