Wisdom Story Hub

 Once, King Badusha and Hoja (a quick-witted courtier, often referred to as Nasreddin Hoja) were sitting on the palace veranda, amusing themselves with conversation. During their chat, King Badusha asked, "Hoja, in your opinion, when I die, will my soul go to Heaven or to Hell?" Immediately, the truth came to Hoja's mind. Without hiding it, Hoja said, "Your Majesty, after your death, you will go to Hell." The King had never expected such an answer. The King grew furious. "How dare you say that? Give me a clear explanation!" It was then that Hoja grasped the gravity of his words. If he portrayed the King as guilty, punishment was certain! Suddenly, another clever idea struck Hoja. Hoja replied, "Your Majesty, the poor souls whom you sentenced to death have filled Heaven to the brim. Therefore, since there is no space left in Heaven, you will temporarily have to go to Hell!" The King thought that, because of his greatness, numerous people had r...

 Once, in a place where many people had gathered, a man named Hoja made a public statement: "My donkey is smarter than the Finance Minister!" As soon as people heard this, they quickly relayed the matter to the Minister. The Minister, in turn, informed the King and demanded that Hoja be given a fitting punishment. The King summoned Hoja and angrily inquired about the matter. Hoja then said, "What I said is true, Your Majesty. And I have proof." Immediately, the King stated, "If you have made such a malicious statement without a clear reason, then prepare to accept a fitting punishment." Hoja continued, "There is a wooden bridge on the way to the market that I regularly take with my donkey. Once, my donkey's front legs got stuck in a gap in that bridge and it fell. That was many years ago. But since then, the donkey has never fallen on that bridge again. That is, the donkey walks across the bridge with great care. However, the Minister's case i...

 Shiromani literally means "the best/foremost one." Once, there lived a servant in a wealthy family who shared this name. However, Shiromani was a man who was utterly mismatched with his name. Yet, the master of the house felt compassion for him because he was the son of Ammini, who had worked diligently in the family household for her entire lifetime before retiring. Despite his compassion, scolding Shiromani for his lack of intelligence became a habit for the master. One time, Shiromani returned from the market carrying a bundle of firewood. He asked the master, "Master, could you hold the firewood while I lower it?" The master burst out laughing and said, "You idiot, just drop it!" The next day, Shiromani came from the market carrying a basket full of clay pots and pans on his head. The master rushed out to help him place it down gently. "Thud!" In the exact manner he had dropped the firewood, the earthen pots were dropped, shattering into pie...

 There was a large ancestral house where only the master, his son, and a steward (manager) lived. When the son was 16 years old, the master fell seriously ill. He decided to divide his property and land equally, giving half to his son and half to the steward. He wrote the will so that his son would receive his half of the property upon turning 18. The will read: "The steward can give the half of the land that he likes to my son. The remaining half he can keep for himself." The father died. The son turned 18. However, the half of the land he received was stony, full of pits, and unsuitable for farming. Seeing the son's distress, a stranger inquired about the matter and was shown the will. The stranger then took the son and the will to court. The court immediately ruled that the steward must hand over the good land he had taken to the son. Question: How was this possible? Answer: The will stated that the steward must give his son the half of the land that he likes! Since th...

 This is a humorous anecdote, likely from the stories of Mullah Once, the Hoja and a doctor (physician) were walking along a road, talking. Just then, a man from a large, respectable manor in the area ran up to them, looking for the doctor. "Doctor, please come quickly to the lord's house. He has a severe stomach ache!" The Hoja went with the doctor to the house. When they entered the room, the doctor said, "The fruit you ate is what caused this stomach ache. I will give you medicine." The sick man agreed, "That's right. I ate a few too many bananas." Everyone was astonished by the doctor's insightful diagnosis. As they were walking back, the Hoja asked the doctor, "How did you know he had eaten fruit?" The doctor immediately chuckled, "Oh, that was simple! There were several banana peels lying under his bed!" The Hoja Tries His Hand at Medicine Sometime later, the Hoja was called to a house to cure an illness. When he arriv...

 The King of Turkey often invited the Hoja (Mullah Nasreddin) to the palace. The King liked the Hoja’s unique perspective. However, whenever he got a chance, the King would also mock the Hoja in places where people had gathered. Sometimes the Hoja would give a fitting retort. Other times, the palace courtiers would defeat the Hoja. One day, when the Hoja arrived at the palace courtyard to see the King as usual, the King and his ministers were standing there. When the Hoja asked for the reason, the King said, "We are going to raise the boundary wall of the palace even higher." The Hoja asked, "What is that for, my Lord?" Immediately, all the ministers burst out laughing. The King seized the opportunity and taunted the Hoja, saying, "Couldn't the Hoja figure out that this is to prevent thieves from climbing in from the outside? Any fool would understand that, wouldn't they?" The Hoja immediately looked at the ministers and replied, "My Lord, I u...

 Hodja Mullah had the experience of visiting several homes alongside some physicians. Furthermore, he used to administer various herbal remedies that he concocted on his own. Some treatments would succeed. Others might fail. Nevertheless, people believed that the Hodja possessed some special abilities. One day, a friend came to visit the Hodja at his house. He had come seeking a remedy for his stomach ache. The Hodja asked, 'What did you eat this morning?' 'I ate two eggs. I suspect they might have been slightly rotten.' Immediately, the Hodja made him lie back in a chair. Then, he brought drops from the cabinet in his treatment room and put them into the man's eyes. The friend asked, bewildered, 'My stomach hurts, not my eyes!' The Hodja replied, 'You ate two rotten eggs this morning because you couldn't see them. The first thing that needs treatment is your eyes!'"

