Home, sweet home: Part 1
Where does a kangaroo live? Or a cow? Or even a monkey? Watch the first of a two-part video to find out.
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Quiz Whizz: August 24, 2024
Check out this end-of-the-week quiz to keep your grey cells active. How many questions can you answer correctly?
Check out this set of six questions. How many can you get right?
We, The People
How often have you heard that India is the largest democracy in the world? But what is democracy? This video will tell you all about it…
Green to your rescue!
All you need are a few healthy veggies and a bowl. Chop, toss, drizzle and it’s ready. Goodness in a bowl just for you!
A few green, red, black vegetables, lots of chopping and a little dressing….We present to you a bowl of fresh green goodness. Here’s how you can make your own Greek salad.
Land of endless discovery
In this African country, rainforests and savannahs meet mountains and beaches, and nature plays an enchanting symphony.
Angola, in southwestern Africa, is the seventh largest country in the continent and the second-largest Portuguese-speaking nation in the world. Roughly square shaped, Angola is bordered by the Republic of the Congo in the northwest, the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the north and northeast, Zambia in the southeast, Namibia to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. The capital and largest city is Luanda, while the currency is the Angolan Kwanza.
Angola was colonised by Portugal until became a separate nation in 1975. It was the last African country to gain independence from Portugal.
Click on the labels to learn more about this fascinating country.
Photos: Getty Images/iStockPhoto, Wikimedia Commons
It’s story time!
Here is a story about a kind old gnome and his need for friendship. Happy reading!
Which organ are you?
Your body contains several organs, each playing its part. Which organ’s role aligns with your personality? Find out now.
The five vital organs in the human body are the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver. A problem with any of these organs can quickly become life threatening. Other organs include the gallbladder, pancreas, and stomach. Organ systems, such as the nervous system, support these organs.
The brain is the body’s control centre. It forms the core of the central nervous system by creating, sending, and processing nerve impulses, thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and more.
The heart is the most important organ of the circulatory system, which helps deliver blood to the body. It has four chambers. The two upper chambers are called atria, and the two lower chambers are called ventricles.
The lungs work with the heart to oxygenate blood. They do this by extracting oxygen from inhaled air and exhaling carbon dioxide released from the tissues.
The liver is the most important organ of the metabolic system, but it also plays a role in almost every other organ system. It helps convert nutrients into usable substances and filters blood coming from the digestive tract through a vein before it joins venous blood flow from other parts of the body. Oxygenated blood reaches the liver via an artery.
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located on either side of the back, protected inside of the lower part of the rib cage. They help filter blood and remove waste from the body.
The stomach is located in the upper part of the abdomen. The digestive organs in the abdomen work together to absorb nutrients and move food through the digestion process. They include the stomach, gallbladder, liver, pancreas, intestines, and urinary system.
Now that you have read all about the organs of the body, take this for-fun-only quiz to see which one aligns with your personality.
Our protective bubble
Get ready to explore the invisible world around us. Can you find all the gases in the wordsearch?
The Earth’s atmosphere is a protective blanket of gases that surrounds our planet, making life possible. It consists of different layers, namely the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. From the breathable air in the troposphere to the ozone-rich stratosphere, these layers play a vital role in shielding us from harmful radiation, regulating temperature, and supporting life.
The atmosphere holds moisture, gases, and tiny particles. Nitrogen and oxygen are the most abundant gases, making up the air we breathe, while carbon dioxide and water vapour help regulate our climate. Trace gases like ozone protect us from the Sun’s harmful rays.
This grid contains the names of some of the vital gases in the atmosphere. Can you spot them all?
Postcards from Madras
As the city celebrates yet another birthday, here are some photos that show Chennai that was Madras from another era.
August 22 is Madras Day. Today known as Chennai, this bustling city celebrates its 385th birthday this year. As we toast its vibrant spirit, we bring you snippets about the city that has stories in every corner. Here are a few old memories preserved through time.
Move the slider right to left along each picture to see it for yourselves
Photos: Getty Images/iStockPhoto
At the mounds of the kings
The most recent addition to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list from India are the maidams at Charaideo, Assam. But what are they?
Have you heard of the “pyramids of Assam”? This is the name given to the maidams of Charaideo, which were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in July under the cultural property category. The maidams are burial mounds, under which lie the royalty and nobility of a dynasty that ruled Assam from the 13th to the early 19th centuries. Belonging to the Great Tai group, the Ahoms were largely responsible for bringing political, economic and cultural stability to the region.
While maidams are found in many districts of upper Assam, the ones at Charaideo contain the graves of the royals. Chau-lung-Siu-ka-pha, the first Ahom king, was buried at Charaideo and it became the custom to bury all royal family members here. Since the Ahoms ruled Assam for around 600 years, Charaideo became a sacred place.
A maidam is shaped like a hemisphere on the outside and the size depended on the status of the dead person. Most maidams have a vault where the remains were kept, an earthen mound to cover the chamber with a structure for annual offerings, and finally a boundary wall with a gateway in the west.
According to chronicles of the time, the kings were buried along with articles of daily use, ornaments, weapons and other items. There are also references to attendants being buried alive along with the dead royals. However, this practice was banned by Rudra Singha, who became king in 1696.
A special officer known as Changrunk Phukan was appointed to construct and maintain the royal maidams. There was also a group of guards, Maidamiya, who protected the mounds.
In the 18th century, the Ahoms came under the influence of Hinduism and began to cremate their dead. But the priests and the clans of royal bodyguards continue with the burial system.
Since they were known to hold the treasures of kings, the maidams were often plundered and looted. In 1840, an excavation conducted by the Asiatic Society of Bengal found silver and gold artefacts such as rings, earrings, plates and more. While the Charaideo maidams are protected, the others are at the mercy of elements and people.
Quick facts
The Ahoms belong to the Tai peoples, who are today found across south China and southeast Asia.
The word maidam originates from the Tai-Ahom Phrang Mai Dam. The first two words mean “to bury” and the last “spirits of the dead”.
Charaideo also originates from the Tai-Ahom Che Rai Doi or shining city on the hills.
Sukaphaa was the founder of the Ahom kingdom and established his capital at Charaideo.