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Advantages of morning walks

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storybird.com

www.newyorker.com
Getting up in the morning is a tough one, and if the morning is cold, it is still tougher.  Morning walk needs motivation and commitment. No matter,  morning walks are  difficult when your are a worker and have no  extra time  for such out-door activities.  But, it will certainly be useful health wise over a period of time and you  will  gain a hale, hearty and robust life. As the adage goes ''health is wealth'',  with good health  you can achieve any thing. Morning walks are unquestionably and perfectly safe and harmless for everyone, irrespective of his / her age.

The following are the gains:

Reduce the  risk of heart diseases:  Morning walk  reduces the risk of heart diseases manifold and improves heart muscles.  It  burns  extra and undesirable fats  in the  body,  which in turns,  maintain the cholesterol level in the  blood.  Regular morning walk improves  your stamina and intake of oxygen and endurance power.

Hypertension:  Hypertension, one of the leading causes of heart diseases,  can be controlled  to some extent by regular morning walks that improve blood  circulation  and maintain the blood pressure of your body, Brisk walking is  very useful. Arteries and veins become strong enough to resist the flow of blood.

Proper sleep: Thousands of people have  sleep problems for various  reasons. Morning walk promotes better sleep as it improves your overall health.
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Control of sugar: In SE Asian countries, the incidence of diabetes is on the increase because of sedentary nature of work and intake of carbohydrate rich food like rice. A good morning walk reduces the risk of increasing your body’s sugar level to a great extent. Morning walk is a must for sugar patients. Positively it  controls  the blood sugar level.
www.newyorker.com
Promote energy level: Because of improvement of overall blood circulation in the body, efficient oxygen intake in the brain and better endurance, consequently a person can feel energetic and be active whole day.

Immunity booster: Your resistance to other ailments is on the increase. Walking purges your body and boosts  your energy level, improves the function of heart  palpitation and your inhaling capacity. Walking strengthens  your  leg muscles and other body functions.

So, this simple exercise has multiple advantages. so make it a habit and lead a healthy life.

Sitting for long periods increases risk of heart conditions

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www.cartoonstock.com

 A study conducted by University of Toronto's  Health Institute  showed a close link between the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer,etc, despite regular exerciseand the number of hours one spends sitting in one place with out any mobility.
The at of sitting. archive.gradpost.ucsb.edu
sitting long before computer is bad. floroy1942.wordpress.com
People mostly spend their time sitting before computer, watching TV and  doing routinesedentary office work.  Physical activities are a must to compensate the health risk of sedentary time that takes away many peoples' time. It is no use exercising more than 30 minutes and lead a sedentary life for more than 20 plus hours. The sedentary time should be reduced by a few hours in a 12 hour period. 

Every 30 to 45 minutes take a break and walk around briefly in the place of work. When watching TV commercials do not get absorbed, get up and move around.
 

Sedentary work such as office desk work, as we all know, will impact  physical and mental well being. Continuous sitting in one place may erode your efficiency and is boring. In many companies and government jobs, sedentary work is inevitable. Further, the longer you sit, the  lazier you become and you may put on additional fat around your waist that may increase your waistline.

If  much time is spent on sedentary work at office, make a commitment. No matter how serious your job is, take a break at regular interval as mentioned here. When your sedentary time is broken, it will rejuvenate your mind and body and better blood circulation that will help you continue your work afresh. A fresh start will improve your efficiency and yield better results. 


Ref:
University Health Network (UHN). "Sitting for long periods increases risk of disease and early death, regardless of exercise." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 January 2015.

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150119171701.html>.

Funny quotes and humor, etc -33

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Politician's fourth eye:

Shiva's third eye. karmaraksha.livejournal.com
 "God  has given us two eyes  to see and use  our discretion to know what is right and what is wrong for us.

The Almighty above us has a third eye (the eye of wisdom, free from “Maya”, the illusion, and duality of life)  on the forehead to watch our actions. 

As for astute politicians, they have four eyes, fourth being on the back of their head. This helps them watch a stream of their associates  behind them, waiting  to  stab  them and  pull them down  to the ground, when the  time is ripe,  For survival, they depend more on the fourth eye than other eyes to catch the conspirators and traitors".

 Chin-up:
watch out when you walk down the street with uour chin up. joyreactor.com
"One of nice things about keeping your chin up is that it 
keeps your mouth shut". 
                  ........    Meril Marlin (Pagent, June 1963, p.136) 


www.123rf.com
Safe storing of money:

www.motherearthnews.com
"Money is like a manure. If you spread it around, it does a lot good. But, if you store it in one place, it stinks".

          ........  Murcheson, Sr.(father of Clint Murcheson, oil tycoon  who groomed Dallas Cowboys Football team, USA)

 Gift of language:

If Gandhi were alive, he won't be happy about the scams. mysay.in
"Language is an amazing art of revealing and concealing  our thoughts  and  emotions. For smart politicians, it a primary medium through which they make stump speeches, debates, etc ., and if they are caught in a scam  while in power, they use it diligently to prove their innocence and come out unscathed".  

Bundle for the politicins, pittance for the poor people. cartoonistsatish.blogspot.com

The status of India's ancient women - 01

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 "Being a woman is a terribly difficult task, since it consists primarily in dealing with men".              ........    Joseph Conrad

If we go back on the history of most of the known civilizations world over, it is clearly observable that the farther  we go into antiquity, the more unsatisfactory  is the position of women. The Hindu civilization is unique insofar as we find here in the Indian subcontinent a marked exception. The position of Indian women was quite satisfactory.

www.sketchite.com
www.pinterest.com
Many historians claim that women in ancient India enjoyed an equal status with men and their opinion or suggestions regarding  family matters were taken seriously, thus giving them the rights 
to  take important decisions  of life. They were treated  as “Ardhanginis”.  During the early Vedic period (300 BC to 600 BC) in many aspects of life,  women were on par with men and enjoyed equal status and had  formal education as suggested by ancient Indian grammarians such as Patanjali and Katyayana. The Atharvaveda stresses the importance of women's education and its bearing on successful married life. 

In the Rigveda, it is mentioned, that  women  were given in marriage after their puberty  and were free to select their own life-partners without any compulsion or so. No imposition of marriage. Marriage, a holy sacrament, was  considered a social necessity and motherhood was an important aim of the Indian marriage. The ancient system of "Swayamvara"- selection of a life's partner  among many is mentioned in holy scripts and also in many epics. It was prevalent among Kashatriya rulers

ancient Indian woman The Metrognom
There existed   love marriagescalled “Gandharva Vivaha” in those days!. Monogamy was the major form of marriage during the Vedic days. Re-marriage of widows was allowed. The practice of  a custom called  “Niyoga” did exit whereby  a brother or the nearest relative of a deceased husband could marry the widow with the permission of the elders. Remarriage was  allowed after satisfying certain conditions according to Parasara. However, many preferred to lead a life of hardship or would end their lives along with their husbands. 

A man could perform his Vedic rites only with his wife by his side so that he could propitiate his pithroos (forefathers) by conducting Thithi with his consort. Down to the Mauryan rulers, the couple were expected to offer oblation to the household fire unaided by the husband.  

Surprisingly,  Child marriage was unheard  of in those days.  Not only did the well-read women impart their knowledge to the youngsters but also proved their depth of knowledge in philosophy  and religion. There were  several women sages and seers, notably Gargi and Maitreyi , according to Scriptures such as the Rig Veda and Upanishads. The women had a respectable place in the society. In  Hindu society, man is only one half of an entity and both husband and wife had equal rights. A home without  a wife was considered a forest, according to Scriptures. Divorce was not allowed  and men had no  rights to divorce their wives!

Gori act of Sat-- self-immolation  by a widow.www.newindianexpress.com
The obnoxious  practice of “Sati” is not mentioned in the Rig-Veda. Though the  practice of taking dowry was there for the protection of the new household; it never became a social evil.

indiafacts.org
The women in ancient India were not looked upon with Shakespearean derision: "Frailty! Thy name is Woman" or "Woman may fall when there is no strength in men". Rather they were considered the pride of the family. They had their own identity and individuality  that defined their character. In the Vedic period, they enjoyed an honorable  and comfortable place on par with men.

 However, women  had  limited rights  in inheriting property. A spinster was entitled to one-fourth share of patrimony received by her brothers whereas married daughter had no share in her father’s property. The  family property was under the control and management of the patriarch. As  for wife living separately, she  was entitled to 1/3rd of her husband’s wealth. Unfortunately a  widow  had no share of her husband's estate and the the society preferred her to lead life similar to that of an ascetic.Women’s participation in public meetings and debates, however, gradually declined in later Vedic period because in such gathering  gambling and drinking were allowed.

During the Epic period  the  Indian women continued to enjoyan honorable position at home as revealed by the various episodes in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There are references to  the valor and wisdom of  great women like Sabitri, Draupadi, Kaikeye, Sita, Rukmani, Satyabhama and others.

During the period of Dharmashastras and puranas, the status of women  was not satisfactory as one could see gradual erosion of their status and equal rights. They were relegated to second class citizens. No access to education, no freedom and the society was dominated by men.
Purdah. www.outlookindia.com

On the social side, child marriage (pre-puberty marriage) took roots. There was no room for  either widow's remarriage or access to education. Slowly creeped-in  was the scourge of Sati. So was the purdah system. As for males,  polygamy  was allowed and the wife had to put up with this injustice. 


Modern Indian woman.Original Wavelength
 One could see some changes during the time of Buddha.There lived a number of  women Bhikunnies, wearing Khashaya  during that time and women ascetics became part of the sang after a strong plea. However, on many fronts, the status of women remained unchanged.

The women had to climb the social ladder with patience and caution. In the later centuries and after the arrival of the colonial rule, they had a flicker of hope and desperation to surge forward to prove their worth in the society. 

Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_India

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/women/status-of-women-in-ancient-india/47636/












The status of India's ancient women - 02

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Ancient Indian woman. abhisays.com
Since ancient time the  Indian women have undergone many changes with respect to their role and status in the Indian society. Though their position  in the present Indian society is far  better off, the gender discrimination is very much here. For centuries, Indian women have traveled a rugged road ridden with all kinds of impediments and countless women through intelligence and talents have  proved that that they are no way a step inferior to men. Given a right chance,  they  can prove that they can out smart men in many fields. 

Given below are some facts about Indian women and their long gradual upward journey in a conservative society like India.   

