Name Period Study Island Lesson The Periodic Table: Fill & Download for Free

No your understanding is wrong. Sanathana Dharma Shastra, does not give this number. Please learn the Sankalpa as recited even today by us before we begin any important work. Then keep a paper and pencil handy and begin to calculate. Will take some time but you will be surprised at the accuracy of our calculations.Moreover we are talking about not the age of our Earth, but about the age of this Present Manifested/Created Universe in an endless cycle of Creations and Dissolutions.I will give here a simple and basic explanation of the Sankalpa. It is a fascinating study for those interested.The SankalpaIntroduction to Sankalpa:Historians out of universities repeatedly chide and deride that the people of Bharata/Hindustan are deficient in keeping records of their history. I challenge them. Show me a civilization that can beat the SANKALPA.The historians will and do say, that it is garbled and makes little sense. Well, if we do not understand it, that is the problem of our limited understanding of the unlimited knowledge contained in this ancient Statement of Intent. So let us stop lowering the intelligence of the ancient Rishis, and get down to raising our intelligence.The Beginning.SANKALPAAll stories must happen at one point in Time and at one place in Space.In the Puraanas of Bharata, Time is calculated right from the beginning of this Universe. Space is the whole ofour Bhugola or Earth and its many dimensions. The place in which the story takes place is precisely located in this space.To establish and record every important action of ours in Time and Space, we state the time and place before we begin the action.This statement is called the Sankalpa. The Sankalpa that I would say to record, say, the beginning of this story-telling, would go like this:"Aadhya Brahmaanaha(Salutations to the First Brahma, the Source of all and from whom we begin, and in whose life this is the:)Dwitheeya ParaardheSwetha Varaaha KalpeVaivasvatha ManavanthareAshtavimshatitameKali YugePrathama PaadheJambu weepeBharatha VarsheBharatha KandeMeroho Dakshine ParshweShaalivaahana ShakabdheAsmin Varthamane Vyavaharike,Prabhavavadhinam Shastiaha Samvatsaranam Madhye-----Samvatsare-----Ayane-----Rthau-----Maase-----PaksheAdhya Subha Thithi------Vaasarayukthaayaam------Nakshatrayukthaayaam------Subhayoga------ Subha KaranaEvam Ghunavisheshan Vishishtayam Asyam"To explain the above:----------------------------------------------------------THE. BRAHMAM"When the BRAHMAM 'awakens from its sleep' IT begins to ponder on its own nature. And the stirring of the stillness manifests the Cosmic Consciousness that is the Cosmos."Now you can picture this in the way that you canconceive it!The manifesting principle of the BRAHMAM is Brahma.The whole of this waking period or the daytime of the BRAHMAM and the resulting manifestation, is called Srishti.The whole of the sleeping period or the nighttime of the Brahmam and the resulting quietitude is called the Pralaya.Pralaya means withdrawal, into The Real. Opposite of Laya.The period of Srishti is divided into two halves. Just like a day is divided into forenoon and afternoon.The period of Pralaya is unknowable. Our mind likes to think of it as the other side of Srishti for that is the way of the mind. But, Pralaya is beyond mind.So one day and one night of the BRAHMAM are two halves.The second half - the night -does not matter for it is a "No Time".We only consider the first half. This half we divide into two Parardhe-s.We are now in the Dwithiya Parardhe. The second Parardhe. The afternoon of one Day of the BRAHMAM.-----------------------------------------------------------Part 1.COSMIC TIME begins, with the BRAHMA.THE AADI BRAHMAOne day for the BRAHMAM is a hundred years for Brahma.Brahma too creates (emanates) in his day-time and withdraws his Creation (Emanation) in his night-time.Of His age of a hundred Brahma years, Brahma spends the first half of it or fifty years on meditating on his own Nature. It is only in the second half or fifty years does he begin his "creation" (manifestation)So there are 50 'sub'-Srishtis and 50 'sub'-Pralayas in one day of the BRAHMAM.Each of these of Brahma's daytime Emanations is called Visrishti.Each of Brahma's these nighttime withdrawals is called Naimittika Pralaya.[Note: These names sometimes vary with one being used for the other by different writers. As for me, I rely on the sources mentioned above.]A Brahma's life is of 100 Brahma years.Each Brahma year is of 360 Brahma days. So -A Brahma's life has 36,000 Brahma days.Brahma spends the first half or fifty years of bis life in contemplation of the BRAHMAM, and the Creation to come. He creates only in the second half of his life. That is why we are in the Dwithiya Parardhe.At the end of one Brahma's life, he too is withdrawn into the BRAHMAM, and a new Brahma is emanated for the next BRAHMAM day. And this goes on ad infinitum.