The voice within

Zodiac signs' dictionary meaning is: "an imaginary area of the sky containing the positions of the sun, the moon and the main planets, divided into 12 equal parts, named after 12 groups of stars. It is interesting to see how these stars effect the life of each individual living on Earth. This study of stars is an ancient science which rises curiosity in everyone. The study depends on the date of birth of the individual in the western countries and on the birth star in the Hindu astrology. The zodiac signs plays a vital role in match making and other aspects in Indian arranged marriage. Some people have strong beliefs in the forecast of these zodiac signs. However I do not believe in the predictions of the zodiac signs :) Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Yogasanas according to many people is stretching their limbs and excercising. But according to the fatther of Yoga Patanjali Muni, Yoga means ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga has eight parts: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi. Among all these, the third part Yogasana contributes a lot to general health of the practitioner. Primary importance is given to the parts Yama and Niyama, means timely intake of food, lot of work and enough sleep. Yogasanas which are helpful in improving eyesight are Swastikasana Paschimottasana Ardhachakrasana Ardhakatichakrasana Makarasana Sarvangasana Regular practice of these yogasanas helps in preserving good eyesight for a longer duration. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

X Rays are electromagnetic radiations that penetrate the internal organs to capture an image on the detector. The human body will be exposed to a certain amount of radiation or a dose of radiation with each X-ray. In order to detox radiation, consume atleast 8 glasses of water a day, eat red pumpkin dishes, carrot dishes, fruits like mango and papaya. These fruits and vegetables protects your organs after an exposure to radiation of X-Rays. This is the natural way of protecting your DNA after radiation exposure. Many researches are still revealing some light on this aspect. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

My grandmother teaching her first grandchild (me) harmonium Winners can never become losers. Nobody deserves to be called as a "loser". Everybody is a "winner" in their lives, in one way or the other. The people who call others as "losers" say that with only one intention and that is to bring down others confidence. So, it is very important for everybody not to pay attention to such absurd sayings. These people who call others as "losers" can only be termed as cowards. Me recieving 1st prize from the then chief minister J.H.Patel Winners are the people who do their duty assigned to them as human beings ( Karma ). A winner is an achiever of goals set ahead of him/her without harming or hurting anybody else. I have become a winner even though some people called me a loser (Mainly because I'm not stinking rich!) Grandpa's love and mom's love :) I felt like a winner when my paintings were appreciated by a celebrit

Vintage letters are treasures for me. The art of writing letters was in practise since 300 A.D. After 16th century writing letters became an art. Letters were not just used for communication but it became an art also. The design of the letter took a uniform design when the British came to India and started ruling over. Even to this day in some villages of India, the post man or the teachers of the school should open the letter and read it. Today,some vintage letters are preserved in the families, in the Government offices, Parliaments and the collectors who fancy collecting vintage letters. I have preserved letters from Great grandfather and my GrandFather.  I feel that these vintage letters are some sort of treasure that I have. Funniest part is, it takes a long time to come to the matter itself because the starting two- three sentences is to be polite enquiries and whereabouts of each other and ending the letter used to be with elegant words. I will post some pictures of the vint

