Childhood – Markus Natten

Theme:
In this poem, the poet, Markus Natten wonders when and where he lost his childhood. In this quest to find the moment he grew up, Markus highlights the innocence and faith he lost even as he gained rational individuality.

Adolescence is usually a confusing time for a child who is unable to immediately come to terms with the physical, hormonal and psychological changes in his or her personality. He no longer feels like a child but is not quite ready to call himself an adult either.

In the poem, 'The Rainbow', William Wordsworth claims, 'Child is the father of man'. Markus seems to be echoing this thought as he underscores how in our childhood innocence lay our ability to appreciate the simpler aspects of life and thus, the child can teach the adult how to appreciate things the latter often takes for granted.

The refrain:
The refrain of any poem is/are line (s) that repeat at regular intervals throughout the poem. The refrain often carries the central message of the poem. The two lines which do so in this poem are:
When did my childhood go?.... 
Was that the day!
The first line (which is a question) identifies the central theme of the poem, that is, the attempt to identify when exactly the poet lost his childhood.
The second line begins with a question word but ends with an exclamation. Hence, it is no more a mere question. Rhetorical in nature, this line brings out the poet's sense of realisation.


Stanza - wise interpretation:

Stanza 1: 
The poet wonders when he lost his childhood. He muses that perhaps it was the day he realised that the concepts of Heaven and Hell, he had been taught of since his youngest years, had no standing in the light of the day. Geography textbooks did not give the location of any such place. Education made the poet question his faith and look at the world much more rationally. The poet realises that he might have lost his childhood when he gained this rational outlook.

Stanza 2:
In the second stanza, the poet recalls the time when he realised that the adults around him did not practise what they preached. They told the poet to be loving and caring, however, they were themselves argumentative, violent and discourteous. Their behaviour was a far cry from the love they sermonised about and advocated so reverently to the child. 
Thus, the child lost his faith in the adults around him, whom he had so far, trusted without question. Their latent hypocrisy became evident to the growing child. Perhaps, says Natten, that broken trust was one of the major steps towards adulthood.
Notice, that this is perhaps, the longest line of the poem. Markus Natten is a genius at putting punctuation to use. The length of this line and the difficulty to recite it in one go, indicates that this is perhaps the biggest loss the child has suffered.

Stanza 3: 
As he grew up, the poet realised that his mind was unique, could form its own opinions and could take its own decisions. He gained a sense of individuality which set him free from the prejudiced opinions of others around him. His own experiences shaped his thoughts now and he realised that this might have been the time he lost his childhood innocence completely.

Stanza 4: 
In the final stanza, the poet changes his question. From wondering at what point in time, he had lost his childhood, the poet now wonders where it went.
The last three lines may be interpreted in two ways.
The poet claims that his childhood is nothing more than a long lost memory. He recalls his infancy and believes that his true childhood resides there, in that infant's face, and that innocence cannot resurface in this lifetime.
The poet believes that his childhood has become nothing more than a memory for him but has become the reality of some other infant. Innocence is a cyclical process where lost from one person, it travels to another, finding residence there. Thus, till date, adults can easily recall and seem to almost relive their own childhood, through an infant in their lives.


Why does the poet think that he had lost his childhood?
The poet, Markus Natten, believes that he has lost his childhood. He believes so because he has lost the innocence and purity of his childhood. When he was a child, he used to believe in the existence of Hell and Heaven. He also believed that adults had real love. In his childhood he didn’t have any egoistic attitude.

What did the poet realize when he was twelve years?
At the age of twelve, the poet learnt that Hell and Heaven were not real but mere stories and that science didn’t support the existence of Hell and heaven.

What did the poet realize about adults?
The poet used to believe that his elders were sincere about relationship and love. But later he realized that their love was not real. He saw that the adults were only talking about love but never loved anyone.

What happened to the poet when he was aware of his ego?
At the end of his childhood, the poet realized that he too was a separate individual. He began to take his own decisions. He seldom listened to his elders because he began to place himself at the center of everything.

What misunderstandings did the poet have about adults till he became one? 
The poet, until he was himself an adult, had thought that the grown up people had real love for others. He believed that their love was true and they were ready to die for their loved ones.

