101 |Shri Darpan Rishika Agarwal Sanvi Mehrotra Shanvi vali Shraddha Kadire Siddharth Reddy Sreshta Lingamneni Sriyansh Reddy Varnika Gollapudi Vihan Rajamouli Yashitha Chowdary Yuvaan Singh Ishaan Kanumuru Aadithya Mittiredi The Bear and the Cows Once upon a time in a huge forest there were 5 cows and a bear. The cows were very scared of the bear so they were always together and very kid to each other. One day the 5 cows fought with each other and decided to eat separately. The bear saw this as an opportunity and killed them one by one. Moral of the story is that in unity there is strength. If we are united, then we can overcome any challenge. -Kunal, Grade VII B
102 |Shri Darpan What is Time Travel? A very popular question is whether time travel is possible? Indeed, it is! Although you can’t just hop into the time machine and press a button because there are some factors needed. Long ago, Albert Einstein came up with a theory called relativity that says that there is a limit to time. Nothing can go faster than the speed of light, which is 186000 miles per second. Time travel happens through something called “time dilation” According to this theory, the faster you travel, the slower you experience time. light always travels in a straight line Time travel is possible if you travel faster than the speed of light. Well, some of them say that it’s not possible while some say it is. NASA’s space telescopes like the Hubble telescope take us way back in time. Through telescopes we can see the galaxies and stars that are very far away so the light from these galaxies and stars take thousands of years to reach the telescope So, we are actually seeing a star which was there before thousand years. There was an experiment conducted where one clock was on the earth while the other flew with a plane around the world. When the scientists compared the two clocks the clock which traveled more was behind the time by one second. So, this proves the Einstein theory of relativity that the faster you travel, the slower you will experience time. The GPS which helps us figure out how to get to new places relies on time travel calculations. GPS satellites orbit around the earth 14,000km per hour. This actually slows down the satellite clocks by a small fraction of a second (similar to the above example). “Time Travel is possible but we cannot change the past” A journal which was published in 2020 Classical and Quantum gravity states that according to theoretical physics anything you tried to change in the past would be corrected by subsequent events. Which means, you can travel in past time but cannot change the history. The most famous example is known as the grandfather paradox. Say a time-traveler goes back to the past and kills a younger version of his or her grandfather. The grandfather then wouldn't have any children, erasing the timetraveler's parents and, of course, the time-traveler, too. But then who would kill Grandpa? -Laasya Dharmavarapu, VIIB The Phenomenal Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, was born on February 5, 1985, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in a poor family. His mother almost had an abortion. As a child, Ronaldo played for Andorinha from 1992 to 1995, where his father was the kit man, and later spent two years with Nacional. In 1997, aged 12, he went on a three-day trial with Sporting CP, who signed him for a fee of £1,500 which right now in Indian currency costs up to ₹149685.03.
103 |Shri Darpan World Cup A young Cristiano Ronaldo was already recognized as one of the prodigies of world football, was picked for the 2006 FIFA World Cup under the captaincy of the legendary Luis Figo. Wearing the No. 17 shirt, Ronaldo made his FIFA World Cup debut against Angola. Ronaldo has won 32 trophies in his career, including seven league titles, five UEFA Champions European Championship and the UEFA Nations League. Ronaldo is the highest-earning soccer player off the pitch at $60 million, according to Forbes estimates, with partners that include Nike, Herbalife and Livescore. The only other player close is Messi at $55 million. As of late December 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo earned the highest salary paid to any soccer player worldwide, earning an estimated 200 million U.S. dollars a year with Al-Nassr. Ronaldo can jump higher than an Average NBA Player. NBA is the National Basketball Association. He has won five Ballons d'Or, five Champions Leagues, seven domestic league titles and is one of the greatest players in the history of the game. For a nation of just 10 million people, he is essentially a demigod. Now, however, Ronaldo has, in club football least, been reduced to a mortal. -Sahit, VIIB Facts About India India is the wettest inhabited place on Earth A village in Meghalaya has won the Guinness world record title for the wettest place on Earth, with about 11,873 millilitres of rain annually. The monsoon season lasts six months. You can drive on the world’s highest motor able road At over 19,300 feet, the Ladakh road is the highest motor able road in the world 3.The popular game “Snakes and Ladders” originated in India Sold across the world (sometimes called “chutes and ladders”), this board game traces its roots back to India. It was first created to teach morals and lessons about karma in a way that young children would understand and remember. India was the first country to mine diamonds From the 4th century BC for around 1,000 years, India was the only source of diamonds in the world. The original diamonds were found in the Krishna River Delta. A village with no locks and doors may be the safest on Earth The village of Shani Shingnapur is famous for not having a door or lock on a single house. Beyond that, there has not been a recording of a criminal act for almost 400 years. -Sreshta Reddy Pasham, VIIB
104 |Shri Darpan Bindi or Boṭṭu Ever wondered what is the reason behind the bindi? A bindi is much more than a fashion statement or a sign of tradition and religion. The place in-between the eyebrows has tremendous significance in the ancient healing arts. Significance in yoga According to yoga, this point is known as the Ajna chakra or Agya chakra. It is the sixth and most powerful chakra in the human body that encompasses the head, eyes, and brain. This chakra plays a significant role in yogic meditation. Many meditation techniques require you to focus on this point. The pranayama technique is focused solely on opening this chakra. Mayur asana (Dolphin Pose), involves touching your forehead to the ground to stimulate this chakra. This chakra is the center of knowledge, intuition, awakening, and awareness. Now, what are the benefits of Bindi? Relieves headaches According to acupressure, pressing this point for a few seconds can instantly relieve a headache because several key nerves and blood vessels connect at this point. Improves hearing One of the nerves passing through this area also stimulates your cochlear, which is a part of the inner ear that is key to hearing. India culture has proven scientific benefits. -Tanvi D, VII B NATURE You are the plants, We are your grants. You make yourself blow, You make the water flow. Oh, the nature, You have such a natural nature. You give us love, But we hurt you even by a small plastic glove. Oh, you nature, How beautiful you are! The ones who cut you are the real blinds, They didn’t see you with their real eyes. Everything from you is for us, Though nothing is for you from us. Sorry for the hurtful cuts, Though you give us everything with no ifs and buts. Now I promise you the love in my heart would always be for you. -Ardra Chokhany, VII C
105 |Shri Darpan Artistic Expressions of II A Aarav Sahu Aayansh Doneria Abir Maurya Aerrabotu Srinika Reddy Ajira Krishnarpan Ananya Rajarapu Angad Mishra Ashika Reddy Martha Harsh Fadnavis Ira Reddy Vedere Kashika Pathak Madhav Sharma Manit Singh Raaga Ivaturi Ranganathapriya Santhanam Riaan Singhvi Saatvika Injeti Samaaksh Gupta Samudrala Tanvi Siri Pranaya Raju D
106 |Shri Darpan Konark Sun Temple India is a land of temples, traditions, and different cultures. There are magnificent temples in our country, and each temple has its significance and is an architectural marvel. The Konark Temple teaches us the history of this world-renowned temple. The Konark temple is one of the few temples that are still intact. It has been given the prestigious title of being declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The history of the Konark Sun Temple is rich with legends. King Narasingha Deva 1 wanted a temple that could withstand any earthly calamity. Hence, he used three building stones – laterite, chlorite, and green Khondalite. The temple is known for its 13th-century carvings, which depict scenes of different human activities and portraits of animals. -Chhavi Mundhara, VII C Siya Laad Sreenidhi Chunduri Srihaan Peddineni Suveer Uppla Virat Krishnasai Kondubhatla Yagneetha Kaushal Manda Rudransh Reddy Pasham Poojit Krishna Peddi Anika Reddy Madadi Mahadhyuta Damaraju Dron Dhagat
107 |Shri Darpan The Influence of Culture On Our Lives We all are familiar with the word “culture”. Culture is what decides our way of living. It is what makes every country unique. Culture is a much broader perspective and many aspects such as language we speak, the clothes we wear, our religion and our habits influence culture. So, let’s dive deep into this broad term! Culture consists of beliefs and behaviors that are traditionally practiced by a group of people. As already seen, culture is influenced by religion, food habits, clothes etc. Let’s see how religion influences culture. Religion is a set of beliefs usually focused on how people live their lives and what happens when life is over. Religion also talks about how things came into existence. Most religions believe in supreme beings or gods. Many diverse religions exist throughout the world. Religion is a huge part of culture as it influences people’s behavior and daily life. For ex: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity etc. We also speak various languages across the world and have popular literature like Ramayana, Mahabharata etc. They also have a role in culture. Written and spoken stories have been used since generations to pass down our traditions. Even our history as we know it today exists because of written carvings on caves. Language is used to create literature. Literature is art in written form. For instance, poetry, mythological stories etc. All of us celebrate festivals, don’t we? Festivals are also a significant part of our culture. Each festival has a religious significance and a reason why we celebrate it. For e.g., Christmas is celebrated to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. Festivals have always been blissful moments in our life, and we have enjoyed them to this date. Monuments are also an aspect of culture. Their historical significance is why they are preserved today. Monuments remind us of our heritage. They are also known as the Guardian Pillars of Cultural heritage. By learning about them we can learn our exquisite history. We also get to know the advances that had happened in the past. It is very important to preserve our glorious culture as it’s the reason how we are living today. So, appreciate all religions, languages, and cultures. Thus, we all need to celebrate our cultural diversity. -Joshita Kompella, VII C The Power of Expression: A Display of Posters in Hindi Lavanya Gupta, VII C Anika Sarada, VII D Ashrita Mangavalli, VII D
