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Saturday, October 29, 2011

Capturing Developmental transition

During the period  from 2005 to June 2010 ,I used to travel by office car from my house to office . On the way, I had the opportunity to witness many structural changes in the buidlings and on the roads due to developmental activities. 

Wherever I used to travel in a car, it was my habit to take video of the roads and notable buidlings  using my camera or cell phone. I captured two such development works as video  (before and after the transition) and posted them in Youtube.

Approach to Central Station:

The first video was taken in 2008. Initially there were many shops on the footpath in front of the Booking cum Reservation Building which is located on the right side of Central Station in Chennai. Apart from hiding the good view of the building, the shops were hindrance to the people who wanted to use the footpath. After removal of the shops and broadening the footpath, we could have a nice view of the buidling and people started to use the footpath happily. You can see the difference in this video.

Turn on the speakers to hear some good music.:-)



 The two video clips taken before and after the removal of the shops were merged  by me and coverted  as a film using Windows Movie maker.

Flyover at Padi Junction:

Another major development witnessed by me was the construction of Padi Flyover which came as a major relief for the users of Two wheelers and Four wheelers. The waiting time at the junction was drastically reduced after the construction of the flyiver  which was inaugrated on 20.2.2009.

I took two video clips when the construction of the flyover was under progress and two clips  after completion. After merging the video clips using Windows Movie maker, I uploaded the short film in Youtube on 21.2.2009.


Is it not nice to witness such nice developmental transition which is taking place in front of our eyes?




Friday, October 28, 2011

WORKSHOP ON HEALTH

In my last post, I mentioned that I will post my experiences in my life also  in my Blog.

Let me start with the latest experience.It is related to one of the important aspects of our life i.e.HEALTH.

Of late my wife and myself were suffering from some minor illness problems  due to indigestion and we had to take medicines from allopathy,homeopathy and ayurvedha doctors. But the illness continued to co-exist along with whatever medicines taken by us.

Last week ,I had severe ulcers in my mouth and tongue and I was unable to eat and talk due to the pain in the mouth.  I had a feeling of uncomfort in the chest area due to acidity  and  some breathing problem . After consulting a doctor, I started taking medicines for this problem also.

At this stage, I received an invitation to attend   with my wife a Workshop on Health   conducted at Hotel Green Park at Chennai on 22nd and 23rd of this month.

I discussed with my wife about whether we could attend the Workshop for two days (of course it is not a free workshop). Finally we decided to attend it, since we felt that it was the proper time for us to attend such workshop.

The Workshop was conducted by Dr. D.Bharadwaj, who  is a Physician, a psychologist, an adept healer, a yogacharya, an academic, a scholar, an author, a journalist, a social activist and a trainer par excellence. He is regularly conducting  Training in Yogic Self Mastery at Bangalore,Chennai and Hyderabad.

More than 30 persons participated in the workshop and most of them had the opportunity to attend the Training in Yogic Self Mastery conducted  by Dr.D.Bharadwaj. Myself ,my wife and few others only  were new participants.

Before attending the workshop, I thought that the Doctor,  being a Yogacharya ,will talk  in the workshop about Yoga, Meditation, Walking etc for improving our health. But my expectations proved to be incorrect. He never touched these aspects during the sessions on two days.

Dr.Bharadwaj dealt mainly about how good health can be attained through proper Diet. He emphasised during the sessions how the food taken by us in the Modern world spoil our health and dealt elaborately about the food items which are good for health and food items which are bad.  Many participants who had benefitted by his treatment eariler shared their experiences of attaining good health by following his advices on diet.

On both days food items as advised by the Doctor were served  in the Hotel. Some of us could see the improvement in health after taking the diet on the first day itself.

The workshop was very well organised and all the particpants expressed their happiness to attend such useful workshop by Dr.Bharadwaj .

After attending the workshop, myself and my wife started to take the diet and follow other health advices  as prescribed by the Doctor. 

Within two days I find now that there is good improvement in my health with the disappearance of ulcers in the mouth and tongue, good appetite which was not there earlier and relief of congestion in the chest area. My wife has also some improvement in her acidity /stomach ulcer problem. I think it will take some time for her since she is suffering from the problem for nearly a year and also diabetic.

Intentionally I have not covered here about the Diets prescribed by the Doctor, since it is not proper for me to share the details which we learnt in the paid workshop. It would be  better to attend the workshop in person to get the full benefit.

