Google to launch car that drives by itself

Internet giant Google will soon launch a car that can drive by itself.

Google engineers have tested a "self-driving" car on the streets of California and covered 140,000 miles on the road, BBC reported.

The cars use video cameras mounted on the roof, radar sensors a

nd a laser range finder to look out for traffic, software engineer Sebastian Thrun said.

There is, however, a trained driver in stand-by mode, ready to take control.

Thrun, a professor of computer science and electrical engineering at Stanford University, said safety was the "first priority" in the project.

Routes are pre-planned, mapped first by real drivers, and local police are briefed in advance, he said.

He pointed to figures from the World Health Organisation that over 1.2 million people were killed each year on the roads, and said that number could be reduced.

"We believe our technology has the potential to cut that number, perhaps by as much as half."

"It (the project) provides a glimpse of what transportation might look like in the future thanks to advanced computer science. And that future is very exciting," he said.

source:: click here

Param Vir Chakra

Param Vir means "Bravest of the Brave" in Hindi. (Param = Highest; Vir = Brave (warrior); Chakra = wheel/medal).

The Param Vir Chakra (PVC) is India's highest military decoration awarded for the highest degree of valour or self-sacrifice in the presence of the enemy, similar to the British Victoria Cross, US Medal of Honor, or French Legion of Honor or Russian Cross of St. George. It can be, and often has been, awarded posthumously.

The PVC was established on 26 January 1950 (the date of India becoming a republic), by the President of India, with effect from 15 August 1947 (the date of Indian independence). It can be awarded to officers or enlisted personnel from all branches of the Indian military. It is the second highest award of the government of India after Bharat Ratna (amendment in the statute on 26 January 1980 resulted in this order of wearing). It replaced the former British colonial Victoria Cross (VC), (see List of Indian Victoria Cross recipients).

=====================================================

Awarded by India

=====================================================

Type -- Medal
Eligibility -- Military personnel only
Status -- Currently awarded

=====================================================

Statistics

=====================================================

Established - 26 January, 1950
First awarded - 3 November, 1947
Last awarded - 6 July, 1999
Total awarded - 21
Posthumous
awards - 14
Distinct
recipients - 21

=====================================================

Heroes of Param Vir Chakra

=====================================================

1. IC-- 521 Major Som Nath Sharma, 4 Kumaon Regiment, November 3, 1947, Badgam Kashmir (posthumous)

2. IC-22356 Lance Naik Karham Singh M M, 1 Sikh Regiment, October 13, 1948, Tithwal Kashmir

3. SS-14246 Second Lt Rama Raghobe Rane, Corps of Engineers, April 8, 1948, Naushera, Kashmir

4. 27373 Naik Jadu Nath Singh, 1 Rajput Regiment, February 1948, Naushera, Kashmir (posthumous)

5. 2831592 Company Havildar Major Piru Singh, 6 Rajputana Rifles, July 17/18, 1948, Tithwal, Kashmir (posthumous)

6. IC-8497 Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, 3/1 Gurkha Rifles, December 5, 1961, Elizabethville, Katanga, Congo (posthumous)

7. IC-7990 Major Dhan Singh Thapa, 1/8 Gurkha Rifles, October 20, 1962, Ladakh, India

8. JC-4547 Subedar Joginder Singh, 1 Sikh Regiment, October 23, 1962, Tongpen La, Northeast Frontier Agency, India (posthumous)

9. Major Shaitan Singh, Kumaon Regiment, November 18, 1962, Rezang La (posthumous)

10. 2639885 Company Havildar Major Abdul Hamid, 4 Grenadiers, September 10, 1965, Chima, Khem Karan Sector (posthumous)

11. IC-5565 Lieutenant-Colonel Ardeshir Burzorji Tarapore, 17 Poona Horse, October 15, 1965, Phillora, Sialkot Sector, Pakistan (posthumous)

12. 4239746 Lance Naik Albert Ekka, 14 Guards, December 3, 1971, Gangasagar (posthumous)

