Face reading - Face the facts:

Driven by shear curiosity, since I have immense interest in such subjects, wondered how my life would change if I could read the private thoughts of others. I could choose friends based on their character traits rather than the trial and error method and for that matter anyone with such skills can become superman/women provided he/she is an expert in physiognomy.

Face reading is a fascinating tool for exploring who we are, as well as learning what is possible, both for us and others. After all knowledge is power.  Interpretation of character and fate from the study of a person's face is called 'Physiognomy' or 'Face reading'. It is obvious that when we meet an unknown person, we try to understand his feelings by looking at his face. So the origin of Physiognomy traces back to the date of origin of human beings.  

Face reading dates back to Aristotle who is believed to have advised Alexander on who was to be suitably employed. This science of Physiognomy is not new to India and China. The Chinese have been reading faces for thousands of years. Chinese texts dating back 300 B.C., mention Physiognomy. This form of divination is best learnt from a master. Even though Homer, Socrates and Pythagoras make reference to Physiognomy; the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle seem to have given most frequent attribution.  He devoted six chapters to the method in his physiognomy volume.

American anthropologists James Carey and A T Steegman found that the size of our noses depends on where we were born and where our ancestors came from. According to them, we need noses to humidify and warm the air that goes into our lungs. In cold, dry countries people tend to have long, sharp noses because they have to deal with harsh air conditions.

In February 2009, Glasgow University conducted a study that examined whether self-assessed personality characteristics could be identified from appearance. Glasgow University's, Dr Rob Jenkins said: "It's possible that there is some correlation between appearance and personality because both are influenced by our genetic make-up."

The shape of a person's face is influenced by heredity, environment and emotional experiences.  The face tells the story of the entire body in its expression and its repression. People with big nose make Big Money, and those with a broad one have a powerful sex drive. Studies go into great detail about the spirit, essence, energy, animal morphology, elemental body types, complexion, radiance and glossiness of the skin, vitality and mind. Though methods vary, the face is generally divided up into sections and sectors that refer to organs in the body and points are assigned to the face. The lines, moles, knots, shape, color and texture of the flesh are observed to determine one’s character, longevity, wealth, fertility and general health.

When an experienced face reader or personality analyst studies your face structure, understands the hidden expressions on your face, observes your skin tones, pigmentation and color, locates the position of each facial organ with relation to each other, compares your face with various other set stereo-types to give you a detailed analysis of your past, current & future personality, basic aspects about your future family and love life.

A child read faces all the time. Studies in child development show infants as young as the pre-speech stage of life read their mothers faces to detect moods, energy level and disposition.

I remember of having read a bit about Stevie Wonder. The artist was quoted as saying, “God made me blind so that I could teach those with eyes how to see.” I invite you to let me teach you how to see the vast world which exists in the contours of the human face.

A physiognomic named Yoshito Mizuno was employed from 1936 to 1945 by the Imperial Japanese Naval Aeronautics Department. Admiral Yamamoto's staff discovered that he could predict with over 80% accuracy, the qualifications of candidates to become successful pilots.

By the way, even if you are an expert in face reading, remember a Chinese Proverb:

Do not employ beautiful girls in your office and never employ handsome servants at home.

Photos shown here are my own and are part of my FLICKR album. I own the copy right. 

Beautiful blooms – Gerbera Daisies:

Distinguished by their large, beautiful blooms and wide assortment of vibrant colors, gerbera daisies have become a favorite flower choice for expressing cheerful sentiments. The traditional flower, gerbera daisy means beauty and innocence.

Distinguished by large flowering heads that closely resemble those of sunflowers, gerbera daisies come in a vibrant rainbow of colors. Bright pink, snow white, sunny yellow, and ruby red are just a few of the gorgeous colors that these happy flowers boast.