( To know more aboutDr.D.Bharadwaj  click: http://yogicselfmastery.blogspot.com/p/dr-d-bharadwaj.html)






Thursday, October 27, 2011

Conscience and Me



Last night I had a dream. I saw myself standing infront of me and talked on behalf of my  conscience.  Let me call my image in my dream as Conscience.( Don't ask me is it possible. You could have seen a lot of films where the image of hero or heroine standing in front of them and talking). 

The discussion between me and Conscience  went on like this....

Conscience: Hello Sai baba ,how is your blogging experience?
 Me: Nice.  It is going on well.

Conscience: What type of articles you are posting in your blog?
Me: As the blog is for Knowledge Sharing, I  post articles on various subjects.

Conscience: Are all these articles written by you on your own?
Me: No. I compile the articles from information received by me through emails and  information available from various websites.

Conscience Why can't you write your own experiences on various matters, your visit to various places etc?
Me: Yes. You are correct. I have also noticed that most of the bloggers post their own experiences, their own drawings and their own poetry etc. I'll also start to post some articles hereafter about my own experiences in my life.  Now I have a question to you. Who will be interested in reading these articles?
Conscience: Don't worry about it. Even if no one reads such post, you will have the pleasure of reading it after sometime and analyse whether your experiences narrated in such postings have helped you  in your life .
                         
                  SO HEREAFTER,  I AM GOING TO WRITE MY OWN EXPERIENCES ALSO IN MY BLOG WHICH IS  ONE WAY OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING
















Tuesday, October 25, 2011

" Yes, You can do it ! "

When I was reading an article about Tony Melendez, I thought it would be good  to post an article on him in my blog since his life is a source of inspiration to all of us. 

Now read about him here  and definitely you will be inspired.



" Yes, You can do it ! " says Tony Melendez.


Coming from him, it has added significance.


Tony Melendez was asked what is miracle

according to him. He simply replied :
" When I see you moving your hand."

Tony Melendez played the guitar and sang.
After listening to him, the Pope kissed him.


Everyone was moved.

See the video to understand the depth of all
the above.



Tony Meléndez

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
José Antonio Meléndez Rodríguez (born on January 9, 1962, in Rivas, Nicaragua) is a Nicaraguan American guitar player, composer and singer and songwriter who was born without arms. His mother tookThalidomide while pregnant, which caused his disability. Meléndez has learned to play the guitar with his feet.

Meléndez began playing and singing in the Los Angeles area in 1985.

On September 15, 1987 Meléndez sang Never Be the Same while playing the guitar with his feet in a special performance for Pope John Paul II

Visibly moved, the Pope descended from his chair and embraced Meléndez. 

The Pope told Meléndez, "My wish for you is that you continue to give hope to others and continue in what you are doing", which inspired him.





 

Career

As of 2005, his band, Tony Meléndez and the Toe Jam Band, has a busy concert schedule. Meléndez gives motivational talks and has written a book. He campaigns actively for the pro-life cause.
Meléndez now resides in Branson, Missouri with his wife, Lynn.[3]

Awards and recognition

Meléndez has won Unity Awards Male Vocalist of the Year UCMVA in 2000, 2002, 2004 and in 2002 took Artist of the year. He received the Branson Entertainment Award for Best New Artist in 1999, the "Inspirational Hero Award from the NFL Alumni Association at the Super Bowl XXIII and has received special commendations from the State of California for his work with young people and from President Reagan, regarding Tony "as a positive role model for America".
  • Special Commendation from President Reagan - As A Positive Role Model for America
  • Special Commendation from State of California - For Work with Young People
  • Inspirational Hero Award from the NFL Alumni Association at Super Bowl XXIII in Miami
  • Branson Entertainment Awards – Best New Artist (1999)
  • Unity Awards - Male Vocalist of the Year UCMVA (2000)
  • Unity Awards - Artist of the Year UCMVA (2002)
  • Unity Awards - Male Vocalist of the Year UCMVA (2002)
  • Unity Awards - Male Vocalist of the Year UCMVA (2004)


Monday, October 24, 2011

Hindu Festivals Part III -Deepavali/Diwali





Image result for happy diwali images
Diwali (also spelled Devali in certain regions) or Deepavali, popularly known as the "festival of lights", is an important festival in Hinduism, celebrated for different reasons, occurring between mid-October and mid-November. For Hindus, Diwali is one of the most important festivals of the year and is celebrated in families by performing traditional activities together in their homes. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha or nirvana by Mahavira in 527 BC.

Deepavali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore,and Fiji.

The name "Diwali" is a contraction of "Deepavali" (Sanskrit: दीपावली Dīpāvalī), which translates into "row of lamps". Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps (diyas or dīpas) in Sanskrit: दीप) filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. During Diwali, celebrants wear new clothes and share sweets and snacks with family members and friends.

