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Ekya / September 21, 2021 Posted by : administrator

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MONTH AUGUST IN HISTORY

In the history of this world, the month of August is a sanctuary for many liberating as well as sorrowful events. In a lot of ways, this month had an everlasting impact on history. On the larger canvas of the world, August holds place for death and destruction. Closer home, in India, we celebrate this month for the liberation of foreign rule. 

On August 1st, 1836, Jamaica abolished slavery after suffering for 300 years. In the same month, in 1962, they attained independence from British Colonial rule.

One of the most tragic incidents in human history, the bombing of the Japanese port of Hiroshima, happened in 1945 on August 6th. Six years before this incident on 2nd August 1939, Albert Einstein had written a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, addressing his concerns regarding atomic weapons. In his letter, he wrote “A single bomb of this type carried by boat and exploded in a port, might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory.”

The three cities of Pompeii, Stabiae, and Herculaneum located in Italy were completely destroyed due to the eruption of the active volcano, Mount Vesuvius. This event took place on August 24th, 79 A.D.

August also witnessed the births of some of the greatest personalities in history

Alexander Fleming was born on August 6th, 1881 in Scotland. He discovered the first-ever antibiotic Penicillin, a drug that kills a wide range of disease-causing bacteria. This discovery changed the face of medicine, saving millions of lives. Fleming was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1954 for his discovery.

Popularly known as the “Master of Suspense” in the history of cinema, the English director, Sir Alfred Hitchcock was born on 13th August 1899. Some of his classic thrillers included The 39 Steps, Rebecca, The Birds, Psycho and Frenzy, and his American TV series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

SIGNIFICANCE OF AUGUST IN INDIA

This year, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Indian Independence and it is important to revisit the historical dates and events.

In the course of events, the East India Company first visited the Mughal court in August 1608, to forge a trading relationship. This was the marking of India going into a colonial rule. 

The next landmark moment was the launching of the Non-Cooperation Movement on 1st August 1920 by Gandhiji, following the Jallianwala-Bagh-Massacre.

8th August 1940 marked an important advance in colonial rule when the Viceroy passed the “August Offer”. This included more Indians in the British Executive Council, recognizing the inherent right of the people in the country. The same month, in 1942 marked the Quit India Movement where Gandhiji made a call to DO OR DIE, asking for an orderly British withdrawal from India.

This movement invigorated the Indian freedom struggle, eventually leading to the announcement by the UK of Indian freedom, on the midnight of 14th August 1947. Dominions of India and Pakistan were formed. Jawaharlal Nehru became the first Prime Minister of India that day, hoisting the Tricolour Flag over the Lahori Gate of Red Fort in Delhi.

Revisiting historical events is important as it teaches us to celebrate our victories, learn from our mistakes, and appreciate the hard work of our forefathers. In our day-to-day activities, we tend to forget what is more important in life. Peeking into history gives us the right perspective. 

