West India Tour – One to Splurge in History and Gaiety of Nature

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West India tours are one to unwind and surrender yourself to the caresses of Mother Nature. The western part of India is laced with the Arabian Sea and constitutes of one of the geographically splendid and culturally most thriving states namely, Goa and Gujarat. The west India tour packages including these two regions unfolds the architectural brilliance of the Portuguese era, pristine beauty of sandy beaches, historic monuments dating back to the days of India’s freedom struggle and aroma of delectable vegetarian cuisines. Visiting Goa and Gujarat together in a single tour is like showcasing two opposite poles of Indian civilization together, these west India tour packages thus unfolds diversity not seen elsewhere in the country.

A major part of Western India lies on the Deccan Plateau and the major rivers that flow around this region are Narmada, Tapti, Godavari, Zuari, Chambal and many other smaller tributaries. The temperature varies from Goa to Gujarat; with the presence of a long coastline the climate usually varies between tropical wet, tropical wet and dry to semi arid temperatures. While Gujarat has warmer climate with hot summers and very cold winters, Goa’s temperature remains hot in summers and pleasant during winters major ports in india.

Goa
When talking about west India tourism the name of Goa always arouses a certain feeling of ecstasy and excitement. The ultimate Party Town, Goa is all about scenic beauty of the beaches and jubilant celebrations. Being a colony of Portuguese rulers for about 450 years the state has their imprints on the lives of its locals even now. Apart from its beauteous sun-kissed beaches, Goa is also renowned for the ancient places of worship and their world heritage architecture. The laid back beaches of Goa are perfect place to get that tan and also to enjoy delectable Goan seafood or to explore one of the pirky flea markets. Other than that when in the vicinity one must not miss Goa’s beautiful ancient cathedrals such as Our Lady of Rosary, The Rachol Seminary, Church of St. Frnacis of Assisi, the Se Cathedral and Basilica of Bom Jesus.

*While planning a west India tour one must check the dates of Goa carnival to be able to enjoy a splendid view in this beauteous beach city.

Gujarat
The westernmost state of India, Gujarat is home to the major ports of India. Thus a significant trade and commerce centre of India, Gujarat is also encompasses excavated sites of Indus Valley Civilization. The state has also been place of birth of the “father of the nation”- Mahatma Gandhi and thus has been part of India’s history as the place where numerous independence movements were initiated and advanced. All these factors add to the workaholic and passionate spirit of the people of the state making Gujarat one of the main contributors to the Indian economy. While in the vicinity one must visit the sites of Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhi Memorial and Sabarmati Ashram and also some of the renowned temples namely Somnath and Dwarka temples.

*A visit to Sasan Gir National Park is a must for those wildlife enthusiasts eager to watch the king of jungle-lions in the wilds.

