CHILLI CHICKEN
Ingredients
Boneless chicken, finger sized pieces: 400 grams
Green chillies, chopped: 6-8
Cornflour: 2½ tablespoons
Salt: To taste
Black peppercorns, crushed: ½ teaspoon
Egg: 1
Dark soya sauce: 2 tablespoons
Oil: 1 tablespoon + to deep fry
Garlic, chopped: 8-10 cloves
Onion: 2 medium
Red chilli sauce: 2 tablespoons
Chicken stock: 1 cup
Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
Green capsicums, seeded, thick strips: 2 medium
Method
1.Take chicken pieces in a bowl. Add half the cornflour, salt, crushed black peppercorns, egg and mix. Add a little dark soya sauce and mix.
2.Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep fry the chicken pieces till golden. Take care not to overcook. Drain and set aside.
3.Heat oil in another wok. Add garlic and sauté for half a minute. Add green chillies and continue to sauté. Add onion, green capsicum and sauté.
4.Add the remaining dark soya sauce, red chilli sauce and stir. Add a little chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil.
5.Blend the remaining cornflour in a little stock. Add fried chicken pieces to the wok and toss. Add blended cornflour and mix. Add salt and cook for a minute.
6.Add vinegar and stir. The starter is ready.
7.If you want gravy add some more stock and let it come to a boil.
8.Serve hot.
CHINESE JASMINE RICE
Ingredients
Basmati rice: 1½ cups
Jasmine flowers: 20-25
Oil: 2 tablespoons
Onion, finely chopped: 1 small
Yellow capsicum, seeded and finely chopped: ½ medium
Red capsicum, seeded and finely chopped: ½ medium
Salt: To taste
Spring onion greens, finely chopped: 3-4 stalks
Method
1.Soak rice in four cups of water for half an hour. Drain.
2.Boil five cups of water with salt. Add soaked rice. After a while make a potli of jasmine flowers and add to the water for a short time. When the rice is half done remove the potli, drain the water and keep the rice aside.
3.Heat oil in a pan. Add onion and sauté. Add yellow and red capsicums and sauté. Add rice and stir gently. Add salt, spring onion greens, cover and cook till the rice is fully done but the grains remain separate.
4.Serve hot.
Note: If you want you can substitute yellow and red capsicums with one green capsicum.
CHINESE STIR-FRIED VEGETABLES
Ingredients
Carrots, thinly sliced: 2 medium
Green capsicum, 1 inch triangles: 1 medium
Red capsicum (optional), 1 inch triangles: 1 medium
Yellow capsicum (optional), 1 inch triangles: 1 medium
Cashewnuts: 6-7
Fresh button mushrooms, sliced: 4-5
Spinach: 6-7 leaves
Cabbage, 1 inch cubes: ½ small
Oil: 1 tablespoon
Garlic, crushed: 2 cloves
Spring onions, quartered: 2
Dark soy sauce: 3 teaspoons
Vegetable stock: 1¼ cups
Cornflour: 2 teaspoons
Bean sprouts: ¼ cup
Salt: To taste
Method
1.Heat a wok. Add oil and heat. Add garlic and sauté till lightly browned.
2.Add spring onions and stir. Add carrots, green capsicum, red capsicum, yellow capsicums and salt and toss.
3.Add cashewnuts, mushrooms, soy sauce and one cup of vegetable stock and stir.
4.Chop off the stems and roughly chop spinach.
5.Dissolve cornflour in the remaining vegetable stock and add to the wok. Stir and cook. When most of the moisture has evaporated add spinach, cabbage, bean sprouts and a little salt. Stir. Cook for two minutes.
6.Serve hot.
VEGETABLE HAKKA NOODLES
Ingredients
Noodles: 400 grams
Oil: 6 tablespoons
Onion, sliced: 1 medium
Carrot, cut into strips: 1 medium
Green capsicum, seeded, cut into strips: 1 medium
Cabbage, shredded: ¼ small
Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
MSG (optional): ¼ teaspoon
Salt: To taste
White pepper powder: ¼ teaspoon
Bean sprouts: 1 cup
Spring onion greens, chopped: 1 stalk
Method
1.Boil noodles in sufficient water. Drain, remove and cool.
2.Heat oil in a wok, add onion and stir-fry briefly. Add carrot, green capsicum, cabbage and stir-fry for two minutes, stirring and tossing continuously.
3.Add noodles, soy sauce, MSG, salt to taste, white pepper powder and cook on high heat for a couple of minutes or until the noodles are heated through, tossing continuously.
4.Add bean sprouts, mix well and serve hot garnished with spring onion greens.
SMS
SMS
doesn't only mean
(S)hort
(M)essaging
(S)ervice
but it also mean
(S)pecial
(M)oment
(S)haring with
(S)ome 1
(M)ost
(S)pecial person like U.
doesn't only mean
(S)hort
(M)essaging
(S)ervice
but it also mean
(S)pecial
(M)oment
(S)haring with
(S)ome 1
(M)ost
(S)pecial person like U.
Blood Pressure:An Introduction
Garlic: Garlic is very effective in lowering blood pressure. Take 2-3 raw garlic cloves a day. It slows down the pulse rate and relieves the symptoms of dizziness, numbness and shortness of breath and formation of gas within the digestive system.
Indian Gooseberry: Indian gooseberry is also very effective in controlling high blood pressure.
Lemon: Lemon is also very effective food in controlling high blood pressure. It helps in maintaining capillary fragility.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit is useful in preventing high blood pressure.
Watermelon: Watermelon also safeguards against high blood pressure. The seeds of watermelon also can be dried and roasted and taken in liberal amounts.
Rice: Rice is low-fat, low-cholesterol and low-salt content is very good for people suffering from high B.P. who have been advised salt-restricted diet. Particularly brown rice having calcium soothes and relaxes the nervous system and helps relieve High B.P symptoms.
