” These Women Made us Proud on Republic Day…”

These Women made us proud on Republic Day

Lt Haobam Bella DeviWomen officers came from different parts of this vast country to give us some of the proudest moments at this Republic Day.

Archana Masih/Rediff.com speaks to Lieutenant Haobam Bella Devi and Captain Divya Ajith, young Army officers who stole the show on Rajpath.

Under a rainy sky, just as the grand celebration of Republic Day began on Rajpath, Lieutenant Haobam Bella Devi, a 24-year-old Indian Army officer from Manipur stood near the saluting dais.

Like most Indians, she had never unfurled the Indian flag before — and here she was entrusted with that responsibility in front of the whole nation on the nation’s grandest day.

Image: Lieutenant Haobam Bella Devi unfurls the flag on Republic Day.

In the run-up to Republic Day, she and another officer had practiced the procedure. When the big moment arrived, the only thing she had ears for was the command from the commanding officer of the President’s Bodyguard.

Just as he finished giving the crisp command, Lieutenant Bella, tugged at the rope to unfurl the flag and gave it a smart salute. The rose petals wrapped within the flag lay around, while in the distance she could hear the roar of the 21-gun salute.

“There is a whole procedure and ceremony as far as the flag is concerned. How it is put up, how it is tied, how it goes up, how it is folded. I learnt everything about it,” says the officer, who was commissioned a year-and-a-half ago and is currently posted in Amritsar.

The only child of retired army officer Colonel H G Singh, the lieutenant grew up in cantonments around the country, staying in Manipur when her father was away on field postings.

“There are not many lady officers from the North-East and girls get motivated when they see me. I tell them the Army is not a profession, but a way of life,” says the lieutenant who arrived in Delhi on January 4 for Republic Day preparations.

“I hope more and more girls join the armed forces. It gives you the opportunity to grow professionally and personally.”

The Army’s marching contingent was invited for tea by the Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh, on Republic Day, while there is a ‘Bada Khana’ — a meal shared by the officers and men — on January 31.

Lt. Bella

Image: Lieutenant Bella, an officer from Manipur, seen here second from left, is a second generation Army officer.

At the tea he hosted, the Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh, not only congratulated his officers, but also gave out commendations.

One of them to receive the honour was Captain Divya Ajith, 25, the officer who led the Indian Army’s contingent of women officers. An instructor at the Officers Training Academy in Chennai, she was awarded the sword of honour as the best cadet when she graduated from the academy in 2010.

The others who received the Chief’s commendation were the contingent’s drill instructors.

“The drill instructors were a major part of how well we did,” says Captain Divya. “One important thing is that our motivation comes from them. They are the people who train us, even when we were tired, they ensured that we practiced till the time we were perfect.”

Not new to the Republic Day parade, the captain had previously represented the National Cadet Corps as a school girl at the event. Her mother, a housewife, had watched her at that parade and had hoped that one day her daughter would march down Rajpath as an officer.

When the captain commanded the contingent to a rousing reception from the audience, her mother was there once again. Her dream had finally come true.

Image: Captain Divya Ajith from Chennai received the Army Chief’s commendation for commanding the parade. Photograph: PTI.

The marching contingent comprised officers from Jammu and Kashmir to Tamil Nadu. Training began in Chennai in early December where they would march 7 to 8 kilometers every day.

Early in the mornings, practice was held at the city’s main highway where 12 files could be accommodated and which provided a longer stretch. Later in the day, marching practice took place at the drill square at the OTA.

“Selection as contingent commander was purely on how you fared at drill. The drill instructor, adjutant selected around 10 people, which was later reduced to 3 with reserves,” says Captain Divya, the first person in her family to join the Army.

Since the Republic Day parade, she has been inundated with congratulatory messages. Some of the best messages have come from her teachers at Chennai’s Good Shepherd School. Now that she has a home posting, she hopes to pay them a visit soon.

In the four years that she has been in the Army, the captain has served in Anantnag, J&K, and MHOW before being posted to Chennai six months ago. “Anantnag was a very good exposure for me. It was a field posting. I had counter intelligence duties there,” says the officer whose father is a painting contractor.

