Category: Education

Education is the process of facilitating learning, or the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, and habits. Educational methods include teaching, training, storytelling, discussion and directed research

What is Peer Pressure?

A friend’s advice helps everyone. But, we should not follow everything a friend tells us. This is peer pressure.

Peers are people who are part of the same social group, so the term “peer pressure” means the influence that peers can have on each other. We all have experienced peer pressure in some way or another. If our classmate has a blue colour bag, then we also want a blue colour bag. Sometimes we are not tempted to play a game but if all our friends play that game, then we have to play it. Peer pressure is more common with teenagers all around the world. Peer pressure is the main reason for the individual to start smoking, drinking or drug abuse. Peer pressure can affect individuals of all ethnicities, genders and ages. Peer pressure has expanded from strictly face-to-face interaction to digital interaction via social media apps and websites like facebook and instagram.

Positive Peer Pressure

Peer pressure could influence a young person to become involved in sports. This involvement could be positive, leading to exposure to healthy lifestyles and role models, and eventually leading the young person to become a positive role model herself/himself. This is an example of how peer pressure affects an individual positively.

Outcomes of Positive Peer Pressure:

  • As people become our role models we respect others as they inspire us to become like them.
  • Working hard is a part of positive peer pressure. We also have the aim to win or perform our best.
  • We participate in sports and join clubs because our peers also participate in these activities.
  • It also helps an individual in making healthy decisions about studies, personal life and health.
  • Achieving good grades due to hard work is an outcome of this positive peer pressure.
  • We volunteer in the community more often and help other people. This makes us feel good.
  • We also learn leadership skills by taking part in competitions and programs conducted in schools.

Negative Peer Pressure

The most common form of negative peer pressure among school children is to act and behave as per the directions given by a popular person of the group. The children are forced to dress and style in a particular way. Expensive clothes, gadgets and international vacations are demanded by the children of their parents. If the demands are not fulfilled then the child is ridiculed in the group. This stress affects the child’s school performance and social interaction. She/he becomes mentally unstable and weak. The other kind of negative peer pressure is starting up bad habits like smoking, drinking and drug abuse. This kind of peer pressure is also seen among adults and they are forced into these habits by their friends & boss. 

Consequences of Negative Peer Pressure:

  • Losing sight of one’s goals because of no concentration towards the goals of an individual.
  • Spending money lavishly on useless things and addictive things such as alcohol or drugs.
  • Getting addicted to alcohol or drugs due to the pressure by friends to look ‘cool’ in the friend circle.
  • Becoming lazy and inactive and having less enthusiasm towards life. Living an unhealthy lifestyle due to laziness and inactiveness. 
  • Losing personal values. Usually people focus so much to become ‘cool’ that they forget about their values.
  • Becoming depressed and stressed due to our habits. Stress and depression can make anyone lose the spirit of life.
  • We should identify positive and negative peer pressure and deal with it accordingly.

PEN

ABOUT PENS:

A pen is a tool to write. A pen is a common writing instrument used to apply ink to a surface, usually paper, for writing or drawing. It has a mechanism by which ink is made to flow through the tip of the writing instrument in the way it is scribbled onto the surface. With the help of a pen, we can also write important information to read them later. The pen has been the need for humans for a long time. A pen is called the ‘Sword of a writer’. It is a tool used by the brain, hands, and the imagination to copy and physically transform lifeless ink into expressions of our minds and hearts. Pens have become one of the most important parts of our life.

TYPES OF PENS:

There are different types of pens. Some of them are,

  • QUILL PEN:

A quill pen is a writing tool made from a moulted flight feather (preferably a primary wing-feather) of a large bird. The point of the feather is treated so it can be used for writing and a hollow shaft of the feather holds the ink which, from there, flows to the tip by capillary action. For almost 1,500 years, people used quill pens to write letters.

  • DIP PEN:

A dip pen is a pen that has to be dipped in ink. Generally, dip pens have no ink reservoir, so the user must recharge the ink from an ink bowl or bottle to continue drawing or writing. There is a wide range of exchangeable nibs for dip pens, so different types of lines and effects can be created. The nibs and handles are far cheaper than most fountain pens and allow color changes much more easily.

  • REED PEN:

Reed pen is made from a single piece of reed that is pointed into a square and split at the point. Reed pens were used for writing on papyrus and were the most common writing implement in antiquity. Reed pens are stiffer than quills and they lose a sharp point pretty quickly.

  • FOUNTAIN PEN:

A fountain pen is a writing instrument that uses a metal nib to apply a water-based ink to paper. The ink from a fountain pen glides effortlessly over the surface of the page, meaning glorious strokes and less pressure on the paper. Some pens employ removable reservoirs in the form of pre-filled ink cartridges.

  • BALLPOINT PEN:

For ballpoint pens, ink on the surface of the ball at the tip of the ball is transferred to the paper and written. The ink is fed by gravity from the tank (in the pipe). The ballpoint pen is also called as Biro pens.

  • GEL PEN:

“Gel pen” is a type of ballpoint pen that uses pigmented water-based gel instead of ink. They are used for writing or illustration and they leave a much stronger mark on the surface than pens that use ink. The general design of a gel pen is similar to that of a regular ink-based pen, with a barrel containing the writing mechanism and a cap, and a reservoir filled within

PENGUINS

ABOUT PENGUINS:

Penguins are one of the wonderful species of birds. Penguins are the sea-birds that live only in the cold areas and in countries of the Southern Hemisphere. Penguins may huddle together for several reasons. Penguins evolved to fly underwater. Their powerful flippers and streamlined bodies make them very accomplished swimmers. However, they lay their eggs on the land and raise their babies there as well. Penguins lay their eggs on land or ice to give birth to their offspring. There are 15 to 20 species of penguins that are known to the world. There are around 12 million penguins across the globe and their huge population is found in Antarctica. They spend roughly half of their lives on land and the other half in the sea. While other birds have wings for flying, penguins have adapted flippers to help them swim in the water.

TYPES OF PENGUINS:

There are different types of penguins. Some of them are,

EMPEROR PENGUIN:

 The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species. The species gather together into approximately 50 colonies that settle on ice shelves and landfast ice along the coastline of Antarctica. Wild Emperor penguins are only found in Antarctica. Like all penguin species, emperor penguins have streamlined bodies to minimize drag while swimming and wings that are more like stiff, flat flippers.

  • KING PENGUIN:

King Penguins are the 2nd largest species of penguin. They have bare patches around their eyes to allow heat to escape to keep them cool. They have black backs and white bellies for camouflage purposes. King penguins have colorful feathers around their necks and heads, this makes them the brightest of all the species of penguin, there is an estimated world population of 2 million breeding pairs with some estimates up to 3.2 million.

  • CHINSTRAP PENGUIN:

Instantly recognizable by the black band that gives them their name, chinstrap penguins are the most abundant penguin in the Antarctic, where they gather in massive breeding colonies. Other common names include a ringed penguin, bearded penguin, and stone cracker penguin, due to their loud, harsh call.

  • HUMBOLDT PENGUIN:

The Humboldt Penguin is a South American penguin, that breeds in coastal Peru and Chile. They have a black head with a white border that runs from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, and joins at the throat. Humboldt penguins are medium-sized penguins.

  • FIORDLAND PENGUIN:

This species is a medium-sized, yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin. They have a very thick reddish beak and deep red eye irises. It’s easy to differentiate them from other crested species, just by looking at their plumage pattern at their head; a stripe of yellow feathers start from the base of the beak, and it continues to the head, revealing the loose feathers that look like long and bushy yellow eyebrows.

  • SOUTHERN ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN:

These gregarious marine birds are among the world’s smallest penguins, standing about 20 inches tall. It occurs in subantarctic waters of the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as around the southern coasts of South America. This is the smallest yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin in the genus Eudyptes.

Where does Ayurveda come from?

All of us are pretty familiar with the term Ayurveda. It is a part of an Indian household and is used almost every day. Not only is it an essential part of our household, but is also an important part of our culture. But have we ever sat back and wondered how and when did Ayurveda origin?

The term Ayurveda is derived from two Sanskrit words, ayur meaning life and veda meaning science of knowledge. Thus, the word Ayurveda as a whole means the science of life. 

Its origin dates back to some 5000 years ago. It is an old art of treating various diseases and conditions that originated in India. It is not only the art of healing but it also teaches us that our health is in balance with the environment, body, spirit and mind. The entire concept of Ayurveda is drawn and based on these 4 factors. 

Ayurveda was first put to practice by Dhanvantari, a physician to the gods in Hindu mythology. It is said that he received the art of Ayurveda from Lord Brahma himself. The first mentions of the Ayurveda are in the Vedas (manuscripts of Hindus), especially in Artharveda. The Vedas are filled with a thousand magical ancient practices of treatment.  It also mentions the ways to expel the demons out of one’s body which were traditionally thought to be the reason behind diseases. The primary conditions mentioned are cough, fever, diarrhea,  seizures, tumours, skin diseases and dropsy. 

Ayurveda is a very wide subject and not only revolves around medication and treatments. It also includes subjects like astrology, government, politics, art and human behaviour.
The recent knowledge of the Ayurveda can be studied through “the great triad” of texts called the Brhattrayi. It consists of three books: Charak Samhita, Sushurta Samhita and Ashtanga Hridaya. They describe the basic principles and theories through which the modern Ayurveda has evolved.
Ayurveda has a deep impact on your body and can give you long term relief. It not only focuses on the symptoms of a disease but focuses on the root of the problems. Thus, an Ayurvedic treatment may show slow progress and maybe long but it shows good results and keeps you healthy for a long time. One of the key reasons why Ayurvedic treatment is considered healthy and safe is because all the medicines and herbs used are organic. They come from the same 5 elements our body is said to be composed of. That is, earth, fire, air, water and space. 

There are several other benefits of Ayurveda.

Benefits of Ayurveda:

  • Aids in weight loss
  • Acts as a stress buster 
  • Balances hormones 
  • Reduces inflammation
  • Removes toxins from the body
  • Reduces risks of diseases
  • Makes skin healthy 
  • Cures insomnia 
  • Reduces bloating 

Some of the important Ayurvedic herbs are Ashwagandha, Brahmi, Turmeric, Cumin and Cardamom. There are hundreds of other herbs that are used in Ayurvedic medicines.
Ayurveda is now begin recognised all around the world. Even WHO has recognised it as a traditional system of medicines. India has also signed an agreement with the WHO for promoting this traditional art. This agreement also includes the practices of  Unani and Yoga. 

Earlier, Ayurveda lost its importance after the country was taken over by the British because they promoted the use of modern medications. This bruised this art form cruelly. 

But now it has slowly begun to be recognised again. Modern medical practitioners have also begun to realise the value of this art form. They are now trying to find a link that will connect Ayurveda to modern science. It is not long that Ayurveda will also see further developments and help in treating people just like ancient times. 

Education Systems Around the World

Indian Education System is all about mugging up and children are taught to find a good job with a good salary and do that job forever (till retirement).

World’s best education systems vs Indian education system

There are many good education systems around the world namely, Finland, Denmark, Japan, South Korea. These education systems have their own advantages, disadvantages and specialties. They have understood that students are not machines and they have provided a number of methods to help the students to reach their true potential.

From my point of view, Indian education only focuses on academics and theory. There is no opportunity for any vocational training, sports or hobby development. Due to this, there are many ‘limited’ career options according to the mindset of society – Engineer, Doctor, Lawyer, and any government job. Only some privileged students have an opportunity to follow their dreams.

Indian education focuses more on theory rather than practical. Indian education system doesn’t allow creativity. Whereas in foreign countries; they focus more on practical based learning. And they allow creativity in education. Foreign education curriculum contains everything from arts to sports along with studies. The US has arts, sports, music and theatre in syllabus while Australia focuses more on sports.

Some counties with best education systems
  • Finland – Each resident of Finland does not go to school until the age of 7. There is no standardizing test in Finland. They don’t get homework by the teachers. Children in Finland spend no more than four hours in school a day, this time also includes a lunch break. Teachers in Finland have to get a master degree. Every Finnish student is taught at least two foreign languages. 
  • Japan – Subjects such as mathematics, science, music, and physical education are taught, but morals is a separate subject complete with textbook and allocated time. This subject focuses on how students would react to a given situation. There are never wrong or right answers, they talk about the black, white, and grey areas in life.
  • South Korea  –  Kindergarten is optional in South Korea. However, at age 6 their child must move on to 6 years compulsory elementary education. The main difference between middle and high school in South Korea is the ability of students to choose specializations such as scientific activity, foreign language, art, history etc.
  • Denmark – Education in Denmark is compulsory for children below the age of 15 or 16, even though it is not compulsory to attend public school. Almost all educational institutes in Denmark are free. Not only are students charged no tuition fees, but all Danish citizens are offered monthly financial aid, known as “SU”.
  • Norway – Primary and lower secondary education covers children aged 6 to 15. Upper secondary education normally provides three years of general education or four years of vocational training. Tertiary vocational programmes are also there. Higher education is based on general admission, normally completed secondary education. The main structure is a 3+2+3 model.
  • United Kingdom – Full-time education is compulsory for all children aged 5 to 18. Students can leave school at 16 but must then do one of the following until they are 18:
  1. stay in full-time education, for example at a college.
  2. start an apprenticeship or traineeship.
  3. spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training.

INDIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

TYPES OF INDIAN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS:

There are different types of musical instruments in India. Some of them are,

  • Sitar:

The word sitar is derived from the Persian word sehtar, meaning “three-stringed.” The sitar is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. It has a long, broad, fretted neck and a gourd-shaped body. The sitar’s signature sound is produced by the string vibrating on a flat bridge with a gently curved surface.

  • Saraswati veena:

Veena represents the system of Indian music. Saraswati veena is one of the major types of veena today. The veena is played by sitting cross-legged with the instrument held tilted slightly away from the player. The word veena in India was a term originally used to generally denote “stringed instrument”, and included many variations that would be either plucked, bowed, or struck for sound.

  • Ghatam:

It is a clay pot with a narrow mouth. From the mouth, it slants outwards to form a ridge. Made mainly of clay backed with brass or copper filings with a small number of iron filings, the pitch of the ghatam varies according to its size.

  • Flute:

The flute is one of the most popular instruments in the band. The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. The sound is created when the air is passed through the cavity and the holes in the flute. Over the history of the flute, the shape and size of the embouchure have been experimented with and changed from round to oval, oblong to square, big and small. The main 3 types of the flute are the standard, piccolo, and harmony flutes.

  • Tabla:

Tabla is a pair of small hand drums, one of which is slightly larger than the other, used in Indian classical music. The tabla is the most commonly played drum set in North Indian music. The tabla consists of two drums, the baya or the left drum, and the Dayan or the right drum, but the collective name for both the drums is tabla.

  • Mridangam:

The mridangam is a double-sided drum whose body is usually made using a hollowed piece of jackfruit wood about an inch thick. The two mouths or apertures of the drum are covered with a goatskin and laced to each other with leather straps around the circumference of the drum.

  • Nadaswaram:

The nadaswaram, nadhaswaram, nagaswaram, nagasvaram is a double-reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. The nadaswaram has seven finger-holes, and five additional holes drilled at the bottom which can be stopped with wax to modify the tone.

  • Tanpura:

The tanpura is a long-necked plucked string instrument. The electronic tanpura was invented in the late 19th century. It has a resonator and 4 strings, but no frets, as the notes are always played whole.

  • Jaltarangam:

It consists of a set of ceramic or metal bowls filled with water. The bowls are played by striking the edge with beaters, one in each hand. The instrument works on the principle of the motion of sound created or modified with the aid of water. When the edge of the bowl filled with water is stuck with wooden sticks it produces vibrations, that travel through the water and are transferred to the surrounding air to produce sweet melodic sounds.

MOON

ABOUT MOON:

The Moon is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System, and it is the second-brightest object in the sky after the Sun. The Moon has a radius of 1.737 kilometers / 1.079 miles and a diameter of 3.474 km / 2.158 mi. It is only 384.400 km / 238.855 mi away from Earth. The Moon orbits the Earth once every 27 days. The Moon is unique in that it is the only spherical satellite orbiting a terrestrial planet.

MOON IS MADE UP OF:

The Moon is made of rock and metal—just like the Earth and the other rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, and Mars). Like the Earth, the Moon has layers. The innermost layer is the lunar core. It only accounts for about 20% of the diameter of the Moon. Outside the core is the largest region of the Moon, called the mantle. The lunar mantle extends up to a distance of only 50 km below the surface of the Moon. The outermost layer of the Moon is called the crust, which extends down to a depth of 50 km.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MOONS PHASES :

There are 8 different types of moon phases. Some of them are,

  • New moon:

New moon occurs when the moon is on the same side of Earth as the sun. New moons generally can’t be seen. They cross the sky with the sun during the day, and the moon’s shadow side is pointed toward Earth. A new moon is visible only during a solar eclipse.

  • Waxing crescent:

The waxing crescent phase is the moon’s first step toward fullness. In this phase, the moon is completely invisible (while it’s new) until a tiny sliver is illuminated. The moon is considered a crescent only when less than one half of it is visible.

  • First-quarter:

First Quarter Moon is the second primary Moon phase when the Moon has reached the first quarter of its orbit around Earth, hence the name.

  • Waxing gibbous:

The waxing (growing) gibbous Moon rises afternoon, transits the meridian after sunset, and sets after midnight.

  • Full moon:

The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon. A full moon occurs about once a month when the earth, sun, and moon are in a line and the earth is between the other two. The sun fully illuminates the side of the moon we can see from the earth. The full moon is the midpoint of the lunar cycle, which is the 29-day period from one new moon to the next.

  • Waning gibbous :

The Waning Gibbous Moon rises after sunset but before midnight and doesn’t set until after sunrise.

  • Third-quarter:

The Third Quarter Moon is when the opposite half of the Moon is illuminated compared to the First Quarter. Which half you see lit up depends on where you are on Earth. Only 50% of the Moon is illuminated during its third-quarter phase.

  • Waning crescent:

The waning crescent is the last phase of the moon. During this phase, the illuminated part of the moon gets smaller and smaller, until the cycle meets its end, starting again with the new moon.

5 INDIAN MYTHOLOGICAL FICTIONS ONE MUST READ

India has a very rich and diverse cultural heritage. If you study India’s history, you will see the lavish lifestyle of the people back in the days. But it is not limited to recent few centuries only. This richness goes way back to the times of gods and goddesses. All this is recorded in the books of literature of the Indian heritage. 

India also has a wide range of books and scriptures one can read if they are into Indian mythological genre or simply mythological genre.

It is a country famous for its wars and folklores and hundreds of things that make Indian history quite an interesting subject. Most of us have grown up listening to these stories by our grandparents. 

Some of the authors have revamped these stories in their creative imagination. Some characters are taken from the most famous stories of Indian history and represent a different aspect of those stories. These have been widely appreciated and loved. Here’s a list of top 5 Indian Mythological fictions one must read at least once:

  1. The Pandavas series by Roshan Chokshi:

An amazing book for the youngsters that tells the story of a young 12-year-old girl named Aru Shah. Her family runs the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture in America. Things turn around for Aru when her friends force her to rub an ancient lamp which releases a sleeping demon. Next thing you see is Aru on an unexpected adventure to set thighs straight by finding the reincarnations of the Pandavas and her journey through the kingdom of death. The series has not yet been completed. But is humorous and full of adventure. The author subtlety and cleverly connects the ancient world to the modern world. 