Potato: Boiled potatoes are very valuable in lowering high B.P. Boiled potatoes absorb very little salt and thus are very useful. Potatoes are rich in Potassium and not sodium salts and magnesium present in potato is also beneficial.
Parsley: Parsley is very useful in high blood pressure. It helps maintain the blood vessels .Parsley can be taken as a beverage by simmering 20gms of fresh parsley leaves gently in 250 ml of water for a few minutes. Drink this several times a day.
Vegetable Juice: Raw vegetable juices, especially carrot and spinach juices, taken separately or in combination, are also beneficial in the treatment of high B.P If taken in combination; 300 ml of carrot juice and 200 ml of spinach juice should be mixed to make 500 ml and taken daily. If taken separately, one glass should be taken twice daily, morning and evening.
Cut down on these: Cut down on salt, cholesterol, fat, tea, coffee and alcohol intake to keep a tab on high blood pressure.
Don't repress your feelings: Don't repress your feelings, talk about them to friends and exercise regularly.
Goals
Setting Big Goals for you is the First Key Step towards Your Success?
Suppose there is a salesperson. He gets up in the morning thinking he may earn up to Rs 50 for his hard word that day. Even if he achieves his goal, this small money will not get him many of the material comforts he may want. Suppose he knows that he may earn up to Rs 500 or even Rs 5,000 for his hard work that day. In which of the two situations do you think the person will be more motivated and more effective? Of course, the situation giving him more money.
Similarly if one student's goal is to just pass and other student's goal is to get a first division (and may be a rank). Who do you think will be able concentrate better in the class? Who will be more effective? Who will learn better? If their intelligence and other factors are the same, then the student with higher goal will learn more efficiently.
Remember whether a student passes or fails in an exam, he spends the same time in school.
So set a high goal. It does not have to be being first in the class or being first the country, because that may not be necessary or even useful. Make your goal like success in your competitive exam or getting a job, etc. which leads to some big gain for you.
Just because you set higher goal does not mean that you have to spend more hours studying. You can still study only as many hours as you want to. And while you study, put 100% effort.
Suppose there is a salesperson. He gets up in the morning thinking he may earn up to Rs 50 for his hard word that day. Even if he achieves his goal, this small money will not get him many of the material comforts he may want. Suppose he knows that he may earn up to Rs 500 or even Rs 5,000 for his hard work that day. In which of the two situations do you think the person will be more motivated and more effective? Of course, the situation giving him more money.
Similarly if one student's goal is to just pass and other student's goal is to get a first division (and may be a rank). Who do you think will be able concentrate better in the class? Who will be more effective? Who will learn better? If their intelligence and other factors are the same, then the student with higher goal will learn more efficiently.
Remember whether a student passes or fails in an exam, he spends the same time in school.
So set a high goal. It does not have to be being first in the class or being first the country, because that may not be necessary or even useful. Make your goal like success in your competitive exam or getting a job, etc. which leads to some big gain for you.
Just because you set higher goal does not mean that you have to spend more hours studying. You can still study only as many hours as you want to. And while you study, put 100% effort.
The Secrets of life
* The First Secret: The power of Love.
Love begins with our thoughts. We become what we think. Loving thoughts create loving experiences and loving relationships. Affirmations can change our beliefs and thoughts about ourselves and others. If we want to love someone, we need to consider their needs and desires. Thinking about your ideal partner will help recognize him or her when you meet.
* The Second Secret: The power of Respect.
You cannot love anyone or anything unless you first respect them. The first person you need to respect is yourself. To begin to gain self-respect asks you,
"What do I respect about myself? “To gain respect for others, even those you may dislike, ask yourself, "What do I respect about them?"
* The Third Secret: The power of Giving.
If you want to receive love, all you have to do is give it! The more love you give, the more you will receive. To love is to give of yourself, freely and
unconditionally. Practice random acts of kindness. The secret formula of a happy, lifelong relationship is to always focus on what you can give instead of you can take.
* The Fourth Secret: The power of Friendship.
To find true love you must first find a true friend. To love someone completely you must love them for who they are not what they look like. Friendship is the
soil through which love's seeds grow. If you want to bring love into a relationship, you must first bring friendship.
* The Fifth Secret: The power of Touch.
Touch is one of the most powerful expressions of love, breaking down barriers and bonding relationships. Touch changes our physical and emotional states and
makes us more receptive to love.
* The Sixth Secret: The power of letting go.
If you love something, let it be free. Even in a loving relationship, people need their space. If we want to learn to love, we must first learn to forgive
and let go of past hurts and grievances. Love means letting go of our fears, prejudices, egos and conditions.
* The Seventh Secret: The power of Communication.
To love someone is to communicate with them. Let the people you love know; that you love and appreciate them. Never be afraid to say, "I love you." Never let an opportunity pass to praise and acknowledge someone. Always leave someone you love with a loving word ... it could be the last time you see them.
* The Eighth Secret: The power of Commitment.
If you want to have love in abundance, you must be committed to it. Commitment is the true test of love. If you want to have loving relationships, you must be committed to loving relationships. When you are committed to someone or something, quitting is never an option. Commitment distinguishes a fragile
relationship from a strong, loving one.
* The Ninth Secret: The power of Passion.
Passion ignites love and keeps it alive. Lasting passion does not come through physical attraction alone. It comes from deep commitment, enthusiasm, interest and excitement. The essence of love and happiness are the same, all we need to do is to live each day with passion.
* The Tenth Secret: The power of Trust.
You cannot love someone completely unless you trust them completely. Act as if your relationship with the person you love will never end. Trust is essential in
all loving relationships. Trust yourself, trust others and trust the world. It is the foundation for LOVE.