West India Tour – One to Splurge in History and Gaiety of Nature

West India visits are one to loosen up and give up yourself to the strokes of Mother Nature. The western piece of India is bound with the Arabian Sea and comprises of one of the geologically awesome and socially most flourishing states in particular, Goa and Gujarat. The west India visit bundles including these two districts unfurls the engineering splendor of the Portuguese time, flawless magnificence of sandy sea shores, noteworthy landmarks going back to the times of India’s opportunity battle and fragrance of scrumptious veggie lover foods. Visiting Goa and Gujarat together in a solitary visit resembles displaying two inverse posts of Indian human progress together, these west India visit bundles subsequently unfurls decent variety not seen somewhere else in the nation. A significant piece of Western India lies on the Deccan Plateau and the significant streams that stream around this area are Narmada, Tapti, Godavari, Zuari, Chambal and numerous other littler tributaries. The temperature fluctuates from Goa to Gujarat; with the nearness of a long coastline the atmosphere for the most part shifts between tropical wet, tropical wet and dry to semi dry temperatures. While Gujarat has hotter atmosphere with sweltering summers and freezing winters, Goa’s temperature stays blistering in summers and wonderful during winters.Goa When discussing west India the travel industry the name of Goa consistently stimulates a specific sentiment of joy and fervor. A definitive Party Town, Goa is about beautiful magnificence of the sea shores and upbeat festivals. Being a province of Portuguese rulers for around 450 years the state has their engravings on the lives of its local people even at this point. Aside from its beauteous sun-kissed sea shores, Goa is likewise famous for the antiquated spots of love and their reality legacy design major ports in india. The laid back sea shores of Goa are ideal spot to get that tan and furthermore to appreciate luscious Goan fish or to investigate one of the pirky swap meets. Other than that when in the region one must not miss Goa’s wonderful old houses of God, for example, Our Lady of Rosary, The Rachol Seminary, Church of St. Frnacis of Assisi, the Se Cathedral and Basilica of Bom Jesus.*While arranging a west India visit one must check the dates of Goa jamboree to have the option to appreciate a wonderful view in this beauteous sea shore city.Gujarat The westernmost territory of India, Gujarat is home to the significant ports of India. In this manner a noteworthy exchange and trade focal point of India, Gujarat is likewise incorporates unearthed destinations of Indus Valley Civilization. The state has likewise been spot of birth of the “father of the country”- Mahatma Gandhi and therefore has been a piece of India’s history as where various autonomy developments were started and progressed. Every one of these variables add to the obsessive worker and energetic soul of the individuals of the state making Gujarat one of the principle supporters of the Indian economy. While in the region one must visit the locales of Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhi Memorial and Sabarmati Ashram and furthermore a portion of the eminent sanctuaries in particular Somnath and Dwarka sanctuaries.

View on Computer Viruses

maxresdefaultWe often talk about the computer virus infection these days, but what are the characteristics when computers are infected? And what are the main defending or protection measures? Now let us take a further view on this topic characteristics of computer characteristics of computer.

What is computer virus?

There are five characteristics when your computer is infected. The first one is to influence the running speed of your PC. Secondly, the length of your computer files will be added. Thirdly, strange or unrecognized documents will appear; odd display or sound may annoy you sometimes. Fourthly, your PC may run to crash now and then. And the last one is to take use of abundant disk space and do harm to system resource.

Since there are so many inconveniences or bad results if PCs are infected, you should equip your PC with strong software and then you can enjoy better and comfortable computer experience. The defending measures of computer virus are as follow:

Firstly, to defend virus is the basic step. For the computer virus, defending will be your continuing job in the way of anti-virus. For example, you can setup anti-virus program in your computer, once there is any infection in your PC, the program will sound the alarm and then you can check the scan result and delete the suspicious files or virus.

Secondly, check the virus. After the installation of anti-virus program, you can set the program automated-scan at the time you need. So the real time defense mechanism can block any malicious programs from entering your system while you browse the internet.

Finally, delete virus which is the most important step. But whether you can keep your PC away from the attack of virus, to some extend, depends on the quality of the anti-virus program you have chosen. With the use of good anti-virus software, you can avoid all the inconveniences and eliminate any threat posed by the unwanted programs.

 