 There were many people in that town who loved and respected Hoja. However, some people were determined to mock Hoja whenever they saw him. Once, as Hoja was walking along the road, a rich man came towards him. He was a miser and arrogant. Mocking those without money was a pastime for him. When he saw Hoja, he said, 'Hey, Hoja, everyone is saying that you keep company with the Devil (or Satan).' Hoja started walking away without giving a reply. Then, the rich man (or master/boss) continued, 'Hey, stand there! Tell me what the form of the devil with you looks like, and then go!' Hoja immediately replied, 'If I tell you, sir, you won't understand it exactly. If you want to see it clearly, go home and look in the mirror!'"

 There were some friends in that town who used to trick Hoja. One day they said, "When we see Hoja, let's tell him the world is ending tomorrow, and then kill and eat his good goat." They ran and gathered around Hoja, panting, "Hoja, did you hear? A divine person has predicted that the world is ending tomorrow!" At first, Hoja didn't understand what they meant. He asked, "And what are we supposed to do about that?" The friends said in unison, "Hoja, since the world is ending tomorrow anyway, we must celebrate today! We should kill your goat and make a curry out of it." The moment he realized their deception, they had already surrounded and killed the goat. Since Hoja had worked as a cook, they all entrusted him with making the curry. In the meantime, Hoja said, "Friends, why are you sitting here in my house like formal guests? The world is ending tomorrow! There's no need for formality here. So, take off all your clothes in this ...

 The Hodja had cheated many people. At the same time, others had made various attempts to portray the Hodja as a fool. One day, as the Hodja was walking along the road, a friend approached him. The friend asked the Hodja, "Hodja, suppose your ox gored and killed my cow. What would be your reaction?" The Hodja replied, "It's natural for animals to gore each other. Why should we humans interfere in that?" Immediately, the man said, "I knew you were a large-hearted person, Hodja! Whew. I feel relieved. I made a slight mistake in what I said. My ox actually gored and killed the Hodja's cow." At once, the Hodja said, "I too made a slight mistake. I don't have a problem with this, but we must follow the country's law. I will check the law books and tell you how much compensation I am owed!" Hearing this, the man turned pale.

 Hoja had a habit of giving a bizarre counter-attack to anyone who tried to trick him. Once, Hoja and his friend were traveling together. After walking for quite a distance, they felt exhausted. Thinking they could eat something from a hotel, they arrived in front of one. Just before entering, they checked the coins in their pockets and were disappointed. The total coins they both had were only enough to buy a single glass of milk. The two friends became engrossed in thought. Hoja suggested, "Let's buy milk with these coins and then split it in half and drink it." His friend agreed. Accordingly, a glass of milk was brought and placed on the hotel table. At that moment, the friend said, "Hoja, first you drink half the milk and give the rest to me. I will add the sugar I have and drink the remainder." Hoja was stunned by his friend's selfishness! Immediately, Hoja walked to the hotel kitchen, got a little salt, and after putting the salt in the milk, he declar...

 Hoja had his own unique way of somehow overcoming all his faults, shortcomings, and helplessness. That is, even if they were mistakes, he would hold his ground by presenting some counter-argument. Here is the next story of that kind— One day, while Hoja was walking along the main road, a wealthy man from the area told him, "Hey, you must get me a dog for my manor. It should be one with great ferocity and strength." Hoja searched for a good dog in many places but couldn't find any. Finally, he found a stray dog wandering on the road. With that dog, Hoja arrived at the wealthy man's courtyard. The master was furious when he saw the skeletal dog standing before him! "Hoja, did I ask you for one that is all skin and bones like this? Where is its ferocity and strength?" Immediately, Hoja employed a trick to hold his ground: "No matter what kind of dog it is, your strength, wisdom, and valor will be transferred to this dog through association. So, there is n...

 A summer was troubling Hoja's country more severely than usual. Due to the drought everywhere, numerous vows, offerings, and prayers were made, but to no avail. The King of the country called a meeting. At that time, some people suggested to the King, "Your Majesty, there is a widespread belief that our Nasruddin Hoja is a divine man (or holy man). So, why don't we summon him?" The King agreed with the suggestion. Hoja appeared before the King. Hoja said, "I need a bowl of water. It's to wash my shirt." Immediately, water was brought. Hoja squatted on the ground, took off his shirt, and began dipping and washing it in the water. The King and his courtiers stood silently for a long time, thinking this must be some trick or ritual to bring rain. When his patience ran out, the King asked, "Hoja, what exactly are you doing? There is no sign of rain at all!" Hoja immediately replied, "I'm just testing a common technique. It's usually t...

 One day, Hojja was walking along a path and reached the foot of a tree where a group of people were gathered, talking. They asked Hojja, "Hey! Mullakka, we heard you travelled to Mecca. Is that true?" Hojja replied: "What you heard is true. I even stayed in Saudi Arabia for several days." Since they had some doubts, one person asked, "What is the Arabic word for 'camel'?" Hojja scoffed, "Do you only want to know the name of such a large animal?" Immediately, another person asked, "Then, what is the Arabic word for 'ant'?" Hojja chuckled again, "Do you want to know the name of such an insignificant creature?" Suddenly, someone asked, "Forget the big and the small, then what is the name of a medium-sized 'lamb'?" Hojja, without showing his surprise, said, "That is a good question. I was staying in a house where a goat gave birth. But before they could name the lamb, didn't I return to ...

 The friendship between the King and Hojja did not sit well with many of the palace courtiers. To prevent Hojja from coming to the court, they devised a trick. They went up to the King and said, "Your Majesty, Hojja doesn't even know how to read or write. Associating with such a person will diminish your own wisdom and abilities." The King said, "I don't believe what you are saying. I will call him and have him write something right in front of me." At the King's request, Hojja arrived at the court. The King said, "I am eager to see your beautiful handwriting. Write a letter on this paper here." Hojja, realizing their trap, said, "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. Five years ago, a fight broke out because of a letter I had written. I took an oath that I would never write anything again." The courtiers were well-prepared. Immediately, one of them handed the King an old letter that Hojja had supposedly written. The King ridiculed Hojja, ...

