Sopanam - July 2012 1

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Volume 2 Issue 4 15th July, 20125114 BjmVw

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Sopanam - July 20122

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Sopanam - July 2012 3

EditorialA very pious months comes to us again with the

start of the Month of Ramayana. Where the chants of the daily recitals fills the ears of every Indian with the story and message of the greatest role model to have come to this world to lead us, Lord Rama. It adds to mention the Muslims of the world also start their Ramadan fasting during this time this year.

This great scripture reflects the life, culture and values that makes up every Indian. It shows us how a true leader is born and how he leads. Ram Rajya is supposed to have been the most perfect example of living by dharma. Various interpretations, debates and arguments spanning many centuries have not been able to affect the divinity of the story of this great soul. People still revere this text as the simplest of texts along with the Mahabharata to explain in brief the philosophy of the Vedas. For any nation or civilization to evolve role models are essential. And

for India it has been Lord Rama.

Today Lord Rama faces a bigger threat, the Raavan in the minds of his people who question his existence, capabilities, his qualifications, his virtue. Uttering his very name is becoming a communal issue. We have court cases being fought by mortal beings trying to decide if a sacred monument build by Lord Ram can be cut to pieces for the sake of our economy which may or may not rebound with this action. We hope the people of India will realize his message while they read the Ramayana with devotion and understanding and they pass his message to all their fellow citizens. It is not a message to change faith but a message to learn and develop oneself.

The message of the Ramayana has even more prominence as we approach Raksha Bandhan, the festival of unity. A tradition of reaffirming the oath and love between brothers and sisters has today become a festival of unity with the citizens of our great nation. They take to bonding his fellow citizens with rakhi and reaffirming to stand by their side in protecting the dharma of the nation. Raksha Bandhan also gives a very significant message on how our ancestors have viewed and treated women in contrast to the atrocities committed now quoting misinterpreted scriptures. This festval also reminds us of the need to be united and to stand against the forces that move against our nation, whatever the differences amongst ourselves.

May we all acquire the strength and courage to face the onslaught on our nation by sinister forces eating up our ethos from within using devious means we often ignore.

Thankfully our people have now started becoming vigilant and have started reacting.

email : vbkuwait@gmail.com

editorial BoardKrishna Kumar PaliathVibheesh TikkodiAnandharaj KonniReshmy Krishna Kumar

data ManagementAjaykumar AnjaneyamManoj NairRajarajan GanesanSindhu SanjithSuresh VarickolilRoopesh R. SouparnikaAdvt.Vidhya SumodhDr. Sindu SudheeshAdvt. VinodR . Sundara RamanKripa SujithDivya Satheesh KumarakamAnuradha Sundara Raman

Creative & designSreenivasan C.P.Sunil PookodeVinaya Babu. C.K.Cover Design - Sasi Krishnan

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Sopanam - July 20124

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Sindhu Sanjith

Lord Vishnu has taken various forms to save the Universe from the demons and the evil. In the previous editions of the Sopanam Magazine we have read about Malsya, Kurma and Varaha avatars.

Varaha avatar was taken by Lord Vishnu to save the earth from Hiranyaksha. Hiranyaksha had a brother by the name Hiranyakashapu. He was equally powerful as his brother. Hiranyaksha’s death brought rage to his brother Hiranyakashapu and he wanted to take revenge from the most supreme Maha Vishnu. For this he started worshipping Lord Brahma to obtain mystical powers. Pleased by Hiranyakashapu’s austerities, Lord Brahma appeared before him to grant his wishes.

Hiranyakashapu asked Brahma to make him immor-tal. He wanted victory over death. As it was not possible to grant this wish, Brahma said he would bind his death with certain conditions. At this point Hiranyakashapu asked for the boon that he may not be killed by any liv-ing being which is created by the God Himself. He must not be killed inside out outside the residence, at day or at night, neither in ground or in sky, nor by any weapon, human being or animal or even by any entity living or non living. He also asked that he should not be killed

by any demons and snakes. He asked for the boon to be the most powerful and wished for all the mystic powers and glories. Brahma readily granted him the boon and Hiranyakashapu was happy that he had won over death and believed himself to the most powerful living being in the Universe.

One day when Hiranyakashapu was performing his austerities in Mandaracala Mountain, Indra and devatas attacked his house. At that time Narada approached to protect Hiranyakashapu’s wife Kayadu. He took Kay-adu with him and gave her care and protection as she was pregnant. Under the guidance of Narada, the unborn child of Kayadu (Prahalada) was affected by the guid-ance and instructions of Narada and later became a great devotee of Lord Vishnu.

Hiranyakashapu was very upset that his son was an ardent devotee of his lifelong enemy Maha Vishnu. He made many failed attempts to kill Prahalada. Every time the Lord Himself protected Prahalada through His mys-tical powers. Prahalada was not ready to accept his fa-ther as the supreme power and the lord of the Universe. He used to keep chanting Maha Vishnu’s name and also tried to correct his father many a times. He used to tell his father that Maha Vishnu existed everywhere in this Universe.

Hiranyakashapu was very annoyed with his son. He once questioned Prahalada about the existence of Lord Vishnu. He asked, if Maha Vishnu pervades everywhere then why doesn’t HE appear before him. To this Pra-halada answered “He is in pillars, and he is in the small-est twig”. In rage, Hiranyakashapu smashes the pillar in front of him. With a thunderous sound, Maha Vishnu ap-peared in front of him in the form of “Narasimha”, and attacked Hiranyakashapu.Lord Narasimha is half human and half animal. He appeared at the twilight at the court-yard and placed Hiranyakashapu on HIS thighs. HE used HIS sharp fingernails as weapon to kill Hiranyakashapu.

The Puranas describe that Lord Narasimha was in fury after killing Hiranyakashapu. Nobody present there could control HIS anger. Even Lord Shiva and Goddess Lakshmi failed in controlling Narasimha. At the request of Lord Brahma, Prahalada was presented to the furious and the mightiest Lord Narasimha. The prayers offered by Prahalada calmed the rage of Lord Narasimha and HE later crowned Prahalada as the king. The immense devo-tion of Prahalada to Lord Vishnu made him Chiranjeevi (immortal).