“I feel if young girls want to pursue a career in the Army,” she says, “they already have a desire to do something different. They should stick to it and be determined to achieve what they want.”

SOURCE:::: http://www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Feb 1 2015

Message For the Day…. ” Become a True Devotee…”

The gross body (Sthula deha) should be ever immersed in holy company (Satsanga), and the subtle body (Sukshma deha), that is your thoughts and feelings, should be ever immersed in the contemplation of the glory of the Lord. That is the sign of a true devotee. The one who shouts and swears, and advertises one’s worries to everyone they meet and craves for sympathy, is a devotee only in name! It is a great responsibility to tread the Godward path. On such a pilgrimage there is no sliding back, no halfway stop, no tardy pace or no side lane. Never deny with your tongue what you have relished in the heart; never bear false witness to your own experience. Become a true devotee with unshaken faith, and with an attitude of complete self-surrender. This attitude can come from constant, sincere and continuous remembrance of the Lord’s name, as continuous as the act of breathing!

Sathya Sai Baba

Not a Laughing Stuff …!!!

A Real Dilemma

WHOREHOUSE SUES LOCAL CHURCH OVER LIGHTNING STRIKE!
What an interesting turn of events in Mt. Vernon , Texas …Diamond D’s brothel began construction on an expansion of their building to increase their ever-growing business. In response, the local Baptist Church started a campaign to block the business from expanding — with morning, afternoon, and evening prayer sessions at their church.
Work on Diamond D’s progressed right up until the week before the grand re-opening when lightning struck the whorehouse and burned it to the ground!
After the cat-house was burned to the ground by the lightning strike, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about “the power of prayer.” But late last week ‘Big Jugs’ Jill Diamond, the owner/madam, sued the church, the preacher and the entire congregation on the grounds that the church … “was ultimately responsible for the demise of her building and her business — either through direct or indirect divine actions or means.”
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently and voraciously denied any and all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise.
The crusty old judge read through the plaintiff’s complaint and the defendant’s reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, “I don’t know how the hell I’m going to decide this case, but it appears from the paperwork, that we now have a whorehouse owner who staunchly believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that thinks it’s all bullshit.”  
Natarajan
Feb 1 2015

Message For the Day…” Once you evolve yourself to a higher state Everything will look smooth , small and even…’

If you stand at the same level as the ocean and look at it, it will appear as a vast sheet of water. On the other hand, if you look at the same ocean from a height, it will appear like a lake. Similarly, since the rishis(sages) were on a higher level in spiritual knowledge and away from the world, they could recognise this vast world as a very small and insignificant entity. When at a lower level, one thinks that the world is big, important and manifold. The diversity and the differences will be seen more clearly. But when one evolves to a higher state, everything will look smooth, small and even. When we have a narrow vision, our country, our people, our languages will all appear as full of problems and differences. If you can go to a high place and look at the world, it will appear in one unified aspect and all the people and all languages will appear as one.

Sathya Sai Baba

Message For the Day…” Never Break the Vow of Truth …”

The Gita advises everyone to adopt ‘inoffensive speech, which is truthful, pleasant and beneficial.’ During the practice of the Sadhana of truth, at times, it may become necessary to reveal an unpleasant truth. At those moments, you must soften and sweeten its impact by consciously charging it with love, sympathy, and understanding. Help ever hurt never – that is the maxim. Revere truth as your very breath. Your promises are sacred bonds. Never break the vow of truth. The only obstruction to practicing truth anyone will face, is selfishness. Give up selfishness, adhere to truth and selfless love, let your heart be attuned to truth and the mind saturated with love. The triple purity – speech free from the pollution of falsehood, mind free from the taint of passionate desire or hatred, and the body free from the poison of violence – must be taken up by everyone as ideals and lived in accordance with.

Sathya Sai Baba

” Coconut Fights Fat !!!…” Read More on Natural Sources of Medicines….

