Tulips - The Vibrant and Elegant Flower

Tulip is a perennial( long lasting) plant that belongs to the family Liliaceae and it is believed that Tulip has around 150 species.. Tulip is native to Southern Europe, North Africa, Iran, Japan and Central Asia.. Tulips are always known for its vibrant colors, simplicity and elegance..That's what attracted me indeed..

If you are eager to know the history and meaning of Tulip flowers, check the following links :
proflowers.com/guide
buzzle.com/articles

Apart from their original species, many hybrid species are cultivated in some gardens and fields..Tulips are well adapted to the hilly, mountainous areas with moderate to cool temperature.. I have read somewhere that Tulips can be grown successfully in places where their altitude range from 1300 to 3000 feet high from sea level.Tulips are kept dormant for a while so as to enrich their growth.. As I surfed on the Internet, I have found a term called 'vernalization' , while mentioning about the growth of Tulips.. Vernalization is the phenomenon of cooling a seed during germination for accelerating their growth when it is planted..Tulips are one of the most famous spring flowers  in the world.. As we have seen before, Tulip has 150 species and it also has 3000 varieties.. Tulips are available in number of vibrant colors such as Red, Pink, Purple,White, Yellow, Orange and many more.. They grow at an average height ranging from 10 cm to 70 cm..

Tulips can be classified based on their blooming.. Some of the notable types of Tulips are,

*Early flowering Tulips
(They blossom in the period of March to early April- comprising Red Emperor, Water Lily
and Greigii Tulips ),
*Midseason Tulips
(They blossom in the period of April and early May - comprising Swan wings Tulips, Parrot Tulips
and Darwin Tulips)
*Late flowering Tulips
(They blossom in the period of May alone - comprising Rembrandt Tulips Fringed Tulips)

Tulip Cultivation in India :

           In India, Tulips have certainly gained more admiration among the floriculturist(The cultivation of flowering and ornamental plants) on the account of congenial climate in the hilly areas, especially in places like Kashmir . Asia's largest Tulip Garden, 'Indira Gandhi Memorial Garden' aka Siraj Bagh is located in Zabrawan range , Srinagar, Kashmir. It is where the annual Tulip festival is organised. As this garden is located in the shores of the Dal lake, tourists who arrive to enjoy the Dal Lake drive never miss this Tulip festival where these elegant Tulips are spread over 5 hectares of land. This Tulip festival is organised during the months of March and April annually. This year the Tulip festival 2013 was organised from 1st of April to 14th of April. These Tulip flowers can be witnessed in full bloom for 15-20 days depending upon the temperature.

Here are some pictures of Tulip festival 2013 in Kashmir :

                                                                                    

                    

                                           





                                                 

Images Courtesy  : Jet-ways travel in Facebook


Check the following link for some more wonderful Tulip pictures :

lightstalking.com/tulips

I was planning to post this just before the start of the festival but it got delayed due to some technical problems. If you get the chance to tour here never miss the Tulip festival next year.

Have Colorful and Blessed days ahead :)
Thanks for reading.

Stupendous values of Bael Tree

Bael (Aegle marmelos) - one of the prominent indigenous(native) trees of India. But now it is widely found in Southeast Asia. The Bael tree is considered to be a sacred one in India. The Bael leaves are used as holy offerings to Lord Shiva traditionally. It has been used by the Indians over 5000 years. It is believed that the Bael tree has originated during the vedic period(about 2000 B.C - 800 B.C) and it was mentioned in the  Yajur veda. It is believed that having this tree in our surroundings purifies and cleanses the environment. The Bael tree has stupendous medicinal values. They are one among the top ten herbs that are frequently used in Ayurveda. Almost all parts of this tree including root, stem, leaves and barks have medicinal values.
Click here to know more on sacredness of Bael tree.

