Trip to Leh - Day 2

We reached Manali around 11 AM on Day 2 (Saturday, 25th Sep). Got a room in Hotel Naveen, Manali for 2 hours for refreshments. After having super good lunch, got a taxi from Manali to Leh around 2.25 PM. One old man from that hotel arranged taxi for us but it is always good to go directly to the taxi stand and hire one.

We were planning to stop at Rohtang La (La means pass) and play in the snow. But we got stuck in a traffic jam before Rohtang for some half an hour and it was too late when we reached Rohtang.

We had dinner just before Keylong and stayed in Hotel Snowland in Keylong. It is a decent place for one night stay.

Medals

Don't envy a man his medals
All those ribbons on his chest
He did not try to get them
They're not there at his request

They were earned in stinking hell holes
Where no man would like to go
Or in cold and wintry places
Where there's only ice and snow

He did not know he earned them
Till they were awarded at parade
And they were bright when he first got them
But in time the colors fade

He was told he had to wear them
And to wear them all with pride
But when the memories come to haunt him
Those same medals make him hide

Cause those medals will not bring back
All those guys he left behind
And he would trade them all forever
For a little peace of mind

So don't envy a man his medals
You don't want to take his place
Thinking back to long gone battles
And meeting dead friends face to face

Why do I still serve you? - A poem from an Indian army officer

How you play with us, did you ever see?
At Seven, I had decided what I wanted to be;
I would serve you to the end,
All these boundaries I would defend.

Now you make me look like a fool,
When at Seventeen and just out of school;
Went to the place where they made "men out of boys"
Lived a tough life …sacrificed a few joys…

In those days, I would see my 'civilian' friends,
Living a life with the fashion trends;
Enjoying their so called "College Days"
While I sweated and bled in the sun and haze…
But I never thought twice about what where or why
All I knew was when the time came, I'd be ready to do or die.

At 21 and with my commission in hand,
Under the glory of the parade and the band,
I took the oath to protect you over land, air or sea,
And make the supreme sacrifice when the need came to be.

I stood there with a sense of recognition,
But on that day I never had the premonition,
that when the time came to give me my due,
You'd just say," What is so great that you do?"

Long back you promised a well to do life;
And when I'm away, take care of my wife.
You came and saw the hardships I live through,
And I saw you make a note or two,
And I hoped you would realise the worth of me;
but now I know you'll never be able to see,
Because you only see the glorified life of mine,
Did you see the place where death looms all the time?
Did you meet the man standing guard in the snow?
The name of his newborn he does not know...
Did you meet the man whose father breathed his last?
While the sailor patrolled our seas so vast?

You still know I'll not be the one to raise my voice
I will stand tall and protect you in Punjab Himachal and Thois.

But that's just me you have in the sun and rain,
For now at Twenty Four, you make me think again;
About the decision I made, Seven years back;
Should I have chosen another life, some other track?

Will I tell my son to follow my lead?
Will I tell my son, you'll get all that you need?
This is the country you will serve
This country will give you all that you deserve?

I heard you tell the world "India is shining"
I told my men, that's a reason for us to be smiling
This is the India you and I will defend!
But tell me how long will you be able to pretend?
You go on promise all that you may,
But it's the souls of your own men you betray.

Did you read how some of our eminent citizens
Write about me and ridicule my very existence?
I ask you to please come and see what I do,
Come and have a look at what I go through
Live my life just for a day
Maybe you'll have something else to say?

I will still risk my life without a sigh
To keep your flag flying high
but today I ask myself a question or two…
Oh India…. Why do I still serve you?

Trip to Leh - Day 1

After waiting for so long, the day dawned with a clear sky.. We had our flight at 8.10 on Friday, 24th Sep. We reached airport around 7, had breakfast, checked in around 7.30 and reached Delhi by 10.30.. We then went to Rao travels office in Karol bagh, deposited our luggages and then went to Delhi Darbar in Connaught place for lunch(don't miss it when you go to Delhi!!! amazing food but a bit costly).

Then we went to India Gate and spent ample time there..

And started back to Karol bagh and had one yucky lime soda but had awesome snacks at Bikanerwala(yummy dhoklas, raj kachori and rasmalai). Then picked our luggages and reached the pick up point for our bus to Manali. Bus was not that great but manageable :) They stopped for dinner at some place in Haryana. Even that food was awesome..

