महाकाल और अवंतिका

शिव

शिव- यानि शुभ एवं कल्याण करने वाला | हमारे देश में शिव जी को कईं अवतारों में पूजा जाता है जैसे- भोलेनाथ, श्री नटराज, अर्धनारीश्वर आदि, परन्तु रूप चाहे जो भी हो भक्तों की आस्था सदा एक ही रहेगी | वैसे तो शिव अजर-अमर है जो श्रृष्टि की रचने से पहले भी थे और बाद में भी रहेंगे, परन्तु शिव जन्म से जुडी काफी मान्यताएं प्रचलित है, जिनमे से एक के अनुसार शिव का जन्म गाय के कर्णों (कानों) से हुआ था और आज यह स्थान गोकर्ण नाम से जाना जाता है, जो कर्णाटक में स्थित है | 

शिव अविनाशी, त्रिकालदर्शी, आदियोगी, और कालों के काल महाकाल है | शिव वो है जो समय से परे है, और शिव जी का यही अनुपम रूप मध्य प्रदेश के अवंतिका नगरी अर्थात उज्जैन में 'महाकालेश्वर' अवतार में विद्यमान है | यह ज्योतिर्लिंग अपने आप में काफी विशेष है, यह एकमात्र शिवलिंग है जिनकी आरती भस्म द्वारा की जाती है (भस्मारती), साथ ही साथ श्री महाकालेश्वर मंदिर भी अपने आप में ख़ास है | मंदिर को तीन तलों में बनाया गया है, जिसमे सबसे ऊपर भगवान 'नागचंद्रेश्वर' की प्रतिमा विराजमान है, यह तल एवं मंदिर वर्ष में केवल नागपंचमी के दिन श्रद्धालुओं के लिए खोला जाता है, वहीँ दुसरे तल में बाबा ओम्कारेश्वर स्थापित है, और भूतल में स्वयंभू (स्वयं प्रकट होने वाला) महाकालेश्वर ज्योतिर्लिंग गर्भगृह है | हर ज्योतिर्लिंग की तरह यहाँ जलस्रोत के रूप में रुद्रसागर तालाब एवं शिप्रा नदी है, जहाँ हर बारह वर्ष में कुम्भ मेला आयोजित होता है | 

बाबा महाकाल की नगरी अवंतिका यानी उज्जैन भी हिन्दू सप्तपुरियों में से एक है | महाराज विक्रमादित्य के शासन में उज्जैन (अवंतिका) दुनिया के बड़े और समृद्ध शहरों में शामिल था, उन्होंने सूर्य एवं तारों की स्थिति के अनुसार हमारा हिन्दू पंचांग बनवाया जो विक्रम संवत के नाम से जाना जाता है, और उन्ही के नवरत्नों में से एक महान खगोलविद वराहमिहिर थे जिन्होंने खगोल विज्ञान सम्बन्धी कईं खोजें की, साथ ही साथ उज्जैन का समय से भी गहरा नाता रहा है, पुरातन काल में विश्व समय का आधार ग्रीनविच (Greenwich Meridian) नहीं बल्कि उज्जैन था, जिसकी पुष्टि ग्रीक विद्वान टॉलेमी (Ptolemy) ने अपने लेखों में भी की है, राजपूत राजा जय सिंह II ने उज्जैन में समय मापन एवं खगोलिकि क्रियाओं के अनुसन्धान के लिए जंतर मंतर वेधशाला का निर्माण कराया जो पांच जंतर मंतर में से एक है (दिल्ली, जयपुर, वाराणसी, मथुरा और उज्जैन) | 

हमारी हिन्दू सभ्यता ऐसी ही अनेक अनोखी धरोहरों से सुसज्जित और हमे इन धरोहरों को सहेज कर रखना होगा ताकि हम आने वाली पीड़ी के लिए एक सुन्दर और गरिमामय भारत छोड़कर जाए | साथ ही साथ मै यह भी कहना चाहूँगा की हमें हमारी इतिहास की पुस्तकों  से मुग़लों, अंग्रेजों के अंश हटाकर हमारे भारत की धरोहरे, महान व्यक्तित्वों तथा क्रन्तिकारी एवं लाभदायक घटनाओं को जोड़ना होगा, तभी हम यह उम्मीद कर सकते है की भावी पीड़ी हमारे देश को जाने |

धन्यवाद, 

सार्थक खोडे़ 😊

Space Science #1

Space Food

The meal tray with packed foods and cutlery attached with help of magnet and velcro. 