Narasimha Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Sopanam - July 2012 5

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Sopanam - July 20126

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Sopanam - July 2012 7

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Sopanam - July 2012 9

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Sopanam - July 201210

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The Ram Sethu has always been an integral part of In-dia’s history, tradition and the belief of the people of the country.

The stretch of limestone shoals between Dhanushkodi near Rameswaram in South India and Mannar in north-west Sri Lanka are the remains of the ancient bridge built by Lord Rama as mentioned in the epic Ramayana. Shri Ram is said to have built the bridge with the help of the vanara sena to cross over to Lanka in his war against Rava-na. From very ancient times this has been pious place and the Hindus have always considered it so. Recent NASA satellite images show clear pictures of the bridge under the ocean floor. The heritage of the bridge and the story of Lord Ram are extremely close to the Hindus and the people of Bharat who consider Lord Ram as the ideal king who lived and ruled the country according to Dharma. The Ram Sethu is also termed as Adam’s Bridge after a Brit-ish man claimed it was the bridge used by Adam to reach Adam’s Peak (in Sri Lanka) where he is supposed to have done penance on foot.

In spite of the sentiments of more than 80% of the Indi-an population, our so called secular government took upon an ambitious plan to build a canal across the Ram Sethu. Since the ocean bed between India and Sri Lanka is quite shallow and not navigable, the Indian government wants to cut across the Ram Sethu so that it can connect the east and west coast of the country without having to go around Sri Lanka. The government claims dredging of a shipping canal will save 30 hours of sailing time. The project is

called the Sethusamudram project. This is also supposed to speed up the movement of the navy vessels and become a boost to our national economy.

But is this progress any good for the nation where the sentiments of more than half the nation will be hurt? The Ram Sethu is not only respected in India but also consid-ered sacred in Sri Lankan traditions. So many monuments that are only a few centuries old have been declared as protected national monuments. Then why can’t the same yard stick be used when it comes to the Ram Sethu. Even experts say the economic viability of the canal is grossly underestimated. The dredging will only allow small ships to pass through and the amount that will be spent by the government on the project can never be recovered.

The dredging of the canal is also supposed to have a large environmental impact in the area. It will lead to pol-lution of the sensitive coastal eco systems of the Gulf of Mannar. It can lead to change in sea temperature. It can also lead to coastal erosion. The ships pass through the canal is bound to disturb the marine life in the area and this could lead to many changes. The government project re-port was made in haste without proper surveys and without taking into consideration the sentiments of the people or even the people of the southern coast who live by fishing. The government even went on to disagree with the age old belief that the reef was indeed the Ram Sethu mentioned in the Ramayana. They even questioned the existence of Lord Rama. One atheist Chief Minister even questioned Lord Rama’s engineering qualifications to build the bridge. All tests have invariably proved that the Ram Sethu is indeed a manmade structure as per legend and archeology. Some attempts in dredging have also led to a few coincidental mishaps to the machines and ships. The government went on record to state the Ramayana has no historical basis. By making such a claim, the Government of India not only in-sulted the sentiments of the people of India but around the world. In our eagerness to prove our secular image we take decisions that damage our National culture and identity. The government stance wounded the very idea of India as a civilization. Protests forced the government to withdraw their statements and affidavits in this matter but we are still to have a clear and brave solution before us.

Many NGO’s and social organizations have come to-gether calling on the administrators to save the Ram Sethu and to preserve it as a national monument.

Ram Sethu - Myth or Belief ?Krishna Kumar Paliath

Sopanam - July 2012 11

Krishna Kumar Paliath

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BharathDharshan

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Sopanam - July 201212

BharathDharshan

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rajarajan Ganesan

Kanyakumari is one of the most beautiful places in In-dia. Visiting to Kanyakumari is the fulfillment of dream of millions of people in India. It is a sacred place as Goddess Kanyakumari temple is here. Also one can see the sunset and moonrise together here. The Ganga Sagaram (bay of Bengal), Sindhu Sagaram (Arabian Sea) and Hindu Maha Saagaram are joining together at this southern tip of our country. Taking a dip in the holy sangama of three seas is another duty of all devotees.

Earlier, Kanyakumari was a part Naanjil Naadu under Pandya kingdom. During the later period, it was a part of Tranvancore state. South of Kanyakumari was a very big land which went inside the sea during pralaya, mentioned in Silappathikaaram, a famous literature in Tamil.

It is mentioned in some purana that King Bharata (on whose name our country is named) was having eight sons and a daughter. He divided his country into nine parts and a southernmost part was given to his daughter Kumari. Goddess Parashakti came here to do penance. Rishi Para-sumaram installed the idol of Goddess Kanyakumari here.

But as per the stone inscription, the present temple was built by Pandya kings.

Once the demon king Paanaasuran was doing atrocities against all Devas, capturing Devalokam and headed to-wards Brahmalokam. All Devas appealed to MahaVishnu to save them. He told that the demon king as he got the boon from Brahma, can be killed only by a virgin. The Goddess Parashakti with all the Deva’s support in virgin form only can kill him. The Devas went and requested the Goddess Paraashakti to save them. The Goddess accepted and came to this place doing penance.

When she attained the stage of virgin, Lord Shiva, sta-tioned in the temple at Sucheendram near Kanyakumari temple wanted to marry her. The goddess Kanyakumari was also willing to marry the God. All Devas were upset that if she marries the Lord, she cannot kill the demon Paa-naasuran. So they asked Narada to help them.

Rishi Narada went to the Goddess Kanyakumari and the God Shiva separately and told that their marriage can be held in a particular auspicious day at midnight and they should not miss that time. Lord Shiva also was very care-ful not to miss that time and he started to move well before that time. Narada took a form of cock and raised sound. Lord Shiva thought “Now cock is crowning, it is about to sunrise, the time is gone.” So he returned back to his abode Sucheendram. Goddess Kanyakumari was waiting till sunrise and found Lord Shiva did not come. So she started continuing her penance. The different varieties of food prepared for the marriage were converted into vari-ous coloured sand.Even now we can see sands of different colours in the seashore of Kanyakumari.