Love begins with our thoughts. We become what we think. Loving thoughts create loving experiences and loving relationships. Affirmations can change our beliefs and thoughts about ourselves and others. If we want to love someone, we need to consider their needs and desires. Thinking about your ideal partner will help recognize him or her when you meet.
* The Second Secret: The power of Respect.
You cannot love anyone or anything unless you first respect them. The first person you need to respect is yourself. To begin to gain self-respect asks you,
"What do I respect about myself? “To gain respect for others, even those you may dislike, ask yourself, "What do I respect about them?"
* The Third Secret: The power of Giving.
If you want to receive love, all you have to do is give it! The more love you give, the more you will receive. To love is to give of yourself, freely and
unconditionally. Practice random acts of kindness. The secret formula of a happy, lifelong relationship is to always focus on what you can give instead of you can take.
* The Fourth Secret: The power of Friendship.
To find true love you must first find a true friend. To love someone completely you must love them for who they are not what they look like. Friendship is the
soil through which love's seeds grow. If you want to bring love into a relationship, you must first bring friendship.
* The Fifth Secret: The power of Touch.
Touch is one of the most powerful expressions of love, breaking down barriers and bonding relationships. Touch changes our physical and emotional states and
makes us more receptive to love.
* The Sixth Secret: The power of letting go.
If you love something, let it be free. Even in a loving relationship, people need their space. If we want to learn to love, we must first learn to forgive
and let go of past hurts and grievances. Love means letting go of our fears, prejudices, egos and conditions.
* The Seventh Secret: The power of Communication.
To love someone is to communicate with them. Let the people you love know; that you love and appreciate them. Never be afraid to say, "I love you." Never let an opportunity pass to praise and acknowledge someone. Always leave someone you love with a loving word ... it could be the last time you see them.
* The Eighth Secret: The power of Commitment.
If you want to have love in abundance, you must be committed to it. Commitment is the true test of love. If you want to have loving relationships, you must be committed to loving relationships. When you are committed to someone or something, quitting is never an option. Commitment distinguishes a fragile
relationship from a strong, loving one.
* The Ninth Secret: The power of Passion.
Passion ignites love and keeps it alive. Lasting passion does not come through physical attraction alone. It comes from deep commitment, enthusiasm, interest and excitement. The essence of love and happiness are the same, all we need to do is to live each day with passion.
* The Tenth Secret: The power of Trust.
You cannot love someone completely unless you trust them completely. Act as if your relationship with the person you love will never end. Trust is essential in
all loving relationships. Trust yourself, trust others and trust the world. It is the foundation for LOVE.
Magnetic curtains are Interior designer’s nightmare
Florian Krautli’s magnetic curtains design is something that makes interior designers queasy. The idea behind these curtains is to allow the owner to shape the curtains however desired, thus providing the perfect amount of light, separation and such. Then again, the magnetic curtains would eliminate any kind of smooth, swooping lines that curtains are accustomed to and interior designers thrive off of.
Personally, I would like to see a magnetic shower curtain so not only could I sing in the shower, but I could also sculpt. We’re not quite at electronic curtains, but this is a definite start to taking simple products like curtains and bringing them into the 21st century
GIVING
Long but, interesting lesson on GIVING :-
'Rivers do not drink their own water, nor do trees eat their own fruit, nor do rain clouds eat the grains reared by them. The wealth of the noble is used solely for the benefit of others?
Even after accepting that giving is good and that one must learn to give, several questions need to be answered.
The first question is: when should one give?
Yudhishtir asks a beggar seeking alms to come the next day. On this , Bhim rejoices , that Yudhishtir his brother , has conquered death! For he is sure that he will be around tomorrow to give.
Yudhisthir gets the message. One does not know really whether one will be there tomorrow to give!
The time to give therefore is NOW.
The Second question is 'how much to give?
One recalls the famous incident from history. Rana Pratap was reeling after defeat from the Moghals. He had lost his army , he had lost his wealth , and most important he had lost hope , his will to fight. At that time in his darkest hour, his erstwhile minister Bhamasha came seeking him and placed his entire fortune at the disposal of Rana Pratap. With this, Rana Pratap raised an army and lived to fight another day.
The answer to this question how much to give is
' Give as much as you can !
The Third question is 'what to give'?
It is not only money that can be given. It could be a flower or even a smile.
It is not how much one gives but how one gives that really matters. When you give a smile to a stranger that may be the only good thing received by him in days and weeks!
'You can give anything but you must give with your heart' !
One also needs answer Fourth question 'whom to give'?
Many times we avoid giving by finding fault with the person who is seeking. However, being judgmental and rejecting a person on the presumption that he may not be the most deserving is not justified.
' Give without being judgmental' !
Next we have to answer the Fifth question 'How to give' ?
Coming to the manner of giving , one has to ensure that the receiver does not feel humiliated , nor the giver feels proud by giving.
'Let not your left hand know what your right hand gives? Charity without publicity and fanfare , is the highest form of charity.
While giving let not the recipient feel small or humiliated. After all what we give never really belonged to us. We come to this world with nothing and will go with nothing. The thing gifted was only with us for a temporary period. Why then take pride in giving away something which really did not belong to us? Give with grace and with a feeling of gratitude.
'Give quietly' !
What should one feel after giving ?
We all know the story of Eklavya. When Dronacharya asked him for his right thumb as 'Guru Dakshina'. He unhesitatingly cut off the thumb and gave it to Dronacharya.
There is a little known sequel to this story. Eklavya was asked whether he ever regretted the act of giving away his thumb when he was dying.
His reply was 'Yes! I regretted this only once in my life. It was when Pandavas were coming in to kill Dronacharya who was broken hearted on the false news of death of his son Ashwathama and had stopped fighting. It was then that I regretted the loss of my thumb. If the thumb was there , no one could have dared hurt my Guru?
