Apples of Gold:

Editorial…

Dear Prajapati Friends,

We have been praying earnestly for you as you

are busy preparing for and appearing your exams.

Yes, education is one of the wonderful methods of

our society to equip us with knowledge, confidence

and self respect. It is always best to gain understanding.

It is our heartfelt desire to see you as a successful human being.

In this issue, the vice of Greed has been probed

into. Greed works like a remote control over a person.

A greedy heart can make a person selfish and short

sighted. We have in store for you other stories and

articles dealing with true freedom. Yes, deliverance

from the bondage of negative emotions is a must if

we want to live a life which is beautiful and a

blessing for our family, society and nation. We hope

that you will enjoy reading every page of this

magazine.

 

This issue also celebrates the Death and

Resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. He was lifted up

on the cross so that we may have life. Even every

negative emotions can be defeated if our lives are

washed and controlled by Jesus Christ. He defeated

sin, for us to live a life free from sin. Let me tell you

this- God has purposed for you a victorious life. Yet,

it is you and me who have to make the choice between

defeat or victory.

 

WISH YOU HAPPY “GOOD FRIDAY AND A WONDERFUL EASTER”.

 

Wish you happy reading too.

God Bless!

Sima Aunty

 

Shiny and her Pet

Shiny loved pets. Her little puppy Jingle

was her favorite. Shiny loved to play with

Jingle all the time. Of course not while at

study. Jingle was a lovely white

Pomeranian. He was cute and lovely. And

why not? Shiny took good care of her

Jingle. She bathed him regularly to avoid

infections and fed him with dog biscuits.

Jingle was loved by everyone in the house.

He could fetch the ball, dance at the tune,

lie down quietly at command and did many things.

Jingle was an obedient dog. No wonder every one

loved Jingle.

Shiny doted on her Jingle but she was not aware

that some one was very greedy of her greatest treasure.

Rajan was a man who worked in Shiny’s house. He

was a man with bad intentions in his heart. Though

he pretended to be very helpful and generous towards

Jingle yet in his heart he was planning evil for the

puppy. Rajan was a greedy man. He wanted to make

quick money with wrong means. So one day Rajan

stole Jingle and hid him inside a box at the back yard

of the house. He planned to sell the puppy for Rupees

One Thousand only.

In the evening when Shiny returned from school,

she whistled for Jingle but there was no sign of him.

Shiny realized that Jingle was missing. Jingle used to

come running to the gate wagging his tiny tail. He

would leap joyfully at seeing his little mistress back

from school. But Alas! there was no Jingle to welcome

Shiny. Shiny was in tears. Even Mummy was alarmed

because Jingle was Shiny’s birthday gift from

her parents. So they all searched the house

frantically.

Evening gave way to night and still there was

no sign of Jingle. Shiny was totally broken.

She loved Jingle and was worried where her

dear puppy would be. She feared if Jingle

had run across the road and met with an accident.

Shiny could not eat her dinner. She was lying on her

bed but could not sleep. Her pillow was wet with tears.

Mummy sat beside her trying to soothe her pain, but

she herself was also very sad.

In the middle of the night when Shiny had drifted

off to sleep, there was a far away whine. Immediately,

Shiny was alert. She shook her mummy who also had

heard the sound. Could it be Jingle? Where is he ? Is

he calling for her ? Quietly they listened intently

hoping to hear the sound again. There was a whining

again. This time it was more distinct. Mummy

motioned Shiny to be quiet and she cautiously went

to the window of her bedroom which faced the front

gate. The bedroom was dark so they could easily see

outside without being seen. In the bright light of the

lamp post what they saw sent a shiver through their

spine. Jingle was hanging head down and crying out.

The person holding him was quickly walking towards

to gate. Without loosing any moment, Shiny’s mother

ran to the front door and put on the light. Immediately

the front poach was flooded with light. The man

holding Jingle was taken by surprise and he

immediately turned around. To their utter surprise, it

was Rajan !!!

Shiny was overjoyed to get her precious Jingle back.

Rajan was later summoned by Daddy and upon

interrogation confessed his dark intentions. Rajan was

so controlled by his greed that he did not hesitate to

steal the puppy. Of course, later he was forgiven

without any hard punishment since, Shiny’s daddy was

a kind man but Rajan lost his job and had to leave the

place. He could not be trusted again.

Greed is a very dangerous vice which can give way

to irreparable damages in life if not uprooted at its

earliest. Love of money is injurious to character.

 

WORD POWER

1. Envelop – to cover completely

2. Envelope – the paper wrapper of a letter.

3. Environment – the natural surroundings or

social conditions in which

people live.

4. Environmentalist – a person who seeks to improve

or protect theenvironment.

5. Environs – the surroundings around the city.

6. Envisage – to visualize, plan, expect.

7. Envision – to picture mentally

8. Envoy – a messenger

9. Eon – An extremely long, indefinite

period of time.

10. Ephemeral – Lasting a very short time.

 

 

Fun Corner

1. Two babies were sitting in their cribs, when one baby

shouted to the other,

“Are you a little girl or a little boy?”

“I don’t know,” replied the other baby giggling.”What

do you mean, you don’t know?” said the first baby.

“I mean I don’t know how to tell the difference,” was

the reply.

Well, I do,” said the first baby chuckling. “I’ll climb

into your crib and find out.”

He carefully climbed himself into the other baby’s crib,

then quickly disappeared beneath the blankets. After a

couple of minutes, he resurfaced with a big grin on his

face.

“You’re a little girl, and I’m a little boy,” he said proudly.

“You’re ever so clever,” cooed the baby girl, “but how

can you tell?”

“It’s quite easy really,” replied the baby boy, “You’ve

got pink socks and I’ve got blue ones.”

2. Teacher : Pappu, your composition on “My Dog” is

exactly the same as your brother’s. Did you

copy his?

Pappu : No, teacher, it’s the same dog… we both

wrote on!!!

3. Mum, are the Smiths very poor people?

I don’t think so, Jimmy. Why do you ask?

Because they made such a fuss when their baby

swallowed a coin

4. Teacher : Pappu, “TAMSO MA JYOTIR GAMYA”

shloka ka kya arth hai?

Pappu : Tum so jayo maa, mein Jyoti ke pass ja raha

hoon.

5. Teacher : What is the chemical formula for water?

Bholu : “HIJKLMNO! “!!

Teacher : What are you talking about?

Bholu : Yesterday you said it’s H to O !

 

 

 

The Loveliest Rose in the World

by Hans Christian Andersen (Adapted)

Once there reigned a queen,

who loved roses, and she had

many kinds of this flower, from

the wild rose with its apple scented

green leaves to the

most splendid, large, crimson

roses. They grew against the

garden walls, wound themselves

around the pillars and

wind-frames, and crept through

the windows into the rooms, and all along the ceilings

in the halls.

But care and sorrow dwelt in those halls. The queen

lay upon a sick-bed, and the doctors said she must die.

“There is still one thing that can save her,” said the

wise man. “Bring her the loveliest rose in the world, the

rose that is the symbol of the purest, the brightest love.

If that is held before her eyes, she will not die.”

Then old and young came from every side with roses,

the loveliest that bloomed in each garden, but they were

not of the right sort. The flower was to be plucked from

the Garden of Love. But what rose in all that garden

expressed the highest and purest love? And the poets

sang of the loveliest rose in the world,—of the love of

maid and youth, and of the love of dying heroes.

“But they have not named the right flower,” said the

wise man. “They have not pointed out the place where

it blooms in its splendor. It is not the rose that springs

from the hearts of youthful lovers, though this rose will

ever be fragrant in song. It is not the bloom that sprouts

from the blood flowing from the breast of the hero

who dies for his country, though few deaths are sweeter

than his, and no rose is redder than the blood that flows

then..”

