Yoga can help achieve marital bliss, says Brahmasri Professor K.S. Sundareysan of Patanjalee Yoga Foundation, Chennai.

Yoga can help improve marital life and bring back cheer into the hearts of couples, said Brahmasri Professor K.S. Sundareysan, a renowned yoga master and founder of Patanjalee Yogaa Foundation in Indira Nagar, Chennai.

“Modern world is undergoing lot of frustration and the only way to come out of it is to learn and practice yoga. The yoga we teach is not one of renunciation but one of acceptance. You don’t need to give up all your bad habits like smoking, drinking etc to take up yoga. You can simply live your life as you normally do when you take up yoga. It is guaranteed that even as little as 10 minutes daily practice on a regular basis will improve greatly the quality of life and your bad habits will slip away automatically,” he said.

Yoga can help bring peace and harmony into the lives of couples and reduce tension in their daily lives thereby contributing to the well being of the family. It infuses moral values, personal discipline, contentment and commitment. Yoga can offer spiritual light, psychic abilities, perfect physical health and a peaceful inner mind or inner happiness, he added.

He said studies have revealed that practicing particular asanaas has helped correct infertility and erectile dysfunctional problems in men. Regular pranayamam and yogasanas before marriage will help grooms and brides get ready for the institution called marriage. It improves nervous system in men and in the case of brides it helps improve the areas around the pelvic bones so that they can have a safe and comfortable delivery.

Those suffering from premature ejaculation and lack of staying power have found tremendous improvement in their marital life after practicing special asanaas with the guidance of gurus.

There are pre-natal and post-natal yogic exercises for women. There are specific asanaas for pregnant women between first month and third month, third month and sixth month and some easy exercises for the remaining three months. There is a wrong notion that pregnant women should not practice yoga. However, he cautioned that pregnant women should do yoga strictly under the supervision of a knowledgeable yoga master and not with the help of books or cassettes, he cautioned

Also, women should do specific yogasanas after delivery to flatten their tummy and avoid complications such as diabetes and hormonal imbalance that strike women after childbirth. Yoga also helps in natural family planning as sexual desire can be curtailed by practicing specific asanaas. “Yoga will reduce tension in sexual life, prolong sexual activities and maintains vitality better than Viagra”, he added. “It helps improve self confidence in married men and corrects the imbalance in the nervous system, a must for happy married life.”

“Many men feel diffident and lack self confidence before marriage. They are scared to enter into wedlock thinking that they may be unfit. These and other kinds of imaginary feelings and phobias can be cured with the help of yoga, which is safe without any side effects. There is no better tonic than yoga and the asanaas are effective in the prevention of disease and in aiding the cure of existing illness as well.

Tell me one medical system that offers this and more for prince to peasant, child to grandparent and ailing to robust. Yoga is an ancient and a universal science designed to give a healthy body and a healthy mind to every single human being on earth. Yoga is not an oriental culture but universal. With the advancement of civilization and as tensions grow manifold; human beings are under great stress and strain looking for avenues to unburden themselves. This is the reason that modern medical science is now facing a challenge not able to ameliorate the sufferings of mankind”, he noted.

“Within the last century, diseases have sprung up with new and renewed vigor and dimensions, expressions and manifestations and this has peaked in the last few decades. Medical science has put an end to the great plagues of the past, but are now faced with a new epidemic of stress-related disorders caused by people’s inability to adapt to the highly competitive pace of modern life”, he said.

“Psychosomatic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, migraine, asthma, ulcers, digestive disorders, skin diseases arise from tensions in the body and mind. The leading cause of death in developed countries, cancer and heart diseases stem from tension too. The international problem today is not hunger, poverty, drugs or fear of war. It’s tension, hypertension and total tension. If you know how to free yourself from tension, you know how to solve your problems in life. If you are able to balance your tensions, you can control your emotions, anger and passions, heart diseases, hypertension and angina pectoris”, he added.

More than 90 percent of the diseases today originate from the mind. If the diseases originate from the mind and emotions should we not discover a new way of therapy and that to me is yoga. In the last few decades, yoga has come to rescue men from the crisis and has induced significant changes in many parts of the world.

Says the professor, “You need to learn yoga from a competent teacher. A competent teacher means that he lives the life of a yogic and that he knows the science. He should tell you what you should practice and should know what diabetic men should not practice. Yoga can’t and should not be learnt from books but only with the help of a competent and experienced teacher

PYROTECHNICS IN our streets are becoming increasingly common and annoyingly strident. When it takes the form of burning effigies of leaders as an expression of the democratic right of dissent and claiming constitutional protection, rival parties `cry foul'. Art. 19 protects protests and processions. And in prohibiting demonstrations courts often do not see eye to eye with the police and the establishment. "Some degree of abuse is inseparable from the proper use of everything and in no instance is this more true than in political demonstrations", words of Chief Justice Evans of the U.S. Supreme Court. He adds "it is better to leave a few of its noxious branches to their luxuriant growth, than by pruning them away, to injure the vigour of those yielding fruits." Black flags are also allergic to those in power. Ministerial tribes and their minions are hypersensitive when their political foes practise these ancient arts. Better ignore the hot air and flames that don't hurt.