Demon Paanaasuran heard about the beauty of Goddess Kanyakumari and wanted to marry her. He approached her. She became angry and thought it is the correct time to cut his head off. All Devas and other Gods gave their power and weapons to her. She made a terrible war against Paanaasuran and finally using the Chakra cut off his head and killed him. All Devas thanked her and she started to continue her penance.

About a km north of Kanyakumari temple, a Shiva tem-

Kanyakumari rajarajan Ganesan

Sopanam - July 2012 13

BharathDharshan

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ple is there. A pond called Chakkarakulam is seen nearby. Here is where Kanyakumari’s weapon Chakraayudham after killing Paanasuran, fell down and made a fountain that became this Chakkarakulam. A cremation ground and a Pathaala Ganga are seen nearby. All these resemble the scene of Kashi.

Even now, on every year, Navarathri festival is cel-ebrated in which Devi idol is carried to MahaDhaana puram, some 2 km north of the temple and a drama of war between the goddess and demon king is performed by the temple pujaris, depicting as goddess Kanyakumari and Paanaasuran. This is called Parivettai.

A trip to Kanyakumari will not be complete without a darshan of Sucheendram. Sucheendram is a sacred place where the Lord Shiva abodes. It is situated around 12 km north of Kanyakumari. Here, the Trimurthy (Lord Brah-ma, Vishnu and Shiva) are together. Once, the three came to test the rishipathni Anasuya. She was keeping the holy wash water of her husband Athri’s feet. With the help of that holy water, she changed the Trimurtis into babies. Fi-nally, on the request by Goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati, they were returned back in their original form. In this temple Trimurthis are together as Sthanumaalayan (Shanu=Brahma, Maal=Vishnu and Ayan=Shiva). There is a place called Ashramadam, where rishi Athri and Ana-suya were living

Once, Devendran got a curse from Ahalya’s husband rishi Gowtham and was ashamed to come out in front of others. Somehow he got partial relief with the help of Guru Baghawan. Finally he got complete relief by Lord Shiva at Sucheendram. The name of the place Sucheendram itself is derived from his name Devendran. Here, it is believed the abisheka water is going underground to the ocean. As a fact, on top of a rock on the seashore 2 km west of Kan-yakumari temple, in the middle of salty water, we can see a sweet water fountain called Sthanu theertham.

At the east of Kanyakumari, inside the sea is a big rock on which is Kanyakumari Devi’s, feet. It is called Sripada mandir and worshipped by all devotees visiting to Kanya-kumari and this rock. On this rock Swami Vivekananda did penance for 3 days. He visualized the plight of Bharat-mata in past, present and future. Here, he got the clear and definite targets of his mission, then proceeded to America and proclaimed the Hindu values in the Conference of Re-ligions. A memorial temple with a big statue of Swami Vivekananda is erected on the rock. Vivekananda Kend-ram is established in kanyakumari which is doing thou-sands of seva activities including village development.

Near the Vivekananda rock, another big rock inside the sea is there on which a big statue of Thiruvalluvar has been erected recently. Thiruvalluvar lived 2000 years ago and he wrote a book Thirukkural in Tamil. This book con-

tains 1330 slogans in 133 headings. It tells the Vedic eter-nal truths in 2-lines slogan form.

On the seashore we can see the Gandhi Mandapam. In 1948, Februay 12th Gandhiji’s ashes were dissolved in the Kanyakumari sea. Before mixing the ashes in the sea water, the pot was kept on a stage. On that very spot, the Kochi government built a memorial building called Gan-dhi Mandapam. On the roof, a small hole is there through which sunlight falls on the stage on exactly Oct-2nd, his birthday.

3 km east of Kanyakumari is a fort called Vattakkot-tai. It was built during the period of Trivancore king Mar-thandaverma.

There is a big mount called Marunthuvaazh malai. It is believed that during SriRama’s war against Ravana, Lakshmana fell down. To save his life, Hanuman went to Himalayas and brought the Sanjeevani mount which was having rare herbs that can save Lakshmana’s life. When Hanuman was bringing the Sanjeevani mount, a piece of that mount fell down here and that is the Marunthuvaazh malai now. As a fact, this mount is full of medicinal herbs including some very rare herbs. (Marunthu means medi-cine). This mount has a mandapam, some natural sweet water fountains and some caves also. Every year in Karthi-ka month karthika nakshatra, a big oil lamp (deepam) is lit on this mount, a big celebration.

Kanyakumari is not only a sacred place, but also geo-graphically important, historical, cultural and tourist place with full of interesting background.

Sopanam - July 201214

FinanceArt &

Litrature

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Ramayana, a Sanskrit masterpiece, enjoyed the un-comparable popularity worldwide as a great epic and a rare composition and still serve as a guideline for the liter-ary works in Sanskrit language. The Epic contains a verse foretelling its own everlasting repute.

“As long as mountain ranges stand and rivers flow upon the earth,

So long will this ramayana, survive upon the lips of men”

It is true that, majority of us know Ramayana as one of the two great Indian epics portraying many idols of Dharma. Originally created in Sanskrit language by Val-miki Maharshi, Ramayana exist as a vital religious scrip-ture, exploring the human values. But beyond the religious frontier, Ramayana attained even the world attention as an admirable literature work. In words of Swami Viveka-nanda, "No language can be purer, chaster, more beautiful, and at the same time simpler, than the language in which the great poet has depicted the life of Rama." Ramayana marked its intense impact on the art, culture, nationalism, family relations etc.

