A chemical love letter

Polar and covalent bond building

Ionization Potential

My dearest BASIC Sofia,

With electrons at low, nowadays I am seeing you standing across the field of energetic; my young heart is exchanging energy in half field orbitals. In the lanthanide series in which you are sitting in the 6th group of periodic table, you look so beautiful that my heart’s electrons are attracted towards you. The attraction of your eyes made me very electrove. The frequency of your voice is so high that it has reached the nucleus of my heart.

I request you in electrostatic charge to meet me, at the anode, near the ionic equilibrium. I am very keen to mix up with you like Nacl mixes with H₂O. I want to test the radicals of your heart to know that they are made for me or not. If you meet the electron of my valence shell, it will get ionised. I am proposing you directly because I don’t believe in any catalyst. If you don’t accept my proposal then the recollection of you will remain as precipitate which I will save in a test tube for the years and years. So please meet me, I am waiting in sodium form. The shell of my mind is fully filled with the election of your love; so please ionize it. Hoping in +ve reply and green signal.

Your highly reactive ACID.

Your Anam

Medieval India-The Golden Era of Music

Music during the Mughal era emerged as one of the most experimented forms of art. Several new forms of music like Qawwali, Sufi music and Bhakti music gained prominence.The  Mughals loved music. Babar is said to have composed songs. Akbar loved music and his court had eminent musicians like Tansen of Gwalior and Baz Bahadur of Malwa. Tansen composed several ragas, notable among them was Raag Darbari.

The most influential musician of the Delhi Sultanate was Amir Khusrau, who is sometimes called the father of Modern Classical Hindustani music. He composed in Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Braj Bhasha. He invented several ragas like Yaman Kalyan, Zeelaf and Sarpada. He is credited with the invention of the Khayal form. He also introduced Qawwali in India. 

The influence of Persian music during the medieval history of India was evident with forms like Ghazals and others.  However, the Bhakti movement characterised by the Shaivite (devotees of Lord Shiva) and Vaishnavite (devotees of Lord Vishnu) sects also became popular. Some of the exponents of this form were Meerabai, Jayadeva and others.  Meerabai sang in praise of Lord Krishna and her bhajans are popular even today.

Akbar, the most successful and benevolent Mughal emperor encouraged music practised by Hindus and Muslims. On the other hand, Aurangzeb banned songs and dance in the royal court due to his religious beliefs. Despite this, several new music forms became popular during his era.

Raja Mansingh Tomar of Gwalior is credited with popularising Hindi as a language for classical songs. He also wrote a book called ‘Mankutuhal’ (Book of Curiosity) during the time which outlines the musical trends followed during the era. Songs in popular languages were composed and written by Nanak and Kabir. 

Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, believed in ‘Ek Onkar’ (one God). He was against idol worship and casteism. He believed in singing songs in praise of that one supreme god.  Kabir’s dohas were important in the sense that they advocated the unity of religions along with valuable social messages. 

FRUIT JUICES

Fruit juices are rich in vitamins and minerals. They are low in calories, contain fibre in large amounts and help to boost the metabolic activities of the body. Major skin problems and digestive problems are reduced by intake of fruit juices. The immunity system is also developed by drinking fruit juices regularly. One should take freshly extracted juice and avoid packed ones. Packed juices contain added flavour and natural preservatives which cause obesity if taken regulary.

In India one can enjoy the seasonal fruit juices.

Summer season fruits:

·         Mango juice is rich in iron and is good for pregnant ladies and asthma patients. It helps in production of gastric juices, blood and bone marrow.

·         Litchi juice is rich in Vitamin C and should not be consumed in large amounts. It is good for digestion and provides other beneficial vitamins. When taken chilled it tastes good.

·         Watermelon juice contains water and no fibre. It helps to reduce acidity and ease burning sensation in the stomach. It serves best during the hot hours of the day.

Winter season fruits

·         Apple juice relieves from cough and helps in removing the toxic contents of the body. It cures dysentery and strengthens body metabolism.

·         Grape juice is sweet to taste therefore addition of sugar is not advisable. It contains anti-ageing properties and helps to keep the skin glowing and young.

·         Orange juice contains Vitamin C. The thin white lining under the peel is an excellent source of calcium. Orange juice is useful in asthma and bronchial troubles.

Spring season fruits

·         Pineapple juice helps to cure throat infections and intestinal problems. It also helps in menstrual disorders.

Note: Citric fruit juices should not be taken in an empty stomach as they may cause acidity.

