FROM THE WINDOW--Basic exposure to the view of the Earth

LANDFORMS OF THE VARIOUS STATES

From the sands of the Thar Desert, where temperatures regularly soar to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, to the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas, India's geography is marked by intense contrast. While best known for the record-breaking peaks of its mountain range and its celebrated river, the Ganges, India is also home to a historically active volcano, just off its shores.

Himalayas

The Himalaya Mountains serve as the northern boundary of India; some of the mountains and many of the surrounding foothills are within the country. You can divide the Indian Himalayas into five different regions. The region of Jammu and Kashmir has foothill plains and lakes as well as some higher peaks. The Himachal Pradesh region is generally snow-capped and forested with conifers; Dharamshala, home to the Dalai Lama, is within this region. The Uttaranchal region attracts many adventure sports enthusiasts. Sikkim is home to some of the tallest peaks; once an independent kingdom, it is now an Indian state, bounded by Nepal on the west and Bhutan to the east. The North Eastern states comprise a fifth region, which includes the "seven sisters" of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Ganges River

The Ganges River runs 1,560 miles, beginning in the Himalayas and flowing into the Bay of Bengal. The river flows through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Upon merging with the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers, it forms a river delta that is 200 miles across. Hindus attribute holy significance to the river's water, going to designated bathing places along the river's course, known as tirthas. It is also a common tradition to cast the ashes of the deceased into the river.

Thar Desert

In western India, the Thar Desert is the seventh-largest desert in the world, covering about 92,200 square miles. With extremely severe temperatures, the Thar is one of the most inhospitable parts of the country. Winter temperatures are regularly around freezing, and summer temperatures can surge to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Annual rainfall is condensed into a few months of monsoons in late summer. The Thar Desert spans the Indian states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Punjab and extends into Pakistan to the west. Given the extreme climate, the Thar has plentiful fauna and flora, with around 141 known species of native birds.

Andaman Islands

The Andaman Islands form an archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, just south of Burma. Altogether, the archipelago numbers about 300 islands, most of which comprise a territory of India. The islands are mountainous with dense rain forests. The islands also feature two volcanoes, the Narcondam and the Barren Island volcano. The Barren Island is the only historically active volcano in India.

LANDFORMS IN VARIOUS STATES:-

The northern states of India lie between the Himalayas and the fertile plains formed by the rivers that flow from the Himalayas. Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Utter Pradesh and Uttarakhand constitute the northern states.

These states have a variety of physical features ranging from the very high and rugged snow -capped mountains to beautiful green valleys and vast green plains. The region has many rivers that are fed by the snowy mountains of the Himalayas.

These states have climate ranging from very cold winters to hot and warm summers.

It is pine forests and fruit orchards. This state has great scenic beauty and s also a big tourist attraction. Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh.

The hill state of Uttarakhand is famous for its shrines ad wildlife parks. It was earlier a part of Uttar Pradesh. The capital of Uttarakhand is Dehradun.

Punjab and Haryana states

The state of Punjab and Haryana are prosperous states of north India. Punjab is famous for the golden temple in Amritsar. Kurukshetra, the famous battlefield of the epic Mahabharata is in Haryana. Bhangra is a typical folk dance of this region. The city of Chandigrah serves as the capital of both the states. Both the states are rich in agriculture with wheat, oil seeds, Jowar and rice being important crops. They also have many important industrial like dairy products, sports goods and vehicles. Punjab is called the `Granary of India'.

The capital of India, the historic city of Delhi also lies in the northern region. The seat of the Mughal Empire, the city has many ancient monuments of great historical importance.

The western states

The western states of India have varied landforms-deserts, coasts, hills and mountain ranges. Examples are the Vindhya and Satpura hill ranges, the Western Ghats and the Narmada and Tapti rivers.

The climate in Rajasthan and parts of Gujarat is extreme, with very hot summers and cold winters. The other parts of the region have a moderate climate with good rainfall.

Rajasthan, also called the land of palaces, lies in the Thar Desert. Jaipur, the capital, is called the `pink city' as most o the buildings here are built of pink-colored sandstone.

Gujarat is famous for its food, textiles, mirror work and embroidered handicrafts. The capital is Gandhinagar. This state is the birthplace of Mahatma Gandhi. Gir forest, the only sanctuary for Asiatic lions in India, is situated in Gujarat.

