Ganesh Chaturthi | History | Importance

Ganesh Chaturthi | History | Importance 

Ganesh Chaturthi is also known as Vinayaka Chavithi. It is an auspicious Hindu festival that is celebrated for 10-11 days every year. This is usually celebrated in the Bhadra month as per the Hindu Calendar.

The elephant-headed Lord Ganesh is known for wealth, sciences, knowledge, wisdom and prosperity. During this time, the people remember his wisdom and seek his blessings before starting any important work. Lord Ganesh has approximately 108 different names. He is also known as Gajanana, Vinayaka, Vighnaharta among many others.

This festival is celebrated widely among different states all across India. States like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana celebrate this with great grandeur and glam.

Ganesh Chaturthi history:

Ganesha is the younger son of Lord Shiva and Parvati. There are various stories behind his birth but two of them are the most common ones.

 

According to the first story, Lord Ganesha was created by Parvati out of dirt from her body to guard her in the absence of Shiva. She gave him the task of guarding her bathroom door while she took a bath. In the meantime, Shiva returned home and Ganesha, who didn't know who Shiva was, stopped him. This angered Shiva and he severed Ganesha's head after a tiff between the two. Parvati was enraged when she came to know about this; Lord Shiva, in turn, promised to get Ganesha back to life. The devas were sent to search for a child's head facing north but they could only find an elephant's head. Shiva fixed the elephant's head on the child's body, and that how Ganesha was born.

The other popular story is that the Devas requested Shiva and Parvati to create Ganesha so that he can be a Vighnakarta (creator of obstacles) for rakshasas (demons), thus being a Vighnaharta (averter of obstacles) and helping Devas. Devotees who pray to Ganesha are said to be able to get their wishes and desires granted. So, the fundamental point of Ganesh Chaturthi is that devotees who pray to him are cleansed of their sins and guided down the road of enlightenment and understanding.

Ganesh Chaturthi importance

It is believed that devotees who pray to Ganesha are able to fulfil their wishes and desires. So, the main essence of Ganesh Chaturthi is that devotees who pray to him are set free of sins and it leads them on the path of knowledge and wisdom. Historically, the festival has been celebrated since the time of King Shivaji. It was during India's freedom struggle that Lokmanya Tilak changed Ganesh Chaturthi from a private celebration to a grand public festival where people from all castes of the society can come together, pray and be united.

Over the years with growing environmental awareness, people have started celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in an environmentally friendly way. This includes-- getting Ganesha idols made of natural clay/ mitti and using only flowers and natural items for decorating the pandals. There are four main rituals which are performed during the 10-day long festival. They are namely-- Pranapratishhtha, Shhodashopachara, Uttarpuja, and Ganpati Visarjan.

The excitement of Ganesh Chaturthi settles in weeks before the festival actually begins. Artisans start preparing clay idols of Ganesha in different poses and sizes. The Ganesha idols are installed in beautifully decorated 'pandal' at homes, temples or localities. The statue is also decorated with flowers, garlands and lights. A ritual called Pranapratishhtha is observed where a priest chants mantra to invoke life in the diety.

Prayers are then offered to Ganesha's idol in 16 different ways. This ritual is called Shhodashopachara. People celebrate by singing or playing religious songs, dancing to drum beats and by lighting up fireworks-- all of which add to the festive mood. The Uttarpuja ritual is then performed which is about bidding farewell to Ganesha with deep respect. This is followed by Ganpati Visarjan, a ceremony wherein the statue is now immersed in water. While carrying the statue to the sea and while immersing it, people generally chant in the Marathi language 'Ganapati Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi Laukariya' which means 'Goodbye Lord, please come back next year'.

   

While some devotees celebrate this festival at home, others pay their visit to Lord Ganesha at public pandals. People offer their due respect, prayers and offerings to Ganesha. Dishes like Lord Ganesha's favourite Modak, Pooran Poli, and Karanji are prepared for friends, family and visitors.

 

How many days can we keep Ganpati at home?

In order to install Lord Ganesha's clay idol at home, devotees first clean their house and take a bath themselves. They then fill a Kalash with water, place a coconut on top of it and decorate it with betel leaves. The Ganesha idol is then placed on a platform which is at some height. The idol is then adorned with a sacred thread (Janve) on the left shoulder and adorned with a sandalwood paste tilak on the forehead and garlands; Durva grass and red flowers are offered to Ganesha. Mantras from Rigveda are recited to do pranpratishtha, a ghee lamp is lighted and the Lord is offered Modak while aartis are performed.