“But I know where it blooms,” said a happy mother,

who came with her pretty child to the bedside of the

dying queen. “I know where the loveliest rose of love

may be found. It springs in the blooming cheeks of my

sweet child, when, waking from sleep, it opens its eyes

and smiles tenderly at me.” “Lovely is this rose, but there

is a lovelier still,” said the wise man.

“I have seen the loveliest, purest rose that blooms,”

said a woman. “I saw it on the cheeks of the queen. She

had taken off her golden crown. And in the long, dreary

night she carried her sick child in her arms. She wept,

kissed it, and prayed for her child.” “Holy and wonderful

is the white rose of a mother’s grief,” answered the

wise man, “but it is not the one we seek. Not one of you

has yet named the loveliest rose in the world.”

Then there came into the room a child, the queen’s

little son. “Mother,” cried the boy, “only hear what I

have read.” And the child sat by the bedside and read

from the Book of Him who suffered death upon the cross

to save men, and even those who were not yet born.

“Greater love there is not.” And a rosy glow spread over

the cheeks of the queen, and her eyes gleamed, for she

saw that from the leaves of the Book there bloomed the

loveliest rose, that sprang from the blood of Christ shed

on the cross. “I see it!” she said, “He who beholds this,

the loveliest rose on earth, shall never die.”

 

 

Sports personality :

S. S. P. Chowrasia .

The Golf Hero

Shiv Sankar Prasad Chowrasia of

Kolkata has become the new Golf Hero of

India.

It is interesting to note that SSP  Chowrasia had no formal training in golf yet he became the

Champion of Europian Golf Tournament held in February 2008.

The 29-year-old Chowrasia pocketed a handsome amount of

$416,660 (Rs.1.6 Crore) the highest prize money ever won by

any Indian sportsman.

His humble beginning is an inspiration for the young generation. Since his father was the green keeper of the Royal Calcutta Golf club, therefore he developed his love for golf from a very young age. He used to watch the rich people come

and play on the ground in the morning, and once they leave the

ground Chowrasia gets the whole ground to himself and keeps

playing alone. His mother used to encourage him to play the

game but his father had reservation since this game is considered

to be the rich man’s game. But finally he could convince his

father. His love for golf also made him a school drop out.

He was not much interested in studies since his first love was

golf.

His talent was recognized by the club and he was taken as a

member of the club. Chowrasia says that “the day I was accepted

by the club was the most memorable day of

my life”. After receiving such great honour

and money, Chowrasia feels that he must be

wise in spending the money and help his

family. He is also committed to pursue

studies and get some degrees. Chowrasia

proves that, “if you have a dream and

determination, then you can see the dream

fulfilled”

Tips for life:

Honesty Brings Honour

Gopal Saha, 21, a house keeping staff member of

INOX (City Center), Kolkata struggles to survive with

a very small earning of Rs.2900/month, added to that

both his parents are also sick. He is just an

Intermediate pass, and though wanted to study further

but was forced to take up a job due to the family

condition. Any kind of shortcut to earn more money

and help the family can be a good option.

On the 25th February 2008, Gopal stumble on a

heavy bag as he was heading for his home from INOX.

He was surprised to find that the bag had Rs.1,22,000

stuffed in it along with a bunch of credit cards. It

would take 4 years for Gopal to earn that much money

and this can help him to continue his studies and also

it is enough for the treatment of his parents. Gopal

though poor materially but was rich in integrity. He

decided to return back the bag to the INOX to be given

back to the owner. Gopal feels that he has only done

his duty by depositing the bag.

Gopal’s Boss shook hand with him and appreciated

his honesty. His Boss gifted him a shirt for which

Gopal feels very happy and honoured. Gopal’s parents

are proud of him and now Gopal is the role model for

his village. His act of honesty has become a theme in

many of the magazines and news papers.

Remember, Honesty brings Honour. So never get

carried away by the materials of the world, rather

remember to set an example to the society like Gopal

Saha.

 

 

KANGAROOS

Kangaroos are the symbol of Australia. They appear

on Australian postage stamps, coins, and even on their

Aeroplanes.

What makes kangaroos so interesting to people? The

kangaroos’ attractive face, the way they carry their

young in a pouch, their amazing leaping power, and

their deadly “karate kicking”, all these are very amazing.

Kangaroos vary enormously in size. The tiny,

scampering musky rat-kangaroo lives in the tropical

rain forests of northern Queensland (Australia). A huge

kangaroo called Procoptodon is now extinct.

Why the pouch?

Carrying the baby in the pouch is convenient for the

female, who may travel many miles for fresh food and

water. The youngster stands a greater chance of survival

because it does not have to keep up with her. The baby

is tucked away, safe from predators.

Another incredible thing about kangaroos is that the

mother (called a doe) can determine the sex of her

babies. How she does this is unknown, but she tends to

put off bearing males until she is older. Males move

away after about two years, but females stay with their

mothers longer and benefit from mother’s help more.

A doe is nearly always pregnant. All her life, she is

rarely without three offspring—an embryo in the womb,

a Joey in her pouch, and a larger youngster at her heels.

The baby is born after a gestation period of about 35

days (depending on the species) and in the largest

species is the size of a human thumb nail. In the

smallest, it is only the size of a rice grain. Naked, blind

and deaf, it must make its way unaided from the birth

canal to the pouch. All going well, the climb will take

less than 10 minutes. The baby can survive only a few

minutes unless it reaches the pouch and attaches to one

of the four nipples. Once there, its mouth swells on the

nipple so that it cannot be removed without injury.

A ring of strong muscles, similar to human lips,

seals off the opening to the pouch to protect the baby

from bouncing out, and keeps the pouch waterproof if

mother goes for a swim. After three months, the

developed baby emerges from the pouch to make short

trips in the outside world. However, it will return

to the pouch to suckle and sleep until eight months

old.

Hopping appears to be more energy-efficient than

running or galloping. The faster kangaroos hop, the

less energy they use for the same distance. Jumping

kangaroos store 70% of their energy in their tendons,

compared to running humans, who can store and reuse

only about 20%.

Kangaroos’ superb design, their fascinating way of

having babies, and the amazing, energy-efficient way

they move is evidence that they were created by God.

 

 

A Teenager’s perspective on life

Baato Hi Baato Mein..

 

Hi friends,

Hope all of you who are reading this article must have seen

the movie “TAARE ZAMEEN PAR”. If not, I recommend you

to watch the movie if possible just once.

You must be wondering why I am recommending you to

watch a movie. It’s because the movie has got something to tell

us about ourselves and our parents. I have seen the movie and I

have learnt how one can strengthen the bond with our parents,

with ourselves and with our teachers too. Apart from that I

have got something more to say.

In the sixteen years of my existence I have always been

taught to love God and go by the way He wants me to and be

what my parents want me to be. But that’s not just a piece of

cake. You need to mix the ingredients and bake it in the oven.

Anyways jokes apart! Nothing in the world is easy.

When a child is born, he is nourished with love, care and all

the possible things that are required. Parents play a very

important role in every child’s life. Before others, a child first

comes to know his parents. Parents are the first teachers of a

child. You must have come across the proverb “Charity begins

at home”. Yes, this is very much true. It is at home itself where

we learn our first lessons. It is the parents’ who give the child

all required teachings, which results in the perfection of a good

human being.

In some cases, it happens that the parents expect too much

from a child which goes beyond his/her capabilities. This is

very wrong. Parents then pressurize their children extensively

which makes them go against their parents’ expectations. They

can also become psychotic and grow up to be antisocial. When

the child scores less marks in his academics he is looked down

as a useless kid and is criticized by everyone including friends.

