Strong Roots is an extract from Wings of Fire By APJ Abdul Kalam. In strong roots we would learn about the childhood life of APJ Abdul Kalam.
STRONG ROOTS BY APJ ABDUL KALAM
Summary of Strong Roots By APJ Abdul Kalam
The story begins with author who says, I was born in middle Class Tamil Family in Madras. My father Jainulabiddin wasn’t much educated and neither he was rich. Although my father was not much educated but he was very smart and kind since his childhood.
My father and mother, Ashiamma always used to help others. I don’t even know how many people my mother used to feed on daily basis. My father and mother had great relationship and they were considered as Ideal couple. I was small height boy among my brothers and sisters and I wasn’t much attractive.
Although my parents were tall and good looking. We live in our ancestral home. Our house was located in Mosque Street in Rameswaram city. Our life was very simple and we were far away from luxury. I usually used to eat with my mother on Kitchen floor.
There was a Shiva temple near our house where pilgrims come for worshiping. Our city, Rameswaram was very popular because of Shiva Temple. Shiva Temple had made our city very popular. There were lots of Muslims and Hindu in our city and both community lived together peacefully. There was a Masjid in our city where my father used to take me for prayers.
I couldn’t understand Arabic language of prayers but I knew one thing that whatever I am saying in prayer is reaching directly to God.
When my father used to come out from Masjid after prayer, there were lots of people from different religions who waits for my father and gave water bowl to my father where he dip his finger and pray. I remember many people who recovered from disease used to come at our house to say thanks to my father.
Rameshwaram Temple’s priest were very good friends of my father. The priest named, Pakshi Lakshmana Sastry with whom my father have discussed spiritual matters. The best memory of my childhood was when my father and Pakshi Lakshmana used to discuss spiritual matters.
This was one of the most beautiful memory. When I grown up, one day I ask my father, why do we pray ? My father replied when we prayer our bodies goes in sky, we go in such place where, wealth, caste, age and greed doesn’t matter. We goes to meet our creator in prayers. My father was great at explaining complicated topics in simple words.
One day my father told me whenever person comes in trouble, they look for a person who can solve their trouble and help him. If someone comes to me in trouble then I pray for them. Abdul Kalam never believed in ghosts as he believe if people would believe in such things then he won’t be able to find the solution of his problems. I remember my father used to wake up at 4 am in morning to offer Namaz before starting day. After offering Namaz, my father used to go at Coconut grove.
When returning from grove, he brings 12 coconuts. After following this routine, he used to have breakfast. When my father arrived in late sixties, he still followed the same routine.
Whatever fundamental truths my father taught me in life, I have tried to copy it in my science and technology world. I believe there is a divine power in world which help us in solving our problems, confusions and despair. And this divine power show us the right path to follow.
When a person leave emotional and physical relation then that person starts walking on the path of freedom, happiness and peace. It means when we accept spirituality in our life then our life fills with freedom, happiness and peace.