A new world!! A new dimension!!

Not a lot of people have traveled through this path because the tread is not as soft as it should be or it is thought to be. Other thing is, only certain people have gone far and some of them get out of it, not able to be comfortable with the complexity that increases as they go through the different phases. Wondering what I'm talking about? Well, I'm talking about the age old music instrument of India, the one that is getting less importance because of the inclusion of modern day electronic instruments in the music industry, Mridangam. It is frustrating to have done not even one concert after having been with it for a long time. But after a long time I've understood that it has got no bounds. People think that it is only about hitting on both sides of the instrument like crazy. But it is way beyond all that. It is about having the highest level of concentration, speed, agility, hand-mind coordination, mathematics, timing, listening and above all it is about years of practice. It starts with very simple lessons and those simple lessons starts getting combined and becomes more complex.

The magnificent instrument of the South of India that has not lost its value but the popularity.

What makes it difficult?

There are totally 5 jaathis namely: Thisram, Sadusram, Kandam, Misram and Sankeernam which have got 3, 4, 5, 7 and 9 beats respectively. There are 7 thaalams. Each of the jaathis can be incorporated without any difficulty in the 7 thaalams. This makes about 35 different kinds of thaalams. There are so many lessons and each of these lessons can be combined and this itself leads to a lot of permutations. Each of the resulted lessons can be combined in such a way that they suit to the 35 thaalams. This leads to further more permutations. Each of the jaathis can be given in such a way that those 5 can be combined and incorporated in each of the thaalams. Gee, this is going like crazy isn't it? This is why I tell you that it has got no bounds. It sure heads towards infinity though some of the lessons when combined and played would be sonorous to listen to. This is not the end though, there is something else. There are various speeds in each of these. There are further division of three speeds namely: Mel kaalam, Madhyama kaalam and Keel kaalam. Each of the above mentioned thaalams can be played in any of these speeds. Maestros play it in combined speeds. So it is like giving the audience a feel of listening to everything, all together.

Even after knowing so much why can't we do it?

This is a simple question to answer. Simply knowing doesn't do the job. We have to play everything we think at the right moment. Execution is very important than anything. To do that. It requires the mastery in everything I told you. First resistance is knowing the lessons. Then getting them right by knowing the right fingering technique. Knowing to play the lessons in a combined manner is next. Then knowing all the thaalams. Our ancestors have experimented a lot and they have come up with some standard lessons. Knowing that and practicing reduces the effort of coming out with our own lessons. That helps a bit at the time of a concert. Then the next thing is to know how to play every lesson at different speeds. After all these, it should be something that would be pleasing to the audience. A very important purpose of the instrument.

தித் தோம் தகஜோனு தாம்(3) கிடகிடதோம்
தித் தகஜோனு தாம் கிடகிடதோம்
தகஜோனு தாம்(3) கிடகிடதோம் தாம்(3)
தித் கிடகிடதோம் தாம்(3)
தித் தோம் கிடகிடதோம்

16 Aksharam Lesson-3 in the middle tell us that there is a pause equal to 3 beats

Most of the time, the instrument is used wherein there is more of classical singing. At the time of the concert, percussionists are given least importance. But they make the song more pleasing. It is easy to sing a song because, the singer has got only two things to do. One is singing and other is maintaining the speed of the song through the thaalam. They are at the freedom of doing whatever they want with the song, especially changing of speeds.(of the song and not the thaalam) But the percussionist has to first work out the mathematics each moment with his lessons to suit the thaalam, before that he has to realise the speed at which the singer is singing, has to get the lessons right, and also the fingering right and has to do all these in a small amount of time. One wrong calculation or one wrong beat here or there can do the song a lot of damage and also the percussionist a lot of insult. It would show up though the audience do not know the subject.

Who have gone to the extreme in this field?

My master knows a lot but still he says he has not done much in the field. But he always says that there is a guy named Prakash in Coimbatore, who can do a lot with all that I've told you so far. Palghat Mani Iyer is one who has mastered in playing different speeds effortlessly. The living legend, Umayalpuram Sivaraman can make you involved to the maximum extent by giving the right combinations of sollkattu. It is simple for these people cause they are strong in their basics and it is their practice that makes it simple for them. It is in their veins. Each beat is in their blood. They need not do anything extraordinary. They use the simplest of lessons to make the concert good.

Umayalpuram Sivaram with his instrument

There are other maestros who are equally capable of doing a lot of things with this instrument like the Palghat Raghu, Lalgudi Jayaram, Karaikudi Mani. Karaikudi Mani is not married and when asked why, he said that he has already got married and said that his wife's name is Mridangam. He is so passionate about it and it shows in his concert.

Karaikudi Mani with his wife(Mridangam)

What I've told you is not the whole story but only a part of an ocean. There is so much in this field that I feel engineering is simpler than this. The one thing I've seen is that it is important to practice nearly for atleast 4 hours a day to keep yourself in the groove and achieve what the maestros have achieved. But with engineering as profession it is really difficult to do it. So what you do is play the instrument whenever possible for the sake of your peace of mind. Whether others have the peace of mind or not? That's a different issue but obviously it is a new world and it takes you to a new dimension wherein there is more peace than the outside world. Comes in handy when you're in the tough times of your profession.

-SATZ

Genius or Magician or Killer-Who is this guy?

Genius or magician or killer? This is the question that arises as I speak about this man. Awesome character and a cool customer. Handles his challenges without any pressure. The man I'm talking about is the spin wizard of cricket, Muttiah Muralitharan. Having followed cricket right from my childhood, it would not be good on my part if I don't tell about this cool headed player. A player who can do wonders when given the kookaburra ball in hand. A spin bowler who has got a unique run up and action, amazes the batsmen with each of his delivery.This guy has got everything in him. Started his cricketing career in the year of 1992, went on to take 1000 wickets in both formats (one day internationals and tests) of the game, retired from the longer version recently after amassing 800 wickets in the same. Absolutely strong in his basics, this man has made proud the small country he represented, Srilanka, though he is from the South Indian origin.

ACTION:

This has been his strength and as well as his weakness. This has made him visit the University of Western Australia more often than the cricket field. He starts off his action by giving some trial revs on the kookaburra from the right to the left arm. Then takes it to his shoulders and then after transferring it to the right, where he finds the grip that he needs , grips it right across the seam and leaves the rest to his wrists. Murali has a bent wrist and a dislocated elbow by birth. It is such that when he bowls, the rotation of the wrists gives the ball some more revs supported by the elbow. It makes his arm straighten up before bowling. This bent arm action of Murali has been a controversy throughout his career of 18 years. It has given some work for the biomechanics to work with their softwares and find what is the thing that makes him the owner of so many wickets? A lot of bowlers in the world of cricket has got an action in which there is a rotation of the arm and the arm straightens up at the point of release. After a lot of expert analysis, his action was forgiven and he has used the maximum of it. His eyes widen as he bowls and that also adds the dread for the batsmen.As he releases the ball, it pitches hard on the turf and takes off at an astonishing speed with maximum turn. This makes it a hell for the one at the receiver's end.