They suffer from pain, depression, agony and resort to unfair

indecent means. While growing up in that state they take up

cigarettes, alcohol and drugs as means of satisfaction. Thus,

they become criminals.

Especially it becomes a shame for the family. In fact there

are really many young people who have destroyed the joy of

their family. This happens when the child is not taught about

the fear of God nor introduced with the love of God. These

children do not believe in the power of integrity, honesty, and

morality. Most of them don’t know who can deliver them from

the daily temptations of life. Anyways these are some sad cases.

But some of us who have the opportunity to live a life filled

with the knowledge of Jesus are fortunate. We should do our

duty perfectly and live an exemplary life.

My humble request to parents not to expect beyond the

child’s capabilities. Even teachers please understand each and

every problem of ours and find a suitable solution to any

problems. Even in the movie this fact is shown clearly. If you

see the movie you can understand my point clearly.

In the Adivasi community, they never cut trees when

required. Instead they go on cursing the tree until it dries up

and dies on its own. Similarly if parents and teachers criticize

and discourage children their life will also end in this way.

In this new generation of more advanced technology. It is

my humble request to all parents and teachers do not ever let us

down. Instead encourage us. Change your pattern of teaching

us, love us; show to us right way and leniently. Do not scold us

without a reason. Do stand by us and you will see that certainly

we will not fail you.

Strengthening our bond with God first is a must and certainly

we will follow you. Give us a chance to be ourselves and grow

up to be the best adult as God intends us to.

- Written by Miss Samarpita Sarkar(Ruth)

Class – XI,

St. Thomas Girls’ School, Kolkata

You can contact her at

“robinprativa@rediffmail.com”

 

 

 

Unforgettable Experience :

Experience in the Sea

Have you ever wondered what it is to be like on a ship

in the sea! Sounds exciting isn’t it? Well I want to share

with you such an experience.

Last month I had to go into the sea in connection with

my work. This was going to be my first venture into the

sea and although I was excited about it, I was a bit scared

too since I didn’t know what to expect. Anyways I had to

get into the ship at Visakhapatnam port. I was with 6 other

people who were going to get into the same ship. We almost

waited for 6 hours at the port for the formalities to get

over. After that we came to a place where a small motorboat

was waiting. The motorboat was to take all of us (seven in

total) to the Ship. It was around 11:30 in the night. As the

motorboat started moving I was very curious to look around

to see all types of big ships at the port. Even though it was

night I was able to recognize a few things. But I was eagerly

waiting to see our ship. Finally we arrived there and I really

don’t know how to tell you how I felt. First of all we tied

our luggage one by one to a rope and the people on the

ship carried them from the motorboat onto the ship and

after all the luggage was shifted we took a ladder and came

onto the ship. So we were there finally. It was 12:00

midnight.

As soon as I got into the ship I had to meet a person

who showed me my room where I was going to stay, the

mess where I was suppose to take food, the place I was

going to work etc. Now let me tell you something a ship

looks like a ship from outside, but when you go inside it is

just like any other building. The ship had all the facilities

like Gymnasium, Television, etc. It is just as if you are

inside a small building. Work goes for 24 hours on the

ship and so people have to work on 12 hour shifts. The

shift assigned to me was from 12:00 midnight to 12:00

noon. That means as soon as I entered the vessel around

12:00 midnight my shift started. So that day I didn’t sleep.

I was explained regarding the work I had to do by one of

my colleagues. So the work started and I slowly got to

understand things. The ship started sailing around 7:00 in

the morning. Have you ever heard about sea sickness? Sea

sickness is something which you may get when you are

on a ship and the ship is moving. You feel uncomfortable

and vomit. I had sea sickness but by God’s grace I didn’t

vomit. In the morning I went on to the Helipad (where the

helicopter lands). It was an open space. I think that was

the best part of the whole trip. It was early morning and

the sun was just rising and the sight was just wonderful.

I thanked God for His wonderful creation. I took many

pictures of the sun rising. Our work continued for 2 weeks.

Because of God’s grace all the work was successfully

completed. While returning the sea was rough and the

vessel was moving too much. I was really afraid. But I

prayed and trusted in God. We reached the Visakhapatnam

port safely by God’s grace. As we left the ship, I was

thinking when will it be the next time I would get an

opportunity again to go on a ship? I thanked God for the

opportunity He gave me to be on a ship for 2 weeks.

Thank you for spending your time and reading this.

I hope you also had an exciting trip into the sea.

Goutam Roul(26 years) is an

Ocean Engineer working in

Chennai. You can contact him at

(goutam.roul@gmail.com)

 

 

Know Completely Bi ble

 

1. Which book follows Colossians?

a)1 Chronicles, b)1 John c)1 Kings d)1 Thessalonians

2. After how many days was Jesus resurrected from

the dead?

a)1 b)3 c)5 d)7

3. Who wrote the book of Acts?

a)Dr. Seuss b)John c)Luke d)Simon Peter

4. Which saying of Jesus was not made from the cross?

a)My hour has not yet come. b)Behold your mother.

c)I thirst. d)This day you shall be with me in Paradise.

5. Whose donkey talked?

a)Andrew’s b)Balaam’s c)Bartholomew’s d)Silas’

6. After His resurrection, where did Jesus walk with

some disciples?

a)on the road to Emmaus b)on the road to Damascus

c)on the Via Dolorosa d)in the streets of Jerusalem

7. Who was David’s great-grandmother?

a)Deborah b)Elizabeth c)Lydia d)Ruth

8. Which was created on the fourth day?

a)Adam and Eve b)light c)my space d)sun, moon,

stars

9. Proverbs says,”Trust in the Lord with all your

heart, and lean not on your own _____.”

a)brother b)elbows c)understanding d) wall

10. Who lived to the age of 969?

a) Abraham b) Strom Thurman c) George Burns

d) Methuselah

11. Which book follows Ezra?

a)Exodus b)Hebrews c)Jude d) Nehemiah

12. Where was Paul when he wrote the book of

Philippians?

a) at Phillip’s house b) in prison c) in the temple

d) on the road to Damascus

13. Which book tells of the Apocalypse?

a)Matthew b)Esther c)Revelation d) Mark

14. Which is a book of poetry?

a) Ecclesiastes b) Genesis c) Psalms d) 1 Timothy

15. Who were Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar?

a)wives of David b)the magi who visited Jesus

c)friends of Job d)friends of Daniel

16. Who said he could now die in peace, having seen

the Christ child?

a)John the Baptist b)Simeon c)Joseph d)James

17. What was Jesus’ first recorded miracle?

a)turning water into wine b)casting out demons

c)healing a blind man d)raising Jairus’ daughter from

the dead

18. In the parable of the Prodigal Son, which character

represents God?

a)the Prodigal Son b)his older brother c)his father

d)his partying friends.

(Turn to page 31 for

KBC Answers)

 

 

Current Events:

Pakistan Election : The

general election of Pakistan held

peacefully on 18th Feb’08. The

people of Pakistan showed

immense courage by casting their

votes despite threats of violence. It has resulted in

putting down the authoritarian rule and paved way

for democracy. The new leaders and the people of

Pakistan are hopeful of a peaceful future under the

new government.

Feel Good Budget : The Railway

Minister Sri. Lalu Prasad Yadav

and the Finance Minister Sri.

P. Chidambaram presented their

budget recently. It

shows that India has

grown economically

and the budget has promised to help

different sectors and assures that

India would become an influential

and powerful Nation by 2020.

