FRUIT OF THE CELESTIAL TREE

The coconut

     One of the best-loved and most useful trees of the world, the coconut palm has a versatility that is unmatched by any other tree. All its parts are used in some way or the other in the daily life of people of the tropics. Its fruit, fronds and wood offer people not only an income, but also many of life’s basic necessities –food, drink, fuel and shelter. So it is not surprising that the coconut tree is known as Kalpavriksha (divine, wish fulfilling tree) in India. The coconut plays a key role in Hindu religious traditions. In wedding ceremonies, a kalash or coconut placed over the opening of a pot is an auspicious symbol. 

An indispensable part of every religious ritual, coconuts are also broken as offerings to the deities in temples. All over India’s western coast, fishermen offer a coconut to the sea before setting out on their fishing trips in the faith that this will ensure them a good catch. 

     Today, the coconut is grown in more than 90 countries worldwide. India is one of the major players in international trade, accounting for 22.34% of the world’s coconut production. Other leading coconut producers are Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia. The major coconut-growing states are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra. Kerala alone accounts for 39%of total cultivation. In fact, the very name Kerala means “land of coconuts”, and the nut and the tree play a vital role in the day-to-day lives of the state’s people.

There are two varieties of coconut palms – the tall and the dwarf. The tree grows to a height of 80 to 100 feet. It reaches maturity by one year, and starts yielding fruit by 6 to 10 years. A healthy coconut tree continues to produce a full harvest for 80 years, bearing 50 to 200 fruits annually. The tree is single trunked and has a massive crown with about 30 leaves. Fruits are borne in clusters on the crown. 

     A highly nutritious food, the coconut is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Coconut water has many health benefits. Rich in potassium and low in sodium, it is one of the best drinks to hydrate the body. 

     The coconut is consumed at practically all stages of maturity. Coconut water taken from the tender coconut is a refreshing drink. The ‘meat’ of the mature coconut is eaten as it is, or grated and used to make chutneys, gravies and sweets like burfi. Coconut milk extracted from the grated meat is also used in various dishes. Coconut oil is a favoured cooking medium. 

     Apart from the fruit, the shell, husk, leaves, flowers, and wood of the coconut palm are highly useful. Coconut leaves are plaited and used to thatch houses. 

The leaf ribs are fashioned into brooms and baskets. 

The juice obtained on tapping the inflorescence is rich in sugar and is converted into jaggery, sugar, vinegar and fermented toddy. 

Coconut oil, apart from its culinary use, is an ingredient in various cosmetics. The dried oil cake is used as cattle feed. 

Coconut husk is a source of fibre that supports a flourishing coir industry. This fibre is used to make ropes, doormats, and matting. 

Shells are used to make cups, ladles and handicrafts.

THE WORLD OF KITES

 Festivals associated with kites around the world

     In India, the kite festival or Makar Sankranti is celebrated on January 14 every year. Let's take a look at a few more kite festivals around the world.

Berkeley kite festival: The Berkeley kite festival is held in California, USA for a period of two days. Various competitions and exhibitions are held at this annual festival where different aspects of kite flying are showcased. The kites that colour the sky are vastly different from each other and are crafted in the shape of giant creatures, houses and candies in different sizes - some are large as a house and others as long as a train. The festival holds the record for the world's largest octopus kite.

Brisbane kite festival: The Brisbane kite festival takes place annually in the spring, which falls in the month of October or November in Brisbane Australia. Most kites at this festival have been crafted for several months before they are ready to be showcased during the festival. The festival also has kite-making workshops and stalls to buy kites from.

Bristol kite festival: The Bristol kite festival is held in England and completed 25 years in 2011. The festival also hosts kite-fighting battles and has welcomed guests from America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, China, Israel and many countries in Europe. It also hosts a flyers' meal and an auction party where the best kites are sold, followed by a lights and fireworks display.

Busan international kite festival: Close to 2,000 participants from 12 countries take part in this annual event that is hosted by the Busan Folk Kite Preservation Association in South Korea. This is the only place where one can see kites anchored in the sand. Competitions are held between small groups and the best kites are exhibited.

Dieppe kite festival: The Dieppe kite festival is held in Dieppe, New Brunswick, Canada. One of the main features of this festival is the number of participants - 40 countries. This innovative festival presents all the kite disciples and is listed among the 300 biggest world events.

Festival of the winds: This festival is held on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. It sees competitions between countries like India, Malaysia, China and Japan. There are several kite-making workshops too where people can make their own kites and fly them. It is usually held around mid-September.

Great Lakes kite festival: Held in Machigan, USA, this festival hosts kite performances by experts. It also features many kite stores, workshops and test fields where one can test fly the latest and greatest kites. People here fly kites in the night where the skies are lit up with kites that have small lights in them. This is the only venue to showcase kite stunt demonstrations.

Portsmouth international kite festival: The Portsmouth international kite festival is one of the premium kite festivals in the UK. The festival encourages women kite makers by holding separate competitions for them. Another highlight of the festival is the record attempt of kites flying in synchronised formations. In 2008, 47 such kites took to the air at once. Different types of kites are seen in the sky like 3D, structural designs and animals.

