ANUBHAVAM PUDHUMAI- 13/ Children's Museum

Having gone around the city of Boston in the last Part- 12,Let us know now, how the Fifty States of US came into existance as United under one country!
http://www.kidport.com/reflib/usahistory/UsaHistoryIndex.htm- is the Link to know more in detail about the History of the US>

United States - officially United States of America, republic (2000 pop. 281,421,906), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. It consists of 50 states and a federal district. The conterminous (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) United States stretches across central North America from the Atlantic Ocean on the east to the Pacific Ocean on the west, and from Canada on the north to Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico on the south. The state of Alaska is located in extreme NW North America between the Arctic and Pacific oceans and is bordered by Canada on the east. The state of Hawaii, an island chain, is situated in the E central Pacific Ocean c.2,100 mi (3,400 km) SW of San Francisco. Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States, and New York is its largest city.

The outlying territories and areas of the United States include: in the Caribbean Basin, Puerto Rico (a commonwealth associated with the United States) and the Virgin Islands of the United States (purchased from Denmark in 1917); in the Pacific Ocean, Guam (ceded by Spain after the Spanish-American War), the Northern Mariana Islands (a commonwealth associated with the United States), American Samoa, Wake Island, and several other islands. The United States also has compacts of free association with the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Political Geography

The conterminous United States may be divided into several regions: 1)- the New England states ( Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut), 2)- the Middle Atlantic states ( New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia), 3)- the Southeastern states ( North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky), 4)- the states of the Midwest ( Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Missouri), 5)- the Great Plains states ( North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Kansas), the Mountain states ( Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah), 6)- the Southwestern states ( Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona), and 7)- the states of the Far West ( Washington, Oregon, California, and Nevada).

Alaska is the largest state in area (656,424 sq mi/1,700,578 sq km), and Rhode Island is the smallest (1,545 sq mi/4,003 sq km). California has the largest population (2000 pop. 33,871,648), while Wyoming has the fewest people (2000 pop. 493,782). In the late 20th cent., Nevada, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Utah, Georgia, and Texas experienced the fastest rates of population growth, while California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, and North Carolina gained the greatest number of residents. West Virginia, North Dakota, and the District of Columbia experienced population decreases over the same period. The largest U.S. cities are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia. Among the other major cities are Boston, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia Beach, Charlotte, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Tampa, Miami, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Saint Louis, Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Dallas– Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Albuquerque, Denver, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Fresno, Long Beach, San Diego, and Honolulu.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States- is another Link to know about the History of US where the above FIFTY States became United!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States

 Let us now focus on Kids of US.They are the most cared for in the Laws of the Nation right from Birth.Bringing up them is really the most challenging task for the Indian Mothers from the Cultural point of view.
There are many safeguards in favour of Kids to be honoured by all Elders including the Parents. Numerous Games, Sports, Public Places like Museum of Science, Arts & Culture have been established to improve their knowledge.I was told that this mode of exposure to the Kids is available in all 50 states of US.At Boston, we had visited one of such Museums which was memorable in all respects.
Just click the Link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Children's_Museum for details.
FOUR snaps taken outside the Museum are also produced below as Slide Show.

Such kind of exposure is also provided by the Parents at their own home by allocating one separate room for Play & furnish the same with toys & games to develope the Art of creativty & skill, apart from studies. Kids are taken to the centres of Martial Arts, Swimming Pool, Drawing & Painting, Music & Dance, etc.Security Measures are Mandatory while drivng with Kids or at learning centre. Entire burden- sorry, I should not call it a Burden- since the Parents are not taking it in that sense at all.Above all, they have a delicate task of involving their Kids with Indo-American culture, considering only the Positve aspects  of both.HATS OFF TO THEM!
Now, let us move on to look into a real comical incident occured at Palakkad Railway Junction Platform #2.Prior to moving, Just look at this Photo of Rail Track from nowhere going nowhere, across a Main Road adjacent to our Apt in Arlington of Boston.



This Photo is the Memorial for the Popular  Train Service in existence centuries ago across this route, originating  from Spypond  to Harbour for Ice-trade with  India! Now Track exists but not the Train!

Now, the Scenario shifts back to Platform #2 of Palakkad Rly. Jn. where I was waiting with Family for boarding Train to Coimbatore few years back, on return from Trivandrum tour.There was no Train in any of the Platforms.However, I saw a person rushing towards me in a hurry asking in Malayalam for Platform # from where Madurai Train was to leave.Guessing that it should be #1 Platform opposite to my Platform, I directed him to the vacant #1.Agitated over the empty #1, taken for granted that the Train had already left,  he started looking for alternative.Back to me again, in absence of anybody or Enquiry nearby, he asked- 'Are you sure that The Train had aleady left or yet to come'.I answered- it is being announced over the Audio-system, hence not gone yet.
Puzzled over my reply in the affirmative, he again went by the side of #1 Platform & hopelessly looking for Train from both the ends of Platform.Then, something strange he noticed!Coming back to me again, he surprisingly revealed the fact- 'There are no Tracks at the bottom! How the Train will move without Tracks?' Feeling embarrased  over the relevent fact, I accmpanied him only to find the ABSENSE OF TRACKS!
Then came the announcement saying the Madurai Passr.would leave from Platform #1A, which could be seen sounding Horn from another Makeshift Platform away from our side at one opposite end.I could then realise that the Tracks of M.G.had been removed at its original #1 for replacement with B.G.Poor Patron of that Passr was then seen  jumping over the empty Tracks to catch the Departing Train.Moral from this incident- NEVER MISGUIDE STRANGERS WITH HALF-KNOWN OR NIL-KNOWN FACTS!
At Palakkad,  it was- Train exists, but not Tracks!
With this, this Part is concluded!
Back to you soon with Part-14!
PS- At Chittaranjan Railway Colony, you can not find any Qrs # or Street # with #13 in those days of allotting Numbers because of superstition with the fear that there would be no takers, if allotted.But at later stage, #13 came into prominance.
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Krishnan