Natural Remedies From Around the World

Natural remedies are the healthiest way to treat your ailments, but where do they come from? Here are 15 common natural remedies from around the world that you may or may not have heard of. This is necessary information for any health buff!   

Coconuts Fight Fat – Sri Lanka 

natural remedies

You may have heard that coconut oil is a great way to slim your waist. Well the people of Sri Lanka figured this one out way before the rest of the world. It is reported that the average Sri Lankan eats about 116 coconuts per year, and they are half as likely as the average American to pack on the pounds. The reason is that coconut oil is packed with medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) that stimulate the liver to burn fat 50 percent faster than normal. Try having about two tablespoons of coconut oil daily (in your cooking) and you could shed up to three pounds a month!

Yoga Treats Insomnia – Austria 

natural remedies

Although yoga is practiced all over the world, in Austria it is used solely as a stress-buster and quick treatment for insomnia. Austrians like to go all out and go on yoga retreats and holidays for up to a week, but according to research from the University of Pennsylvania, practicing yoga for just 20 minutes a day could get rid of your insomnia. The research also found that practicing yoga is just as effective, if not more, than taking a sleeping pill and it also will rid you of anxiety, stress and depression.

Ginger Controls Triglycerides – Indonesia 

Indonesia is the world’s largest grower and consumer of ginger and ginger products, with locals using it in their cooking, teas, candies and breads. Their tradition has long pointed to ginger as an effective treatment for the heart, and there are studies to back them up. Triglycerides are fats that clog your arteries, and according to Stanford researchers, a daily dose of ginger could cut the production of these fats by 27 percent. Ginger is also twice as effective as aspirin at preventing blood clots and preventing inflammation.natural remedies

Turmeric Steadies Blood Sugar – India 

 

natural remedies

Turmeric is a flavorful yellow spice used in rice and meat dishes and even deserts, but it also has outstanding medicinal properties. Indians use turmeric to treat high blood sugar levels, a practice that has been scientifically confirmed by research at Gujarat University. They confirmed that the  active ingredient in turmeric, called curcumin, switches on the genes that keep blood glucose levels stable. The compound can also help the pancreas make insulin when it is low. In order to see the benefits of turmeric, start taking about half a teaspoon daily either directly or in your cooking.

 

Mushrooms Fight Cholesterol – Japan  

natural remedies

Mushrooms are a popular food and medicine in Japan, with the average Japanese woman consuming about 8 pounds of mushrooms a year. According to research from Penn State University, adding about a half a cup of mushrooms to your daily diet could cut cholesterol levels by nearly 30 percent. This is because mushrooms are packed with antioxidants that prevent the liver’s production of artery-clogging fats

 

Mustard Baths Calm Muscle Pain – England 

natural remedies Ever heard of a mustard bath? While it may sound like a hoax, mustard baths are used heavily in England to quell tight and achy muscles. Mustard has healing plant compounds that draw out toxins through the pores to improve circulation, relax tight muscles and speed the healing of damaged tissue.

For your own mustard bath, mix 2 cups of Epsom salts, 1/4 cup baking soda, 1/4 cup dry mustard in a jar. Pour only 1/4 of this mixture into a warm bath, mix the water before getting in, soak for 20 minutes and rinse.

 

Chamomile Tea Beats Off Bloating – Germany 

natural remedies

What began as a simple German folk remedy has now been proven as a scientifically effective method for fighting off bloating. A study conducted at Stanford University found that sipping two cups of chamomile tea daily could help ease bloating and belly pain within just 24 hours. This is because chamomile calms the adrenals and the production of a stress hormone called cortisol that can interfere with digestion and produces painful gas and belly spasms. Not only does chamomile tea soothe the stomach, it also causes the brain to produce more enkephalins, or painkilling hormones that will help fight off depression and negative thoughts.

 

Garlic Fights Off Viruses – Russia 

natural remedies

While garlic is used the world over to add flavor to food, in Russia they use this herb to get rid of colds, the flu or any other viral infection. It has recently been proven that this pungent natural medicine is seriously effective. At the University of Florida in Gainesville, it was shown that adding one clove of garlic to your daily diet could cut your risk of viral infections by almost 43 percent! This is because garlic is full of allicin, an immunity boosting sulfur compound that fights off the growth and spread of germs.