 Once upon a time, Hojja had money with him. One day, a neighbour came to his house to meet him. "Hojja, I need 50 dinars as a loan. I will return it next week." Hojja immediately took the money from the cupboard and handed it over to him. At that time, Hojja muttered, "Hmm! This fellow has a history of never returning money once he borrows it. No worries, he will never even come near my house again. Ha... ha..." One week passed. The next morning, the same man knocked on Hojja's door. Seeing him from inside the house, Hojja muttered, "He must have come to ask for an extension on the repayment time." The man handed the bag of money to Hojja, thanked him, and walked back. At that moment, Hojja muttered again, "He has broken my trust. He gave the money back." Two months later. One morning, the very same person who had borrowed money before came to see Hojja. "I have an urgent need for money. Please lend me 100 dinars. I will return it with ...

 Once, Hojja did not have a single coin with him. He was worried, wondering how he could manage to get a few coins. He had already borrowed money from all his acquaintances. After thinking a lot, an idea struck him. He went to the market. On a board in his hand, he had written: "I will give you a clear answer to any two of your questions! In return, 10 coins must be paid as my fee." Seeing this, a merchant approached Hojja and asked, "Isn't 10 coins too much for just two questions?" Hojja replied, "It is too much." The merchant continued, "Isn't cheating people like this a big mistake?" Hojja agreed, "It is a mistake." Immediately, the merchant reacted, "But I was just about to ask my first question!" Hojja then said, "I have answered your two questions and, in return, I have received the 10 coins. Now you can leave." The merchant walked away without arguing.

 For a long time, Mulla Hojja used to tell his friends that he had to go on a long-distance journey. One day, he set off in the morning. But what happened? After walking for quite a distance, he felt extremely tired. So, feeling that he couldn't complete the journey, he walked back. He reached home late at night. However, the sight he saw there amazed Hojja. Because a thief, having learned about Hojja's journey, had already arrived there for the robbery. All the household goods were neatly packed and stacked. The thief had already carried some things to his own house. Hojja hid and watched as the thief carried the remaining items on his head. Then, without making a sound, Hojja followed the thief's route and reached his house. There, Hojja climbed onto the bed, lay flat on his back, and fell asleep. The thief was in the kitchen making tea. After a while, when he entered the front room, he was shocked! A person was sleeping on the bed. The thief yelled angrily, "Who are...

 A story that reveals Hojja's sense of humour. When a death occurred in the village, a friend came to visit him. That friend had a peculiar habit of asking a doubt about everything. The moment Hojja saw him, he muttered, "I wonder what his doubt is today?" As soon as the friend entered the house, he asked Hojja, "Hojja, you know my neighbour passed away. I have a doubt—when walking with the coffin, should one walk in front of the box or behind it?" Hojja said, "It doesn't matter whether you are in front or behind." The friend immediately threw the next question, "Then, what position should I stand in to hold the coffin?" Hojja said, "Any position is fine." He asked again, "Should I walk on the left side of the box or the right side?" At that moment, Hojja became angry, "Listen, my friend, any side is fine. However, the only place that would be a problem is inside the box!" The friend was so scared by that rep...

 Once, Hojja was walking when he saw a friend weeping, beating his chest. When asked, the reason was that his cattle shed had caught fire and was destroyed. However, Hojja, knowing the reason, did not try to console him at all. Another neighbour who passed by asked Hojja, "What kind of person are you? His cattle shed is burnt to ashes, and he is crying so much, yet you are sitting here without saying anything?" Hojja replied, "All his cows and goats in the shed were destroyed by the fire. Yet, he is wailing only about the shed burning down, without even thinking about his livestock. So what good would it do him even if only the shed was saved from the fire?" Hearing Hojja's bizarre theory, the neighbour looked at Hojja as if he were a strange man.

 Mulla Hojja had to endure mockery from many people in his life. Similarly, he had also ridiculed many people. Amidst all this, some of his friends were jealous of Hojja. This was mainly because Hojja had a friendship with the King and was a frequent visitor to the palace. One day, Hojja was walking through a busy crossroads. A man called out to Hojja and shouted loudly, "Hojja, there is a big feast happening at the palace!" His intention was to let others hear that the King had not invited Hojja to the feast. Hojja, realizing this, quickly said, "So what is that to me?" The man, realizing Hojja had dismissed it easily, continued his mockery, "The King is sending a messenger specifically to invite Hojja!" Hojja gave a sharp retort to that as well: "So what is that to you?" The people watched in astonishment as Hojja defeated his opponent with just two short phrases. Afterwards, the opponent, unable to say anything else, left the place in shame.

 Once upon a time, Hojja started experiencing memory loss. Initially, he dismissed it as trivial, but later, he felt he should seek treatment. So, Hojja sought treatment from a famous physician, a  Fakir . However, as per the Fakir's instructions, Hojja had to stay at his house to receive the treatment. In this way, after four months in that house, one day the Fakir asked Hojja, "Hojja, have you felt any reduction in your ailment now?" Hojja replied, "Yes, my ailment has reduced." The Fakir felt very happy. He asked, "How do you feel that your illness has reduced?" Hojja said, "Now I remember that I keep forgetting things." Hearing this, the Fakir was shocked! And he sent Hojja away from his house.

 There were times when people would trick  Hodja  and take various things away from him. Once, a friend of Hodja gave him a chicken. At the same time, this friend went around boasting to many people that he had gifted a chicken to Hodja. When some people heard this, they thought: Hodja's cooking is famous even in the palace, so if we visit his house today, we might get to taste some delicious chicken dish! Hodja slaughtered the chicken and made a tasty chicken soup. Just then, there was a knock at the door. When Hodja opened the door, a man walked in and said, "I am the brother of the person who gifted the chicken to you today." Hodja understood the purpose of his visit. He went to the kitchen, served the soup in a bowl, and gave it to him. When the man returned, he told his relative about getting the soup. That relative rushed to Hodja's house and said, "I am the relative of the person who gave you the chicken today." Hodja, a little saddened, served him so...