Nomenclature :

Scientific Name     :   Aegle marmelos

Tamil Name          :   Vilvam (வில்வம் )

Sanskrit Name      :   Bilwa / Sirphala

Hindi Name          :   Sirphal

English Name       :   Wood apple / Stone apple / Bengal Quince

Common Name   :   Bael


Here's an image of the Bael tree sapling that I took at Sai Baba Temple, Mylapore, Chennai :

Another notable feature of Bael Tree is that they can withstand wide ranges of temperature, soil types and water logging. This holy tree can be planted in any type of soils having a pH range of 5 to 10. They bear the temperature ranging from -7 degree Celsius to 48 degree Celsius. Hence in India, it is believed that this tree can grow at places where other trees can't be grown and once planted they need just a little care. They can bear drought even for long periods. Being a sacred tree, the Bael trees are mostly found in the temple grounds. Only few people plant this tree in their gardens. The Bael trees are medium sized trees of height ranging from 8 to 18 meters. It has greenish-white flowers. The Bael fruits are hard and woody with smooth pulp. The fruits takes up to 11 months to ripe on the tree.


Images of Bael Tree and fruits from the Internet :

                                                                      

Medicinal values of Bael Tree :

As we read before, almost every parts of this Bael tree possess stupendous medicinal values. The Bael fruit has an immense value when it is about to mature.

             >* The half-ripe or unripe pulp of the Bael fruits are considered as stomachic. The oil from the Bael tree can be used against 21 types of bacteria as per research.

             >* As per Ayurveda,diarrhea and dysentery without fever can be cured using dry Bael fruit. and it acts as a tonic for heart and brain. It is also used for curing tuberculosis.

             >* The Bael leaf extracts are used to control the blood cholesterol levels. They are believed to be more effective in decreasing the cholesterol levels when compared to modern medicines.

             >* It is also said that the Bael leaf extracts can reduce diabetes to an extent. After some researches, it has been proved that the Bael leaf extracts have reduced blood glucose levels up to 54 %.

             >* Peptic ulcer can be cured by concoction of Bael leaves.

             >* Leaves, bark and root of the Bael tree are used in the treatment of snakebite.

             >* The ripe Bael fruit is also used to cure constipation and gastrointestinal problems. And it is used in many other ways for respiratory problems.

Note :  Do not follow or try this voluntarily.Kindly consult doctors or experts before consuming.

Some more facts on Bael Tree :

              As I read up on the internet the Bael fruit can be consumed like other fruits either when they are fresh or dried. They can also be made into juices as like lemon juice. The small shoots and leaves are used for green salads. It is said that the fruit also has some binding qualities which are used along with lime plaster for making water proof wells and mixed with cement for building walls in rural areas. It is good to know about these facts as I read on internet and would be nice if adapted everywhere. Then another interesting fact is that the Bael fruit pulp is added to the water colors by the artists to apply as a protective coating on their paintings. The Bael fruit is also used in the preparation of candy, pulp powder, nectar, toffee, slab, squash and many more.

               
Thanks for reading.

The Liebster Blog Award

Hi everyone.. First I would like to thank Lakshmi Venkataraman and Deepak Raghuraman for giving me this award.. This is my first ever Liebster Blog Award and got from two.. Thanks friends...I dedicate this award to God, parents and to all my well wishers..

Liebster is a German word which means 'dearest', 'sweetest', 'lovely', 'pleasant', 'valued', 'welcome' and many more.. As I was unaware about this award, I searched about it in Google and found its meaning..

The liebster award is given to the upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers..
Now here are the rules for this award :

* Each person must post 11 things about themselves..
* Answer the questions that the tagger set for you..
* Choose 11 people and link them in your post..
* Set 11 questions for those 11 people you tagged for answer..
* Go to their page and tell them..
* No tag backs ..