Trip to Leh - Part 1 (Planning)

Leh is one amazing place. I will never forget this trip!!!

We girls wanted to go for a trip. Everyone came up with different ideas and finally we decided on Leh; however, we did not know much about the place.

Our initial plan was to fly from Bangalore to Srinagar and from there travel to Leh trip by road. We booked flight tickets from Bangalore to Srinagar, Leh to Delhi and Delhi to Bangalore. There were curfews and the airport was also closed due to renovation so we had to replan the trip. We cancelled Srinagar ticket and instead booked to Delhi. From Delhi we planned to take a bus to Manali and taxi to Leh.

And then came the shocking news of cloud burst and Ayodhya verdict!!! Everyone advised us it is not safe.. only girls blah blah blah .... and that was a great motivation to us..

Timeline of College of Engineering Guindy since 1794

1794	Established
1858	Survey school was upgraded to Civil Engineering School
1859	School was renamed as Civil Engineering College with Lt. G. Winscom as the First Principal
1862	The Civil Engineering College was raised to the status of an Engineering College
1864	Graduation of first batch of B.C.E. students
1894	First institution in India to introduce Mechanical Engineering Course
1920	College was shifted to its present campus in Guindy
1932	First institution in India to introduce Electrical Engineering Degree
1935	Introduction of Research Degree in Engineering
1945	First institution in India to start Telecommunication Engineering and Highway Engineering
1957	First institution to introduce Architecture and Planning
1963	Computer Centre was established with an IBM 1620 computer system
1970	Postgraduate course in Applied Electronics introduced
1971	Postgraduate course in Aircraft Structural Mechanics introduced
1978	Establishment of Anna University as technological university
1978	Establishment of The Department of Computer Science
1981	First institution in Asia to start a Postgraduate programme in Medical Physics
1982	Establishment of Institute of Remote Sensing
1983	First Institution in India to start B.E. in Printing Technology
1992	First Institution in India to start B.E. in Geo-Informatics
2001	First Institution in India to start postgraduate programmes in Electronic Media
2005	India’s First Community Radio Anna FM 90.4 MHz
2006	First Institution in Asia to introduce a B.E. degree in Agricultural and Irrigation Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering
2008	Introduced Bio medical engineering
2009	India's first communications satellite developed by a university - Launched by ISRO PSLV-C12, along with RISAT-2.

Be Proud to be a CEGian!!!

History of Chennai

Chennai, originally known as Chennapatnam, was located in the province of Tondaimandalam, an area lying between Pennar river of Nellore and the Pennar river of Cuddalore. The capital of the province was Kancheepuram. Tondaimandalam was ruled in the 2nd century A.D. by Tondaiman Ilam Tiraiyan, who was a representative of the Chola family at Kanchipuram. It is believed that Ilam Tiraiyan must have subdued the Kurumbas, the original inhabitants of the region and established his rule over Tondaimandalam. Chennai is a city which has grown by merging numerous villages which are really ancient. The temples of Thiruvanmiyur, Thiruvotriyur, Thirvallikeni (Triplicane), Thirumyilai (Mylapore) have existed for more than 1000 years. Thiruvanmiyur, Thiruvotriyur and Thirumyilai are mentioned in the Thevarams of the Moovar (of the Nayanmars).

Early European settlers:

Modern Chennai had its origins as a colonial city and its initial growth was closely tied to its importance as an artificial harbour and trading centre. When the Portuguese arrived in 1522, they built a port and named it São Tomé, after the Christian apostle St. Thomas, who is believed to have preached there between the years 52 and 70. The region then passed into the hands of the Dutch, who established themselves near Pulicat just north of the city in 1612.

Arrival of the British:

By 1612, the Dutch established themselves in Pulicat to the north. In the seventeenth century when the British East India Company decided to build a factory on the east coast they selected Armagon (Dugarazpatnam), a village around 35 miles North of Pulicat, as the site in 1626. The calico cloth from the local area, which was in high demand, was of poor quality and not suitable for export to Europe. The British soon realized that the Armagaon was not a good port and it was unsuitable for trade purposes. Francis Day, one of the officers of the company, who was then a Member of the Masulipatam Council and the Chief of the Armagon Factory, made a voyage of exploration in 1637 down the coast as far as Pondicherry with a view to choose a site for a new settlement.

