AN AMAZING HOUSE

Fujian Tulou 

This incredible house - architecture is called as Fujian Tulou. It is located in the mountainous regions and is the best preserved example of the earthen houses in China. Fujian Tulou is a property of 46 buildings constructed between the 15th and 20th centuries. 

Fujian architecture is the symbol of harmonious relationships with the environment; Tulou becomes an outstanding Illustration of human settlement. Several storeys high, they are built along an internal-looking, circular or square square floor plan. Each storey houses 100 families which count up to 800 people. 

They use wooden floor boards, ridgepoles and girders and are covered with a tiled roof. They were built for defense purposes around a central open courtyard with only one entrance and windows to the outside. Housing a whole clan, the houses function as village units and were known as "a little kingdom for the family" or "bustling small city".

A common characteristic of these houses is the long construction period which usually lasted two or three years. The resulting structures are proof against wind, water and earthquakes. Another characteristic feature is their ordinary arrangement of the rooms. 

WORLD FAMOUS FESTIVALS OF INDIA

Ratha Yatra 

     Ratha Yatra is a major Hindu festival associated with Lord Jagannath (another name of Lord Krishna) held at Puri, in Odisha, India, during the months of June or July. This year, it will be celebrated on Sunday, 7th July 2024. 

     The Puri Ratha Yatra is world famous and attracts more than one million pilgrims every year, not only from India but also from the different parts of the world. Ratha Yatra in other words the Chariot procession is a festival that symbolises equality and integration. 

     The three deities, Lord Jagannath, his elder brother, Lord Balabhadra and their sister Subhadra are worshipped within the temple. But on this festival, they are taken to the streets of Puri so that everyone can have their glimpse. The three deities make an annual journey to their aunt's temple (Gundicha Temple), 2km away from Lord Jagannath temple. The Jagannath Temple in Puri is one among the many sacred temples in India. 

    The festival begins with the invoking ceremony in the morning and the chariot pulling on the roads of Puri in the afternoon is the most exciting part of the festival. The three deities have three different chariots. 

     The chariot of Lord Jagannath, Nandighosha, has 18 wheels and is 45.6 feet high, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, Taladhwaja has 16 wheels and is 45 feet high and the chariot of Subhadra, Devadalana has 14 wheels and is 44.6 feet high. Every year, wooden temples like chariots are constructed newly. The idols of these three deities are also made of wood and they are religiously replaced by new ones in every 12 years. 

UFO

Unidentified Flying Object 🛸

You must have seen movies and books featuring saucer shaped discs that hover the ground and are filled with weird looking creatures. In books and movies, the weird looking creatures are aliens from outer space, and the discs are space ships from another planet - or UFOs. The term UFO means an Unidentified Flying Object, and UFOs are one of the great mysteries that have fascinated man for centuries. 

Even in ancient times, people looked up to the skies and saw objects that were not stars or celestial bodies. Today UFO sightings are more common than ever. Practically every country in the world has sent in reports of UFO sightings. In many cases, they can be explained as weather balloons, lightning, rockets, birds, atmospheric disturbances - and some have been proved to be hoaxes too. But in 5% of the cases, there is no scientific explanation. 

DO YOU KNOW

How was the first artificial sweetner invented?

The first artificial sweetner to be invented was saccharin. Russian chemist Constantin Fahlberg is credited with this invention, which was actually accidental. In the late 1870s, Fahlberg was working with another chemist, Ira Remsen. Together, they were studying substances derived from coal tar. 

One evening, Fahlberg returned returned home and sat down for dinner. As he bit into a roll, he found it sweet. He asked his wife about this, but she claimed that her rolls were perfectly normal. Fahlberg then tasted his fingers. They were sweet. 

He rushed back to his lab and began checking up all that he had done that day. He found that he had accidentally invented a substance that was as sweet as sugar, but had no fattening effects like sugar. He named this substance 'saccharin'. It caught on commercially and Fahlberg grew rich. 

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL MULTI-SPORT EVENT 2024

Paris Olympics

Journey of how Olympic Sports events started: According to ancient Greek mythology and history, the origins of the ancient Olympic Games date back as far as 3000 years ago when track race competitions and games were held across 5 days as part of the religious celebrations in honor of their God Zeus. The Modern Olympic Games, as they are known today, were revived by the efforts of Pierre De Coubertin, a French physical educator, with the first games being opened by the king of Greece in the first week of April 1896. 