Tiptop kite day: The Tiptop kite day festival is held in New Zealand where hundreds of kites colour the sky, amusing thousands that come to watch and take part in this annual event. Many workshops are held to teach participants the nuances of kite flying. Stores also sell personalised kites.

Weifang kite festival: This kite festival is held in China from April 20 to 25 every year. It is an international kite grand meeting, which attracts large numbers of kite experts, fans and visitors. This festival was first held in 1984. During the festival, Weifang city is decorated with lanterns and colourful streamers and traditional artists perform across the city. Many colourful kites are also exhibited at the Weifang Kite museum, which is the biggest kite museum in the world.

Hamamatsu Kite Festival: is Japanese festival in Hamamatsu. It is generally known to have multiple kites, along with a lot of kite battles through the days it is held. The festival also displays examples of Japanese culture through food, and general items available for purchase in merchant booths at the festival.

BREAKING YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS

 The Elephant Rope

     As a man was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from their bonds but for some reasons, they did not. 

     He saw a trainer nearby and asked why these animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

"Well," the trainer said,"when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free."

     The man was amazed. These animals could any time break free from their bonds but because they believe they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were. 

     Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we failed at it once before?

     Failure is part of learning; we should never give up the struggle in life.

FOOTBALL A to Z

Association football or soccer is the most popular sport on this planet. Almost 200 nations play the game. Let us learn the words associated with it.

Football A to Z

Assist: It is the final pass before the goal is scored. Many leagues offer prizes to players providing most assists in a season.

Bend it like Beckham: This term was popularised by the 2002 film of the same name. David Beckham has scored many memorable goals by 'bending' the ball or changing the ball's path in mid-air.

Clean sheet: A team is said to maintain a clean sheet when they do not concede a single goal during a match.

Diving: It is a form of cheating wherein a player falls to the ground in order to win a free-kick or a penalty. Usually there is minimal or no contact from the opponent. 

El Clasico: It is a derby between rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid. It is the most watched football event after UEFA ChampionsLeague Finals.

Futsal: A spin-off of traditional football, it is usually played with five players, indoors on a hard surface.

Group of death: A group of death in a cup competition or international tournament is the group which is most competitive. In other words, most or all the teams in that group are strong.

Hooligans: Overzealous supporters known for destruction of team property, violence and unruly behaviour.

Intercept: A player is said to have intercepted when he cuts off a pass from the opposite team's player.

Journeyman: A player who has played for many teams over his career.

Killer pass: A perfectly placed pass that reaches the foot or the head of a teammate allowing him to score an easy goal.

Lost the dressing room: This idiom is used when players have 'lost' confidence in their team manager. Such situations arise when the manager is unable to find a healthy combination of players, shows favouritism and is unable to register wins for the team.

Midfielder: A player who is positioned between the defender and the forward.

Nutmeg: A nutmeg is a type of play wherein a player sends the ball between an opponent's legs.

Own goal: A goal scored by a player accidentally against his own team.

Parking the bus: It is an expression used for a team whose outfield players play defensively. It is a negative style of play used by teams to secure a draw or to defend a goal-margin of 1 against strong opposition.

Quadruple: Winning of four different titles during the same year.

Retired numbers: Jersey numbers that are withdrawn and unavailable to new players in a team in honour of a significant player who had worn that number.

Shielding: A defensive technique wherein the defender puts his body between the ball and the opponent in order to prevent the opponent from reaching the ball.

Tiki-taka: It is a style of play consisting of short passes, fluent movement and keeping possession of the ball. The style is primarily associated with FC Barcelona. 

Utility player: A player who can play in different roles. For example: A player may primarily be a defender but he can be deployed into the midfield or as a striker.

Vanishing spray: Aerosol paint applied to the football pitch to provide a temporary visual marker.

Wembley: England's biggest football stadium and home to England's national team.

Yo-yo club: A team that is regularly promoted and relegated to higher and lower league levels.

Zonal marking: A defensive play wherein the defenders are given a particular area to defend as against 'Man-marking' in which defenders defend against particular players.

REMEMBERING KURDI

Submerged village of Sanguem Taluka

KURDI is a village in Sanguem, South Goa that can be seen only for about a month in a year, between April and May. The remaining eleven months, it remains submerged in the waters of the Salaulim, a tributary of the RiverZuari. 

When the village emerges, the displaced Kurdikars return to pay homage to the deity of Shiva at the still intact 18th century Someshwar temple, and to the rebuilt Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel. The village throbs with life then as Kurdikars prepare for the annual temple feast, which takes place on the third Sunday of May at the Someshwar temple, and for the annual chapel feast, which takes place on the fourth Sunday of the month. 

Hardly anything remains of the old village. Close to the temple is the broken down ancestral home of Kurdi’s classical singer Mogubai Kurdikar, the mother of the well known classical singer Kishori Amonkar. Kurdikars pay their tribute to the great singer by playing bhajans that were sung by her during the temple fest. 