Devotees can bring Ganesha home for 1.5 days, 3 days, 7 days or 10 days. Once the Ganpati Sthapna is done the following rules should be followed by the devotees:

1. Devotees and their family member should avoid having garlic and onion after Ganpati Sthapna, during the festival period. Lord Ganesha is a guest at your home during the festival. And so, everything-- be it food, water or prasad-- should first be offered to Ganapati first. 3. It should be noted that Ganesha should never be left home alone or unattended. There should be atleast one family member with him.Avoid negative thoughts. One must also not fight or use foul language in the presence of the Lord. Try to be calm in difficult situations, as Ganesha will take care of you and your troubles. After installing a Ganesha idol in your home, one should observe celibacy during the festival period.

  

Krishna Janmashtami | History | Significance | Celebrations

Krishna Janmashtami

Happy Janmashtami! May Lord Krishna come to your house & take away all your maakhan and mishri along with all your worries & sorrow. Let there be love, happiness and laughter in your life with Lord Krishna's blessings. Wishing you and your family a very Happy Janmashtami!

Janmashtami festival mark the birth of Lord Krishna who is lovingly known as Kanha. He is considered as one of the most powerful human incarnations of the Lord Vishnu. Dahi Handi is one of the most festive event of the Janmashtami celebration. Let us have a look at the story behind the Janmashtami festival celebration and about Dahi Handi.

Janmashtami festival is widely celebrated across the country and the day marks the birth of Lord Krishna. Janmashtami is also known as Krishna Janmashtami or Gokulashtami. It is celebrated every year on the eighth day of the Krishna Paksha or dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada according to the Hindu calendar.

Janmashtami is celebrated as the birthday of Ruler Krishna. In Mathura, the city of Devil Ruler Kansa, Ruler Krishna was born within the jail of the Lord as the eighth child of Devaki on the eighth day of the dull fortnight of Bhadrapada month. It was midnight and Moon was rising along side Rohini Nakshatra when he was born. Consequently, Krishnashtami commemorates the birthday of Ruler Krishna each year. It is accepted that on this day, Sri Maha Vishnu, who is the preserver or sustainer of life, incarnated on Soil as Sri Krishna to battle disasters. Sri Krishna is considered as the eighth incarnation of Sri Maha Vishnu.

Sri Krishna was born around 5,200 a long time prior in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, which is additionally alluded to as Dwapar Yuga..Devotees on this day watch quick and offer supplication to the divinity for great wellbeing and joy. The Puja custom takes put at midnight as Sri Krishna was born at midnight in a imprison where his mother and father were bolted by his uncle Kansa.

 

History of krishna birth:

Old King Ugrasena of Mathura had two children, Prince Kamsa and Princess Devaki. While King Ugrasena was a good king, Prince Kamsa was a ruthless tyrant. Now Princess Devaki was to wed a nobleman named Vasudeva. Kamsa out of the love he bore for his sister decided to be the bride and groom’s charioteer for the day. While Kamsa drove the chariot bearing Devaki and Vasudeva out of the wedding hall, a voice from the heavens boomed informing Kamsa that Devaki’s eight child would be his slayer. Kamsa being the superstitious type would take no chances. He wanted to strike down Devaki that very moment. Vasudeva intervened, he begged Kamsa not to slay Devaki and show her some mercy. He further promised Kamsa that he would hand over any child born to them, if he would let Devaki live. Now Kamsa not wanting to have the blood of his sister on his hands agreed and instead placed them under house arrest.

Every time a child was born, the guards would inform Kamsa and he would take the child and kill it. Six of Devaki and Vasudev’s children met their death this way. It so happened that the seventh child was born at night, and Devaki and Vasudeva seeing the opportunity decided to try to save the child. The guards were asleep, so Vasudeva easily slid out of the palace undetected. He went to neighboring Gokul and left the child with his second wife Rohini and quickly returned to the palace (this child was named Balrama). In the morning he sent word to Kamsa that the child was still born.

 

Kamsa was pleased, he knew the next child was prophesized to be his slayer. Not wanting to take chances with the birth of the eight child, Kamsa had Vasudeva and Devaki thrown into the dungeon chained. The 8th child was born on the eight night of the month of Shravan. It was raining heavily and the skies thundered as if the Gods were trying to pay homage to the new born child. Then the miracle happened, Vasudeva’s chains fell off and the prison door opened by itself. Vasudeva found the guards to be asleep, so he decided that he would escape with the child and leave him at his friend Nanda’s place in Gokul.

Picking up the child, Vasudeva placed him in a basket. He then carried the basket on his head and made his way to Gokul. Now Gokul was on the opposite bank of the river Yamuna. Because of the thundering and the rain, the river Yamuna was in a state of turmoil. Vasudeva, wondering how he would cross the river prayed for a miracle. Then it happened!. The waters of the Yamuna parted and made way for him. Vasudeva then crossed the Yamuna and reached Gokul.