[{ But remember, even all this story-line is the Cosmic Mind thinking - if there is a Cosmic Mind, and if it thinks! No one can know the BRAHMAM, for IT is attributeless. Adi Shankarachaya's Nirvana Shatakam is an evocative and riveting slokam saying just this.}]KALPA.Each day-time of the Brahma is called a Kalpa.The previous Kalpa was the Padma Kalpa.The present Kalpa is the SwetaVaraha Kalpa. This is beacuse Vishnu took the form of a white boar and diving into the cosmic ocean, fought and killed the Asura Hiranyaakshasa, and rescued Bhoodevi from his captivity.Sweta = White. Varaha = Boar.(I wonder whether Kalpa derives from Kalpana, or the other way round. Kalpana means imagination.)MANAVANTARA.One Kalpa or daytime of Brahma has 14 Manvantaras.Each Manvantara is according to the DHARMA or the True Nature of its particular Manu.The Manu is the Epochal Mind that has thrown out as manifestation of itself this particular epoch or Manvantara.( Important Note: Manu is not a person, but is the anthropomorphosed mind of that epochal nature. Manas > Manu)We are now in the reign of the 7th Manu, called Vaivaswatha Manu, and therefore the Vaivaswatha Manvantara.The 6 Manvantaras that have passed take their names from the respective governing Manu. They are:SwaayambhuSwaarochishaTaamasaAuttamiRaivataChyaakshushaVaivasvatha (the present Manvantara)SaavarniDaksha SaavarniBrahma SaavarniDharma SaavarniRudra SaavarniRauchya or Deva SaavarniIndra Saavarni(Here is a link to an interesting explanation of the Manvantara-s. Worth pondering over.)http://www.dli.gov.in/rawdataupload/upload/insa/INSA_1/20005af8_161.pdfTHE CHATURYUGAThere are 1000 ChaturYugas in one Kalpa. A ChaturYuga is a period consisting of one cycle of the 4 Yugas.These 1000 ChaturYugas are apportioned into 14 Manvantaras. Each Manvantara comprising of 1000/14 = 71.43 ChaturYugas.Twenty seven ChaturYugas of this Manvantara are completed. We are now in the twenty eighth ChaturYuga that is called Ashtavimsathithame.YUGAEach ChaturYuga has 4 Yugas.The first and longest is KritaYuga also called SatyaYuga.The next is TretaYuga which is 3/4 the period of KritaYuga.The third is DvaaparaYuga which is half the period of KritaYuga.The fourth and last is KaliYuga which is one fourth the length of KritaYuga.Each Yuga is divided into 4 quarters or Padha. We are now in the first quarter of the Kali Yuga, or the Prathama Padhe.----------------Now let us do it the other way round, going from near to far.One human year, revolution of the Earth around the Sun, (which is at present close to 365 days) is one Divine day, or one day for the Devas.360 human years = one divine year12000 divine year = one ChaturYuga. ( Chatur = 4)1000 ChaturYugas = One daytime of Brahma.2000 ChaturYuga periods = One day of Brahma = one daytime + one nighttime.360 days of Brahma = one year of Brahma.100 years of Brahma = one life of Brahma.One life of Brahma = one daytime of the BRAHMAM.That is where Time stops and we stop.----------------------------------------------------------Part 2.Next we will locate that place in SPACE where we are conducting the event.(I do not know why we have not been located to the exact spot in cosmic space. When we figure that out, we can share with each other.)JAMBUDVEEPATill then we will begin with Jambudveepe:The ancients saw this Earth as having 7 dveepas or islands, called the Saptadveepas - actually land-masses.They are Jambudveepa, Plakshadveepa, Saalmalidveepa, Kusadveepa, Kraunchadveepa, Saakadveepa and Pushkaradveepa.Jambudveepa is the first with its central axis as the Mount Meru. It is surrounded by Lavana Samudra, an ocean of salt water. Its first ruler was Aagnidhra, the eldest son of Priyavrata. Priyavrata was the great world ruler, who is considered as an emanation of Vishnu, and who first organised humanity into stationary societies. The story of Priyavrata and how he gouged out the 7 oceans on the surface of the Earth with the wheels of his chariot as he circled it chasing the Sun, which at that time was lighting only one half of the Earth, the other half being in perpetual darkness. This left looming out of the water 7 dveepas or island continents. Priyavrata had 10 sons and 1daughter, the youngest, all of them named for the deity Agni. 3 of his sons became renowned ascetics. Priyavrata gave the 7 dveepas into the custody of the other 7 sons and became a renunciate. His first son Aagnidhra was given rulership over Jambudveepa. His daughter Uujraswati married Shukrachaarya, the preceptor of the Asuras. Priyavrata is said to have ruled over the whole Earth for 1100 million years.Ref: Bhagavatha Purana. Book 5. Discourse 1.