India's first experience of this form of blazing belligerence was when Gandhiji exhorted all Indians to boycott foreign cloth and burn it ceremonially in public. Men and women gathered in numbers round such bonfires and were duly marched to jail. That was the law then, though the whole thing was so harmless except that it infused the "Swaraj and Swadeshi" spirit in an otherwise spiritless people. Even then there were some officers who saw the lawlessness of the police action and avoided any harsh action by devious means.

Not intolerant

Here are a few lines from a diary of an ICS officer then serving in Madras Presidency: "A band of them came to me at the Sub- collector's office and told me that they were going to burn foreign cloth that evening and that I might arrest them if I thought fit. I told them that they would not be arrested provided they burnt the foreign cloth belonging to them, and in a private place and they might do this after 5-30 p.m. so that my work in the office might not be disturbed by going to the place and watching the operations. They chose a big compound wall belonging to one of them and went through the burning. The Inspector of Police and his DSP were not at all pleased with what I said. Barring a minor exchange with the English Collector nothing happened." The British rule was not intolerant.

All the followers of Gandhiji were not votaries of Ahimsa. During the first Civil Disobedience Movement, in the wake of that horrible carnage at Jallianwala Bagh, a few constables who were needlessly brutal were locked up in their own police station and burnt alive. It shocked Gandhiji instantaneously, and what began as a promising freedom struggle was called off and the Mahatma entered on his `fast' as a penance. About 40 years later the anti-Hindi agitation took many police lives and left behind charred bodies and burnt-out buses, and nobody missed a meal!

Polite but effective

Of course historically, widowhood always turned out to be a `burning' issue. It still does. The poor girl mounts the funeral pyre with a large audience witnessing the show. Even then there was in the early colonial days Napier, who stopped this practice not by a posse of police opening fire on the assembled mourners but by simply telling them "If it is your custom to burn a widow alive, please go on. We have a custom in our country that whoever burns a person alive shall be hanged. While you prepare the funeral pyre, my carpenters will be making the gallows to hang all of you. Let us all act according to our customs." The girl's life was saved.

After Independence, all dissent is finally expressed in leaping blaze. From Andhra agitation and even earlier, to some policeman allegedly teasing a woman, public buildings, public transport and private cars are torched. Tamil Nadu had no history of such fascination for flames, but now we march in step with others if not actually lead them.

Looked at from any angle, effigy burning is a harmless sport. In the United States till the September 11 horror, even national flags were not spared. The First Amendment covered this right, privileged expression constitutionally protected. If we suppress effigy burning or for that matter, black flag demonstrations, the malcontents will resort to wanton violence. Regulate it as the old ICS officer did in Berhampur 75 years ago, and it will be fun.

Those in public life should have a thick skin. Some fun at their expense is permissible. Nehru welcomed Shankar's barbed cartoons aimed at him. He never thought of MISA and Goondas Act. Neither our PM nor his supporters should bay for the blood of the excited AIADMK men for their bloodless demonstrations. Prudence advises us to ignore it. Let me tell you, most of us don't like effigies. I don't like to burn an effigy. I will never burn one. But I won't agree to set the law on those who burn effigies without any other mischief. Art. 19 protects such acts. Incendiarism, howsoever innocent, should be amenable to regulation. Police can do that. Rajaji had this advice to critics of effigy burning and black flags: "Go and have a cold shower. All your excitement will be washed away".

A Rajasthan Royals Player

A Disappointed Royals Batsman

Batsmen of Royals

Batsmen under Pressure

Royals Teammates

What a Team Effort!

Kamran Akmal

Good Shout behind the Wicket

Shane Warne and His Teammates

Shane Warne picks the biggest one

Shane Warne

Leading from the Front

Shane Warne and his Teammates

Royals on a High

Rajasthan Royals

Relaxation for a While

Rajasthan Royals

Sharing Their First Win

Rajasthan Royals

Warming up before the srucial tie

• Team Photos

A Field that is Blooming: Careers in Landscaping and Horticulture

Do you have clients who could envision themselves designing a beautiful garden, landscaping the front yard, installing trees, shrubs and perennials? How about paving stone patios, maintaining lawns or constructing decks and fences? If so, landscaping and horticulture may be the field for them!

The “greening industry” is a catch-all phrase used to describe anything green and growing and encompasses the care of plants and the natural environment. With a direct economic impact of $4.72 billion in 2003, the Illinois “green industries” are growing rapidly, notes the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Experts and business owners agree. “Illinois is in the agricultural realm of things. Landscaping, nurseries, greenhouses and florists generate more revenue than corn crops,” notes Christy Webber, President of Christy Webber Landscaping. However, the demand is outweighing the supply – job seekers should take note. Landscaping and horticulture are included in the 25% of service sector industries that report they are unable to fill all of their open jobs, according to the University of Illinois’ Natural Resources Program.

Within the last ten years, with the booming housing market and the influx of families staying in the city, the “curb appeal” of houses is becoming more and more important. According to the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program, a well-designed and maintained landscape adds value to homes and property. Research shows the value of a home can be increased by as much as 15% as a result of good landscape.

Where are the jobs?

The green industry is one of the nation’s largest employers and there are countless career opportunities in this field.