Post-independence (1947):

After India became independent, the city became the administrative and legislative capital of Madras State which was renamed as Tamil Nadu in 1968.

Modern Chennai:

Chennai , formerly known as Madras, is the capital of the state of Tamil Nadu and is India's fourth largest city. It is located on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. With an estimated population of 7.60 million (2006), the 369-year-old city is the 36th largest metropolitan area in the world.

Semmozhiyana tamil mozhi

பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் -
பிறந்த பின்னர், யாதும் ஊரே, யாவரும் கேளிர்
உண்பது நாழி உடுப்பது இரண்டே
உறைவிடம் என்பது ஒன்றேயென
உரைத்து வாழ்ந்தோம் -
உழைத்து வாழ்வோம்
தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர் தர வாரா எனும்
நன் மொழியே நம் பொன் மொழியாம்
போரைப் புறம் தள்ளி
பொருளைப் பொதுவாக்கவே
அமைதி வழி காட்டும்
அன்பு மொழி
அய்யன் வள்ளுவரின் வாய்மொழியாம்
செம்மொழியான நம் தமிழ் மொழியாம்
ஓரறிவு முதல் ஆறறிவு உயிரினம் வரையிலே
உணர்ந்திடும் உடலமைப்பை பகுத்துக் கூறும்
ஓரறிவு முதல் ஆறறிவு உயிரினம் வரையிலே
உணர்ந்திடும் உடலமைப்பை பகுத்துக் கூறும்
ஓல்காப் புகழ் தொல்காப்பியமும்
ஒப்பற்ற குறள் கூறும் உயர் பண்பாடு
ஒலிக்கின்ற சிலம்பும், மேகலையும்
சிந்தாமணியுடனே வளையாபதி குண்டலகேசியும்
செம்மொழியான நம் தமிழ் மொழியாம்

கம்பன் நாட் ஆழ்வாரும், கவி அரசியாம், வேய் நல்லாளும்
எம் மதமும், ஏற்றோம் புகழ்கின்ற, எம் மதமும் ஏற்று புகழ் கின்ற
எத்தனயோ ஆயிரம் கவிதைகள் கோர்த்த, தாடை அணைத்து கொண்டுதாக விளங்கும் மொழி
செம்மொழியான நம் தமிழ் மொழியாம்
அகமென்றும் புறமென்றும் வாழ்வை
அழகாக வகுத்தளித்து
ஆதி அந்தமிலாது இருக்கின்ற இனியமொழி -
ஓதி வளரும் உயிரான உலக மொழி -
நம்மொழி நம் மொழி – அதுவே
செம்மொழி – செம்மொழி – நம் தமிழ் மொழியாம்

வாழிய வாழியவே வாழிய வாழியவே வாழிய வாழியவே…

Cool Moon Facts

10. Making of the Moon

The Moon was created when a rock the size of Mars slammed into Earth, shortly after the solar system began forming about 4.5 billion years ago, according to the leading theory.

9. Locked in orbit

Perhaps the coolest thing about the Moon is that it always shows us the same face. Since both the Earth and Moon are rotating and orbiting, how can this be?

Long ago, the Earth's gravitational effects slowed the Moon's rotation about its axis. Once the Moon's rotation slowed enough to match its orbital period (the time it takes the Moon to go around Earth) the effect stabilized. Many of the moons around other planets behave similarly.

What about phases? Here's how they work: As the Moon orbits Earth, it spends part of its time between us and the Sun, and the lighted half faces away from us. This is called a new Moon. (So there's no such thing as a "dark side of the Moon," just a side that we never see.)

As the Moon swings around on its orbit, a thin sliver of reflected sunlight is seen on Earth as a crescent Moon. Once the Moon is opposite the Sun, it becomes fully lit from our view -- a full Moon.

8. Moon trees

More than 400 trees on Earth came from the Moon. Well, okay: They came from lunar orbit. Okay, the truth: In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa took a bunch of seeds with him and, while Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell were busy sauntering around on the surface, Roosa guarded his seeds.