Maharashtra is on the western coast and is famous for its cave paintings and sculptures at Ajanta and Ellora. Mumbai, the capital of Maharashtra is a very busy port. Cotton, wheat, sugarcane, oranges, and mangoes are important agricultural products while textile, chemicals and automobile are the chief industries found in the state.

Goa is a land of beaches. The capital city is Panaji. Goa was Portuguese territory and has Portuguese in flounce on its culture. The state grows rice, cashew and coconuts. Shipping and mining are important industries. Goa is famous and carnivals.

REACHING GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE (Different landforms)

OMANA'S JOURNEY

Kerala  (Nick name:- God’s own country)

Kerala regionally also Keralam,  is a state located in the south-west region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956 by combining various Malayalam-speaking regions.
 It is bordered by Karnataka to the north and north east, Tamil Nadu to the east and south.
Thiruvananthapuram  is the state capital.

Seal of Kerala:-

Symbols:-

 Bird     :-   Great hornbill                                Animal :-   Indian elephant                    
 Tree     :-   coconut                                 Flower :-   golden shower                      Fish       :-  karimeen  

      Flora and Fauna

Kerala's forests abound in a variety of rare animals and birds.

The elephant, tiger, lion-tailed monkey, Indian gaur, python, striped mountain goat, and wild fowl are still found in Kerala's forests.

Mahogany, sandal-wood, teak-wood, and rose-wood are still the proud products of these forests.
Reptiles include the King Cobra, viper, python, and Mugger Crocodile.

Kerala's birds include legion—Malabar Trogon, the Great Hornbill, Kerala Laughingthrush, Darter, Southern Hill Myna..
In lakes, wetlands, and waterways, fish such as kadu; stinging catfish and Choottachi; Orange chromide are found.

Main festivals celebrated in Kerala:-

 1.) VISHUVishu is one of the important festivals of Kerala. It comes in the month of April usually on the 14^th. According to the traditional Malayalam calendar, it is the 1^st day of the first month Medam (March-April) of the New Year. The women take a large dish made of bell-metal (uruli), arrange in it a grantha (palm-leaf manuscript), a gold ornament, a new cloth, some flowers from the Konna Tree (Cassia fistula), some coins in a silver cup, a split coconut, a cucumber, some mangoes and a jack-fruit. On either side of the dish are placed two burning lamps with a chair facing it. Family members are taken blindfolded and then their blindfolds are removed and they view the Vishu Kani. As in other Indian festivals, a great feast at home is the high point of celebrating Vishu in Kerala.

2.) Onam, The harvest and national festival of Kerala

Onam is the most biggest festival in Kerala. It is the National Festival of Kerala with State holidays on 4 days starting from Onam Eve (Uthardom) to the 4rd Onam Day.

onam is celebrated by:-

Ø  arranging colorful blossoms for pookalam

Ø visiting temples

Ø gifting new clothes (Onakkodi) to everybody

Ø  feasting on 'avial'

Ø 'pappadum' and 'payasams' on plantain leaves

Ø and indulging in elating boat races such as Vallomkali in the azure backwaters

Ø sports and other cultural activities like Pulikkali (meaning tiger dance)

Ø `Oonjalattom, Thiruvathirakali and so on.

 Onam is the most colourful and the chief festival of Kerala which is celebrated by almost all people irrespective of caste and creed and community. The origin of Onam can be traced back to an interesting and unusual legend of an asura named Mahabali.  

3.)Christmas:-

Christmas is one of the Biggest festival in Kerala, thanks to strong Christian community. Today X'mas has moved more a secular festival than a religious festival. The days starting from 23rd of Dec till 2nd of Jan is considered as most festive days in a year, with terrific shopping, parties, parades and the entire air is filled with festivities organized by many. Parades on X'mas Eves in major Churches are worth to watch and special masses in churches as well as X'mas feast are something that anybody wish for.

4.)Thrissur pooram:-

The most famous temple festival, that one should not miss is Thrissur Pooram at city of Thrissur happening between last week of April- mid of May. Thrissur Pooram is called Festivals of Festivals, marking the biggest and most gala temple festival. Its actually a competition of festivities between two temples and nearly parades of 30 to 50 decorated elephants along with huge temple orchestration normally associated by 150 to 200 musicians happen, making it a visual treat. 

TEMPLES IN KERALA:-

Aaranmula temple

Parthasarthy temple, dedicated to Parthasarathi or Lord Krishna, the temple is in Chengannor. A major attraction is the Aranmula snake boat race held as part of the festival coinciding with Onam. Aranmula is well-known for its hand-made mirrors of polished metal called the "Aranmula Kannadi".
.Ambalapuzha temple Dedicated to Lord Krishna, this temple is famous throughout Kerala for the sweet milk porridge, 'Palpayasam' served here.

