Manisha Deveshvar on Pitara Kids Network

Appearances are Deceptive

Mon, 03 Dec 2001 10:00:41 +0000

One day Bina the ant was scurrying about in search of food. Summer was almost over and autumn was approaching. Soon it would be winter and food would be difficult to find. Bina knew it was necessary to stock as much as possible so that her ant colony could have enough to eat during the difficult months ahead.

She had collected quite a bit already. Now she was on the lookout for bits of sweetmeats that younger members of her colony loved to munch on after their meal. Darting to and fro between trees and shrubs, Bina suddenly smelt the sweet aroma of pastry. She quickly went around the bush and there she saw it – a large bit of pastry with a whole raisin in it!

The Good Turn

Sun, 30 Mar 2003 09:09:35 +0000

Every time Gina walked down the lane where she lived, some neighbour or the other would remark that ‘The Brat’ was off to some place.

The six-year-old was the only child of her parents and they spoilt her totally. Even when she was a small child, her parents had never refused her anything. And she, in turn, always made sure that she got what she wanted.

One day Gina’s mother, Nitya Mehta, suddenly noticed that her daughter was not ready to share anything with her friends – be it a book, a toy or something to eat.

Why do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?

Wed, 22 Oct 2003 00:43:52 +0000

When someone falls from the fourth or fifth floor, and survives, we call it a miracle. When a cat falls from that height, we watch astonished as it lands on all fours, pauses, then straighten up and walks away looking just a little fazed. What would you call this, a miracle or God’s grace?

Any guesses why cats survive while humans don’t? Well, it all has to do with the in-built ability of a cat to adjust its position during a sudden fall, its light weight and lithe muscular body. While humans tumble uncontrollably and completely lose control over their bodies when they fall, cats are able to straighten themselves even in mid-air and manage to fall on their feet.

Dolphin in the Mirror

Sun, 30 Mar 2003 21:47:06 +0000

May 3: Dolphins are much more intelligent than humans previously thought. Scientists have recently discovered that bottle-nosed dolphins can recognise themselves in the mirror – much like you and I can!

When you see a zit on your face, what do you do? Go to the mirror time and again, and wonder what it is still doing there. Well, this is exactly what two male bottle-nosed dolphins, Presley and Tab, do as well. So, these lovable aquatic animals are not just seafarers’ friends, but they are also aware of their bodies – almost like humans!

Hamid Buys an Eid Present

Sun, 13 Feb 2000 00:29:48 +0000

Festival of Eid
English translation of ‘Eidgah’ (Hindi)
Written by Munshi Premchand
Translated by Khushwant Singh
Published by National Book Trust, New Delhi

Translated by the veteran columnist and writer, Khushwant Singh, Festival of Eid retains the compelling essence of the original work.

This well illustrated book tells the story of Eid, as it is celebrated in a small village, and stresses that festivals are actually about showing the love and concern that we feel for our near and dear ones.

Welcome to Blind Cow Restaurant

Tue, 16 Sep 2003 06:01:18 +0000

Almost two years ago, a blind pastor, Reverend Jorge Spielmann started a restaurant for the blind in the city of Zurich, in Switzerland. Almost all the chefs, bartenders and waitresses who worked at the Blind Cow, as the restaurant was named, were also blind.

Now, not just the blind, but even people who can see with their eyes flock to this restaurant for the unique experience it provides, apart from the good fare it dishes out.

Iftar: The Meal that Breaks the Fast at Ramadan

Tue, 07 Oct 2003 02:39:04 +0000

It is the month of Ramadan (Ramzan) in the Islamic calendar and, for those who believe in it, each day of the month follows an identical routine: a fast from sunrise to sunset. At sundown, after a whole day of not eating or even taking a sip of water, the fast is broken. It is the time when the family gets together and eats a light but energy-giving healthy meal. This is Iftar, or the meal that breaks the fast.

