Thirteen Colonies of USA Prior to Declaration of Independence (Year 1776)

Until 1776, there were 13 colonial governments under the British Monarchy in the erstwhile USA.

The 13 original American colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

All these13 colonies had their own local governments and elected legislative assemblies. While ultimately under British rule, the Crown and Parliament allowed significant self-governance, with colonists heavily involved in passing local laws, managing economies, and levying taxes.

These colonies were divided into three distinct political systems based on how their governments were structured.

 

Charter Colonies

These colonies were established by a charter granted by the King to a company or group of settlers. They enjoyed the highest degree of self-governance, as they were free to elect their own governors and officials without British interference.

Connecticut

Rhode Island 

Royal Colonies

These colonies were under the direct control of the British Monarch. The King appointed the governor and a council, though the colonists still maintained their own elected lower legislative houses that controlled local spending and resisted strict British mandates. They handled local laws and taxes.

Georgia

Massachusetts

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

South Carolina

Virginia 

Proprietary Colonies

The King granted lands (colonies) to individuals and families (proprietors) as personal property. The proprietors appointed the governor, but they still established representative assemblies. The governors were required to work alongside a representative assembly of colonists.

Delaware

Maryland

Pennsylvania

References:

https://study.com/academy/lesson/colonial-government-forms-charter-proprietary-royal-colonies.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_America

Independence Day _ United States of America

Independence Day in the United States, colloquially known as the Fourth of July, is a holiday and celebration commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It marks the historic separation of the 13 American colonies from British rule, though the actual treaty acknowledging Independence was signed in 1783, in the Treaty of Paris. 

History and Significance:

Tensions and disputes began after the Seven Years' War between the British Empire and France, in which the British Forces gained victory in the year 1763. Patriots from the colonies organised themselves as the Continental Army under the command of George Washington and fought for 8 years (1775 to 1783). The war ended after the British ceded Independence to America through the Paris Treaty signed in 1783.

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson and edited by a committee that included Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, the document established the United States of America as a new, sovereign nation. 

While Congress had voted for independence two days prior on July 2, Americans have celebrated the birth of the nation on July 4th since the very first anniversary.

How Do They Celebrate 4th July?

Independence Day is widely observed as a midsummer holiday characterized by large-scale patriotic events and family gatherings. 

Common traditional involvements include: 

Fireworks and Parades:

 Communities host vibrant pyrotechnic displays, daytime parades, and concerts featuring military bands. 

Cookouts and Picnics:

Americans celebrate with traditional cookout foods such as hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob (the cooked ear of corn), and apple pie. 

Public Readings: 

The Declaration of Independence is often read aloud at civic gatherings. 

The 250th Anniversary 

On July 4, 2026, the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence. It is a year-long celebration.

This anniversary year features major commemorative events, civic campaigns, and historical exhibitions across the nation.

  

For more information: 

https://www.vedantu.com/general-knowledge/independence-day-united-states-holiday

https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Independence-Day/600437

Humidity vs Precipitation

While looking at weather forecasts, I used to wonder why the weatherman predicts the percentage of precipitation sometimes and that of humidity at other times. So, I thought of knowing the differences between these two terms. I googled on my Chrome browser and got this detailed reply from the AI.

 Humidity is the amount of water vapor (gas) in the air.

Precipitation is water (liquid or solid) that falls from the sky (rain, snow, hail) when humidity condenses and becomes too heavy. 

Humidity is the moisture content, indicating the potential for rain, and precipitation is the actual release of that moisture as it falls to Earth, a key stage in the water cycle.

Humidity 

• Definition: The measure of water vapor (a gas) in the air, indicating its dampness or wetness. 

• Measurement: Expressed as relative humidity (percentage of maximum capacity) or absolute humidity (actual mass). 

• Role: High humidity means more moisture is available, increasing the chance of precipitation, but it doesn't guarantee it.

Precipitation 

• Definition: Water falling from clouds to the Earth's surface. 

• Forms: Rain, snow, sleet, hail, drizzle, mist, frost. 

• Process: Occurs when water vapor condenses into droplets/ice, forms clouds, and these particles grow large enough to fall due to gravity. 

Key Relationship Between Humidity and Precipitation

• Humidity is the "fuel" (water vapor) for precipitation. 

• Precipitation is the "event" (water falling) that happens when the humid air cools, becomes saturated (100% relative humidity), and releases that moisture. 

What are Gnomes

I was browsing the internet in search of the relevance of Gnomes in the context of Christmas and Christianity.

Generally, a gnome is a mythological creature that lives underground, protecting some hidden treasures. We hear or read about these creatures in stories. They are dwarves, bearing white beards and wearing conical hats.

But, in spirituality, a Gnome refers to the muse and wisdom in making complicated decisions involving matters of faith and universal harmony.

Here is a detailed explanation provided by AI on the Chrome browser.

"In Christianity, "gnome" doesn't refer to the fairy-tale creature but to the Greek word gnōmē (γνώμη), meaning judgment, opinion, or mind, used in the New Testament for sound advice, discernment, or shared understanding, especially in ethical matters where Scripture is silent, highlighting reasoned decisions based on wisdom and conscience, not mere opinion. It's about making God-honoring choices in complex situations (prudence) and achieving unity in the church, distinct from earthly, fantasy creatures.

Theological Meaning of Gnōmē (Gnome) 

• Reason & Judgment: Refers to the faculty of the mind, intellect, or reason, and the judgment or opinion that results. 

• Practical Wisdom: In the Bible (e.g., 1 Corinthians 7), it's the wisdom to know what to do when direct commands are absent, guiding believers toward sanctified living through conscience and apostolic teaching. 

• Unity & Consent: Signifies agreement or consensus, like the "mind of the church," fostering harmony in decision-making. 

• Christ's Will: In theology (St. Maximus), Jesus's divine and human wills were perfectly united, meaning He never had a "gnomic will"—a human will that needs to deliberate or choose between conflicting options, unlike us.