How did adults ‘seem’ to the poet when he was a child? 
When the poet was a child adults seemed to him as messengers and poets of love. He heard them singing love songs and talking endlessly about love and romance.

Bring out the hypocrisy that the adults inhibit with regards to love.
Adults talk too much about love and almost every aspect of the adult life is closely connected with love; movies, plays, novels and songs. But the poet believes that the adults are hypocritical about love because in practice they do not have true love for others.

How do social interactions kill a child in a child?
A human being is supposed to live as innocent as a child throughout his life but it is very hard in a society that believes “complexity is maturity and science is the final word.” When the child grows up, he hears, sees, understands and accept new codes of behavior and new concepts of growth.

Where does the poet find his lost childhood? How can he get it back?
The poet, a specimen of the counterfeit personality, finds his lost childhood on the face of a child. he can get it back only when he commits to be child again, forgetting the complex adult concepts and pseudo maturity perceptions.

Reference to Context Questions
When did my childhood go?
Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,
Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore could not be,
Was that the day!

What is the age of the poet?
What is the poet’s mood?
Why does the poet suspect science in connection with his losing his childhood?

When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realised that adults were not
all they seemed to be,
They talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly,
Was that the day!

How were the adults responsible for the poet’s sadness?
What did the poet realize about adults when he was yet a child?

When did my childhood go?
Was it when I found my mind was really mine,
To use whichever way I choose,
Producing thoughts that were not those of other people,
But my own, and my alone,
Was that the day!

What did the poet discover about his mind? How was that discovery important?

Where did my childhood go?
It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face,
That’s all I know.



Otherwise Questions

The poet asks four questions in the poem but he knows only one answer for sure? What is that and why is it so?

Is it easy to retain one’s childhood innocence throughout his life? How can one do it without being adulterated by religion, education and the mainstream society?

Question Bank:

Short answer questions –

Q.1.Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:_

       When did my childhood go?

       Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

       Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,

       Could not be found in Geography,

       And therefore could not be,

       Was that the day!

      

      (a) What questions rises in the poet’s mind?

      (b) Which two occassions come to his mind as an answer?

      (c) Explain the meaning of the line “And therefore could not be.” How does it relate to the end of childhood?

Q.2.Read the lines below and answer the questions that follow:-

       When did my childhood go?

       Was it the time I realised that adults were not

       all they seemed to be,

(a)    What is the name of the poem? Who has written it?

(b)   What realisation comes to the child regarding adults?

(c)    Why does this realisation make him feel that his childhood has gone?

Q.3.Read the lines given below and answer the following questions:-

       They talked of love and preached of love,

       But did not act so lovingly,

       Was that the day?

(a)    Name the poem and the poet?

(b)   Who are they?

(c)    How is the poet’s observation about ‘their’ behaviour significant?

(d)   Complete the question raised in the last line

Q.4.Read the lines given below and answer the following questions:-

       When did my childhood go?

       Was it when I found my mind was really mine,

       To use whichever may I choose,

       Producing thoughts that were not those of other people

       But my own, and mine alone

       Was that the day!

(a)    What do words ‘my mind was really mine’ mean?

(b)   What kind of feeling is generated in the mind of the poet in lines 3,4,5?

(c)    Which day is the poet referring to? Do you think the poet’s feeling is right?

Q.5.Read the lines given below and answer the following questions:-

       Where did my childhood go?

       It went to some forgotten place,

       That’s hidden in an infant’s face,

       That’s all I know.

(a)    Name the poem and the poet?

(b)   What is ‘it’ mentioned in line2?

(c)    What do lines 2 nd 3 mean?

Q.6. What conclusion did the poet come to about Hell and Heaven?

Q.6. What did the poet notice about his mind? How important was this discovery?

Q.7. Where can the poet find his childhood? Is it lost irrevocably?

         Q.8. What did the child observe in the behaviour of adults? How was his observation relevant to question that rose in his mind?

         Q.9. What is the poet trying yo discover in the poem ‘Childhood’?What significant occasions has he mentioned?

         Q.10.Of all the occasions mentioned in the poem,which do you think really shows that the poet is no longer a child?
                 Give reasons for your answer?

