DU debut on Facebook

Delhi University started its page on social networking site Facebook on Monday.

The university's website http://www.du.ac.in/ will re-direct students to the official University of Delhi page on the social networking site where students can get information about anything related to the university.

The page is complete with news related to the admission procedure, information bulletin 2011-2012 and provisions under various quotas according to the university guidelines. The page also consists of links to e-open days, videos, photos, events and a link to the university website.

The page also contains information on the newly introduced semester system, starting this academic year. There were also numerous requests from students to make the page more user friendly.

Besides undergraduate courses, the page also provides information regarding postgraduate courses.

Apple's iPhone4 Launched In India

With the Apple's next-generation smartphone hitting the stores worldwide, the iPhone 4 was showcased by Bharti Airtel on  May 27, 2011 in the world's second most competitive market for mobile phones, India, across 34 cities with a bang.

The handset costs Rs 34,500 with 16-GB capacity and the model with 32GB storage capacity costs up to 40,900. The phone is suitable for long-term use, the phone constitutes of features like Apple's A4 operating system, magnificent retina display, 5-MP camera with LED flash, Face Time video chat and HD video recording. The phone has a qualitative screen with a better battery back-up.

In order to take benefit from the hoopla surrounding iPhone 4, Airtel and Aircel are offering lucrative schemes to the customers. Confirming the strategic approach adopted by telecom companies in India to beat the neck to neck competition, P. D. Sharma explained the reverse subsidy schemes, in which cost of the phone can be recovered by customer through discounts in mobile bills over a period of two years, which has already impacted Chinese market.

Famous Picnic Spots In Delhi

Children’s Park
It is easily one of the most oldest and popular parks in the capital. It’s proximity to India Gate seems to be an added advantage. With the park filled to the brim with people of all ages, it is most suited for children courtesy of the featured swings and aquarium.

India Gate Lawns
The lawns of the India Gate are spread over acres of land and are the main tourist attraction in Delhi. It is the place where we see the names of all the freedom fighters of India carved on the walls of India Gate, with "Amar Jyoti" lit in the center of the building. These lawns are the best picnic spot no matter what time of the day. It’s a good place during winters in the day time and during night in summers it’s a good place for having your home-made dinner. Along with the greenery one can also enjoy by having ice-cream from the numerous ice-cream vendors standing in a row.


Ajmal Khan Park
Near Karol Bagh, spread over an area of five acres, has musical fountains run by Delhi Tourism that provides a refreshing getaway from the bustle of the city. The scintillating lights synchronised with music, and the cascading water turn this complex into a quiet heaven, particularly during the heat of summer. The musical fountain is in operation for two hours every day after sunset except on Tuesday.

Zoological Garden
Designed by the West German zoo specialist, Hergenbeck it is between Purana Qila and Humayun's tomb. Closed on Fridays, it is a good picnic spot.

Deer Park
A paradise for morning walkers, has huts for staying and is approachable from Hauz Khas Village, Safdarjang Enclave or near the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association courts side.


Kalindi Kunj
Near the NOIDA border near Apollo hospital, a good getaway with fountains and colourful lights during the night.


Nehru Park
This Park is named after the first Prime Minister of India – Pt. Jawahar lal Nehru. This park lies very close to the embassy area near the Asoka Hotel, Chanakyapuri. It covers many acres of land and is the best place to hold family get together and day time picnics.


Lodhi Gardens
The Lodhi gardens are the best place for morning walkers and joggers. It is filled with greenery and big trees to give shelter from the sun. There are good seating arrangements for those tired from the morning walk. The nearest place is the Khan Market which is also famous.

Mughal Gardens
The Mughal gardens are generally not open all year round to the public but only in the month of February and March to see the flowers blossom in the spring season. This garden is in the premises of Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Top 10 Cartoon Characters Among Kids

Tom and Jerry: Tom is a career cat whose line of work happens to be napping, eating and chasing Jerry. Tom is a cat of few words, content to scheme and strategize about nabbing his elusive mouse nemesis.With his impish grin and adorable ears, this little mouse is an irresistible charmer. Although Tom thinks he's a menace, Jerry is really the answer to Tom's prayers ... dinner prayers, that is.

Mickey Mouse :Mickey Mouse represents Disney in all its forms. He is the icon. He started out in black in white in the cartoon, Steamboat Willie, and hasn’t looked back sense.