See the world through Google Goggles

Google is one of the best search engines on the Web. It is known for innovation and improving search experiences for its users. This time, Google has come up with an Android application ‘Google Goggles’ that takes users to the next level of web searching.

 Gone are the days when you searched content on the Internet entering text or voice. Now you can click pictures of historical places, products and other things on your Android smart phone and get detailed information about them.

You are in a place and you don’t know the local language and want to read what is written on the board in front of you. You need not depend on someone you don’t know. Click a picture of the board on your phone and the application will translate the text in your language.

The search engine giant is working on ‘Project Glass’ and in a few years time, people will be wearing ‘Google Glasses’ to connect the real world with the digital world. Several companies said that Google has its head in the clouds and is working on unrealistic projects. 

Recently, the Google (X) group that is working on the project uploaded a video showing the functioning of Google Glasses. When you are walking on a road the device can tell you ‘what is the temperature’ and ‘the possibility of raining’ in that area using GPS technology fitted into it.

It also enables you to video chat while walking on the road without obstructing your view. One window will pop up on one side of your glasses and you can chat. Similarly, you can click pictures while walking and share them with your friends in real time using the Google Glasses.  If the route you wanted to use is blocked for some reason or the other then the glasses will direct you to the alternate route.

However, there are social scientists who are criticizing this project saying that it will make human beings lazy and completely dependent on technology. The project is still in its initial phase and receiving criticism and as well as appreciation. When it comes to the market, people may hate it or love it but, I am sure, no one will ignore it.  

SAVE OUR TIGERS - Are we doing enough?

Our tigers are in danger. They are falling prey to poaching and man-tiger conflict. Inviolate spaces for tigers are shrinking. Villagers living near core and buffer areas of tiger reserves poison them in revenge for killing their cattle. The government agencies have failed miserably in relocating the reluctant villagers; as in the last 40 years they have been able to relocate only 105 villages out of 1700 in protected tiger reserves. Abhishek Pandey visited the Jim Corbett National Park in Nainital (Uttarakhand) as part of a media briefing workshop on ‘Tigers, Tiger Habitats and Conservation’ organised by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and reports the present status of the national animal.

Jim Corbett Park (Uttarakhand): India had over 50,000 tigers in the beginning of the 20^th century and is now left with only 1,706. Habitats are shrinking because people living on the fringes of tiger reserves are dependent on forests for grazing and firewood. Poaching is rampant. Thousands of posts of forest guards are lying vacant across the country. Tigers are facing threats to their lives on many fronts.  

Thankfully, the situation has improved slightly with the efforts of many NGOs and government agencies. According to the Environment Ministry, the estimated number of tigers at 1,706 is higher than the 1,411 tigers in 2007. India still has over 70 per cent of the total tiger population of the world.

Sunita Narain, Chairperson of Tiger Task Force (TTF) and Director-General of the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “Our forests are habitats of people and not wilderness areas. Millions of people depend on forests for their livelihood. We should keep in mind the interests of people too for sustainable tiger conservation. We should not develop hostile neighbours for tigers and should work on changing the conservation paradigm. We should work on providing employment and tourism benefits to villagers and also allow them to harvesting produce on a sustainable basis.”

However, one of the members of the task force, Valmik Thapar, had written in his note of dissent sent to the chairperson that human and tiger co-existence plans will not work because people will not relocate if the co-existence plan will improve their life 100 fold. He has written a book The Last Tiger and said that a miracle is required to save Indian tigers. He has said in an interview that lions don't co-exist with people in Africa, jaguars don't co-exist with people in South America and tigers and leopards have never co-existed with people in India.

The country has 41 tiger reserves in 17 states and out of which 25 reserves have notified buffer zones. Around 50 per cent of the tiger population lives outside the protected tiger reserves. They are vulnerable to poaching. Despite rigorous tiger conservation activities by government agencies and the forest department, the nation has lost 45 tigers in 2012 (till June 9, 2012). This year has been a terrible year for tigers.

RK Mishra, Director of the Jim Corbett National Park, claims that there have been no instances of poaching since 2001. The department arrested three poachers after finding four metal traps inside the park. Some wildlife activists have alleged that the park is a haven for poachers and that 15 tigers have been killed in 2012. However, this has not been confirmed yet.