Kidney Kingpin Amit Kumar :

The love of money can make any body

a worst criminal. For fourteen years,

Dr. Amit Kumar operated his racket of

illegal transplant of kidneys across the

country and abroad. He was alluring

the poor people with money and extracting their

kidneys. This business made him a millionaire, and

this illegal money also made him the most wanted

criminal of the country. He was caught while hiding

in a hotel in Nepal, and now he is in the prison.

Violence in Maharastra : An

irresponsible statement can damage

a lot. The self-styled President of

Maharastra Navnirman Samiti

(MNS) Raj Thackeray’s statement

has erupted violence across various

cities of Maharstra. North Indians

in the State were attacked, public transports like taxis

and buses were stoned and smashed by MNS people.

This incident has shaken National Integration. It is

indeed a shameful thing for a democratic country like

India.

Taare Zamin Par:

Film Actor Aamir

Khan’s directorial

venture ‘Taare Zameen

Par’ swept up the

53rd Annual Filmfare

Awards with the movie

pocketing the honors

for its director, lead actor, story writer and lyricist.

Aamir was declared Best Director for ‘Taare Zameen

Par’. The child actor Darsheel has done an exceptional

job for which he got the best child actor award. It is a

must see movie for the parents and children.

 

Amazing Facts of the Bible:

The Mark of Blood

In the present time we see

bloodshed all around us. People

have become so barbaric that they

do not hesitate to take the life of

another human being without a

hint of guilt or sorrow.

Long ago during the Old

Testament time, there was one such king who was very

barbaric and wicked. He was the Pharaoh of Egypt.

This happened approximately around 1440 BC.

The then Pharaoh wanted to keep the Israelites as

slaves so he was not letting them go. Whereas, Moses

the great leader of the Jewish people under the

instruction of God requested Pharaoh to let the people

go but to no avail. The Pharaoh was adamant and

stubborn. Instead he increased the hardship over the

Jewish people. He made the lives of Jews very miserable.

One day, God commanded Moses to lead the people

out of Egypt as He Himself would fight against the

Pharaoh. God wanted to bring punishment to the

Pharaoh and his people and save the oppressed Jews.

God wished to rescue and deliver the Jews and lead

them out of Egypt. So a stage was set.

Through Moses, God instructed that in order to be

delivered and saved by God, one had to carry out

certain steps. Every person had to take a lamb for his

family. The animal should be a year old, without

defect. They must slaughter it and take some blood and

put it on the door frames of the houses. That same night,

God.s angel passed through the streets and struck those

people of the houses which did not have the mark of the

blood. The people living in houses which were stained

with blood were safe and secure. Later, the Pharaoh

was so upset and sorry that he set the Jews free. Infact

it was God who rescued His people from bondage and

the mark of the blood saved those who obeyed His

instructions.

This is a true event which took place many years

ago, but the lesson remains the same: those who obey

God and are marked by the blood of Jesus are safe

always.

Amazing isn.t it ? You may or may not understand

this fact, but incase if you want to know more write

to prajapati_jesus@rediffmail.com        

 

 

 

Rajasthan

Rajasthan is the largest state of the Republic

of India in terms of area.The state capital is

Jaipur.

The main geographic features of Rajasthan

are the Thar Desert and the Aravalli Range.

Mount Abu is at the southwestern end of the

range, The northwestern portion of Rajasthan

is generally sandy and dry. The Thar Desert is

thinly populated; the town of Bikaner is the

largest city in the desert. The Aravalli Range

and the lands to the east and southeast of

the range are generally more fertile and better

watered.

Rajasthan was formed on 30 March 1949.

Historical traditions are that Rajputs, Nath, Jats,

Bhils, Ahirs, Gujars, Meenas and some other

tribes made a great contribution in building

the state of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan is divided into 33 districts and

seven divisions.

Major cities: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Kota,

Ajmer, Bikaner, Bharatpur, Bhilwara, Alwar, Sri

Ganganagar ,Pali, Sikar, Bundi.

Luni, Chambal and Ghaggar are some of the

major rivers of Rajasthan.

Rajasthan.s economy is primarily agricultural

and pastoral. Wheat and barley are cultivated

over large areas, as are pulses, sugarcane, and

oilseeds. Cotton and tobacco are cash crops.

Rajasthan is among the largest producers of

edible oils in India and the second largest

producer of oilseeds. Rajasthan is also the

biggest wool-producing state in India. The

industrialization of Rajasthan slowly began in

1960s. Rajasthan is the second largest

producer of polyester fibre in India. Rajasthan

has mainly Rajasthani population. Hindus

account for 88.8% of the population. Muslims

make up 8.5%, Sikhs 1.4% and Jains 1.2% of

the population. Rajasthan state is also

populated by Sindhis, who came to Rajasthan

from Sindh province (now in Pakistan) during

the India-Pakistan separation in 1947.

The mother tongue of the majority of people

in Rajasthan is Rajasthani. Rajasthani and

Hindi are the most widely used languages in

Rajasthan. Rajasthan is famous for the majestic

forts, intricately carved temples and decorated

havelis. Jantar Mantar, Dilwara Temples,

Chittorgarh Fort, City Palaces, Jaisalmer Havelis

are part of the true architectural heritage of

India. Jaipur, the Pink City, is noted for the

ancient houses made of a type of sand stone

dominated by a pink hue.

Rajasthan is often called a shopper.s

paradise. Rajasthan is famous for textiles,

semi-precious stones and handicrafts. The

attractive designs of jewellery and clothes are

eye-catching and invite shoppers and tourist

around the globe.

 

 

HEAL THE WORLD

The world is Gods own creation

So people come lets bring in that sensation

A sensation of brotherhood

A sensation of love

Forget all the battles

Quit all the fights

Forget to hurt others

Love with all your might

Do look all around you

And you will surely find

Others who may need you

Don.t pretend to be blind

Reach out your hands dear people

And help those who are really in need

There will be a lot of happiness in your life

If you forget the word .GREED..

Yes, people in my heart I always feel

There.s something I wish I could reveal

Reveal something that you should know

With love and serenity the world should grow.

-Written by Nikita Makann,

St. Thomas’ Girls’ School,Kolkata.

The Pretty Lady

Once upon a time a big monk and

a little monk were traveling together.

They came to the bank of a river and

found the bridge was damaged.

They had to wade across the river.

There was a pretty lady who was

stuck at the damaged bridge and

couldn’t cross the river. The big monk offered to carry

her across the river on his back. The lady accepted.

The little monk was shocked by the move of the big

monk. “How can big brother carry a lady when we

are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?”

thought the little monk. But he kept quiet. The big

monk carried the lady across the river and the small

monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the

river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted

ways with her. All along the way for several miles, the little monk

was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He

was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk

in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he

still kept quiet. And the big monk had no

inclination to explain his situation.

Finally, at a rest point many hours later,

the little monk could not stand it any

further, he burst out angrily at the big

monk. “How can you claim yourself a

devout monk, when you seize the first

opportunity to touch a female, especially

when she is very pretty? All your

teachings to me make you a big hypocrite

The big monk looked surprised and said,

“I had put down the pretty lady at the river

bank many hours ago, how come you are

still carrying her along?”

[This very old Chinese Zen story reflects the

thinking of many people today. We encounter many

unpleasant things in our life, they irritate us and they

make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt,

sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous. But

like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go

away. We keep on carrying the baggage of the “pretty

lady” with us. We let them keep on coming back to

hurt us, make us angry, make us bitter and cause us a

lot of agony. Why? Simply because we are not willing

to put down or let go of the baggage of the “pretty

lady”. We should let go of the pretty lady immediately

after crossing the river that is after the unpleasant event

is over. This will immediately remove all our agonies.