Later, the seeds were germinated on Earth, planted at various sites around the country, and came to be called the Moon trees. Most of them are doing just fine.

7.Punching bag

The Moon's heavily cratered surface is the result of intense pummeling by space rocks between 4.1 billion and 3.8 billion years ago.

The scars of this war, seen as craters, have not eroded much for two main reasons: The Moon is not geologically very active, so earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain-building don't destroy the landscape as they do on Earth; and with virtually no atmosphere there is no wind or rain, so very little surface erosion occurs.

6. Sister moons

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. Right? Maybe not. In 1999, scientists found that a 3-mile- (5-kilometer-) wide asteroid may be caught in Earth's gravitational grip, thereby becoming a satellite of our planet.

Cruithne, as it is called, takes 770 years to complete a horseshoe-shaped orbit around Earth, the scientists say, and it will remain in a suspended state around Earth for at least 5,000 years.

5. Egghead

The Moon is not round (or spherical). Instead, it's shaped like an egg. If you go outside and look up, one of the small ends is pointing right at you. And the Moon's center of mass is not at the geometric center of the satellite; it's about 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) off-center.

4. Moonquakes

Apollo astronauts used seismometers during their visits to the Moon and discovered that the gray orb isn't a totally dead place, geologically speaking. Small moonquakes, originating several miles (kilometers) below the surface, are thought to be caused by the gravitational pull of Earth. Sometimes tiny fractures appear at the surface, and gas escapes.

Scientists say they think the Moon probably has a core that is hot and perhaps partially molten, as is Earth's core. But data from NASA's Lunar Prospector spacecraft showed in 1999 that the Moon's core is small -- probably between 2 percent and 4 percent of its mass. This is tiny compared with Earth, in which the iron core makes up about 30 percent of the planet's mass.

3. The Moon is a planet?

Our Moon is bigger than Pluto. And at roughly one-fourth the diameter of Earth, some scientists think the Moon is more like a planet. They refer to the Earth-Moon system as a "double planet." Pluto and its moon Charon are also called a double-planet system by some.

2. Ocean tug

Tides on Earth are caused mostly by the Moon (the Sun has a smaller effect). Here's how it works:

The Moon's gravity pulls on Earth's oceans. High tide aligns with the Moon as Earth spins underneath. Another high tide occurs on the opposite side of the planet because gravity pulls Earth toward the Moon more than it pulls the water.
At full Moon and new Moon, the Sun, Earth and Moon are lined up, producing the higher than normal tides (called spring tides, for the way they spring up). When the Moon is at first or last quarter, smaller neap tides form. The Moon's 29.5-day orbit around Earth is not quite circular. When the Moon is closest to Earth (called its perigee), spring tides are even higher, and they're called perigean spring tides.

All this tugging has another interesting effect: Some of Earth's rotational energy is stolen by the Moon, causing our planet to slow down by about 1.5 milliseconds every century.

1. Bye bye Moon

As you read this, the Moon is moving away from us. Each year, the Moon steals some of Earth's rotational energy, and uses it to propel itself about 3.8 centimeters higher in its orbit. Researchers say that when it formed, the Moon was about 14,000 miles (22,530 kilometers) from Earth. It's now more than 280,000 miles, or 450,000 kilometers away.

Water Ice Discovered On Asteroid For First Time

Water ice has been found on the surface of a nearby asteroid for the first time – a discovery that could help explain how Earth got its oceans, scientists announced.

Two teams of researchers independently verified that the asteroid 24 Themis – a large rock hurtling through space in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter – is coated in a layer of frost.

They also found that the asteroid contains organic material, including some molecules that might be ingredients for life. But scientists have not found any evidence for life itself on this asteroid, or anywhere else in the universe beyond Earth.

Did you know?

My other glass paintings

My first glass painting

Just outline

Completed painting

How to make flowers with Stocking cloth

Materials required

Stockings of various colours
Wires used for flower making (golden and silver)
Thread
Green tape
Thick metal wires
Pollens

Make small rings of the golden wires and twist it in the ends to form a ring with a handle to it.

Cover this with the stockings of the desired colours and pull it stretching it completely towards the handle. Now tie it up with a thread and cut out the remaining part of stockings. Repeat for all the petals and also leafs. Make different sizes of rings for big, small and medium petals.