  

On reaching Nanda’s house in Gokul, Vasudeva realized that Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a baby girl. While Nanda and Yashoda were asleep, he placed his child in the cradle and took Nanda’s daughter instead. He presumed that since it was a baby girl, Kamsa would not kill her. He then made the journey back to Mathura and he took the baby girl with him. As soon as Vasudeva reached the dungeon, the dungeon doors closed behind him and the baby girl started to cry. Awakened by the cries, the guards rushed to tell Kamsa of the birth of the eight child. Hearing the news, Kamsa rushed to the dungeon and picked up the child and was about to dash it to the ground. Vasudeva begged Kamsa not to kill the child as it was only a girl and that a girl could do him no harm. The wicked Kamsa paid no heed and dashed the baby to the floor. As the baby was about to hit the floor, it suddenly flew up and told Kamsa that the one who was born to kill him still lives and is in Gokul. Then she disappeared.

How is Janmashtami celebrated?

The actual celebration of Krishna Janmashtami takes place during the midnight because it is believed that Lord Krishna was born on a dark, stormy and windy night to end the rule of his maternal uncle Kansa. In the whole of India, it is celebrated with devotional songs, people keep the fast whole day, several temples were decorated beautifully dedicated to the life journey of Krishna. Mainly, the Janmashtami celebration at Mathura and Vrindavan is very special as he had spent his life there. The image of Krishna at midnight is bathed in water and milk then he dressed in new clothes and worshipped. Sweets are first offered to God and then distributes as Prasada. Also, on this day people used to hang pots of butter and milk in the streets on the poles, men form pyramids to reach and break the pots. It is famous as Dahi Handi. This predicts Krishna's childhood days when he used to play with the cowherd's boys and stole curds hung out of reach by their mothers. So, he was also known as ‘Makhanchor’ the one who steals butter. People used to sing, dance in groups. So, now you may have come to know about the interesting story behind the Janmashtami festival and how is it celebrated.

THANK YOU

NANDITHA AKUNURI

HOLI - (Historical Significance of Holi)

HOLI - (Historical Significance of Holi)

 

  May your life be filled with happiness and may you be successful in whatever you do. Wish you a very Happy Holi.

 

Holi is a Hindu festival that celebrates spring, love, and new life. Holi is festival of colours and fun. Though celebration of Holi festival has religious significance, this festival brings people together and helps them forget the bitterness in relationships and improve the bonds. Holi festival is not only celebrated by Hindus but also by the people of other religions. Holi is more a time for fun. It's a colourful festival, with dancing, singing and throwing of powder paint and coloured water. Holi is also known as the "festival of colours".

Holi is the time to develop understanding and love for each other. Here, is a platform for you all to renew your friendship and to express heartiest love by scribbling a beautiful Holi message for loved ones. Holi is an ancient festival of India and was originally known as 'Holika'.

Holi is The Festival of Colors because there are colorful sights all around in this season. Beautiful flowers of different colors bloom all around. In the olden days, people were playing Holi is with flowers and natural colors. It is an ancient Hindu festival and has now gained popularity between non-Hindu groups of India and almost the whole world. Hence, Holi is known to be a celebration of spring, colors, and love.

Historical Significance of Holi

The origin of Holi is believed to be before the birth of Christ. Legend goes that Lord Vishnu had assassinated the younger brother of the demon lord, Hiranyakashipu. Apart from avenging his brother’s death, the demon king had the ulterior motive of ruling the heaven, the earth, and the underworld by defeating Vishnu. Powered by a boon granted to him, Hiranyakashipu thought he had become invincible. Holi is celebrated in the honor of the Hindu God Vishnu and his follower Prahlada.

King Hiranyakashipu ruled over demonic Asuras and he earned a blessing that gave him five powers. King Hiranyakashipu could neither be destroyed by a human nor an animal, neither indoors nor outdoors, neither during the day nor during the night, neither by an arrow nor a sword and neither on land nor on water or air. Hiranyakashipu became invincible and arrogant and wanted people to worship only him. On his orders, his whole state started praying him, dismissing the gods. But Hiranyakashipu’s own son Prahlada defied him and worshipped Vishnu. This stirred him up and he gave his son cruel punishments. None of this affected Prahlada or made him change his decision. Devastated by his rebellion, his aunt Holika tricked him to sit with her on fire. Holika covered herself with a cloak which would protect her. However, the fire roared, and the cloak flew and covered Prahalad. The fire killed Holika. Lord Vishnu could bear this injustice anymore and then he appeared and took the form of Narasimha i.e. half human and half lion. He took Hiranyakashipu on his lap and killed the king with his lion claws at a doorstep during dusk. Hence, the Holika Dahan is a symbolic reminder of the victory of the good over evil, of Prahlada over his evil father. Even today, the story of Holika is re-enacted by actors on Holi. Bonfires across the country are lit up to celebrate the burning away of the evil spirits.

