MYTHOLOGICAL STORY TO UNDERSTAND MEANING OF "MAYA"

 Maya

  

   Maya commonly means myth, illusion, falsity, unreal, non-existent and unknown, but these meanings do not give a comprehensive understanding of the word. The following story gives us proper insight into this.

      Once Narada, a favourite devotee of Lord Vishnu, was taking a walk with Sri Krishna, an incarnation of Vishnu. Out of curiosity, Narada asked Krishna, “People talk about maya; what exactly is maya? Please tell me.” When Krishna suggested that he should ask for something else other than this difficult subject, Narada insisted on knowing about it. Krishna smiled and invited Narada for a walk in the woods. They walked for a long time and reached a dry plateau. Both were tired and thirsty; Krishna settled against a tree and said to Narada, “I feel very thirsty. I see in the horizon some signs of villages. Can you please go and fetch me some water to quench my thirst?” Narada immediately sped off towards the villages in search of water.

      As he reached the outskirts of village, he saw a beautiful maiden drawing water from a well. He approached her and politely requested for a pitcher of water. She was very respectful and offered to help him. She took him to her house and performed all the honours that any venerable guest would receive in those days. Narada was not only impressed by the hospitality, but also mesmerized by her beauty and sweetness. Their conversation prolonged and he met her family, who were all very nice to him. As time passed, he felt comfortable and stayed longer at their request. Days passed and Narada and the maiden fell in love and got married with the blessings of her parents. He continued to live with them, taking up the family business. Years passed and in due course he had two children.

      Soon after their third child was born, a huge flash flood hit the village and all the houses were submerged under water. Narada held the infant above the water and shepherded his other two children to safety. But the force of water pushed him and he lost control; the infant was washed away by the currents. His other two children and wife too got washed away and drowned. He was carried away by the currents and thrown ashore onto a far-off land. As he was gasping for life, he prayed hard to Vishnu to save him from this calamity!

      Just then, Krishna appeared on his side and asked him, “Narada, where is the water I asked for? I have been waiting it for more than 30minutes!” Narada was bewildered! When he came to his senses, he realized that it was all maya --- there was no family, no flood and no calamity; it was just his desires that had completely consumed him!

      As contrived as it might appear, the story reveals an important truth --- one can be so intensely driven by the mind, desires and emotions that one completely forgets one’s real state and falsely assumes the perceived state as real.

      Scholars say that maya not only hides the reality from you, but also misguides you to think of another fictitious state as reality. A simple analogy that all of us face is a dream. In a dream, we could be chased by a tiger, and we feel desperate; our heart pounds faster, we lose hope as the tiger catches us in the dream and when we suddenly wake up, we realise there is no tiger or calamity.

      Is our day-to-day life also like that? As children, you may not be able to answer that question or understand the depth of the situations we face. But our ancestors have thought about these questions very deeply and have provided answers in the Vedas. When you grow up, try to read this lore of knowledge as it will help you understand life better.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is the difference between glass and crystal?

Objects made of glass and crystal are both fragile and translucent. However, crystalware is prized for its fineness and delicate beauty. The crucial ingredient that sets ordinary sturdy glass apart from luxurious crystal is lead. Most common glass items like window panes and drinking glasses are made of soda-lime glass, which is composed of lime, soda, and silica (sand), but no lead. Soda-lime glass was known to man since ancient times. Another variety is heat-resistant glass (the kind used for laboratory equipment)—it is made of silica and boron trioxide. On the other hand, crystal is a type of glass, which contains at least 24 per cent lead oxide. The technique of producing crystal was originally discovered by Englishman George Ravenscroft in 1674. Addition of lead oxide allows crystal to have a higher index of refraction than normal glass, making it sparkle. More the lead, greater is the sparkle. Lead also makes the glass softer and easier to etch to create artistic pieces. Despite its name, crystal glass does not have a crystalline structure.

THE VALIANT TRIBAL LEADER

 Birsa Munda

Birsa Munda was a valiant freedom fighter who was born at Ulihatu in the Bengal Presidency (presently in Jharkhand) on 15th November 1875 into a Munda family. His parents were Sugana Munda and Karmi Hatu. His childhood was spent in a typical Munda style amidst poverty.