  

Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues

This is a living example of technology advancement. We accepted things and events attributing their cause to nature and her wrath. However, advancement and technology could give us a different picture. This way, it has become a habit with us to accept everything that history states and dictates. On the process the modern world has found ways to offer a different view on it. In other words, the modern world has turn impossibilities to possibilities. William’s report gives an insight into this. A mummy scanned after a thousand years has opened new avenues regarding a cause of it’s’ death. The mummy referred to here is that of King Tut or Tutankhamen, meaning the living image of Amun. The earlier ruler, Amenhotep-IV has shocked the country by attacking Amun, a major God, smashing his images and closing all his temples. His family had ruled for centuries before the boy king, Tut took over. However, Tut ruled for nine years and then died both mysteriously and unexpectedly.
The scanning of Tut’s mummy also gave an insight as to how mummies were buried. Howard Carter, who scanned the body found it difficult to extract the mummy. The ritual resins had hardened thereby cementing Tut to the bottom of his solid gold coffin. Carter finally had to chisel the mummy away having no other option. Every major point was severed. Tut was buried with gold which was meant to guarantee the resurrection and was also buried with every day things he would need in his after-life. Tut also had things to take on his journey to the great beyond-glittering goods, precious collars, necklaces and sandals, all of pure gold. The computed Tomography scan couldn’t solve the mysterious death of Tut but gave us clues for sure. The X-rays and C.T. scan reveal a startling fact-the breast bone and the Pont ribs of Tut were missing. Such a revelation would not have been possible without technological precision. This fact gives us a clue that Tut, in all likelihood did not die a natural death.

Technology hasn’t been able to give us a definite answer to Tut’s death. However, it has given us a direction to think and proceed. Maybe in future, technology would solve it for us. The whole excavation and the scan required scores of people. It was a grueling job and the workers had a tough time. After the pharaoh was rested in peace again, Zahi Hawass, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities said, “I didn’t sleep last night, not for a second. I was worried. But now I think I will go and sleep.” It just proves how tough the whole process was. In other words, King Tut is one of the first mummies to be scanned-in death as in life. He was famous when he was alive and his untimely death has raised the necessity to probe the lingering mysteries of this young ruler who died more than 3,300 years ago.

 

Revision

Tutankhamun was one of the Egyptian Pharaohs. He became a king at a very small age of 15 or so but after a short period of time he was probably murdered by his enemies. We have no clues about why he was murdered, by whom, with what, and many others. What we know now is that he was buried solemnly after being mummified and encased in three coffins one in the other. He was buried with gold, silk garments, diamonds and even with under garments because the ancient Egyptians believed in life after death. After his grand burial, a pyramid was erected upon his tomb. This is a very famous pyramid in Egypt’s long history. All this happened 3300 years ago.

1.    Who was Tutankhamun?

2.    What do you know about his death?

3.    How was Tutanhamun buried after his life?

Centuries passed. In the year 1920, an archaeologist, Howard Carter, discovered this tomb. Note that it was after 3300 hundred years of Tut’s burial! Carter was a British citizen and therefore he didn’t have the beliefs of the Egyptians. The Egyptians never tried to go near Tut’s tomb because they had feared that going near Tut’s tomb was disasterous. It could invite the Pharaoh’s curse! Like other British citizens, carter also believed that this was just a superstition to keep thieves away from the tomb and from the enormous wealth buried with the little Pharaoh. Anyway carter was not scared. He decided to take Tut’s body out.

1.    Who was Howard Carter?

2.    What discovery did he make in 1920?

3.    What superstition had prevailed about Tutankhamun? Did Carter believe this? Why?

But taking Tut’s body wasn’t that easy. Carter and his team broke the three gold coffins one after the other. Finally they broke the innermost coffin and saw the dried, hard body of Tut! It was really wonderful to see the dead body of a 3300 year old mummy and to know for sure that his name was Tutankhamun. Don’t you think so? I would have felt a creeping feeling!!! However, Howard carter was a strong heart. He then decided to take the body out of the coffins but soon realized that that was not so easy because the body had got hardened with the resins and separating the body from the coffin was IMPOSSIBLE! But Carter could not think of leaving the body there. He feared the thieves who could destroy the mummy for stealing the valuable wealth inside, so Carter decided to cut Tut’s body into pieces.