The celebration starts a night before Holi, where people get together for a bonfire to perform a ritual called Holika Dahan and pray that the fire destroys all their internal evil just how it destroyed Holika. The word ‘Holi’ comes from the word "Holika" who was the evil sister of the monstrous King. The triumph of good over evil is a tried and tested theme resurfacing in early scriptures time and again. Holi is one such festival with the prime theme of good beating away evil.

Story of Radha and Krishan: The legend of Radha and Krishna is closely linked with this tradition of colors on Holi. Young Krishna, who had a dark complexion was jealous of his beloved Radha's extremely fair skin. In a mischievous mood, he applied color on Radha's face. 

 

Following this ancient legend, lovers till date long to color their beloved as an expression of love. Lord Krishna is also associated with play with colors as the Lord started the tradition of play with colours by applying colour on his beloved Radha and other gopis. Gradually, the play gained popularity with the people and became a tradition. The most popular stories of Holi origin relates to 'Holika Dahan' and Legend of Radha-Krishan.

Safe Holi: Celebrate Holi with eco-friendly and skin-friendly color and Avoid colors having mix harmful chemicals. Remember colors with mixed harmful chemicals appear brighter and mix faster with water. They are harsh enough to cause allergic reactions, if not taken care of properly. One must try and make natural colors from flowers like marigold and kitchen ingredients like sandalwood and turmeric. can apply a thick layer of coconut oil as it won’t just hydrate your body but will help colors wash away faster. 

 

Keep drinking water, glucose, juices, anything that will help you re-energizing yourself. Wear shades, it will not only protect you from the sun, but it can also prevent the colors from going anywhere near your eyes and causing inflammation. Wear old clothes and cover your body as much as you can. It includes covering cover your arms, legs, and even your face. Respect everyone around you when it comes to playing with colors, or throwing water balloons.

 

Holi is the festival of colors. I wish with all my heart that it brings more colors to your life. Wishing you and your family a fabulous Holi. Happy Holi!                 😊🎇🎆🎈🎉🎊🎋🎋🎊🎈🎈🎆🎇🎇😊

HAPPY HOLI

THANK YOU

NANDITHA AKUNURI

WALLS TELL STORIES-TEXT

WALLS TELL STORIES

ENVIRONMENTALSTUDIES

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Golconda (sometimes spelled as Golkonda) Fort was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Golconda which flourished in the 14th to 16th century. It is situated 11 kilometers from Hyderabad, the capital of the state of Telangana.

The walls ranging from 17 to 34 feet broken by 87 semi-circular bastions in shape, some reaching 60 feet in height, and built on a granite hill that is 400 feet high and it remains one of India’s most magnificent fortress complexes.

Even before the kingdom of Golconda rose in prominence, the beginning of the fort was thought to be in 1143, when the Kakatiya Dynasty ruled the region.

According to legend, a shepherd boy found an idol in the area. When this was reported to the Kakatiyan king, he ordered a mud fort to be built around it. The fort eventually became known as Golla Konda, which in Tegulu meant Shepherd’s Hill.

In 1686, the Mughal prince Aurangzeb started to lay siege on the fort of Golconda, with the intent of claiming Hydebarad, the wealthy capital of the Qutub Shahi dynasty.

The fortress proved to be as impregnable as its reputation claimed. It wasn’t until the year after, in 1687, when Aurangzeb finally managed to breach the fort after a nine-month long siege. It was said that the fort only fell down because of a traitor who sabotaged the gate.

Today, even after almost 800 years, the fort still stands as one of Hyderabad’s greatest architectural wonders. One of it’s gratest engineering marvels is the fantastic acoustic effects: one handclap at a certain point below the entrance dome can be heard at the highest point of the pavilion almost a kilometer away. This was said to be used for warning the royals in case of an attack.

Reached Golconda
At last we reached Golconda. We were glad that didi was with us. Didi studies history and we enjoy visiting different places with her.

Shailja: My goodness! This fort is so huge.
Shreedhar: And see at what a height it is built!
Kalyani: Just look! Have you ever seen such a huge gate?
Shailja: It must be very heavy. I wonder how many people would be needed to open and close this gate.
Kalyani : Look at these sharp ironSpokes. I wonder why they were made?
Shailja: Look at these thick walls too.
Shreedhar: I have never seen such thick walls.
Kalyani: At some places, a part of the wall comes out in a round shape. I wonder why?
Didi:These are called bastions (burj).

