Thursday, April 20, 2006

Indian Space Program-Must See for Every Indian



In the early 1960's ...India was slowly awakening to the Space age....Although rest of the world was preparing to reach for the Moon...we were making our humble beginning...a small rocket took off from Thumba on the outskirts of Thiruvananthapuram, announcing the birth of the modern space age in India. That was when the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) formally came into existence. Over the years, TERLS have given birth to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and to the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)...

Some Pics that will make every Indian proud...

Pics that say...we may not be as successful as the US or Russia...but we are there nevertheless...so watch out for us...



This was how the Rocket Cone was transported to the Launch Pad at Thumba !!



November 21, 1963: The Nike Apache rocket being readied for launch



Try Identifyin the person on the left...most probably you wont be able to identify...He is our very own...Dr. A.P J. Abdul Kalam...
Early days at the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station. Readying equipment to be carried by a sounding rocket into the atmosphere are Kalam and R. Aravamudan


The present day Launch Station at SriHarikota

Swami Vivekananda's Speeches-Chicago

Swami Vivekananda's Speeches
---------------------------------------
The World Parliament of Religions, Chicago


WELCOME ADDRESS - Chicago, Sept 11, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,It fills my heart with joy unspeakable to rise in response to the warm and cordial welcome which you have given us. I thank you in the name of the most ancient order of monks in the world; I thank you in the name of the mother of religions, and I thank you in the name of millions and millions of Hindu people of all classes and sects.

My thanks, also, to some of the speakers on this platform who, referring to the delegates from the Orient, have told you that these men from far-off nations may well claim the honor of bearing to different lands the idea of toleration. I am proud to belong to a religion which has taught the world both tolerance and universal acceptance. We believe not only in universal toleration, but we accept all religions as true. I am proud to belong to a nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and all nations of the earth. I am proud to tell you that we have gathered in our bosom the purest remnant of the Israelites, who came to Southern India and took refuge with us in the very year in which their holy temple was shattered to pieces by Roman tyranny. I am proud to belong to the religion which has sheltered and is still fostering the remnant of the grand Zoroastrian nation. I will quote to you, brethren, a few lines from a hymn which I remember to have repeated from my earliest boyhood, which is every day repeated by millions of human beings: "As the different streams having their sources in different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.


"The present convention, which is one of the most august assemblies ever held, is in itself a vindication, a declaration to the world of the wonderful doctrine preached in the Gita: "Whosoever comes to Me, through whatsoever form, I reach him; all men are struggling through paths which in the end lead to me." Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization and sent whole nations to despair. Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now. But their time is come; and I fervently hope that the bell that tolled this morning in honor of this convention may be the death-knell of all fanaticism, of all persecutions with the sword or with the pen, and of all uncharitable feelings between persons wending their way to the same goal.

Statement on the Status of Tamil as a Classical Language

BY

George L. Hart

Professor of Tamil

Chair in Tamil Studies

University of California, Berkeley


http://tamil.berkeley.edu/Tamil%20Chair/TamilClassicalLanguage/TamilClassicalLgeLtr.html

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

What are bonus issues and stock splits?

Bonus Issues :

Instead of cash dividends, investors receive dividends in the form of a stock. The investor receives more shares when a bonus issue is announced. For example, when there is a bonus issue in the ratio of 1:1, the number of shares owned by an investor would double in number. However, the market price of the share would decrease as well. At times the decrease might not be proportionate to the extent of bonus because market players might push the price up if they view the bonus issue as a positive development. Some companies might announce bonus issues to bring the market price of its share to a more popular range and also promote active trading by increasing the number of outstanding shares.



Stock Splits :

Whenever a stock split occurs, the company ends up with more outstanding shares which will not only have a lower market price but also lower par value. Stock splits are prompted when the company thinks its stock price has risen to a level that is out of the "popular trading range".



For example,
X Corporation has 1 million outstanding shares. The par value is Rs.10/- and the current market price is Rs.1000/- per share. If the management feels this price is resulting in a decrease in trading volumes, they can declare a 1 -for-1 split. By doing this, there will be 2 million outstanding shares with a par value of Rs.5/- and a theoretical market price of Rs.500/- per share. Sometimes when the market price is very low, the company might announce a "reverse split" which has the opposite effect of the normal stock split.In the case of splits, there is no change in the reserves and surplus of the company unlike the bonus issue.