108 |Shri Darpan SamanyuChoudhary,VII D Priyanka B, VII D Sujan Aditya, VII B Adventure to Shimla In September we had an exciting trip to Shimla, right after our Mid-Terms, usually whenever I go on trips its usually to have fun and spend time with my friends but this time it was different, we learnt about the culture of Shimla. While going to Shimla we also visited different places which we learnt about too like Chandigarh and Delhi. Now more about the culture of Shimla, to keep it crisp and short, the culture of Shimla throwbacks religious, agnostic Kumauni people with a simple lifestyle living away from the hustle and bustle of metro cities. -Mayank Reddy Mukka, VII C All About Culture! Arabian culture is the culture of Arabs. Language, literature, gastronomy, art, architecture, music, spirituality, philosophy, and mysticism are all part of the cultural heritage of the Arabs. Arab culture and Islam are inextricably linked. While Islam is the dominant religion, other faiths are accepted and treated with dignity. Most Arabs believe that God controls and synchronizes the majority of life's events. Man cannot control many of life's circumstances because he depends on God's will. As a result, religious affiliation is essential for all Arabs. Most Arabs believe that there should be no separation of religion and state and that religion should be taught in schools to children. Piety is the most admirable quality a person can have, according to Islam. -Praharsha K, VII C Floating Markets A floating market is a market where goods are sold from boats. Originating in times and places where water transport played an important role in daily life, most floating markets operating today mainly serve as tourist attractions, and are chiefly found in Myanmar , Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India.The history of floating markets Historically, the areas adjacent to the rivers were the first to be populated. Thus, most communities in Thailand
109 |Shri Darpan were built at the sides of rivers. The waterways served as means of transportation and the center of economic activity, as well. Boats were mainly used for local and regional trade, bringing goods from those that produced to those that could barter and trade. Such ways of life of the riverside communities, especially in the Chao Phraya River Basin, increased the number of floating markets. Floating markets in India A floating market exists in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on the Dal Lake that operates daily, with vendors selling produce grown on the banks of the lake. A floating 'mall' operates in the Kerala backwaters, offering subsidised rates on sales. Named Floating Triveni Super Store, it was launched in 2012 by the Kerala State Cooperative Consumers Federation. A floating market was opened in Patuli, Kolkata, on a canal adjacent to the Eastern Metropolitan Bypass in January 2018. It features more than 200 vendors and 100 boats selling fish, fruit and vegetables. However, the market is struggling to stay open with declining sales. The lighting used by the municipal authorities and shopkeepers is reported to have driven away migratory birds from the region. -Prajith Alluri, VII C Young Carnatic Musician with a Passion for Devotional Songs I am Pranav Dhamotharan studying in Grade VII – C. I am an easy going and fun loving person interested in Music, so I started learning Carnatic music at the age of 6years. I like devotional songs very much and started learning Annamacharya keerthanas from my Guru Smt. Kanaga Durga Madam. I am always eager and exited to learn new keerthanas, will be continuing to learn all thoroughly in near future. I am always thankful to my guru for building in my confidence. When I grow up I want to be a Professional musician and a singer. -Pranav Dhamotharan, VII C All About Culture in India Culture is about tradition and religion followed in your home community society and where not? India is one of the countries with more than one culture the different religion, the different food, different people worship in different temples, different clothes they wear and what not? Food in Punjab aloo paratha with fresh curd, Hyderabad with its famous dum biriyani & Odisha their famous food is chenna poda. Culture is just not about the taste but also about dancing. Punjab’s dance form is Bhangda, Hyderabad’s dance form is Kuchipudi, Odisha’s dance form is Odissi. -Pratyushi Mishra, VII C
110 |Shri Darpan Arstistic Expressions of II B Aadhya Vinay Aarohi Chauhan Anay Rao Arcot Eshaan Reddy Arohan Rowson Shandilya Ayaan Bhardwaj Ayansh Gaur Ayansh Narayana Mangalam Darsh Gupta Demira Sinha Dhanush Mohanreddy Palla Diaan Garg Harshita Challa Ira Bodi Iraira Vijay Kumar Keya Reddy Kallem
111 |Shri Darpan Kriti Varma Manthena Liyaana Mahapatra Naini Antariksha Reddy Nayra Jain Nishanth Reddy P V Advaith Sriram Pranavi Chintala Rudransh Singh Samaa Ali Syed Samara Chaudhary Siddhiksha Gupta Suhan Manvik Pentakota Vihaan Rajanala Vihana Kotwal Yuvaan Sharma
112 |Shri Darpan There’s A Child in All of Us Once, I went to a shop and saw a toy. I remember I used to play with it, It was my favorite toy. I thought of playing with it, but I thought that I was too old to play with it. But ended up playing with it. With this incident, I came to know that sometimes, the kid in us comes out for a while, as the memories of what we used to do in our childhood. -Rithvik Rajdeep, VII C Celebrating Festivals Indian culture brings a bright smile on one’s face. It’s thee of the festivals that we come across. How does it make us happy? Well, we can say that the delicious foods made by our grandmothers and mothers gets us hungry but also it leads us to unity. It gets us closer to one another. We enjoy being together in such cases, especially with our family and friends. Indian Culture drives us from unity and responsibility to happiness and faith. For example, It’s Diwali and you have the responsibility of decorating the house with your cousins, it would be the best time to spend with each other by doing the given work. I love Indian Culture and so do all the Indians! -Saanvi Chhangani, VII C Puzzling Ponderings: A Selection of Fun Brain Teasers 1.What makes a chess player happy? ANS: Taking a knight off. 2.What starts with a t, ends with a t and is full of t? ANS: A teapot 3.What vehicle is spelled the same backwards and forwards? ANS: A racecar 4.What runs around a farm but doesn't move? ANS: A fence 5.What can run but never walk, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps? ANS: A river 6.What would you call a sleeping bull? ANS: A bull-dozer -Shriyans Padhi, VII C
113 |Shri Darpan My Learning Journey Reflection My learning journey was fun and very educational. I never thought that there are many ways of rainwater harvesting. Rainwater harvesting is the simple collection or storing of water through scientific techniques from the areas where the rain falls. It involves utilization of rain water for the domestic or the agricultural purpose. The method of rain water harvesting has been into practice since ancient times. Nowadays we are wasting a lot of water which in not impactful on the environment. Day by day water is getting lesser and lesser. To prevent this, we can practice rain water harvesting. There are many methods. Like, Surface runoff rainwater harvesting which is a method of collecting rainwater flowing along the ground during the rains will be collected to a tank below the surface of the ground for irrigation and other purposes. Rooftop rainwater harvesting is a method of collecting rain water where it falls and in which rain water is captured from the roof catchments of domestic houses or commercial buildings and stored in the tanks. With these methods, we can save a lot of water because, “Every drop of water is worth gold.” -Sreshta Goud Mula, VII C A Hindu Mythology Quiz to Test Your Wits There Are A few Questions on Hindu Mythology, try to Answer Them. Q1. Who Is Sri Maha Vishnu? (a) He is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. (b) He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism. (c) He is the preserver and protector of the universe. (d)All of These. Q2. Which Person Does Pushpaka Vimana Belong to? (a) Lord Indra (b) Lord Rama (c) Lord Ravana (d) Lord Krishna Q3. What Was The Name Of Lord Rama’s Father? (a) King Janaka (b) King Dasharatha (c) King Yayati (d) King Draupadi Q4. What Was Duryodhana’s Brother’s Name? (a) Karna (b) Dushyasana (c) Dhritarashtra (d) Vidura Key: 1b, 2c, 3b, 4b -Tanish Alla, VII C
114 |Shri Darpan A Multicultural Crossword Puzzle Challenge ACROSS 1.Hindus treat this animal as their mother 6. The Art by tribes in Maharashtra that uses geometrical shapes 7. The Recommended way to greet each other in TSUS 8. The language of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana DOWN 1.One of the major music forms of Telangana 2.We fly kites on this festival 3. The National Emblem of India is taken from Ashok Stambh which is located at 4. The musical instrument made up of a special type of Pumpkin 5. The festival of Telangana centred on Goddess Mahakali 8. the Indian traditional musical instrument similar to bongos in shape -Tanushree Pareek, VII C