13. 10877 (P) Flying Officer Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon, Indian Air Force, December 14, 1971, Srinagar, Kashmir (posthumous)

14. IC-25067 2/Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, 17 Poona Horse, December 16, 1971, Jarpal, Shakargarh Sector, (posthumous)

15. IC-14608 Major Hoshiar Singh, Grenadiers, December 17, 1971, Basantar River, Shakargarh Sector

16. Naib Subedar Bana Singh, 8 Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry, June 23, 1987, Siachen Glacier, Jammu and Kashmir

17. Major Ramaswamy Parmeshwaran, 8 Mahar Regiment, November 25, 1987, Sri Lanka (posthumous)

18. IC-57556 Captain Vikram Batra, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, July 6, 1999

19. IC-56959 Lt Manoj Kumar Pandey, 1/11 Gorkha Rifles, July 3, 1999, Khaluber/Juber Top, Batalik sector, Kargil area, Jammu and Kashmir (posthumous)

20. No 2690572 Grenadier Yogendra Singh Yadav, 18 Grenadiers, July 4, 1999, Tiger Hill, Kargil area

21. Rifleman Sanjay Kumar, 13 Jammu and Kashmir Rifles, July 5, 1999


Salute to National Heroes

ALBUMS

Dhenkanal

The Dhenkanal district holds 4452 sq km of area. The district has a longitude of 85º 58' to 86º 2' east and latitude of 20º 29' to 21º 11' north. This district of Orissa has a population of 10, 65, 983 (2001 census). The population density of the district is 239 persons per sq km and the literacy rate is quite high as well. Surrounded by dense forest, Dhenkanal has a thriving economy and timber, bamboo, firewood and kendu leaf are some of the key forest output. Nilachal Refractories and Utkal Asbestos are some of the notable industries of the district. Kailash Hill, Lord Chandrasekhar Mahadev Temple and Sri Buddheswar Temple adorn the tourism scenario of Dhenkanal.


Dhenkanal: Dhenkanal is a town and district head quarter it is at a distance of 80 km from Bhubaneswar. The place is almost surrounded by hills.

Kapilash: It is 24 km from Dhenkanal. Chandrashekar Shiva Temple is situated on a hillock. A deer park is situated nearby.



Saptasajya: 12 km from Dhenkanal, place of scenic beauty and is famous for Saptarisi (seven sages) and Raghunath.

Deulijhar: 12 km from Dhenkanal, famous for the Mahima Temple and the seat of Mahima Dharma.

Joranda: Situated at a distance of 33 km from Dhenkanal, it is famous for the seat of Mahatma cult and Sunya temple.

Swami Vivekananda's Speech in Chicago

WELCOME ADDRESS - Chicago, Sept 11, 1893

Sisters and Brothers of America,

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

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

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

Source:: http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/demo/article-169.html

Some Positive Thoughts

Some Positive Thoughts

1. When Snake is alive, Snake eats Ants.
When Snake is dead, Ants eat Snake.
Time can turn at any time.
Don't neglect anyone in your life...

2. Never make the same mistake twice,
There are so many new ones,
Try a different one each day.

3. A good way to change someone's attitude is to change our own.
Because, the same sun melts butter, also hardens clay!
Life is as we think, so think beautifully.

4. Life is just like a sea, we are moving without end.
Nothing stays with us,
what remain is just the memories of some people who touched us as Waves.

5. Whenever you want to know how rich you are?
Never count your currency,
just try to Drop a Tear and count how many hands reach out to WIPE that- that is true richness.

6. Heart tells the eyes see less, because you see and I suffer lot.
Eyes replied, feel less because you feel and I cry a lot.

7. Never change your originality for the sake of others,
because no one can play your role better than you.
So be yourself, because whatever you are, YOU are the best.
8. Baby mosquito came back after 1st time flying.
His dad asked him "How do you feel?"
He replied "It was wonderful, everyone was clapping for me!"
Now that’s what I call Positive Attitude

HOLI - THE COLORS OF INDIA

This is One of the major festivals of India, Holi is celebrated with enthusiasm and gaiety on the full moon day in the month of Phalgun which is the month of March as per the Gregorian calendar.

