A HORSE IN THE SEA

Seahorse

     Have you seen the movie "Finding Nemo"? In the film, Nemo meets Sheldon and his friends in a school under the sea. Sheldon is a sea horse, a distinct and wonderful fish. Seahorses are very small marine fishes from a family named Hippocampus. Hippocampus is a Greek word derived from two different words --- "hippo" means horse and "kampos" means "sea monster". As the head of this fish looks like a horse hence named Seahorse. 

     There are almost 25-30 different types of seahorses spread from tropical and temperate coastal waters. Their size varies from 1.5 to 35.5cm. They have external protection in the form of a skeleton on their body which is called as armor. It protects them against the predators. They have a curled prehensile tail. Prehensile is the ability to grab or hold. Their tail helps them to grab or hold an object. Body of a seahorse is stretched over boney plates which are arranged in the form of rings across the body.

     The position of a seahorse while swimming is another distinct characteristic which makes them different from other fishes. They swim upright. They have dorsal black fins which are used to propel in the water. A fin flaps up to 35 times per second. The fins are located on the either side of the head. Normally neck is a body part which you can see in land animals. But very interestingly, a seahorse has a flexible and very well-defined neck.

     The abdomen of male seahorse is called as pouch. It is very similar to the kangaroo's pouch that carries the baby. The female seahorse deposits thousands of eggs in the male's pouch which is then carried by the male for 9 to 45 days until fully developed.

Some more facts:

* Seahorse is a very poor swimmer. H. Zosterae which is a dwarf seahorse is world's slowest moving fish. Its top speed is 5 feet per hour.

* Most often, seahorses swim in pairs with their tails linked together.

* To move up and down, seahorses adjust the air volume in their bladder.

* Planktons and tiny fish is their food. They almost eat constantly.

* Their lifespan is about 3 to 4 years.

* As they are very bad swimmers, they anchor themselves to coral or any such thing.

* Due to overfishing and destruction of their habitat, seahorses are endangered.

* In Chinese medicine their consumption is widespread.

HONOURING THE TRIUMPH OF GOOD OVER EVIL

 Durga Puja

     Durga Puja, also known as Durgotsava, is one of the most significant and widely celebrated Hindu festivals, primarily in the eastern part of India, particularly West Bengal. The festival holds immense religious, cultural and social significance.

Worship of Goddess Durga: Durga Puja is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, who symbolises the divine feminine energy and is seen as the embodiment of Shakti or the supreme power. During this festival, she is honoured as the ultimate source of strength and protection.

Victory of good over evil: Durga Puja celebrates the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura. It symbolises the triumph of good over evil, righteousness over unrighteousness, and the vanquishing of inner demons and vices.

Unity and community bonding: Durga Puja brings communities together. It is not just a religious event but a time for people to come together, irrespective of caste, creed or social status. Communities set up elaborate pandals (temporary structures) where the idol of Goddess Durga is placed, and people from all walks of life visit these pandals to offer prayers and enjoy cultural programmes.

Art and culture: Durga Puja is a celebration of art and culture. Elaborate idols of Goddess Durga are crafted, often with intricate details, and the artistic themes vary from year to year. The festival features a wide array of cultural performances, including music, dance, drama and poetry readings.

Festive atmosphere: The festival creates a vibrant and joyous atmosphere. The streets are adorned with deocorations, lights and colourful artwork. Processions with idols, music and dance performances make the atmosphere lively and celebratory.

Reverence for the female divine: Durga Puja underscores the significance of the feminine divine. It is a time to celebrate the power, grace and nurturing aspects of the goddess. Women in particular are honoured during this festival.

Prayer and devotion: Devotees visit the Puja pandal to offer prayers, seek blessings and perform rituals. They express their devotion to Goddess Durga and seek her protection and guidance.

Culmination of Navaratri: Durga Puja marks the culmination of the nine-night festival of Navaratri. Each day of Navaratri is dedicated to a different form of goddess, leading to the final celebration of Durga Puja on the tenth day, known as Vijayadashami.

     Durga Puja is a time of cultural exuberance, religious fervour and social harmony. It transcends religious boundaries and has a special place in the hearts of people, not only for its religious significance but also for the sense of unity, creativity and festivity it brings to the community.

THE MODEST STATESMAN

 Lal Bahadur Shastri

     India's second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on 2 October 1904. His father died when he was 18 months old and he grew up at his grandfather's house. Since he was very slightly built, his grandpa affectionately called him 'Nanhe'. 

     One day, Nanhe and his friends were raiding a mango tree when they were surprised by the gardener. The gardener caught Nanhe and slapped him. 

     "Why did you slap me?" asked the boy. "Don't you know I have no father?"

     "That means you'll have to look after your mother and how can a thief do that?" asked the gardener. The gardener's words made the boy aware of his responsibilities and a change came over him. He grew up to be one of the leaders of our country.