Do Nothing Accomplish Everything – Consciousness and a Golden Age

Never imagine that war, regardless of how important, nor how supported, isn’t a wrongdoing.- – Ernest Hemingway There was little exhibition when Maharishi Mahesh Yogi passed on in 2008 at 91 years old – a concise eulogy and some paper things about the Beatles meeting him India in 1968. Truth be told, at whatever point Maharishi’s name showed up in the press, the Beatles got the features. However the little intellectual who presented a special type of contemplation toward the west changed the lives of millions, from ashrams to board rooms everywhere throughout the world.Little Monk – Heart Like a Lion A pupil of twentieth century Indian Saint Brahmananda Saraswati of the Shankaracharya custom, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was an otherworldly instructor with a bosses in Physics golden age of india. He began the Spiritual Regeneration Movement in 1957. Understanding the name would not have a similar intrigue in western culture, he changed its name and started encouraging the system he gained from his lord utilizing explicit Indian mantras. On the off chance that you were not living in a cavern during the mid-twentieth century, odds are you’re familiar with this contemplation.Instructed in technical studies, Maharishi closed our choices and activities are attached straightforwardly to the physiology and bio-science of the body, just as neural pathways of the cerebrum or sensory system. By perception and trial he showed how reflection influences the psyche and body by bringing down circulatory strain, reducing A.D.H.D. also, different other physical, social and passionate issue. Dr. Deepak Chopra was one of Maharishi’s initial defenders in the United States.Another promoter was doctor Herbert Benson, originator of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital and previous teacher of medication at Harvard Medical School. Subsequent to learning Maharishi’s contemplation procedure, Dr. Benson investigated his own. Substituting other word symbolism for Indian mantras, he called his technique “The Relaxation Response.”Do Less Accomplish More Research in the course of the most recent 50 years affirms what eastern societies have known for centuries. While sitting with eyes shut for 20-30 minutes twice day by day, starting by rehashing a mantra, the meditator apparently isn’t doing a lot of anything. However while in the supernatural state, profound burdens are discharged and more prominent wellbeing wins. The individual comes back to the dynamic waking state invigorated, loose and ready to work all the more adequately with less exertion. Maharishi authored the two expressions “do less, achieve more,” and “sit idle, achieve everything.” An understudy of the Tao Te Ching of Lao-Tsu will be acquainted with the accompanying:”The further one goes, the less one knows Along these lines the Sage doesn’t go, yet he knows He doesn’t look, yet he sees He doesn’t do, yet all is finished.”Non-Duality and Yogastha Kuru Karmani Generally interpreted, the above Sanskrit state from the holy Hindu sacred text, the Bhagavad Gita, signifies “built up in Being, perform activity.” The story told in the Gita is a moral story for each person. The situation is a war zone where ruler Arjuna is ethically confounded about whether to battle and execute his own family members. Ruler Krishna teaches Arjuna, “This body is the war zone.” The war is the battle every single otherworldly wannabe experience when managing the consequences of their activities. At the end of the day, life is a nonstop battle when lived in the realm of duality or obliviousness.

Jagarnath Temple: Puri, India

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India is a land of thousand gods, many say and the perfect epitome of it is visible throughout the length and breadth of this marvellous country. Presence of temples has been reported since the epic period of Ramayan and Mahabharat in India. Amongst the innumerable temples present in India a very famous one known as Jagarnath Temple is located in the beach city of Puri, Orissa.

This temple is primarily devoted to Lord Jagarnath which is an incarnation of Krishna (one of very prominent Hindu gods). This temple holds high religious sentiments amongst the Hindus, primarily because it is a part of Char Dham (places which every Hindu must visit in his/her lifetime) others being Badrinath, Dwarka and Rameshwaram respectively. Jagarnath Temple is the only one in India where goddess, Subhadra, sister of Lord Krishna is worshipped along with her brothers, Lord Jagannatha and Lord Balabhadra. The main temple here is about 1000 years old and constructed by Raja ChodaGanga Deva and Raja Tritiya Ananga Bhima Deva in the 12th century. As story goes this temple was an outcome of a dream which the emperor of Puri saw in his dreams, according to legend he was ordered by God almighty to create temple at a predefined location which he duly followed and the outcome was the Jagarnath Temple of Puri 1000 years old temples in india.

The Annual Rathayatra celebrated every year is most prominent amongst all the festivals celebrated in Puri. It has been attracting lakhs of devotees and pilgrims since time immemorial. During this festival the statues of Lord Jagarnath, Balabhadra and goddess Subhadra are transferred from Jagarnath Temple to Gundicha Mandir in a hand pulled cart drawn by the pilgrims, after a stay at Gundicha for 9 days the statues are again brought back to the Jagarnath Temple and restored. To see the Lord on the Chariot on the Rathayatra day is a good omen and helps in securing salvation from the cycles of birth and death many Hindus believe. For the administrators the entire Rathayatra period is very cumbersome. Managing thousands of devotees in no easy task and many a times stampedes do occur due to heavy crowd inflow, sometimes even resulting in mass deaths. The task of organizing RathYatra in Puri is no less daunting and challenging than organizing the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad,Uttar Pradesh, India considered as the biggest gathering of human beings on the planet.

