Nellai

Tirunelveli, also known as Nellai, and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu. It is situated 700 kilometres southwest of the state capital Chennai.

Tirunelveli is an ancient city and is home to many temples and shrines, including the largest Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu, the Nellaiappar Temple. It is located on the western side of the perennial Thamirabarani river, whereas its twin municipal city Palayamkottai, is located on the eastern side.

History

The history of Tirunelveli was researched by Robert Caldwell, one of the Christian missionaries who visited the area in the nineteenth century for the purpose of both promoting their religious beliefs and educating the people.

                                                             

Tirunelveli had been under the prominence of the Pandya kings, serving as their secondary capital while Madurai remained its primary capital. It was an important city of the Chola kingdom (c.900–1200) and of the Vijayanagar empire.

The city was the chief commercial town in the period of Arcot Nawabs and Nayaks. They were among the various ruling dynasties of Tamil Nadu. In fact, they called the city "Nellai Cheemai", with cheemai meaning a developed foreign town.

It was the Nayaks who, in 1781, granted its revenues and local administration to the British. In 1801, it was annexed by the British, who governed it until India achieved independence in 1947.

On acquisition from the Nawab of Arcot in 1801, the British anglicized its name as Tinnevelly and made it the headquarters of Tirunelveli district.

This happened despite the fact that their administrative and military headquarters was located in Palayamkottai, during their operations against the Palayakars. Post-independence, both towns reverted to their original names.

Religion

                                                                  

Tirunelveli has a rich religious heritage and has places of worship for all the major Indian religions - Hinduism, Christianity, Islam and Jainism. Some of these are of historical importance, such as the Nellaiappar Temple.
- Nellaiappar Temple
- Sri Alzhiya Mannar Rajagopala Swamy Temple
- Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple
- Mela Thiruvenkatanathapuram Temple
- Keezha Thiruvenkatanathapuram, Keezha Thirupathi

Intel

In 1968, Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore were two unhappy engineers working for the Fairchild Semiconductor Company who decided to quit and create their own company at a time when many Fairchild employees were leaving to create start-ups. People like Noyce and Moore were nicknamed the "Fairchildren".

Robert Noyce typed himself a one page idea of what he wanted to do with his new company, and that was enough to convince San Francisco venture capitalist Art Rock to back Noyce's and Moore's new venture.

Rock raised $2.5 million dollars in less than 2 days by selling convertible debentures. Art Rock became the first chairmen of Intel.

                                                      

Intel Trademark  

The name "Moore Noyce" was already trademarked by a hotel chain, so the two founders decided upon the name "Intel" for their new company, a shortened version of "Integrated Electronics". However, the rights to the name had to bought from a company called Intelco first.

Intel Products

In 1969, Intel released the world's first metal oxide semi-conductor (MOS) static ram, the 1101. Also in 1969, Intel's first money making product was the 3101 Schottky bipolar 64-bit static random access memory (SRAM) chip. A year later in 1970, Intel introduced the 1103, DRAM memory chip.

In 1971, Intel introduced the now-famous world's first single chip microprocessor (computer on a chip), the Intel 4004, invented by Intel engineers Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stanley Mazor.

In 1972, Intel introduced the first 8-bit microprocessor the 8008. In 1974, the Intel 8080 microprocessor was introduced with ten times the power of the 8008.

In 1975, the 8080 microprocessor was used in one of the first consumer home computer - the Altair 8800 that was sold in kit form.

In 1976, Intel introduced the first micro-controllers, the 8748 and 8048, a computer-on-a-chip optimized to control electronic devices.

Though produced by theUSA’s Intel Corporation, the 1993 Pentium was basically the outcome of a research conducted by an Indian engineer. Popularly known as the Father of the Pentium chip, the inventor of the computer chip is Vinod Dham.

Carnatic Music

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

                                                            

It is one of two main sub-genres of Indian classical music that evolved from ancient Hindu traditions; the other sub-genre being Hindustani music, which emerged as a distinct form because of Persian and Islamic influences in North India.

In contrast to Hindustani music, the main emphasis in Carnatic music is on vocal music; most compositions are written to be sung, and even when played on instruments, they are meant to be performed in gāyaki (singing) style.

Temple music in different forms of Kerala as early as 7th CE, well structured 12 CE Vachana form of music of Karnataka which is currently adopted for both Carnatic and Hindustani music styles, preliminary kiirtana style compositions by Annamacharya of Andhra and ancient music of Tamilnadu including folk-music served as a background for today’s Karnataka music founded by Purandaradasa in late 14th CE.