See these are even higher than the wall. The outer wall of this fort has 87 bastions. Thick walls, a huge gate and so many bastions! So many ways to ensure security

What did we find inside the fort?
Shailja: I wonder how old this fort would be? Do you think the
king built the fort so that he could live here?
Kalyani : It was written outside that Qutubshahi Sultans ruled here one after another, from 1518-1687.
Didi : Much before that, in 1200, this fort was made of mud and different rulers lived here.

Shailja: Oh look! This board has a map of the fort.
Shreedhar: This map shows so many gardens, fields and factories. See, there are many palaces also inside the fort.
Shailja: That means that not only the Sultan, but many other people like farmers and workers must also have been living here.
Kalyani: It must have been a complete town.

The Sultan’s Palace
Shreedhar: These steps seem to go on and on. Shailja: Even in those days they used to have buildings with two floors!
Kalyani: Now, the building is in ruins. But one can imagine that earlier there were many big halls and rooms here.
Shreedhar: Look at this beautiful carving on the walls. It is so fine
Kalyani : We also saw something like a fountain on one of the roofs.
Didi : Yes, there were many big tanks and fountains here. They used to be full of water.

Wow, what engineering!
Think, even today when engineers design houses, sometimes there is dampness in the walls. And here, so long ago, there were fountains on the terrace!

The building must have been made with such good understanding. If we think how the people lived five hundred years ago, so many questions come to our mind. For example, how was water lifted to such heights? Can you guess how?

Why these attacks?
While we were all talking, Shreedhar called us to see a big gun (cannon). We ran up the steps.

Shailja: This must have been the Sultan's big gun.
Didi : This was used by Aurangzeb. His full army came with their guns and cannons to attack but they could not even enter the fort. For eight months they camped outside the fort.
Shailja: Why would the army come here all the way from Delhi?

Didi: In those days, emperors and kings, played such tricks. They tried to make smaller kingdoms a part of their own kingdom. This was done sometimes by friendship, sometimes by flattery, or even by marriage between families. And when nothing else worked, they also attacked them!

Kalyani: Why is it that Aurangzeb’s army could not get into the fort? He had so many soldiers and big guns.

Shailja: Didn’t you see these strong thick walls? In the map there is a long deep ditch (pit) along the wall. How could the army enter?

Shreedhar: If the army tried to come from a different side, then the soldiers in the bastions would have seen it from a distance. No wonder it was difficult to attack the fort!

Kalyani: Imagine! The army is coming on horses and elephants, with all their guns. Here, the Sultan's army stands fully prepared.

Shailja: Oh no! How many people and soldiers on both the sides must have been killed in all this fighting? Why do people attack and have wars?

Shreedhar: Guns and cannons are things of the past now. These days many countries have nuclear bombs. A single bomb can cause so much destruction!

When there was no telephone:
Didi asked us to wait at the king's palace. She herself went to Fateh Darwaza. A while later we heard Didi’s voice, “Alert! I am Sultan Abul Hassan. I am very fond of music and Kuchipudi dance.” We all laughed. We were surprised how didi’s voice could be heard from so far. She later told us that if you stand at Fateh Darwaza whatever you speak can be heard at the king’s palace.

Arrangements for water:
The picture shown here is made after seeing a very old painting of
those times. Can you think why bullocks have been used here? Use your hand movement to show in which direction the drum attached
to the rod moves when the bullocks move. In which direction would the ‘toothed wheel’ move?

Look, this pole shown under the ground joins with another
wheel which has a number of pots on it.
Now imagine, how would this garland of pots lift water from the well?

Do you now get some idea about how the tanks could have been filled by lifting water from the wells? Even today we can see clay pipes in the walls of the fort. These pipes would have been used to carry water to different places in the palace.

What a sad sight!
Talking, whistling and listening to our own echo we were walking
through this mehrab (arch).

Shreedhar: Oh! The breeze feels so cool in this tunnel.
Shailja: It was written that soldiers stayed here.
Shreedhar: See this board, but look what the wall is like!
Shailja: Oh! Think how this wall has seen thousands of years go by. It has seen kings and queens, horses and elephants, war and peace... But we have spoilt it in just a few years.
Kalyani: I don’t understand, what kind of fun do people get in writing their names all over the place like this?

Close your eyes and go back in time!
Imagine that you are in those days when there was a busy town inside Golconda. Think about the questions given below and discuss in class. You could even put up a play.

What is the Sultan doing in the palace? What kind of clothes is he wearing? What dishes are being offered to him? But why does he seem so worried? And in what language is he talking?

