Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Coral Islands and Coconuts



First let us understand what is a coral,Corals are rock kind of things formed by the micro organisms living in the sea.Colonies of this micro creatures live together and secrete lime(calcium)around them increasing the coral reefs...after thousands of years they reach(above) the sea level and form reefs like the moon crescent ,filling the gap inside w
ith sand of their own origin. Lucky floating coconut, lands on the sand and stays rooted and grows to make a coconut jungle in a century.The coconut wastes creates soil over the sand.Traders find these islands good for a overnight stay and to have some tender nut drink.
How and Why these coconuts float? (simple, God made it like that!)let us try to understand...Coconuts are high quality design packages,containing water,the white coconut "meat",the shell,the husk and the finished outer layer.The buoyancy due to the husk carries the nut around the world through the ocean currents,hence you (also Darwin)find these trees in all the islands .People found the oil from the nut useful,the husk made into coir can be used to make mat ,ropes etc.We use to burn the shells to heat the age old iron boxes.My father taught me to make rings(for fingers)from the hard shells!

Only this much today....thanks to the cough and cold !!!!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

HORSE SENSE


"If a statue has a person on a horse with both front legs in the air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one leg in the air, the person died of wounds from a battle and if the horse has all four hooves on the ground, the person died of natural causes."

HAPPY DIWALI


चलना हमारा काम है


गति प्रबल पैरों में भरी

फिर क्यों रहूं दर दर खडा

जब आज मेरे सामने

है रास्ता इतना पडा

जब तक मंजिल पा सकूँ,

तब तक मुझे विराम है,


- शिवमंगल सिंह 'सुमन' (ShivMangal Singh Suman)

Friday, October 16, 2009

An Island in Sikkim:TEERANG

Suggest a name to this island.This island is formed on the confluence of Rangpo and Teesta river at Rangpo.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

65,000 years ago in the Andamans

illus: andamansikkim

``The initial settlement took place 65,000 years ago in the Andamans and in ancient south India around the same time, which led to population growth in this part,'' said Thangarajan. He added, ``At a later stage, 40,000 years ago, the ancient north Indians emerged which in turn led to rise in numbers here. But at some point of time, the ancient north and the ancient south mixed, giving birth to a different set of population. And that is the population which exists now and there is a genetic relationship between the population within India.''


UN releases stamp on Mahatma Gandhi


United Nations, Oct 3 (PTI) Marking the International Day of Non-Violence, the United Nations has released a stamp of Mahathma Gandhi on the occasion of his 140th birth anniversary.

United Nations Postal Administration, the world body's postal agency, released the one-dollar stamp designed by a world famous Miami-based artist Ferdie Pacheco, with the Father of the Nation in red, blue and gold. Also the envelopes marked with the stamp and the United Nations' seal were on sale.

Several UN envoys, present at a function organised by the Indian Mission to celebrate his 140the birth anniversary, reiterated the influence of Mahathma Gandhi's life.

"In many ways, Mahatma Gandhi previsioned the UN. Much of the work that we do in the area of human rights owes its genesis in the struggle against racial discrimination, which he focused on," Hardeep Singh Puri India's ambassador to the UN said.