Holi festival may be celebrated with various names and people of different states might be following different traditions. But, what makes Holi so unique and special is the spirit of it which remains the same throughout the country and even across the globe, wherever it is celebrated.

Play of Colors

Great excitement can be seen in people on the next day when it is actually the time for the play of colours. Shops and offices remain closed for the day and people get all the time to get crazy and whacky. Bright colours of gulal and abeer fill the air and people take turns in pouring colour water over each other. Children take special delight in spraying colours on one another with their pichkaris and throwing water balloons and passers by. Women and senior citizen form groups called tolis and move in colonies - applying colours and exchanging greetings. Songs, dance on the rhythm of dholak and mouthwatering Holi delicacies are the other highlights of the day.

Expression of Love

Lovers too long to apply colours on their beloved. This has a popular legend behind it. It is said that the naughty and mischievous Lord Krishna started the trend of playing colours. He applied colour on her beloved Radha to make her one like him. The trend soon gained popularity amongst the masses. No wonder, there is no match to the Holi of Mathura, Vrindavan and Barsana - the places associated with the birth and childhood of Radha and Krishna.

Ecstasy of Bhang

There is also a tradition of consuming the very intoxicating bhang on this day to further enhance the spirit of Holi. It is so much fun to watch the otherwise sober people making a clown of themselves in full public display. Some, however, take bhang in excess and spoil the spirit. Caution should therefore be taken while consuming bhang delicacies.

Sober Evening

After a funfilled and exciting day, the evenings the spent in sobriety when people meet friends and relatives and exchange sweets and festive greetings.

It is said the spirit of Holi encourages the feeling of brotherhood in society and even the enemies turn friend on this day. People of all communities and even religions participate in this joyous and colorful festival and strengthen the secular fabric of the nation.

Phir Dil do Hockey ko

INDIA AND WORLD CUP HOCKEY

Pools for the 2010 Men's Hockey World Cup to be held at New Delhi,India were announced by the FIH on December 15,2009.
Here are the teams in two pools :



The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has released the match schedule for the Hero Honda FIH World Cup 2010, to be played in New Delhi, India from 28 February-13 March 2010 on December 29,2009.

Play off
11th\12th Position
11 March 2010
15:35
POOL A 6th v POOL B 6th

Dhyan Chand National Stadium
9th\10th Position
12 March 2010
15:35
POOL A 5th v POOL B 5th

Bangalore stadium
7th\8th Position
12 March 2010
18:05
POOL A 4th v POOL B 4th

5th\6th Position
12 March 2010
20:35
POOL A 3rd v POOL B 3rd

Knockout Stage
Semi-finals
11 March 2010
18:05
Winners of Pool A
V Runner Up of Pool B
Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi


________________________________________
11 March 2010
20:35
Winners of Pool B
V Runner Up of Pool A
Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi


Third place play-off
13 March 2010
16.05
Losers Semi-final 1
V Losers Semi-final 2
Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi


Final
13 March 2010
20.35
Winner Semi-final 1
V Winners Semi-final 2
Dhyan Chand National Stadium, Delhi

SUNABEAD

Valentine's Day

Every February, across the world, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

Source

Atithi Devo Bhavah

Atithi Devo Bhavah

Why Atithi Devo Bhavah?

Last year we had 3.3 million visitors, but when you consider that Singapore gets 7 million a year. Thailand 9.6 million a year. Malaysia 11.5 million.

There is no reason why we can’t aim to increase our numbers by 100%. And that too would be just a beginning. However to do this we need to change our attitude towards those who visit us. Often tourists are Mistreated, Cheated and rudely dealt with.

It’s simple logic, if someone in a house is rude to you, as a guest, you don’t encourage your friends and relations to go there.

