Earthy Expressions

                                                              NURTURE OUR CULTURE

Folk art tribal art are easily recognizable-Bright colours, bold strokes, quaint way of representing people and animals.Many actually tell a tale! India being a vast country and with so many agriculture communities and tribes living close to nature, Many art forms evolved. Many have all but disappeared. Fortunately, there is an interest in such traditional art forms and efforts are being made to revive some of them.

Madhubani Painting

     Madhubani district in Bihar represents almost centre of the territory known as Mithila. The  art form that is believed to have originated from here is known as Madhubani or Mithila art. The origin of the art form may be traced to king janaka who order his people to decorate their homes,celebrating the wedding of his daughter sita, also know as mithali (daughter of mithila) with lord Rama. This is essentially a form of wall art-usually done on freshly plastered or a mud wall.Each of the painting or representation may tell a story or illustrate a specific occasion.the traditional images are derived from our Mythology. Thus they may feature stories about Rama and Sita, Krishna, Ganesh and so on.Strong colours such are Red.yellow, Green and Black are used. you will rarely see any gaps or empty spaces in the paintings!even the small spaces between the larger figures are filled with creepers, animals and birds or geometric patterns making it very detailed. the work demands high level of concentration and each such painting is unique.

     How is the painting done? Not with a set of tubes of water colour or bottles of poster paints but using fingers,twigs of sticks, nib pen and even matchsticks! The colour used are derived from different flowers,berries, tree bark and clay. Black , for example, may be obtain from soot mix with cow-dung while white is got from rice powder. Red is from kusum flowers and blue form indigo and so on. Thus it is very nature based.

MADHUBANI PAINTING 

     There are five distinctive styles in madhubani itself: Bharni, Katchni.Tantrik,Godhna and Geru and khobar. while some of these depict gods and goddesses, other depict daily life of people including festive occasions such as birth and marriage or festivals such as Holi or Durga puja. A distinctive features is sharp noses and bulging eyes and the two dimensional appearance of humans and animals.

     Today, Madhubni is fairly well known world over and many artists have received state and national award. imagine, just a little over fifty year ago. not many knew about this beautiful art! after and earthquake devastated  Bihar in 1934. William archer who was then the local collector is believed to have stumbled upon it and he took some photographs of wall and floors decorated with the painting, but it was only in 1966. After a major drought in the region, that the all India Handicrafts board encouraged women of the region to transfer their art from walls to paper so that they could sell these beautiful painting and generate income.

     Today it is an art form that is  highly sought after the throughout the world and even has the GI (Geographical indication) status meaning that the art form is identified with the place of origin. it has become popular enough to feature on saree and dress materials apart from painting on canvas or paper!

START-UP INDIA

WHAT ARE START-UP?

As the very term suggests, start up are new companies that are in their initial stages of operation. They are founded by entrepreneurs who believe they have a product or service that would have a lot of demand. However, they generally have very small revenues and high cost as they are in their initial stages.Therefore they cannot sustain themselves without funds from external sources.

     However, start up find extremely difficult to fund. studies indicate that more than 90% fail due to lack of funds. investors do not invest unless there is reasonable promise that the start up will succeed. A number of factors are involved in determining if a start-up is likely to succeed, the most important being the nature of the product and services, the capabilities of the founder and the timing. A product that is way ahead of its time, for example, may not make money in the near future. Needless to say, money is extremely important for business to become and remain profitable.

     In spite of all the odds, several start-up have emerged in the last decade. people are also quitting regular jobs to build start-up,although it is extremely risky.

WHY ARE PEOPLE ENTERING THE START-UP COMMUNITY?

Some of the reasons are:

• The desire to do something path-breaking or useful to the society
• To get more respect in the business community
• To have full control
• To Make money
• For a sense of satisfaction from achieving something phenomenal
• for future opportunity, as building a successful start -up paves the way to high paying job offers and even a chance to a board membership in big companies.

FUNDING

As the number of start-up have kept multiplying so have the funding options. those who invest in stat-up do so on account of the need to be part of an innovation, to actively participate in the development of a product or service and to reap good return on their investments.

Ways of funding a start-up

Self funding: A start-up can resort to funding at any time.However, to begin  the business, the founders either need to invest their own savings or borrow from friends and family. This is because unless a  tangible is up and running, no external party will be willling to part with their money, either in the form of an investment or as a loan.

Crowdfunding: This funding options has gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. it is mean of encouraging a creative person by providing money in form of an investment or a loan. The entrepreneur presents a case on the nature of his/her business, plan for growth and reasons why one must in the venture. people who believe in the prospects of the business then invest in it and may or may not share a percentage pf profits.