Chottanikkara temple

Goddess Rajarajeswari is the deity here. Together with Lord Vishnu, they are known as Lakshminarayana. People who have mental illness seek cure from the mother goddess and believed to get relief. Dedicated to Lord Krishna, this temple is famous throughout Kerala for the sweet milk porridge, 'Palpayasam' served here.



Chottanikkara temple

Goddess Rajarajeswari is the deity here. Together with Lord Vishnu, they are known as Lakshminarayana. People who have mental illness seek cure from the mother goddess and believed to get relief.

Ettumanoor temple

This ancient temple, which is 17 km away from Kottayam, is a significant place of worship. There are mural paintings of high order and beautiful sculpture of intricate workmanship inside the temple.

Vadakkunnathan temple

The Vadakkunnathan Temple at Thrissur, dedicated to Lord Shiva is one of the largest temples in Kerala. This temple is a classic example of the Kerala style of architecture. This temple is famous for its April/May Pooram Festival, which includes colourful and magnificent processions, brightly decorated elephants, fireworks etc.
Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple

Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple is a famous pilgrimage centre and is one of the major attractions in Thiruvananthapuram city. There are innumerable pillars, intricate carvings and mural paintings of natural pigments. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu who reclines on the sacred serpent Anantha.

Guruvayoor temple

A temple, famous all over India as a pilgrim centre, dedicated to Lord Krishna popularly known as Guruvayoorappan. Guruvayoor, where the famous Sree Krishna Temple is situated, is one of the most sacred and important pilgrim centers of kerala. Thousands of devotees flock here every day with offerings of different kinds to appease Guruvayurappan’ for his blessings .The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are inlaid with exquisite mural paintings and carvings. In the 'Chuttambalam' is a 33.5-m tall gold-plated 'Dwajastambham'. The square 'Sreekovil' is the sacred sanctum sanctorum of the temple, housing the main deity. The idol is said to have been worshipped by Lord Brahma himself at Dwaraka. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. 

Sabarimala temple

 This well-known pilgrim centre is dedicated to LORD AYYAPPA. The holy shrine, situated atop the Sabarimala nestles 914 m above sea level, amidst the virgin forest wilderness of the Western Ghats. It attracts millions of pilgrims from far and near. The main pilgrimage is undertaken between November and January. Regardless of caste, creed, colour, they wear black dhotis and carry on their heads, bundles containing traditional offerings like coconut filled with ghee, camphor and rice. A temple, famous all over India as a pilgrim centre, dedicated to Lord Krishna popularly known as Guruvayoorappan. Guruvayoor, where the famous Sree Krishna Temple is situated, is one of the most sacred and important pilgrim centers of kerala. Thousands of devotees flock here every day with offerings of different kinds to appease Guruvayurappan’ for his blessings .The walls of the sanctum sanctorum are inlaid with exquisite mural paintings and carvings. In the 'Chuttambalam' is a 33.5-m tall gold-plated 'Dwajastambham'. The square 'Sreekovil' is the sacred sanctum sanctorum of the temple, housing the main deity. The idol is said to have been worshipped by Lord Brahma himself at Dwaraka. Only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. 

Sabarimala temple 

This well-known pilgrim centre is dedicated to LORD AYYAPPA. The holy shrine, situated atop the Sabarimala nestles 914 m above sea level, amidst the virgin forest wilderness of the Western Ghats. It attracts millions of pilgrims from far and near. The main pilgrimage is undertaken between November and January. Regardless of caste, creed, colour, they wear black dhotis and carry on their heads, bundles containing traditional offerings like coconut filled with ghee, camphor and rice.

Vaikkom temple

The ancient Mahadeva Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva here has carried its name far and near. According to legend, it was constructed by Parasurama, the mythological creator of Kerala. The 12 day ‘Ashtami’ festival here (November/December) is renowned for its elephant processions, religious discourses, and traditional dance and music perform.

Mannarsala Temple

Mannarsala temple at Haripad is reputed for having 30,000 images of snake-gods and this is the largest of its kind in the state. There are 2 main idols: 'Nagaraja' or the serpent king and his consort, Sarpayakshini. The offerings include coins and snake effigies made of gold, silver and copper, grains of all kinds, pepper, tender coconuts, plantains, melons and sandalwood.