The festival starts with Dhanteras on which most Indian business communities begin their financial year.

                                                      Image result for dhanteras 2016
The second day of the festival, Naraka Chaturdasi, marks the vanquishing of the demon Naraka by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. 

Amavasya, the third day of Deepawali, marks the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth in her most benevolent mood, fulfilling the wishes of her devotees. Amavasya also tells the story of Lord Vishnu, who in his dwarf incarnation vanquished the Bali, and banished him to Patala.
It is on the fourth day of Deepawali, Kartika Shudda Padyami, that Bali went to patala and took the reins of his new kingdom in there.

The fifth day is referred to as Yama Dvitiya (also called Bhai Dooj), and on this day sisters invite their brothers to their homes.

(Source and for other details:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali)

 Kali Puja celeberated  in West Bengal is corresponding to Diwali celeberations in other parts of the country only with the difference that while Kali is worshipped in West Bengal in other parts of the country Lakshmi is worshipped.
                                                             Image result for kali puja 2016

Diwali Meaning & Significance

Deepavali is a festival where people from all age oups participate.
They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen 'diyas' (lamps), decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for partaking in a sumptuous feast. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to god for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge, peace, valor and fame.

It is one time in the whole year that children volunteer to leave their beds long before the day begins. In fact, the traditional oil bath at 3 a.m, is the only chore that stands between them and the pre-dawn adventures. They emerge, scrubbed clean to get into their festive attire, and light up little oil lamps, candles and scented sticks(agarbathis), the wherewithal for setting alight crackers and sparklers.

On Diwali night, little clay lamps are lit in Hindus homes, but now a days colored electric lamps are also used. What is the significance of lighting a lamp? There is a logical answer to this question. It is through the light that the beauty of this world is revealed or experienced. Most civilizations of the world recognize the importance of light as a gift of God. It has always been a symbol of whatever is positive in our world of experience.

On Diwal Day people wake up at the crack of dawn to conduct the customary pujas. Dressed in brilliant silks and glittering gold jewelry families gather and light crackers to usher in the great evening.

After a session of bursting crackers, its time to visit friends and relatives. Armed with sweets and savories people meet their near and dear ones. Even today, Diwali is such a wonderful festival, a time of giving and sharing, a time to catch up with people, in other words its time to catch up with the little joys that we keep overlooking for the remaining part of the year.

Diwali Greeting with Gifts

Gifts are widely used to greet Diwali to loved ones so much so that Diwali has emerged as the biggest gift giving festival in India. Exchange of gifts on Diwali is considered to be an effective means of strengthening relationship with friends and relatives. Corporate India too, harps on this idea and greets its employees and patrons with a thoughtful Diwali gift to develop harmonious relationship.
In Hindu households it is customary for the elders in the family to pamper loved ones with Diwali gifts. Children usually get a gift of toys, chocolates, clothes or cash from their elders. Sweets, dry fruits, puja thalis and silver gifts are traditional and popular gift of Diwali. Gifts are usually exchanged on the eve of Diwali or Diwali evening when people leave home to wish dear ones ‘A Very Happy Diwali’.
Image result for diwali gifts ideas

Traditionally gifts are sent by post or courier to loved ones staying away in far off cities. However, in this jet fast technology advanced age the smart way to send gifts is to send them through a click of the mouse from the comfort of homes! Various online Diwali shopping sites provide people a wide range of gift options to choose from and also the facility to deliver gifts anywhere in the world. No wonder, E-Shopping witnesses a boom on Diwali!

Diwali Greeting Cards

Exchange of Diwali Cards is a wonderful and widely practiced form of greeting Diwali wishes to near and dear ones. Cards on Diwali come in huge variety. Most often Diwali cards come with the image of Goddess Lakshmi and Ganesha.

Cards on Diwali also contain in them greetings for the New Year this is because for Hindus Diwali festival marks the beginning of New Year. These days as more and more people are getting hooked to Internet exchange of Diwali E-Cards has become a norm. Use of Java and Flash has made Diwali e-cards quite attractive and popular.