115 |Shri Darpan Answers Should Plastic Be Banned? Plastic bags are a major cause of environmental pollution. Plastic as a substance is nonbiodegradable and thus plastic bags remain in the environment for hundreds of years polluting it immensely. It has become very essential to ban plastic bags before they ruin our planet completely. They are destroying nature due to their harmful effect. Plastic bags have become the main cause of land pollution today. The plastic bags entering the water bodies are a major cause of water pollution. Animals and marine creatures unknowingly consume plastic particles along with their food. Research shows that waste plastic bags have been a major reason for untimely animal deaths. The production of plastic bags releases toxic chemicals. These are the main cause of serious illness. The polluted environment is a major reason for various diseases which are spreading easily in human beings. Although the Indian government has imposed a ban on the usage of plastic bags in many states. But people are still carrying these bags. Shopkeepers stop providing plastic bags for few days only in the beginning. It is time when we all must contribute our bit to make this ban a success. To be successful in this mission, we must keep reminding ourselves about the harmful effects of the plastic bags on our nature and keep a tab on their use. Eventually, we will become habitual to doing without these bags. Although plastic is becoming a big threat for all of us, still this problem has often been overlooked and underestimated. This is because people do not look at the long-term effect of these small, easy to carry bags they use in their everyday life. Besides all these people keep using bags due to their convenience. But now everyone must completely stop using the plastic bag to save our environment and earth. -Tapasya Meka, VII C
116 |Shri Darpan All About Culture The culture of India refers to a collection of minor unique cultures. The culture of India comprises of clothing, festivals, languages, religions, music, dance, architecture, food, and art in India. Most noteworthy, Indian culture has been influenced by several foreign cultures throughout its history. Also, the history of India's culture is several years old. First of all, Indian origin religions are Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. All of these religions are based on karma and dharma. Furthermore, these four are called as Indian religions. Indian religions are a major category of world religions along with Abrahamic religions. Traditional Indian food, arts, music, sports, clothing, and architecture vary significantly across different regions. These components are influenced by various factors. Above all, these factors are geography, climate, culture, and rural/urban setting. -Yashraj Bagayat, VII C Our Culture, Our Pride The Indian culture so crowned, The bond of relations such found. The elegant stories of the nature, The glory goes greater The charm of Indian culture, Even the wall paintings and sculptures. Whether folk or tribal art, We put in all our heart. Our nation with diverse traditions, Each with Festivals and celebrations. How wonderful is the culture’s sight, The nation’s unity is our delight -Anvi Jain, Grade, VII D
117 |Shri Darpan Arstistic Expressions of II C Siddharth Rithika Yug Maanvika Veda Kanav Diya Shritik Ranbir Sai Shreshtra Amayra.T Sumay Myra Aavya Rishikesh Anika .B Ishani Advay Balaram Vian Saran Aanya Rohan Khushal Nishad
118 |Shri Darpan Parin Nakshatra Aakanksha Anika Agarkar Diving into the Vibrant World of Indian Culture India comprises of a huge combination of cultures that vary as we travel from one state to another. The diversity of our country’s culture is because of its history and the impact of civilizations and rulers who came to India like the British and the Mughals among many others. Many aspects of Indian culture have had a profound impact across the globe such as religion, mathematics, philosophy, cuisine, languages, dance, music, and movies. We can experience different cultures as we jump from state to state. A few of them are religion, languages, foods, clothes. In India, we follow a number of religions, like Hinduism, Christianity, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, and many other folk religions. Across India, we speak over twenty-one languages. The foods also differs enormously. We can find all sorts of foods from dosas in the south to dal baati churma in the north. One's spice pallet would be filled as they try out the foods throughout India. Even the clothes! From wool sweaters to saris, our nation has it all. Since, the climate varies across the subcontinent, people tend to wear both wool and cotton clothes. Are you fascinated in finding out interesting facts about Indian culture? Did you know that there is a Temple of Rats? It is known as the Karni Mata Temple. Weird, funny, and scary, right? Another example is a festival celebrated in India which is visible from space - the festival of Kumbh Mela celebrated every twelve years in Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain. Did you know that India was the birthplace of yoga? There are many things that are still unknown and equally fascinating. -Dea Verdia, VII D A School Field Trip Adventure My learning journey was about the different types and ways in which we can efficiently save water. I learned how water is wasted by humans every day in daily use. I saw amazing videos that showed the importance of water and how it comes from far away. Then we were shown different ways we can save water when it rains and one of which was, how when it pours, the water is collected from the roofs and stored in pipes and then filtered and store in a tank for later use. -Shaurya Dubey, VII D
119 |Shri Darpan Vibrant Hues of India A country that displays customs and traditions India is widely known for its festivals and celebrations. A country with varied geographical base India holds an amazing grace. A country with vivid thoughts and beliefs India is moving ahead in Science giving us relief. A country with a multitude of languages India is extensively known for the colourful marriages. A country that serves a full plate of flavours India serves her guests with sweet and spicy dishes you can savour. A country with Folk or Tribal Art India has its own learning embarked. A country flourishing with rich scholars India can never be compared with Dollars. A country that helps in crisis or need I must say, Indians have the right attitude indeed. -Sai Ananya Saripalle, VII D Culture - A Way of Life The way we eat, the way we dress, the way we speak .... In simple words “Our Culture”. Culture is one word with one meaning. Someone’s culture doesn’t need to match with another person’s culture. There are many countries and nations, each with their own different type of culture. In our country, India, there are many people living in different areas of India. Even though we all live in one country people’s culture varies. Think about it ... if u meet someone who lives in Punjab, their culture will be different from someone who lives in Hyderabad.India’s culture is a mixing pot. It has many types of traditions. India’s culture is very vibrant. There are many languages, dances, religions, dishes, clothing and so much more. If you ever find out the history behind this highspirited culture it would be extremely interesting. Although India was invaded a thousand of times, our culture has always grown strong. We have the oldest culture of the world. Our culture is very rich with people from different states living together. People from the past generations pass down their cultures and stories to their descendants. These people act upon the culture making it stronger. The culture we all share brings us together making colourful, bright, strongandluminous. - Sudeeksha Siddula, VII D
120 |Shri Darpan Décorations de Noël -Akshya VII B, Saloni VII A, Kamala VII B Brushstrokes of Creativity: A Student Art Showcase Aaradhya Sharma, VIA Alayna Sinha, VI A Kshetra Bhatt, VI A Pranva Kanan, VI A Sandesh Reddy, VI A Tanish, VI A
121 |Shri Darpan Aarav, VI B Achintya, VI B Anveshi Maurya, VI B Dheer, VI B Nikhitha, VI B Sritha Sowbhagya, VI B Divyanshi Singh, VI B Swaram. VI B Ananya Ajay, VI C Saanvi Agrawal, VI C
122 |Shri Darpan My Visit to Humpi On August fifteenth I was very happy because we were going to Humpi by drive. I was very excited when we reached Humpi. My family and I saw the whole campus of Jindal steel because our hotel was in the campus. The first day we went to Virupaksha temple, Queen’s bath, elephant stable and the Shivalinga. I had a lot of fun. We also had lunch at a restaurant named Mango Tree. The next day we went to a Dam built on the river Tungabhadra. Then we went to Hamza Rama temple. It had many temples and then I noticed it was a big kingdom which had small temples. We came home in the afternoon and then in the evening we went to visit Humpi locally. Next day we went to Badami caves, Aihole and many other caves. We went back to Hyderabad the next day. I loved the trip. Seeing historic sights helped me learn about history. -Aarav Mahajan, VI A My Favourite Video-Game Character The pictures above are from my favourite video-game character. His name is William Afton. He was a wealthy businessman and inventor who secretly built animatronics to hunt and kill young children, which went unknown by his partner, Henry Emily. William Afton is the textbook definition of evil. He is the sadistic and depraved serial killer who sparked the downfall of his own company, Faz-bear Entertainment. He murdered almost a dozen children in cold blood, and started the tragic chain of events that leads various players throughout the series. William had three children with an unknown wife; his daughter Elizabeth Afton, his son Michael Afton, and a third son with an unknown identity. William Afton was born on June 26 1938. Michael and Elizabeth were killed in the fire, while William is kept alive by Golden Freddy and tortured in his nightmares. He is also known as the ‘Purple Guy’ as he is purple in the Canon. His height is 17 feet and 4 inches. He got spring-locked twice and died in the second springlock failure. -Advitiya Srivastava, VI A Memories to Last a Lifetime: My Out Station Experience Did you ever go on an out- station trip from your school? Well, I did from my school. On 28 September we started our trip. First we reached Delhi. Then the next morning we started and reached Chandigarh by train and then again from there we went to Shimla we stopped and we went for shopping. From there we (6th and 7th grade) went to Chail and others went to Mashobra.The fun starts in Chail when we went rock climbing, river crossing etc. The next day we went zip lining and for a nature walk. In the night there was bonfire. Later, we went to Chandigarh. We visited the Rock Garden and Sukna lake. In Delhi, we saw the Qutubminar, Akshardham Temple etc.