  Haja 's sense of humour is quite famous, no matter the situation. Read a short illustrative story. Haja used to visit the place of worship regularly. However, people faced a problem there. They would take off their sandals/slippers, leave them on the steps, and then enter for prayers. After some time, when they came out, their own footwear would be nowhere to be found, not even a trace! This matter bothered Haja greatly as well. Therefore, he mostly used his old, worn-out footwear when coming there. However, one day Haja bought a new pair of footwear and came for prayers. Fearing the possibility of the new footwear being stolen, he made a decision and, for the first time, entered the place of worship wearing his sandals/slippers! After the prayers, as Haja came out, someone remarked, "Hey! Prayers offered while wearing footwear are of no value!" Immediately, Haja replied, "That might be true. But, if I had gone in without my footwear, the footwear outside would cer...

 Once upon a time,  Haja  needed to get a very urgent wish or matter fulfilled. During such times, his faith in God would be very high. So, he started going to a  big church  located a bit far away. He prayed there every single day without fail for his wish to be granted. However, even after a few months, nothing happened. He became very disappointed and shared this with his friend. His friend then said, "Haja, there is a  small church  that I really trust. If you go and pray there, your wish will surely be fulfilled." Haja went there and prayed accordingly, and it was a surprise—his wish was granted! Haja immediately walked quickly back to the big church. He went inside and, in annoyance, complained, "What is the use of being called a big church? I went to a small church and got my wish fulfilled. You only have size; this is a dull church!" Haja never came back to pray there again.

 In the stories of  Nasreddin Hodja , family member who appears often is his wife,  Amina . References to his son are found in very few tales. Read a story where  Hodja's son  comes into the picture: One day, Hodja's son was taking an  earthen pot  to fetch water from  the well  in the neighbor's house. Just then, Hodja said, "Hey, come here!" When the boy reached Hodja, he slapped him hard on his thigh! Crying, the boy ran off to get the water. Hodja's friend was standing there, watching all this. He complained to Hodja, "What kind of man are you? The boy hadn't dropped the pot, had he? Then why did you hit him like that for no reason?" Immediately, Hodja replied, "The beating is necessary now. Otherwise, what is the use of hitting him after he has dropped the pot? Will  the broken pot  become whole again? Because he received this slap, he will be very careful and return with water in the pot!"

 Once upon a time,  Hoja  had a lot of money. Because of that, he had friends all around him. This was because Hoja had no hesitation in spending money. Seeing all this, an elderly neighbor, upon meeting Hoja, asked - "Hoja, you have so many companions. But how many would there be now?" Hoja replied without any hesitation - "I don't know how many friends I have now. However, the day I become poor, I can certainly tell you exactly how many companions I have." Hoja was thus able to simply convey to the neighbor the idea that the truth about who will stand by you can only be understood in times of trouble.

 The local chieftain of the area where  Mulla (Nasreddin) Hodja  lived and Hodja himself shared a good friendship. The chieftain greatly enjoyed Hodja's actions and his sense of humour. One day, the topic of  Heaven and Hell  came up in their conversation. At that point, the chieftain asked Hodja, "O, my friend, can you show me a way to reach Heaven?" Immediately, Hodja replied, "If you sleep all the time, you can reach Heaven." The chieftain was astonished to hear this. "What nonsense are you talking, man?" Hodja continued, "My Lord, you can reach Heaven only by staying away from  evil deeds  all day long. In your case, the easiest way to do that is to sleep without ever coming out of your room." The chieftain finally grasped the essence of what Hodja was saying. This was because the chieftain spent his entire day forcing labourers to work like  slaves  without giving them their due wages, and he would also lend money to the villagers at exo...

 The villagers believed that  Hojja  possessed some  rare knowledge  and skills. Once, four  intellectual philosophers  were passing through that land. They were fond of intellectual question-and-answer sessions, philosophies, debates, and logic. When they passed by, the locals suggested that it would be good for them to meet Hojja. So, the four of them reached Hojja's house and said, "We are seekers of truth. We wish to know the ultimate truths from you." Immediately, Hojja replied, "I agree. But each one of you must pay 50 silver coins for my answer." They were shocked and said, "50 coins is a very high fee for our question. Why are you asking for such an amount?" Hojja promptly responded, "Rare knowledge commands a high price. For instance, isn't the  diamond in the King's crown  worth a thousand gold coins because it is rare?" They turned and walked away without giving any reply.

 It was a time when  Hojja  had money. One day, he was walking along the road, deep in thought about something. Just then, his foot hit a stone. Hojja's toe started bleeding. In anger, he cursed the stone and vented his frustration. "May you be destroyed a thousand times!" However, suddenly a person shouted from behind, "Why did you curse me?" Hojja patiently explained, "I cursed the stone." But the stranger did not accept this. He approached  the judge  with a complaint. Consequently, Hojja was summoned there for a trial. Since no one had usually been heard cursing a stone like that, the judge felt Hojja was guilty. The court fined Hojja  10 silver coins . But Hojja's anger boiled over. He gave 20 coins into the man's hand and said, "May you be destroyed two thousand times!" By paying double the fine for the curse, Hojja also doubled his curse and left the place!

