Archives October 2013

This is a festival of importance for Hindus. A vow to protect the right and justice in the society is taken on this festival day.   The festival falls on the full-moon day in the month of Shrawan by Hindu calender and in the month of August according to English calender. Rains cool the atmosphere. Moon light provides a pleasant and peaceful environment.     In the times gone by Brahmins, sages and seers who were meek physically but mentally strong, were always in need of protection from the physical danger. Kshatriyas were, the protectors of the whole society. They were always ready to use their sword in protection of the weak and wise. Gurus, well red Brahmins and men of hermitages used to tie a holy  thread on the wrists of kings, brave and strong men. This thread, tied by the learned people, is a symbol of blessing and more...

It was the month of December last year. It was the coldest day of the winter season. People were finding it difficult to walk on the road. Woolen clothes were of no help. In the morning my mother brought two hot 'potato's pranthas' with hot milk for me. I took my breakfast and left for school. There I found every child shivering with cold even when he was covered in sweaters and a thick coat. In school our teachers taught us with all the doors and windows shut. During the recess period there was a great rush in the canteen. The students took tea in large amounts. As I returned from school, I passed through the local market. Very few customers had come to make purchases- From the evening cool wind started blowing. The sky started getting over-casted. Everyone was seen in his warm clothes. Vehicles were driven with their more...

Last Monday I attended a birthday party of my friend. It was his fifteenth birthday. He celebrated it with great pomp and show. He had invited all his friends and relatives. The arrangement of party was done in hall of a hotel. I, along with other friends reached there in time. His parents were standing at the door of the hall. They greeted all the guests arriving at the hotel. They greeted us and welcomed us in the party. We entered the hall and took our seat. We were offered cold drinks and snacks. My friends Gagan was busy in meeting his relatives. Gagan saw us and came to meet us. We wished him happy birthday and presented him the gift. He asked us to take cold drinks and enjoy ourselves. The guests kept on coming. In late evening the cake cutting ceremony started. A big table was put in more...

The world's first enclosed harbor, or tidal dock, is believed to have been constructed thousands of years ago during the Harappan or Indus Valley Civilization. It is located at Lothal, in the present-day Mangroul harbor, on India's Gujarat coast, bordering the Indian Ocean. The dock was discovered in 1955 and is believed to have been constructed around 2500 B.C.E. It was trapezoid in shape and its walls were constructed from burned brick. It measured 40 yards (37 m) from east to west and 24 yards (22 m) from north to south. Inlet channels allowed excess water to escape and prevented erosion of the banks. On its northern side the structure was connected with the estuary of the Sabarmati River, and lock gates on that side ensured that ships remained afloat in the dockyard. The entrance to the dock was able to accommodate two ships at a time, and the dock more...

A pleasurable beverage appears. The accidental fermentation of a mixture of water and fruit in sunlight is thought to have led to the first discovery of an alcoholic drink by a prehistoric people. Evidence of intentionally fermented beverages exists in the form of Stone Age beer jugs dated as early as the Neolithic period (10,000 B.C.E.). Other jugs have been excavated in Southwest Asia and North Africa. Alcoholic beverages have been an integral part of many cultures, used as a source of nutrition, in meals, for celebrations, and also in religious ceremonies. Alcohol can give a sense of wellbeing, but also acts as a depressant, lowering behavioral inhibitions. Alcohol consumption became a status symbol for the wealthy. During the Middle Ages, concoctions were distilled to produce spirits. Alcohol has also served as a thirst quencher when water was polluted. In the 1700s, home-brewing processes were replaced by commercially made beer more...

The fiber or "felt-tip" pen is a wondrous development in the history of writing. It allows the writer to scrawl their message to the world on almost any surface, safe in the knowledge that their pearls of wisdom will be read for the rest of time. Primitive felt-tip pens date back to the 1940s. They were crude devices—not unlike a fountain pen in design—with a reservoir for ink, but with a piece of felt or some other porous material for the ink to slowly run through, instead of the traditional nib or stylus. Sidney Rosenthal dramatically improved on this in design in 1953. He took a squat glass bottle of ink with a wool-felt wick and writing tip. He called this new device the "Magic Marker" due to its ability to write on any surface. It represented a significant development in the technology of felt-tip pens, which started to be more...

“[Using] wheels to reduce friction while moving objects was one of the most important invention…” Odis Hayden Griffin, Engineer Most inventions do not appear out of thin air or from the ingenious brain of a brilliant scientist, but evolve from something already in existence. This is certainly true of the wheel and its attached axle, which developed from two different sources. The first was the revolving potter's wheel, invented in Mesopotamia in around 3500 B.C.E. Although not a tool essential to the potter's craft, the wheel did help in the faster production of better-quality pots. The second source was the sledge, a primitive but effective means of hauling large loads on parallel sleds or bars of wood. The sledge was ideal in icy and snowy conditions, and on hot sand, but not on hard, dry terrain, where great effort was required to pull it along. Evidence that the use of more...

Gandhi was someone whom the nation calls the Father but does not consider. Long gone are the days when he was respected and his ideals agreed to and followed-without force. But does it seem that, after 56 years after his death, anyone will agree to even listen to them, let alone being forced to?  As a man Gandhi was born of a middle-class family at Porebunder in Gujarat on the 2nd of October 1869. After  getting his primary education and spending his college life in Gujarat he went to England to study Law. After his return from there he began his practice as a lawyer at Bombay. Later on he shifted to Rajkot. But after all he was never successful lawyer. He got an opportunity to go to Africa to conduct a big lawsuit in a court. He was burst to see the pathetic social life of the Blacks in more...

Who takes keen interest in studies and leads a noble life is an ideal student. His life is full of ideals. He sets an example for others to follow. He is very careful of his character. His character is a foundation stone of his ideal life. Hard work is the breath of his life. He is in the good books and looks of the teachers. He reads to get first position in the examinations. He knows that hard work is key to success. All the teachers speak highly of him. He obeys and respects the elders. He does his best in earning a great name and fame in the history of school. He always speaks the truth. He hates a lie. He knows that the path of truth is full of thorns and he has to face many hardships but he bears them patiently. Once Mahatma Gandhi said, "A man more...

The Graduate Admission Test in Engineering (GATE) is an All-India level examination for aspirants who are interested in pursuing Masters/Direct PhD in India or Abroad. More than 12 Lac students had applied for GATE 2013. These figures send the message clear and loud that if you are aspiring for admission in top institutes like IIT, NIT, IISC etc. or a high paying job in Public Secor Undertakings (PSU) you need to work hard. Now this number may increase in 2014 and GATE 2014 can see around 15 Lakh applicants! But why would this number  increase? There has been a considerable dip in the placement figures when we compare it with last year. Institutes like IIT Bombay are also facing the heat of global slowdown. Companies have postponed the joining dates for the candidates hired on campus. But before we start, here are 3 Mantras for you to keep in mind:

• If you are more...