Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal, “a living thing with all aesthetic attributes of perfect womanhood, more subtle romantic, and tender in its beauty than any other building of its kind” - Havel

Taj Mahal

Magnificient Monument

World's Wonder

Love's Splendour

Taj Mahal is a wonderful marble architectural splendor. It is built by Shahjahan – Mogul king during the 17th century. He was first betrothed to Arjumand Banu Begum in the year 1607AD. His first marriage was held with another woman in the year 1610 on 10th of October. His nuptials with Arjumand Banu Begum who is famously known as Mumtaj Mahal were held in the month of March in 1612. He also married another woman in the year 1617. Of all the three wives, he loved his second wife who was not only beautiful but also dutiful. She accompanied her husband who rebelled against his father and hounded from place to place. Abdul Muzafar Shihabuddin Shahjahan Ghazi Sahib Qiran Shah – Shahjahan, ascended the Mogul throne in the year 1628, after the death of his father Jahangir.

Mumtaj Mahal bore him 13 children. She died in her 14th delivery on 17th of June 1631. She was his beloved wife for 21yrs and gave birth to 14 children. Of which only 7 survived.
Taj Mahal is built by Shahjahan in the memory of his beloved wife. It took 20,000 workers to work incessantly for 22yrs to complete it. Shahjahan, imprisoned by his son Aurangzeb at Agra fort, died (1666) with his gaze fixed on this mausoleum. He was finally laid by her side.

It is a beautiful love story. The mausoleum is a wonderful monument built by Shahjahan for his lady love and devoted wife.

Shah Jahan immortalised his love for Mumtaj Mahal - the chosen one of palace, in Taj Mahal.

Papaya

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Papaya is very good source of vitamin A. Carrot is the root/vegetable that is richest source of vitamin A. Non-vegetarian and sources of vitamin A is fish liver oil, halibut liver oil is the richest source and next is cod liver oil. These liver oils are generally used in treatment of vitamin A deficiency. A regular diet which includes green leafy vegetables, carrots, tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables which are yellow in colour, milk and milk products and eggs also have vitamin A.

Deficiency of vitamin A is the important cause of nutritional deficiency blindness in the developing countries. Supplying foods fortified with vitamin A and prophylactic administration of appropriate doses of vitamin A to children in the age group of 6 months to 6 years will prevent this deficiency and there by blindness.

First symptom of deficiency of vitamin A is dryness of eyes. Later triangular white patches develop in both eyes. If the deficiency is severe it causes corneal dryness, opacity and ulcerations. Sometimes there can liquefaction of cornea and bursting resulting in blindness permanently.

Night blindness - inability to see in dim light is the sign of vitamin A deficiency. Supplementation of vitamin A will correct the problem and normal vision is regained.

A proper balanced diet containing fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products and eggs will prevent vitamin A deficiency and there by nutritional deficiency blindness and night blindness in children.

Hennoionted hands

In Indian marriages, bride and bridegrooms decorate their hands with henna. Along with them even their friends and relatives (particularly girls) also apply henna to their hands in artistic way.

you will - you live

Roots are strong
So is the will;
Crushed to the ground
Turned on new leaves.

Scary visitors

As concrete jungles are increasing these mammals are getting habituated to stay in these jungles.

This monkey is enjoying fresh mango that it has plucked.

Here are few of these visitors to our home. They enjoy breaking branches of trees, plucking fruits and eating them. some times they may also slowly walk into the house and sneak away with fruits seen on the dining table.
Here you this monkey having banana sitting on the parapet wall of balcony.