Widening of his eyes as he releases

What makes him so special?

Well, to tell it in one word, it is the quality. Quality of bowling. He has got a lot of variations. Especially, he likes the right hand batsmen of the world playing his delivery. It is good for him to see the batsmen having no clue to his balls. He reads the game well. He is a thinking cricketer. He has got a lot in his bag. The conventional off spinner, the flipper, the arm ball, the away going delivery from the right handers (doosra), the flighted delivery and a lot more. Batsmen have wondered for a while after having bowled through the gate. between bat and pad. The following link contains a video that shows how good he is while doing his business:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU1ffpk-R00

Absolute genius. Butcher has got no clue of where the ball came from. So much of turn. It's unbelievable. No wonder he is the owner of 800 wickets. That man deserves it. Even at the recent test at Galle, Dhoni was bowled in a similar manner wherein he had no clue of how the ball turned from way outside the off stump and hit the top of the leg stump. That also raised the question of why is this man retiring when he's still got so much to show the world?You can see much more including the one above, in the following link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjA3dkoFfPE&feature=related

What else has this guy got?

Temperament and stamina to bowl in whatever condition and whatever situation he is given. He takes it as a challenge. He can bowl for long hours. A number of overs with a great level of concentration. If the batsmen is unyielding to all the above mentioned tricks of Murali, then he seeks his short cover or short mid-off or the slip cordon fielders for his scalps. He flights his delivery and likes when the batsman starts driving through the cover-extra cover region. He knows that the batsmen can't manage the variations in flight for the whole day. It will either land in the hands of short cover or the slip cordon shortly after he starts giving more flight. Variations that he does through the air is as amazing as ever. A truly good cricketer and a good person by heart, who is humble enough to say that somebody will be there to surpass his feat of 800 test wickets. He has been backed by all his captains all through the years, during the bent arm controversy and whenever he was low in confidence. Like adding insult to injury, the bowler also had to face a controversy in 2004 when he started bowling his doosra. It seemed like when he bowled doosra he violated the permitted angle of the arm at the point of release. Again he was sent to the University of Western Australia for that. But after that the bowler has been unstoppable. The breaking of the records of Wasim Akram, achieving the 600 mark, then that of the leg-spinner of Australia, Shane Warne and recently the record of 800 wickets. He has been unbelievable.

Who can chase him?

As a spinner, Harbhajan has got the chance to get close to Murali. Harbhajan lacks the attitude but he has got all the talent and tricks that is needed in the business of spin. Just a little bit of change in attitude and the backing up by some of the senior players will get him going. He has got a good and unique action and knows all the nuances. He needs a strong push from behind as a source of encouragement. But, otherwise I guess spinners have to develop to come to the level of this guy, Murali. He has done so much that it would take years for someone to achieve. As a lot of players in the international arena are on the verge of starting their career it would not be good on my part to tell who would chase it. So far the chances have been high only for Harbhajan as an off spinner. Lot of players are coming up very well. But until they come up, it is going to be Murali for the number of 800. He has left behind a legacy that is indelible. It would be good for people to start thinking of how they can get to that level rather than debating unnecessarily about his action.

Players who managed to play well against Murali:

One of the techniques that batsmen have adopted in the recent times against Murali's bowling is playing the ball as late as possible. Letting the ball come into them until the last moment.The only player who has comfortably played Murali, among the left handers, is Brian Lara. The off spin is a away going delivery for Lara and as he plays it late, it is easy for him. But those batsmen who suffer the most are the right handers. Especially when he bowls to the right handers from around the wicket. He bowls either the away going delivery from the right hander or the one that straightens up after pitching. Batsmen get perplexed whether to show the full face of the bat or to play along the line. But what ever the ball may be the best way to tackle is to play as late as possible.

But most of the time the batsmen had to tell him only this.

The one, every bowler wants is the respect for him from the batsmen and he has won it from all. This guy is not only a cricketer but he has helped so many people by giving education and providing the basic amenities for those victims of the tsunami. He is a wonderful human by heart and true professional.
A true magician or genius or killer, whatever you wanna call him. He is good.

-SATZ

'Mr.Brain' Part-4 "Mapping at its best"

Well, having seen how we can create a mind map, it would be ideal to look at what can be done with it. It comes as an aid in note making, note taking, decision making(dyadic decisions and polycategoric mind maps)and memory.I'm trying to create an ideal opportunity to improve the hand/eye coordination and refine your visual skills. The image making skills are going to improve as the practice goes on and so is the comfort in using the image, colour, dimension and spacing according to the guiding principles which was dealt in the previous post. First it is good to copy mind maps as to know how an ideal mind map would look like. We always improve our creativity only after copying in the initial stages. So it is important that we copy at the initial stages and develop our own creative style. Now let us see how we can use it for decision making. It can be used for general decision making and simple decision making,which basically involves dyadic (a decision between two options)decisions. So how do we do it with the mind map?

An ideal mind map!! A more simple one of course!!

Let's see how its done. First draw a big central image of the problem needing a decision and its branches, which would be the conventional YES and NO as the Basic Ordering Ideas(BOIs). Then draw a mini mind map and analyse all the possible thoughts that would spring up as you think about the problem. Normally, decisions can be taken at the end of drawing the mind map itself. But if you can't, then weight your decisions by giving a number from 1 to 100 to each of your thought in the mind map. Then calculate the number in each of the branches and at the end you can choose a good decision out of the two.This technique is called Number weighting method. Even if you don't get the decision from that then there is something called as your intuition or what the researchers call as the 'superlogic' or the 'gut instinct'. It has been found that we get 83.7862 percent of our decisions right, this way. But if this doesn't work, then there is another technique called incubation. It is the technique of being relaxed. This is when the gigantic powers of the parabrain- the 99 per cent of our unused mental ability including that which is often called 'the paraconscious' work at its best. This method is supported by practical experience. Now if the weightings are still even, you better toss a coin. If you have a preference to one decision ,while tossing the coin, then I think you've taken the decision.

A mind map by Vanda North to decide whether to move her business or stay by using Number weighting method

What else can we do with it, huh?