(The identification by different people of the other dveepas with present land masses is not uniformly the same. The description of the layout and dimensions of the dveepas is fascinating and can open up adventures for a questing mind.I have been thinking about Dveepa referring to the 7 landmasses. I wonder. It could very well be referring to the 7 planes of existance of any object, the material plane being the grossest and most tangibleto us. JambuDveepa could refer to this tangible, material world of ours. When referring to Meru as the axis on which it turns, is it possible to have multiple axes in a rotating sphere? I get this itchy feeling that I am missing something!The 7 planes of existance are 1. Bhuloka at the material, physical level 2. Bhuvaloka, Svarloka, Maharloka at the subtle plane 3. Janaloka, Tapaloka, Satyaloka at the causal plane.To explain the above : What is now physical matter, has its existance in the fluid state or Bhuvaloka, in the etheric state or Svarloka, in the Solar/Electro magnetic state or Maharloka, all in the subtle plane.)Ref: A fascinating description of the Dveepas and Varshas is given in the Bhaghavatha Purana, Book 5, Discourses 1 and 16. The description in the Vayu Purana is even more detailed.BHARATA VARSHABharata Varshe:Bharata Varsha refers to the land between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean, the Akhanda Bharata or the Expansive Bhaarata.Bharata has many references.In the Rg Veda 3rd and 4th mandalas, Bharata is the name of a group of people.Bharata is also the first son of RishabaDeva, the great ruler of Jambudveepa. This Bharata later became the renowned Bharata Muni. He ruled over Akhanda Bhaarata. His brother was Bahubali, who became the awe-inspiring ascetic Gomateswara. (Sravanabelagola)Another Bharata was the son of Shakuntala and Dushyanta and a grandson of Viswamitra and Menaka. The Kauravas and Pandavas were his descendants.The third famous Bharata was of course Sri Rama's brother.Arjuna the Pandava was also known as Bharata.Bharata also means "one who pursues, loves, revels in knowledge. One who opens up. [Root "Brh" which signifies that which has within it the potential to expand]Bharata Varsha could have honoured any of the earlier persons in the above list in its name.The nine Varshas are: (IlaavrtaBhadraaswavarsha - East of Mount SuMeruKetumaalavarsha - West of Mount SuMeruRamyakavarsh -Hiranmayavarsha - North of Mount SuMeruUttara Kuru -Harivarsha -Kimpurushavarsha - South of SumeruBhaaratavarsha - South of Sumeru(Some sources state that Ilaavrta is the central area around Mount SuMeru, and that it is not inhabited by humans, but by denizens of higher dimensions.Then they go on to say that there are 9 Varshas surrounding Ilaavrta and SuMeru. I have not been able to find the name of this ninth Varsha. So, I think that Ilavrata is one of the nine.)BHARATA KANDABharata Kande:I have not been able to find the exact meaning of Bharata Kanda. The word is generally tagged along with Bharata Varshe. I think that is not accurate, and we are missing some very important aspect.Maybe there is a clue in the divisions called Kandas in the Itihasas eg. we have in the Ramayana divisions like Balakanda, Sundarakanda, Yuddha Kanda and so on.Meroho Dakshina ParshveMeaning: That which lies to the South of Mount SuMeru.----------------------------------------------------------Part 3The first part of the Sankalpa located us in that Time that is beyond normal human conception, and can be perceived only by the way of intense application of the mind in Thapas in the spiritual plane, or by Mathematics in the temporal plane.The second part of the Sankalpa located us in space.Next we will start to list that part of Time that is within the ability of the ordinary human's conception and calculation.[I have been thinking about Dvipa referring to 7 landmasses. I wonder. It could very well be referring to the 7 planes of existance of any object, the material plane being the grossest and most tangible to us. JambuDvipa could refer to this tangible, material world of ours. When referring to Meru as the axis on which it turns, is it possible to have multiple axes in a rotating sphere? I get this itchy feeling that I am missing something!The 7 planes of existance are 1. Bhuloka at the material, physical level 2. Bhuvaloka, Svarloka, Maharloka at the subtle plane 3. Janaloka, Tapaloka, Satyaloka at the causal plane.To explain: What is now physical matter, also has its existance in the fluid state or Bhuvaloka, in the etheric state or Svarloka, in the Solar/Electro magnetic state or Maharloka, all