Coming soon! World’s highest rail bridge over River Chenab in Kashmir

An engineering marvel will connect one of the most remote parts of the country in Jammu and Kashmir with the mainland. It is being built on the Katra-Banihal railway line at village Kauri in the Reasi district.

Here are some interesting architectural details about the bridge.

1. The 1.315-km long bridge is being built above the Chenab River at a height of 359 meters, 35 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

2. 63 mm-thick special blast-proof steel sourced from the Bhilai steel plant is used to withstand any major blast.  

3. The concrete pillars include a 1.2-meter-wide central verge and a 14-meter-wide dual carriageway. It would withstand explosions, earthquakes, and wind speeds of up to 260 kmph. It is painted with a special corrosion-resistant paint, which lasts for 15 years.

4. The arch is two-ribbed and fabricated from large steel trusses.

5. The girder plates are eight-meter-long each. A total of 161 specially fabricated girders will be used.

6. Around 24,000-plus tons of steel will be utilized for the construction.

7. An online monitoring and warning system will also be installed.

8. The bridge will also have cycle trails and footpaths

9. Sensors on the bridge will check the wind velocity: as soon as the wind speed exceeds 90 kmph, the signal on the track will turn red, preventing train movement.

10. Self-compacting concrete is being utilized for filling steel boxes as well as for ends of plate girders.

Fascinating architectural stories from 5 Indian temples

 Popular for celestial carvings, epigraphs, and vernacular design elements, we look at five temples that are truly one-of-a-kind destinations.

Brihadeshwara Temple, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu

The magnificent Temple is deeply embedded in the Dravidian architectural legacy as a tribute to Lord Nataraja. Built by Raja Raja Chola I, the temple was constructed using over 1,30,000 tons of granite.

Architectural gems: The temple casts no shadow on the ground when the sun is at its pinnacle. A glorious Nandi monolith weighing 20 tons, intricate Bharatnatyam carvings on the temple exterior, and a spectacular spread of musical pillars.

Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal, Karnataka

A confluence of North Indian Nagra and Dravidian Vimana Shaili architectural styles, this temple displays extravagant sculptures and epigraphs that narrate stories of divine glory.

Architectural gems: The structure is seeded in mathematical concepts. The patterns are modeled on natural wonders, a triangular dome, and square-shaped layouts echo the geometry of nature.

Terracotta Temple, Bishnupur, West Bengal

Built by the Malla dynasty, this temple mirrors the thatched architecture of rural Bengal. The architecture of Bishnupur is inspired by the coalescence of styles and cultures from surrounding regions.

Architectural gems: Built using rustic terracotta tiles, laterite, and bricks, the carved panels in the temple narrate mythological epics.

Dilwara Temples, Mount Abu, Rajasthan

Built by the Solankis, the Dilwara Temples’ complex enshrines five prominent Jain idols, each housed within a separate courtyard. The complex is bordered by shrines honoring holy tirthankaras (saints).

Architectural gems: The temple is renowned for its marble ornamentation and carvings. Among the many mysteries harbored within the temple walls, perhaps the greatest is how long-ago laborers managed to transport huge blocks of marble from Arasoori Hill to Mount Abu, along an incline of 23 kilometers, on elephant back.

Kailasa Temple, Ellora, Maharashtra

Carved from solid rock, this titanic temple construction was helmed by King Krishna I as a symbolic expression of Lord Shiva’s Himalayan abode.

Architectural gems: The sanctum sanctorum features remarkable engravings of scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

10 things about Krushi Bhawan building; the People's Choice Winner at the AZ Awards 2020

 Odisha's architectural marvel Krushi Bhavan designed by Studio Lotus has won the People's Choice Winner in the Social Good category at the prestigious AZ Awards 2020  (AZURE’s international architecture and design competition). This was the only project from India at the globally recognized prestigious award.

Here are some architectural details about the structure. 

1. The complex houses the administrative offices for the Department of Agriculture & Farmers' Empowerment, Odisha government designed around courtyards filled with ponds and trees.

2. Regional materials and techniques feature all over the building. The north wing of the building is made using laterite and khondalite stones sourced from nearby mines.

3. The brickwork that wraps the upper floor is designed using a traditional dyeing technique called Odisha Ikat. The bricks were made from three different colors of clay sourced from the surrounding areas.

4. The perforations in the facade help to naturally cool the building.

5. Apart from being a workplace for 600 staff, Krushi Bhavan also houses spaces for community engagement.

6. The ground floor has a free-flowing public space that opens out into a plaza. It has an amphitheater and a garden with a pond to naturally cool the space. The entrance is lined with trees and stone colonnades, which doubles as a shady place for employees to have their lunch.

7. A learning center, gallery, auditorium, library, and training rooms are also located on the ground floor.

8. The building's rooftop has urban farms that can be used to demonstrate the best agricultural practices.

9. Krushi Bhavan's night-purging system pulls cool air in through the northern facade after dark which lowers the building's temperature before the hotter daytime hours.

10. The courtyard design, along with recessed windows, also features brick louvers that create shade and airflow.

10 things you must know about the Atal Tunnel

 The construction of the Atal Tunnel connecting Manali with Leh, which is the world's longest highway tunnel above 10,000 feet, has been completed in a span of 10 years. The 9-km horseshoe-shaped single-tube, double-lane tunnel has many firsts and will shorten the distance by 46 km.