This is perhaps the reason why in spite of an incredible wealth of Tourist spots, Cultural Attractions, Natural Wonders and Destinations for the soul, India still isn’t amongst the top 15 tourist destinations Of the world. The time has definitely come to get together to change this.

To change our attitude.

We’ve lost touch with the hospitality we were famous for. Now it’s a time that we make an effort to make it a part of us again.

Inspiration behind Atithi Devo Bhavah ?

Respect has always been an integral part of the Indian soul. From time immemorial we have always respected - Our teachers, our elders, our parents And our guests

Perhaps this is why a great Indian Emperor once observed

'In Hindustan our manner is very respectful and our hearts are always open'

In many ways, at that time India was the ultimate destination for the enlightened travelers. Now, thousands of years later, we can bring that golden age back again.

This inspired us to go back to those years, when Indian hospitality set the standard for the world

And we found the keystone of what we want to do

Or guest is blessed.

Our visitor is God.

That how we arrive at our mission called

'Atithi Devo Bhavah'

Source

UTKALAMANI PUNDIT GOPABANDHU DAS

.Pundit Gopabandhu Das took birth in a noble Brahmin family in a village called Suando situated on the banks of river Bhargabhi in the district of Puri. After completing his education from the village school he passed his "Entrance" from the District School of Puri" in the year 1899. He passed his B.A from Revenshaw College in 1904 and later passed B.L. from Calcutta University in 1906.

........................He first worked as a teacher for sometime in Nilagiri and later practiced law as a lawyer in Puri and Cuttack. He worked as government lawyer for some time in Mayurbhanj court. Law profession did not interest him much, so he gave up his practice and worked for the welfare of the people. His strong belief was that education was the only that could improve and develop the society. So he established a school in 12 August 1909 beginning with only 19 students in a place called Satyabadi. This industry of Gopabandhu Das brought development to the education and society of Orissa. This school turned to be a high school in 1910. In 1914 this school was affiliated with Calcutta University and for the first time in the same year appearing for the matriculation exam was allowed. This school got affiliation from Patna University in the year 1917. In 1921 this school was changed to National School. Many eminent educators were appreciating this school. This school was broken in year 1927. After few years it was again started and is still continues to be neglected. This school was being compared to that with Ujjain and Nalanda. In 1977 on the occasion of Gopabandhus birth centenary a college was established here. But there have been no signs of development of this college since then. In 1902 Gopabandhu, Harihar, Nilakantha and Ananta Mishra pledged to sacrifice their life for the country at the banks of river Bhargabi. They were supported and joined by Godabarish Mishra, Krupasindhu and others. They were involved in making of human beings. They had promised that after completing their education they would not go for any kind of job rather they would sacrifice their life contributing for the development and welfare of the society and country. They were all involved in teaching at the Satyabadi School. Gopabandhu was member of Vidhan Sabha (state assembly) of Bihar and Orissa from 1917 to 1921. As an administrator he took demanded for initiative steps to be taken for eradication of poverty from Orissa, providing relief to the flood hit areas, spreading of education and uniting the Oriyas residing at various places. ........................He was inspired by the struggle for independence started by Mahatma Gandhi. Gopabandhu was already implementing all the steps that were given by Gandhi. Gandhi appreciated this. He took part in the congress meeting held at Lucknow in 1916 and at Calcutta in 1920. He also formed Oriya Labour organisation at Calcutta. He was the President of Orissa congress committee in 1920. He took lead in 1920 in the “Asahajog Andolan”. Gopabandhu was the President of Orissa congress till 1928. His major pledge was to serve for the country during the natural calamities. On 4th October 1919 on the auspicious day of "Vijayadsahami" he first started the weekly newspaper “Samaj”. Till his death he used to write the editorial of “Samaj” without any break. Before “Samaj” took birth he had also published another monthly magazine named “Satyabadi” in the year 1914. He took part in the “Bharatiya Loksevak Mandal” in the year 1927 and at the time of his death he was the vice-president of “Bharatiya Loksevak Mandal”. Just before his deathbed he donated “Bharatiya Loksevak Mandal” to the institution “Samaj, Satyabadi press”. Samaj was first published from Sakhigopal. It was then published in1824 from Puri and in1927 from Cuttack. He was associated with the works of Utkal Samilani from 1903 to 1921. He was the President of Utkal Samilani in 1919 but after taking part in the struggle for independence, most of his time was spent in the works of National Congress. He was an eminent philosopher. He had proved that "pen is mightier than the sword". He was also a poet and writer. His poems "Ma Ra Kabita ", "Dharmapada", "Bandi Ra Atma Katha" reveal well the characteristic of a classic poet. His poems had the message of spirituality, patriotism, truth and non-violence. His editorials in Samaj, Satyabadi and Ganakabi had a well-defined solution to the problems related to socialism, culture and politics. Death of his father at his childhood, that of mother during his studentship, that of wife, son and brother during his youth had taken him far away from the family and he was a member of the global family. He had sacrificed his life for the betterment of the human being and to eradicate the problems from the life of the humans. He was gem of the crown of the Oriya community. More Info:: Click me