Landscaping occupations include not only landscape designers and architects, but also tree care workers, landscape contractors, gardeners and maintenance workers, irrigation and soil specialists, nursery workers and growers, interior plantscape workers and pest management workers.

Most companies, depending on size, usually have a staff comprised of one higher-degree individual (usually either a landscape architect and/or horticulturalist) and landscaping workers with experience and/or training in the field.

Companies’ employment opportunities are relative to the size of the business, Webber notes. Most labor positions in the industry pay between $7.50 - $18.00 per hour; benefits often depend on the employer. Management and designer positions often pay from $25.00 - $37.00 per hour depending on education and experience.

What skills are needed?

Job developers really need to know the work requirements of the industry, explains Webber. “They need to appreciate there will be little tolerance for lackluster performance, especially given the labor-intensive nature of the business. This industry is comprised mostly of small business entrepreneurs who worked hard to ‘grow’ their businesses, and expect their crew workers to do the same.” Most importantly, individuals should also have a genuine interest in caring for the natural environment.

Many occupations in the green industry require critical thinking, strong decision-making abilities, and problem-solving skills. Although most of the manual work is done in crews, Webber notes, many times crew members are working independently on specific pieces of a project where critical thinking skills often come into play. Because much of the work requires spatial relations, individuals should have basic mathematical skills, along with good reading, writing, and communication skills.

The majority of landscape personnel have direct contact with their customers; these individuals should have excellent customer service skills to be able to listen to the customers’ wishes and needs. Others may be part of a crew and receive direction from a crew leader; these individuals need excellent “soft skills” – to understand teamwork, deal with clients and interact with other crew members.

Physical strength and endurance are essential to perform the functions of most jobs in the green industry. Individuals must be able to lift heavy objects, kneel, stand and walk for long periods of time and often use dangerous tools. Because the majority of the work is outdoors, landscape personnel must be able to endure heat and sun exposure in the summer, rain in the spring and fall and cold, frosty conditions in the winter.

What education and/or training is required?

The “beauty” of this field is the number of opportunities for people with a range of experience and education. Those who would like to enter the field near entry level can take a few horticulture courses; many community college and university extension program provide horticulture and landscape architecture and design programs. Certificate or associate degree programs as well as bachelor’s and master’s programs exist for those who want more in-depth knowledge.

The number of four-year degree programs seems to be on the decline, but two-year and certificate courses are on the rise, explains Edde Jones, Program Director for the Greencorps Chicago, Department of the Environment. Webber agrees. This is especially beneficial to a population of job seekers with limited work experience and education. Webber explains further, “while the industry is in need of staff possessing college degrees in horticulture and related studies, the majority of positions consist of laborers, managers in various departments and business support staff.”

Individuals who have experience working in a nursery or a maintenance company may be good candidate for job openings. Internships or practical experience, such as participation in community gardens and volunteering, also will increase employment opportunities.

Knowledge of Spanish is an asset in this field; there is a high-number of Spanish speakers in the green industry.

What are the expected work conditions?

One of the most appealing aspects of the green industry is the nature of the work. Many landscaping staff work outdoors (in parks, recreation areas, commercial grounds or private residences), although some may work in an office setting performing some of the business functions (management, bookkeeping) for the projects.

Many find working outdoors to be one of the most freeing, beneficial parts of the work and often a good fit for people who do not want to be behind a desk or in an office all day. Landscaping is a “living” industry where challenges are constantly arising, be it pests, soil conditions or nature, describes Webber. This is not a “corporate” environment. Getting your hands dirty is a requirement of the job, she promises.

Most companies tend to work primarily Monday through Friday during daylight hours; work at night is rare due to the need for light and safe outdoor conditions.

A downfall of the industry is that it tends to be seasonal in some regions. The bulk of the work is required in the summer months, followed by spring and fall. However, Nancy Kreith, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Extension Program Director and GreenNet-Chicago’s Greening Network President suggests that a little creativity such as seasonal sales (pumpkins, Christmas trees), outdoor residential holiday decorating, snow removal and working in nurseries and greenhouses can go far in sprucing up any seasonal downturns.

According to the 1st Annual Chicago Green Festival held in Chicago this April, “Chicago is a national leader in greening their city.” Job seekers, experienced or not, can be a part of this exciting, blooming new field.

A Field that is Blooming: Careers in Landscaping and Horticulture

Do you have clients who could envision themselves designing a beautiful garden, landscaping the front yard, installing trees, shrubs and perennials? How about paving stone patios, maintaining lawns or constructing decks and fences? If so, landscaping and horticulture may be the field for them!

The “greening industry” is a catch-all phrase used to describe anything green and growing and encompasses the care of plants and the natural environment. With a direct economic impact of $4.72 billion in 2003, the Illinois “green industries” are growing rapidly, notes the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Experts and business owners agree. “Illinois is in the agricultural realm of things. Landscaping, nurseries, greenhouses and florists generate more revenue than corn crops,” notes Christy Webber, President of Christy Webber Landscaping. However, the demand is outweighing the supply – job seekers should take note. Landscaping and horticulture are included in the 25% of service sector industries that report they are unable to fill all of their open jobs, according to the University of Illinois’ Natural Resources Program.