The temple Architecture is similar to other temples of Orissa like the Lingaraj temple of Bhubaneshwar and the Sun Temple of Konark. However, due to its proximity to the sea it has been covered with lime plaster to protect it from the saline climate of Jagannath Puri. The design of the inner complex has been designed with utmost care and elegance. The Administration of the temple is carried in accordance with the Sri Jagannath Temple Act of 1954 of the Orissa State Government. At the administrative level the Raja Gajapati of Jagannath Puri is the Chairman with the Collector of Jagannath Puri as the Ex-Officio Vice-Chairman.

Brahmagupta Invented Zero

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Zero is not just a word or a numeral but a symbol of the pride of the Indian nation and the fact that the eastern culture’s research and development in the field of science and mathematics is the very foundation on which the medieval world’s discoveries were made and yet more future ones still remain to be made through forgotten zeroes of the east.

In this ever changing dynamic world no one really cares about this sweet little zero, but imagine if this is taken out of our lives then all the scientific developments will come to a chaotic end and your four to eight figure salary will be a single digit trauma. NASA will have to cancel their trips to mars and the moon, Hubble will just fall to the earth. Furthermore, our modern mathematics will be shaken and will find new abrupt faces to explain its complex theorems. In short, the entire world will be a bear’s garden in the absence of this single numeral called ‘Zero’ and written as ‘0’ and sometimes pronounced as just O.

Zero was not the brainchild of Greek, Arabic or the Western world but the product of an Indian mathematician called Brahmagupta in 598 AD. Brahmagupta was born in Gujarat in the city of Bhinmal which is currently situated in the North West Rajasthan. Brahmagupta was the head of the department of mathematics and Astronomy at the university set up by another great Vedic Indian mathematician aryabhatta inventions at the city of Ujjain which was at that time a great center for learning Science literature Sanskrit and the art of prediction called astronomy.

The Power Of Awareness: How To Cultivate Mindfulness In Your Everyday Life

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No Longer Trapped In Your Thoughts

Even though it was the Master’s Day of Silence, a traveller begged for a word of wisdom that would guide him through life’s journey.

The Master nodded affably, took a sheet of paper and wrote a single word on it: “Awareness.”

The visitor was perplexed. “That’s too brief. Would you please expand on it a bit?”

The Master took the paper back and wrote: “Awareness, awareness, awareness.”

“But what do these words mean?” said the stranger helplessly.

The Master reached out for the paper and wrote: “Awareness, awareness, awareness means AWARENESS.”

Anthony de Mello’s amusing tale highlights how something we take for granted, has a powerful affect in our lives science in everyday life.

The single biggest impediment to happiness and fulfilment results from an impaired awareness. Many people scurry about their daily lives absorbed in their thoughts, processing memories of pain and regret or expecting a future to arrive as they hope for.

They are not alive to the present moment but living in their thoughts. Suffering and pain ensues because they believe their thoughts to be true.

Author Jan Frazier states in The Freedom of Being: At Ease with What Is that we must redirect our attention away from external events to within: “If you want to lead a more peaceful life, the primary focus should shift from external events to the inner, as a general practice.”

Awareness is the experience of consciousness functioning in the backdrop of our lives. It asks nothing of you other than to engage it often.

People associate self-awareness to being awake which means not asleep at the wheel of life. When you are awake, you are no longer trapped in your thoughts but recognise they come and go from your mind like ocean tides.

“Paying attention to automatic thoughts is simply a habit we can change. When you shift into awareness-based knowing, automatic thinking moves into the background, and you experience true peace of mind,” states psychotherapist and author Loch Kelly in Shift into Freedom: The Science and Practice of Open-Hearted Awareness.

Programmed By Your Past Conditioning

I’ve had the pleasure of coaching hundreds of people on mindfulness based awareness through simple habits. Most are corporate executives and CEOs who spend a lot of time processing thoughts to make effective decisions.

