Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple

   An inventory of the priceless articles locked up in underground cellars of Kerala's Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple has revealed .The vast treasure trove revealed in recent days instantly turned the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple into one of the wealthiest religious institutions in India

Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple

CNN~IBN

Treasure, thought to be worth billions of rupees, has been unearthed from secret underground chambers in "Sree Padmanabha Swamy Kshetram"
Yesterday the seven-member Supreme Court- appointed committee, which opened the chamber is learned to have added valuables worth Rs 20,000 crore into the inventory. 
Its Approx;more than Rs 1 lakh Crore

Treasure -Brief Summary and Analysis

"Treasures included very old gold chains, diamonds and precious stones which cannot be valued in terms of money," says Malayala Manorama,
The treasure contains ‘Kashi necklaces’ worth several crores, believed to be worn by kings of Travancore.Crowns, jewels and precious stones were also listed.The seven-member committee, aided by Fire Force, Rescue Force and PWD officials, entered the underground chamber, armed with oxygen masks.Three sets of crowns and an idol of Padmanabha Swamy have been listed.A large collection of ‘Saratpoli mala’, numbering 1,000,was also found. They are studded with gems called ‘aval’. Nearly a tonne of ‘aval’ was found.One of these chains was reportedly 18-foot long.‘Swarna dhandu’ in huge numbers and ‘pathakam’ have also been listed in this chamber.The chamber was feared to be filled with poisonous fumes due to which it was oxygenated first. The members who entered the chamber were provided with oxygen masks.
The committee has already opened the ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘F’ chambers while the ‘E’ chamber could not be opened on Wednesday, as it required the presence of the ‘nambi’. This chamber and chamber ‘B’ on Today. The whole exercise began on Monday with the committee members opening the ‘C’ chamber which contained gold items, including golden umbrellas, pots,‘varps’ and silver pots. On Tuesday, the ‘D’ and ‘F’ chambers were opened.Precious stone-studded thrones and crowns have been found among the innumerable valuables stacked in these chambers. On Wednesday, the committee opened the ‘A’ chamber — which had not been opened for centuries — for a few minutes and decided to seek the help of Fire and Rescue Services personnel and Health Department officials to ward off any untoward incidents.

Brief History-

Sree Padmanabha Swamy Temple

Temple Name: Sri Padmanabha Swamy Temple
Alias Name : Ananthapuri
God : Sri Anantha Padmanabhan aka Thamarai Manaalan
Goddess : Sri Hari Lakshmi Thayaar
Pushkarni : Matsya Theertham, Padma Theertham
Vimanam : Hemakoota Vimanam
Location : Trivandrum

The Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple was built in the 16th Century by the kings who ruled over the then kingdom of Travancore. Local legends say the Travancore kings sealed immense riches within the thick stone walls and vaults of the temple.Since Independence, the temple has been controlled by a trust run by the descendants of the Travancore royal family. After 1947 the kingdom of Travancore merged with the princely state of Cochin, which eventually became the present-day state of Kerala.The inspections at the temple began after India's Supreme Court appointed a seven-member panel to enter and assess the value of the objects stored in its cellars, including two chambers last thought to have been opened about 130 years ago.

The current Maharajah of Travancore, H.H Uthradan Thirunaal Marthanda Varma has been
the managing trustee of the temple

The current Maharajah of Travancore, Uthradan Thirunaal Marthanda Varma, who is also the managing trustee of the temple, appealed to the Supreme Court against Sundar Rajan's petition.He said that as Maharajah he had every right to control the temple because of a special law enacted after Independence, which vested the management of the temple with the erstwhile ruler of Travancore.But his appeal was rejected - Maharajahs have no special status in India and they are treated like ordinary citizens.The members of the Travancore royal family consider themselves to be servants of the presiding deity at the temple,

Sree Padmanabha Swamy Idol (Anantha Shayanam)

Padmanabhaswamy, which is an aspect of the Hindu God Vishnu in eternal sleep. This is why they historically entrusted their wealth to the temple.But there was a public outcry when the Maharajah attempted to retain control of the temple by citing the special law, with many arguing that the wealth belonged to the people now.The vaults were opened in the presence of the panel, and observers, which include high court judges, temple officials, archaeology authorities, Sundar Rajan and a representative of the current Maharajah.

