The Immortals of Meluha… and now the world - Lawrence High School

Having grown up on a staple diet of fiction, I've realized that an original idea is extremely hard to come by. The moment an author is able to inculcate an idea into his book, which is original, and not ‘borrowed’, success is bound to follow.

Amish Tripathi has triumphed in this aspect. Hence, it is no surprise that the trilogy is widely loved. The idea that Gods were actually great men of the past, raised to the status of Gods by the people they ruled, is one that I find fascinating. Also, there are a number of moral lessons in the book, reinforced by a stand against prejudice. This is symbolized by first, the hatred towards, and later, the acceptance of the Nagas in the trilogy.

In the book, Meluha is a perfect empire, apparently the pinnacle of evolution in society. But every Eden has its snake. Even in this pseudo-heaven there lurks a dangerous Evil, disguised as a Good in the form of Somras, an elixir for extended life. This reinforces the saying "Too much of a good thing is always bad." 

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The story revolves around a Tibetan tribe chieftain who is convinced to relocate to Meluha.Upon reaching Meluha his tribe is dosed with the aforementioned Somras and the entire tribe suffers a fever except for the chieftain (Shiva) himself. Instead, his throat turns blue which is believed by the Meluhans to be the mark of their savior, or the 'Neelkanth'.

He is treated like royalty and convinced that Meluha's rivals, the Chandravanshis, are the true Evil and have allied themselves with the 'cursed ' Nagas. Shiva undergoes a great journey-emotionally, mentally and physically. He eventually figures out the truth and starts working toward his aim- the destruction of the true Evil of his time.

In Indian mythology, Lord Shiva is the most fascinating God with a huge number of followers. He drinks, he dances, and he destroys. What’s not to like? The way Amish Tripathi has managed to capture the essence of the God, and imbibe it in the protagonist of his story, is partially what makes it so intriguing. Along with that, the many action scenes, plots and the great characterization together make the book really worth a read!

Wiki Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Immortals_of_Meluha

YouTube Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP8Qzv2r3iI

Trilogy site: www.shivatrilogy.com

Recommended reading for teenagers.

The key to success in examinations - Lawrence High School

As you all know, we have scored a 100% results in the ICSE examinations this year. The credit of the success surely goes to the hardwork of the students and teachers. However, just as we see many students reaping the fruits of their hardwork, we also have a percentage of students who failed to make their mark in the examinations.

Both parties did work to their best but one set succeeded and the other didn't. Again, I want to add that success in any examination is no way to judge a caliber of a student. However, only for the sake of this article, let us analyze what makes some students stand out against the others when everyone has, to their capacity, put in efforts.

Consistency:  one needs to put in consistent efforts throughout the year and not just cram the concepts a few weeks before any exams.  A regular schedule for everyday studies needs to be set aside to enable one to grasp and understand the vast syllabus.

Clarify concepts: mugging your way through the answers will only result in anxiety and nervousness during the exams. If the concepts are clear, then any question can be answered with precision and clarity. Hence it is imperative to learn the subject from a fundamental aspect rather than skimming through it superficially.

All work and no play makes you dull: studies should be a part of the whole. A well-rounded personality engages in fair amount of play and creative pursuits other than studies. Hobbies, sports and extra reading will help in diversifying your knowledge and prepare a healthy foundation for future. Even during exams, there has to be some time set aside for recreational activities.

Co-operate with educators: Teachers are effective facilitators in your route to success. Take their help to understand your strengths and work with them to improve on your weaknesses. Any extra work should not be seen as a punishment or their way of getting back at you.

Long-term goal: preparation for the exams is not a one-time affair. The concepts of this year should not be forgotten when you graduate to the next level. The preparation must be such that you work towards gaining knowledge rather than just the motive of passing an examination.

Lawrence school is extremely proud of all its students and wants to make a special mention of the toppers: Aishwarya Dharni (94%), Sahana Shree (93%),Naina Bangaru  (93%) and Kiran Rathod (90%).

To know more about Lawrence school, please visit the website http://lawrenceschool.in/ and join us at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-School/  

Chilling on a hot summer day - Lawrence High School

Bangalore has been seeing increasingly intense summer for the last few years, thanks to the depleting green cover in the name of globalization and city expansion. While we can keep complaining about this, how about chilling with a cool summer drink made from the choicest mangoes of the season?