Rule *1, Here are 11 things about myself :

1- I'm basically a nature admirer..Love my family,friends, close ones..They mean a lot to me.. Friends are my world indeed..
2- I believe that whatever and whomever we face in life are gifted to us by God , even the struggles are sent our way to build and strengthen ourselves..
3 - I love to be unique and I'm..
4- I love cricket and a huge Dravid fan..He is one of my inspiration.. I like other sports too, such as hockey, badminton, football, carom and chess.. But cricket is my favorite.. In general I believe sports teaches a lot to an individual on aspects like being fit and relaxing the mind..
5- I'm passionate about journalism.. I love writing and reading.. I like reading adventures, novels, biographies and spiritual books..
6- Love listening to Music, especially melodies..It eases off all the stress..
7 - My favorite colors are Lavender, all shades of blue and pink..
8 - I love home made foods especially my Mother's veg.biriyani and chapatis with variety of side dishes.. Despite this, I like eating outside with my family and friends at different places..I love cooking new recipes and learning little from the best chef- My mother :) ..
9 - One of my ambition is to be a part of some social causes and non-profit organisations that serves people and our environment.. Hoping to do it in action soon..
10 - I love photography and  travelling(especially long-distance travels).. It paves the way for admiring our paths to the destination.. As I heard it somewhere, the paths are more beautiful than the destination..
11 - Last but not the least, I'm here in this world to achieve something for what God has created me and I'm on the way to reach it.. I love the paths I traveled till and yet to come.. Everything is gifted by the Creator..

Thanks for spending your valuable time..
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rule *2 - Answer the questions set for you by the taggers :

* Here are my answers for Lakshmi's questions :

1. Euthanasia is illegal in India. Do you support it ?

  No I do not support it.

2. East, West, North and South are the directions which have been named so by man for convenience; If given a chance to change what will you change it to ?

I wish they remain the same..

3. Will social media interactions replace personal contact in the future ?

I don't think so.. My point is that all individuals have to make an effort not to sink personal contact because of social media as we may miss the livelihood..It matters on how well we manage and it depends on priority too..

4. If you could talk with one author/poet/writer/photographer/cook(any one) who would it be ?

Nice question..There are many to mention.. The first one who comes to my mind is Barkha Dutt..Then others  to be mentioned vitally are C.Gopinath, Lakshmi Sharath, Sudha Umashanker and Rahul Dravid..

5. Why do you blog ?

To be honest, I started blogging just as a pass time and to know about it, slowly I realized its worth and I feel its a great platform to create awareness and share our views to our people around the world..

6. Is sarcasm healthy ?

I don't think it is always healthy..

7. Does the dress one wears, music they listen to, people they hangout with etc etc, define what their character is ?

Yep it defines one's character to an extent.. Actions do speak more than anything..

8. What is the most beautiful place on earth ?

Its my Home sweet home :) and all scenic places..

9. What will your super-power be, if you were in a position to acquire just one super power ?

I would go for dedication, sturdy and determination to be a super-power..

10. Which is the best place to be in Chennai and at what time, season is it ?

Tough to pick one.. I would say Chennai would be at its best in December as Margazhi Utsavam,Christmas and New year were lined up at Mylapore, Alwarpet and Annasalai.. Then don't miss the Theosophical society for its natural beauty and The Elliot's beach.. There are number of streets in Parry's where you can shop for everything and T.Nagar shopping also to be mentioned..

11. What do you think Chennai is best for ?

Chennai is best for its Traditional culture and heritage, integrity of people from various places and its traditional foods..
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are my answers for Deepak's questions :

1. What is the most happiest moment day in your life and why ?

Its hard to pick one... Time spent with my family, friends, close ones makes me happy always..

2. Who is the one person who inspires you most and why ?

Obviously my Mother comes first here.. She inspires me in all the way she is.. Then it is Barkha Dutt and Rahul Dravid..

3. How you want to see yourself in the next three years ?

Nice question.. I would be doing my dream job and accomplish my goals on both personal and social front..

4. If you have given an opportunity to create and implement one social awareness campaign, what would it be ?

Well, It would be an 'Environment awareness programme' and 'Education for all' campaign..

5. What is the best blog you have ever read (can restrict to blogs of CBC members) ? 

I would choose 'A travel blog of an Indian Backpacker' by Lakshmi Sharath..

6. Education or Experience - What would you vote for ? You should select one and tell why ?

I vote for Education here.. As Education brings you all awareness, it also gives you experience..