The yummy crunchy sandwiches, croissants, baguettes, bagels, schnitzels, donuts—all these food items are among the most eatable and lovable food items on earth. But that's not the case when it came to space; the International Space Station (ISS) has a very different and specified menu for the astronauts. 

 

Every extra gram costs hundreds of dollars in transporting these food rations to ISS. Firstly, they are dehydrated, which makes the food items light weight and increases their shelf life. Then the foods are packed in airtight pouches in a contamination-free environment, and at last they are delivered with the help of special space capsules. 

 

Many alternatives have been adopted in space foods to cope with conditions onboard the ISS, such as: tortillas are used instead of breads as they don't make crumbs, which eventually float across the station and can cause problems; freeze-dried ice creams are consumed instead of conventional ice cream as they don't require refrigeration, etc. Whereas fresh fruits are also delivered regularly to provide mental support to the crew. As per the regulations, they must be eaten within three days of delivery. 

 

All five space agencies (ESA, NASA, Roscosmos, CSA, and JAXA), which handles the ISS, cater different meals to their astronauts. The crew can also handpick their food choices prior to the missions. From early explorations till now, the space food technology has evolved exponentially. NASA has also developed a dedicated wing for space food, whose purpose is to manufacture, develop, and research about these foods. The European Space Agency (ESA) has also deployed a specially designed espresso machine at the ISS named 'ISSpresso', which provides hot coffee, tea, and water to the astronauts. 

 

There are several classifications in space foods, such as beverages (B), fresh food (FF), thermostabilized (T), rehydratable (R), and irradiated (I). All these foods have to meet strict guidelines for consumption, even though many worldwide foods are included in the menu, but there are also some banned foods in space, like any type of crispy pizza, fresh milk, cookies, soft drinks, seasonings, etc. due to their respective complications. 

 

NASA spends almost 22.6 billion dollars on space foods every year; approx. $15,000 dollars are spent on delivering just one kilogram of food to space. Every year, the food is delivered six to ten times over a span of 40 to 60 days. The agency also sells derivatives of these space foods for common people through gift shops and Army Surplus stores.  

Assortment of food served onboard.

Russian Space Food with canned meat.

I hope you like the blog. This blog is the first part of my new series, 'Space Sciences', So stay tuned for next blogs. 

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

    

Paris to Tahiti- A Journey of 15,000 km.

 The Surfing Paradise

The surfer showcasing its skill during the competition. 

The 2024 Paris Olympics have concluded, with many highs and lows, record-breaking moments, thrills, and excitement. The event was historical, as for the first time in the history of games, women participants equaled the number of men participants, a very huge step towards gender equality. As always, the USA topped the medal table, followed by China, and hosts France finished fifth. But in today's blog we are not discussing the performances of athletes or teams or an overview of the tournament.

 

To host this prestigious event, countries and cities spent millions of dollars for the infrastructure, games village, transport, accommodation, etc. Many facilities and venues are built to cater to different sports. For the 2024 Paris Olympics, around 35 venues were selected to host various sporting disciplines. Out of these, 34 venues were located in mainland France, and the only venue that was assigned to host the surfing competitions was at Teahupo'o in Tahiti, a French colony situated approximately 15,000 km . away from Paris. But why was this venue chosen for the competition? Let's find out. 

 

Surfing was added to the Olympics in the 2020 event, which was held in Tokyo, Japan. The competition of surfing was held forty miles away from Tokyo in Chiba City. But the event did not go as planned as it was to be because the waves for surfing were not very high. After a series of delays, the two events (men and women) ended in three days. 

 

Cut to 2024, the Paris Olympic Committee proposed two cities in mainland France for the events, but the waves were not suitable for the competition (as the waves were too choppy and fat for surfing). At last, the committee decided Tahiti was the best spot for the sport. Being a part of French Polynesia, a French group  of colonies, Tahiti is world-famous for its surfing waves, as they were among the biggest, smoothest, and heaviest waves in the world. The event was a success and brought revenue to Tahiti. The athletes, support staff, and media were all accommodated in a cruise ship named Aranui 5, the first Olympic village in water. As surfing made its mark at the world's most prestigious sporting event, the International Olympic Committee is planning to introduce more disciplines in the sport in the future games.