The message to us is clear.
Give and never regret giving !
And the Seventh and the last question is ' How much should we provide for our heirs?
Ask yourself , 'Are we taking away from them the 'gift of work?- a source of happiness!' The answer is given by Warren Buffett, the investment Guru:
'Leave Your Kids Enough To Do Anything , But Not Enough To Do Nothing !
I would conclude by saying: let us learn the Art of Giving , and quoting Sant Kabir:
'When the wealth in the house increases , When water fills a boat , Throw them out with both hands'
'Rivers do not drink their own water, nor do trees eat their own fruit, nor do rain clouds eat the grains reared by them. The wealth of the noble is used solely for the benefit of others?
Even after accepting that giving is good and that one must learn to give, several questions need to be answered.
The first question is: when should one give?
Yudhishtir asks a beggar seeking alms to come the next day. On this , Bhim rejoices , that Yudhishtir his brother , has conquered death! For he is sure that he will be around tomorrow to give.
Yudhisthir gets the message. One does not know really whether one will be there tomorrow to give!
The time to give therefore is NOW.
The Second question is 'how much to give?
One recalls the famous incident from history. Rana Pratap was reeling after defeat from the Moghals. He had lost his army , he had lost his wealth , and most important he had lost hope , his will to fight. At that time in his darkest hour, his erstwhile minister Bhamasha came seeking him and placed his entire fortune at the disposal of Rana Pratap. With this, Rana Pratap raised an army and lived to fight another day.
The answer to this question how much to give is
' Give as much as you can !
The Third question is 'what to give'?
It is not only money that can be given. It could be a flower or even a smile.
It is not how much one gives but how one gives that really matters. When you give a smile to a stranger that may be the only good thing received by him in days and weeks!
'You can give anything but you must give with your heart' !
One also needs answer Fourth question 'whom to give'?
Many times we avoid giving by finding fault with the person who is seeking. However, being judgmental and rejecting a person on the presumption that he may not be the most deserving is not justified.
' Give without being judgmental' !
Next we have to answer the Fifth question 'How to give' ?
Coming to the manner of giving , one has to ensure that the receiver does not feel humiliated , nor the giver feels proud by giving.
'Let not your left hand know what your right hand gives? Charity without publicity and fanfare , is the highest form of charity.
While giving let not the recipient feel small or humiliated. After all what we give never really belonged to us. We come to this world with nothing and will go with nothing. The thing gifted was only with us for a temporary period. Why then take pride in giving away something which really did not belong to us? Give with grace and with a feeling of gratitude.
'Give quietly' !
What should one feel after giving ?
We all know the story of Eklavya. When Dronacharya asked him for his right thumb as 'Guru Dakshina'. He unhesitatingly cut off the thumb and gave it to Dronacharya.
There is a little known sequel to this story. Eklavya was asked whether he ever regretted the act of giving away his thumb when he was dying.
His reply was 'Yes! I regretted this only once in my life. It was when Pandavas were coming in to kill Dronacharya who was broken hearted on the false news of death of his son Ashwathama and had stopped fighting. It was then that I regretted the loss of my thumb. If the thumb was there , no one could have dared hurt my Guru?
The message to us is clear.
Give and never regret giving !
And the Seventh and the last question is ' How much should we provide for our heirs?
Ask yourself , 'Are we taking away from them the 'gift of work?- a source of happiness!' The answer is given by Warren Buffett, the investment Guru:
'Leave Your Kids Enough To Do Anything , But Not Enough To Do Nothing !
I would conclude by saying: let us learn the Art of Giving , and quoting Sant Kabir:
'When the wealth in the house increases , When water fills a boat , Throw them out with both hands'
About INDIA
National Emblem
The National emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emanicipation to the four quarters of the universe. The national emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India’s reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. The four lions(one hidden from view ) – symbolising power, courage and confidence- rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals- guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on alotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.
The motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means ‘truth alone triumphs’.
The National emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emanicipation to the four quarters of the universe. The national emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India’s reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. The four lions (one hidden from view) – symbolizing power, courage and confidence- rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals- guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.
National Flag
The man who designed Tiranga Few of us associates the name of Pingali Venkayya with anything else other than as being the original designer of the national flag. But how many of us know that this versatile genius was a prolific writer, a Japanese lecturer and a geophysicist? Born on August 2, 1876 to Hanumantharayudu and Venkataratnamma at Bhatlapennumaru in the Divi taluk in Krishna district, Pingali was a precocious child. After finishing his primary education at Challapalli and school at the Hindu High School, Masulipatnam, he went to Colombo to complete his Senior Cambridge. Enthused by patriotic zeal, he enlisted himself for the Boer war at 19. While in Africa he met Gandhi, and their rapport lasted for more than half a century. On his return to India he worked as a railway guard at Bangalore and Madras and subsequently joined the government service as the plague officer at Bellary. His patriotic zeal, however, did not permit him to stagnate in a permanent job, and his quest for education took him to Lahore where he joined the Anglo-Vedic College, and learnt Japanese and Urdu. He studied Japanese and history under Prof Gote.
During his five years? stay in the north, he became active in politics. Pingali met many revolutionaries and planned strategies to overthrow the colonial rule. The 1906 Congress session with Dadabhai Naoroji witnessed Pingali emerging as an activist and a force behind the decision making committee. Here he met the famous philanthropist, the Raja of Munagala, and from 1906-11, he spent his time in Munagala researching on agriculture and the crops. For his pioneering study on the special variety of ?Cambodia cotton?, he came to be called ?Patti Venkayya?. Even the British were taken up by his contributions in the field of agriculture and conferred on him honorary membership of the Royal Agricultural Society of Britain.