1.    Why wasn’t it easy to take out Tut’s body out of the third coffin?

2.    Why could not Carter think of leaving Tut’s body in the tomb?

That really happened: Carter amputed Tut’s hands, legs and all the other joints. You can call it a kind of a 21st century murder of a 1300 BC Pharaoh and the Murder was committed by HOWARD CARTER. Carter had no other option because for him the mummy was more important than the treasures. Having taken the sliced pieces of Tut, Carter rejoined them into Tut again.Why did Carter ampute Tut’s body? Well, Carter received criticisms from everywhere for killing an ancient mummy but Carter went ahead with his discovery. After some years, probably after Carter’s death, a doctor performed an Xray and found out that one of Tut’s bones was missing from his reassembled body. How did it happen? No one knows! Years passed and archaeologists and scientists performed a number of studies and experiments.

1.    Why was Carter criticized?

2.    Do you think Carter was absolutely wrong in amputing Tut’s body? Why?

3.    What did the Xray images reveal of Tutankhamun?

The most remarkable experiment performed on Tut’s body was that his whole body was CT Scanned in the year 2001. The first Pharaoh to be CT Scanned and Xrayed! The first Egyptian to taste the most modern scientific treatment! The first man to be honored with modern technology! Tut is outstanding, amazing, lucky.

1.    How is King Tutankhamun ahead of his countrymen and all the men who lived and died on this earth?

Questions & Answers

1.    When was Tutankamun’s mummy first discovered?

2.    What are the modern world’s speculation about his death? OR What new clues has the scientific world got about the life and death of Tut?
Tutankhamun’s mummy was first discovered in the year 1920 by archaeologist Howard Caretr’s team. The modern world speculates that he was the last of the Pharaohs of a powerful dynasty. He was less than twenty years when he was probably murdered whereas he became king at a very younger age.

3.    What are the facts behind the curse of the Pharaoh?

4.    Why did Howard Carter ampute Tut’s mummy?

5.    Give an account of Tut’s funerary treasures.

6.    King Tutankamun was outstanding during his life and beyond that. Explain.

7.    What were Howard Carter’s contributions to archaeology? Why was he criticized for the same?

 

 

 

Father to Son

The father complains that he does not understand his own child. Though they have lived together for so many years now i.e. since the time of his son’s birth, the father knows nothing of him. The father tries to build up a relationship with his son from the early years, in a manner when his son began to recognize people around, to crawl and to walk in a desperate attempt. 

The father wonders whether he has destroyed the seed of his off-spring or sown it where the land belongs to his heir and none is his.

 Both father and son continue to speak like strangers now and there seem no signs of understanding in the air between the two. 

In traditional belief, the son is created and born to the likings and designs of his father, yet in this case, the father cannot share what his son loves. 

Most of the time silence surrounds them. The father’s greatest wish is for his son to be ‘The Prodigal’ son who will very soon return to his father’s house; the home which he always knew. 

This is definitely the better alternative rather than to see his son move out into the world blindly on his own, by himself and fall into trouble. The father is ready to forgive him at any cost as long as he is able to reshape him up from the long bounded sorrow to a new love.

Both father and son all over the world must learn to live on the same globe and on the same land. The father finally admits that there are times that he cannot understand himself or why his anger grows from grief? However they have learnt to put out each other’s empty hand and with each other’s heart that is longing for something to forgive.

Letter to the Editor (A Sample)

You are Sidhi/ Sanjay of U‐03 G Block Kasturi Nagar Mysore‐Write a letter to the Director NGO Bird Links Society, Bangalore expressing your concern about the decrease in the number of the birds in Delhi.

House No‐ U/03
G Block
Kasturi Nagar
Mysore ‐37

30 June 2011

The Director
NGO Bird Links Society
Bangalore
Karnataka

Sir

Subject: Diminishing number of birds

With deep regret I wish to bring to your kind notice about the decrease in the population of birds in Mysore. Mysore is known to have more than 500 species of birds but many of them are on the verge of extinction.

According to the reports from the recent seminar held on Conservation of Birds, there was a time, when a number of birds would flock to the banks of river Kaveri, Bandipur wild life sanctuary and forested canopy in Mysore. These numbers have come crashing down in the recent years.

The main reasons are rampant construction of buildings, bridges and flyovers, cutting of forests and of course environmental pollution. Many species have become endangered. It is time the people of Mysore were made aware of this grave situation by conducting seminars and workshops.