The next thing you can do with mind mapping is make notes. It is about organising your own thoughts in either a dyadic or polycategoric (complex) way. A polycategoric mind map is a complex mind map consisting of an average of three to seven BOIs. Basic questions- How/what/where/when/why/who/which?, Divisions- chapters/lessons/themes, Properties- characteristics of things, History- chronological sequence of events, Structure- forms of things, Function-what things do, Process- how things work, Evaluation- how good/ worthwhile/beneficial things are,Classification- how things are related to each other, Definitions-what things mean and Personalities- what roles/characters people have, are the groups of BOIs found to be particularly useful in developing polycategoric Mind maps. Collect all thoughts related to the topic at the centre and make sure to complete it on the Mind map.

It has been proved that the highly sophisticated hierarchical classifications systems used in biology and astronomy have increasingly come to resemble complex polycategoric mind maps- a case of Mind maps reflecting nature and vice versa!!

What about the boring lectures or the books that make us sleep, to do with mind maps?
The other case of using mind map is note taking. Organising others' ideas. How do we do that? There are four main functions of notes. Mnemonic, Analytic, Creative and conversational. Students think that notes are only for memory aid. But it is not so. Not for reproducing it in an exam and forgetting it happily. There are equally other functions such as analysis and creative are equally important. Mind maps do just that. The steps in the technique of note taking are as follows:

• Browse- Look through the entire book, getting a general feel for the way it is organised.
• Time- Work out the length of time to be spent and determine the amount of material to be covered in that time.
  
• Draw a mind map of what you already know about the topic.
• Define the aims and objectives for the study session and a complete different mind maps of all the questions that need to be answered.
• Overview of the text, looking at the table of contents, major headings, results, conclusions, summaries, major illustrations or graphs and any other important elements which catch your eye. This will get you an idea of how your polycategoric mind map will look like.
  
• Preview- Looking at all the material not covered in the overview, particularly the beginnings and ends of paragraphs, sections and chapters, where the essential information tends to be concentrated. Add to your mind map.
• Inview- The bulk of the learning puzzle, still skipping over any major problem areas.
  
• Review- In which we go back to the problem areas and try to work on it a little more.

It is like a finishing a jigsaw puzzle. First start filling the corners and the sides after looking at the complete picture, and then try to come to the middle until you have a complete replica of the complete picture.

How do we remember what we have drawn? The answer is simple and effective!!
There is something to do with Zeus!! Find out what it is!!

Finally, I would like to tell about how we can remember it. Mind maps were found by Tony Buzan, a researcher, who has spent nearly most of his lifetime in how to make the brain efficient. I would like to end this post with a story and a way of remembering mind maps.

Zeus, the king of gods, was a well known as a philanderer. He spent most of his time seducing-either directly or by means of deception-all the women in the heavens and on earth. Contrary to the popular belief, his affections were not spread equally-there was one goddess with whom he spent far more time than any other. Her name was Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory. On one occasion he spent nine days and nights making passionate love to her, a coupling which resulting in the birth of nine muses. The muses represent creativity. Each is the goddess of a particular art: Erato-love poetry, Calliope-epic poetry, Euterpe-lyric poetry, Urania-astronomy, Polyhymnia-hymns, Clio-history, Thalia-comedy, Terpsichore-dance, Melpomene-tragedy. So, according to the myth, applying energy, symbolised by Zeus, to memory produces a fertilisation which results in creativity. So Tony says through his research that recall during learning has got much of things to do with mnemonics.

Mnemonic techniques involve the use of imagination and association in order to produce a new and memorable image. It also combines all the cortical skills to create a highly advanced multi-dimensional memory device. It creates an internal, radiant, three-dimensional image that uses cross-association, colour, and time. A creative device is formed which combines two elements to produce a third for the purpose of projecting the present into the future. The mnemonic device helps you recreate the past in the present. It associates two items in order to enable the brain to recall(recreate) a third image in the future. his creative and mnemonic mind maps are one and the same physically but the intent of both are different. So this is how the memory works out pretty well. Its all about associations and imagination.

If we are not able to remember a thing or say a person, then leave a blank image at the centre and draw a mind map involving a lot of other things that you remember about the thing or person. Then you'll easily be able to identify after a moment with the details in the mind map. Try it out and enjoy by having more knowledge than ever cause knowledge takes you to the highest position by giving meaning to your life. Practice makes you to get along with it.

-SATZ

'Mr.Brain' Part 3- "Mind mapping technique"

It has been a long gap from the previous post.It has been a bit full of facts in the previous two posts and less fun. But that is how it is, cause we are dealing with the most complex organ of the body and the most complex of them all in the universe. A little bit of thinking is required. It is like that at the start, but goes on to do wonders for you on the long run.

What is mind mapping?
Mind mapping is nothing but your natural flow of thoughts on paper. It is the mental projection of what is in your mind. An efficient tool indeed. I'll tell you the real purpose of the mind map. There are infinite number of thoughts in your mind. All those are disorganised. It is important to make it organised in order for the brain to be efficient.

A Mind map showing the "Impacts of Global warming"

Instead of wasting time in reading tonnes of paragraphs, if you can chunk only the keywords and associations you'll have enough space to gather more information and this is why I say we can do a lot more than what we really do with our brain.

As I said earlier images and words are the sole factors for memory. We think on something for a lot of time and one thing leads to some other and that in turn leads to something else. So sometimes we forget how we arrived at the last thought.

How do we draw a mind map?

Mind maps are really how the thought process takes place in your mind. It is as simple as that. They project how you think on to a paper. So if we jot it down on a paper we can easily recall our thought process. Like the mini mind maps the full mind map has a central image or a word. But preferably an image. Then it has got the branches which are called as the Basic Ordering Ideas(BOIs). These are the initial words that pop up in your mind when you think of the central word or the image. Each of these BOIs will lead to other words or images and this goes on. Branching out from each of the branches like a tree. This is what we call as the mind map. This is how we think. The following is the mind map that I created using the central word 'HAPPINESS'.