The gerbera daisy was discovered in 1884 near Barberton, South Africa, by Scotsman Robert Jameson. While the flower’s scientific name, Gerbera jamesonii, recollects the name of its founder, the meaning of its common name draws from German naturalist Traugott Gerber. Breeding programs that began in England in 1890 enhanced the flower’s quality and color variations. The gerbera daisy’s popularity soon traveled to growers in the Netherlands which, along with Columbia, is the primary distributor of the flower’s cut version today. The gerbera currently ranks as the fifth most popular flower in the world behind the rose, carnation, chrysanthemum, and tulip.

There are many types of flowers which can help to express our thoughts and feelings for our loved ones, but the gerbera daisy and its meaning stand out as one of the most distinctly bright and merry. With its bold and striking appearance, the gerbera daisy has become the most highly-prized daisy variety. When you send gerbera daisies, know that these fresh flowers convey a deeply meaningful message and make a lively lasting impression. Apart from all, the gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colors available.

Some Interesting Facts about Gerberas:

• Having a long vase life, Gerbera flowers are widely used in the Cut Flower Industry. Gerberas are great flowers for adding color to any room or garden.
• Gerberas are also referred to as Gerbera Daisies, daisy being a general name for all species in the family Asteraceae, to which Gerberas belong.
• Gerbera flowers often measure 7 inches (17.8 cm) across.
• Gerberas come in a wide range of colors - from light to dark yellow, orange, pink, brilliant scarlet, deep red, and many more colors.
• Gerberas can be used in landscapes as bedding plants for borders and flower beds or as Cut Flowers for table arrangements.
• Gerberas are native to Transvaal, South Africa.
• Hybrid Gerbera varieties cloned through tissue culture are uniform, and have long-lasting flowers with thick peduncles that are not light sensitive; hence, flowers remain open in the dark, lending themselves to indoor use in flower arrangements. 

As a Photographer I have an excellent collection of these beauties and I have posted a few of them here that were very popular among my friends in Flickr too. See the Beauty and innocence for your self.

Diwali – Festival of light:

The festival of light in India had just gone. Traditionally, Diwali was celebrated by lighting earthen lamps signifying the triumph of good over evil by dispelling darkness with light, exchanging sweets and wishes followed by Lakshmi Puja.

Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is celebrated with fervor and gaiety. The festival is celebrated by young and old, rich and poor, throughout the country to dispel darkness and light up their lives. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.

The festival of Diwali is truly a “Festival of Lights”, as it not only involves lighting of Lamps but, it brings the light of happiness, togetherness, spiritual enlightment and prosperity for everyone.

With the sounds of crackers killing all bad-omens, the lighted lamps-lighting the lives of people, the prayers and pujas creating an atmosphere full of goodness and purity, the festival of Diwali indeed fills the atmosphere with an aura of goodness and a heaven like atmosphere.

Indians celebrate with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, and worship to Lakshmi. Some believe that Lakshmi wanders the Earth looking for homes where she will be welcomed. People open their doors and windows and light lamps to invite Lakshmi in.

A night of anticipation & excitement, to me, this year Diwali was more of real photographic experience than the previous years. Gone are those days, I don’t enjoy Diwali any more but I watch youngsters to whom Diwali means only crackers and nothing else. The enforcement of new rules to curb child labour, smoke & noise pollution awareness, the extreme stress and fear in animals and the ever rising cost of fire crackers means wasteful expenditure and lastly global issues compels Indians to go green during such festivals.

Here are some of my images of traditional light, firing of flowerpots & rockets captured on the night of Diwali from my house and neighborhood. Truly a photographers delight to snap such images of light & fireworks and I immensely enjoyed the festival the way I wanted.

A little ruthless laughter – Medical jokes:

“A little ruthless laughter clears the air as nothing else can do; It is good for us, every now and then, to see our ideals laughed at, our conception of nobility caricatured; It is good for solemnity’s nose to be tweaked, for human pomposity to be made to look ridiculous.” - Aldous Huxley

1. “I do like your uniform,” said the young Mrs. Laxman, “Tell me, what do you do exactly.”

“I’m a naval surgeon.”

“Really? Said Mrs. Laxman. “How you doctors specialize…………..