Preparing for Winter

Sat, 01 Sep 2001 22:38:51 +0000

Autumn was coming to an end. All the insects and animals were working very hard to stock their larders with enough food to last them the winter. They all knew that winter time would be tough – it would be cold and food would be scarce. As it would get dark really soon, it would be difficult to go looking for food.

Therefore, everyone was working hard, all except Mr Grasshopper. He loved autumn. Autumn was a time when the leaves changed colour. It was all so so pretty. The trees seemed to be on fire with red, yellow and orange leaves, which then fell off and covered the ground. There was a pleasant breeze too.

The Song of Hori or Happiness

Sun, 18 May 2003 20:14:09 +0000

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

Kesar rang ki keech bhai hai,
Chahun or udat gulal,
Nachat gopal.

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

Baajat jhanjhar, dhol, majari aur khartal,
Braj ki nari sangh hori khelat,
Nachat dede taal, sakhi.

Braj mein hori khelat Nandlal.

(This song sung by women describes Nandlal, as young Krishna is called, playing hori with the women of Brajbhoomi – the area comprising Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul and Barsana that are associated with Krishna and Radha. ‘Red colour is flying in all directions and the mud has turned slushy with saffron coloured water. Friend, dance to the beat as Nandlal is playing hori’ – so the song goes.)

Saraswati River in the Thar Desert

Sat, 09 Aug 2003 17:34:07 +0000

The vedas mention the mighty Saraswati river flowing down the Himalayas and then westwards towards Rajasthan. But Rajasthan is a desert. So where did this huge river, which the vedas say was bigger than the Ganga, disappear?

It is widely believed that this river still flows under the Thar desert, though no one has been able to prove this for sure.

Even the epic Mahabharata, written in 1000 BC, mentions Saraswati as the once-mighty river that was drying up. As of now, the Saraswati has completely disappeared from the earth’s surface, which is why several people even doubt that it ever existed. For long scientists have been hunting for traces of the Saraswati in the desert.

The Friends

Tue, 29 Jan 2002 15:26:37 +0000

Two friends, Hemant and Vikas, planned to go hiking in the woods. They packed their knapsacks, lugged them over their shoulders and started out.

One evening, while walking through the dense forest, they heard a bear growl. They were very scared and started to run away, but “Twick, twick”, they could hear the twigs breaking with each step the bear took towards them.

Desperate, Hemant saw a low branch hanging from a tree. He quickly caught hold of the life-saving branch and climbed on top of the tree as soon as possible. He was so scared that he did not even look at his friend once.

Coconut Oil + Kerosene = Fuel

Sat, 16 Aug 2003 07:03:43 +0000

Coconut Oil + Kerosene = Fuel [Illustration by Shinod AP]

March 27: Fossil fuels or fuels that are naturally found in the earth, are being rapidly consumed by humans. And the world has begun searching for an ‘alternative fuel’. Necessity is the mother of invention. And out of necessity, a coconut farmer in a village in Thailand has ‘invented’ an alternate fuel.

The Eagle and the Arrow

Wed, 11 Apr 2001 23:31:26 +0000

Eagle was a strange creature. He got his fun out of teasing and frightening the little birds. Even when he was not hungry, he would soar through the sky and swoop down on some unsuspecting birds and pretend to prey on them. The poor little birds would cower with fear and try to fly away.

Eagle would then burst into an ear-piercing laugh and flap his wings disdainfully. “I am the King of the sky! How scared you all are of me,” he would exclaim.

A Chest Full of Stories

Mon, 20 Nov 2000 10:50:45 +0000

Zigzag and Other Stories
Written by Asha Nehemiah

Illustrations by Atanu Roy
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

A queer-looking African bird, with shocking pink plumes on the head, a yellow beak and eyes the colour of Cola, Zigzag, is the main character of the title story in this collection of short stories.

Somu leaves Zigzag, a talking bird, in the keeping of Dr. Krishnan while he is away. But this strange guest turns out to be a disappointment for the Krishnan family. Zigzag does nothing but sleep and snore all the time – even the neighbours complain about the noise.

