leisure is the time taken off from one's usual work, the time that cannot be put to use for furthering one's occupational prospects. Yet the human history is replete with instances of leisure time activities paving the way for most momentous discoveries of all times. Gregory Mendel, a priest in a monastery, observed the shape and colour of peas in his kitchen garden. Prolonged observation and tentative experiments of Mendel led to the discovery of the laws of Heredity. Issac
Newton, in a relaxed mood, was looking at the spectacle of an apple falling from the branch of a tree when the laws of motion flashed across his mind. Hard mental laboGr might not have been able to give us theories of heredity and the laws of motion. The reason would be that the creative faculties of mind are at their best when one is unburdened with the routine tasks of one's occupation. The pressure of performance is hardly conducive to the unfettered, free play of one's imagination which alone can explore the mysteries of the world of nature. Leisure, commonly perceived as useless time can be,therefore, of immense use in releasing the fertile mind of man from hassles ofdaily existence and can be harnessed for unraveling the secrets of nature.
Work andleisure are perceived as antithetical, but these are not so in reality. As a matter of fact, their proper utilisation can improve the quality of both. A regime of purposive and sustained work enhances the desirability and utility of leisure. On the other hand, leisure activities refresh and invigorate the mind to undertake the occupational tasks in an upbeat mood. Leisure breaks the monotony of fixed routines and unleashes the forces of creativity. Freed from the worries of work, one can give free rein to one's imagination and savor the beauties of nature.
Nature in all its variety of shapes and sounds presents a virtual feast for the senses. The contours of the hills, the changing shapes of clouds, the colours of the rainbow fill the mind with wonder. The sound of the murmur of leaves in the forests and of the roar of the ocean transports one to a different world altogether. The smell of the earth after a shower or of the blooming flowers in a garden refresh the mind of one who is otherwise condemned to work in chemical factories or In uncongenial surroundings.
