Our filthy streets and dusty, drab, treeless countryside would suggest that Indians don’t worship nature. Believe it or not, vanaspataye namah was an essential part of our culture. The Rig Veda personifies various natural phenomena, revered for their power over human existence, and all through Indian literature we find respect for nature.
This was more so in rural and tribal India, where people played an active role in their conservation, making protection of the environment a sacred duty.They created their own laws, systems and taboos that ensured preservation of the ecology and environment. Any transgressions would be punished by fines and, occasionally, even banishment.
Ancient Tamil literature grouped the various geo-climatic zones into the aindu thinai or five tracts: paalai (desert), mullai (pasture), marudham (agricultural land), kurinji (hills) and neithal (coast). The deity, inhabitants, occupations, foods, settlements, music, musical instruments, water sources, plants, animals, birds and seasons of each are documented in detail. But there was also an attempt to preserve the delineated regions. For example, Palani in Tamil Nadu was kurinji and there was a conscious attempt to preserve its character. Folk songs sought to perpetuate the characteristics of each thinai. MORE
Lecture: An art of transferring information from the notes of the lecturer to the notes of the students without passing through "the minds of either".
Conference: The confusion of one man multiplied by the number present.
Classic: A book which people praise, but do not read.
Smile: A curve that can set a lot of things straight.
Office: A place where you can relax after your strenuous home life.
Committee: Individuals who can do nothing individually and sitto decide that nothing can be done together.
Experience: The name men give to their mistakes
Boss: Someone who is early when you are late and late when you are early.
Computer Engineer:
One who gets paid for reading such things......
DAWOOD IBRAHIM: The Global Terrorist
By: B.Raman, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai
Shortly after the commission of the terrorist strikes in the US on September 11, 2001, US President George Bush signed Executive Order (EO) No.13224 on September23, 2001, declaring a national emergency to deal with terrorist threats to the USA.He said in his EO: " I also find that because of the pervasiveness and expansiveness of the financial foundation of foreign terrorists, financial sanctions may be appropriate for those foreign persons that support or otherwise associate with these foreign terrorists. I also find that a need exists for further consultation and cooperation with, and sharing of information by, United States and foreign financial institutions as an additional tool to enable the United States to combat the financing of terrorism." MORE
Up Coming Events
October 30, Thursday: Introductory presentation on Ekal Vidyalaya Movement & Indicorps. Speaker: Sonal Shah, from Center for Global Development, Washington DC & Co-Founder of Indicorps. Location: Nyumburu Cultural Center, Conference Room(0120) Time: 6:45 P.M. Refreshments will be served. Flyer
November 2, Sunday: DESI Invites you all to an evening of Enchanting Odissi Dance Recital By Guru Bichitrananda Swain and Group. Date / Time: Sunday, November 2nd, 2003, 5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. Venue: The Shady Grove Campus of University of Maryland, 9640 Gudelsky Drive, Rockville, MD. Special Price from DESI: $10.00 (Regular Price: $20.00) Contact sri@cs.umd.edu or call Shweta 301-477-1881 for tickets Flyer