The mind map that I created using 'HAPPINESS' as the central word

Now if you can't comprehend, what is there in this image. I'll just tell you what I've done over here. The central word is HAPPINESS with the image of a smiley. Then that branches out as the BOIs namely, Nature, writing, learning, Sleeping, People,Cycling, Playing, and Machines. There are a lot more than this that you can add. Each of them has got a different kind of line, font, colour, dimension, shading and also the usage of symbols, codes and each of the branch is same as the length of the word. Each one word has got an image. In fact you can replace images instead of using the words. No matter how bad the image is you've to just draw what is in your mind. The next time it would be better. Now each of these branches out. Each of these BOIs can be made as the centre of another mind map and the same can be done. It is important to make every element in the mind map unique. When I think about Learning I'm reminded of art and that in turn reminds me of Mridangam, Painting. Then it goes on and on. Then when I think about nature I'm reminded of Animals and Plants. The animals reminds me of snakes. When I think about people, I'm reminded of my family and that in turn reminds me of mom, dad, and sister. And when you say sister I'm reminded of fighting with her and the fun that I've have with her. Similarly all the BOIs stimulate me to jot down whatever I think, in quick succession. This goes on and on. It is up to you to decide where to stop. Now we can see that, this is how we process information. The one that is to be noticed here is the way we associate one thing with other. This is how mind maps are drawn. We can use whatever colour, font, type of line that we need but it important to make it neat. Using hierarchy is recommended because it has been proved that everybody remembers hierarchy easily.The more neat it is the more easy it would be to recollect. It is easier to recollect if we take notes just like the mind maps. There is no need to jot down unnecessary stuff. No need to read unnecessary things and hence can save a lot of time. We can create a mind map using anything as the central image.

The Boeing Aircraft was developed only by the use of a 25-foot-long Mind Map.

Dr.Stanley standing alongside the 25-foot-mind map of Boeing Aircraft

You can get a mental block at the start of the mind map. In order to overcome that you can add a blank line i.e a branch, ask questions, and then add images. This happens to a lot of them. Having drawn the mind map another question that may pop out is how do we remember one? Reviewing the mind map is a very important task. After 1 hour period you should ideally review your Mind Map:

• After 10-30 minutes
• After a day
• After a week
• After a month
• After three months
• After six month

This makes the mind map a part of your on-going long-term memory. The Mind map is difficult at the start. We always feel lazy when doing the first time. The first time is difficult. It is like the clearing of the forest that I told you in the first part. But the second time you do, it becomes easy. Practice makes you feel comfortable and becomes a very good technique for remembering. It is logical to use mind maps because it is evident that this is how we dump in information. This is a technique to dump in more. Now you may ask me what do I do with this? How to apply this technique to real problems in the world like that of education, family, business etc? How to do self analysis with the technique? How does it help in problem solving? I'll deal all that in the subsequent posts. Meanwhile do try to make two or three mind maps if not 100 of them. It is a good technique. You'll know it only when you start doing it and know the full potential of the technique.

Do stay for much more to come!!!

-SATZ

"Mr.Brain" Part-2 - "Radiant thinking"

In the previous post I had told you about the real potential of our brain. We are aware of the fact that there is so much potential that can make us develop anything that we need to. It is a matter of creating 'memory traces' in our brains. So that the information reaches the deep parts of the brain and becomes one with the brain.

Let's see in this post the conventional note making/taking and its disadvantages. Then I'll introduce to you, what is called as Radiant Thinking, the first step in Mind Mapping. Mind maps are something that we normally use it without knowing that it is mind mapping. If we know about mind maps, we can certainly remember and recall things faster than what we normally do.

There is a psychology of learning and remembering. We normally remember the items at the start of the learning period, then at the end, any items associated with things or patterns already stored or linked to other aspects of what is being learned, any item that stand alone as outstanding or unique, then those of which are of particular interest to an individual. This is what research has shown us.

"Conventional note making/taking"

Our brain generally has got five functions namely: Receiving, Holding, Analysing, Outputting, Controlling. All these are integrated functions. One leads to the other. Only if the brain can receive, it can hold and analyse the data. Conversely, if the brain can hold and analyse the data efficiently, it can receive more data. This outputting function is what is the expression of Mind map.It is how we think in the inside that is shown outside. The fifth function is the monitoring of your general health, attitude, environmental conditions. This is the function that defines

"Perfect mind in a perfect body"

There has been so much of development in the world of information which has led to 'information explosion'. This has partly been caused by the assumption that writing is the only correct vehicle for the learning, analysis, and dissemination of information. If writing is indeed the best way of taking in, analysing and passing on information, why are so many people having problems in the fields of learning, thinking, creativity and memory? Why do they complain of basic inability, loss of self-confidence, diminishing interest, and reduced powers of concentration, memory and thinking?

This is because of the fact that we don't adopt the right method to take notes. We think that the linear way of writing notes is the best way to remember. But it isn't one. Great minds like that of Leonardo Da Vinci and that of Picasso have scribbled their ideas in a way that is comprehensive only to them. They have indeed become great. So what is the problem in our note making/taking abilities?

"Writings of Picasso"

For note making/taking we normally use three types or the combination of the three types. One is linear patterning or listing out, sentence type of notes, or in a hierarchical series consisting of major categories and sub-categories. There is a fourth type which is described as 'disorganised' or 'messy' kind of note taking/making. So in every school, university and business, using which a research was done, more than 95% used the major three styles.

"Writings of Leonardo Da Vinci"

There was an absence of the following: Visual rhythm, Visual pattern, Colour, Image(imagination),Visualization, Dimension, Spatial awareness, Gestalt(wholeness) and Association.
The disadvantages are that: Linear notes obscure the key words, make it difficult to remember, they waste time, fail to stimulate the brain creativity. Hence we lose powers of concentration, time consuming habit of reading unnecessary notes aruses, experience loss of confidence, lose the love for learning, boredom and frustration creeps into our minds, harder we work, the less we progress because we start working against ourselves.

A story comes to the mind when I talk about this. There was a young girl in New York, who at the age of nine was an A student, then at the age of 10 she was a B student, then at 11 years she was a C student, then at 12 years she was a D student, a total failure. She was doing one thing in a very good manner. She was good at that each year. Making her notes look attractive enough to study. In order to better at school, she started making her notes look better every year. This made her concentrate more on taking notes, making her forget, and misunderstand what she was studying. She was made to apply mind mapping and the trend was reversed.

What happens to the information that we put into our brains?
What happens when we taste a ripe fruit, smell flowers, listen to music, watch a stream, touch a loved one? Have you ever imagined what happens in our brain?
The answer is both simple and amazingly complex.
Each bit of information entering into our brain- every sensation, memory or thought can be represented as a central sphere from which radiate tens, hundreds, thousands, millions of hooks. Each hook represents an association. That leads to various other links and connections that are infinite in number. The associations which you've already used may be thought of as your database, or your library. Your brain is a Branching association machine(BAM). A super bio computer with lines of thought radiating from a virtually infinite number of data nodes. A calculation will reveal that your already existing database of items of information, and the associations radiating from them, consists of multiple quadrillions data associations.
This is what is called radiant thinking.
'Radiate' means 'to spread or move in directions'.
So how do we apply Radiant thinking to our minds. It is through Mind maps. Mind maps are the external expressions of our inside, which is called Radiant thinking. Mind map is a tool and the process is called as Radiant Thinking.
I'll tell you just a simple exercise which will enable you to know what is Radiant thinking.