Health is Wealth

• Health is wealth. We all know it. But as long as we are healthy we never think of protecting that wealth. When we are about to lose it, then we think of taking all precautions.
  ‘Healthy mind in a healthy body’. So, the body to be healthy good nutrition is essential. Under nutrition and over nutrition both are malnourishments.
  As poor nutrition is the problem of poor people, over nutrition is the problem in less educated rich population.
  Over nutrition leads to obesity and is the problem in developed countries and some class of people in developing countries.
  Obesity or overweight is having more fat in the body and weight being more than ideal bodyweight.
  Ideal body weight – Body Mass Index – weight (Kg)/Height in Sq. M. eg; 60/(1.6x1.6)
  Normal BMI = 18.50-24.99; 25-29.99 = increased weight; >30 obesity; with increasing BMI, moderate, severe and morbid obesity.
  Ideal body weight – Broca index – Height(Cm)-100 ex. 160-100 = 60Kg. >5% overweight is obesity, double the ideal weight is morbid obesity.
  Risks of obesity –> hypertension, diabetes, gall bladder disease and coronary heart disease, certain types of cancers especially large bowel cancers. In females it leads to metabolic syndrome, lowered fertility, increased complications in pregnancy and increased risks to the fetus – baby.
  To maintain ideal body weight proper diet and physical exercise are important.
  As for nutrition is concerned, the daily requirement of nutrients with appropriate number of energy calories is taken.
  An adult healthy man weighing 60Kg, doing moderate work eight hours a day will need 2875Kcal, and adult female weighing 50Kg doing moderate work for eight hours a day will need 2225Kcal. In women, additional requirement of 300-500Kcal is required during pregnancy and lactation.
  Major components of nutrients are
  Carbohydrates – 1Gm = 4Kcal - cereals, roots and tubors
  Proteins - 1Gm = 4Kcal - milk,eggs, meat, fish etc; pulses, cereals, nuts, beans
  Fats -- 1Gm = 9Kcal - animal fats ghee, milk, cheese, veg.oils –sesame,gnut
  Vitamins - from cereals, pulses, egg, meat etc; fruits and vegetables
  Minerals. – milk and milk products, fruits and vegetables, non-veg foods, eggs.
  A balanced diet should have 55%calories from carbohydrates, 25% from proteins and 20% from fats.
  The daily requirement of proteins, body building units, is 1gm/kg body weight. Extra 20Gm allowance added during pregnancy and lactation. Pulses and non-veg foods give about 20gm proteins per 100gm consumption. Highest protein content is in soyabeans, which give about 43gm.proteins/100gm.
  Cereals also give proteins, 5-7gm/100gms. Nuts and oilseeds will have more of fats and to some extent proteins. Fruits and vegetables give more of vitamins and minerals. Milk is the richest source of calcium. Cereals, pulses, non-veg, eggs and nuts and oils seeds will also have vitamins and minerals in variable quantities. Fruits and vegetables give less calories, 1cal or less/gm. Banana, sitafal and sapota give almost 1cal./gm. Dry fruits give almost 3-4cal/gm.
  Food items when taken in combination in appropriate quantity will give, apart from calories, all other nutrients – carb, proteins, fats, vit., minerals to keep body healthy.
  Fast food and aerated drinks give only empty calories as they have only sugars that will give calories and no other nutrients. Even alcohol gives 7cal/gm. So these fast foods, cola drinks and alcohol can lead to obesity and nutritional imbalance and ill health.
  All this is in short to know the value of food and to maintain good health by taking healthy diet.
  Eat healthy. Be healthy.

Victory On 'Virodhi'