Long ago, there was an ashram in the village of Silbaripuram. Five disciples lived there, all of them leading lives of strict obedience to their Guru. Among them, the fifth disciple, Shankhu, was a very simple-minded and innocent soul. While the other four were quite capable and smart, Shankhu could not do a single thing without seeking his Guru’s advice or permission. Because of this, the other four often teased him and considered him a fool. Years passed, and the Guru grew too old to manage the ashram. He told them, "All five of you must return to your homes. I am closing this ashram." Shankhu was the most distressed by this news. He asked, "Guruji, once I am home, how will I clear my doubts about the things I do?" The other four disciples burst out laughing. However, the Guru said to Shankhu, "There is a solution. Here is a clay statue of me made by a former disciple. Take it home and place it on your veranda. Whatever happens, ask the statue for guidance as...

Once upon a time, the kingdom of Silbaripuram was ruled by King Veerapani. He was a ruler who believed in staying connected with his subjects to improve his administration. As part of this, he made it a habit to visit the local market during his morning walks. One morning, while the King was at the main market chatting with the traders and locals, a bright-eyed young boy was seen peeking through the crowd to catch a glimpse of him. Noticing this, the King called him closer. He learned that the boy’s name was Monkuttan. On a whim, the King decided to have a little fun. The King announced loudly, "In my left hand, I have a silver coin. In my right hand, a gold coin. You may pick whichever one you like—but only one!" With everyone watching curiously, the boy reached out and picked the silver coin from the left hand! The King and the townspeople were stunned. Soon, the crowd burst into laughter. Some whispered, "What a fool! Who takes silver when they could have gold?" ...

 Today, one of the biggest challenges the world's population faces is living a life with reduced peace of mind. In 1930, Russian biochemist  Boris P. Tokin  proved through research that trees and shrubs release an antibiotic called  Phytoncides . Since this is an organic volatile compound, it is produced by trees and plants to ward off bacteria, fungi, and insects that may harm them. If we get the smell of trees in our nose while walking through an area, it means Phytoncides are present. What is its benefit for humans? When we inhale it, the production of stress hormones like  Cortisol and Adrenaline , which cause tension, is blocked or reduced. Consequently, we gain peace of mind. Our Immune system gets strengthened. Natural Killer cells (NK cells) increase. The country that has utilized this concept the most is Japan. Humans benefit through a practice called  Shin-rin-yoku  or forest bathing. This involves creating an artificial forest and walking or...

 When Bijesh got off the bus at the junction near his house after work, there was a grocery shop he used to go to for buying household items. Karunan, a regular customer there, would usually have a rolled-up magazine in his hand. Even though the popularity of magazines has reduced these days, he would buy the weeklies the very day they arrived at the shop and tuck the rolled-up copy under his arm. Bijesh usually exchanged a few pleasantries with him. Once, Bijesh asked, "In this age of TV and phones, do you still read the weekly magazine regularly?" He replied, "Watching TV only adds to my tension. My wife watches all the serials. But I don't go near that side. But I've always loved monthly and weekly magazines since childhood." Just then, Bijesh raised a reasonable doubt, "One weekly magazine will be finished within a few hours, won't it? What do you do for the rest of the week?" Karunan replied with a smile, "I manage that. I read the fi...

 Once upon a time, the kingdom of  Silbaripuram  was ruled by  King Vikraman . The king had a terrible temper — even the smallest things could make him furious. Whenever he got angry, it was his habit to pull out his sword and swing it in rage. One day, the king had to travel far away on horseback. After covering a long distance, he began to feel very  hungry and thirsty . He decided to ask someone nearby if there was any  restaurant or inn  ahead. But there was no one on the road. Finally, under the shade of a tree, he saw a  wandering monk  sleeping peacefully. The king asked, “Is there any food place nearby?” The monk slowly opened his eyes and asked, “Who are you?” Hearing that, the king’s anger flared up instantly. “I am the king! You are just a slave in my kingdom!” he shouted. The monk smiled calmly. Seeing that smile, the king grew even angrier and raised his sword! At that moment, the monk said gently, “Now I truly understand who you...

 Once upon a time, there was an era when the land of Silbaripuram was a mix of both jungle and human settlements. A brave young man named Ravunni lived there with his family. He had a wife and two children. His job was to go into the forest, collect firewood, and sell the bundles of wood in the market. One day, while returning home, he heard a whimpering sound in a thicket by the forest path. It was a wolf cub. Ravunni brought it home. His family did not have any particular objection. However, an elderly man in the neighborhood said, "Son, Ravunni, take it back and abandon it in the forest. Once it turns three, it will only show affection to the person who feeds it. After that, the cruelty of wolves will become evident. I have heard stories of this happening in my youth." Ravunni replied, "Uncle, I brought it for the children to play with. I will release it into the forest next year." But three years passed, and he tamed and raised it. This was because the wolf had ...

 The era when Silbaripuram region was covered in dense, wild forest. Generally, the place enjoyed pleasant weather. However, one summer became extremely severe, plunging the entire forest into a drought. All the springs in the forest had completely dried up. Animals ran helter-skelter, searching desperately for water. It was in this critical situation that all the animals in the forest gathered together, filled with distress. The clever fox among them suggested: "If we remain in this forest any longer, the friction between the bamboo thickets might start a wildfire. We must move to Kosalapuram Forest as quickly as possible." At this, the elephant spoke: "That is true. But, when we reach there, won't the animals already present there start a fierce war with us?" The fox continued: "We must explain to them that we haven't come to establish dominance. Even so, a fight might break out. But, it is better to face a brave death fighting than to be burnt alive ...

 In the land of Hoja, there lived a very miserly man. He had amassed all his wealth by lending money at exorbitant interest. Because of this, Hoja was never able to get any money as a loan from him. Consequently, Hoja always considered the miserly man his enemy. One day, that rich man's goat got its head stuck inside a pot. Seeing the goat struggling desperately to pull its head out, people said, 'Sir, if you smash the pot, the goat's head can be taken out.' The man replied, 'I bought that pot from the market by paying money, so I must somehow get the goat's head out without breaking the pot.' Just then, the people suggested, 'Sir, Hoja might be able to solve this using some clever trick. And so, Hoja arrived there. He took out the knife from his waist and cut off the goat's neck! Then, he angrily smashed the pot! Hoja then took only the goat's head and handed it to the miserly man. The miser was so distressed by the loss of both his pot and his ...

