The painful sights on media these days of needles entering mercilessly in the arms of people have prompted me to write a few words about the above device called needle.
There are different types of needles. But normally, when one thinks about needles, then a very thin, pointed piece of metal with a sharp point at one end and a hole or eye for thread at the other end would appear before one’s mind. This appliance is used for sewing clothes by hand.
There is no any confirmed information as regards who invented this little piece of metal called needle and when. But one thing is certain. Prior to the creation of needle, cloth-material might have been come into existence. Or else, what would it stitch, the needle? Thus at first spinning wheel might have come into being. Material was made. Then after dresses and garments were required. And in accordance with the saying that necessity is the mother of invention, needle might have become a reality.
It is pertinent to note that there is mention of this above small instrument in the age-old Mahabharata Epic.
After suffering for 13 long years in exile due to their defeat in the gambling match, the Pandava brothers eventually returned home. Then Srikrishna, the king of Dwarka, as a mediator met Duryodhana, the leader of Kauravas and requested the latter to return to Pandavas the territories due to them. But the stubborn and wicked Duryodhana rejected Krishna’s appeal and said, “Pandavas will get nothing. Not even as much territory as will cover the point of a needle”.
There is also a mention of needle in the Holy Bible. One rich man was eager to join Jesus on his journey. And accordingly he expressed his above wish before the Lord. The Lord told the rich man that the latter should first sell all his wealth and give the money to the poor people and after that he should return, carry the cross and follow Him. But the rich man was greedy and did not want to part with his possessions. And so, he went away. Then after, Jesus said to His disciples, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
It is said that the earliest needles were made of bone and wood. Modern needles are manufactured from steel. Knitting needles are long, thin and pointed but without holes. The needles that stitch gunny sacks are hard, thick and are made up of steel. The work of a needle is always positive. Scissors cut but a needle joins!
This little appliance called needle has earned name in the field of medicine too. There is one hypodermic needle here. It is long, thin, pointed and hollow. It injects drugs and withdraws fluids from the body. Another needle is called suture needle. It stitches wounds and surgical incisions. There is another type of medical treatment whereby thin needles are inserted into the skin of the patient. This method is called acupuncture.
A needle is small. But it is very useful and necessary appliance. ‘Needle’ss to say this tiny implement is rightly named as needle. May be that this name is derived from the term ‘need’ which means necessity!