7. You are given a option to have a conversation with one person, who is no more. who will you choose and why ?

I would like to speak with my Grand father(My Mother's dad) who is no more, I lost him when I was 12 years old.. He will be so affectionate on me and he will be proud to see me now..

8. What did you want to be when you are a child and what you are now and what you want to be in future ?

I just wanna be a good Human-being always..

9. Make a rhythmic prefixes for the 7 days  of week ?

It would be Scintillating Sunday , Majestic Monday, Triumphing Tuesday, Wondrous Wednesday, Twinkling Thursday, Fabulous Friday, Speedy Saturday.

10. What is the Best and Worst in Blogging ?

The best part is you get a platform to share on whatever you want people to be aware of, the worst part is when it gets unnoticed..

11. If a movie was made about your life, what would be the title for the movie and who will you choose to play the lead role ? 

I would give a title as 'On the paths of my Journey' and I would choose one of my close friends to act in it..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rule *3 - Here are the 11 bloggers I choose for the Liebster award :

1. Abhinav R
2. Jahid Akhtar
3. Vishal Rathod
4. Jeena R. Papaadi            
5. Chitra 
6. Incredible Tirunelveli
7. Devharsh Trivedi 
8. Ashish
9. Depopam
10.Deepa Iyer
11.Rupam sarma

 Rule 4 - Here are my questions for the 11 bloggers I chose :

1. What blogging means to you ?
2. Your favorite hangout in your city ?
3. If you are given a position of authority in our country, what change you will bring in and on which field you would give prime importance ?
4. Share your views on child labor.. Do you think that child labor has been eradicated ?
5. What is your favorite musical instrument ?
6. Test cricket examines a player more accurately than the shorter versions.. Whats your take on this ?
7. Do you think that our environment(trees, forests etc) is conserved properly, what would be your part in conserving the environment?
8. What brought you to blogging and when ?
9. Citizen Journalism - your views on it ?
10. What is your most memorable moment in life ?
11. Name your favorite city other than your own..?


Thanks for reading and Best wishes to all !!!! 

A Special note on Women's Day

Here I first wish you all a Happy Women's Day .. I would thank God for all the Women in my life, right from the women I met first , my beloved Mother and for all my friends, sisters, motivators, well wishers and to all the inspiring women all over the world.. Women are almost part of every field today and not just a part, but even great inspiring achievers..They don't get there so easily..Women in today's world are presented with much more responsibilities compared to previous decades..They are in a situation to prepare themselves to handle the balance between both their family and society..Each and every one face their own battles, competitions and challenges everyday..To be a women it requires a lot of patience, sacrifice, more understanding and above all to be a pillar of support to her people around.. She may be tough sometimes, but her real nature is innocence and tenderness.. Its all about how she is handled.. Our Mother Nature resembles the way of being a Women.. She protects, cares , serves and bears you..But she opens up on how she is handled..Hereby I Salute all the women who are facing their lone battles everyday..

First I would like to Salute Damini , a 23 year old girl from Delhi for her Braveness on the will to live her life in-spite of the disaster happened to her.

There were many inspiring women we have known in our country, here I would like to share on some :

Homai Vyarawalla - India’s first woman photojournalist, Homai Vyarawalla took the first picture  of her career at the age of 26 in 1938. She has worked for the Illustrated Weekly of India and by  clicking some historical pictures herself became a historical figure.

Sarojini Naidu The governor of erstwhile United Provinces, Sarojini Naidu became the first Indian woman to  be made the Governor of a state when Indian attained independence fromBritish rule on  August 15, 1947. Sadly she breathed her last barely two yearsafter that. She was also the first  Indian woman to become the president of the Indian National Congress in pre-independent India.