Save Tiger

The tiger, one of the most magnificent animals in the world, is also one of the most endangered. A cat of beauty, strength, and majesty, the tiger is master of all and subject to none -- except humans. Of the eight original subspecies of tigers, three have become extinct within the last 60 years; and there are less than 50 South China tigers left on this planet -- few, and possibly none, survive in the wild.

There are five different kinds or subspecies of tiger alive in the world today. These tigers are called Siberian, South China, Indochinese, Bengal, and Sumatran. Their Latin name is Panthera tigris. Tigers are an endangered species; only about 5,000 to 7,400 tigers are left in the wild. Three tiger subspecies, the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers have become extinct in the past 70 years.

Poachers are continuing to exterminate the world's remaining Tigers. New demand across Southeast Asia for the skins, teeth and claws of tigers is endangering much of the great cats, particularly the Sumatran tiger. Currently, the demand for Tiger parts is centered in several parts of Asia where there is a strong market for traditional medicines made from items like tiger bone and body parts. Volumes are sizeable and there has been little enforcement action against poachers and traders

Save Indian TigerWhat Needs to be Done to Save the Tiger:
- Local institutions and people Scientists who were closely involved in managing tigers at the local level, Hemendra Panwar of India and Hemanta Mishra of Nepal, pointed out an important lesson more than a decade ago: unless local community needs are met, conservation of the tiger will not succeed and protected areas will perish. Therefore, conservation programmes

must reconcile the interests of people and tigers. In most situations, a sustainable tiger conservation strategy cannot be achieved without the full participation and collective action of individual rural households whose livelihoods depend on rights of access and use of the forests where tigers live.

- Technologies for conservation of resources There already exists a wide range of technologies and practices in forest and watershed management and agriculture, both traditional and new, for conservation of resources. The biological processes that regenerate forests and make agriculture less damaging to tiger habitats take time to become established

- Use of external institutions Institutions, such as NGOs, government departments, and banks, can facilitate processes by which local people develop their sense of ownership and commitment. When little effort is made to build local skills, interest, and capacity, people have no interest or stake in maintaining structures or practices once the incentives for conservation stop. Success hinges on people’s participation in planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, which leads to the formation of new institutions or the strengthening of existing ones

- Conservation of tiger habitat and of prey In many areas peripheral to tiger habitat, grazing lands for livestock have been converted to crops or degraded by excessive use; livestock is of poor quality and of poor productivity; wood for fuel and building has been exhausted; and sources of income are limited. The rehabilitation of the natural resource base of local people is essential if they are not to seek their requirements in protected areas. This requires ecodevelopment with the support and cooperation of specialized government organs and the non-governmental conservation community.

source

National Anthem

Republic Day

Republic Day is India’s national festival and is celebrated with great pomp and show in the capital and other parts of the country. Every year on 26 January, an impressive parade that showcase the military might of the India takes place on Rajpath near India Gate in New Delhi.