Pickpocket

Sat, 27 Sep 2003 07:42:23 +0000

December 9: Small children on streets running around, darting in and out of traffic seemingly without a care in the world. They are usually homeless and all alone. Even at such a young age they have a profession, where they earn at least Rs 20 a day – pickpocketing.

Not a profession any of you would like to practise, would you? But not having much else to fall back upon, some poor young children in Calcutta were lured into stealing. The Telegraph has reported that they were promised food and shelter, and some money as bonus pocket money. Seen from their point of view, that was a lot. Much more than they had been getting from their parents or relatives earlier.

Where Holi is the Talk of the Town

Fri, 31 Jan 2003 16:55:46 +0000

Think of Holi and you think of two places in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh where the festival has a special status. First, the area known as Brajbhoomi comprising Mathura, Vrindavan, Govardhan, Gokul (all connected to Lord Krishna’s birth, childhood and early youth) and Barsana (Radha’s village). Here Holi is a robust enactment of the legends of Radha and Krishna.

Then there is the Holi of Banaras. The way it is celebrated is the talk of the town and the famous kavi sammelan or poets’ gathering at Banaras is one reason for this. But that happens only in the evening when everyone has finished drenching each other in coloured water and gorged on chips and sweetmeats like gujiya and malpua.

Holi in Fiji

Thu, 30 Jan 2003 05:15:50 +0000

March 19: Before it was Holi in India, phagua, as Holi is called by the Indo-Fijians, was already being celebrated. The Fiji Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, are six-and-a-half hours ahead of Indian time and the Indo-Fijians were already singing chautal, an oral tradition of celebration.

For the community, memories of India go as far back as 120 years, when the first batch of Indians in colonial India, were taken to Fiji, also a British colony, as labour. As is the case with many immigrant communities all over the world, celebrations always seem to carry a greater echo of ‘home’. And so it was during phagua.

Easter's Here

Tue, 22 Jul 2003 16:46:16 +0000

Go out into the market on Easter and you cannot miss the Easter egg on the shop counter – filled with sweets and chocolates, it is irresistible. Several people also paint eggs or emboss chocolate eggs with sugar flowers to gift to friends and relatives.

But what is Easter? Easter Sunday falls on the Sunday after Good Friday and on this day Easter eggs are available in the market – that is what most of us know. In reality, the preparation for Easter starts with a fast 40 days earlier, on Ash Wednesday.

The Favour

Thu, 22 Feb 2001 03:29:17 +0000

There lived a wolf called Lalu in the Himalayan forests. Lalu was very mean and selfish. He thought only about himself and none of the other animals liked him.

The rest of the wolf pack also avoided meeting him. At most, they would say a polite ‘Hello’ and then go their own way. After all, when they were hungry, Lalu never offered to share his meal. So the wolves avoided him, as they did not want to be impolite.

Escape to Freedom

Fri, 29 Dec 2000 19:02:26 +0000

Horses to Vijayanagar
Written by Monisha Mukundan

Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Fortune favours the brave – those who have the courage to ride into the mouth of danger for the pearl of happiness that awaits the deserving ones. And that’s exactly what this fascinating adventure is all about.

Twelve-year-old Ferdinand and his little sister Manuela live with their elder brother Jose and his wife Esmeralda in a little village, in Goa. Work as hard as they might around the house, they are neither appreciated nor given enough to eat. It’s almost always a thin rice gruel that they get, while Jose and Esmeralda feast on fish curry.

A Film on Anne Frank

Tue, 08 Jul 2003 18:00:31 +0000

March 14: Anne Frank was a teenager when the Second World War broke out. And as Hitler’s Nazi Germany chillingly went about targeting Jews with death, her life changed beyond recognition. She lived in hiding for a while but was caught out and put in a concentration camp, where she died.

