Music

Music is a core human experience and generative processes reflect cognitive capabilities. Music is often functional because it is something that can promote human well-being by facilitating human contact, human meaning, and human imagination of possibilities, tying it to our social instincts. Cognitive systems also underlie musical performance and sensibilities. Music is one of those things that we do spontaneously, reflecting brain machinery linked to communicative functions, enlarged and diversified across a broad array of human activities. Music cuts across diverse cognitive capabilities and resources, including numeracy, language, and space perception. In the same way, music intersects with cultural boundaries, facilitating our “social self” by linking our shared experiences and intentions. This paper focuses on the intersection between the neuroscience of music, and human social functioning to illustrate the importance of music to human behaviors.

                                    Music is a fundamental part of our evolution; we probably sang before we spoke in syntactically guided sentences. Song is represented across animal worlds, birds and whales produce sounds, though not always melodic to our ears, but still rich in semantically communicative functions. Song is not surprisingly tied to a vast array of semiotics that pervade nature: calling attention to oneself, expanding oneself, selling oneself, deceiving others, reaching out to others and calling on others. The creative capability so inherent in music is a unique human trait.

The Benefits of Listening to Music

Researchers Trusted Source think one of the most important functions of music is to create a feeling of cohesion or social connectedness. Music remains a powerful way of uniting people like: national anthems connect crowds at sporting events, protest songs stir a sense of shared purpose during marches, hymns build group identity in houses of worship, love songs help prospective partners bond during courtship, lullabies enable parents and infants to develop secure attachments etc.

Music can improve memory

Music also has a positive effect on our ability to memorize. In one study, researchers gave people tasks that required them to read and then recall short lists of words. Those who were listening to classical music outperformed those who worked in silence or with white noise. The same study tracked how fast people could perform simple processing tasks — matching numbers to geometrical shapes — and a similar benefit showed up. Mozart helped people complete the task faster and more accurately. Music memory is one of the brain functions most resistant to dementia. That’s why some caregivers have had success using music to calm dementia patients and build trusting connections with them.

Music can help treat mental illness

Music literally changes the brain. Neurological researchers have found that listening to music triggers the release of several neurochemicals that play a role in brain function and mental health: dopamine, a chemical associated with pleasure and “reward” centers, stress hormones like cortisol, serotonin and other hormones related to immunity, oxytocin a chemical that fosters the ability to connect to others.

Music can help lower anxiety

There’s lots of evidence that listening to music can help calm you in situations where you might feel anxious. Source have shown that people in rehab after a stroke are more relaxed once they’ve listened to music for an hour. Similar Source indicate that music blended with nature sounds help people feel less anxious. Even people facing critical illness feel less anxiety after music therapy.

                              There’s conflicting evidence about whether listening to music has an effect on your body’s physiological stress response, however. One Source indicated that the body releases less cortisol, a stress hormone, when people listen to music. This same study referenced previous research stating that music had little measurable effect on cortisol levels. One recent Source that measured several indicators of stress (not just cortisol) concluded that while listening to music before a stressful event doesn’t reduce anxiety, listening to relaxing music after a stressful event can help your nervous system recover faster.

Music decreases fatigue

Anyone who has ever rolled down car windows and turned up the radio knows that music can be energizing. There’s solid science behind that lived experience. Music can make you want to move and the benefits of dancing are well documented. Scientists also know that listening to music can Source your breath rate, your heart rate, and your blood pressure, depending on the music’s intensity and fatigue.

In 2015, Source at Shanghai University found that relaxing music helped reduce fatigue and maintain muscle endurance when people were engaged in a repetitive task. Music therapy sessions also lessened fatigue in people receiving cancer treatments and raised the fatigue threshold for people engaged in demanding neuromuscular training, which leads us to the next big benefit.

Music boosts exercise performance

Exercise enthusiasts have long known that music enhances their physical performance. A 2020 research review confirms that working out with music improves your mood, helps your body exercise more efficiently, and cuts down on your awareness of exertion. Working out with music also leads to longer workout. In clinical settings, athletes who listened to high-intensity, fast music during warmups were motivated to perform better competitively. Research shows that syncing your workout to music can allow you to reach peak performance using less oxygen than if you did the same workout without the beat. Music acts as a metronome in your body, researchers said.