The locals should be given incentives for preserving the birds. Sanction for the construction of buildings, malls, bridges ands so on should be given only after proper evaluation of the environmental impact of those constructions over the life of species there. Let’s not forget that birds are an important link in the food chain.

I request the government, environmentalists and the society to show their concern before it is too late.

Thanking You
Yours faithfully
Sidhi Sharma

The Address by Marga Minca ( Sample Questions)

Question.1: ‘Have you come back?’ said the woman. ‘I thought that no one had come back.’ Does this statement give some clue about the story? If yes, what is it?

Answer: Yes, the words of this statement made by Mrs. Dorling to the narrator give us many clues about the story.

The given statement shows how the war caused devastation in the lives of the people of Holland. During the pre-war times and when the war was not in its full fury, Mrs. Dorling visited Mrs. S, the narrator’s mother frequently. Mrs. Dorling used to exploit her fears and insecurity. After each visit she took away antiques and other valuable items from the narrator’s mother assuring her that she would keep those things safe during the war. Mrs. S trusted her to take care of the valuables while the narrator was not convinced of Mrs. Dorling’s intentions. The narrator and her mother, Mrs. S had to leave Holland to save their lives during the war. After the war was over, Mrs. S was dead. The narrator came back and went to Mrs. Dorling’s address in search of her mother’s belongings. Mrs. Dorling was shocked and surprised to see narrator standing at her door when she made the above statement. Mrs. Dorling’s statement clearly proves she knew the narrator already although she refused to recognize her. Rather she behaved rudely and unfriendly. This particular behaviour of Mrs. Dorling towards the narrator reveals her uncharitable, unfaithful nature and reluctance to return Mrs. S’s belongings to her daughter, which she had been using all these years.                   

Question.2: Why did the narrator of the story want to forget the address?

Answer: Once the war was over the narrator went to Mrs. Dorling’s address in search of her mother’s belongings. But the woman pretended not to recognize her. Nor does she show any intention of returning the things which she had taken from the narrator’s mother. The narrator was shocked to see the ‘nice belongings’ of her mother lying unceremoniously in unpleasant surroundings in Mrs. Dorling’s house. She felt nostalgic and resolved that she would not try to possess them. Their true owner was no longer in this world and the things seemed to have lost their worth. She felt that it was better to forget the address of the uncharitable Mrs. Dorling, which symbolizes a tragic past.  

Question.3 ‘The Address’ is a story of human predicament that follows war. Comment.  

Answer: War brings with it death and destruction. Marga Minco’s short story “The Address” describes human predicament that follows war. War in Holland had caused an upheaval in the lives of its people. People lost their lives, properties and homes. Mrs. S too was a victim of war. Even before the war was in its full fury, Mrs. S felt insecure and afraid of losing her home and valuables. Her situation was exploited by her acquaintance Mrs. Dorling, who took away the valuable items and antiques assuring that she would keep them safe until the war was over. In fact, Mrs. Dorling had no intentions of returning the valuables as she was sure that Mrs. S and her family would not survive the war. So when the narrator, Mrs. S’s daughter, went to Mrs. Dorling’s house to claim those articles to which her mother’s precious memories were associated, she became surprised to see the narrator, at her address, 46 Marconi Street and even pretended not to recognize her. The narrator was shocked to see the ‘nice belongings’ of her mother lying unceremoniously in unpleasant surroundings in Mrs. Dorling’s house. She felt nostalgic and the things appeared to have lost their worth in absence of their true owner. Therefore, she decided to leave those things and forget the address forever.

Thus the story presents the upheaval in the lives of the narrator and her mother caused by the war. The story shows how war brings a dehumanizing effect on human beings. It kills the finer feelings of love and sympathy. It makes man cruel and selfish.

Report Writing

 

A report is a brief account of an event that has already taken place. A Report helps in recording events of importance that occurs in our day to day life. A report attempts to present the first hand information of an incident or event. A report of an event presents a record of events that took place. A report on an event includes one’s ideas, opinions and impressions on the event.

POINTS TO REMEMBER

• Mention the place, date, time and other relevant facts about the event.

• Include information collected from people around or affected by the event.

• Write the name of the reporter.

• Provide a suitable title/heading.

• Write in past tense.