Yet, the process of thinking does not mean you know where your thoughts are leading you. Of those I work with, many of them notice the same theme throughout their minds. They feel as though their thoughts are thinking them instead of being in charge of their thoughts.

Can you relate to this?

This could be attributed to a lack of awareness of their thought process. It doesn’t mean one must be mindful of every thought, instead you notice the main themes of your thoughts throughout the day.

“Awake awareness can “know” something without referring overtly to thoughts, but it can also use thought when needed,” explains Loch Kelly.

For example, when I’m tired late in the evening or following strenuous exercise, I notice my thoughts are more scattered than usual. I am mindful not to make major decisions at those times since I am not functioning at my best.

Have you noticed how some people can push your buttons at times because they know you have a tendency to react?

Similarly, do you make impulsive decisions at certain times of the day when your willpower is depleted?

Research shows that willpower depletion correlates with a drop in blood glucose in the brain. We are more likely to make mistakes at those times, particularly as it relates to nutritional choices.

It was the Greek philosopher Socrates who said: “Know yourself.” He was referring to knowing oneself at a deeper level beyond your superficial likes and dislikes.

Knowing yourself means being mindful of the nature of your thoughts before they become emotional reactions. The science is clear, many of your choices originate in your subconscious mind. However, they must have first past through your conscious awareness, considered the gatekeeper of the mind.

The subtleties of everyday life such as the music you listen to, the people you associate with and what you read online, can leave a suggestible impression on your subconscious mind.

“The subconscious is a powerful part of who you are and its job is to keep you in the familiar even if it doesn’t work anymore. Your awakened choices are made with present-moment awareness. They are conscious choices,” affirms author Colette Baron Reid in Uncharted: The Journey Through Uncertainty to Infinite Possibility.

In a sense, your subconscious mind and your actions are the result of your biology, past conditioning and your environment.

Meaning Making Machines

To cultivate mindfulness in everyday life, be aware of your surroundings. Keep your thoughts in the present moment instead of ruminating on the past or future.

An exercise I ask my coaching clients to do involves taking a walk in nature and notice what is taking place around them, without adding a narrative to it. This means not being distracted by their mobile phone device or other thoughts.

Constantly processing thoughts inhibits mindfulness, yet awareness notices everything and registers it in your consciousness.

Loch Kelly says: “One of the most important things to learn is how to separate awareness from thinking, and then we can see that thoughts and emotions are not the centre of who we are.”

I ask my clients to leave their mobile device at home and avoid creating a mental dialogue of what they see. I tell them to experience their surroundings through their senses instead of trying to add meaning to it.

For example, you might see other dog owners playing with their pets. Instead of creating a mental dialogue, simply experience it through your nervous system.

Your awareness recognises the gender of the individuals, their height, weight, facial expressions and a thousand other things, yet your mind interprets it to make sense of it. It is for this reason humans are meaning making machines.

Whilst it’s good to make sense of your surroundings, you can become stuck processing your experiences instead of experiencing what you see.

Rupert Spira writes in Being Aware of Being Aware: “Peace and happiness are not, as such, objective experiences that the mind has from time to time; they are the very nature of the mind itself. Happiness is our essential nature, apparently obscured or eclipsed much of the time by the clamour of objective experience but never completely extinguished by it.”

Allow Your True Essence To Emerge

Another exercise I ask my clients to do is one you can try yourself. It involves closing your eyes and picturing a yellow lemon.

What does the lemon look like?

Is it big or small?

Is it sitting on a table or floating in thin air?

Can you taste, smell or notice anything else about the lemon?

Simply observe what you see, yet avoid creating a mental dialogue of the scene.

People find this exercise easier as a glimpse into practicing mindfulness, because when your eyes are closed, you witness your thoughts without judging what you see. The more you practice these exercises, the more familiar you become exploring mindfulness in everyday life.

The benefits of mindfulness are many. A quick search online reveals the benefits of being mindfully aware instead of caught up in your thoughts.

