White Butterfly

Just a few days to mate lay her eggs and then die
A minute to her an hour to you and I

She flits through the parkland in the sunlit sky
With brown spots on her fragile wings a white butterfly

Unlike a bird she does not have a song to sing
Yet the wonders of Nature are an amazing thing

A beautiful flying insect in the warm lamp of day
In a few days at the most with Nature she will lay

In only a day she will have reached her life's prime
And a few days to live does not seem much in time

On silent wings she dances in the park in the warm Summer air
To look at so gentle and fragile and fair

In the parkland green and lush after the recent showers
She dances around the blossoming trees and the flowers.

Frqncis Dugan 

 

Rothschild's Waddesdon Manor

                                 

Ines and I went to Waddesdon the other day. It was the 1st of June, and for Ines's birthday, we thought we should visit the place. She had wanted to go there for some time, and I took the day off from work because it was last Thursday. Waddesdon Manor is not far from where we live, about 49 miles (79km) towards Aylesbury via M25.

The Rothschild family originated from the Jewish ghetto in Frankfurt, Germany. They became the most powerful banking family of the 19th century. There were five brothers, and their family crest or coat of arms has five arrows.

They established a multinational bank in Europe's financial capitals. Waddesdon Manor was built by Baron Ferdinand (1839-1898), who was born in Paris and raised in Frankfurt and Vienna. His mother was an English Rothschild, and his father was from the Viennese branch of the family. He permanently lived in England since 1860 and married his cousin Evelin. Sadly, she passed away during childbirth in 1866.

Above is their family tree, and the entire family is shown below.

 

He had an unmarried sister, Alice (1847-1922), and he left his estate to her. She came to England after her mother died and was raised by her elder sister Mathilde in Germany. When she moved to England, she acted as a housekeeper to Ferdinand's estate. She formulated "Miss Alice's Rules," which were guidelines for the care and preservation of the collections in the manor. She also owned the adjacent estate of Eythrope.

lice left both her estates to her great-nephew James De Rothschild (1878-1957), who was Mathilde's grandson. He married Dorothy Pinto, who was English. He added his father's art collection to Waddesdon Manor.

What interested me the most was Rothschild's involvement in the creation of the State of Israel.

1. This is the letter from foriegn secretary, Arthur james Balfour to lord Rothchild, 2/11/1917 -sending copy of the Balfour Declaration, a public statement by the British Government to Lord Rothchild announcing their support for the establishement of a "national home for the jewish People" in palestine.

9. Gold coin issued in 2017 to commeroate teh 25th annivarsary of teh supreme court building - the coin has a relief of the Supreme Court building surmounted by a menorah flanked by two olive branches (official symbol of the State Israel) and on the reverse a relief of teh courtroom with arched ceilings. its inscribed with "Excute the judgement of truth and peace in your gate" in Hebrew, arabic and in English around the border

2.Three medals honoring baron Edmond De Rothschild -  medals were presented to Dorothy de Rothchild in 1982 to commemorate the 34th annivarsary of Israeli Independence    

4. Ceremonial Key to the Knesset presented to Dorothy de Rothschild (1895-1988) in 1982 - The knesset is the Israeli parliament buyilding, built in the government quarter in Jerusalem and financed via bequest from james de Rothschild. The building was dedicated on 31st of August 1966 and the new win constructed between 1981 and 1992.

10. First day cover to commemorate the opening of the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on 17 September 1992, It was build with the funding by Dorothy de Rothschlild and Yad Hanadiv - Rothschild charitable foundation

3. Two medals honoring Baron Edmond De Rothschild and James de Rothschild (1878-1957) 

5. Proof coin commemorating the knesset and Israel's 17th Annivarsary of Independence

6. Commemorative trowel - Inscribed in Hebrew "With this trowel, mrs Dorothy de Rothschild laid the foundation stone of the Knesset building in Jerusalem".

6. 500 Shekel Note - Issued by the Israely government in 1982 to commemorate the centenary of Baron Edmond's work in Palestine.

8. medal commemorating Baron Edmond and James de Rothschild

One of the most important parts for me was obviously the wine cellar. It consists of a huge underground cellar and tasting rooms.

It also had some old wine bottles signed by Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Lady Diana.

The list of signatures is below.

Finally, here are two important art pieces from the collection. These were very detailed artworks. 

And here are some pictures from the Rothschild treasury. The stones are real diamonds.

This is an amazing collection of art, valuable items, and some historically important documents on display. Visit if you can. 