Gnomes (Creatures) vs. Gnōmē (Christianity) 

• Gnomes (Creatures): Folklore creatures, often associated with earth, mining, and good luck (gardening), a separate cultural tradition. 

• Gnōmē (Christianity): A spiritual concept of human intellect and moral decision-making, used to understand how believers apply faith in daily life, distinct from mythical beings. 

In essence, when Christians use the term "gnome," they're usually referring to the profound concept of divinely-informed judgment and counsel, not garden figures."

The Tale of the Cracked Pot and A Lesson

Once upon a time, there lived an elderly man in a small village. Every morning, he would carry a long pole across his shoulders, hang a water pot from each end, and walk several miles to the river to fetch water for his household.

However, the two pots weren't identical. One of them was cracked, causing it to leak.

The man would fill both pots at the river. Yet, by the time he arrived home, the cracked pot would be half empty because it had leaked water during the walk.

The cracked pot used to be ashamed of its inability to perform its job properly. One day, as they were nearing their home, it spoke to the old man.

“I am very sorry. I feel ashamed because I can't do my responsibilities as well as the other."

The old man smiled and said, "Tomorrow, as we walk home, instead of feeling ashamed, please look up at the side of the path.”

The pot hesitated but agreed. As they left the river and started walking on the next day, the pot looked around the path and was amazed. On its side of the path, there was a lovely row of green plants filled with fragrant flowers.

Looking at the cracked pot, the old man explained, “I knew about your cracks, so I planted flower seeds along your side of the path. The leakage from your cracks helps water them each day. And, now, I will pick these flowers to share their beauty with the entire village.”

The lesson from this story is:

"Never be ashamed of your weaknesses and disadvantages. Instead of worrying about them, try to take advantage of them by putting them to some other different uses".

Childhood Memories - Madras City in 1960s - T Nagar and Paanagal Park

During my childhood (late 1950s and full 1960s), there was a cinema hall named "Rajakumari Theater" on the main road of Pondy Bazar in T Nagar, that screened many English films for children at concession rates. It was owned by the Original Dream Girl of the cinema industry, T.R. Rajakumari (the popular Tamil actress from 1935 to 1963). She was also a renowned singer and producer. As a child, I would watch movies with my siblings once or twice a month. My father used to send us mostly to the Noon shows on these occasions, as they were suitable for children ( and often screened at reduced rates).

Often, it was the screen of this Rajkumari Theater that drew my attention more than the movie itself. It was a golden and regal screen. I used to feel blissful watching it ripple up and down in a mesmerizing way. 

Our home was in West Mambalam, and this cinema hall was within a mile from there, accessible via Pangal Park. We could walk leisurely and reach the hall in 20 minutes. I remember watching the famous movie "Mera Naam Joker" and another beautiful film called "The Sound of Music" at that theatre. I watched Mera Naam Joker many times after that as an adult. Now, I watched "The Sound of Music" again on Hotstar at the age of 70 to relive those childhood memories.

Panagal Park used to be full of greenery with small plants and big trees surrounding grassy plots. We used to walk from the house to the park on Sunday evenings and spend some time there enjoying the beautiful scenery while eating fried groundnuts (now they call it peanuts). There was a small library inside the park for children to read comic books. We sat there till late evenings, enjoying the stories.

While going to the park or returning, we used to peek into the cloth markets and other shops in Pondy Bazar. There used to be all kinds of items, even occupying the footpaths, from clothes to footwear to jewellery, fancy, plastic, porcelain, etc.

.

Short Stories - A Rabbit and The Tortoise

 

As you are well aware, rabbits are fast runners. They can run at a speed of 30 to 40 km per hour. On the other hand, a tortoise is a slow-moving animal. Tortoises can cover anywhere between 2 to 4 km in an hour, depending on their age and build. So, tortoises are presumed to be lazy creatures.

Now, I am coming to the story of a rabbit and a tortoise.

Once upon a time, there lived a Rabbit who was very proud of her fast-moving ability. So, when she found a Tortoise that was crawling lazily near a pond, it got disgusted and resorted to shaming her pace.

The Tortoise did not despise her but proposed for a race between them. She told her that it would be of some help in improving her pace if she competed with the Rabbit. She was well aware of the mentality of proud and arrogant over-confident beings.

The Rabbit was quick enough to accept the challenge as she was overwhelmed with the Tortoise's complement.

A woody place adjacent to the pond was selected for the purpose of the race at the proposal of the Rabbit. A lengthy course was decided upon by defining a starting point and the endpoint.

The race began. The Rabbit was in a hurry to complete the task as quickly as possible. So she shot off like an arrow. The Tortoise kept on crawling at her own speed. 

After covering half of the distance, the Rabbit got tired and thought of resting for a while. So, she stopped and looked back. The Tortoise was nowhere to be seen. It settled herself under a tree till the Tortoise could be seen. She kept looking for the Tortoise repeatedly and, in the meantime, began feeling drowsy. What happened next, she had no idea. She must have fallen asleep. But couldn't estimate for how much time she had fallen asleep.

So, She suddenly began galloping to the end point of the race, only to find that the Tortoise was already there. She had to admit her defeat. 

The Tortoise was consistent in her effort to reach her destination point with full determination, and she achieved success.

The Rabbit was proud, arrogant, and overconfident. She did not follow stability in her approach due to which she failed. 

Short Stories - The Fox and The Stork

Once upon a time, there lived a very cunning and jealous Fox. He enjoyed tricking other animals and creatures, thereby harassing them. So, all animals used to maintain distance from him. 

One day, he came across a Stork fishing her food near a pond and got jealous of her long beak. She was able to catch fish easily using her long beak. Moreover, she was clever enough. He noticed her sitting still at the banks like a statue and suddenly protruded her beak into the water and grabbed the fish within its beak. He felt jealous and wanted to harass her in some way or other.