If you rely on your thoughts alone to experience life, the incessant thinking can eventually lead to stress, especially if you buy into the narrative your thoughts promote.

However, becoming mindful of your thoughts helps you become more grounded in the present moment and experience the richness of life.

“The most important thing to know is that we are always already in the Now – however, we are not always aware of being in the Now,” says Loch Kelly.

How to Keep Weeds Out of Your Flower Beds

rice_1_hopefornigeriaonline_com_1496909425_725x725Weeds are one of the most destructive of the plant kingdom to the economic value of your main crops especially flower plants. They’re a menace to the entire agriculture industry when it comes to get a better yield. Mostly, your income is totally affected by the invasion of weeds to your garden.

Weeds compete with plants in so many ways, like they compete in soil nutrients, sunlight requirements, space area, and everything more. The also serves as a host for some destructive insect pests that destroys your flowers. Some insects used weeds as their breeding ground for multiplication to create a greater damage to your flower garden.

In order to get rid of weeds invading your flower beds, I have identified some ways to keep them out.

1. Proper land preparation

Before how to identify plastic rice commence your planting, have your beds prepared properly to remove all weeds you see. Prepare your beds early on at least 1 – 2 weeks prior to planting to kill all the weed seeds that are present in the beds. Expose the prepared beds to direct sunlight to kill some remaining weeds you’ve pulled.

2. Install plastic mulch

There are now available plastic mulch that are ready to be installed in your beds. After you’ve prepared the beds, lay the plastic mulch on top of the beds. Fix the mulch by burying both ends on the beds and fixing both sides with sticks to put in place and to avoid being blown by a strong wind. When you plant the seedling or seeds, you just open the plastic mulch by making a circular cut where you’ll plant your seedlings or seeds. If you don’t have a plastic mulch, you can use saw dust, rice straw, rice hull, pink or hardwood bark, and pine needles as a mulching materials.

3. Use clean tools and equipment

Before using your tools and equipment, clean them properly to remove some remaining weed seeds that attached to them from previous tilling operations. This will keep away from reintroducing some remaining weed seeds into your flower garden. Make it a habit to always clean you tools and equipment after every use before placing them in your storage room

4. Apply herbicide

The most effective way to get rid of weed invasion in your flower garden, is the use of a herbicides. But, if you can avoid it, don’t ever use chemicals to control weeds. They affect our environment especially to economic crops you eat every day, to animals and most especially to human being. Chemicals are the cause of some major illness to human and animals.

I am always against the use of any synthetic chemicals in all throughout my entire teaching career. In fact, I’m a staunch advocate in organic farming and the use of any available local materials to be made into compost and introduction of bio-intensive gardening to home gardeners, including vermin-composting as a source of organic fertilizer to farmers.

Costumes Of Kerala

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Kerala is one of the cultural and the heritage states of India. Kerala is the state of high literacy,development, lush green lands with beautiful surroundings, golden beaches, gurgling seashore and awesome backwaters. The culture of Kerala is the fusion of Aryan and Dravidian influences, which was further expanded by contact with the neighboring regions and overseas cultures. Most of the civilians of Kerala are Hindus, but also there are communities of Muslims and Christians. The official language of Kerala is Malyalam however many of the communities speak English as well.

The people of Kerala are very simple and traditional that is reflected with their wearings. Generally both men and women are dressed in off-white and white apparels. The traditional costumes of Kerala are mundu and neriyathu, for both men and women traditional dress of kerala.

Costumes of Women in Kerala:

Mundu – neriyathu is the two piece costume worn by Hindu women. Mundu is a white or off-white piece of cloth with golden jerried border called ‘kara’, that indicates the royalty. Mundu is an outfit which is worn around the waist and flowing down to the feet. As mundu is hand-woven cotton fabric so it is quite comfortable to wear in summer season. Neriyathu is an upper attire which is put over the blouse with one of its ends inserted in the mundu and the other long end worn over the front torso. This is dressed up in a diagonal way, from the right hips to the left shoulder just like a saree.