123 |Shri Darpan We went to the Science Museum too. And in the evening, we came back to Hyderabad. It was a lot of fun! I would love to go on out station trips with my school friends. It was a very interesting and fascinating trip. -Himanvi Bolla, VI A Sunset The beauty of a sunset Tells us something each day That another day has ended today The beauty of a sunrise Tells us it’s here to stay With the breeze taking us away Tells us life Is a running race So, get inspired by nature each day To make your way! -Iyra, VI A Word Search: Farm Animals L L U B T R H U R C M G A E O T P A H B O H N Y L E B I G D E T B I E I C K Y A T M P H N K B C U R O O S T E R T N D U C K E N ANSWER: Bull, donkey, cat, emu, chicken, honeybee, dog, goat, duck, lamb, pig, rabbit, rooster, sheep -Jeeshan, VI A
124 |Shri Darpan A Trivia Quiz to Test Your Brainpower 1. What number, when added separately, to 100 and 164 can make each a perfect square? 2. George, Helen, and Steve are drinking coffee. Bert, Karen, and Dave are drinking soda. Using logic, is Elizabeth drinking coffee or soda? 3. What 8 letter word can have a letter taken away and it still makes a word. Take another letter away and it still makes a word. Keep on doing that until you have one letter left. What is the word? 4. What has a head, a tail, is brown, and has no legs? 5. Can you name three consecutive days without using the words Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday? Answers 1. The answer is 125. 125+100=225 and 125+164=289. The square root of 225 is 15 and the square root of 289 is 17. 2. Elizabeth is drinking coffee. The letter E appears twice in her name, as it does in the names of the others that are drinking coffee. 3. The word is starting! starting, staring, string, sting, sing, sin, in, I. Cool, Huh? 4. A Penny. 5. Yesterday,Today,Tomorrow. -Kashvi Rathour, VI A The Cultures of India After China, India is the most populated country with over 1.3 billion people. India is a diverse country with famous historical landmarks and many natural sceneries. The country has people of various religions that coexist peacefully. An estimated 19 million tourists visit India annually. The first thing one notices in India. apart from the crowds, is how spiritual and polite the people are. Indians believe in karma, which is who an individual is believed to be repaid according to their deeds. Indians are great with cooking. The spices used are special since they have medicinal purposes too. Many visitors find it difficult to enjoy Indian food because of the heavy spices. Many sportspersons travel to India with a cook. Spices such as cumin, turmeric and cardamom are used to make the dishes delicious and nutritional. Wheat, rice, and pulses are also used. Many Indians are vegetarian due to their religious reasons. -Koushik B, VI A
125 |Shri Darpan Arstistic Expressions of II D Aadhya Gadiraju Aarush Vignesh Aayansh Datta Aditri Basak Aditya Sreejith Akhira Chapalamadugu Anaya Agrawal Arshayan K Aryan Khemka Ayansh Singh B Pranavi Varma Esha Kashyap
126 |Shri Darpan Evelyn Abhay Agnihotri Hanaa Wadhwa Ira Joshi Ishaan Rajanala K Ditya Reddy Lalith N Devarapalli Mira Mullakuru Nivaan Aseri Prabhav Sharma Pradhyun Reddy Katkuri Riya Maanvi Sahej Dawer
127 |Shri Darpan Sarayu Srk Suraksha K Baddepuri Taashvi Khemka Tummala Vedharsha Vedasri Jonnalagadda Vihaan Chelluboina Vinisha Vaish Shreyansh K Goturu About My Country’s Culture My country India is the second most populated country in the whole world. A country filled with people from different languages and religions who believe in unity in diversity. There are no words to describe my country. The beautiful mountains, valleys, plains, plateaus, the beautiful flowing rivers Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, Tapti, Narmada and many more. The lip-smacking cuisines of India are surely very popular. The motherland is proud of her great sons and daughters such as Kalpana Chawla, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Mahatma Gandhi and many more. -Pranavi Valluri, VI A Cheer Up Your Day with Jokes Why did the old man fall into the well? Why did the tree miss his online classes? Why was six afraid of seven? What do you call a fake noodle? What did the necklace say to the hat? What did the Pacific Ocean say to the Atlantic Ocean? What did one tomato say to the other?
128 |Shri Darpan What do you call milk that gets anything it wants? What question do you always say no to? What do you have to break before you can use? Answers: 1. Because he could not see that well 2. Because he needed to log in 3. Because seven ate nine 4. An Impasta 5. You go on a head and I will catch up 6. Nothing. It just waved 7. You go on ahead and I will ketchup 8. Spoiled milk 9. Are you asleep? 10. An Egg -Revanth Sinha, VI A Flowers Here are some flowers, They stay fresh for hours. Their beauty makes you have lot of power. Flowers so beautiful, They make you smile. They are so colourful And they shine in style. Here are some flowers, They shine bright at night. They look so attractive, And vibrant right! Radiant and colourful flowers are here, They are so aromatic and are found everywhere. They may be delicate but they are strong They are beautiful just as we are. -Sarah Bahri, VI A A Fun Quiz for All Ages Q1) There were two farmers. They each had one farmhouse. Only one of the farmers had a peacock. One day the peacock laid eggs on the other farmer’s farmhouse. They both had an argument about whose eggs they were. Q2) David’s father has three sons Jack, Michael, and_______? Q3) What must be broken before you eat?