He thought of a plan and invited the stork to dine with him in the evening. The stork was happy to find a friend and accepted the offer. She dressed herself beautifully and reached the place of the fox punctually.

The fox invited her and made her sit comfortably on a bench. He then took two plates and placed them on a table, one for the stork and the other for himself. He brought a pot full of a sweet dish known as kheer and served it with a ladle on the two plates. He asked her to start eating and he began himself eating.

Now, the stark had a problem with eating. She was accustomed to eating from a long jar, and squeezing food from a jar using her beak was easier. So, she could not squeeze from a plate, as it was flat. She could grab only one grain from the plate at a time.

The fox, on the other hand, used its tongue to squeeze the food and was able to eat quickly. He emptied his plate within seconds and added more food to it. He continued eating until the pot was empty and felt very satisfied as he had managed to outsmart the stork. Outwardly, he pretended to be very sorry that the stork could not eat even a quarter plate of the kheer served to her. He made excuses for not having any jar with him. 

The stork was unpleasant and angry. But, she does not show it outwardly. She thanked the fox and went away. Inwardly, she was planning to punish the fox for his malicious behavior. 

One Sunday, the Stork visited the Fox's home and invited him to dinner. The Fox was delighted and accepted the invitation. He put on a handsome suit, tied a stylish tie, sprinkled perfume over himself, and arrived at the Stork's home on time.

The Stork greeted him and made him sit on a chair at the dining table. She told him that she had prepared a juicy pudding with fish. The Fox was eager to enjoy the taste of fish, and she knew it very well. So, she brought two long jars and the pudding without delay. She filled the jars with the pudding, placed one in front of the Fox, and requested him to start enjoying the food. She settled into the other chair, dipping her long beak into her jar and began squeezing the pudding merrily.

The fox was wondering how to eat his food. The jar was long, and its mouth was narrow. To reach it, he had to stand up on his front legs placed on the table. He could reach the mouth of the jar but could not insert his tongue into it. Unless his tongue reached the food, he could not swallow. So, he was making various futile efforts to get to the food, all in vain. He climbed onto the table itself, but even then, he could not succeed in reaching the food.

The Stork, on the other hand, was enjoying her food as her legs and beak were very long and could easily reach to the bottommost part of the jar. She also poured the remaining pudding into her jar and swallowed it within minutes. She found the Fox unable to eat even a small bit of his food. So, she took his jar also and emptied it immediately while the Fox was shivering with shame and anger.

The Stork told him that it was a Tit for Tat. She had to teach him a lesson for all his cunning deeds he played on others.

Madras City in 1960s - Sharada Devi Primary School, Mambalam Railway Station

The area around Mambalam Railway Station in Chennai (formerly known as Madras) was bustling with activity, featuring residential colonies, markets, hotels, temples, and schools. There was even a cinema hall close to my home, making it a convenient place to live. Residents had easy access to all their daily needs. The railway station was situated at the center of a 20-kilometer suburban railway line that connected Chennai Beach to Tambaram, allowing people to travel from one corner of the city to another in about an hour. We often purchased seasonal tickets, which were discounted passes issued for three or six months, perfect for regular commuters and students.

The well-known T. Nagar Bus Stand was conveniently located near both the station and my school, making it easy to access various parts of the city. Buses operated every half hour during that period, and seasonal ticket options were available for students and others. 

My Class Group Photo

I received my primary education at Sharada Devi School from grades 1 to 7, between the years 1956 and 1962. It was only a five-minute walk from my home to the school. The school featured one solid building at the front and thatched huts in the interior. Lower primary classes, from grades 1 to 4, were held in those thatched huts, which were constructed with low mud walls and roofs made of thatched leaves supported by bamboo poles. Classes for grades 5, 6, and 7 took place inside the solid building. The urinals were located at the backside enclosed by bamboo screen walls.

The above photo was taken in front of those thatched walls. I was in Class 3, sitting there to the extreme right in the middle row. 

I enjoyed the thatched structures, which provided a beautiful natural setting. The back of the school featured a large garden filled with various trees, running alongside a railway boundary wall. This made it easy to access the fruits hanging from the trees by climbing the boundary wall at points where the glass fencing was missing. (The garden was protected by placing glass pieces on top of the boundary walls.)

Our classrooms were spacious enough to accommodate 50 to 60 students. We sat on low benches with attached desks that featured drawers for storing our bags and lunchboxes. Each bench was 3 inches high and could seat four children. The arrangement consisted of two columns of benches and a total of eight rows. During teaching hours, we kept our textbooks and notebooks open on our desks. In our primary classes, we wrote with nib pens dipped in ink, while starting in fourth grade, we switched to using fountain pens.

I was promoted to 2nd Grade within six months. There was a competitive spirit among the four of us—two boys and two girls—who were all of equal ability. Typically, any two of us would share the 1st rank at any given time. We participated in debates and science exhibitions with equal enthusiasm. This continued until our 7th Grade. After that, we went our separate ways to different high schools and lost the opportunity to meet again.

I used to play games with my classmates, although not very often. We also had physical education classes and scouts training at school. During those years, I would play cricket and other games like gully danda and hide and seek with my neighbors in the evenings or on holidays.

Later, I attended Ramakrishna Mission High School at Panagal Park in Thyagaraja Nagar, where I completed my SSLC (11th Grade). The school was about a mile from my home, which I would either walk or cycle to.

My college education was completed at Vivekananda College, Mylapore (Tiruvallikeni). I studied PUC with Commerce, Economics, and Maths, and then pursued a BA in Philosophy, Psychology, and Logic.

Madras City Memories - West Mambalam in 1960s

I was born in Madras City, the Capital of Tamil Nadu.

I am a Telugu Brahmin (Vaishnava) who lived there until 1971, from childhood to College Graduation.