Written by: Mohana Veena Routh

Grade: 9B, Ekya School, JP Nagar

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Ekya / March 26, 2024

The Hot Garlic Soup Inspired by ‘The Last Leaf’ by O. Henry

Sue and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat on the third storey of an old house.
Johnsy fell ill in November. She was diagnosed with pneumonia. She would lie in her bed, gazing out of the window. Sue sent for the doctor. The doctor said to Sue, “Johnsy’s condition is not so serious yet. It seems she is unable to recover because she has lost the will to live.”
Sue became extremely worried for Johnsy’s well-being and mental health. She tried to make Johnsy interested in the things around her, but Johnsy never replied with more than a noncommittal hum.
One day, Sue was painting when she heard Johnsy counting backwards. Sue looked out of the window and saw an old ivy creeper climbing on the brick wall. The ivy was shedding its leaves in the strong gust of the wind.
“They are falling faster now,” whispered Johnsy. “Three days ago there were so many leaves. Only five are left now.”
“It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.”
“When the last leaf falls, I will die” said Johnsy with finality. “I have felt this for the last three days.”
“Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “Why do you believe your fate is tied to those old ivy leaves?”
“Human life is fleeting, just like those ivy leaves,” said Johnsy. “I got sick just as the ivy started shedding its leaves. It must be an omen. The last leaf will fall, and I will slip into slumber forever.”
Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. Plenty of people fall sick in autumn, and they recover soon enough. Do you want some soup?”
“I don’t want any soup. My time is almost up, I’m sure of it,” murmured Johnsy.
Sue decided to change tactics. She was not going to give up on Johnsy.
“It is true that human life is somewhat fleeting, but that’s exactly what makes life valuable. Do you not want to see what life has to offer before you slip into slumber? Will you not miss the cool breeze waking you up, the warm embrace of sunlight? Do you want to give up the feeling of the paintbrush gliding over the canvas?” Sue quavered.
“Look beyond the ivy to that tree over there,” Sue continued. “Even that tree is shedding its leaves, but it is also growing new leaves. It is going to live for many more years, just like you.”
Johnsy contemplated for a while. Then, she looked out of the window and smiled.
“Perhaps I will have some hot garlic soup. You made me realise that life is worth living after all.”
Written by Aahana,
from grade 9A

Ekya / March 22, 2024

Importance of Literature in a Classroom.

"Literature is one of the most interesting and significant expressions of humanity" - P.T.Barnum

We as humans are social beings. We can't imagine our lives to be solitary. Literature facilitates us to understand and communicate with one another in society. It helps us explore the world around us and is a medium to express our views and experiences. So it is of vital importance that the students are introduced to literature at a young age.

Literature is necessary for students as it helps them to develop imagination, improves vocabulary and language skills and even enhances creativity. Literature helps them understand the world outside their home and school.

It is disheartening to see that literature is often not put on the same pedestal as other technical subjects like Math or Science. where it shouldn't be the case.

Literature includes different types of texts like stories and fables, myths

and legends, poetry and drama or even informational texts that help them explore other subjects. It prepares students to read and understand the real world.

There are one too many benefits of including literature at a young age. It is like an exercise for the brain, keeping an individual mentally active and stimulated.

Exposure to cultures from different countries brings in a sense of respect and tolerance, a feat possible through literature. It motivates one to appreciate different lives and their ways and also to graciously disagree with something that may not be right. The different characters the students are introduced to become a source of inspiration. They start to imagine themselves in varied situations. they learn different solutions to problems they come across.

More importantly, reading is fun and literature develops an inclination toward reading and makes them self-learners.

It can be concluded that literature is a gateway to nurturing a child’s life skills more than any assignment or task

can ever do.

Written By:

Shruthi Prakash

English Educator - Primary

Ekya Schools BTM Layout

Ekya / March 22, 2024

A Day to Remember: Juniors Bid Goodbye to Seniors with a Spectacular Farewell Party.

As the academic year draws to a close, emotions run high at our beloved school. The time has come for the juniors to express their gratitude, love, and affection for their departing seniors.

And what better way to do this than by throwing an unforgettable farewell party?

The air was buzzing with excitement as the juniors meticulously planned every detail to make it a night that their seniors would cherish forever.

The audio-visual room was transformed into a place of nostalgia and celebration, adorned with decorations to welcome the seniors. Each performance was filled with energy, enthusiasm, and dedication. Each video played, spoke volumes about the memories shared and the bonds formed throughout their academic journey, blanketing the atmosphere with a mix of joy, laughter, and a hint of bittersweet anticipation.

Our seniors were all dressed up to the nines for the occasion with the girls in a blue and white saree and the boys in black suits.

But how did all of this come to be? I am a grade 11 student and let me take you through behind the scenes of this event and how we prepared for this event.

  • Many girls formed a group and decided to dance to “Paint It Red” and “All Is Well”. Everyone’s efforts are to be appreciated as they come up with new steps and formations. Well-coordinated teamwork led to an amazing performance that got everyone cheering.