Fold the pollen into half and attach it to a thick metal wire with thread. Now place the petals one by one and use thread to attach it. Shape the petals as desired. Use green tape to cover the wire. Similarly attach leaves and more flowers to make a big stem.

Make in different colours and keep it in a vase.

"You don't have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great."

--Les Brown

Kannamma en kadhali

சுட்டும் விழிச் சுடர்தான் - கண்ணம்மா
சூரிய சந்திரரோ?
வட்டக் கரியவிழி - கண்ணம்மா
வானக் கருமைகொல்லோ?
பட்டு கருநீலப் - புடவை
பதித்த நல்வயிரம்
நட்ட நடு - நிசியில்
தெரியும் நக்ஷதிரங்களடீ!

சோலைமல ரொளியோ - உனது
சுந்தரப் புன்னகைதான்!
நீலக்கட லலையே - உனது
நெஞ்சி லலைகளடி!
கோலக்குயி லோசை - உனது
குரலி னிமையடீ!
வாலைக் குமரியடீ - கண்ணம்மா
மருவக் காதல்கொண்டேன்.

சாத்திரம் பேசுகிறாய் - கண்ணம்மா
சாத்திர மேதுக்கடீ
ஆத்திரம் கொண்டவர்க்கே - கண்ணம்மா
சாத்திர முண்டோடீ?
மூத்தவர் சம்மதியில் வதுவை
முறைகள் பின்பு செய்வோம்;
காத்திருப் பேனோடீ? - இது பார்,
கன்னத்து முத்தமொன்று!

- பாரதியார்

Excerpt from Kurundhogai

யாயும் ஞாயும் யாரா கியரோ
எந்தையும் நுந்தையும் எம்முறை கேளிர்
யானும் நீயும் எவ்வழி யறிதும்
செம்புலப் பெயனீர் போல
அன்புடை நெஞ்சம் தாங்கலந் தனவே

Un Ninaivugal

அருகம்புல்லின் பனித்துளியாய்
அதிகாலையில் ஏனோ
உன் நினைவுகள்...

துயில் கலைந்த நான் நிழலாய்
உன்னை தேடிய போது
நிஜங்கள் நினைவுகளை கனவென்றன...

காலை நேரத்து உறக்கம்
இன்னும் மிச்சமிருந்தது...

மனம் ஏனோ கசந்தது...
தொலைத்து விட்ட
உறக்கத்திர்ர்க்காகவும் அல்ல...
கலைந்து விட்ட
கனவுகளுக்காகவும் அல்ல...

கலைந்த கனவில்
தொலைத்த உன் நினைவுகளுக்காக...

PS: Flicked from some blog

Trip to Mekadatu and Chunchi falls

It was a Sunday morning. We started to Mekadatu around 5 AM (one of the few times when I have woke up early) with packed breakfast and lunch.
Mekedatu means Goat's Leap in Kannada. Here the Cauvery river jumps in to deep narrow gorge over which even a goat can leap.

Lake on the way

One can drive only up to Cauvery Akravati Sangama. After this you can cross the river in coracle ( circular boats ) or by walking if the water level is low. From here Mekedatu is 4km downstream. There is only one bus available at the other end which can take you till Mekedatu. The rocks at Mekedatu get slippery during monsoon. Had royal fun there. Rest from the pics...

Sangam

On the way to Mekadatu from Sangam

Chunchi Falls is also very nearby for which you have to turn before reaching Sangama.....

7 Banned Foods

1. Ortolan

This tiny bird has little to sing about, as historically it was horribly tortured before being eaten as a gastronomic treat by the aristocracy of France.

Its fate was often to be captured, have its eyes poked out, and be put in a small cage, then force-fed until it grew to four times its normal size. Next the poor bird would be drowned in brandy, roasted, and eaten whole.

Now considered a protected species in France, the ortolan is also in decline in several other European countries. Nevertheless, hunters still kill about 50,000 birds per year even though it is illegal to sell them.

2. Blackened Redfish

In 1980, New Orleans chef Paul Prudhomme publicized his recipe for blackened redfish, which is still very popular today. The recipe was so popular that it sparked a blackened redfish craze in the 1980s, which so severely threatened the redfish stock that the Commerce Department had to step in and close down fisheries in July 1986.