Indian literary tradition holds Valmiki as the first poet(Adikavi) and Ramayana as the first poem(Adikavya). Valmiki is the first path maker for the sweet expressions of poetry with its sweet verses and flawless diction mark-ing ultimate simplicity in presentation. He provided inspi-ration for all classical poets and the influence is seen in Sanskrit Poems, Plays and Kavyas. Valmiki Ramayana has been composed in classical Sanskrit and was not acces-sible to the unlettered group. Its profound ability to adapt to music, vocal or instrumental, made the efforts of oral expounders to make it popular among the masses in rural

- a milestone in literature

India, a grand success. Lava and Kusa are considered as the first expounders of Ramayana and great Valmiki him-self trained them. This practice of popular exposition of Ramayana continued through centuries making illiteracy no bar for reading Ramayana.

Serving as a code of ethics for the whole human race, Ramayana now belongs to the whole humanity over-coming the barriers of language, caste, creed and color. It was during 8th century Ramayana became popular in Southeast Asia representing the literature, temple archi-tecture, dance and theatre. The story of Lord is popular in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. All these countries have a majority non-Hindu population, yet the non-Hindu people of these countries have made the Ra-mayana a part of their culture. In Thailand, the Ramayana is called Ramakien. They believe that Ramayana is their own creation and the Thai Ramakien is the original Rama story. Even we can find places which can be identified well with different phase of Ramayana. In Cambodia during the medieval centuries, texts appeared based on the story of Rama as Ramaker. Similar folk attempts were seen in Malaysia. In Indonesia, the Ramayana is known as Ramayana Kakawin.

Dramatic enactments are also known to be presented not only in India, but wherever Indians have marked their presence globally. Most recognized translations which are popular in India include Kamba Ramayana in Tamil, Adhyathma Ramayana in Malayalam by Thunchath Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, Saptakanda Ramayana in Assamese, Shri Rama Panchali in Bengali and Ramacharitamanas by Thulasidas in Awadhi, an eastern form of Hindi. All the adaptations gave room for the local culture and legend.

In modern world, keeping in view the melody of Ramayana, an attempt was made for audio recording of the verses to make the reader experience the melody of the poems. To enable the readers understand the terms used in Ramayana a glossary of the words and the English mean-ing has been given.

The entire story of Ramayana and its characters pro-vide the ideals and wisdom of common life. As a literary work, it is an exceptional blend of the inner bliss of Vedic literature with the charm of a profound story telling adher-ing to the best canons of the art and literature.

reshmy Krishna Kumar

Sopanam - July 2012 15

Art & Litrature

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Sopanam - July 201216

BtcmKrw

Health

Computer has become a part of our personal and

professional life. We tend to spent more time sitting in front of the computer for leisure and professional purposes. Computers has completely changed our work environment positively, but has lead to many health problems due there improper use.

Ergonomics is employed to achieve the two goals of health and productivity. It is relevant in the de-sign of such things as safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

The following information is to give guidance on basic ergonomics related to the use of computer equipment, which will reduce problems related to poor working postures. The way you sit when using a computer influences your entire body and adjust-ing your posture can help reduce aches and pains, and long-term musculo-skeletal problems.

Laptop computer ergonomicsLaptop computers are not designed for lengthy

working periods. If you intend to use a laptop for 10 to 15 minutes it can be used as is, however, if you intend to use it for 1 to 2 hours or more, it is important that you use correct ergonomics. Laptop use is a major source of musculoskeletal problems, and using a laptop for any length of time without a laptop stand, and ideally separate keyboard and mouse, will cause poor posture which is likely to cause neck, back, and arm pain

The best device to use is a laptop/notebook riser or laptop/notebook stand. There are basic models that you would use without a separate mouse and key-board (shown in the picture above). There is a bet-ter model that raises the laptop screen to the correct height, but you will need a separate keyboard and mouse. This is the best way of working for long pe-riods (e.g. more than 1 hour), and allows you to rep-licate the ideal ergonomic position that you would create with a desktop computer.

Desktop computer ergonomics1. Ensure the chair back is adjusted so that your

upper body is relaxed and supported2. Your lower back needs to be supported by

the chair, alter the angle so that your lower back is supported. You may still need extra support and can add a cushion in the small of your back. You should change the angle during the day to vary your sit-ting posture and avoid being in one static posture all day

3. Adjust your seat height. Sit in front of your computer and adjust your seat height so that your forearms are horizontal and wrists are straight when your hands are placed on the keyboard. With your shoulders relaxed the underside of the elbow should be at desk height

4. If there is pressure on the back of your thighs find something to rest your feet on

5. If your feet are not comfortable on the floor find something to rest your feet on. Shorter people often lower the seat so their feet are on the floor, but this can mean that your arms are not at the correct height for the keyboard (7)

6. The space under your desk should allow you to place your legs underneath without twisting or leaning, or being squashed under a low desk

7. Double-check that your forearms are hori-

Ergonomics while using computer

Asha roopesh.

Ergonomics while using computer Mrs. Asha Roopesh.

Computer has become a part of our personal and professional life. We tend to spent more time sitting in front of the computer for leisure and professional purposes. Computers has completely changed our work environment positively, but has lead to many health problems due there improper use.

Ergonomics is employed to achieve the two goals of health and productivity. It is relevant in the design of such things as safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

The following information is to give guidance on basic ergonomics related to the use of computer equipment, which will reduce problems related to poor working postures. The way you sit when using a computer influences your entire body and adjusting your posture can help reduce aches and pains, and long-term musculo-skeletal problems.

Laptop computer ergonomics Laptop computers are not designed for lengthy working periods. If you intend to use a laptop for 10 to 15 minutes it can be used as is, however, if you intend to use it for 1 to 2 hours or more, it is important that you use correct ergonomics. Laptop use is a major source of musculoskeletal problems, and using a laptop for any length of time without a laptop stand, and ideally separate keyboard and mouse, will cause poor posture which is likely to cause neck, back, and arm pain

The best device to use is a laptop/notebook riser or laptop/notebook stand. There are basic models that you would use without a separate mouse and keyboard (shown in the picture above). There is a better model that raises the laptop screen to the correct height, but you will need a separate keyboard and mouse. This is the best way of working for long periods (e.g. more than 1 hour), and allows you to replicate the ideal ergonomic position that you would create with a desktop computer.