Take a paper, and a lot of coloured pens, and have a word at the center say 'Machines'. Then having 'Machines' at the centre, draw ten branches. In each branch write the associations that pops up in your brain when you think of machines. For example, write cars on one branch. Similarly write 10 associations. Do not take more than 1 minute. Here is an exercise what I did.

"Machines at the center and Cars, Buses, Design, Hospitals, Household appliances, Airplanes, Fabrication,Land movers,Usefulness and Weapons came to my mind as branches"

If you can do it with three or four people then it would be better. Do not copy for god's sake. Compare each others results after finishing. Aim is to find those words which are common to all members.Predict how much of those would be common to all, individually before doing the exercise. Many people will predict that a lot of words to be common among the group but research has shown that for there to be even one word common to all members of a group of four is a rarity. If this common word was made the centre of another mind map then the results was the same. There is a difference in every individual's words. I'd tell you that it sounds easy but it needs some practice. It becomes easy as you practice. This is radiant thinking. This is just a basic of what is to come. Practice this exercise for various words as centre.

But what I've told is only about the Brainstroming words and not about images. When the Radiant thinking ability of the brain can be applied to the 'left cortical skill' of words, can the same power be applied to the 'right cortical skill' of imagination and images?
Yes, of course. Everybody is bestowed with the art of drawing. No matter how your image looks like. Art of drawing should be followed by everybody. Research was done by showing 2560 images to a group of students. And similar images were shown with the ones that were already shown. Nearly, 96% of the students found the right answers. Another research of nearly 10,000 images were shown for each second and the recognition accuracy rate was about 99.9%. Allowing some degree of boredom and exhaustion, R.S.Nickerson, a researcher, estimated that had their group been shown a million pictures, rather than 10,000 the would have recognised 986,300-an accuracy rate of 98.6%.

Now will tell you the real secret behind mind maps. The mind maps have proved to be efficient tools because it makes use of both the 'left cortical skill' and the 'right cortical skill' of words and images respectively, there by making the whole brain function at the same time. this makes it a powerful tool indeed. In the coming posts we will see about what are the mind mapping techniques available, how to apply them in our real lives and how to does it make us remember so much of information. Let's find it out in our subsequent posts. Do follow the astounding discovery of our own mind and put it to use in order to make ourselves efficient in whatever we do.

-SATZ

"Mr.Brain" series- Part 1- The ultimate bio computer

I always say

"Mind is everything. You conquer your mind, you will conquer the world."

I recently found that it is indeed true. I started reading about the brain and I found some astonishing facts that put me in a state of bewilderment.

I thought for a while and it was really true. People have spent nearly their lifetime to analyze how the brain really works. It is true that if the brain can know about itself, about its potential, it can do wonders. At last after about three-and-a-half million year history of human intelligence that very intelligence has realized that it can understand, analyze and nurture itself. It can develop powerful and far more flexible modes of thoughts currently in use throughout the world.

Let's find out what the structure of our brain looks like and then we will understand about the processing of information.
Research tells us everything about the brain. I'll enumerate the amazing facts about the structure.What parts does the brain have? What makes us think?

• In each human brain there are an estimated one million, million,(1000,000,000,000) brain cells.
• Each brain cell(neuron) contains a vast electrochemical complex and a powerful micro-data processing and transmitting system.
  
• Each of these brain cells looks like a super octopus, with a central body and tens, hundreds, or thousands of tentacles.
• Magnifying further, the tentacles looks like a branch of a tree. Radiating from the cell centre. These are called dendrites. One particularly large branch is called axon.
  
• Each dendrite or axon may range from a millimeter to 1.5 meters in length and all throughout the length there are protuberances called dendritic spines or synaptic buttons.
  
• Each of those contain bundles of chemicals. Major message carriers. One button will link to the other. When an electrical impulse travels through the brain cell, chemicals are transferred across the minute, liquid filled space between the two cells. This space is called the synaptic gap.

The image of a brain cell

This is the structure of our brain. This is what it is made up of. There are further more facts about its processing. How much of information that the brain can process? You'll get the answer in the following paragraph.

Processing of information:

The chemical slot into the receiving surface, creating an impulse that travels through the receiving braincell from where it is then directed to an adjoining brain cell. A brain cell may receive incoming pulses from hundreds of thousands of connecting points every second.

When the brain cell is passed on with a message or thought or a re-lived memory, a biochemical electromagnetic pathway is established. These neuronal pathways are called as "memory traces". These memory traces or mental maps are one of the most exciting areas of modern brain research.

So what is unique about these memory traces anyway?

Every time we have a thought, the biochemical/electromagnetic resistance along the pathway carrying that thought is reduced. It is like trying to clear the path through a forest. The first time is a struggle because we have to fight our way through the undergrowth. The second time we travel it will be easier because of the clearing we did on our first journey. The more times we travel that path, the less resistance there will be, until, after many repetitions, we have a wide smooth track which requires little or no clearing. A similar function occurs in our brain: the more we repeat patterns or maps of thought, the less resistance there is to them. So the repeated use keeps the track clear, thus encouraging further 'traffic'. The more tracks and pathways we can create and use, the 'clearer', faster and more efficient our thinking will become.
This is why people say

"Practice makes a man absolutely perfect"

Professor Pyotr Kouzmich Anokhin of Moscow University made his last public statement on the results of his 60-year investigation into the nature of our brain cells in the winter of 1973. The conclusion in his paper 'The Forming of Natural and Artificial Intelligence' was as follows:

"We can show that each of the ten billion neurons in the human brain has a possibility of connections of one with twenty-eight noughts (zeroes) after it! If a single neuron has this quality of potential, we can hardly imagine what the whole brain can do. What it means is that the total number of possible combinations/permutations in the brain, if written out, would be 1 followed by 10.5 million kilometers of noughts(zeroes)!
No human yet exists who can use all the potential of his brain. This is why we don't accept any pessimistic estimates of the limits of the human brain. It is unlimited!"