Unforgettable moments which are either happy or sad occur in everybody's life, at every stages of life. These unforgettable moments profoundly stays in our memory and is often remembered. Very simple and small moments such as purchasing something independently is an unforgettable moment. Winning a prize, meeting a celebrity, eating different food,  making someone laugh are all simple pleasures and unforgettable moments in one's life. Will it not be wonderful to have such happy unforgettable moments to remember by in our beautiful lives? Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Temples have different types of architecture in different parts of the world. Some of the ruined temples are often visited for its architectural splendor. The deity will be kept in Sanctum Sanctorum of temples. In India the Gopurams of the temple have mythological stories carved on them which are marvelous. Some temples are naturally built and they are called cave temples. Cave temples in Badami is famous. Recently Shani Singnapur was in news and it's a roofless temple. In Puri, temples have chariots. I often visit temples across India  to watch and experience a bit of history and the beauty of the temple and also for the blessings :) Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Spring is the season of the year I love the most. The season  promises something new everyday.   Spring colors give a pleasant and calming sense.  The colors of the leaves of the tree, the flowers that blossom in the garden are so refreshing. Spring colors play an important role in the fashion world too. The colors that I like to wear during spring time are Rose, Sky blue, light teal, baby pink, peach and violet. What are your Spring colors? Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Rural Entrepreneurship is developing in India. There are many NGOs that empower women in setting up successful business ventures. Entrepreneurship is not distinguished between men and women these days. However, due to lack of support from families and lack of confidence in women becoming business persons is seen. So there are many NGOs who help Rural women with moral support so that they become more determined in taking up Entrepreneurship. NGOs such as RUDSETIs help rural women get access to information related to entrepreneurship. This type of development in establishing rural women entrepreneurs is very encouraging, motivating and a hope for many women. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Quilts are stitched with two layers of fabric and some padding in between. Quilts can be used as a bed spread as well as coverlet. Quilts are very comfortable and I have always carried a quilt to all the summer camps I have been to. Quilts are made out of different fabric. In north karnataka quilts are made artistically. In houses, women stitch together clothes that they like with the clothes of their elders and keep the quilts for memories. Many people collect Quilts from different parts of the world for their artistic beauty. It can be spread on Diwans (furnitures) also. Have you stitched a quilt? or do you own one? Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Population growth always has both positive and negative effects on economic growth. The positive effect is that there will be more manpower for labor and there will be abundance of materials. Industrialisation will bring a good turn to the economy of the area. Awareness about education, living standards, health conciousness will improve with growth in population. Per capita income of that area increases. This contributes to the economic development. When population increases there is more utilisation of resources. Densely populated area will lead to pollution in the environment. Food, clothing, shelter becomes dearer day by day. These are the negative effects of population on economy. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

"Once upon a time there was a dence forest.There lived a beautiful girl." the story goes on like this. The phrase "once upon a time" is losing its charm and people are using it occassionally. The elders are not using these words to remember their younger days nor the kids enjoying the stories told in the same old way. This shows the evolution of language which is rapidly changing in the last ten years. What was theoretical has become practical. There must be some more or many more phrases which are fading away in the usage of language. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Nala maharaja was not only a King but known for his culinary skills. His kingdom was known for prosperity but he had a passion for cooking. His style of cooking was known as Nalapaka. Nala's hobby helped him during his days of difficulty. Bhimasena was also known for his culinary skills. It also helped him during his tough times. But nobody calls bhimasena's cooking style as "bhimapaka" I don't know why:) . Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Music therapy exists all over the world from a very long time. It is one of the ancient healing therapy. The pitch from a pitch pipe itself gives a kind of peaceful feeling. Music therapy today, is used by professionals to treat their patients who generally suffer from stress. Traditional Indian music is known to be therapeutic. The ragas and talas of Indian classical music are known to give peace of mind and help release the stress from the body. This is called as raga chikitsa (treatment from ragas). Many of my friends say that old Hindi songs make them feel better. For me it isLata Mangeshkar 's mellifluous voice that makes me happy. The vocals, notes, pitch, tune , rhythm patterns, all these are analysed for a particular person for music therapy. Many doctors and musicologists have done extensive studies on music therapy. Not only humans benefit from music therapy but one can reap a good harvest if a farmer plays music in the fields which is simply amazing! Jahnavi

Ligament tear is an injury that many people suffer from these days. The ligaments are generally vulnerable and one has to take a lot of care to protect it from injury. The knee is usually unguarded and is prone to sport injuries. Changing direction while running, twisting, jumping, changing speeds while running on treadmill , sports such as football, adventure sports are all some of the common causes for ligament injuries in the knee.  Anterior Crucial Ligament tear is a very common sports injury. When there is excessive strain on the leg such as twisting, the ACL which could be around 1 c.m. gets streched and goes to the breaking point. As soon as there is a tear one can hear a small popping sound and there will be immediate swelling in the knee. I had the same experience while I was excercising in the gym.  Apart from ACL, there are other ligament injuries namely PCL,MCL, LCL tears. Ligament tears will be painful and requires a lot of time to heal. Sometimes if the ligament te

