Trip to Udupi - Part 1

I went to Udupi with my parents. We went in a taxi to Coimbatore Railway station. It was very early in the morning. It wasn't that cold. As the station was very crowded, I wondered how can we get to the platform. As we had to go through a subway to get to our platform, I thought that we went under a railway track as after we came out, I saw a railway track. Then, we boarded our train, 'Mangalore-Coimbatore Intercity Express". The train crossed several cities such as 

Gravity - A Triplet

Gravity, that holds things down,

also keeps them always on the ground,

But it cannot stop a Tornado from going round and round. 

A World Without Force - An Acrostic Poem

Flags would not be waving in the sky,

Or the wheels of the bus would never move.

Rapid tsunamis would not crash on the land,

Cars would never run on the roads,

Engines of the cars would never move their pistons up and down.

A World Without Friction - A Couplet

Without Friction, one would slip,

People would remember how they tripped.

People would spill coffee on the floor,

And would not be able to open the door. 

Interview With Dentists

As a part of an activity given in I Explore - Book 4 written by Mrinalini Pradhan, I drew a labelled diagram of 'The Structure Of A Tooth'. I also interviewed two dentists related to gathering more knowledge about dentistry. Dentistry is a Science concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of the teeth, gums, and related structures of the mouth and including the repair and replacement of defective teeth. 

I asked one question to two of the dentists that I met last week. I asked them with what problems people come to the dentist and what treatment procedures the dentist provide. The two dentists gave different kinds of answers.

What I Learnt About Diamonds And Diamond Cutting?

I watched a video at 'How it's made' on diamond cutting. Watch the video below. My notes and learning on 'Diamond Cutting' after watching this video

1. Diamonds are crystals made of carbon. Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C.
2. Diamond is the hardest natural substance on the Earth.
3. Diamonds come in variety of colors.
4. The common color of diamond used in jewelry is white.
5. Diamond is originally a larger rough stone.
6. Diamond can be cut only with diamond.

Today's News From CNN Student News Channel - 29 Sep 2015

(Photo: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)

I have started a new activity. I am starting to listen to news. Then, my Amma asked me to watch and listen to CNN Student News today. You can watch the video here. 

What I learnt by watching CNN Student News today is

* Scientists must have discovered water in the form of ice in the past, in Mars. But now, NASA finds the evidence of liquid water in Mars.

Moving Bus

Dancing Puppet

The Cutting Of The Granite

A Scene From "ALL BECAUSE OF A CUP OF COFFEE"

"Which way do we go now? I asked cheerfully. 
Where is this famouse VALLEY OF THE CHEESETTES?"

Thea waved her paw in one direction. "Oh, it's right around here," she answered. I unfolded a map. That's when I noticed something. The whole island was shaped like a giant butterfly! How very odd, I thought.

I looked around me. There was green everywhere. Green Trees, green bushes, green grass. This place was a gardener's dream. I stepped forward into the high grass. 

Blazing Sun - Mandala Art

Blazing Sun

A Scene From 'Lost Treasure Of The Emerald Eye'

I painted a scene from the story "Lost Treasure Of The Emerald Eye". Here is what Geronimo Stilton had to say,

Standing upright on the trunk, I scanned the horizon for Thea and Trap. Not a head or tail in sight. By afternoon, I was beginning to lose hope. But then I spied two very, very small dots in the distance. My heart beat so FAST even my fur stood up to see what all the fuss was about. 

Wheel Of Curiosity - Mandala Art

Today, I learnt how to use Mathematical drawing instruments to create this Mandala art. I used a compass, 45 degree set square and a ruler to create this art. I have used water color as the medium of painting. 

Mathematics can be learnt in an artistic way. And creating an art is very healing for me. I have named this art that I created as

Table And Chair - Couplets

Both altogether,

We're soft as leather,

We two are higher.

But now we're tired, so we'll move slowly,

But not too lowly.

Now we'll be resting,

but not be testing.

So, we'll go back to where we started,

and how we darted.

We are table and chair,

who can't fly in the air.

If My Dad Were Free

I wish my dad

would quit working

for a while,

Trip To Car Museum

Today, I went to GD Car Museum in Coimbatore. There, I saw a model of BMW Isetta 250. It is the first BMW car. It is a very small car. One can also get inside through the front. I wondered "What a small car is this?". I could not believe that a door could actually open in the front of the car.  I felt so excited to see this car. 