There is no need to be further hurt by the unpleasant

event after it is over.]

Answers of KBC:

1 (d) 2. (b) 3. (c) 4. (a) 5. (b)

6.(a) 7.(d) 8.(d) 9.(c) 10.(d)

11.(d) 12.(b) 13.(c) 14.(c) 15.(c)

16.(b) 17.(a) 18.(c)

 

 

Health is Wealth:

COMPUTER VISION

SYNDROME

We all thought technology would make our

lives easier. Today, we are overwhelmed by

computers and have perhaps begun to look at it as somewhat of

an “everything appliance.” The one thing that with every passing

day, seems to be able to do anything and everything. They’ve

become smaller, easier to use, and blazingly fast. And with the

‘World Wide Web’ available to all, it has become a center of

attention and a familiar part of daily life. In spite of inherent

shortcomings and pitfalls, we still love them.

They have replaced the humble typewriter to become so much

more than a useful piece of machinery. Give them speakers and

CD-ROM drives and they give us music! Stick in video drivers

and we get to watch a movie! Attach a microphone and suddenly

they become telephones. But set aside the pleasures that we

enjoy, and you’ll see the big bad demon it can be. The ill-effects

of the computer is grossly underrated. They harm us physically,

emotionally, mentally and burn a hole in our pockets too, what

with telephone bills and internet hours!! Our wrists ache, our

eyes tear, our necks cramp, and we know that the machine in

front of us is responsible. Still, we submit ourselves to our beloved

computers.

Millions of people around the world now use computers as

their primary business tool. In the last decade or so, the number

of hours people use computers has increased tremendously. With

this increase in the use of computers, problems have also

increased. Computer-related health problems are caused by

improper use and lack of knowledge about “safe computing.

One of the widespread computing health hazard is Computer

Vision Syndrome. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) is

characterized by eye strain associated with prolonged use of

computers. Symptoms of CVS include eye irritation, such as dry

eye; red, itchy, and watery eyes; fatigue, including heaviness of

the eyelids or forehead; and difficulty in focusing the eyes. Other

symptoms of CVS are headaches, backaches and muscle

spasms.

Causes :

A person’s vision is not suited for staring at a computer screen

for many hours. Computer screens are made up of pixels or tiny

dots, on which the eye can not lock its focus. The computer user

must therefore focus and refocus to keep the images sharp. This

results in receptive stress of the eye muscles.

Additionally, after prolonged computer use, the frequency of

blinking is decreased, which causes the eyes to dry and become

sore. As a result, the ability to focus diminishes and vision may

blur, which causes headaches and neck pain. Any person who

spends approximately two hours a day working on a computer is

at risk for developing CVS.

Prevention :

When working at a computer, there are certain preventive

measures that can reduce eyestrain. Good tips to keep in mind

are: position the monitor 20 to 26 inches away from the eyes,

arrange light sources in a position that will minimize glare and

reflections on the screen, blink frequently to moisture the eyes

and take vision breaks from your computer.

Make sure your computer screen is 20 to 24 inches from your

eyes at about 20 degrees below eye level.

If you use a document holder, keep it close to the screen.

Dim overhead lights and keep desk lamps low and properly

adjusted, so that the light doesn’t enter your eyes or fall on screen.

Every 15 minutes, focus on distant objects to relax your

muscles.

If needed, use an anti-reflective filter on the screen.

Make effort to blink more frequently.

Dr. Anupam Dey

House Surgeon

Christian Medical College

Ludhiana -141008.Punjab.India

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Environment:

Volcano

A volcano is an opening, or

rupture, in a planet’s surface or

crust, which allows hot, molten

rock, ash and gases to escape from

below the surface.

Have you seen a Volcano? They are mostly found

in Iceland, New Zealand and Japan

There are some usefulness of Volcanoes :

1. Soil on volcanoes are very fertile (due to the

ashes)

2 Farms and villages are usually built in these

places.

3 E.g. Farmers in Indonesia grow rice in volcanic

soil

4 Geothermal energy can be harnessed

5. Relatively clean and almost endless energy

resource for the future

But there are some bad effects of Volcanoes too :

· Volcanoes emit gases such as carbon dioxide

and sulphur dioxide

· If too much carbon dioxide is produced (i.e.

deforestation, burning of fossil fuels), might

lead to global warming, causing floods/droughts

· Sulphur dioxide causes the problem of acid rain

· Acid rain corrodes stonework, kills fishes in

lakes, etc.

· Helps to keep the Earth warm.

Volcanoes are found in three states – extinct,

dormant and active. An extinct volcano will never

erupt again. A dormant volcano has not erupted in

2000 years. An active volcano has erupted recently

and is likely to erupt again.

Case studies

The 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens

Mount St Helens is found in the Cascade Range,

along the west coast of Washington State, USA. The

volcano is 30,000 years old. This is young by

geological standards. Mount St Helens erupts violently

about once every 3,000 to 4,000 years. The volcano

erupted most recently at 08.32 on 18th May 1980.

The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo

On 9 June 1991, Mount Pinatubo, a volcano in the

Zambales Range, 80km (50 miles) north of Manila,

capital of the Philippines, hit the headlines. It became

one of the three largest eruptions in the world in the

20th Century. From the 9 June there were many

eruptions (timeline of events). However, none matched

that of 12 June. Ash turned day into night. The eruption

caused the deaths of over 700 people. 200 000

buildings were destroyed.

by Mrs. Rekha Abraham,

Information Associate Bureau for

Crisis Prevention and Recovery

(South & South West Asia) of UNDP

New Delhi.

 

 

 

The Power of the

Bronze Snake

This is a true story from the Old Testament

which foretells about the BEST event which took

place years later in the New Testament.

The Israelites, after being delivered by God

were traveling through the wilderness towards

Canaan. On the way they came across many

difficulties and barriers. In every situation, God

helped them and provided all their needs. He

provided water, food, shelter, security etc. Yet

the people were always ungrateful and

disobedient and adamant. They were not willing

to adhere to the laws of living given by God. Each

time they would grumble and accuse God for

even a tiny difficulty. Automatically for

disobedience, they had to go through

punishment too, because the Loving God also

punishes in order to discipline His people.

Once when they were arrogant and as usual

grumbled against God, God sent poisonous

snakes among them. Lo behold! people began to

get bitten by snakes and even a few died. Then

the people realized that it was the punishment

for their sins. Immediately they repented and

cried out to God and asked their leader Moses to

mediate with God on their behalf. Moses pleaded

with God to forgive and save the people. When

God saw that His people were genuinely

repenting, He relented and offered a way out for

deliverance. God commanded Moses to make a

bronze snake and put it on a pole. Those who

were bitten by any poisonous snake would have

to look up to the bronze snake. So Moses did like

wise. When the next person

was bitten, they quickly

carried him to the foot of the

pole hoisting the bronze

snake. The person looked

with a repented heart at the

bronze snake and was healed. Those who looked

at the bronze snake did not die.

This event was again repeated in the New

Testament when Jesus Christ was lifted up on

the cross at Calvary. The bronze snake

symbolized the atonement of Jesus Christ on the

cross. Jesus Christ died on the cross, so that our

sins will be forgiven and we will escape the

punishment of hell. Those who look up to Jesus

and believe in Him and repent of any volumes

of sin, they will certainly not be punished but

receive a new life. This is the true meaning of

Good Friday.

————

 

Do You Know ?

1. Replying more than 100 times to the same piece

of spam e-mail will overwhelm the sender’s

system and interfere with their ability to send any

more spam.