2. “That osteopath swore he’d have me walking within six months.”

“And did he?”

“He certainly did. He’s sent me three bills so far and I’ve had to sell my car!”

3. Referal letter from G.P. to specialist: “This patient, Mrs. H…….. has been married for two years but has never achieved satisfaction. I wonder whether you can help her.”

4. She was a sweet young thing; he was a fast rising account executive with a well known advertising agency. Everyone thought it was an ideal marriage. But alas, there was a problem……with sex. The honeymoon hadn’t even begun.

“B-b-being an advertising man,” she sobbed to a friend, “ all he does every night is sit on the edge of the bed and tell me how wonderful it’s going to be!”

5. Instructor: “Outline the steps to be taken in the rescue and resuscitation of a drowning man.”

Keen pupil: “One- get the man out of the water. Two- get the water out of the man.

6. Dyspepsia is the remorse of a guilty stomach.

7. A 75 year-old woman visited her doctor. Her major complaint was that she was finding it hard to sleep.” Please doctor; give me a prescription for some of those birth control pills. Then I know I’ll sleep.”

The doctor answered, but Mrs. Patel, the birth control pill has nothing in it that will affect sleep. It’s for a different purpose entirely.

“I know, I know. Believe me; I know it will help me. She replied.

More to humor the old lady than anything else, the doctor wrote out a prescription for a month’s supply of the pill. A month passed and there she was back again at the doctor’s office. “Oh doctor,” she beamed, “those pills were wonderful! The best rest I’ve had in ages! Give me another month’s supply.”

“Look Mrs. Patel,” answered the doctor,” there is absolutely nothing in the pill that can help you sleep. Believe me, I’m a doctor and I know.”

Retorted the old lady. “So you’re a doctor; Well, I’m a grandmother and my 18-year-old grand –daughter lives with me. Every morning I put a pill in her orange juice, and YOU believe me. I sleep better!”

 8. Advertisement in medical journal: “Vacancies exist for two female physiotherapists, preferably with some experience. Varied work embracing in-patients and out-patients…”

9. “Everybody I meet is so irritating,” a tense, nervous patient complained to her doctor. He prescribed a tranquilizer and told her to come back in a week and let him know how she was feeling.

“Have you noticed any change in your mental attitude?” he asked on her next visit.

“None at all,” she replied. “I feel just the same – but I’ve noticed that other people are acting a lot better.”

10. A pretty young lady brought an under-weight baby to be examined by the doctor.

“Hmm,” said the doctor, after looking at the baby,” very undernourished I’m afraid. Excuse me, madam…….”

He undid the lady’s blouse and examined her breasts with care.” Just as I thought!” he announced. “You’re not producing any milk!”

I should hope not, doctor!” she beamed. I’m his maiden aunt.

11. Advertisement in a newspaper:

“Wanted: A Gentleman, preferably with medical knowledge, to undertake sale and promotion of patent medicine. The advertiser guarantees it will be profitable to the undertaker.”

12. Doctor to call Girl: “You look run down. My advice is that you stay out of bed for a week or two.”

Content courtesy: Himalaya drug house, Bombay, India product catalogue launch souvenir, Titled “Laughter the best medicine” Year 1970. 

A day at Wonder La: Bangalore, India

Not all days are same. Yesterday wasn’t all that good at Bannarghatta. But today our luck and stars favored us as the whole day we spent our time at Wonder La, a theme and amusement park near Bangalore that turned out to be the most refreshing and entertaining day for all of us.

 

 I was much thrilled because the day was a different kind of experience in photography. The whole day I was clicking around more than 200 snaps and never took part in any of the mind blowing rides or other attractions. It was for others to enjoy and to me the very purpose of the trip was photography and enjoyed their enjoyment through my lens. Here you can see some of them.

