Smile always

Ovalsmiles

Vibes of Joys

World Urbanization Prospects: 2009

 World Urbanization Prospects: 2009 

According to a recent report released by Population Division of the United Nations on Urbanization, over 53% of the world’s total urban population of 3.4 billion resides in towns with less than 5 lakh population. Of these 1.14billion or 1/3rd stay in towns with less than 1 lakh population. Only 9% of the world’s urban population lives in the 21 mega cities existing today.

This report provides first official confirmation that current urban population is just over 50% of the world population of 6.8 billion. It is expected that world population will increase to 9.1 billion by 2050.The urban segment will increase by 84% to reach about 6.3 billion by that year. About 70% of the people will be living in the urban areas by that year.

Rural populations are projected to start declining by the end of this decade and by 2050 there will be 0.5 billion less rural people in the world.

The distribution of urban population among different sizes of cities varies widely across the globe. In Europe 67% of urban people live in the cities with fewer than half a million inhabitants and 8% live in cities with 5 million inhabitants or more. African situation is somewhat similar to Europe with 58% of urban population living in smaller cities and just 9% living in cities with over 5 million inhabitants.

In Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean about one in every five urban dweller live in a large urban agglomeration. The proportion of urban dwellers living in small cities is about 50% in Asia and Caribbean but lower at 37% in Northern America.

In India about 14% of urban population -53 million people stay in 3 10 million plus urban areas. Another 9% or 32 million stay in cities of size ranging between 5 to 10 million. A 27% of total urban population lives in cities between half a million and 5 million in size. The bulk of Indians -181 million or 50% live in small towns with less than half a million population.

Source: Times Of India

UNICEF - State of World’s Children Report- 2009

UNICEF released the State of World’s Children Report- 2009 with some shocking findings regarding maternal mortality status in India. Avoidable complications during child birth are killing 78,000 women in India every year. One woman dies from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth every seven minutes. One million children born in India are dying every year even before they become 28 days old. A child born in India is 14 times more likely to die during the first 28 days than one born in the US or UK.The maternal mortality rate of India stands at 301 per 100,000 births. It is highest in Uttar Pradesh at 517 and lowest in Kerala at 110.For Bihar it is 371.

An Indian woman is 350 times more likely to die in childbirth or from pregnancy –related complications than women in America or England. For every mother who dies, 20 others suffer pregnancy related illness. Around 10 million women annually experience such adverse outcomes. Despite an increase in institutional deliveries, 60% of pregnant women still deliver their babies at home. In India more than 2/3 of all maternal deaths occur in a handful of states- UP, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkand, Orissa, MP, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan and Assam. In UP one in every 42 women faces risk of maternal death compared to 1 in 500 women in Kerala.

The main medical causes of maternal deaths are:

Abortion: 8%
Obstructed labor: 5%
Hypertensive disorders: 5%
Sepsis: 11%
Hemorrhage: 38%
Other conditions: 34%

In India the states with the top five neonatal mortality rates are

Orissa- 52 deaths /1000 live births
Madhya Pradesh- 51/1000 live births
Uttar Pradesh- 46/1000 live births
Rajasthan- 45 /1000 live births
Chattisgarh- 43/1000 live births

The Variations of Tigers

Tigeress

Acqu Tiger

Indian

In a country as diverse and complex as India, it is not surprising to find that people here reflect the rich glories of the past, the culture, traditions and values relative to geographic locations and the numerous distinctive manners, habits and food that will always remain truly Indian. According to five thousand years of recorded history.

From the eternal snows of the Himalayas to the cultivated peninsula of far South, from the deserts of the West to the humid deltas of the East, from the dry heat and cold of the Central Plateau to the cool forest foothills, Indian lifestyles clearly glorify the geography. The food, clothing and habits of an Indian differ in accordance to the place of origin.

Indians believe in sharing happiness and sorrow. A festival or a celebration is never constrained to a family or a home. The whole community or neighbourhood is involved in bringing liveliness to an occasion. A lot of festivals like Diwali, Holi, Id, Christmas, Mahaveer Jayanthi are all celebrated by sharing sweets and pleasantries with family, neighbours and friends. An Indian wedding is an occasion that calls for participation of the family and friends. Similarly, neighbours and friends always help out a family in times of need.

Ethnically Indians speak different languages, follow different religions, eat the most diverse varieties of food all of which add to the rich Indian culture.The beauty of the Indian people lies in the spirit of tolerance, give-and-take and a composition of cultures that can be compared to a garden of flowers of various colours and shades of which, while maintaining their own entity, lend harmony and beauty to the garden - India!

Namaste: Indian Greeting Gesture

Namaste is a common spoken greeting or salutation originating from India and Nepal.