in the subtle plane.](SHAALIVAAHANA) SHAKAABDEShaalivaahana Shakaabde:Different peoples draw their calendars from some important event as the starting point. The Christian calendar begins with 1 AD, the birth of Jesus, with the big error of not having the 12 months from 0 to year 1. This was because at the time of formulating the Christian calendar, they had no concept of the Zero. The muslims begin their calendar from the Hizira, when Mohammad ran away from Mecca to Medina.We Hindus begin with the era of Shaalivahana, or Gautamiputra Shatakarni as his name was, a very great king during whose rule lived some of the greatest astronomers, mathematicians etc. We use other calendars too, like the Kali Almanac, and the Vikrama Samvat almanac, but 'Shaalivahana Shakabdhe' or era has been accepted officially. Shaalivahana was a great king of the Shaatavaahana dynasty of Bharata in the first century of the present western calendar. This calendar is also known as the Saka calendar, and is the official calendar of India.Asmin Varthamaane Vyavahaarake.Means: And so with this preamble we come to the present time. We shall further specify when the ritual is to be conducted.SAMVATSARAPrabhavaadhinam Shashtaayaaha Samvatsaram Madhye:Meaning - the sixty year cycle of solar years beginning with the one named Prabhava.Our calendar years are calculated in repeating cycles of sixty years to a cycle. Each year has a name, and after the full cycle is over, the names begin to repeat in the next cycle. The first year of a cycle is called Prabhava.The last and sixtieth is called Akshaya. We are now in the 29th year of the cycle called Manmatha (2015 April to 2016 April).[As the Earth, in its revolution around the Sun, does not return to the exact point where it started, it is not possible to calculate a solar year with exactitude. Therefore, ancient Rishis used the 12 positions in the zodiac traversed by our Sun and Earth to calculate a year. Rather like the 12 numbers on a clock-face. These zodiacal signs are called Rasi. The year is called a Solar Year or a Samvatsara. The calendar based on this calculation is called the Solar Calendar or Sauramaana Panchangam.In some areas of our country, people follow a Lunar Calendar or Chandramaana Panchangam. A month is reckoned as the period between one New Moon to the next New Moon or nearly 28 days. 12 such months of one year is called an Anuvatsara. Each day the moon traverses one of 27 stellar constellations in our zodiac, taking one stellar month to complete one cycle. These stellar constellations are called Nakshatra. Each of the 27 Nakshatra has a different name. The cycle of names begins with Ashwini and ends with Revathi.]AYANAThe apparent south to north movement of the Sun along the Earth's surface is called Uttarayana. The North to South movement is known as Dakshinayana. The Uttarayana period is considered as auspicious as it is in this period that the Earth receives the Sun's rays and energy. We are now in Dakshinayana, the period most conducive to study, meditation.RTAThe year is divided into 6 seasons. Yes, 6 and not 4, for we are a tropical monsoon land.They are Vasantha - which occurs approximately between mid Feb. and mid April; Grishma - mid April and mid June; Varsha - mid June and mid Aug; Sharath - mid Aug. and mid Oct; Hemantha - mid Oct. and mid Dec; Sisira - mid Dec. and mid Feb.We are now in Hemantha.MAASAThe year has twelve months each with a name. The names might differ slightly from language to language, but can generally be traced to a common origin. In Tamizh, they are, beginning from 14th/15th April the day of the Sauramana Ugadi or Vishu - Chitthirai, Vaigaasi, Aani, Aadi, Aavani, Purataasi, Aipasi, Kaarthigai, Maargazhi, Thai, Maasi, Panguni.We are now in Aipasi or Ashvayuja/Tula Maasa as it is called in Sanskrit.PAKSHA.Every lunar month has two halves.Amaavaasaya or new moon.Then the waxing period of the moon for 14 days. This is called Shukla Paksha or the bright/white division.Then comes Paurnami or full moon.Then we have the waning period of the moon for 14 days.This is called Krishna Paksha or the dark/black division.