With Deepavali and Guru Nanak's birth anniversary falling close to each other, even a sceptic may be forgiven for thinking that their closeness may be auspicious. Diwali is the most important Indian festi val of the year. It signifies the conquest of light over darkness. The patron deity of the day is Laksh mi, the goddess of wealth bringing hope of prosperity to come. In his own way Guru Nanak was also regarded as the dis peller of the darkness of ignorance, su perstition and hate and the prophet of light and understanding among people. The theologian, Bhai Gurdas, described Nanak's achievements in the following words: The true Guru, Nanak, was then born; Fog and mist evaporated And light shone on the earth. As the rising sun dispels the dark and outshines the stars, As flee the herd of deer when a lion roars Without pause, without turning back for assurance. So fled evil from the world. Nanak believed that the ideal was to achieve godliness while performing one's worldly tasks . raaj mein jog, that is, without renouncing the world or turning into an ascetic. Religion lieth not in the patched coat the yogi wears, Not in the staff he bears, Nor in the ashes on his body. Religion lieth not in rings in the ears, Not in a shaven head, Nor in the blowing of conch shells. If thou must the path of true religion see Among the world's impurities, be of im purities free. And again: The lotus in the water is not wet Nor the waterfowl in the stream. If a man would live, but by the world un touched, Meditate and repeat the name of the lord Supreme. Nanak preached a crusade against meaningless superstition. During his time (and even today) the higher castes attach exaggerated respect to the sanctity of the kitchen:who may enter it,who may cook,what kind of food is pure and what is polluted. He wrote: Once we say: this is pure, this unclean, See that in all things there is life unseen. There are worms in wood and cowdung cakes, There is life in the corn ground into bread. There is life in the water which makes it green. How then be clean when impu rity is over the kitchen spread? Impurity of the heart is greed, Of tongue, untruth, Impurity of the eye is coveting Another's wealth, his wife, her comeliness. Impurity of the ears is listening to calumny. He believed in the cleansing and purg ing qualities of prayer, naam. In the morning prayer, Japji, he wrote: As hands or feet besmirched with slime, Water washes white; As garments dark with grime, Rinsed with soap are made light; So when sin soils the soul The Name alone shall make it whole Words do not the saint or sinner make. Action alone is written in the book of fate. What we sow that alone we take; O Nanak, be saved or forever transmigrate. Nanak equated god with truth. Truth is not an academic concept but something that has to become a principle of living: Truth above all Above truth, truthful conduct. Beggary is a social evil Two road hazards that drivers of motor vehicles have to reckon with every day everywhere are cows chewing the cud in middle of the roads and road dividers and beggars at road crossings. I have seen calves knocked dead by speeding trucks and cows maimed by cars. Sahib Singh Verma,when he was the chief minister of Delhi, promised to have them re moved in 15 days. They re mained there throughout his tenure and continue to do so to this day. So much for promises made by politi cians! Put no trust in them. Beggars are a more serious menace. They can be found at most traffic lights. Their main assets are a missing limb or eyes. Some try to camouflage beggary by car rying babies in their arms or by selling evening pa pers. Many put the children on the job. They cross in and out of the traffic and are often injured. They are not daunted by the aircon ditioned cars with their windows closed. They tap on glass panes. I have no ticed many kindhearted but foolish people who keep a tin full of coins to throw to them. That only encour ages beggary. Foreigners find nothing more offputting than beg gars swarming round their cars at every crossing or trailing them on the streets while they go out shopping. On their own, two judges of the Delhi high court have ordered the police and the administration to put an end to this menace.On their own, neither the police nor the administration will be able to cope with beggars. They may be driven away one day; they will be back on their beats a few days later. The public must lend a hand by refusing to give anything to any beggar. If they are charitably in clined; let them give money to beggar homes or orphanages. Or for that matter to goushalas. There are no rules for this one There is no egg in the eggplant, no ham in the hamburger and neither pine nor apple in the pineapple. English muffins were not invented in England, French fries were not invented in France. If the plural of tooth is teeth, should n.t the plural of phone booth be phone beeth? If the teacher taught,why didn.t the preacher praught? If a vegetarian eats vegetables,what does a humanitarian eat? A bell is only heard once it goes! When the stars are out they are visi ble, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker? If people from Poland are called .Poles.,why aren.t people from Holland called .Holes.? And why it is that when I wind up my watch it starts but when I wind up this story, it ends? (Contributed by :A. Tuteja,Washington) Love your enemies You must love your enemies, as the Good Book says., thundered the priest. .I do. Oh, I do, Father!., one of the parishioners replied. .Me worst enemies are whiskey, cigarettes, and women!.