Some facts of Indian women:

The wrong one!! Indian swayamwara - choosing the partner. . www.santabanta.com
01. The birth of a girl in the ancient family of India  was a good news  and not a curse as it was in the medieval  period. Through out early Vedic period, women enjoyed equal status in various aspects of family life. Decision making in the family, choosing of life partner, education, etc., were some of the things enjoyed by the women. During this period, there was no child marriage and polygamy was not practiced.
protsahan.wordpress.comwww.dnaindia.com
 02. In the post Vedic period, the status of women declined gradually. The reasons are:  Imposition of Brahmanical austerities on the entire society,  tough  restrictions imposed by the caste system and the joint family system. Consequently, they had no access to education, confined to within the four walls of the house. Child marriages were allowed. So was polygamy. There was no such a thing called widow's remarriage. ‘Sati’ became increasingly prevalent, purdah system came into vogue.
Unfortunate girl with her old husband.www.dnaindia.com
coot and the young girl. thepresentindia.blogspot.com
03. The status of women improved a little during the Buddhist period woman's position improved to  some extend. Some of the rigidity and restrictions imposed by the caste system  saw some relaxation and  Buddha emphasized on women's equality and he tried to improve the cultural, educational and religious statuses of women. Rulers such as Chandragupta Maurya, Ashoka, Sri Harsha and others,  worked hard to improve the freedom and status of women, applying Buddha's  philosophy.
polygamy, India www.marryinaweek.com
04. Women were allowed  to become “Sanyasis”following   Buddhist monastic-life. The Bhikshuni Sangha provided them an opportunity to engage in public life -  cultural activities and social service.

05. Not  withstanding all these obstacles, restrictions and taboo, many  bold women became prominent in the realms  of politics, literature, education and religion. Notable among them were  
Razia Sultana, Slave DynastyRazia Sultana (1205-1240) was the daughter of Iltutmish and the most deserving contender to the throne of Delhi after the death of Iltutmish..
www.rapidleaks.com . www.indianetzone.com
Razia Sultana, only  woman ruler   ever ruled Delhi and the Gond queen Durgavati who  ruled for fifteen years before losing her life in a battle with Mughal  emperor Akbar's general Asaf Khan in 1564. 

Chand Bibi:  was a Muslim woman warrior. She acted as the Regent of Bijapur (1580–90) and Regent of Ahmednagar (1596–99). best known for defending Ahmednagar against the Mughal forces of Emperor Akbar in 1595.www.gyanipandit.com
06. Other worthy examples are  Chand Bibi  who defended  Ahmednagar  against the powerful Mughal  forces of Akbar in the 1590s, Akbar's only Hindu wife Herr Kunwari (mother of  Mogul Jahangir) who enjoyed full freedom  and had successfully run a financial empire during her period,  Jehangir's wife Nur Jehan  who was a power behind her husband, the  Mughal princesses  Jahanara and Zebunnissa were well-known poets and also influenced the ruling powers and Emperor 
Shivaji and mother Jijabai. www.quora.com
Shivaji's  mother, Jijabai, who was a queen regent and  a source of inspiration to Shivaji.

Abolition of Sati. Gov. Gen. Bentinck william.en.wikipedia.org

07. The practice of Sati - self immolation by a widow on husbands funeral pyre and Jauhar - the practice of voluntary immolation by wives and daughters of defeated warriors, in order to avoid capture and consequent molestation by the enemy became defunct long long ago. Abolition of Sati  was effected under Governor-General
William Cavendish-Bentinck in 1829

rajaram Mohanroy. www.rapidleaks.com
08. The Bhakti movements  saw the gradual rise of women's position in the society. Mirabai, a female saint-poet, was quite popular in the north and later some bakthi sects gave importance to social justice and equality between men and women. Guru Nanak, the first Guru of Sikhs, preached equality between men and women.

09. The practice of  Purdah among some Muslim communities of India requiring women to cover themselves in front of males for the purpose of modesty is not very much prevalent in India now as more Indian Muslim women go to work in MNCs, especially in IT companies. Purdah system does exist in some small towns and cities among the conservative Muslim  communities.

10. Devadasi -  The temple dancing girl  is  still a  misunderstood religious practice. It was practiced in southern India, in which women were "married" to a deity or temple. Later the society showed them in bad light and the stigma, nowadays does not exist. Devadasis were the forerunners of Bhratanatyam, an important classical dance of India that was popularized by Rukmani Arundale
(1904 – 1986), a great exponent of Bharata Natyayam and a revivalist in the Indian classical dance form of Bharatanatyam from its original 'sadhir'style, prevalent among the temple dancers.

11. During the British Raj, Many reformers such as Ram Mohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and Jyotirao Phule fought for the betterment of women.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. www.slideshare.net
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's efforts  led to the passing of Widow Remarriage Act of 1856.  


12. An interesting aspect is, the wives of Christian evangelists contributed their mite to educate the Indian women during the colonial period. Martha Mault née Mead and her daughter Eliza Caldwell née Mault  were pioneers in the training of girls in south India

13.  Raja Rammohan Roy's efforts led to the abolition of Sati under Governor-General William Cavendish-Bentinck in 1829. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar's  political battle led to the Widow Remarriage Act of 1856. Many women reformers such as Pandita Ramabai also helped the cause of women.


protsahan.wordpress.comwww.dnaindia.com
14. Kittur Chennamma, queen of the princely state Kittur in Karnataka, revolted against the British in response to the Doctrine of lapse. Abbakka Rani, valiantly fought against the  Portuguese in the 16th century. Rani Velu Nachiyar (1730-1789?), was an 18th century Indian queen from Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, S. India  and she successfully got back her kingdom from the British after defeating  them. Rani Lakshmi Bai, the Queen of Jhansi, a victim of Doctrine of Lapse, led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the British.  So was Begum Hazrat Mahal, the co-ruler of Awadh, who led the revolt of 1857. She refused deals with the British and later retreated to Nepal. The Begums of Bhopal were also considered notable female rulers during this period. They did not observe purdah and were trained in martial arts and administration of the kingdom.

The present day Indian women have to go a long way to enjoy  full freedom on par with men.
Ref:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_India


http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/women/status-of-women-in-ancient-india/47636/

Light Jogging and its impact on longevity!!

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www.cartoonstock.com
jogging www.cartoonstock.com
 As we  all know that jogging is a form of aerobic endurance training, involving mainly  trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace. The main purpose is to increase the palpitation of heart, physical  endurance and fitness with less stress on the body than from faster running. One has  to maintain a steady speed for longer periods of time to improve their endurance. Stretching exercise is a necessity before and after jogging. Living in a stressed urban and semi urban areas of congested cities, driving or traveling long distance through  crowded highways, almost daily working people face fatigue and exertion,  not to speak of tiresome mundane office work. So, making it a regular habit to go jogging is a good bet to relieve stress; besides jogging has a lot of  other health benefits as well.
www.cartoonstock.com
Aerobic exercises  are  essential  for a  healthy  heart, controlled  body  weight  and  overall good health that will have positive impact  on  longevity.  Millions of people across the world have made jogging a regular part of their lives and among them there  are slow / light joggers  as well as strenuous joggers. A 2-year research study by a Copenhagen hospital team, Denmark revealed strenuous joggers were as likely to die as sedentary non-joggers, while light joggers had the lowest rates of death.

The  scientific conclusion was  based on a detailed study of  healthy joggers and healthy but sedentary non-joggers  for sometime. The study focused on hours  of  jogging, frequency, and the individual's perception of pace. As it is known, individuals' pace may vary from person to person.
www.greatcanadianjokebook.com
It is concluded that the mortality rates were low in the case of slow and moderate  joggers - Jogging from 1 to 2.4 hours per week with  the optimal frequency of jogging. In this case it was no more than three times per week.

Early studies have found that more than moderate exercise may cause more harm than good.


Peter Schnohr, MD, DMSc, a researcher from, Copenhagen, Denmarkconcluded  that while jogging, pace of joggers is very important as the pace of the slow joggers  corresponds  to vigorous exercise and strenuous jogging corresponds  to very vigorous exercise. However,  'decades of high-level activities could cause health risks, and may affect the efficiency of the cardiovascular system.'

World over  people  are  leading  a  stressful life and if your target is  to  decrease the risk of heart problems and improve  your life expectancy, jogging a few times a week at a  moderate pace is a good bet as too much of anything is harmful. Besides, watch out your dietary habits.

Journal Reference:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150202160703.html

Words of wisdom, Sri Sankara Bhagavatpada - 01

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(Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada, Shankara with his guru  Guru Adi Shankara


What is that can not be measured?
The ways of women. 
Who is the capable person?
He who is not deceived by the ways of women.
What is sorrow?
Dissatisfaction.
What is lowly?
Begging from those who are low.

What is good life?
That which is blemish-less.
What is dullness?
The absence of practice even in regard to  one's reading.
What is awake?
The discriminating one.
What is sleep?
The delusion of beings. 

What is unsteady like the water on the leaf of a lotus?
Youth, wealth and length of life.
Who are like the rays of moon?
It is only those that are good.
 What is hell?
Being dependent on others.
What is happiness?

It is the giving up of all attachments.
What is truth?
That which is good for all beings.
What is dear to the living being?
Life.

 ...............   Bhagvatpada's Prasnottara-ratna-malikka
 ( by Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekara Sawarvati Swamigal of Kanchi Mutt) 
Ref:
 Bhavan's Journel, Jyly 01, 1985. 

Additional gems from
Prasnottara-ratna-malikka:

 O Lord, which is to be taken ?
Utterances of the preceptor.
What is more beneficial than anything else?
Righteousness.
What is poison ?Transgression of preceptor’s orders.
What is most desirable for human beings ?Life dedicated to one’s and others’ welfare.

Who are thieves ?
Objects of sense.
Who is foe? It is but idleness.
What is the cause of greatness ?
That which is known as not asking favors.
What is unhappiness ?
Cheerlessness.

What is un-intelligence ?
Not repeating what is learnt.
What is transient?
like the water on the lotus leaf ?

Ref:
http://www.kamakoti.org/kamakoti/details/Prashnottara%20ratna%20Malika%20Sanskrit.pdf

Anatomy of anger

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Boss steaming with anger. Pinterest



A woman with no harmony because of hormone problem. CartoonStock
If there is one  man who does not have desires, he in not all a human being, he may a demigod. Desire is a driving force in our lives, so man's desires are insatiable and they keep growing as his status changes then and there. If one desire is fulfilled, another one is born. Our desires will go on 'ad-infinitum.' or into infinity. When man is obsessed with so many desires, he will definitely run into serious problems. A true follower of desire does not get the results as he expected, disappointment will be writ  largely on his otherwise calm face. Consequently his anger along with frustration is aroused to a point where he feels restless and get angry with somebody, who is believed to be responsible.

Anger  is nothing but an emotional reaction  that is used
as a protective mechanism to cover up fear, hurt or sadness. It is often accompanied by change in physical condition of the body that takes the impact. A person  may experience increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and increased levels of adrenaline and nor- adrenaline. Anger, an intense emotional response, is the result of an uncomfortable situation, hurt, threat or provocation. If not controlled, it causes untold miseries like a towering inferno.