2. Urine from male cape water buffaloes is so

flammable that some tribes use it for lantern fuel.

3. Among items left behind at Osama bin Laden’s

headquarters in Afghanistan were 27 issues of

Mad Magazine. Al Qaeda members have admitted

that bin Laden is reportedly an avid reader.

4. When Mahatma Gandhi died, an autopsy revealed

five gold Krugerrands in his small intestine.

5. The Coldest place: Far and away, the coldest

temperature ever measured on Earth was -129

Fahrenheit (-89 Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica,

on July 21, 1983

6. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

7. An ostrich’s eye is bigger than it’s brain.

8. Pearls melt in vinegar.

9. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

10. Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

 

 

Personality :

Person of the Year 2007-

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich

Putin (born October 7, 1952)

is the current President of

the Russian Federation.

He became acting President

on December 31, 1999,

succeeding Boris Yeltsin, and

then won the 2000 Presidential

election. In 2004, he was

re-elected for a second term, which expires on May

7, 2008.

His mother, Maria Ivanovna Putin, was a factory

worker and his father, Vladimir Spiridonovich Putin,

was conscripted into the Soviet Navy, where he served

in the submarine fleet in the early 1930s.

Mr Putin has good command of English and

German and he is fond of sports, especially wrestling.

He won the Sambo championships of St. Petersburg

many times and became Master of Sports first in

Sambo and later in Judo. Putin doesn’t smoke and he

is not an excessive drinker. Vladimir Putin is married

to Lyudmila and has two daughters: Katya and Masha.

They were both born in Dresden, Germany and now

attend an international school in Moscow. The Putins

love animals.

The former president Boris Yeltsin introduced him

to the Russian people by saying that “he will be able

to unite around himself those who will revive Great

Russia in the new, 21st century”. Sergei Stepashin later

described him as a “decent and honest man”. Boris

Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, said that

“he’s a decent, tough and energetic man who was out

of public politics due to the specifics of his job”.

During a summit in June 2000, U.S. President Bill

Clinton praised him for “surely being capable of

creating a strong and prosperous Russia”. After

Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev met with

Mr Putin in August 2000, he told that “he’s certainly

no threat to the Russian democracy”.

Under the Putin administration the Russian

economy saw increases in GDP, industrial and

agricultural production, construction, real incomes, the

volume of consumer credit and other economic

measures. The number of people living below the

poverty line decreased from 29% in 2000 to 18% in

2004. A number of large-scale reforms in retirement,

banking, tax, the monetization of benefits and others

have taken place. His final year as Russia’s President

has been his most successful yet. At home, he secured

his political future. Abroad, he expanded his outsize—

if not always benign—influence on global affairs.

Vladimir Putin was chosen TIME’s 2007 Person

of the Year.

 

TIPS FOR EXAM PREPARATION

Competition has become a very important part of

our lives and it is the fear of failure of this competition

that leaves us feeling unhappy, paranoid and worried.

Each of us must understand that to fight this fear and

unhappiness, we must learn to accept competition and

should do everything in our power to be well prepared

& do our best in the exam. Being well prepared can

help you in bringing down your exam fears to a great

extent.

Here are a few ways by which you can prepare well

for a written examination and in the process, efficiently

deal with Examination Fear –

1. Plan & Create A Study Routine

Ø Create a time table for yourself so that you can

allot sufficient time of your day to studies and

still have some little time for that much needed

relaxation.

Ø Divide the topics of study – decide which topics

you will prepare for in the coming weeks and

stick by it.

Ø Check your written time table and see if you are

being able to follow it.

Ø Make time for going through sample question

papers.

2. Be Informed

Ø Depending on the examination, find out about

the format of the question papers, the various sections, the types of questions you will be asked as well as the marks allotted for each.

Ø Being aware of the format of the question paper

will help you in being mentally prepared.

3. Revise

Ø Keep some time, towards the end of the study

period to go over and revise all that you have

studied over the past weeks.

Ø Brushing up and revising can give you that much

needed confidence.

4. Get ready for the exam hall

Ø Reach the examination hall much before time

and stay cool, calm and collected.

Ø Avoid discussing too much with friends

and other examinees as this can increase your

nervousness.

Trust God and ask Him to bless your hard work. Do

not follow any wrong methods like copying or cheating.

Last, but not the least, be positive and believe in

yourself!

All the best for your exam!

 

 

Russia

Russia is a transcontinental country extending over

much of northern Eurasia. It is a semi-presidential

republic comprising 84 federal subjects. Russia is by

far the largest country in the world, covering more

than an eighth of the

Earth’s land area; with

142 million people, it is

the ninth largest by

population. Moscow is

the capital of Russia and

Vladimir Putin is the

President of Russia.

Russia has the world’s largest mineral and energy

resources and is considered an energy superpower. It

has the world’s largest forest reserves and its lakes

contain approximately one-quarter of the world’s

unfrozen fresh water.

Russia established worldwide power and influence

from the times of the Russian Empire to being the

leading constituent of the Soviet Union, the world’s

first and largest Communist state. The Russian

Federation was founded following the dissolution of

the Soviet Union in 1991. It is one of the five

recognized nuclear weapons states and possesses the

world’s largest stockpile of weapons of mass

destruction.

Russia has a free education

system guaranteed to all

citizens by the Constitution,

and has a literacy rate of 99.4%.

Russia’s 160 ethnic groups speak some 100

languages. Russian is the most widespread language

of Eurasia. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism

are Russia’s traditional religions. Russian literature

is considered to be among the most influential and

developed in the world, contributing much of the

world’s most famous literary works. Amongst Russia’s

most renowned poets and writers of the 19th century

are Anton Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy, Nikolai Gogol, Ivan

Turgenev and Fyodor Dostoevsky.

Russians have been successful at a number of sports

and continuously finishing in the top rankings at the

Olympic Games. During the Soviet era, the USSR was

the dominant Olympic power of its era. Since the 1952

Olympic Games, Soviet and later Russian athletes

have always been in the top three for the number of

gold medals collected at the Summer Olympics.

Under Stalin’s successor Nikita

Khrushchev, the Soviet Union

launched the world’s first artificial

satellite, Sputnik 1 and the

Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin

became the first human being to

orbit the Earth aboard the first

manned spacecraft, Vostok 1.

 

Better

to light

one

small candle

than

to curse

the darkness

- Chinese Proverb

 

Birbal.s Khichadee

Once Akbar and Birbal were

taking a stroll. It was winter season.

Winter was at its peak at that time

of season. A thought came to

Birbal’s mind, and he expressed to

the Emperor, “A man can do

anything for money.” Emperor

also thought something, and he just

dipped his finger in the almost freezing water of a

nearby pond. He drew his hand immediately, and

replied Birbal, “I don’t think so. Do you think

somebody can stand in this almost freezing water for

the whole night for money?” Birbal said, “I think so.”

Birbal told that he can find such a man who can

stand in this water for the whole night for money.

Akbar couldn’t believe, so he accepted the challenge

and said that he would give one thousand gold coins

to that man.

Next day Birbal brought a man who was very poor

and thin. He told the King that this man would stand

in that water. “Good” the King said and sent him to

that pond. Because he did not believe this, so he sent

some guards too to see whether he was really standing

in that almost freezing water for the whole night.

The man went away. Next day the man came back

to claim his prize. Akbar asked his guards about the

whole thing and they said,”Yes Huzoor, he stood there

the whole night.” Akbar asked that man, “Just tell me

how you stood in that cold water the whole night ?”

The man said, “There was a lamp post at some

distance. I just gazed at it for the whole night. Heat of

that lamp was my only hope.”