When in hiding, the young girl had kept a diary in which she had recorded her thoughts and impressions of what was happening to her and around her. After the war her writings were published under the title, Diary of a Young Girl. It was a phenomenal success.

Puzzling it Out

Thu, 21 Sep 2000 10:55:53 +0000

Around The World in 80 Puzzles
Written by Helene Hovanec

Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Puzzling it Out []

Take a trip around the world through the puzzles in this book. Fill in the blank with an alphabet or complete a crossword, write two words by writing just one alphabet or cross out some words and read the rest to find the right answer. A very exciting book for those of you who like solving puzzles.

Human Robots

Sat, 13 Sep 2003 20:50:13 +0000

Human Robots [Illustration by Shinod AP]

March 27: At one time we considered robots as machines to do our work. But now we have begun to think of them differently. We want them to be more human than humans themselves! Or else why would the Japanese have designed a new robot to help humans interact with each other?

One significant feature of most industrialised societies in the developed world is the breaking-up of the family and the rise of individualism.

How Fast can you Think?

Mon, 15 May 2000 23:49:16 +0000

How Fast can you Think? []

Absolutely Mental 1
Written by Rowland Morgan

Illustrations by Mike Phillips
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

Do you have what it takes to keep your head when it really counts? This puzzle book by Rowland Morgan will indeed help you discover that. A puzzle book with a difference, it is bound to appeal to the pre-teens and above – including adults!

Camel's Milk and Pet Registration

Tue, 05 Mar 2002 01:12:30 +0000

November 24: Hey, how about trying camel’s milk instead of buffalo’s or cow’s milk with your porridge? Not very keen on the thought? Doesn’t sound appetising?

Did you know that many mothers, particularly in the rural regions of Rajasthan and Gujarat, offer camel’s milk to their children? Unlike cow’s milk, a camel’s milk is rather salty and very thick. But as far as being a source of nutrition is concerned, its benefits are considerably more than that of cow’s milk.

Where are the Children?

Sat, 22 Mar 2003 13:58:04 +0000

Where are the Children? [Illustration by Shinod AP]

April 21: Slavery was banned in south America several decades ago. But in west and central Africa, it still continues. Now, child slaves from poor African countries are being sold to the rich African countries.

Poor families sell their children to work for almost nothing in Gabon, a country in west Africa. Gabon is rich in oil. Despite international efforts to stop this trade, it continues, reports The Asian Age newspaper.

Cruising in the Sky

Thu, 06 Feb 2003 06:54:12 +0000

Cruising in the Sky [Illustration by Anup Singh]

December 9: You remember how plush and huge the Titanic was? It was a ship any one would want to travel in. Don’t you wish travelling in an aeroplane could be made as comfortable instead of you being crammed into a place where you can’t even stretch out to sleep? Well, very soon you will actually be able to make your dream come true !!

Strength from Within

Wed, 01 Nov 2000 03:14:52 +0000

Brave Hearts – Winners of the National Bravery Awards
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

This book has been aptly named after those Indian children whose acts of courage have helped saved lives. We carried a news item on the brave children who won the National Bravery Awards 2000. Curious to know about what motivates these brave souls? Read this book highlighting the deeds of each of the 14 children who received the National Bravery Awards in 1999.

The Best Christmas Gift of All

Tue, 02 Nov 1999 14:38:00 +0000

The Gift of the Magi
From 100 Selected Stories: written by O. Henry

This tender tale has all the elements of a classic: it seems new every time you read it.

The Gift of Magi is a tender love story that highlights love as the true spirit of Christmas. It is Christmas eve and Della, the wife of James Dillingham Young, has only one pound 87 cents to buy her husband a present.

After crying over the lack of money, she suddenly remembers one of their greatest treasures – her long lustrous hair. She sells her hair for a price.

Tattoos that Talk

Wed, 31 Mar 2004 03:10:48 +0000

Where: St. Petersbug, RUssia

May 19, 2001: For more than 50 years Danzig Baldayev had been studying a unique mode of communication amongst the Russian prisoners. When he was a prison guard he discovered that the tattoo on each prisoner’s body had a message for the other inmates.