-----------------------------------------------------------PART 4.Now we come to the 5 limbs or Angam-s that make up a Hindu Panchaangam (Pancha+Anga) and which have to be consulted and mentioned for every ritual and important action or undertaking. The Thithi, Vaara, Nakshatra, Yoga, and Karana.THITHIAdhya Shubathithai:The 14 days of Shukla Paksha have a name each indicating the number of the day from the start of the Paksha. The same order and name is repeated in the Krishna Paksha.The 14 days are - Prathamai, Dvithiai, Thrithiai, Chathurthi, Panchami, Shashti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, Dasami, Ekaadasi, Dvaadasi, Thriyodasi, Chaturdasi, and either Amaavaasai or Paurnami.We began this writing on Guru Paurnami.VAARA (VAASARA)We have seven days a week with each day governed by one Gruham or planet. We begin withRavivaara - Surya/SunSomavaara - Chandra/MoonMangalavaara - Mangala/MarsBuddhavaara - Buddha/MercuryGuruvaara - Guru or Brhaspati/JupiterShukravaara - Shukra/VenusShanivaara - Shani/Saturn.In Thamizh, the days are Gnyayir, Thingal, Sevvaai, Budhan, Vzhaazhan, Velli, Sani - kizhamai. Kizhamai means Vaara or day.Guru Paurnami was on a Somavaara or Thingalkizhamai.NAKSHATRAAs we have seen there are 27 asterisms or stellar constellations that the moon traverses in a lunar month. They are:Ashwini, Bharani, Krithikai, Rohini, Mrigashirsham, Thiruvaadirai, Punarpoosam, Poosam, Aayilyam, Magham, Pooram, Utthiram, Hastam, Chitthirai, Swaathi, Vishaakam, Anusham, Kettai, Moolam, Pooraadam, Utthiraadam, Thiruvonam, Avittam, Sadhayam, Poorataadhi, Utthirataadhi, Revathi.The Sanskrit equivalents must be also known.The Nakshatram on the day of Guru Paurnami was Pooraadam.(SUBHA)YOGA(The priests and Yajmaana reciting the Sankalpa are very smart. As you will see when you try to decipher the calculations below, they choose to make a psychologically pleasing statement 'Subha' Yoga,and leave it at that!)We have to mention the Yoga. Yoga is the period that covers 13 degrees and 20 seconds. There are 27 Yogas. The calculation of Yoga requires complex, very accurate, mathematical and astronomical computations. This is calculated for each day ofthe whole year, when the Panchangam for the year is drawn. We have to read it as a ready reckoner.Yoga is one of the five limbs of Panchaanga. Yoga is related to Sun, Moon and Nakshatra.Just to be difficult I am going to strain your brain!Yoga is calculated as below: (I have lifted it verbatim from a lesson on how to calculate and read a Panchangam. I have not understood this.)"Add the longitudes of Sun and MoonIf the result is more than 360, subtract 360 from the result.Divide the sum by the length of the Nakshatra (13°20' = 800')Ignore the fraction and add 1 to the integral part.The result is the index in the Yoga table to find out the Yoga name.There are 27 Yogas."Yoga name and Meaning1. Vishkamba. Door bolt/Supporting pillar2. Preeti. Love/Affection3. Aayushmaan. Long-lived4. Saubhaagya. Long life of spouse (good fortune)5. Sobhana. Splendid, bright6. Atiganda. Great danger7. Sukarman. One with good deeds8. Dhriti. Firmness9. Shoola. Shiva's weapon of destruction (pain)10. Ganda. Danger11. Vriddhi. Growth12. Dhruva. Fixed, constant13. Vyaaghaata. Great blow14. Harshana. Cheerful15. Vajra. Diamond (strong)16. Siddhi. Accomplishment17. Vyatipaata. Great fall18. Variyan. Chief/best19. Parigha. Obstacle/hinderance20. Shiva. Lord Shiva (Purity)21. Siddha. Accomplished/ready22. Saadhya. Possible23. Subha. Auspicious24. Sukla. White, bright25. Brahma. Creator (good knowledg and Purity)26. Indra. Ruler of gods27. Vaidhriti. A class of godsIt is all so simple and easy, see!(SUBHA)KARANA(This is as, or nearly as, easy as calculating the Yoga. And so again the 'Subha'!)There are 11 Karana. Each Karana constitutes one half of a Thithi.A Karana is half of a tithi or lunar day. There are sixty karanas in one lunar month, but only eleven distinct names are used. The current karana is the third item in the second column of each day’s designations. The first karana ends at the middle of the tithi and the second karana ends with the ending of that thithi. Like the yoga, the karana is a factor used by astrologers for determining the auspicious- ness of the day for a given activity. The names of the karanas are: Bava, Balava, Kaulava, Taitila, Gara, Vanij, Visti, Sakuni, Chatuspada, Naga and Kimtughna.Evam Gunaavisheshan Vishishtayam Asyaam.Means: In this Time that has these qualities, I perform this function.So, our Sankalpa will be like this:"Aadhya BrahmanahaDvithiya ParaardheShwetha Varaaha KalpeVaivasvatha ManavanthareAshtaavimshathithameKali YugePrathame PaadeJambu DveepeBhaaratha VarsheBharatha KandeMeroho Dakshine PaarshveShaalivaahana ShakaabdeAsmin Varthamaane VyavahaarikePrabhavaadhinam Shashtaayaha Samvatsaram MadhyeVijaya SamvatsareDakshinaayaneVarshaarithauAashaadamaaseShukla PaksheAdhya - Paurnami ShubhathithauSomavaasarayukthaayaamPoorvaashada Nakshatrayukthaayaam.Shuba YogaShuba KaranaEvam Gunavishesham Vishishtaayaam Asyaam----------------------------------------------------------In the event of your enquiring mind being torched with the grandeur of the vastness of Time, you can go to the link below for further study. This is just a pointer, and not an attestation. You are welcome to add more reference and study