Within the last ten years, with the booming housing market and the influx of families staying in the city, the “curb appeal” of houses is becoming more and more important. According to the University of Illinois Extension Master Gardener Program, a well-designed and maintained landscape adds value to homes and property. Research shows the value of a home can be increased by as much as 15% as a result of good landscape.

Where are the jobs?

The green industry is one of the nation’s largest employers and there are countless career opportunities in this field.

Landscaping occupations include not only landscape designers and architects, but also tree care workers, landscape contractors, gardeners and maintenance workers, irrigation and soil specialists, nursery workers and growers, interior plantscape workers and pest management workers.

Most companies, depending on size, usually have a staff comprised of one higher-degree individual (usually either a landscape architect and/or horticulturalist) and landscaping workers with experience and/or training in the field.

Companies’ employment opportunities are relative to the size of the business, Webber notes. Most labor positions in the industry pay between $7.50 - $18.00 per hour; benefits often depend on the employer. Management and designer positions often pay from $25.00 - $37.00 per hour depending on education and experience.

What skills are needed?

Job developers really need to know the work requirements of the industry, explains Webber. “They need to appreciate there will be little tolerance for lackluster performance, especially given the labor-intensive nature of the business. This industry is comprised mostly of small business entrepreneurs who worked hard to ‘grow’ their businesses, and expect their crew workers to do the same.” Most importantly, individuals should also have a genuine interest in caring for the natural environment.

Many occupations in the green industry require critical thinking, strong decision-making abilities, and problem-solving skills. Although most of the manual work is done in crews, Webber notes, many times crew members are working independently on specific pieces of a project where critical thinking skills often come into play. Because much of the work requires spatial relations, individuals should have basic mathematical skills, along with good reading, writing, and communication skills.

The majority of landscape personnel have direct contact with their customers; these individuals should have excellent customer service skills to be able to listen to the customers’ wishes and needs. Others may be part of a crew and receive direction from a crew leader; these individuals need excellent “soft skills” – to understand teamwork, deal with clients and interact with other crew members.

Physical strength and endurance are essential to perform the functions of most jobs in the green industry. Individuals must be able to lift heavy objects, kneel, stand and walk for long periods of time and often use dangerous tools. Because the majority of the work is outdoors, landscape personnel must be able to endure heat and sun exposure in the summer, rain in the spring and fall and cold, frosty conditions in the winter.

What education and/or training is required?

The “beauty” of this field is the number of opportunities for people with a range of experience and education. Those who would like to enter the field near entry level can take a few horticulture courses; many community college and university extension program provide horticulture and landscape architecture and design programs. Certificate or associate degree programs as well as bachelor’s and master’s programs exist for those who want more in-depth knowledge.

The number of four-year degree programs seems to be on the decline, but two-year and certificate courses are on the rise, explains Edde Jones, Program Director for the Greencorps Chicago, Department of the Environment. Webber agrees. This is especially beneficial to a population of job seekers with limited work experience and education. Webber explains further, “while the industry is in need of staff possessing college degrees in horticulture and related studies, the majority of positions consist of laborers, managers in various departments and business support staff.”

Individuals who have experience working in a nursery or a maintenance company may be good candidate for job openings. Internships or practical experience, such as participation in community gardens and volunteering, also will increase employment opportunities.

Knowledge of Spanish is an asset in this field; there is a high-number of Spanish speakers in the green industry.

What are the expected work conditions?

One of the most appealing aspects of the green industry is the nature of the work. Many landscaping staff work outdoors (in parks, recreation areas, commercial grounds or private residences), although some may work in an office setting performing some of the business functions (management, bookkeeping) for the projects.

Many find working outdoors to be one of the most freeing, beneficial parts of the work and often a good fit for people who do not want to be behind a desk or in an office all day. Landscaping is a “living” industry where challenges are constantly arising, be it pests, soil conditions or nature, describes Webber. This is not a “corporate” environment. Getting your hands dirty is a requirement of the job, she promises.

Most companies tend to work primarily Monday through Friday during daylight hours; work at night is rare due to the need for light and safe outdoor conditions.

A downfall of the industry is that it tends to be seasonal in some regions. The bulk of the work is required in the summer months, followed by spring and fall. However, Nancy Kreith, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign Extension Program Director and GreenNet-Chicago’s Greening Network President suggests that a little creativity such as seasonal sales (pumpkins, Christmas trees), outdoor residential holiday decorating, snow removal and working in nurseries and greenhouses can go far in sprucing up any seasonal downturns.

According to the 1st Annual Chicago Green Festival held in Chicago this April, “Chicago is a national leader in greening their city.” Job seekers, experienced or not, can be a part of this exciting, blooming new field.

After a brief hibernation, the issue of homosexual marriage is reemerging into prominent public debate. Last month, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine announced that he would seek to allow official marriages for same-sex couples in his state, replacing the current policy of civil unions. These unions, meant to be equivalent to marriage in all but the name, have fallen short of expectations: Employers that afford benefits to married couples have continued to deny them to civil union partners.

Roughly two-thirds of New Jersey residents would like to see the civil union policy replaced by full marriage equality. But Corzine has prudently decided to wait until after the coming presidential election to push for the new measure, recalling how the 2004 promulgation of gay marriage in Massachusetts helped mobilize right-wing sentiment and re-elect George W. Bush. For some, this isn't fast enough. Gay rights groups that have criticized the shortcomings of civil unions are eager to rectify a statute that has placed a significant burden on the gay community. But moving ahead on this initiative before November 4 would be courting disaster for all progressive goals.