 

See you surfing in the LA 2028 Olympics! 

The Teahupo'o village, named after the wave of same name.
One of the best waves for surfing. 

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

If you like it, please comment and subscribe the blog. You can also contact to me via email- sarthakkhode@gmail.com 

The Unbreakable Glass

 The Superfest

Glass—the discovery that revolutionized the whole world in many ways. Nowadays, our homes to jewelry many things consist of glass to some extent. But have you ever wondered about unbreakable glass (literally)? During the 1980s, East Germany created an unbreakable glass by a chemically strengthening process. The purpose for creating the glass is to maximize the glass's life because the raw materials for making the glass were scarcely available in the country. Due to its unbreakable nature, it was the first choice for the customers as a one-time investment. Fast-food shops, pubs, and cafes were the main customers of the glasses. Soon, the glasses became popular all over Europe and the company expanded its product range by including ice-cream glasses, vases, coffee mugs, etc.

 

But as the law of nature says, everything positive comes with negativity. Same happened with the 'Superfest'; the unbreakable nature of the glasses lowered the profit margin exponentially as the customers were purchasing the glasses for only one time, as they would last for decades. As a result, the production unit shut down in 1990, and the 'Unbreakable Glasses' became a piece of history. Today they are highly valued collectibles because of their legacy, rarity, and historical importance. They are considered an innovation in the modern field of glass engineering. 

The glass with 'Superfest' branding, produced in 1990s.

Superfest ice-cream cup. 

I hope you like the blog, please comment about the blog and give your valuable suggestions. 

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode

The Incredible Finn

The White Death

 Häyhä during training.

Simo Häyhä, the man famously known as 'The White Death', is often regarded as the best and deadliest sniper in the world.

He was born in 1905 in Rautjarvi, Finland, a small town near the Russian border. He belonged to  the family of farmers. From his school days, he excelled in shooting activities and also won many competitions. In 1925, he began his mandatory military service in the Finnish Army. His precision, tactics, and commanding abilities soon established him as one of the main soldiers in the army. In 1939, he served as a sniper for the army. During the Winter War (1939-40) against the Soviets, he patrolled at temperatures ranging from -20 to -40 degrees Celsius in a white Ghillie suit (for camouflaging) and single-handedly killed approx. 260 Red Star soldiers during his mission stint. As the Soviet Union was suffering from The Great Purge of 1937, which included many arrests of high-profile Soviet army men, the Red Star Army was low on morale and disorganized. Also, the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin didn't commission camouflage suits for his army; as a result, the Red Star's were on the backfoot and the Finnish Army got an upper hand in the battle. On 6th March 1940, during close combat, Häyhä brutally injured his face as the bullet from the enemy's gun pierced through his lower left jaw and fainted him. After the end of the war, he was declared dead and left behind on the field with his martyred fellows. But the courageous and determined Häyhä was not his last breath and nearly after one week he informed the army that he was alive. Soon after, he underwent twenty-six surgeries, in which the damaged jawbone was replaced by a piece of his hipbone. The deformity on Häyhä's face was the result of these surgeries. Because of his bravery and actions, he was awarded the Liberty Medal and promoted to commissioned officer. He spent his full life as a bachelor and died in 2002 at the age of 96. 

His deformed face after injury.

The Finnish Govt. also dedicated a museum to Simo Häyhä in his hometown Rautjarvi, which was opened in 1983. The legacy of his work and life will be remembered forever by the Finn's.  

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

Please let me know in comments about this type of content and any other suggestions are also welcomed.

नीलकुरिंजी

 नीलगिरी का पुष्प

भारत- एक ऐसा देश जो अपनी जैव विविधता के लिए पुरे विश्वभर में जाना जाता है, हमारी धरा कई दुर्लभ जीव-जंतु, पेड़, एवं पौधों की धनि है | ऐसा ही एक अनोखा और काफी दुर्लभ पुष्प है 'नीलकुरिंजी' जो की नीलगिरी पर्वत श्रृंखला में पाया जाता है | यह फूल बारह सालों में केवल एक बार खिलता है, इसी कारण इसे भारत सरकार द्वारा संरक्षित प्रजाति की तीसरी अनुसूची में स्थान दिया गया है, जिसके अनुसार अगर कोई व्यक्ति इन्हें हानि पहुंचाता है तो उसे तीन साल तक का कारावास हो सकता है |मेरी तरह ही आपके दिमाग में भी यह सवाल कौंध रहा होगा की आखिर किस कारण से यह फूल इतने लम्बे अंतराल पर खिलते है, फिर मैंने तुरंत ही गूगल की ओर रुख किया और पाया की मौसमी गतिविधियाँ और जीवों से बचने के लिए एवं प्रकृति अनुसार ढलने के लिए इन फूलों के परागण (Pollination) में काफी समय लगता है, जिसके कारण यह हर बारह वर्ष पश्चात् खिलते रहते है | 