On entering the park, I found that it is well maintained. Signboard and displays were very informative and were put up in a thoughtful manner and the well  planned cloak room facility was immensely useful. The lawns and walk area all around the theme park, the restaurants, and the toilet facilities were perfect in all aspects.  To say in one two words, spick and span. You can easily spot Wonder La if you are driving from Mysore to Bangalore. They have a huge Giant Wheel mounted on a tower.

While in queue for tickets I heard someone whispering from behind, Oh, so costly Rs.520 per head. I too felt so but on our way back after 8 hours of non stop entertainment had the feeling that it was worth the money. If you ever happened to be in Bangalore, India, make sure you visit this place, especially with family and friends.

In all there are more than 40 types of rides and some of them are really high thrill rides. The rides are both water as well as dry ones. Shake a leg at the Rain Disco or scream your guts out on the dizzying dry and wet rides.

 

A day at Wonder La will have your bones rattling and mind spinning. Highly recommended is insanity, a dry ride that will drive you insane as it twists, turns and throws you around at a height. The Boomerang is wild and wet - definitely not for the faint hearted.

The younger ones can enjoy fun rides like Jumping frogs. For kids there are many smaller versions of rides including vertical drop, toy train, trains in caves and crazy cars and many other attractions.

Refuel at any of the five restaurants offering good vegetarian and non-vegetarian food and once again get on to business as many times as you want in any of the  rides as there is no entry fee at each ride entry point as it’s all included in main entrance ticket cost.

 

Take part in Rain Disco, with 10,000 watts of hi-fidelity sound, psychedelic laser lights choreographed showers of warm water. Sea wave pool with warm water is one of the main attractions as you can see in the image the atmosphere is typical beach like ambiance with a lighthouse in background and waves are turned on at regular intervals for hundreds to mock a swim against tides.

 

At exit you come across laser and water fountain show auditorium like a bonus package here. After you get tired of all the rides, you can actually come here and enjoy the impressive laser and water show that lasts for about 30 minutes.

 

 

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Palm leaf inscription – Digital version

Apart from coin collections, ancient, old, and new coins and currency notes of various countries, my prized possession with some real antique value is a bundle of palm leaf inscription. I don’t know the origin from where and how did it come to my house and all, I am quite sure its from my great grand parents, but all that I can say is that in our childhood days these palm leaf bundle was our playing cards for me, my brothers and sisters. But then we were kids and never knew the value of this master piece.

Now, nearly after 40 years, it’s with me well preserved and protected. Now I know the value of these and did a research even on that by contacting many scholars and found that the inscription is all about Hindu religion and practice. From the script even the scholars couldn’t determine as how old it is!!

In ancient days, oral transmission was the only means of spreading knowledge. Later, when knowledge in all fields diversified and also to store these vast amounts of knowledge for the future generations, the need for recording arose and different types of easily available materials were used for recording purposes. Palm leaves were the traditional inscribing materials of India. Leaves of two species of palms were in use. Borassus flabellifer.linn and Corypha umbraculifera.linn there were indigenous techniques to produce and preserve such materials.

The instrument used for inscribing on palm leaf sheaves is an iron spike of various lengths, shapes and weights. Some are about 24cms long and weighing nearly 500 grams.

Fine soot from traditional firewood burned hearths is rubbed on to the inscribed surface to highlight the text. Palm leaf books are of various sizes, as small as 10 cm to 60 cm and the usual length is 45 cm. The palm leaf books will remain intact for many years by proper preservation techniques.

The word, Palm Leaf, was chosen as it was a popular medium of writing in India for almost two thousand years. Letters were written on a dried, smoothed, smoke treated leaves of palm trees using a stylus. These were then blackened with vegetable juice and lamp black. Major literary works like the Mahabharata were originally inscribed on palm leaves. Even the later copper plate inscriptions were first etched on palm leaves.

It is Interesting to note that more than 55% of the epigraphical inscriptions, about 55,000, found by the Archaeological Survey of India in India are in Tamil language, my mother tongue.

Through these images you can see on this photolog the Digital and electronic version of those palm leaves.

The Images are my own and posted a few of them in Flickr too.