Angel Investors: These are individual investors with surplus cash and keen eye for investing in good businesses. some of them even have networks that collectively screen start-up and decide on the best ones to invest in. In addition to Venture capital companies: These are professionally run fund companies that are in the business of investing in start-up. they provide funds and act as mentors, guiding start-up to success.

winning competitions: some start-up win competitions that fund them.

Bank Loans and Loans from non banking finance corporations: like any business, start-up also have the option  to raise bank loans. the other option is to raise loans from other financial institutions

Government funded programmes: several government funded programmes helped fund certain start-up.

DID YOU KNOW?

Globally, India occupies the third position with over 4,200 start-up providing 80,000 jobs in the technology space.

The total number of  investors grew by 2.3 times in 2015; 80% of the investors were foreign based.

SUCCESSFUL START-UP IN INDIA

 An online cab aggregator

 An Indian company serving in the e-commerce sector An Indian online travel company

An online marketplace

MICRO FINANCE

MICRO FINANCE

Micro finance is a kind of banking service provided to low income groups who do not have easy access to loans. the focus of these groups is to help small business. They do not take colaterals, unlike regular fiance institutions.

     Those who are offered micro-finance need to  go through a training period where they are thought various aspects of managing money.It is only then that a loan can be accessed.

      In order to ensure that people who take a loan return it, part of their income is kept as insurance. Loans are given at reasonable interest rate. The 'credit worthiness" of each member increases each time a loan is paid back on time.This increase the chances of getting a loan second time.

       Micro-finance as a concept has grown in popularity and there are several such initiative in existence today. The first micro-finance group to receive recognition was the Grameen Bank foundation in Bangladesh, which was founded by Muhammad Yunus. While most institution involved in the field of micro finance mainly provide easy access to loans,some also provide another support services to encourage entrepreneurship. An example includes training programmes to acquire professional and technical skills required to succeed in business.

SELF-HELP GROUP

Self help groups or SHGs are a variation of the concept of micro finance. The difference between the two is that these are formed by women who save a part of their income and contribute it to the group's collection. there is no third party involvement in this group. if a member of the groups require money, the group as a whole decides if the member's need is valid and then processes a loan from the collection,

GOVERNMENT SCHEMES

The government also provides schemes to provide easy access to loan at reasonable interest rates for low income groups.

DID YOU KNNOW

Muhummad Yunus won  the Nobel peace prize for his phenomenal work in the field of micro finance in 2006.

The world bank estimates that more than 500 millions people benefit from several micro-finance projects across the world.

japanese cuisine

The traditional cuisine of japan is based on rice with miso soup and seasonal ingredients. side dishes often consist of fish, pickled vegetables and vegetables cooked in broth. Seafood is common and is often served grill and/ or row as sashimi or in sushi. unlike most Japanese foods, sushi has found customers all over the world. Though sushi bars and restaurant have popped up across metros, the best quality sushi is only found in extremely expensive restaurants. sushi is a Japanese dish that consist of small balls or rolls of vinegar-flavoured cold rice served with a garnish of vegetables, eggs or raw seafood.

     Sushi Day was celebrated on june 18 for the first time in 2009. This day was created to encourage people to eat more sushi. It's believed that southeast Asians develop the original type of sushi, which consisted of fish wrapped in souring and fermenting rice. the dish then spread to southern china before reaching Japan.

       The original sushi was once a staple dish around various regions of Asia and was salted fish preserved in fermented rice. In fact; the word sushi roughly means 'sour' as an ode to its fermented origins. This style of sushi was common in Japan until the end of the Edo  period, When it evolved into edomae zushi, a style of sushi closer to what we eat today. developed by Hanaya Yohei, this sushi was larger, used fresh fish, was prepared quickly and meant to be eaten with hands.

TYPES OF SUSHI

• Nigiri sushi: These are fingers of sticky rice  topped with a small fillet of fish, seafood or vegetables. the vegetables and seafood can be raw, half-seared or grilled.
• Maki sushi: These are rolls made with sticky rice, fish and dried seaweed called nori. Most maki sushi has the nori on the outside.
• California Rolls: This type of sushi has the same ingredients as the maki roll, but in this case, the nori is on the inside and the rice on the outside. This type of sushi usually includes avocado, imitation crab(made from other seafood),cucumber and sometimes tobiko (flying fish roe)
• Tempura rolls: Similar to California rolls, these rolls have tempura-fried shrimp along with vegetables like avocado and cucumber.
• Spicy Tuna Rolls: Spicy tuna roll also have rice on the outside, with a sheet of nori on the inside, which is wrapped around raw tuna that's been mixed with spicy mayonnaise.
• Dragon Rolls: similar to tempura rolls, these use shrimp tempura,avocado and cucumber on the inside and rice sprinkled. with sesame seed on the outside. thin slices of avocado sit on top of the rolls. These rolls are drizzled with spicy mayonnaise and unagi sauce
• Spider Rolls: these have deep fried soft shell crab and and include fillings such as cucumber,avocado, daikon sprouts or lettuce, roe and spicy mayonnaise.
• Sashimi: This is thinly sliced raw fish served without rice.