Desktop computer ergonomics

1. Ensure the chair back is adjusted so that your upper body is relaxed and supported

2. Your lower back needs to be supported by the chair, alter

Sopanam - July 2012 17

BtcmKrw

Health

zontal and wrists are straight when your hands are placed on the keyboard. With your shoulders relaxed the bottom of your elbow should be at desk height, and comfortably supported.

8. Ensure your wrists are not bent, use a wrist-rest. There are special braces to prevent wrist pain.

9. Adjust your screen position - the top of the screen should be level with your eyes and you will then naturally look at the centre of the screen. If using a CRT monitor it may be necessary to move your desk away from the wall, so that you can push the moni-tor further away from your head to create a comfort-able viewing distance. Ensure that tired eyes/head-aches may result in problems relating to reading your screen. Ensure you do not have reflections or glare and if necessary try moving your screen to a different angle. Avoid sitting with windows or lights directly in front or behind your screen. If possible, sit with the screen at right angles to light coming through win-dows, if not use window blinds or curtains to cut out the light. Adjust the brightness and contrast controls on the screen to suit lighting conditions. Remember to keep your screen clean, and have your eyes tested regularly

10. Organise your work area; ensure the keyboard and mouse are close when in use, that the desk is not cluttered. Use a document holder to raise documents to a comfortable height and viewing distance

ORGANISE YOUR WORKING DAYTry and ensure your computer work is interspersed

with other jobs. Rotate activity to avoid long peri-ods of time in front of the screen. Short frequent breaks are much more effective in reducing muscle fatigue than taking longer breaks less often. During your breaks: DO - Get out of your seat, stretch your legs, arch your back, walk around for a couple of minutes, try Pause Gymnastics (see below). DON'T - remain seated at your desk

PAUSE GYMNASTICSThese are simple movements designed to move

joints and stretch the muscles and nerves, will stim-ulate the circulation, lubricate the joints and relieve muscle and nerve tightness. They can be done sat at your desk, and take only a few minutes to do:

1. Stretch your head from side to side (i.e. ear to shoulder)

2. Breathe in, pull the chin in to make a double chin, hold for 5 seconds then relax

3. Stand up, put the palms in the small of the back, and gently bend backwards interlock the fin-gers; turn the palms to face away from you and lift the arms up so the palms face the ceiling

4. Now stretch the arms back behind the head5. Stretch the arms back to each side at about

hip height Keep the elbows straight and then bend the wrists back (palms facing out). Try to get the arms as far back behind the body as possible You may feel some pulling in the arms and hands

6. Gently curl the fingertips of the right hand into the palm

7. Keep the right elbow straight and with the left hand passively bend the right wrist so that the palm side of that hand moves towards the inside of the forearm. Repeat on other side.

8. You need to do these movements regularly, one or two stretches every 20 minutes are better at relieving fatigue than longer exercise breaks taken less frequently. Make the exercises automatic so you do not have to think about doing them.

Enjoy a nice time with your computer while you use face-book/chatting or doing your work. Talk with your employer to help you with proper com-puter ergonomics, and improve productivity at work place.

Ergonomics while using computer Mrs. Asha Roopesh.

Computer has become a part of our personal and professional life. We tend to spent more time sitting in front of the computer for leisure and professional purposes. Computers has completely changed our work environment positively, but has lead to many health problems due there improper use.

Ergonomics is employed to achieve the two goals of health and productivity. It is relevant in the design of such things as safe furniture and easy-to-use interfaces to machines and equipment. Proper ergonomic design is necessary to prevent repetitive strain injuries which can develop over time and can lead to long-term disability.

The following information is to give guidance on basic ergonomics related to the use of computer equipment, which will reduce problems related to poor working postures. The way you sit when using a computer influences your entire body and adjusting your posture can help reduce aches and pains, and long-term musculo-skeletal problems.

Laptop computer ergonomics Laptop computers are not designed for lengthy working periods. If you intend to use a laptop for 10 to 15 minutes it can be used as is, however, if you intend to use it for 1 to 2 hours or more, it is important that you use correct ergonomics. Laptop use is a major source of musculoskeletal problems, and using a laptop for any length of time without a laptop stand, and ideally separate keyboard and mouse, will cause poor posture which is likely to cause neck, back, and arm pain

The best device to use is a laptop/notebook riser or laptop/notebook stand. There are basic models that you would use without a separate mouse and keyboard (shown in the picture above). There is a better model that raises the laptop screen to the correct height, but you will need a separate keyboard and mouse. This is the best way of working for long periods (e.g. more than 1 hour), and allows you to replicate the ideal ergonomic position that you would create with a desktop computer.

Desktop computer ergonomics

1. Ensure the chair back is adjusted so that your upper body is relaxed and supported

2. Your lower back needs to be supported by the chair, alter

Sopanam - July 201218

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Sopanam - July 201220

MathruDharshan

amXr ZÀi\w

Our eternal journey dharma only one thing will stand with us. Dharma is similar to the soul because both are eternal. We can achieve perfection and reach supreme position only by dharma and sathyam (truth). The unscrupulous and unethical conduct, du-plicity and evil deeds never flourish. Dharma is the source of the all worldly comforts and possessions pleasures and prosperity. We should not give up dharma for fear, pleasures greed not even for the sake of life itself. The law of truth speaking has intrinsic value, since truthfulness means love of humanity which is the only un-conditioned end. It affirms that adherence to dharma is the most valuable of human goal.

Mahabharatha is an epic with lot of ethics for our day today life. When the time of Kurukshethra war Gandhari was the moth-er of Kauravas who refused to wish her sons victory on every single on those eighteen horrible days when they came seeking her blessing in the morning before they went into the battle field to face death, her only words to them being “yatho dharmasthato jayaha”, that means where there is righteousness there shall be victory. When the eighteeth day of the war Duryodhana asked Gandhari to bless him to win in the battle, as she knew that Duryo-dhana was an atrocious ruler and in the hands of such a ruler, the kingdom's wealth could not remain safe, she used to say only as “where Dharma exists, victory also exists there. If you like to win, follow the path of Dharma and give up the path of Adharma".She always believed dharma brought victory. Yato dharmastato jayah: where dharma stood, there remained victory. If she had blessed him as “victory with you” may be that will come true because Gandhari was verymuch powerful and pious women in the epic. But she refused to do that because she does not like to abandon the dharma in sake of her selfish things.