Going to the museum:
After seeing Golconda, the children also went to a museum in Hyderabad. Many old items are kept there. Many things were found when the place around Golconda was dug – like pots, jewellery, swords, etc.

Shailja: Oh! Why are these broken pieces of pots kept in the almirah? See that small plate made of bronze. That blue piece seems to be made of ceramic (clay).

Didi : It is through all these things that we come to know how people of those times lived, what they used and what things they made. If all these would not have been kept here, how would you know so much about those times?

Make your own museum:
Rajni teaches in a Government school in Mallapuram district in Kerala. Together with the children of her class, she has collected many old things from all the houses. Like old walking sticks, locks, umbrellas, wooden slippers (khadaun), pots, etc. 

They also saw what these things look like today. Rajni and the children put up an exhibition, which people from the neighbourhood came to see. You could also do this.

THANKYOU,
NANDITHA AKUNURI

EVER DROP COUNT-TEXT

EVER DROP COUNT

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

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Long Long Ago:

This is a picture of Ghadsisar. Sar means a lake. King Ghadsi of Jaisalmer got it made 650 years ago with the help of the people.

All around the lake there are ghats with steps leading to the water, decorated verandahs, large halls, rooms and much more. People came here to celebrate festivals and for programmes of music and dance.

Children came to study in the school on the ghat. The talab belonged to everyone and everyone took care to keep it clean.

Rainwater collected in this lake spread over many miles. It was made in such a way that when the lake was full, the extra water flowed into another lake at a lower level.

When that too filled up, the extra water flowed into the third lake and so on  filling nine such interconnected lakes. The collected rain water could be used throughout the year and there was no shortage of water.

Today, Ghadsisar is no more in use. Many new buildings and colonies have come up in between those nine lakes. Now the water does not get collected in these lakes but just flows away and is wasted.

Through the eyes of Al-Biruni :

One of the most famous of the historic accounts of India is that written in Arabic by al-Biruni nearly a thousand years ago. 

Al-Biruni is regarded as one of the greatest scholars of the medieval Islamic era and was well versed  in   physics, mathematics, astronomy, and natural science, and also distinguished himself as a chronologist, historian, and linguistic.

He spent a large part of his life time in  ghazni in modern-day Afghanistan and the capital city of the   ghaznavid dynasty.which was based in what is now central-eastern Afghanistan.

In 1017 he traveled to the Indian subcontinent and authored “Tarikh Al-Hind” -History of India,  after exploring the Hindu faith practised in India. He is given the titles the "founder of indology ".

More than a thousand years ago, a traveller came to India.The place that he came from is now called Uzbekistan.

Al-Biruni carefully observed and noted down the details of all that he saw. He wrote especially about those things that he found very different from his own country. Here is a part of what he wrote about the ponds of that time. The people here are very skilled at making ponds. My countrymen would be surprised to see them. They pile up huge

rocks and join them with iron rods to build chabutaras (raised platforms) all around the lake. Between these, there are rows of long staircases, going up and down.

The steps for going up and coming down are separate. So there is less crowding. Today when we study history, we can learn a lot about those days from the writings of Al-Biruni. (This stamp came out in 1973, one

thousand years after his birth.)

Drop-by-drop:

Jaipur is the capital and largest city of the state of Rajasthan, India. Jaipur became the capital of Rajasthan after Independence in 1956.

Jaipur is currently experiencing growing water scarcity and diminishing drinking water sources, relying extensively on groundwater and a single surface water source, the Bisalpur Dam, which is shared with Ajmer and villages in the Tonk District and located 120 kilometers southwest of Jaipur.

Scorching heat coupled with water crisis has made life very difficult for people in Rajasthan. In at least 24 many cities and towns of the state including Barmer, Jalore, Makrana, Rajgarh, Balotra water is being supplied only once in four days.

Camels are being used to pull water tankers instead of ferrying people. At every boring well in the state rows of camels with water tanks are seen.

Besides Jaisalmer, many places in Rajasthan, get very little rainfall. Here it rains for only ten to twelve days in the entire year, sometimes not even that much. The rivers here do not have water in them all round the year.

And yet, most of the villages in these areas did not have a shortage of water. People knew that every drop of water was precious. Lakes and johads were made to collect these precious drops of water.

Water was everyone’s need. One and all came together in this work – be it a businessman or a labourer. Some water from the lakes soaked into the ground and reached the wells and bavdis

(stepwell) in that area.

The soil of the area also became wet and fertile. Every house had a system to collect the rain water. Look at this picture.

How do you think the rainwater that falls on the roof will reach the

underground tank?

Draw the path:

Have you ever seen a stepwell? Look at the picture. Can you imagine by looking at the picture that the steps go down several storeys deep?