He got converted to Christianity and became Birsa David/Daud in order to receive an education from a missionary school.

He spent a great part of his childhood in Chaibasa. He was influenced by the national movement there. His father withdrew him from the missionary school. Birsa developed a strong anti-government and anti-missionary attitude in his mind there.

During the 1890s, he started speaking to his people about the exploitation done by the British on the Indian. The British agrarian policies were stifling the tribal people and disrupting their way of life which was hitherto peaceful and in tune with nature. Another problem was that of cultural belittlement of the tribal people by the Christian missionaries.

The Mundas had followed the Khunkhatti system of joint landholding. The British replaced this egalitarian system with the Zamindari System. Outsiders entered the tribal landscape and started exploiting them. In their own turf, they became forced labourers. Poverty descended on them like a strangling chain.

In 1894, Birsa announced his declaration against the British and the Dikus (outsiders) and thus began the Munda Ulgulan. This is a very important rebellion of the tribal people among the various uprisings of the tribals and peasants in India in the 19th century.

Many Mundas, Kharias and Oraons accepted him as their leader. Birsa advocated the tribal people to shun the missionaries and revert to their traditional ways. He also asked people not to pay taxes.

He was arrested in 1895 and released after two years. In 1899, he resumed his armed struggle along with the people. He razed police stations, government property, churches and houses of Zamindars.

The British caught him in 1900 from Jamkopai forest, Chakradharpur. Birsa Munda died on June 9th 1900 while lodged at the Ranchi jail aged just 25. Authorities claimed he died of cholera although this is doubted.

ENERGY FROM WIND

 Wind energy

Introduction: The hunt for alternative sources of energy is never ending. At present, we use fossil fuels to meet our energy needs, but these are a limited resource. Moreover, when burnt, fossil fuels emit harmful gases such as carbon dioxide (CO₂), which destroys the ozone layer. In recent years, the consumption of fossil fuels has increased dramatically, damaging the environment, our health and our planet. Therefore, it is imperative to find replacements; one such replacement is wind energy. Wind energy is at the forefront of renewable energy resources; it is considered a renewable resource because we are not “using up” wind when we produce energy from it. In addition to this wind power does not cause air pollution.

History of Wind Energy: People have been using wind power for many centuries. As early as 5000 B.C., Egyptians use wind energy to propel boats along the Nile River. By 200 B.C. wind-powered water pumps and windmills with woven reed needles were used to grind grain in Persia. In the 11^th century, people in the Middle East used wind pumps and wind mills for food production. Today, wind tunnels are primarily used to generate electricity.

The process: Most wind turbines consist of three blades that are mounted on a tower. Since the towers are over 100 ft tall, the blades utilise the faster blowing wind prevalent at those heights. Turbines catch the wind’s force with their blades. A pocket of low pressure is created on one side of the blade. The low-pressure pocket pulls the blade towards it, which causes the rotor (the object the blades are attached to) to turn. This action is called lift. The force of the lift is much stronger than the wind’s force against the front side of the blade, which is called drag. The combination of lift and drag causes the rotor to spin like a propeller.

     The rotor than spins a gear attached to it and this gear rotates several smaller motors that connect to a generator. Eventually, the generator turns this energy into electrical energy.

     Interestingly, wind turbines can also be installed on floating structures that can send electricity back to land with the help of undersea cables. These are more efficient as the ocean generates a lot of breeze, which means more energy can be generated. The largest wind turbine in the world is in Hawaii, U.S.A. It stands 20 storeys tall and has blades the length of the football field!

Applications: Wind turbines have no limitation to their use; they can be used for large-scale industrial purposes and even to power a single home. Larger wind turbines are often grouped in wind farms, which have hundreds of windmills. These farms can produce over 100 megawatts of energy.

     Small wind turbines, of up to 100kilowatts, are typically located close to where the generated electricity will be used, for example, near homes or water pumping stations. Small turbines are sometimes connected to diesel generators, batteries and photovoltaic systems. These systems are called hybrid wind systems and are typically used in remote locations, where a connection to the electricity grid is unavailable.