Minnie Mouse: The female version of Mickey, Minnie Mouse gave us our first beloved female cartoon character. In the early days she played the girl needing rescuing, but as time progressed she changed along with it, and became an important part of Mickey's life along with the millions of Disney fans as well.

Bugs Bunny : “What’s up, Doc?” Bugs Bunny, the poster child of the Looney Tunes, is still a Saturday morning staple today. Bugs Bunny is a cartoon character that represents good old fashioned fun and mischief.

Spongebob Squarepants :Spongebob isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Residing in his cozy pineapple house, right between his best friend Patrick Star and his co-worker Squidward, in the little town of Bikini Bottom, Spongebob has firmly established himself in our hearts. You are humming the theme song right now aren’t you.

The Powerpuff Girls: Girl power times three. Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup keep Townsville, USA safe from evil, while dealing with the pressures of kindergarten. The visual style of The Powerpuff Girls sets it apart, though. It's part high art and part drug-induced pop art. Whichever way you go, those giant eyes and crazy voices keep the cartoon from ever being stiff.

Strawberry Shortcake: She is everyone's best friend and has always, no matter what the case, have something nice to say to everyone. She is delightful, and smells of strawberry.

Winnie the Pooh: This cuddly honey lover has captured the hearts of millions with his timeless story and gentle nature. When you visit the Disney theme parks he is all over their merchandise and there are rides that have been dedicated to him. He is easily among the most recognizable characters and one that people have grown to love more as time goes on.

Tweety Bird and Sylvester: Another duo Chuck Jones created, Tweety Bird and Sylvester keep each other on their toes, with Sylvester losing out on a yummy bird meal every time. Tweety's baby voice and Sylvester's slobber talk keep us laughing.

Ben10: A character that became one of the most famous cartoons overnight.Ben Tenneson is a simple boy who came into the possession of a very special watch - the Omnitrix.

The Omnitrix gives Ben the ability to change into 10 different aliens, everyone of which has its own powers

Tips on How To Become Your Child's Friend

There are many ingredients mixed into parenting, and one is being your child/children friend.  When in trouble, a friend is probably the first person your child/children will look to for help.  Who do you want that person to be?  Do you want him or her to be someone who will give them the wrong advice that you know nothing about until  it is too late?  Or would rather your child have enough confidence in your relationship and comes to you without fear of rejection or worse?
Here are the tips which will help  you in becoming your child's friend

Communicate with your child: Listen to what your child says. Let the child feel comfortable to share information and feelings with parents. A parent has to be patient and non-judgmental in doing this. This will help the child to interact freely.

Ensure that the rules are fair: Make sure that you are not overly strict in framing the rules for your child. Let the rules be fair and logical. This will ensure that the child would not resent the undue strictness or disciplining.

Encourage independence in your child: Let your child explore, take decisions, and do things on his own. This will allow him to develop into a holistic personality, unafraid to try new challenge. As parents, you will not be around to fight all your child’s battles. Equip him with the wisdom and the opportunities to face tomorrow’s challenges adeptly.

Build the trust: Encourage your child to talk about his daily routine with you. Learn who your child’s friends are at school. What does he enjoy doing? What are his favorite hobbies, and try to involve yourself in his fun activities and games. This encourages bonding between the parent and the child.

Keep the child’s safety and security in mind: Always remember that as a parent, your prime responsibility is to ensure your child’s safety. Do not let your child indulge in any activities, which endanger his security, no matter how much your child forces you.

Tips to Keep Kids Healthy During Summers

NUTRITION

One of the easiest and most beneficial ways that we can help our children make the transition into summertime is by making sure that their diet changes along with the change of seasons. Summer is a time to start minimizing meat, eggs, and large amounts of nuts, seeds, and grains (heavy foods when it’s hot out can make all of us sluggish) and incorporate more cooling foods. Cooling foods include salads, sprouts – especially  mung sprouts, cucumbers, fruits like watermelon,strawberries. Coconut water is a great, and sweet, way to stay hydrated and cool. Summer is also a good time to use cooking methods that retain water in the food – quick sautéing, steaming, using less salt and more water.

HYDRATION

As the temperature continues to rise, dehydration is a common problem in summers. Even with kids playing indoors, it’s easy for them to not drink enough fluids. Water should be your kids’ foundation drink, but consider adding electrolytes to their drinks throughout the day.