 For quite some time, Hodja worked as a magistrate in a village. During that period, most of his decisions were quite strange. Here is one such story... One day, a man from that village arrived running and breathless at Hodja's house and cried out: "Sir, two thieves tied me up and beat me severely in the middle of the night. Then, they took away all the money, jewellery, and utensils from my house. It was only when my neighbours found out a little while ago that I was able to move from there. You must help me. Catch the thieves and recover what I have lost." Immediately, Hodja asked him a different question: "Among all the other things, did they steal your underwear?" The man said, "No, Sir!" Hodja continued, "In that case, those thieves are not from this village. The thieves here would never stop a robbery halfway and leave. They would take everything." The man asked, "Master, what should I do now?" Hodja replied, "Go to the m...

 Once, Hojamulla was traveling to a distant country. The journey involved a boat ride across a deep river. There were several people traveling with him. Among them was a rich man. Since this was his first time traveling by water, he was extremely afraid. Hojamulla noticed the rich man was visibly distressed. Hojamulla muttered to himself, "Hmm! The reason this rich man feels fear is the fear of death—the fear of having to leave behind his wealth." When the rich man's disturbance became too much, Hojamulla pushed him into the water! Then, without delay, he grabbed his clothes and pulled him back into the boat. Hojamulla asked, "How is your feeling about fearing the water now?" Trembling, the man replied, "The fear is less now!" Immediately, Hojamulla began his usual philosophy (or moral lesson): "A person who is completely drenched need not fear the water; he won't feel the chill. Only the one who is starving knows the true taste of food. And o...

 Hojamulla's acts of charity also had certain peculiarities. In the eyes of ordinary people, he sometimes wouldn't give to those who seemed deserving. Conversely, he might give money to those whom common people deemed undeserving! One day, a stranger approached Hojamulla and requested, "Please show me some mercy. It would be a great help if you could lend me 10 silver coins." Immediately, Hojamulla asked, "Do you drink alcohol?" "Yes," the man admitted. Hojamulla asked again, "Do you smoke?" "Mmm, yes." "Are you extravagant or wasteful?" (Do you spend lavishly?) "I have that habit too." "Do you gamble?" "I do that too, Master," the man replied. At that, Hojamulla gave him 10 coins and sent him off! A man who had witnessed all this was standing nearby. He approached Hojamulla and also asked for a loan of 10 coins. Hojamulla repeated the exact same questions he had asked the first man. Howev...

 One day, Hojamulla woke up in the morning and thought—"Today, I must go and see the King. But how can I go without taking a small gift or an offering?" Hoja looked everywhere in his house but could not find anything. Then, he stepped out into the courtyard. Just then, his eyes fell on a large pumpkin in the garden. Immediately, he set off for the palace with it. But on the way, a friend asked, "Hoja, where are you going with this?" When the friend realized he was headed to the palace, he said, "It's embarrassing to go and see the King with such a huge pumpkin. A lemon would be much better than this!" The friend joked and walked away. But Hoja took it seriously, returned home, put the pumpkin down, and arrived at the palace with a single lemon. That day, the King was already walking around in a fit of rage about something that happened in the morning. It was at this moment that Hoja handed the lemon to the King. Angrily, the King threw the lemon at Hoj...

 Once, Nasreddin Hodja (Hojja Mulla), needing some firewood, climbed a tree by the roadside and began cutting the branch he was sitting on. Seeing this, a passerby called out, "Hey, friend! You are cutting the very branch you are sitting on! You are going to fall down!" Hodja got annoyed and angry, dismissing him: "Are you God to tell me that I'm going to fall?" The stranger said nothing and walked on. Just a few moments later, the branch Hodja was cutting, along with Hodja himself, crashed to the ground! Immediately, Hodja scrambled up and ran after the man who had warned him. When he caught up, he exclaimed, "Whoa! Your power of prophecy is unbelievable. Please tell me when I am going to die!" The traveler simply said, "I don't know that." But Hodja pestered him continuously, running after him. Finally, the traveler, fed up, just said, "You will die right now!" The instant he heard that, Hodja fainted and fell to the ground! T...

 This is a story that shows Nasreddin Hodja's folly. One day, Hodja was walking along the road, searching for something he had lost. Seeing him, passersby asked, "What have you lost?" Hodja replied, "I've lost the key to my cupboard (almirah)." Immediately, the people said, "Oh no! That's terrible. Let us help you." Quickly, they all joined him, searching for the key on the road. Eventually, they got tired. They asked him, "Can you remember where exactly you lost the key?" Hodja said, "I lost the key inside my house." The people instantly got angry. "You have completely wasted our time! Why are you searching on the road if you lost it inside your house?" At this, Hodja replied, "There is absolutely no light inside the house. How can I possibly find it there? That's why I thought it would be better to search for it here on this brightly lit road." The people burst into laughter at Hodja's foolish l...

 Two Instances of Hodja’s Strange Thinking We can read two situations that reveal Hodja Mulla's sometimes strange way of thinking. Anecdote 1: The Stolen Donkey Hodja Mulla was returning from a journey. Some people ran up to him and informed him, "Mullakka, someone has stolen your donkey and run away!" Hodja immediately knelt down on the road and prayed, "Oh God, what luck!" Hearing this strange prayer, the others asked him for the reason. Hodja explained, "If I had been riding the donkey at the time the thieves took it, I would also be missing right now!" Anecdote 2: The Search for Sleep Once, Hodja was walking on the road, searching for something, when people asked him, "Mullakka, what have you lost on this road?" Hodja replied, "Last night I couldn't sleep at all. So, I am searching for my lost sleep!" Hearing this reply, the people mocked him and laughed.

