ONLY INDIAN CITIZEN TO TRAVEL IN SPACE

 Rakesh Sharma

Born on January 13, 1949 in Patiala, Punjab, he attended St. Georges Grammar School, Hyderabad & graduated from Nizam College, Hyderabad.

He was admitted to National Defence Academy as an air force plebe in July 1966.

He was commissioned into Indian Air Force (IAF) as a pilot in 1970.

He progressed through numerous levels where in 1984 he was promoted to rank of squadron leader.

He was selected on 20 September 1982 to become a cosmonaut and go into space as part of a joint program between IAF & Soviet Interkosmos space programme.

In 1984, he became the first Indian citizen to enter space when he flew aboard Soviet rocket Soyuz T-11 launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic on 3 April 1984.

Soyuz T-11 spacecraft docked and transferred three member Soviet-Indian international crew, consisting of ship's commander, Yury Malyshev and flight engineer, Gennadi Strekalov, to Salyut 7 Orbital Station.

He spent 7 days, 21 hours & 40 minutes aboard Salyut 7 during which his team conducted scientific & technical studies which included 43 experimental sessions.

His work was mainly in fields of bio-medicine & remote sensing.

The crew held a joint television news conference with officials in Moscow & then Indian PM Indira Gandhi.

When Gandhi asked him how India looked from outer space, he replied, 'Sare Jahan Se Accha'.

With his voyage aboard Soyuz T-11, India became 14th nation to send a man to outer space.

He retired as a wing commander and later joined Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in 1987, serving as chief test pilot in HAL Nashik Division until 1992, before moving on to Bangalore to work as HAL's chief test pilot.

He retired from flying in 2001.

He was conferred honour of Hero of the Soviet Union upon his return from space.

He remains to date the only Indian to have been conferred this honour.

India conferred its highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashoka Chakra, on him, Malyshev & Strekalov.

FESTIVAL

 Makar Sankranti

मकर संक्रांति में 'मकर’ शब्द हमें मकर राशि से जोड़ते है।

•• मकरसंक्रातौ मकर इति शब्द: अस्मान् मकरराशिना सह योजयति।

In ‘Makar Sankranti’, the word ‘Makar’ connects us with zodiac sign of Capricorn.

 

वही संक्रांति का अर्थ- लांघते हुए प्रवेश करना है।

•• तदेव संक्रांते: अर्थ: यत् संक्रममाणः प्रवेशः अस्ति।

‘Sankranti’ means to enter by crossing.

 

मकर संक्रांति के दिन सूर्य धनु राशि से मकर राशि में प्रवेश करता है।

••मकरसंक्रातिदिवसे सूर्य: धनुराशे: मकरराशिं प्रति प्रविशति।

On the day of Makar Sankranti, the sun enters Capricorn from Sagittarius.

इस दिन से सूर्य दक्षिणायन से उत्तरायण की ओर आता है।

•• •• एतस्मात् दिनाङ्कात् सूर्यो दक्षिणाया्नात् उत्तरायणं प्रति आयाति।

From this day Dakshinayan period of sun ends and Uttarayan starts i.e. from this day rays of the sun start falling on the northern hemisphere.

 मकरसक्रांति के दिन सूर्य देव एक राशि से दूसरी राशि में प्रवेश करते हैं ,उसे ही मकर संक्रांति कहा जाता है।

•• मकरसंक्रातिदिवसे सूर्यदेव:  एकस्मात् राशे: अपरराशिं प्रविशति,एषा एव घटना मकरसंक्राति: कथ्यते।

On this day of Makar Sankranti, sun God enters from one zodiac sign to another, that itself is called Makar Sankranti.

एक सक्रांति से दूसरी सक्रांति के बीच के समय को सौर मास का जाता है।

•• द्वयो: संक्रातयो: मध्यकाल: सौरमासः कथ्यते।

The time between one solstice to another

is known as a solar month.

वैसे देखा जाए तो 12 सूर्य सक्रांति हैं लेकिन इनमें से चार महत्वपूर्ण हैं मेष, कर्क, तुला, मकर सक्रांति है।

•• यद्यपि  सर्वे द्वादश: सूर्यसंक्रान्तय: सन्ति , परन्तु एतेषु चत्वार: महत्त्वपूर्णा: सन्ति - मेष:,कर्क:,तुला , मकर: इत्यादय: संक्रातय: सन्ति।

In fact there are 12 Surya Sankrantis, but four of them are important: Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.

मकर संक्रांति का पर्व देशभर में अलग-अलग रूप में मनाया जाता है।

•• मकरसंक्रातिपर्व सकलदेशे पृथक्-पृथग्रूपेण आचर्यते।

The festival of Makar Sankranti is celebrated in different forms across the country.