  • Meanwhile, my batchmate, Lara,  and a few teachers were preparing to sing songs dedicated to the seniors. Lara sang a melodious rendition of “When You Believe” and the teachers sang a medley of songs which got the seniors singing along as well!

  • The boys planned on dancing to the song “Galti Se Mistake” and their performance was full of creativity and humour. The choreography was inspired by the original music video of the song and they worked hard together and taught each other the steps. This performance got everyone giggling and cheering so loud!

  • It did not end with the students, even the teachers chose to step into this grand celebration. They danced on a variety of songs and each song made the seniors hoot louder. Even though they had a very busy schedule they would still take time and dedicate it to the dance practice during after-school hours. Huge kudos for their coordination and effort!

  • Mohana and Arshia came up with a very engaging script which had the attention of the audience. A small game was organised for the students where they had to write something good about one of their batchmates. Everybody put their hands together and made 32 crowns of appreciation for their seniors. A video of the seniors was made including photos and videos of their dearest memories. Last but not least, our teachers also prepared a video message for the seniors bidding farewell and wishing them the best for their future endeavours.

The day finally came. The 10th of February came. It was the day - the day for which we had been preparing for days. The graduation.

The place was set, the background screen was ready, the mic was ready and the sound system was ready. Our seniors came one by one and the auditorium was filled with chatter until the anchors came in and the event started.

After a few minutes, the head boy gave a heartfelt speech, followed by the chit game of affirmations then Lara’s beautiful performance.

The girls donned black kurtis and sunglasses and danced to “Paint It Red”, which got a round of applause. The seniors loved the “Galti Se Mistake” dance by the boys for its creativity and comedic execution and what made it better was the shorts with shirt and tie combination. The dance finale was to the song “All Is Well” which got the audience cheering for the dancers with lots of enthusiasm.

Then a video filled with the memories of the seniors was shown which made most of them emotional. The dance which everybody was eagerly anticipating started - it was our beloved teachers who completely rocked the stage with their amazing performance.

Then a few teachers gave a very emotional message followed by songs dedicated to their students. The event came to an end with video messages by the teachers,  a crowning ceremony and high tea.

In conclusion, the event was successful, and enjoyed by all the students - juniors, seniors and teachers. It wouldn’t have been possible without everyone’s contribution and teamwork. It was an emotional roller coaster for everyone and a day which will never be forgotten.

Written By:

Stutee Samantray

(Grade 11, Ekya BTM)

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#TeacherBlogger: Traction or Distraction By Divya A S, Primary Teacher and Librarian, Ekya JP Nagar

Are we towards Traction or Distraction? Let’s begin with a small story that most of you would have read on your own or heard from your elders during your early childhood days…..Once upon a time in a thick jungle lived a troop of monkeys. Their days were filled with fun and playing with a lot of fruit on the trees. One day they decided to go on a fast. But one of the monkeys said “let's keep the food ready for tomorrow to break the fast”, others nodded their heads and collected bananas from the nearby plantation. One more said, “Why don’t we peel it as it will be easy to have it.” Then a small monkey asked, isn't it better to keep the banana inside the mouth? But I promised not to eat it till the next morning. All the monkeys agreed and one after the other the bananas went into their mouths, but none could resist the sweet taste and finally, the bananas disappeared down their gullets. And that was the end of their fast! Why could the monkeys not resist eating the bananas? What is your reasoning? Yes…..you are right! The monkeys got distracted. Now, let’s analyze our day-to-day life. Many students consider themselves good at multitasking. However, according to scientists, under most conditions, the brain cannot carry out two complex tasks at the same time. Multitasking can only occur if the two tasks at hand are very simple and do not compete with each other for the same mental resources. So, for example, we can cook a meal and listen to music at the same time. But listening to a lecture while doing homework cannot be done at the same time. Both of these tasks are complex and very demanding and use the same area of the brain, the prefrontal cortex. “Experiments have suggested that when students multitask while doing schoolwork, their learning is far less as compared to if the work had their full attention. They understand and remember less, and they have greater difficulty transferring their learning to new contexts.” Here is a small task to confirm this understanding.  As quick as you can, countdown from 10 to 0, then immediately say the alphabets from A to K.  Then, alternate between the alphabet and countdown in this manner i.e. 10-A, 9-B.  Do you sense the difficulty associated with multitasking? How to control our actions and focus on what really matters to us. Learning how to become indestructible may be one of the most important life skills for the 21st century. In his work, Nir Eyal presents a model to explain why we can get so distracted in the first place and, in turn, how we can learn to become distractable. “At the center of the model in action, that is, what we want to do or accomplish—our goals. To the right of Action is Traction, which comes from the Latin word trahere, meaning to draw or pull. We can think of traction as the action we do that draws us toward our goals, whereas to the left of action is Distraction, which has the same Latin root as traction and means to draw apart or away. We can think of distraction as the action we do that draws us away or impedes us from our goals.” Eyal goes on to explain that “all behaviors, whether toward traction or distraction, are prompted by internal or external triggers. Internal triggers cue us from within, such as getting up to put on a sweater and make a cup of coffee when we are cold or putting on lotion when we notice that our hands feel dry and rough. On the other hand, external triggers are cues from our environment, such as the beeps and buzzes from our phone that tell us we have a new message or objects that contain entertainment that we enjoy, such as an internet, TV, gaming system, or smartphone or even people who drop by our house or office to ask us a quick question.” Thankfully, though, there exist proven methods to avoid distraction but be in traction. (a) Cultivate the habit of focus on that one important thing (b) Learn to implement a “work hard, play hard” attitude, devote all of your focus to the school work when you are doing school work, and then do the same when you play. (c) Another interesting method is Timeboxing; students could plan out in advance when, where, and what they will be working on based on a time-bound calendar in order to make the best out of the available time and resources. (d) Brain and Body Exercise: What comes to mind when you think of exercise is aerobic activities or sports. But the combination of challenging both the brian and the body, like doing Yoga with chanting mantras, is even better than physical activity alone.  (e) Once in a while try a jigsaw puzzle, build vocabulary, dance your heart out, learn a new skill, listen to your favourite music, etc. to naturally activate the brain areas that control balance, timing, sequencing, error correction, and last but not the least intense focus and concentration. Ultimately, as we turn away from distraction and learn to really enjoy the work that we do, we can achieve a state of flow. Once inflow, we will no longer be looking for a distraction to bring us pleasure, our working and our learning will already be bringing us the pleasure and satisfaction we seek.

#StudentBlogger: The Cloud By Prerana Moolchandani Grade 10A, Ekya JP Nagar

The day I saw the cloud, Or rather observed it, The stunning fact that I found, Was that it only floated. ;) Neither legs nor hands, They float in buoyant gangs, Relaxed and stress-free, They dance around in pleasant glee. Blunt and chipped, carved flawlessly, O! What a creation by God! Spread in the sky, sumptuously, The beautiful monthly escort. They embellish the sky, shaded, With a hue into another, faded, The ombre of colours that lie, Prettyundisturbed in the sky, Are enhanced by the beauty, Of these clouds, tinted snowy. The vast sky is intervened, By the imperious clouds, However, its charm cannot be penned, Without those, who over-crowd. The sky that they jacket, And it appears aesthetic, O! What a beautiful sight! That God made with all his might. My heart was filled with joy and light, And left behind the dull and spite. The silent cloud made my day, And guided me to the right way. So here’s a note of gratitude, To the one who expressed beatitude. Theunostentatiousnature of Nature, Is the factor that intrigues me. Each and every God’s creature, Is made with patience and glee. How admirable nature can be! We just have to understand its simplicity. Cloud is just a specimen, Albeit there are a myriad of elements that I can't mention. Nature is loved by me, Does nature too attract thee ?? Poem by - Prerana Moolchandani,

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