  1. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni:

You might have heard the epic of Mahabharata many times. But have you heard it from the perspective of the one major cause behind the war, Draupadi? The Palace of Illusions tells this epic from the perspective of Draupadi, her feelings, how she struggled to find a loving home all her life and how she felt when she might have felt when she was gambled away in a game of chess by her five husbands. The book sums the story in 360 pages and tells her side of the story.

  1. Shiva Trilogy by Amish Tripathi:

One of the most beloved books of people, the Shiva trilogy is a must on this list. Amish Tripathi is known for his storytelling and lucid writing. He intertwines the story of Lord Shiva with a fictional background. He beautifully narrates how a common man because of deeds and karma become a God for people. The first part is The Immortals of Meluha, the second The Secret of  Nagas and the third is The Oath of Vayuputras. This is a must-read for all the Shiva as well as mythological lovers. 

  1. The Ramchandra series by Amis Tripathi:

Another brilliantly written series by the author Amish Tripathi is his second expression into the world of mythic-fiction. Like his previous work, The Shiva Trilogy, The Ramchandra series is also a bestseller. This time Amish explores the epic of Ramayana, each book from the perspective of the three main characters the epic revolved around. The series consists of two books Scion of Ikshavaku and Sita: Warrior of Mithila. This series is much better than the Shiva Trilogy in terms of storytelling and plot. The first part, i.e., Scion of Ikshavaku is from the perspective of Lord Ram, the second part, Sita: Warrior of Mithila is from the perspective of Sita, Lord Ram’s wife. Now the third book of the series is awaited which will be from the perspective of Ravana. 

  1. Asura: Tale of the Vanquished by Anand Neelakantan:

Anand Neelakantan is famous for his books on the two most famous epics of Indian history, Mahabharata and Ramayana. The story follows the original storyline of the original Ramayana but what is different about this book is that it tells you the story from the perspective of Ravana. It gives you the story of the other side, the side which is never told while telling the Ramayana. It is a fresh approach towards the epic of Ramayana and is a page-turner.

There are several other books which are worth giving a read. The list could go on and on. These Indian authors have brought a different perspective of the stories we have heard like a hundred times before.

These books are worth your time. After all who wouldn’t love to divide into the royal, fantasy land even if you only get to experience it through a book and your imagination.

DESERT ANIMALS

ABOUT DESERT ANIMALS:

Animals living in deserts have special qualities, or adaptations, that allow them to live in harsh temperatures and use less water. Desert animals mostly feed on plants, insects, carcasses, and other animals. Smaller animals tend to thrive in the desert as compared to those that are larger in size. This is because food and water in the desert are scarce while the climatic conditions are quite extreme. Some of the most iconic desert animals have obvious physical characteristics that have enabled them to adapt to their environment.

DESERT ANIMALS:

There are different desert animals. Some of them are,

  • CAMELS:

 Camels have a series of physiological adaptations that allow them to withstand long periods without any external source of water. Camel may survive weeks without drinking water. . Actually, it maxes out at about 15 days. They need this ability in their desert environments. A camel’s thick coat is one of the many adaptations that aid it in desert-like conditions.

  • FENNEC FOX:

The fennec fox is a small crepuscular fox native to the Sahara Desert and the Sinai Peninsula. Its most distinctive feature is its unusually large ears, which serve to dissipate heat. Its coat, ears, and kidney functions have adapted to the desert environment with high temperatures and little water.

  • RATTLESNAKE:

Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes. Rattlesnakes are found in almost every part of the continental United States, but they’re especially common in the Southwest. Mexico, Central America, and South America are also homes to rattlesnakes. Rattlesnakes receive their name from the rattle located at the end of their tails, which makes a loud rattling noise when vibrated that deters predators or serves as a warning to passers-by.

  • COYOTE:

Coyotes tend to be nocturnal but may also be active in the early morning and at sunset. Coyote populations are also abundant southwards through Mexico and into Central America. Other historical names for the species include the prairie wolf and the brush wolf. Coyotes living at high elevations tend to have more black and gray shades than their desert-dwelling counterparts, which are more fulvous or whitish-gray.

  • GROUND SQUIRRELS:

The ground squirrels generally live on or in the ground, rather than trees. They are highly variable in size. The squirrel then curls its paws flat against its chest and sends a screeching call to warn other family members about the presence of predators.

  • BIGHORN SHEEP:

Bighorn males, called rams, are famous for their large, curled horns. Bighorns from the rocky mountains are relatively large. The Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep occupy the cooler mountainous regions of Canada and the United States. In contrast, the desert bighorn sheep subspecies are indigenous to the hot desert ecosystems of the Southwestern United States and Mexico.

  • ARMADILLOS:

Armadillos have leathery armor shell and long sharp claws for digging. Armadillos have short legs but can move quite quickly. All species are native to the Americas, where they inhabit a variety of different environments. Armadillos live in temperate and warm habitats, including rain forests, grasslands, and semi-deserts. Because of their low metabolic rate and lack of fat stores, cold is their enemy, and spates of intemperate weather can wipe out whole populations.

  • MONGOOSE:

A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. Mongooses have long faces and bodies, small, rounded ears, short legs, and long, tapering tails. Mongoose, any of nearly three dozen species of small bold predatory carnivores found mainly in Africa but also southern Asia and southern Europe.

Thyroid Awareness Month

January is the Thyroid Awareness Month of the year. But do we know what thyroid is and how it affects our body?

According to research by the American Thyroid Association, 1 in 10 people suffer from a thyroid disorder. As many as 20 million Americans suffer from a thyroid disorder. More than half of the cases are undiagnosed.

What causes a thyroid is still unknown but if left undiagnosed, can cause various problems. Like an increased risk of osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease and infertility.

The thyroid plays a major role in our body. It regulates metabolism, body temperature and other physical functions. The thyroid produces hormones to keep our body functioning at a certain rate. 

What is the thyroid?

It is a small butterfly-shaped gland found in the lower neck. The gland produces the hormones T3 and T4. It is located above the collarbone and in front of the windpipe. The role of these hormones is to help regulate metabolism, manage body temperature and control heart rate. 

If these hormones are overproduced or underproduced, they can cause serious health issues. 

The two most common diseases related to the thyroid are:

Hyperthyroidism 

Hypothyroidism 

What is hyperthyroidism?

When the T4 (thyroxine) hormone is overproduced in the body, it causes hyperthyroidism. It is also known as an overactive thyroid. This disease causes an increase in metabolism which leads to weight loss and an irregular heartbeat. It affects about 1% of the population. It is five times more common in women than in men. It usually affects people under the age of 50 years and results in enlargement of the thyroid gland. 

It also causes insomnia, increased appetite, excessive perspiration and diarrhea. 

Even though it is associated with more energy, it can sometimes lead to a body break down and make one feel more tired. 

Other symptoms of hyperthyroidism are:

Anxiety

Oversensitive to heat

Increased sweating

Palpitations

Dry, thin skin

Hair loss

Trembling 

What is hypothyroidism?

It is more common than hyperthyroidism. It happens when the body cannot produce enough of the thyroid hormone. It results in a slow down of the body functions. It is also known as under-active thyroid. It affects heart rate, body temperature, and metabolism. 

It mostly affects people over the age of 60 years and increases with age. In older people, it can cause memory impairment, weight loss and loss of appetite. These happen because of old age as well, therefore, hypothyroidism is relatively difficult to diagnose in older people and remains under-diagnosed. 

The possible causes of hypothyroidism are autoimmune disease, certain medicines or surgical removal of a part of the thyroid gland.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

Fatigue

Sensitive to cold/heat

Weight gain and inability to lose weight


Depression

Anxiety

Constipation

Numbness in limbs 

Other diseases that can happen because of improper functioning of the thyroid gland are Hashimoto’s disease and thyroid cancer. 

Thyroid cancer is of four types:

Papillary thyroid cancer is the most commonly differentiated thyroid cancer. It may spread to the lymph nodes of the neck even though it grows slowly.

Follicular thyroid cancer is the second most common thyroid cancer. It grows near areas where there is a high iodine deficiency in the body. It is easiest to cure. 

Medullary thyroid cancer is rare and mostly hereditary. It has higher chances of spreading to the lymph nodes of the neck than other types.

Anaplastic thyroid cancer is the most aggressive form of thyroid cancer and is the rarest of all. It grows rapidly and spreads easily, therefore it is the most dangerous one. 

How to diagnose thyroid disorders?

They can either be self-diagnosed at home first and later consulting the doctor is the best way to be sure.

For self-diagnoses, one can perform the following:

Stand in front of the mirror or take a hand mirror above the collarbones where the area below you Adam’s Apple is visible. 

  1. Tilt your head back and take a sip of water.
  2. Swallow the water and watch your neck for signs of bulging.
  3. Repeat a few times to make sure you don’t see obvious signs of bulging.
  4. If you see a huge bulge, nodule or an enlarged gland, contact a physician.

The only way to confirm you have a thyroid disease and which one is it, it by going through a blood test. 

Treatment:

The treatment usually includes medication to regulate hormone production. Doctors usually treat it with medications, iodine or hormones. In some cases, one may also need to undergo therapy or surgery. 

Thyroid awareness month is recognised to increase awareness about the disorders related to thyroid and their possible symptoms. The symptoms of a thyroid disorder are common in other disorders as well. Therefore it can become difficult to diagnose it and remain ignored. Thyroid disorders are not curable or preventable but are treatable. Consulting your doctor and getting regular health checkups can improve the quality of living to a great extent.

How to Cope up with Stress? (for students)

Ashton Eaton’s key to dealing with stress is simple: just stay cool and stay focused. Stress can cause many ill-effects to our body and mental health. Therefore, we need to cope up with stress that is caused by the challenges in life. 

Stress can be caused in students by various factors like examinations, surprise tests, deadline of an unsubmitted assignment, noise pollution, etc. There are two types of stress – distress and eustress. Stress affects us mentally and physically. It causes various diseases. It decreases our confidence and makes us lonely. I have written about this in detail in my previous article. 

Steps for stress management

  1. Identify the cause of stress. You need to know what has caused the stress. The cause can be a presentation, a speech, a dance performance, etc. In students, the most common stressor is an examination or a stage performance at school. Some students get stressed during preparing for the examinations, they are a prey of self doubt and low self esteem. 
  1. Reaction to a stressful situation plays a key role in managing it. Identify how you are dealing with this situation emotionally. This is the second step and the easiest step to regulate stress quickly. You should know about the emotions that you are feeling, if you know this then you can share this with anyone or can deal with it faster.
  1. Seek solutions for avoiding stressors. Stressors are the challenges and the situations due to which we acquire/experience stress. However, avoiding stressors in every situation is not a good thing and this will eventually decrease your self confidence. If you feel stressed by delivering speeches in front of the public, then you can imagine that there are no people in the room. You can also focus on only one person in the room and then deliver the speech to them.
  1. Identifying symptoms of stress is as crucial as the reactions to it. For example, during a presentation to an audience, and you have blanks of memory, you are uncomfortable, and you are distracted. These are the symptoms of stress and they can derail your presentation in front of the audience.

Management techniques 

  • Exercise. It can help to improve your sleep. And better sleep means better stress management. Exercise also seems to help mood. Part of the reason may be that it stimulates your body to release a number of hormones like endorphins and endocannabinoids that help block pain, improve sleep, and sedate you. People who exercise also tend to feel less anxious and more positive about themselves. 
  •  A healthy diet can lessen the effects of stress, build up your immune system, level your mood, and lower your blood pressure. Lots of added sugar and fat can have the opposite effect. And junk food can seem even more appealing when you’re under a lot of stress.
  • Do Yoga. This is a form of exercise, but it can also be a meditation. There are many types of yoga. The ones that focus on slow movement, stretching, and deep breathing are best for lowering your anxiety and stress. Here are some asanas that can relieve stress – child pose, bridge pose, corpse pose, camel pose, cobra pose. Here are some pranayamas that students should practice – bhramari, nadi shodhan, shitali, and anulom- vilom.

In a nutshell – slow down, keep calm, be positive, take it easy, unplug, enjoy life, have fun, breathe, go outside, relax and meditate.

Career options in Journalism and Mass Communication

Mass communication and journalism is a rapidly growing field of study. The world is now connected through the media. The information we get daily is the hard work of the mass communication industry. They are constantly working to provide us with the latest happenings around the world every moment of the day. 

But this is not a job of just a handful of people. Thousands of people work day and night on-screen and off-screen.

Earlier it was assumed that the only career option after a degree in mass communication and journalism would land you a job as a reporter or an anchor. And it was not considered a cup of tea for everyone.
But today, people are becoming well aware of the different roles people in this industry play and choosing to opt them as a career. 

If you are confused as to what are the many job options in this industry, below is a list of some of the jobs other than the commonly known ones. 

  1. Public relations:

These are the people who serve as a representative for businesses, institutions, persons and government bodies. PR executives launch campaigns through print, electronic, and online media. Their main role is to create and develop a brand and help them build a positive image and communication in public. You also have to make sure that correct information about your client is being conveyed to the people at the right time.

To become a PR executive you need to have good communication skills, creative, reliable and tech-savvy. Moreover, you need good written and oral skills, strong command over language and good organising skills.

  1. Photography:

As a professional photographer, you will be responsible to manage artists/products, set lights, manage time and create quality content. Your job is not limited to clicking photos only. You can pick one or more than one genre of photography. The genres include candid, food photography, photojournalism, wildlife, fashion or interior. 

If you have a passion for photography and make a career in it, this is the job for you. You must be tech-savvy and willing to learn on the go. The main aspect of this job is to capture emotions and moments.

  1. News Editor:

The job of news editor involves deciding which news stories need to be printed. He manages and produces news to present information with flow, accuracy and within a time frame. They work as a coordinator with other team members and other departments. 

  1. Sound engineer:

They work in films, music, television and radio. They can also work for live performances and shows. They handle tasks like adding sound effects to recordings, resolving technical problems, performing duties assigned by directors and producers. Qualities you must have are, editing techniques and different audio recordings to perform well with the various tasks appointed.

  1. Art director:

The look after the creation of visual material for print, advertisement, film production and other related things. The see how to present the concept visually and which photographs or design elements in the best way possible. Their role is to develop the overall style of publication, television and advertising campaign. They understand the designs elements of projects and keep the projects on budget within the given time frame. 

There are other job opportunities as well. The list is long and this is a field that people are not ready to explore completely. 

But as people are becoming aware, they are seeking jobs in this field. Some other jobs you can try in mass communication and journalism are:

News reporter 

TV correspondent 

Producer 

Radio jockey 

Content writer 

Sound mixer 

Screenwriter 

Film writer 

And the list goes on. Some qualities are specifically important in people working in the mass communication industry. They should be inquisitive, alert, confident, patient and enthusiastic. 

If you are looking to pursue a career in mass communication and journalism, these are some of the options out of the many that you can opt for. The jobs are well paying and you get to learn something new every day. 

DOLPHINS

ABOUT DOLPHINS:

Dolphin is aquatic mammals. There are 36 dolphin species, found in every ocean. Dolphins live in complex social groups and have evolved to have highly-developed brains. Dolphins are extraordinarily intelligent animals who also display culture, something which was long-believed to be unique to humans. Dolphins are altruistic animals. Dolphins play an important role in keeping their environment in balance. Without dolphins, the animals they prey on would increase in number, and their predators wouldn’t have as much to eat. Dolphins have a reputation for being friendly, but they are wild animals who should be treated with caution and respect. Dolphins are carnivores, mostly eating fish and squid.

TYPES OF DOLPHINS:

There are different types of dolphins. Some of them are,

  • Common bottlenose dolphin:

The common bottlenose dolphin or Atlantic bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known species of the family Delphinidae. Common bottlenose dolphins are grey. Common bottlenose dolphins and other dolphins are thought to be some of the smartest animals.

  • Striped dolphin:

Striped dolphins are among the most abundant and widespread dolphins in the world. Striped dolphins are relatively small, streamlined, and colorful. Striped dolphins are known for their distinct and striking coloration pattern, which includes bold, thin stripes that extend from the eye to the flipper and another set of stripes down the side of the body to the anal region. Striped dolphins are extremely active and fast. Striped dolphins are widely distributed throughout the world’s temperate and tropical oceans.

  • Dusky dolphin:

The dusky dolphin is a dolphin found in coastal waters in the Southern Hemisphere. The dusky dolphin has a long, light-grey patch on its foreside leading to a short, dark-grey beak. The throat and belly are white, and the beak and lower jaw are dark greys. Two blazes of white color run back on the body from the dorsal fin to the tail.

  • White-beaked dolphin:

White-beaked dolphins are found throughout the cold waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. They are active swimmers. The white-beaked has a short beak. The upper body and flanks are dark grey with light grey patches, including a ‘saddle’ behind the dorsal fin, while the underside is light grey to almost white.

  • Spinner dolphin:

The spinner dolphin is a small dolphin found in off-shore tropical waters around the world. Spinner dolphins earned their name because of their ability to spin multiple times in one jump. Scientists believe they spin for several reasons, including communication, removing parasites, and simply for the fun of it.

  • Irrawaddy dolphin:

The Irrawaddy dolphin’s color is grey to dark slate blue, paler underneath, without a distinctive pattern. It has a large melon and a blunt, rounded head, and the beak is indistinct. Irrawaddy dolphin Communication is carried out with clicks, creaks, and buzzes at a dominant frequency of about 60 kilohertz, which is thought to be used for echolocation.

  • Long-beaked common dolphin:

The long-beaked common dolphin is a species of common dolphin. Long-beaked common dolphins generally prefer shallow, tropical, subtropical, and warmer temperate waters within 15 nautical miles of the coast and on the continental shelf. The long-beaked common dolphin is generally larger with a longer beak than the short-beaked common dolphin and has a longer rostrum. They are also highly vocal.

  • Rough-toothed dolphin:

The Rough-toothed Dolphin is a fairly large dolphin that can be found in deep warm, tropical, and subtropical water from the western Pacific to the Mediterranean. Their flanks are light grey and the back and dorsal fin a much darker grey. Rough-toothed dolphins have sharp, serrated teeth.

STARS

ABOUT STARS:

A star is an astronomical object consisting of a luminous spheroid of plasma. Stars are held together by gravity. They are huge in size and have very high temperatures. They give out heat and light because they are very hot. Sun is also a star.

WHY DO STARS TWINKLE? :

The stars twinkle in the night sky. When starlight enters the atmosphere, it is affected by winds in the atmosphere and by areas with different densities, and temperatures that cause light from the star appear to twinkle when seen from the ground.

TYPES OF STARS:

There are different types of stars. Some of them are,

  • RED GIANT STARS:

 A red giant star is a star that has low surface temperature and a diameter that is large relative to the sun. A red giant will expand outward many times its original size. Betelgeuse (Alpha Orionis) is a well-known example of a Red Giant Star.

  • WHITE DWARF STARS:

A white dwarf is what stars like the Sun become after they have exhausted their nuclear fuel. A white dwarf is very dense. White dwarf stars, so-called because of the white color of the first few that were discovered, are characterized by a low luminosity, a mass on the order of that of the Sun, and a radius comparable to that of Earth.