Hollywood producers to set up a studio in Chennai

Chennai will soon have a state of the art VFX studio promoted by Barry Osborne and Michael Pfizer and a Chennai based professional, Madhusudanan. Barry, who is best known as the producer of the megalithic Lord of the Rings and his friend Mike who produced Speed 2 expressed happiness over the launch. They said that the facility would cost about 20 million dollars and would have about 50 professionals to start with. The 20,000 square feet studio in Chennai would be formally inaugurated in May 2006. The team would be headed by John Labrie, ex-CTO of Weta Digital which did most of the VFX work for the Lord of the Rings.

India, especially Chennai is becoming the preferred outsourcing destination for animation and digital effects work thanks largely due to the creative, talented professionals and strong work ethic. Several Indian like Free Flow, Visual Computing Labs, Rhythm & Hues and Prime Focus are getting a big share of work from Hollywood filmmakers. The $15 million visual effects outsourcing industry is estimated to grow to $95 million by 2009, according to NASSCOM. Studios abroad save up to 30-40 per cent of costs by outsourcing.

Now, Hollywood will remake an Indian film!

http://in.rediff.com/movies/2004/jun/16kaakha.htm

Monday, April 17, 2006

Brief Notes about Marudhu Pandiar

Brief Notes about Marudhu Pandiar (1780 -1801)

Maruthu Pandiar Elder was born on 15.12.1748 in a small village Narikkudi near Aruppukkottai of Ramnad principal state. His father was Udayar Servai alias Mokka Palaniappan Servai and mother was Ponnathal. Udayar Servai then served as a General in Ramnad state military, so he shifted his family to Ramnad from Narikkudi. There, after five years Marudhu Pandiar younger was born.

The brothers both learned all martial arts at Surankottai, a then training centre for Ramnad military. By that time they were awarded with the titles of ‘Pandias’ by the then Raja of Ramnad MuthuVijaya Raghunadha Sedhupathy. They participated many competitions of martial arts and won all of those.

Hearing their fame, Raja of Sivaganga principal state near Ramnad, Muthuvadughanadhar requested Ramnad king to send them for Sivaganga military service. After their arrival they were appointed as Generals of Sivaganga military and the brothers got an unremovable place in the history of Sivaganga.

In the year 1772, English military of East India Company, under the command of Lt.Col.Bon jour attacked the state at kalayarkoil. As the war worsened, Raja Muthuvadughanadhar lost his life on the spot. But Marudhu Pandiar brothers managed to escape along with Rani Velu Nachiar, wife of Raja Muthu Vadughanadhar arrived Dhindukkal which was ruled by Hyder Ali – Sultan of Mysore as refugees. Hyder Ali supported them with all respects

Arcot Nawal, the alliance partner of East India Company did not able to collect any taxes from the people of Sivaganga state for eight years, arranged to the rule of Rani Velu Nachiar after collected his dues from her. The amount was collected from many sources including Hyder Ali by Marudhu pandiar.

So, Rani Velu Nachiar made a Will and paved way for Marudhu Pandiar Elder to rule. Marudhu Pandiar younger was made as Dewan of the state.

But, this created chaos within and outside of the state by Rani’s relatives.

Marudhu Pandiar accepted Omaidurai, brother of Veerapandia Kattabomman as refugee. But, took this reason to invade, English attacked Sivaganga in 1801 with powerful army.

Marudhu Pandiar brothers and many of his family members were caught by the English army and ended their life by hanging.

The brothers were the last heroes from Devar community who did armed rebellion against the East India Company of English people.

Significance of the Tamil New Year

Significance of the Tamil New Year:


(1)The Hindu Astronomical Significance of the Tamil New Year

The Earth travels in an eliptical path around the Sun through 360 degrees (Paakai in Tamil), and the time period for one such complete travel around the Sun (Suriyan in Tamil) is called an Year (Aandu in Tamil).