The traditional dress of Christian women in Kerala is chatta (blouse) and mundu. They wear mundu with a fan like fold at their back. And muslim women primarily in central and north Kerala wear a long dark blue or black outfit. They also cover up their abundant long hair with beautiful kerchief or scarf.

Now a days Mundu – neriyathu has been treated as an old-fashioned costume and is only worn by the old age women. Instead of these Keralite women wear set-saree, which also called Kerala Saree. So saree-blouse is the mostly worn attire of Keralite women now a days.

Costumes of Men in Kerala:

Men in Kerala are more traditional and conservative than that of women. Their traditional outfit is Mundu. Mundu is a long white piece of cloth, tucked around the waist and reaches to the ankle.

Many of Keralite men do not wear any apparel above the waist, but the men who belong to higher castes, drape a towel like piece of cloth on their shoulders. And some modern men also wear shirts, that alike mundu are always feather white. This costume is worn by the men of all religions and all classes, but some who are influenced by western culture, wear shirt and cotton trousers.

The Keralite muslim men wear the same costume but their style of wearing mundu is somewhat different as that of Christian and Hindu Muslim Keralite men. Also Keralite Muslims wear an additional cap (round cap) over their head.

Day to Day Wearings of Keralites:

In their daily life all the women of Kerala wear sarees and chooridar or salwar – kameez, while Keralites men wear trousers and shirts. The dressing style of Keralites is gradually changing.

India and Its Nuclear Power Policy

rajasthan-atomic-power-stationIf you come, with you; if you do not come, without you, and if you oppose, in spite of you, we go ahead; said Veer Savarkar once. And exactly that is India’s nuclear policy now. “If you help, with your help, if you do not help without your help and if you oppose, in spite of you, we shall go ahead with our policy” says India to the advanced nations of the world. It was with their help that India had launched its nuclear program. Soon it had to pass through the second stage and now, it is in spite of their opposition, that India goes ahead, with its policies and programs of ‘atoms for peace’.

Nobody knew that a tiny atom could be a store house of tremendous energy, until the early forties. Only when America dropped its ‘crude; atom bomb on Japan, the world could realize its huge power of destruction. Apart from wiping out vast areas around and killing every living being that breathes-even plant life is not spared – its immediate and long term effects are stupefying. Even small doses of nuclear radiation, such as – rays, – particles, – particles and neutrons can result in skin disorders loss of hair and the like which are recoverable, while greater doses, in irreparable losses leading to leukemia and malignant tumors. Its long term effects are more baffling. It is their offspring that suffer-their mental efficiency decreases, and their reproductive capacity deteriorates.

No wonder Japan had surrounded unconditionally and with in days the second world war ended. But this should have acted as a deterrent and the world should have stayed away from this forbidden front. But human greed knows no limits and the temptation to acquire power, even if it is destructive, is irresistible. Soon nations found themselves running in the race, to make atom bombs. Russia, England, France and China devised and developed the atom bomb. And now they realized that it had very great powers of destruction and its production therefore should be restricted. While they produced and stock piled them, devising newer and newer ones, they wanted that no other nation should produce them and started compelling non-nuclear nations to give an undertaking to that effect and enter into the non proliferation treaty – NPT in short.

India could not understand the rationale behind such a partisan attitude. Yet it was ready to sigh the treaty provided the nuclear power were prepared to give up their destructive ambitions. It was not palatable to them, they wanted to continue with their nuclear experimentation’s, production and stock piling of the arsenal as they devised ways and means of coercing India.

It was in July 1974 they got a chance to pursue their discriminatory policies with renewed vigor; on this day India tested a modest atom bomb at Pokharan and became un-welcome member of the nuclear club. But at the same time, in spite of its capabilities to make and store atom bombs, it once again declared in clear unequivocal terms, its commitment to use the atom-power for peace and prosperity of the nation. Ignoring its unambiguous professions and suspecting its integrity and honesty they applied pressure after pressure to coerce India and bring it round to sign the NPT which “attempted to lock up all the law abiding citizens while allowing the criminals complete freedom to roam about and continue with their criminal deeds”.