Vijay Lakshmi Pandit She was not only the first Indian but also the first woman president of the United Nations General  Assembly in 1953. Besides, Pandit had served as envoy to the USSR before her appointment  to this coveted post. Vijay Lakshmi was the younger sister of ex-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

I B Joshi The first woman IAS officer of independent India, Isha Basant Joshi was postedas Magistrate  and then as Assistant Commissioner in Delhi, followed by herappointment as Commissioner- cum-State Editor of District Gazette. She retired in 1966. The sad part  of her life is that at the ripe age of 96, thelady is spending her last days in the dingy  servant quarter of her already sold out ancestral house.

Sucheta Kriplani First woman Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in independent India in 1963, Sucheta was a freedom fighter as also one of the few women who were elected to the Constituent Assembly and was part of the subcommittee that drafted the Constitution of free India.

Indira Gandhi First woman Prime Minister of independent India in 1966, Indira was the daughter of the   country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. She was PM for three consecutive terms from 1966 to 1977 and for a fourth term from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. With  the Green Revolution that made India a food exporter to the White Revolution that  aimed at combating malnutrition, Indira’s tenure was also tainted by her clamping of  Emergency due to which her career suffered a serious setback.

Kiran Bedi Breaking the shackles of the male-dominated Indian Police Service, Kiran Bedi became  the first woman IPS officer of India in the year 1972. She hasworked with the United Nations as the Police Advisor to the Secretary General.Bedi has also received the  Ramon Magsaysay Award when she was the IG of Tihar jail. Prior to joining the civil services, Kiran was an Asian tennis champion. Bachendri Pal This bold Indian from the North-East braved the onslaught of an injury to become famous as the first Indian woman who successfully surmounted  the highest mountain peak Mt Everest in 1984. She was also the fifth woman of the world to have achieved  this remarkable feat. Kalpana Chawla First India-born woman to enter space in 1997, Kalpana Chawla’s life ended tragically when while returning from her second mission for 16-days, her space shuttle  Columbia disintegrated and killed the 41 year old astronaut Mary Kom our-time world champion M C Mary Kom is the first woman boxer to be honored  with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, She is also the first boxer along-with Vijender  Singh to be awarded the same. The Manipuri girl also won the Arjuna award in 2004  before being conferred with the Padma Shri a couple of years later in 2006. She is  also the International Boxing Association's Ambassador for women's boxing. Saina Nehwal She is the latest woman sports sensation and has proved that hard work can take  you anywhere. Saina is World No 2 in badminton and has scored victories over higher  ranked players in the past. Fathima Beevi The first woman judge of the Supreme Court, Fathima Beevi was also the first one to be appointed as a judge of the apex court in the whole of Asia. It is an achievement or an Indian woman and a feat indeed for a Muslim woman during 1989. Her accomplishment lay in the fact that she facilitated the entry of other women in the apex court. Pratibha Patil In 2007, Pratibha Patil became the country’s first woman President. Prior to this she  was also the first woman governor of Rajasthan from 2004-2007. What is noteworthy is  that she has never lost an election that she has contested. Meira Kumar In 2009, Meira Kumar became the country’s first woman and also the first Dalit Speaker of the Lok Sabha and was elected unopposed. An IFS officer by profession, Meira was a Cabinet Minister in the Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment in 2004-2009.  Meira is a five-time Lok Sabha MP. Naina Lal Kidwai The first Indian woman to graduate from the Harvard Business School, Naina Lal Kidwai was appointed as the country head of HSBC (India) this year. Kidwai was bestowed with the Padma Shri in 2007and was alos in WSJ’s list of world’s top 50 businesswomen. Not only this,the woman was listed as one of the 15 global influentials of 2002 by Time magazine. Information Courtesy : zeenewsindia.com                     Cherish our Mother Nature and all the Women in your life :) Happy Women's Day to all :)

Solitude with Nature

              

Solitude  is the state of being alone or a state of isolation, this is the meaning you could see in a dictionary.. But if you ask me, I would say solitude is somewhat connected with Nature..Its not about loneliness, its about spending some time alone with your inner self through God and with what God has gifted us(i.e.nature)..When solitude is merged with Nature, you could find your way in defining and discovering more about your inner soul.. You could discover your prime purpose in this world.. As said by Thomas Browne, 'All things are artificial, for nature is the art of God'.. You can never ask for more, when God has already gifted us with his own beautiful creations which serves us in many ways.
     
