36 items in this section. Displaying page 2 of 4
Saraswati River in the Thar Desert
The vedas mention the mighty Saraswati river flowing down the Himalayas and then westwards towards Rajasthan. But Rajasthan is a desert. So where did this huge river, which the vedas say was bigger than the Ganga, disappear? It is widely believed that this river still flows under the Thar desert, though no one has been able to prove this for sure. Even the epic Mahabharata, written in 1000 BC, mentions Saraswati as the once-mighty river that was drying up....
The Yellow River
October 21: The Yellow River has been called the cradle of the Chinese civilisation, just as the Indus River made it possible for the ancient Indian civilisation of Harappa and Mohenjodaro to flourish, the Tigris and Euphrates gave birth to the Mesopotamian civilisation (now in Iraq), and the Nile gave birth to the Egyptian civilisation more than 4000 years ago. The magnificent river runs 4345 km, and is second only to the Yangtse river. Called China’s sorrow because of its tendency to overflow and change its course, till date it has overflowed 1600 times and changed its course 26 times, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of people....
Banaras The Eternal City
City of many names, Banaras as it is most commonly called, was officially renamed in 1956 as Varanasi, a name from antiquity. It was first known as Kashi, the city of light, when it was the capital of the kingdom of the same name about 500 BC. For over 2000 years, Banaras the eternal city has been the religious capital of India. Built on the banks of sacred Ganga it is said to combine the virtues of all other places of pilgrimage and anyone who ends their earthly cycle here is said to be transported straight to heaven....
Bunty Rabbit Runs a Race Again
Bunty rabbit hopped home angrily. “What happened?” asked Mama Rabbit. “No school today?” “Why did great-great-great-great-great grandfather lose the race against the tortoise?” shouted Bunty tearfully. “Everyone laughed at me when Ma’am Owl told us the story.” “Great-great-great-great-great grandfather rabbit was a proud rabbit,” said Mother Rabbit sternly. “He was always boasting and never even thought once that someone could outsmart him. That day, the tortoise did.” Bunty Rabbit Runs a Race Again “Slow and steady won the race!...
Save rivers, lakes from worshippers
Before every Ganesh Chaturthi, people from across India, especially Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Orissa, get busy with preparations for celebrations. But, as the momentum of activity increases, officials of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) start feeling queasy in their stomachs. For, though festivals like Ganesh Puja and Durga Puja are a time for fun, it is also the time when rivers and lakes around the country are abused. Unlike in the past when the idols of gods and goddesses were made of ordinary colours and plain clay that dissolve in water easily, without causing widespread pollution, now they are made of plaster of Paris, distemper, plastic paint, dyes, metallic powders, adhesives, varnish, fluorescent powders and oil paints, which can have an adverse effect on the eyes, skin and respiratory system....
Where is the Rare Blind Dolphin Found?
What comes to mind at the mention of Varanasi? The peals of temple bells in this ancient pilgrim town; people performing puja at the ghats and elsewhere; bodies being cremated at the banks of the river Ganga. Do dolphins come to mind? Dolphins?! That happy looking performing artist which looks more like a shiny inflated balloon toy? Yes, and this freshwater dolphin is a rare specie, found in Indian and Pakistan – in the Ganga and in the Indus....
A Crocodile Named Rain Cloud
A folktale from Myanmar Once upon a time there was an old fisherman Ye Myint and his wife Aye Aye Se who lived by the river Irrawady. Every day they cast their net and caught fish, which they sold at the local market. The old man and his wife did not have any children. One day while fishing as usual, Ye Myint cast his net and waited for the catch. He was surprised to get only an egg....
River Talk
The rivers were a disgruntled lot. They had started out as tiny clear streams high up in the mountains and meandered through valleys and plateaus and plains. Their waters had swollen up during monsoons and had then reduced to a trickle during summer. But on the whole, they had flourished. And now, at the end of their journey, they had to merge with the sea. They would lose their precious freedom forever. River Talk [Illustration by Shinod AP] And yet, they couldn’t stop themselves from flowing, could they?...
The Emperor and Hawai Elephant
It happened more than 400 years ago. Mughal emperor Akbar was very fond of taming elephants and riding them. Hawai was the most magnificent elephant in the royal stable. Despite his huge size, the male elephant was a swift runner. He was as quick in losing his temper. Even the best riders had problems getting on to him; the thought of making him take part in a fight was unthinkable. And that was a challenge Akbar simply could not refuse....
The Rumour
“Bajai,” as we called grandmother, was the best storyteller in the whole world, says Madhu Gurung. She lived in the foothills of Mussoorie in a tiny village called Johri Gaun. And she always started her stories with a saying, “To the listener a garland of gold, to the storyteller a garland of all forest flowers and this tale that I tell you today will be heard in heaven.” Here Madhu Gurung presents one of the many stories that she heard from Bajai in her childhood....