Thirunelli Temple

Located 30 kms North West of Mananthavadi in the Wayanad district, Thirunelli Temple is known as the "Kashi of South". This 3000 years old temple dedicated to Vishnu has 30 granite columns to shield it. The Papanashini stream is nearby.
Lokanarkavu Temple

Lokanarkavu Temple is situated 5 km from Vatakara, a small town in Northern Kerala. The main deity is Goddess Durga, with two adjacent shrines dedicated to the gods Vishnu and Siva. The festival, locally called Pooram, is celebrated during March/April. According to legend, the temple is more than 1500-years-old. The candid murals and carvings here are a delight to art lovers.

Thiruvanaya Temple

Thiruvanaya Navamukunda Temple, near Ponnani in Malappuram district is situated on the banks of the river Bharathapuzha is dedicated to Lord Shiva with the other deities of Lord Ganapathy, and Goddess Lakshmi.

LANGUAGE : 

The 16 languages spoken in Kerala are :

·         Malayalam

·         English

·         Tamil

·         Tulu

·         Kannada

·         Telugu

·         Marathi

·         Konkani

·         Urdu

·         Punjabi

·         Gujarati

·         Kachchi

·         Kadar

·         Koraga

·         Muduga

Malayalam the official language of Kerala, makes it one among the few states whose official state language is also an official language of the country

                     Food

Kerala is known as the "Land of Spices". And so the Kerala cuisine is famous for its spicy and hot foods. Traditionally, the food is served on a banana leaf. People add coconut to almost every dish they prepare, together they add spices for flavouring the cuisine.  All these give pungency to the dish and it increases with the addition of tamarind. The addition of coconut reduces the tongue-teasing hot flavour. There are also other items such as the crunchy pappadam, banana chips and jackfruit chips.

In Kerala the feast or the sadya is usually served on a banana leaf. The sadya consists of rice and more than 14 vegetable dishes, along with `payasam' which is the sweet dessert cooked in milk.

Some of the delicious items are: -

Rice:

 In vegetarian meals like sadya, plain steamed rice is taken which is the basic ingredient. The muslims and the christians prefer biriyani.

Avial:

 It is a combination of vegetables like pumpkin, drumstick, potato, lady's finger, brinjal, raw banana, chilly etc and coconut sauce. It is a very popular side dish.  

Thoran: 

Vegetables like Cabbage together with Coconut, red chilly, curry leaves and mustard seed are fried or steamed with spices. The same method is done for other vegetables such as carrot, beetroot, lady's finger, green papaya etc.

Sambar:

 It is prepared with drumstick, lady's finger, tomato, potato, onion etc together with pulses and is mixed with turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander seeds and various other spices.

Olen:

 In this dish, beans and gourds are mixed with spices.

Kaalen:

 It is prepared by using Banana and curd which is added with coconut paste and green chilly.

Rasam: 

Rasam is like a clear broth. It is flavoured with tamarind, lemon, tomato, lentils, pepper and other spices. It is very good for digestion.

Pachadi:

 It is cooked with cut mangoes and another main ingredient is the pumpkin mixed with Coconut milk and curd with green chilly.

Paayasam:

 It is the sweet dessert cooked in milk.

Snacks: 

Snacks such as banana chips, tapioca chips, jackfruit chips etc deep-fried with chilly powder.

Sweets: 

Sweets are available in plenty in Kerala. Jaggery is a good sweetener. It is boiled to convert it into a paste form. It can be mixed with curd or fruits. They are mostly used in preparing payasam.

DRESS:-

Kasavu Mundu and Kasavu Neryathu are traditional handloom cotton fabrics with Kasavu (golden brocade) used for saris and as dress material by the Malayalee people. Woman elegantly wear the mundu (sarong type skirt) and neryathu (draped shoulder cloth) over a traditional sari blouse. Kerala men wear the mundu around the waist and the neryathu around the shoulders.

Sarees have formed an important & integral part of Kerala’s traditional costumes. Kancheepuram Silk is a popular choice amongst many women of the state of Kerala. Benaras silk is also worn during special occasions. A traditional wear of the state is the half saree. It consists of short blouse, a full skirt and a shawl called davani. Another form of saree is the Set Saree or the Kerala Saree, which is quite similar to the mundum neriyathum that is quite prevailant in Kerala. Unlike the mundum neriyathum it comes in single piece. It is mainly worn on occasions like Vishu or Onam.