IS SUSHI HEALTHY?

Researchers are divided in their opinion. While sushi is very healthy- it is good source of hearth-healthy omega-3 fatty acid and is low in calories with no added fat- the fish it is made with could have higher level of metal contamination, making it unhealthy. some restaurant serve  healthy items  like edamame(young green beans),seaweed salad, avocado and green tea along with their sushi, which up its healthy quotient. 

       The major concern is the high amount of mercury found in some spices of fish like tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, shark and tilefish. Too much mercury damages the developing brain and nervous system. when the sushi includes tempura, mayo and cream cheese, it adds to the unhealthy fat and calories.

          Most Indians coat their sushi in soya sauce before eating it.This isn't the right or healthy way of eating sushi as soya sauce is very high in sodium.

          

     

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International yoga Day

YOGA A WAY OF LIFE

WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga is the connection between the body, mind and soul, it is not just about the fitness, but also about healing,relaxing and restoring. The word 'Yoga' has been derived from the Sanskrit root Yuj'; which means to yoke or join together'. This is understood to be the union of the body, mind, and soul.There are many style of yoga that people can train in depending on what they wish to gain from the discipline. Essentially, it  is all about control through the eight limbs of yoga, also known as Ashtanga,and seven major Chakras in the body.

• Yama : ethical standards and sense of integrity
• Pratyahara : withdrawal of the senses of perception, the external world and outside stimuli
• Niyama : Self-discipline, spiritual observances and meditation
• Asana : Integration of the mind and body through physical movement
• Pranayama : regulation of breath leading to integration of the mind and body
• Dharana : Concentration and singular focus of the mind
• Dhyana : Meditation or Contemtemplation
• Samadhi :the quite state of blissful awareness

Yoga is an ancient Physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India close to 5000 years ago and has slowly but steadily been accepted all across the world. To make it importance, the international day of yoga is celebrated annually on June 21.

Why is June 21 celebrated as international day of yoga?

While addressing the United nations (UN), PM Narendra Modi suggested that the International day of yoga should be celebrated on June21- or the day of the summer solstice-as the day holds special significance in may parts of the world.

According to Hindu mythology, on this day,Lord Shiva or Adiyogi,, the first yogi, set his eyes on the Saptarishis or the seven sages-his first disciples to carry the practice of yoga to many parts of the world. The summer solstice thus marks the beginning of yogic science.

• Significance of the international day of  yoga logo

• The Logo reflects harmony and peace for Humanity, which is the essence of  yoga
• The folded hands Symbolise yoga or the union of the individual's consciousness with the universal consciousness. This also resembles the idea of a perfect harmony-between mind and body and man and nature.
• The brown leaves Symbolise earth, the green leaves symbolise nature and blue symbolises water. The yellow around the logo Symbolises fire and the sun Symbolises the source of energy and inspiration.

Yoga is a holistic approach to health ad well being. it is a great way to relax the body and mind. here are some major benefits of practising yoga everyday.

1. it release the tension accumulated in the muscles and pacifies mind
2. it strengths the core and tones the muscle
3. it eases digestion and improves metabolism
4. it reduces the craving for food and subsequently, the habit of overeating
5. it improves the mood and relieves anxiety and reduces stress and depression
6. it helps rejuvenate the organs
7. it helps calm the mind and leads to positivity
8. it reduce  anger and allows for a better control on emotion
9. it improves memory
10. Pranayama (breathing exercise done during yoga) teaches one to breath effectively, which in turn helps eliminate waste and toxins from the body.

Laughter

Laughter is the Physiological response to humor  Laughter consists of two parts- a set of gestures and the production of sound. When we laugh, the brain pressure us to conduct both those activities simultaneously. When we hear funny things or find ourselves in a humorous situation, our body reacts in multiple ways. 15 facial muscle ( the main lifting mechanism of the upper lip), which makes us smile. The respiratory system reacts by half closing larynx, which make us gasp. in some  circumstances, the tear ducts are also activated. so, laughter is a combination of reactions that result in the mouth opening and closing, a struggle for oxygen and reddening of the face. In the process, We emit sounds that range from giggles to boisterous guffaws. The more one laugh at many things for fear of being called childlike.