 Infographics

It is a visual representation of information and data. By combining elements of text image, chart, diagram and, more recently, video, an infographic is an effective tool to present data and explain complex issues in a way that can quickly lead to insight and better understanding. In the past few years, the news industry has seen also the rise of data journalism and storytelling with data, while the Internet has present itself as the perfect platform for more complex data based narratives and visualizations.

        The term “infographics” has expanded to many industries in the past decade, becoming a powerful communication tool for businesses, governments and educational institutions. There's a whole new audience of professionals interested in presenting data in a more compelling, insightful and engaging way.

The history of infographics

Some of the amazing men and women in ancient time period paved the way by combining art, science, and statistics. William Playfair is considered the father of statistical graphics, having invented the line and bar chart we use so often today. He is also credited with having created the area and pie chart. Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist who published The Commercial and Political Atlas in 1786.

Peter Sullivan

Peter Sullivan was a British graphic designer best known for infographics he created for The Sunday Times in the 1970’s, 80’s, and 90’s. His book Newspaper Graphics is still one of the few books focusing on information graphics in newspapers.

A good infographic

It should have the ability to walk through different phases, offering facts and intriguing visuals along the way. The flow of infographic can be controlled using numbers, headers, color, white space, pictures, and charts. The number one job is to show people the data. This is why it should be aimed to have the proper balance of charts and visual elements. 

for example -

Latest Techs

 Technology

Technology, in its most basic sense, refers to the use of scientific knowledge to create, monitor and design tools and pieces of equipment, which are in turn used to make life easier for people. Technology is born with the accomplishment of scientific progress and breakthroughs. However, the exact definition of technology varies according to context.

• Technology can be defined as the application of scientific knowledge to change and manipulate the human environment.
• Technology can also be defined as the branch of knowledge that caters to the creation and use of technical means and their relationship with society and environment, using engineering, applied and pure science.
• The sum of ways in which social groups provide themselves with material objects of their civilization.

History of Technology

The term technology is derived from the ancient Greek words “techne” and “logos”, which translates to “art, craft” and “word, speech” respectively. The term was used for the first time in the 17th century, and it was denoted to mean “a discussion of the applied arts”. However, with the industrial movement beginning in the 20th century, the term “technology” was used to represent a range of processes and techniques, in addition to machinery and tools. Over time, the term was used to associate scientific progress and breakthroughs in various disciplines.

Technological Advancements

The transformation, that occurred from the 14th to 17th centuries in Europe, marked a surge of interest in literature, arts and science. Most of today’s fundamental principles and the basis for many inventions were established during that time. For instance, renowned scientists, astronomers and inventors such as Leonardo da Vinci, Nicolaus Copernicus, Rene Descartes, Blaise Pascal, all lived during this time period. These individuals contributed many principles, theories and ideas that would become the basis for all the things we have in our world today.

            The next big leap in technological advancement came during the Industrial Revolution, which began in the 1760s. This movement gave birth to many inventions such as the steam engine, the Spinning Jenny, the power loom and the electrical telegraph. When the world plunged into the two world wars, technological progress skyrocketed. This is because if any national had technological superiority, it could mean the difference between life and death. World War II, in particular, spawned countless innovations and inventions. The most significant inventions include the jet engine, synthetic rubber, radar, helicopters and penicillin.

Top trending Technologies

Artificial Intelligence

Today, AI contributes to society numerously, for example, in the form of virtual assistants such as Google Assistant, Siri, Cortana, and Alexa. AI technology involves machine intelligence, which is as smart and intelligent as the human brain and reacts like humans. Moreover, Artificial Intelligence technology is everywhere, from text mining, web mining, healthcare, banking, entertainment, self-driving cars, and smartphones to homes. These are the reasons that it remains at the top position in the list of the trending technologies of 2021.

Robotic Process Automation

Robotics is another popular and trending technology that allows us to automate business processes. RPA neither requires coding for development nor direct access to the database. It has a list of commands executed by bots under some standard set of business rules. Also, Robotics is used to perform various tasks like Automated report generation, Emulate human Actions, Audit and validate information and also used for Quality Assurance.

Internet of Things (IoT)

Internet of Things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, objects, digital machines, or people that have unique identifiers (UIDs), and this technology can transfer data over a network without human-to-human or human-to-computer interactions. IoT is used mainly in Smart homes, Smart Watches, Smart Cities, Connected Cars, Digital Health etc.