The circumferance of the eliptical path traced by the Earth (Ulaham in Tamil) having the Sun as the central point - are divided into twelve arcs, and the angular segments traced by each arc measuring 30 degress is called a House (Veedu in Tamil or Rasi in Sanskrit). Thus the earth passes through twelve Houses in an year.

In actual fact, it is the Earth which enters each Houses at any given time. But for us who live on the Earth it appears as if the Sun is moving (relative Motion), and we very loosely say that the Sun travels through the twelve Houses.

The twelve Houses are named as,

(1) Meda Veedu or Rasi
(2) Idapa Veedu or Rasi
(3) Mithuna Veedu or Rasi
(4) Kataka Veedu or Rasi
(5) Singa Veedu or Rasi
(6) Kanni Veedu or Rasi
(7) Thula Veedu or Rasi
(8) Virutchika Veedu or Rasi
(9) Thanu Veedu or Rasi
(10) Makara Veedu or Rasi
(11) Kumba Veedu or Rasi
(12) Meena Veedu or Rasi

The Earth moving in to Meda Veedu or Rasi, is taken as the starting point of it's next complete cycle in an eliptical path around the Sun.

The period of travel of the Earth in each Veedu or Rasi is known as a Thingal - a Month (also known as Matham in Tamil and Masa in Sanskrit). Hence for the earth to travel through the twelve Veedus or Rasis, it takes twelve Thingals to complete one cycle, which is known as an Aandu - a Year (also known as Varudam in Tamil and Varusha in Sanskrit).

The time the Sun enters the Meda Veedu or Rasi is taken as the starting point of the New Year (Puthiya Aandu Pirappu or Varusha Pirappu), and this starting month is called as the Chithirai Thingal or Matham.

The one who calculates the astronomical settings and movements of the Earth, Sun, and other Planets in respect of the 12 Veedus or Rasis are known as the Jothidar (Saaththriyaar - in Jaffna). But in ancient times in Tamil Nadu they were known as the Kaalak Kanithar.


(2) The Tamil Seasonal Significance of the Tamil New Year

The Tamils have divided an Aandu in to six seasons based on the climatic conditions in Tamil Nadu. They are namely the, Ilavenil Kaalam : mild sunny period : Chithirai, Vahasi - Thingal : mid April to mid June Muthuvenil Kaalam : intense sunny period : Aani, Aadi - Thingal : mid June to mid August Kaar Kaalam : cloudy rainy Period : Aavani, Purataasi - Thingal : mid August to mid October Kuthir Kaalam - cold period : Iyppassi, Kaarthihai - Thingal : mid October to mid December Munpani Kaalam - early misty period (evening dew): Maarkali, Thai - Thingal : mid December to mid February Pinpani Kaalam - late misty period (morning dew): Maasi, Panguni - Thingal : mid February to mid April


The beginning of the Ilavenil Kaalam of the Tamils coincides with the beginning of the Sun moving into the Meda Veedu or Rasi, which falls in mid April, and is the time of commencement of the Tamil month of Chitirai.

The dawn of the month of Chithirai is the dawn of the Ilavenil Kaalam, a period of mild sun with much light and less humid wind known to be very soothing and refreshing and was known as Thentral Kaatru to Tamils.

This might be the very reason the Tamil Saiva Saint of Tamil Nadu namely the Thirunaavukkarsu Nayanaar of the mid seventh century, equated the pleasure of being at the feet of the God Siva which is as good as the extended Ilavenil Kaalam, showing the great delight the Tamils had during the Ilavenil Kaalam.

"Maasil veenaiyum maalai mathiyamum
veesu thentralum veengu Ilavenilum
moosu vandari poikaiyum pontrathe
Eesan enthai inai adi nilale"

So the Tamils selected the dawn of this Ilavenil Kaalam as the dawn of the Tamil New Year.

(3) The Tamil (or Hindu ???) Cyclic System of Years

The Tamils also considered an average life cycle of a human-being as 60 years, and reckoned a "Cyclic System of Years" based on same provided with different names for each year falling within this cycle. The Year Cycle repeats itself in every 60 years. The names of the sixty years of this cycle are as follows.