Akbar refused to give him his prize saying that since

he got the heat from that lamp, he was not in the cold

water absolutely. Hearing this, the man got very

disappointed and went away. When Birbal heard this,

he didn’t like it. Next day he didn’t come in the court.

Akbar got worried about him and send his men to

bring him to the court.

The men went to his house and came back with the

message that Birbal was cooking his Khichadee and

only after eating that he will come to the court. One

hour passed, two hours passed, several hours passed.

Evening fell, but there was no sign of Birbal. Now

Akbar got impatient, and got ready to see him.

So he went to Birbal’s house. What he sees, that

Birbal is sitting in a room, fire was burning and a pot

was hung about 8-10 feet higher than the fire. The

King asked, “Birbal what are you doing ?” Birbal

replied, “Huzoor I am cooking my Khichadee.”

Hearing this King and his people laughed loudly.

Akbar said to him, “Birbal you can’t cook your

Khichadee in this way. It is not getting enough heat to

be cooked.”

Birbal said, “If that man can get the heat from such

a distance to keep him enough warm to stand in this

cold water for the whole night, then why my

Khichadee can’t be cooked in this way ?”

King understood, and returned to his palace. Next

day he called that man and gave his prize to him.

———

What is an Oasis?

In geography, an oasis (plural:oases) is an isolated area of

vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar

water source. Oases also provide habitat for animals and even

humans if the area is big enough.

The location of oases has been of critical importance for

trade and transportation routes in desert areas. Caravans must

travel via oases so that supplies of water and food can be

replenished. Thus, political or military control of an oasis has

in many cases meant control of trade on a particular route.

Oases are formed from underground rivers or aquifers such

as the Artesian aquifer, where water can reach the surface

naturally by pressure or by man made wells. Occasional brief

thunderstorms provide subterranean water to sustain natural

oases. Substrata of impermeable rock and stone can trap water

and retain it in pockets; or on long faulting subsurface ridges

or volcanic dikes water can collect and percolate to the surface.

Any incidence of water is then used by migrating birds who

also pass seeds with their droppings which will grow at the

waters edge forming an oasis.

People who live in an oasis use every bit of land. Water has

to be used carefully. The fields must be irrigated to grow plants

like dates, figs, olives and apricots. The most important plant

in an oasis is the date palm which forms the upper layer. Palm

trees provide shade for smaller trees like peach trees. They form

the middle layer. Plants like potatoes, onions, carrots, and other

vegetable form the lowest layer. The date palms do not only

protect other plants from the burning sun – all parts of an oasis

are very important for the people. By growing plants in different

layers the farmers make best use of the soil and the water.

Al-Hasa, Saudi Arabia, is the largest oasis in the world. Las

Vegas Valley, United States, an area that started off as an oasis

in the vast Mojave desert has over the years grown into a vibrant

metropolitan area of over 2 million people, location of the famed

Las Vegas Strip.

 

The Story of Aluminium

The ancient Greeks and Romans used alum in medicine as

an astringent, and in dyeing processes. Aluminium was first

isolated by Hans Christian Oersted in 1825 who reacted

aluminium chloride(AlCl3) with potassium amalgam, an alloy

of potassium and mercury. Heating the resulting aluminium

amalgam under reduced pressure caused the mercury to boil

away leaving aluminium metal. Aluminium is celebrating only

190 years since its birth, making it the most recently discovered

metal in common use.

Aluminium is used in an enormous variety of products, due

to its particular properties. It has low density, is non-toxic, has

a high thermal conductivity, has excellent corrosion resistance,

and can be easily cast, machined and formed. It is also nonmagnetic

and non-sparking. It is the second most flexible metal

and the sixth most spongy. It is therefore extensively used for

kitchen utensils, outside building decoration and in any area

where a strong, light, easily constructed material is needed.

Aluminium is extracted from the Aluminium ore, most

commonly bauxite, that is found in the areas lying in the tropical

and the sub tropical belt on earth. Aluminum constitutes 8% of

the earth’s crust. Large deposits of bauxite are located in the

continents like North America, South America, Africa, Australia

and Asia and small deposits in Europe. The world production

of Aluminium is around 28.9 million tons, China being the

largest producer followed by Russia, Canada and United States.

Aluminum stands second in the largest consumed metals in the

world, it is also true that the world consumption level has also

risen significantly in the last few years.

The companies under the India Aluminum Industry:

Hindalco (Hindalco Industries Ltd)

Indal (Indian Aluminum Co Ltd)

Nalco (National Aluminum Co Ltd)

Balco (Bharat Aluminum Co Ltd)

Malco (Madras Aluminum Co Ltd)

 

*******************************

Tikki Tikki Tembo

A chain tale from China

Once upon a time in far away China there lived two

brothers, one named Sam, and one named Tikki Tikki

Tembo. No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai

Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako.

Now one day the two brothers were playing near the

well in their garden when Sam fell into the well, and Tikki

Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem

Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako ran

to his mother, shouting, “Quick, Sam has fallen into the

well. What shall we do?”

“What?” cried the mother, “Sam has fallen into the

well? Run and tell father!”

Together they ran to the father and cried, “Quick, Sam

has fallen into the well. What shall we do?”

“Sam has fallen into the well?” cried the father. “Run

and tell the Gardner!”

Then they all ran to the Gardner and shouted, “Quick,

Sam has fallen into the well. What shall we do?”

“Sam has fallen into the well?” cried the Gardner, and

then he quickly fetched a ladder and pulled the poor boy

from the well, who was wet and cold and frightened, and

ever so happy to still be alive.

Some time afterward the two brothers were again playing

near the well, and this time Tikki Tikki Tembo No

Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom

Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako fell into the well, and

Sam ran to his mother, shouting, “Quick, Tikki Tikki

Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai

Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom

Barako has fallen into the well. What

shall we do?”

“What?” cried the mother, “Tikki

Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari

Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom

Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako

has fallen into the well? Run and tell

father!”

Together they ran to the father and

cried, “Quick, Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari

Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno

Dom Barako has fallen into the well. What shall we do?”

“Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie

Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom

Barako has fallen into the well?” cried the father. “Run

and tell the Gardner!”

Then they all ran to the gardner and shouted, “Quick,

Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry

Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako

has fallen into the well. What shall we do?”

“Tikki Tikki Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie

Perry Pem Do Hai Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom

Barako has fallen into the well?” cried the gardner, and

then he quickly fetched a ladder and pulled Tikki Tikki

Tembo No Sarimbo Hari Kari Bushkie Perry Pem Do Hai

Kai Pom Pom Nikki No Meeno Dom Barako from the

well, but the poor boy had been in the water so long that

he had drowned.

And from that time onwards, the Chinese have given

their children short names.

 

 

 

 

 

Extra Ordinary Life :

Lal Bahadur Sahstri

The life of Lal Bahadur

Shastri (1904-66), India.s

second Prime Minister is an

absorbing saga of a man who

suffered the pangs of poverty

in early life but rose to political

eminence on the strength of

moral principle. Though small in physical stature he

was a man of great courage and will. He led his life with

great simplicity and honesty and was a great source

of inspiration for all the countrymen.

Lal Bahadur Shastri was born on October 2, 1904

at Mughalsarai, Uttar Pradesh. His parents were Sharada

Prasad and Ramdulari Devi. Though Sharada Prasad

was poor, he lived a life of honesty and integrity. Lal

Bahadur lost his father when he was only one. Ramdulari

Devi raised Lal Bahadur and her two daughters at her

father.s house.