We used to live in a rented house in Kodandaramaswamy Koil Street. Our owner was also a Telugu Brahmin. There were two separate buildings within the walled compound. My residence was to the left side of the first building with one more portion to the right. It was an elevated floor as the area was a low-lying place prone to occasional floods. The entrance to our portions was a high platform with steps on the street. The backside has two more portions at ground level with access through a narrow lane by the side of our elevated portions. There was a small entrance gate to reach their portions from the street from our left side.

The owner's residence was in the other building to our left, which had elevated floors like ours. It was exactly two buildings with some path in between. They had rooms on the terrace also. Two families in one stretch and another two families in the other stretch. The main gate used to be that side with allowance for some parking on their Porch. It has some common ground for children to play both in the front and the backside of their residences.

The backsides of the buildings on our road had railway tracks separated by their compound walls in between them. It was the railways' boundary wall (not of the building owners). And, our toilets used to be adjacent to the wall. They were only partly covered by roofs to prevent direct sunlight or downpours from the skies. So, we had to bear the torture of flies while getting released. It was only during the late '60s that covered flushout-toilets emerged in our building.

Our building was located nearer to the end of the street. Three lanes towards the right side of the street provided access to another horizontal road passing behind the Kodandaramaswamy temple. The three lanes connected these streets from one end to the other end. And, both these streets had access to the railway track from both ends through other connecting roads that crossed railway gates leading to the East Mambalam side at one end and the Saidapet side at the other end. 

My elementary school was located at the railway gate that connected East Mambalam with West Mambalam. The Mambalam Railway Station was located at the edge of a small road in front of my school. So, we could approach the station either through the railway track or through the road in front of the school. It was a two-minute walk. My house from the school was a 6—to 7-minute walk via Kodandaramaswamy Temple.

There was a Ganesha Temple (PIllaiyar Koil) towards the left of our house and the Kodandaramaswamy Temple towards the right. We could approach the Kodandaramaswamy temple within 5 minutes from my house and Vinayaka Temple within 2, to 3 minutes. I used to visit the temples along with my siblings frequently to get the prasadam as well as spend some time roaming or playing in the temples.

The railway line always used to be busy with local (electric) trains passing through our backyard every 10 minutes. Other mainline trains also passed through the same tracks. There used to be a spare track that was interlinked with the main tracks for pausing trains to allow for the passage of the express trains without interruptions.

Just opposite the gate of our house owner's was a lane connecting another horizontal road. Both sides of the lane housed many labor-class people living in their thatched huts. The huts used to submerge in waters during heavy rains due to their low-level grounds. Their colony used to be noisy with fights, both verbal and physical.

Short Stories - A Travel Horror and One More Scary Story

A Travel Horror

I was traveling in a vehicle. Probably a flying bus.

 

A few seconds before, I was still deciding about stepping into it. And so, wandering around it. Suddenly everything seems active with lots of noise. Somebody thrust me onto the bus shouting "Get in, get in'. I barely stepped into it when it started flying. 

All the vehicles around are moving with great speed. It seems everybody is banging.

"Hey you, Mister, keep to your left. Else, you will be crashed off".

I bent to my left within a scratch of a second. Otherwise, my left shoulder could have been ripped off.

"Hey, you, are you not seeing. Your right side is going to be crushed now".

A bus passed smashing my bus from the right and I escaped within a fraction of a second as I bent toward my left.

"Hey, you! Bend, bend, bend. Your head is going to be ripped off now."

I realized that some strange machine was flying over my vehicle's top banging it heavily. I bent down and saved myself by opening my eyes!!!




Another Scary Story

I was wandering with some people through some unhygienic locality in a strange place.

Suddenly, I found myself amid hills, valleys, and dark burnt furnaces. And, I realized that my co-travelers were all strangers.

Making my way through the narrow paths in their midst, I found myself alone and scared of my surroundings.

 

At one point, I find myself needing a path to proceed further. Someone told me to slide down a steep valley to reach my further path. It is deep below and very frightful. I can lose my grip and fall into it anytime. I get much trembling at the sight. Some person offers to help me.

And, then, I find myself sleeping on my bed.

Independence Day and My Family's Connection With the Movement.

India's Independence was achieved after hundreds of years of great struggle by our forefathers from all corners of the country. It has cost many lives, much violence, crimes by the then rulers and their army forces. Millions of people have took part in non-cooperation movements and other protests lodged by our leaders headed by Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Chandra Bose, and many other great personalities. They received much support from great musicians and poets and writers also in spreading the awareness among people. Many people got inspired by these leaders and left all their work to join the movement and contributed their efforts selflessly.

My grandfather was one among those great patriots who sacrificed his family and life for this cause during the early twentieth century. He was a teacher in a village named Taallarevu near Kakinada city in Andhra Pradesh. He left his work and joined the Non-Cooperation movement started by Mahatma Gandhi during the year 1920. He actively participated and spread the movement among nearby villages. He was jailed for participating in it and one of his sons was born during that period. That child was named as Satyaagrahacharya (one who was born during the period of Satyagraha or non-cooperation). Another child born later was named as Bharat Pataakaacharya meaning one who is born during the time of Indian Flag celebration time. The Indian Flag was first designed in 1906 and hoisted in Kolkata to declare the independence of India. The designs got changed many times later on with subsequent hoisting made time and again before the tricolor flag with Dharma Chakra was adopted as the Indian National Flag in 1947.

My grandfather used to be referred to as Kakinada Gandhi by people all around those villages. But, he received no government recognition for his sacrifices rendered. He expired even before India got freedom during his 80's.

I didn't ever met my grandfather nor heard about him through my parents as I was not born then. My father never mentioned anything about his life to me or my younger siblings. My mother expired in my early childhood and my father expired when I was in College. It is only after my marriage that I learnt about my grandfather through my father's older relatives who used to come into contact with me through my mother-in-law's house. They used to tell me that he has been a great personality and donated or sacrificed everything for our country's independence thereby leaving nothing for his next generations.