Mishra, who hails from Odisha, added, “The forest department is trying to put a stop on retaliatory killing of tigers. Villagers poison tigers if the animal invades human habitats and kills cattle. We give immediate compensation to the villagers whenever a case is reported.” The Jim Corbett Park has over 200 tigers and there are over 40 tigers in Ram Nagar Forest range.  

Odisha

Simlipal was one of the first nine tiger reserves which were declared in 1973. Besides Simlipal, Odisha has two other tiger reserves—Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Sunabeda Tiger Reserve. According to the state government, there are 192 tigers in Odisha, while the Wild Life Institute of India (WWI) states there are only 45.

Lala A.K. Singh, who is a wildlife expert and has worked in the Simlipal Tiger Reserve for more than two decades said that we can save tigers in Odisha only by minimizing human interference and creating inviolate space for the animals.

As Ravi Chellam, wildlife biologist and conservationist, puts it, “tigers are territory animals and they cannot live in apartments like humans. We have to create inviolate space to protect tigers.”  

Ladies first: No lip service

‘Ladies first’ – these words seem to be familiar, taught at school and often used by some people out of esteem and as a mere formality by others. These words have become a sign of fashion for the new millennium but perhaps they have an unseen meaning.

The former word ‘lady’ is a sign of care, love, emotions, motherhood and all its faces—daughter, sister, mother and wife—reflect the same. It has been rightly said, ‘the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world’. To be frank, such phrases have just been words for our so-called cultured society.

Ours is a male-dominated society, how true! From the day a girl is born, she is neglected because she is not wanted. No proper care, no education, no status, because parents find it preferable to collect money for dowry rather than spending it on their daughter.

But eight out of every ten families have the same story. They say that they want a male child, why? The son is the steward of their life boats. Perhaps people have forgotten an old saying which is an inglorious fact of our organized community and has to be realized by the people. It say:‘A son is a son till he gets a wife, but a daughter is a daughter till the end of her life’

For such a state of affairs, reasons may be many, but the first are the women themselves. A father wanting a male child can be understood but a mother not willing to have a girl child is something  disgusting and humiliating.

Heaps of disgraceful things like the dowry system, high mortality rate and infanticide have rooted themselves leading to disastrous consequences— the sex ratio, that is, the number of females per 1000 males in the population has been falling over the years. Although there has been a continuous increase in the literacy rate, still the condition is pitiful.

It is said that a country which gives due respect, preference and equal importance to women in every field is a developed nation. The best examples can be none other than Japan, the USA and Russia where the number of females per 1000 males are —1033, 1145 and 1059, respectively. 

These nations are the leading nations and world leaders. Remember, when a man is educated he alone learns but if a woman is literate—the children, the family and, above all, the nation develops.

Now, let us change the trend. It is not only the government but we who have to understand and work together to raise the status of women. So do not say ‘ladies first’ just to offer seats; rather bring them into the world and give preference in all walks of life. 

Perhaps, it would take decades, but when achieved, India will no longer be a developing nation, it will rather be the same old ‘golden sparrow” of olden days.

Effective time management

Time is the nearest quotient to money. No wonder, they say “time saved is equal to money saved”.

But managing time, just like managing money is a difficult proposition. We often tend to over-spend or be grandiose when our pockets are full with both of these and turn panicky or crib all the way when we realise that we have none! The student fraternity suffers from this dilemma of efficient time management to the hilt.

It is akin to riding a mustang that bucks to unsaddle you while you try to control it. To compound our woes, it is the equestrian who usually wins. To get the best of time is to ride it well.

If you can manage your time well, it can, coupled with good discipline and a positive attitude, well serve the means to provide a comfortable living.

Efficient time management is evolving as a necessity in the present scenario where the race to get ahead of the pack is the foremost objective. If you can do that you win the race, else you join the gang of not-so-well-accomplished-people who have an excuse for not being able to do so.

There are also a number of people who are making good money by professing how to manage time effectively. Theories can go to great lengths to teach, but time management can be learnt through effective practice only. More often than not, the reason for not being able to achieve our goal is we are not sincere to our own selves.

We fail to plan, do wrong tasks at wrong times, procrastinate or break the rules of self-discipline. If you are able to visualize your goal you can develop an effective plan to accomplish it. This is the crux of the problem.

If you fail to plan, you lose more than half the chances to attain the desired result. An effective plan comprises concrete steps that you must take to realise your dreams—these steps, of course, have to be small achievable goals so that you do not get disheartened on your way up the ladder of success.

So plan effectively as it serves as a guideline to reach your destination. You can even fall back on  modern communication devices to manage your time well, they are helpful indeed. But the most important factors are your sincerity and efforts, that would count, as time never gives you a second chance.