The messy mesh of the brain cells

It is accomplished by the biggest 'embrace' the known universe - your brain cells embracing your brain cells. Each individual brain cell is capable of contacting and embracing as many as 10,000 or more proximate brain cells in the same instant.
There are two cerebral hemispheres namely the right and the left. The research by Professor Roger Sperry of California, who was subsequently awarded the Nobel Prize for his research, indicated that two sides or hemispheres, of the cortex tend to divide the major intellectual functions between them. The right hemisphere appeared to be dominant in the following intellectual areas: rhythm, spatial awareness, gestalt(wholeness), imagination, daydreaming, colour and dimension. The left appeared to be dominant in a different but equally powerful range of mental skills: words, logic, numbers, sequence, linearity, analysis, and lists.

Although each hemisphere is dominant in certain activities, they are both basically skilled in all areas. This was further proved by Ornstein, Zaidel, Bloch in their research of confirming the findings of Roger Sperry.

Michael Bloch stated:

'If we call ourselves "right brain" or " left brain" people, we are limiting our ability to develop new strategies.'

It is wrong to say that 'Iam bad at or do not possess mental skill X'. It is both an untruth and misunderstanding. If one is weak at something the correct statement must be 'I have yet to develop mental skill X'. The only barrier to the expression and application is all our mental skills is our knowledge of how to access them.

Dr.Mark Rosenweig in Paris announced the results of his work and told that
"Even if your brain is fed 10 items of data(each item being a simple word or image) every second for 100 years, it would still have used less than one-tenth of its storage capacity."

There are a few techniques through which the efficient thinking can be done. There are note making/ taking techniques that will enhance the way we write and remember them. Many of us think that the more neat the notes are the more easy they are to understand. But there are cases in which when a student started writing notes in a neat manner, the IQ level started decreasing. I'll discuss about Radiant Thinking, Mind Mapping, and the problems in conventional note making/taking in detail in the subsequent posts. At the end of the series you'll be able to apply the Radiant Thinking and Mind mapping techniques to real life and make wonder with your mind and brain. The easiest way to remember and store a lot of information in your brain.

-SATZ

Fate of an engineer!!!

I've finished my undergraduate degree and I'm searching for a job. I'm trying my level best to contact a few people and do something. But when I go to my college again, people start asking the same question again and again. "What are you doing?" ,"Are you without a job?" "Oh, how sad does that sound!!" "A fresher without a job." Is that a big mistake or what? It's irritating. Frustrating when people ask that. People have set in their mind that campus interviews are the only hopes for freshers. People don't understand that there is a big future. A future that is going to transform a fresher into a professional. It is the transition stage and it takes a bit of time.

I'm without a job, so what? It doesn't mean that I'm wasting my time. I'm not really. The one going to a job will not even do the amount of work that I'm doing. I read books, I write about stuff, I blog, I play, I hang out with friends(a time and thing that you won't get when you step into the future), I go through my basics, I try to develop some personal skills, I spend time with my family(something that you may not get in the future), I simultaneously search for jobs, I watch TV. I think I'm doing a lot more than what a person with a job will do. (I do my job without getting salary and they do something less than me with a salary slip in hand.)There is no big difference. All that is needed is a walk towards personal improvement. I may not get this precious time that I've without a job.

I recently went to an interview in Bangalore and I thought that I'm the only one without a job. But for just 50 vacancies there were roughly 3500 people gathered outside the company. All trying to barge in. It needed a police force to settle the chaos and move forward with the interview. Finally, the HR team of the company arranged and led the interview process in a professional manner. At that moment, when people were barging in I realized that India had enough engineers but what it really needed was the quality in them. They had a very bad attitude which made me feel that there is no difference between them and the rest of the people outside. There was no professionalism. I didn't get selected because I leaked some of my plans about my higher studies(which was stupidity personified.) But still it was a good experience and it showed what was wrong in me and what I should improve upon.


But it is also a difficult process. The process of transformation. It needs a lot of training for the mind and the brain. We can't expect it overnight. It takes some encouragement which makes it feel better. It propels you forward to achieve something impossible.

I got one thing clear. There is no one, who is like "not suitable for training." Anybody can develop anything. It is just a matter of days. And for an undergraduate student, having graduated, is capable of doing anything. It is this one quality that everybody possesses. What differs is the attitude that each one has. It requires some basic qualities.

I would say the state of the so-called engineers graduating from colleges is like that of a person coming out of an AC room. It is cool and feels good, when he is inside, (I mean in college,) but when he is out, it is seriously hot.( like the situation that we've got here.) Everybody will have a bad time. It doesn't mean that there is no potential left. "There is tremendous potential that is not getting exposed" is the right way to put it.

Steve Jobs, The Co founder of Apple, was not having a job for nearly two years after getting fired from Apple, but that was the time when he got a wife and all his attention was on starting a new company. He succeeded and started NeXT and PiXAR, which was finally bought by Apple and he again got a job to develop many products in Apple itself. The wait was all for the good. It is always a great feeling to start from the beginning. Think and rethink about what went wrong and what should have been done to get it right.

Having got so many marks(decent marks) and not having a job is like telling "You're good and that is why you're not good." I read the following article in newspaper and thought that it really takes years to practice engineering.

http://www.hindu.com/op/2010/06/13/stories/2010061350041400.htm

We undergrads have just now entered the field. It takes time for us to settle down. And what I want is a little more time. We are competing with the field and not with ourselves. So if we have sometime we can figure out where we stand and come to the level where the world expects us to be.

I feel that it is the best time to make something happen. Develop creativity that you normally don't get to do in a company. This time is awesome. Helps a big deal to plan for what is going to come next. Try to know something new. Make yourself comfortable with the schedule, because all the twenty four hours belong to you and you can decide what to do and what not to do in these hours. I would suggest that it is better to think how to utilize it and not to worry about why we have not got a job so far. This is how freshers without jobs prefer to be. We live life to the fullest.

-SATZ

Do try to follow the next series "Mr. Brain" that is coming up soon. I'll unveil some of the amazing facts and the real potential of the brain and at the same time try to explain few techniques that would be so helpful for you in the future. Catch it all!!! Don't miss it!!!

வாழ்க தமிழ்!!! வளர்க தமிழ்!!!

This is the season in which the International Tamil Conference is taking place and I thought "why not talk about that?". Everybody is talking, so I would also like to talk about it. I'm not a person who talks pure Tamil (துய தமிழ் ). Not a lot of people do that. But that doesn't mean that I don't have love for the language.

நன்றி கடன் கவிதை

அடுத்த பிறவியில்
எனக்கு மகளாக
என் தாய்..........

Kavithai, which is about Gratitude in Tamil!!

