BHARAT EK KHOJ - DISCOVERY OF INDIA

NOSTALGIC MEMORIES

BHARAT EK KHOJ (1988)
One of my favorite serials when I was a kid was Bharat Ek Khoj (Hindi: भारत एक खोज, translation: Discovery of India)

It was a series of explorations into the different periods of Indian history and was made in 1988 by the writer, director and producer Shyam Benegal.

The serial was based on a book written by the great historian and the first Prime Minister of independent India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, titled The Discovery of India.

The 53 episode television series was telecast on Doordarshan and dramatically unfolded the 5000 year history of India from its beginnings to the coming of independence in 1947. The starcast included Om Puri and others. Om Puri was also a narrator of the stories. Roshan Seth looked very much like Nehru and was also the narrator of the series.

Lyrics Of The Title Track

The lyrics of the track were so meaningful and the music was excellent. I can’t seem to forget the lyrics after so many years.

“Srishti se pehle sat nahin thaa, asat bhi nahin Antariksh bhi nahin, aakaash bhi nahin thaa. Chhipaa thaa kyaa, kahaan, kisne dhaka thaa? Us pal to agam, atal jal bhi kahaan thaa.

Shrishti kaa kaun hain kartaa? Kartaa hain yeh vaa akartaa? Oonche aakash mein rahtaa. Sadaaa adhyaksh banaa rahtaa. Wohee sach much mein jaantaa..Yaa nahin bhi jaanataa Hain kisi ko nahin pataa, Nahin pataa, Nahin hai pataa, nahin hai pataa.

Voh tha hiranya garbh srishti se pehle vidyamaan. Vohi to saare bhoot jaatee ka swami mahaan. jo hai astitvamaana dharti aasmaan dhaaran kar. Aise kis devta ki upasana kare hum havi dekar?

Jis ke bal par tejomay hai ambar. Prithvi hari bhari sthapit sthir. Swarg aur sooraj bhi sthir. Aise kis devta ki upasana kare hum havi dekar?

Garbh mein apne agni dhaaran kar paida kar, Vyapa tha jal idhar udhar neeche upar, Jagaa jo devon ka ekameva pran bankar, Aise kis devta ki upasana kare hum havi dekar?

Om ! Srishti nirmata swarg rachaiyta purvaj rakhsa kar. Satya dharma palak atul jal niyamak raksha kar. Phaili hain dishayen bahu jaisi uski sab mein sab par, Aise hi devta ki upasana kare hum havi dekar, Aise hi devta ki upasana kare hum havi dekar.”

 

Here's a translation from Sanskrit (by Prof: Raimundo Panikkar, courtesy Google)At first was neither Being nor Nonbeing.
There was not air nor yet sky beyond.
What was wrapping? Where? In whose protection?
Was Water there, unfathomable deep?

There was no death then, nor yet deathlessness;
of night or day there was not any sign.
The One breathed without breath by its own impulse
Other than that was nothing at all.

Darkness was there, all wrapped around by darkness,
and all was Water indiscriminate, Then
that which was hidden by Void, that One, emerging,
stirring, through power of Ardor, came to be.

In the beginning Love arose,
which was primal germ cell of mind.
The Seers, searching in their hearts with wisdom,
discovered the connection of Being in Nonbeing.

A crosswise line cut Being from Nonbeing.
What was described above it, what below?
Bearers of seed there were and mighty forces,
thrust from below and forward move above.

Who really knows? Who can presume to tell it?
Whence was it born? Whence issued this creation?
Even the Gods came after its emergence.
Then who can tell from whence it came to be?

That out of which creation has arisen,
whether it held it firm or it did not,
He who surveys it in the highest heaven,
He surely knows - or maybe He does not!
I discovered later that it was an extract from the Rigveda. In the Rig Veda, there is a sukta or a great hymn called Nasadiya Sukta.