There are many other unsung heroes of our country's freedom struggle like him. We are enjoying the freedom at the cost of millions of such unselfish heroes of our country. We must salute them with awe and respect.

Horrific Memories of Childhood Incidents

It was the period when I was studying in higher secondary school at Chennai. It was Summer holidays after yearly examinations were over. Those were the days when you have no responsibilities and only enjoyment You find plenty of time and no work to do.

Most of the day time was spent playing and wandering with friends. It was the season of mangoes and sapota or chiku. These fruits used to be largely grown in almost every house or garden. They were very sweet, tasteful and alluring to your eyes. Our school also had a large garden behind it along the railway line. Fruits used to hang over from trees nearer to the boundary wall from the railway line side. Children used to prick the fruits by climbing over the walls and holding the branches of trees during hot summer day times with out the knowledge of the gardener. Some times, when he noticed them he used to shout and frighten them with sticks and they used to run away.

Some days were spent wandering along the railway track from one station to another station which used to be 1.5 km apart from one another. The locality where we lived was Mambalam station. And we used to go towards Saidapet and Guindy stations which were not densely populated in those times. Mambalam was a center of the city of Madras ( now known as Chennai ). T.Nagar was located nearer to Mambalam. Guindy was nearer to Adyar where world famous Banyan Tree of enlightenment was an attractive tourist spot.


One day it happened so.
We, 4-5 children, were walking on the railway tracks engaged in gossiping. On the way there was a bridge on a stream flowing across below it. Local people used to bathe in it and washer men used to wash clothes there.We were walking over it and most of us reached the other end. But one was lagging behind and suddenly a train came from behind before he could cross the bridge. As it approached very silently, all of us were very much shocked and frightened to see it. We immediately shouted with terror at our friend who was lagging behind. He also got nervous and immediately he got hold of the side edge of the bridge and hanged down ward the bridge till the train crossed over the track to the other end. Then any how he was managed to get over the bridge by dragging him up with the help of some passers by who scolded all of us very terrifically.

 It was a very horrific moment of our lives and we never let the event known to our parents. All of us firmly  decided never again to wander along the railway tracks from that day onward. It was a great lesson for us.

The memory of it makes tremble for a moment even now.

Competition Spirit Among Children

Those were the days when I was studying in class 5 and 6. It was Mambalam locality of Madras City (now Chennai). Our School's name was Sharada Devi Higher Elementary School situated by the level crossing at Mambalam Railway Station on the road linking with T.Nagar Bus Stand. It consisted classes from 1st to 7th Standard.

Four students including me used to be toppers of our class in studies. All of us four used to get Distinction in our class. All of us were better known by our nick names than actual names among our class mates. So actual names were not remembered. The nick for me was Bhatta and the other topper boy was Mantravadi. The other two toppers were girls known as Vimla and Jyothi. The teachers liked us four and used to be proud of us.

All four of us have been class mates since beginning upto class VII. From which class we were together I am unable to recollect. But due to the group photo of our class mates as evident from this combined photo of class II and III, I am able to recollect that they were with me since class II or III or may be earlier also. But regarding the competition spirit among us, I remember that it was much during the years of our studying in class V, VI and VII.



The competition spirit was very much keen between us and each one tried his best to supersede the other three in obtaining the highest marks in each subject. And each one of us used to be very unhappy even if he got one mark lesser than the others. Mantravadi used to be more sensitive than us. The markings were some times done in fractions like 98 ⁱ/_{2 ,} 99¹/_2, 100 like this. Particularly in Maths and Science. So when he got half mark less than me or Vimla, he used to be weeping. We had to console him and tell him that he was as equally brilliant as us and we all belonged to the same rank and not to worry of a half mark or one mark But there was no jealously between us at all. All of us four used to be very friendly and go to each others' house and talk freely even with their parents also who loved us very much.

Such was the competition spirit and friendship between school children those days.

Short Stories- The Story of A Dog and The Meat

All of us know that Dogs are fond of meat of dead animals. They do not leave even the bones of them. They want to taste to the last bit of it.

A very hungry Dog was once wandering in search of food all through the day and found a piece of dry

meat at some corner of a lane. It picked it up and began to lick it very satisfactorily. Other dogs were watching everything from another corner of the lane and they began running towards our Dog barking loudly. 

Sensing danger, this Dog began running quickly to escape from them. But they did not leave. They wanted to grab the piece from his mouth and so chased for a long time. Our Dog was very fast and reached a far away canal and started running on its bridge to reach the other side. He stopped for a while and looked back. He found no chasers behind and their barks were fading away. He got much relieved.

Now, he was walking slowly looking hither thither. He looked down to the river. The water was very pure and standstill. Suddenly he got a glimpse of a dog in it. He looked again into the water to confirm. There he found a dog with a piece of meat in its mouth just like him. Seeing it, he got greedy and jealous. He wanted to grab that piece of meat also from that dog. He once again looked at it and found that dog also looking at him. He lost his senses and became very angry and shouted at the dog. Immediately, the piece of meat in his mouth lost the hold and fell into the waters of the canal and disappeared into the deep waters.

Our Dog was shocked at this happening. He lost even the one that he was having till now due to his greed.

So, one should not be greedy and behave senseless. This is the moral that we learn from this story.  

Short Stories- The story of an Arrogant Lion and The Clever Rabbit

Once upon a time, there lived a very proud and arrogant Lion in a forest (even now there are lions in forests). He used to hunt and kill animals irrespective of his hunger to spread fear among them and establish his supremacy and authority over them. All the animals were so much afraid of his tyranny and cruelty. They used to shiver on seeing him and escape from his sight. But often, they were unable to escape and fell prey to his clutches. They tried to request him many times not to kill them like that astray but in vain. They kept worrying how to get rid of him.