'नीलकुरिंजी', यह नाम दो मलयाली शब्दों ; 'नील' यानी 'नीला', और 'कुरिंजी' अर्थात 'फूल' से मिलकर बना है | यह मनमोहक, लुभान्वित, नीले एवं बैंगनी पुष्प सितम्बर से दिसंबर की शुरुआत तक खिलते है, फिर बीज उत्पन्न कर मुरझा जाते है, और यही चक्र चलता रहता है | स्वास्थ्य के लिहाज़ से भी नीलकुरिंजी बहुत उपयोगी है, इन फूलों में कैंसर-विरोधी, दर्द-निवारक, एवं विभिन्न लाभदायक तत्वों की पुष्टि की गई जो शारीरिक समस्याओं का निवारण करने में समर्थ है, कईं शोधों में यह भी पता चला है की इन फूलों के रस द्वारा तैयार शहद 'कुरिंजीथन' के सेवन से हार्ट-ब्लॉकेज भी ठीक होते है |

पुरातन काल में कर्नाटक के पालियन समाज के लोगो द्वारा इन फूलों का इस्तमाल अपनी आयु का अनुमान लगाने में भी किया जाता था | ऐसा माना जाता है की 'नीलगिरी' अर्थात 'नीला पर्वत', का नाम भी इन्ही फूलों के रंग के कारण रखा गया है | 'नीलकुरिंजी' सिर्फ एक पुष्प नहीं बल्कि भारत के प्राकृतिक सौंदर्य का पर्याय है और हमें इसे एवं अन्य दुर्लभ और अनुपम संपदाओं को सहेज रखना होगा ताकि हमारे देश की यह अद्भुत सुंदरता बरक़रार रह सके |

धन्यवाद,

सार्थक खोडे़ 😊

    

 

R.K. Laxman- The Common Man

 The Common Man

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Laxman- a renowned cartoonist, humorist, and illustrator. The man who created the famous cartoon character 'The Common Man', which describes the troubles, hopes, and daily life of an average Indian middle-class family, But how did this common man become a cartoon sensation across India ? Let's find out.

 

R.K. Laxman was born into a middle-class Hindu brahmin family on October 24, 1924, in the Mysore Presidency. His elder brother, R.K. Narayan, was a famous novelist. From his early days, he developed an interest in cartoon creations. Laxman ji was influenced by renowned British cartoonist David Low, whose illustrations were printed in the 'The Hindu' newspaper. After completing his schooling, he pursued his degree from the University of Mysore in Bachelor of Arts. He started making illustrations for his elder brother, RK Narayan, who worked as a storywriter for 'The Hindu'.

 

He started working as a political cartoonist for 'The Free Press Journal' in 1946, where he was joined by yet another famous cartoonist, Bal Thackeray. Later,  he left the job to work on his own weekly 'Marmik'. Laxman ji joined 'The Times of India' in 1947, where his job was to create a unique cartoon for the comic strip named 'You said it', which was published on the front page of TOI. The comic strip became so popular among people, that it was published for almost five decades. The turning point in Laxman ji's life was the creation of the cartoon character 'The Common Man', a simple man with dhoti, specs, and a plaid jacket. It draws attention to the daily life and happenings of politics in a simple and humorous way. A tiny shift in politics cannot be overlooked by this common man. He also created other characters, including the common woman, the common man's wife, etc. The cartoon soon established itself as the most recognizable feature in The Times of India. According to Laxman ji the alchemy of a cartoonist consist of three vital components ; General Knowledge, Craftsmanship and Humor.

In 2005 he was awarded with Padma Vibhushan for his contributions in Industry. Following RK Laxman's legacy Indian Postal Service commemorated a postal stamp featuring Common Man, Google also created Doodle on the occasion of RK Laxman's 94th birthday. The R.K. Laxman museum was constructed in Pune which features his life story and his creations. 

