CHILDREN'S DAY

Birthday of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru is celebrated as children’s day. It is a national festival all over India. Jawahar Lal Nehru was born on 14^th November in 1889, at Allahabad. His father Moti Lal Nehru was a rich man and famous advocate. Leaving all the wealth and fortunes earned by his father. Jawahar Lal come to the central stage of freedom struggle for India. He was prison for several years.

But for all the horrifying period of struggle he had kept deep attachment and affection to children. Whenever he got a chance he rushed to the children nearby. He wore a fresh rose in his buttonhole as a symbol of his affection for children.

Actually, as the architect of modern India, he was learning a lot from the faces and talks of little children. After becoming the first Prime Minister of India he fulfilled the long time dream of Indian children by providing free education up to the primary level.

Children of  India remember Chacha on November 14^th and celebrate his birthday as their own day. Children’s day is celebrated in all schools of our country. Special programs and competitions are organized in public too to make the children feel happy and proud of their land and people. It is an occasion to make all aware that the children of today are citizens of tomorrow.

DIWALI

The word ‘Deepavali, means an array of lights (Deep – Lamp, Aavali – Array). It falls on the previous day of the New Moon in between mid of October and November.

The celebration of Diwali is closely related with India’s two classic epics the Ramayan and Mahabharata. According to mythology, this is celebrated to commemorate Rama’s return from exile at the end of fourteen years. It is also in memory of the destruction of the demon called Narakasura by Lord Krishna.

The people of Dwaraka greeted Lord Krishna with illumination and rejoicing in honuor of his victory. The darkness of the Chatudasi night forced them to use many lamps on the occasion, and the illumination became a part of this celebration.

Before sunrise, all have their oil bath and put on new clothes. Sweets are served followed by bursting of crackers. As the light dispels darkness, ignorance is replaced b knowledge. The prayer in the Upanishad ‘Thamasoma Jyothirgamaya’ means “lead us from the darkness to light.”

Deepavali is associated with merchants and the Goddess of weath. It is the practice in south India to consume a preparation of dry ginger and jiggery soon after the oil bath on the Deepavali day. Dry ginger and jiggery from the Niveda (offering) for Dhanwantari, the great exponent of Ayurveda.

Deepavali is celebrated by the lighting of many lamps in every courtyard and bursting of crackers. Sweetmeats and new clothes are part of the celebration. The festival of lights is celebrated all over the world in different forms

First In India - Male

1) The first president of Republic India - Dr Rajendra Prasad.

2) The first Prime Minister of India - Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru.

3) The first Indian who win Nobel prize - Rabindranath Tagore.

4) The first President of Indian National Congress - W.C. Banerjee.

5) The first Muslim President of Indian National Congress - Baddrudin Tayyabaji.

6) The first British Governal General of India - Warren Hastings.

7) The first British Viceroy of India - Lord Canning.

8) The first Governor General of Free India - Lord Mountbatten.

9) The first and Last Indian to be Governal General of free India - C. Rajgopalachari.

10) The first man who invented Printing Press in India - James Hicky.

11) The first Indian to join L.C.S. - Satyendra Nath Tadore.

12) India's first man in Space - Rakesh Sharma.

13) The first Chief of Army Staff - Gen. Maharaj Rajendra Singhji.

14) The first Indian Commander-in-Chief of India - General Cariappa.

15) The first field marshal of India - S.H.F. Manekshaw.

16) The first Indian member of the Viceroy's Executive council - S.P. Sinha.

17) The first Prime Minister of India who did not face the Parliment - Charan Singh.

18) The first Primr Minister who resigned without completing the full term - Mararji Desai.

19) The first Indian to get Nobel prize in Physics - C.V. Raman.

20) The first Indian to receive Bharat Ratna Award - Dr. Radhakrishnan.

BAKRID

Bakrid, or Idul-Azha is the festival of sacrifice. It is the second of the two festivals of Islam. This festival is observed by Muslims all over the world. It falls on the 10^th of Dhul-Hagg, the last month of the lunar year. It is a celebration of Abraham’s willingness to offer his only son as a sacrifice at God’s command.