• Write in reported speech and use passive form of expression.

• Develop ideas (causes, reasons, consequences, opinions) logically.

• Write in a less formal and more descriptive manner while writing a report for a school magazine.

• Present your ideas and impressions to make the report interesting

SOLVED REPORT

You are Roshan /Roshini, Secretary of Cultural club, Hyderabad Public School, Hyderabad. As a member of N.G.C. (National Green Corps), write a report, in 100 – 125 words for your school magazine.

TOWARDS A GREENER ENVIRONMENT

The cultural club of our school in association with National Green Corps organized many activities during the year 2010 for the cause of greener environment in and around the school. A seminar in the month of February was held for students on the need to save environment. In April, the Vanamahotsav week was observed, which was inaugurated with a tree plantation drive. 500 saplings were planted in the colonies in and around the school.

Several inter‐house competitions including poster‐making and drawing were conducted which witnessed a huge participation. Students volunteered to clean the surroundings. Pamphlets were distributed among the public to promote cleanliness and hygiene.

A rally was organized in September to create awareness among the public to stop the use of plastic bags and to replace it with eco‐friendly products. The various purposeful activities conducted during the year were well received and were to a great extent effective in creating awareness among the people.

Roshni

Secretary, Cultural Club

Sample Factual Descriptions

 

A VISIT TO A HOSPITAL

A hospital is a place where the sick or the wounded come for treatment. They are attended to by qualified doctors, nurses and other medical staff. The different wings of the hospital are called wards. People suffering from different diseases

are admitted there and treated. The victims of accidents are admitted in the casualty ward. People having ear, nose and throat trouble are treated in the E.N.T. ward. Similarly there is an ICCU ward for very seriously afflicted heart patients, Paediatric Ward for children below 12 years of age, Orthopaedic wards for patients with broken bones and Neurology and Psychiatry wards for patients suffering from mental ailments. There are special wards for women, children and  separate wards for burns, eyes, physiotherapy etc. The general ward of a hospital is generally overcrowded. Hundreds of patients suffering from different diseases are admitted here but not every patient who comes to the hospital is admitted. Thousands of patients visit the Out Patient Department for consultation, diagnosis and treatment of their diseases. Doctors and nurses visit the patients at regular intervals. Food and ‘other things are also provided to the patients. There are private. rooms for those who can afford.

Facilities for X-ray, E.C.G., Oxygen gas equipment, Blood Bank and Diagnostic laboratory also exist in good hospitals. But no hospital can be good without good doctors and nurses who are expected to be professionally oriented and kind and sympathetic to the patients. To a common man, hospital is a dreadful place full of stench, sickness and sufferings — a place he would never like to visit.

A RICKSHAW-PULLER

A rickshaw-puller is a common sight in India. He can be seen standing at public places like bus stands, railway stations and road crossings waiting for passengers. A,rickshaw-puller appears miserable and weak. He is not treated well by the general public and is generally overworked and underpaid. He is generally hated, humiliated by everyone. This makes the rickshaw-puller sometimes pay them in the same coin. He also behaves with them rudely and harshly. The life of the rickshaw puller is very hard. He works from morning till evening and even at night. He carries passengers and loads from one place to another. The poor rickshaw-puller has. to submit to the dictates of his passengers as well as the hafta realising mafia and greedy policemen.

A few rickshaw-pullers fall into bad habits. They waste their hard earned money in drinking, drugs and gambling. They should be saved from this evil and something must be done to improve their lot.

THE PROCESS OF GETTING RESERVATION

FOR A TRAIN JOURNEY

For getting reservation for a train journey, go to the railway station and see the reservation clerk to make sure whether berths are available on the train you intend to travel by on a particular date. If the seats are available, fill up the application form giving personal and travel details and hand it over to the reservation clerk.

The number and name of the train, the journey date, the destination, the names of the persons going on the journey with their age and sex are to be filled in the specified columns on the form. The reservation clerk checks the form, collects the money, makes entries in the computers and issues the ticket.

There are many computerized reservation centres in cities. Tickets can be booked 30 days in advance at any counter for any train and destination. Now tickets can be booked and printed at home thanks to the e-ticketing facility of Indian Railways. It is sad that many touts fleece innocent passengers with the active connivance of booking staff and police.