When spoken to another person, it is commonly accompanied by a slight bow made with hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointed upwards, in front of the chest. This gesture, called Añjali Mudrā, can also be performed wordlessly and carries the same meaning.
 

Pronunciation and etymology
It is written नमस्ते in devangari script, and pronounced [nʌmʌsˈteː] in Hindustani.

The word is formed from external sandhi (coalescence) between the Sanskrit namaḥ, to bow, to give obeisance or reverential salutation, and te, "to you."[1] Also common is a polite form using the imperative astu meaning "let there be": namo: stu te literally meaning "let there be a salutation to you."[
 

Uses

In Sikh scripture Namaste, Namastung or Namastvung is referenced as salutation to the Primal being, the One God. The salutation is followed by an attribute respecting a quality of the creator of all religions, Akal.

In Nepalese culture, namaste is performed when a younger family member meets older relatives. It also varies depending upon social status and prestige: The person with lower status or prestige performs namaste first to show respect for the higher station the other person has achieved.

Namaste is also used as a friendly greeting in written communication, or generally between people when they meet. When used at funerals to greet the guests, the verbal part is usually omitted. When the hand position is higher, it usually means reverence and/or worship. The expression with hands placed on top of one's head is usually the sign of utmost reverence or respect. When the gesture is performed with hands in front of the chest, it is usually considered as aayushman.

The aayushman gesture is also a cultural symbol of Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan hospitality.

In Sindh, Pakistan, the gesture of namaste, though extremely rare, is still maintained even by Sindhi Muslims.

The cabin crew ("air hostesses") of Air India, Sri Lankan Airways  – and Air France and Virgin Atlantic on their flights to India – use namaste to greet passengers as well as in other hospitality settings.

Meanings and interpretation
Namaste is one of a small list of Sanskrit words commonly recognized by Non-Hindi speakers.

* "I honor the Spirit in you which is also in me." -- attributed to but not claimed by author Deepak Chopra
* "I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."
* "Your spirit and my spirit are ONE." -- attributed to Lilias Folan's shared teachings from her journeys to   India.[citation needed]
* "That which is of God in me greets that which is of God in you."
* "The Divinity within me perceives and adores the Divinity within you.

Diwali - Indian Festival of Lights - Corner View

Diyas in SWASTIK Sign

Panchdeep

Chakri - Swirling Lights

Celebrating Lights

A Greeting on Diwali

A Wish to celebrate

Flower's Souls

Calmness

The Ankh Sanctury

The Ankh, symbol of life or eternal life was associated with water, the sustainer of all life. One theory suggests it originated from the loop of a sandal strap, another that the loop represents the sunrise over the horizon (crossbar). Many believe the loop to be the female sexual organ while the vertical part of the cross is the male organ, but this is not accepted by scholars. Egyptian gods are typically shown carrying ankhs.

Variation but Integration

Tai-Chi (Yin-Yang) Symbol

 

The Tai Chi or Yin Yang was derived from ancient chinese efforts to discover and interpret patterns in the sky and the changing seasons. An eight foot tall pole would cast a shadow of varying lengths as the seasons passed revealing a cycling between times dominated by the day and times dominated by the night. Day and night being opposites, the universe is interpreted as a place of constant change resulting from the interaction and balancing of opposite forces. This philosophy extends to other pairs of opposites such as man-woman, right-left, good-evil. From the dot in each side of the yin yang symbol we learn that, just as during summer the days are long but nights still occur, there can be some bad side-effects even from good actions. And the reverse, good can sometimes come from bad events or experiences.

Initiate

मैं अकेला ही चला था जानिबे मंजिल मगर 

लोग साथ आते गए और कारवां बनता गया .

Global Scale Challenges

The United Nations was established to foster global peace, prosperity and justice. It has succeeded in its fundamental mission of preventing a third world war and improving global quality of life. But over the last 60 years, the UN’s mission and membership have been broadened dramatically.  

The UN is now asked to tackle the world’s most intractable problems—global scale challenges that transcend borders but directly or indirectly affect us all: health, the environment, human rights and justice, peace and security, population, hunger and peacekeeping. The UN has a proud record of accomplishment in helping address key global challenges.  

In today’s interconnected world, governments working through the United Nations can’t do it alone. A worldwide partnership between the public and private sectors is needed involving individuals, non-governmental organizations, corporations and foundations.

World Polio Day on October 24

World Polio Day on October 24, 2010, UN Foundations

Polio is a virus that causes lifelong paralysis. In the 1980s, polio paralyzed more than 1,000 children every day. Today, the world is almost polio-free, and polio has been eliminated from more than 122 countries. However, the disease remains in about twenty countries and is endemic in four —Nigeria, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

Polio, which can cause lifelong paralysis, can be prevented with a vaccine that costs only $.60. In the 1980s, polio paralyzed at least 1,000 children every day all over the world, but today, after international efforts to immunize every child everywhere, 5 million people are walking who would otherwise be paralyzed and the world is almost polio-free.