A burning cross meant the prisoner wanted revenge, a pirate with a knife between his teeth showed that the person was a sadist or one who likes to hurt others and a tattoo of the Soviet founder, Vladimir Lenin, was like a charm against execution. A tattoo of ex-Soviet President Boris Yeltsin, with a glass of vodka, meant the guy was a drunk!

Where have the Teenagers Disappeared?

Tue, 23 May 2000 03:43:06 +0000

Where have the Teenagers Disappeared? []

Secrets from Beyond: Runaway
Written by David Benjamin

Published by Scholastic Inc.

Sixteen-year-old Ted Black has disappeared. There is only a note saying that he would return “when things were better.” His parents and little brother, Jason, are worried sick. The police is baffled – Ted is the fifth teen to disappear without trace.

All the teens are from stable, well-to-do families. Have they been kidnapped or have they run away from home? There is just one clue: all of them had been hanging out with people outside their usual circle of friends before they vanished.

Record Tidbits

Mon, 23 Oct 2000 11:19:44 +0000

Scholastic Book of World Records
Published by Scholastic India Pvt. Ltd.

World records almost always make interesting reading. And if there are vivid pictures to make it more interesting, the tidbits get digested faster. The Scholastic Book of World Records is such a book. It makes you want to pick it up and create a new global map based on the foundations of superlatives: the world’s largest and the smallest; the shortest and the longest; the fastest and the slowest?..

My Country is a Land of Plains!

Mon, 30 Jun 2003 20:53:36 +0000

February 26: India is a land of rivers, cows, wheat fields, hot dusty plains and flat-roofed houses. This is what Stanzin Zangpo had learned in his class. But he is from Ladakh and he had never seen these things. The 12-year-old boy could not even imagine them. His part of India had jagged snow-capped mountain peaks, bitterly cold climate, large barren wastes of land and frozen lakes.

But now Stanzin knows differently. He and 29 other children from Ladakh have come to Delhi on a trip. They have finally seen the part of India that their textbook said there was. For the first time in their lives they saw an elephant (and were terrified of it), a zoo and the Qutub Minar. They were also special guests at the Republic Day parade and the Army Day parade, reports

Bush Takes the Cake

Sun, 05 Oct 2003 19:39:33 +0000

December 27: After causing much uncertainty and merriment to the entire world, the mystery of Who will be the next American President has finally been solved. It’s George W. Bush.

Bush Takes the Cake [Illustration by Shinod A.P.]

The decision was finally made by the United States Supreme Court. And so, Bush won. But, what exactly happened?

As mentioned in World News In-depth a few days ago, All The Presidential Men, the root of the problem was located in the state of Florida. At the time the votes were counted, there was a marginal difference between the number of votes given to Bush (candidate of the Republican party) and the candidate from the Democrat party, Al Gore. So the votes were recounted by hand.

The Faithful Dog

Tue, 01 Jul 2003 09:05:28 +0000

April 12: How many of us would have the courage to fight a wild cat like a panther, even if it were to save our own lives? Imagine how scary it is even to face a panther? But one brave dog called Pinto attacked a panther in a forest, and saved the lives of his master and his son.

This incident occurred recently in the Challehonda forest in Yellapur taluk (or collection of districts) in Sirsi on the Karnataka-Andhra Pradesh border, reports the Deccan Herald. The irony of the situation is that Pinto saved his master Ganapati Nayak from the panther only to see him arrested by the forest department officials.

Boyhood by the Sea

Tue, 01 Jun 1999 07:35:22 +0000

Boyhood by the Sea []

Suresh and the Sea
Written by Raghavendra Rao and Sandhya Rao
Photos by Raghavendra Rao
Published by Tulika, Chennai

This book traces the real-life story of a boy through his growing years in his native fishing village, Injambakkam. The author, Raghavendra Rao, tells of how Suresh taught him to look at the sea with new eyes and surrender to the sea’s charms. His black and white photographs make the experience come alive for his readers.