A good way to keep your child hydrated, and getting electrolytes, is to add 10% fruit juice (such as organic apple juice) to their water. Another way is to always send them off with a bottle of some healthy liquid – and remind them to sip off of it whenever they run by to check in with you.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Enjoy the great outdoors. With extra daylight hours, we’ve got more time to enjoy activities in the early morning or evenings when the heat isn’t so sweltering.So,prepare a list of activities like playing football,running around the trees , hide and seek, etc.
Go for a walk as a family. Walking just 30 minutes a day can improve your and your family's health.

HYGIENE

Throughout a typical summer day, kids can move from activity to activity in the blink of an eye. The more contact they have with different kids and different environments, the greater their chances are of picking up various germs that can cause colds, stomachaches, and even diarrhea. Explaining the importance of hand washing early in their summer vacation to kids can help avoid most summer illnesses. Simple soap and water for the duration of a minute will keep kids’ hands clean and free from disease.

Indoor Games For Kids

Chinese Whispers : It is one of the most common games. In this game, the children have to sit in a circle. The first child has to whisper something (preferably a phrase) to the next child. The process will continue till the last child player listens to it and blurts it out. It's quite a fun game to play and helps improving the communication and auditory skills of the child.

Memory Game: Divide all the children into 2 groups. Ask one group to observe the objects around of a particular room and leave for a while till the other group make certain changes in the place and position of those objects. Then ask the first group to come in and find out all the possible changes that the second group had made. You can swap the groups after 2-3 rounds. This game becomes all the more interesting if there are lot of objects around. At last to make sure everything is in place, in the beginning itself ask all the children to make sure to rearrange the objects in the similar manner at the end of the game. This game helps to improve the memory skills of the children and slowly as the game progresses, they also learn how to make changes in a smarter way.


Blind Hunt : Clear a play area where kids can crawl around and feel with their hands without knocking fragile items over. Make sure any object that could injure a child is removed from the room. Blindfold the kids and spread things like beads,coins,small toys around the room. Instruct the kids to crawl around the floor and hunt for things spread. Give each child a small paper bag to place his collection in. Tell the kids they have to pick up as many things as they can within 10 minutes. The winner of the game is the child who has the most things collected at the end.


Read Books : If you provide kids with good books, they will enjoy reading them. Ensure that the books you provide them contain entertaining stories, fairy tales, fun characters and jokes. You can also provide them with their school books. Reading will improve their language skills and enhance their communication skills.

Hide & Seek :  Playing hide and seek with your kid is also fun and entertaining. Kids enjoy playing this game with their parents and other family members. As it is, there are various places to hide in a house, so it is more entertaining for kids.

Amusement and Water Parks In and Around Delhi

Fun & Food Village

This water park is situated close to the Kapashera border. One can easily take the metro and get off at the Kapashera station. This water park is spread over 10-12 acres of land with a wide range of water rides, many pools and other adventurous rides. The water slides are the best attractions here.  The rides here are for every age group along with few rides for kids which are below a certain age.
The rides are suitable for different age groups and special attraction is the wave pool, which is the largest wave pool in all the water parks around Delhi. The water park also boasts of the largest indoor Snow park over an area of 2500 sq. m. The park offers 21 amusement rides, 22 water slides, rain dance, kids water play area and much more. Special food arrangement available for groups. The water park here known as 'Village Club' has the longest water slide in the country and 400 ft long water channel known as 'Lazy River'.



Wet & Wild 


This resort is very conveniently located being just 30 km from Dhaula Kuan near Gurgaon. The resort offers both a water park and residential facilities along with a bowling alley. One can enjoy various water rides apart from the swimming pool. The resort also boasts of well appointed rooms along with a restaurant and bar. It is one of the very few resorts offering an excellent bowling alley.
This is not all,this place is a complete zone for both fun and business.It also offers professionally managed Conference and banquet facilities with capacity of upto 500 people. There are  swings  for children and nice green lawns  where one can arrange a party or out door games.



Aapno Ghar 


Aapno Ghar is the finest place to get soak in world class recreational activities of an amusement park. It is located in Delhi- Jaipur highway and has Water Park, amusement park, bar, restaurant, party lawns and a staying lodge to its name. it is the most visited park by all in search of a getaway fun. Here you can ride yourself caterpillar, baby train, flying bob, merry go round, super trouper, flying dish, jet plane rides besides participating in hosts of dance competitions.