material.http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/18148253/144002636/name/Basics+of+Panchanga.pdf----------------------------------------------------------A small note:It is tradition that an older person blesses the younger person "Dheergha Aayushman Bhava." Even scholars accept this to mean "may you live a long life of Saukhyam." But the Kanchi Paramacharyal explained to the scholars the full meaning thus:"Of the 27 Yogas one is named Aayushman. Of the 11Karanas one is called Bhava. Among the weekdays, the Saumya Vaasaram falls on a Wednesday. When all these three - on a Wednesday, the Aayushman Yoga and the Bhava Karana - occur together, that day is supposed to be Shlaagya. Therefore, if these three occur together, whatever good phalas will be got, I bless you that you may get all those fruits - - - "https://mahaperiyavaa.wordpress.com/2012/07/13/what-does-dirgha-ayushman-bhavah-mean/

Although Freddie was born on the African spice island of Zanzibar he was sent to a boarding school 3k miles away near Bombay (now “Mumbai”), India before he turned eight. The only reason his parents could afford it was because his father worked for the British government in Zanzibar earning what would be middle-class wages in the UK but went a long way in poverty-stricken Zanzibar. His parents couldn’t afford to also pay the ship’s passage for him to make yearly trips home during the two-month school breaks so he went without seeing his parents or sister for years at a time. He did have an aunt, cousins, and grandparents five hours away from the boarding school and stayed with them during most breaks instead of returning home. He became very close to his aunt Sheroo who encouraged his talent in art buying him painting supplies and told his mother that he should have private piano lessons because of his innate talent for music. There is no doubt the experience left him with scars and he did say that he struggled with feelings of rejection but at least he had a mother figure not too far away. He continued to write her letters throughout his life and helped her financially.When Freddie was younger he was a very good student making good grades. But according to classmates his grades and enthusiasm for school took a dive when he reached puberty. This was also about the time joined up with classmates to form a band called the Hectics. He was still enthusiastic about sports (in which he was very good at boxing and table tennis), theater, choir, art and performing with his band. An official for the school has reported in a documentary that Freddie failed all of his final exams the year before his final year and was sent home. It seems suspicious to me for him to suddenly fail ALL exams and based on things Freddie has said and supposedly told others if he did suddenly fail ALL of his exams it might have been deliberate. When you’re sent off to boarding school failing everything would be your only sure ticket out of there. When talking about the stereotypes of boarding schools Freddie said that they were “all true” and that he had had “the occasional schoolmaster chasing him around the desk” but that it didn’t shock him. He said there was one schoolmaster that “he would have done anything for”. (With his parents being 3k miles away he may have been seen as a primary target.) Two who knew him as an adult said he had told them that he had a (so-called) consensual relationship with a school gardener. So he might have been sent home for any or all of the above with the sudden failing of all exams as a way of hushing things up. None of his classmates have talked about any of this as far as I know but then they might have never known. The only other student there who was also from Zanzibar was suddenly taken out of the school at the same time when he also had just one more year to graduate. That makes me wonder if his parents had gotten wind of something and decided the school was not a good place for their child. This friend was shocked and happy to discover that Freddie was back in Zanzibar later on so he knew none of this.In addition to the trauma of being sent away to boarding school and god knows what else—he was certainly bullied about his teeth somewhat, being called Bucky—Freddie clearly suffered from a fairly bad case of ADHD. If you know anything about the condition and read his PA’s memoir there’s just no doubt about this. The PA said Freddie was the most hyper adult he has ever known and mentions both his hyperactivity and his short attention span many times throughout his book. Freddie hated reading and could never have become a serious artist or pianist because of the requirement of sitting for long periods. Brian said that after about 90 minutes in the studio Freddie could no