Karsh Kale- A prolific innovator

Season 2 of the highly popular MTV show ‘Coke Studio’ is in the news due to the involvement of Karsh Kale, a prolific Indo-American musician. He has composed some great remixed and original numbers to enthral viewers this year.

Born as Utkarsh Kale on November 1, 1974, to Indian immigrant parents in Bromwich, England, he grew up in Brooklyn, New York, after his parents relocated there in 1977. His father introduced him to several genres of music ranging from pop to hip-hop. He started with the tabla and started experimenting with its sounds to come up with an instrument called the ‘electric tabla’. Besides, being a tabla maestro, he is also a remix artist, DJ and producer.

Kale is a member of ‘Tabla Beat Science’ set up by Bill Laswell. Other members of this group are stalwarts like Zakir Hussain, Sultan Khan, Talvin Singh and Trilok Gurtu. Together, the group came up with an album called ‘Tala Matrix’. It is considered one of the most influential Asian fusion albums of all time. He is the first Indo-American musician to sign a music contract with the San Francisco label, ‘Six Degrees Records’. His first solo album, ‘Realise’ was released in 2001. 

He also popularised his type of music with shows which were known for their remix instruments and electric tabla and DJ settings, which were different and attractive to viewers. Another album, ‘Breathing under the water’ was a result of a two-year collaboration with Anoushka Shankar. His album, ‘Cinema’ is based on his experiences of composing Bollywood music.

Kale has composed for crossover and Bollywood films like ‘Chutney Popcorn’, ‘Indian Cowboy’, ‘Ocean of Pearls’ and ‘Pyaar Impossible’. He has also worked with the likes of Norah Jones, Sting, Yoko Ono and others and with ‘Midival Punditz’ on the rescoring of Bruce Lee’s ‘Enter the Dragon’. 

Put yourself in your work

Where there is only hard work (labour) no commendable results are expected. Add mind to it and the ‘work’ becomes a ‘craft’. When heart becomes a part or when the work is done whole-heartedly, it becomes a piece of art.

That is why art is considered to be of high order—be it music, dance, painting or your daily routine work.

‘Eat while you eat and then play’ teaches us to put in whole-heartedness in whatever we do. We should do one thing at a time. This means that we give full attention to the job at hand. The results will naturally be the best.

There is a lecture going on in a big hall. The audience is large. The speaker is a well-known orator. Look around and see what is happening. Some people are sleeping, some are talking, some are yawning, some are attentive. Surely, one can imagine who will receive what. It will be directly proportional to the involvement of the individual.

This word ‘involvement’ defines whole-heartedness. It is easier said than done. First of all, involvement requires interest. It requires respect or faith. It requires a sense of purpose, a clear understanding of future benefits. Then, above all, involvement requires a strong will to control the mind and, through it, our senses. Involvement is the key to awareness about what we do.

Doing a job is purely physical. But there has to be some emotional touch to enjoy what we do. There has to be some positive attitude about the work, as well as the results. There has to be some good intentions behind our deeds. Then, and only then, shall  we reap the best of fruit, in life.

Add thought to the work in hand. Develop a feeling about the work and the good results that it will bring. Put yourself in it, see yourself doing it in the best way possible. Your feelings will keep you always in the work. You will see the work as your mirror image. When you are not present in the work, it will not represent you.

Hackers or hacktivists

Intruding into a website or network by finding loopholes in the security system of the targeted computer or network without authority is called hacking.



Hacking is grabbing headlines in India these days. Anonymous India—a group of hackers  from across the country and abroad— have threatened the Indian government that they will continue attacking government and corporate websites until the government promises censorship-free Internet. They have a message for the government on their site:


               “We are Anonymous.
                 We do not forgive the denial of basic human rights.
                 We do not forget those who assist the oppressed. 
                 To the tyrannical government of India ... Expect us.”


Their website also says: “The Department of Telecom has ordered all internet service providers to block all-file sharing websites, it's time for you to stand up and show that the corrupt government cannot stop you!”


A day before their call for an all-India protest ‘Occupy India’ on June 9 they attacked the corporate website of MTNL (Mahanagar Telephone Exchange Limited) and said they attacked on it because the exchange was censoring content over the Internet.


There have been several instances in the past too when the group intruded into the websites of the Indian National Congress (INA), the Supreme Court of India, Delhi Government, Ministry of External Affairs, and BIG Cinema. Their next targets are Reliance and Airtel websites. The group has asked for public opinion and support on their Facebok page.