 If our kid makes a mistake that affects others, we just give a damn and say 'he might have done it on provocation. If it is other way round, the other kid is a brat, an incorrigible  devil, Why this partiality?  By getting angry, we are punishing ourselves the mistakes of others. We do not realize that underneath anger lies pain. Often, we are blind to reason and assume we have done it on merit even if we are doubtful.  If we are magnanimous enough to look at others getting angry, as we tend to look at ourselves, perhaps we will stop blaming others and will make a sincere attempt to see why  the other man gets angry or loses his temper. If  we are honest, we may see our faults and justify his anger. In a tense situation like this, introspection will put a break on our thought process and the result is better behavior.

It has been widely held that reason and anger are poles apart and they seldom act together. When anger takes us over, our reason is lost, we will grope in the dark and fail to know what is right and what is wrong. Our Sastras emphasis the fact that elders, teachers and parents should be treated with utmost respect, even if they behave erratically. It is an act of humility that we've gained since our early childhood and it will help us get rid of the evils of ego and anger.

When we are moody because of dissatisfaction or frustration, we show it on the poor people around us. Such powder-keg anger will take us only to the blind alley. We must learn to accept life as it comes and be content with what we have.  We can achieve it with meditation, prayer and patience. When these are applied in unison, we develop discretionary power and we will be able to control our pent-up emotions that may explode like a powerful volcano. 

So, when we run into  a short-tempered person, it is wrong to insult him that will be equal to calling a blind man by using his  physical impairment. It is likely that the person may have a mental handicap such as anger.  what will happen when we meet anger with anger?  It is something like two cowpokes pointing six-shooters at each other. The result is zilch. It will be nothing but disaster.

When confronted with people who are prone to lose their temper, we can sincerely try to conquer their anger and irritability by love or patience. A wise man never loses his control over his emotion, unlike  a fool who gives full vent to his anger. Introspection and discretion are  basic elements with which you can deal with a person with short temper.

Anandibai, first Indian woman to study medicine in the USA

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The First Indian Women to become a  Doctor. Anandi Gopal Joshi.  Storypick

QuoteAddicts.com
  A couple of centuries ago, it was considered a taboo to cross the ocean by the conservative Hindu society. When the British ruled India, in the early period, they wanted to send the Indian soldiers  to Burma via the Bay of Bengal for some political reason.The soldiers refused to cross the ocean and preferred overland route to Burma via Assam. For disobeying the military orders, the entire regiment was punished. In a social scenario like this if a woman wanted to go abroad for higher studies, guess how the Indian society of by-gone era would have reacted. In spite of such religious restrictions, in those days there were countless daring women, who were ready to fight for their legitimate rights to pursue their passion.  Dr. Anandi Gopal Joshi was a real trail blazer. In the midst  of odds, she went to  the US and completed her degree in medicine at a pretty young age.
Anandi Gopal Joshi  Twitter
In the 1800s, when women had no access to education, Anandi had the unique honor of being the first Indian woman and also the first South Asian female to get a degree in Western medicine. She was the first female of Indian origin to  have graduated with a degree in medicine in the U.S.A. To go one step further, no other Hindu woman of her time had set foot on the American soil for the higher studies. Indeed,  it was a great feat in those days for a women.  

Anandibai, born as Yamuna, in Kalyan, Thane district in present-day Maharashtra, belonged to an orthodox rich Hindu Brahmin family. Because of financial constraints, when she was just 9 years old,  she married one Gopal Rao, a postal clerk, much older to her. After marriage, her name was changed to Ananadi. Her husband, was a progressive thinker and was a supporter of women's equal rights and education.  Upon his transfer to  to Calcutta  (Kolkata), he was interested in his wife's education and progress. Knowing the importance of English, being from a respectable Brahmin family, he encouraged her to study English.Though a  victim of  child marriage, she was very fortunate to have an understanding husband who encouraged her in every possible way to chase her dream. As usual there were some protests in her family and in the community.  She became a mother when she was just fourteen, too tender an age for child-bearing, and unfortunately the baby died soon after birth. This tragic incident impacted her thinking, however, it became a turning point in her life. This gave her inspiration and she felt a sense of urgency to specialize in medicine so that so many early premature child deaths could be avoided.  

 In 1880, her husband established contact with a  well-known American missionary one  Wilder regarding  Anandibai's  interest in studying medicine in the United States. Wilder 's publication in his  Princeton's Missionary Review regarding Anandi's interest in medicine drew the attention of one  Theodicia Carpenter, a resident of Roselle, New Jersey, who  happened to read it while waiting to see her dentist. In the meantime, in an informal meeting in Serampore, WB, Anandi explained to a large gathering  about her firm intention  to go to the US to study medicine and she had a plan to start a Medical college in India upon her return. She stressed  the need for Hindu female doctors in India. The conservative people suspected that she would become a Christian convert in America and to clarify it, she promised them that she won't change her religious faith on any count.  Her  honest speech received  wide publicity, and financial contributions started pouring in from all over India.
Anandibai Joshee graduated from Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania (WMC) in 1886. Seen here with Kei Okami (center) and Tabat Islambooly (right). All three completed their medical studies and each of them was the first woman from their respective countries to obtain a degree in Western medicine.en.wikipedia.org
Anandibai traveled  from Calcutta to New York by ship where she was received by Ms. Theodicia Carpenter  in June 1883 and was admitted to  Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania,  (which was the second women's medical program in the world). Rachel Bodley, the dean of the college, enrolled her. Despite her poor health because of cold climate, she graduated with an MD on 11 March 1886; the topic of her thesis was "Obstetrics among the Aryan Hindoos".  It was indeed  a great honor that on her graduation, Queen Victoria sent her a congratulatory message.
Anandibai began her medical education at age 19. Upon her return to India in 1886, in the  princely state of Kolhapur,  she was appointed  as the physician-in-charge of the female ward of the local Albert Edward Hospital.


Tragedy struck the family of Gopal Rao, the man who stood behind his wife like a pillar in her pursuit of medical education. Anandibai died early following year on 26 February 1887 before turning 22. Her unexpected death was mourned throughout India. Her ashes were sent to Theodicia Carpenter, a humane soul who helped her a lot while  she in the US. She  placed them in her family cemetery in Poughkeepsie, New York. Her unfortunate death at too young an age falls within the  realm of Karma. What else can we conclude?

Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandi_Gopal_Joshi

Article 1

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it is an unfortunate fact that even today after 70 years of independence from England, the woman's place  in India is not encouraging. May be the urban scenario is different, but in  rural India, one may see a little change. Though rural women come out of the cocoon and go to work and  be independent, after marriage their life style changes and  they have to adjust to the new family and  husband,. The trouble starts if the husband is a drinker or a malicious man, unless a miracle happens her life is miserable. Though the society seriously talks about gender gap, woman's equity,women's rights, etc, there runs  a s streak of malice and 

Famous Indian women of steel and nerves - 01

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One can see  marked improvements in women' s status in India in the last two decides, however, still it is harder for  Indian women to breathe the fresh air of freedom and be free from all evils.Though the society seriously talks about gender gap, woman's equality, women's rights, etc, there runs  a  streak of malice and loathing. Certain sections of society  have become more open to the idea of equality between the sexes, but, still  there remains a deep rooted misogyny in the country.  There have been numerous Indian women who have displayed unbelievable courage and will power to move forward in the face of cultural and social rejection. Definitely they have changed the gender landscape of India for the better.

Here are some Indian women who broke the norms at a time when it was a Herculean task for them to rebel against a society that had a deep routed conservatism and age old tradition.  In a way these

women were mavericks and daring trail blazers who never turned back and finally achieved their dream. They successfully braced themselves to face a demanding situation and established a name in their chosen field of activity.
 

01. Rani Velu Nachiyar: 

Veera mangai Rani Velu Nachiyar of Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu, earliest freedom fighter against the British.  The Hindu
 Rani Velu Nachiyar(1730-1789?): was an 18th-century Indian queen of  Sivaganga kingdom, Tamil Nadu, S. India  and ruled the land under the able guidance of Maruthu Pandiyar, a patriot and a sworn enemy of the British. She was the first queen to have revolted against the mighty British and their oppressive rule and their poor treatment of native people right on their own soil. Her fight for freedom from the British  preceded the revolts by Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, Madhya Pradesh who boldly stood the ground  and fought against the British and their way of land grabbing under the garb of the ''doctrine of Lapse,'' introduced by Lord Dalhousie.

The British killed her husband and his first wife and Velunachiyar was forced to go in to exile. She  was in Dindukal, TN for several years  and secretly  organized a well trained military including a woman's wing. She was helped by Hyder Ali of Mysore and one Gopala Naicker during her exile.

In  1780 Rani Velu Nachiyar  attacked the British  settlements in a lightning speed with her well trained troops got her  kingdom back. She was the first woman to employ a human bomb that gave hell to the English troops. Velu Nachiyar is symbol of armed resistance to foreign rulers and she is a legend in Tamil Nadu, in particular, south Tamil Nadu. A commemorative postage stamp on  31 December 2008 was released by the Indian government in her honor.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velu_Nachiyar

02. Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi:

Jhansi Rani Lakshmibai. Pinterest
Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi (19 November 1828 to 18 June 1858), the queen of the Maratha-ruled Jhansi State, central part of India, was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 called Sepoy Mutiny. She was a symbol of  armed resistance to the British Raj and their unjust policies that toppled many kingdoms, using the trump card called the doctrine of lapse. Born into a Marathi Brahmin family of Varanasi, she married the Maharaja of Jhansi, Raja Gangadhar Rao Newalkar in May 1842. Upon the ruler's death in 1853, Janshi Rani  ruled the kingdom as a Regent. As there was no legal heir to the throne, using the Doctrine of Lapse as a ruse, the  British took over the kingdom. Janshi Rani along with her associates fought ferociously against the E. I. Co  troops,  and it it was of no avail  and she was killed  at an young age of 22 in the battle. She became an embodiment of valor and courage and an inspirations to millions of women in India. She is a legend.
Ref:  

03. Begum Hazrat Mahal:
Begum Hazrat Mahal. Universal Booksellers
Born in 1820, Hazrat Mahal Begum (1820 – 7 April 1879) was trained to manage  various  affairs of  the state for Awadh, along with her husband. She played a major role in the Rebellion of 1857. 

Born as Muhammadi Khanum,  at Faizabad, Awadh (also Ouadh), India, she  was a courtesan by profession  and became close to the royal family of Awadh. Being intelligent and smart, she won the heart of the rich Nawob  became a begum after being accepted as a  wife of the King of Oudh. The title 'Hazrat Mahal' was bestowed on her after the birth of their son, Birjis Qadra.