 Machine Learning

Machine Learning is the field of study that gives computers the capability to learn without being explicitly programmed. ML is one of the most exciting technologies that one would have ever come across. As it is evident from the name, it gives the computer that makes it more similar to humans: The ability to learn. Machine learning is actively being used today, perhaps in many more places than one would expect. It finds and apply patterns to data. ML is a trending technology that discovers rules causing a problem by using the data and finding a solution to that problem. Uses of Machine Learning in our day-to-day lives include: Social media services, Email spam and malware filtering, Online customer support, Online fraud detection, Search engine result refining etc.

Blockchain

Blockchain Technology is an entirely new way of documenting data on the Internet. Sometimes, it is also referred to as distributed ledger technology (DLT). The information recorded on Blockchain is distributed but not copied, and it can be in any form, such as ownership of something, someone’s identity, a transaction, etc. This technology can become the backbone in many applications like Messenger, Voting systems, Market prediction, Storage platforms, Games etc.

Virtual / Augmented Reality

Virtual Reality is the next big thing in the world. This modern technology generates sounds, realistic images, and other sensations that leave people in a spectacular imaginary world. It is used in two different ways as below:

Augmented Reality is used in enhancing and creating an imaginary world for the purpose of entertainment and gaming, for example, 3D movies, video games, etc.

It is also used in training software and people to work in real-life environments by creating a simulation of the reality where they can be trained beforehand, for example, flight simulators for pilots, etc.

Augmented reality is a trending technology that can develop apps on mobile devices to blend digital components with the real world. It is used in pop-out 3D emails, text messages, photos, etc., and it also displays score overlays on telecasted sports and games. There is much more in store!

DevOps

‘DevOps’ is an enterprise software development phrase, which has emerged from the terms ‘Development’ and ‘Operations’ of the software development life cycle (SDLC) and is a part of the Cloud technology. As the name suggests, DevOps encourages collaboration, communication, automation, and integration among the IT operations team and the developers to improve the quality and speed of delivering software. It is considered the offspring of the agile software development method. Benefits of DevOps, a trending technology, are Reliability, Scaling power, Rapid development, Fast delivery and Security.

Technology is one of the greatest tools for mankind, however, it has the potential to be misused. Technology can also cause some jobs to become obsolete, causing unemployment. Moreover, current technology needs to focus on being more eco-friendly and minimize their carbon footprints. This is the only way to ensure that technology does not result in the destruction of our natural resources and eventually, our planet.

Web Design And Development

 Web Design

Web design means designing of websites that are displayed on the internet. A web designer is a graphic artist who is responsible for designing the layout, usability, and visual appearance of a website. Earlier web design used to be focused on designing websites for desktop browsers however, since the mid-2010s, design for mobile and tablet browsers has become ever-increasingly important. A web designer works on the appearance, layout, and, in some cases, content of a website. Appearance, for instance, relates to the colors, font, and images used. Layout refers to how information is structured and categorized. A good web design is easy to use, aesthetically pleasing, and suits the user group and brand of the website. Many webpages are designed with a focus on simplicity, so that no extraneous information and functionality that might distract or confuse users appears. As the keystone of a web designer’s output is a site that wins and fosters the trust of the target audience, removing as many potential points of user frustration as possible is a critical consideration.

                    Two of the most common methods for designing websites that work well both on desktop and mobile are responsive and adaptive design. In responsive design, content moves dynamically depending on screen size; in adaptive design, the website content is fixed in layout sizes that match common screen sizes. Preserving a layout that is as consistent as possible between devices is crucial to maintaining user trust and engagement. As responsive design can present difficulties in this regard, designers must be careful in relinquishing control of how their work will appear.

Types of Web Designing

Web designing is of three basic types, to be specific static, dynamic or CMS and eCommerce:

• Static website design - When you simply need a couple of pages on your site and don't need the data to change, a static design is the best. The info on a static site continues as before and has no changes occurring in the course of time. Static websites are made in HTML, CSS and Java. They are simple to create and are easily crawled by search engines.

• CMS or dynamic website - A dynamic website design can convey dynamic data. This implies relying upon changes occurring; the site data are updated automatically depending on a couple of criteria. Its design is created on content management platform or CMS like WordPress, Joomla and so on. The main hindrance is that this sort of website is hard to design.