Love for the language is different from using it. If a language is spoken only in certain parts of the world, it doesn't mean that the language is dying, but it means that the language is difficult for people to use. Less usage doesn't reduce shining of the real language. It is that the greatness is not exposed, but for the language it remains the same.

It becomes the greatness of the language. Speaking the language itself becomes an art. If everybody can practice the art then it is not good for the art. The greatness starts diminishing. It becomes a common affair. People won't admire. It loses its importance. Tamil is just a language like that. It is not possible for everybody to do that. (Of course it is with a little bit more of effort in learning it).

There is nothing like, one language is better than the other. Every language demands the same amount of respect that another language does. After all, we use languages just for the sake of expressing our feelings to others. It has got nothing to do with the growth. Languages always remain the same.

There is no need for any international conferences, for making a language grow and even if we have one, the focus should be on the language rather than the praising of someone or making a sarcastic note about others. Mere decoration of the city doesn't mean that there is a lot of contribution done towards the language. There is no point, when all of the speakers in a conference speak only about how the conference was organised or praise the efforts of the organiser. Where does the growth part come in here?

"அளவுக்கு மீறினால் அமிர்தமும் நஞ்சு."

Especially a language with so much of vocabulary, so much of literary work, so much of history behind, so much of poetic works, needs no marketing. The language will market itself. The language is just a medium.

More number of language a person learns, more will be the level of his confidence. Usage will not decide anything about the language. Anyway it is important for people to encourage the usage if it is used but it should not be forced to be used. It is the fundamental right of everybody to decide which language to use. No body can take control over that.
Tamil has got something unique. First thing is, it is an old language. Second, it increases the confidence of a person just like other languages. Third is, when one is able to learn Tamil and speak in it fluently, he can learn any language, because Tamil is a language which is difficult to learn. So it is an added feature that Tamilians can learn other language easily.

It may be an official language in only three countries, but it has got a greatness that will be spoken by generations to come. Tamil will not die. It will only grow.I may not know the full literature of Tamil, I know that the language is sweet and it is unique and differs a lot from other languages.

அகர முதல எழுத்தெல்லாம் ஆதி
பகவன் முதற்றே உலகு

'A' leads the letters just as the First Lord
leads and lords the entire world.

This is the first couplet of Tirukkural with meaning!!

There is nothing that can be compared to the Thirukkural of Thiruvalluvar. All the principles a man should follow are dictated by the book. Having got translated into a lot of other language versions, the book is considered to be the greatest contribution of all times. There are so many books like the Thirupugzhal, Tholkappiam, Kundalakesi, Agananooru, Puranaanooru, Kamba Ramayanam, Iniyavai Narpathu, Pazhamozhi Nanuru, Cilapathikaaram and a lot of others, all these tell about how a man should live.

உலகம் மூன்றும் ஒருங்குடன் ஏத்துமாண்
திலகம் ஆய திறல் அறி வன் அடி
வழுவில் நெஞ்சொடு வாலிதின் ஆற்றவும்
தொழுவல் தொல்வினை நீங்குக என்று யான்.

The first verse of Valayapathi !! Invocation of God!!

A blog that I found on Thirukkural
http://valluvam-in-english.blogspot.com/

There is a strong inner feeling when we say "என் தாய் மொழி என் தமிழ் மொழி". That is the feeling that makes the language "GREAT". The ultimate greatness lies in the feeling that every one has. Tamil has got life till this feeling stays in every one.

"வாழ்க தமிழ்!!! வளர்க தமிழ்!!!"

-SATZ

My inspiration and idol !!

He has been everything in life. A soldier, a motorbike racer, a herpetologist, a writer, a wildlife photographer and I don't know what else this man has got in his bag. His name is "Austin Stevens". What is big about this guy?I'll tell you who he is.

About Austin:

Austin Stevens, born in Pretoria, South Africa, is a wildlife photographer and a renowned herpetologist, known for his snake documentaries throughout the world. He is considered to be one of the world's most daring wildlife presenters, risking his life on numerous occasions for his work.

Austin Stevens, the man himself in front of you!!

He had an interest for snakes right from the age of 12, when we would have gone 50 meters back at least after seeing one. He started to handle snakes without any problem from that age itself. He had the most exotic collection of reptiles and a collection of some venomous snakes at the end of his schooling.

Austin was in the army till his thirties. His mom died when he was in his thirties because she lost a lung in a car accident as a girl. His father had a typewriter repair business. Austin got into bike racing after leaving the army. Austin got heavily into motorbikes and motorbike gangs and spent years riding around being a self described "Hell's Satan". He gave up the world of motorbikes in 1974 after a disastrous near fatal accident during a race. Austin took up the position as curator of reptiles at the Transvaal Snake Park, where he spent the six years undergoing hands-on training to become a fully qualified herpetologist.

Austin's record:

Austin set a record by spending 107 days and nights in a cage with 36 of the most venomous and dangerous snakes in Africa. On the 96th day, he was bitten by a cobra, but to many people's amazement he refused to leave the cage and was instead treated in the cage. Although he was very sick at that time, Austin completed the 107 days and beat the existing Guinness World Record (documented in the Guinness Book of Animal Records). This world record has never been duplicated or broken, though there have been a number of other attempts at similar records (records attempted with different conditions and snakes to Austin's record.)
I can tell a lot about his life. But the real thing that fascinated me is as follows.

What a man he is?

The real thing that made me admire him is the determination he's got to achieve something incredible. The passion for his profession. Whatever it may be he'll go in search for the snakes and click a photo of it and with it. The knowledge required for a herpetologist is enormous. The data needed before handling a reptile is huge. He should do a thorough analysis of the behaviour of the species before nearing it. It is because it is a question of life for him. Any feature of the snake if not known or technique of handling is not known puts his life in a state of bother. He is totally ready for handling any kind of snake at any time.

Tackling a green anaconda by falling into the water!!

So the first thing that fascinated me is the knowledge that he has got about his reptiles. There are so many species of snakes and he remembers the behaviour of every snake.

Determination:

I would say this hundred times, but at the age of 58 if that man can fall from great heights after seeing a snake in the water then, I would say, there is no doubt that this man is determination personified. It is so difficult to go to the forest and do all these by risking one's life. He would not be lazy. He would not stop. He has tremendous endurance. Stamina is amazing. His concentration is perfect, thanks to the martial arts that he practices daily especially nunchaku. He claims it keeps his reflexes heightened when working with venomous snakes.

Austin Stevens with a giant king cobra!! The concentration that he's got is amazing

Belief of herpetologists:

There is a belief for herpetologists. They will never hurt a snake even if it bites. They believe that the snake will strike only if they are provoked. Otherwise it will be friendly.