ज्योतिष शास्त्र के मुताबिक ये पर्व बेहद खास माना जाता है।

•• ज्योतिषशास्त्रानुसारं एतत् पर्व अतीव विशिष्टं मन्यते।

According to Astrology, this festival is considered very special.

मकर संक्रांति के दिन नदी और जलकुंड में स्नान करके दान-पुण्य के कार्य किए जाते हैं।

•• मकरसंक्रांतिदिवसे नद्यां जलकुण्डे च स्नात्वा दानपुण्ययो: कार्यं क्रियते।

On the day of Makar Sankranti, bath is taken in the rivers and other holy water bodies followed by rituals associated with charity.

मकर सक्रांति के दिन शुभ मुहूर्त में दान, पुण्य,स्नान, पूजा-पाठ आदि करने से बहुत पुण्य मिलता है।

•• मकरसंक्रातिदिवसे शुभमुहुर्ते दानेन च पुण्यकार्येन च स्नानेन च पूजापाठेन च भृशं पुण्यम् आप्यते।

On the auspicious day of Makar Sankranti, charity, holy bath, worship, chanting etc. are of great importance.

कुछ विशेष चीजों का दान करने से दोगुना फल प्राप्त होता है।

•• केषाञ्चन विशिष्टवस्तूनां दानेन द्विगुणं फलम् आप्यते।

Donating special things gives is of double benefit.

स्वास्थ्य पर भी इस पर्व से  अच्छा प्रभाव पड़ता है।

•• स्वास्थ्येऽपि अस्य सकरात्मक: प्रभावो भवति।

This festival also has good effect on health.

मकर सक्रांति पूजा के लिए सुबह जल्दी उठकर स्नान आदि कर के तैयार हो जाना चाहिए।

•• मकरसंक्रातिपूजनस्य कृते प्रात: शीघ्रम् उत्थाय स्नानादिकं कृत्वा सज्जीभूयात्।

One should get ready early in the morning for Makar Sankranti Puja by taking bath etc.

उसके बाद आटे और हल्दी से सूर्य भगवान का घर बनाकर उसके अंदर चांद, सूर्य, छाया आदि का चित्र बनाएं।

•• तदनन्तरं गोधूमहरिद्रचूर्णयो मिश्रणेन सूर्यदेवस्य गृहनिर्माणं कुर्यात् तस्य च अन्तर्भागे चन्द्र: सूर्य: छाया इत्यादीनां चित्रनिर्माणं कुर्यात्।

After that, make a house of the Sun God with flour and turmeric and make a picture of moon, sun, shadow etc.

उसके बाद दीपक जलाकर जल चढ़ाना चाहिए।

•• तदनन्तरं दीपं ज्वालयित्वा जलार्पणं कुर्यात्।

After that the lamp should be lit and water should be offered.

उसके बाद आप पूजा प्रारंभ करके माथे पर तिलक लगाकर मूली, गेहूं, तिल और लड्डू आदि चढ़ाना चाहिए।

••तदनन्तरं भवान् पूजनकार्यस्य प्रारम्भं कृत्वा मस्तके तिलकलेपनं कृत्वा मूलकं गोधूम: तिलं मोदकं चेत्यादीनाम् अर्पणं कुर्यात्।

After that you should start worship and apply tilak on the forehead and offer radish, wheat, sesame and laddoos etc.

आप को दान करना है तो उसकी भी पूजा करें , बाद में इन मंत्रों का उच्चारण करना चाहिए।

•• भवता दानं करणीयं यत् तस्यापि पूजनकार्यं कुर्यात् तदनन्तरं च एतन्मन्त्रोच्चारणं कुर्यात्।

If you want to donate, then worship that too, later the following mantras are to be chanted.

 

ॐ सूर्याय नमः,ॐ आदित्याय नमः,ॐ सप्तार्चिषे नमः,ॐ सवित्रे नमः,ॐ मार्तण्डाय नमः,ॐ विष्णवे नमः,ॐ भास्कराय नमः,ॐ भानवे नम:, ॐ मरिचये नमः।

मकर सक्रांति के दिन दान पुण्य करने का महत्व।

•• मकरसंक्रातिदिने दानपुण्यकार्यस्य महत्त्वम्।

Doing charity on this day of utmost importance.