• eCommerce website - A website for a small business should have a distinctive look that can differentiate it from any other sites on the Internet. This is a good design for businesses that cannot afford a professional web designer. Visitors should be able to get from one place to another by using different ways. The design should allow for this. If you want a reliable website design, consider using a content management system. A CMS provides a website that offers flexibility in designing, creating and updating content.

  In order to provide more functionality, the design should include different elements such as a navigation bar and a page editor. These two elements allow users to edit pages without having to worry about breaking the site. The layout should be simple and easy to navigate. It should not be hard to find the information needed for the business, and the design should allow for easy information sharing among employees. This type of website design is perfect for those who do not want to spend a lot of money on a website. Because it is less complex, a person or business can use it to create a personal website that will serve its purpose.

Web Development

A web developer is someone who builds and maintains the core structure of a website. A web developer contributes to the second stage of creating a website. When the entire structure and expectations are set, a web developer can start putting things into practice. And even here, you can have different types of web developers as well. When hiring or becoming a web developer, you can take your pick between these three options:

1.    Frontend Developer – If you’re hiring a frontend developer, they will take charge of the way your website looks. The main languages that are used by frontend developers are HTML, CSS and Javascript. Some work with CMS platforms as well where they can take care of the frontend of a website using themes and builders. In this case, a lot of the coding work is taken out of hands but knowledge of CSS, in particular, is still required to be able to make tweaks whenever needed.

2.    Backend Developer – A backend developer, on the other hand, takes care of the backend of a website. Making everything work functionally is the main priority. Backend developers have very code-intensive days and need to make everything work with the frontend of a website. Often, this includes making an eCommerce website work or have membership websites up and running.

3.    Full Stack Developer – Full stack developers are the best of both worlds. They take care of both the backend and frontend of a website. In many cases, this makes the workflow easier.

Web designers and developers work closely together. Both specializations contribute to the bigger picture which is having a website up and running that matches the client’s needs. If a web designer and a web developer are working together, they usually start off with a detailed briefing. This briefing is a crucial part of the entire process. If the communication between a web designer and developer isn’t on point, it will lead to misinterpretation and bad UI.

Best Web Design and Development Techniques

The visual design of any website is incredibly important. Here are some of the best web design techniques.

• It should be simple, clear and easy to navigate.
• Branding should also be clear and easily visible. Visitors to your website don’t have time to work out who you are or what you offer. Maybe they’ve found you online because they are looking for something in particular. This is where you need to stand out among your competitors, so that when it comes to making a decision, the customer chooses you.
• Content is just as important as the overall look. The website is an online resource for people. For example, you may be selling houses as an estate agency. It’s one thing to advertise all the houses for sale in your local area. It’s another to add information about buying a house. Perhaps in the form of a blog with headings such as ‘when is the best time to buy?’ Or ‘how to find a local solicitor’. Or ‘a guide to moving house’. Extra content which is relevant to the consumer can help your business to stand out from others. Thus, your content marketing is an essential part of the overall web design and web development.
• It should be web friendly and responsive. Basically, you can have a website with all the bells and whistles, but if a customer can’t access it or it loads very slowly, they will go elsewhere. Thus, everything on the website needs to be as straightforward as possible.
• High quality images with excellent product descriptions will highlight the quality and the credibility of your website. Therefore, along with quality content, your business will become known as a serious competitor in its field.

 Fitness

"Fitness" is actually a broad term which differ in meaning from person to person, but it refers to your own optimal health and overall well-being. Being fit not only means physical health, but emotional and mental health, too. It defines every aspect of your health. Smart eating and active living are fundamental to fitness. According to some expert, fitness includes five essential components, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, muscular strength, and body composition. Fitness is vitally important to health and wellness as well as to the ability to engage in normal activities of daily living (ADLs) without excessive fatigue. Physical activity and exercise training programs should be designed with the intent of improving each of the key components of health-related physical fitness in addition to preventing chronic disease (e.g. heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis etc.)

Difference Between Fit and Healthy

Most people believe being healthy and being fit are one and the same. In reality, those are two separate states of physical being. Some people can be really fit, and not very healthy, and some can be very healthy and not very fit. The best benefits are found with trying to get a balance out of both sides, this requires us to identify the difference between fitness and health.

So let’s define the difference. Health has been defined by the World Health Organization as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It includes aging well, longevity, quality of life, freedom from pain etc.