Kittens are the most adorable pet one can have. Anybody can fall in love with their cuteness, little nose, big soft innocent eyes. Persian, turkish,ragdolls, bengal kittens are very popular here in Bangalore. There's a wild cat that stays close to my house and it's kittens are simply too precious. They are doll faced and active. It reminds me of my kitten called Tiny. I had picked up Tiny in my school basket when she had come in front of my school bus. Tiny was with me for two years and she went missing. But I still remember her whenever I see kittens. Kittens are so lovable and attractive. I will be adopting a Persian kitten soon :) Participating in A to Z challenge

Jewellery of India is attracting the attention all over the world. From last 20 years thanks to the modern networking and availability of raw materials, the artistic designs are becoming more and more popular. Jewellery is not only gold, diamonds and gems, even a commoner can afford a jewellery of different kinds these days. I wish everyone in advance, a happy akshaya tritiya and lots of jewels. :) Participant for a to z challeng

Ice creams are such a refreshing treat during summer. It's a frozen dessert that makes a lot of people happy. Ice cream makes me remember my childhood days. I used to love eating choco bar ice creams. A few years later I started eating cone icecreams. With the new Kwality Walls shop that opened near my grandparents house, I used to go to buy Cornetto everyday! Paddle pop was also a treat. Then came the bucket ice cream. I used to love the strawberry bucket ice cream. I once didn't want to go to a dentist. So my parents and grand parents convinced me to go by saying that I could eat an ice cream after visiting the dentist. I sat at the dentist shop patiently and got my tooth removed and enjoyed the ice cream later. I know the ingredients of making a vanilla ice cream. Milk, double cream, sugar, vanilla custard. But I have never tried to make an ice cream at home :) I have always eaten ice creams outside in hotels, shops, zoo, palace but never tried to make an ice cream at

Hotels are transforming these days in a wonderful and spectacular way. Whether it is a five star hotel or 10 star hotel the ambience of some of the hotels are just stunning! I had been to Banjara Melting Pot in Koramangala and came to know that it was an artist's house. The house belonged to artist M.F.Husain. The experience was like eating food at an art gallery. It was a pleasure for my eyes and stomach :). The Lalith Mahal Palace in Mysore is also a hotel. It is built in marble. The Renaissance architectural style of the hotel makes one feel the luxury and grandeur. It is also famous for the cuisines they serve. Hotels like these are attractions to tourists. It helps in tourism development. Cultural programmes are held in such hotels for selected audience. I love to have such experiences and so does thousands of tourists who visit India. Jahnavi I'm participating in A to Z challenge

Gotu Vaadya is one of the ancient instruments of India. There are very few people who play this instrument. This instrument is also known as Chitra Veena. source:http://kksongs.org/instruments/citra_vina.html Gotu vaadya has minimal information of its history. Samudragupta of Gupta dynasty was an expert in playing this instrument. It is said that this instrument was known during 370 A.D. Gotu vaadya is generally made out of Jack wood. The wooden spherical bowl closed on the top with a wooden plate is the resonator ( reference: Musical Instruments by B.C.Deva). The instrument is kept horizontally and played. The naagapaasha which is a piece of wood at the tail end of the resonator is used to tie the strings from the pegs fixed in the head. The edges of Gotu Vaadya is usually made with ivory. Very well known artists of Gotu Vaadya are Usha Ramamurthy, N.Ravi Kiran. Jahnavi I'm participating in a to z challenge

Forts were built for protection. Each kingdom in India had forts and each village in India has forts.  Forts were not just built for protection as they are all architectural wonders. Forts of England, Europe and Russia are known .for its architectural splendors. The Chitradurga fort in India is famous for its entrance because no one could find the correct entrance to the fort. There are 19 gateways and 36 entrances in Chitradurga fort. It is also said that they used to spill oil on rocks for an entrance so that no one could climb it and the oil pits can be seen in the fort even today. The Golkonda fort is famous for its architectural splendor. Anybody who enters the fort can hear their footsteps echo. Just clap or make a sound and you can hear the echo. Srirangapatna fort in Srirangapatna island has water gates that inundate the water levels whenever necessary. Shivaji who conquered many forts used monitor-lizards to climb the walls of the fort. These are some interesting facts of