It is happening not only in India but the world over. The group claimed of  to have brought down the website of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. A Russian hacker leaked the passwords of over 6 million users of LinkedIn—a professional networking site—and posted them on a website.


It was a major threat for the users who share the same password across several accounts. Some other hackers managed to breach some of the top secret computer systems within the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the United Kingdom. A few hackers have even claimed breaking into the hotmail account of US presidential candidate Mitt Romney. It is for Internet users to wait and watch what will be the next move of the government and Anonymous India.

Mehdi Hassan- An Extraordinary Life

Mehdi Hassan, the legendary Pakistani ghazal singer, passed away on June 13, 2012 at Karachi following a prolonged illness. Born on 18 July, 1927 in Rajasthan, India, he belonged to the Kalawant clan of musicians, who were primarily Dhrupad singers. He started performing at a young age and mastered both the art forms, Dhrupad and Khayal.

After partition, he shifted to Pakistan and had to face acute financial hardships. He worked in a bicycle repair shop and then was a diesel engine mechanic for some time. However, his love for music was such that he never forgot to practise. In 1957, he got an opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan, as a thumri singer. His talent was recognised. His passion for Urdu led him to explore the world of ghazals. His ghazals were a blend of romance, the pain of separation and the nature of human behaviour. ‘Patta Patta Boota Boota’ was a huge hit in both India and Pakistan. 

Like several other Pakistani ghazal singers, he was popular among select listeners in India also. Some of his other ghazals were ‘Zulf ko teri ghataon ka payam aaya hai’, ‘Ek bar chale aao’ , ‘Dil-e-naadan tujhe hua kya hai (originally written by Mirza Ghalib)’ and others. In 2010, HMV released a landmark album called Sarhadein, in which he sang a duet with Lata Mangeshkar. The song, ‘Tera Milna’ was recorded in Pakistan and India. Mehdi Hassan sang his version in Pakistan and Lata Mangeshkar, hers, in India. It was combined later.

Mehdi Hassan was awarded ‘Tamgha-e-Imtiaz’ by Gen. Ayub Khan, the ‘Pride of Performance’ by Gen. Zia Ul Haq and ‘Hilal-e-Imtiaz’ by Gen. Pervez Musharraf. He was also given the prestigious Saigal award at Jallandhar, India and the ‘Gorkha Dakshina Bahu’ award in Nepal. He also sang Persian/dari ghazals in Kabul, Afghanistan in the 1970s. The legacy of Mehdi Hassan will remain forever. As they say, “Legends never die, they remain in the hearts of the people forever”.

Peer pressure

Peer pressure has long been believed to be a major factor in whether or not teens flirt with trouble. A recent study of L.D.S. (Mormon) youth confirmed this, citing pressure from friends and the bad example set by friends, as major reasons teens say they choose to participate in delinquent activities. In the same study, the researchers  found that the level of personal, private, religious behaviour in which teenagers  are engaged in tended to be inversely related to delinquent behaviour. 

The researchers  suggest that parents who closely monitor teen behaviour with an eye to help their children choose friends who are a positive influence, as well as giving their children a solid moral base and providing opportunities for them to develop their own spiritual capacity, can do much  to guide their children away from trouble.

A group of researchers at the University of Georgia set out to investigate what family influences affect the quality of children’s best friendships. The reason that children who have high-quality friendships will be more secure in those friendships, more willing to discuss concerns about activities with a  friend, and therefore, less susceptible to negative peer pressure. 

Their research showed that positive relationships within the family tended to translate into better quality friendships for the child later on. Their results suggest that children learn relationship skills from their parents, and then try out those skills with their brothers and sisters to see how they work before trying them on friends. By modelling good relationship skills within the family ( respect, positiveness, warmth, kindness, etc.), parents may help their children form solid, high-quality friendships that will see them through the storms of adolescence.

Although teenagers will make their own choices, a common trait  in these studies of teen behaviour is that, a good home life can increase the odds that kids will avoid many of the pitfalls of adolescence. Particularly, a kind, warm, solid relationship with parents who demonstrate respect for their children, an interest in their children’s activities, and set firm boundaries for those activities, and this  may directly or indirectly deter criminal activity, illegal drug and alcohol use, negative peer pressure, delinquency, sexual promiscuity, and low self-esteem.

    

Someone is tracking you. Are you O.K. with it?