मकर संक्रांति के दिन तिल का दान का खास महत्व होता है। इस दिन ब्राह्माणों को तिल से बनी चीजों का दान करना शुभ माना जाता है।

•• मकरसंक्रांतिदिवसे तिलदानस्य विशिष्टो महत्त्वो भवति। अस्मिन्दिने  ब्राह्माणेभ्य: तिलनिर्मितवस्तूनां दानं शुभं मन्यते।

On this day, donating sesame is of special significance, giving items made of sesame to Brahmins is of great importance.

मकर संक्रांति के दिन किसी जरूरतमंद को कंबल का दान करना अच्छा माना जाता है। मान्यता है कि कंबल का दान करने से राहु का अशुभ प्रभाव नहीं पड़ता है।

••मकरसंक्रांतिदिने कस्मैचन निर्धनाय दानं पुण्यकार्यं मन्यते। मन्यते यत् कम्बलदानेन राहो: अशुभप्रभावो न भवति।

On the day of Makar Sankranti, it is considered good to donate a blanket to the needy. It is believed that by donating a blanket, Rahu (one of the nine major celestial bodies (navagraha) in Hindu texts and the king of meteors) does not produce inauspicious effect.

मकर संक्रांति को खिचड़ी भी कहा जाता है।इस दिन खिचड़ी का दान करना बहुत शुभ होता है। किसी जरूरतमंद व्यक्ति को इस दिन चावल और उड़द की दाल की बनी खिचड़ी दान करेंने से शुभ फल प्राप्त होता है।

•• मकरसंक्रांति: कृशरपर्व इत्यपि कथ्यते।दिनेऽस्मिन् कृशरदानम् अतीव शुभं भवति।अस्मिन् दिने कस्मैचन निर्धनाय तण्डूलमाषै: निर्मितकृशरदानेन शुभफलम् आप्यते।

Makar Sankranti is also called Khichdi. It is very auspicious to donate Khichdi on this day. Donating khichdi made of rice and urad dal to a needy person on this day gives auspicious results.

 मकर संक्रांति के दिन किसी व्यक्ति को नए वस्त्र का दान जरूर करना चाहिए। ऐसा करने से घर में सुख व समृद्धि आती है।

•• मकरसंक्रातिदिवसे कस्मैचन जनाय नूतनवस्त्रस्य दानम् अवश्यं कुर्यात्।एवं करणेन गृहे सुखसमृद्धे: आगमनं भवति।

On the day of Makar Sankranti 

newclothes should be given in charity to a

person. Doing this brings happiness and

prosperity in the house.

मकर संक्रांति में गुड़ दान करने से पुण्य मिलता है और परिवार में सुख और समृद्धि आती है।

••मकरसंक्रातिदिवसे गुडदानेन पुण्यस्य प्राप्तिर्भवति तथा परिवारे सुखसमृद्धीनाम् आगमनं भवति।

Donating jaggery gives virtue and brings happiness and prosperity in the family.

इस दिन गुड़ और तिल से बना हुआ मिठाई अवश्य खाना चाहिए।गुड़ और तिल के बने हुए मिठाई को खाने से मनुष्य हर तरह के रोगों से मुक्त रहता है।

••अस्मिन् दिवसे गुडतिलै: निर्मितं मिष्टान्नम् अवश्यं भक्षणीयम्।गुडतिलै: निर्मितानां मिष्टान्नानां भक्षणेन मनुष्य: सर्वविधिभ्य: रोगेभ्यो मुक्तो भवति।

Sweets made of jaggery and sesame must be eaten on this day. By doing so, one remains free from all kinds of diseases.

DO YOU KNOW?

 Who is Mount Everest named after?

Mount Everest is named after Sir George Everest (1790-1866), a British Geographer who distinguished himself as Surveyor-General of India from 1830-1843.

Born in Wales, Everest studied at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich and later joined the army.

In 1806, he travelled to India as a cadet in the Bengal Artillery.

In 1818, he was appointed as an assistant to Colonel William Lambton, who had started the Great Trigonometric Survey of the sub-continent in 1806.

When Lambton died in 1823, Everest took over the post of superintendent of the survey. In 1830, he was appointed Survey-General of India.

Sir George Everest was largely responsible for completing the section of the Great Trigonometric Survey of India along the meridian arc from the south of India extending north to Nepal, a distance of approximately 2400 kilometres.

Everest retired in 1843 and returned to live in England, where he became a Fellow of the Royal Society.

He was knitted in 1861, and in the following year he was elected Vice-President of the Royal Geographical Society.

ZOROASTRIAN FOLK STORY

 Spider to the rescue

It was a time of terror and confusion. Persia had been invaded and Zoroastrians were being put to the sword. 

A few important resistance fighters had eluded capture.