longer focus and that was when he was doing what he loved. I think you can also see it in his speech patterns, the way he drops sentences and starts new ones as if his mouth can’t keep up with his thoughts. He was very restless, easily bored (calling boredom a disease), enjoyed risk-taking both within his career and outside of it and was sometimes impulsive though with his music and career he could be very steady and determined. Obviously, being ADHD makes it harder to be a good student. People speak with admiration over how he overcame being gay, buck-toothed and being perceived as an immigrant or “Paki” as they called him. But this is yet another obstacle that he overcame on his path to becoming a legend, and no small one IMO although it might have been as an asset in some ways as well. Because of these traits friends, including bandmates, feared for what would become of him if Queen didn’t become a success. I think he could have become an excellent interior designer.One biography of Freddie actually says that Freddie never obtained a degree in graphics from Ealing college because he failed or was forced to drop out. The author even said that Freddie lied about having a degree because he was embarrassed that the others had degrees. But elsewhere I had read that he did have a degree so I went online to see if I could find out the truth and it took about 3 minutes to find that he did, in fact, earn a degree from Ealing. I got it from their own website. (Ealing is now called the London School of Film, Media, and Design at the University of West London.) Another biography says his family moved with him to India when he was sent to boarding school and fled a revolution in India rather than in Zanzibar. Neither of these bios are rare or unknown books but among the most well-known and best-selling bios on the US Amazon website. The lack of fact-checking with these “bios” is just mind-boggling.Freddie has been described as not a good student at Ealing College. He started out studying fashion but he had so many absences that he was almost dropped until he went and spoke to the professor and was allowed to switch to graphic design instead. (This may be where the biographer got the idea that he had dropped out instead of obtaining a degree.) This was during the period that he discovered Jimi Hendrix and went to concert after concert which may have contributed to those absences. Classmates have described him as not a very good artist even though he was able to draw and paint people with great likeness. Apparently, his heart wasn’t in it though. He would sometimes draw something quickly and then laugh out loud at how bad it was according to one classmate. Still, his innate talent and perhaps training helped him successfully market and make a name for Queen with the crest he created and the clothes and theatrics he came up with for the new band.In spite of the fact that the other members of Queen had more prestigious and difficult degrees suggesting greater intelligence, it was Freddie who was forced to be “captain of the ship” again and again. Not only did he guide them in the beginning when Queen was getting off the ground, write their first hits and a majority of their hits his roadie and others spoke of his guiding hand throughout the years. His roadie said, “Whenever crisis loomed, whenever it seemed that things were falling apart either on stage or in the studio, it was always Freddie who would hold things together, pull things together. Anywhere and any time a captain was required, it was always Freddie who fulfilled that role. He dragged it out of the others…. He was aware of everything, lighting, the set. He carried so much in his head and knew when a thing wasn’t going right.” Another said that even though they were all perfectionists the others could slack off a little because they knew that ultimately Freddie would “never let things slip”.So like many other brilliant people he was not a good student. He reached an age where he stopped jumping through hoops as far as making good grades in order to please everyone and he was built more for the real world.