-Ajith Dharmakeerthi  05/06/2023

Train to Stansted and Back

Train approching the Corrour Station - view from the top of the Ben Aa'n

Train Journey from Glasgow Central station to Corrour

 The UK’s highest mainline railway station is located at Corrour Station, which sits at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,593 feet) above sea level in the middle of Rannoch Moor. Access to the station is limited to train, walking, or cycling. We hiked to the top of Ben A'an mountain, which is about 455 meters (1,491 feet) high. The path to the top is steep and strenuous, and the round trip covers a distance of 4.5 miles. It took us 4.5 hours to climb and come down.

Cat's are intelligent - this is our Kiki

"We gave Kiki food in the morning and some cereal again at lunchtime. She likes to eat when we eat, however, she kept asking for more. Both Ines and I refused to give her more, and this was the result: she dragged the Whiskas cereal bag herself and started eating one by one."

Ajith

Burning feets and burning lower legs - treated by Ayurvedic medicine

Steam Boat

I suffered from a long-term sickness of burning feet and occasional burning lower legs. The problem often occurred at night when I was sleeping, and I would wake up in the middle of the night with burning feet. To alleviate the pain, I had to use cold water, various oils, and creams on my feet and lower legs to get some sleep.

After googling the causes and seeking medical advice, I initially turned to western medicine for a quick recovery. According to Google, burning feet are most often a sign of nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy), which can have many different causes, including diabetes, chronic alcohol use, exposure to certain toxins, and certain B vitamin deficiencies. Additionally, Healthline reports that a burning sensation in the legs can be caused by leg injury, intense exercise, exposure to extreme heat or cold, or a toxic substance. Peripheral neuropathy is often associated with diabetes, alcohol use disorder, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and multiple sclerosis (MS).

My GP initially prescribed cetirizine, thinking that I might have an allergic reaction to something. He also suggested that my condition might be due to diabetes and prescribed a type of antidepressant to help me sleep. However, the medication made me very sleepy during the day and unable to work, so I discontinued it. I also contacted my private health insurance provider, and the private GP service offered no other advice beyond what my GP had already suggested.

Last year, I was in Sri Lanka in September and October when I discovered an Ayurvedic hospital that offered massages. Although I missed my appointment with the Ayurvedic doctor, I met Mr. Manjula Guruge, a well-trained masseur who agreed to provide me with an Ayurvedic massage. I informed him about my burning lower legs and feet and asked him to focus on that area.

Apart from the burning sensation, I also suffered from leg fatigue. Mr. Guruge said he used Ayurvedic oil called "Great Nelyadhi oil" and provided a proper massage to my legs. He then took me to a steaming room with a closed bathtub containing herbs, which he identified as "nika" leaves. He mentioned that a German couple had just completed the same Ayurvedic treatment before me.

After the steam treatment, I felt great, and my body was completely relaxed. The most important thing was that I no longer experienced the burning lower legs or feet syndrome after that. It has now been five months since the Ayurvedic massage and treatment, and I still cannot understand why I was cured of this chronic conditions.

Mr. Guruge works at the Kasthuriarachchi Ayurvedic hospital in Panadura, Sri Lanka. His WhatsApp number is +94 777547419. If you visit Sri Lanka, I highly recommend visiting an Ayurvedic resort or center and experiencing these amazing treatments.

ref:

Burning feet

Burning Legs

- Ajith dharmakeerthi 29/03/2023

p.s. - Mr Guruge agreed to share his details. 

Akrotiri -Ancient Minoans Drainage System

Akrotiri -Ancient Minoans Drainage System 

What Garry Lineker actually said:

This is what Gary Lineker Actuvally Said:

 //We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?//

 Germany take more refugees. It is a true fact. There is a reason for that. They don't have enough able bodies in the country. They have more pensioners than young people. Therefore, I don't agree with Gary. But what British Media (Specially rightwing Mail and Telegraph) Printed was a lie: Gary says we are beheving like  Nazi Germany. No he did not say that. It is the same as Prince Harry saga. Harry actually said - I love Royal Family, I love my father and brother. I want them to accept me as who I am.- What Media Wrote: Harry wants to destroy the  Royal Family.
So when you read whatever British Right wing press says : go to the source. 😃

Z nation is horrible but strangely attarcting

My crushes these days - Lieutenant Roberta Warren(Kellita Smith)  and Addy Carver (Anastasia Baranova)  from “Z nation” . Remember few years back we were hooked into watching “The Walking Dead". That was back in 2010. Then came the “ Z nation”, somewhat around 2015. I missed it. last couple of months I was watching it on Netflix.  

-Z Nation is an American zombie drama series created by Karl Schaefer and Craig Engler.

Utterly horrible to watch killing those zombies and talkers. But amazing story line and the plot.

Pretty much it is depicting the society you are living in now. Killing humans by other humana hungry for power. Sound familiar?

And why it was called “Z nation” back in 2014? Did the writer know what’s coming up later,  like other Hollywood movies or this was another Hollywood prophecy?