>>Temple details Visit www.sreepadmanabhaswamytemple.com  

>>More about Thiruvananthapuram

Courtesy: The Hindu,BBC,Indian Express, Malayala Manorama,CNN~IBN

Learning the symphony of beats

Indianexpress Express News Service ,
The New Indian Express
Updated Jun 01, 2011 at 11:03am IST

Sathish Babu

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The nearly two dozen tablas lend a rhythm to the cool breeze at Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan, creating an impromptu symphony with the drizzle of showers that kept coming back. This day-long ‘riyaz’, in the lap of nature, was special to the 19 learners who had assembled here from various parts of the State. Under the guidance of Sathish Babu,disciple of Ustad Alla Rakha, the participants - all of them students of tabla under various teachers - fine tuned their method of practising the lessons at home.
"A group ‘riyaz’ benefits you a great deal. This is a regular feature in the schools in North India. It will help you perfect the practice sessions undertaken at home and flawed methods do not creep in. Besides, it is refreshing rather than practising alone, especially as a beginner,” says Sathish.
The ace practitioner has been giving concerts and accompanying maestros since 2004 when he returned to Thiruvananthapuram, his hometown, after the grooming in Mumbai. “I stayed in the home of Ustad Alla Rakha for one year and then found a place nearby to move out. Those days, it was riyaz, day in and day out and group sessions were particularly enjoyable.”
Sathish organised the first group practice last month at the same venue and was surprised at the overwhelming response from students - his own and those studying under other gurus. “It was word of mouth publicity. My students informed their friends and they sent SMSes to others and so on. I am really happy that people have arrived from as far as from Thrissur,” he said, introducing us to Abdul Nasar, a businessman who had brought his two sons along for the ‘riyaz’.
"They are both learning tabla under Pandit Subhankar Banerjee in Kolkata. During vacations, they travel to their Guru and stay with him. He gives them enough homework to last through the intervals in between,” says Abdul Nasar. Shaheen, in class X and Sahil, in class VII, are more than eager to lap up the hard-earned lessons, up North and down South.

Sandeep Sagar, a BCA graduate, has been training under Sathish for 12 years now, but has never participated in competitions in school or college. “Competitions have never lured me and that is not what I learn tabla for,” says the soft-spoken Sandeep, and shares a smile with his Guru.

Sandeep Sagar

Sathish says.. “I teach my students how to play this wonderful instrument and to enjoy it. I cannot train them for competitions. Sandeep started coming to my home as a toddler and stayed with us all day, sharing our meals and playing around. But those who learn from me use their knowledge in a variety of ways, some play for music troupes, some have their eyes fixed on winning contests and some others learn for the pure joy of playing tabla,” he says with a smile.
Radhakrishnan, a civil contractor from Kayamkulam, nods in agreement. For eight years now, his Sundays have been kept apart for trips to Sathish’s home in Thiruvananthapuram. These days, he brings along his five-year-old son in the hope that he will pick up a taste for his father’s passion. Just as Karthik, a first standard student of Loyola, was loitering around the mandapam at Vyloppilli because his parents had brought him over as instructed by Sathish. “He began his lessons at Sathish Sir’s recently, and is often asked to simply listen to the seniors playing,” says Karthik’s mother Subha.
At past one in the afternoon, the beats did not sound tired. The group dispersed for a quick lunch before getting back to work. They wanted to make the most of this special riyaz before calling it a day at 6 pm.

How to Quit Smoking?

We should know by now that smoking is a disgusting habit. It contributes to diseases like cancer, heart disease, cardiovascular diseases and lung disease among others. It is also the most preventable cause of premature death. Why? Because smoking is a lifestyle choice and the decision to light up or not to light up is in our own hands.

Quit Smoking

 

But we still can see people around us enjoying their cigarette sticks like it is nobody’s business. A closer look in the world of fashion and entertainment; smoking seems to be “back in fashion” according to some people.

Girl Smoking

Young girl...!!

Sometimes the best thing we can do when craving a cigarette is to simply redirect our attention to something different and interesting. Nine times out of ten, the urge is gone within moments. Our thoughts color our lives, so if you find that yours are taking you places you'd rather not go, take charge and shift your focus.

How to Quit Smoking?

How to Quit this?

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoking
Distract Yourself and the Urge Will Pass...

 The following list was generated by forum members in  Website I've read. Thanks to all who contributed!

Distract Yourself and the Urge Will Pass...

Funny!