Earthquakes are commonly experienced in regions where the earth crust is in unstable portion. Tectonic occurances and volcanic activities are the main reasons for Earthquakes.  Earthquake belts are generally young folded mountains like the Himalayas, Alps, Andes experience about 50% of Earthquakes.The continental slopes, mountains near the pacific ocean experience 40% of earthquake and the rest of the 10% are widely scattered on earth. So the two most important belts are the area surrounding pacific ocean and the belt via Indonesia, Himalayas to Mediterranean sea. (reference for percentages: L.D.Saini) Although the belts are expected regions of earthquake, there are unexpected regions which experience earthquakes also. Earthquakes cause a lot of damages but sometimes it brings notable changes such as areas rich in minerals coming closer to the surface, raise in sea floor to form dryland and so on. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Daughters are precious. The emotions attached with daughters are very special. Wanting them to have everything in the world, wanting to watch her be strong and able to live the life she wants is what every parent wants. In India daughters were not given much importance, many women were under pressure to give birth to a son but now there are many changes and the Indian Government is very supportive to its daughters. There is a saying that there should be a son at home to get Moksha (salvation).  but now a days thanks to the education and societal changes a daughter is equal to a son. Daughters are very fond of their parents.There are many songs in the folklore of Indian languages which appreciate their parents and their village. Daughters are symbols of love and wealth. I'm participating in A to Z challenge

Cartography is the science and art of making  maps.Maps are a source of information for navigation and finding information about areas.  These days everyone use GPS and locate the place where they want to go in their mobile devices. Cartography is the technique used in making those maps. Cartography has a very lengthy history, it is said that cartography began in the second century A.D by Ptolemy. However, some sources say it began in 6000B.C.  From this we get to know that Cartography is one of the ancient technique of map making.  In modern times, there is a lot of information obtained from maps and there are managed and edited by Cartographers. With the advance in technology, there is a lot of improvement in Cartography. Image Processing, GIS, spatial analysis are some of the technology used in Cartography. There are so many uses from Maps and with the advance in technology, the future of Cartography can be very interesting. Jahnavi Participating in A to Z challenge

Bangles are one of the most attractive and beautiful jewellery that I have seen. Having born and brought up in South India, I have seen almost all women wearing bangles. Bangles and Bracelets are auspicious and also very trending in the fashion industry now. Bangles are enchanting and are worn with style by women for special ocassions these days. There are several types of bangles in India but the ones that I have come across in Mysore and Bangalore are the single cylindrical shaped bracelet called kadaga which is usually made of silver, Glass bangles usually in the colors red and green , Gold bangles with various designs ( my favorite is the pepper corn design) , Gold bangles studded with diamonds and wooden bangles which are painted with designs. The kadagas are now mostly worn in the village areas compared to the cities like Mysore and Bangalore. The wooden bangles made in channapatna is popular amongst young girls. All these bangles are round in shape whereas the modern ba

Art can be described in many ways but sometimes an artist struggles to describe his/her own painting because sometimes there is no description but just solace to your soul. There are many forms of art and painting is one form of art which is a wonder for the eye, solace to the soul and imaginative calculations to the brain.  Many of the paintings are indicative about the mood of its artist.An artist who possesses the talent of painting can never be calm and composed until he/she puts the emotions and imaginations in them on a canvas.Artists look at everything in their ordinary life, regular daily routine in an aesthetic form. For example, looking at a tree branch as a piece of ornament or a ceiling as a design. If these things are not put on a canvas , anger, frustration etc are very common to occur and these emotions are sometimes painted as well. These are the things that often happen to me too. I paint with bright colors  when I'm calm and use the dark colors when I'm f