In Kerala as in other parts of the world, this day dawns with the echoing of Thakbir (Allahu Akbar), the declaration that God is great. Every Muslim wakes up with the spirit of sacrifice and festivity. All dress in their best attire, and recite the Thakbir  and proceed for public prayers.

The whole atmosphere is filled with the prayer of “Allahu-Akbar.” The Imam leads the prayer and advises the devotees to be conscious of their duties to God, and follow the example of Abraham. After the prayer and the sermon, they hug each other and exchange greetings as an expression of affectionate brotherhood.

The festival at home begins with hearty feasts followed by social visits. Women enjoy this occasion by paying visit to the neighbouring houses and engage in singing and dancing. Special meetings are held in Kerala when distinguished members of sister communities participate. This serves to foster brotherly relationship among members of various communities. A spirit of tolerance, mutual understanding and universal brotherhood pervades such gatherings . 

DUSSEHRA

Dussehra is the festival of victory of goodness over evil. Dussehra is celebrated on the 10^th day of month of Ashwin. Dussehra is celebrated for 10 days from September end to early October. It has special significance in Mysore. In some other parts of the country it is celebrated as Vijaya Dashmi. In kerala thousands of small children are initiated to learning by making them write the first letter in rice with their finger.

There are two stories about Dussera. 

One of it says that Goddess Durga became victorious over Mahishasura on this day. As per second story Lord Rama, the 7^th incarnation of Lord Vishnu became victorious over demon Ravana on this day. It is celebrated to mark the defeat of Ravana by Lord Rama. Dussehra also symbolizes the triumph of worrior Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon, Mahishasura.

In North India, episodes from Ramayana are staged in the form of Ramlila in connection with Dussehra celebrations. Big effigies of demon Ravana filled with crackers are installed on the ground. Effigies of Kumbhakarna, brother of Ravana and Meghanath are also placed. They will be burnt in the evening as a symbol of victory of Rama over Demons.

It is celebrated with great fanfare in Kullu, Varanasi, Mysore, and in West Bengal it is slightly different as Durga puja. In Tamil Nadu, the first three days are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi.

NAVARATRI

Navratri is a very important Hindu festival celebrated in India, which is devoted to Goddess Durga. The festival is celebrated with great reverence and faith across the country. The nine days being dedicated to one of the nine forms of the Goddess. 

India is a country of festivals and celebration. It has a very rich historical and cultural background. Each Indian festival has a proper meaning, reason and significance behind its celebration. Fun and enjoyment are the aspects of the festivals, which sets the festive mood. Navratri, as the name suggests, means nine nights. It is one of the important Hindu festivals. It is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, the deity of Power. Like other festivals of India, Navratri also has a significance and meaning attached to it. Each day of the nine-day festival are dedicated to the worship of different forms of Goddess Durga, which unfolds the religious importance of the occasion.

Navaratri is very much women’s festival. during this month women bring down gulu dolls handed down for years in a family. They dust them lovingly and arrange them in “golu padi” or in steps. These are usually make shift benches and are made up of old boxes, cases etc. covered with the white cloth. They also buy new dolls to make delicacies as well as other essential like blouse bits, thamboolam etc.

During navaratri women invite their friends, relative and neighbors to see their gulu. It is only women folk who are invited.

Nine different types of sundal and rice dishes are made each day. Sundal is  navaratri essential. These dishes served to guest are given to take back home too. They are given the traditional thamboolam, a blouse piece, a small mirror, a comb and a kumkum container.

The ninth day of navaratri is Ayudh pooja. People pay respect to the implements (ayudham) they make use of tools such as scissors, knives, agricultural implements, factory machinery, computers etc. are considered sacrred and prayers are offered.

This day is also the day of Saraswati Pooja. An idol or a picture of the goddess kept along with the books, musical instruments etc. prayers are offered to the goddess and children are generally urged to pray hard, so that they will score well in the exams.

The tenth day is vijaya dasami. On this day, after the Pooja the dolls are all packed neatly in their boxes and taken back to the loft, where they will lie till next navaratri.