Finally, this man went back to his roots at Masulipatnam and focused his energies on developing the National School (at Masulipatnam), where he taught his students basic military training, horse riding, history and knowledge of agriculture, soil, crops and its relation to nature. Not content with being a theoretician, Pingali's day-to-day activities also reflected a deep commitment to his liberal values. In 1914, he turned his agricultural land into an estate and named it Swetchapuram.
The prismatic colours of his personality reflected an unusual ray in the years 1916-21. After researching into 30 kinds of flags from all over the world, Pingali conceived the design of a flag which became the forbearer of the Indian national flag. Though all credit goes to Pingali for having conceived the national flag in its present form, its antecedents can be traced back to the Vande Mataram movement.
For a brief history of the origins of the Indian flag we have to go back to August 1, 1906 to the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) at Calcutta where the first national flag of India was hoisted. This flag was composed of horizontal stripes of red, yellow and green. The strip on the top had eight white lotuses embossed in a row. On
the yellow strip were the words Bande Mataram in deep blue
Devanagari script.
Madame Cama and her group of exiled revolutionaries hoisted the second flag in Paris around 1907. This was similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one-lotus andseven stars denoting the saptarishis. This was exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin. By the time the third flag went up in 1917, the political struggle had taken a definite turn. Annie Besant and Tilak hoisted the flag during the Home Rule Movement with an addition in the left hand corner (the pole end), the stamp of the Union
Jack.
There was also a white crescent and star in one corner indicating the aspirations of people of those years. The inclusion of the Union Jack symbolised the goal for dominion status. However, the presence of the Union Jack indicating a political compromise, made the flag unacceptable to many. The call for new leadership brought Gandhi to the fore in 1921 and through him the first tricolour flag.
The years 1921-31 constitute a heroic chapter in not only Pingali Venkayya's life but also in the history of the freedom struggle of Andhra. The AICC met at a historic two day session at Bezwada (March 31 and April 1, 1921). It was at this session that this frail middle aged gentleman, Pingali, approached Gandhi with the flag he designed for India. Pingali?s flag was made of two colours, red and green representing the two major communities of the country. Thus the Indian flag was born but it was not officially accepted by any resolution of the All India Congress Committee. Gandhi?s approval made it popular and it was hoisted at all Congress sessions. Hansraj of Jallandar suggested the representation of the charkha, symbolising progress and the common man. Gandhi amended, insisting on the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining minority communities of India.
A consensus could not be reached until 1931. The designing of the colours in the flag ran into rough weather even as communal tension broke out on the issue of its interpretation. The final resolution was passed when the AICC met at Karachi in 1931. The flag was interpreted as saffron for courage, white for truth and peace, and green for faith and prosperity. The dharma chakhra which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath at the capital of Emperor Ashoka was adopted in the place of spindle and string as the emblem on
the national flag.
Interpreting the colours chosen for the national flag, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan explained the saffron colour denoted renunciation or disinterestedness of political leaders towards material gains in life. The white depicted enlightenment, lighting the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green symbolised our relation to the soil, to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka wheel in the centre of the white strip represented the law of dharma.
Speaking philosophically, he remarked that the national flag ought to control the principles of all those who worked under it. The wheel denoted motion and? India should no more resist change as there was death in stagnation?. Pingali Venkayya, the illustrious visionary, the designer of the national flag died, unhonoured on July 4, 1963, in conditions of poverty. It was only a few years ago that his daughter began to receive pension from the government. There is not even a memorial in his hometown Machilipatnam to the man who brought such glory to Andhra. Even the original house has been razed to the ground.
Quotes
We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made!" --Albert Einstein
If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!" --French scholar Romaine Rolland
India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most astrictive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!" --Mark Twain
So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked." --Mark Twain
She (India) has left indelible imprints on one fourth of the human race in the course of a long succession of centuries. She has the right to reclaim ... her place amongst the great nations summarizing and symbolizing the spirit of humanity. From Persia to the Chinese sea, from the icy regions of Siberia to Islands of Java and Borneo, India has propagated her beliefs, her tales, and her civilization!" -- Sylvia Levi
India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border!" -- Hu Shih, former Ambassador of China to USA
The National emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emanicipation to the four quarters of the universe. The national emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India’s reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. The four lions(one hidden from view ) – symbolising power, courage and confidence- rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals- guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on alotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.
The motto ‘Satyameva Jayate’ inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means ‘truth alone triumphs’.
The National emblem of India is a replica of the Lion of Sarnath, near Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. The Lion Capital was erected in the third century BC by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where Buddha first proclaimed his gospel of peace and emanicipation to the four quarters of the universe. The national emblem is thus symbolic of contemporary India’s reaffirmation of its ancient commitment to world peace and goodwill. The four lions (one hidden from view) – symbolizing power, courage and confidence- rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals- guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration.
National Flag
The man who designed Tiranga Few of us associates the name of Pingali Venkayya with anything else other than as being the original designer of the national flag. But how many of us know that this versatile genius was a prolific writer, a Japanese lecturer and a geophysicist? Born on August 2, 1876 to Hanumantharayudu and Venkataratnamma at Bhatlapennumaru in the Divi taluk in Krishna district, Pingali was a precocious child. After finishing his primary education at Challapalli and school at the Hindu High School, Masulipatnam, he went to Colombo to complete his Senior Cambridge. Enthused by patriotic zeal, he enlisted himself for the Boer war at 19. While in Africa he met Gandhi, and their rapport lasted for more than half a century. On his return to India he worked as a railway guard at Bangalore and Madras and subsequently joined the government service as the plague officer at Bellary. His patriotic zeal, however, did not permit him to stagnate in a permanent job, and his quest for education took him to Lahore where he joined the Anglo-Vedic College, and learnt Japanese and Urdu. He studied Japanese and history under Prof Gote.