Cultural programs are an integral part of the Republic Day celebrations and artists from different states of India participate in the Republic Day Parade.
On the occasion of the Republic Day, all government buildings are illuminated. The Rashtrapati Bhawan (President’s House) in particular wears a festive look. Every year security is beefed up during the occasion of Republic Day celebrations. The city looks like a fortress with police and security agencies on every nook and corner of the city. The entry to the Republic Day Parade in Delhi is either through VIP passes Rs. 50 and 20 tickets that can be obtained from several counters opened by ITDC in Delhi.

Jai Hind

Guru Nanak

Guru Nanak is founder of the Sikh religion. His goal was to unify the Hindus and Muslims. So he studied both religions and created Sikhism, which combined the best of both. 'Sikh' means 'disciple' and Guru Nanak believed that one can evolve or achieve salvation only through direct contact with a true master or a 'sadguru'. His religion has spread not only in North India but also in America, Singapore and Africa.

Guru Nanak's Teachings

Nanak did not subscribe to blind ritualism or mindless superstitions. He believed that there was just one God, who was almighty omnipresent and all encompassing. The chanting of whose name, and a life of purity and charity would lead to freedom from the cycle of birth and death. He believed in the theory of Karma and Rebirth. He spread Sikhism to Burma, Iraq, Tibet and Sri Lanka as a message of love.

The 'Japji Sahib': 'Japji' means morning prayer. He has composed a set of poems that form the first chapter of the Sikh scripture and holy book - the Guru Granth Sahib. These poems talk about meditations and thoughts from his teachings, and serve to inspire many - a - Sikh to live a good life, following the basic principles of prayer, right living and thinking and the Unity of God and our fellow beings.


Guru Nanak passed on in 1538 AD. at the age of 70. His own son did not succeed him. Instead he chose Lelna and renamed him Angad, which means 'my own limb' to be his successor and guide the Sikhs into a new awakening.

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Ravindra Nath Tagore

Rabindranath Tagore was the youngest son of Debendranath Tagore, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, which was a new religious sect in nineteenth-century Bengal and which attempted a revival of the ultimate monistic basis of Hinduism as laid down in the Upanishads. He was educated at home; and although at seventeen he was sent to England for formal schooling, he did not finish his studies there. In his mature years, in addition to his many-sided literary activities, he managed the family estates, a project which brought him into close touch with common humanity and increased his interest in social reforms. He also started an experimental school at Shantiniketan where he tried his Upanishadic ideals of education. From time to time he participated in the Indian nationalist movement, though in his own non-sentimental and visionary way; and Gandhi, the political father of modern India, was his devoted friend. In 1913 He became the first Asian to receive Nobel Prize for literature. Tagore was knighted by the ruling British Government in 1915, but within a few years he resigned the honour as a protest against British policies in India.

Tagore had early success as a writer in his native Bengal. With his translations of some of his poems he became rapidly known in the West. In fact his fame attained a luminous height, taking him across continents on lecture tours and tours of friendship. For the world he became the voice of India's spiritual heritage; and for India, especially for Bengal, he became a great living institution.

Although Tagore wrote successfully in all literary genres, he was first of all a poet. Among his fifty and odd volumes of poetry are Manasi (1890) [The Ideal One], Sonar Tari (1894) [The Golden Boat], Gitanjali (1910) [Song Offerings], Gitimalya (1914) [Wreath of Songs], and Balaka (1916) [The Flight of Cranes]. The English renderings of his poetry, which include The Gardener (1913), Fruit-Gathering (1916), and The Fugitive (1921), do not generally correspond to particular volumes in the original Bengali; and in spite of its title, Gitanjali: Song Offerings (1912), the most acclaimed of them, contains poems from other works besides its namesake. Tagore's major plays are Raja (1910) [The King of the Dark Chamber], Dakghar (1912) [The Post Office], Achalayatan (1912) [The Immovable], Muktadhara (1922) [The Waterfall], and Raktakaravi (1926) [Red Oleanders]. He is the author of several volumes of short stories and a number of novels, among them Gora (1910), Ghare-Baire (1916) [The Home and the World], and Yogayog (1929) [Crosscurrents]. Besides these, he wrote musical dramas, dance dramas, essays of all types, travel diaries, and two autobiographies, one in his middle years and the other shortly before his death in 1941. Tagore also left numerous drawings and paintings, and songs for which he wrote the music himself.