Also known as Begum of Awadh, (OUDH), she  was the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. . After her husband had been exiled to Calcutta, she took charge of the affairs in the state of Awadh and seized control of Lucknow. She  wanted her son, Prince Birjis Qadra  to become Wali (ruler) of Awadh; but it was a futile attempt. She finally found asylum in Nepal where she died in 1879.
While in exile, she did not keep idle, instead she  protested against the demolition of places of worship - temples and mosques to make way for the construction of roads. Thus she turned the attention of the people and focused on the injustices done by the officials of E.I. Co.

Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Begum_Hazrat_Mahal

04. Justice Anna Chandy:
Jutice Anna chandy Geni
Justice Anna Chandy (1904 - 1996), born in 1905 in Trivandrum in an orthodox  Christian family was the first woman to get law degree (1926) in her state. While practicing as a  lawyer in 1929, she  took a keen role  in matters related to women's rights, their social status, remarriage, etc. She started a  magazine  called Shrimati to promote the cause of women and she became its editor.  In 1959, she was appointed as a judge in the Kerala High Court, a position she held for 9  successive years. The then Dewan of Travancore Sir. C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, who himself was a legal luminary  and one of the best legal brains in India, recognized Anna Chandy's  remarkable legal knowledge and its application in legal matters promptly promoted her in 1937 as the Munsif of the Travamcore court in the princely state. Later she became a district judge. She became the first female judge in an Indian court when she was appointed to the Kerala High court in February 1959 and  held the job with dedication till April 1967. She got a name for herself in the legal circle for her methodical court judgement and verdicts. She served on the law commission of India and died in July 1996 at the age of 92.  
Ref: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Chand
www.Navrangindia blog

05. Kittur Rani Chenamma:

Kittur Chennamma Rani chennamma Alchetron
 Kittur Rani Chenamma  (23 October 1778 – 21 February 1829), the Queen of Kittur, a princely state in Karnataka is credited with being one of the earliest  woman freedom fighters in India. Being daring and committed  she led the  first   armed rebellion against the British East India Company in 1824. 

She was the queen of her native kingdom and married Raja Mallasarja, of the Desai family. Having lost her son in 1824, she   adopted Shivalingappa, and made him the legal heir to the throne. The British East India Company, using a policy of paramountcy and complete authority (doctrine of lapse officially codified between 1848 and 1856 by Lord Dalhousie), was keen to  seize her kingdom. The did not accept adoption in succession matters. Chennamma defied the order  and  fought valiantly with the aid of her lieutenant, Sangolli Rayanna. She was no match for the mighty British army and was  ultimately captured and imprisoned at Bailhongal Fort, where she died on 21 February 1829. Chennamma was well supported by  her lieutenant Gurusiddappa in the war against British.

She became a symbol of  armed resistance against the oppressive foreign rule. She is a celebrity in the state of  Karnataka  along with Abbakka Rani, Keladi Chennamma and Onake Obavva, as the foremost women warriors and patriots. She was a woman of extraordinary prowess, vision and determination.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kittur_Chennamma

06. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit


Vijayalakshmi pandit. en.wikipedia.org
 Vijaya Lakshmi Nehru Pandit (18 August 1900 – 1 December 1990)  an Indian diplomat and politician,  was the sister of Jawaharlal Nehru, first PM of independent India  and the aunt of Indira Gandhi. Being the first woman President of the U.N. General Assembly in 1953, she won laurels for her forth right views.  In 1953. She was a stalwart and an inspiration in the human rights movement worldwide.

Her husband was  Ranjit Sitaram Pandit (1893-1944), a successful Maharashtrian barrister from Kathiawad and classical scholar who  was arrested for his support of Indian independence and died in Lucknow prison jail in 1944.  Vijayalakshmi  took the honor of being  the first Indian woman to hold a cabinet post. In 1937 she was elected to the provincial legislature of the United Provinces and  became  a  minister of local self-government and public health. She held the latter post until 1939 and again from 1946 to 1947. In 1946 she was elected to the Constituent Assembly from the United Provinces. Later she served as ambassador to Russia (1947 to 1949), USA and  Mexico (1949 to 1951), Ireland (1955 to 1961) and during that period she concurrently  held the post of   High commissioner to the UK  and Spain between 1958 to 1961.  Between 1962 to 1964, she was the Governor of Maharastra.
She died in  1990 at the age 90 on December 01  in Dehradun, UP., after a long successful diplomatic and political career. For a woman of her generation, it was a mammoth achievement.

 Ref:
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vijaya_Lakshmi_Pandit

07. Savitribai Jyotirao Phule:

Dr. BR Ambedkar's Caravan
 Savitribai Jyotirao Phule(3 January 1831 to 10 March 1897), an Indian social reformer and poet is considered an important personality of  the  of  the Social Reform Movement in Maharashtra. At that time women  when were confined to their hearth and  home and  never stepped out of their family living space, Savitribai  was the  first female teachers for girls in India.she emphasized the values of women's education and improving women's rights in India during British rule. Savitribai  along with her husband started  the first women's school at Bhide Wada in Pune in 1848, despite severe criticism, nasty, obscene  verbal abuses, etc while running the institution. in those days women's education was an anathema. Born in 1831 in Naigaon, Maharashtra, Saviribhai, as a teacher, continued to teach the girls and at the same time she worked hard to improve the conditions of widows such as remarriage, public participation, etc., and untouchables.
Savitribai Phule was honored by the British government for her contribution to education. When the bubonic  plague struck India  in 1897, in Pune Savaitribai  helped the affected people along with her adopted son and in the process contracted the dreadful disease and died on 10 March 1897. she was regarded as "Rashtramata" in the state of Maharastra. Her clarion  call against injustice to women slowly changed the  social scenario of the Indian women in the later decades.
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savitribai_Phule

08. Kamaladevi Chattopadhya:
 
Freedom fighter and arts advocate Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay connected with African American activists  Black Desi Secret History
Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay(3 April 1903 – 29 October 1988)  was not only  played an active role in the struggle for  freedom of our country, but also  paid serious attention to our ancient arts and culture that were on the brink facing gradual decline. Kamaladevi was instrumental in the revival  of as well as the revival of arts and culture in India from their near extinction.
 

Born on 3 April 1903 in Mangalore, Karnataka in a rich family, Kamaladevi was an accomplished  freedom fighter and a social worker. She was married when she was barely 14 years of age and two years later  she became a widow. She studied at Queen Mary's college, Chennai, TN., and  later fell in love with one Harindranath  Chattopadhyay, a talented  person and  married him. She also acted in a few films in those days!  Later, she moved over to London  where she got a diploma in sociology  and there she got a chance to  learn about Gandhiji's non-cooperation movements and returned to India. In 1930 she became the only woman in a seven member lead team for his satayagraha movement. She was the first woman to be arrested for selling contraband salt at the Bombay Exchange. She was keenly interested in  women equality, their rights and improvement of their appealing condition in our society.  Unmindful of severe criticism and protests from certain conservative quarters, she never stepped backward and fought the obstructions with more vigor and commitment. The National School of Drama, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Central Cottage Industries Emporium and the Crafts Council of India and the Indian cooperative movement  owe her a debt of gratitude for her pioneering work and in building such institutions / organizations of national importance.
Ref:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamaladevi_Chattopadhyay


09. Captain Prem Mathur


India's first commercial pilot half century ago.Prem Mathur. the hindu
She took the credit of obtaining  her commercial pilot's license in 1947 from Allahabad Flying Club. At that time, it was unheard of for a woman to be a pilot in India as it required  a lot of guts, hard work  and above all support from the family. Seeing an Indian  girl in the cockpit of an aircraft and meddling with the joy stick was just unthinkable  about 50 years ago. Prem Mathur  broke the ground and sent the message across India that women were capable of handling aircraft and they should look skyward. 

After long deliberation, she was accepted by the Deccan Airways in Hyderabad, and even passed the interview with merit. However, at that point of time, the public was against women flying the aircraft, and it was based on the fact that the women were not as competent as men were to deal with real-life emergency situation when the air-craft developed some malfunctioning or poor weather condition while flying.  she was forced to fly for private airlines. Ultimately she got a chance to fly for the Indian Airlines. 
Ref:
 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/sunday-toi/special-report/Women-in-the-cockpit/articleshow/2128487.cms?referral=PM
 
10. Sucheta Kriplani:
 
Sucheta KriplaniGoogle+

Born in Ambala, Punjab (now in Haryana) to a Bengali Brahmo family, she  studied at  Indraprastha College  and  later at Panjab University. She had brief stint as a  Professor of Constitutional History at Banaras Hindu University.  Married  to Acharya Kriplani (in 1936), an important  leader of the Indian National Congress, despite protests from many sides because her husband was twenty years her senior, Sucheta became a celebrated freedom fighter on merit and was a close associate of  Gandhi during the height of the Quit India Movement. During that period women were reluctant to  associate themselves with the public office because it was considered a male domain. She removed the manacles fixed on the women and impressed on them that if they had the courage and vision, they could serve the people, in particular women by holding public offices. She  had the honor of becoming one of the few women elected to the Constituent Assembly. This gave her  an ample scope to show her talents in drafting  the Indian Constitution during a time when women in public office was  a rare thing and  she was one of a few women to help draft the Indian Constitution. She was also the founder of All India Mahilla Congress, established in 1940. She goes down in the History of India by becoming 
the first woman Chief Minister of  an Indian  State (U.P.  in October 1963)
Kriplani with (from left to right) Ulla Lindström, Barbara Castle, Cairine Wilson and Eleanor Roosevelt in 1949.en.wikipedia.org
between 1963-67. An exciting and memorable event in her life was during the Independence Session of the Constituent Assembly, a few minutes before Nehru delivered his famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech on 14 August 1947, she sang Vande Mataram with great patriotic zeal. Having retired from polities in 1971, she lived in seclusion till her death in 1974.
Ref: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucheta_Kriplani

11. Durgabai Deshmukh:


durgabai Deshmukh. Sites - Google
 Durgabai Deshmukh (15 July 1909 – 9 May 1981) born in 1909 in Andhra Pradesh, she was an Indian freedom fighter, lawyer, social worker and politician.