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

The Symbol of Democracy

 The Indelible Ink 

The symbol of democracy, the ink mark on your finger, which determines the fate of our country. But what' s the history behind the Indelible ink ? Let's find out.

 

In 1951, the then president of India, Rajendra Prasad, approved the Representation of the People Act. Under Section 61 of the act, it is written that 'any individual with a mark of the ink on his or her thumb or any other finger represents the person who has casted its vote'. The main reason for this action is to control multiple-vote casting by an individual. The ink was first used in the 1962 general elections. Generally, the ink is applied on the index finger of the left hand, partially on the nail root and skin. The National Research Development Corporation was responsible for the development of the ink, whereas Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd. (MVPL) are the only firm allowed to manufacture it. The Mysore-based firm also exports this ink to thirty countries, including Thailand, Cambodia, Canada, Nepal, etc. The ink contains silver nitrate, which is responsible for rapid drying and a non-removable stain that can't be washed off; it can only be removed when new cells grow and replace the mark. Because of its non-removable nature, it was popularized as 'The Indelible Ink'. There was also a comic incident during the 1962 elections when brides refused to vote because the indelible stain of the ink might not look good on the wedding day. 

 

Apart from the ink, MVPL also manufactures enamels, primers, etc. They are the leading producer of sealing wax for India Post. The company receives its biggest orders during elections. The company delivered 26.55 lakh vials worth 55 crores to polling booths across the country during the 2024 general elections.

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

Shōgun- An Japanese Epic

Shōgun

I recently watched a series on Disney+ Hotstar named 'Shōgun', a Japanese word that translates to chief military commander. A Japanese masterpiece full of drama, action, and thriller. It is based on a novel of the same name written by British novelist James Clavell. The series was extensively shot in Canada and the United Kingdom, but the majority of the cast was Japanese. The set designer and background artists did impeccable work in creating the Japanese-style homes, interiors, and castles. The series is set in the 1600s, when Japan was a monarchy. The color tone, music, costumes, and background were blended very well to give an authentic Japanese feel to the audience. Although the series is mainly shot in Japanese, the smooth presentation and simplicity hold the viewer to the screen till the end. In simple words, the story of the show revolves around two different people with their own purposes: a sailor who ends up being shipwrecked in Japan, and a king who has to save his city and the heir from the powerful magnates of the country. Internal politics, wars, love, and emotion—all of these genres have been added to give an extra touch to the show to make it epic. All actors and actresses lived their characters and gave their 100 percent on the screen. Although there are some flaws in the show, like that some episodes might feel stretchy, there is no flash on the backstory of the sailor who ended up being in Japan after his ship was wrecked, and some characters have been used as fillers with no importance in the story. Finally, the show provides us with glimpses into the life of the samurai, depicts bloody battles for the crown, and illustrates how religion and caste distinguish society.

 

The makers of the show have confirmed that the next two seasons are in development and will be released in 2025. 

Final Thoughts- 

A time worthy show with emotion, drama, and action. The show also contain some brutal scenes.

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

This time I experimented with new content. Please let me know in comments about the blog, all the suggestions for improvement of the blog are also welcomed. 

 The Election-Mania

Elections Completed, Government has been made.

Some People looks happy, Some looks dull and fade.

Surprisingly, No EVM's are blamed.

The historic third straight win that N.D.A claimed.

Though there were many setbacks.

As Congress (I.N.D.I.A) comebacks.

Finally the roadmap for 'India's Future' is ready.

India is stepping ahead fast but steady.

