India issued a tsunami warning for Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the eastern coast today after a 8.7 magnitude quake in Indonesia shook major cities, causing panic and sending people fleeing onto the streets. India's tsunami warning center said waves measuring up to 6 metres were expected along parts of its eastern coast.

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Indonesia quake felt in India, issues Tsunami warning

Happy Easter to All

Vishu

Vishu is usually on the second week of April .The Malayalam word kani literally means "that which is seen first", so "Vishukkani" means "that which is seen first on Vishu". The Vishukkani consists of a ritual arrangement of auspicious articles like raw rice, fresh lemon, golden cucumber, betel leaves, arecanut, metal mirror, yellow flowerskonna (Cassia fistula), and a holy text and coins, in a bell metal vessel called uruli in the puja room of the house. A lighted bell metal lamp callednilavilakku is also placed alongside. This is arranged the night before. On Vishu, the custom is to wake up at dawn and go to the puja room with eyes closed so that the Vishukkani is the first sight of the new season. People wear new clothes (Puthukodi) for the occasion and elders of the family gift money, called Vishukkaineetam, to children, servants and tenants.

Uthrasreebali on

Silent Valley National Park - Palakkad, Kerala

Silent Valley National Park – Palakkad District, Kerala

The former name of the  park is Sairandhrivanam. The park which  surrounded with Attappadi Reserve Forests in the east, and vested forests of the Palakkad and Nilambur divisions in the west and south. In the North, the park is an extension of the Nilgiri Forests. Silent Valley gets copious amounts of rainfall during the monsoons, . In general the rainfall is higher at higher altitude and decreases from the west to east due to the rain shadow effect. Eighty per cent of the rainfall occurs during the south-west monsoon between June and September. It also receives significant amount of rainfall during the north-east monsoon between October and November. 

 

 

The fauna here includes around 100 species of butterflies, 400 species of moths, Ceylon Frogmouth, Great Indian Hornbill, the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush, the giant Malabar squirrel, Nilgiri langur, the lion-tailed Macaque, elephant, tiger, leopard, wild bear, nilgai, sambar, pit viper etc. The parks best known primates, the Nilgiri Langur and Lion- tailed macaque are both listed in IUCN's Red List of Threatened Animals. There are very old trees in the park including a huge hollow tree which can hide at least 12 people in it.