She was was married off at the  young age of 8. Subsequently she left her husband  in order to  pursue her passion and interest in public life. Being ambitious to free India from  the British rule, she joined the INC and got a chance to work with Gandhiji and his famous  Satyagraha activities. she married C.D. Deshmukh, the first Indian governor of the Reserve Bank of India and Finance Minister in India's Central Cabinet during the years 1950-1956.
She promoted several welfare laws and  vigorously fought hard for women's rights and drafted a national policy on social welfare while she was a member of the Planning Commission.  She was  also a member of the Constituent Assembly of India  and in 1937 being a  public activist for women's emancipation, she started Andhra Mahilla Sabha to  take care of women's welfare and their equal rights. She died in Narasannapeta, Srikakulam dist., A.P. and had no issues.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Durgabai_Deshmukh


Gandhi Jayanthi and his political cartoons !!.

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http://independenceday-wallpaper.com
www.angelfire.com/
 Gandhi Jayanthi  is `celebrated on the 2nd of October  every year across  India with Indian leaders of various parties garlanding the Gandhiji's statues in their respective places. For the past several decades, they have been  doing it without fail. Following  Gandhi jayanthi day on, his statues across  India will lose their shine and become dusty as months go by. Do our nethas / politicians  really follow his  principles?  With some exceptions, most of them have scant respect for his simplicity and political morality for which he stood and sacrificed his life.  

If Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi,  an Apostle of Non-Violence were alive  to see for himself the following ....

01. Nauseating clashes between caste Hindus and Dalits across India.

02. Irregularities in elections and horse trading in the name of alliance among parties whose ideologies are poles apart.

03. Using caste as vote banks and money power to get votes.

04. Rampant corruption in every thing and every where and nepotism practiced by some higher-ups.

05. Politics has become a money-spinning business. Even the criminal have a chance. 

06. Central and state ministries hit many scams. The amazing thing is, if politicians caught red handed, they know the legal holes through which they can come out unscathed. 

07. Abusing and misusing political power. Grabbing of government lands for personal gains with the help of goondas - local rowdies or thugs.

08. Lately, responsible politicians have  scant respect for the Supreme Court rulings as in the case of the Congress ministry of Karnataka state with respect to release of the Cauvery  River water to Tamil Nadu state (a riparian state).

09. Prevalence of linguistic chauvinism in a few states. In the recent riots in Bangalore, the Kanada speaking people, without scruples had severely beaten up the Tamil speaking people and set fire to their properties, including a fleet of costly buses over a trial thing: Tamil Nadu government wanted the Cauvery water for their staving crops in the Delta region through which the river Cauvery travels and joins the Bay of Bengal. I wonder whether we are living in a  United India. It was quite disgusting.    

10. Frequent breakdowns of the business hours  during parliament sessions.

......... positively he (Gandhi) would send our nethas  either to the gallows or put them on the pillory or wield an AK 47 to make them work sincerely. 

Being a torch-bearer of non-violence, he might regret why he got the  freedom for the Indians and would hang his head in shame for the simple reasons that they have no idea about the unity of a country and the value of freedom. 

Presented below are some of the political cartoon  images of Gandhiji taken from many  sources. The credit is given below each image. Cartoons relating Gandhiji and our Indian leaders might interest you. Many of them are thought-provoking. 

Gandhiji and cartoons:
At 6-30 in the morning of March 12, 1930 march to Dandi (Gujarat), a deserted village on the shore of the Arabian Sea, 240 miles away. He said he would not return to the ashram until the Salt Act had been repealed and swaraj won. Seventy-eight volunteers and thousands of others accompanied him. This Czech cartoon depicts Gandhi and his non-violent army of freedom fighters defying the armed might of the British Empire. 
www.angelfire.com









www.angelfire.com/
The European and American Press took the cause of Indian freedom sympathetically. They reported the civil disobedience-movement extensively to give wide publicity. Cartoonists in these countries also took up the cause of Indian independence. In this drawing which appeared in Kladderadatsch, a very popular humorous weekly of Berlin between the two world wars, India is shown moving inexorably towards freedom under the guidance of Gandhi despite the frantic efforts of the British establishment to halt it by brute force.
www.angelfire.com   ... The British Government in India, pictured as a lion, was thoroughly infuriated by the mass civil disobedience movement which followed Gandhi's breaking the salt law. There were violent disturbances in numerous places across India, to which the Government reacted by unloosing all the force it had at its disposal against the satyagrahis. Gandhi wrote at that time: "if we are to stand the final heat of the battle, we must learn to stand our ground in the face of cavalry or baton charges and allow ourselves to be trampled under horses' hooves, or be bruised with baton charges.
whi-d.wikispaces.com
\This picture shows a balding man locking up Gandhi in a jail cell, while thousands of Gandhis are behind  the man, watching him. This picture symbolizes the situation Lord Willingdon was put in, in which  he locked up Gandhi. He got himself into a predicament. He thought that by locking him up, he would stop all of the “peaceful fighting” that Gandhi used, but once he was locked up, unexpected happened.  Everyone else rallied together to act like Gandhi, hence everyone taking the image of Gandhi. Lord Willingdon looks very bewildered in the picture,  as when he locked up one Gandhi, thousands more took his place.


whi-d.wikispaces.com
In this cartoon Gandhi is looking cheerfully at a Briton  who is trying to charm some proposals for Gandhi. The British guy is waiting for the rope to move but it will never happen because it is a rope and therefore cannot be charmed. If you look closely he looks stressed as he is trying hard to blow the instrument. Hence, his cheeks are bulged. Gandhi is standing and laughing at the British man’s attempts. This shows that Gandhi has benefited because he knows about both Indian culture and British Culture while the British man has not even taken the consideration to look at what he is trying to do; the British Man has gotten sloppy. This is showing how the Indians have started to outsmart the British
2ndlook.wordpress.com
The British started deifying Gandhiji. This cartoon titled "The saint and the tiger" (Cartoonist - David Low (1891-1963) Published - Evening Standard, 20 Jan 1948).
Gandhi has red-eyes. He does not like the netha going in the car. Perhaps, the politician is dishonest and unfit to be in politics. www.fropky.com

Gandhi made the yatra to Dandi with honest people behind him. Now, our honest nethas are followed by men without scruples. www.santabanta.co
No  liquor is supposed to be served  on the Gandhi Jayanthi day.  In the state of Tamil Nadu, it is  said,  that  a few liquor shops in many towns, secretly sell liquor through a specially built very small window one can hardly notice. Drunks can easily identify them. If you stck out your hand with extra bucks, there you go. The required bottle will land on your hand. The markup  on one bottle is more than 50%. This goes on, it is said, without the knowledge of the senior officials. independenceday-wallpaper.com
www.manjul.com   --- Here Gandhiji seems to be in pretty happy mood and if he had a company, he would definitely do a Tango. Reason: He rejoices over the news of corrupt and dishonest politicians going to the slammer. Unfortunately Gandhiji does not know that the  prison has a small crawl-space like exit (legal holes) through which our smart nethas will slip through and start over his  dirty work where he left. It is a Sisyphus  attempt to send  the  corrupt Indian nethas  to the can. Because of these men with poor credibility, good politicians get a bad rap.
Glad Gandhiji is wearing dark glasses, If he reads what he has in his hand,  he may breathe fire and brimstone.  Prior to 1965 such irregularities in thegovernment were rare. www.mindthenews.com
passing the bucks:  Gandhji's image in the currency notes (bills). If he were alive, he would be in tears.  www.mindthenews.com

Mandadam town and its link with Kakatiya rule - Andhra

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Amaravati, where Andhra's new capital is going to emerge in the near future, is an important historical place dating back to several centuries.  Mandadam is a neighborhood and a part of Urban Notified Area of Amaravati.  It is a village in Thullur Mandal (Tazil) of Guntur district.

 According to Dr E. Sivanagi Reddy, renowned archaeologist of  The Cultural Center of Vijayawada and Amaravati (CCVA) many of the villages of the capital region have  numerous Buddhist and Jain remains, temples, sculptures and inscriptions  where past history is frozen in rocks - a veritable place for history and monuments freaks.
.. At Mandadam, where the Chief Minister broke ground for the capital city,  Frontline

Mandadam village, once part of the Kakatiya kingdom is of particular interest and it  was the venue of Rudramadevi’s birthday celebrations in 1261 AD. Here there is a  dilapidated temple dedicated to Lord Visveswara (Shiva)  with a huge stone inscription dated 1261 AD issued jointly by the Kakatiya emperor Ganapatideva and his crown princess and designated empress of the Andhra County. 

 There are 182 lines in Sanskrit and 18 lines in Telugu, both in Telugu script, carved on all three sides on a granite slab of 14 feet and 2 feet 10 inches square, The inscriptions reveal such information as  the Kakatiya family, pontifical succession of the Golakimatha of the Saiva sect and  the gift  of Mandaram in the Velanadu Kandravati made by the ruler Ganapathideva   to his Guru Visveswara Sivacharya.

Rudramadevi, Ganapathideva’s daughter made a formal gift of that village along with the village of Velagapundi (Velagapudi). Visweswara Siva, founded  a new village  and named it Rudradevipura and he was instrumental in bringing to one place people of different caste with various skills  from  various parts of the country.

Rudramadevi’s birthday was celebrated recently in August, 2016 on the banks of Krishna river in the present Amaravati capital region.

 Rudramadevi or Rudrama Devi (died 1289 or 1295), was a ruler of the Kakatiya dynasty in the Deccan Plateau. She was one of the very few women to rule a kingdom  in Indian history and promoted a male image in order to do so.

Rudrama Devi married Virabhadra, a member of a minor branch of the Chalukya dynasty, probably in 1240. This was almost certainly a political marriage designed by her father to forge alliances.
The dilapidated temple constructed by Ganapatideva of Kakatiya dynasty in Mandadam, Deccan Chronicle
  As for Virabhadra  his activities are undocumented and it implies that  he played no  major part in her administration. So, Rudrama ran the various branches of administration on her own with some reliable people around her. The couple had two daughters. Incidentally Rudrama Devi learned archery in Mandadam and gained mastery over this weapon. The nearby Vijayawada city, that has produced well-known  modern archers, has historical link with archery and Kakatiya dynasty.


http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/280816/relics-of-kakatiya-rule-in-state-of-utter-ruin.html

Vijayawada city and its historical link with archery

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victorious young  archers, Vijayawada. The Hindu
The history of archery can be traced back to the ancient civilizations, when bows and arrows were mainly used as weapons to hunt  animals  for food and to fight enemies in the battlefield. It was the mastery of the archers at the battlefield that helped gain  victories.  In ancient times,  pines served as the arrows  because they were strong and it  consisted of one fore shaft and a flint point. 