After the war when Gandhari lost her 100 children she sadly asked Krishna, why he did not spare even one of her children? Why Lord Krishna had gone against the rules of fighting with mace(gada) andadvised Bheema to hit Duryodhana below the

waist, as that was the only place in Duryodhayna's body which was vulnerable, the truth known only by Lord Krishna. In her dev-astated mental condition she then proceeded to curse Lord Krish-na very eloquently. Gandhari was a very powerful women, so that Krishna's toe nail turned blue and burnt with her gaze.

Many wise persons have questioned about the motives and tactics used in Kurushethra war by Lord Krishna , who was Ar-juna's charioteer,who is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself.It is assumed that Krishna knew that in the hands of Duryodhan, the kingdom would not be safe and adharma will flourish and people would not become more selfish and greedy.

It is also stated in "Mahabharatha" that Lord Krishna tried to stop the war many times,Many chances were given to Kauravas to stop the war.After completing the 14 years of exile,the Pandavas thought of recovering the kingdom which was rightfully theirs.They send Lord Krishna as their envoy or messenger to the court of Dritharashtrar ,.Lord Krishna knew it would not work,but he went as a messenger and asked for the kingdom, if not atleast half the kingdom, at least a city, or at least 5 houses, He was ridiculed and insulted by Kauravas who told him that Pandavas will not be given even a land to stick a pin.These words and actionsshow that kauravas in insulting Pandavas and Lord Krishna had reached the zenith of Adharma, nobody can escape the situation.

Now we are living in kali yuga that is most worse than the previous yuga (dwapara yuga) so we have to be wwmore care-ful because very difficult to survive with dharama and contol our mind in this electronic age. Whatever bad deeds we are doing God will suffer and patiently wait for the last minutes. God definitely gives us last chance to understand the truth and show the path of the dharma. But we have to understand such indication from the God and we should try to follow the path of dharma. Gandhari also teaches a good lesson for our new generation as a mother she never misused her power for the sake of her own children and exists as a model of dharma. We should understand, exploit and follow good aspects from these epic and we have to try to reflect that in our day today life and always be a good model for our new generation.

Before concluding, i would like to notify a moral story. A mother and her two children went to see a movie. when she was standing in the queue for taking the ticket it was written there above 3 years children must have to take the tickets. So she took 3 tickets because her children were 4 years old. then one lady who was standing behind the queue asked her why you took 3 tickets nobody can make out your children are above 3 years old. Mother replied nobody know about that but my children know they are 4 years old, front of them i will tell lie if once they will also start same i cannot stop them. So always we have to be a model of our children.

“Yatho Dharma Sthato Jayaha” - Where Dharma exists, Victory also exists only there

Gayatri Anil

Sopanam - July 2012 21

MathruDharshan

amXr ZÀi\w

Last month of malayalamcalendar -Karkitakam (The Ramayana Month - July-August)- is the month of worries and woes. For each season there is a unique diet and a way of living to keep our body in a state of equilibrium and help you cope with the stress and strain of the changing seasons. Being rainy season the digestive fire in human bodies are weakened and we are prone to infections. So the food regimen during Karkitakam, should be either supportive or stimulat-ing to the digestive power of individual, which eventu-ally supports the immunity power. The sudden change from the scorching heat to the monsoons cause acidity in the vegetation around us, and the consumption of their yields cause 'pithadosha' in humans, and the wet atmosphere causes 'vatadosha'.

We should take only those things which annihilate the “doshas”,Earlier the month of Karkkitakam was considered as “panjamasam” as due to heavy rains no agricultural work was possible and no source of in-come . People used to prepare for this shortage in ad-vance. Vegetables like pumpkins and ash gourd were harvested and hung from the ceiling, to save it for use during Karkitakam. In the summer months man-goes, gooseberries and lemons were dried or pickled. Different kinds of wafers or “kondattam”from veg-etables and lentils were dried in the sun and stored.Eventhough the concept of “panjamasam” Is not ap-plicable now,Karkitaka period was chosen for reju-

venating and revitalizing the body;time for pampering your body and cleansing your system of all the impu-rities assimilated over the past one year.Many people take medicinal porridge called Marunnu Kanji or Ou-shadha Kanji, a traditional gruel made of various grains and pulses, used for more than 1000 years ago for the purification of the body and the soul.This can bring back the "vitiated thridoshas" to its equilibrium state, and restore our normal health and immunity power.

In olden days people-especially the labour class- due to the shortage of food used to prepareMangayan-di kanji (Gruel prepared withMango seeds), Pulinkuru kanji (Gruel prepared with Tamarind seeds) and Man-pidikkal made of “chakkakkuru” or jackfruit seeds.All of them got several health benefits apart from being economical as it is available plenty locally. In addition to these food items,they also consumed wide varieties of leaves.Those include that of amaranthus,pumpkins,thazhuthama and colocasia, as green leaves contain large amount of iron,betacarotinoids,folicacid,protein as well as extensive amount of pyridoxine riboflavin and copper. Leaves of drumstick are not supposed to be consumed during this month.Due to less sunshine there may be increased calcium deposits on the leaves which can cause desentry.

Taste of Karkitakam

SaltPepper

dr. Sindu Sudheesh

Sopanam - July 201222

Finance[\Imcrw

1. Concerns have been expressed in various forums regarding the leviability of service tax on the remit-tance of foreign currency in India from overseas.

2. The matter has been examined and it is clarified that there is no service tax per se on the amount of foreign currency remitted to India from overseas. In the negative list regime, ‘service’ has been defined in clause (44) of section 65B of the Finance Act 1994, as amended, which excludes transaction in money. As the amount of remittance comprises money, the activity does not comprise a ‘service’ and thus not subjected to service tax.