During his five years? stay in the north, he became active in politics. Pingali met many revolutionaries and planned strategies to overthrow the colonial rule. The 1906 Congress session with Dadabhai Naoroji witnessed Pingali emerging as an activist and a force behind the decision making committee. Here he met the famous philanthropist, the Raja of Munagala, and from 1906-11, he spent his time in Munagala researching on agriculture and the crops. For his pioneering study on the special variety of ?Cambodia cotton?, he came to be called ?Patti Venkayya?. Even the British were taken up by his contributions in the field of agriculture and conferred on him honorary membership of the Royal Agricultural Society of Britain.
Finally, this man went back to his roots at Masulipatnam and focused his energies on developing the National School (at Masulipatnam), where he taught his students basic military training, horse riding, history and knowledge of agriculture, soil, crops and its relation to nature. Not content with being a theoretician, Pingali's day-to-day activities also reflected a deep commitment to his liberal values. In 1914, he turned his agricultural land into an estate and named it Swetchapuram.
The prismatic colours of his personality reflected an unusual ray in the years 1916-21. After researching into 30 kinds of flags from all over the world, Pingali conceived the design of a flag which became the forbearer of the Indian national flag. Though all credit goes to Pingali for having conceived the national flag in its present form, its antecedents can be traced back to the Vande Mataram movement.
For a brief history of the origins of the Indian flag we have to go back to August 1, 1906 to the Parsee Bagan Square (Green Park) at Calcutta where the first national flag of India was hoisted. This flag was composed of horizontal stripes of red, yellow and green. The strip on the top had eight white lotuses embossed in a row. On
the yellow strip were the words Bande Mataram in deep blue
Devanagari script.
Madame Cama and her group of exiled revolutionaries hoisted the second flag in Paris around 1907. This was similar to the first flag except that the top strip had only one-lotus andseven stars denoting the saptarishis. This was exhibited at a socialist conference in Berlin. By the time the third flag went up in 1917, the political struggle had taken a definite turn. Annie Besant and Tilak hoisted the flag during the Home Rule Movement with an addition in the left hand corner (the pole end), the stamp of the Union
Jack.
There was also a white crescent and star in one corner indicating the aspirations of people of those years. The inclusion of the Union Jack symbolised the goal for dominion status. However, the presence of the Union Jack indicating a political compromise, made the flag unacceptable to many. The call for new leadership brought Gandhi to the fore in 1921 and through him the first tricolour flag.
The years 1921-31 constitute a heroic chapter in not only Pingali Venkayya's life but also in the history of the freedom struggle of Andhra. The AICC met at a historic two day session at Bezwada (March 31 and April 1, 1921). It was at this session that this frail middle aged gentleman, Pingali, approached Gandhi with the flag he designed for India. Pingali?s flag was made of two colours, red and green representing the two major communities of the country. Thus the Indian flag was born but it was not officially accepted by any resolution of the All India Congress Committee. Gandhi?s approval made it popular and it was hoisted at all Congress sessions. Hansraj of Jallandar suggested the representation of the charkha, symbolising progress and the common man. Gandhi amended, insisting on the addition of a white strip to represent the remaining minority communities of India.
A consensus could not be reached until 1931. The designing of the colours in the flag ran into rough weather even as communal tension broke out on the issue of its interpretation. The final resolution was passed when the AICC met at Karachi in 1931. The flag was interpreted as saffron for courage, white for truth and peace, and green for faith and prosperity. The dharma chakhra which appears on the abacus of the Sarnath at the capital of Emperor Ashoka was adopted in the place of spindle and string as the emblem on
the national flag.
Interpreting the colours chosen for the national flag, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan explained the saffron colour denoted renunciation or disinterestedness of political leaders towards material gains in life. The white depicted enlightenment, lighting the path of truth to guide our conduct. The green symbolised our relation to the soil, to the plant life here on which all other life depends. The Ashoka wheel in the centre of the white strip represented the law of dharma.
Speaking philosophically, he remarked that the national flag ought to control the principles of all those who worked under it. The wheel denoted motion and? India should no more resist change as there was death in stagnation?. Pingali Venkayya, the illustrious visionary, the designer of the national flag died, unhonoured on July 4, 1963, in conditions of poverty. It was only a few years ago that his daughter began to receive pension from the government. There is not even a memorial in his hometown Machilipatnam to the man who brought such glory to Andhra. Even the original house has been razed to the ground.
Quotes
We owe a lot to the Indians, who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made!" --Albert Einstein
If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India!" --French scholar Romaine Rolland
India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great grand mother of tradition. Our most valuable and most astrictive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only!" --Mark Twain
So far as I am able to judge, nothing has been left undone, either by man or nature, to make India the most extraordinary country that the sun visits on his rounds. Nothing seems to have been forgotten, nothing overlooked." --Mark Twain
She (India) has left indelible imprints on one fourth of the human race in the course of a long succession of centuries. She has the right to reclaim ... her place amongst the great nations summarizing and symbolizing the spirit of humanity. From Persia to the Chinese sea, from the icy regions of Siberia to Islands of Java and Borneo, India has propagated her beliefs, her tales, and her civilization!" -- Sylvia Levi
India conquered and dominated China culturally for 20 centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border!" -- Hu Shih, former Ambassador of China to USA
Cell Phone Facts
When Vini Khurana, PhD, an Australian (and Mayo Clinic–trained) neurosurgeon, announced that the link between cell-phone use and cancer was irrefutable- -the result of his analysis of more than 100 studies--it set off alarm bells around the world. Use a cell phone, he said, and you increase your risk of developing a malignant brain tumor by two to four times. Until recently, the majority of research indicated little or no link between cell phones and cancer (the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society maintain that cell phones pose no threat), but several new long-term studies have cast doubt about their safety. Given that cell phones and PDAs serve as lifelines for so many people--24 percent of 10- and 11-year-olds carry them--it raises urgent questions. To find out what precautions you should take when using your cell phone, we dialed the nation's leading experts.