According to the history of archery, bows were first developed either in the early years of the Mesolithic age or in the late Paleolithic age. The oldest bow used by archers, it is believed, is native to Denmark. Archery has been known to India since ancient time. In the great Hindu epics of the Ramayana and Mahabharata, mention is made of various renowned archers and their skills in archery. The year  1972 was  a milestone  in the International sports that archery had been included as part of the Olympic discipline by the Munich Olympic Games. In 1973 Archery Association of India - AAI was formed with a view to improving the primitive game to a  competitive sport.
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young archers of Vijayawada Prasar Bharati Parivar
 Vijayawada city, Andhra Pradesh has the unique distinction of having produced around a dozen talented compound archers  who competed in innumerable international competitions and various premier championships  and had won  more than 250 international medals  since 2005. The recent achievements are the  Silver at 2010 CWG, a bronze at 2014 Asian Games, two in the World Cups along with four in the Asian championships and  more than 50 Asian Grand Prix medals, Cherukuri Satyanarayana, president of the academy, proudly said. That every Indian team at the national level  had one compound archer, either male or female, from Vijayawada, is an undeniable fact and it shows the abundant talent prevalent among the city archers. No  doubt  Vijayawada is fast emerging as a nerve center  of compound archery.

Jordan Sequillion - WordPress.com
It was only in 2005 the archery was introduced to this city that too on a football field at IGMC stadium. Later it moved over to a field at Gunadala with the support of Vijayawada Municipal Corporation in 2005. The credit goes to former India coach, the late Ch. Lenin, who laid a  strong foundation for the academy. The same tradition  is continued to day. Thanks to  Indian Railway's archer J. Rama Rao and  his team of assistants, adds Satyanarayana. Volga Archery Academy has a pride place in Indian Archery. 

Arjuna awardee Mangal Singh  further improved his skills in Vijayawada and then went on to become a permanent member of the Indian archery team for a while.

At the Asian Games, Purvasha Sudhir Shende and Vennam Jyothi Surekha (KL University) helped India make a podium finish by clinching the bronze medal in the compound segment.
Chittibomma Jignas and Ritul Chatterjee, both trainees of Volga along with Ch. Srither, bagged the silver medal in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

According to archeologists and Archery coaches, Vijayawada has had a long mythological connection with archery. Cherukuri Satyanarayana, Secretary AP Association of Archery, the well known archer Arjuna of the Pancha Pandavas of the great epic Mahabharata visited this place  all the way from Indraprestha by crossing over the great Vindhya mountains to Indra Keeladri. Here, it is believed, that he acquired the Pushpastra, the most powerful weapon from Lord Shiva. That Vijayawada is derived from Vijayavatika, denoting Arjuna's victory confirms the veracity of this legend, according to Siva Nagi Reddy, renowned archaeologist. Some prominent rulers of various dynasties of this region were good archers and had proved their prowess in archery. One being Gautamiputra  Yagna SriShatakarna of Satvahana dynasty and he was considered as Eka Dhanurdara.

Cartoon Clip Art
Rudramma Devi, a well known queen of the Kakatiya dynasty is believed to have acquired the necessary skills in archery in Mandadam, a village near the proposed capital of Andhra - Amaravati. It is on the other side of the river Krishna in Thullur  Mandal, Guntur district. During the Kakatia dynasty, there were archery training schools. However, historical references have been lost for unknown reasons

Satyanarayana, who runs the Volga Academy, regrets the fact that though their players have  won the international awards, etc., the Indian Government, as usual, has neither given the academy necessary encouragement nor has it appreciated their medal winning players. The sordid attitude of the government is highly deplorable.

Ref: 
The Deccan Chronicle, August 28, 2016 (Vijayawada Edition)

Words of wisdom - Sri Sankara Bagavatpada - 02

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Prasnottara Ratna Malika of Sankaracharya Sanskrit EnglishSanskrit eBooks



01. What is priceless ?
That which is given at the right moment (when needed).

02. What comes along with us  like a shaft till death ?
The sin committed in secrecy. (will haunt till one goes to the grave).

03. By whom is this world conquered ?
By the person who has truthfulness and endurance. (though belated, one will be victorious).

04. In whom lies the control of community of
creatures ?
One who speaks the truth and  is kind and humble.

05.To what should one stick ?
To the right path where-in the seen and the unseen
profits abound.

Sri Adi Sankara  rssing.com
06. What is charity ?
Expecting no return (helping people without reward or accolades).

07. Who is a friend ?
One who saves from sin (in a moment of aberration, if one is about to commit a sin, a true friend will save him).

08. What do those who have destroyed 
ignorance specially urge repeatedly ?
Charity along with sweet words, knowledge with humility,
courage with patience, wealth with renunciation. These 
four auspicious things are hard to attain.

09. What is to be grieved over ?
Miserliness (he is neither of use to himself nor of to the society).

10. Which place is to be shunned ?
One  abounding  in  wicked  people  and  ruled  by  a
greedy king ( such bad things impact the people).


11. And who is  the fit recipient of the gift of food ?
The hungry (removing hunger is a great art of charity).

12. Who is to be grieved over in this world ?
One who is not a giver even when there is wealth.

13. What is to be contemplated day and night ?

The feet of the Lord, not the worldly life.

14. What is to be earned by people ?
Knowledge, wealth, strength, fame and merit.

15. Which is the destroyer of all good qualities ?
Greed.
(Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada, Shankara with his guru  Guru Adi Shankara

 16. Who is the enemy ?
Lust (it will drive the man to the edge of the cliff).

17. What is to be well protected ?
Good name, devoted wife and discernment.

18. What is the Kalp?
A creeper in the world ?
Knowledge imparted to the earnest student.

19. What is heinous ?
Cruelty (cruelty to humans and animals as well).

20. What  is  more  painful  than  death  to  a  respected
person ?
Infamy. (it will push a man from sublime to disgrace).


21. Who grows ?
The humble.

22. What is good fortune for those who have body ?
Health (with good health, one can conquer the world).

23. Who is the protector of the world ?
The Sun.

24. What is the cause of livelihood for everyone?
That is rain.

25. Who is brave ?
One who protects those in fright.

 26. And who is the protector ?
It is the preceptor.

27. Who is the perceptible goddess ?
Mother.

    ......... From  PRASNOTTARARATNA  MALIKA of Sankara Bhagavatpada


25 Facts that you may not know about Diwali!!

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Indiatimes.com
Inspirational Quotes and Pictures

Among the Hindu festivals of India, Deepawali or Diwali is the most popular one and is celebrated every year in Autumn  with religious fervor, fanfare and joy. It is also a major festival in the neighboring country of Nepal.   

 Diwali dates back to ancient times and is mentioned in Sanskrit texts such as the Padma Purana, the Skanda Purana (second half of 1st millennium AD)  as a festival in the Hindu calendar month of Karthika.  Skanda Purana  made a mention of Diyas (lamps) that  symbolize the sun, the cosmic source  of light and energy essential for all  life. It seasonally transits  in the Hindu calendar month of Karthic.

The festival of Diwali has spiritual connotations and is symbolic of  the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over gloom and distress. Millions of people, regardless of caste and regions,  light the oil lamps in various parts of their house, welcoming positive energy and banishing despair.
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World of an Indian cartoonist!
In Katha Upanishad (1st millennium BC), the Nachiketa story is about right versus wrong, real wealth versus transient wealth, knowledge versus ignorance and in some parts, Diwali is associated with the legend of Yama and Nachiketa on Kartika Amavasya. In many places it marks the killing of demon  Naragasura by lord Krishna.
travel.india.com
Some interesting facts:

01. Deepavali (Diwali) is associated with  Ammavasya,  Chaturdashi,. Dwadashi, Pradhamai  Trayodashi and Chaturdashi, depending on the states and regions.
Diwali celebration, Webneel
02. Lord Vishnu  married Lakshmi (appeared from the cosmic ocean of milk - Samundra Manthan  after churning) on the day of Diwali. Hence it has close association with Vishnu and Lakshmi.

03. Savithri saved the life of  her husband Sathyavan from the claws of death by winning over Yama, the demigod of death. 

04. Great philosopher Adi Sankara of Kaladi, Kerala established Gnanapeetham on this day. They later became Mutts.
Diwali, Jaipur Hemant Sonita Photo Writing - WordPress.com
05.  King Mahabali was crowned on this day. Lord Vishnu in the guise of Vamana (dwarf) vanquished Mahabali, who was allowed to visit the earth once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel darkness and pessimism.

06. Lord Buddha attained Nirvana Biksha on this day.

07. In some states  like Himachal Pradesh, Govardhana puja is done in honor of Sri. Krishna on this day.

08. The Mogul Emperor Akbar declared Deepavali as official Government holiday for his Hindu subjects and allowed them to fire crackers.

09. It marks the  return of Lord Rama, his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana to Ayodhya from 14 year after Rama's victory over Lanka king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya illuminated  the town with oil lights or Diyas , heralding  the triumph of good over the evil.

10. For some communities,  it marks the return of Pancha Pandava (Mahabharata) after 12 years of Vanvasa and one year of "Agyatavas". Five brothers had to spend their last year of exile incognito.

11. Goddess Lakshmi, consort of Vishnu and goddess of wealth is worshiped, particularly by the business people of Gujarat and Rajasthan.
Diwali celebration, Jaipur. Festivals of India 2016
12. Lord Ganesha is worshiped on this day because he is known to remove obstacles in our paths / undertakings.

13. Goddess Saraswati is venerated as she is the embodiment of knowledge.
blog.pitarau.com
14. On the day of Diwali, particularly business people worship Gubera, who is symbolic of wealth, book-keeping and wealth management.

15. In states like Odisha and West Bengal, Hindus worship the goddess Kali instead of Lakshmi, and call the festival Kali Puja. Lord Sankara (Shiva), on this day, pacified and subdued goddess Kali who was in rage (in Ugraha form).


16. Sikhs celebrate by lighting the lamps at the golden temple to mark the arrival of   Guru Har Gobind who  was freed along with some Hindu rulers imprisoned at  the Gwalior Fort by the Mogul emperor Jahangir (1699). It is called the Bandi Chhor Divas

17. For the Jains, on this day Mahaveer attained Nirvana at Pavapuri on 15 October 527 BCE, on Kartik Krishna Amavasya.

18. The day of Deepavali is dedicated to our forefathers - pithroos. It is believed that they visit their descendants on this day.

19. Deepavali is also the birth day of Dhabvantri - the god of health.

20. In Tamil Nadu, on this day, people get up in the early morning and take oil bath - massaging the body with gingelly oil  (Nallenai in Tamil). Taking oil bath is a must. Newly married couple celebrate what is called Talai Deepavali (first Deepavali after wedding) at the bride's house and receive gifts.

21. The items given below represent certain purpose and meaning.

Oil (gingelly oil) - Lakshmi (Prosperity); Bathing powder (Sekkakai) - goddess Sararwati (removing ignorance); Sandal paste - Boomi Devi (goddess of earth; better agricultural prospects) ; Kumkumam - goddess Gowri; Sweet water - Amrit; Lakiyam (herbal medicinal paste) -  Dhanvantri, god of health (better health); Salt - Fortune, Mahalakshmi (goddess of wealth). Firing crackers - bringing in light and dispelling darkness; Partaking of sweets - experiencing positive energy and joy.