(1) Pirapava Aandu
(2) Vipava Aandu
(3) Sukla Aandu
(4) Piramothuutha Aandu
(5) Pirasotpaththi Aandu
(6) Aangeerasa Aandu
(7) Srimuha Aandu
(8) Pava Aandu
(9) Yuva Aandu
(10) Thaathu Aandu
(11) Eeswara Aandu
(12) Vehuthaaniya Aandu
(13) Piramaathi Aandu
(14) Vikrama Aandu
(15) Visha Aandu
(16) Chitirabaanu Aandu
(17) Subaanu Aandu
(18) Thaarana Andu
(19) Paarththipa Aandu
(20) Viya Aandu
(21) Sarvasiththu Aandu
(22) Sarvathaari Aandu
(23) Virothi Aandu
(24) Vikruthi Aandu
(25) Kara Aandu
(26) Nanthana Aandu
(27) Vijaya Aandu
(28) Jaya Aandu
(29) Manmatha Aandu
(30) Thunmuki Aandu
(31) Hovilambi Aandu
(32) Vilambi Aandu
(33) Vikaari Aandu
(34) Saarvari Aandu
(35) Pilava Aandu
(36) Subakiruthu Aandu
(37) Sobakiruthu Aandu
(38) Kurothi Aandu
(39) Visuvaasuva Aandu
(40) Paraapava Aandu
(41) Pilavanga Aandu
(42) Keelaka Aandu
(43) Soumiya Aandu
(44) Saathaarana Aandu
(45) Virothikiruthu Aandu
(46) Parithaapi Aandu
(47) Piramaatheesa Aandu
(48) Aanantha Aandu
(49) Raatchasa Aandu
(50) Nala Aandu
(51) Pingala Aandu
(52) Kaalayukthi Aandu
(53) Siththaarththi Aandu
(54) Rouththri Aandu
(55) Thunmathi Aandu
(56) Thunththupi Aandu
(57) Ruthrothkaari Aandu
(58) Rakthaatchi Aandu
(59) Kurothana Aandu
(60) Atsaya Aandu

According to the above Cyclic System of Years, the Tamil New Year the "Thaarana Aandu" dawns on the first day of the Chiththirai Thingal, which is the 13th of April 2004.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Jokes Limited

On Married Life :

A Successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.
A successful woman is one who can find such a man.


Answering Machine Greeting:

Hi. This is Muniandy

If u r the phone company ,I already sent the money.
If u r my parents,please send money
If u r my financial aid institution,u didn't lend me enough money.
If u r my friends ,u owe me money.
If u r a female,don't worry,I have plenty of money.

Kavi Cholai

1) anaikamal kooda karbam ondu,anaal ulaikamal sorkam ondaa.

2) unlatchiamanna kadhaliya....,cellphonea....,kutaaniya........ adikadi maruvatharkkku!!!!!!

3) Thamilan thoonginal kooda paravayillai,anal vilithu kondu irupathupoll kanavavu kanginarane.......

4) Cigaratte enbathu unnakae nee vaithukkollum vai vali kolli

0---0------0

///\\\\\\\\\

Varma Kalai



Varma Kalai (also spelled Varmakalai or Varmakkalai) is an ancient martial art which has it's origins in the southern part of India, more specifically, around Tamil Nadu state.
The art itself was practiced by Indian monks who combined Yoga, Ayurveda (the Indian science of Medicine) and disciplined combat into one martial art.
The attacks in Varma Kalai are meant for self defence and though they target the vital points throughout the human body, the emphasis is on stopping an attacker without actually damaging him permanently. Even in the most extreme situations there is an emphasis on using as little violence as possible.
Varma Kalai teaches one to attack with or without weapons. The effect of Varma Kalai based offences is effective yet rarely damaging a human being.
One who teaches and masters this art is called aasaan (Tamil for 'master').
According to legends, the art itself was learned by wrongdoers and this upset the masters who trusted in the characters of their disciples. This led to a code of secrecy in which a master never teaches all of what he knows to one man. A few secrets on how to counter the misuse of the act are always safe with a chosen few who excel in the art and have unimpeachable moral values.