From time immemorial, the women in this land of ours were treated as a sort of thing. Her placing in the society was not at par with other human being. She has no rights. She cannot move nor do anything at her will. In Hindu Shastras, she has been branded just like animals. From the verses of Ramayan as written by Mr. Tulsi Das, " Dhol, ganwar, shudra, pashu, naari- Ye sab tadan ke adhikari," one may easily draw inferences as to what status has been granted to our mothers. Similarly, we can understand that of Dropadi of Mahabharata was reduced to the status of a bitch, as she was the wife of five husbands (Pandwas). She was not only, the wife of five husbands; she put at stake in gambling by none else than the so called Dharmraj Yudhishthar! In 'Manusmrati' the ancient Hindu Code-book, the status granted to women is quite visible and she was put to the lowest rug of humanity as she was treated at par with the animals and slave by the proprietors of Hindu Dharma. Such was the placement earmarked to our mothers, sisters and even great grand mothers that the heads of humanity bend upon down with shame!

That is why Dr. Ambedkar was of the firm opinion that until or unless, by applying dynamite, the Hindu Dharma-shastras are not blown up, nothing is going to happen. In the name sanskaras, the Hindu women are tied up with the bondage of superstitions, which they carry till their death. They are also responsible for inculcating these wrong notions learnt by them through baseless traditions and preaching of the Shastras in the budding minds of their offspring.

Otherwise also the women in India have remained a matter of joy and a source of amusement as such she was used and misused by men just to serve their evil ends. She has been used just like a machine for procreation. It has also been mentioned in Hindu Shastras that the woman is the bond slave of her father when she was young, to her husband when she is middle aged and to her son when she is a mother. Of course, all the epigrams, aphorisms, proverbs, platitudes and truisms bear necked truth about the stature of women in India.

It does not mean that no efforts have been made in the past to bring dignity to women. As in Europe, Christianity inaugurated the Era of equality, liberty and fraternity by preaching that a prince and pauper are equal in the eyes of God. There is also a very long tradition of social reforms by our saints and other social reformers. But the proprietors of the orthodoxy thwarted these efforts. In the absence of any legal sanction or authority, these efforts could not sustain.

In this direction Dr. B.R. Ambedkar has tried to brake down the barriers in the way of advancement of women in India. He laid down the foundation of concrete and sincere efforts by codifying the common Civil Code for the Hindus and the principle is capable of extension to other sections of the Indian society. Prior to these efforts of Dr. Ambedkar, the destiny of the Indian women depended upon the wrong notions and perceptions chalked out by the proprietors of orthodoxy.

The prevailing two schools of Hindu Law viz. 'Mitakshara' and 'Dayabhag, created and sustained inequality. According to 'Mitakshara' the property of a Hindu is not his individual property. It belongs to what is called coparcenary, which consists of father, son, grandsons and great grandsons by reason of birth. The property passed under Mitakshara by survivorship to the members of coparcenary who remain behind, and does not pass to the heirs of the deceased. Whereas Dayabhag recognised the property held by the heir as his personal property with an absolute right to dispose it of either by gift or by will or any other manner that he chooses. The chaotic conditions of the Hindu law were reduced to eat propositions in the form of judicial pronouncements and codification was the legislative recognition of the judge made law. Dr. Ambedkar himself had explained lucidly the reasons for consolidation and codification.

Article 25 of the Indian Constitution permits all the freedom. The reforms introduced by Dr. Ambedkar through "Hindu Code-bill" have been adhered to and have been accepted by and large. He, by codifying Hindu Law in respect of marriage, divorce and succession, rationalized and restored the dignity to women. Prior to the Hindu Succession Act, 1956 and Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, the Hindu Law was uncodifyed in a large measure, though Hindu Women's Right to Property Act, 1937 was the subject legislative intervention. The Sharda Act is also worth mentioning. It has set the seal of authority upon that piece of social reforms, which the heads of orthodoxy were, imposing and impending.

In Hindu Code Bill, the principles of codification covered:

(i) Right to property,
(ii) Order of succession to property,
(iii) Maintenance, marriage, divorce, adoption, minority and guardianship.

Needless to say, the Bill was a part of social engineering via law. It was by any standard of any time a revolutionary measure. It was really a first step towards the recognition and empowerment of women in India. Under these revolutionary measures, a woman will have property in her own right and be able to dispose of her property.

The Hindu Code Bill introduced by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar in the Constituent Assembly on 11th April 1947. A debate on this bill continued for more than four years and still remains inconclusive. Here once again, the orthodoxy prevailed upon the reforms. In the words of Dr. Ambedkar, it was killed and died unset and unsung. He felt that the then government led by Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was not eager to clear the Hindu Code Bill. He, therefore, tendered his resignation but continued to participate in the Parliamentary debates on the request of the Prime Minister.

