The Book of Life

avoids frustration, and thinks clearly, he can always find some pleasant word that cools tempers. If humour becomes a habit, it is objectionable. But if used as a strategy, it becomes praiseworthy—because sometimes a humorous remark can succeed where serious words fail. THE SECRET OF LIFE I n 1947, when the Indian subcontinent gained independence, the situation was such that on one side were the people of Pakistan, represented by Mr. Muhammad Jinnah. He said that they had received a “truncated and moth-eaten Pakistan.” (The Sole Spokesman by Ayesha Jalal, Cambridge, 1994, p. 290) His vision of Pakistan included the whole of Punjab and Bengal. He also wanted all of Kashmir to be part of his country. For this reason, the Pakistan that came into existence seemed far less than what he had dreamed of. On the other side, the people of India felt the same disappointment. In their minds, the vision of a free India—Swatantra Bharat— was greater than the nation that actually emerged. Even after independence, millions of people felt that their beloved India had come to them in pieces. What they