Christmas Favourites

Thu, 29 Apr 1999 10:18:30 +0000

A Christmas Carol
Written by Charles Dickens

The Forgotten Helper

Written by Lorrie Moore

An evergreen classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is a must read for all children. Ghost stories are abundant in all cultures and in all literature, but perhaps Dicken’s book is the best known.

‘A Christmas Carol’ is the story of Scrooge, a miser, who reforms after the spirit of his friend, Marley, opens his eyes to the scourge he has become. In the course of the story, Scrooge encounters other ghostly spectres during Christmas.

Injured right arms

Wed, 02 Apr 2003 13:45:43 +0000

May 3: Got an exam today and not studied a word? Copying from chits, hiding books under the desk, copying from the neighbour – all these are old tactics. Some students have geared up to more ‘modern’ ways!

Students of Zakir Hussain College, Delhi, seem to have found the answer to this problem, reports The Indian Express. And what’s more, no one can even catch them out!

Any guesses? Well, listen to this – if a student is incapable of writing (due to something like an injured hand) doesn’t another student do the writing for him? All the student has to do is to speak out the answer. The fun part of this is that the two of them get to sit in a separate room, so that they do not disturb the rest of the students!

A New Ancient Civilisation

Sat, 18 Sep 2004 18:47:43 +0000

Where: Central Asia

May 19, 2001: Imagine people living in large apartment complexes made out of bricks. Their city may have been a major stop for silk traders that is why they were well off, decked in gold and semi-precious stone jewellery and using fine ceramics utensils. Bronze axes were among the implements used for cutting and carvings on alabaster (white marble) and bone were used as decoration pieces.

Doesn’t sound all that different from what we see around us today, does it? But to think that all this existed 4000 years ago and that too in the Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan regions of Central Asia!

The Play

Sat, 11 Mar 2000 23:02:58 +0000

The Play []

The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes
Written by Anne Mazer

Published by Scholastic Inc.

The class is preparing to enact Peter Pan for the school, and Abby Hayes has one big ambition – she wants the best part. And she is willing to work hard to be the leading star. Singing lessons, dancing lessons, diction, just name it!

The Case of the Stonemasons

Mon, 07 Jul 2003 00:29:34 +0000

December 27: Last year, 10 stonemasons had been taken from Udaipur to London to build a temple. Overjoyed with this opportunity to earn more money, they went along willingly. But what did they get there? Just a dirty shack to live in and only 20 pence an hour.

The stonemasons did not know that they were being exploited. However, they did know that they were being treated badly. The moment they reached London, their passports were taken away from them. Then they were threatened that they would have to go back to India on their own if they disobeyed their ’employers'.

When Everyone Counts

Sun, 16 Mar 2003 15:36:25 +0000

March 28: Have you been counted yet? But you must have been! There’s one head count that cannot afford to leave anyone out. It is the Census 2001.

Census is a small Latin word meaning register. But to the people responsible for conducting it, it implies a marathon task. Census means counting each and every person in the country and gathering data related to them.

In India, the first Census was conducted in 1872. Thereafter, it has been held every 10 years. The groundwork for this Census started two years ago, while the Census operation itself was held between February 9, 2001 to February 28, 2001. A revision was held in the first week of March.

All the Presidential Men

Thu, 06 Jan 2000 11:17:44 +0000

Where: Washington DC, USA

December 9, 2000: Guess what the biggest mystery is nowadays that has the world in thrall? It is Who will be the next American President? Try to imagine all the big lawyers and judges in America trying to unravel this mystery, arguing with each other, jumping about and tearing their hair in frustration!!

This is one mystery that even the most powerful man on earth, Bill Clinton, the current American President, cannot solve. And this is exactly what is making the United States the butt of all jokes in smaller and less powerful countries. And if you too think about it, it is really very very funny.