The Dutch connection with Japan goes back to the 16th century. During the period of isolation from 1639 until 1854 and the arrival of the Americans, the Dutch were the only Europeans maintaining contact with Japan. Even they were confined to an artificial island in Nagasaki Bay.During the “sakoku” period of isolation, “Rangaku” or Dutch learning flourished. Imported Dutch books chiefly medical or scientific were studied avidly. The Japanese were the first to perform an operation under general anesthetic in 1804. This was 40 years prior to the first such operations being carried out in the West.Here is a list from WikipediaPhotography, first lessons in photography given to Japanese in 1856 by the physician of the island, dr. J. K. van den Broek.Badminton, a sport that originated in India, was introduced by the Dutch during the 18th century; it is mentioned in the Sayings of the Dutch.Billiards were introduced in Japan on Dejima in 1764; it is noted as "Ball striking table" (玉突の場) in the paintings of Kawahara Keika (川原慶賀).Beer seems to have been introduced as imports during the period of isolation. The Dutch governor Doeff made his own beer in Nagasaki, following the disruption of trade during the Napoleonic Wars. Local production of beer started in Japan in 1880.Clover was introduced in Japan by the Dutch as packing material for fragile cargo. The Japanese called it "White packing herb" (シロツメクサ), in reference to its white flowers.Coffee was introduced in Japan by the Dutch under the name Moka and koffie. The latter name appears in 18th-century Japanese books. Siebold refers to Japanese coffee amateurs in Nagasaki around 1823.Japan's oldest piano was introduced by Siebold in 1823, and later given to a tradesperson in the name of Kumaya (熊谷). The piano is today on display in the Kumaya Art Museum (熊谷美術館), Hagi City.Paint (Tar), used for ships, was introduced by the Dutch. The original Dutch name (pek) was also adopted in Japanese (Penki/ペンキ).Cabbage and tomatoes were introduced in the 17th century by the Dutch.Chocolate was introduced between 1789 and 1801; it is mentioned as a drink in the pleasure houses of Maruyama.[citation needed]It would take me too long to detail everything here. Follow this link to an article on Wikipedia for more information:Rangaku - WikipediaHowever, with the reopening of Japan the Dutch influence continued. Japan had severe flooding and turned to the Dutch to help construct dams and water control projects.This is an extract from “The Twain Shall Meet” one of my books which tells the history of Japan through biographies of prominent foreigners. If you are interested it is published on Amazon in e-book and paperback versions.Many low-lying areas of Japan are prone to flooding. Much of the Netherlands is below sea-level and its engineers had to deal with similar problems. Thus it was for this reason that the Japanese government turned to the Dutch when seeking to develop methods of flood control and water projects.One of the men that contributed greatly to the development of flood control was Johannis de Rijke. He was born in Noord-Beveland on December 5th, 1842, the son of a farmer and part-time dike worker. He learned much about public works in his youth while working with his father. Later he was apprenticed within the Dutch Ministry of the Interior. By 1865, de Rijke was the chief construction foreman working on the Oranje Lock near Amsterdam. He had no formal qualifications as such but had worked his way up. He was known as a hard-working sincere man, qualities that served him well during his time in Japan.In 1872, de Rijke’s employer, Cornelis Johannes van Doorn (1837-1906) was hired by the Japanese government and tasked to find other engineers to accompany him. He must have thought highly of de Rijke since he persuaded him to join them. The Dutchmen arrived in Japan in September 1873. The first project they worked on was to re-design the port in Osaka. CJ van Doorn was the head of a six-member team that included George Arnold Escher (father of the graphic artist M.C. Escher). Escher helped with the restoration of the Yodo River in Osaka and left Japan in 1878. CJ van Doorn returned to the Netherlands in 1880.Johannis de Rijke remained in Japan for far longer than the others. He worked on a number of projects over the next thirty years. One was the pier in Kobe. Another was the construction of two breakwaters to help protect the port of Osaka. He worked in Nagoya where he was hired to combat the regular flooding that occurred in the region due to three rivers that divide and then rejoin. At various points downstream, the rivers flow together and then separate again, often leading to flooding and water damage. Since the Edo Period, much work had been done to plan dykes and other structures in an attempt to control the rivers. Johannis de Rijke helped with flood control of the area. He also worked on construction of the sewer network of Tokyo.For more on de Rijke Johannis de Rijke - WikipediaDutch thinking also influenced education in Japan. The missionary Guido Verbeck (1834 - 1898) became an adviser to the Meiji government. He recommended German medicine as a model for modern medical education and practice in Japan. He was also often consulted about the establishment of the prefectural system of local administration.I’ll leave it there. I may edit this later.