Fitness, on the other hand, is defined as a set of attributes that people have or achieve that relates to the ability to perform physical activity. Fitness is made up of many components, and the following factors need to be considered when discussing fitness levels:

1.    Endurance (Cardiovascular and Cardio-Respiratory): This is the body’s ability to use and deliver oxygen to body.

2.    Stamina (Muscular Endurance): This is body’s ability to store, process, and use energy.

3.    Strength: This is the ability of muscles or a muscular unit to apply force.

4.    Flexibility: The ability to maximize the range of motion of a joint.

5.    Power: The ability of your muscles to maximize their force in a minimum amount of time.

6.    Speed: The ability to minimize the amount of time it takes you to accomplish a task or movement.

7.    Coordination: The ability to combine several different movement patterns in a single distinct movement.

8.    Accuracy: The ability to control a movement in a given direction or intensity.

9.    Agility: The ability to minimize the time going from one movement to another.

Fitness involves activity of some sort that stimulates various systems of the body and maintains a certain condition within the body. Health, on the other hand, involves every system of the body and is only achieved through a lifestyle that supports health. Exercise won’t remove the damage from chemicals, or improve immune system damage or weakness from depleted foods. Only sound nutrition can support good health. Of course, fitness can also support health and will improve health if it is part of a way of life. Our health is mainly the result of thousands of daily nutritional decisions.

Some Tips to Stay Fit

• Get Enough Sleep - Getting enough sleep is important to maintain a fit and healthy body.  A minimum of 6-8 hours of sleep helps the body heal, repair and rejuvenate one’s health. When some person do not get enough sleep, it negatively affects metabolism and impacts mood, concentration, motor skills, stress hormones, cardiovascular health, and the immune system.

• 
  Eat a Balanced Diet - One of the best ways to stay fit and healthy is to eat a balanced diet. A balanced diet consists of different food items in appropriate quantity and quality as per the requirement of an individual.
  

• 
  Exercise Daily - Exercise is key to maintaining a fit and healthy body.  If you can take out some time to exercise or walk at least for half an hour or one hour, you can shed the extra weight of your body as well as improve blood circulation and enhance muscle fitness.

• Avoid Smoking and Drinking -

  
  One of the most effective ways to stay fit and healthy is to abstain from addictive habits, i.e., smoking and drinking. A majority of millennials and Gen X are addicted to smoking and drinking. Peer pressure, stress and other situations often lead to these types of bad habits which affect the lungs. The data will help understand the impact on the body. Cigarettes contain over 4000 chemicals compounds and 400 toxins, including tar, DDT, Carbon Monoxide. People get addicted to cigarettes due to the presence of nicotine. Smoking can lead to lung cancer, heart attack, and stroke. Coronary artery disease also can lead to cancers of the mouth, throat, pancreas, uterus etc.

• Do Not Skip Meals - If you want to stay fit and healthy, do not skip meals, especially breakfast. Breakfast helps keep our body energized and fueled, which is essential to ensure mental and physical performance. This is important to maintain a healthy weight because you will not overeat later to satiate the appetite.

• 
  Drink More Water - There are several solutions if you are wondering how to stay healthy. One such easy way is to stay hydrated. You must have at least 16 glasses of water a day to maintain a healthy digestive system and energy.  To ensure the optimal functioning of our body, we have to keep our body hydrated, and there can be no better alternative than water.
  

• Cleanse Your Body - One of the best ways to stay fit and healthy is to purify your body. This point may seem similar to the previous tip as the purpose is to detoxify the body, but both have different functions and impacts on the body. To cleanse your body, you must follow a healthy diet enriched with fruits and juices and devoid of spices.

Conclusion

There are many ways to exercise along with many healthy foods you can eat to help stay fit. When exercising it is good to make sure your pulse rate is good, and that you warm up your muscles before exercising and to make sure you do a cool down to help your muscles cool down. When making sure you are exercising right or eating right it is best to use an activity check to keep track of all the different kinds of activity you do. To make sure you eat right it is best to check the nutrition label on the back of every food to make sure you are consuming the right amount of calories.