The main occupations of Kerala are:

AgricultureFishingAndHuman Potential Export

ANITA AN THE HONEY BEES--(VIDEO ABOUT THE HONEY BEES)

THE STORY OF AMRITA---(USES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS--VIDEO)

THE STORY OF AMRITA--Parts of a plant -Hindi (हिंदी) video

TREES-KHEJRI TREES

 

Introduction
  Khejri (खेजडी) or Prosopis cineraria is a small to medium size tree, found mainly in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan. Khejri is the golden tree of Indian deserts, plays a vital role in preserving the ecosystem of arid and semi-arid areas. It is the  symbol of socio-economic development of the arid regions. Since all the parts of the tree are useful, it is called kalp taru. It is also known as the ‘king of desert’, and the ‘wonder tree’. Khejri is a tree which is worshipped by a large number  of people such as Bishnoi a great environmentalist community  in Rajasthan. The importance of the medicinal value of Khejari  tree has been highlighted in ancient Ayurveda literature. 



Khejari leaves is the top  feed of camels







STAMP OF KHEJRI TREES:-

Postal Stamp Image	:
Stamp Issue Date	:	05/06/1988
Postal Stamp Name	:	KHEJRI TREE

CHIPKO MOVEMENT:-

Khejarli or Khejadli is a village in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, India, 26 km south-east of the city of Jodhpur. The name of the town is derived from Khejri (Prosopis cineraria) trees, which were in abundance in the village.

In this village 363 Bishnois, led by Amrita Devi sacrificed their lives in 1730 AD while protecting green Khejri trees considered sacred by the community, by hugging them, this incident is the first event of Chipko Movement in the recorded history.

A DAY WITH NANDU

Learn facts about elephants, including what they eat, how they live, how big they are, how they talk and more!

Elephants are wonderful animals! They are the largest mammals in the world that live on land. There are two kinds of elephants; African and Asian. Asian elephants have smaller ears and shorter tusks than African elephants. The African elephant is bigger and taller than the Asian elephant.

Do elephants live together?

Elephants live in families. Several families live together in a "herd." The leader of the herd is usually the oldest female elephant. She is called the "matriarch." All the babies and other females follow her.

A young male elephant stays with the herd until he is fourteen or fifteen years old. Then, he goes out on his own. The young male will try to find a female elephant for a companion.

What do elephants eat?

Elephants are plant-eaters. Because they are such big animals, they need to eat large amounts of leaves, grass and tree bark. They spend as much as twenty hours a day eating! A full-grown African elephant can weigh more than 10,000 pounds!

Ears and Trunks

The ears of a full-grown African elephant are about five to six feet long and four feet wide. They sometimes flap their ears to cool themselves.

An elephant's trunk is actually part nose and part upper lip. Elephants can breathe through their trunks. They can also smell and pick up things with it. They can use it to put food into their mouths, and can even spray water with it! The trunk is used to feel things, too!

How do elephants cool themselves?

When it is hot, elephants like to get into water and mud. They also use their trunks to spray water and dust on their bodies. Wrinkles on their skin trap the water and help with the cooling.

How do elephants talk?

Elephants talk to each other by making sounds called "tummy rumbles." They also make a "trumpeting" sound to call to each other.

How long do elephants live?

Elephants can live as long as eighty years!

**********

You can see elephants in zoos. Many zoos work hard to keep the elephants happy, by providing them with the kind of habitat they would have if they were out in the wild.

A great number of elephants have been shot so people could get their ivory tusks. People all over the world have tried to stop this cruel killing of elephants. Now, very few are killed for their ivory, and there are laws to protect the elephants.

In the past, many elephants were trained to perform tricks for circuses. They were often treated in a cruel manner. Today, there are laws to protect elephants and to ensure they are well-cared for.

Elephants should be treasured. They are the "gentle giants" of the animal kingdom!

*****

Teeth and Tusks

Elephants have four teeth and two "tusks." The tusks are the long horn-like parts that come out the sides of their mouths. These tusks grow about seven inches a year, and can get up to twenty feet long! The tusks are made of ivory, which is very valuable.

The elephants four teeth are molars. About every four years, the molars fall out and are replaced by new ones. The molars of an adult elephant can be up to ten inches long!

Pictures of animals who live in herd:-

(Wolves and wild dogs do not live in "herds", they live in groups called "packs"

zebra

goat

elephant

ear to ear

GO TO THE FOLLOWING LINK TO SEE THE POWERPOINT

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/garimayadav942-1837601-ear/

going to school-ppt

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http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/garimayadav942-1837599-going-school/