 

Acupuncture to Treat Headaches – China 

natural remedies

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in Eastern and Chinese medicine, but now more than 80 million Chinese use this therapy to treat chronic headaches. At Taiwan’s Kaohsiung  Medical University it was found that daily acupuncture treatments work much better than prescription muscle relaxants. This is because acupuncture prompts the release of powerful painkilling hormones called endorphins and relaxes the scalp muscles to soothe the overactive pain nerves.

 

Coffee Gets Rid of Depression – Finland 

natural remedies

This cold Scandinavian country is actually the world’s largest consumer of coffee, drinking on average about 1,640 cups per year. Indeed, coffee was originally sold in pharmacies in Finland in the 18th century has a treatment for depression. Now research from Harvard backs up coffee’s use as an anti-depressant, finding that drinking 2 cups a day of caffeinated coffee could reduce your risk of depression by 34 percent, and if you drink 3 cups, by 42 percent. The mix of caffeine and antioxidants in coffee stimulates the brain to produce more powerful antidepressant hormones like serotonin and dopamine

 

Coriander Rids of Food Poisoning – Egypt   

natural remedies

One of the world’s oldest spices and a popular Egyptian remedy for stomach pain, new research proves the powerful effects of this ancient spice. The research suggests that coriander seeds can speed up recovery from full-blown intestinal infections by destroying dangerous bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. This is because coriander punches holes in the bacteria’s’ protective outer membranes, effectively destroying them for good.

Next time you are having tummy troubles, try adding 1 teaspoon of ground coriander to one cup of boiling water. Drink up to three cups of this mixture daily until the bug is gone.

Honey Treats Sinus Infections – New Zealand 

natural remedies

Unpasteurized honey is one of the top treatments used in New Zealand to treat sinus and throat infections. According to research at the University of Illinois and the University of Amsterdam, the natural antibiotics and enzymes in unpasteurized honey can destroy nearly 100 percent of bacteria and viruses on contact! This includes the bugs that cause painful sinus and throat infections.

For an effective remedy, mix two tablespoons of unpasteurized honey into your coffee or tea to prevent painful infections. Use darker honeys like buckwheat or wildflower for the best results.

 

Aloe Vera to Treat Skin Rash – Mexico 

natural remedies

Where the sun is hot and always shining, aloe vera is used to treat rashes and other skin problems. Researchers at the University of Texas found that aloe vera reduce redness, speeds healing, increases the skin’s moisture levels and strengthens resistance to irritants. They also discovered that aloe vera not only treats the current outbreak, but prevents further outbreaks in the same area. Other research from Malmo University Hospital in Sweden found that aloe vera cream can treat psoriasis in 83 percent of cases.

 

Kefir Treats Irritable Bowel Syndrome – Russia 

natural remedies

Irritable bowel syndrome is an uncomfortable and serious condition in which the bowels do not perform as they should. However in Russia they use a tart and tangy yogurt called kefir to treat the condition with healthy probiotic bacteria and yeast. Kefir is an effective treatment for IBS because it contains five time more healthy, intestine-soothing probiotics than most regular yogurts. In a study conducted by the University of Madrid, it was found that having just a half-cup serving of kefir daily could trigger a ten-fold increase of healing probiotic bacteria in the digestive tract.

 

Arnica to Prevent Bruises – Greece  

natural remedies

A herb that grows in the mountainous regions of Greece, arnica has been a go-to remedy since ancient times for nasty bruising and closed wounds. It has become the most popular homeopathic remedy worldwide due to its power of healing and treating the most serious of bruises. This is because arnica is a plant rich in compounds that reduce swelling by as much as 30 percent, improves circulation in damaged tissues, boosts the flow of nutrients and flushes out the blood from the wound. You and find arnica gel at your local health store or in some pharmacies. This is definitely a tube to have in your medicine cabinet!

 

SOURCE::::www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Jan 30 2015