Sri Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath Temple

The Jagannath temple is located in Puri district in eastern coast of Odisha. It is an important Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath, which is a form of Vishnu. It was built by ,the first king of the eastern ganga dynasty, Anantavarman Chodaganga deva. The temple is famous for its festival called Ratha Yatra which held annually . it is also called chariot festival, in which the three principal dieties lord jagannath, lord Balabhadra, and lord Subhadra are pulled on huge and elaborately decorated temple cars by a large number of devotees. 

History

People says that Indradyumna was a king who worshipped Lord Vishnu very much. Once the king was informed that Lord Vishnu has come in the form of Nila Madhava so the king sent a priest named Vidyapati to search for him. While travelling, Vidyapati reached a place where Sabaras(people lived in forest and hunt for food) were residing. Vishvavasu was the local chief who invited Vidyapati to live with him. Vishvavasu had a daughter named Lalita and Vidyapati married her after sometime. Vidyapati noticed that when his father-in-law returns, his body had a good smell of sandalwood, camphor, and musk. On asking his wife, she told him about the worship of Nila Madhava by her father. Vidyapati asked his father-in-law to take him to Nila Madhava. Visvavasu blindfolded him and took him to the cave. Vidyapati took with him seeds of mustard which he dropped on the way so as to remember the route to the cave. Vidyapati informed the king so he came to the place but, to his disappointment, the deity disappeared. In order to see the deity, he observed fast unto death on Mount Neela. Once he heard a voice saying that he will see the deity so he sacrificed a horse and built a temple and Narada installed the idol of Sri Narsimha in the temple.

                            One night the king slept and saw Lord Jagannath in his dream. He also heard a voice telling him about a fragrant tree and ordered him to make idols from it. So the king made the idols of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Along with it, he also made the Sudarshan Chakra. Then the king prayed to Lord Brahma to visit the temple and the deities. Lord Brahma was very pleased when he saw the temple asked about a desire which he (Lord Brahma) can fulfil. The king asked that there shall be no issues in his life and he should be the last one from his family. He also asked that if anybody is left in his family, then he should work for the temple and not the society.

Divine Site

The temple is one of the holiest Vaishnava Hindu Char Dham (four divine sites) including Rameswaram, Badrinath, and Dwarka. The four monasteries lie across the four corners of India and their attendant temples are Badrinath Temple at Badrinath in the North, Jagannath Temple at Puri in the East, Dwaraka-dheesh Temple at Dwarka in the West and Ramanatha swamy Temple at Rameswaram in the South. Though ideologically the temples are divided between the sects of Hinduism, namely Saivism and Vaishnavism. There are four abodes in Himalayas called Chota Char Dham (Chota meaning small): Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri - all of these lie at the foothills of Himalayas. The name Chota was added during the mid of 20th century to differentiate the original Char Dhams. The journey across the four cardinal points in India is considered sacred by Hindus who aspire to visit these temples once in their lifetime. Traditionally the trip starts at the eastern end from Puri, proceeding in clockwise direction and ends at Badrinath at the Northern end.

Nila Chakra

The Nila Chakra (Blue Discus) is the disc mounted on the top of the Jagannath Temple. As per custom, everyday a different flag is waved on the Nila Chakra. The flag hoisted on the Nila Chakra is called the PatitaPavana (Purifier of the Fallen) and is equivalent to the image of the deities placed inside the temple. The Nila Chakra is a disc with eight Navagunjaras carved on the outer circumference, with all facing towards the flagpost above. It is made of alloy of eight metals (Asta-dhatu) and is 3.5 Metres (11 feet and 8 inches) high with a circumference of about 11 metres (36 feet). During the year 2010, the Nila Chakra was repaired and restored by the Archaeological Survey of India. The Nila Chakra is different from the Sudarshana chakra which has been placed with the deities in the inner sanctorum. Nila Chakra is the most revered iconic symbol in the Jagannath tradition. The Nila Chakra is the only physical object whose markings are used as sacrament and considered sacred in Jagannath worship. It symbolizes protection by Lord Jagannath.

Rath Yatra at Puri

 The Jagannath triad are usually worshiped inside the temple at Puri, but once during the month of Asadha (Rainy Season of Orissa, usually falling in month of June or July), they are brought out onto the Bada Danda (main street of Puri) and travel (3 km approx) to the Shri Gundicha Temple, in huge chariots (ratha), allowing the public to have darsana (Holy view). This festival is known as Rath Yatra, meaning the journey (yatra) of the chariots (ratha). The Rathas are huge wheeled wooden structures, which are built new every year and are pulled by the devotees. The chariot for Jagannath is approximately 45 feet high and 35 square feet and takes about 2 months to construct.The artists and painters of Puri decorate the cars and paint flower petals and other designs on the wheels, the wood-carved charioteer and horses, and the inverted lotuses on the wall behind the throne.

