41 items in this section. Displaying page 2 of 5
The Cookie
The dining table was loaded with goodies – cake, pastries, pies, halwa, laddoo and yes, her favourite cookies. Nina wanted to eat them all. The 10-year-old stuffed a couple of cookies in her mouth but the cookies tasted a little different. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t gulp them down. The dream broke at that point. Nina woke up with a start and found herself chewing on a bed sheet. She was in her dormitory bed and it was pitch dark....
When Grandma challenged British Rule
Whenever I go to my ancestral home in Nainital, I never forget to brush my hand across an engraved name-plate and feel the name on it. The name belongs to my great grandfather who used to work for the British Empire. For his loyalty, he was rewarded with the title of ‘Rai Saheb’. Having worked with the British for years, Rai Saheb gained in wealth and name. And everyone in the household feared him. Well, not exactly....
Dad and the Dog
If you happen to come across a man talking to a large, brown dog, carrying on a realtime, honest-to-god, heart-to-heart conversation, although the dog doesn’t appear to be saying very much, what would you think? Is the guy a candidate for the nut factory, has he lost what little was left of his mind, or is he just another dog owner? If he is called Mr Joshi, and his mate on the leash is called Pluto, there goes my Pop and his most precious companion....
From Heaven To Hell
Kaz Suyeishi will never forget the quiet peace of the cloudless August morning in 1945. The 18-year-old was in the front garden of her home in Hiroshima. She was chatting with a friend, when a gleam of silver in the sky caught her attention. “It looked like an angel,” she said. “It was the most beautiful airplane. It looked like heaven and peace.” From Heaven To Hell [Image Source: Darkness of a Thousand Suns: Causes, Complexion and Consequences of the Nuclear Arms Race, by Delhi Science Forum] The plane was ‘Enola Gay’, dropping the world’s first atomic bomb, nicknamed ‘Little Boy’, over the Japanese city, on August 6....
Some Animal Fathers are Great Dads too!
Most animals never even see their parents. Many never meet their fathers and some do not meet their mothers either. Some insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles hatch from fertilised eggs and face life on their own. And those animals who are raised by parents, are often reared by their mothers. But we found that there are some animal fathers who are great dads too. Catfish: A male sea catfish keeps the eggs of his young in his mouth until they are ready to hatch....
Egg Carton Flowers
There are times when you want to give a special gift to a friend or family member and want them to know that you took a great deal of trouble to make it yourself. On days when you feel like that why not try making flowers that always bring a smile to the sternest of faces! How’s this for a great brainwave – flowers made of egg cartons… Egg Carton Flowers [Illustrations by Shinod AP] The things you need:...
Why do we Get Hiccups?
Hic! You’ve just hiccuped for what seems like the tenth time since you finished your big dinner. Wonder where these funny noises are coming from? The part to blame is your diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle at the bottom of your chest, and all hiccups start here. The diaphragm almost always works perfectly. It pulls down when you inhale to help pull air into the lungs, and it pushes up when you exhale to help push air out of the lungs....
Roman Holiday
Suitcase – checked. Diary – checked. I am writing my last lines before I take off in the time machine. Time machine – checked! This time it’s going to ancient Rome at the height of its empire. Only this morning I read somewhere that when in Rome, do as the Romans do. If you want to accompany me, sit in your seat, hold the mouse firmly, and whatever you do, don’t press the escape key on your keyboard....
The Frog Prince
This frog may not be a prince, but he is certainly charming! So be ready to be wooed by this jumpimg jack’s charm. The Frog Prince [Illustrations by Shinod AP] The things you need: Paper plate Green and black paint Brush Scissors Red felt paper Green and white chart paper Glue Step 1: Paint the paper plate green....
Why Father's Day
Father’s Day, contrary to what many people believe, was not established in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. It began in the US about a 100 years ago when cards were not as common as they are now. It was started by Sonara Louise Smart Dodd who lived in Spokane, Washington, in 1909. Her father, William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was an outstanding dad. He had raised six children singehandedly after their mother died during childbirth....