Source and links for other sites to know more about Diwali:
http://www.diwali-gifts.com/diwali-greetings.html
http://www.diwalifestival.org

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Maharaja Express-A New Travelling Experience



The Maharajas' Express is a luxury train operated on the Indian Railways from early 2010. It is a joint venture between Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation and the travel agency Cox and Kings India Ltd.The all-inclusive costs begin at $800 (£535 or INR 40000)per person per day, and can climb to $2,500 (£1,670 or INR 125000)per person per day.
In a world of cramped and unpleasant planes, luxury cruise trains actually may be the last respite of luxury. Sensing this demand, luxury travel companies have invested in restoring the world's most famous train routes and the art of elegant traveling. Maharajas Express is one such attempt to recreate the pageantry and elegance of the personal state carriages of colonial era maharajas of India. And travelers are responding by packing new trains.
The latest in the lines of luxury cruise trains in India Maharajas Express is a 23 guest carriage train in India designed to recreate the opulence and panache of the personal state carriages used by the erstwhile Maharajas of India. The facilities on board the train include two ornate restaurants with decorative arched ceilings, an observation lounge cum souvenir shop and 43 cabins and suites that start at roughly 110 square feet.
Catering to the seekers of luxury and indulgence Maharajas Express arrives at a new station every morning for off-rail excursions which may include visit to monuments, heritage sites, shopping, royal dining at palaces and courtyard of mighty forts and spa session at palace hotels. The eight-day Mumbai to Delhi trip crisscrosses through the western part of the country (Mumbai) with sightseeing halts at Vadodara, Udaipur palaces, an elephant polo match near Jaipur and a tiger safari through Ranthambore National Park. Passengers aboard the seven-day Delhi-to-Delhi trip visit dozens of sites in eastern and central India including the temples of Khajuraho, the tigers at Bandhavgarh National Park and the sacred ghats of the Ganges River in Varanasi. All three itineraries - two from Delhi - begin or end with a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra.
(Source and for other details :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maharaja_Express)


Destinations covered by Maharaja Express:



1. Mumbai to Delhi: Mumbai to Vadodara, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur, Ranthambore, Agra and Delhi.


The Mumbai to Delhi Journey will be called "Princely India Journey" while the return trip will be known as "Royal India Tour". Tourists will get chance to see wildlife and tigers while passing through Ranthambore.

2. Delhi to Kolkata: Delhi to Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi, Gaya and Kolkata.
The Delhi-Kolkata route of the Maharaja Express will cover Agra, Gwalior, Khajuraho, Bandhavgarh, Varanasi and Gaya. The Delhi-Kolkata route will be named as "Classical India Journey" while the return trip will be called the "Celestial India Tour". The tourists will get to see some natural wildlife while crossing through the Bandhavgarh National Park.




Maharaja Express Facilities:

1. Special Bar named Machan
2. Two restaurants - Haveli and Peacock, which will be maintained by a 5-star chain.
3. Movie Screening on board.
4. Individual temperature control system
5. Environment-friendly toilets and bath-tubs
6. Direct Dialling Facilities
7. Package tours in AC buses and cars
8. Visit to Bandhavgarh, Ranthambhore national parks are highlights of the tour.


(Source: http://www.travelindia-guide.com/tour-guides/misc-travel-info/india-luxury-trains.aspx)


You can also refer http://www.themaharajatrain.com/ for further details.

Now let us have glimpses of the train:





Maharaja Express Discover India In Style With The Maharaja’s Express!








