Rock Art from Palani Hills, Tamilnadu, India

Rock Art in Palani Hills, Tamilnadu, India.

Amateur archaeologists have discovered rock arts dating back to 2000 BC, located at about 1000 feet in Nedamalai Hills range about 30 km from Palani, Tamilnadu, India.

Drawn using animal fat and herbal colors in two panels. One, a hunter leading his followers. One man riding on an animal, a man with an axe in his hand, and a man rowing a river, which is believed to be Kuthiraiyaru river there. The herbal color has flowed down and only the animal fat remains intact, and this gives the painting an aschen color.

The other cave has seven blood lines in red lined depicting “ezhu kannimargal” (seven virgins) highlighted by ancient Tamils. The pots found here could belong to the last megalithic age about 1000 BC, which could mean that this cave was a continuous habitat by man. Neolithic also have been found here.

Comments from the Archeological Survey of India mention the age of these rocks at around 2000 BC.

Source: Times of India, January 19, 2009
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UFOs

Unidentified flying object (UFO) refer to any unidentified flying phenomenon in the sky. Experts say UFOs hover around the epicenter of major natural calamities. An UFO was noted in Mumbai, India on August 28, 2008. Though seen by many in the sky, it is a mystery why they have not landed and established any contact with us. Probably aliens in UFOs may provide useful answers to most of our pressing problems like the global warming as they may have a far superior technology.

When there was a Tsunami attack in India in December 2004, several people in Tamilnadu, Andaman and Nicobar Island, and Indonesia reported sighting strange objects in the sky. Some believe these are warnings of the impending calamity while others feel that the UFOs stimulate calamities. No scientific proof for these beliefs so far.

The French Space agency will shortly publish UFO and other similar sightings

Astronauts and test pilots of NASA have testified to sighting several UFOS during their missions. The first report by Joseph Walker, NASA pilot in 1962 mentions an encounter with two disc-shaped objects. He had filmed five cylindrical and disc-shaped objects were filmed from his X-15 aircraft.

Two years later in 1964, two radar specialists sighted UFOs while monitoring unmanned Gemini capsule. They showed a film showing a missile separating and an UFO appearing on their screen. Interestingly, the Gemini was fitted with instruments to track such UFOs.

Since then, several UFO sighting are being reported almost regularly by NASA.

Russian cosmonauts too have reported sighting UFOSs.

However, scientific stamp is still warranted to make them believalbe for the common man.

Source: Google

Che Guavero of Cuba

CHE GUEVARA OF CUBA

Unbelievable! More than 40 years ago, the then Bolivian Government and the CIA had planned to murder Che Guevara and had Sergent Mario Teran detailed for this plot. But the brave Che Guevara while facing the Sergent told him “Shoot cowardly man, you are only going to kill a man.” And the shooting did not take place.

Now after more than 40 years, the same Sergent, who is now a retired, reviled old man with failing eyes had his eyesight restored free by the Cuban government as part of a massive healthcare program by Cuban doctors in 33 countries across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. The magnanimity of Fidel Castro and change of the mindset of Bolivia have combined to achieve this extraordinary cooperation possible.

Source: The Hindu, January 30, 2009.

Chennai is developing

CHENNAI METRO RAIL LIMITED (CMRL)

The 14,600-crore project has been approved by the Central Government.

Funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The money will be made available for the project through the Central Government.

The two corridors now accepted for implementation are: Washermanpet to Airport (about 23 km) and Chennai Central to St. Thomas Mount (about 2 km). More project will be taken up after completion of these two projects.

There will be 36 stations in this route. Completion slated for 2015.

Advantages of CMRL project:

Requires only 20% of the energy used by a road transportation system resulting in much less pollution, less noise. A 6-cocach metro rail can easily replace 16 buses or 300 cars or 600 two-wheelers during peak time. Is it not a great blessing for us, Chennaites?

The local government is also contemplating to extend to Tiruvotrtiyur on public demand, but after the first stage is completed.

Unknown rock-shelters of India

Historic rock-shelters of India.

Hundreds of sites in jungles, caves, hills, and dolmen are being brought to limelight through a project by the Indira Gandhi National Center for the Arts. Several specialists such as archeologist, artist, geographers, geologists, art historians, botanists, anthropologists are involved in this project. Folklore experts are also included in this gigantic team.

The project studies the damages caused by time, nature, and vandals. The study is already over in Jarkhand and Orissa. It is underway in Tamil Nadu, Chattisgarh, Madhya Prqadesh, and Jammu&Kashmir.

More specifically, in Tamil Nadu, this project is being undertaken in collaboration with the University of Pondicherry under the able guidance of Dr. K. Rajan, Professor and Head, Department of History.

This team has already inspected the sites in Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, and in Palani Hills, it is expected to be over soon. More than 80 sites are to be studied in Tamil Nadu.

Most of sites in Tamil Nadu reveal paintings in rock-shelters (caverns) and Iron Age dolmens (about 1000 BC). Some are with Jaina beds.