Sharp criticism of this Bill in and outside Parliament led many to believe that it might inflict heavy damages on the Hindu society. Even the President Dr. Rajendra Prasad got scared and issued a threat that he would withhold his assent even if it had been passed by the Parliament. But the efforts of Baba Saheb Ambedkar were lauded also like anything. The Times of India on 26th December 1950 carried a statement of Dr. Ambedkar in which he said that the Bill aimed at removing the legal obstacles in the social advancement of women. Justice P.B. Gajendra-gadkar while congratulating Dr. Ambedkar for the role he had played in drafting and piloting the Bill said, "If Dr. Ambedkar gives us Hindus our Code, his achievement would go down in history as a very eloquent piece of poetic justice indeed."

In recent past, a lot hue and cry is being made over 'Women's Reservation Bill' by the different sections of the Indian society, different political or apolitical organizations but nobody seems to be honest in its perspectives. The political empowerment is a must for the all round development of the women, but as in the case of dalit politicians and legislators, our efforts may prove futile. We must concentrate on imparting social education before giving any concrete shape to their political empowerment to the women. Without academic and social education, the political empowerment of women in certain parts of the country had proved futile. In Panchayat Raj set up in U.P. and elsewhere in the country, the uneducated women are subjected to exploitation at the hands of government machinery. It will not be prudent on our part to restore the rights of the women belonging to the affluent section of the society only. Therefore, our efforts should be directed towards all round development of each and every section of Indian women by giving their due share. It is a must to maintain and protect chastity, dignity and modesty of women. It is the need of the hour to give due share to each and every section of the Indian women. I am sure, without removing social stigma, no progress or development could be achieved.

Now the question arises as what sort of empowerment our women needed prior to restarting their equal property rights? There are lot of nodal agencies including the national Commission for Women said to have been working for the welfare of the women apart from governmental efforts. Where does they reach in this direction? Leaving a meager number of urban and suburban women, the Indian women are still crying for simple justice. Which is not even allowed to have been accessed to them. With their age, no bar, they have been raped, kicked, killed, subdued & humiliated almost daily. Why? Because of our indifferent attitude towards them. This indifferent attitude and approach of our crops up at the time of the birth of female child. They are subjected to rebuke and ignored so far as their education and other facilities are concerned which are required for their proper and healthy growth/development. The male child is given preference over the female child? With this attitude of our own, we use to suppress and remained unfair towards the fair sex.

First of all we must try to treat our female child as par our female child as par with our male ones and thenceforth restore equality amongst them. No restoration of property right would be meaningful without making her mentally strong. We must allow them to think breathe and act independently and bring her out of the shackles of slavery. Do not impose the filthy rites, rituals and superstition citing the examples from our dated SHASTRAS. Don't treat women your slave or servant who has come to this world just to cook your food, wash your dirty clothes, and fulfil your other needs.

Please mined it that they are your mothers, sisters, wife (Life partners). If we able to mend our ways, the restoration of their property rights to them would be meaningful.

Let us be a little bit honest to diagnose the illness by taking into consideration all the aspects and aspirations in changed scenario, circumstances and atmosphere. Only then we could have a perfect planning to achieve our cherished aim that is empowerment of Indian women and could be able to restore their property and other rights in order to bring her at par with other human beings. This could be achieved only if we are able to blow up the heinous Hindu-shastras by using dynamite as affirmed by none else than Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, the emancipator of the millions including Indian women.

Most sports historians trace golf’s origins to a type of land hockey played in Flanders in the middle ages. It is suggested that three Scotsmen fighting in a regiment allied with the French witnessed the game and took it home to Scotland where golf as we know it took root.

History of golf

For centuries golf was played by individuals wealthy enough to afford both the expensive materials and access to the desirable places to play away from commoners. To some extent golf retains this upper-class image although now it is the case that the availability of inexpensive or rental equipment as well as many publicly accessible golf courses has popularized the game like never before.

Golf Ball History

The featherie ball was invented sometime around the early 1600s. Until this time wooden balls were used. A featherie is of painted cow-hide stitched shut; containing goose feathers. This ball outperformed the wood variety and was the standard ball until the invention of the guttie in 1848. Dr. Robert Adams is the individual responsible for this inexpensive and aerodynamically superior ball.

Wound balls were the first multi-layered ball on the scene in the early twentieth century. These balls were once of a liquid or solid core wound up in rubber thread and coated with a thin shell. More advanced manufacturing techniques allowed manufacturers greater precision when designing and producing these balls. Today’s multi-layered balls employ a titanium core and a number of hybrid materials. The shell of the ball is softer these days than it was in the past. A golf ball of today will have two to four layers of synthetic material. 

History of the Golf Club

Golf clubs have undergone a long evolution. In golf’s earliest days people used whatever was handy to fashion crude instruments to play. The first record of a special set of clubs comes from King James IV of Scotland, who commissioned a set in 1602. One year later the kingdom appointed its first royal club maker, William Mayne. These early golf clubs were wood, relatively fragile, and expensive to make. The first metal heads date to 1750, and in fact club makers were experimenting with a number of materials in an attempt to improve the effectiveness and durability of the clubs in a game. A new club, a ‘bulger’, was invented to cope with the new dynamics of the ‘guttie’ ball in 1848. These clubs closely resemble the woods of today.

It was sometime around 1900 when aluminum became the material of choice, and in 1902 E. Burr presented iron heads with grooved faces which increased the backspin of the ball. In 1929 clubs with metal shafts were allowed officially into the professional game. In 1939 the 14 club rule was introduced as was the convention of numbering clubs instead of giving names.