Although there are stylistic differences, the basic elements of śruti (the relative musical pitch), swara (the musical sound of a single note), rāga (the mode or melodic formulæ), and tala (the rhythmic cycles) form the foundation of improvisation and composition in both Carnatic and Hindustani music.

Although improvisation plays an important role, Carnatic music is mainly sung through compositions, especially the kriti (or kirtanam), a form developed between the 14th and 20th centuries by composers such as Purandara Dasa and the Trinity of Carnatic music.

Carnatic music is usually performed by a small ensemble of musicians, consisting of a principal performer (usually a vocalist), a melodic accompaniment (usually a violin), a rhythm accompaniment (usually a mridangam), and a tambura, which acts as a drone throughout the performance.

The Carnatic music festival season during the month of December–January in Chennai is a world famous cultural event, and over the years it is also taking place in many other south Indian cities such as Bengaluru, and Thiruvananthapuram.

                                                  

The Carnatic music in its present form survived through a considerable amount of changes, influences over the years right from ancient times and alongside it is significant enough to highlight that Carnatic music existence has a major contribution from the ancient form of classical Tamil music.

Among all Indian languages Sanskrit has played the major role in the development of South Indian Classical music since vedic times. The first known sanskrit language Karnataka Music composition in today's format was by the founder Purandara Daasa.

Ucchi Pillayar koil

Proper name: Ucchi Pillayar koil or Thayumanaswamy koil
Country: India
State: Tamil Nadu
Location: Tiruchi
Primary Deity: Thayumanavar(Shiva), Manikka Vinayar(Ganesha), Uchi Pillayar (Ganesha)
Consort: Mattuvar Kuzhalammai(Parvathi)
Appeared For: Thayumanava Adigal
Architectural styles: Dravidian architecture
Date built: 7th century AD
Creator: unknown

Ucchi Pillayar koil, is a 7th century Hindu temple, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh located a top of Rockfort, Trichy, India.Mythologically this rock is the place where Lord Ganesh ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam.

                                                     

Architecture

The Rock Fort temple stands 83m tall perched atop the rock. The smooth rock was first cut by the Pallavas but it was the Nayaks of Madurai who completed both the temples under the Vijayanagara empire.

The temple is situated at the top of the rock. The temple is mystic in its nature with an awe-inspiring rock architecture. The Ganesh temple is much smaller with an access through steep steps carved on the rock and provides a stunning view of Trichy, Srirangam and the rivers Kaveri and Kollidam.

Due to its ancient and impressive architecture created by the Pallavas, the temple is maintained by the Archaeological department of India.

சமைக்கக் கற்றுக்கொள்கிறாள் மகள்

சமைக்கக் கற்றுக்கொள்கிறாள் மகள்.
பிசிபிசுத்த பாத்திரங்கள் காத்திருக்கின்றன.
சமையலறை
பென்சில் டப்பாவைப் போல
ஏன் சின்னதாக இருக்கிறதென்கிறாள்.
தீப்பெட்டிகளைக் கையாண்டவர்கள்
ஏன் நனைந்துபோனார்கள் என்கிறாள்.
ஒட்டடை மிகுந்த அறைகளைவிட
கரி படிந்த சமையலறையில்
அம்மாவின் வாசனையிருப்பதைக் கண்டுபிடிக்கிறாள்.
சமையலறையில் வாழ்ந்தவர்களின்
பொருமல்கள் கடுகு டப்பாவிலிருக்கலாம்
கோபம் மிளகாய் டப்பாவிலிருக்கலாம்
தன் உடம்பை பிரஷர் குக்கராக்கி வாழ்ந்திருக்கிறார்கள்
எத்தனை தலைமுறைகளைச் சந்தித்திருக்கிறது சமையலறை.
மண் பாத்திரங்களாய்
எவர்சில்வர் பாத்திரங்களாய்
வெள்ளிப் பாத்திரங்களாய்
எல்லாம் மாறி
பிளாஸ்டிக் தலைமுறை வந்திருக்கிறது.
பாத்திரங்களைப் போல மனுஷிகளும்.
மகள் தேடிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறாள்
எந்த டப்பாவில் அம்மாவின் விரல்களிருன்தன 
எந்த டப்பாவில் அம்மாவின் கண்ணீ ரிருன்தது 
எந்தச் சமையல் செய்யும்போது அம்மா சிரித்திருப்பாள்
அம்மா, ஆயா, ஆயாவுக்கு ஆயா, கொள்ளுப்பாட்டிகளில்
யார் உப்பாகக் கரைந்துபோனார்கள்
யார் ஏலக்காய்போல வாசனை வீசினார்கள்
யார் கறிவேப்பிலைபோல வதந்கிப்போனார்கள்
எதைக் கற்றுக்கொள்ளப்போகிறாள் மகள்.
மீந்துபோன பருக்கைகளாய்
எத்தனை துயரங்கள்
மொழி அறியாத காக்கைகள் எடுத்துச் சென்றன.
கழிவு நீரோடு கலந்துபோன பெருமூச்சுகள் எத்தனை
எத்தனை கனவுகள் அடுப்புக்குள் எரிந்துபோயின.
மகள் இன்னும் அடுப்பைப் பற்றவைக்கவில்லை
புதிய தீக்குச்சிகள் இருக்கின்றன
சமையலறையை டைனோசரைப் போல
பார்த்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறாள்
பழகிவிடும் டைனோசர் இன்னும் சில நாட்களில்!