Wednesday, October 19, 2011

50 Amazing Science Facts


Surprise yourself with the Mysteries of Science!
5 Facts about Human Body
1. There are 62,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body – laid end to end they would circle the earth 2.5 times.
2. The largest organ in the body is the skin. In an adult man it covers about 1.9m2 (20sq ft). The skin constantly flakes away – in a lifetime each person sheds around 18kg (40 lb) of skin.
3. Each kidney contains 1 million individual filters. They filter an average of around 1.3 litres (2.2 pints) of blood per minute and expel up to 1.4 litres (2.5 pints) a day of urine.
4. The focusing muscles of the eyes move around 100,000 times a day. To give your leg muscles the same workout, you would need to walk 80km (50 miles) every day.
5. Brain is capable of having more ideas than the number of atoms in the known universe!
5 Facts about Plants
1. A single rye plant can spread up to 400 miles of roots underground.
2. The evaporation from a large oak or beech tree is from 10-25 gallons in 24 hours.
3. Plants cannot change their habitat.
4. Petals are usually colorful, and they attract insects and birds that help with pollination.
5. Onions contain a mild antibiotic that fights infections, soothes burns, tames bee stings and relieves the itch of athletes foot.
5 Facts about Animals
1. Shark’s need to swim, or they will sink!
2. All dogs are identical in anatomy - 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth
3. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than it’s brain.
4. A duck’s quack doesn’t echo, and no one knows why.
5. Butterflies taste with their feet.
5 Facts about Pollution
1. A plastic cup can take 50 - 80 years to decompose. About 14 billion pounds of plastic is dumped in the world’s oceans every year.
2. Sewage from boating can pollute. Untreated sewage is a significant risk to human health and wildlife.
3. The things we do everyday contribute to over half the pollution in Puget Sound. Litter thrown on the ground can end up in our storm drains, ditches and streams.
4. More than 100 active pesticide ingredients are suspected of causing cancer, birth defects and gene mutation.
5. For every one of the 6 billion people on earth, nearly four tons of carbon dioxide is spewed into the air annually.
5 Facts about Planets
1. A Planet falls into two categories. It is either a Terrestrial Planet or a Gas Giant.
2. The temperature on the surface of Mercury exceeds 430° C during the day and at night, plummets to minus 180°C.
3. A hundred pound man would weight 38 pounds on Mars.
4. Jupiter is so big that it could fit all the other planets in the solar system inside it, having the great red spot which is a storm that has been going on for over 300 years.
5. The clouds of Venus is filled with sulfuric acid.
5 Tech Facts
1. The Internet is the fastest-growing tool of communication ever. It took radio broadcasters 38 years to reach an audience of 50 million, television 13 years and the Internet just 4 years.
2. The United States generates more ewaste than any other nation.
3. The first e-mail was sent over the Internet in 1972.
4. The electric chair was invented by a dentist, Alfred Southwick.
5. As much as 80% of microwaves from mobile phones are absorbed by our head.
5 Strange Facts
1. The oceans contain enough salt to cover all the continents to a depth of nearly 500 feet.
2. Honeybees have a type of hair on their eyes!
3. At over 2000 kilometers long The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure on Earth.
4. Each rubber molecule is made of 65,000 individual atoms.
5. The fastest speed a falling raindrop can hit you is 18mph.
5 Funny Facts
1. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
2. It takes approximately 12 hours for food to entirely digest.
3. The smile is the most frequently used facial expression. A smile can use anywhere from a pair of 5 to 53 facial muscles.
4. The average person accidentally eats 430 bugs each year of their life.
5. In most advertisements, including newspapers, the time displayed on watch is 10:10.
5 Wierd Facts
1. The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave them off!
2. The original name for the butterfly was ‘flutterby’!
3. There are no clocks in Las Vegas casinos.
4. In Tokyo, a bicycle is faster than a car for most trips of less than 50 minutes!
5. The two-foot long bird called a Kea that lives in New Zealand likes to eat the strips of rubber around car windows!
5 Crazy Facts
1.
Penguins can jump as high as 6 feet in the air.

2.
A chicken loses its feathers when it becomes stressed.

3.
Most cows give more milk when they listen to music.

4.
Snakes have no eyelids and are completely deaf.

5.
Flamingoes are the some of the only creatures designed to survive in the caustic environment of a volcanic lake.


Time Management Skills



Time management is the act or process of exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase efficiency or productivity. Time management will make us more efficient in everything we do


Below is a list of some time management (self management) techniques and tips . They are in no particular order.

  • Keep a calendar/diary. Mark all your important dates/tasks.

• Keep a list of “Things to Do” and mark them off as completed.

• Every day make a list of what you have to do tomorrow.

• When possible do the unpleasant tasks first.
• Figure out when (what time of the day?) you work most efficiently.

• Establish your priorities for what you want to get done. Identify the tasks and activities that are the highest priority and eliminate those of low priority.

 

• Allow more time than you think you will need. This makes your schedule flexible and allows for the unexpected.

• Get into the habit of using your odd five minutes here and there more productively. Don’t just dismiss it as only five minutes – they add up throughout the week!

• Accomplish one or two important tasks rather than lots unimportant ones.

• Tidiness makes your life easier and reduces stress.

• Allow time to relax, recharge and do nothing.

• Leave time in your schedule for un-planned activities.

• Know your strengths, skills and weakness.

• Ask yourself, “What am I doing that someone else could do for me?” Delegate!

• Don’t be scared to ask for help

• Bin things straight away to reduce the clutter (junk mail, newspapers and spam email etc).

• Divide large overwhelming tasks into smaller chunks, and attack them one at a time.

• Complete at least one task each day that you don’t like to do, but know you should.


• Watch less T.V. If you watch T.V for three hours a day from the age of five years old, by the time you are fifty five the amount of T.V you will have watched will be the equivalent to watching non-stop 24 hours a day for six years and three months. If you cut this down by just one hour a day, so then only watch two hours of T.V, you will have gained back over two years worth of time.

• Realize that all your email checking, surfing the internet and other procrastinations add up to hours of lost time each week (sometime even each day!) 




Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches
and better times are sure to come some time or later.

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...it's about learning how to dance in the rain."