 The putter was only permitted in professional golf in 1951, and the graphite shaft first made its way into the game in 1973. The most recent evolution in golf clubs is the Taylor-Made ‘metal woods’, which now supersede the ‘wooden woods’ in popularity. Today’s most expensive and sophisticated golf clubs utilize titanium heads and graphite shafts.

US Open Golf History

The US Open is an annual event presented by the United States Golf Association (USGA). There are four major men’s championships every year in golf, and this is one of them. The first US Open was on the fourth of October, 1895.  Newport, Rhode Island, was the place and it was a nine-hole court. Eleven men competed, ten professionals and one amateur. Horace Rawlins, a 21 year old Englishman, was the winner. The British dominated the US Open until John J. McDermott took the prize in 1911, the first American to win this tournament.

Master Golf History

Every year in Augusta, Georgia, golf’s greatest come out to swing at the Augusta National Golf Club. The course is world famous for it hosts one of four major golf tournaments. The course was built in 1931 by Bob Jones and Clifford Roberts. To draw attention to the new course the two decided to host an annual tournament, the first of which was held in 1934 and won by Horton Smith against Craig Wood. The tournament was originally titled the ‘Augusta National Invitation Tournament’, but in 1939 it changed its name forever into The Masters.

The Masters Golf Tournament History

The Master’s tournament grabbed headlines, and despite a hiatus throughout the Second World War, has only surged in popularity and prestige throughout the past sixty years. Throughout the 1970s Americans ruled the tournament, however in 1980 Seve Ballesteros, a Spaniard, won the match. Throughout the next 17 years Europeans would win the tournament ten times.

Legend Golf

Tiger Woods made history in 1997 by becoming the youngest golfer ever to win the Masters. Four years later he took his second title; it is not incorrect to say that golf was, for a few years at least, dominated by the legend of Tiger Woods. His status as a golf legend has inspired a generation of new players.

Legend Golf Course

Golf is a game populated by legendary figures making legendary shots. From Craig Wood to Tiger Woods, and all the champions in-between, golf is a game that continues to attract people from all walks of life.

Name - Delip Singh Rana (Khali)

Height - 7'3"

Weight - 430 Pounds

Country - Punjab (Indian)

Place of Born - Hariyana (India)

Date of Birth - 1972

Jobs - Sub Inspector of Punjab Police

India's first wrestler in the WWE Championship winner.

 

 

 

 

Dudhwa National Park

Gradually, February 14 became the date for exchanging love messages and St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers. The date was marked by sending poems and simple gifts such as flowers. There was often a social gathering or a ball.

In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800's and now the date is very commercialised. The town of Loveland, Colorado, does a large post office business around February 14. The spirit of good continues as valentines are sent out with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards at school.

The History of Saint Valentine's Day

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

St. Valentine's Story

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

Valentine Traditions

Good morning to you, valentine;
Curl your locks as I do mine ---
Two before and three behind.
Good morning to you, valentine.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together -- but not too closely!

Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have.

If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.

Cancer is rare in teens. Certain diseases like breast cancer usually affect adult women - teen girls are unlikely to get this form of cancer. But there are some types that are more likely to occur in teens. Testicular cancer, for example, tends to affect younger guys rather than older men.

The types of cancers teens get have one thing in common: cells, the basic components or "building blocks" of the human body. Cancer occurs when cells develop abnormally and grow in an uncontrolled way. Read on to learn more about some types of cancer that teens may get, including warning signs and symptoms and how these cancers can be treated.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (pronounced: os-tee-oh-sar-koh-muh) is the most common type of bone cancer. In teens, it can sometimes appear during their growth spurts. Osteosarcoma affects twice as many guys as girls and tends to show up in people who are taller than average. In most cases, there is no known cause for osteosarcoma.

The most common symptoms of osteosarcoma are pain and swelling in an arm or leg that is sometimes accompanied by a lump. Some people have more pain at night or when they exercise, Osteosarcoma is most often found in the bones around the knee but can occur in other bones as well. In some cases, a tumor can spread or metastasize to the lungs and other bones. (Metastasize is the word doctors use when cells from a tumor break away from the original cancer site and travel to a different tissue or organ.)

Treatment for osteosarcoma usually involves chemotherapy (medication that kills cancer cells) as well as surgery to remove the tumor. A doctor may perform limb-salvage surgery, where the bone that has cancer is removed and the limb (usually an arm or leg) is saved from amputation by filling the gap with a bone graft or special metal rod. In rare cases, a doctor may need to amputate (remove) part or all of the limb to fight the cancer.

Losing a limb can be devastating, especially for teens who are already dealing with body changes. Counseling and physical therapy (also called physical rehabilitation) can both be helpful in this situation. People who have amputations are usually fitted with a prosthesis (pronounced: prahs-thee-sus), or artificial limb. Most teens with a prosthesis are able to return to normal activities - even sports.

Most people develop side effects, such as hair loss, bleeding, infections, and heart or skin problems, from medicines used in chemotherapy treatment for osteosarcoma. Chemotherapy may also increase the person's risk of developing other cancers in the future. The good news is that most teens with osteosarcoma do recover.