Advantages: Most importantly, wind is a renewable energy source, which means we will never run out of it. In addition to this, it does not cause any harm to the environment. Wind turbines can supply energy in remote places as they do not require a lot of infrastructure. Wind is a domestic energy source, which means it does not need to be transported and the wind can be converted into electricity within the windmill itself. Wind turbines also require periodic maintenance, unlike other power sources.

Disadvantages: Wind fluctuates, which means it is not always reliable. Wind turbines can disturb wildlife such as birds and bats. In some countries, people even cut down forests to set up wind turbines. Wind turbines also generate a lot of noise.

As the world begins to look for more sustainable solutions to the pressing problem of non-renewable energy, wind energy could emerge as an important energy source if more countries start to adopt it.

A SENTENCE OF 21 WORDS

 Don't fret about tomorrow

     In 1871, a young man happened to pick up a book and read a sentence of 21 words in it that was to have a profound effect on his future. As a medical student, he had been worried about his final examination, and about what to do, where to go, how to build up a practice, and how to make a living.

     The sentence that caught the young student's attention helped him go on to become the most famous physician of his generation, revolutionising modern medical education. He was later knighted by the king of England. After his death, two volumes containing 1,466 pages were required to tell the story of his life. His name was Sir William Osler. 

     The sentence of 21 words. a simple but proverbial expression by Thomas Carlyle, which deeply inspired him and helped him lead a worry-free life and attain enormous success was " Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand."

     It is unwise to neglect the little opportunities and occasions that come along each day. Even very small steps take us forward. A little progress each day adds up to big results. Focus on commitment and work steadily. Don't wait till you attain an ambitious goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take. The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence and enthusiasm on doing today's work most effectively and efficiently.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is acid rain and what are its effects?

     Acid  rain, also known as acid deposition or acid precipitation, is defined as rain or any other form of precipitation that has increased acidity caused by environmental factors (such as atmospheric pollutants). It need not necessarily be in liquid form; the definition of acid rain also includes dust, fog, snow, hail and gases. 

     According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, it was Robert Angus Smith, a Scottish chemist, who coined the term in 1852 while studying rainwater chemistry near industrial cities. 

     Acid rain is formed when Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides are discharged into the atmosphere. These are waste gases released by the combustion of fossil fuels by automobiles, electric power plants, and smelting and refining facilities. Although the leading cause of acid rain is man-made pollution, natural disasters play a part as well. Volcanoes can cause acid rain by blasting pollutants into the air, which are carried in jet streams and turned into acid rain far from the volcano.

     Acid rain is extremely harmful to the environment. By washing away the protective film on leaves, it weakens trees and stunts their growth and renders them vulnerable to extremes of climate and pests. It changes the composition of soil and water bodies, endangering the lives of the creatures that inhabit them. As the acidity level of water increases, fishes and other aquatic creatures die in large numbers. Further, acid rain corrodes exposed surfaces and contributes to the deterioration of marble structures and monuments. 

     We can play our part in reducing acid rain by decreasing atmospheric pollution such as by reducing use of vehicles (by walking, bicycling or using public transport) and by reducing electricity use or switching to solar power (which does not involve the burning of fossil fuels).

THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING GOOD COMPANY

The Limping Horse

     A nobleman’s prized racehorse began to limp for no apparent reason. Veterinarians who were called found nothing wrong with the leg – no fracture, no sprain and no soreness – and they were clueless about the problem.

     The nobleman finally consulted a sage, a man known for his wisdom. 

“Has anything changed for the horse in the last few months?” he asked. 

“I changed his trainer a few weeks ago,” said the nobleman. 

“Does the horse get on well with his new trainer?” “Very well! In fact, he’s devoted to him.” 

“Does the trainer limp?” 

“Uh… yes, he does.”

“The reason for the horse’s limp is clear,” said the sage. “He’s imitating his handler. We all tend to imitate those whom we admire. The company we keep has a great influence on us.” 

The nobleman put the horse in the charge of another trainer and the horse soon stopped limping.