  • SUPERGIANT STARS:

Supergiant is among the most massive and most luminous stars. A star classed as a supergiant may have a diameter several hundred times that of the Sun and a luminosity nearly 1,000,000 times as great. The temperature range of supergiant stars spans from about 3,400 K to over 20,000 K.

  • NEUTRON STARS :

Neutron stars are the smallest and densest stellar objects, excluding black holes and hypothetical white holes, quark stars, and strange stars. The properties of neutron stars are utterly out of this world — a single teaspoon of neutron-star material would weigh a billion tons. Neutron stars have a radius on the order of 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) and a mass of about 1.4 solar masses.

  • YELLOW DWARF STARS:

A G-type main-sequence star often called a yellow dwarf, or G dwarf star is a main-sequence star of spectral type G. Such a star has about 0.84 to 1.15 solar masses and a surface temperature of between 5,300 and 6,000 K., Tables VII, VIII. Yellow dwarf stars live for about 10 billion years, and at 4.5 billion years old, our middle-age sun is about halfway through its lifetime. Once its hydrogen supply is depleted, the sun will start consuming its heavier elements. 7.5% of stars are yellow dwarfs and they are brighter than 90% of all other stars.

  • BLUE GIANT STARS:

A blue giant is a hot star with a luminosity class of III (giant) or II (bright giant). Rigel is a blue giant star close to zero magnitudes in Earth’s sky, making it a bright star, and is best visible in the winter northern sky. It also has somewhere between 265 and 315 solar masses, making it the most massive star yet discovered.

  • BROWN DWARF STARS:

A brown dwarf is a type of substellar object that has a mass between the most massive gas giant planets and the least massive stars, approximately 13 to 80 times that of Jupiter ( M J).

  • BLACK DWARF STARS:

When a white dwarf exhausts its own supply of carbon, oxygen, and free-flowing electrons, it will slowly burn out, transforming into a black dwarf. A black dwarf is a theoretical stellar remnant, specifically a white dwarf that has cooled sufficiently that it no longer emits significant heat or light. Black dwarfs take quadrillions of years to form.

Students and Stress

In the exam hall or before the exams everybody feels the butterflies flying in the stomach. This is how we experience stress during examinations.

What is stress?

Stress is the physical and mental response of the body to demand made upon it. It is the result of our reaction to outside events. Stress is an outcome of:

  1. Examinations and surprise tests. We get stressed during our examinations. Most of the time we get nervous we don’t know the answer to some questions. Our hands start sweating and our mind blanks out at that time.
  2. When we don’t complete a particular assignment at the given time, we panic because of the little time left with us. We cannot give our best at this point of time.
  3. Returning to studies after a long break also is one reason for stress in students. We forget many topics that we had previously learned and read.
  4. Because of poor time management many students suffer from a great loss. Sometimes they study very much, sometimes they play too much or sometimes they spend most of their day on screens.
  5. Various problems at home also gives us a lot of stress. We cannot focus on studies or any other work. The fights between parents impacts a child in a negative manner.
  6. Noise pollution is also a cause of stress. Students are not able to relax while listening to continuous sounds coming from a party, construction site and neighbourhood.

Types of stress

  • Eustress – It is the positive cognitive response to stress that is healthy, or gives one a feeling of fulfillment or other positive feelings. The goal is not too far out of reach but is still slightly more than one can handle. This fosters challenge and motivation since the goal is in sight. The function of challenge is to motivate a person toward improvement and a goal.  Eustress is indicated by hope and active engagement.
  • Distress – A range of symptoms and experiences of a person’s internal life that are commonly held to be troubling, confusing or out of the ordinary. Mental distress can potentially lead to a change of behavior, affect a person’s emotions in a negative way, and affect their relationships with the people around them. Certain traumatic life experiences such as: stress, lack of sleep, use of drugs or alcohol, assault, abuse or accidents can induce mental distress. This type of stress is negative and can deplete or destroy the energy for life.

How does stress affect us?

It increases our heart rate and muscle tension and causes headache, jaw ache, insomnia. It causes many diseases like asthma, hyperactivity, etc and the digestion slows causing ‘butterflies’ in stomach effect. It mentally affects us more. We start thinking negatively. it slows decision making ability and stunts the problem solving skills. There is a decrease in our concentration and focus. We often start forgetting about many things. We experience loneliness and worry about the future or the past. Increase intake of alcohol, cigarettes and caffeine to relax. We tend to isolate ourselves from our family members, friends and neighbours. We feel utterly unmotivated and lose our sense of humor.

We should not let stress affect us immensely. We should cope up with stress. Talking to anyone about our mental health can help. There are many methods to prevent stress which I will discuss in the next article.  

India’s Favorite Beverage – Chai

Every Indian household has one thing in common – a tea in the morning, a tea in the evening. But how much do we know about our Chai ?

Origin of Tea

Tea was first drunk in China as far back as 2700 B.C.! In fact words such as tea, ‘chai’ and ‘chini’ are from Chinese. There are various legends about the origin of Tea. There is one about the Chinese emperor Shen Nung who always boiled water before drinking it. One day a few leaves of the twigs burning under the pot fell into the water giving it a delicious flavour. It is said they were tea leaves. There is also an Indian legend about the origin of tea. Bodhidharma, an ancient Buddhist ascetic, cut off his eyelids because he felt sleepy during meditations. Ten tea plants grew out of the eyelids. The leaves of these plants when put in hot water and drunk banished sleep.

Masala Chai

Masala Chai originated in India. In India, many herbs and spices are added to the tea. Each family has their own version of making tea. It is a tea beverage made by boiling black tea in milk and water with a mixture of aromatic herbs and spices. Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region since antiquity, but historically, Indians viewed tea as an herbal medicine rather than as a recreational beverage.

In the 1830s, the East India Company became concerned about the Chinese monopoly on tea, which constituted most of its trade and supported the enormous consumption of tea in Great Britain. Then, british colonists noticed the existence of the Assamese tea plants, and began to cultivate tea plantations locally. However, consumption of black tea within India remained low until the promotional campaign by the Indian Tea Association in the early 20th century, which encouraged factories, mines, and textile mills to provide tea breaks for their workers. It also supported many independent chaiwalas throughout the growing railway system. The official promotion of tea was as served in the Indian mode, with small added amounts of milk and sugar.

Indian varieties of Tea

  • Masala chai – It is the most popular beverage in India
  • Noon chai – The pink tea is a traditional tea beverage from Kashmir and also served in many parts of Rajasthan and Nepal.
  • Green tea – it has been used in Ayurveda and it has also become a part of the modern India lifestyle.
  • Black tea – Black Tea is stronger in flavour and produced by all tea producing regions of India. Large leaved Assamese plants are mainly used for black tea.
  • White tea – White Tea harvested in India, Sri Lanka and China, It’s one of the styles of tea made from the buds and immature tea leaves.
  • Herbal tea – Herbal Tea made from hot water and served hot with varieties of plant material such as hibiscus, rose, etc.
  • Iced tea – It is a common drink in India, mostly available as ginger lemon iced tea or lemon iced tea. Lipton and Nestle brand of tea are two most popular brands of iced tea in India.
  • Irani chai – Irani Chai are masala chai with some spices and a popular quick weekend breakfast.
  • Tandoori chai – It is made in tandoor where clay pots also known as kullhads are preheated in tandoor and again served in fresh and clean kulhads.

Indians and their Chai can never be separated from one another. Now,  I am also going to drink a refreshing cup of chai with tasty and crispy pakoras.

CHESS

ABOUT CHESS:

Chess was invented in India around the 8th century. Chess is a board game. It is played by two players. It is played in a square board, made of 64 smaller squares, with eight squares on each side. Each player starts with sixteen pieces: eight pawns, two knights, two bishops, two rooks, one queen, and one king. The colors of the pieces are black and white. Chess is one of the world’s most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide. It is such a great game because unlike any other games it only uses logic. The goal of the game is for each to try and checkmate the king of the opponent. Playing chess may improve learning, thinking, analytical power, and decision-making ability. Chess may also Chess helped me in getting my thoughts and ideas focused. Chess elevates your creativity. Chess leads to better planning skills.

ABOUT CHESS PIECES:

The six different types of pieces are king, rook, bishop, queen, knight, and pawn.

  • KING:

The king is the most important piece in the game of chess. It can never be captured and if it is in danger then it must be made safe immediately. If it is not possible to make the King safe then the game is lost. The King may move one square in any direction. In the diagram, the King can move to one of the highlighted squares.

  • QUEEN:

The queen is the most powerful piece in the game of chess, able to move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. Each player starts the game with one queen, placed in the middle of the first rank next to the king. The queen is the only piece on the board during a chess game that represents a woman, and she is the most powerful piece of the game.

  • ROOK:

The rook is a piece in the game of chess resembling a castle. The rook symbolized a chariot. A rook can move horizontally or vertically. The rooks begin the game in the corners of the chessboard. The rook is the second most powerful piece (behind the queen). The rook can capture an enemy piece by moving to the occupied square.

  • BISHOP:

The bishop is a piece in the game of chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops. One starts between the king’s knight and the king, the other between the queen’s knight and the queen. The bishop chess piece moves in any direction diagonally. Bishops capture opposing pieces by landing on the square occupied by an enemy piece.

  • KNIGHT:

The knight is a piece in the game of chess. It is represented by a horse’s head and neck. Each player starts with two knights, which are located between the rooks and bishops in the standard starting position. A knight can move only in an L pattern. It is meant to jump over other pieces. The Knight piece can move forward, backward, left, or right two squares and must then move one square in either perpendicular direction.

  • PAWN:

The pawn is the most numerous piece in the game of chess. They move forward but capture diagonally. Pawns can only move forward one square at a time, except for their very first move where they can move forward two squares.

EAGLE

ABOUT EAGLE:

Eagle is one of the wonderful birds. Eagles are large, powerful Birds. They are Diurnal Birds which means that they are most active during the daytime. Most Species of Eagles have subdued feather colors, mainly browns, rust, black, white, and some blues and greys. An Eagle’s Wings are Long and Broad, making them effective for Soaring. Eagles catch prey with their razor-sharp talons. Eagles have heavy heads and large hooked beaks to enable them to rip flesh from their prey. It flies high above the ground looking for prey with its keen eyes. Eagles’ eyes are extremely powerful. They mate for life and use the same nest each year. There are several species of eagles, which differ in size, looks, and habits. The beak is typically heavier than that of most other birds of prey. There are over 60 different species of eagle. Eagles build their nests on high cliffs or in tall trees. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related.

TYPES OF EAGLES:

There are different types of eagles. Some of them are,

  • BALD EAGLE:

A bald eagle is a large eagle with a white head that lives in North America. It is the national bird of the United States of America. The bald eagle has a snowy-feathered head and whitetail.

  • GOLDEN EAGLE:

Golden eagle a large Eurasian and North American eagle with yellow-tipped head feathers in the mature adult. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Golden eagles are sometimes considered the best fliers among eagles.

  • HARPY EAGLE:

Harpy eagle a very large crested eagle of tropical rainforests. Harpies have a crown of irregular feathers atop their heads, giving them a disheveled appearance. Their legs are covered in white feathers with black stripes to the feet, which are yellow with large black talons.

  • WHITE-TAILED EAGLE:

The white-tailed eagle is a very large species of a sea eagle. The white-tailed eagle is a very large bird and one of the largest living birds of prey. The white-tailed eagle is also called the sea eagle, erne, and white-tailed sea-eagle.

  • WEDGE TAILED EAGLE:

The wedge-tailed eagle is the largest bird of prey in Australia and is also found in southern New Guinea. It has long, fairly broad wings, fully feathered legs, and an unmistakable wedge-shaped tail. Young Wedge-tailed Eagles are mid-brown in color with reddish-brown heads and wings.

  • STEPPE EAGLE:

The steppe eagle is in many ways a peculiar species of eagle. The steppe eagle is a large, bulky, and robust-looking eagle. It is mainly dark brown with a longish but very thick neck and a relatively small head that nonetheless features a strong bill and long gape-line. It appears long-winged and has a longish and rather rounded tail and markedly well-feathered legs.

  • SHORT-TOED SNAKE EAGLE:

The short-toed snake eagle, also known as the short-toed eagle, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. The short-toed snake eagle is found in open cultivated plains, arid stony deciduous scrub areas, and foothills and semi-desert areas. These are relatively large snake eagles.

How Does Music Help Students?

I guess everybody likes music, at least everybody I know likes music. But most of us don’t know how music affects us and especially students. 

According to my dictionary, music is the sounds that are arranged in a way that is pleasant or exciting to listen to. But to me music is more than that. It is a way of life. Music freshens up my mind and provides a new energy. There are various types of music around the world but I like Indian classical music the most. It can be a little boring at first but as the tempo increases, the singer also starts singing faster and at that time I start dancing (mostly dancing in my mind). 

What happens when we listen to Music?

  • The brain treats the music differently. When we listen to music, many activities occur all around the brain  involved in movement, motor planning, attention and of course, the auditory cortex.
  • If the music feels good to your brain then it releases dopamine. It is basically your brain telling you whether you should or not listen to music.
  • It changes your mood and also changes your perspective about the world. A study showed that people see happy faces when they listen to happy music, but if they happen to listen to sad songs, they are likely to see sad faces. 
  • Music can control your fear and makes you ready to fight. It also stimulates memory from the hippocampus.
  • Music enhances frontal lobe’s function, which is used in thinking and decision making.
  • Song lyrics activate Broca’s and Wernickle’s area which improves the ability to communicate.

Music and Students

Music can create a mood. Study music can be relaxing and help students beat anxiety or stress while studying. Background music is likely to help students improve their focus during long study sessions.

Music can help with memorisation – that is the basis of “the Mozart effect” which suggested that listening to Mozart study music could actually enhance intelligence.

Study music is considered to be beneficial for the intake of vital information. Relaxing music for studying can help to ease nerves and help you beat pre-exam anxiety.

Studies have shown that Music can even increase your performance. A study done by Cambridge University showed that hip-hop music provides an uplifting effect on its listeners that can help them accept, manage and deal better with mental health issues

Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to listen to music during a study session is because music is proven to help improve cognitive performance.

Music engages the areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions and updating the event in memory. It helps us to improve our focus.

It can cure pain. Similar to how a lullaby would calm you, studies show that music can meaningfully reduce the intensity of pain, especially in geriatric care, intensive care, or palliative medicine. 

Music also increases motivation to do our work. It also improves our immune functions.

Due to so many benefits of music, Plato says, “Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

5 Best Websites for Online Courses

Everything is available online nowadays, be it food, clothes or furniture. Everything is just one click away, even education.

We’ve all wished to gain education from the top universities but were unable to do so for unforeseeable reasons. Some found interest in a subject they were completely unaware of. While others just want to gain some extra skills and learn something new.

With the availability of online education, your dream to acquire a degree from top universities has come true.
Thousands of courses are available on these websites to choose from and they have flexible hours. So you can complete the course according to your own pace.

Here’s a list of top 5 websites for online courses:

  1. Khan Academy:

Started in 2006 by an educator named Salman Khan, Khan Academy is a non-profit academy. It aims to provide free education to everyone and all around the world. 

It is free for both teachers and students. It provides education from the root level, i.e., kindergarten to early college level. 

All the subjects are available on Khan Academy. Be it maths, grammar, history, science and even SAT exam preparation. 

The lectures are not very long and do not make studying boring or monotonous. 

It has some of the most famous partners as its founding partner. Namely, Google, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Reed Hastings.

  1. Coursera:

Coursera is one of the most famous and loved websites by students. It has over 35 million learners and has partnered with 150 top universities from around the world. To name some, Yale, Stanford and the University of Michigan.
Talking about the courses available, Coursera has 2700 courses, 250 specializations and four degrees. Some courses also provide certificates on completion. 

It is the leading provider of massive open online courses.
Some of the courses are free and the paid courses mostly range between $29-$99. But the specializations and degrees have high prices. 

  1. Udemy:

Udemy has around 30 million students and 100,000 courses for you to choose from. Courses are taught in over 50 languages.
It has some of the most expert faculties. With 42,000 instructors and 22 million minutes of video instruction, Udemy is a widely loved website for online education. 

Courses on Udemy are not free but don’t cost much. The price ranges between $9 to $500 depending on the type of course. 

It does not partner with universities but it allows independent creators and educators to create courses and teach online in the subject of their specialization. 

  1. edX:

A non-profit education platform, established by Harvard and MIT, edX aims to break the three barriers in education: cost, location and access.

It has 20 million learners from all around the world. And provide 2400 courses, the majority of which are provided by top-ranked universities in the world.
Some of the courses are free while you may need to pay for some. One of the best things about using edX is that on completion of your course you are rewarded with an official certificate as proof.

  1. Stanford Online:

It offers free online as well as professional certificate, advanced degrees and executive education. Currently, Stanford Online is imparting education to millions of teachers and students. 

It offers courses from Stanford Law School, Stanford Business School and Stanford medical school and many others. 

Many other websites provide online courses that are free or paid. These were some of the most loved and preferred ones. 

Education should be accessible to all and everywhere around the world and that’s exactly what these websites aim for. 

They are simple to use websites and accessible to people of all ages because learning has no age. 

It will not only help you learn something new but will also add skill to your professional career. 

Happy learning!

BEES

ABOUT BEES:

Bees are small and wonderful insects. Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants. They collect honey from flowers and store it in their hive. Bees have four wings. Its body has three parts head, abdomen, and abdomen. The color of its body is yellow and black. They are one of the hardworking insects. Bees live in a hive in a swarm. It lives in its community. Bees are very useful to human beings. They give honey and beeswax. One healthy Honey Bee would approximately lay 2,000 eggs in one day. Bees are mainly found in habitats such as tropical rain forests and woodlands, grasslands, and Gardens where there are more flowers and green matters available. Honey bees are small flying insects whose lifespan varies between 170 to 180 days. Honey bees usually live in groups and their queen has a lifespan of more than two years. One bee may fly up to more than 90 thousand miles to collect one pound of honey. In a colony there are three types of bees namely worker bees, drone bees, and queen bees. . Worker bees are the most familiar-looking member of the honeybee hive. Worker bees are all female, and they do almost everything for the hive. The worker bee is given different tasks to do during different stages of her life. Worker bees are responsible for everything from feeding the larvae (the baby bees), to tending to the queen, to cleaning the hive, to collecting food, to guarding the colony, to building honeycomb. Drones are male bees and their sole purpose is to mate with the queen. Unlike the female worker bee, drones do not have stingers and gather neither nectar nor pollen. You can identify drones in the hive by their big round bodies and large eyes. There is one queen bee per hive – she is the mom of all the other bees. She is the only fertile member of the colony and lays about 1,500 eggs a day during spring and summer. The queen will not leave the hive again unless the colony swarms (looking for a new home). Queen bees are distinguished from the other members of the hive by their long abdomens and small wings.