Instead of drawing the water up from the well, the people could go down the steps and reach the water. That is why they are called stepwells.

Long ago, people used to make long journeys with their caravans of animals and goods. People felt it was a good thing to give water to thirsty travellers. Thus, they built many beautiful stepwells.

Customs related to water:

Even today people get water from very old lakes, dharas, stepwells and naulas. Many customs and festivals are related to water.

At some places, whenever lakes get filled up with rainwater, the people

gather around the lake to celebrate.

See the bride of Uttarakhand in this picture. After getting married she has come to the new village. She bows to the spring or the pond. In cities

one can see an interesting form of this custom.

The new bride worships the tap in her home. Can we even imagine life

without water? Devraj

Think over it:

In 1986, there was no rain in Jodhpur and the surrounding areas. People remembered the old and forgotten stepwell (baoli). They cleaned the stepwell and more than two hundred trucks of garbage was taken out of it. People of the area collected money.

The thirsty town got water from the stepwell. After a few years it rained well and again the stepwell was forgotten.

There are two old wells in the area where Punita lives. Her grandmother says that about fifteen - twenty years ago there was water in these wells. The wells could have dried up because:

Water is being pumped up from under the ground, with the help of electric motors.

The lakes in which rain water used to collect are no longer there. The soil around trees and parks is now covered with cement.

This is how we get water:

A Jal Board water tanker comes to our colony twice a day. We have to stand in a long queue to get water from the tanker. People at times We fill water from the well.

The nearby well dried up a year ago. Now we have to walk far to reach the other well.

We are not allowed to take water from some of the wells because of our caste. have fights over water. We get water at home for half an hour. We fill this in the tank to use all day. Sometime it is dirty.

We get water from our taps, all day long.

We have put a pump directly in the Jal Board pipeline. Now we don't have any problem! We have put a motor to pump up the water from the borewell. But there is no electricity, so what do we do!

There is a handpump nearby, but the water that we get from it is salty. We have to buy water for drinking.

We get water from the canal itself.

It can be done:

There are some groups that work hard to bring water to the people of different areas. They ask the elders about the water arrangement in their times.

They rebuild the old lakes and johads, and also build new ones. Let us see how the group called Tarun Bharat Sangh helped Darki Mai. This is Darki Mai. She lives in a village in the Alwar district of

Rajasthan.

The women of the village used to spend the entire day looking after their home and animals. Sometimes, it took them all night to pull water from the well for the animals. In the summer, when the wells dried up, they had to leave the village.

Darki Mai heard about this group and asked for help. Together, the people from the group and the village decided to make a lake. The problem of food and water for animals is now less. People get more milk. They have started earning more.

THANKYOU,

NANDITHA AKUNURI

A SNAKE CHARMER’S STORY-TEXT

A SNAKE CHARMER’S STORY

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

CBSE-V

I am Aryanath

I can do something special which

I am sure none of you can do!

Do you know what? I can play

the been! You must be surprised.

Yes, I can make snakes dance by playing the been. I have learnt
this art from my family members. We people are known as Kalbeliyas.

My grandfather Roshannathji was famous amongst our people. He could easily catch many poisonous snakes. He tells me many stories about his past. Come, listen to his story in his own words–

Dadaji remembers

From the time of my grandfather and great grandfather, we have always been saperas (snake-charmers).

Snake charming is the practice of  a snake by playing an instrument called pungi or bansuri.

A typical performance may also include handling the snakes or performing other seemingly dangerous acts, as well as other street performance staples, like juggling and sleight of hand.

The charm has nothing to do with the music and everything to do with the charmer waving a pungi, a reed instrument carved out of a gourd, in the snake's face.

Snakes don't have external ears and can perceive little more than low-frequency rumbles. But when they see something threatening, they rise up in a defensive pose.

"The movement of the snake is completely keyed in on the guy playing the toodley thing," says Robert Drewes, chairman of the department of herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles) at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. "He sways, the snake sways."

Snakes:

Snakes are elongated, legless, carnivorous repitiles. Snakes can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. 

There are more than 3,000 species of snakes in the world and there is at least one type of snake on every continent except Antarctica. 

Size- They are  many different species, there are snakes of many different sizes.

The  world’s smallest snake, according to National Geographic, is the thread snake, which grows to only about 3.9 inches (10 centimeters) long. It looks much like an earthworm.

The largest snake, the reticulated python, can grow to a whopping 30 feet (9 meters). The largest snake fossil ever discovered is called the Titanoboa. This creature lived 60 million years ago and would have been 50 feet (15 meters) long. 

Snake eggs & baby snakes- It is a common misconception that snakes build nests for their eggs.