Some Effective Quotations of Guru Dev Ravindra Nath Tagore

1. You can’t cross the sea merely by standing and staring at the water.

2. I slept and dreamt that life was Joy. I woke and saw that life was Duty. I acted, and behold, Duty was Joy.

3. Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.

4. The emancipation of our physical nature is in attaining health, of our social being in attaining goodness, and of our self in attaining love.

5. Do not say, “It is morning,” and dismiss it with a name of yesterday. See it for the first time as a newborn child that has no name.

6. Your idol is shattered in the dust to prove that God’s dust is greater than your idol.

7. I have become my own version of an optimist. If I can’t make it through one door, I’ll go through another door – or I’ll make a door. Something terrific will come no matter how dark the present.

8. We live in the world when we love it.

9. We gain freedom when we have paid the full price.

10. We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.

11. There are two kinds of adventurers; those who go truly hoping to find adventure and those who go secretly hoping they won’t.

MaharashtraBhushan - BABA AMTE

Baba Amte Murlidhar Devidas Amte was born on December 24, 1914 in Hingaighat, Wardha. "He came to be known as Baba not because he is a saint or any such thing, but because his parents addressed him by that name," reveals Sadhanatai, his wife. The seeds of social activism were sown early. Belonging to a family of brahmin jagirdars, regardless of his parents's disapproval, Baba Amte often ate with servants and played with lower caste children. As a nine-year-old, he was so moved by the sight of a blind beggar that he dropped a handful of silver coins in his bowl.

He studied law and started a lucrative practice in Wardha, but was appalled by the poverty in his family estate in the Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. He relinquished his robes and began working with sweepers and carriers of night soil.

Baba Amte with Sadhanatai He married Sadhana Guleshastri in 1946. He was touched when he saw her leave a wedding party to help an old servant. "I went to her house and told her parents that I was the suitable groom for her," he quips.

"She has been giving me a tulsi, haldi and milk concoction for years, she thinks it will make me fair," he laughs, while tai explains how good it is for his throat. Tai spends time between Anandwan and Kasrawad, and has always been at Baba Amte's side during all his campaigns.



After marriage, Baba Amte started working for those struck by leprosy outside Warora. He set up 11 weekly clinics around Warora and later started Anandwan, where they dug the lower depths of the earth in temperatures as high as 47 degrees before they found water. He took a formal course for leprosy treatment and even allowed his body to be used for an experiment to grow leprae germs. As it was ineffective, the experiment was abandoned later.

Anandwan was registered in 1951 and more land was given by the government. Two hospitals, a university, an orphanage, a school for the blind and technical wings were added subsequently. The ashram is now a self sufficient unit and more than 5,000 people are dependent on it for their livelihood.




Baba Amte on the banks of Narmada Baba Amte also launched two Bharat Jodo -- Knit India -- Movements from Kashmir to Kanyakumari in 1985 and Assam and Gujarat in 1988. His aim was to establish peace and generate environmental awareness.



The proceeds of the several awards won by him and his family, amounting to nearly Rs 15 million have been given to Anandwan. Many familiar with his work say Baba should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. To this, he has a simple answer: "Mine is a Noble Enterprise," he says ...........