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

 चुनाव पे चर्चा

भारत एक लोकतांत्रिक देश है, यहाँ अनेकता में एकता है, वगैरह वगैरह | यह वाक्य हम सबने कभी न कभी भाषणों, स्कूली परीक्षाओं आदि में लिखा, सुना या पढ़ा होगा | यह कथन को कुछ (मेरे हिसाब से काफ़ी) हद तक सही साबित किया इंडिया गठबंधन ने, जिसके कारण भारत की सबसे बड़ी राजनीतिक पार्टी भाजपा को 400 सीट की दहलीज़ काफी दूर की कौड़ी दिखी, यहाँ तक की पार्टी 300 का आकड़ा भी पार नहीं कर पाई | इस बार चुनाव में अप्रत्याशित नतीजों की भरमार थी | उत्तर प्रदेश में कांग्रेस से हाथ मिलाकर समाजवादी पार्टी की साइकिल ने ऐसी रफ़्तार पकड़ी की भाजपा अपने कमलों को गिनते रह गई, राजस्थान के जाट बेल्ट में करारी हार का कारण आरक्षण रहा वहीँ पश्चिम बंगाल की बात करना ही बेतुकी है, जहाँ मन नहीं गन से चुनाव होते हो, दूसरी ओर मध्य प्रदेश, हिमाचल प्रदेश, दिल्ली और गुजरात जैसे राज्य थे जिनकी टोकरियाँ कमलों से लदी-फदी दिखाई दी | कहीं ममता आंटी, माफ़ कीजिएगा दीदी ने जीत हासिल की, तो तमिल नाडू में डीएमके का जलवा दिखा, वहीँ तेलंगाना में भाजपा और कांग्रेस दोनों ने आधी-आधी सीटें अपने नाम की | 

कुल मिलकर बात यह है की एनडीऐ गठबंधन ने बहुमत का आकड़ा पार कर लगातार तीसरी बार सत्ता में आने की ओर कदम बढ़ाएं और वहीँ इंडिया गठबंधन की भले ही जीत न हुई हो परन्तु वह अपने परिणाम से ज्यादा खुश एनडीऐ की सीटें देखकर हुए होंगे | यह सब चुनावी खींचतान के बीच एक सीमित सोच वाले आदमी को बस यही चाहिए की सरकार सब्सिडी देती रहे और मैं लेता रहूँ फिर चाहे देश में कुछ भी हो, दैनिक ज़रूरतों के भाव न बढें परन्तु मेरा बैंक बैलेंस भरता रहे |

यहाँ मैं हमारे स्वतंत्रता सेनानी वीर सावरकर के कथन को याद दिलाना चाहूँगा- "मुझे ना इस्लाम से डर है ना अंग्रेजों से मुझे डर हिन्दुओं के हिंदुत्व के खिलाफ होने से है", इस कथन के अभिप्राय के लिए मैं अंग्रेज़ी शब्दावली के संक्षेपाक्षर (Abbreviation) Iykyk (If you know, you know) का उपयोग करना चाहूँगा, बाकि मतलब आप समझ चुके होंगे | अंततः सभी से विनम्र निवेदन कि हमारी एक ऊँगली में इतनी शक्ति है की हम किसी को भी चुन सकते है, इसलिए अपना मत सोच समझकर, किसी के बहकावे में आकर न बदलें |

जय हिन्द !

धन्यवाद,

सार्थक खोड़े 😊

एक जागरूक नागरिक 

Soft Drinks

 The Coke Capital of World

Chiapas- A state in southwest Mexico, famous for its dense green rainforests, mountains, mangroves, and Coca-Cola. Yes, Coca-Cola the drink that is known in almost every part of the world. But why is it famous for Coke? Let's find out.

 

Coca-Cola- The company that gave a whole new taste of drinks to the world started its production in 1886 as a health drink containing coca leaves and cola fruit. Due to urbanization and changes in lifestyle, the company slowly shifted from the health drink sector to caffeinated soft drinks. Soon, the drink became a household name in almost every country. However, we cannot ignore the side effects of these drinks. They are full of sugar, preservatives, and harmful chemicals. The drinks are responsible for many diseases, including diabetes, heart problems, kidney complications, tooth decay, cavities, and so on. Shockingly, a person in the Chiapas region consumes about two liters of coke per day, the most in the world on the basis of per-day consumption. Many people, including children, are suffering from type 2 diabetes and heart problems, plummeting the lifespan of an individual exponentially. It all started when Coca-Cola set up its bottling plant in the San Cristobal municipality in 1994. Since then, the government has given them permission to use over a million liters of groundwater per day. Slowly, the groundwater became scarce and the remaining water was contaminated with chlorine and other harmful elements. The cost of packaged water was higher than that of coke, and with no other options left, people started consuming coke instead of water. The government has taken some steps to control the problem, but they are ineffective, The citizens claim that, with the help of corrupt politicians, the company renewed its license to use groundwater, despite the fact that the region is suffering from a water crisis.

Hopefully, the problem will be resolved soon, and the people will receive justice against the corrupt system that affects their lives.