     Shastri became Prime Minister at a time of turmoil. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had just died and war had erupted with Pakistan in 1965. The country was reeling under the drought. Quite a tough task for a new prime minister to handle.

     But he took it all in his stride. He inspired the people with his slogan, 'Jai Jawan Jai Kisan'. The Indo-Pakistan war would have continued but Russia intervened and both India and Pakistan agreed to sign the Tashkent Agreement on 11 January 1966. Just a few hours after signing the agreement, Shastri died of a massive heart attack.

     Shastri was awarded the 'Bharat Ratna' posthumously. His memeorial 'Vijay Ghat' in Delhi is a constant reminder of a great administrator and a fantastic human being.

A WALK TO REMEMBER

 Spacewalk

     When an astronaut steps out of the spacecraft in space, it is termed a spacewalk. It is technically known as extravehicular activity (EVA).

     The astronauts perform various tasks on a spacewalk. They conduct science experiments in space to study how the space environment affects the results. They repair satellites while they are in orbit. They also test new equipment.

     Astronauts wear pressurised spacesuits filled with oxygen. For the duration of the spacewalk, the astronaut is usually tethered i.e. he is anchored to the spacecraft with the help of a cable. For safety purposes, he also wears a backpack-like device called SAFER ( Simplified Aid For EVA Rescue). If the astronaut gets detached, SAFER uses small jet thrusters to help him move and return to the spacecraft.

     The first spacewalk was performed by Russian cosmonaut, Alexey Leonov, on March 18, 1965. It lasted 10 minutes. A few weeks later, Ed White became the first NASA astronaut to perform a 23 minute long spacewalk on June 3.

     Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyev holds the world record for the most spacewalks and spent more than 82 hours outside in space.

     Peggy Whitson holds the record for the most number of spacewalks by a woman (ten). She also has the most spacewalk time for a woman (60 hours, 21 minutes) to her credit.

DIVINE VENGEANCE

The fall of Sybaris

     A sybarite is a person who is devoted to luxury and pleasure. The word is related to Sybaris, an ancient Greek city noted for its wealth and opulence in present-day southern Italy.

     In 720 B.C., the ancient Greeks founded the city as a colony near the present-day city of Terranova di Sibari in southern Italy. The inhabitants of Sybaris known as Sybarites, were very fortunate. Their land was extraordinarily fertile and their location by the sea brought them a lucrative trade. Living was easy in Sybaris, and over the time, the Sybarites became known all over the ancient world for their indulgence in pleasure and love of frivolous luxury. By the 6^th century, Sybaris had attained a degree of wealth and power which was unprecedented among Greek cities and which earned them the admiration of the rest of the Hellenic world.

     In 510 B.C., Sybaris was rocked by political dissensions. War broke out between Sybaris and Crotona. Although the Sybarite army was 300,000 strong and the Crotoniats were less than a third in number, the latter put the Sybarites to flight and pursued them to the gates of their city, which they then destroyed. The fall of Sybaris was viewed by many Greeks as a divine vengeance upon the Sybarites for their pride and arrogance, caused by their excessive prosperity.

DO YOU KNOW

 What is the maximum distance the human eye can see when unobstructed?

     Dust, water vapour and pollution in the air will rarely let you see more than 12 miles even on a clear day. 

     Often, the curvature of the Earth gets in the way first --- at sea level, for example, the horizon is only 2.9 miles away. 

     On the top of Mount Everest, you could theoretically see for 211 miles, but in practice cloud gets in the way. 

     For a truly unobstructed view, look up. 

     On a perfectly clear night with no Moon in the sky you can see the Andromeda galaxy, which is 2.25 million light years away.

HISTORICAL EVENT OF THE MONTH

 Battle of Buxar

     One of the decisive battles in the history of pre-independence India, the battle of Buxar took place on October 22, 1764 in Buxar, a town about 130 km west of Patna in present-day Bihar. It was fought by the combined armies of Mir Qasim, Nawab of Bengal; Shuja-ud-Daulah, Nawab of Awadh; and Mughal Emperor Shah Alam II on one side and the British East India Company's forces led by General Hector Munro on the other. 

     Although the allied army was numerically much stronger, comprising about 40,000 men as against the Company's army of about 7000, the differences of opinion between the allies as well as the British superiority in artillery turned the tide in favour of the British. The allied army was effectively routed. War casualities mounted to about 850 wounded or dead on the British side and 2000 to 5000 on the side of the three allies.  

     The war eventually led to the signing of the Treaty of Allahabad in August 1765 between Shah Alam II and Robert Clive of the East India Company, according to which the Mughal Empire ceded property rights over Bengal, Bihar and Orissa to the British. The treaty thus enabled the British to establish their control in the eastern part of the country, ultimately paving the way for the establishment of British colonial rule over India that continued for the next two centuries.