‘Ugadi’(beginning of the era ) is beginning of the Telugu New year. Day one of Telugu New Year
The name of this year is “Virodhi”. I think, hopefully, that in this year we try to win over our virodhi – ‘kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mathsrya’ which are inimical to our progress. These six characters are the ones which make a person live with lot of struggle. When they are rightly understood and practiced all the same may help us to develop humanely and attain moksha. . ‘Kama’ means in general – desire; desire to have physical pleasure, desire to acquire things for physical happiness. Every desire when fulfilled, we realize, the pleasure it gives is short lived. We try something more. That something more will only end with knowing ‘god’ and enjoying ‘bliss’. It is said that “kami gani vadu moksha gami kadu” (a person who does not have any desire will never desire for moksha). When all the desires are fulfilled and still there is craving for something more enjoyable and everlasting pleasure then the realization comes that knowing god and attaining bliss is the final aim of life. Nothing else can give eternal happiness.
‘Krodha’ is something that generally destroys our peace. But if that is rightful anger directed against the persons or creatures causing harm to other beings and disturbing the ecological balance, then there can be heaven on earth as some religious people predict and are waiting for. As per Hindu scriptures god has come on to earth to fight against evil when the earth could no more bear their burden. Meaning less and unwanted krodha which we generally exhibit because of our ‘mada’ and ‘mathsrya’ will destroys us. So let us try to have only the rightful anger and not the anger which makes us lose our sanity.

But we are generally selfish (‘lobha’) and want to have so many things for us. We want everything for ourselves only, and we never think of others living and others wants. Some selfish people to prove their superiority they go warring destroying nations with all its inhabitants, its rich culture. Their selfish act will one day lead to their own destruction. It is said, ‘as you sow, so you reap’. When you have shown somebody a method for fulfilling your desires, someday the other person will take the same route. Selfishness to protect nature will gives us back the best living on this earth. Loving nature and its fauna and helping the beings to live in happiness will definitely make earth a paradise.

‘Moha’ is attachment. Attachment always leads to pain. When there is attachment, there has to be detachment some day. And the suffering to get detached is sorrowful. But as individuals we find it difficult to live alone. When alone, if we start enjoying that loneliness in getting connected to ‘Almighty’ then eternal bliss will be ours. And that is very difficult. So, if possible, if we try to follow the Hindu scriptural saying, to take up ‘vanaprastha ashrama’ after children come of age. I think it will be a step forward to slow and peaceful detachment and a step forward to tread the path to moksha – the goal of human life.

Do we ever like to give up these pleasures of life with its attachments when we are in good position socially and health wise? Our arrogance –‘mada’ will want us to continue imposing on others. As we are blessed with good fortune we feel ourselves no less than god and exert undue authority on others. Finally Almighty will have to end our being and turn into ashes. Of course, that is the end result of all of us. But before we mingle in mother earth it is worth to realize that whatever we are it is only for short period. So let us live peacefully and giving regard to every one that is their due.
We generally think we are the best. Only we should have all the best in the world. We are jealous if somebody is having more things and the things we love to have. Their possession of things makes us feel jealous –‘mathsrya’ and we try to put down them some way or other. Instead without jealousy if we appreciate their efforts for having those things, one day we may also have it. Huna philosophy says “Bless that which you want”. This can be practiced if we downplay the feeling of jealousy in us and know the efforts put by the person to achieve that we want. This reduces lot of heart burn in us and help to achieve the best we want.

These were some of my thoughts which I put in words after thinking about ‘Ugadi Pachadi’. This pachadi also has six main ingredients – sweet, bitter, sour, salt, vagaru (I do not know what to say in English) and spice (karam). All these are put in appropriate quantity in water – elixir of life. (In Telangana region Ugadi pachadi is made in the form of liquid-drink). This is specifically made in earthen pot. This earthen pot made out of clay (earth), mixed with water, heated on fire. The pot has unseen pores (air) in it. Space enclosed within the pot can be regarded as space (akasha). In this pot we put water and other ingredients and make a cool drink ‘Ugadi pachadi’. Ugadi comes in the early phase of summer - starting of summer season, and in olden days it was essential to buy a pot for summer to drink cool water.

When we think we find simple things do convey us so many facts about nature and culture. In this busy life, we rarely find time to think. We are either busy in struggle for existence or if we find ourselves at leisure and alone, we get bored. We always want to be preoccupied with some external activity. When we stop external activity and start enjoying loneliness life becomes peaceful and blissful.

On this Ugadi day, starting of Telugu New Year I wish all a bliss
‘sarvejana sukhinobhavanthu’