Visit to the Amazing Delos island - Greek Tour 4

Greek tour 1

Greek tour 2 

Greek Tour 3

We travelled to the Delos Island from Mykonos in a small ship. (travel date:27/08/2022)  According to the Greek mythology Delos was the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis of the sun and the moon. It is an archaeological site in the Aegean sea's Cyclades archipelago, near Mykonos. It was a major religious centre and port during the 1st millennium BC. The island's ruins encompass Doric temples, markets and amphitheatres, houses with mosaics and iconic terrace of the Lions statues. 

During the period of independence (314-166 BC) the rulers of the Hellenistic states vied with each other in constructing magnificent buildings on Delos, where all Greeks could gaze upon and marvel the wealth and power of the cities that had built them. The kings of Permagum built (mid 3rg cent BC) stoa or portico on the east side of the Sacred Way that led from the Hellenistic port to the entrance of the Sanctuary.

Agora of Delos is below.

Journey by the ship was about one hour but ship did a stop near a small island so tourists can jump to the about 30-40 feet deep sea and swim around the ship and swim to the nearby island. The golden beaches and turquoise waters were breathlessly beautiful. Then we were taken to the Delos Island.

The Oikos and the Colossus of the Naxians was built in the early 6th BC. There were marble porch and marble roofs that were supported by Ionian columns.

Immediately after the Oikos of the Naxians are the three temples of Apollo. The first, which was also the largest, was dedicated by the Delians and is therefore known as the Great temple, or Temple of the Delians. Construction, which was funded by the Treasury of Delian league, began in about 476 BC.

The Delian League was founded in 478, to organize between 150 and 173 Greek city-states into an alliance against the forces of the Persian Empire led by Xerxes I. The League was led by Athens, but held its official meetings in the temple on Delos and based its treasury on the island. The Greek forces had defeated the Persians at the Battle of Plataea the year before, and the Delian League was formed to organize the continuing resistance against this second Persian invasion.

The oldest temple of Apollo, the Poros Temple of Porinos Oikos was built of Poros stones during either the period of Athenian tyrant Peisistratus, or that of his sons, in the late 6th century BC. The famous statue of Apollo created by the Athenian sculptors Tectaeus and Angelion originally stood in this temple and was later transferred to the Great Temple.

The Agora of Theophrastos take its name from the Atenian who was the governor of the island in 126/125 BC and who had "laid out this agora and backfilled the edge of the port" as recalled by the dedication of his statue which was established on the square by "Athenians living in Delos, merchants, shipowners, Romans and other foreigners staying Delos."

 Italians began settling on Delos as early as the 3rd cent. BC, their presence becoming stronger after the mid-2nd cent. BC with Rome's rise to predominance. Most were bankers and merchants from South Italy and Sicily organised in various professional societies, each under the patronage of a god, whether Apollo (Apoloniasts), Poeidoniasts or Hermes (Hermaists).  Towards the end of the 2nd cent. BC, they built so-called Agora of the Italians, the meeting  place for the members of the Italian community.

 The Lions of Naxians are the statues of the lions dedicated by the Naxians to the Sanctuary of Apollo about the 7th cent. BC, within the context of a grandiose building programme which was to demonstrate the supremacy of Naxos of all Hellenic pilgrims.  Most pilgrims never seen a lion and I am puzzled by this because there were no lions in these part of the world at that time. (and now)

The establishment of the Poseidoniasts from Beirut is above. Four columns of the northwest of the Lions mark the building that house the  Poseidoniasts from Berytus (currently Beirut). It was built in the 2nd cent. BC, as a religious and commercial centre, as well a club house for merchants, ship owners and warehouse owners from Beirut, the great commercial city of ancient Syria. 

The lake Market was excavated in 2002. The market was burned down in the 69 BC during the raid of Athenodoros. 

The lake house Dillion was constructed in the last decades of the 2nd cent. BC, it has inhabited by at least 2 generations of the same family, and was burned down in 69 BC. The houses of Delos, like modern houses, very greatly in their floor plan, which was determined by the shape and size of the lot, the wishes of the owner, how much he could afford to spend, and the charges of made by the later generations. A common feature is that they all look inward: the rooms are built around a square central court from which they receive light and air, and there are no exteriors windows on the ground floor.

I think these are for griding millet or other pulses. We can see similar grinding millets (finger millets)  in Sri Lanka from that era.  

These are the theatre quarter and the remaining temples.

Finally, it was time to go back from this long but meaningful day. We still missed some parts like going up to the hill. Well, there will be other chances to come to this magnificent place.

Pictures and the write-up by Ajith Dharmakeerthi 

Below pictures are from Sri lanka. I took from my friend's house. These are old  finger millet grinders.

maps from this link: