Raksha Bandhan (रक्षा बन्धन) is a Hindu festival that celebrates the love and duty between brothers and sisters; the festival is also popularly used to celebrate any brother-sister relationship between men and women who are relatives or biologically unrelated. It is called Rakhi Purnima, or simply Rakhi, in many parts of India. The festival is observed by Hindus, Jains, and many Sikhs. Raksha Bandhan is primarily observed in India, Mauritius and parts of Nepal. It is also celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs in parts ofPakistan, and by some people of Indian origin around the world.
Raksha Bandhan is an ancient festival, and has many myths and historic legends linked to it. For example, the Rajput queens practised the custom of sending rakhi threads to neighboring rulers as token of brotherhood. On Raksha Bandhan, sisters tie arakhi (sacred thread) on her brother’s wrist. This symbolizes the sister’s love and prayers for her brother’s well-being, and the brother’s lifelong vow to protect her. The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of theHindu lunisolar calendar.

Significance

Raksha Bandhan in Sanskrit literally means “the tie or knot of protection”. It is an ancient Hindu festival that ritually celebrates the love and duty between brothers and their sisters. The sister performs a Rakhi ceremony, then prays to express her love and her wish for the well being of her brother; in return, the brother ritually pledges to protect and take care of his sister under all circumstances. It is one of the several occasions in which family ties are affirmed in India.

The festival is also an occasion to celebrate brother-sister like family ties between cousins or distant family members, sometimes between biologically unrelated men and women. To many, the festival transcends biological family, brings together men and women across religions, diverse ethnic groups and ritually emphasizes harmony and love. It is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Śrāvaṇa, and typically falls in August every year.

Description and rituals

The festival is marked by the several rituals, which vary regionally within India. Typical rituals include:

Prepare for Raksha Bandhan

Days or weeks before Raksha Bandhan, women shop for Rakhi, the ceremonial thread to tie around her brother’s (or brother-like friend’s) wrist. Some women make their own Rakhi. A Rakhi may be a simple thread, woven and colorful; or a Rakhi may be intricate with amulets and decoration on top of it. Sometimes, a Rakhi may be a fancy wrist watch or men’s wrist accessory in the form of bracelet or jewelry. Rakhi in the form of a colorful woven thread is most common. Typically the brother(s) too shop for gifts for the sister, ahead of Raksha Bandhan. The gift from the brother can be a simple thoughtful token of love, and may be more elaborate.

Rakhi ritual

On the morning of Raksha Bandhan, the brothers and sisters get together, often in nice dress in the presence of surviving parents, grandparents and other family members. If the sister and brother are geographically separated, the sister may mail the Rakhi ahead of the Raksha Bandhan day, along with a greeting card or letter wishing her brother well. The ritual typically begins in front of a lighted lamp (diya) or candle, which signifies fire deity. The sister and brother face each other. The sister ties the Rakhi on her brother’s wrist.

Prayer, aarti, promise and food

Once the Rakhi has been tied, the sister says a prayer for the well being – good health, prosperity and happiness – for her brother. This ritual sometimes involves an aarti, where a tray with lighted lamp or candle is ritually rotated around the brother’s face, along with the prayer and well wishes.
The prayer is a self composed note, or one of many published Rakhi poems and prose. One of the earliest examples of a Rakhi prayer is found in Book V, Chapter V of Vishnu Purana; it is the prayer that Yasoda says while tying a Raksha Bandhan amulet on Krishna’s wrist. An abridged form of the prayer is:
May the lord of all beings protect you,
May the one who creates, preserves and dissolves life protect thee,

May Govinda guard thy head; Kesava, thy neck; Vishnu, thy belly;
the eternal Narayana, thy face, thine arms, thy mind, and faculties of sense;

May all negativity and fears, spirits malignant and unfriendly, flee thee;
May Rishikesa keep you safe in the sky; and Mahidhara, upon earth.
After the prayer, the sister applies a tilak (Tikka), a colorful mark on the forehead of the brother. After the tilak, the brother pledges to protect her and take care of his sister under all circumstances.
The sister then feeds the brother, with her hands, one or more bites of sweets (desserts), dry fruits and other seasonal delicacies.

Gifts and hugs

The brother gives his sister(s) gifts such as cards, clothes, money or something thoughtful. The brother may also feed his sister, with his hands, one or more bites of sweets, dry fruits and other seasonal delicacies. They hug, and the larger family ritually congratulate the festive celebration of brother-sister love and protection.
The brother(s) wear the Rakhi for the entire day, at school or work, as a reminder of their sister(s) and to mark the festival of Raksha Bandhan.

Myths and parables

The scriptures, epics and ancient fiction of Hinduism is peppered with stories of Rakhi and Raksha Bandhan. Some of these include:

Indra Dev

According to Hindu scripture Bhavishya Purana, in the war between Gods and demons, Indra – the deity of sky, rains and thunderbolts – was disgraced by the powerful demon King Bali. Indra’s wife Sachi consulted Vishnu, who gave her a bracelet made of cotton thread, calling it holy. Sachi tied the holy thread around Indra wrist, blessed with her prayers for his well being and success. Indra successfully defeated the evil and recovered Amaravati. This story inspired the protective power of holy thread. The story also suggests that the Raksha Bandhan thread in ancient India were amulets, used by women as prayers and to guard men going to war, and that these threads were not limited to sister-brother like relationships.

King Bali and Goddess Laxmi

According to this legend, credited to Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana, after Vishnu won the three worlds from the demon King Bali, he was asked by Bali that Vishnu live in his palace, a request Vishnu granted. Vishnu’s wife, Goddess Lakshmi did not like the palace or his new found friendship with Bali, and preferred that her husband and she return to Vaikuntha. So she went to Bali, tied a Rakhi and made him a brother. Bali asked her what gift she desired. Lakshmi asked that Vishnu be freed from the request that he live in Bali’s palace. Bali consented, as well accepted her as his sister.

Santoshi Ma

Ganesh had two sons, Shubh and Labh. On Raksha Bandhan, Ganesh’s sister visited and tied a Rakhi on Ganesh’s wrist. The two boys become frustrated that they have no sister to celebrate Raksha Bandhan with. They ask their father Ganesh for a sister, but to no avail. Finally, saint Narada appears who persuades Ganesh that a daughter will enrich him as well as his sons. Ganesh agreed, and created a daughter named Santoshi Ma by divine flames that emerged from Ganesh’s wives, Rddhi (Amazing) and Siddhi(Perfection). Thereafter, Shubh Labh (literally “Holy Profit”) had a sister named Santoshi Ma (literally “Goddess of Satisfaction”), who loved and protected each other.

Krishna and Draupadi

Krishna considered Draupadi his sister. When Krishna cut his finger while beheading Shishupal, Draupadi immediately tore off a piece of her sari and bandaged his cut. Krishna said that with this loving act, she wrapped him in debt and he would repay each “thread” when the time arrives. Indeed, whenever Draupadi needed Krishna’s protection she fervently prayed for his help, he came to the rescue and gave her unlimited cloth. This is one of the stories of the origin of the Raksha Bandhan festival.
In the epic Mahabharat, Draupadi tied a Rakhi to Krishna, while Kunti tied her Rakhi to her grandson Abhimanyu, before the great war.

Yama and the Yamuna

According to another legend, Yama, the god of Death had not visited his sister Yamuna for 12 years. Yamuna, the goddess of Yamuna river, was sad and consulted Ganga, the goddess of Ganga river. Ganga reminded Yama of his sister, upon which Yama visits her. Yamuna was overjoyed to see her brother, and prepared a bounty of food for Yama. The god Yama was delighted, and asked Yamuna what she wanted for gift. She wished that he, her brother should return and see her again soon. Yama was moved by his sister’s love, agreed and to be able to see her again, made river Yamuna immortal. This legend is the basis for a Raksha Bandhan-like festival called Bhai Duj in some parts of India, which also celebrates brother-sister love, but near Diwali.

Historical References

Alexander the Great and King Puru

According to one legendary narrative, when Alexander the Great invaded India in 326 BCE, Roxana (or Roshanak, his wife) sent a sacred thread to Porus, asking him not to harm her husband in battle. In accordance with tradition, Porus, a Katoch king, gave full respect to the rakhi. On the battlefield, when Porus was about to deliver a final blow to Alexander, he saw the rakhi on his own wrist and restrained himself from attacking Alexander personally.

Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun

Another controversial historical account is that of Rani Karnavati of Chittor and Mughal Emperor Humayun, which dates to 1535 CE. When Rani Karnavati, the widowed queen of the king of Chittor, realised that she could not defend against the invasion by the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah, she sent a Rakhi to Emperor Humayun. Touched, the Emperor immediately set off with his troops to defend Chittor. Humayun arrived too late, and Bahadur Shah managed to sack the Rani’s fortress. Although contemporary commentators and memoirs do not mention the Rakhi episode and some historians have expressed skepticism about it, it is mentioned in one mid-seventeenth century Rajasthani account.

Rabindranath Tagore and Rakhi

Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian Nobel Laureate for literature, invoked Raksha Bandhan and Rakhi, as concepts to inspire love, respect and a vow of mutual protection between Hindus and Muslims during India’s colonial era. In 1905, the British empire divided Bengal, a province of British India on the basis of religion. Rabindra Nath Tagore arranged a ceremony to celebrate Raksha Bandhan to strengthen the bond of love and togetherness between Hindus and Muslims of Bengal, and urge them to together protest the British empire. He used the idea of Raksha Bandhan to spread the feeling of brotherhood. In 1911, British colonial empire reversed the partition and unified Bengal, a unification that was opposed by Muslims of Bengal. Ultimately, Tagore’s Raksha Bandhan-based appeals were unsuccessful. Bengal not only was split during the colonial era, one part became modern Bangladesh and predominantly Muslim country, the other a largely Hindu Indian state of West Bengal. Rabindranath Tagore started Rakhi Mahotsavas as a symbol of Bengal unity, and as a larger community festival of harmony. In parts of West Bengal, his tradition continues as people tie Rakhis to their neighbors and close friends.
One of Tagore’s poem invoking Rakhi is:[

 The love in my body and heart
 For the earth's shadow and light
 Has stayed over years.

With its cares and its hope it has thrown
 A language of its own
 Into blue skies.

It lives in my joys and glooms
 In the spring night's buds and blooms
 Like a Rakhi-band
 On the Future's hand.

27 Sex Facts You Need in Your Life

Even if you consider yourself a total sexpert, there is always something new to learn about sex. From all the crazy ways it can improve your health to the downright weird things that happen during the act, read on for everythingyou could possibly want to know about getting busy. Plus, we promise it will be a lot more fun than sex ed ever was.

1. Sex reduces stress. On top of obvious, ahem, physical benefits,research shows that getting busy calms nerves, lowers blood pressure, and reduces stress. Grab your partner before that big presentation at work—in one study, participants who had sex before a public speaking experiment were the least stressed.
2. It can make you feel better when you’re sick, too. Studies show that arousal and orgasm boost your immune system. And while this means sex could be good for you when you’re feeling a little under the weather, definitely know when to opt for some chicken soup and some sleep over a little sexual healing.
3. Lube makes it easier to orgasm. If you’re having trouble getting off, all your problems might be solved with one simple addition to the bedroom: lube. Nearly 50 percent of men and women who used lube said it made it easier to have an orgasm, according to a study out of Indiana University’s Center for Sexual Health Promotion. Easiest sex hack ever.
4. Speaking of lube, you can use coconut oil for that. If you’re a health buff, chances are you already know that coconut oil can be used for just about everything. Another thing to add to the list of its many functions:a great DIY lubricant. It’s all-natural, long-lasting and even anti-fungal. Who knew?
5. Lesbians have the most orgasms. Sorry, straight ladies—when it comes to crossing the finish line, lesbians are coming in first. A study that looked at the relationship between sexual orientation and orgasm occurrence found that heterosexual women climaxed 61.6 percent of the time, while homosexual women climaxed 74.7 percent of the time and bisexual women climaxed 58 percent of the time.
6. Other random characteristics can up your orgasm odds, too. Who else joins lesbians on the list of those having the most orgasms? Red heads, Republicans, Android users, and older women, to name a few.
7. Semen is low in calories. Thirty-six calories in a teaspoon, to be exact. Just in case that was a concern of yours.
8. Post-gym is a REALLY good time to get busy. Blood flow to your genital region is higher after a workout, according to one study, making your sexual function go off the charts. Not to mention, your testosterone levels skyrocket while you exercise, so you’ll definitely be in the mood.
9. Speaking of working out…some people get off WHILE doing it. Orgasms are elusive enough as it is, but some lucky people report exercised-induced ones. They can thank repetitious core movements for that one—and some serious good fortune.
10. Some states are kinkier than others. Wyoming, Alaska, Vermont, West Virginia and Oregon are the top kink-curious states—at least according to what they search on Pornhub. California, surprisingly, came in dead last—but maybe they’re expressing their kink outside their search history.
11. Almost 31 percent of guys have faked an orgasm. A survey fromTime Out New York found that guys are in on the trick, too. Time to start second-guessing everything you thought you knew.
12. Love makes for better sex. A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association found that the most mind-blowing sex comes with being in love with your partner.
13. Condoms don’t actually affect pleasure all that much. Next time a guy complains about using a condom serve him up this study that found men and women enjoy sex just as much with condoms as they do without. In fact, condoms might even make sex better, thanks to new, pleasure-enhancing innovations.
14. Traveling is prime time for one night stands.  HostelBookers com surveyed over 11,000 of its users about their “juiciest travel sex secrets” and found that a whopping 52 percent of men and 41 percent of women have had one-night stands while traveling. Get it, world travelers.
15. Hooking up can lead to marriage. You might think that hooking up and settling down are mutually exclusive, but it turns out that one third of married couples were originally a hookup, according to a report from the National Marriage Project. Okay, so every one night stand might not be marriage material, but hey—don’t count out the possibility.
16. Nipplegasms exist. Add this to the list of crazy orgasms you probably can only dream about. But here’s how it works: Nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, which can cause the uterine and vaginal contractions associated with orgasm. This brings more blood flow to the genitals and, for some lucky women, that can mean an orgasm.
17. Sex can lead to more regular cycles. If you have period trouble, sex should be on the top of your list of cures to try (okay, barring consulting an actual doctor). Researchers at Stanford and Columbia Universities found that women who had sex at least once a week had more regular cycles.
18. You feel less pain during sex. Ever wonder why things like spanking and hair-pulling go from bad pain to good pain when brought into the bedroom? That’s because your pain threshold can increase significantly during arousal, according to a study published in the Journal of Sex Research.
19. One in 5 people use their smart phones during sex. Yes, you read that correctly. During sex. At least, adults between 18 and 34 years old do, according to a survey by Harris Interactive for Jumio. Here’s hoping that they weren’t using their phones to live-tweet.
20. Sex is a great addition to your regular workout. You’ve probably heard that sex is a great form of exercise—and then heard that fact debunked. Okay, so you won’t be shedding any serious weight on a fitness routine of sex alone, but Canadian researchers found that the level of intensity during sex was practically two-thirds that of exercise. AKA, the perfect supplement to your usual workout.
21. More people prefer coffee to sex. Researchers conducted the survey of over 7,000 and found that 51 percent of them said they could go longer without sex than they could go without coffee. Clearly those people don’t know that orgasms can be a great morning pick-me-up, too—or maybe they just really love their Starbucks. (We understand.)
22. People in New Mexico are having the longest sex sessions. Spreadsheet, a relationship app created to help users monitor their performance in the bedroom, ranked states by their staying power between the sheets. The states with most stamina: New Mexico, West Virginia, Idaho, South Carolina, and Missouri.
23. You can induce sex dreams by your sleep position. If you’re not dreaming about Channing Tatum as much as you’d like, you might want to switch up how you sleep. A study published in Dreaming found that people who slept face down on their stomach with their arms stretched above their head had more sexual dreams—including ones about affairs with celebrities. Bring it on.
24. Socks might be the weird key to your orgasm. Okay, maybe socks won’t magically trigger an orgasm, but they do solve a common orgasm-blocking problem, according to a Dutch study. While measuring orgasms, they found that many of their female participants were uncomfortable due to cold feet. After they gave them socks, the percentage of those reaching orgasm rose from 50 to 80 percent.
25. It may cure your headache. Before reaching for that pain reliever, you might want to try an all-natural approach. One study found that 60 percent of migraine sufferers reported that sex helped ease their pain. Yep, it’s that good.
26. An apple a day can boost your sex life. According to one study, women who ate the fruit once a day had higher sexual quality of life. Plus, apples are delicious, so it’s a win-win.
27. Having an orgasm can make pillow talk better. Well, obviously. But research actually found that post-sex communication is more intimate and open if you climaxed. We call that motivation.