 Unnikuttan's house was located near the famous temple in the village of Silbaripuram. The entire area was filled with the beauty of the countryside. Many people used the path in front of his house to reach the temple. Primarily, it was a custom for people, even from distant places, to arrive on the first day of every month. One day, as an old Sanyasi (ascetic/sage) was passing by, he saw Unnikuttan standing beneath a roadside tree. White pupae under the leaves were flying away as butterflies. When the Sanyasi noticed him, he paid close attention to what the boy was doing. Unnikuttan was using a small stick in his hand to break the covering of the pupae tucked under the leaves. But the ones he broke did not fly up as butterflies. They all fell dead. As Unnikuttan stood perplexed, the Sanyasi called out to him— "Son, the butterflies know how to fly up on their own. But because you tried to help, their lives were lost. This is because they were a little early and had not achieve...

 Once, Mulla Nasreddin Hoja got into an argument with a rich man. During the quarrel, Hoja even called him names. Immediately, the rich man went to the judge and lodged a complaint. Consequently, the guards came and fetched Hoja from his house. Hoja knew that the judge was very corrupt. So, on the way, he picked up two smooth stones and put one in each of his pockets. When the judge began to question Hoja, he pretended to be angry. At the same time, Hoja subtly adjusted the stones in his pockets so they were visible from the outside. Instantly, the judge muttered to himself—"He is signaling to me that he has coins in both pockets." The judge then raised his voice and scolded the rich man, "Hoja is a very good man. He is not the sort of person who uses foul language. You may leave!" As the rich man walked away in disappointment, the judge approached Hoja and asked, "I know you used foul language. That certainly deserves punishment. Give me what you have in your ...

 There was a time when Hoja (Mulla Nasreddin) used to move around as a friend of the King in the palace. People widely believed that Hoja knew many of the palace's secrets. One day, a local man saw Hoja and asked him, "Hoja, do you know the secrets of the palace?" Hoja replied, "That's right. I know many secrets." Immediately, the villager became very excited: "Then, could you share two secrets with me?" Hoja countered with a question: "For that, do you know how to keep secrets?" The man boasted, "I am very good at keeping secrets. I won't tell anyone, even if I die." Hoja smiled and said, "I am also one of those people. I won't tell anyone, even if I die. Therefore, I cannot tell you." In reality, the man, who had a bad habit of gossiping and spreading rumours, turned away, disappointed that he couldn't get the palace secrets.

 Once, Hodja was walking towards a distant place. After travelling for some distance, he saw a man sitting in the shade of a tree by the roadside. Since his face seemed sad for some reason, Hodja asked him for the reason. The man replied, "I am a wealthy man. But the money in this cloth bag does not give me any happiness. So, I am going to a neighbouring country in search of peace and happiness." Immediately, Hodja’s wit sprang into action. Hodja snatched the bag and ran away quickly. The man followed him. After running for quite some distance, Hodja left the bag on the path and hid behind a tree. The exhausted wealthy man, who had been running far behind, picked up the bag lying on the road, hugged it to his chest happily and said, "Hooray! I got the money for my journey back!" Immediately, Hodja came out from behind the tree and walked towards him. He said, "You need money for everything. Didn't those few moments when you lost it allow you to experience a...

 Long, long ago, the entire region of Silbaripuram was a dense forest. This was a time when mongooses and snakes continued their traditional rivalry as sworn enemies of the jungle. Once, a powerful mongoose came face-to-face with a fiercely venomous snake. However, deviating from their usual instinct, both of them had a thought: "There is a possibility of losing one's life in this fight. So, it is wiser to avoid an attack." Thus, they made a peace treaty. The snake said, "If any danger comes to you, I will protect you. If danger comes to me, you must save me." The mongoose agreed to the contract. Several days passed. One day—a hunter was searching for a large snake to capture and sell to zookeepers. He set traps in many places and moved on. Just then, the large snake got caught in one of his nets. However, the hunter had already moved ahead to check his other traps. The snake hissed, writhing within the nets, desperate to escape. At that moment, the mongoose and...

 The entire eastern region of the kingdom of Silbaripuram was once a dense forest. It was a time when this vast jungle was rich with many different kinds of animals. Once, a fierce fight broke out among the local village dogs. The large dog, who was the leader until then, was defeated and fled the area, ending up in this very forest. However, he did not possess the skills to hunt for prey in the jungle. He wandered around, looking for leftover meat scraps, and eventually found some bones belonging to a dead tiger. As he was gnawing on these, the dog suddenly spotted a tiger stealthily approaching! Certain that he was trapped, the dog quickly used his wit. He loudly exclaimed, "Hmph! These tiger bones are almost finished. I will have to find and kill another tiger tomorrow!" Hearing this, the tiger immediately hid behind a tree. The tiger mumbled to itself, "This animal, which I have never seen in the jungle before, is terrifying. He is a monster who only eats tiger bones...

 Long ago, the kingdom of Silbaripuram was a mix of villages and forests. It was the peak of summer. One day, a wolf, famished and exhausted, crept out of the jungle and into the village. Spotting a rooster foraging in the backyard, the wolf initially considered pouncing, but quickly realised the rooster would simply fly up into the nearest tree. The wolf decided to use a different trick. He stood a respectable distance away and politely asked the rooster, "Everyone says you are the one who wakes up the people of this village every morning with your beautiful voice. I am truly longing to hear that sound." The flattery swelled the rooster with pride. Immediately, the rooster declared, "Well, watch this!" With that, he closed his eyes and let out a long, drawn-out crow: "Cock-a-doodle-doo..." The moment the rooster closed his eyes and crowed, the wolf lunged, caught the rooster by the wing, and started walking back towards the forest. The rooster did not pan...