 -*    "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.." - John Muir

 -*    "Solitude is essentially the discovery and acceptance of our uniqueness" - Lawrence Freeman
  
  -*     "I love people. I love my family, my children… but inside myself is a place where I live all and alone and that's where you renew your springs that never dry up " - Pearl S.Buck

  -*     "Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.. " -John Lubbock

In solitude one can quest for true intentions.. It helps to face our fears, to pray for our family, our loved ones whom we miss and it also helps in restoring our energy to make our-self ready for our next assignments..It heals all our misunderstandings, broken hearts and more than that makes us to realize what we are and what are ought to do.. God has set a best way to understand our-self through solitude..If you closely observe our environment, you could witness many lessons that God has in store for us.. It starts from the busy working ant,honey bee to the magnificent mountains, each and every creatures in our environment stay as an example for us..It is proved by some researchers that if you closely observe the nature's greeny environment you can conquer your stress.. Its absolutely a stress-buster. Whenever you feel stale, just have a gaze or walk with Nature, its consequence would definitely be euphoric..

Here's a video that I have created for solitude with Nature :

Have some time in solitude to discover , to renovate and to restore your energies back..  Enjoy the Nature..

Thanks for reading..

Significance of planting Native trees

Native Trees - 

                      Native trees or native plant is a term used to mention the indigenous species that belongs to a particular geographical region. That is, it is said to be a well adapted species in its habitat. Native trees are special since it is well adapted to local soil and climatic conditions. Native trees can withstand the local diseases as they are adapted to defense on their own. They hardly need a human assistance. 

Merits of Native trees over non-native trees :

                     Native trees are well known about the defense methods they need to carry on against its diseases. Whereas non- native trees are unaware of the insects that affect,climatic change and soil type. Native trees as planted once require less maintenance as they are aware of the habitat, whereas non-native trees require more maintenance to adapt their conditions in a different habitat. Native species are aware of the available resources in their habitat and they grow on the account of its measure, whereas non-native trees which have no knowledge of the resources demands more when they are in need. For an instance, non-native trees may be in need of more water supply in an habitat where only limited water supply are available.
Native trees helps in maintaining the balance in the ecosystem. Native trees evolve themselves as they provide food and shelter for the insects, birds and animals of that specific habitat.

All these facts doesn't mean that only native trees should be planted, also non-native trees has some new hybrid varieties that adapt to all conditions, but the fact is Native trees are more active and beneficial than non-native trees. Hence Native trees must be planted more for conserving the biodiversity as they do not cause any harm to the environment.

Here's a link of an article from 'The-Hindu' newspaper which portrays that Native trees are less prone to  the natural calamities than non-native trees :

>* http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper

It would be unfair if i fail to mention native trees of India. In India trees are often meant to associate with wisdom and immortality.  The national tree of India is Banyan tree aka Bodhi tree. As i have heard the Banyan tree that is located at the Adayar Theosophical society, Chennai is one of the world's oldest banyan tree and it is said 450 years old. Lets have a deep note on it in the posts to come in future. Now coming back to the native trees of India, they are known for their majesty and opulence.


Here's the picture of Banyan Tree that I took at Auroville, Pondicherry aka Puducherry

Banyan Tree

Here's the list of some of the Native tree species of India :

                                                           * Banyan tree(National tree of India)    
   

                                  * Mango tree,                * Arjuna tree,        * Ashwagandha,          

                                  * Peepal tree,                 * Aloe vera,          * Eucalyptus,
                                  * Neem tree,                  * Tulsi plant,          * Tumeric plant,
                                  * Asparagus,                  * Amla plant,         * Tamarind tree.

Some of native trees of Tamil-Nadu are :
                          Palm trees, coconut trees, rosewood trees, Indian coral tree, Tamarind etc.,.


Plant more Native trees to enrich and conserve our Mother earth.. Do share about this with your people around..

Thanks for reading..