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

Radhanath Sikdar

 The Forgotten Mathematician

India is the land of knowledge. Many of the world's great scholars are from India, like Aryabhata, Ramanujan, C.V. Raman, etc. Some of them break onto the world stage but some remain disguised, and today in this blog we will talk about one such person, mathematician Radhanath Sikdar.

 

8848 meters—Mount Everest's height. But have you ever wondered who was the first person to accurately measure the height of this massive mountain? It was the Indian mathematician Shri Radhanath Sikdar whose efforts and name were overshadowed by the British. Let's discuss the life of the brilliant mathematician.

 

Sikdar was born in 1813 in Jorasanko, near Calcutta, into a middle-class family. Sikdar has been interested in mathematics since childhood. He pursued his BA degree from the Presidency College, Calcutta, in 1832. He came into the limelight when, in 1832, the then surveyor general of India, George Everest, came in search of a mathematician for his Great Trigonometrical Survey of India (GRT). John Tytler, the professor of mathematics at the college, suggested the work of Radhanath Sikdar. Soon, Radhanath joined GRT at a salary of thirty rupees per month. He gained the trust of Everest, who soon became his favorite colleague. He started his measurements to map the height of Mount Everest in 1852. While measuring, he took readings from six different locations. After the compilation of all the data, he finally presented his result in 1856, concluding that Mount Everest was the highest mountain in the world by overtaking Kanchenjunga. Interestingly, the height measured by Sikdar was exactly 29,000 ft. (8839 m), but the surveyor of India, Scott Waugh, thought that people may think of the height as a rounded-off figure so he added an extra two feet to arbitrate it. 

 

In 1955, recalculations and observations yielded similar approximate results as Radhanath Sikdar's, ultimately determining the height of Mount Everest at 29,029 feet, or 8848 meters.

DID YOU KNOW ?

The height of Mount Everest is increasing at rate of 4mm per year. 

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode 😊 

Gargoti : The Mineral Museum

 My visit to Gargoti

Today, I would like to share my experience when I visited India's only gem, mineral, and fossil museum, 'Gargoti', back in 2018. Initially, our visit was not planned (to be honest, I didn't know about this place at the time), but we were passed by a board about Gargoti and its offerings. As curiosity peaked, we decided to comfort our eyes by visiting. Upon arriving at our destination, we found the doors closed. As the excitement was plunging, suddenly we were greeted by the head guide of the museum. Though nobody was there, we got a golden opportunity to see everything peacefully and nicely, as we were the only four people in the museum: the guide, my father, my sister, and me. Upon entering, the guide revealed a large, shiny, grey, and beautiful statuette of Bharatmata, carved from a single rock. Behind the statue was a souvenir shop, which was not so 'pocket friendly'. Then we saw the main gallery with lots of bright, sharp, and colorful stones, gems from Brazil, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Peru, Bolivia and India (mainly from the Deccan Plateau), As told by our guide, these stones took almost 400 to 500 years to get into this form. For me, the most exciting part was the little piece of stone from the moon and the 24-carat pure gold piece, which were cased in airtight shelves to prevent any further reaction. Zeolite was also eye-catching. 

 

Mr. K.C. Pandey initiated these collections as a hobby forty years ago. We wandered around the museum for about two hours before heading to Nashik. Although the museum was very informative, nice, and easily accessible, visitor footfall is low compared to other normal museums. For me, it's the best museum I've seen so far.

 

Oops ! I forgot to tell you the meaning of its name : The name 'Gargoti' translates to 'Cold Stone', a combination of two Marathi words: gaar, meaning cold, and goti, meaning stone.

Thank You, 

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

Drugs in Latin America

 Drug Culture

There are many types of drugs classified for various purposes, but for this blog, we will be talking about narcotic drugs, i.e., heroin, codeine, morphine, etc. In simple terms, narcotic drugs are those that are addictive and cause serious health problems. Nowadays, the drug culture is rapidly gaining popularity, particularly among young people. Governments are trying to control the situation by taking many initiatives and steps, but they are ineffective on a large scale. 

The epicenter of this drug culture is Latin America. From Pablo Escobar to El Chapo, many infamous criminal drug lords belong to this region. There are many factors affecting the use of drugs in this region, such as the climate and terrain, which are suitable for the production of many psychoactive drugs like cannabis, cocaine, etc. Secondly, the government permitted the use of drugs amidst the 1960s and 1970s, and till now, many govt. have not taken the permit.