Here are the interesting things

1. This is the first tunnel in India to deploy the Rowa flyer technology, which allows engineers to work at inverted levels.

2. The tunnel consumed 14,508 metric tons of steel and 2,37,596 metric tons of cement

3. Using the drill and blast technique, 14 lakh cubic meters of soil and rocks were excavated.

4. It is the country's first tunnel to have an escape tunnel within the main tunnel because of the topography. 

5. The tunnel provides a telephone facility at every 150 meters, a fire hydrant every 60 meters, emergency exit every 500 meters.

6. It also has an air quality monitoring system after every km.

7. Broadcasting system and automatic incident detection system with CCTV cameras at every 250 meters.

8. The tunnel will have a semi-transverse ventilation system, where large fans would separately circulate air throughout the tunnel length.

9. Thickness of the concrete lining is 50 cm.

10. At 10.5 meters wide and a height of 5.52 meters, a car can zip through at 80 kmph.

Study and organization tips for college students, one semester at a time

Planning is key to having a great year at the college. Here are some tips to have a good year.

Identify due dates and plan ahead.

it's important for students to use their time wisely. After the first day of classes, go through each class syllabus to identify due dates for big papers, projects, and exams. After flagging important dates, notice when big items are due within a short time of one another. Are there two long papers due the same day? A midterm exam the day after a big presentation? Plan ahead by setting up an early "due date" for one of those items and write a to-do list with the necessary steps in order to get it done.

Make it visual. 

Despite living in a digital world, a study found that over half of college students prefer to use a paper calendar and planner to manage themselves and their time. Visual reminders help keep students on track and ensure that important deadlines aren't forgotten.

Take effective notes.

Looming test dates during the semester can be overwhelming, but taking great notes can lessen the stress. An easy tip to taking effective notes is to keep flags and page markers in different colors handy. Use the different colors to mark important sections of notes and topics to go back and review so when it comes time to study, all the important information is already flagged.

Brainstorm and organize paper topics.

Whether it's a major paper or collaborating with classmates on a group presentation, writing down information and keeping it front and center can help students think clearly.

Set goals.

Once students know their workload for the whole semester, they can start writing out weekly tasks and goals and estimate how much time is needed for each.

Tips to help you destress during the lead-up to NATA

Exam time is invariably stress time. But it need not be so if you know how to keep all your stress and worry at bay. Here are some handy tips that can help to dissipate stress and make sure you can get through the NATA with ease.  

Reducing screen time

The first and foremost thing for a student preparing for an exam is to cut down on his screen time. The time we spent in front of a screen of a laptop, video games, and mobile phones are termed screen time. It not only takes away our precious preparation time, but it is also highly addictive making it difficult to concentrate on studies.

Positive self-talk

Never ever tell yourself that you can't do it or you are too stressed to do it. Practice positive self-talk, not just for your exams, but for your life ahead. Make "I can and I will", your mantra, to be repeated when you wake up, when you go to bed, when you sit down to study and whenever you feel worried about exams.

Rest your brain

It is very important to take breaks and rest your brain during preparations. The best method would be to study for 45- 60 minutes at a stretch and then taking a break of about 10-15 minutes. During the break, stretch yourself, move the head from side to side and involve in something positive which makes the brain refreshed.

Eat healthily

Avoiding oily, spicy, and junk food during exam time is an overlooked tip to reduce your stress. The simplest science behind this wisdom is that when you eat heavier or eat greasier food, the digestive system will take up more of your energy and blood flow. This deprives the brain, resulting in fatigue and concentration difficulties, which cause more stress.

10 points about the Ram Temple

  The construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya began with a grand Bhoomi Puja celebration. Here are some interesting facts.

1. No Use of Iron or Steel: Iron and steel will not be used in the construction of the temple. It will be constructed using stones.  While wood, white cement, and copper would be used.

2. Large sanctum sanctorum: The sanctum sanctorum of the temple will be a huge structure, one of the biggest in the country - with a dimension of 20 feet by 20 feet.

3. Soil from Different Places: Soil from 2,587 religious and cultural significance places in India will be used during the construction of the foundation.  

4. Time Capsule Below the Temple: A time capsule will be placed 2,000 feet under the temple structure to protect the temple’s history. It will contain information related to the Ram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya, and Lord Ram, written on a copper plate.

5. Special Bricks:  Bricks with ‘Shri Ram’ inscription on it will be used for the temple construction. These bricks were collected from devotees from all over the country. Most of it will be used for laying the foundation.

6. Stones from Rajasthan: The temple will be constructed using pink sandstone called ‘Bansi Paharpur’, which will be brought in from Bharatpur in Rajasthan.

7. Temple Structure:  Based on the Nagara style, the Ram temple will be built on 10 acres of land. The remaining 57 acres will be developed as the temple complex. The structure will have five mandaps - kudu, rang, nritya, kirtan, and prarthana.

8. The three-storied temple will be 161 feet tall. The ground floor will portray the story of Lord Ram’s birth and his childhood, while the first floor will have a layout of the Ram Darbar.

9. Ram Katha Kunj: Statues depicting Lord Ram's journey from childhood till coronation will be displayed in the courtyard of the temple. It will be called the Ram Katha Kunj and shall exhibit 125 scripts from Lord Ram's life.

10. The construction will take 3.5 years.