Copyright@shravancharitymission
- Why is the colour purple associated with royalty?–The dye used to make the colour was rare to obtain and therefore purple garments were very expensive. Only royalty could afford to wear them. For centuries, the colour purple has represented royalty, power and wealth. The Persian Emperor Cyrus wore a purple tunic as his royal uniform. In fact, some Roman emperors even forbade or stopped commoners from wearing purple clothes failing which they would be condemned to death.
The coloured enjoyed elite status for long because the dye that was used to make this colour was very rare. It came from the trading city of Tyre in Phoenicia (now in modern-day Lebanon). More precisely, it was derived from a species of sea snail called Bolinas brandaris, found only in the Tyre region of the Mediterranean Sea. To obtain it, dye-makers had to crack open the snail’s shell. The mucus inside was milky but would turn into an intense purple when exposed to air. More than 9000 molluscs were needed to produce just one gram of Tyrian purple. The result was that clothes made from the dye were extremely expensive—a shawl made from Tyrian purple silk cost its weight in gold. Hence, only imperial rulers could afford to buy purple coloured fabric. Purple was also linked to spirituality because monarchs were usually thought to be of divine origin.
Synthetic dyes of purple became widely available only after English chemist William Henry Perkin created synthetic purple compound by chance, while trying to synthesise the anti-malaria drug quinine, in 1856.
- Friends How are cyclones name? Find out how the practice first began in the Atlantic Ocean, and came to be adopted by countries of South and West Asia—Hurricanes and tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean have been named since 1953 when Miami’s National Hurricane Centre started the practice. This was then maintained and updated by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a Geneva based agency of the United Nations. The name is suggested by member nations by turn.
The countries of South Asia and West Asia chose not to name their cyclones until 2004 when the World Meteorological Organization brought about agreement between eight countries in the region, namely, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This group came up with a list of 64 names eight from each country, for cyclones—Hikka and upcoming ones.
As of September 2019, 58 of the 64 names have already been used! The cyclone that recently formed was called Hikka (Maldives), and this will be followed by Kyarr (Myanmar), Maha (Oman), Bulbul (Pakistan), Pawan (Sri Lanka) and Amphan (Thailand).
By Kamlesh Tripathi
*
https://kamleshsujata.wordpress.com
*
Share it if you like it
*
Shravan Charity Mission is an NGO that works for poor children suffering from life threatening diseases especially cancer. Our posts are meant for our readers that includes both children and adults and it has a huge variety in terms of content. We also accept donations for our mission. Should you wish to donate for the cause. The bank details are given below:
NAME OF ACCOUNT: SHRAVAN CHARITY MISSION
Account no: 680510110004635 (BANK OF INDIA)
IFSC code: BKID0006805
*
Our publications
GLOOM BEHIND THE SMILE
(The book is about a young cancer patient. Now archived in 7 prestigious libraries of the US, including, Harvard University and Library of Congress. It can also be accessed in MIT through Worldcat.org. Besides, it is also available for reading in Libraries and archives of Canada and Cancer Aid and Research Foundation Mumbai)
ONE TO TANGO … RIA’S ODYSSEY
(Is a book on ‘singlehood’ about a Delhi girl now archived in Connemara Library, Chennai and Delhi Public Library, GOI, Ministry of Culture, Delhi)
AADAB LUCKNOW … FOND MEMORIES
(Is a fiction written around the great city of Nawabs—Lucknow. It describes Lucknow in great detail and also talks about its Hindu-Muslim amity. That happens to be its undying characteristic. The book was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival of 2014)
REFRACTIONS … FROM THE PRISM OF GOD
(Co-published by Cankids–Kidscan, a pan India NGO and Shravan Charity Mission, that works for Child cancer in India. The book is endorsed by Ms Preetha Reddy, MD Apollo Hospitals Group. It was launched in Lucknow International Literary Festival 2016)
TYPICAL TALE OF AN INDIAN SALESMAN
(Is a story of an Indian salesman who is, humbly qualified. Yet he fights his ways through unceasing uncertainties to reach the top. A good read not only for salesmen. The book was launched on 10th February, 2018 in Gorakhpur Lit-Fest. Now available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
RHYTHM … in poems
(Published in January 2019. The book contains 50 poems. The poems describe our day to day life. The book is available in Amazon, Flipkart and Onlinegatha)
(ALL THE ABOVE TITLES ARE AVAILABLE FOR SALE IN AMAZON, FLIPKART AND OTHER ONLINE STORES OR YOU COULD EVEN WRITE TO US FOR A COPY)
*****