30 True and Interesting fact about girls, Facts about Women.

1. Hearing the words “I love you” is a great reassurance to a girl that she is beautiful.
2. Some girls care about looks, some care about brains, but ALL girls want a guy who will love and care for them.
3. When a particular guy flirts with a girl very often, a girl would start thinking the guy likes her. So if you treat a girl just as a friend, go easy on the smiles and stare ok?
4. Girls want nothing more than to feel loved.
5. Never tell a girl that she is useless in anyway.
6. A simple ‘Hi’ can brighten a girl’s day.
7. If a girl says she can’t go out with you because she has to study, leave.
8. A girl can’t find anything to hate about the guy she loves (which is why it is so hard for her to ‘get over him’ after the relationship’ s over.)
9. Being too serious can turn a girl off.
10. But if she still calls you or expect a call from you, stay.
11. If you don’t like a girl who likes you, break it to her gently.
12. Girls enjoy talking about what they feel. Music, poetry, drawing sand writing are ways of expressing themselves (which explains why most girls like writing journals).
13. When class pictures come out, a girl would first check who is standing next to her crush before actually looking at herself.
14. When the guy she likes smiles and stares deep into her eyes, she will melt.
15. If a girl starts avoiding you after you reject her, leave her alone for a while. If you still treat her as a friend, talk to her.
16. If you need tips on how to flirt with a girl, read romance stories.
17. Love means devotion, caring and happiness to a girl, in that order.
18. Girls hate it when a guy pays attention to them just to get close to their ‘prettier’ friend.
19. A girl likes to hear compliments, but usually not sure how to react to them.
20. A smile means a lot to a girl.
21. Don’t try to guess a girl’s feelings. Ask her.
22. When she ignores you after you’ve done something wrong, it’s best to give her some time to cool down before touching her heart with an apology.
23. If a girl loves a guy, he will always be on her mind every minute of the day, even though she flirts with other guys.
24. A girl’s best friends usually know best what she is feeling and going through.
25. A girl’s ex-crush will always be in her memory, but the guy she loves now stays in her heart.
26. Girls love having fun!
27. If you like a girl, try making friends with her first. Let her get to know you.
28. When the guy she likes calls her for the first time, the girl may act look uninterested during the call. But as soon as the phone is back on the hook, she will whoop with joy and immediately start telephoning her friends to spread the news.
29. After a girl falls in love with a guy, she’ll wonder why she never noticed him before.
30. When a girl says she’s sad, but she isn’t crying, it means she’s crying in her heart.

Google

Google is an American Multinational Technology Company specializing in Internet related services and products. These include online advertising technologies, search, cloud, computing and software. Most of its profits are derived from Adwords, an online advertising service that places advertising near the list of search results.

Founder

Google was founded by Larry Page and Scrgey Bin while they were Ph.D students at Stanford University. Together they own about 14% of its shares but control 56% of the stockholder voting power through supervoting stock. They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. An initial public offering followed on August 19,2004. Its mission statement from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," and its unofficial slogan was "Don't be evil". In 2004, Google moved to its new headquarters in Mountain View, California, nicknamed the Googleplex.

Facts About Google

1. Google can process millions of pages in per second.
2. Google was first stored on ten 4 gb hard drives in Lego easing now showcased by Stanford  University.
3. Since the founders weren't looking to start their own business, they tried to sell their search engine system.
4. Google's original name was Backrub , based on the system finding and ranking pages based on back ranks.
5. Stanford still owns the patent to Google's algorithm, named pagerank.

Earthquakes.

• Any sudden disturbance below the Earth's surface may produce vibrations or shaking in Earth's crust and some of these vibrations; when reach the surface, are known as earthquakes.
• The intensity of earthquake waves are recorded by Seismograph.
• Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli Scale.
• Focus is the point beneath the Earth where earthquake originates.
• Epicentre is the point just above the focus on the Earth's surface.

Eclipses

When the light of the Sun or the Moon is blocked by another body, the Sun or the Moon is said to be in eclipse.

• Solar Eclipse: It is caused, when the Moon revolving around the Earth comes in between the Earth and the Sun, thus making a part or whole of the Sun invisible from a particular part of the Earth. Thus, the eclipse can be partial or complete.
• Lunar Eclipse: When the Earth comes between the Moon and the Sun, the shadow cast by the Earth on the Moon results in a lunar eclipse.

Rocks and its Types.

Rocks

Rocks are made up of individual substances, called minerals, found mostly in solid state. Rocks are classified into three major types:

• Igneous Rocks are formed by the solidification of the molten magma, e.g., Mica, Granite etc.
• Sedimentary Rocks are formed due to accumulation of rock particles and organic matter in layers, under tremendous pressure, e.g., Gravel, Peat, Gypsum etc.
• Metamorphic Rocks were originally igneous or sedimentary but later changed due to pressure, heat or action of water, e.g., Gneiss, Marble, Quartzite etc.

Types of Volcanoes.

• Active: Which erupts frequently, e.g., Mauna Loa (Hawaii), Etna (Sicily), Vesuvius (Italy), Stromboli (Mediterranean Sea).
• Dormant: Not erupted for quite sometime, e.g., Fujiyama (Japan), Krakatoa (Indonesia), Barren Island (Andamans).
• Extinct: Not erupted for several centuries. e.g., Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh, Scotland.
• Ring of Fire: Hundreds of active volcanoes found on the land near the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
• Tsunami: Large ocean wave that is caused by sudden motion on the ocean floor. Motion could be an earthquake, volcanic eruption or underwater landslide.

About Universe.

Universe

• The study of universe is known as Cosmology.
• The Universe in commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists including all physical matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies and the contents of intergalactic space.
• Galaxy: A galaxy is a vast system of billions of stars, dust and light gases bound by their own gravity. There are 100 billion galaxies in the universe and each galaxy has, on average, 100 billion stars.
• Our galaxy is Milky Way Galaxy (or the Akash Ganga) formed after the Big Bang.
• Andromeda is the nearest galaxy to Milky Way.
• The Big Bang Theory: Big Bang was an explosion of concentrated matter in the universe that occurred 15 billion years ago, leading to the formation of galaxies of stars and other heavenly bodies.
• Stars are the heavenly bodies made up of hot burning gases and they shine by emitting their own light.
• Black Hole: Stars having mass greater than three times that of  the sun, have very high gravitational power, so that not even light can escape from its gravity and hence called black hole.
• Comets: Made up of frozen gases. They move around the Sun in elongated elliptical orbit with the tail always pointing away from the Sun.
• Constellations: The sky is divided into units to enable the astronomers to identify the position of the stars. These units are called constellations. There are 88 known constellations.
• Satellites are the heavenly bodies that revolve around the planets. Moon is the natural satellite of the Earth.

What is a Food chain?

All animals must have food to give them the energy they need to survive, and they get it by eating other living things. The transfer of energy from one living thing to another is called a food chain. Every animal is either a predator or prey for other animals. Those at the top of the chain are called top predators.