Image Source

Story Review - The Most Beautiful Child

The story "The Most Beautiful Child" took place in heaven, Goddess Lakshmi's abode. Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and fortune told her owl to take her necklace and place it on the most beautiful child. The owl searched for the most beautiful child in heaven and Earth. According to me, the most beautiful child is a child who is never a bully. To me, such a kind child is the most beautiful child. The owl peered through every nook and corner in heaven and Earth. At last, she found one. She is simple. Even if the owl would have visited other places like Mars, Titan, Andromeda Galaxy, Mercury, Europa, Sun and Ceres; she still wouldn't have found the most beautiful child. Because, the lucky child who got the necklace was with her only and that was her own owlet. The author of the story, Debjani Chatterji's purpose to write this story is to tell people that every mother sees her own child as beautiful. I learnt the same from this story. To every mother's eyes, her own child is the most beautiful. I liked the way how the story ended because it was very cute. And, yes of-course, 

I am the most beautiful child for my mother.  

Poem Review - Every Boy's Prayer

'Every Boy's Prayer' is a poem written by Anupa Lal from Cambridge Literature Reader 3 book authored by Cheryl Rao. The main and only character of this poem is a little boy who loves to eat. He has a problem. He always see an empty plate in front of him. His chocolate-walnut cake, cola and ice-cream disappear very fast. They are so tasty that the boy gobbles it up all fast. He feels very sad about it. So, he makes a suggestion to God to do something about it. 

If I have a similar problem and my plate gets empty, I will accept it and think everything is still fine. I can adjust if my plate is empty. But, if I am given a chance to ask God for something, I will ask, 

"Dear God, do something to keep my book-shelf full and bring joy in my life". 

Because, I love reading books. 

Here is a poem written by me.

What I like most to read

Is Geronimo Stilton,

that would always eat Stilton,

who publishes The Rodent's Gazzette,

that you can dump in a closet.

The world's famous paper

that would attract a sky-scraper.

Oh, I love his books,

that has many looks.

What do you like most to do?

Story Review And Character Sketch - The Worthy Successor

I read a story named 'The Worthy Successor' from Cambridge Express Literature Reader Book 3 authored by Cheryl Rao. The story is about a priest who wanted a new priest for the temple in a hill top, that he was taking care of. The priest wanted a new priest because he was old. While he was dying, he asked Gopan, the care taker of the temple to find a new priest. He said to Gopan while dying to make sure that he appoints only a human being as the next priest. By hearing this, Gopan was surprised and confused. On the interview day, Gopan was not happy with many people that came for the role of priest. At last, in the evening, a young man with lots of wounds in his body came. When Gopan asked him, "What happened?", the young man said that he has been busy helping people reach the hill top. Gopan knew that this young man was the worthy successor. 

I like this young man because be believes in helping others even if it is a difficult task for him. He gives importance to other's welfare. He feels so much compassion for people, so he clears up all the thorns in the path to the hill top and helps others reach there. So, he gets delayed. He deeply cares about other's well being and in helping others. 

Book Review - Moon Mission

The book 'Moon Mission' is authored by Mary Pope Osborne. It is a fiction.  I enjoyed the story very much, What I enjoyed most is when Jack and Annie landed on the moon base. It was fun when Jack and Annie freed Morgan from the magic spell. It was an interesting moment in the story when Jack and Annie met an astronaut on the moon. I felt excited when the astronaut drew the mouse on the notepad to help Jack and Annie discover another special clue to free Morgan from the magic spell. 

What I learnt from this story is to how to search something. I have to look for many clues everywhere to find an answer. What I also learnt from the story is when I am searching for something, I might not even know what I am looking for. Here, in this story Jack and Annie knew that they were searching something that can help Morgan get freed. But they didn't know what that thing was that could help Morgan become free. They were searching for many things that came their way without even knowing what they are looking for. So, I learnt that when I am searching something, I might look at many things without even knowing if that is the thing that is going to help me. 

There are many interesting characters in this story. They are Jack, Annie, Morgan, Peanut, (Morgan with the magic spell) and the astronaut. I liked Jack the most because he is a great learner. He is helpful and I thought he is very smart. 

Sriman Narayana, The Blue Colored Supreme In Vaikunta Planet

Image Source

Imagine how it would be if we went to Vaikunta and saw Sriman Narayana. Acharya Sri Ramanuja has wrote in his book 'Vaikunta Gadyam' how Sriman Narayana looks like. I read his description which helped me to describe Sriman Narayana and I have shared my feelings too. Go to this link here, to read the translation of Sri Ramanuja Acharya's 'Vaikunta Gadyam'. People say that one who goes to Vaikunta will never come back to earth, but there are certain divine messengers who descend down to earth to preach. Sri Ramanujacharya, Vashistadvaita seer is believed to be the incarnation of Adi Sesha. I thank Sri Ramanujacharya, an incarnation of Shankarshana for beautifully describing Vaikunta. Now, I'd like to share my description about Sriman Narayana in my own words, and my feelings too. My Amma was my writing coach and she helped me improve my descriptive writing skills. We wrote several drafts and edited it. I wrote for another writing prompt Amma gave few days back, that was about 'A walk on stormy spring day'. It was a simple one and I wrote only few sentences, but describing Sriman Narayana is close to my heart. 