There was one clever Rabbit among them who used to give them good tips in all their bad times to solve their problems. All of the animals approached her and asked her help in getting rid of the Lion. The Rabbit told them not to worry as she would do something very soon to get rid of the Lion.

The next day, the Rabbit approached the Lion along with some other animals and put before him the reality that if he continued to kill all animals like this, one day he will be left with no animals to satisfy his hunger. The Lion realised this fact and began to think over it. Slowly, the Rabbit advised him that daily one animal will reach to him to be consumed as his food and requested him to keep satisfied with that one animal for the entire day and not to go to others' lives. She also made it clear that there will be no need for him to hunt and kill his prey. This appeared to be a very good suggestion and the Lion immediately agreed to it.

So, from that day onwards, one animal used to go to the Lion daily to satisfy his hunger and thereby save other animals from being killed unnecessarily. The Lion was very happy as he was not required to hunt for his prey and enjoyed the life joyfully for some days.

After a couple of days, the Rabbit's turn came to become his prey. The Rabbit was very happy to have his turn. She planned everything in advance and was in a very restful mood. She passed the time intentionally for sometime, so that the Lion may become restless and angry. Then slowly, she reached the Lion's den and pretended to be very weary and tense. The Lion was much impatient and angry.

"Where have you been all this time? Don't you know that I am getting hungry?" roared the Lion fiercely.

Rabbit replied pretending to be shivering " I started from house very early than others. But, midway, I was stopped by another Lion near an old well. He wanted to catch me and eat up. I requested him to leave me as I am going to satisfy the hunger of my king Lion who will be waiting for me with empty stomach. But he did not want to listen to me and tried to catch me. I managed to escape from him anyhow and all this late coming is the result of that incident. So, forgive me as it is not my fault."

The Lion got too much angry and shouted with terrible roaring "What? Do you say there is another Lion in this forest and he stopped you from coming to me? How could it be possible without my knowledge and how dare he stop you knowing that you are my food?"

Rabbit answered "Yes, my king. It is true. A Lion stopped me and he even tried to belittle you. But I told him that you are very powerful and will definitely kill him. But he only laughed and ridiculed."

"Show me that traitor immediately. I can't control my anger any more. I want to teach him a lesson just now. Lead me to him immediately" the Lion ordered the Rabbit.

So the Rabbit took the Lion with her to an old well which was very deep and had enough water in it and told him that the other Lion is presently inside that well.

The Lion immediately peeped into the well and found a lion just like him in that well. He was unable to know that it was only his image in the water.

Immediately he got fired up at the existence of a rival to him and jumped into the well without thinking any more to pounce upon his rival and kill him.

But LOL!!! It was only an image of himself in waters and as he jumped, it appeared as if that lion also was pouncing toward him. But, alas, finally he got no lion there and found himself drowned in the waters and unable to climb up. He roared for some time and then lost his life and died.

Hearing the news of their Lion's death, all the animals rejoiced and thanked the Rabbit for saving their lives. And the Rabbit was also happy to have saved their lives. Since then, they lived happily ever after.

Now, can you tell the moral of this story?

"It is not the size or strength of the body which matters. The strength of the mind matters".

Cleverness is greater than physical body strength.

Short Stories- The Story of A Lion and The Rat

Hi, guys!
Do you know that rats are very tiny but clever and mischievous?

Here's a story to support this fact. You might have come across it in Panchatantra or Aesop's Fables.

One day, a lion was sleeping being much tired after tedious hunting. A rat thought of doing some mischief by running over the lion in a playful mood. It was enjoyed very much, but it was careless. The lion's sleep broke out and he got much disturbed and angry with the rat. So he caught hold of the tiny rat and looked at it very angrily.

"How dare you run over my body and disturb my sleep?"- the Lion roared.

"Sorry, sorry. I was simply playing and enjoying and not thought of disturbing or awakening you" Rat replied.

"I am not going to leave you. I will kill you and eat up" the Lion roared again.

Rat was much frightened at this.
"Sorry, sorry, forgive me this one time" it prayed.

"No, why should I forgive you?" the Lion roared.

"Please, leave me this time. I promise I shall be much grateful to you and help you when time comes" the Rat requested with much fear and respect.

The Lion laughed  "You tell me you will help me when the time comes!!! Very fantastic".

"No, I am serious" the Rat replied.

"Okay, Let me see. I am leaving you for now. But next time I will not spare you" told the Lion and released the Rat to go.

The Rat thanked him again and again and went away.

After some days, the Lion was looking for his prey and wandering around. Suddenly he felt trapped in a net on the ground. He tried much to get himself out of it. But it was so strong a net weaved by some hunters to catch the Lion that he could not escape from it. He felt helpless and started roaring with pain and disgust.

The Rat happened to hear the sounds and sensed something wrong. It immediately ran in the direction of the sounds and found the Lion entangled in a trap.

The Lion saw the Rat and asked it to help him somehow. The Rat said, "Don't worry. I will set you free within minutes".

Then, it went nearer to the net and began cutting the net into pieces quickly with its sharp teeth. Within minutes, the whole net was cut into tiny pieces and the Lion was released from the trap before the hunters could return to catch the Lion.

The Lion thanked the Rat and they became good friends since that day. He allowed the Rat to play on him daily and both of them used to enjoy the days hunting and sharing their food. together.

So what we learn from this story is that we should not underestimate others by their size or physique. All are powered with some skills in their own way and can be of much use when the time comes.

Short Stories- The Demon, A Smart Boy, and Mango Pickle

Hi, guys! Come on, let me tell you a story that I used to hear from my father when I was a child.

It is the story of a fearful demon and a clever child, and how he saved his sister from the demon's captivity.

Once upon a time, there was a family living on the outskirts of a village closer to the forest. The family had five members: a father, a mother, a daughter, and two sons. The older son was 7 years old, and the younger was about 3 years old, with the daughter being the oldest at 12 years. Since they lived in that small village, they had to travel to a nearby town each month to buy essential household items.