There is a very famous incident regarding Lal

Bahadur Shastri.s childhood which took place when

he was six years old. One day, while returning from

school, Lal Bahadur and his friends went to an orchard

that was on the way to home. Lal Bahadur Shastri was

standing below while his friends climbed the trees to

pluck mangoes. Meanwhile, the gardener came and

caught hold of Lalbahadur Shastri. He scolded Lal

Bahadur Shastri and started beating him. Lal Bahadur

Shastri pleaded to gardener to leave him as he was an

orphan. Taking pity on Lal Bahadur, the gardener said,

.Because you are an orphan, it is all the more important

that you must learn better behavior.. These words left

a deep imprint on Lal Bahadur Shastri and he swore to

behave better in the future.

Lal Bahadur joined Kashi Vidya Peeth and for

four years he studied philosophy. In 1926, Lal Bahadur

earned the degree of .Shastri.. In 1927, Lal Bahadur

Shastri married Lalitha Devi. The marriage

ceremony was very simple and Shastriji took only a

charkha (spinning wheel) and few yards of Khadi in

dowry.

His Achievements: Played a leading role in Indian

freedom struggle; became Parliamentary Secretary of

Pandit Govind Vallabh Pant, the then chief minister of

Uttar Pradesh; became the Minister of Police and

Transport in Pant.s Cabinet; appointed as the Railways

and Transport Minister in the Central Cabinet; also held

the portfolios of Transport & Communications,

Commerce and Industry, and Home Ministry in the

Central cabinet; His contribution in providing more

facilities to travelers in third class compartments

cannot be forgotten. He reduced the vast disparity

between the first class and third class in the Railways.

By his action Lal Bahadur Shastri set new standards of

morality in public life.

After the death of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964, Lal

Bahadur Shastri was unanimously elected as the Prime

Minister of India. Although his tenure as Prime Minister

lasted only nineteen months, it was a period of high

excitement and drama. It was a difficult time and the

country was facing huge challenges. There was food

shortage in the country and on the security front

Pakistan was creating problems. In 1965, Pakistan tried

to take advantage of India.s vulnerability and attacked

India. Mild-mannered Lal Bahadur Shastri rose to the

occasion and led the country ably. To encourage

soldiers and farmers he coined the slogan of .Jai Jawan,

Jai Kisan.. Pakistan lost the war and Shastriji.s

leadership was praised all over the world.

In January 1966, India and Pakistan signed the joint

declaration for peace under Russian mediation. The

joint declaration was signed on January 10, 1966 and

Lal Bahadur Shastri died of heart attack on the same

night.

When Shastri died he left no house, no land, no

money. But he did leave behind an example which is

morally inspiring. In an age riddled with political

corruption, his career of exemplary integrity

possesses a very special relevance for contemporary

India as well as the world.

 

 

True Stories that Inspire:

Sadhu Sunder Singh -II

There are many adventurous events

of Sunder Singh’s life, two of which are

given below:

At a town called Rasar he was

arrested for sharing the Truth about

Jesus Christ and was punished. He was

led away to the place of execution. He

was stripped of his clothes, and cast

into the dark depths of a deep dry well

with such violence that his right arm was injured. Many

others had gone down this same well before him never to

return, and he fell on a mass of human bones land rotting

flesh.

Day passed into night, bringing no relief. Without food

or even water, the hours grew into days, and Sunder felt

he could not last much longer. On the third night, he heard

a grating sound overhead. Someone was opening the

locked lid of the well. He heard the key turn and the rattle

of the iron covering as it was drawn away. Then a voice

called from the top of the well, telling him to take hold of

the rope.As the rope reached him he grasped it with all his

remaining strength, and was strongly but gently pulled up

from the evil place into the fresh air above.

When he arrived at the top of the well, the lid was drawn

over again and locked. When he looked round, his deliverer

was nowhere to be seen, but the pain in his arm was gone,

and the clean air filled him with new life. All that Sunder

could do was to praise God for His wonderful deliverance.

When Sunder went onto the town he was arrested again

and questioned. When he told the story of his marvelous

escape, the Lama was greatly angered, declaring that

someone must have secured the key and gone to his rescue,

but when search was made for the key and it was found on

his own girdle, he was speechless with amazement and

fear. He then ordered Sunder to leave the city and get

away as far as possible, lest his powerful God should bring

some untold disaster upon himself and his people.

Here is another amazing event in Sundar’s life: On the

summit of one of the mountains of the Kailash Range was

a deserted Buddhist temple. A few miles from this temple

dwelt the great saint known as the Maharshi of Kailash, in

a cave some 13,000 feet above the sea level. In the summer

of 1912, Sunder traveled through these regions alone and

on foot. One day Sunder was struck by snow-blindness

and almost wearied to death, he staggered drearily on over

snowy and stony crags, suddenly he lost his balance and

fell. Recovering from the fall, he awoke to one of the

greatest experiences of his life, for he opened his eyes to

find himself lying outside a huge cave, in the shelter of

which sat the Maharishi of Kailash in deep meditation.

The sight that met his eyes was so appalling that Sunder

closed them and almost fainted. Little by little, he ventured

to inspect the object before him, and then discovered that

he was looking at a living human being, but so old and

clothed with long hair as to appear at first glance like an

animal. Sunder realized that unexpectedly he had

succeeded in his search after a holy man, and as soon as

he could command his voice, he spoke to the aged saint.

The saint opened his eyes and, casting a piercing glance

upon the Sadhu, amazed him by saying, ‘Let us kneel and

pray.’ Then followed a most earnest Christian prayer

ending in the name of Jesus. This over, the Maharishi

unrolled a ponderous copy of the Gospels in Greek and

read some verses from the fifth chapter of Matthew.

Sadhu Sunder Singh disappeared in the foothills of the

Himalayas in 1929. As a Christian witness, he had been

rejected as well as welcomed, persecuted, and even left

for dead. He made it clear that Christianity is not an

imported, alien, foreign religion but is indigenous to Indian

needs, aspirations, and faith. He remains one of the

permanently significant figures of Indian Christianity.

 

 

Youth Corner :

Youth in the Battlefield : An Introduction

Looking back at my childhood and remembering my struggles, I can

say that it is really difficult and unfair to judge a teenager at face value.

Truly, it was a battlefield for me. Sometimes, parents seemed to be my

enemy, sometimes grandpa, grandma and may be the whole world seemed

to be against me. Yet, now when I become judgmental towards a teenager,

he/she may be feeling the same way as I felt towards my elders.

Yes!!! Life is a battlefield. But the “impression” that elders & parents

are enemies is not a true fact. Now, at adulthood and married, I realize that

the enemies were not my elders but it was my vulnerability. As human

beings we are vulnerable to make mistakes if we fail to handle our lives

successfully. There is vulnerability to seven of the major aspects of life,

which creep into life at a point of time. These seven aspects of life are

important yet difficult to handle. Every teenager struggles while facing these

aspects of life. I struggled too. These seven aspects of life are like

battlefields for the teenagers and the youth but if not conquered will leave

scars both emotionally, spiritually and physically. Yet these battles play a

great role in shaping up our personality and make us either a winner or a

looser.

Now let’s look into these seven battlefields one at a time in the coming

series .They are listed as follows:

1. Battlefield: Peer Pressure

2. Battlefield: Sexuality

3. Battlefield: Love Life

4. Battlefield: Career

5. Battlefield: Family

6. Battlefield: Addictions

7. Battlefield: Spirituality

So friends! Do not miss out the next issue of “Prajapati” as these topics

will be discussed in detail.

 

Mr. Chiradeep Patra is happily married to Asmita and is working in a

Christian NGO called National Fellowship at Kolkata.

He can be contacted at: chiradeep.nf@gmail.com

For Prayer & Counseling email us:

share_your_problems@hotmail.com

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