With the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and France, going back on their promises and refusing to help India in pursuing its nuclear peace program, India began to experience the pinch of neglect and non-co-operation. Without Uranium 235 or heavy water, or other essential components, there came a virtual break down in its program. Even our trusted friend, Russia, withdrew its hand of assistance and refused to supply the heavy water. India has learned the virtue of self help of course, in the hard way. It is indeed ironical that the very force that tried to subdue and humiliate India, had finally become a blessing in disguise atomic power station in india.

In 1972, India obtained a design for the Fast Breeder Test Reactor (FBTR) from France. After 1974 when India test fired its atomic device France refused to honor its treaty obligation and part with its know – how or supply enriched uranium fuel. India had therefore to deviate form the French design, make alterations, modification and adaptations, produce the essential components-reactor vessel fuel and reflector sub-assemblies, rotating plus, control and drive mechanisms, heat exchanges, steam generators, pumping systems and finally a new fuel that could be used but at the same time abundantly available in the country itself. Getting over the hurdles one after another, India’s first FBTR became critical in 1985 and now, India proudly takes the seventh place in the exclusive 7 member club of countries with FBTRS, the United Stated, the Soviet Union, France, the United Kingdom, West Germany and Japan being the other countries in that order. In this regard, one may recall what out eminent nuclear physicist Dr. Raja Ramanna said “That takes us with the very few, an elite group-the same countries are still thinking whether they should, or should not go into expect that we would finish the FBTR by ourselves.”

Not only did our scientists successfully finish it, but also hit upon a new fuel thorium which is available is plenty in India and specifically designed for Indian conditions. Also, the higher fissile content of the plutonium helps the engineers to dispense with the heavy water. Again to quote Raja Ramanna, “We would be the first in the world to use carbide’. Now with Madras Atomic Power Stations I and II, apart from the FBTR, all the three located at Kalpakkam, near Madras and Dhruva Research Reactor at Bombay, India can now be proud of the new technology it has developed in this area, unaided, all by itself. A country that could not once produce quality bolts and nuts can now produce metal cooled, carbide fuelled highly sophisticated, Fast Breeder Reactors. A giant leap indeed. “The rigidity with which our scientists struck to specifications and commissioned them, comparable in quality to any in the world, showed that given the drive, our scientists are capable of reaching great heights” said Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, while dedicating the FBTR at Kalpakkam to the nation.

The purpose of FBTR which uses a mixed carbide of uranium and plutonium as fuel (for driving the reactor ) developed and produced indigenously at the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, Bombay, is two fold; to offer research facilities and training for our young scientists and then produce electricity at a comparatively cheap rate. Their purpose electricity at a comparatively cheap rate. Their purpose is certainly not for making atom bombs. “By splitting the atom, we have released boundless energy. It must be our task to see that this energy is used for the furtherance of our civilisation and not misused for the destruction of human kind. Our abhorrence to nuclear weapons is total” said Rajiv Gandhi.

In spite of such honest declarations, the USA, not only arms Pakistan to its very teeth in the name of regional balance, but also pressurizes India time and again, through its camp follower, to sign the NPT, in a shrewd and veiled manner. Pakistan proposes that India and Pakistan –

1. Jointly sigh the NPT
2. Agree to mutual inspection of each other’s nuclear facilities
3. Together submit all their installations and facilities to international safeguards
4. Convert South Asia into a nuclear free zone and
5. Agree to a mutual renunciation of weapons;

Which clearly and conclusively state that Pakistan has clandestine atom bombs. And in spite of such unambiguous situations, America goes on with its billions of dollars of help and assistance to Pakistan. Does it mean that America is genuinely afraid of India’s nuclear policies and programs? Does its pronouncement look so empty and hypothetic to the American mind? Can India become a threat, in spite of its great eastern neighbor equipped with atomic teeth, to a country thousands of miles away from its shores? It is for the politician and the policy maker to find answers to such questions.