Most of the houses are in various stages of ruin, some even reduced to mere mounds of mud. Despite this, nostalgic Kurdikars spend entire day in the broken remnants of their homes. They go back in the evening with a heavy heart and haunting memories of cashew orchards, jack fruit trees and fragrant babuli flowers that had grown in wild profusion. Kurdi was once a lush green village with nearly 3000 inhabitants. In the early1980s, a dam was built across Salaulim. The dam and the unusually heavy rains of 1986 are said to have been responsible for Kurdi going under water. 

In 2016, the village was immortalised in the documentary film, “Remembering Kurdi”, by film director Saumyananda Sahi.

DURYODHAN’S BIGGEST VICE

 Jealousy

Traditional stories and folklore are known to inculcate basic morals and values in children. You have probably heard of many stories in which those who are jealous or selfish are punished. Let’s see how Duryodhan in the Mahabharat suffered because of jealousy.

Duryodhan was the crown prince and the most powerful man in his country. He had so much power that he could acquire anything he desired. And yet he was never happy. On the other hand, Karna was a great warrior and close friend and confidante of Duryodhan. He has unwavering loyalty towards Duryodhan. Karna was thus no threat to Duryodhan. Karna was also known for his noble quality of offering charity. He would oblige anyone who asked for alms and as a result, the whole country revered Karna and thought of him as the greatest almsgiver. This made Duryodhan jealous of Karna.

As this jealousy grew in mind, Duryodhan kept thinking of ways in which he could gain the recognition from people. He decided to imitate Karna and started to give charity. As generosity was not in his inherent nature, he did not have the nobility to give away without expectation. But since he had to give away something to win people’s praise, he decided to part with firewood, as it was available in plentiful in his kingdom. He made a declaration that he was donating wood and anyone who desired they could come to get it freely. His proclamation had mixed reactions – where some people came and collected the wood, others were perplexed by the sudden outburst of generosity from Duryodhan, who had not even given his cousins their due.

Lord Krishna was amused at this news and laughed at him saying,”The price does not have anything else to give his people, other than wood!” But Krishna also wanted to teach Duryodhan a lesson. He used his divine powers to create rain that lasted for many days and soaked the wood in the country, making it unusable for fire. Then disguised as an old brahmin, Krishna approached Duryodhan. He told him that he was to perform the marriage of his son on the next day and while all the arrangements were made, the rain had destroyed the firewood he badly needed for the function.

Duryodhan explained to him that because of rain, all the wood he had was also drenched. He then asked the Brahmin to postpone the wedding. The Brahmin reacted angrily saying that he thought that Duryodhan was a great almsgiver and would always help someone in need. He said that all the declarations about his charity were false and he should withdraw his promises so that he could approach other donors. Duryodhan had no choice but to acquiesce and the Brahmin left.

The Brahmin then approached Karna with the same request. Given the dire situation, Karna thought hard and then broke down all the wooden shelves and structures in his yard where he kept his animals and gave away that dry wood. The Brahmin was grateful and on his way back, he stopped at Duryodhan’s to tell him how Karna had been helpful. Duryodhan was humiliated; and his jealousy brought onto him even greater agony.

Thus, selfishness, greed and jealousy have no bounds. They bring a man down, no matter how much wealth or resources he has. One must overcome this evil through purity of thought and wisdom. In this era of technology and competition, the forces of selfishness, greed and jealousy are even greater. Every one of us should be cognizant of these forces and rise above them through self-effort, thinking and harbouring universal benevolence.

AN ESSENTIAL TOOL WHILE TRAVELLING

Map

Ever since humans started travelling, maps have been an essential tool. Can you imagine a journey without setting Google maps? 

A map is a drawing which tells us about a place and its relationship with other places. It is a way to represent a part or whole of the world. Some maps show mountains and rivers. Others show boundaries of states, countries or continents. Some others show details of crops and where they are grown. There are road maps also. 

Maps may be used to show demographics. For example the number of children born in different districts of a state during a particular period. What is common is that they are pictures on a flat surface, showing a place as if you were looking it from above. 

Maps have been used for centuries. Earliest maps were probably of the skies and go back to 16000 BC! Cave paintings showing mountains and rivers may have been early forms of maps. Geographical maps as we know, may be about 8000 years old. Babylonian World Map, created around 600 BC is considered to be the first scientific map. Greeks created the first paper map. China too had a tradition of making maps. Indian map-making goes back to Indus Valley Civilization. 

‘Cartography’ is the science of making maps. A person who makes maps is called a ‘cartographer.’ Traditionally, cartographers travelled across the land, measuring distances, heights, gradients and angles before making maps. They used instruments like telescopes, rulers, compasses and barometers. But today, maps are made with the help of computers and satellites. 

Geographical Information Systems ‘is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking and displaying data related to positions on Earth’s surface.’ 

In earlier times, maps were prepared by hand and beautifully illustrated. People collected maps as a hobby. 

Maps and Atlas Museum of La Jolla in California, USA is only for maps!