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Maybe…with extended use. Mobile-phone users are twice as likely to develop malignant, difficult-to- treat brain tumors called gilomas, according to a first-of-its- kind study that analyzed the effects of cell-phone use over 10 years or more and was published last year in the journal Occupational Environmental Medicine. The Bioinitiative Working Group, an international coalition of scientists and public-health experts, recently published a hefty report detailing the link between the nonionizing radiation caused by a cell phone's electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer, DNA damage, Alzheimer's, and other diseases. "The cells in the body react to EMFs in cell phones just like they do to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals," says Martin Blank, PhD, a professor in bioelectromagnetics at Columbia University and one of the report's authors. The study found that risk from cell-phone use starts at 260 lifetime hours.
Do cell phones emit radiation only when you are talking?
No. "Cell phones give off radiation any time they're turned on so that they can communicate with base stations," says Lou Bloomfield, PhD, professor of physics at the University of Virginia and author of How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary. "The radiation emitted, however, is stronger and more frequent when you're talking or messaging." Also, the greater distance you are from a base station, the more radiation your phone must emit in order to get a signal, which is why your phone feels hot when you have low reception. That heat you feel is radiation. The Bioinitiative study found that adverse effects to DNA can also occur before the phone heats up. To reduce your exposure, make calls only when you have strong reception, hang up before your phone heats up, and store your phone away from your body when it's not in use.
What is a phone's SAR value and why does it matter?
SAR stands for specific absorption rate, and it refers to the rate of radiation exposure from radio frequency and microwaves measured in watts per kilogram of tissue, says Bloomfield. The FCC limit on any cell phone sold in this country is 1.6 watts per kilogram. To find the SAR value for your phone, go to fcc.gov/cgb/ sar/. At press time, the phone with the lowest radiation was the LG KG800, at 0.135 w/kg. The highest: Motorola V195s, at 1.6 w/kg. The Apple iPhone is in the middle, at 0.974 w/kg.
What is the range of the radiation?
Exposure to radiation from your cell phone drops off slowly for the first three to four inches from your body, and then it falls dramatically, says Bloomfield. To reduce your exposure, invest in a hands-free headset and limit the amount of time you spend talking on the phone. Khurana recommends using the speaker mode and holding the phone about eight inches away from you. Also, limit your use of Bluetooth devices. While it's true that they emit the least amount of radiation (one study found they can operate as low as 0.001 watts per kilogram), even that can add up fast.
Is it risky to carry a cell phone in your pants pocket?
Maybe. One 2006 study found no link to testicular cancer, but other researchers suspect a link to male infertility. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, recently completed a study in which cell phones were set down for one hour in talk mode, next to sperm samples in test tubes. He found that the sperm's motility and viability were significantly reduced, and levels of harmful free radicals increased after exposure. Agarwal suggests storing the phone in your jacket pocket to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation. Pregnant women need to take precautions too, because a recent study found that cell-phone use while pregnant is linked to behavioral problems in children.
Are kids more at risk?
"Yes, since children's nervous systems are still developing, and they have thinner scalps and skulls than adults, they should use cell phones only in emergencies, " says Gene Barnett, MD, professor and director of the Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center at the Cleveland Clinic. The association between childhood leukemia and exposure to EMFs like those from cell phones has led the International Agency for Research on Cancer to classify them as a "possible human carcinogen." The medical establishments in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom all recommend severe restrictions on children's cell-phone use, with some experts going so far as to say that children under 16 shouldn't use cell phones at all. Make sure your kids opt for landlines when they're at home, and if you must buy them a cell phone for emergencies, get one with a low SAR number.
What about texting?
It's actually a safer way to communicate, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Since kids hold phones away from their bodies when texting, they're exposed to less radiation than when they have the phones to their ears. "We are very concerned about teen cell-phone use, fearing that we face an epidemic of brain tumors 10 to 20 years from now, and there are so few who are raising warning flags," says Dr. Carpenter. Make sure your teen keeps his cell phone turned off and stored in his backpack when it isn't in use, which will dramatically reduce exposure.
Do cell phones cause cancer?
Maybe…with extended use. Mobile-phone users are twice as likely to develop malignant, difficult-to- treat brain tumors called gilomas, according to a first-of-its- kind study that analyzed the effects of cell-phone use over 10 years or more and was published last year in the journal Occupational Environmental Medicine. The Bioinitiative Working Group, an international coalition of scientists and public-health experts, recently published a hefty report detailing the link between the nonionizing radiation caused by a cell phone's electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and cancer, DNA damage, Alzheimer's, and other diseases. "The cells in the body react to EMFs in cell phones just like they do to other environmental toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals," says Martin Blank, PhD, a professor in bioelectromagnetics at Columbia University and one of the report's authors. The study found that risk from cell-phone use starts at 260 lifetime hours.
Do cell phones emit radiation only when you are talking?
No. "Cell phones give off radiation any time they're turned on so that they can communicate with base stations," says Lou Bloomfield, PhD, professor of physics at the University of Virginia and author of How Everything Works: Making Physics Out of the Ordinary. "The radiation emitted, however, is stronger and more frequent when you're talking or messaging." Also, the greater distance you are from a base station, the more radiation your phone must emit in order to get a signal, which is why your phone feels hot when you have low reception. That heat you feel is radiation. The Bioinitiative study found that adverse effects to DNA can also occur before the phone heats up. To reduce your exposure, make calls only when you have strong reception, hang up before your phone heats up, and store your phone away from your body when it's not in use.
What is a phone's SAR value and why does it matter?