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted. The trouble is, I don’t know which half,” said John Wannamaker, who was among the few ones who began giving advertisements in newspapers for his store. When Wannamaker said this there was no Internet advertising which enables companies to reach their target customer base on the basis of online activities of the users. Their activities are traced by search engines, which have also taken to advertising  turned advertising, on a regular basis, for example, Google and Yahoo.

The world is awash with advertising. Turn your eyes IN any direction and you will find ads of some kind or the other. Advertising plays a pivotal role in boosting the sale of any product. That’s why multinational companies selling cola, health drinks or noodles spend hundreds of crores of rupees every year on hiring models, film stars and cricketers for their promotional campaigns and on buying space in newspapers, TV and websites.

Websites such as Google, Facebook and others spend huge amounts of money on developing, designing and maintenance of their sites but don’t charge even a single penny from users. According to the Facebook website, the website product manager Ami said that they spend about one billion dollars to keep Facebook up and running every year. 

There are many questions: where do they earn from? How do they pay their staff? And how do they manage other expenses? The answer is: they earn from advertising on their websites and make their services free to attract more users.

Online advertising is a sector that is growing bigger with each passing day unlike any other advertising sector. At present, the sector has a turnover of over 400 billion dollars.

It is becoming popular because online advertising enables companies to target their ads to their prospective buyers, not to all the users. And, they can do it by spending a fraction of the price of mass advertising. Internet advertising thrives on Cost per Mille (CPM) or Pay per Click formula of advertising.  Companies need not pay any money if no one notices or clicks on their ads.

Behavioural Advertising or Behavioural Targeting is trending these days. For example, a user who searches for science-fiction books might be presented with the ads of online book stores as he or she continues to browse the web.Users online are concerned about their personal information shared with advertisers. 

Though the sites claim that they show relevant advertisements on the basis of the activities of users on their pages and do not share their personal information with advertisers. There is a company in Canada that is working on an opt-out tool. By using it, web surfers will be able to opt out from behavioural advertising. 

East is East, West is West…

Culture is the ‘mirror of society”. It reflects the basic traditions, principles and the ‘sanskar’ of a society. It can be seen in the way a person dresses up, the food he eats, the language he speaks,…etc.

Culture is based on human values  that  are developed by formal and informal education imparted in society.

We Indians, belong to a country famous for being the richest in its culture all over the world. Our country possesses a Vedic culture, which is unique of its kind. We have inherited the traditions set by Lord Ram, Lord Buddha, Mahavira and many  other great persons.

But, our country is entering the jet age, our cultural heritage is facing a lot of distortion through the media— T.V., news papers, magazines, etc.

So, why is a country so rich in its cultural heritage witnessing such distortions? Why are we running towards the West, when our own culture is the best?

Culture is following the trends set by our elders over the years.Not to go far, let us start with the ‘family structure’. As a child in a family grows, she/he automatically inherits and  reflects the culture and ‘sanskar’ with which he has been brought up.

Indian culture embodies a joint family system where  children live together with their parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts. Why has it become so rare now? Perhaps, everybody wants an identity and independence for oneself; they forget that they are being short-sighted. 

How safe and secure does one feel in a joint family. How well you can enjoy the festivities and things of life and at the same time how easily  can  you lessen your sorrows and add to your joys. Today’s Western culture which has entered the metros and big cities is making an individual self centred. This is not our culture. Our culture has taught us to be loving and caring towards elders and others.

Today’s generation is forgetting our rich culture little realizing that they are training their children in their own way. How can you expect your children to be loving and caring, when you have not done the same  towards the elders! Today’s culture is just not acceptable and one feel worried about the trends the present  generation is setting to be followed by next generations.

Why are the parents today insisting upon their children to wish ‘Hello’ and ‘Hi’ instead of saying ‘Namaskar’ with folded hands? Why is touching the feet considered backward? Why are the ‘bahus’ in a family asked to be modern in their behaviour and attitude rather than being docile, cultured and decent. Why is yoga being substituted with ‘aerobics’? Why is traditional Indian food being substituted by ‘fast food’ and many more?

The answer to all the above questions is that we all  are forgetting our culture and traditions and blindly following the West.

The pity is that the West is tremendously attracted towards our culture. We Indians are such that when they learnt ‘yoga’ and ‘meditation’ from us, we feel no shame in learning the same from foreign instructors.

We will realize our folly only when we will become westernized and  the West will find peace of mind by following our culture.