IMPORTANCE OF BEES:

Bees are important to humanity and the world we live in because they provide the most efficient way to pollinate plants. They are especially important because they pollinate our agriculture for free. It’s their work as crop pollinators. This agricultural benefit of honey bees is estimated to be between 10 and 20 times the total value of honey and beeswax.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BEES:

  • A bee produces a teaspoon of honey (about 5 grams) in her lifetime.
  • There are over 20,000 different species of bees. To produce a kilogram of honey, bees fly the equivalent of three times around the world in air miles.
  • Each bee has 170 odorant receptors, which means they have one serious sense of smell. They use this to communicate within the hive and to recognize different types of flowers when looking for food.
  • If the queen bee dies in a honeybee hive the workers can create a new queen bee. They do this by selecting a young larva and by feeding it special food called ‘royal jelly’ the larva develops into a fertile queen.
  • The Honey Bee is the only insect that makes food which human can eat.

NATURAL DISASTERS


ABOUT DISASTERS:

A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. Some of the natural disasters are floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, storms, and other geologic processes. A natural disaster is a major adverse event resulting from natural processes of the Earth. Many Natural disasters damage the environment and the people living in it. Natural disasters are caused due to different reasons like soil erosion, seismic activity, tectonic movements, air pressure, and ocean currents, etc.

TYPES OF NATURAL DISASTERS ARE:

Some of the different kinds of natural disasters are,

  • Earthquake:

Earthquakes are usually caused when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves that make the ground shake. When two blocks of rock or two plates are rubbing against each other, they stick a little. When the rocks break, the earthquake occurs.

  • Floods:

The major cause of the flood is heavy rainfall. It can be also caused by the melting of snow and ice. It is also caused by Broken Dams.

  • Tsunami:

Tsunami is waves caused by a sudden movement of the ocean surface due to earthquakes, landslides on the seafloor, land slumping into the ocean, large volcanic eruptions, or meteorite impact in the ocean. When tsunami waves become extremely large in height, they savagely attack coastlines, causing devastating property damage and loss of life.

  • Tornadoes:

Tornadoes are caused by the thunderstorms being extremely large, unstable, and with wind shear in the lower region of the atmosphere. Tornadoes often damage power lines, gas lines, or electrical systems, there is a risk of fire, electrocution, or an explosion. Tornadoes can last from several seconds to more than an hour.

  • Volcanic eruption:

Volcanoes erupt when molten rock called magma rises to the surface. Magma is formed when the earth’s mantle melts. Melting may happen where tectonic plates are pulling apart or where one plate is pushed down under another. Health concerns after a volcanic eruption include infectious disease, respiratory illness, burns, injuries from falls, and vehicle accidents related to the slippery, hazy conditions caused by ash. When warnings are been pay attention to, the chances of adverse health effects from a volcanic eruption are very low.

  • Landslide:

Landslides can be initiated in slopes already on the verge of movement by rainfall, snowmelt, changes in water level, stream erosion, earthquakes, volcanic activity, disturbance by human activities, or any combination of these factors. Slides can cause disastrous flooding, particularly when landslide dams across streams are breached, and flooding may trigger slides. A landslide can also block rivers and increase the risk of floods.

  • Hurricanes:

Hurricanes form over the warm ocean water of the tropics. When warm moist air over the water rises, it is replaced by cooler air. The cooler air will then warm and start to rise. This cycle causes huge storm clouds to form. The major effects of hurricanes are tornadoes, heavy rainfall, high winds, riptide, and death.

  • Thunderstorms:

Thunderstorms arise when layers of warm, moist air rise in a large, swift updraft to cooler regions of the atmosphere. Thunderstorms can bring heavy rains, strong winds, hail, lightning, and tornadoes. Severe thunderstorms can cause extensive damage to homes and property. Lightning is a major threat during a thunderstorm.

Indian Army Day

When people think about heroes of India, they only and only remember the Indian Army. Let us celebrate Indian Army Day by saluting all the army men and women for their bravery, dedication and patriotism.

Army Day is celebrated on 15 January every year in India, in recognition of Field Marshal Kodandera M. Cariappa taking over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Butcher, the last British Commander-in-Chief of India, on 15 January 1949. Today, India will celebrate its 73rd Indian Army Day. The day is celebrated in the form of parades and other military shows in the national capital New Delhi as well as in all headquarters. Army Day marks a day to salute the valiant soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and its citizens. Army Day strives to motivate people to build a great Nation by knowing about how an Army officer provides his/her full life for the betterment and safety of the people. While celebrations take place across the country, the main Army Day parade is conducted in Cariappa Parade ground in Delhi cantonment. Gallantry awards and Sena medals are also awarded on this day.

K. M. Cariappa

Kodandera Madappa Cariappa was the first Indian Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. He led Indian forces on the Western Front during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army in 1949. He is one of only two Indian Army officers to hold the Five-star rank of Field Marshal; the other being Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw.

His distinguished military career spanned almost three decades. Born on 28 January 1898, in Madikeri, Kodagu, Cariappa joined the British Indian Army shortly after the end of World War I. He was transferred between multiple regiments early in his career before settling on 1/7 Rajputs, which became his permanent regiment. He was the first Indian military officer to attend the Staff College, Quetta, the first Indian to command a battalion. Several measures taken by Cariappa, such as his refusal to induct former Indian National Army personnel into the Army, kept the organisation out of political affairs and maintained its autonomy.  He died in his sleep on 15 May 1993. India remembers him as a true patriot and a son of the country. 

The primary mission of the Indian Army is to ensure national security and national unity, to defend the nation from external aggression and internal threats, and to maintain peace and security within its borders. It conducts humanitarian rescue operations during natural calamities and other disturbances. The army comprises more than 80% of the country’s active defence personnel. It is the largest standing army in the world, with 12,37,117 active troops and 9,60,000 reserve troops. In 1992, the Indian Army began inducting women officers in non-medical roles. In 2014, India’s army had 3 per cent women and in 2015, India opened new combat air force roles for women as fighter pilots, adding to their role as helicopter pilots in the Indian Air Force. We all have love, respect and admiration for our soldiers and the Indian army as a whole.

Happy Indian Army Day!

Feminism

What is feminism?
Who are called as a feminist?
What does a feminist do?
Why feminism arrived?

Before saying about feminism let me clear one thing feminism is not only about women getting equal rights and opportunities rather feminism is a belief that every individual should be given equal rights, powers and opportunities. If you stand for equality then you are a feminist. Basically feminist are those individuals who takes care no one is treated unfairly.

Feminism started in the 19th and early 20th centuries addressing issues of women’s suffrage (the right of women to vote in elections). The second-wave feminism started in 1960s broadened debate to include cultural inequalities, gender norms, and the role of women in society.

During the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe many Enlightenment philosophers defended the rights of women, including Jeremy Bentham (1781), Marquis de Condorcet (1790), and Mary Wollstonecraft (1792). Other important writers of the time also expressed the views of the feminist.

Unlike the Western feminist movement, India’s movement was initiated by men, and later joined by women. The first phase of feminism in India was initiated by men to uproot the social evils of sati (widow immolation), to allow widow remarriage, to forbid child marriage, and to reduce illiteracy, as well as to regulate the age of consent and to ensure property rights through legal intervention.

But feminism as an initiative by women started independently a little later in Maharashtra by pioneering advocates of women’s rights and education: Savitribai Phule, who started the first school for girls in India (1848).

 Tarabai Shinde, who wrote India’s first feminist text Stri Purush Tulana (A Comparison Between Women and Men) in 1882; and Pandita Ramabai, who criticized patriarchy and caste-system in Hinduism, married outside her caste and converted to Christianity (1880s).

The Bengali reformers included abolishing sati, which was a widow’s death by burning on her husband’s funeral pyre, abolishing the custom of child marriage, abolishing the disfiguring of widows, introducing the marriage of upper caste Hindu widows, promoting women’s education, obtaining legal rights for women to own property, and requiring the law to acknowledge women’s status by granting them basic rights in matters such as adoption.

The second phase started when Mahatma Gandhi expanded Indian women’s public activities by initiating them into the non-violent civil disobedience movement against the British. Many women organisations formed. Women-only organisations like All India Women’s Conference (AIWC) and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) emerged. Women started looking for their scope in leadership roles in political parties, women’s franchise and communal awards. In 1954 the Indian Communist Party formed its own women’s wing known as the National Federation of Indian Women.

By the 19th century and 20th century more women issues came to spotlight. More amount of women became active and started protesting for their rights. Feminists in the 1970s challenged the inequalities that had been established and fought to reverse them. These inequalities included the unequal wages for women. The aim was to abolish the free service of women.

Struggle of feminist are still going on. Many women are still fighting for their freedom. We need to change this view that women don’t need permission they have their voice and they can make their own choice.

Let’s find out about some Indian feminists and their contributions. They are :

  • Savitribai Phule – She is one of the earliest Indian feminists. She started the first school for girls in India in the year 1848.
  • Tarabai Shinde – The writer of India’s first feminist text Stri Purush Tulana (A Comparison Between Women and Men) in 1882.
  • Kamini Roy – She is a poet and suffragette. She became the first woman Honors Graduate in India in 1886.
  • Saroj Nalini Dutt – She is the early social reformer who pioneered the formation of educational Women’s Institutes in Bengal.
  • Mira Datta Gupta – Activist for women’s issues and one of the founding members of the All India Women’s Conference.
  • Sarala Devi Chaudhurani – Founder of the Bharat Stree Mahamandal, one of the first women’s organisations in India.

Online Education

The meaning of schools has changed after the COVID-19 outbreak. Classes are being conducted in an online medium. This is the ‘new normal’ for the students of India.

How do the students learn?

When I was in 9th standard, we had a chapter in our English textbook about the education system in future. The students there studied through computers and did not go to school. At that time I often thought that I would never have to study and learn via computers and laptops. It has been almost ten months at home and I guess this has taught me that online education is possible but, I do miss going to school.

Online education is often called – distance learning, distance education, virtual learning, online learning, learning web-based training. Online education is electronically supported learning that relies on the Internet for teacher – student interaction and the distribution of class materials.

Some online educational programs are conducted exclusively through assigned lessons and assessments administered online. Others take the form of remote lectures where students join the class via the cameras on their laptops, and the instructor teaches or lectures from his own computer. Other courses are a combination of the two, requiring students to do a fair amount of independent research.

In my school, the classes are taken through Google Meet. The google meet link is shared in the class Whatsapp group. In my friend’s school the classes are conducted through Zoom. Teachers also present their screens in the meeting so that we can understand the concept clearly. After the class, the teachers assign us different assignments which we have to complete and submit in PDF form in a limited time. We also have exams online. First, the teachers share a Google Form for one mark questions; then they share the descriptive/writing part of the paper in Google Classroom. We are given half an hour to solve the one mark questions on Google Form and two and a half hours to solve and write the descriptive part. We have to write this part in our notebook, scan the pages and submit it in Google Classroom in PDF form within a fixed time period. These modern day learning applications are compatible with desktops/laptops as well as any smartphone.

Pros of online education

  1. Study from anywhere. There is no need to go to a particular place to study. We can study indoors as well as outdoors. Even if you are ill, you can attend the classes easily. 
  2. Flexible learning schedule is observed in online education. A lot of time is saved in learning online. You can also do a part time job and learn. 
  3. Students can control study time because of the flexibility in the timetable. They also get extra time for sports and hobbies.
  4. There is no transportation fee to reach the school that lowers the overall cost. (There is no need to buy shoes and socks!) 
  5. The minimum infrastructure required for online learning is a smartphone and internet connection. As the country is witnessing a digital boom, it is expected that the poor people can also afford and access these classes easily.
  6. Improves the student’s technical skills. To join the classes, a student needs to learn to operate computers and various other apps. 
  7. There is no bullying or ragging involved in this method of education. The students are also free from stress and anxiety. Hence, each student is physically and mentally healthy.
  8. Teachers can also share subject related videos to students to make the learning fun and interesting. In a traditional classroom environment, this would require projector and sound system setup.    

Due to the following reasons, many people choose online education over the traditional classroom interactional education.

Earth

Earth is the only planet in our Solar System where life exists. Approximately 4.5 billion years ago, Earth formed from the particles left over from the creation of our Sun. Gravity pulled swirling gas and dust in together to form the Earth. It is the third planet in our Solar System.


29% surface on Earth is land ( i.e continents and islands ) and the rest 71% is water mostly oceans but also lakes, rivers and other fresh water bodies. Out of this 71% water, 97% is saline water(water in oceans) and the availability of freshwater is only 3%. Earth’s polar region is covered with ice.

Earth’s atmosphere contains 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases such as carbon dioxide, argon and neon. The atmosphere acts as a shield and protect us from the harmful radiation coming from the Sun. It also protects us from meteoroids which burn up in the atmosphere before they can hit the surface.

Earth is the only planet that was not named after a Greek or Roman god. Its alternative names are Gaia, Gaea, Terra, Tellus, The World, The Globe.

The journey of life on Earth started in oceans. The earliest forms of life were microscopic organisms (microbes) that left signals of their presence in rocks about 3.7 billion years old. These microbes are known as Prokaryotes that fed on carbon compounds that were accumulating in Earth’s early oceans. Slowly, many other organisms evolved that used the Sun’s energy, along with compounds such as sulfides, to generate their own energy.


Earth is composed of four main layers.
The inner core is a solid sphere made of iron and nickel metals about 759 miles (1,221 kilometers) in radius. The temperature there is as high as 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit (5,400 degrees Celsius). Surrounding the inner core is the outer core. This layer is about 1,400 miles (2,300 kilometers) thick, made of iron and nickel fluids.In between the outer core and crust is the mantle, the thickest layer. This hot, viscous mixture of molten rock is about 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) thick and has the consistency of caramel. The outermost layer, Earth’s crust, goes about 19 miles (30 kilometers) deep on average on land. At the bottom of the ocean, the crust is thinner and extends about 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the sea floor to the top of the mantle.

Earth doesn’t take 24 hours to rotate on its axis
It actually takes 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds to completely rotate around it’s axis. Also known as sidereal day. Earth’s rotation is slowing slightly with time. Thus, a day was shorter in the past. This is due to the tidal effects the Moon has on Earth’s rotation. Analysis of historical astronomical records shows a slowing trend that the length of a day increased about 2.3 milliseconds per century since the 8th century BCE.

Earth has only one moon. Without the moon, a day on earth would only last six to twelve hours. There could be more than a thousand days in one year. That’s because the Earth’s rotation slows down over time thanks to the gravitational force or pull of the moon and without it days would go by in a blink.

Eco Friendly Tourism

It is often seen that tourist spots are very dirty, plastic bags and packets are thrown everywhere. In short, tourism is polluting the environment. We can stop this by promoting eco-friendly tourism. Here are three such types of tourism.

Eco Tourism

Ecotourism is defined as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education” (TIES, 2015). Ecotourism is about uniting conservation, communities, and sustainable travel.

This means that those who implement, participate in and market ecotourism activities should adopt the following ecotourism principles:

  • Minimize physical, social, behavioral, and psychological impacts.
  • Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect.
  • Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts.
  • Provide direct financial benefits for conservation.
  • Generate financial benefits for both local people and private industry.
  • Deliver memorable interpretative experiences to visitors that help raise sensitivity to host countries’ political, environmental, and social climates.
  • Design, construct and operate low-impact facilities.
  • Recognize the rights and spiritual beliefs of the Indigenous People in your community and work in partnership with them to create empowerment.

Some Eco tourism places in India are –

  1. Coorg, Karnataka
  2. Munnar, Kerala
  3. Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
  4. Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand
  5. Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Sustainable Tourism

The World Tourism Organization defines sustainable tourism in the following manner: “Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity, and life support systems.”

According to The World Tourism Organization (WTO), sustainable tourism should:

  •  Make optimal use of environmental resources that constitute a key element in tourism development, maintaining essential ecological processes and helping to conserve natural heritage and biodiversity.
  •  Respect the socio-cultural authenticity of host communities, conserve their built and living cultural heritage and traditional values, and contribute to inter-cultural understanding and tolerance.
  • Ensure viable, long-term economic operations, providing socio-economic benefits to all stakeholders that are fairly distributed including stable employment and income-earning opportunities and social services to host communities, and contributing to poverty alleviation.

Some companies that promotes sustainable tourism in India are – 

  1. Kipepeo
  2. Evolve Back
  3. Spiti Ecosphere
  4. India Untravelled
  5. Green People

Geo Tourism

Geotourism is defined as tourism that sustains or enhances the distinctive geographical character of a place – its environment, heritage, aesthetics, culture, and the well-being of its residents.

Principles of geo tourism are – 

  • Integrity of place: Enhance geographical character by developing and improving it in ways distinctive to the local, reflective of its natural and cultural heritage.
  • Market diversity: Encourage a full range of appropriate food and lodging facilities
  • Community involvement: Base tourism on community resources to the extent possible, encouraging local small businesses and civic groups 
  • Protection and enhancement of destination appeal: Encourage businesses to sustain natural habitats, heritage sites, aesthetic appeal, and local culture. 
  • Land use: Anticipate development pressures and apply techniques to prevent undesired overdevelopment and degradation. 
  • Conservation of resources: Encourage businesses to minimize water pollution, solid waste, energy consumption, water usage, landscaping chemicals, and overly bright nighttime lighting. Advertise these measures in a way that attracts

Some geo tourism places in India are –

  1. Akal Fossil Wood Park, Jaisalmer
  2. Saketi, Sirmur District, Himachal Pradesh
  3. Peninsular Gneiss National Monument at Lalbagh, Bengaluru
  4. Columnar Basaltic Lava, Coconut Island (St. Mary’s Islands), Udupi District, Karnataka
  5. Ramgarh Crater, Baran district, Rajasthan.

National Youth Day


Every year 12 January is celebrated as the National Youth Day, being the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. In 1984 government of India declared this day as National Youth Day and 1985 onwards we celebrated this event in India.

Swami Vivekananda’s lectures and writings, deriving their inspiration from Indian spiritual tradition and the broad outlook of his Master Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. These were the source of inspiration and have motivated the youth.

Swami Vivekananda created a great impact on Youth. His words were simple yet very powerful. He said, “If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will be.” He also said, “See for the highest, aim at that highest, and you shall reach the highest.” His messeges gave a boost to the youth.



As Mitochondria is the power house of cell. Youth is the powerhouse of a country. Youth plays a vital role in shaping the future of a country. It has the power to help a country develop and move towards progress. It is also responsible for bringing social reform within a country. The youth brings revolution.

In our Indian history there are many examples that justify the contribution of the youth towards the progress of the country. That how the Youth of India fought to bring Independence in the country.

In our country half of the population is youth. If they will take proper action towards the problems occurring in our country, it will not only benefit the country but will also inspire young ones. Like many youth are running campaigns and organisations on various things like
Many are cleaning the garbage near the seaside or in a land, some helping the poor children in studying, some protesting against child labour, also against rapes, etc . Active participation of youth is hence very much important. It can spread the message of national integration.

Youth should not keep their energies and enthusiasm inside. It should go out in betterment of the society. Many are unware of there potential and their capabilities. Sometimes youth undergoes through a lot of problems at this time the rest people should encourage and motivate them. And give them equal opportunities so that they can succeed in life. Motivate them to take challenges and achieve their desired goals in life.


The prior duty of youth is to encourage others to join a youth organization. Inspire and teach young people to take responsibilities and volunteer for a social cause and bring some social changes. Various organizations and charities recruit youngsters and motivate them to get involved in social cause.

The youth should ask young people to join campaigns or organizations to raise awareness for a social cause. Teach them to take a stand against something wrong and help them transform their ideas into reality. With their active participation we can bring some significant social changes in the country that are mostly overlooked. Therefore, do not wait for anything and join a campaign or any organisation and raise awareness about it among people.