3. In case any fee or conversion charges are lev-ied for sending such money, they are also not liable to service tax as the person sending the money and the company conducting the remittance are located outside India. In terms of the Place of Provision of Services Rules, 2012, such services are deemed to be provided outside India and thus not liable to ser-vice tax.

4. It is further clarified that even the Indian coun-terpart bank o financial institution who charges the foreign bank or any other entity for the services pro-vided at the receiving end, is not liable to service tax as the place of provision of such service shall be the location of the recipient of the service,i.e. outside India, in terms of Rule 3 of the Place of Provision of Services Rules, 2012.

5. This Circular may be communicated to the field formationsand service tax assessees, through Public Notice/ Trade Notice.

PreSS reLeASe On ABOve dAted 10.07.2012 iSSued BY MiniStrY OF Fi-nAnCe

CBEC issues Clarification Regarding Leviability of Service Tax on the Remittance of Foreign Cur-rency in India from Overseas

Clarification On Service Tax On RemittancesCirCuLAr nO. 163/14/2012-St, dAted 10-7-2012

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) issued today necessary clarification regarding the leviability of service tax on the remittance of for-eign currency in India from overseas. Various con-cerns have been expressed at different forums in this regard.

The CBEC through a circular issued today stated that the matter has been examined and it is clarified that there is no service tax per se on the amount of foreign currency remitted to India from overseas. In the negative list regime, ‘service’ has been defined in clause (44) of section 65B of the Finance Act 1994, as amended, which excludes transaction in money. As the amount of remittance comprises money, the activity does not comprise a ‘service’ and thus not subjected to service tax.

In case any fee or conversion charges are levied for sending such money, they are also not liable to service tax as the person sending the money and the company conducting the remittance are located out-side India. In terms of the Place of Provision of Ser-vices Rules, 2012, such services are deemed to be provided outside India and thus not liable to service tax.

It is further clarified that even the Indian counter-part bank or financial institution who charges the foreign bank or any other entity for the services pro-vided at the receiving end, is not liable to service tax as the place of provision of such service shall be the location of the recipient of the service, i.e. outside India, in terms of Rule 3 of the Place of Provision of Services Rules, 2012.

Sopanam - July 2012 23

On the occasion of Guru Poornima, Seva Darshan held a recreational and orientation picnic for its volunteers at the Salmiya Garden. The day was filled with various games and competitions.

Later the members held discussions on the various seva activities undertaken by the organization and various other programmes being planned during the year. This was followed by breakfast.

Guru Poornima

Ramayana is a Sanskrit epic describing the deeds of Lord Rama, the seventh avatar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu. It has always been an integral part of every Indian’s life. "Ramayana Masam” in Kerala is observed in the Malayalam month Karkkidakom (July – August). Karkidakam month is dedicated to dead ancestors during when Shraddh ritual or pitrutharpan are offered to them. KarkidakaVavu Bali (Pitrutharpan rituals) is the major ritual fol-lowed in Malayalam month of Karkidakam in Kerala. The sacred scripture Ramayana is recited during the whole month of Karkidam hence it is also known as Ramayana Masam.

It is believed that Ramayana parayanam (read-ing of Ramayana) in the 'Ramayana Masam'

('Karkkidakamasam': July-August) is a divine way to worship Lord Rama and attain salvation. On all days in the month, in most of the Kerala Temples as well as in the Hindu families (tradi-tional Hindu houses) the Epic Ramayana is read. Some people recite in the early hours of dawn and some after lighting the evening lamp, sit before Lamp (nilavilakku) and recite the Ramayana.

This year,Seva Darshan – AdhyathmikSamithi-units have arranged a full month festival in the month of Ramayana. Varioud units across Kuwait will have daily Ramayan readings at the homes of members.

Looking forward to see all the blessed devotees on these auspicious occasions….

Ramayaneeyam

NewshmÀ¯IÄ

Sopanam - July 201224

NewshmÀ¯IÄ

Dear All,

The highlights of the 5th edition of Sopanam E-Magazine Vol. II will be:

INDEPENDENCE DAY ONAM

Many of you would be enjoying your vacation with your near and dear ones. As you return from the vacation, you will be having many fresh memories to share. The Sopanam Magazine gives you the platform to share your thoughts. We request all the children to contribute poems, essays, short stories, paintings etc. Do share your vaca-tion experiences with the readers of this magazine. Please do write about how you spent your time with your grandparents, cousins and friends. Also include how you utilized your vacation time and any pleasure trips you made.

Our panel of judges will select the best entries to be published in the next edition. Moreover, certificates will be issued to the best entries. So hurry, take your pen, pen-cil, colors and showcase your talents. We request all the parents to encourage their children to contribute for the children special edition of the Sopanam Magazine.

In light of Independence Day, we invite articles from our readers. We look forward to articles based on patriotism, Indian culture, heritage, freedom fighters etc.

This year Onam falls on August 29th. We all have vivid memories associated with this celebration. The very thought of Onam brings in nostalgia. This year many of us would be celebrating Onam miles away from our home in Kerala. Do share with us your thoughts and memories of Onam.

We wish all our readers a happy reading. Please do send in your articles for the 5th edition of

Sopanam E-Magazine Vol. II by or before 5th of August.

Email: vbkuwait@gmail.com

Sopanam - July 2012 25

Punyam trust based at Theerthapadapuram, Vazhoor was established to help and support the poor and the needy, who are deprived of even the basic necessities of life. Punyam trust is a shelter to many poor, help-less people, children and patients. Every year, Punyam trust tries to find out thirty poor children and provide them free education. They provide the moral and financial support to the students. They mould the children to good citizens and thereby provide them with a promising future.

Swami Vivekananda has said: "Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man"

Punyam trust also provides financial support to the poor and the deprived patients and help them meet their expenses at the hospital. They make sure that the patients get the necessary treatment. They try to give every possible physical and mental support. Punyam trust has provided homes to many a helpless people who have been stranded in the walk of life.