Different Models Of Solar System

I like to share with you the four models of solar system that I know about. The one that is in the school books that we all know is the Heliocentric Model. 

Nicolaus Copernicus presented the Heliocentric Model of the Solar System. Copernicus was a Polish who was born in 1473 AD and died in 1543 AD. Many people think this is the model of the solar system because this is the model that is given in the school books. In this model, the sun is stationary. Earth and the others planets revolve around the sun.

But, there are other people who presented different models of the solar system. Claudius Ptolemy, a Greek Mathematician, Geographer, Astronomer and Astrologer who was born years before Copernicus was born presented a model of Solar System called as the Geocentric Model. Ptolemy was born in the year 90 AD and died in 168 AD. He said that the earth is stationary, the moon, sun and the other planets move around the earth in circular orbits.

Next model that I would like to share is the Tychonic System, presented by Tycho Brahe, a Danish Astronomer who had a very long mustache. Tycho Brahe was born in 1546 AD, three years after Copernicus died. Tycho Brahe died in 1601 AD. Tychonic System presents a stationary Earth with moon and sun revolving around it. Mercury and Venus revolves around the sun. Mars and the planets beyond Mars revolves around the Earth and The Sun. 

Before any of these people, many many many years back, Sage Veda Vyasa, one who classified the Vedas wrote an ancient book called as Srimad Bhagavata. In that, he wrote in the 5th canto that the Earth is stationary and the moon and the sun revolves around the Earth. Mercury and Venus revolves around the sun. And Mars and the other planets beyond Mars revolve around the Earth and the Sun. The Tychonic System is a bit similar to the Vedic Model given in the Srimad Bhagavata.

The school book talks about the model presented by Copernicus. I wonder why the opinion of other astronomers are not given in the school book. Now, which model is the reality? 

Helix Nebula NGC 7293 - Is It The Eye of God?

Image Source

Modern Science says that Nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in outer space. A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium and other ionized gases. 

Me and my Amma are researching about nebulae and we wonder how the patterns of nebulae is similar to some of the things that we see in our life.  Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that is launched in 1990 by space organizations like NASA and ESA. This telescope is sending lots of pictures of nebulae. These pictures are so unbelievable because these nebulae looks like many things that I see around in my life in the form of rangoli, yantras and mandalas. These pictures that the hubble space telescope is sending are so fascinating.

Everything Happens Only For A Good Reason - 2

‘Everything happens for a good reason’ is an inspiring quote from Srimad Bhagavad-Gita that everyone knows about. While I watch Mahabharata and understand it, I realize everything happens for good. I will tell you why.

The reason why Karna was born to Kunti before she got married, why Kunti abandoned Karna, the reason behind why Karna was brought up by somebody else other than Kunti and why he did not grow as one amongst the Pandavas, all of this has a good reason. If Kunti would not have abandoned Karna, then Karna would have also gone to the wax palace (Lakshagraha) at Varnavrat and he would have also escaped from the wax palace along with other five Pandavas. Later, he might have settled down in the forest along with his brothers and reached Kampilya, the capital of the Panchala Kingdom which was ruled by Kind Drupada. He must have attended Draupadi’s Swayamvara as a Pandava and not as a friend of Kauravas.

As the story goes, when the five Pandavas returned back from the Swayamvara and brought Draupadi back home, Kunti was busy praying and she didn’t look back to see what her sons have brought. In Sanatana Dhrama, a bride who is married to a groom is considered as a dan (gift) to the groom. Kunti had the habit of always advising her sons to share any gifts or alms that they get.   So, when one of the Pandavas exclaimed “Ma, look what gift Arjuna got”, Kunti immediately said without looking back, “Share it with all brothers”. Now, if Karna would have also been there, it would have been big problem. Reason is Karna is a Surya Putra. Draupadi is an incarnation of

Shyamala, Yama Dharma Raja’s wife

Bharati Devi, Vayu Deva’s wife

Sachi, Indra Deva’s wife

Usha, Ashwini Kumara’s wife

And she was supposed to marry Yudhishtra, Bheema, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva who are the incarnations of Yama Dharma Raja, Vayu Deva, Indra Deva and the Ashwini Kumaras respectively. Now, since Karna is a Surya Putra, Draupadi could not have married Karna when Kunti ended up saying “Share the gift amongst your brothers”. It would have been a mistake for Draupadi to marry Karna. That is why I think Karna joined Duryodana and his brothers.

So, everything happens for a good reason. 

Everything Happens Only For A Good Reason - 1

Image Source

'Everything happens for a good reason' is an inspiring quote from Bhagavad Gita that everyone knows about. While I watch Mahabharata and understand it, I realize everything happens for good. I will tell you why.