                       The most significant ritual associated with the Ratha-Yatra is the chera pahara. During the festival, the Gajapati King wears the outfit of a sweeper and sweeps all around the deities and chariots in the Chera Pahara (sweeping with water) ritual. The Gajapati King cleanses the road before the chariots with a gold-handled broom and sprinkles sandalwood water and powder with devotion. As per the custom, although the Gajapati King has been considered the most important person in the Kalinga kingdom, he still renders the menial service to Jagannath. 

                        This ritual signified that under the lordship of Jagannath, there is no distinction between the powerful sovereign Gajapati King and the most humble devotee. Chera pahara is held on two days, on the first day of the Ratha Yatra, when the deities are taken to garden house at Mausi Maa Temple and again on the last day of the festival, when the deities are ceremoniously brought back to the Shri Mandir. As per another ritual, when the deities are taken out from the Shri Mandir to the Chariots in Pahandi vijay. In the Ratha Yatra, the three deities are taken from the Jagannath Temple in the chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where they stay for nine days. Thereafter, the deities again ride the chariots back to Shri Mandir in bahuda yatra when they are placed back in their original position at Shri Mandir.

Some facts about the Temple

• The Wooden idols - The idols are made of wood and are replaced with new idols during Nabakalebara. This ritual is done once after every 8, 12, or 19 years. Sacred neem trees with rigid specifications are selected and used for the purpose. The carving is done in secrecy by selected carpenters within a period of 21 days. The old idols are buried near the Koili Vaikuntha. The last Nabakalebara took place in 2015 and millions of devotees witnessed the event.

• The Flag - The flag a top the Jagannath Temple flutters in a direction opposite to the direction in which the wind blows. This science-defying phenomenon remains inexplicable till date. The 20 feet wide triangular flag is changed manually every day by trained priests who climb up the structure of the temple to change it. It is said that if this ritual is skipped even for a day then the temple will remain closed for 18 long years.

• Rath Yatra - The annual Rath Yatra is the chariot festival in which the three deities mount on their decorated chariots and set forth across the streets of Puri to visit their maternal aunt in the Gundicha temple. They stay there for seven days then come back to the temple. Lakhs of devotees gather from all around the world to witness the God who steps out of the temple and graces his devotees with his presence.

• Attacked 18 times - The Temple is home to ancient riches in the form of gems and gold. This made it sensitive to as many as 18 invasions in the past. During the reign of Aurangzeb, the temple remained closed and was only reopened after his death.

• No Shadow! - No matter what time of the day it is, no matter where the sun is peeping through in the sky, the temple doesn’t have a shadow. That’s not a metaphor. There is really no shadow. Now if that is an architectural wonder or simply a miracle, that’s for you to decide.

• Abadha Mahaprasad - The Mahaprasad is served to Lord Jagannath in 5 phases and consists of 56 different items. It is of two types, the sukhila and the shankhudi. The sukhila consists of all the dry confectionaries and the shankhudi consists of rice, dal, and other items. It is available for the devotees in a market called the Ananda Bazaar which is located in the temple premises itself.

• Preparation of the Mahaprasad - The Mahaprasad is prepared by thousands of priests, in more than 750 clay pots. 7 earthen pots are placed one above the other and the food is cooked over firewood. It is said that the food in the topmost pot gets cooked first followed by the rest. 

• The Mahaprasad never goes to waste - In a country that is known to have wasted 68 million tons of food in a year, there is a temple where the food prepared for lakhs of people never goes to waste. Not even a morsel!

•  Sound of the waves - Once you step inside the temple, you stop hearing the sound of the sea. According to myth, Goddess Subhadra wished that the temple would be a place of serenity, and in order to please her, the temple mutes the sound of the sea.

• Smaller Temples and Pancha Tirtha - The temple complex has over 30 other small temples in it. Two of these temples, the Vimala Temple and the Narasimha Temple, or older than the Jagannath Temple itself! Along with the temples, the complex also has five sacred fish tanks- Indradyumna, Rohini, Narendra, Markandya, and Swetaganga.