கோசின்ரா 

Thendayuthapani Temple

Name

Other names: Chettiar Hindu Temple

Proper name: Sri Thendayuthapani Temple

Tamil: ஸ்ரீ தண்டாயுதபாணி கோவில்

Location

Country: Singapore

Location: 15 Tank Road

Architecture and culture

Primary deity: Murugan

Architectural styles: Dravidian architecture

History

Date built: 1859

Creator: Nattukkottai Chettiar Community

The Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, better known as the Chettiar Hindu Temple, is one of Singapore Hindu community's most important monuments. It was built in the year 1859 by Nattukkottai Chettiar community.   This Shaivite temple, dedicated to the six-faced Lord Subramaniam (Lord Muruga), is at its most active during the festival of Thaipusam, where the procession ends here. It is here, during the annual Thaipusam festival, that hundreds of pilgrims, their bodies pierced by hooks, spears and spiked steel structures called Kavadi, end their walk from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road.

The act of penance is carried out by devotees in gratitude to Lord Subramanian or Murugan, son of Lord Siva, for granting their prayers of supplication.

                                                       

The First Consecration Ceremony

As quoted in their website, the slab stones found at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple show that the temple was consecrated on 4.4.1859. That would mean that the building works had started one or two years earlier.

In fact the community bought the land, where the present temple stands, from the estate of Mr Oxley, the first Surgeon General of Singapore. The temple in its original form was of a simple structure.

At the entrance to the temple, two raised platforms similar to that found in Chettiar households in Tamil Nadu were erected. It had an alangara mandapam and an artha mandapam.

The alangara mandapam was used to house the decorated deities on special occasions while the artha mandapam was the centre hall leading to the main sanctum. The main sanctum was of course dedicated to Lord Muruga in the form of Sri Thendayuthapani.

Subsequent Consecrations  

The old temple underwent some renovation and restoration works on two occasions when the consecration ceremonies were held in 1936 and 1955. However, the community felt the need to upgrade the temple with modern facilities so as to keep pace with the development of Singapore.

The Nagarathars decided in the late seventies, to rebuild the temple on the same site. The temple was to be in the centre with a wedding hall and staff quarters flanking its sides. The food courtyard known as the karthigai kattu was replaced by a wedding hall with car parking facilities. The piling work started on 4 Jan 1981 and was completed on 19 Jan 1983.

Valcanoes

A volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock below the surface of the earth. When pressure builds up, eruptions occur.

In an eruption, gases and rock shoot up through the opening and spill over or fill the air with lava fragments. Eruptions can cause lava flows, hot ash flows, mudslides, avalanches, falling ash and floods.

The danger area around a volcano covers about a 20-mile radius.

Fresh volcanic ash, made of pulverized rock, can be harsh, acidic, gritty, glassy and smelly. The ash can cause damage to the lungs of older people, babies and people with respiratory problems.

Volcano eruptions have been known to knock down entire forests.

An erupting volcano can trigger tsunamis, flash floods, earthquakes, mudflows and rockfalls.

More than 80% of the earth's surface is volcanic in origin. The sea floor and some mountains were formed by countless volcanic eruptions. Gaseous emissions from volcano formed the earth's atmosphere.

                                                          

There are more than 500 active volcanoes in the world. More than half of these volcanoes are part of the "Ring of Fire," a region that encircles the Pacific Ocean.

Active volcanoes in the U.S. are found mainly in Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington, but the greatest chance of eruptions near areas where many people live is in Hawaii and Alaska.

Even though the volcanic eruption in Iceland was relatively small, the ash cloud that was produced disrupted European air travel for six days in April 2010. The eruption created the highest level of air travel disruption World War II.

Crater Lake in Oregon formed from a high volcano that lost its top after a series of tremendous explosions about 6,600 years ago.