Kalindi Kunj Amusement Park


It is situated near Jasola Vihar. It has become one of the main attraction for visitors. 
The park  have a Water park(12 slides) ,Rangers, Parachute Tower, Frizbee and Striking Cars,etc(all amusement rides). 
The main highlight of this park is Giant wheel known as Delhi Eye.It is similar to London Eye and Singapore Flyer.
This giant wheel is 45 meters in height . It is as tall as 15 storey building and promises a snapshot of prominent monuments located in Delhi such as Red Fort, Akshardham Mandir, Lotus Temple, Qutab Minar and Humayun's Tomb; apart from a bird's eye view of Connaught Place all in matter of 20 minutes.
There are 36 airconditioned cabins and charges are around Rs 250 for 20 minutes ride. The luxurious AC cabins are fitted with LCD screens. The capacity of each cabin is eight  persons and hence in total it can accomodate 288 persons.



Delhi Eye has been internationally certified, so there's should be no concern for the safety. Apart from that the power breakup, along with the manual brake system makes it risk free.

Centrally located Delhi Eye attracts people from Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad and Faridabad.



Entertainment Park 


Situated in Noida, Entertainment Park was opened in 2007 to provide you with fun and enjoyment full activities to help you revitalize from the urban stress. The place is right opposite to the very famous landmark, Center Stage Mall. It is the first theme park spread in such a vast area of land and equipped with international standards and norms of safety and fun. The park offers thirty rides in total and is very strategically designed and categorized in three sections for kids, teenagers and family sections. So every one has their own space to indulge in.


Adventure Island 


Built inside Metro Walk Mall, Rohini, Adventure Island is a world class amusement park spread in 62 acres in North West Delhi. the park contains 26 rides and attractions such as cyclone, bush buggies, flip out, space jump, wild wheels, side winder, derby devils, air bus, trail train, bumper cars etc.

Foods items to be eaten during summers

Onions: Especially red ones contain a chemical called quercetin which is believed to have an anti-histamine effect. Histamine is the irritant that causes heat rashes and adverse reactions to insect bites and stings, so eating onions daily may help to ease these summer complaints.

Cucumber : The phrase "cool as a cucumber" is not without merit-this vegetable's high water content reduces heat and inflammation. Adding a crunchy cool cucumber to your salads is a good way to increase your fibre intake as it comes naturally prepackaged with the extra fluid you need when consuming more fibre.

Mint: Although mint does not cool the whole body down it is cooling on the tongue and therefore tastes refreshing in hot weather.


Watermelons : Mostly water so they are low in calories. Excellent source of vitamin C, potassium and high in pectin. To know whether if the fruit is sweet, thump it with the knuckles and if you hear a hollow sound, then the fruit is going to taste sweet. Watermelon has dark green skin and bright red coloured flesh. Uncut fruit should be stored in a cool place, while cut watermelon should always be tightly wrapped, refrigerated and used within a day or so.

Mango :Chilled mangoes are the juiciest way to cool off, but if you're looking for a bit of spice, try this- Unripe mangoes are a rich source of pectin and when steamed and juiced with cumin (jeera) and salt, they provide an excellent remedy for heat strokes and exhaustion in summers.

Top 5 Activities To Keep Your Kids Busy During Summer Vacations

Diary Writing 

One of the biggest complaints from teachers is that children tend to lose academic skills during the summer. A great tool to keep reading and writing skills in good shape during summer vacation is a diary. It's fun to put together and easy enough for any age child to enjoy doing. The base can be a regular school notebook or a scrapbook-photo album. Start each day with an entry of the plans for the day's events. When your adventurers return home, they can add pictures and notes on the best parts of the day. The pictures can be crayon drawings or prints from a digital camera or anything in between.

Pool Party Time

Swimming is a great summer activity for kids to stay busy during summer break. Children get exercise, have fun, stay cool, and really seem to enjoy swimming. Whether you have a backyard pool or use a local pool for cooling off, you can have an informal pool party for a few kids with little fuss.Sandwiches with a few bags of chips and thermos jugs with cool drinks provide quick party food and the pool provides the entertainment.