129 |Shri Darpan Q4) What kind of tree can you carry in your hand? Q5) A foodie named Joe bought a new car and drove it into a forest. He saw 3 doors the 1st door had gold, 2nd door had gems and pearls, 3rd door had unlimited food. Which door did he open the first? ANSWERS A1) Peacocks doesn’t lay eggs, peahens lay eggs A2) David A3) An egg A4) A palm A5) Joe would first open the car door. -Tummala Nikhil, VI A Saving Our Planet As the bright rays of the sun pulled through my window, I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed towards my door. There I saw a girl. I was surprised and bombarded her with questions. “Who are you and how did you come here?” “I am Alexa and I came from another universe when the universes collided”, she said. I was totally perplexed listening to her. “What happens in your world, like what do you do?” I asked curiously. “It is just like yours, but there is lot of technology there. There are only buildings and factories. There are no trees or plants. So we use food pills. Our previous generation did not save water or energy and they cut down trees. I request you, please do something Anveshi. Save your planet before it is too late.” she said. I started a campaign with Alexa and my other friends. We made posters and conducted awareness meetings in our city. Our initiative reached the ears of the President of the country and she saw to it that everyone in the country followed it. This became a big thing and people around the world became aware of our campaign and adopted it in their countries. They started putting up solar panels, used hydroelectricity and we together saved the planet! Alexa thanked me and said, “Thanks Anveshi, I really hope that things back in my world change too. It was nice meeting you. Bye!” and left to her world. I was happy that I contributed to changing our world. It is like a dream come true! -Anveshi Maurya, VI B
130 |Shri Darpan Word Search: Animals & Birds Grade 6 students have gone to a zoo, help them find the following animals and birds. Hippopotamus, Chimpanzee, Monkey, Zebra, giraffe, Rat, LAMINGO, GORILLA, DEER, PANDA, TIGER, COCK C H I M P A N Z E E Y J T I G E R Y U T I U I Y J U D E E R E J I K L H N U B E G M T P U F F T B B J P N E Q Y I K H F H O B G P X C Z L W R Z H A H B S V E Z D T R L C O C K J H A A P P X N U I U Z I O U I T D P I F L J U M Y Y O H D E E B Y A T L F V O A D R A G I I Z T D J A H Y X Z E L C Q T T G J J U Z H N E E R D N B R W R A T E M O N K E Y D Z H G I R A F F E G H I J T A G H F N O J A A S O H J N O R L O K O I S R U J O A I K L J I L T C K O L O A I - Saanvi Agarwalla, VI A Lazy Meena Genre: Fantasy Once upon a time, there lived a very lazy girl, Meena. She didn’t like to do any work. Her appearance was very nice, she loved makeup, she loved beauty, but she didn’t like to do any work. Meena’s mother was tired of Meena’s laziness, and prayed to the lord out loud, “My lord! Please give Meena a lesson to tell how bad and wicked her laziness is!” Meena laughed out loud, thinking her mother was crazy. She prayed to the lord in mock devotion, “My lord! Let me have all the work done automatically!” God was shocked to hear this prayer and thought to trach Meena a lesson. God appeared to her in her dreams and told, “Meena, your wish is granted. Everything will be done automatically from tomorrow!” Meena was overjoyed. When she woke up, the bedsheet flung up, and folded properly. Her homework was finished automatically. But, when she came to change her dress after bathing, she was about to reach out for her favorite frock, but an ugly, torn frock draped itself over her. Meena did not like that frock and shouted, “Not you! Not you!” But nothing changed. This is where her misfortune began. When the bell rang and the classes started, she was not able to write her notes, not even touch her pen! The notebooks turned itself and the pen scribbled on the notebook. The teacher got very mad thinking Meena scribbled on her notebook and told her to stand on the bench for quite a while. Meena was so embarrassed. She was always a good student but suddenly, because of her laziness, she had to stand on the bench!
131 |Shri Darpan Finally, during P.E she tried to sit on the swing, but it did not work properly. It swung higher and higher by itself. Meena could not balance and fell, scraping her knee badly. Now, Meena understood why her mother said that laziness is wicked. Meena realized she had been very wicked. She closed her eyes and sincerely prayed to God, “Oh god! Please let things be as before. I promise not to be lazy anymore.” God was satisfied that Meena learnt her lesson at last. He withdrew his boon and things started to happen normally. Now, Meena was always working and took good care never to be lazy. MORAL: Never be lazy and don’t depend for things to be done automatically. Be fit and active. Laziness is a sign of being unhealthy. -Akshaya Srinivasan, Grade – VI B Fun Facts About Dinosaurs Compsognathus was the smallest dinosaur ever. Argentinosaurus was the heaviest weighing 95 tonnes. Tyrannosaurus rex was the most powerful dinosaur and deserves to be called The King. The word Dinosaur comes from Greece and means Terrible Reptile. Spinosaurus eats fish but not meat but still is a Theropod. Giganotosaurus is bigger but not as powerful as T-Rex. - Ivaan, VI B Learning to Draw I love drawing and shading. It took me a while to make this drawing, which I think is pretty good. Obviously there are a few flaws, but I am still learning and hope to make better drawings than this. In this drawing I have used white paint to make the snow and my shading pencils to draw the rest. -Jahnvi Sharma, VI C
132 |Shri Darpan The Power of Positive Thinking 1 st Everything might not be nice, fancy or how you like it. Searching for positivity in everything is a superior quality that might help you in so many situations. Like, going to a regular restaurant might not be such a terrible thing as going to a fancy restaurant and wasting money when one can get the same exact thing in a regular restaurant. Think about it! Everything depends on your thinking. It might be positive or negative. 2nd) Do not change yourself for anybody Hundreds of people might say you are not good enough for something but that should not bring you down. Nothing is stronger than your opinion. You should believe in yourself. That is what is important. Do not care about what other people say about you if that brings you down and makes you doubt your goals or whatever you want to do. You can be yourself. There is no need to change. Do what you want. There is no need to change your wants either. - Yuvika, VI B Arstistic Expressions of II E Aaradhya Arya Veeksha Vaishno Podugu Aarohi Bonda Ananya Muvva Anaya Tiwari Arya Samhitha Dadi Ashrith Narayan Tikka Vihaan Dev Roy
133 |Shri Darpan Avyaan Karumuru Ayansh Parag Dekate Chinmayi Sri Varshitha Bobba Ishta Varma Jampana Karan Vashisthta Vivvan Medam Lavin Kacchwal Lohith Chandan Devarapalli Lakshmi Mayukha Samineni Mishti Rajani Mokshagna Yuvaan Nag Upadyaula Musfirah Mohamed Nora Joy Cherian Olena bania Bisoi Reyansh Reddy Gaddam
134 |Shri Darpan Rishit Singh Ruthvika Maguluri Ryan Ray Saavi Shah Kilambi Venkata Sreedham Shraddha Kulkarni Reyansh Tiwari My Unforgettable School Trip After reaching our destination, the next day was exhausting. We had to wake up at 4:00 am to get ready for the most tiring day of my life. We left for Chandigarh by train at 6am.After the train ride, we went to Shimla by bus. This part was my least favourite because it was 6 hours long. Before we reached the camp, we stopped at the Mall Road. All the shops were spectacular selling keychains, posters, magnets, dolls, purses, wooden toys, etc. At the camp, the sky was filled with stars! The tents were nice but filled with huge spiders. The food, however, was really good. The next day was the greatest of all. We went rock climbing which was almost as scary as the parkour. For snacks we had bread pakoda and tea. At around 5:00 pm we went on a trek to visit the “The Temple of My Dreams'' on top of a hill. The temple was marvellous. It had a huge statue of Shivji.The architecture was breath-taking. We returned back to an amazing bonfire! They played songs and danced with Rohit sir. This was truly an unforgettable school trip. - Kaavya Garud, VI C
135 |Shri Darpan From Inspiration to an Art Piece This is a piece of art that displays a tiger and its cub. I was inspired to draw this sketch by the richness of nature. I wanted everyone to feel the richness of wildlife and nature deeply in their hearts and mind when looking at this sketch. I still feel that more work and adjustments can be made to make this sketch perfect like we all say that practice makes us perfect. The message that I want to convey from this sketch is that that we all should take steps to save the wildlife that makes life beautiful on earth. -Sangamithra Srikandan, VI C Compassion A kind gesture can reach a wound. Only compassion can heal. Compassion is defined as the ability to show sympathy towards others. I believe compassion isn’t all about sympathy. It is also about creative problem solving and taking accountability. It’s not for selfless servant leaders. It is honouring your own boundaries and needs. Compassion is a life skill and is definitely not for the faint of heart. In short compassion is the practice of making other people feel capable and valuable in every interaction. -Meghala Rajeev, VI D Celebrating Freedom Through Art Aarushi, VI D Meghla Rajeev, VI D Sai Harshitha, VI D