 Habits

It is derived from the Latin word "Habitus" which means "State of Being" or "Condition". It can be defined as a tendency or acquired mode of behaviour  which  defines the mindset and character of a person. In English  "Clothing" is the oldest meaning of habit and had nothing to do with the things a person does in a regular way. But these days this meaning is considered only for phrases like "nun's habit, monk's habit, etc ". A habit expert "Gretchen Rubin" writes in his book "Better than Before" about happines achieved through habits, where he describes habits and its types based on both outer and inner expectations which leads to the path of success.

Good habits & Bad Habits

Not all habits are beneficial to us. It’s very important to differentiate between good habits and bad habits. By, doing this a person can build good habits that bring positive results and break bad habits that destroys a person. Good habits are those repetitive actions or behaviors a person want to repeat. They have positive physical, emotional, or psychological consequences. Bad habits are those actions a person repeat that have negative consequences. Some bad habits are harmless, while others can have a deeper, long-term impact. Many of our habits are formed without us even realizing it. Our brains go into autopilot. This can make it difficult to know which of our habits are bad or good. To determine whether a habit is good or bad, think about the effects of the habit like:What are the physical impacts of this habit?, Is this habit negatively affecting my physical well-being?, How is this habit affecting my mental well-being?, Do I feel like I have control over my habit? Am I caught in a spiral doing something I don’t want to do? etc. Hence, by asking these questions a person can know which one to be considered a good habit and which one to be bad.

Let go of Old Habits !

To let go of old habits, we first need to focus on why do we want to change, a research from 2012 states that it is easier to change your habits when the change you want is valuable to you. So, before changing a habit first take a few minutes to think why do you need a change in your habit and whether the change brings any benefits or not. Listing these reasons may help a person to change his habits. By practicing mindfullness a person can develop awareness around his thoughts, feelings and actions. This involves simply observing your habits without judging them or reacting to them. It also helps a person to notice different ways habits effects his daily life. As someone start to recognise these effects, he may feel more driven to work on changing habits.

Habits should be consistent !

At the beginning of a new day, week, month or year someone may feel a burst of excitement and motivation to start a new habit but these feelings may last for a day or week then he might find missing a day. This is why New year's resolution often fail. To stay consistent and stck to your goals is the biggest challenge when there is no motivation. Just like the phrase, "Rome was not built in a day" one should stay regular and consistent and follow his goal properly. so it is important to start small and realistic and add more things on as you go. Another way to stay consistent is by adding an accountability partner that would encourage you to show up everyday and put your best foot forward with your routines, by this  you will feel more motivated and supported to stay on track.

Why Good Habits necessary in life ?

Habits are essential to our health. They can make or break anybody chances of achieving and maintaining the lifestyle goals such as sticking to a diet plan. exercising regularly or managing any medical conditions like diabetes or allergy, along with increase quality of life and promoting longivity.If we consider our body we can make some good habits to keep it healthy like by consuming less sugary food or drinks, consuming fruits and green vegetables doing regular exercises etc. If someone wants to achieve success in his life by getting a placement in some known MNC's he should make a habit of getting updated about the scenario on how to get through the placement drive and know the basis criteria which he should follow to get the job. Habits set a foundation to life , since your habits becomes you, the habits whether good or bad, that you choose to follow ultimately will set the tone for your entire life. If you have a habit of greeting someone with joy , you will end of being a joyful person. So, set yourself up to live a happy  and healthy life by choosing  to develop good habits.

Habits to maintain a good Social and Healthy life

Being healthy and fit isn't a trend; it's a lifestyle . But, some poeple tend to take shortcuts to achieve success in a shorter period of time. Achieving goals with shortcuts can be stressful and it may lead to an invitation for various illnesses and disabilities. So, to maintain a healthy life style firstly we have to eat healthy foods, then do exercise for atleast 30minutes regularly, should not skip breakfast, and as sleep is a crucial function of the body which keeps the body and mind stable so sound sleep is necessary. Drink plenty of water as our body require a great amount of water for every tissue, cell and organ so water is must to keep our body hydrated. Stress should be avoided as it causes heart diseases like stroke, high blood pressure etc.  Maintaining Hygiene is very important, small habits like brushing teeth regularly, taking bath regularly, cleaning your belongings etc, sholud be done everyday. These things not only maintain your health but also improves your social life.