How do we get the pearls?

One can see pearls in women’s rings, necklaces, ear-rings, etc.  You might often have admired their dazzle and shine. And appreciated how they lend beauty to the wearer. But do you know from where these pearls come from?

The pearl, which is one of the most beautiful things in the world is obtained from one of the ugliest of creatures, oysters and clams. The animal kingdom is classified into eight phyla and the pearl-bearing oysters and clams are placed under the phylum mollusca.

The mollusca are distributed widely in the world. They are a soft-bodied species. The whole of the body is enclosed in a calcareous (calcium carbonate) shell.

The phylum mollusca can be divided into seven classes. One of them is ‘bivalvia’ (two-valved), the animal consisting of two hard shells as in oysters clams, etc. The pearls are found in animals belonging to this class only.

A Pearl is formed as a result of an injury. Whenever a foreign body such as a grain of sand or a small parasite in the larval stage gets between the mantle (a membranous layer enclosing the oyster’s body just beneath the shell) and the shell, irritation sets in as the animal reacts to the presence of the foreign body.

 The mantle encloses it in a sac-like structure and secretes a thin layer of ‘mother-of-pearl’ around the foreign body. The quantity of deposition is directly proportional to the degree of irritation. It takes several years for pearls to be formed. The most precious pearls are seen in the pearl oyster.

In Tuba, Japan, a man named Mikimoto evolved a method to introduce foreign particles between the mantle and the shell of the pearl oyster. This discovery made Mikomoto a rich person. At times he served oysters in-the-shell dinner and the lucky guest came home with one or more pearls, as a souvenir. For all oysters do not yield a pearl when ripped open.

The Japanese, collect pearl-forming clams or oysters and artificially introduce small particles between the mantle and the shell. Then they keep them in wire cages in the ocean for several years and thus, cultured  pearls are produced.

Pearl culture is carried on in India off Tuticorin. Divers comb the ocean floor and bring out scoops of oysters. Then the oysters are heaped into lots and auctioned. Each lot is sold to the highest bidder. If he is lucky he will get one or more pearls on breaking the shell and make a fortune. Or else he has to try his luck again at another auction.

The first public railway

In these days of space travel it may be outmoded to talk of the first public railway in the world. But 160 years ago, the only public land transport was the horse-drawn coach. The idea of utilizing locomotives for haulage of passengers and goods was as romantically exciting then as that of space travel today.

Indeed the construction of the first public railway— the Stockton and Darlington railway in England—is one of the most fascinating events  in modern history. It is a story of the long struggle against natural obstacles and human prejudice. Two names are inseparably associated with its projection and construction—George Stephenson, engineer (he is rightly called the ‘father of the railways’) and Edward Pease, financer, the man “who could see a hundred years ahead.”

The railway was first projected in 1817. Twice, the Bill authorizing construction of a tramway from Wilton to Stockton was put forward. But the opposition locally and in the Parliament, was tremendous. A man without the indomitable courage and perseverance possessed by Pease would have abandoned the project as hopeless. In 1819, the third application was send to Parliament, this time with success.

Even then the promoters had no idea of employing a locomotive on the line. The public were free to use the tramway with horses on payment of toll to the company. Hearing this, Stephenson whose locomotives had already won him fame at Killingworth colliery, approached Pease one afternoon in 1821 with the request that he might be allowed to undertake the construction of the line. This momentous interview marked a turning point in history.

Pease was pleased with his visitor. He even paid a visit to Killingworth to see the working of Stephenson’s locomotive. So impressed was he by Stephenson’s faith in the steam engine that he won over his fellow promoters. Ultimately, it was decided to adopt a railway instead of a tramway as was originally proposed. A clause to this effect was inserted in the Act of Parliament, authorizing the employment of locomotives for the haulage of passengers and goods.

Stephenson was appointed the company’s engineer. With his 18-year old son Robert to help him, Stephenson went ahead surveying and preparing the route. The first rail of this epoch-making railway was laid with great ceremony at Stockton on May 23, 1822. The actual construction was a tremendous job. Hewing out cuttings and building bridges and embankments. All had to be done manually as there were no bulldozers in those days. By July 13, 1823, 22 miles of line had been completed.

Meanwhile orders had been placed for  three locomotives from Stephenson. There was much scepticism among the directors about the success of the travelling engines. But Pease and some of his friends had confidence in the genius and business ability of Stephenson.