There have been 30 Modern Summer Olympic games held every four years since 1896, except for those in 1940 and 1944 which could not be held due to the ongoing World War. Since 1924, the Modern Winter Olympic games have been held on a staggered two-year schedule after the Summer Olympics. Since 1960, the Paralympic Olympic games, held for the participation of athletes with a range of disabilities, were added as a part of the schedule for the Summer Olympics. They are also held every four years, with their participation increasing from 400 disabled athletes from 23 countries in 1960 to 4520 disabled athletes from 163 countries in 2020.

Women Power: Though the ancient Olympic games did not allow girls and women to participate, since 1900, the Modern Olympic games introduced the participation of women, with 22 women out of the 997 athletes participating in the games the same year. Since then, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has made committed efforts to increase women's participation at the Olympics, and it also strives hard to promote gender equality in sports. The London 2012 Olympic schedule was the first one in which women participated in all of the sports on the programme. The latest Olympics - Tokyo 2020 saw 5409 women participate out of the total 11,319 athletes. 

Why Paris and not France? The honor of hosting these Olympic games is entrusted to a city (not a country) which is decided by the IOC. The host must promise that every competitor shall be given free entry without any discrimination on grounds of religion, gender, colour, or political affiliation. 

Which sports will we see: The Paris 2024 Olympic schedule comprises more than  30 Sports, i.e., Archery, Gymnastics, Artistic Swimming, Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Boxing, Breaking, Canoe events, Cycling, Diving, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Golf, Handball, Hockey, Judo, Swimming events, Modern Pentathlon, Rowing, Rugby, sailing, Shooting, Skateboarding, Sport Climbing, Surfing, Table tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Trampoline, Triathlon, Volleyball, Water Polo, Weightlifting, with about 10,000 to 11,000 athletes from over 200 countries participating in these games. They will be shown live on the television. These games bring so many different people across the world together in the same spirit of hope, perseverance, hard work, dedication, joy, and the pride and exhilaration of representing their homeland on the world stage. 

The Olympic symbol consists of five interlaced rings of equal dimensions, used alone, in one or in five different colours, which are, from left to right blue, yellow, black, green, red. The Olympic rings express the activity of the Olympic movement and represent the union of the five continents and the meeting of athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic games. 

Olympic Phryge and the Paralympic Phryge are the Mascots of Paris Olympics 2024.

DO YOU KNOW

What causes lightning and thunder?

Have you ever wondered why we have thunder and lightning during storms? Well, this is because when clouds move around in the sky, they bump into each other and create electricity. This electricity builds up until it suddenly bursts out in a big flash of lightning! The lightning is like a super-fast bolt of energy that lights up the sky. And the loud rumbling thunder you hear afterwards is because the lightning heats up the air so fast that it makes a booming noise. 

Thunderstorms always have lightning (since thunder is caused by lightning, and you can't have a thunderstorm without thunder), but you can have lightning without a thunderstorm. Lighting can also be seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, and even in heavy snowstorms! It is possible that you might see lightning and not hear any thunder, because it was too far away. Sometimes this is called 'heat lightning' because it occurs most often in the summer. So, the next time you see lightning and hear thunder, remember that it's just nature putting on a spectacular show for us to enjoy!

JUNE 21

International Yoga Day

International Yoga day is celebrated every year on June 21st. This special day highlights the importance of yoga, an ancient practice that began in India over 5,000 years ago. 

Yoga is a combination of physical postures, breathing exercises, and meditation that helps to keep both body and mind healthy. Yoga is not just about twisting and turning your body into different poses. It teaches us how to control our breath, relax our mind, and stay focused. Many people practice yoga to stay fit, reduce stress, and find inner peace.

International Yoga Day was first celebrated in 2015 after it was proposed by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, and adopted by the United Nations. Since then, millions of people from all around the world come together to practice yoga on this day. One of the great things about yoga is that anyone can do it, regardless of age or fitness level. There are simple poses which help with balance and  stretching which improve flexibility. There are also more challenging poses for those who want to push their limits.

On International Yoga Day, many schools, parks, and community centres offer free yoga classes. These events often start with a peaceful meditation, followed by a series of yoga poses, and end with relaxation. It’s a wonderful opportunity for everyone to try yoga and experience its benefits. 

Yoga also has a special connection to nature. Many people prefer to practice yoga outdoors, in a park or garden, where they can breathe fresh air and feel connected to the earth. This connection to nature helps to enhance the calming effects of yoga. Besides physical and mental benefits, yoga teaches important values like patience, perseverance, and mindfulness. It encourages us to listen to our minds and respect our bodies, promoting a sense of self-awareness and compassion.