101 Things to Do Instead of Smoking
Funny too...

1. Read a book.
2. Wash the car.
3. Wash the dog.
4. Go for a walk.
5. Knit a scarf.
6. Do a crossword puzzle.
7. Take a nap.
8. Call a friend.
9. Post a message here
10. Play with the cat.
11. Turn the bathroom into a spa and do all those beauty treatments.
12. Listen to a relaxation tape or some favorite music.
13. Go to a store and get a free make-up session.
14.Give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
15. Try out a new hair-do
16. CHEW SOME CLOVES!
17. Go to the movies.
18. Hang out at a mall.
19. Do a jigsaw puzzle online at Jig zone.com
20. Breathe deeply!
21. Swig down some ice water.
22. Jump on a treadmill or go to a gym.
23. Give someone you love a huge hug.
24. Plant some flowers.
25. Do some exercise - swimming, aerobics, yoga, etc. Great for releasing endorphins (feel good factor) and relieving stress (physical and mental).
26. Work out how to post a picture in the forum!
27. Take up a new hobby/interest - channel your thoughts into something constructive and interesting.
28. Work in the garden.
29. Retail therapy with the cash you saved from not smoking.
30. Suck on a piece of TART candy (Jolly Rancher is my personal favorite).
31. Slather on a rich, creamy hand lotion and rub, rub, rub! It keeps fingers busy, and reminds you how nice it is not to have tobacco stink on them.
32. Eat a Popsicle.
33. Floss and brush your teeth.
34. Make-out with your special someone! Hubby hated kissing me when I smoked, but now he LOVES it. Soooo, when the urge strikes and he's within kissing distance, I plant a big one on him!
35. Chew gum.
36. Chew a toothpick (shiny teeth).
37. Spend time with a kid.
38. Give yourself a treat every day of your quit - not matter how small.
39. Spend an hour filling the paddling pool in the garden on a gorgeous sunny day, only to find that the kids would rather play on the computer.
40. Play several games of Internet Scrabble, and hopefully win one!
41. Walk in an old graveyard with the man you love.
42. Get your jammies on early, and park yourself in front of your computer for the night.
43. Build a REAL closet
44. Hang the Sheetrock on said closet.
45. Do the mudding, taping and sanding on that closet.
46. Paint the closet.
47. Add the doors to the closet.
48. And last...when the real closet is finished, create THE CHOCOLATE CLOSET on this site.
49. Hang on dearly to a caramel apple sucker.
50. Sing loudly.
51. Practice smiling in the mirror (releases endorphins)!
52. Make lists of pros and cons of smoking.
53. Find gross smoking disease pictures.
54. Play with Silly Putty.
55. Whistle "Don't Worry - Be Happy."
56. Get a camera, and take some pictures.
57. Write a letter (you know...on paper).
58. Clean OUT the closets.
59. Crank up the radio and sing at the top of your lungs (works great for driving craves).
60. Crank up the radio and dance like no one is watching.
61. Make a puzzle.
62. Organize your boxes of pictures.
63. Alphabetize your CD rack.
64. Come here and read and post.
65. Go to mini clip.com and PLAY GAMES.
66. Do your nails. Hard to smoke with wet nails. I've tried.
67. Take a shower.
68. Take a candle-lit bath.
69. Clean out a messy drawer.
70. Take a day trip.
71. Try making home-made candles or soap.
72. Run in place.
73. Do some jumping jacks.
74.Put away the amount you spend on smokes every day and use it to treat yourself once in awhile.
75. Write a poem.
76. Go antique shopping.
77. Go plant a flower for every negative thought.
78. Go to church/talk to God.
79. Let your husband cook supper for you.
80. Call your Grandmother!
81. Paint a room.
82. Eat a hot fudge sundae.
83. Go play mini-golf.
84. Clean the basement or garage.
85. Wax the car.
86. Make love with your significant other.
87. Scrub the floor.
88. Treat yourself to a massage.
89. Chop up some veggies for a stir-fry - keep your hands busy!
90. Clean out the litter box.
91. Check your car's tire pressure.
92. Call a radio show and request a song.
93. Go ride a few roller coasters.
94. Take a walk in nature.
95. Watch the sun set.
96. Write a goodbye letter to cigarettes
97. Donate blood.
98. Color your hair.
99. Make a greeting card.
100. Write a list of things you are grateful for.

The final suggestion in our list comes in the form of a story...

101. Run around in the sand in your socks!

think about all of the good things

 
An individual should think about all of the good things that can happen after they quit smoking. Make a list and carry it with you to tell yourself just why you wanted to quit. It won't be simple to quit smoking 

but i can't... :(