The railway was opened  on September 27, 1825, amid tremendous excitement and enthusiasm. Stephenson’s engine ‘Locomotive No. 1’ had the honour of hauling the first train on the opening day. As the ‘Locomotive’ let forth a burst of steam from her safety valve, the crowds panicked, thinking the monster would blow up.

 But the imperturbable Stephenson merely smiled and opened the regulator. With a clatter, the train of 21 trucks jolted forward preceded by a signal by a man on horse back. There were seats for 300 people, but about 600 managed  to clamber aboard. “The signal being given”, says  a contemporary account of the journey, ‘the engine started off with this immense train carriages, and such was its velocity, that in some parts the speed was frequently 12 miles an hour!—. The arrival at  Stockton excited a deep interest and admiration.’

Seven is lucky

Along with astrology, the importance of numerology has also increased. In numerology all the alphabets have been assigned a number. The lucky number of a person is calculated by adding the numbers of the alphabets of his name.

These final numbers from one to nine really affect a person’s future and personality. Generally, number 13 is considered a bad omen in many countries. In Chandigarh, there is no sector 13. Just contrary to it is the number 7. It is believed to be a harbinger of good luck, joy, wealth, success and happiness.

Purchasing a vehicle with number 7 and beginning any task on 7th date is considered lucky. There are many assumptions, stories and beliefs behind the greatness and fame of ‘Seven’.

 Following are some of them:

1. We have 7 oceans on our earth.
2. There are 7 wonders of the world.
3. The enchanting rainbow is made up of 7 colours.
4. According to scientists human eyes can only recognise 7 colours.
5. Mother Mary had 7 sorrows.
6. 7 Roman priests recognised Jesus Christ
7. Jesus uttered 7 words before dying.
8. There is a constellation of 7 stars.
9. In Hindu marriages, the bride and groom take 7 rounds of the holy fire.
10. During the wedding, bride asks for 7 promises from her groom.
11. Husband- wife are supposed to be made for each other for 7 births.
12. The marriage festivities of the famous hero of the Bible, Samson, continued for 7 days.
13. Samson disclosed the secret of his immense physical power to his immense physical power to his wife on the 7^th day.
14. Samson’s hair was held by 7 witches and his power was destroyed by cutting out 7 bunches of his hair.
15. Gautam Buddha has described the 7 sorrows in life.
16. The Panchatantra mentions 7 evils in the world.
17. India is supposed to have 7 sacred cities. They are: Ayodhya, Kashi, Mathura, Gaya, Rameshwaram, Ujjain and Dwarika.
18. There are 7 days in a week.
19. God took 7 days to create the earth.
20. God’s throne is considered to be guarded by 7 souls.
21. God’s prayer has 7 parts.
22. The Japanese believe in 7 gods of happiness and good luck.
23. In Scotland, there is a belief that if the 7th  child is a girl, she is very powerful and has healing powers and can cure any kind of disease.
24. The hero of lan Fleming’s famous detective novel, James Bond is also known as 007.
25. The Sanskrit poet Kalidasa composed only 7 compositions, namely— Shakuntala, Malvikangi, Mitra, Raghuvansh, Vikramorvashi, Kumarsambhava, Ritusamhara and Meghdoot.

The list of the importance of number ‘7’s importance is endless.
 

Dating — duo

1. When your girlfriend says she has a headache, all she means is that you are neglecting her. Give her a rose and not an aspirin and see how it works.

2. Do not dwell  long on the shortcoming of your damsel. Sure, she has faults. Had she been perfect, you could not have thought of her being in your kitchen.

3. The road to succeed is crowded with women pulling their men by their ties —so wear one.

4. If in a business, your sleeping partner happens to be a woman, have her at that. You might cough out and choke, should she blink her eyelid.

5. You wish to live life in ‘piece’ (get it right!). One, and the only way to it is digging a fairly big cemetery to bury all the hatchets. Do not forget to push the gnaws and grunts of your other half.

6. Spend more time in taking care of your mate and in converting her into an asset. Even if she is a liability to start with, you know, she is one walking wallet!

7. To have a talk struck with your mate, ensure delving on a lower pitch and tone, more importantly while at home and in the kitchen. You know what is meant!

8. Along the bar of expectations, make sure that you stand towards the negative end. Your girlfriend shall outweigh you in any case!!

9. When she laughs, she does not; when she cries, she does. It is really hard to judge her. Rest assured, she means when she shows, anyway.

10. The better half is just a synonym. It could be you or her, but her mostly.