In Florida, strict conservation measures were enforced for two years, and to this day, the state requires that anglers keep only one redfish per day and release any that do not fall into the 18- to 27-inch limit, handling their catch as little as possible to assure that the fish survives upon release.

3. Foie Gras

Foie gras, which literally means "fatty liver," is what actor Roger Moore calls a "delicacy of despair." When Moore discovered how geese were tortured to create the hors d'oeuvre, he was so appalled that he teamed up with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and APRL (Animal Protection and Rescue League) to educate the public.

In order to create foie gras, ducks and geese are painfully force-fed up to four pounds of food a day by cramming it down their throats through metal pipes until, according to Moore, "they develop a disease that causes their livers to enlarge up to ten times their normal size!"

Investigations into foie gras farms have revealed such horrible, unabashed cruelty to animals that the dish has been banned in many countries and many parts of the United States.

4. Sassafras

Now recognized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a potential carcinogen, sassafras is the dried root bark of the sassafras tree native to eastern North America. Throughout history, sassafras has been used for making tea, as a fragrance for soap, a painkiller, an insect repellent, and a seasoning and thickener for many Creole soups and stews.

But the best-known use of sassafras lies in the creation of root beer, which owes its characteristic flavor to sassafras extract. In 1960, the FDA banned the ingredient saffrole -- found in sassafras oil -- for use as an additive because in several experiments massive doses of sassafras oil were found to induce liver cancer in rats. It should come as no surprise that chemicals and artificial flavors are used to flavor root beer today.

5. Casu Marzu Maggot Cheese

Casu marzu, which means "rotting cheese" in Sardinian, is not just an aged and very smelly cheese, it is an illegal commodity in many places. Casu marzu is a runny white cheese made by injecting Pecorino Sardo cheese with cheese-eating larvae that measure about one-half inch long.

Tradition calls for this cheese to be eaten with the maggots running through it. Sardinians claim these critters make the cheese creamier and that it's absolutely delicious. This cheese is widely, but not openly, eaten in Sardinia, even though the ban on it is only enforced sporadically.

6. Absinthe

The exact origin of absinthe is unknown, but this strong alcoholic liqueur was probably first commercially produced around 1797. It takes its name from one of its ingredients, Artemisia absinthium, which is the botanical name for the bitter herb known as wormwood.

Green in color due to the presence of chlorophyll, it became an immensely popular drink in France by the 1850s. Said to induce creativity, produce hallucinations, and act as an aphrodisiac, the bohemian lifestyle quickly embraced it, and absinthe soon became known as la fee verte (the green fairy). But in July 1912, the Department of Agriculture banned absinthe in America for its "harmful neurological effects," and France followed in 1915.

7. Japanese Puffer Fish

Also known as blowfish, these creatures are so named for their ability to inflate themselves to several times their normal size by swallowing water or air when threatened.

Although the eyes and internal organs of most puffer fish are highly toxic, the meat is considered a delicacy in Japan and Korea. Still, nearly 60 percent of humans who ingest this fish die from tetrodotoxin, a powerful neurotoxin that damages or destroys nerve tissue. Humans need only ingest a few milligrams of this toxin for a fatal reaction to occur.

Most puffer fish poisoning is the result of accidental consumption of other foods that are tainted with the puffer fish toxin rather than from the ingestion of puffer fish itself. Symptoms include rapid numbness and tingling of lips and mouth, which are generally resolved within hours to days if treated promptly.

Healing Rain

I thought my tears would make you love me again,
I thought my tears would fall on the roots of our love
and nourish it like rain.
I thought my tears would pierce your heart,
and help us to make a brand new start.

I thought my tears would make you feel my anguish and pain,
and draw you back into my arms again.
I thought my tears would flow with yours
and create for us a pool of love.
I thought my tears were heavenly showers
with magical healing powers.
A trickling sent from the heavens above,
That would fill our hearts with joy and love.

So I cried when you left me
To ease my pain,
I cried when you left me
To bring you back into my arms again,
I cried when you left me,
Because I thought that tears were healing rain.
But I found out that sometimes they are not,
They are just tears and searing pain.