22. Hindus  shun non-vegetarian food on this day and it is marked by  a visit to the near-by temples.

23. In Nepal, Singapore, Fuji, Malaysia, Trinidad and Tobago, Myanmar, Guyana  and Sri Lanka Deepavali is declared a national holiday.

24. In the Indonesian island of Bali, the large Balinese Hindu communities  celebrate Deepavali.

25. The great king Vikramaditya, on this day, ascended the throne. In 1577, the foundation stone for the Golden Temple at Amritsar was laid . Guru Amar Das (third Sikh Guru) institutionalized Diwali as  the day of receiving blessings from Gurus. 

Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

Dasa Bhuthti (Tamil Magazine, October 2016), Deepavali edition.

Some facts - George Mallory's last ascent on Mt. Everest

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Irvine (left) and Mallory Vertebrate Publishing

mountaineer Mallory's death, June 09, 1924 Everest news
Quotesgram
 For some men of courage and strength, facing  challenges involving  lots of risk is matter of obsession and the immense pleasure of success in such endeavors  keeps their spirits high enough to go for the next one. To those people who use their successful adventures as a spring board, sky is the limit. Two British mountaineers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine  took upon themselves the most difficult undertaking - scaling Mt. Everest, highest peak in the world, a daunting task, considering the quality of mountaineering gears available in the early 1900s. 
mt. Everest. Tibettravel.org
 On June 6, 1924 George Mallory (June 18, 1886 - June 9, 1924) and  his climbing partner Andrew Irvine (8 April 1902 – 8 June 1924), Oxford scholar and an avid rower, were  part of the team to scale Mt. Everest. The expedition was  led by Gen. Bruce and as for Mallory, perhaps, it was  his last  attempt. Mallory, an experienced and tenacious mountain climber  was already 37 years old  and  had a family to look after. Victory had already eluded him on the early expeditions. The team started out on June 6  from the cold wind-whipped Base camp - 21300 feet above msl.  It was a final push and their mission was to set the world record  by being the first ones to reach the roof of the world. Behind this final assault, it was months of  careful planning, preparations, hard work and  unrelenting determination to achieve something, no people had done before. Success was within their grasp provided the weather was favorable.
George Mallory's  June 1924 expedition to Mt. Everest. This Day in Quotes

For the British nation, this expedition was the most  important one to prove their supremacy in adventurism and new frontier exploration. To their dismay, they had already lost the race to the North and South poles.  For Mallory and Irvine, every thing went off well as planned until they reached step rock - an area with obstacles on the 8th  of June. Both Mallory and Irvine were the  sighted on Mount Everest, only a few hundred meters  away from the summit. A member of the team Noel Oddell around early afternoon saw two tiny black spots silhouetted on the snow-clad slope near the rock step. The second black spot was trying to join the first and was slowly moving.  All of a sudden, patches of cloud moved in and the vision vanished like the willow-the-wisp. The cloud cover had not cleared and nothing was visible. Mallory and Irvine never returned to the base camp. On June 9 it was confirmed that both of them  were found missing somewhere near the North Ridge. On June 21, 1924, The Times of London published a telegraph from another team member announcing their death.  It said only, “Mallory and Irvine killed on last attempt". For 75 years his fate was not known until May 1, 1999 when Mallory's body was discovered by an expedition. Irvine's body has not been found.

Some facts: 

01. Johnson, American Mountain climber and Hemmleb, 26 year old German geologist and expert in Himalayan geology and Mt. Everest became partners for the purpose of finding the bodies of Mallory and Irvine. Their  commercial expedition was privately funded  and eventually the  team members found the body of Mallory on 1 May 1999.

02.  George Mallory carried a photograph of his wife and wanted to  leave at the summit. When his body was discovered, the photograph was missing. Could it have been left at the summit by George?
RonWatters.com
03. The snow goggles in his pocket suggests that he was descending after sundown  having reached the summit. It is risky to climb the snow- covered  mountain without snow-goggles. It is likely that he had made a push for the summit and was descending after sunset when the goggles would no longer be required. 

04.  Several spent oxygen cylinders point out that it was likely that he reached the summit and the mishap could have happened while descending.

05.  About 2,000ft below the summit of Mount Everest Mallory's
body was discovered face-down in the snow with a shock of  hair sticking out of his leather-flapped helmet. 

06.  Apparently his right-leg was broken badly; however, his face  with eyes closed and chin covered with gentle whiskers was well preserved. so, he  had taken a fall. 

07.  A broken rope was tied around him, and there was a large hole in his cheekbone

 08.  Since the discovery in 1999, many expeditions have tried to locate the  camera  carried by Mallory  and  his  climbing partner Andy Irvine.  There is no trace of either of the two Vest Pocket Kodak (VPK) cameras Mallory carried with him. So far the attempts have  been unsuccessful. His cameras  are the only clue that will unravel all the mystery about his death and his assault on Mt. Everest.

09.  Irvine’s ice axe was found above, but his body has never been located. It suggests that he too had a bad fall and he  plummeted all the way down the North Face.  

The body of George Mallory died on June 09, 1924 near the summit of Mt. Everest. Mt. Everest

George MalloryJune 18, 1886 – June 9, 1924.  Quotes.
Set aside the argument whether he had  reached the summit or not, there is no no doubt he certainly had climbed to an altitude of at least 28,000 feet in 1924, using then prevailing  mountain gear - woolen sweaters,  clothing made from natural fibers, hobnailed leather boots and equipment, etc.  They were primitive  and  far inferior in quality to what is available today. It was a remarkable feat considering their time and the men must have sturdy, tough body to survive such harsh environment  on the higher  Himalayan mountains. When one of his expeditions failed as a result of a snow avalanche that swept away seven Sherpas on the early expedition,  some people pointed the accusing finger at Mallory.  Applying the  Karma concept to  the natural calamity, it was simply the edit of God, that is the possible logical reasoning one can make. At such an altitude on rugged mountains with steep slope no body could predict snow avalanches.  He is famous for his crisp  reply to a question in the wake of his failed expedition why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest. He replied with all his firmness and innocence, "Because, it is there.". It is an irony that "it is there" both Mallory and Irvin made their ascent to eternity. It reminds me of Shakespeare's quote: 
"He, who is to be hanged, shall never be drowned"(Tempest).

QuoteAddicts.com

QuoteAddicts.com

There is a simple memorial at Everest Base Camp North and it is a reminder to all mountain climbers.  Many climbers died trying to reach  Everest from the north ridge.  It was George Mallory and his team  who made the most significant contribution to future climbs.  He was a pioneer in setting up a standard route up the the East Rongbuk Glacier, North Col and Northeast Ridge most people now use to climb Everest from Tibet. In three expedition  - 1921, 1922 and 1924,  Mallory trail blazed the safest route up East Rongbuk Glacier, North Col and Northeast Ridge - the most difficult and challenging route. It is something like a death trap.

George Mallory, being a maverick adventurist, never wanted to use bottled oxygen at very high altitude unless it was  necessary. As far as he was concerned, the  spirit of adventurism and fun in mountaineering is lost on such expedition when bottled oxygen is used. Further, it is a way of testing one's body tolerance vis-a-vis oxygen intake at high altitude. On one of his early expeditions, he reached the record height (record then!) of 26,980 ft (8,225 m) without oxygen and at higher level he and his partner managed with thin air available. Near the summit, oxygen cylinder is a must and later he began to use oxygen at higher elevation. His partner in June 1924 expedition was Sandy Irvine because he was good with the oxygen apparatus. 

In the absence of camera that Mallory carried, the speculation is still in the blind alley. Many climbers are looking for Irvine's body for the clue. But many people believe his body should be let to rest in the lap of the mountain. 

Mallory was a great  mountain climber whose name is synonymous with the history of Everest regardless of the contentious issue whether he had made the summit before the mishap, etc. The jigsaw puzzle is not yet solved but, one fact is borne out of the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine, that is descending from the roof of the world  - eerie Mt. Everest is as risky as making an assault on the summit. The future successful summiters have to be extra careful while descending the unfriendly mountainous slopes.
Toiling under conditions of extreme adversity and unfriendly, harsh  weather,  Mallory and his team  set a high standard of  paradigm for  future Everest explorationists that would not be matched for decades,
 Ref:
 http://markhorrell.tumblr.com/post/21430656797/in-memory-of-george-leigh-mallory-he-may-not-have

 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-

Plucky British mountaineer George Mallory - his saga of adventure

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Mallory & his daughter Claire. Trekking and Photography in the Himalaya
George Herbert Leigh Mallory (18 June 1886 - 8 or 9 June 1924) was a well-known  English mountaineer  in the colonial time and was associated with  the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s. Being an active climber, it was  his passion to be the first to reach the summit, thus exhibiting the spirit of British adventurism and sportsmanship unmindful of risks involved.
Mt. Everest. phrases tattoos for girls
He was part of  the 1924 British Mt. Everest expedition to reach the summit via the North-East ridge. During their attempt to make the first ascent  both Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew "Sandy" Irvine  disappeared on the North-East ridge. They were last sighted  about 800 vertical feet (245 m) from the summit.

Whether Mallory and Irvine  had reached the summit or not  before their unexpected death is a moot question and is  debatable. The fact is the fate of both climbers had not been known for  75  long years, until Mallory's  body was discovered on 1 May 1999 by an expedition that had set out, looking for the  climbers' remains.

Mallory,  son of Herbert Leigh Mallory, a clergyman  and his wife Annie Beridge (née Jebb)was born in Mobberley, Cheshire. The couple had two sons and two daughters.  Trafford Leigh-Mallory, younger brother of George, was  the World War II Royal Air Force commander.
George Mallory. The Casual Observer
Educated at  Eastbourne on the south coast of England, and  West Kirby, he joined  the Winchester College when he was just 13 and it was here he leaned rock climbing and mountaineering  from one  R. L. G. Irving, who was an expert in mountain climbing. Later he joined Magdalene College, Cambridge,  where he was a keen oarsman and was a member of the college rowing team. His good, athletic  body  was quite helpful later in his adventurous life.  After graduation from Cambridge, Mallory (majored in History)  tried different jobs and in 1910 he became a teacher at Charter-house School, Godalming, Surrey. Here, Mallory married Ruth Turner in 1914 and the couple had three children.  

After a brief stint in Army,  Mallory returned to Charterhouse, resigning  his job in 1921 in order to join the first Everest expedition. Between expeditions, he earned money by way of writing and lecturing without any major success. In 1923, he  became   a lecturer  at Cambridge and the university gave him temporary leave so that he could pursue his passion - climbing the highest peak in the world - Mt. Everest.