King Pandu killed Maharishi Kindama and his wife accidentally thinking that they were only deer. Angry Kindama while dying cursed Pandu by saying that if he engages in love making, then he will die. This curse, in my opinion, also happened for a good reason. Only because of this curse, he could not bear children with his wives Kunti and Madri. And that was the reason why Kunti used her Mantra Shakti, a boon given by Maharishi Durvasa. Kunti was blessed by Maharishi Durvasa to give birth to a child, by chanting a mantra and calling upon a Deva. She was able to bring forth children to this world without getting pregnant. All the children that were born were the Mantra Prasada from the Devas Dharma Raja Yama, Vayu Deva, Indra Deva and the Ashwini Kumaras. If Pandu would not have been cursed, he could not have had Deva Putras as his sons. It was destined that Deva putras be born to King Pandu and his queens Kunti and Madri. And these deva putras were the ones who brought change by figthing against adharma with the help of Lord Krishna. 

Everything happens for a good reason. Wait for my other insights related to why everything happens for a good reason. 

What Is Geography?

www.iskcondesiretree.com

Today, I learnt about what Geography is. Geography is the study of the earth, cities, countries, people and their lifestyles and also of different kinds of land forms and water bodies. 

Geography tells us about

- cities and countries, mountains, rivers and deserts

- why it is hot in summer and cold in winter

- things like earthquakes and floods

- our environment

- how our environment is getting damaged

- how to protect it

- how and why the world is changing globally 

- our natural environment and pressures they face

- places/communities in which we live and work

- interconnectedness of world and the communities that live in it

References:
Know your planet Book 1 by Anita Arathoon, Anjana Bose
http://www.rgs.org/geographytoday/what+is+geography.htm

Rakesh Sharma, The Indian Astronaut

Rakesh Sharma

1. Rakesh Sharma is the first Indian to fly into space.

2. In 1970, Rakesh was appointed as pilot officer in the Indian Air Force.

3. In 2006, he took part in a space conference held by ISRO.

4. Rakesh flew to the Salyut 7 Space Station.

5. In 1971, Rakesh flew the Mikoyan-Gurevich, a Russian jet.







ESA - European Space Agency
ISRO - Indian Space Research Organization
NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Reference:  http://www.aerospaceguide.net/astronaut/rakesh_sharma.html

I Know Why My Robot Turns - A Programming Insight

I have this toy Moon Walking Robot which keeps walking around in my home. When it hits an object, it turns and moves on a different direction. If you want to buy this Moon Walking Robot, you can buy it here.

I know why my Moon Walking Robot changes directions when it hits something. It might be because it has an instruction or a command like 'If on edge, bounce'. I got this insight because I suddenly remembered a motion block in Scratch Computer Programming that is called as 'If on edge, bounce'. In the Scratch Programming, I think that all the blocks belong to one sensing category. The reason why the Moon Walking Robot changes direction when it hits something could be because the robot is made to rotate and turn, meaning bounce because it is on the edge or it has hit an object. So, I am very sure there must be a programming motion command written in the chip inside the Moon Walking Robot that makes the robot turn the direction when it hits the edge. And, the start button of the Robot is similar to the command 'When green flag clicked' on the Scratch programming control category. 

The reason why the robot keeps on moving when it is switched on is because the chip inside the robot probably has a control command called as 'Forever'. And the reason why the robot is walking is because it could have a motion command called as 'Move 10 steps'. May be, the robot also has a motion command that makes it keep turning its head from left to right and right to left and may be another motion command that makes it wave its hands back and forth. And another motion command for moving its legs back and forth. Programming is amazing, isn't it. 

The Fish Incarnation Of Vishnu And Comparative Studies

Matsya Avatara Sculptor, SriRangam

I will share with you the story of Matsya Avatara. This is how it all began. Once upon a time, there was a sage named Satyavrata. One day, when he was taking bath in a river, he found a fish in his hand. That fish told the sage to not let the fish get into the water again, otherwise the fish would be eaten by its predators. So, Satyavrata decided to take the fish along with him. He put the fish in his kamandala (holy vessel) and went back home. After Satyavrata reached home, he got a surprise. The fish became bigger that it could not fit into the kamandala. Then, Satyavrata took the fish and put it in a larger pot. But, the fish became more bigger than the pot. Satyavrata put the fish into a pond. The fish grew more larger than the pond. Satyavrata was puzzled. He decided to put the fish into the ocean. As soon as he put the fish into the ocean, the fish hooted and said, "Oh Sage, why are you doing this injustice to me by putting me back in the ocean. There are more dangerous predators in the ocean that can easily eat me up". Satyavrata said, "Oh great fish, you must be Sriman Narayana incarnate, are you here to teach me a lesson?"