GANDHI JAYANTI

It is the birthday of Gandhiji our beloved father of the nation. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on 2^nd October 1869. It was the at Porbandar in Kathiawar in Gujarat. We celebrate Gandhi Jayanti to recall the greatest contribution made by Gandhiji, and pay homage to the father of our nation.

He had no message other than his life. His philosophy of non-violence astonished British rulers and the leaders of the world. He was able to lead India to freedom through non violence and Satyagraha. He had set up an example to the world that freedom can be won without bloodshed.

On this day special functions are organized at Keerthi Mandir, the birth housr of Gandhiji. National leaders pay homage to Gandhiji at the Raj Ghat in New Delhi.

In schools and colleges, special functions are organized. Special talks and seminars are organized on Gandhian philosophy . A week or two are declare as Labour weeks in schools and colleges.

Student do social work following the footstep of this great leader, thus Gandhi lives in the lives of millions of people all over the world.

National Flag

On July 22, 1947, the Constituent Assembly adopted Free India National Flag. After the advent of Independence, the colours and their significance remained the same. The colour of the top panel shall be India saffron (Kesari) and that of the bottom panel shall be India green. The middle panel shall be white, bearing at its centre the design of Ashoka Chakra in navy blue colour with 24 equally spaced spokes."

The colour saffron represents sacrifice.

The colour white represents nobility.

The colour green represents prosperity.

The wheel represents Dharma.

This Dharma Chakra depicted the "wheel of the law" in the Sarnath Lion Capital made by the 3rd-century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The chakra intends to show that there is life in movement and death in stagnation. Only the Dharma Charkha of Emperor Asoka was adopted in place of the spinning wheel as the emblem on the flag. Thus, the tricolour flag of the Congress Party eventually became the tricolour flag of Independent India.

National Anthem

"Jana Gana Mana" is an ANTHEM of INDIA. ANTHEM of any country is the heart of that country. "Jana Gana Mana" was officially adopted by the Constituent Assembly as the Indian national anthem on January 24, 1950. Rabindranath Tagore had written anthem for INDIA. Rabindranath Tagore was the first Indian who win Nobel prize.

National Song

The first political occasion where "Vande Mataram" was sung was the 1896 session of the Indian National Congress.

National Emblem of India (Lion Capital of Asoka)

It was adopted as the National Emblem of India on 26 January 1950, the day that India became a republic. The Emblem also consist the motto of India - "Satyameva Jayate" in Devnagari Script. which means "Truth Alone Triumphs".

NATIONAL CURRANCY SYMBOL

The symbol of Indian Rupee signifies India's international identity for money transactions and economic strength. The Indian Rupee sign is an allegory of Indian ethos. The symbol is an amalgam of Devanagari "Ra" and the Roman Capital "R" with two parallel horizontal stripes running at the top representing the national flag and also the "equal to" sign. The Indian Rupee sign was adopted by the Government of India on 15th July, 2010.

The symbol, conceptualized and designed by Udaya Kumar, a post graduate in Design from Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, has been chosen from thousands of concept entries received by the Ministry of Finance through an open competition among resident Indian nationals. The process of establishing and implementing this new identity is underway through various digital technology and computer applications.

NATIONAL FLOWER

The Indian national flower is a ‘Lotus’. On the other hand the lotus symbolizes purity of heart and mind. It is an aquatic plant of Nymphaea species with broad floating leaves & bright Fragrant that grow only in shallow waters. The leaves & flowers float & long stems that contain air spaces. The big attractive flowers have many petals overlapping in a symmetrical pattern. The root functions are carried out by rhizomes that fan horizontally through the mud below the water.

Lotus, prized for their serene beauty, delightful to behold as their blossoms open on the surface of a pond. Lotus is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture.

NATIONAL ANIMAL

Tiger the magnificent animal is scientifically called the banthera tigers (Linnaeus),

The national animal of India is a rich coloured well striped animal with a short coat. The combination of grace, strength agility & enormous power as earned the tiger great respect & high esteem. Out of the a races of the species known the Indian race, The Royal Bengal tigers is found throughout the country & also in the neighboring countries like Nepal, Bhutan & Bangladesh. 