YOU ! YES YOU!

ARE THE YOUTH OF OUR COUNTRY. DON’T JUST RELAX. THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO DO. JUST GET UP AND STAND FOR A SOCIAL CAUSE. 🙂

LACK OF SEX EDUCATION IN INDIA

Sex has always been a topic talked about behind the curtains. It is considered a taboo in India even today. People are even afraid to say the word “sex” out loud let alone discuss it. And it is not something to be very proud of because it has resulted in a lack of sex education in people. This illiteracy has caused several problems to arise in the country.


Here in India, people associate sex education with just the act of sexual intercourse but it so much more than that. Sex education as a whole is a vast subject. It is a program which aims to build a strong foundation of one’s sexual well being, including sexuality and contraceptives. It also includes gender identity, consent and awareness about sexual abuse. 

From a very young age, children are deprived and kept away from any such means that might expose them to the slightest of intimacy. But isn’t this something everyone is bound to learn about someday in life? People in India are of the view that if children are exposed to sex education, it might corrupt them.
Unlike hunger and thirst, sex might not be a necessity but it surely is important for the preservation and continuation of the human race.

This narrow mindedness related to sex has given rise to numerous problems in the country. Like rapes, stalking, eve-teasing and gender discrimination from a very young age. Because adolescents are deprived of the education that is necessary for them, they resort to half and false information available on the internet. This results in an unhealthy sexual life and may also lead to the spread of STDs. 

There is very little knowledge that people have about safe sex, the use of contraceptives and the consequences unprotected relations can have. 

Not only rapes and eve-teasing has increased in the country because of the lack of sexual education, but other problems come with it. Girls are not taught about female hygiene which results in UTIs and other deadly diseases. Cases of sexual abuse are constantly on a rise in the country. People are educated to satisfy their sexual needs only after marriage and this has led them to find other wrong and illegal ways to satisfy them. Be it women, children, animals or men they are sexually abused.


In schools, girls are embarrassed about their gender and pointed out for provoking the other gender. They are also made to feel ashamed about periods.
Pornography is another medium which teenagers resort to for gathering information. It often vilifies sexist remarks against women. It can contain acts and disturbing visuals to such an extent that people try to replicate it in real life. This harms the other gender and themselves.
STDs are also spreading on a large scale because of the lack of awareness about the negative consequences of unprotected intercourse. 

All these problems would not have existed if sex education was provided from a young age. And when I talk about sex education from a very young age I don’t mean sexual intercourse. What I am referring to here are things like good touch, bad touch and respecting gender differences. Begin with small things that make a big difference. Keeping them away from false and half information is the only situation to these problems. Start teaching them from the right age and break the stereotypes before it causes some even more adverse situations.

TAJ MAHAL

ABOUT TAJ MAHAL:

Taj Mahal is one of the seven wonders in the world. Taj Mahal is one of the historic and most beautiful places in the world. The Taj Mahal is one of the most magnificent Indian historical monuments with complex visualization. The Taj Mahal is the materialized vision of love and marks a perfect indelible remark on it’s Mughal Architecture. The Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built by the 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. This structure on the bank of the river Jamuna is constructed on a platform 6.5 meters high. The Mahal was built in the loving memory of the Emperor’s beloved wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It also attracts thousands of tourists with no preference for religion or lifestyle. The words Taj Mahal means ‘ crown of the palace’ and is a symbol of eternal love. Taj Mahal is one of the main reasons why India is famous. Taj Mahal was declared as a Heritage Site by UNSECO in 1983.

ARCHITECTURE OF TAJ MAHAL:

The Taj Mahal is a perfect symmetrical planned building, with an emphasis on bilateral symmetry along a central axis on which the main features are placed. The Taj Mahal emits a sense of peace and harmony which is mainly caused by the structure’s near-perfect symmetry, the main dome and surrounding minarets, and the division of the gardens by four canals that meet at a raised central lotus pond. The building material used is brick-in-lime mortar veneered with red sandstone and marble and inlay work of precious/semi-precious stones. It is made of pure white marble with its special luster and fine texture. The marble was obtained from Makrana in Rajasthan. Inside the Taj Mahal, the cenotaphs honoring Mumtaz Mahal and Shah Jahan are enclosed in an eight-sided chamber ornamented with pietra dura (an inlay with semi-precious stones) and a marble lattice screen. The interior octagonal chambers are connected by diagonal passages. Floors and walkways use contrasting tiles or blocks in tessellation patterns. The inlay stones are of yellow marble, jasper, and jade polished and leveled to the surface of the walls. The calligraphy on the Taj Mahal is beautiful. The beauty of the black inscriptions over the white marble is an attractive feature of the edifice. The walls and pillars of the monuments are also adorned with calligraphy written in Thuluth script. Most of the inscribed verses are from the holy book of Islam- the Quran. Taj Mahal reflects different colors depending on the light. In the morning, it looks a little pinkish, in the afternoon with strong sunlight it appears shimmering white, milky white in the evening, and golden at night. The main structure is surrounded by gardens, fountains, and pools. Another interesting aspect of the architecture of the Taj Mahal is the iconography of the plants engraved in the walls and floors of the mausoleum.

WHEN WAS TAJ MAHAL BUILT? :

The construction of the Taj Mahal took over twenty years. It was built in 1632, and in 1648, the mausoleum was finished. Another 5 years were spent on the building of the enclosure, the ancillary buildings such as gardens, so the whole complex was completed in 1653.

EARTH

ABOUT EARTH:

Our Earth is the most beautiful planet in our solar system. Earth is the planet we live on. The earth is a habitat for millions of species of plants and animals. Earth is an integral part of the solar system. Earth is the third planet from the sun. Earth is the fifth-largest of the planets in the solar system. The alternative names for the earth are Gaia, Gaea, Terra, Tellus, the world, the globe. Earth is a planet of the Sun which is also called Blue Planet because of the availability of water and it looks blue when observed from space. It’s the only planet known to have an atmosphere containing free oxygen, oceans of water on its surface, and, of course, life. Water covers 70 percent of Earth’s surface. Earth has an atmosphere containing 21% oxygen which helps in the survival of living beings. The gases like nitrogen, CO2, and oxygen in the earth’s atmosphere help plants to grow. Our planet Earth is a rotating sphere that orbits the Sun. Earth is made of rocks and came into existence billions of years ago. Along with the movement, Earth also rotates on its axis from east to west and completes a rotation in 24 hours which we call a solar day. The Earth is located approximately 150 million kilometers from the Sun and this distance is known as Astronomical Unit. It takes about 8.3 minutes for sunlight to reach the Earth. The Earth’s Atmosphere Extends to a Distance of 10,000 km. Earth’s atmosphere nourishes life and protects it from harmful UV rays and meteorites. Earth Day is observed every year on 22nd April to protect the environment. Along with human earth is home to millions of species and plants. The presence of water on the surface of the earth and air in the atmosphere makes life possible here. As the only livable planet of the sun, we should respect and protect our earth from our wrong practices.

STRUCTURE OF EARTH:

​​The earth is made up of three different layers. They are,

· THE CRUST:

This is the outside layer of the earth and is made of solid rock, mostly basalt, and granite. There are two types of a crust; oceanic and continental. Oceanic crust is denser and thinner and mainly composed of basalt. Continental crust is less dense, thicker, and mainly composed of granite.

· THE MANTLE:

The mantle is the layer located directly under the sima. It is the largest layer of the Earth, 1800 miles thick. The mantle is composed of very hot, dense rock. This layer of rock even flows like asphalt under a heavyweight.

· THE CORE:

Earth’s core is the very hot, very dense center of our planet. The ball-shaped core lies beneath the cool, brittle crust and the mostly-solid mantle. The core is found about 2,900 kilometers (1,802 miles) below Earth’s surface and has a radius of about 3,485 kilometers (2,165 miles). The core is made of two layers: the outer core, which borders the mantle, and the inner core. The outer core, about 2,200 kilometers (1,367 miles) thick, is mostly composed of liquid iron and nickel. The inner core is a hot, dense ball of (mostly) iron. It has a radius of about 1,220 kilometers (758 miles). The temperature in the inner core is about 5,200° Celsius (9,392° Fahrenheit). The pressure is nearly 3.6 million atmospheres (atm).

National Youth Day

Youths are the future of our nation. Let’s celebrate the national youth day by learning about the significance of this day and also learning about how the youth population contributes to our nation.

National youth day is celebrated every year on 12th of january to commemorate Swami  Vivekananda’s birthday. Youth all over the world are inspired by his teachings about life, success and learning. He is a perfect role model for each and every student of India. This day was first observed in 1985 throughout India. This day is celebrated in schools and colleges by organising various competitions, speeches, seminars, debates, essays, quizzes, etc. On this day the youth population, which is about one-fifth of India’s total population understand their importance in the country. They also learn about Swami Vivekanada and his life principles. During the coronavirus pandemic, it will be difficult for schools and colleges to  conduct these programmes and so I think that this article will embolden them and encourage them to spread their ‘Wings of Fire’.

Swami Vivekananda was born on 12th january, 1863 in Calcutta, Bengal Presidency (present day- Kolkata, West Bengal). He was one of the greatest spiritual leaders in India. He introduced the concept Yoga and Vedanta in the western world. He was the student of Shree Ramakrishna Paramhansa. He travelled to the United States and represented India at the 1893 Parliament of the World’s Religions. He also conducted numerous public and private lectures and classes. He circulated Hinduism philosophies in Europe, Britain and the USA. ‘Karma Yoga’ and ‘Raja Yoga’ are some of his most celebrated publications. He worked for humanity and the betterment of our society.

The original uploader was Dziewa at English Wikipedia. – Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4310553

What can the youth learn from Swami Vivekananda?

The teachings of Swami Vivekananda motivated the students to “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.” These teachings tell us about the uncommon and remarkable personality of Swami Vivekananda. These teachings are based on his life situations 

  1. Be honest to everyone. Lying is a good way to get away with your mistakes but only in the short run. A lie leads to a thousand more lies. On the other hand speaking the truth is always best. The blame will come on you but people will always believe you. Honesty is the best policy. 
  2. You should always stick with the truth. Often, many people will stop you from telling the truth. They may repress you by using force or blackmailing you. But even in such times you should remember that truth is the small lamp that lightens the world.
  3. To achieve success, focus on your goals. Many-a-times people ultimately give up on their dreams, this is because they don’t focus on their goals. We become successful only when we work hard on our goals.
  4. Swami Vivekananda also taught everyone to face all the problems with courage and never run away from them. Every problem in life teaches us something new. Running away never really solves your problems, it just makes the problems an invisible weight on you.

Swami Vivekananda was a great person. We should remember him and follow his teachings. 

Happy National Youth Day to you.

WIND ENERGY

ABOUT WIND ENERGY:

Wind energy is one of the renewable sources of energy. Wind energy is an important non-conventional source of energy. It does not contaminate, it is inexhaustible. Wind energy is one of the methods used to provide electricity. . Wind Energy and Wind Power Wind is an abundant resource on our planet. In wind energy, the wind is used to produce electricity using the kinetic energy created by air in the motion. This is then transformed into electrical energy using wind turbines or wind energy conversion systems. Air flows can be used to run turbines. Wind Power is also used for Pumping Water and Electricity. China is the world’s largest producer of wind energy, with over a third of the world’s capacity. It is currently booming and it has become one of the fastest-growing markets in the world today. Wind power is an alternative source to burning fossils, and it is plentiful, it is renewable, it is clean, it produces no greenhouse gas emissions during operation. Wind power is the most efficient technology to produce energy in a safe and environmentally sustainable manner. It currently accounts for more than 3% of the global electricity consumption and is expected to reach 18% in 2050 according to data from the International Energy Agency.

PARTS OF WIND TURBINE:

In wind energy, the electricity is mainly gained with the help of the wind turbine. The different parts of the wind turbine are,

  • Blades:

Most wind turbines designed for the production of electricity have consisted of a two or three-bladed propeller rotating around a horizontal axis. A wind turbine turns wind energy into electricity using the aerodynamic force from the rotor blades, which work like an airplane wing or helicopter rotor blade. When wind flows across the blade, the air pressure on one side of the blade decreases.

  • Rotor:

The rotor is one of the parts of the wind turbine. The energy in the wind turns two or three propeller-like blades around a rotor. The rotor is connected to the main shaft, which spins a generator to create electricity.

  • Pitch:

Pitch control is the technology used to operate and control the angle of the blades in a wind turbine.

  • Brake:

Mechanical wind turbine brakes have two main uses. They are applied as a backup method of holding the turbine in place for maintenance or repairs, in the case of a failure of the primary rotor lock system. Or in the case of emergencies, such as extreme gusts of the wind or too much speed.

  • Low-speed shaft:

In most large-scale turbines, the low-speed shaft is connected to a gearbox.

  • Gearbox:

A gearbox is typically used in a wind turbine to increase rotational speed from a low-speed rotor to a higher speed electrical generator.

  • Generator:

Wind turbines generate electricity by using wind power to drive an electrical generator.

  • Controller:

The wind farm controller’s function is “power management”. It can initiate and shut down the turbine operation as well as co-ordinate the operation of numerous wind turbines in response to environmental and operating conditions. The wind turbine supervisory controller manages the individual turbine operation.

  • Anemometer:

The anemometer measures wind speed. The wind turbine is only supposed to operate when the wind speed is within a certain range. The anemometer determines when the wind is within the defined range.

  • Wind Vane:

The wind vane, used for indicating wind direction, is one of the oldest meteorological instruments.

  • Nacelle:

The nacelle is the part of the turbine that houses the components that transform the wind’s kinetic energy into mechanical energy to turn a generator that produces electricity.

  • High-speed shaft:

The high-speed shaft drives the generator which produces AC electrical current. Power cables transport electricity to the ground level.

  • Yaw drive:

The yaw drive is an important component of the horizontal axis wind turbines’ yaw system which is used to ensure the wind turbine is producing the maximal amount of electric energy at all times, the yaw drive is used to keep the rotor facing into the wind as the wind direction changes.

  • Yaw motor:

When wind direction changes, a turbine’s controls instruct its yaw motors to reposition the nacelle.

  • Tower:

The tower of the wind turbine carries the nacelle and the rotor.

ADVANTAGES OF WIND ENERGY:

  • An unlimited, free, and renewable resource is the wind.
  • Wind energy does not emit toxic substances or contaminants.
  • It is low-cost energy with a fairly stable price
  • Wind power will require nations to need less and less fuel sources to be imported as our energy will be fully sustained.
  • Wind power has some of the lowest environmental impacts of any source of electricity generation.
  • Wind energy is one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources.
  • Wind energy could generate a significant proportion of your electricity needs.
  • Wind turbines can also be installed at different heights to achieve stable energy production.

Scientists discover new state of matter: Liquid Glass

A team of scientists from Germany and the Netherlands have used a technology called confocal microscopy to discover a new state of matter, Liquid Glass, hidden inside mysterious transformations that happen between liquid and solid states of glass.

“Suspensions of colloidal particles are widely spread in nature and technology and have been studied intensely over more than a century,” said co-senior author Professor Andreas Zumbusch, Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz. “When the density of such suspensions is increased to high volume fractions, often their structural dynamics are arrested in a disordered, glassy state before they can form an ordered structure.”

He also explained that till date such experiments were being performed using spherical colloids. However, an increased interest in synthetic colloids as material building blocks led to “development of a multitude of novel techniques for the synthesis of colloidal particles with specific geometries and interactions.”

The scientists, in this research, focused on ellipsoidal polymethylmethacrylate colloids. “Due to their distinct shapes our particles have orientation, as opposed to spherical particles, which gives rise to entirely new and previously unstudied kinds of complex behaviors,” he explained.

Researchers recorded temporal development of the 3D positions and orientations for nearly 6,000 ellipsoidal particles using confocal laser scanning microscopy. “At certain particle densities orientational motion froze whereas translational motion persisted, resulting in glassy states where the particles clustered to form local structures with similar orientation,” Zumbusch said.

“What we’ve termed liquid glass is a result of these clusters mutually obstructing each other and mediating characteristic long-range spatial correlations,” he explained. “These prevent the formation of a liquid crystal which would be the globally ordered state of matter expected from thermodynamics.”

As a result, the team noticed a regular phase transformation and a nonequilibrium phase transformation interacting with one another.

Road Safety Week

Who doesn’t love long drives? It is relaxing to drive after a long stressful week. But the fun and enjoyment can turn into trauma, if we encounter an accident. As per the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways there were 4,49,002 road accidents recorded in India in the year 2019.

Road Accidents

Road accidents have become very common nowadays. As more and more people are buying automobiles, the incidences of road accidents are just increasing day by day. In year 2019, there were 4,49002 road accidents, killing 1,51,113 people and causing injury to 4,51,361 persons. This translates into an average of 1,230 accidents and 414 deaths every day and nearly 51 accidents and 17 deaths every hour (source: Ministry of road transport and highways). These accidents cause loss of life as well as material. People need to be more careful when on the road, no matter which mode of transport you use. To prevent the accidents we should follow all the traffic rules because not following traffic rules and guidelines could result in loss of life. Government and a few non-government organizations have taken the initiative to educate the people about road accidents and their prevention. 

Road Safety Week

Road safety week is celebrated from 11th January to 17th January every year with great joy and enthusiasm at many places in India.  People are encouraged about how to drive on the road by organizing a variety of programs related to road safety. During the whole week’s celebration, a variety of educational banners, safety posters, safety films, pocket guides and leaflets related to the road safety are distributed to the road travelers. 

Many commuters also explain about the methods and necessities of road safety. So that the people understand the use of helmets and seat belts while driving on the road or anywhere. They also tell the people about different rules, acts and laws related to road safety and encourage the people to follow them.

Various painting and drawing competitions, road safety advertisements, fairs, road rules tests, girls scooter rallies take place all around India to encourage the use of helmets, debates on road safety at the All India Radio, workshops, seminars, lectures etc. are organized during this week.

Free medical check-up camps and driving training workshops are organized for the drivers to encourage them towards road safety. This is done because generally, the drivers drive very fast to drop their customers to their destinations.

Road safety leaflets including roses, chocolates, and flowers are distributed to the travelers on the road. Road safety quiz contests are also organized to promote people about road safety. Traffic safety games including card games, puzzles, board games and etc are organized to educate school children about road safety.

Celebrating the road safety campaign was initiated by the ISS India HSE (Health Safety and Environment) in order to make people aware of the national road safety in the Indian subcontinent. India has a huge population of road travelers such as two-wheelers, four-wheelers on the road, that’s why we must know about road safety.

BUTTERFLY

ABOUT BUTTERFLY:

The butterfly is one of the most beautiful and wonderful creatures. Both butterflies and moths belong to the Lepidoptera family. Butterflies are flying insects with large scaly wings. We can observe different colors and patterns in the wings. Butterflies have six legs and three main body parts: head, thorax (chest or midsection), and abdomen (tail end). They also have two antennae and an exoskeleton. The butterfly’s body is covered by tiny sensory hairs. The adult butterfly has four wings that are covered with tiny scales that give them their colorful and diverse designs. These are cold-blooded creatures. The group of butterflies is called flutter. Butterflies have an amazing ability to see, smell. Some butterflies can fly as fast as 40 miles per hour. There are a thousand kinds of butterflies. They may vary from small to big. The lifespan of a butterfly varies with factors like size, species, and habitat.

LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY:

There are four stages involved in the life cycle of a butterfly. They are,

  • FIRST STAGE-EGG:

 Butterfly starts their life as an egg. Their egg shape maybe circle, oval or cylindrical depending on the butterfly that laid the egg. Butterflies lay their eggs on a leaf of a plant.

  • SECOND STAGE-THE LARVA(CATERPILLAR):

When the egg hatches caterpillar comes out of it. In this stage they all do is eat. The caterpillar eats the leaf from where they were born.

  • THIRD STAGE-PUPA(CHRYSALIS):

The third stage of the butterfly is the pupa. As soon as a caterpillar is done growing and they have reached their full length/weight, they form themselves into a pupa, also known as a chrysalis. From the outside of the pupa, it looks as if the caterpillar may just be resting, but the inside is where all of the action is. Inside the pupa, the caterpillar is rapidly changing. Within the chrysalis, the old body parts of the caterpillar are undergoing a remarkable transformation, called ‘metamorphosis,’ to become the beautiful parts that make up the butterfly that will emerge. Tissue, limbs, and organs of a caterpillar have all been changed by the time the pupa is finished and is now ready for the final stage of a butterfly’s life cycle.

  • FOURTH STAGE-ADULT BUTTERFLY:

In the final stage, when the caterpillar has done all of its forming and changing inside the pupa, It will have emerged as an adult butterfly. When the butterfly first emerges from the chrysalis, both of the wings are going to be soft and folded against its body. This is because the butterfly had to fit all its new parts inside of the pupa in this stage. As soon as the butterfly has rested after coming out of the chrysalis, it will pump blood into the wings in order to get them working and flapping – then they get to fly. Usually, within a three or four-hour period, the butterfly will become master in flying and will search for a mate in order to reproduce. When in the fourth and final stage of their lives, adult butterflies are constantly on the lookout to reproduce and when a female lays their eggs on some leaves, the butterfly life cycle will start all over.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT BUTTERFLY:

· Some butterfly species migrate from the cold.

· Most butterflies have taste receptors on their feet.

· They’ll even drink the tears of reptiles to get some much-needed sodium.

· Butterflies will not fly if the temperature is below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

· A butterfly drink its food, with a straw-like tube called a proboscis.

· They can see a range of ultraviolet colors, invisible to human eyes.

My Favorite Indian Dance Forms

Alan Watts once said ‘life’s a dance of energy’. In the same way dance is also a way to express the energy of emotions and feelings. So here are my favourite dance forms.

Bihu Dance

By Rohan Gautam 002 – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86530098

Bihu is a popular folk dance associated with the state of Assam in India and it is performed generally during the Bihu festival. It is generally performed during the springtime. The energetic dance steps and quick hand movements define the Bihu dance of Assam. A lot of vibrancy can be seen in the dance outfit of Bihu, the male performers of Bihu are dressed in dhotis and gamocha. The women who perform Bihu usually wear traditional Assamese attire for the performance. Women team up their outfits with gaudy and heavy jewelry and they also decorate their braids with pretty flowers that perfectly match the color of the dress worn by them.There are many instruments that are utilized during a Bihu performance namely a Dhol, Pepa, Taal, Toka, Xutuli, Gogona and Baanhi. Watching the Bihu dance is mesmerising, the music enchants the atmosphere while the women and men of Assam joyfully dance.

Samai Dance

https://udaipurblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/shilp331.jpg

The word samayi means brass. It is called Samai dance because men and women dance with brass lamps or deepak put on their heads. Samai dance is performed by people of Goa during Holi and Shigmo festival. During the Samai dance, the women wear bright and colourful sarees and men wear kurta with pajamas. The men have a head ribbon tied to their heads while taking part in the lamp dance. Women wear gajra in their hair along with other traditional jewelry such as bangles, bindi, earrings, nose pins, and necklaces.The brass lamp used in the Samayi dance is one foot long with burning wicks which dancers need to balance while dancing. Samayi dance consists of very slow dance movements as dancers need to balance lamps on their heads. Dancers dance to traditional folk songs while making exquisite movements.The main instruments used in samai dance are Harmonium, Shehnai, Ghumat, Samel, Surt, and Zanj.

Chhau Dance

The Chhau Dance is a popular form of tribal dance in India that also integrates elements of martial arts into its movements. It is generally performed in in the states of Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand.The dance form has three subtypes; namely Purulia Chhau, Mayurbanj Chhau and Seraikella Chhau, named differently because of the place of their origin.The dance developed a means to portray stories to the audience. The fables revolve around Ramayana and Mahabharata, Puranas and other India Literature with religious themes. Indian instruments – Dhol, Shehnai and Dhamsa make the recital come to life. The male dancers wear brightly colored dhotis with a matching kurta on top. A vast amount of costume jewelry is worn in the form of necklaces. Female dancers, or male dancers depicting female characters, are known to wear colorful sarees.The style and variety of the costume of the dancers largely depends on the characters being portrayed by them. The dancers also use different objects to display weapons. 

Govt to conduct national cow science exam; says it will educate on importance of cows

The 54-page study material released for the exam includes some diffent topics that claim things like earthquakes occur due to cow slaughter

The Rashtriya Kamdhenu  Aayog (RKA) chairman Vallabhbhai  Kathiria said on Tuesday that the government plans to conduct a nationwide voluntary online examination on “cow science” next month to infuse curiosity among people and educate students about the importance of cows.

According to an article in The Indian Express, the exam will be conducted by RKA, an agency established for the protection of cows under the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

This exam is going to be the first of its kind and will be held annually. During a press conference, Kathiria said that “cow is full of science and needs to be explored”.  He said that the exam will be held in 12 regional languages apart from Hindi and English.

The official release of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, under which RKA functions stated that the exam will be conducted in four categories – Primary level (up to 8th standard), Secondary level (from class 9th to class 12th), College level (after 12thstd) and the fourth category will be for the general public. It also said that the exam model is going to consist of multiple-choice questions (MCQ’s).

According to the ministry, the examination will be free of cost and meritorious candidates will be given certificates and prizes.

However, the study material released for this exam seems to be the most interesting and amusing part.  The 54-page study material includes some misleading topics that claim things like earthquakes occur due to cow slaughter and how nearly any disease can be cured by a cow by-product.

What was said to be a document to help the students study about the science behind cows, looks more or less like an excuse to spread a set narrative and propaganda.

POLLUTION

ABOUT POLLUTION:

Pollution is the introduction of harmful materials into the environment. These harmful materials are called pollutants. These harmful materials are called pollutants. Pollutants can be natural, such as volcanic ash. They can also be created by human activity, such as trash or runoff produced by factories. Pollutants damage the quality of air, water, and land. These pollutants can be natural or can be man-made like, human wastes, ashes, trashes, or wastes runoff from the factories. This is mainly caused by human activities that harm the environment in ways more than one. Pollution is an issue that has been affecting our earth. Pollution is the stuff that pollutes the environment.  It also affects the ordinary living of the living things on this planet by disturbing the natural life cycle. There are several ways in which our environment can get polluted. Some of them being the use of chemicals, excessive noise, garbage disposal, etc. Pollution causes imbalances in the environment. This imbalance threatened the very survival of all forms of life. We should control pollution for our safe survival. Certain species have been exterminated, and humanity is under a great threat of environmental pollution.

TYPES OF POLLUTION:

There are different kinds of pollutions. Some of the major types of pollution are,

  • AIR POLLUTION:

Air pollution refers to any physical, chemical, or biological change in the air. It is the contamination of air by harmful gases, dust, and smoke that affects plants, animals, and humans drastically. The population’s heavy production of waste is the main reason that air pollution is increasing rapidly. The rapidly increasing human activities like the burning of fossil fuel, deforestation is the major cause of air pollution. There are some other air pollutants like industrial waste, agricultural waste, power plants, thermal nuclear plants, etc.

  • WATER POLLUTION:

Water pollution occurs when harmful substances, often chemicals or microorganisms that contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or other body of water, degrading water quality and rendering it toxic to humans or the environment. Water pollution is now a major environmental threat to the existence of humans.

  • LAND POLLUTION:

Land pollution is the cause of many different factors that ultimately pollute the land. These factors include solid waste, deforestation, chemical, and agricultural activities. Land pollution is a result of dumping garbage, waste, and other toxins making the land contaminated or polluted. Some soil or land pollutants are chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers, mining activity, use of plastic, deforestation, growing urbanization, and industrial waste.

WAYS TO CONTROL POLLUTION:

Some of the ways to control pollution are,

  • Avoid excessive idling of your automobile.
  • Avoid burning leaves, trash, and other materials.
  • Conserve energy – at home, at work, everywhere.
  • Encourage industries to avoid pollutant formation at the very source by use of cleaner fuels, the adoption of less polluting materials, and technology in manufacture.
  • Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
  • Do not throw waste in water bodies, remain waste of industries should not pour their waste in water bodies.
  • Plant trees.
  • Use fewer chemicals in home gardens and general agriculture.
  • Maintain our vehicles.
  • Conserve electricity.

RAINBOW

ABOUT RAINBOW:

     Rainbow is a natural phenomenon that happens after Rain. It is one of the most beautiful phenomenon created on earth. A rainbow is a multicolored arc in the sky which appears when sunlight hits water droplets. The magical and wonderful phenomenon of a colorful arc in the sky is known as the rainbow. The seven colors that exist in a rainbow are violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red. Rainbows are usually seen on the opposite end of where the sun is located. The Rainbow is a lovable scenery that is colorful and pleasant to eyes. In many Civilizations, rainbows are considered to bring good to society and is a symbol of peace and harmony. Rainbows means peace and harmony in many ancient cultures.  There are two main components by which a rainbow is formed i.e. light and drops of water. The state of Hawaii in America is the only place on earth, where rainbows occur most. When the sun is lower, then the rainbow formed in the sky will be higher. The semicircle formed by rainbow makes a 42-degree angle which starts from the direction opposite to the sun. In simple words, A rainbow is an arc of color in the sky that can be seen when the sun shines through falling rain. The Greeks used to imagine that it was a sign from the gods to foretell war or heavy rain. The Norsemen considered the rainbow as a bridge over which the gods passed from earth to their home in the sky. Others have tried to explain the phenomenon physically.

HOW RAINBOWS ARE FORMED:

     A rainbow is caused by sunlight and atmospheric conditions. Light enters a water droplet, slowing down and bending as it goes from air to denser water. The light reflects off the inside of the droplet, separating into its component wavelengths–or color. When light exits the droplet, it makes a rainbow.  A rainbow is caused by three phenomenon of light – reflection, refraction and dispersion.

TYPES OF RAINBOWS:

Some of the different types of rainbows are,

  • SUPERNUMERARY RAINBOWS:

     Supernumerary rainbows are faint bow lines that appear just inside the main rainbow.

  • MULTIPLE RAINBOW:

      Multiple rainbows are another type of rainbow which is also a rare occurrence. Multiple rainbows are sometimes referred to as double rainbows. As the name suggests, multiple rainbows are instances when more than one rainbow occur simultaneously in the same place and are made up of a primary rainbow and other secondary rainbows. 

  • MONOCHROME RAINBOW:

       A red rainbow, also called a monochrome rainbow, usually appears at sunrise or sunset.

  • HIGHER-ORDER RAINBOW:

      Higher–order rainbows appear to viewers facing both toward and away from the sun.

  • LUNAR RAINBOW:

      A moonbow is also commonly referred to as a lunar rainbow. A moonbow is a rare natural atmospheric phenomena that occurs when the Moon’s light is reflected and refracted off water droplets in the air. Moonbows are much fainter than rainbows made by the sun and often appear to be white.

INTERESTING FACTS OF RAINBOWS:

            Some of the interesting facts about rainbows are,

  • A very rare quadruple rainbow was seen over long Island, NY. In April 2015.In the past 250years, only triple and quadruple rainbows have ever been documented.
  • When you’re flying in an airplane and looking down below, you can actually see a rainbow as a complete circle! If the weather circumstances are just right.
  • A person standing next to you is standing in a slightly different spot and sees the rainbow different because they see different raindrops.
  •  A double rainbow occurs when the light is reflected twice in the raindrop, and thus, you can see two distinct reflections that are coming from two different angles.

Ancient Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Jal hi jeevan hai (water is life). Water is an indispensable part of our life. But some of us do not know that every drop counts. Our ancestors knew this and that is why they built many water harvesting systems.

Khadin system 

A khadin, also called a dhora, is an ingenious construction designed to harvest surface runoff water for agriculture. The khadin system is based on the principle of harvesting rainwater on farmland use of this land for crop production. It was first designed by the Paliwal Brahmins of Jaisalmer, western Rajasthan in the 15th century. A Khadin is an earthen embankment built across the general slope which conserves the maximum possible rainwater runoff within the agricultural field. The embankment not only helps to increase moisture in the submerged land, but also prevents the washing away of the top soil and the manure added to it.

Suranga system

Suranga (also Surangam or thurangam) is a traditional water management system used to provide a reliable supply of water and irrigation in Kerala and Karnataka. A suranga is basically a horizontal tunnel dug in the slope of a laterite hill for about 30 metres to 40 metres , which uses gravitational force for extraction of the underground water and collects into a storage tank. 

By Vssun – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20371095

As both the areas are covered by uneven and steep laterite hill which makes borewell expensive, surangas are considered as a relatively cheap option. The water can be collected by using a small barrier, which then can flow through a plastic or bamboo pipe into a storage pit or tank.

Pat 

Bhitada village, Jhabua district of Madhya pradesh developed the unique Pat system. This system was devised according to the peculiarities of the terrain to divert water from swift-flowing hill streams into irrigation channels called pats. The diversion bunds across the stream are made by piling up stones and then lining them with teak leaves and mud to make them leakproof. The villagers irrigate their fields by turns. The channel requires constant maintenance and it is the duty of the family irrigating the fields on a particular day to take care of the Pat on that particular day.

Kuis / Beris

Found in western Rajasthan, these are 10-12 m deep pits dug near tanks to collect the seepage. Kuis can also be used to harvest rainwater in areas with meagre rainfall. The mouth of the pit is usually made very narrow. This prevents the collected water from evaporating. The pit gets wider as it burrows under the ground, so that water can seep into a large surface area. The openings are generally covered with planks of wood, or put under lock and key. The water is used sparingly, as a last resource in crisis situations.

Baoris / Bers (Stepwell)

Baoris or bers are community wells, found in Rajasthan, that are used mainly for drinking. However, unlike the wells that we can find in the West, here the descent into the well is made up of hundreds of steps (hence the name Stepwell) that enclose places of great beauty and spirituality. Most of them are very old and were built by banjaras (mobile trading communities) for their drinking water needs. They can hold water for a long time because of almost negligible water evaporation.

Role of Biodiversity and Agriculture in making of Atmanirbhar Bharat

While flipping pages of my Geography textbook, a fact caught my eye – two third of the population of India is engaged in agricultural activities. We are blessed to have diverse climatic conditions because of which we see a variety of flora and fauna, and grow so many veggies, fruits and other crops. But India still imports a lot of harvested produce from other countries.

Atmanirbhar Bharat

Atmanirbhar Bharat, which translates to ‘self-reliant India’ or ‘self-sufficient India’, is a policy formulated by Prime minister of India Narendra Modi for making India a bigger and more important part of the global economy. It was launched on 12 May 2020  during the announcement of India’s COVID-19 pandemic related economic package. Not only should products be ‘made in India’, but the promotion of those products should take place so as to make those products competitive.  We should appreciate our local products, if we don’t do this then our products will not get the opportunity to do better and will not get encouraged. The agriculture and biodiversity sector were also given a lot of importance in it. This scheme helps farmers by providing better financial help, good prices of crops and a lot of new schemes are introduced which will help to support farmers and other people who are dependent on the agricultural sector for their livelihood. The improvement in PDS (Public Distribution System) has also started. Sustainable fishing practices and organic farming practices are encouraged, beekeeping shelters are increased and Rs 1500 crore is specified for animal husbandry. Many medicinal herbs are to be grown by the shore of river Ganga. Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, D V Sadananda Goda, in September 2020, said that “India will be self-reliant in fertiliser production by 2023”. Three Farm Bills passed in September 2020 provide the legal framework to give the farmers the right to choose the price and people to whom they want to sell. Coir Udyami Yojana aims to develop the coir-related industry’s sustainable development.

Role of Agriculture and Biodiversity

From my point of view, the making of New India does not mean cutting the forests to make big buildings, industries or exploiting the natural resources without limit. When I think about a new Bharat, I imagine a country with minimum degradation of natural resources while still sustaining the agricultural demand of our country. 

Important focus on agricultural exports should also be given so as to improve the quality of exports rather than just quantity, thereby fetching more price for the farmer. Exports of medicinal herbs and oils, agricultural produce and raw materials like cotton and jute will increase drastically; also aiding the economy. Correspondingly, many people will start to prefer Indian exported products.

Great biodiversity will help to maintain ecological balance for ecosystem stability and support ecotourism. We can use resources and conserve them due to eco-friendly practices in farming, fishing, etc. 

At school level, a new subject – Agriculture should be introduced with hands-on experience and interaction with farmers. This will inspire many students to study agriculture and forestry streams. 

I think that biodiversity and agricultural prosperity will highly assist in the making of New India. Our new Bharat will be more sustainable and more developed. India will promote eco friendly practices, biodiversity, organic farming, quality produce and build a strong economy. From a developing country, it will turn into a super-power.

TREES

ABOUT TREES:

A tree is a tall plant with a trunk and branches made of wood. Trees can live for many years. Trees have a thick wooden central part from which branches grow. A single tree has many roots. The roots can carry nutrients and water from the ground through the trunk and branches to the leaves of the tree. The roots of trees bind the soil and help it from being washed away by water or wind.

BENEFITS OF TREES:

Trees are vital resources for the survival of all living beings. Trees are an important part of the ecosystem. Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe. They give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize the soil, and give life to the world’s wildlife. Trees provide fruits, wood, leaves, flowers, rubber, paper, and many other things to human beings. They also provide us with the materials for tools and shelter. Trees clean the air. Trees prevent soil erosion. Trees also provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. It also provides timber for construction. They also conserve water. They help in fighting back the climate changes by absorbing greenhouse gases which are the main cause of climate change. It helps to maintain balance and also acts as a valuable source of many resources – such as timber, medicine, shelter, raw materials, and more. Trees provide shade, which is needed during the summer months. Trees and their branches are used as a source of fuel. Trees are used to make furniture and other commercial products. We get many medicines from plants like Cinchona, aconite, coriander, digitalis, horehound, tulsi, neem, and garlic. They help in maintaining the right temperature on Earth. During rainy days, soil erosion is prevented with the help of trees. This process purifies the air and keeps the atmosphere clean. Trees also absorb other harmful gases to keep our environment clean. Trees help in balancing the water level in the atmosphere.