The success is the result of an improved vaccine and the intense efforts over the past several years by the Global Polio Eradication Partnership, a partnership that includes Rotary International, the UN Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO. Since the Initiative’s inception in 1988, the number of polio cases has dropped by 99 percent.

 

This is a huge step in the fight against polio because it helps to dispel misconceptions about the safety of vaccines and underscores that polio immunizations are not only appropriate, but essential.  

International days in November

November
6	International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict
14	World Diabetes Day
16	International Day of Tolerance
Third Sunday	World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
20	Universal Children's Day, and Africa Industrialization Day
21	World Television Day
25	International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29	International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

Thorns can't stop, just defy

Thorns on the path of life can never stop U if U walk carefully & make UR way by removing them aside. U 'll not only feel happy rather U 'll be appreciated by those walkers who hesitated to defy thorns. 

Know the resistance & make the arrangement to surmount the obstacle.

The great accomplishments of man have resulted from the transmission of ideas of enthusiasm.

Hourglass of Life......

Just Behold, ? is beckoning......!

Is it happening really?

I woke up, found myself breathing,

Thank   God! I 'm living,

 Altering the presumptions about a particular object i.e. all the gadgets that I won recently but due to some courier-mistake they all gone to different destinations, and most funny thing is that out of all gadgets some are moving around me here n there with their mistaken-owner.

Continuousy demands of the situations I feel lake of my gadgets which I won after Vigorous, Dangerous, Horredenzous challenges.

I did honestly, passionately and moreover Purily.

INDIA

Dasahara - The Indian Festival of Pure Powers

A Kshatriyas festival for worshiping the Power (Defensive) symbolize the triumph over Evil Powers

Vijayadashami (DASHARA) is celebrated on the tenth day of the Hindu autumn lunar month which falls in September or October of the Western calendar, from the Shukla Paksha Pratipada, or the day after the new moon which falls in Bhadrapada, to the Dashami, or the tenth day of Ashvin. It is the culmination of the 10-day annual Navaratri (Sanskrit: नवरात्रि, 'nine nights') festival. It is the largest festival in Nepal, and celebrated by Hindu and non-Hindu Nepalis.

In India, the harvest season begins at this time and so the Mother Goddess is invoked to start the new harvest season and reactivate the vigor and fertility of the soil. This is done through religious performances and rituals which are thought to invoke cosmic forces that rejuvenate the soil. On the day of Dasha-Hara, clay statues of the Goddess Durga are submerged in rivers. The pooja is performed with turmeric and other pooja items, which are added to the river in order to help the water yield better crops.

Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, the founder of the Hindawi (Hindu) Swarajya - Maratha Empire worshipped Lord Shiva and the goddess Durga in her Bhawani form before engaging in military expeditions. The goddess Bhavani had blessed Shivaji Maharaj with her sword, "Bhavani Talwar" on this day.

Dasha-Hara is the festival of Victory of Good over Evil. Buses, trucks and machines in factories are decorated. Dasha-Hara is also Vishwakarma Divas - the National Labor Day of India. Veda Vyasa is considered the foremost guru and Vijayadashami is also celebrated as Vyasa puja. Shastra pooja, or the worship of the weapon Shastra/Astra used by Goddess Durga, are worshipped on this day.

Base of Real Dreaz

High hopes are born and Dreams come true

when you've mastered the Secrets of Success.

With a little Everyday Magic in all that you do,

you can achieve Peace Love and Happiness.

It's up to you to decide how your life will unfold

and whether or not you will choose to go far.

The future lies within the plan that you mold.

You might as well shine like the star that you are!

You've got the power

and today is the day.

Starting this very hour,

here you go on your way!

: Wanda Hope Carter

Quest - still on

Still waiting 'coz I haven't got the place that I have to

Spiritual India

Hindu Spiritual Symbol Om

Indian Lord GANESHA

Maa Durga Hindu Deity

Earth2Space&Space2Earth

See the earth from the moon as shot by the Apollo crew

outer space from far beyond our galaxy

Take a view of the earth from a totally new perspective

Astronauts01

Astronauts02

Astronauts03

Astronauts04

Astronauts05

Astronauts06

Earth from the moon as shot by the Apollo crew

A beautiful shot of the Eskimo Nebula.

Lord Ganesha

Satellite orbiting the Earth

Shuttle01

Delicately floating through space, asteroids could be links to other planets

Shuttle02