136 |Shri Darpan Thansi Pilla, VI D Vanteru Sudiksha, VI D Mehak Gupta, VI E Poojitha C, VI E Sidhya Sree, VI E Yash Wadekar, VI E Why Books Are Better Than Movies Storytelling can be done in different formats. The two most popular ones are books and movies. So, which one is better? In my opinion, books are better than movies for the purpose of story-telling. Let me explain my reasons as an avid reader. Movies leave little to the viewers’ imagination. In books, the character’s clothing or attributes are described in words, and we can imagine them from our unique perspective. In movies, however, the character is already there for us to see and hear. The same limitation exists in portraying the surroundings: If we are reading the book, we are free to draw upon our own experiences to imagine the character’s surroundings, but, in a movie, they are already given, leaving no need or potential for imagination. This is the reason movies are considered a passive form of entertainment. They need less from us. Reading books also helps us improve our vocabulary. One important thing that books have and movies do not is that they provide more background information than a movie. Movies follow the rule of Show, Don’t Tell. This is a good rule and book authors are always encouraged to follow it. But, Exposition & Inner Monologues are an integral part of writing and almost impossible to replicate in a movie without making the movie a documentary. Also, when writing a book, the author has all the time to tell a story well. There are many famous series of books with more than five books, each a thousand pages long. But, in movies, we have a limited time to show the same story. This leaves little opportunity to tell a complex story. As a reader, I get more immersed in a book than in a movie made on the same book. I like movies too but this is why I enjoy books more. - Arya Bajpai, VI D
137 |Shri Darpan How Do Authors Really Write Stories and Novels? Have you ever wondered how your favourite authors wrote your favourite books? Many people say that they imagine and create. Maybe that is true, maybe it is not. Maybe all these fantasy stories are real but we just don’t know it yet. When authors write, they may subconsciously enter a world where all the stories you ever read were very real and true. If you are an author, have you ever noticed that if you want to change anything in the story that you are writing, it feels wrong. Somehow it does not match the description you want to write because somehow it doesn't match. Just think about it and maybe you will understand. Maybe all these stories can be real and will be real if you just believe. I believe that “You don’t choose the stories to write, the stories choose you to write it”. I often think about this when I read a book. - Mayurika Srivastava, VI D The Great Chola Dynasty One of the greatest empires in all of South India was The Chola Dynasty. The Chola Dynasty was a Tamil empire known for being one of the longest dynasties, also being one of the three great ruling kingdoms in Tamil Nadu along with the Pandiya dynasty and the Chera dynasty. It had started at the 3rd century Common Era during the reign of Ashoka of the Mauryan Empire, being situated near the river Kaveri in modern Tamil Nadu.The first rulers of the empire were Rajaraja Chola-I followed by his successors Rajendra-I, Rajadhiaja-I, Rajendra-II, Virajendra and Kulothunga Chola-I and so on. Among all these kings, Rajaraja-I born as Arunmozhi Varman was the greatest king as he had extended his empire to the Pandyan country, the Cheran dynasty, North of Sri Lanka and even to Lakshadweep and Thiladhunmathi atoll (Largest atoll/island in the Maldives). The Cholas are mentioned in Ashokan Edicts (inscribed 273 BCE–232 BCE) as one of the Mauryan Empire's neighbours to the South, who were on friendly terms with Ashoka. The year 1279 CE was marked as the end of the Cholan Dynasty. The last Chola king Rajendra-III was defeated by Maravarman Kulasekara Pandyan-I. And so, the Pandyans established their rule in present day Tamil Nadu. -Praneeth, VIE A State Where Women Rule Have you ever heard a place where women have more power than men! The state is Meghalaya. Yes, it is true. In this small place known as Shillong women get more respect than men. Shillong has a culture where women are very valuated. Here when a girl child is born there will be great cheers from the family. If it is a boy, you will hear them mutter
138 |Shri Darpan politely that, 'Whatever God gives us is quite all right.’ In other places people do not pay respect to women. Women were clubbed together with the people who belong to the Dalit caste. The people of Shillong want to bring equality between women and men. They have a saying that when something becomes useful, then, it’s gender changes from male to female. Some factsIn rural areas, female workers are 21.4% while in urban areas, female workers are 16.4%. In Meghalaya, female workers are 51.7% followed by Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh at 50.4% and 47.9%. Assam is at the lowest with 6.9% of female workers. - Krishna Tejas, VI E The Temple of Rats The Karni Mata Temple of Deshnoke, also known as Madh Deshnoke, is a prominent Hindu temple dedicated to Karni Mata in the town of Deshnoke, located 30 km south of Bikaner, in Rajasthan. The temple is a popular destination for tourists and pilgrims and is renowned, both in India and internationally, as the “Temple of Rats” due to the numerous black rats which are considered holy and treated with utmost care by the devotees. Karni Mata was an embodiment of Shakti. Legend has it that she asked her younger sister to marry her husband, Depaji. From her, Depaji had four sons, the youngest of whom was Lakshman. Karniji cared for them as her own children. One day, Lakshman drowned in a Kapil Sarovar in nearby Kolavat while bathing. Her younger sister pleaded to Karni Mata to bring Lakshman back to life. Karni Mata lifted the body brought it to where the idol is placed now, and closed the doors, and said not to open them. She went to the god of death, Yamraj and demanded that Lakshman be returned to life. The god of death queried, "If so, how will the cycle of rebirth work? By what law will it move?" Karni Mata thus declared that her family will not come to Yamraj anymore. "Wherever I live, they will live. When they die, they will stay with me." Then, Karni Mata chose the embodied form of the kābā (black rats) so that when people from her lineage, the Charanas die, they will be reborn as kābā (black rats) and live near her within the temple. When the kābā die, they will again be reborn as human. This is why rats live in that temple. This legend is an example of the unique culture and diversity of India. -Kushaal Alle, VI E A Village with No Doors There is a village in Maharashtra called Shani Shingnapur. It is one of the villages with no doors or no locks. Legend has it that 400 years ago, a black stone landed on the banks of the Panasnala River. When a local shepherd poked the slab with a sharp rod, ‘blood' started oozing from it. Later that night, Lord Shani appeared in the dreams of the shepherd, and said “The stone was his idol.” He promised the shepherd that he will protect the village from any dangers and mishaps.
139 |Shri Darpan Since this day, the villagers have placed all their faith in the god, getting rid of locks or doors. People leave their homes for hours or even days without feeling the need to close it. No one dares steal. They believe that they will be punished with a mental illness, blindness, or bad luck for seven years. However, the locals sometimes cover the entrance of their homes with a panel. This is done to keep the stray dogs away. However, in 2010, a visitor in the village reported a theft of ₹35000 and in 2011 gold ornaments worth ₹70000 went missing. The no-door policy still continues to be an important sell for the village. -Samarth Pandey, VI E Colorful Culture Ours is a land of sages, Known for bravery for ages, None can compete, Its culture none can beat, Caste or their religion, Let us work hard, For its safety, be on guard. Tamil Nadu’s Unique Culture Tamil Nadu is a fascinating state in India that is rich in culture and history. It is home to many ancient temples and sculptures, Tamil is the language spoken in Tamil Nadu for over 2000 years. It is one of the oldest languages. Tamil literature is extremely rich and diverse. Tamil is also spoken in Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore Tamil Nadu is home to a large number of Hindu temples which makes it a popular destination to Hindus. The state has about 40000 temples, which is more than any other state in India. The most famous temple here is the Meenakshi temple which honour’s goddess Meenakshi who is an avatar of goddess Parvati. Other popular temples include Brihadeeswarar Temple in Thanjavur, the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram and the Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram. The site of the first Danish settlement in India is located on the Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu. This was a popular trading post. The Danish settlement prospered for nearly 225 years before it was sold to the British East India Company in 1845. Tamil Nadu has a coastline of 1,076 km, which is the second longest coastline compared in India. The coastline has a diverse range from calm backwaters to the bustling beaches of Chennai. Tamil Nadu has the second largest Mangrove forest in the world, named Pichavaram mangrove forest. This forest covers an area of 1100 hectares. This forest is home to a large number of animals and is also a great tourist destination where you can kayak through the mangrove channels, take boat rides, watch birds etc. Bharatanatyam is a classical dance form that originated from Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest dance forms in India. A common accompaniment for Bharatanatyam performances is Carnatic music.