They also guide them and help them in finding a suitable job and thus help them to lead a good life. They have thus become a torch light in guiding many people. Punyam Bala Bhavanam, a project of Punyam trust was inaugurated on 14th January 2007 at Theerthap-

adapuram. The motive of this organization is to protect the poor and homeless children. They give children the love and care they need and take care of the overall development of the child.

Here are a few ways to help the orphanage:

Punyam Trust and Punyam Bala Bhavan

Total expense of one child for one year - Rs 10000Total expense of one child for six months - Rs 5000Total expense of one child for one month - Rs 1000Expense for one child's education for one year - Rs 1500Land -1 Cent - Rs 15000Building - 1 Sq. ft - Rs 1500Building -1 Room - Rs 150000Annadanam (Donating Food) - One day - Rs 1000

Manav Seva is Madhav Seva. The donations can be made to the following address:

The Secretary,Punnyam TrustTheerthapadapuram P.O.,Vazhoor, Kottayam, Kerala,India

Pin:686505, Ph:0481 - 2454999, 0481-2457080

Cheques and drafts should be drawn in favor of

Punnyam Trust- A/c No.6257 ,Central Bank of India ,VazhoorPunnyam Balabhavanam-A/c No. 6750 ,Central Bank of India ,Vazhoor

Punnyam Trust - A/c No. 67054120657, State Bank of Travancore, ChamampathalFinancial help is eligible for Income Tax exemption - U/S 80G

Email: punnyamtrust@rediffmail.com

SevaVrithandam

tkhm hy¯m´w

Sopanam - July 201226

EducationhnZr`rmkw

Learn with Quiz Master

Who was the first to call Gandhiji as "Mahatma"?1. When was Reserve Bank of India(RBI) established?2. Who is the author of "Panchathantra"?3. Black Box is an electronic device which record flight data in an aircraft. What is the 4. color of Black Box? Which day is celebrated as Sanskrit Day?5. Which city is known as City of Ahilya?6. Badminton is said to have an Indian origin. At which place did it originate?7. Who owned Jnanapeet Award for the first time?8. What is the currency of China?9. Which branch of study is named as Speleology?10.

reshmy Krishnakumar

Answers page - 28

"Mere momentary upsurges of emotion will not build character. Often, infusion of emotions will only shatter the nerves and make

the person weaker than before, leaving him a moral wreck. Building up of character requires a steady and day-to-day process of imparting Samskaars".

"today, more than anything else, we need such men – young, intelligent, dedicated, and more than all, virile and masculine.

when eternal knowledge (narayana) and eternal manliness (nara) combine, victory is ensured. And such arethe

men who make history".

- Guruji

Sopanam - July 2012 27

News

Anusha Narayanan, Bala Darshan, Abbasiya

Aiswarya. Sathyanandan,Bala Darshan, Farwaniya

Arjun M PodauvalVIth Std.

Alchemy SchoolSurat

Bala Lokam_metemIw

Sopanam - July 201228

Bala Lokam_metemIw

Aswathy.S.Kumar, Bala Darshan, Abbasiya

Vishnudas, Bala Darshan, Abbasiya

Gayathri Mohandas, Bala Darshan, Abbasiya

Quiz Answers

Rabindranath Tagore1. 1935 (April)2. Vishnu Sharma3. Orange4. 24th August5. Indore6. Pune7. G. Shankara Kurup(1965)8. Yuan9. Study of Caves10.

Sopanam - July 2012 29

Bala Lokam_metemIw

In one of India's little kingdoms of long ago there lived a King who (like most of them) was fond of hunting in wild places. His Chief Advisor was a very intelligent man, and also a very optimistic one. He was famous for seeing the rosy side of things. In fact, so strong was his habit of finding good in everything that at times this annoyed his ruler.

One day when the King and his Advisor were on a hunting trip through a dense jungle which went on for miles, the King decided to have a fresh coconut for his breakfast, and, finding a coconut tree near at hand, with his sword cut down a coconut. But as luck would have it, his sword slipped in his hand and came crashing down on one of his toes, cut-ting it off! Limping over to his Advisor with loud shouts of pain, he was terribly shocked to hear the latter say, "Ah, that's wonderful!"

"What?!" yelled the King; "I cut off my toe and you say it is wonderful?" "This is a real blessing," replied the Advisor. By now the King was furious, thinking the man was making fun of him. "Take it from me," said his Advisor, "behind this apparent bad accident there is some good which we cannot now see." That was it! The King had noticed a dry well nearby, and being a strong man, he picked up his companion and just threw him into that well. Then he set out to limp back to his fortified town and castle.

This meant, however, walking through dense jungle, frequented by the wild tribes of those days, some of whom were headhunters. On his way the King met a band of those headhunters, who de-cided that, being royalty, he would make an ex-cellent sacrifice for this month's festival. As you may imagine, the King did not feel at all honored by this decision. The warriors carried him to the tribal priest. It was the duty of this priest to ap-prove all of the offerings that were to be presented. The priest was most particular to see that the item

to be offered to the gods was perfect in all respects. While anointing the King's body the priest noticed that he was lacking one toe.

"I am sorry," he told the King, "but we cannot use

you after all for this holy sacrifice. The gods will not accept anyone who is not whole-bodied. You will have to go." Naturally the King was delighted and began hobbling away toward his palace. Aha! he thought, so his Advisor had been right -- there was indeed a hidden blessing behind that accident. As fast as his wounded leg would allow, he turned around and went back to the well where he had left his counselor. There he was, standing down in the well and whistling happily to himself.

Now the king managed to reach down far enough to grasp the hand of the Advisor and with great ef-fort to pull him up. Then he apologized for hav-ing doubted him and having thought him a fool. "Oh how sorry I am that I threw you in there," said the King as he dusted off his courtier. "I was tak-en prisoner by some wild native headhunters who were about to make me a sacrifice victim. Then they saw that my toe was missing, and let me go. And you foretold all this, in a way. Can you ever forgive me?" "You need not apologize at all; it was a blessing that you threw me down the well and left me there." "Now, how are you going to make something positive out of that?" queried the King.

"Well," said the other, "if I had been with you they would surely have taken me for their sacri-fice.”

Everything Happens for Good