Fascinating Facts about Dwarka City

Dwarka is a Hindu Pilgrimage city located in the state of Gujarat in India. Dwarka includes herself in the Char Dham Pilgrimage which is a highly sacred pilgrimage for Hindus and help them attain moksha. The other four cities, part of the Char Dham Pilgrimage include Badrinath, Puri and Rameshwaram. Dwarka is also one of the Sapta Puris. Sapta Puri means the seven holy cities of India, every Hindu must visit. The seven cities in Sapta Puri include Ayudhya, Mathura, Varanasi, Kanchipuram, Ujjain, Haridwar and Dwarka. Dwarka literally means 'gateway to heaven'. This city was build by Lord Krishna. It was considered to be his capital city. Lord Krishna along with the other Yadavas are said to have spent most of his time in Dwarka.

City of Dwarka

The Existence of Dwarka City

According to the Hindu Mythology, the city of Dwarka submerged in the Arabian Sea, not once but six times. The present city of Dwarka is considered to be the seventh such city built in the same area. The Marine Archaeology Unit of the National Institute of Oceanography has been engaged in the offshore excavation and exploration of the legendary Dwarka City since 1983. The boulders on which the city walls were erected, were found in this excavation which proved that the land indeed was reclaimed by the sea. Dwarka finds it's mention in various ancient texts, especially in Mahabharata. In Mahabharata, Dwarka has been mentioned as a well-fortified and prosperous city, which again proved it's existence.

Fascinating Facts About Dwarka City

1. It is believed that worshiping Lord Krishna in Dwarka can help you get rid of your sins and help you attain moksha.

2. Because it is believed that Lord Krishna lived in Dwarka as a Prince, the city of Dwarka worships him in the same mood. The idol of Krishna, also referred as the Dwarkadhish is dressed in extravagance.

3. The Dwarkadhish deity holds conch, club, disc and lotus flower in his four hands and each of these are covered in silver.

4. The compound of the Dwarkadhish Temple include many small shrines, namely Lakshmi Temple, Radhika Temple, Balarama Temple, Pradyumna Temple, Anirrudha Temple, Satyabhama Temple and Purshottama Vishnu Temple.

5. The present Dwarkadhish Temple was built in the sixteenth century.

6. The original temple of Dwarka was said to be built by Vajranabha, the grandson of Lord Krishna.

7. The temple of Dwarkadhish is built using soft limestone. The temple consists of a sanctum, vestibule and a big rectangular hall with porches on three sides.

8. The Dwarkadhish Temple has two entry points, known to be the Swarga Dwar or heaven gateways. There is one exit point for the pilgrims which is known as the Moksha Dwar.

9. The amazing discoveries and explorations by marine archaeologists over the four decades pointed to the fact that the remains of the city found over the years dated back to the Mahabharat Era.

10. Thousands of devotees and pilgrims from all over the world gather at the Dwarka City to celebrate Janmashtami in full swing every year.

Acceptance Poem By Robert Frost

Acceptance is a sonnet by Robert Frost. This beautiful poem implies about accepting facts of life, whether its an event or a threat to one's existence... what is important is to accept it as part and parcel of life and just live hoping to be safe and sound to see the next day.

Acceptance

                     - By Robert Frost

When the spent sun throws up its rays on cloud

And goes down burning into the gulf below,

No voice in nature is heard to cry aloud

At what has happened. Birds, at least must know

It is the change to darkness in the sky.

Murmuring something quiet in her breast,

One bird begins to close a faded eye;

Or overtaken too far from his nest,

Hurrying low above the grove, some waif

Swoops just in time to his remembered tree.

At most he thinks or twitters softly, ''Safe!

Now let the night be dark for all of me.

Let the night be too dark for me to see

Into the future. Let what will be, be.''

How Are Valleys Formed?

Valleys are the low lying areas present between two hills or two mountains. Valleys are usually formed near water bodies such as rivers and hence they are dense with vegetation and have great soil fertility. When water bodies such as rivers flow through mountains or hills they wear out the rock and the soil thus creating grooves within. These grooves over a period of time get deeper and deeper causing big dents within the mountain. These grooves are usually V-shaped or U-shaped and the curve deepens over a period of time to form valleys.

U-shaped Valley

The formation of valleys usually depend upon the speed of the flow of the water. Faster the flow, deeper and wider the valley. When glaciers form valleys they are called glacial valleys. The shape of glacial valley is U-shape. However when a valley is formed due to soil erosion it is usually V-shaped and these valleys are know as rift valleys. Due to it's rich soil fertility and dense vegetation, valleys can cater to civilizations. The valleys also tend to offer a favorable climate for living. And hence many such civilizations had known to flourish in the valleys. One such known civilization of valley is the Indus Valley Civilization on the Indus River. The world's deepest valley is the Kali Gandaki River in Nepal. It is known to lie between two Himalayan Peaks namely, Dhaulagiri and Annapurna which are 8000 meter high respectively.

Why Do We Have Different Skin Color?

We often wonder why we and all around us differ so much when it comes to skin color. The color of the human skin varies almost from light translucent to almost black. All these wide varied colors that we human being have come from a particular pigment known as melanin. The type and amount of melanin present in an individual's body defines his or her color.

The color of every individual is more or less affected by the presence of four pigments in the body - melanin, oxygenated hemoglobin, reduced hemoglobin and carotene. However melanin stands out as the most powerful of all and gives us the color that we have. Melanin pigment are produced by special cells known as melanocytes which are found in the epidermis of our skin. Genes control the production of melanin cells in an individual body. The melanin producing cells in every adult ranges from 60,000 in each square inch of the skin. Few melanocytes mean less pigment which means lighter skin. Hence we have different skin color depending upon the production of melanin.

Besides melanin one more factor that affects one's skin color is haemoglobin. Haemoglobin combines with oxygen to produce the rosy complexion which is often referred as a sign of good health. Reduced haemoglobin causes anemia which makes a person appear pale. 

Mount Wycheproof in Australia - The Smallest Mountain in the World

Located in the Wycheproof town in Victoria, Australia; Mount Wycheproof is the smallest mountain in the world. Formed around thousand years ago, Mount Wycheproof is a granite outcrop and surfaces as a rocky, conical peak. Sustaining about 43 meters above the landscapic topography, this mountain is known for its elegant and distinctive pinkish colored geological substance - Wycheproofite!! The Mount Wycheproof is located in a flat grassland area. This hill plays a major role within the local community. Annual races are held within hill top. Apart from that,  there are several walking trails throughout the hill. The wildlife of Mount Wycheproof comprises of animals including kangaroos and emus. 

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening Poem By Robert Frost

Stopping By Woods On a Snowy Evening is a short poem by Robert Frost which works with nature as a theme. It is said to be one of the Robert Frost's famous poems.

Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening

    

        - By Robert Frost

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound's the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

Design Poem by Robert Frost

The Design poem by Robert Frost is a sonnet that makes us think whether everything that happens in the nature is planned and executed with perfection. The three characters on which the poem is based is a spider, moth and a flower.

Design

                          - By Robert Frost

I found a dimpled spider, fat and white,

On a white heal-all, holding up a moth

Like a white piece of rigid satin cloth ---

Assorted characters of death and blight

Mixed ready to begin the morning right,

Like the ingredients of a witches' broth ---

A snow-drop spider, a flower like a froth,

And dead wings carried like a paper kite.

What had that flower to do with being white,

The wayside blue and innocent heal-all?

What brought the kindred spider to that height,

Then steered the white moth thither in the night?

What but design of darkness to appall? ---

If design govern in a thing so small.