In 1910 and 1911 he was part of a   mountaineering team led by Irving. Though in 1911 he had altitude sickness problem while climbing
Mont Vélan in the Alps, later  in 1911 he  climbed Mont Blanc,  making the third ascent of the Frontier ridge of Mont Maudit in a party again led by Irving.  He made history by ascending Pillar Rock in the English Lake District without any help whatsoever. The route taken by him is known as the Mallory route. It was considered as the hardest route in England in those days. 


 Mallory was a member of the 1921 British Reconnaissance Expedition - the earliest one  organized and financed by the Mount Everest Committee. They team explored safe  routes up to the North Col of Mount Everest. It was the first attempt by the expedition to produce  the first accurate maps of the  mountainous region  at the higher elevation , never tried before. Mallory, with support from other members like  Guy Bullock and E. O. Wheeler of the Survey of India,  carried out in depth exploration of several approaches to the peak. Besides, he and his group along with help from  one dozen Sherpas,  scaled several lower peaks near Mt.Everest feat no body ever tried before. Perhaps his group were the first westerners to view the western part at the foot of the Lhotse face, as well as trail blazing  the course of the Rongbuk Glacier up to the base of the North Face. After  going round the mountain from the south side, his party finally discovered the East Rongbuk Glacier—the  main arterial to the summit which is now being used by nearly all climbers on the Tibetan side of the mountain. By scaling  up to the saddle of the North Ridge (the 23,030 ft (7,020 m) North Col, they discovered a route to the summit via the North-East Ridge over the obstacle of the Second Step.
Mallory climbing in France in 1909The Times
In 1922 the expedition  to the Himalayas was led by Brigadier-General Charles Bruce and climbing leader Edward Strutt and Mallory  was part of it.  On this expedition, Mallory, along with Howard Somervell and Edward Norton almost made it to the crest of  the North-East Ridge without using bottled oxygen. They made history by reaching  the record altitude of 26,980 ft (8,225 m) before weather condition became unfavorable. They managed with thin air available at that elevation. Later, they gave up climbing.  

Later George Finch and his party  reached a height of approximately 27,300 ft (8,321 m)  at record speed, using bottled oxygen both for climbing and — a first — for sleeping.

The third party organized  during the Monsoon season made a futile attempt on the summit. While Mallory  and his group of porters  were on  the lower slopes of the North Col of Everest in fresh, waist-deep snow,  suddenly an avalanche swooped over the group, killing seven Sherpas. Immediately, the expedition was called off  and Mallory was accused of his poor judgement of the prevailing weather conditions and particularly one  Dr. Longstaff was harsh on Mallory. To the question "Why did you want to climb Mount Everest?', his reply  was simple." Because, it is there". Later it became a famous quote.

George Mallory, Andrew Irvine and fellow-mountaineer Bentley Beetham in 1924. The Telegraph
In June 1924 Gen.  Charles  Bruce led the expedition as he did in 1922 and as for George Mallory who  was 37 years old at that time, perhaps, it was his last attempt. The victory, that was within his reach, eluded him. He and Andrew Irvine  on June 6 set off from  Advanced Base camp (21330 feet  and they slowly climbed the mountain. On June 8,  around 12. 50 PM  when the weather was fairly clear, expedition member Noel Odell saw two tiny  black spots  silhouetted on the snow-crest trying to  move towards the great rock step and the  second one tried to join him . The rock step is the most difficult obstacle to the nearby summit. All of a sudden, the two spots vanished on account of cloud cover. Later  near the first step, the group found the spent oxygen cylinders used by one of them ans an ice ax used by Irvin. it is likely that Mallory and Irvine  might have died either late the same evening or on 9 June. They never returned to the base camp. 

Their disappearance in the Himalayas  near the summit  saddened the mountaineers  and the whole Britain mourned  their heroic death. Their mortal remains had been on the  snow-clad mountain for 75 years until Mallory's body was found on the 1st May 1999. Whether Mallory reached the summit  or not is an unsolved riddle surrounded by mysteries.There is no trace of Irvine's body on the mountain!
Ref:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Mallory




 

Poorna, first youngest girl to climb Mt. Everest!!

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South Indian Malavath Purna,became the youngest to climb Mount Everest. www.britishsouthindians.co.uk
Malavath Poorna on the Mount Everest expedition. The Hindu

Quotesgram

   If there is will and firm determination, regardless of age any 
body can take on risky challenges and come out victorious. Our driving forces ought to be confidence and firm belief in our ability to accomplish whatever challenge is thrown at us. Two young teenagers from the states of Telengana and Andhra, by sheer handwork and will-power, achieved success - scaling Mt. Everest, which no teenagers would ever dream of. At that age, they would rather spend their time on the Cricket or Football
Quotesgram
grounds or running errands for their families. For them, the risk factor is a road block and it is difficult for them to break the mental barrier set by themselves. Not for Poorna and Anand, to whom  life is all about facing  challenges and how best one handles them is very important. That is the reason why  they stand apart from others in their pursuit of risky sports adventure.

route taken by Pourna. www.dailymail.co
 Poorna, born at Pakala village, Nizamabad district of Telangana state  of  India on 10 June 2000, is from a tribal family of farm laborers. Her parents Devidas and Lakshmi made their livelihood by working on the nearby farms as farm hands. On 25 May 2014 (Sunday about 6 am), Poorna, aged 13 years and 11 months scaled the highest peak of Mount Everest and became the youngest person/ girl in the world to have reached the summit of Everest. She was accompanied by Sandhana Palli Anand Kumar from Khammam. The trekking on the treacherous mountain was a 52 day ordeal for the youngsters.
Narendra Modi congratulates two youngsters for climbing Mount Everest - YouTube

 One Dr. R. S.  Praveen Kumar spotted and nurtured Poorna's talents when she was a student at the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society for education. Dr R. S Praveen Kumar, secretary of the society had been looking for talents for his Operation Everest, a challenging  job for him to select  right  candidates for the mountain expedition. Al last, he selected Poorna (student of 9th standard) along with a Dalit boy, Sadhanapalii Anand Kumar 16 years old Class IX student from the Khammam district of Andhra Pradesh for the expedition to Mt. Everest. The poignant fact is though both of them had come from poor families, their will and indomitable spirits were high enough to go after the challenge. Since climbing Mt. Everest is a tough one the participants need through training to face any eventuality or worst situation that may unfold  on the mountain near the snowline. Obviously Poorna was guided to hike rugged mountains of Ladakh and Darjeeling as part of her preparation for climbing Mount Everest.
On the way to Mt Everest. Poorna and Anand Kumar. thehindu.com
As part of the initiative to encourage excellence in the students of the society, the two were finally selected. Earlier, twenty students were sent to the wold famous mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, West Bengal for training and nine among them were sent on expedition to Indo-China border. Since Poorna and Anand Kumar had all the physical fitness requirements such as tough body, endurance, mental prowess to face stressful situations, etc they were finally shortlisted for the Mt. Everest expedition. Further, being in their teens, they had developed a passion to undertake the dangerous trekking nobody had tried before.

  Both Poorna and 18-year-old Anand left a picture on the highest peak in memory  of  Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, who himself was a Dalit and who made valid contribution to improve the quality of life for the untouchables of India. Anand belongs to the Dalit community.
During their expedition an unexpected and discouraging  incident  had happened in April 2014 prior to their assault on the tallest peak. For unknown reasons, a horrible, menacing snow  avalanche had swept down and engulfed 16 lives, forcing many climbers to abandon their plans to ascend  Everest, as the slopes along some routes were loose and unstable. In the face of this worst mishap and unpalatable incidence, the two youngsters from South India never showed any sign of nervelessness or desperation. Rather, they became more resolute and determined to summit Mt. Everest and be on the roof of the world. 

They were well trained by one Shekar Babu, a good mountaineer who himself scaled Mt. Everest in 2007 without any help. It was indeed a great feat on the part of the school students, considering their age and mental maturity. These high school students'  remarkable feat will go down in the history of mountaineering and their ascent on the most dangerous summit is an inspiration to all other youngsters not only in India, but also in other parts of the world.

Ref: 
http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140615/nation-current-affairs/article/cm-k-chandrasekhar-r

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malavath_Purna

Madikeri Fort, Kodagu's

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Palace inside Mandikeri fort. Holiday Plans
Madikeri fort entrance. crazysu - WordPress.com
 The Coorg district of Karnataka is a major tourist place. Endowed with fine weather, greenery, coffee plantations and breath-taking picturesque  scenery, naturally people visit this place in large number to wind off their mind and experience fun and relaxation. There are some historical places here, one being Madikeri fort. 
There is also an old golf course called Madikeri Downs Golf club, founded by the British during the early colonial days.

Madikeri Fort, built in 17th century by Muddu Raja using mud is a popular tourist destination in Coorg.  He also built his palace inside the fort and it had been the residence of  erstwhile rulers. During the reign of Tipu Sultan  this fort was renamed as Jaffarabad and to make it much stronger, Tipu rebuilt it with granite stones.In 1790, Dodda Vira Rajendra took control of the fort and made some modification and then Linga Rajendra Wodeyar II again reconstructed the fort in mortar and brick between 1812 and 1814. later for a brief spell it was under the British.  
 
Church inside Mandikeri fort, Kodagu. www.panoramio.com/

 Madikeri Deputy Commissioner's Office is located inside the Madikeri Fort premises.  The two-storied lofty and spacious structure is 110 feet long. The British renovated the structure twice and in 1933, a clock tower and a portico to park the commissioner's car were added. There is a temple dedicated to  Lord Ganesha known as "Kote ganapathi" just at the main entrance of the fort.It is  one of the major temples where Madikeri dasara festival is celebrated on a grand scale. In the north-east corner at the entrance to the fort are built two life size masonry elephants that were killed by  Maharajah Veera Raja and also an Anglican   church  in the south-east corner  that  was built in Gothic style by the British in 1859. Popularly  known as St. Mark's Church, and it is  now converted into a museum which is a repository of many antiques of Coorgand artifacts of the British era. It was  built at the initiative of  the officers and men of the East India Company. and the funds were provided by the Madras Presidency government. It was   under the Church of England in India, Diocese of Madras. The Church, unfortunately faced closure after India's independence  and the administration was taken over by the Karnataka State government in 1971.The museum, managed by the state government and ASI,  includes a section dedicated to Field Marshal Cariappa, a famous high-ranking military officer from this area, prison and Mahatma Gandhi Public library and some antiques, belonging to colonial era. 

http://www.paradisecoorg.com/Madikeri%20Fort.htmlhttp://www.holidayiq.com

 







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