BENEFITS OF LAUGHTER

• Laughing is actually a workout for the muscle, Laughing 100 times a day has the same effect as 15 minutes on an exercise bike.
• 10 to 15 minutes of laughter burns approximately 40 calories.
• Laughing improves breathing as it forces air out of the lungs,thereby cleaning them.
• Laughing increase blood flow through the body, thus the decreasing the chances of a heart attack.
• Laughing also increase certain antibodies and T cells that are necessary for a healthy immune system.
• Laughing relieves  physical tension and reduces stress.
• Laughing hysterically release endorphins, which are the body's natural painkillers,
• Laughing relaxes muscles
• Laughing eases digestion and soothes stomach aches.
• Laughing improve sleep and promotes relaxation
• Laughing uplifts the mood.
• Laughter binds people together. laughing within a group increase feelings of trust.
• Laughing also increase creativity, memory and cognitive functioning
• Laughing enhances the quality of life and produces a sense of well-being.

Laughter is not a learned response; it is an involuntary reaction to something that the mind finds funny, Laughing knows no language barriers and is a universally Recognised form of communication.

LAUGHTER  THERAPY

professional therapists often use laughter as a form of therapy to deal with their patients. In laughter therapy,humor is used to help relieve physical and emotional stresses and discomfort.

CRYPTO CURRENCIES

WHAT ARE CRYPTO CURRENCIES?

• Crypto currencies are a type of digital or virtual currencies that use cryptography for security.This security feature make it difficult to counterfeit them.
• These Currencies operate independently of a central ban like RBI, rendering them immune from government interference or Manupulation.
• The decentralized control of each cryptocurrency works through a blockchain, which is public transaction database,functioning as a distributed ledger.
• Bitcoin, created in 2009, was the first decentralized Cryptocurrency. since then, over 1,800 Cryptocurrency have been created.

What is a Bitcoin?

A bitcoin is a digital currency that can be used only for online transaction, it is also known as cryptocurrency as it is generated using software based on a complex field of mathematics called cryptography.

When you buy something from a store using cash, the shopkeeper gets tangible money from you, There is no problem of trust as you are paying legal tender issued by the central bank to buy your product. However , in an online transaction where you cannot see the person you are dealing with and you are making virtual money transfer, a question of trust arises. The bank pays an important role in solving this problem between  the two people involved by being a neutral witness to the online transaction and also keeping a record of it. This is how credit card and debit card transaction occur.

     The bitcoin system is an alternate way of establishing trust online, without the Bank. This system enable many people to participate and act as a witnesses online. The first ones to record ad verify transaction using the cryptography-based software are paid in a currency called'bitcoin'. Those who record a block of transactions any given point of time using cryptography and are paid in bitcoins are called 'miners' and the process itself is called 'mining'. This is the only way new bitcoins can be generated. These bitcoins can in turn be used for online transaction as long as it is permitted by the central authority in any given country.

Transacting with bitcoin

In order to transact with bitcoins, you first need to setup a bitcoin wallet, which is the equivalent of a bank account. This is held either on a phone or on a computer. It allows you to receive, store and send bitcoins anywhere in the virtual world. Different countries of the world have different policies when it comes to trading with bitcoins in India, The central government prohibits the use of bitcoins for transactions. In other words, you cannot use them to buy or sell anything in India.

Growth of bitcoins

In 2009, When the bitcoin was first traded, it's value was pegged at $0.0007 per bitcoin, In 2011, it became $1 per bitcoin. In November 2013 it is valued peaked at $1242. In December 2017, the value of a bitcoin surpassed $ 11,000. These statistics indicate that may more people want to own bitcoins, which are limited in supply and as a result, the value of a bitcoin is continuously increasing.

Why is there a growing interest in bitcoins?

The bitcoins system offers a variety of advantages. The name a few, the cost of accepting bitcoins is extremely low compared to the cost involve in other payment systems such as a credit cards. money is saved on every transaction you make. bitcoins transaction are a lot faster then the traditional method of payment. Also there is proof to validate the transactions. All transactions that occur are recorded in a public accounting ledger.No one can resort to cheating by saving they did not receive bitcoin as every transaction is out in the open. In addition, every user can remain anonymous, Which makes it difficult for any authority to track down the number of bitcoins owned by any one person.

Downside of bitcoins

for one, bitcoins are not widely accepted. secondly, there is no central authority governing the currency. It several user stop using the currency for some reason, the value can crash, making it worthless.