Stevens handling Rattle snake carefully!!

You can see Austin carefully handling a venomous rattle snake, with hyper-dermic needle in its fangs and its venom full of neurotoxins capable of killing a man in seconds.

Austin believes that if he can make the snake feel that he is no danger for it he can make the snake calm in seconds and get it under his control.This technique works for him with any snake.

At the age of 60 years, Austin is fit and healthy to do all kind of adventures and expose to the world, the types of snakes that it has got. His passion is what is shown through his adventures. He has been bit by three snakes but the love he shows for them is amazing.

Costa Rican Golden Eyelash Viper!! One of the best found by Austin Stevens

I, at last, want to be passionate about my profession as Austin Stevens is about his profession. He makes it so easy to look but it is not really easy for him. He has put in so much of effort to make it look easy. He has to forget about his food and other stuff. No proper food. No nice place to sleep. No nice place to live in. Not so much of luxury but still he finds it interesting at the end of the day. He feels happy after touching the head of a Giant King Cobra. He says that he wanted to do that all his life. This is called "ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PROFESSION". This is where he becomes my inspiration and idol. A tutor who admires the creation of god without changing the natural state of any of the being around him.His job is simple for him. He has to safeguard the snakes by separating them from human turf. He takes out the venom of dangerous snakes and gives it out to the hospitals for preparing anti venom. Thereby he is saving both the people and the snakes.

-SATZ

A trip to Vellingiri!!

It was the evening of 31st of May when we suddenly, at the drop of a hat, decided to go to Vellingiri. A place belonging to the God of Destruction, Shiva. It was 7 pm when we started our journey to Poondi temple. It was a road with no lights and it was on one side very dangerous and exciting. So the right word to put is, we were 'pumped up'.We reached the temple and from there it was an awesome 18 km journey to the top of the hill and back to the temple. We started out with minimum amount of resources(most of us didn't even take our sweaters).We were a group of 6 friends and set out to the forest. Normally, it would be crowded on the day of full moon. So we decided to set out at an odd time. We reached the temple at around 8:30 in the night and started to trek after buying sticks for each of us. At the beginning, we made fun of the sticks that we bought, but it proved out to be something important for us at the end as the terrain was too steep and slippery.

At around 9:15pm we reached the second stage of the mountain and we were hungry. So stopped at a place were there was a stream of water coming right from the top of the hill, after traveling through the rocks. This water is called as sunai(சுனை)or ootru (ஊற்று) colloquially.

Sunai(சுனை)or Ootru (ஊற்று)-Indicated as Sivaneer(சிவநீர் )

We stopped there and had our dinner. The water from the sunai was as fresh as it can be. It was natural and cool.To get water of this state we need to spend a lot of power for purifying and cooling. But it was available for us through nature itself. With a torch, which we had to crank for power, in hand we started the journey to the top of the hill consisting of 7 stages. The first three stages were full of steep steps. We heard the sound of animals like that of the wild boar, in the middle of the first three stages. We were afraid a bit, but we had a guy in our group who was howling in order to drive off those animals. In fact the howling of his was more threatening than to that of wild animals. The fourth and the fifth stages had no difference, two having the same kind of terrain more or less.

The third stage of the mountain!!

As we reached the fourth stage, we started to experience a cool wind rushing through our bodies and we forgot all the tiredness. The air had enough capacity to absorb a lot of moisture from our bodies which made us comfortable. But as we progressed to the fifth stage the wind started becoming more cold. We needed more clothes than what we had. We sat, then and there, because the terrain was so steep that we had to wait for a moment. But as we sat, we took a look at the beautiful Coimbatore city with all lights of the city lit up at the night. Now as we started to ascend the mountain it was too cold and the city below was getting clear indicating that we were closing in to the top of the mountain. As we reached the fifth stage, the moon guided us, making the presence of torch absurd. We met three people, who started before us and stopped at the fifth stage. They told us that at the end of sixth stage there would be a tent made by Isha yoga group. So we decided to go till that tent and take some rest to witness the sunrise in the morning. After a chat of half an hour about their whereabouts and after showing our candid characters, we started to move towards the sixth stage. I felt like I lost 2 pounds already :). The sixth stage was plain for a moment and started to descend. It started becoming so steep that we had to use our sticks to avoid falling from such a height. The last thing that we needed was to take a person through the path we traveled a few hours ago. We could not even imagine how we came till this stage. It was really a perilous journey. Then we stopped at a place which we misconceived as the Isha yoga tent and suffered the whole night with cold winds blowing and with no bed spread or any sweaters.

The tent that we missed!!

When we woke up in the morning and started to travel we realised that it was not the Isha yoga tent in which we were sleeping but a tea shop. Just a walk of 1 min would have led us to the tent which was fully covered with no space for the wind to enter. We felt bad for having missed a comfortable lodging .
In the middle we noticed that even in that hill there was too much of littering. People coming there put their cups and other plastic items there itself. We thought of cleaning it up but it was little impractical for us we didn't have time as well as proper bags to put in. We made sure not to litter up anywhere. You can take a look at the picture below.

Full of plastic wrappers and cups!!Why do we do this?

Then we started to the top of the hill and the seventh stage was the toughest of them all. It was so steep. We thought of reaching the top before sunrise but unfortunately we were able to reach it only after the sunrise.

The sun rose before we reached the top!! This is what we could get

But anyway we reached the top. Once we reached the top, it was a view that we won't forget for a long time to come. It was amazing to see the sunrise. Though I thought that we could have seen it much clearly from the terrace of my house, it was something that is not easy to get. Mountains all around you and the city in the middle. It was truly amazing.

We went to the temple at the top, which was a cave. Then after having been for half an hour at the top, decided to start our descent. We started taking pictures only after we reached the top. We then slowly but steadily continued our descent. We reached the third mountain and as we came down we wondered how we had come through this path. It was treacherous indeed.

This is the sixth stage. It is called the Vibhoodhi malai(விபூதி மலை )

But the fun we had was unlimited. We were having this great feeling of having achieved something. We continued to come down and we at last somehow reached the second stage. Our knees were already tired and it needed a lot of rest. The stick made us look like old people but it was quite a support. At last we were able to see the temple and we were like " Ah, this is wonderful!!"

"Ah, this is wonderful!!" The temple at the bottom.

We somehow came down and reached our house. For two days our legs were unmovable. Then slowly we recovered. But the memories of the journey will remain forever. It is something quite nice to remember. At last we reached our homes safely after a thrilling journey in the afternoon of the 1st of June.