Only one species of snake, that is king cobra, will build a nest for its young ones . Not all snakes lay eggs, but 70% of snakes lay eggs. These types of snakes are called oviparous.

The other 30 percent of snakes directly give birth to live young, much like mammals. This is because some climates are too cold for eggs to develop and hatch, so snakes living in colder climates do not lay eggs.

What do snakes eat?

Snakes are carnivores. This means that they only eat meat. Snakes are often seen as pests, but they actually can help keep pests at bay by eating rodents.

Many people think that all snakes kill their prey by biting it and injecting the prey with poison. This isn't true. Cobras, vipers and other related species are the only snakes that use venom to hunt.

Most snakes simply swallow their prey whole. Large snakes, such as the python, will strangle their prey to death and then swallow it whole.

Snakes can eat other animals up to 75 to 100% bigger than their own size, according tonationa geographic. They have been known to eat animals such as crocodiles and cows. To fit the large prey into their mouth, the snake's jaw will unhinge.

Once the animal is inside, the snake's body releases enzymes to break the food down into useable energy. Snakes do not need to eat as often as other animals because they have a very slow metabolism rate. King cobras, for example, can live for months without food.

Sometimes, though, eating a live animal can result in disaster. Snakes have been known to explode after eating a living animal, though it is not known why.

Where do snakes live?

Snakes live in almost every corner of the world. They are found in forests, deserts, swamps and grasslands. Many call underground burrows or the spaces under rocks home. Some snakes, like the cottonmouth water moccasin of North America live in water part of the time.

Though they are found all over the world, snakes do not, however, like the cold. they are cold blooded or ectothermic. This means that they don't have the means to regulate their body temperature like warm blooded creatures. since their bodies do not use energy to create heat to warm them. When  it is cold, many snakes hibernate in tunnels underground.

Snakes have been an important part of our life. We used to move from village to village carrying our snakes in bamboo baskets.Whenever we stopped in a village, a crowd would gather around us. We would then take out our snakes from our baskets.

Even after the show, people would stay on. They knew that in our tinbox

there were many types of medicines for them. We made these medicines from plants collected from the forests.

I had learnt all this from my grandfather. I felt nice that I could

help people with my medicines even if doctors and hospitals were far off.

In return, people would give us some money or food grains. In this way we could manage our life.

Sometimes, I was called to places where someone had been bitten by a snake. From the marks of the bite I tried to find out which snake had bitten the person.

I would then give a medicine for that. But I have not always been on time to help. As you know, some snake bites can even cause death on the spot.

But most of the snakes are not poisonous. Sometimes, when some farmers would come running for help shouting “snake, snake”, I would catch that snake.

After all, catching snakes was something I had been doing since my childhood. Oh, those were the good days. We could help a lot of people in many ways. We also entertained them. It was not like today

when everyone watches TV for entertainment.

When I grew older, my father taught me how to remove their poisonous teeth (fangs). He also taught me how to close the tube of poison in the snake’s mouth.

What can we do

Aryanath! your father used to travel with me ever since he was a young child. He learnt to play the been without being taught. These days it is diffcult. Now the government has made a law that no one can catch wild animals and keep them.

Some people kill the animals and sell their skins at high prices. So they made a law against this. Now, with this law, how will we earn our livelihood? We people have never killed snakes, and sold their skin.

People say that we keep the snakes in bad conditions. If we wanted, we too could have earned a lot of money by killing snakes. But we would never do that.Snakes are our treasure, that we pass on from one generation to another. We even gift snakes to our daughters when they get married.

In our Kalbelia dance we also have movements similar to the dance of the snake. Aryanath, you will have to make a different life for yourself. You have got your father’s gift of playing the been. You and your cousins can form a been party and entertain people.

But do not waste this knowledge about snakes you have got from your

elders. Share your knowledge about snakes with children who live in towns and cities. Tell them, that they should not be scared of snakes. Help them to recognize poisonous snakes.

Tell them how snakes are friends of the farmers. They eat the rats in the fields, otherwise rats would eat the crops. Now you tell our story. Also make a new story of your life, to tell your grandchildren.

Musical instruments used in been party Been, tumba, khanjiri and dhol. Except dhol all the other three instruments are made from dried gourd (lauki)

Do you know?

Of the many kinds of snakes found in our country, only four types of snakes are poisonous. They are: Cobra, Common Krait, Russel’s Viper (Duboiya), Saw-scaled Viper (Afai).

A snake has two hollow teeth (fangs). When it bites, the poison enters the person's body through the fangs. There is a medicine for snake bites. The medicine is made from the snake's poison and Cobra is available in all government hospitals.

THANKYOU,

NANDITHA