It has exceptionally stout teeth, and the canines are the longest among living felids with a crown height of as much as 74.5 mm (2.93 in) or even 90 mm (3.5 in), total body length of up to 3.3 m (11 ft) and weighing up to 306 kg (670 lb). Its most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with a lighter underside.

Since then, the tiger population as shown a gradual increase & the census of 1993 puts the tiger population of the country at 3,750. So far 23 tigers reserve have been established in the country under this project, covering an area of 33,406 Sq.km.

The tiger needs to be emulated to remains alert & shift while working towards our goals in life.

NATIONAL BIRD

Our peafowl are known as Indian peafowl. The males are known as Peacock while females are known as Peahen. The Indian peacock, the national bird of India, is a colourful, swan-sized bird with a fan-shaped crest of feathers on its head, a white patch under the eye & a long-slender neck. The male of species is more colourful than & neck & a spectacular bronze-green tail of around 200 elongated feathers. The female is brownish, slightly smaller than the male & lacks the tail. The elaborate courtship dance of the male by fanning out the tail & quivering the feathers is a gorgeous sight.

  

The peacock is widely found in the Indian sub-continent from the south & east Assam, south Mizoram & the whole of the Indian peninsula. The peacock enjoys full protection under the Indian wildlife (Protection) act, 1972.

Most interesting think that peacock represents a colourful life.

   

NATIONAL FRUIT

The English word "mango" (plural "mangoes" or "mangos") originated from the Tamil word māṅgai or mankay or Malayalam māṅṅa. In India, there are over 100 varieties of mangoes, in different sizes, shapes and colours. Mangoes have been cultivated in India from time immemorial. The poet Kalidasa sang its praises. Alexander savored its taste, as did the Chinese pilgrim Hieun Tsang. Mughal emperor Akbar planted 100,000 mango trees in Darbhanga, Bihar at a place now known as Lakhi Bagh.

A fleshy fruit, eaten ripe or used green for pickles etc., of the tree Magnifera indict, the Mango is one of most important & widely cultivated fruits is a rich source of Vitamins A,C&D.

When mangoes were first imported to the American colonies in the 17th century, they had to be pickled due to lack of refrigeration. Other fruits were also pickled and came to be called "mangoes", especially bell peppers, and by the 18th century, the word "mango" became a verb meaning "to pickle".

                                                                                          

Mangoes are generally sweet, although the taste and texture of the flesh varies across cultivars, some having a soft, pulpy texture similar to an overripe plum, while others firmer, like a cantaloupe or avocado and some may have a fibrous texture. For consumption of unripe, pickled or cooked fruit, its skin can be consumed but has potential to cause contact dermatitis of the lips, gingiva or tongue in susceptible people. Under-ripe mangoes can be ripened by refrigeration for 4–5 days.

NATIONAL RIVER

Ganga is the longest river of India with the most heavily populated river basin in the world. The river is revered by Hindus as the most sacred river on earth. Ganges River, Hindi Ganga, great river of the plains of northern India.  Although officially as well as popularly called the Ganga in Hindi and in other Indian languages, internationally it is known by its conventional name, the Ganges. From time immemorial it has been the holy river of Hinduism. For most of its course it is a wide and sluggish stream, flowing through one of the most fertile and densely populated regions in the world. Despite its importance, its length of 1,560 miles (2,510 km) is relatively short compared with the other great rivers of Asia or of the world.

Gangotri origin of river ganga , this place is called gomukh . The river ganga originates from this glacier. Kumbh Mela is a mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges river. The normal Kumbh Mela is celebrated every 3 years, the Ardh (half) Kumbh is celebrated every six years at Haridwar and Prayag, the Purna (complete) Kumbh takes place every twelve years at four places (Prayag(Allahabad), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nasik). The Maha (great) Kumbh Mela which comes after 12 'Purna Kumbh Melas', or 144 years, is held at Prayag (Allahabad). Kumbh Mela is the most sacred of all the pilgrimages. Thousands of holy men and women attend, and the auspiciousness of the festival is in part attributable to this.