INTERESTING FACTS OF TREES:

Some of the interesting facts about trees are,

  • A large oak tree can consume about 100 gallons of water per day, and a giant sequoia can drink up to 500 gallons daily.
  • The rings in a cut tree don’t just reveal its age. They can also show signs of environmental changes, like a volcanic eruption or severe drought.
  • The tallest tree in the country is a Coast Redwood growing in northern California’s Redwood National Park. It is 369 feet tall and over 2000 years old.
  • The world’s shortest tree species is the Dwarf Willow. It is rare to find one more than 2 1/2 inches tall. They are also dioecious, producing both males, yellow-colored and female, red-colored catkins. They have been found growing on the frozen tundra in the Arctic.
  • Wind-blown cottonwood seeds can stay airborne for days before they land. In fact, they can fly longer than any other kind of tree seeds.
  • There is a tree called Rainbow Eucalyptus, with bark having blue, orange, and maroon colors. When the colors combine in sunlight, they give it a particular ‘Rainbow’ effect. This multi-colored tree grows in New Britain, New Guinea, Ceram, Sulawesi, and Mindanao.

Dowry system in India

What is dowry?
It is a cash or a goods that is given by the bride family as a gift to the groom family.

It has become a social evil in this society. The bride family has to go from many pressures with the demand by the groom family in their daughter’s marriage. This can become an issue with raising the girl child. That is why, the life of the girl miserable in some circumstances. If the demand is not fulfilled the marriage can be cancelled or tortured after becoming the wife.

Due to this, many parents abort their girl child or murder them after new born. Many girl child has been found thrown in the dustbin or rivers. The number of dead girl babies has increased in some areas. The number of boys exceed in comparison to girls in the entire population. Dowry has become a greed in today society.

The system of dowry was to give their daughter as a gift so that after the marriage she will be financially independent. The parents give their daughter with their own happiness. But when the demand came from the boy’s family, it has became an social evil.

Every girl should have the right to live their own life. Educate girls and women and make them aware about the social issue. Women can take action against the dowry system as various laws has passed by the government.

Could we ever pull enough carbon out of the atmosphere to stop climate change?

Nature has equipped Earth with several giant “sponges,” or carbon sinks, that can help humans battle climate change. These natural sponges, as well as human-made ones, can sop up carbon, effectively removing it from the atmosphere. 

But what does this sci-fi-like act really entail? And how much will it actually take — and cost — to make a difference and slow climate change? 

Sabine Fuss has been looking for these answers for the last two years. An economist in Berlin, Fuss leads a research group at the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change and was part of the original Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — established by the United Nations to assess the science, risks and impacts of global warming. After the panel’s 2018 report and the new Paris Agreement goal to keep global warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) or less, Fuss was tasked with finding out which carbon removal strategies were most promising and feasible

Afforestation and reforestation — planting or replanting of forests, respectively — are well known natural carbon sinks. Vast numbers of trees can sequester the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere for photosynthesis, a chemical reaction that uses the sun’s energy to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen. According to a 2019 study in the journal Science, planting 1 trillion trees could store about 225 billion tons (205 billion metric tons) of carbon, or about two-thirds of the carbon released by humans into the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution began. 

Agriculture land management is another natural carbon removal approach that’s relatively low risk and already being tested out, according to Jane Zelikova, terrestrial ecologist and chief scientist at Carbon180, a nonprofit that advocates for carbon removal strategies in the U.S. Practices such as rotational grazing, reduced tilling and crop rotation increase carbon intake by photosynthesis, and that carbon is eventually stored in root tissues that decompose in the soil. The National Academy of Sciences found that carbon storage in soil was enough to offset as much as 10% of U.S. annual net emissions — or about 632 million tons (574 million metric tons) of CO2 — at a low cost. 

But nature-based carbon removal, like planting and replanting forests, can conflict with other policy goals, like food production, Fuss said. Scaled up, these strategies require a lot of land, oftentimes land that’s already in use. 

This is why more tech-based approaches to carbon removal are crucial, they say. With direct air capture and carbon storage, for instance, a chemical process takes carbon dioxide out of the air and binds it to filters. When the filter is heated, the CO2 can be captured and then injected underground. There are currently 15 direct air capture plants worldwide, according to the International Energy Agency. There’s also bioenergy with carbon capture. With this method, plants and trees are grown, creating a carbon sink, and then the organic material is burned to produce heat or fuel known as bioenergy. During combustion, the carbon emissions are captured and stored underground. Another carbon capture trick involves mineralization; in this process, rocks get ground up to increase the surfaces available to chemically react with, and crystallize, CO2. Afterward, the mineralized CO2 is stored underground. 

The need to deploy these solutions is imminent. The global carbon budget, the amount of CO2 humans can emit before the global temperature rises 2.7 F (1.5 C) above preindustrial levels, is about 300 gigatons of CO2, Fuss said. 

RAIN

ABOUT RAIN:

Rain is liquid precipitation which is water falling from the sky. Rain is liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then become heavy enough to fall under gravity. Rain is part of the water cycle. A light rain of small drops is known as a drizzle. Spring is the rainiest season of the year as measured by the number of days with precipitation. Rainfall is measured by the depth of water that falls on a level surface without soaking in. Rainfall is measured with a rain gauge.

HOW RAIN IS FORMED? :

Clouds are made of water droplets. Within a cloud, water droplets condense onto one another, causing the droplets to grow. When these water droplets get too heavy to stay suspended in the cloud, they fall to Earth as rain.

IMPORTANCE OF RAIN:

Rain is a wonderful gift of Nature to all mankind. Rain is a major source of water to the inhabitants of the earth, and it also plays a major role in ensuring the water cycle is complete. Rain may be the most essential weather phenomenon for life to exist on Earth. The growth of plants also may depend on rain. Without rain, no crops would grow. If rainfall is less, there is water scarcity which sometimes causes a drought-like situation. It can improve the level of groundwater. Rainfall is also very important for the survival of plants and animals. It brings freshwater to the earth’s surface. With temperature, rainfall is perhaps the most important factor in defining climate. Rainfall is also the major source of energy that drives the circulation of the atmosphere. The rain waters the Earth and refills streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, and provides the moisture trees and plants use to make their food. This water also gives wild animals the water they need to drink. Thus, Rain is very important.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT RAIN:

Some of the interesting facts about rain are,

* Some regions of the world get rain nearly every day or every other day. Galway, Ireland gets this weather about 220 – 230 days or more each year. Similarly, parts of Hawaii and other tropical areas receive brief spurts of rain on an almost daily basis.

* The place that receives the most annual rainfall on average is a village in India called Mawsynram, Meghalaya, India. They receive about 467 inches each year, most of which falls during monsoon season.

*Drops are not shaped like teardrops as they fall, as is commonly depicted – they are actually dome-shaped.

* When raindrops fall on clay or dusty soils, they trap small air bubbles on the surface which raise upward and burst out of the droplet. This then produces pockets of scent into the air where they are then carried by the wind. This is what causes the familiar smell of rain, which is called ‘Petrichor’.

*Up in the clouds, rain most often starts off as snow. Clouds are made of freezing-cold water droplets and tiny crystals of ice. In most rains, this cold water adheres to ice, forming nascent drops that then fall out of the clouds. As they descend towards the relative warmth of the earth’s surface, they melt and become rain.

* Not all raindrops are made of water: Rain also consists of sulfuric acid or methane, which can also be found on other planets in the solar system.

MUSIC

ABOUT MUSIC :

Music is vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. It is a form of art. Music is a part of all of our lives, from when we’re growing up to when we’re old. Music is the sound that is pleasing to the human ear. Music is loved by most of the people. Music also makes us excited. Music is a thing that we all enjoy in the course of our lives. Music makes us joy and listening to a favorite song may help to uplift your mood. Music has the ability to convey all sorts of emotions to people. Music can match and manipulate our moods and emotions. Music is not only created by humans but also from the nature such as birds chirping, the whistle in the wind, the sound of rain, etc…. Music can be performed with a wide variety of vocal techniques and instruments. There are different elements of music such as structure, form, articulation, expression, dynamics, color or timber, voice allocation, style, texture, harmony, melody, rhythm, tempo, pulse, or beat and pitch. A person who sings a song is known as a singer. Anyone who composes conducts, or performs music may be referred to as a musician. The other words for the musician are composer, performer, soloist, symphonist, virtuoso, player, entertainer, etc…. There are different kinds of instruments such as percussion, string, brass, woodwind, and piano/keyboard.

TYPES OF MUSIC GENRES:

There are different types of music genres there. Some of them are,

  • POP MUSIC
  • ROCK
  • HIP HOP MUSIC
  • CLASSIC MUSIC
  • FOLK MUSIC
  • BLUES
  • RHYTHM AND BLUES
  • PUNK ROCK
  • COUNTRY MUSIC
  • INDIE ROCK

IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC:

Music has the great qualities of healing a person emotionally and mentally. Music is one of the most calming and soothing things. Music can also make a person calm and relaxed. It has the power to cure diseases such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc. Music can also make excitement. There is one language that we all can understand is the language of music. Music is also an important part of our life because it is a way of expressing our feelings as well as emotions. Music may also reduce stress, depression, etc….Music may also help us to enhance the ability to do a work. Music also entertains us. Music improves our minds. Music is also helps us to develop the memorizing capability.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MUSIC:

  • The Japanese word ‘Karaoke’ comes from a phrase meaning ‘Empty Orchestra’
  • Music is one of the few activities in our life that utilizes the entire brain
  • The world’s longest concert by multiple artists took place from March 17 to April 5, 2017
  • Listening to music while working out measurably improves the physical performance
  • When you listen to music, your body releases dopamine, the same hormone released in the brain when you do exciting or pleasurable activities.
  • The most expensive instrument is a Stradivarius violin called Lady Blunt, which was made in 1741 and sold in 2011 for $15.9 million

How did the Students Learn in Ancient India?

The pupils in ancient India were also taught by teachers, but quite differently. This ancient indian education system is very impressive and we should learn about it.

https://www.spiritual.university/wp-content/uploads/sites/21/2014/12/Ancient-education-system1.jpg

Majorly there were two education systems in ancient India – Vedic and Buddhist. The Vedic system revolved around the Vedas, Vedangas and Upanishads and they were taught in sanskrit, while the Buddhist system preached the thoughts of the major Buddhist schools and they were taught in Pali. 

Education in ancient India was very different from the rest of the world back then. A child would leave his home to get an education, a child had to leave home and live with a teacher in a gurukul for the entire duration of his studies. No fee was charged for education; in fact, the teacher took care of everything, including food, clothing and housing. According to this system,  even if a child was interested in acquiring philosophical knowledge, he would still have to do some manual work every day along with debates and discussions.

Education for women was quite important in ancient India. Women were trained in housekeeping, as well as in dancing and music. Girls also had to conduct the Upanayana ceremony. Vedas and Vedangas were taught to women, too, but were limited to religious songs and poems necessary for rituals. Some notable Vedic and Upanishad women scholars were Apala, Lopamudra, Gargi and Maitreyi.

The teacher used to ask some students to sit in groups and then they would recite the Vedas  for hours. Same verses were also taught in different tones so that it would be easier for the students to learn it. Teachers or gurus also taught separately based on the ability and the capability of the student. 

According to ancient education, there were 3 processes of learning – Sravana (listening to the truths that the guru speaks), Manana (Interpreting the meaning of the words spoken by the guru in your own words so that you can remember it for a long time.) and Nididhyasana (The complete comprehension of the truth so that he may live to it and not just remember it as a theory) To them knowledge was the realization of truth and this truth must be passed on to the next generations.

There were very popular educational institutions in India during the ancient times as well. Four of these institutions were quite prominent and known for different specializations. The University of Nalanda was famous for its Catholic and cosmopolitan character and its department of logic. It was located in the east of India. Takshashila University, in an area what is now modern-day Pakistan, was well-known across the world for its medical school and was the chief learning center in 6th century BC. Vallabhi was a very well known university in west India. It was also a famous study center that had specialized in subjects like law, medicine and economics, and had students attending from all parts of the country. Vikramshila was yet another esteemed institution, best known for Tantric Buddhism.

The ancient Indian system of education focused on the training of the mind and process of thinking. But the British rule erased this system and erected an education system that had written examinations and had scheduled classes. India has now introduced a new education policy for the betterment of students.

Mala’s new achievement: MALALA YOUSAFZAI SCHOLARSHIP ACT FOR PAKISTAN

Malala Yousafzai is a living example of bravery and resilience. The 23-year-old is well known around the world for her work as an activist to empower women. She has not only worked for the women of Pakistan but everywhere around the world. She is a female educationist and is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize, winner. 

Being the daughter of an educationalist activist, Mala was always inspired by her father’s work. In 2009, she wrote her first blog about her life during Pakistani Taliban occupation in Swat for BBC Urdu. She gained fame through interviews in print and television and was nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize at the age of 11-12 years. 

Malala was shot in the head by an assassin in the year 2009. She was immediately taken to the Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology in a critical condition. After the incident, Malala received an international outpour of support. The act was ordered by the Pakistani Taliban and they openly threatened her with a second attempt at her assassination. After this incident, the Pakistani Taliban was internationally denounced by governments, human rights organisations and feminist groups. 

After recovering, she became a prominent activist for the right to education. She founded the Malala Fund in 2012 and co-authored I AM MALALA with Shiza Shahid. It became an international bestseller. At the age of 17, she became the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate.
Ever since then, she has continuously worked for the right to education for girls.

Adding to her latest achievements, the US Congress passed the Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act on January 1, 2021. With the passing of this act, the number of scholarships available to Pakistani women will expand. It will enable them to receive higher education under merit and needs-based programs. 

The bill has been passed by the US  Senate and will now head to the White House for the US President, Donald Trump’s sign to turn into a law. The bill requires the US Agency for International Development to award at least 50% of scholarships a Pakistan based higher education scholarship program to Pakistani women, between 2020-2022. A range of academic disciplines and the current eligibility criteria have to be taken into consideration. 

Since 2010, the USAID has awarded more than 6000 scholarships to young women to receive higher education in Pakistan. The bill further expands this program. 

A petition was signed by more than 1,000,000 people calling on the government to enrol every boy and girl in primary education. The petition was under the name “United Nations Special Envoy for Global Education”.

She was featured as one of the most influential people globally for three years, 2013, 2014 and 2015. On her 16th birthday, the UN named the day as “Malala Day”. The same day she spoke at the UN to call for worldwide access to education. It was her first public appearance since the attack.  She has received immense respect and support from everyone.

She continues to be an inspiration for thousands of girls around the world. Malala is yet to achieve a lot and improve uncountable lives. The world has a lot to learn from her. Her selfless contributions are heart-touching and never-ending.

STORYBOOKS

WHAT IS STORYBOOK? :

A storybook is a book of stories usually for children. A storybook relationship, situation, or life is one that is perfect and ends happily, just as many fairy stories do. There is also Children’s Picture Storybook which is a work written for children that use both text and illustrations to present a simple plot. Someone who tells or writes stories is known as storytellers.

IMPORTANCE OF STORYBOOKS:

Stories are a great way to introduce new words and the ideas into a child’s language. Storybooks encourages the children to read books further. Reading skills are important for success in their future lives. Reading stories can be helpful for relaxation, before bedtime for example. They allow children to forget the stresses and strains of the day and indulge in fantasy for a while. Reading also helps children improve their confidence levels. The storybook also increases our general knowledge. It also improves our mental ability and reading ability. Storybooks teach us various lessons and morals.

SOME OF THE INTERESTING STORYBOOKS ARE:

There are many storybooks there. Some of the interesting storybooks are,

  • Winnie the Pooh:

Winnie-the-Pooh is a best-selling classic children’s book. It is the first volume of stories about Winnie-the-Pooh, written by A. A. Milne and illustrated by E. H. The Winnie the Pooh Storybook was created to show little ones what it means to be a true friend.

  • The rainbow fish:

.           The Rainbow Fish is a children’s picture book drawn and written by author and illustrator, Marcus Pfister, and translated into English by J. Alison James. The book is best known for its message about selfishness and sharing and the distinctive shiny foil scales of the Rainbow Fish. In this story, Rainbow Fish learns that he must share and learn to be friendly so that other fish will want to be his friend

  • The Gruffalo:

The Gruffalo was written by Julia Donaldson. It is illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The moral of the story is, really, no matter how small or how big you are, you can get yourself out of any situation.

  • The Ugly Duckling:

Ugly Duckling is a fairytale written by the Danish author and poet Hans Christian Anderson. “The Ugly Duckling” is a fairy tale with the moral lesson for people to accept themselves for who they truly are. This popular tale has been adapted to many films, musicals, and dramas.

  • The tortoise and the hare:

The author of the story “The tortoise and the hare” is Aseop. This story tells us that you can be more successful by doing things slowly and steadily than by acting quickly and carelessly. Slow and steady wins the race is the moral of the story.

  • The Jungle book:

The Jungle Book is a collection of stories by the English author Rudyard Kipling. This book is great for kids who love animals and adventure. The most important life lesson in Jungle Book is to not be a coward. We need to face our fears, gain confidence, and triumph over them.

Music as a lifestyle

Music is beneficial both for mental and physical health. When you hear music you feel happy and you forgot the most stressful moments in your life. Music makes you fell exited and it can calm you down. More than million people suffers from depression. Study shows that music can really reduce the tensions.

People suffering from insomnia can be helpful by listening to music.Listening to music help the muscles to get relaxed due to which we get a healthy sleep. Some people also listen to music while doing household chores.People exercise while listening to music. This will motivate them to be more fit and healthy.

Learning instruments can make you successful. Researchers said that learning music or instrument can level up your IQ. Learning music is type of learning new language. It also helps to increase your memory power.

Some people like to put earphones or headphones while listening to music. These people are very lonely or alone or going through hardships in life. They listens to music escape from the pain and stress they are suffering from. The soothing music in restaurants or in parties can enlighten with positive vibes.

Music has become the most important part of us. People like to get attached with the music.

World Braille Day

We all have heard about and seen the braille script. But we do not know who invented it. On the occasion of World Braille Day let us learn about the inventor of Braille and how we can help visually impaired people.

By Agence Rol – Bibliothèque nationale de France, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9466496

World Braille Day is annually celebrated on January 4, the birthday of Braille inventor, Louis Braille. The day recognizes the contributions of Louis Braille in helping blind and visually impaired people to read and write. Braille is a code that uses bumps and indentation on a surface to represent letters, which can be recognized by touch. Louis Braille, a French man who was blinded in an accident at a very young age, invented it. Before Braille invented this form of communication, visually impaired people read and wrote using the Haüy system which embossed Latin letters on thick paper or leather. This was a complicated system that required much training and only allowed people to read, not write. Discouraged by this, Braille at the age of 15 invented the Braille code. While there are now several different versions of Braille, Louis Braille’s code was arranged in small rectangular blocks called cells with raised dots in a 3 x 2 pattern. Each cell represented a letter, number or punctuation. Since Braille is a code, all languages and even certain subjects like mathematics, music and computer programming can be read and written in braille. 

Louis Braille

Braille was blinded at the age of three in an accident that occurred while he was playing with tools in his father’s harness shop. A tool slipped and plunged into his right eye. Sympathetic ophthalmia and total blindness followed. Nevertheless, he became a notable musician and excelled as an organist. Upon receiving a scholarship, he went in 1819 to Paris to attend the National Institute for Blind Children, and from 1826 he taught there.  He published a treatise on his type system in 1829, and in 1837 he published a three-volume Braille edition of a popular history schoolbook.