The Practitoners
Though it is still taught at Tamil Nadu the art is not popular with the youth who choose to study less time-consuming martial arts. Worth mentioning is the fact that it would take about 10 years for a student to learn about 75% of Varma Kalai his master knows.


http://perso.wanadoo.fr/varmakalai/VARMA%20KALAI%20-%20(ENGLISH)%201.htm

The Chola Empire

The Cholas came to power in the late 9th century, and until the late 13th century, they ruled most of South India, Sri Lanka, the Maldive Islands, and even parts of the Indonesian island of Java from their homeland near Thanjavur (Tanjore) on the southeastern coast of what is now Tamil Nadu, India. It was founded by Vijalaya, who captured Tanjore in 850 AD. The greatest among the Chola rulers were the imperialists Rajaraja (985-1014 AD) and his son Rajendra I (1012 1044 AD). These rulers adopted a maritime policy allowing their expansionist arm to reach far longer than pure land expansion would allow, Maldives and Sri Lanka. Under Rajaraja the Chola kingdom grew into an extensive and well knit empire. The empire maintained diplomatic ties with countries as distant as Burma (Myanmar), China, and Malaysia across the Indian Ocean.




Now the Chola rulers are remembered most for what they created rather than for what they conquered. Chola rulers were active patrons of the arts, and during their reign, poetry, drama, music, and dance flourished. They also constructed enormous stone temple complexes decorated inside and out with painted and sculpted representations of the Hindu gods. Some of the best-known artistic remains from this time period are the bronzes that were commissioned for each temple as well as the magnificent Dravidian temples of south India.

While the stone sculptures and the inner sanctum image empowering the temple remained immovable, changing religious concepts during the 10th century demanded that the deities take part in a variety of public roles similar to those of a human monarch. As a result, large bronze images were created to be carried outside the temple to participate in daily rituals, processions, and temple festivals. The round lugs and holes found on the bases of many of these sculptures are for the poles that were used to carry the heavy images. Admired for the sensuous depiction of the figure and the detailed treatment of their clothing and jewelry, Chola-period bronzes were created using the lost wax technique.

Although bronze casting has a long history in South India, a much larger and a much greater number of bronze sculptures were cast during the Chola period than before, further attesting to the importance of bronze sculpture during this period. The beautiful Nataraja figure was first conceived during the Chola empire. It should be noted that when in worship, these images are covered in silk cloths, garlands, and jewels, and would not appear as they do outside a religious context. Decorating the bronzes in this way is a tradition at least a thousand years old as such decorations are referred to in 10th-century Chola inscriptions.
During this period, several regional languages branched off from Sanskrit. Marthi evolved from the local Prakrit, while Tamil, Telugu and Kannada stemmed from a Dravidian root, but owed much to Sanskrit. Under the Cholas, the Dravidian style of temple architecture, exclusive to the south, attained its most magnificent form. An example is the Brihadiswara temple at Tanjore, built by Rajendra I.

Thamizhar Martial Arts

Just while browsing through the net,I found a very interesting article about the Thamizhar Martial Arts.

Below is the link for Alex Doss's simply superb article about Thamizhar Martial Arts

http://www.tamilnation.org/heritage/martial.htm

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Kumari Kandam

Kumari Kandam is a legendary sunken landmass to the south of Kanyakumari, at the tip of South India. Kumari Kandam has often been compared and identified with Lemuria in modern times.
According to Tamil Tradition, the Dravidians originally came from a submerged island, Kumari kandam, to the South of India. According to the legend, there were two main rivers in Kumari Kandam, the Pagruliyaru and Kumari River. There were also mountains. The second Tamil Sangam, Idai Sangam, was said to have been held on the now submerged land. Also in Ayyavazhi mythology, the Akilattirattu Ammanai tells about a sunken land at about 152 miles either south or south-east to Kanyakumari, with 10008 streets. It also claims that the Center of Origin of Human beings as the sunken land or the land surrounding it.
The 'kadal kol' (land swallowed by sea) may not be totally fictitious. Several earthquake-caused tsunamis, mistaken for sinking, may have destroyed the island over a period of time.

Below is the link to the tentative map

http://thule.org/lemuria.html