Now, in the nearby forest, there lived a demon who often entered the village at midday when all were out on duty, and used to catch the children from the place.


One day, the family went shopping, leaving the girl alone at home. Before leaving, they instructed her to keep all doors shut and not to open them to anyone until they returned. They also told her to keep the food prepared, as they might be late in the evening. She agreed, kept the doors shut, and continued with her studies along with some kitchen work.


At midday, the Demon comes out of the forest as usual and wanders into the village. He finds the girl alone through the window, which was left open by mistake. Immediately, he breaks the window, enters the house, grabs the girl, and runs into the forest. She screams for help, but there is nobody nearby to hear her. He takes her to his house in the forest and forces her to work for him, ordering her to prepare food and do all the chores. He threatens to eat her if she disobeys his orders or tries to run away. The girl becomes frightened and agrees to do all his work.


Meanwhile, the family returns home in the evening and finds the doors open. Immediately, they rush into the house and shout for the girl. The boys also shouted for their sister but could not find her. They start weeping. The mother also weeps and asks her husband to go into the village and enquire about the girl. When the husband runs across the lanes shouting for the girl, somebody tells him that he heard his daughter's screams and saw the demon carrying her away from a great distance. The man gets frightened and reveals the fact to his wife. She begins weeping loudly, banging her head. The little boy tells her that he will go into the forest and bring his sister back, and asks her not to weep.


The parents get agitated with his words and tell the child that the Demon is dreadful, giant in size, and very powerful and cruel. They disapprove of his going there. But the little child insists on his going, saying that he and his elder brother will go to him and bring their sister back. The brother also agrees with his younger one. So the mother had to agree unwillingly and give them food to eat on the way, as it would soon be night. They take the food in their lunch boxes and leave home.


On the way to the forest, they enjoy the scenery around. The small child was very new to all this. So he kept asking many questions in his quest for knowledge about various things. Soon they entered the forest, and the sun was setting. The little boy gets very hungry and wants to eat the food. So both of them sit under a tree and open their boxes to eat.


When they opened the boxes, the boys found one filled with curd rice and a mango pickle meant for the younger one, and the other with buttermilk rice mixed with a little salt, and there was no pickle in that box for the elder one. So, the elder brother asks the younger one to give him the pickle, saying that it will be very hot because it is made with red chili powder, and that the curd rice will be very tasty without any pickle. He also tells him that it is very hard to eat buttermilk rice without some pickle. The younger one agrees and gives him the mango pickle. Then, both of them eat and continue their journey toward the demon's house.


Now, they come across some small piglets in the forest. The clever child asks his brother, "What are they, brother?" The brother tells him they are piglets. The boy says he wants them. When his brother refuses to catch them, he cries and demands his mango pickle back. The brother scolds him, saying how could he return the pickle that was already eaten. But the younger one does not accept this and demands either to catch the piglets or get his pickle back. So, the brother had to catch the piglets. He ties them with a towel and gives them to the child.


They proceed some distance where they find black, large-sized ants. Again, he asks his brother: "Brother, what are they?" Brother replies: "They are ants. If they bite, you can not bear the pain." But the younger one was determined. He demands to catch them in his empty lunch box or else return his pickle. So the elder one catches them carefully using a cloth and puts them into the box.


They set out again and traveled some distance. There, they come across a well. A jute rope hangs from the well, tied to a bucket. The boy asks what it is. The brother explains that it is a rope used for drawing water from the well. The boy says he wants the rope. The brother scolds him angrily, asking what he would do with it. But the child insists that he needs it or he will not give back his mango pickle. The elder becomes very angry but controls himself, then quietly goes to the well and brings back the rope.


They resumed the journey and were getting tired by now. Just then, an ass goes that way. The small boy again asks his brother what it is. Brother says it is an ass, and if it kicks, the bones will get fractured. The little boy says it is needed by him as he is tired and can't walk anymore. The brother again scolds him. But he would not listen and demanded the ass, or else return his mango pickle. The elder gets very irritated and shouts angrily. But the child was adamant and kept on demanding. So he has to catch the ass. Then the small boy climbs on it and asks his brother to sit on it. He sits unwillingly, and they proceed towards the demon's house.


After passing some more distance, they come across a woman selling curd in a pot. The small boy again asks his brother for the curd. They purchase the whole curd along with the pot. They keep the pot on the back of the ass, holding it carefully, and at last, they see some light burning from a house. They reached it and found it to be the demon's house.


They enter the house. The demon was out at that time, and their sister was cooking food in the kitchen. Seeing her brothers there, she becomes terribly afraid and asks them why they came. The small one tells her that they came to take her home. She becomes more alarmed and tells them that if the demon sees them, he will eat them instantly. She asks them to hide immediately in the attic of the room because the demon will be there in a few moments. So they climb up with their donkey and all their belongings and hide in a dark place.


The Demon soon arrived and demanded food. The girl immediately makes him sit under the attic, serving the food on a large plate from big giant bowls. Her brothers view the demon and those giant heaps of food from their hideout with astonishment. Meanwhile, the demon smells something wrong. He complains of a human smell touching his nose. The girl immediately replies that she is a human being, and he might be getting her smell. He thinks she is right and starts eating.


Meanwhile, the small boy in the attic tells his brother that he has to pass number one. The brother asks him to hold on for some time till the demon leaves. But he could not withhold, and it fell onto the demon's plate. He asks the girl what it was that was falling from above. She trembles for some time but immediately replies that it might be the oil placed in the attic that some mouse could have spilled. So he eats silently.


After some time, the small boy tells his brother that he can't keep silent for so long and wants to sing. The brother asks him to sing quietly inside himself. But the child starts singing loudly, and the demon shouts and asks who it is. Immediately, the boy shouts even louder, asking the demon who he is to ask such a question. The demon replies, "I am a Demon." The boy quickly responds in an even louder and harsher voice that he is a "Super Demon." Now the demon gets confused and begins wondering what a Super Demon could be.