140 |Shri Darpan The bull-taming festival Jallikattu takes place during January in Tamil Nadu. This festival has been taking place for over 2,000 years and is a popular tourist attraction. The festival involves the release of bulls into a crowd, and participants try to tame the bulls by grabbing their horns. Higginbotham is a book store that was founded in Madras (now Chennai) in 1844. It is the oldest surviving book store in India and it is still in operation today. Higginbotham is a popular destination for both locals and tourists, who come to browse its large collection of books. -Ishika, VI F Facts About Indian Culture Our country is famous for many things including its culture. Some fascinating facts about our country are as below- Cows are considered sacred! Yes, it’s true, we worship them in the form of the Gou Mata. India is home to all the major religions. Our country is a secular nation which means we are diverse in every way!! India is the Land of Temples! India has over 300,000 mosques and 2 million temples! Rajasthan has a temple of Rats! Woah! Surprised? Millions of rats call that temple HOME!! This makes it one of the most unique temples in the worls! We all play Snakes and Ladders, right? Did you know this game was originated in India?! India has 22 recognized languages! Most of the Indian population eats with their fingers! A truly delicious Indian meal, is truly enjoyed with your fingers! Indian food is a popular cuisine throughout the world. From London to the USA, it has a special place everywhere! -Karuwakeke Sabat, VI F
141 |Shri Darpan Arstistic Expressions of II F Ameya Nigam Mishika Shrivastava Sri Pranav Varma Mohit Paruchuri Siddharth Sai Chinta Ananya Vuppala Anukrita Purang Khushi Muthreja Vivansh Atmakuri Devaansh Parakala Swaroop Thorat Aadvik Sabat Aayansh Dubey Lavanya Upreti Yuvan Rachamalla Ananya Patlolla Atharv Bansal Kanishk Kumar Aadhya C Viaan Swamisetty
142 |Shri Darpan Pradyun Kankipati Taneedy Maanvik Jaiden Akshat Prasoon Murthinti Sri Tara Bobba Riana A Durga Aasritha Kavuru Aarav Ganesh Pedgaonkar Aarav Singh Thakur Havish Runja Reyansh Purwar India: The Land of Cultures Festivals are celebrated with family and friends Delicious food is cooked in homes and dens Beautiful dances are performed here gracefully Sacred temples were built here faithfully Proud to be a part of this diverse place Much to cherish in this land of cultures Diwali and Sankranti, festival of lights and kites Rice, Roti & Dal, food for Indian appetites Bharatanatyam & Kuchipudi, classical performing art forms Golden and Sun temple, built with great norms Proud to be a part of this diverse place Much to cherish in this land of cultures -Neetal Thadakamalla, VI F
143 |Shri Darpan కష్ట ిఫలిత్ం ఒక త్గామంల్ల రామ్మ,సోమ్మ అనే స్నన హతులు ఉండేారు. ాళ్ళ కి ఉనన ఊళ్ళళ సరైన పని దొర్కక జీవనం ఇబబ ందిగా గడవడంతో పని కోసం నగరానికి వచ్చా రు.నగర్ంల్ల ఒక ాయ ారి ద్గరిగ కి వెళ్ళళ .ఏదైన్న పని ఇవా మని అడిగారు. ఆ ాయ ారి ాళ్ళళద్రిద కి చెరొక ఫేమ్ బుట్ిఇచా త్న తోట్ల్ల ఉనన బావల్ల న్నళ్ళళ తోడి , తెలాోరేసరికి తోట్క్త న్నరు పెట్మి ని ఆదేశంచ్చడు. ఫేమ్ బుట్తోి న్నళ్ళళ తోడడమేట్ట తెలివత్క్తక వ కాకపోతే -- -- అనుక్తని సోమ్మఆ రాత్తి పడుక్తన్నన డు. రామ్మమాత్త్ం కషపి డి న్నళ్ళళ తోడుతూనే ఉన్నన డు.కొనిన గంట్ల త్రాా త్ న్నళ్ళ బుట్ల్లి కి బంగారు న్నణేలు వచ్చా యి.రామ్మ ాట్టని ాయ ారికి ఇచ్చా డు.అత్ని త్పయతాన నికి,మంచత్న్ననికి మెచా బహుమతితో ాటు ఉద్యయ గం కూడ్డ ఇచ్చా డు.సోమ్మసగ్గగపడి త్న ఊరికి తిరిగి వెళ్ళపోో యాడు. నిత్యశ్ర ీ సంగ -VI F NITYASREE SANGA, VI F Light Light as bright as Vanilla Cream topping on a cupcake; As lively as God’s showers of wisdom. As wise and mighty like a warrior. As shiny as rays of kindness. As kind to me as I could not have ever imagined. As underestimated as assuming life for granted As a birth cradle of our and many more civilizations As an answer to all the cosmos’s prayer. -Reyansh Nishant, VIF తెలివైన రైతు –తెలివ త్క్తక వ రైతు ఒక రైతు పొలం దునున తా ఉన్నన డు.న్నగలికి ఏద్య త్టుిక్తంది. ఏంద్బాబ అని త్వా తే ఒక చనన సీస్తమూత్ వేస కనబడింది. ఆ సీస్తల్ల ఏమ్మనన ద్య అని రైతు ఆ సీస్తమూత్ తెరిచ్చడు. వెంట్నే ఆ సీస్తల్లనుంచ తెలనిో పొగ బైట్క్త వచా ంది. ఆ పొగ పెద్గదయి ఒక దెయయ ంగా మారిపోయింది. రైతు అదిరిపడి ారిపోబోయాడు. అంత్ల్ల ఆ దెయయ ం రైతును పటుిక్తంది. “చ్చన్న ఏళ్ళ కింద్ట్ ఒకడు ననున పటుిక్తని ఈ సీస్తల్ల బంధంచ భూమిల్ల ాతిపెట్టిడు. అపప ట్టనుంచ తినడ్డనికి తిండి లేదు.తాగడ్డనికి న్నళ్ళళ లేవు.చ్చన్న ఆకలిగా
144 |Shri Darpan ఉంది” అంటూ ానిని చంపబోయింది.అంత్ల్ల ఆ తెలివైన రైతు “ ఆగ్గ----- ఒకక మాట్” అన్నన డు. దెయయ ం “ఏమి”అంది. “నువేా మో ఇంత్ పెద్గాద ఉన్నన వు. ఆ సీస్త ఏమో అంత్ చనన గా ఉంది. మరిదానిల్లనువుా ఎలాపట్టివు?నేనున్నమాట్లునము లేక్తన్నన ను. చంపే మ్మందు ఈ ఒకక అనుమానం తొలగించ చంపు.”అన్నన డు. అపుప డు ఆ దెయయ ం పకపకమని నవుా తూ “ ఓస్ ---అది గూడ్డ తెలీదా ----ఇదిగోచూడు ఇలా “ అంటూపొగలుగా మారి సీస్త ల్లనికి పోయింది. అంతే ---వెంట్నే ఆ రైతు సీస్త మూత్ పెట్టశాి డు. మర్లా పెద్ద గ్గంత్ తీస ఎవరికీ ఎపప ట్టకీ కనబడక్తండ్డ దానినిభూమి ల్లపల ాతేశాడు. రిష్వా క్ -6 F -Rishvik,VI F కోడి గ్గడు ా రాజు ాళ్ళ ఇంట్ట మ్మందు ఉనన పెర్డుల్ల మంచ,మంచ పూల మొకక లు, పళ్ళ మొకక లు పెంచేాడు. రాజు ాళ్ళ పకిక ంట్టల్ల కొనిన కోళ్ళళ ఉండేవ. ఆ కోళ్ళళ రోజూ రాజు ాళ్ళ ఇంట్టల్లకి వచా మొకక లన్నన ాడుచేస్నవ. రాజు పకిక ంట్ట ాళ్ళ తో ‘మీ కోళ్ళళ మీ ఇంట్టల్ల పెటుికోండి.అవ మా మొకక లన్నన ాడు చేస పోతా ఉన్నన యి ‘ అని ఎంత్ చెప్పప న్న ాళ్ళళ పట్టంి చుక్తనే ాళ్ళళ కాదు.రాజు ఒక రోజు ఒక ఉాయం ఆల్లచంచ్చడు.ఒక కోడిగ్గడుా తెచా మొకక ల చ్చటున పెట్టిడు.పకిక ంట్టయనచూస్నట్టుిఆ కోడి గ్గడుాను తీస ‘ అమాు!---పకిక ంట్ట ాళ్ళ కోడి ఈ రోజు కూడ్డ మన ఇంట్టల్ల గ్గడుా పెట్టంి ది. అని అరిచ ఇంట్టల్లకి ఉరికాడు.అదిచూస పకిక ంట్టయన అదిరి పడ్డాడు. “అరెరే ----మా కోడి రోజూ ాళ్ళ ఇంట్టల్ల గ్గడుాపెడుతుననటుిందే”అనుక్తన్నన డు. ఆ రోజు నుండీ ాళ్ళ కోళ్ళ ను రాజు ాళ్ళ ఇంట్టల్లనికి పోనియయ లేదు. SIRICHANDANA DIVVELA -VI F సిరిచందన దివ్వె ల – VI F
145 |Shri Darpan Feliz Cumpleaños - Ayesha Pathak, VA
146 |Shri Darpan Balaji Temple One of the most mysterious temples in India, Balaji temple is also famed for being probably the only place in India where exorcisms by priests are still carried out. Facts about Balaji Temple – 1. The temple is dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara 2. the Lord himself transformed into a stone; the idol is considered to be extremely powerful. 3. A strong belief on a legend about the actual existence of Swamy is found in the region. 4. there was a king of unknown name who killed 12 people for a crime they committed and hanged them on the gates of this temple. The temple got closed for 12 years and Swamy made an appearance 5. The two imprints on his chest represent the places reserved for Lakshmi and Padmavathi on his body. 6. Often referred to as the richest god, Srinivasa or Balaji, 7. The name Balaji refers to Shri Hanuman 8. Tirupati was developed by Pallava Kings from 6th century onwards. 9. Tirupati temple's assets include over 10 tonnes of gold, cash worth ₹15,938cr 10. Lord Balaji is believed to be an avatar of the Hindu god, Shri Vishnu. - Sree Anvitha K, VA
