Today, August 02, 2015, is the International Friendship Day. This day is celebrated in many countries across the world, especially in South America, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc. It is a great fun day for the kids. Later on UNO too adopted the Friendship Day and Lady Annon, wife of former Secretary General Kofi Annon, chose Winnie the Pooh to be UNO Ambassador for this purpose.

The importance of friendship is well known to every one of us in our personal, family and professional lives. Starting from homes, schools, offices, sports, arts and cultural activities, friendship plays a great role on a larger global scale, too. Peace and a world free of war and conflicts are possible by friendship among the nations.

Have we not learnt in our childhood, ‘Make new friends but keep the old; one is silver and the other’s gold.’ The right friends can lead one to great successes. Life can be worthwhile both at young and old ages when fun, joys and sorrows are shared.

The epic like the Mahabharata illustrates examples of great friendship between Lord Krishna and Arjun, Karna and Duryodhana, Krishna and his childhood friend poor Sudama. Best to come is the prayer of queen Gandhari to Krishna. Knowing fully well that Krishna was instrumental in Kaurvaa’s defeat and killing of her 100 sons, Gandhari on meeting Krishna after the war spoke out,

Twameva mata pita twameva
twameva bandhu sakha twameva

(You are my mother, father too;
You are my kith and friend, too)

A friend plays a multifaceted role in one’s life. Says Chanakya, the ancient scholar and philosopher, more than 2,500 years back,

Aature byasan prapte durbhikshe shatrusankate
Rajadware shmashane ch yah tisthati sah bandhabah

(He is a friend who gives one company in misery, when living in luxury, during famine, at the time of agression by enemy, in royal court as well as in the cremation ground. In short, a friend in need is a friend indeed.)

The greatest contribution of a friend is not only to help us smoothly sail on a rough sea, but also to rescue from the shipwreck. A real friend shall never encourage one to do wrong things.

On this Friendship Day let us imbibe noble nature to help each other. Let us harbor noble and positive thoughts for the benefit of the family, the society and the humanity at large.

Happy Friendship Day to one and all.