Ewing's Sarcoma

Another type of cancer that affects the bone is Ewing's sarcoma. It is similar to osteosarcoma in that it also affects teens and young adults and is usually located in the leg or pelvis.

Most teens with Ewing's sarcoma receive chemotherapy as well as surgery. Some patients will also need radiation in addition to or instead of surgery to make sure that remaining cancer cells have been destroyed. Ewing's sarcoma generally responds well to chemotherapy and radiation.

Osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma share common risk factors and side effects from treatment. Chances for recovery depend upon where the tumor is located, its size, and whether it has spread. But both types of bone cancer respond well to treatment and are curable in many cases.

Leukemia

Leukemia is one of the most common childhood cancers. It occurs when large numbers of abnormal white blood cells called leukemic blasts fill the bone marrow and sometimes enter the bloodstream.

Because these abnormal blood cells are defective, they don't help protect the body against infection the way normal white blood cells do. And because they grow uncontrollably, they take over the bone marrow and interfere with the body's production of other important types of cells in the bloodstream, like red blood cells (which carry oxygen) and platelets (which help blood to clot).

Leukemia causes problems like bleeding, anemia (low numbers of red blood cells), bone pain, and infections. It can also spread to other places like the lymph nodes, liver, spleen, brain, and the testicles in males.

The types of leukemia most likely to occur in teens are acute lymphocytic (pronounced: lim-fuh-sih-tik) leukemia (ALL) and acute myelogenous (pronounced: my-uh-ladj-uh-nus) leukemia (AML).

Virtually all people with ALL and AML are treated with chemotherapy, and some also receive stem cell transplants, in which they are given new stem cells from another person. Bone marrow transplants are a common form of stem cell transplantation. Some people also receive radiation. The length of treatment and types of medicine given will vary depending on the type of leukemia.

The chances for a cure are very good with certain kinds of leukemia. With treatment, most patients with ALL and many patients with AML are free of the disease without recurrence.

Brain Tumors

Brain tumors are not common in teens.

Two of the most common forms are astrocytomas (pronounced: as-truh-sye-toe-muhz) and ependymomas (pronounced: ep-en-duh-moe-muhz). Astrocytomas are tumors of the brain that originate from cells in the brain called astrocytes. This type of tumor doesn't usually spread outside the brain and spinal cord and doesn't usually affect other organs. Ependymomas are tumors that usually begin in the lining of brain ventricles. The brain has four ventricles, or cavities, that are a pathway for cerebrospinal fluid, a liquid substance that cushions the brain and spine and protects them from trauma.

No one knows the exact cause of primary brain cancer. One possibility is that as the brain and spinal cord were forming, a problem with the cells occurred.

Treatments vary depending upon the type and location of the tumor. If it is possible to remove a tumor, surgery is usually performed, followed by radiation. Some patients receive chemotherapy as well.

The chance of surviving a brain tumor depends on its type, location, and treatment. But there is a very good chance that if the tumor can be removed and additional treatment is given, the cancer can be cured.

Lymphoma

Lymphoma refers to cancer that develops in the lymphatic system, which includes the lymph nodes, thymus, spleen, adenoids, tonsils, and bone marrow. The lymph system functions in the body by fighting off germs that cause infection and illness. Most teens with lymphoma have either Hodgkin's disease or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Hodgkin's disease usually occurs in adolescents and young adults. It can show up in lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, chest, or other places. The lymph nodes become enlarged but are usually not painful. Hodgkin's disease is identified by large, unusual cells called Reed-Sternberg cells that are detected under a microscope after a biopsy, a procedure in which a doctor removes a small tissue sample to examine it for cancer cells. Chemotherapy and often radiation are used to treat Hodgkin's disease.

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) is similar to leukemia (ALL) because both involve malignant lymphocytes (pronounced: lim-fuh-sytes), white blood cells found in lymph nodes, and because many of the symptoms of these diseases are the same. NHL is usually treated with chemotherapy.

Teens with Hodgkin's disease or NHL who have completed their treatment have an excellent chance for cure.

Other Cancers

Other cancers that teens may get - although they are generally rare - include testicular cancer and rhabdomyosarcomas.

Although testicular cancer is actually rare in teen guys, overall it is the most common cancer in males ages 15 to 35. Testicular cancer is almost always curable if it is caught and treated early. Guys should learn how to examine their testicles regularly to detect any abnormal lumps or bumps, which are usually the earliest sign of testicular cancer.

Rhabdomyosarcomas (pronounced: rab-doe-my-uh-sar-koe-muhz), or soft tissue sarcomas, are less common cancers that mostly occur in infants, kids, and teens. With these cancers, cancer cells grow in the soft tissues of the skeletal muscles (the body's muscles that a person controls for movement). Though these cancers can occur anywhere in the body, rhabdomyosarcomas most frequently happen within the muscles in the trunk, arms, or legs. The types of treatment used and chances for recovery depend upon where the rhabdomyosarcoma is located and whether the cancer has spread to other areas of the body.

Are you worrying too much? Are you feeling like a crying baby? Do you want to get rid of your anxiety disorder and panic attacks? Here are some simple steps to do so. First you must recognize that you are victim of anxiety disorder and want to take concrete steps to get rid of the same. Here is how you can do it.