Weary and half-starved, they moved from one hiding place to another. 

Finally they came to the base of a tall mountain. 

They knew they could not scale it in their weakened state, and they prepared to make their last stand there.

Suddenly one of them espied a cave a little way up the face of the mountain. Summoning the last reserves of their strength they made their way to it, and entering, fell exhausted to the floor. Hardly had they recovered their breadth when they heard the enemy soldiers riding up the mountain. 

The men in the cave felt their end was near. 

They were trapped. 

All that they could do was pray, and that is what they began to do, silently but fervently. 

And then an amazing thing happened. 

A spider appeared at the mouth of the cave and began to spin a web. 

Within seconds it has spun a web so big that it covered the entire entrance.

The enemy soldiers saw the cave and were preparing to climb up to it when their leader saw the spider’s web strung across the entrance. 

He said, “The spider’s web is intact. That means no one has entered the cave. Let’s not waste time here!”

The soldiers rode away, to the great joy of fugitives. 

They gave thanks to God convinced that it was He who had sent the spider.

The story is part of Zoroastrian folklore, and tied to it is the tradition of never harming spiders.

12th January, National Youth Day

 Swami Vivekananda

“Sisters and brothers of America...” a swami in saffron clothes began his speech.

These words thrilled the audience in 1893 at the Chicago World Parliament of Religions.

It was Swami Vivekananda, who took Vedanta, the essence of Hinduism, to the Western world.

He was born as Narendranath Datta in Calcutta on 12 January, 1863.

He became a disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and later came to be known as Vivekananda.

As a youth, he had gone through a spiritual crisis.

He doubted the existence of God. During this phase, he heard about Sri Ramakrishna.

In November 1881, he met Sri Ramakrishna at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar.

That was a turning point in his life.

Their talks led to a unique guru-disciple relationship.

Sri Ramakrishna helped clear Narendranath’s doubts.

He taught Narendranath about pure love and unselfish living.

Narendranath turned to the life of a sanyasi and changed his name to Vivekananda.

Thereafter, Narendra Datta was known as Swami Vivekananda. Swami travelled the length and breadth of India to understand what India is.

Vivekananda taught his disciples that to serve man is to serve God.

He established the Ramakrishna Math and worked with a mission.

He tried to reform Indian society and his writings are still relevant to the new generation.

Swami Vivekananda’s works are collected in ten volumes.

His birthday is celebrated as National Youth Day in India.

Swami Vivekananda died at the young age of 39 on 4 July, 1902.

His legacy remains even a century after his death.

Swami Vivekananda is a spiritual force in contemporary India.

The ‘DOSE’ of daily life

 

 The ‘DOSE’ here denotes four wonderful chemicals or hormones which regulate many important functions in our body.

These are Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphin, which act as messengers between among the neurons in the brain.

A peripheral knowledge about these neurotransmitters, their production and functions will give us a better mileage in our physical and mental well-being.

This will in turn, bring better results in our actions and relationships.

 

Dopamine helps regulate attention, motivation, learning and emotional responses.

Since it enables the arousal of motivation to do things and the sustenance of motivation to complete a given task, it becomes a decisive factor in deciding the academic as well as non-academic achievements. Low levels of dopamine may reduce motivation and enthusiasm.

 

Oxytocin is a powerful hormone that underlies an individual’s social skills such as interpersonal relationships, empathy, generosity, recognition, trust etc. It is also a preventive factor of depressive feelings.

 

Serotonin is the chemical that helps with sleeping, eating and digesting. It has an effect on one’s emotions and motor skills. It is considered as a natural mood stabilizer which can reduce depression, anxiety, confusion etc.

 

The endorphins are of at least twenty different kinds which are responsible for blocking pain and controlling emotions. They are also responsible for the feelings of pleasure.

 

Relatively high or low levels of these chemicals in the brain may cause behavioural challenges or disability. Lack of regular physical exercises, habitual use of fast food, junk foods etc. can cause risk in children. Getting proper sleep by consistent bedtime and waking up, daily exercises/yoga/meditation, listening to music, balanced diet, spending sometime in the sun, outdoor games etc. help boost the levels of ‘DOSE’ in daily life.

CHEEK DIMPLES

 

Cheek dimples are the result of a muscle in the cheek splitting in two.

Before birth, the zygomaticus major (a muscle that controls facial expression, drawing the mouth's angle upward and outward) splits into a superior bundle positioned above the corner of the mouth, and an inferior bundle below the corner of the mouth. This creates a hammock effect where skin hangs in slightly between the two bundles. When you smile, the muscles contract and the dimples are more prominent due to increased skin tension.