Helping visually impaired people

  1. Introduce yourself and ask if the person needs help. A blind person may not necessarily need help all the time. Confirm it before you grab their hand and frighten them. 
  2. Assumptions can often come naturally because of misconceptions and stigmas that many non-disabled people have, but they can be very frustrating for blind and visually impaired people. Not making assumptions makes the situation so much easier for everyone.
  3. Treat a blind or visually impaired person like you would anyone else. There is no need to treat them specially. They may feel uncomfortable when you treat them with extra care. 
  4. Don’t change your vocabulary when talking to a person with a visual impairment. Generally, a blind person does not get offended by someone saying words such as ‘look’ or ‘see’, we all use those words, they’re part of our vocabulary so there’s no need to change the things you say to us.
  5. When you are standing far from them, talk a little loudly so that they can properly hear and understand you. 

Ganymede – Largest Moon in Solar System

Jupiter has 79 moons, 53 named and 26 unnamed, still waiting for their official name. Among them is a moon named Ganymede, is the largest satellite in our Solar System. It has it’s own magnetic field. It has a diameter of 5,268 km which is larger than Mercury and Pluto, and slightly smaller than Mars. It would be easily classified as a planet if it were orbiting around the sun rather than jupiter.  It is the ninth-largest object in the Solar System. It orbits around the Jupiter at a distance of 1070400 km.

Ganymede was discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610. The discovery, along with three other Jovian moons, was the first time a moon was discovered orbiting a planet other than Earth. Galileo called this moon Jupiter III. Its name was abandoned in mid-1800s and a new name was given as suggested by astronomer Simon Marius, after the mythological Ganymede, a Trojan prince desired by Zeus (the Greek counterpart of Jupiter), who carried him off to be the cupbearer of the gods.

Several spacecraft have flown by Jupiter and its moons. The first spacecraft explored Ganymede was Pioneer 10 in 1973 followed by Pioneer 11 in 1974. Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 returned striking photos during their flybys. The Galileo spacecraft passed as low as 162 miles (261 km) over the surfaces of the Galilean moons and produced detailed images and discovered Ganymede’s underground ocean and magnetic field.

The next planned mission to the Jovian system is the European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE), due to launch in 2022 for arrival at Jupiter in 2030. While the mission will look at Ganymede, Callisto and Europa. Ganymede will be the focus and scientists will try to figure out more about its ocean and icy crust, map its surface in detail, learn about the interior, probe the atmosphere and study the magnetic field.

In February 2014, NASA and the United States Geological Survey unveiled the first detailed map of Ganymede in images and a video animation created using observations from NASA’s Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft, as well as the dedicated Jupiter-orbiting Galileo spacecraft.

Ganymede has three main layers. A sphere of metallic iron at the center (the core, which generates a magnetic field) above which is a spherical shell of rock (mantle) and then the spherical shell of mostly ice surrounding the rock shell and the core. According to scientists the ice shell on the outside is very thick, maybe 800 km (497 miles) thick. The surface is the very top of the ice shell. Though it is mostly ice, the ice shell might contain some rock mixed in. Scientists believe there must be a fair amount of rock in the ice near the surface. Ganymede’s magnetic field is embedded inside Jupiter’s massive magnetosphere.


40 percent of the surface of Ganymede is covered by highly dark cratered dark regions and the remaining 60 percent is covered by a light grooved terrain, which forms intricate patterns across Ganymede. The grooved terrain is probably formed by tensional faulting or the release of water from beneath the surface. Groove ridges as high as 700m and runs for thousands of kilometres across Ganymede’s surface. The grooves have relatively few craters and probably developed at the expense of the darker crust. The dark regions on Ganymede are old and rough and the dark cratered terrain is believed to be the original crust of the satellite. Lighter regions are young and smooth.The largest area on Ganymede is called Galileo Region.

Scientists believe that Ganymede has a saltwater ocean below its surface. In 2015, a study by the Hubble Space Telescope looked at Ganymede’s auroras and how they change between Ganymede’s and Jupiter’s magnetic fields. The “rocking” seen by the auroras gives evidence that the probable ocean underneath is salty, more salty than oceans of Earth, scientists said at the time.

Some scientists believe that life may start in Ganymede. However there is so high pressure at the base of the ocean that any water down there would turn to ice. This would make it difficult for any hot-water vents to bring nutrients into the ocean. Because of which scientists believe extraterrestrial life would occur. This would be so fascinating to know about extraterrestrial life if it would exist in our own Solar System.

FESTIVALS OF INDIA

INDIAN FESTIVALS:

Festivals fill our lives with colors and enthusiasm. India is a beautiful land of festivals and fairs. India celebrates the most number of cultural and religious festivals than any other country in the world. There are more festivals celebrated in India than anywhere else in the world. Various festivals are celebrated across India. From small villages to big cities celebrate festivals with great excitement and joyfulness. People visit each other’s houses to celebrate and offer the best wishes for the festivals. Special arrangements are made for the celebration of various festivals each year. Indians celebrate both religious and National festivals with great enthusiasm.

IMPORTANCE OF FESTIVALS:

Festivals are a great part of human life as they bring in a lot of happiness and break the monotonous schedule of our lives. Festival keeps the people united. Festivals are a wonderful way to express joy, culture, and heritage. Festivals also give a sense of enjoyment, joy, fun, relaxation, and offer the time needed to bond with family members.

SOME OF THE INDIAN FESTIVALS ARE:

There are various festivals celebrated in India. Some of the festivals celebrated in India are,

  • Holi:

                Holi is a Hindu spring festival celebrated in February or March. The Holi Festival is celebrated as a way to welcome in spring, and also is seen as a new beginning where people can release all their inhibitions and start fresh. During the Holi Festival, people dance through the streets and throw colored dye on each other.

  • Diwali:

                Diwali is a festival celebrated with Lights. It is held from October to November. Diwali marks the biggest celebration of the year. During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with Diya and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared.

  • Dussehra:

                Dussehra is the tenth and final day of the Hindu festival of Navaratri, usually in October. Dussehra, also called Dasara or Vijayadashami, in Hinduism, holiday marking the triumph of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, over the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who abducted Rama’s wife, Sita. Many people of the Hindu faith observe Dussehra through special prayer meetings and food offerings to the gods at home or in temples throughout India. They also hold outdoor fairs (mela) and large parades with effigies of Ravana (a mythical king of ancient Sri Lanka). The effigies are burnt on bonfires in the evening.

  • Eid al-Fitr:

                   Eid al-Fitr is the Muslim festival marking the end of the fast of Ramadan. Eid in Arabic means “feast, festival, holiday.” Eid al-Fitr features two to three days of celebrations that include special morning prayers. People greet each other with “Eid Mubarak,” meaning “Blessed Eid” and with formal embraces. Sweet dishes are prepared at home and gifts are given to children and those in need.

  • Christmas:

                    The day known as Christmas Day is celebrated on the 25th day of December. Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ. Some Christians start Christmas Day with a midnight service, called Midnight Mass. Christians often celebrate Christmas by giving and receiving presents and cards. This reminds them of the gift of Jesus, beginning his earthly life.

How Did Education Help Women in India?

In India, women were not always allowed to read and write. But this changed when the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was launched. Now, women are learning, working and collaborating in all fields and making our nation proud.

What is Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan?

The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was launched by the former prime minister of India, Shree Atal Bihari Vajpayee which aimed at compulsory education of every child  between the ages of 6 – 14 years.This programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all children through provision of community owned quality education in a mission mode. It started in 2002 and SSA has been operational since 2000-2001. However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with an aim of achieving the objective of universal primary education. In 2018, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan along with Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan was launched to form Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. This Abhiyan has also assisted all children, especially a girl child to realise her true potential.

Education’s role in a women’s life

The development rate of any country depends highly on the education of all its citizens. The education of both men and women is equally important as they are the two sides of a coin. We can never develop, if we think that women do not deserve a right to education. Due to education, reforms started in many girls and women’s lives. These reforms are described below.

Women started getting equal respect by everyone. Traditionally, the women’s work in a household was only limited to washing, cooking and taking care of the family. After education, women could participate in the financial discussion of the family, they could now give advice to all the family members. Because of this men of the family have started to consider them as their equals.

The stereotypes and prejudices related to women are slowly disappearing from our society. The tradition of sati has stopped completely because now women know that their life still has a meaning without their husbands. Dowry has also stopped in India. Women are no longer considered a weight on fathers shoulders. 

Women also became aware of the laws, rights and their duty towards the nation. They also raise their voice against many issues and fight for their rights. They learn about various schemes introduced by the government. They also participate in elections and generally win by a large percentage of votes. 

They no longer stay at home. Due to a good education, many companies and offices are willingly giving them jobs. They are becoming financially independent. Women do not depend on husbands to provide them. This also has helped to increase the overall income of a poor family. The country’s defence forces have also opened up for women and they have become the pride of the family by joining the defence forces. 

The woman who started it all – Savitribai Phule

Savitribai Phule was an Indian social reformer, educationalist, and poet from Maharashtra. She established the first women school in India and became the first woman teacher of our country. She is regarded as the mother of Indian feminism.

By India Post, Government of India – [1], GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74738306

She worked to abolish the discrimination and unfair treatment of people based on caste and gender. She is regarded as an important figure of the social reform movement in Maharashtra.  Savitribai’s birthdate, 3 January, is celebrated as Balika Din in the whole of Maharashtra, especially in Girl’s Schools. She is an inspiration for all the women of India.

Theory of Trusteeship

Mahatma Gandhi, the father of our nation who fought for our independence of our country. His doctrines and views in society, education, economy, peace, women, Dalit etc may still prove the guiding to the present day world.He proposed a theory of trusteeship where he said that the money you earn should cover your necessary expenses and remaining money should be used for the welfare of the society. You are just a trustee not a owner.According to gandhiji everything belonged to god and was given by God. Therefore it is for the the whole not for a particular individual.

According to this theory the wealthy people should act like trustee that would benefit for the society. When an individual has more proportionate of money, he should become the trustee of that portion for the God’s people. Any business sector they should set up trust of certain amount of profit and that trust should be work in terms of health, charity, education etc to serve the society.
The corporates when reaching the highest position of wealth should understand the responsibility of poor section of society. This would reduce the indifference between them.

Gandhiji said that when the business are done the resources are being used by the society only. So they should also do something to serve the society. They should not think of their own profit. Gandhiji wanted the egalitarian order of society that means equal distribution of wealth. He wanted the wealthy people to share the surplus amount of money by becoming a trustee for the society.

This will reduce the difference among the rich and the poor. The wealth legally belong to the owner but morally and ethically it belongs to the society. Ganghiji ideas have to be given economic consideration for solving depressing socio-economic problems in an underdeveloped country.

Learning from Ancient Agriculture in India

Our earth can no longer tolerate pesticides and fertilizers, because of the ever increasing demand of food, we must return back to our basics – using age old agricultural practices with the help of modern technology.

The evidence of agriculture practice in India dates back to 9000 BC. The domestication of plants and animals was also reported around this time. Wheat, barley and jujube were among crops, sheep and goats were among animals that were domesticated. This period also saw the first domestication of the elephants. Agricultural communities became widespread in Kashmir valley around 5000 BC. It was reported that Cotton was cultivated by 5000 – 4000 BC in Kashmir. As early as 4530 BC and 5440 BC wild Oryza rice appeared in the Belan and Ganges valley regions of northern India. Agricultural activity during the second millennium BC included rice cultivation in the Kashmir and Harappan regions.  Agriculture was far from the dominant mode of support for human societies, but those who adopted it flourished.

Why should we return to ancient practices? 

Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides to increase crop production has augmented the deterioration in quality of the yield. Using chemicals in farming destroys natural resources, and wastes a lot of water because it causes soil degradation and soil to become salty. The chemicals are washed from soil into water and also cause water pollution along with soil pollution. Due to the process of biological magnification, the chemicals are being accumulated in our bodies. Due to the above reasons we need to switch to sustainable methods of farming like organic farming.

Ancient practices that can help farmers

  1. Water harvesting should be adopted by farmers. This will irrigate their fields and the water can also be used for domestic use in the farmer’s house. This also will decrease the farmers dependence on borewells and tubewells and thereby save water. The Harappan farmers used to harvest the rainwater.
  1. Trees should be grown along with the crops. It increases biodiversity in the farm and also may be used as an income source. By planting a neem tree in a field, a farmer can sell its leaves and small branches. Also, birds will visit it and eat the pests from crops. Growing trees of medicinal value will help to cure an ill member of the farmers family. 
  1.  The farmers should grow crops with only traditional seeds. HYV seeds (High Yield Variety seeds) appear to be good for a short course of time; but in the long run, they decrease the groundwater table of the area and decrease the productivity of soil.
  1. Manure is a cost effective and an environment-friendly alternative of Fertilizer. Farmers should reintroduce the use of Jiwamrita which has been used for thousands of years in India. The only ingredients in this miracle fertilizer are cow dung, cow urine, evaporated cane juice or raw sugar and water.
  1. Mixed farming was the basis of the Indus valley economy. Indian farmers should also diversify their crops and grow at least two crops in  a year. This will aid in increasing the fertility of the soil.

These were a few ancient farming practices that can help a farmer to increase his income while saving water and energy; ultimately saving the world from food scarcity and pollution. 

Cottage industries in India

Cottage indusries is also known as traditional industries. These are organised by individuals with the private resources.They produce simple products with simple technology. The cottage indusries play a vital role in the growth of Indian economy. Cottage indusries provide employment opportunities in village.They can raise extra income.Women wanting to work can also work in the cottage industry. These industries uses local resources available in that area.

Cotton weaving. Cotton threads are made by the rural people. They spin and weave by hand. Cotton is spun around a chakra.

Silk weaving :They produce silk from silk worms. They threads are then purchased by the local people at the low price.

Knitting:People in the rural area do the buisness of knitting sweaters in their home. They make products and then sell them at the market.

Handicrafts:The handicrafts maintains a unique character in India. In foreign countries Handicrafts are considered as luxury but in India it is considered as normal material.

Pottery:Pottery is used in making pots and diyas. This is made from clay with the help of wheel.

Problems faced by cottage indusries :

1.Lack of power :The people in the villages do not get 24 hours electricity due to which their work is not properly done.

2.Problem of finance: Poor people cannot afford to purchase raw material or new machines for their industry.

3.Old methods of production:People use old techniques due to which the product do not result in high quality.

4.Problem of marketing :They do not have marketing strategy or the marketing planning. Due to which they do not get the right price for their product and they incur losses.

We should stop using Chinese products and should start buying from the Indian traditional markets.

BIRDS

ABOUT BIRDS:

Birds are vertebrates. Their main characteristic is their feathers. The birds come in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Other important features of birds are wings, beaks, and hollow bones. Birds are basically warm-blooded. Birds lay eggs. Birds are found in almost all parts of the world. The bodies of birds are covered with feathers and their feet covered by scales. Different birds are found in different places as determined by climate. Birds bring a kind of beautiful addition to the scene. Most of the birds can fly in the sky and travel long distances in the air. It builds a nest on the trees and eats insects, fish, grains, etc. Birds migrate for several reasons. Migration is a necessary part of the survival of many types of birds. The sounds that birds make are some of the most beautiful sounds in nature. When birds communicate, they use songs and calls. There are migratory birds that fly from one country to another over the hills, lakes, and oceans during some particular season.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS:

There are over 10,000 various species of birds across the world.The bird differs in size, communication skills, colors, shapes, migration patterns, etc….

IMPORTANCE OF BIRDS:

Birds are important members of many ecosystems. They are important for the environment as well as for human beings, they play a vital role in every living thing present on earth. They play a vital role in controlling pests, acting as pollinators, dispersing seeds, and maintaining island ecology. Birds are greatly helpful to humans and nature. Due to pollution, excess use of pesticides, modernization, and widespread radiation many birds are getting extinct. Thus we need to protect them.

HOW CAN WE PROTECT BIRDS? :

Some ways to protect birds are,

  • Use Natural Pest Control
  • Support Conservation.
  • Clean your bird bath and bird feeders regularly.
  • Avoid the use of pesticides in your yard.
  • Provide or protect bird habitat.
  • Prevent Bird Collisions with Your Windows Collisions are one of the most frequent causes of bird deaths. Birds see nature reflected in the window or mistake houseplants inside the building for outdoor plants and fly into the glass. Putting up curtains or window decals helps make the window visible to birds.
  • Support bird conservations.
  • Protect birds from pets.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BIRDS:

  • Flamingo chicks are born gray or white and take up to three years to reach their mature pink.
  • To deal with the summer heat, birds have a behavior called gular fluttering. This is when the bird will open its mouth and “Flutter” the upper throat muscles to promote heat loss, similar to panting in dogs.
  • Birds have a third inner eyelid called the nictitating membrane, which sweeps horizontally across the eye. Blinking with this eyelid lubricates the eye, protects it from wind and dust, and assist aquatic birds with underwater vision.
  • Hummingbirds have 1,000 to 1,500 feathers, the fewest number of feathers of any bird species in the world. This keeps them more lightweight for easier flight.
  • Penguins can jump as high as 6 feet in the air.

How can the youth make an impact?

Youth can bring a great change, they can change this world. Indian teenagers are yet to realize their full potential. They think that they can make an impact only after getting a job.

How can a teen make an impact?

The very first thing that we as youth can do is to know our rights. Know about your right to information, right to equality, right to freedom and other rights. These are important because this will assist you to determine those people whose rights are being suppressed. You can even make people aware of their rights.

To change the world you need to understand the world and its complex systems. For being capable of this understanding, education is very important. Every youth must be educated. Education increases a family’s standard of living and promotes economic development. More educated people will mean more economic growth. Education also helps to eradicate poverty.

Gender and race based stereotypes have always existed in our society. We can make an impact by even stopping one small stereotypic comment. We should even educate the people that every person deserves equal respect in this world. Education also helps in breaking this stereotypic perspective and teaches that each individual is unique in his/her own way.

We should always be aware about local and state issues. We can discuss these issues with our friends, families and teachers and find the solutions to it. When we learn about some issues, we can share our views on more similar issues. We also ponder upon the reasons because of which this problem became such a big issue. Knowing more about our locality urges us to be a responsible resident.

Just learning about various issues is not enough. We should speak up whenever we see anything wrong happening. We should speak up when we want to ask something. We should speak up even for others. We should speak up when we don’t feel well. Suppressing thought and feelings will make us unhappy. Speak your views and opinions confidently. 

We can join many organisations and groups as volunteers to share our views to others. Organizations influence many people and society. As a volunteer you can visit the households and make the issues/concerns be heard by all the people and also gather direct feedback from them. These groups generally take actions faster. You will not feel alone while protesting and campaigning.

You can even join many campaigns to protest against gender inequality, climate change, racism and any other issues. By campaigning against any wrong decision or thing, governments will have to review its decision and also stop any action that is not right according to the constitution. A peaceful rally is also a good means of protest but you have to make sure that it does not turn violent.

We all are aware of climate change. We can together combat and reverse it by organising rallies. We can even take digital actions like storming twitter, sharing posts on a single hashtag. Online campaigning is the new trend.

We should volunteer whenever we get a chance. Volunteering helps various people and organizations. We meet many people while volunteering. Each of our experiences are very special and they teach us something new.

And together we can change the world.