Mother

Mother Teresa - The Nobel Peace Prize 1979

Mother Teresa was born Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Macedonia, on August 26, 1910. Her family was of Albanian descent. At the age of twelve, she felt strongly the call of God. She knew she had to be a missionary to spread the love of Christ. At the age of eighteen she left her parental home in Skopje and joined the Sisters of Loreto, an Irish community of nuns with missions in India. After a few months' training in Dublin she was sent to India, where on May 24, 1931, she took her initial vows as a nun. From 1931 to 1948 Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta, but the suffering and poverty she glimpsed outside the convent walls made such a deep impression on her that in 1948 she received permission from her superiors to leave the convent school and devote herself to working among the poorest of the poor in the slums of Calcutta. Although she had no funds, she depended on Divine Providence, and started an open-air school for slum children. Soon she was joined by voluntary helpers, and financial support was also forthcoming. This made it possible for her to extend the scope of her work.

On October 7, 1950, Mother Teresa received permission from the Holy See to start her own order, "The Missionaries of Charity", whose primary task was to love and care for those persons nobody was prepared to look after. In 1965 the Society became an International Religious Family by a decree of Pope Paul VI.

Today the order comprises Active and Contemplative branches of Sisters and Brothers in many countries. In 1963 both the Contemplative branch of the Sisters and the Active branch of the Brothers was founded. In 1979 the Contemplative branch of the Brothers was added, and in 1984 the Priest branch was established.

The Society of Missionaries has spread all over the world, including the former Soviet Union and Eastern European countries. They provide effective help to the poorest of the poor in a number of countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and they undertake relief work in the wake of natural catastrophes such as floods, epidemics, and famine, and for refugees. The order also has houses in North America, Europe and Australia, where they take care of the shut-ins, alcoholics, homeless, and AIDS sufferers.

The Missionaries of Charity throughout the world are aided and assisted by Co-Workers who became an official International Association on March 29, 1969. By the 1990s there were over one million Co-Workers in more than 40 countries. Along with the Co-Workers, the lay Missionaries of Charity try to follow Mother Teresa's spirit and charism in their families.

Mother Teresa's work has been recognised and acclaimed throughout the world and she has received a number of awards and distinctions, including the Pope John XXIII Peace Prize (1971) and the Nehru Prize for her promotion of international peace and understanding (1972). She also received the Balzan Prize (1979) and the Templeton and Magsaysay awards.

Mother Teresa Quotes

Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

Do not think that love, in order to be genuine, has to be extraordinary. What we need is to love without getting tired.

Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.

Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.

Even the rich are hungry for love, for being cared for, for being wanted, for having someone to call their own.

Everytime you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.

God doesn't require us to succeed; he only requires that you try.

Good works are links that form a chain of love.

I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.

I do not pray for success, I ask for faithfulness.

I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much.

I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God.

I want you to be concerned about your next door neighbor. Do you know your next door neighbor?

If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.

If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.

If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one.

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.

If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.

Mother Teresa praying to Gandhi

Mother Teresa praying to Mahatma Gandhi at his tomb in New Delhi.

A gesture which implies that the Hindu leader was saved and shares
the glory of the Blessed.

It is a behavior hardly consistent with traditional Catholic doctrine
as taught until Vatican II.

Swami Vivekananda

A spiritual genius of commanding intellect and power, Vivekananda crammed immense labor and achievement into his short life, 1863-1902. Born in the Datta family of Calcutta, the youthful Vivekananda embraced the agnostic philosophies of the Western mind along with the worship of science.

At the same time, vehement in his desire to know the truth about God, he questioned people of holy reputation, asking them if they had seen God. He found such a person in Sri Ramakrishna, who became his master, allayed his doubts, gave him God vision, and transformed him into sage and prophet with authority to teach.

After Sri Ramakrishna's death, Vivekananda renounced the world and criss-crossed India as a wandering monk. His mounting compassion for India's people drove him to seek their material help from the West. Accepting an opportunity to represent Hinduism at Chicago's Parliament of Religions in 1893, Vivekananda won instant celebrity in America and a ready forum for his spiritual teaching.

For three years he spread the Vedanta philosophy and religion in America and England and then returned to India to found the Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Exhorting his nation to spiritual greatness, he wakened India to a new national consciousness. He died July 4, 1902, after a second, much shorter sojourn in the West. His lectures and writings have been gathered into nine volumes.