These paintings depict hunting scenes, battle scenes, horse-riding, as well as animals like deer, elephant, bison, and also decorative motifs.

Source: The Hindu dated January 27, 2009

CSI St. Paul's Church , Choolai, Chennai

A great anniversary indeed!

The CSI St. Paul’s Church located at #62, Hunters Road, Choolai, Chennai has completed 150 years. A marvel indeed. How many thousands have got blessings in several generations is anybody’s imagination!

A stamp was released on Sunday, the 25th of January 2009 to mark this eventful occasion! May the Lords’ blessings continue to shower on all of us.

Source: The Hindu dated January 27, 2009 and Google.

Maypop flower by different names

A flower by different namesin Botanical Gardens,Hyderabad. Its flowers are known by different names as shown below: Most of these names are mythological and interesting.

In Telugu, it is Kaurava-Pandava puvvu. The 100 radical filaments of the corona all around depict the Kauravas while the five anthers represent the Pandavas.

In Manipur, it is called the Radhika nachom probably representing the dance of Krishna and Radha along with the many gopikas dancing around.

In Bengali, it is called the Jhumkalata, a creeper (lata) with jumkhas. If turned over, this flower would look like a pretty earring or jhumkha.

In English, it is called the Passion Flower, the passion of Christ on the cross. In Europe, it is a symbol of crucification. The 72 radial filaments denote the crown of Thorns. The ten petals and sepals represent the ten faithful apostles. The top three stigmata represent the three nails and the lower five anthers represent the five wounds.

In Spanish language, this flower is similarly called Espina de Cristo (Christ's Thorn).

In Germany, it is called Muttergottes-Schuzchen (Mother of Gods’ Star).

Japanese call it the clock-faced flower.

In North America, it is called the Maypop, the water lemon, and the wild apricot.

Courtesy: The Hindu Young World January 27, 2009

The Living Fossil

Wollemi National Park in Australia discovered a pine tree in a 1994. The discoverer is David Noble.

What is so strange about this tree?

The species was believed to be extinct, but the recent finding comes as a surprise. Archeologists had only seen its fossils dating back to the age of the dinosaurs, and hence the fossil came be called the dinosaur tree. This is genus of a deciduous coniferous tree in the family of Araucariaceae, which means it sheds its leaves in winter. The trunk of the tree is very attractive and looks like a bubbling chocolate.

The oldest fossil of this tree is 90 millions years old. The tree can well survive in temperatures ranging from -12 degrees to 45 degrees celsius. Unfortunately, there are less than 100 trees only now surviving.

So is it not our duty to protect them?

Courtesy. The Hindu Young World January 27, 2009.
Image source: Google Images

Suchindram temple, Tamilnadu, India

Suchindram Temple, Tamilnadu, India. Situated between Nagercoil and Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu, India. Can be reached both by train and bus. Nearest airports are Trivandrum and Madurai.

Three different deities are represented here in a combination,teh combined forces of Lord Siva, Vishnu, and Brahma represented by one image.

Anjaneya idol is 22 feet tall carved out of a single stone.

A fine example of stone and articheture.

Courtesy: Google http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=suchindram+temple&meta=

Chinese cave house.

Jinghe river in Shanxi Province of China is in the news today with the discovery of a row of 17 cave houses built between 3500 BC and 3000 BC. Reportedly these houses belong to the late Neolithic culture called Yangshao that originated in the reaches of the Yellow river. Pottery with painted patterns is noted to be the chief profession here during that time.

Each house measured about 10 sq. meters with some made of wood and mud. Pottery kilns were discovered as also pottery wares in each house, and so the houses belonged to pottery makers. In earlier discoveries, one kiln was found for a group of houses. Presence of potters also indicates division of labor. Storage of pottery in cave-houses also indicates private ownership in ancient China. One moat was also discovered here now.

Source: The Hindu January 27, 2009, Chennai, India.

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Great Thirumangalam of Chennai

Oh! What an explosive development in about 20 years! Spurt in population, medical facilities, shopping malls, transport, and a whole range of human development with associated congestion and pollution. One does not have to go to T’Nagar or Purasaiwalkam for shopping on festival occasions. All are available right at your doorstep. What a pleasure. And for the elderly, several multi-specialty hospital are aplenty and close by too.

A tomb for a Dutch warrior in India.

There is a tomb of a Dutch captain captured by a king in Travancore about two centuries ago. His name is Delanoy, the great warrior. The native king was so amazed at his skills that he appointed him as his army chief to train the king's soldiers.

This task was performed by the Dutch warrior loyally and efficiently. When he passed away while in the service of the king, he was given a befitting funeral and buried inside the King's fort, which is known as the Udayagiri Fort in Thuckalay, Kanyakumari District of Tamilnadu, India. His family members who passed away are also buried by the side of his tomb. This means his entire family was very faithful to the native Kign till his end.

This place is important for travelers and is gaining more importance as a tourist spot.

Image courtesy: Google Images