 Long, long ago, when the entire land of Silbaripuram was nothing but thick forest, this incident took place. Yet, hunters from the neighbouring kingdom of Kosalapuram often came there. As usual, that day too, a hunter arrived at the riverbank. It was the peak of summer, so wild animals would come there to drink water. At such times, he could catch them by throwing a net or by shooting. Meanwhile, a wild goat came to the river to drink water. The hunter spotted it. He hid behind a tall tree, aimed his gun, and held his breath. But before the goat bent down to drink, it looked around and noticed the hunter. The goat thought of jumping into the water to escape — but a crocodile was lying there, watching it hungrily! Then it turned back, thinking of running the other way, and froze in shock! A tiger stood behind it, ready to pounce! The goat looked toward the forest and saw another path. But far ahead, a forest fire was raging. Realising there was no way to escape, the goat sighed and...

 Once upon a time, in the land of Silbaripuram, there was a lake where many creatures lived together—lots of fish, crocodiles, frogs, and more. There, a frog, who was good friends with a crocodile, had a regular habit of jumping and playing on the crocodile's back. One day, the crocodile told the frog, "I have a strong craving to eat fox meat. You must somehow lure one into this water. I will take care of the rest." The frog replied, "Foxes are extremely clever creatures. Anyway, I will try." The frog hopped into the forest and befriended a fox. The frog encouraged the fox to come to the lake, saying, "I will call the delicious fish in the lake closer so that they are easy for you to catch." So, the two of them reached the lake shore. Just as the fox stepped into the water, he noticed something floating on the surface that looked like a rock. The fox slowly retreated. "That's a crocodile! I am not getting into this water." Immediately, th...

 Once, Damu, the woodcutter from the land of Silbaripuram, had to go deep into the forest to look for good quality wood. There were many animals living there. An eagle and a wildcat were friends with a wolf living deep inside the forest. One day, the wolf was attacked by a tiger. However, since the wolf ran a long distance trying to escape, its two friends did not come to know about it. When Damu walked past the wolf, he heard its cries. Damu felt pity and gave the wolf food and water. Out of gratitude, the wolf followed Damu. After a few days, the wolf regained its former health. However, at the same time, the eagle and the wildcat were searching for the wolf throughout the forest. In the meantime, some bird came and informed the eagle that the wolf had started living in the village. Subsequently, the eagle and the wildcat came behind Damu's house at night. They were both very hungry at that time. The wildcat then said, "You snatch the chicks. I will eat the hen." Hearin...

 Once upon a time, a great sage lived in the land of Silbaripuram. While walking along the road, he saw a young man lying under a tree. The sage inquired what his sorrow was. The young man replied, "My villagers constantly insult and ridicule me. They call me stupid and foolish, and I left them because I was disheartened by hearing it. I am tired of this life, which has no value." Immediately, the sage asked him, "My eyesight is poor. Therefore, if you give me your two eyes, I will give you a thousand gold coins." The young man instantly replied with shock, "I will not give you my eyes even if you give me a hundred thousand gold coins!" Then, the sage said, "If your two eyes are worth more than a hundred thousand gold coins, then how much value would your ears, brain, hands, and legs all together have?" At that moment, the young man sprang up from where he was lying and returned to his own village with firm footsteps. Moral: Every human being mus...

"A Breath Denied: A study on the Sanctity of Life" By Binoy Thomas (MSc. Medical Biochemistry) The Context of This Writing It was an evening a few years ago. I was walking along the pavement in Kottayam town after work when I ran into an old friend. During our conversation, I sensed he was deeply troubled. The issue was this: his wife was working as a school teacher on a contract basis. They already had one child. Fearing she might lose her job, they weren't planning for a second child anytime soon. However, due to what he called a "mistake," they were moving to terminate a two-month-old pregnancy. I spoke to him firmly for nearly half an hour against it, but there was no significant response. Perhaps because his wife was more educated than him, he kept repeating her firm stance with a sense of "fearful respect." As my hopes faded, I prayed a couple of times that God would give them the right sense, and then I forgot about it. I didn't call him aga...

 Let the next story be one from the Silbaripuram forest of ancient times. Once, there lived a rogue wild elephant, filled with strength and arrogance, roaming the jungle. This elephant disliked even the presence of anyone coming his way. One day, as he walked, he saw a rabbit eating grass on the opposite side. He gave the rabbit a fierce blow with his trunk. The rabbit flew off and landed in a ditch! The rabbit cursed the elephant: "You show this arrogance because I am weak!" Before he finished speaking, the rabbit ran and entered its burrow. As the elephant continued forward, he spotted a bird's nest hanging from a low-lying branch. Immediately, he extended his trunk and broke the branch off! When the eggs shattered, the birds cried out, "We did no harm to you at all. Then why did you commit this deceit?" The elephant walked away without saying a word. Moving a little further, he saw a large anthill and crushed it with one stomp of his foot! The ants scattered ...

 The vitamins that keep eye vision healthy are A,  B6 , B9,  B12 , C, and E. In addition to these, various components like Antioxidants, Omega-3 fatty acids, and  Zinc  also help the eyes. Vitamin A Vitamin A assists eye vision in low light conditions. A deficiency of Vitamin A causes  Night Blindness , meaning vision drastically reduces after dusk. Let's look at foods rich in Vitamin A:  *  Carrots : Contain  Beta-Carotene , which the body converts into Vitamin A.  *  Spinach  : Green Spinach contains more Vitamin A than red spinach. The  Lutein  and  Zeaxanthin  in it protect the eye's retina from UV radiation.  *  Broccoli : Works similarly to spinach in protecting the eyes.  * Capsicum (Bell Pepper): Red capsicum contains more Vitamin A than green or yellow varieties.  *  Sweet Potato : Beta-Carotene helps the eyes.  *  Mango and Papaya  also contain Vitamin A. Vit...