SAR stands for specific absorption rate, and it refers to the rate of radiation exposure from radio frequency and microwaves measured in watts per kilogram of tissue, says Bloomfield. The FCC limit on any cell phone sold in this country is 1.6 watts per kilogram. To find the SAR value for your phone, go to fcc.gov/cgb/ sar/. At press time, the phone with the lowest radiation was the LG KG800, at 0.135 w/kg. The highest: Motorola V195s, at 1.6 w/kg. The Apple iPhone is in the middle, at 0.974 w/kg.
What is the range of the radiation?
Exposure to radiation from your cell phone drops off slowly for the first three to four inches from your body, and then it falls dramatically, says Bloomfield. To reduce your exposure, invest in a hands-free headset and limit the amount of time you spend talking on the phone. Khurana recommends using the speaker mode and holding the phone about eight inches away from you. Also, limit your use of Bluetooth devices. While it's true that they emit the least amount of radiation (one study found they can operate as low as 0.001 watts per kilogram), even that can add up fast.
Is it risky to carry a cell phone in your pants pocket?
Maybe. One 2006 study found no link to testicular cancer, but other researchers suspect a link to male infertility. Ashok Agarwal, PhD, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, recently completed a study in which cell phones were set down for one hour in talk mode, next to sperm samples in test tubes. He found that the sperm's motility and viability were significantly reduced, and levels of harmful free radicals increased after exposure. Agarwal suggests storing the phone in your jacket pocket to reduce exposure to cell-phone radiation. Pregnant women need to take precautions too, because a recent study found that cell-phone use while pregnant is linked to behavioral problems in children.
Are kids more at risk?
"Yes, since children's nervous systems are still developing, and they have thinner scalps and skulls than adults, they should use cell phones only in emergencies, " says Gene Barnett, MD, professor and director of the Brain Tumor and Neuro-Oncology Center at the Cleveland Clinic. The association between childhood leukemia and exposure to EMFs like those from cell phones has led the International Agency for Research on Cancer to classify them as a "possible human carcinogen." The medical establishments in Germany, France, and the United Kingdom all recommend severe restrictions on children's cell-phone use, with some experts going so far as to say that children under 16 shouldn't use cell phones at all. Make sure your kids opt for landlines when they're at home, and if you must buy them a cell phone for emergencies, get one with a low SAR number.
What about texting?
It's actually a safer way to communicate, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany. Since kids hold phones away from their bodies when texting, they're exposed to less radiation than when they have the phones to their ears. "We are very concerned about teen cell-phone use, fearing that we face an epidemic of brain tumors 10 to 20 years from now, and there are so few who are raising warning flags," says Dr. Carpenter. Make sure your teen keeps his cell phone turned off and stored in his backpack when it isn't in use, which will dramatically reduce exposure.
Bluetooth basics
Bluetooth headsets, which offer a convenient and user-friendly wireless connection between a headset and a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone, are now an "in" feature for frequent gabbers. To help you get familiar with Bluetooth, here's an overview of the technology and products:
Bluetooth headsets have become must-have accessories for cell phone fanatics. The benefits of these hands-free, wireless devices are obvious, particularly in the wake of state and local laws that require the use of a headset while driving. And just as the number of headsets has exploded, the number of Bluetooth cell phones has increased as well. Integrated Bluetooth is now present in a broad range of cell phones--from high-end smart phones to low-end functional models. Of course, cell phone Bluetooth usage is not limited to just headsets--you can also use Bluetooth to stream music wirelessly, connect to the Web, transfer files, and more.
Bluetooth basics
In Bluetooth technology, two devices communicate with each other over low-frequency radio waves in the 2.4GHz range. No cables or wires are needed, and the only requirement is that both devices be Bluetooth compatible. Unlike infrared (IR) ports, the connected devices don't need to be in direct line of sight, but they do need to be relatively close to each other. And like a wireless Infrared transfer, Bluetooth doesn't cost anything beyond the initial investment in the devices.
Pairing up
The process of connecting devices via Bluetooth starts with pairing , a procedure wherein a Bluetooth-enabled phone and another Bluetooth device search for and recognize each other. Once your connection is made and secured via a PIN (personal identification number), the two devices will "talk" to each other and exchange information. You can connect as many as seven devices simultaneously at speeds of 500Kbps and higher. Bluetooth does have limitations, however. Its range is limited to 30 feet, which makes it good for connecting a handful of devices but not appropriate for an entire network of computers--you're better off with Wi-Fi for a network.
Bluetooth headsets have become must-have accessories for cell phone fanatics. The benefits of these hands-free, wireless devices are obvious, particularly in the wake of state and local laws that require the use of a headset while driving. And just as the number of headsets has exploded, the number of Bluetooth cell phones has increased as well. Integrated Bluetooth is now present in a broad range of cell phones--from high-end smart phones to low-end functional models. Of course, cell phone Bluetooth usage is not limited to just headsets--you can also use Bluetooth to stream music wirelessly, connect to the Web, transfer files, and more.
Bluetooth basics
In Bluetooth technology, two devices communicate with each other over low-frequency radio waves in the 2.4GHz range. No cables or wires are needed, and the only requirement is that both devices be Bluetooth compatible. Unlike infrared (IR) ports, the connected devices don't need to be in direct line of sight, but they do need to be relatively close to each other. And like a wireless Infrared transfer, Bluetooth doesn't cost anything beyond the initial investment in the devices.
Pairing up
The process of connecting devices via Bluetooth starts with pairing , a procedure wherein a Bluetooth-enabled phone and another Bluetooth device search for and recognize each other. Once your connection is made and secured via a PIN (personal identification number), the two devices will "talk" to each other and exchange information. You can connect as many as seven devices simultaneously at speeds of 500Kbps and higher. Bluetooth does have limitations, however. Its range is limited to 30 feet, which makes it good for connecting a handful of devices but not appropriate for an entire network of computers--you're better off with Wi-Fi for a network.
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