And every Indian regards that Ganga is our Mother.

NATIONAL GAME

The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports of India clarified that, officially, the country does not have a national game; no game, including hockey, has been notified as such. However, many sources, mention hockey as a "National Game". Unmatched excellence & incomparable virtuosity brought India string Olympic gold medals. India has won eight Olympic gold medals for hockey.The brilliant Indians brought a touch of magic to their play & the boll-juggling feats of the Indians were a sheer delight. The Golden Era of hockey in Indian was the period form 1928-1956 when India won 6 consecutive medals in Olympics. During the Golden Era, India played 24 Olympic matches, won all 24 matches, scored 178 goals & conceded only 7 goals. The 2 other gold medals for India came in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics & the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

hockey pitch dimensions:

Hockey pitch size. The traditional hockey pitch is 100 yards (91.4m) long and 60 yards (55m) wide.
The goal. The hockey goal is 7ft tall (2.14m) by 12ft wide (3.66m).
Penalty spot. As in football, this is the point from which a penalty strike is taken in a game of hockey. This is 7 yards (6.4m) from the goalmouth.
Striking circle. The striking circle is a ‘D’-shaped area measuring 16 yards out from the goal post. An attacking player must be within this area to score. It is also known as the ‘shooting circle’, ‘goal circle’ or ‘D’.
Back line. The back line is simply a line marking the lengthwise end of the hockey pitch. It is 60 yards long.
Half-way line. This is simply the line that divides the hockey field into two different halves.
The 25-yard line. This is a line found in each attacking portion of the pitch and is 25 yards (22m) from the goal. Intentional infringements within this area can result in the award of a penalty corner.

Hockey India launched its own logo in a grand ceremony on July 24, 2009, in India. It resembles Ashok Chakra of Indian flag. It is made up of field hockey sticks.. In a 30 April 2008 interview with India Today, Khan indicated the impact of the 2007 film about the National Women's Hockey Team, Chak De India, on his future strategy by stating that he wants "to create a 'Chak De' effect" within Indian hockey.

ARYABHATTA

MATHEMATICIAN AND ASTRONOMER

(476 – 550 A. D.)

If only we lived in the later part of the 5^th century A.D., we could have had a glimpse of a brilliant young boy with a halo of genius around him walking from a remote village, Muziris in the deep South India to up north at Kusumapura. Yes, walk it was, the best available transport, next to bullock carts or horses, in those days. That village is the present-day Kodungallour near Trissur, in Kerala and Kusumapura later came to be known as Pataliputra and now it is called Patna. The western world was still in deep slumber. That boy had a penchant for study at the international residential Nalanda University. That walk marked the first steps towards a Magnum Opus.

On 21^st March, 499 A.D., at Khagola, the famous astronomical observatory of the University of Nalanda, the university bells were ringing and Vedic chants rending the skies and beyond. Seating on a high podium, that boy, now 23-year-old, picked up a pen and started writing on the palm leaf parchments right on dot at the auspicious moment.

Thus stared a treatise, which came to be the greatest mathematical manual of all times-‘Aryabhatta’.  It dealt with many aspects of mathematics, like geometry, mensuration, square root, cube root, progression, the areas of triangles, volumes of sphere and astronomical calculations.

AMAR BOSE

BOSE SYSTEMS
(1929 AD)

 “I studied violin from age 7 to 14. Iloved music, and in my ninth year at MIT, I decided to buy a hi-fi set. I figured that all I needed to do was look at the specifications. So I bought what looked like the best one,turned it on, and turned it off in five minutes,the sound was so poor.”These were Bose’s own words. The quest had begun. Those high-ended and high quality stereo systems failed to reproduce the realism of live performance. His research and innovations in the speaker technology and acoustics led him to the present pinnacle where his products can be found in Olympics stadiums, Broadway theatres, the Sistine Chapel, and the Space Shuttle.That was Amar Gopal Bose, the founder and Chairman of Bose Corporation. With a net worth of $1.8billion, he was listed on the 2007 Forbes 400.