147 |Shri Darpan Arstistic Expressions of II G Aadhya Manikanthan Aadhya Reddy Ippala Aarav Balyan Aditi Jena Advik Reddy Amogh Rajendra Shinde Arun Alexander Jha Bhargavi Bommakanti Dhanush Raj Perugu Eshitha Surpaneni Evara Sarmah Garv Paliwal Grihita Reddy Kappeta Haanvi Gogineni Harshitha Voleti
148 |Shri Darpan Jayrit Singh Nidhi Ramaram Jinay Chordia Nihaar Reddy Katta Loukya Alle Pranav Jasti Mitakshi Deshmukh Reyaansh Somani Neevan Mehra Samhitha Sri Lasya Shreyansh Tewari Shriya Joshi Tanishka Singhal Virat Singla The Mystical Beauty of Monasteries Monasteries go back to the 4th century in Egypt and Syria. A monastery is a house or place of residence occupied by a community of persons, especially monks, living in seclusion under religious vows. Monasticism emerged in the late 3rd century and had become an established institution in the Christian church by the 4th century. Monks and nuns performed many practical services in the Middle Ages, for they housed travellers, nursed
149 |Shri Darpan the sick, and assisted the poor; Abbots and abbesses dispensed advice to secular rulers. Monasteries are built beautifully and Tawang Monastery of India is one of the most beautiful monastery, the Tawang monastery should be on your bucket list and many other as every single one is unique. - Digvijay Lakshetty, VA Mysterious Secrets of the Meenakshi Amman Temple The Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu is known as one of the most mysterious temples around India, but why? It is the only temple in which Lord Shiva is smiling!!! People say that he has a strong connection with the temple and the place (Madurai). Here is a mythological story that I created on the mystery of this temple. Long ago in the era of the gods, between 1500 B.C and 23oo B.C a family in Madurai were tensed. They were the family of the great king Sundereshwar. It was time for their daughter, Meenakshi to get married but to who? After two days Meenakshsi came running home. “I want to marry Lord Shiva,” she said. “But how do we send him the message huh?” said the king. “I don’t know how but arrange for it” she said. “Fine I will see for it” said the king. The king tried and tried to send one of his men to Kailash parvath (mount Everest) but none could reach because of the strong ice storms and mudslides. At last he gave up. “Meenakshi, I am sorry. None of my men could reach the place where Lord Shiva lives in Kailash Parvath,” he said to his daughter. “But WHY? I was so happy that you were trying to arrange for me, I put my trust in you AND THIS IS WHAT I GET?” she questioned. “I am sorry lad. I failed” he replied. The next day Meenakshi went out with her sculpting kit, but never returned. She had sculpted lord shiva smiling nearly 2 kilometers away from the royal palace. In front of the sculpture she prayed. Prayed with all her might. After a year she opened her eyes expecting lord shiva to stand there but saw no one. Her blood boiled. She looked to the north toward Kailash Parvath and shouted, “I LEFT HOME AND PRAYED TO YOU FOR ONE YEAR FEEDING ON NOTHING BUT LEAVES AND THIS IS WHAT I GET? I HEARD TAILS OF YOUR GRATITUDE, WHERE IS YOUR GRATITUDE NOW?” She then told herself to relax. She thought that maybe if she goes to Kailash Parvath herself the lord will accept her. She then headed north to Kailash Parvath. She was successful!!!! She had reached safe and sound. She then heard a voice. “You have passed the test, when your father sent his men, they gave up trying to pass the ice storms but you didn’t. From now on you will be known by the name of Parvathi. I shall accept you whole heartedly,” said the voice. At once she knew who the voice belonged to. “Thank you lord,” she cried. “Not lord just Shiva. I will meet you in Madurai by the time you get back,” the voice said. Things were tense in the city. The king had discovered the sculpture Meenakshi had made and thought that Lord Shiva had abducted her. He had destroyed the sculpture and stopped all of his subjects from worshiping Lord Shiva. When Meenakshi came home and saw what her father had done she started boiling with rage. She walked straight home and shouted “WHY DID YOU DESTROY THE BEAUTIFUL SCULPTURE OF SHIVA THAT I MADE?”
150 |Shri Darpan Surprised to see his daughter back home, the king cried, “Oh Meenakshi where were you? Your mother and me were so tense. We thought Lord Shiva had abducted you on seeing the sculpture of him smiling. I am so foolish. Are you all right?”. “ALL RIGHT? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME TO BE ALL RIGHT WHEN YOU BROKE THE RESULT OF MY SCULPTING SKILLS? WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD SHIVA ABDUCT ME HUH? WHAT MADE YOU THINK THAT I WAS ABDUCTED?” she bellowed. “Calm down Parvathi” said the same voice she had heard earlier on Kailash Parvath. “You came” she said calming down. Suddenly a man with greenish blue skin and a glowing blue throat which was not fully seen (because of the snake wrapped around it) appeared. It was lord Shiva. “Parvathi? My daughter’s name is Meenakshi not Parvathi. I think you have a misunderstanding my lord,” said the King. “My name is Parvathi now. There is no misunderstanding. My Shiva gave me a new name,” said Parvathi. “Sorry I got angry on your dad. I would also have reacted like you if I were in your shoes,” she said. “You have taken good care of her. Therefore, from now on you will be known by my name here in Madurai. My name is Sundereshwar,” said the king to Lord Shiva. Soon Parvathi and Shiva were married. In the place where they were married a memorial was built. Parvathi had sculpted Lord Shiva smiling again in the memorial. When the memorial was built, the king named it as Meenakshi Amman Memorial which meant mother Meenakshi memorial. Later, when the king died, people started praying in the memorial and from then on, the Meenakshi Amman memorial came to be known as Meenakshi Amman Temple. -Bhavya Dorwal, VA Riddle Time! 1. Who cannot enter lord Jagannath temple? 2. What are three idols in lord Jagannath temple? 3. Why cannot birds fly in lord Jagannath temple?