Gardening

If you have a small garden or some space on a sunny window, you have the perfect setting for a kids garden. Take some watermelon seeds and watch them sprout and grow. Whether you get watermelons or not is irrelevant...the fun is in watching the vines spread out and grow. Older kids may want to grow vegetables, herbs or flowers in a real garden plot.

Visit to your grandparents

Most kids love visiting granny and grandad and this time, why not get your son or daughter to ask them what it was like when they were kids. What did they do to pass the time? What were their favourite toys? Did they watch TV? They'll be surprised by the answers.

Enroll them in a Summer Class

Do some research and find out the available classes and activities in your children’s school or in the neighborhood.  May it be art, cooking or music and dance, your children will have the opportunity to tap into what interests them and learn a thing or two.

Places To Visit In Delhi

Akshardham Temple 
It was only built in 2006 but it is the one breathtaking place that can compete with the Taj Mahal. You will have to go through lengthy security checks and leave all your personal belongings in a safe and not even be allowed to bring in your beloved camera. However, all the hassle is totally worth it. All one needs to do is walk around the gardens and take in the beauty. Brilliant and detailed work with marble. You should plan for at least half a day because it is pretty vast.


Location: Near Nizamuddin Bridge, New Delhi


Time to visit: 9AM - 9PM (Tuesday-Sunday). Closed on Monday


Admission fee: Entry to the complex is free. But for exhibitions and light and sound show inside the complex, one needs to buy tickets.


Special note: Cell phones and other electronic devices are prohibited


How to reach: Tourists can either take auto-rickshaws/taxi/metro rail from various points within the city to reach this temple located near Nizamuddin bridge.

Red Fort
It is from the ramparts of this majestic building that the Indian Prime Minister addresses the nation every August 15th or Indian Independence Day. Built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan (1628-58), this magnificent fort, made of red sandstone, was the seat of governance of the Emperor. Within the fort is the Diwan-e-Khas or Hall of Special Audience and Diwan-e-Am or Hall of the People, where the Emperor held court and dispensed justice. The fort contains a museum of arms and weaponry. There is a sound and light show in the evening that depicts the history of the fort and the medieval rulers of Delhi.


Location: On Netaji Subhash Marg, near Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi


Time to visit: Open on all days except Monday, from sunrise to sunset.


Preferred timings: 10 a.m - 4 p.m


Admission fee: INR 11 for Indian citizens/ INR 100 for foreigners (including the tickets of all the three museums inside).


How to reach: Tourists can either take auto-rickshaws/taxis/metro rail from various points within the city to reach this monument, which is located in Old Delhi.

India Gate 
It was built by a British architect in memory of the victims of the British Indian Army. It is not India Gate per se that is impressive though. It is rather the whole area around it with a nice park that leads to the Parliament building, which is pretty impressive. It is the one place in Delhi which is like an oasis and can give you a break from the noisy streets and hectic traffic.


Location: is a 42 meter high gateway located at Rajpath, New Delhi


How to reach: Tourists can either take auto-rickshaws/taxis from various points within the city to reach this gateway.

Raj Ghat
It is the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most visited sites in Delhi. It consists of a simple square black-marble platform that stands on the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. Nearby, there are cremation sites of Jawaharlal Nehru - the first Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri.


Location: Ring Road which is now known as the Mahatma Gandhi Road and the banks of the Yamuna River, just southeast of Red Fort.


Preferred timings: April to September (5.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.) and from October to March (5.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.)


Admission fee: Free and open to all


How to reach: Tourists can either take auto-rickshaws and taxis or metro rail from various points within the city to reach this site.


Special feature: A prayer service is arranged for on every Friday, the day he was assassinated, at 5.30 pm in the evening

Bahai Temple
A newer architectural wonder in this historic city, this house of worship of the Bahai faith, is built in the shape of a lotus and commonly called the Lotus Temple. Set amidst green lawns, this white marble structure is open to all and is a perfect space for meditation, since total silence is maintained within the temple at all times.


Location: Located in Kalkaji in the south of Delhi


Time to visit: On all days except Monday


Preferred timings: Summer/ Winter: 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m./ 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m


Admission fee: Free and open to all


How to reach: Tourists can either take auto-rickshaws/taxis/metro rail from various points within the city to reach this temple located in South Delhi.