*Here’s a quick and simple recipe from the king of kitchen, Sanjeev Kapoor:

Via www.sanjeevkapoor.com

Ingredients

•	Lemons	4
•	Drinking soda	as required
•	Honey	8 tablespoons
•	Sugar	4 teaspoons
•	Fresh mint leaves	20-24
•	Ice cubes	as required
•	For mango ice cubes
•	Mangoes,chopped	250 grams
•	Sugar	1/2 cup
•	Lemon juice	2 teaspoons
•	Fresh mint leaves	6-8

Method
To make ice cubes, combine mangoes, sugar, lemon juice and mint leaves in a blender jar and blend into a smooth puree. Pour the mixture into ice tray and freeze till set.

Cut each lemon into 8 pieces, deseed and put into tall glasses. Add 1 tsp sugar, 2 tbsps honey and 5-6 mint leaves to each glass. Crush all these with a wooden muddle.

Add 2 plain ice cubes, 2 -3 mango ice cubes and again 2 plain ice cubes. Fill the glasses with soda and serve immediately.

*Source and image credits: www.sanjeevkapoor.com

Lawrence High School, located at HSR layout, Bangalore, focuses on educating children with traditional values to adapt and excel in the world. To know more about Lawrence school, please visit the website http://lawrenceschool.in/ and join us at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-School/  

Social networking at a young age - Lawrence High School

The Facebook mania has spared no one with even younger children, as young as seven or eight, signing p with or without the consent of the parents to be “in”.

There could be several implications of the wide exposure that the internet and specifically social networking can have on impressionable minds. It could vary from simple distraction from daily routine studies to more serious ones like addiction to the net and falling prey to online stalking.

www.timesofindia.com

Children in the teens and pre-teens are vulnerable to peer pressure and having a personal email and being on a social networking site features high among the other things that are products of the current age which is a combination of upwardly mobile people class and rampant invasion of technology in our lives.

Therefore, the constant need to be present online and sharing updates about the other’s life is not restricted to adults alone. With young minds, it is difficult to also reason out with why one cannot and should not be competing with friends who are always visiting exotic places or whose social life does not resemble ours.

Kaveri Subrahmanyam, a professor of psychology at California State University-Los Angeles as a different view point here. She feels that for all the bad press that these online activities gather, they are something that the kids anyway do.

*Many parents also worry that younger users of social sites could be targets for online predators. While there are some concerns that kids aren't mature enough to make good decisions about their privacy, Subrahmaynam and Lenhart said most are savvy enough by their early teens to know what, and who, to avoid. Younger children, they say, need more parental supervision.

*source: the linked article.

Whatever the compulsions and reasons behind minors using the internet/Facebook, the hours they spent must be controlled (even during holidays) and monitored by guardians/parents. Since there is no way we can reverse the effects of technology, we need to, as much as possible, at least keep off the dangers of “having too much too soon” from the children.

Lawrence High School, located at HSR layout, Bangalore, focuses on educating children with traditional values to adapt and excel in the world. To know more about Lawrence school, please visit the website http://lawrenceschool.in/ and join us at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-School/ 

Preparing your toddler for the big school - Lawrence High School

Come June and a new crop of toddlers will join the mainstream school in the classes between nursery and Kindergarten. While most of them would have already been acclimatized to a school environment and have a schedule woven by way of attending playschools, a big school environment can still overwhelm or intimidate the young kid.

www.123rf.com

Here are a few ways in which you can prepare your child for the big change and help him/her adjust easily:

Constant reference to the school: Kids love familiarity, so keep bringing up the conversation about school every now and then with your child. Refer to the big school with the name and make friendly allusions to it. Keep reminding the child about what kind of schedule and environment he/she will be following.

Make references about the people at school: It is important for the child to know that in the absence of parents who will be there to take care of him/her. Let him/her know that there would be teachers and helpers to help him at school. Make sure your child knows who he has to approach in case of a problem or difficulty.

Prepare the child: Since a big school is a bigger environment than a playschool, different logistics come to play. For instance, while the child might be used to being picked and dropped off by family, now he/she might have to use the school transport. It is necessary to talk to the child about these things and prepare him/her mentally for the same.

Gradual shift in routine: Your child might be used to waking up and eating at a particular time until now but with the school timings, the schedule of the child will also change. Instead of waiting for the last moment, try to incorporate the school schedule a week or two prior to the school reopening so that the change is gradual and smooth for the child.

Last and not the least,

Sharpen the defensive skills: Until now, your child might have spent time with people you personally know or are comfortable with. Starting a big school is a huge milestone since the scope of contact with outsiders widens, it is important to equip your child with adequate knowledge about dealing with strangers.

Lawrence High School, located at HSR layout, Bangalore, focuses on educating children with traditional values to adapt and excel in the world. To know more about Lawrence school, please visit the website http://lawrenceschool.in/ and join us at our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lawrence-School/