The smart boy throws the baby pigs at the demon and shouts, 'See these lice from my hair." The demon is stunned by the size of the lice. Then the boy throws a rope at him and shouts, "See my hair." The demon becomes frightened by the length and strength of his hair. The boy then shouts again, "I want to spit on you," and empties curd from the pot onto his head. The demon starts trembling at this. Next, the clever boy puts ants into the donkey's ear, causing it to make a very loud noise due to the pain from the bites. Unable to bear the noise, the demon fears that this super demon must be very powerful and will surely kill him. Immediately, he starts running without looking back and leaves the forest forever.


Now the boys get down from the attic, and their sister embraces them and pats the little boy with gratitude and love. Then they return home, and the girl tells their parents all that happened. All of them are pleased at the little boy's cleverness and give him plenty of love and blessings and lots of gifts.

 All of them lived happily thereafter.


From this story, we can learn that wisdom and smartness are more powerful than physical strength. That is why even a small boy succeeded in driving away a giant and strong-bodied demon.


The mango pickle was simply a tool he adopted to tease his brother and get all the requirements for his smart idea of driving away the demon. Otherwise, the elder brother would not have helped him in getting all those pig babies, rope, curd, ants, and ass for his plan. Cleverness can solve any kind of problem. This is the essence of this story.


I hope all of you enjoyed this story. Kindly leave your comments below.

Short Stories- A Tale of Cunning Fox and A Clever Crow

Once there lived a Fox who was cunning and duped all others.

One day, he saw a Crow sitting on the branch of a tree and eating something, very joyfully enjoying the taste of it. The Fox grew jealous and thought of snatching it from the crow. So he planned something.

He moved closer to the tree and, looking up at the Crow, began praising her. 

He said she was very beautiful and that he had heard everyone talking about her voice being very sweet and melodious. So he asked the Crow to sing a song for him so he could also enjoy her sweet voice.

Now the Crow comes to know of the intentions of the Fox as she had heard many times from her mother of the tale of a Fox duping her by praising her in just the same way thereby inducing her open her mouth for singing a song and how the piece of bread slipped from her mouth and how the Fox caught it and swallowed it immediately fooling her.

But this Crow is not like her mother, but very clever, having been brought up in this new age, cunning world. So she thinks of teaching a lesson to that Fox so that nobody will dare to dupe others. The Fox was unable to imagine the smartness of the Crow.

The Crow takes out the cheese from her mouth and holds it tightly against a branch of the tree with her legs, then opens her mouth and begins cawing very harshly and terrifically in a loud voice. The Fox below the tree, waiting for the cheese to fall into his mouth, gets bewildered by this sudden harsh voice of the Crow and starts shivering because he cannot understand what is happening. The Crow continues her singing and cawing, and the Fox can't bear it anymore. So, he runs away from there as fast as he can, full of fear, without looking back, and never returns to that place.

From this story, you can learn that if one tries to deceive or dupe others, there will be more cunning and smarter people to teach him lessons.

Earth Revolving Around Sun

SUNDAY, 24 FEBRUARY 2013

Earth Revolving Around Sun - A Lay Man's Perception

All of us know that Earth revolves around the Sun. But most of us may still be having some doubts and random thoughts  as to the process and out comes of these revolutions and variations in days. Even now we use words like Sun rises, Sun sets, etc. even though all of us know that it is not rising of Sun.







 What happens is the Earth is slowly turning towards Sun and it is turning from west to east. As the Sun becomes visible we say Sun is Rising. And at evenings Earth is turning towards west from east side. So the portion of Earth that was in east now becomes slowly dark and there will be night as it turns towards west side. The portion that was in the west will now be getting towards east and facing Sun. So it will be day time for that portion of the world. That is how when it is day time in India it is night for U.S. and vice versa.

But why Sun is rising? How does it rise from below Earth to above and at mid-day appears on our heads? How is it possible? When Earth is turning towards Sun which is already there, it should appear in front of us and should remain there through out the. But the reality is Earth is turning towards Sun from west to east rolling in such a way that it appears as if Sun is rising upward whereas it is the Earth rolling upside to bottom wards. It is just like you revolve in a Giant Wheel. When you are in a giant wheel you can experience that while you are coming down, the objects in front of you appear to be moving upwards whereas it is not so. It is only you that are moving downward and all objects are intact at their own position. In this same manner, when you are at a point of the Earth and rotating upward to downward, you experience Sun to be rising in front of you.That is how Sun rises in our lay man's view point.


When earth is rotating all the people, animals, birds and rivers and seas and everything on it are also turning and rotating along with it from east to west and west to east. How is it possible? It is because of the gravitational force of the Earth. There is a central gravitational point and magnetic field around the Earth which holds every thing in position during its rotations. So every thing remains in its own position during these rotations and nothing gets disturbed.


Now, one more thing. The Earth is not absolutely round in its shape. It is oblate spheroid in shape. Rotating on its own axis the Earth is revolving around the Sun also. To complete one such revolution around the Sun it takes 365. 25 days roughly. And when rotating around itself, Earth is not rotating perpendicularly. It is rotating at a tilted axis of 23.5 degrees roughly tilted towards celestial plane. Further it is revolving around Sun in an oval shaped orbit known as elliptical orbit. Due to this reason Earth is placed sometimes nearer to Sun and at other times farther.


 These variations in distance of Earth from Sun and the tilted axial rotation of the Earth and its oval shaped revolution around Sun all contribute for the seasonal variations in any year. When Earth is nearer to the Sun and gets direct rays from Sun, it is Summer and when Earth is farther from Sun and the sun rays are falling slantly on Earth it is cold or Winter, and like wise. These same factors contribute for the differences in the lengths of days and nights and variations in seasonal changes also.


Note: Images copied from Google images.