According to the report by DW (Deutsche Welle), a German media group, out of the top ten countries with the most drug-related deaths, nine are from Latin America. El Salvador tops the list with one hundred nineteen deaths per million.

COVID-19 has also boosted drug consumption by approx. 20 % because of stress, anxiety, and pressure among adults. Synthetic or man-made drugs like meth, fentanyl, etc. outnumbered cocaine and other natural products at that time.

The United States, one of the most drug-affected countries, has increased security at its border with Mexico, mostly around the hotspot city of San Diego (USA) near Tijuana (Mexico). But the cartels find many ways to transport drugs, the most famous being through tunnels. The mastermind behind the tunnel system is the Mexican drug lord and leader of the world's biggest drug cartel, 'Cartel de Sinaloa', Joaquin Guzman Loera, or El Chapo.

In many countries today, drugs are a national concern. Drugs' adverse effects lead to numerous diseases in humans. There are many countries in the world that have controlled drug consumption very well, like Southeast Asian countries : Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. On the other hand, many countries use liberal policies to control consumption, such as Uruguay, Portugal, the Netherlands, etc. 

Anyway, it's up to us to choose which way we have to go—to hell or heaven. 

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode 😊

.

छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज

🙏

स्वराज्य का जिसने बिगुल बजाया, 

वीर मराठा योद्धा आया |

भगवा था जिसने फ़हराया,

बदली जिसने भारत की काया |

माँ थी जिनकी जीजाबाई,

ना पढने दी शत्रुओं की परछाई |

उनको मिटाने की कसम खाई,

छत्रपति की पदवी पाई |

अफजल खान को मार गिराया,

मुगलों को बहुत छकाया |

संभाजी सा पुत्र है पाया,

मराठों में विश्वास जगाया |

मुगलों ने की दक्कन की चढ़ाई,

शिवाजी ने धूल चटाई |

छापामार रणनीति अपनाई,

मराठों को विजय दिलाई |

गुरु जिनके रामदास जी,

सेना में जिनके थे बाजीराव तान्हाजी |

मुट्ठी में कर लेते थे वो हर एक बाज़ी,

नाम था उनका श्री छत्रपति शिवाजी |

जय शिवराय |

🙏🙏🙏

धन्यवाद,

सार्थक खोडे़

The World's Shortcut

 The Panama Canal

World's one of the most important canals connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic ocean. As of 2024 fiscal year, approximately 440 million metric tonnes of cargo were transported through canal in each fiscal year.

The construction of the canal began in 1904 and was completed in a span of ten years, with its inauguration taking place on August 15, 1914. The canal was originally constructed to reduce the time to cross the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Before the canal was built, ships used longer routes such as the Drake Passage and the Strait of Magellan at the southernmost point of South America, which added an extra eighteen to twenty days to the voyage with hazardous weather and route. In the opening year, the canal transported around a thousand ships, and nowadays, almost thirteen thousand ships pass through the canal yearly (35-38 ships daily).

The major challenge in its construction was that the ships were to be lifted up to around 26 metres above sea level to match Lake Gatun's level, which is an artificial lake. Engineers overcame this problem by using locking systems that raised the ship's level by damming up freshwater in locks from Gatun and Alajuela Lakes. When the water is pumped out of the locks, the ship once again matches the level with the ocean. During a single passing of a ship, almost twenty crore litres of freshwater is used. This clearly says why the Panama Canal is called 'the modern engineering marvel'. 

Diagrammatic Representation of the canal and locks.

The length of the canal is around 97 kilometers, and is controlled by the Panama Canal Authority (owned by Panamanian Govt.). From 1904 to 1979 the canal was controlled by the United States and then for the next twenty years both countries controlled the waterway, and from 1999 the canal is solely controlled by Panama because of the Panama Treaty.

The ships passing through the passage had to meet strict limits and requirements. The Panamax or Neopanamax are the terms used for ship sizes passing through the canal. According to the neopanamax dimensions, the ship should not be more than 366 metres in length, the maximum beam should be 51.25 metres, and the height of the ship has to be under 57.91 meters.

The canal also serves as a major source of revenue for Panama's government by charging tolls and other charges. According to the Maritime Post, the government earns approximately two billion dollars every year through the canal; the transit toll for an average ship is around fifty-four thousand dollar. Surprisingly, the Panama Canal controls around three percent of the world's maritime trade.

Thank You,

Sarthak P. Khode 😊