1.2. NASADIYA SUKTA NARRATION
The NASADIYA SUKTA also of Rig Veda gives another account which says " In the beginning there was neither existence nor non- existence, no realm, no sky, no air, no earth. There was neither mortality nor immortality, neither any form nor name, neither day nor night.; Darkness concealed darkness. There was, however, only one thing: 'Breath which breathed breathlessly.' This breath desired to create and there was creation. The Gods themselves were not there. How was it formed or was it not formed at all? God only knows; Maybe he knows; Maybe he knows not"2
Thus desire- Kama ( desire or lust ) is found to be the cause of creation. Whose desire was that? No one knows. From 'ASAT' -( Non-being) arose 'SAT'- (being). The opposites that are yet complementary entities whose interaction produced and maintained everything.
Does this not sound like the saying " The Lord said 'let there be light ' and there was light"?
The music for the the title track was done by the famous composer Vanraj Bhatia. The track was a mixture of Sanskrit Slokas from Rigveda, and their translations in Hindi.
One of the singers of the Vedas was Mr. Gauri Shankar, I was an active Chinamayite then. Mr Gauri Shankar had attended the Chinmaya Balavihar Camp at the Sandeepany Sadhnalaya Ashram at Powai and taught us some shlokas. He also told us that he is one of the singers of the title track of Bharat Ek Khoj, that made me watch the serial. I was so proud to know that I know one of the persons in the credits of the track.

List of Episodes

1. Bharat Mata Ki Jai

2. The Beginnings

3. The Vedic People and the Rigveda

4. Caste Formation

5. Mahabharatha Part 1

6. # Mahabharatha Part 2

1. Republics and Kingdoms

2. Acceptance and Negation of Life

3. Chankya and Chandragupta Part 1

4. Chankya and Chandragupta Part 2

5. Ashoka Part 1

6. Ashoka Part 2

7. Sangam Period and Sillapadirakam Part 1

8. Sangam Period and Sillapadirakam Part 2

9. The Classical Age

10. Kalidasa Part 1

11. Kalidasa Part 2

12. Bhakti

13. Chola Empire Part 1

14. Chola Empire Part 2

15. Delhi Sultanate Part 1 (Arrival of Turk-Afgan)

16. Delhi Sultanate Part 2 (Prithvi Raj Raso)

17. Delhi Sultanate Part 2 (Padmavat)

18. Synthesis

19. Vijaynagar Empire

20. Fall of Vijaynagar

21. Akbar Part 1 (Deem-E-Ilahi)

22. Akbar Part 2

23. Golden India

24. Aurangzeb Part 2

25. Aurangzeb Part 2

26. Shivaji Part 1

27. Shivaji Part 2

28. Company Bahadur

29. Tipu Sultan

30. Bengal Renaissance and Raja Ram Mohan Roy

31. 1857 - Part 1

32. 1857 - Part 2

33. East India Company -Indigo Revolt

34. Mahatma Phule

35. Sir Syed Ahmed Khan

7 DONT'S AFTER A MEAL

7 DONT'S AFTER A MEAL

* Don't smoke-Experiment from experts proves that smoking a cigarette after meal is comparable to smoking 10 cigarettes (chances of cancer is higher).

* Don't eat fruits immediately - Immediately eating fruits after meals will cause stomach
to be bloated with air. Therefore take fruit 1-2 hr after meal or 1hr before meal.

* Don't drink tea - Because tea leaves contain a high content of acid. This substance will
cause the Protein content in the food we consume to be hardened thus difficult to digest.

* Don't loosen your belt - Loosening the belt after a meal will easily cause the intestine to
be twisted &blocked.

* Don't bathe - Bathing will cause the increase of blood flow to the hands, legs & body
thus the amount of blood around the stomach will therefore decrease. This will weaken the digestive system in our stomach.

* Don't walk about - People always say that after a meal walk a hundred steps and you
will live till 99. In actual fact this is not true. Walking will cause the digestive system to
be unable to absorb the nutrition from the food we intake.

* Don't sleep immediately - The food we intake will not be able to digest properly. Thus
will lead to gastric & infection in our intestine.

LIGHTING THE EVENING LAMP

Lighting The Evening Lamp

I have always seen my mother light a small silver lamp in the mornings and evenings in front of the deities in our small pooja room at home. It used to set me thinking that in the days of electricity what was the significance of lighting the lamp. As far as my knowledge goes people in the olden days used to get up early and sleep early. As there was no electricity in those days lamps were lit. I am sure most of us would have questioned our parents. I want this article to enlighten people on why we light the lamp.

Lamps are lit during prayers, festivals, celebrations, religious ceremonies, at opening ceremonies/events where it is usually kept burning up to the end of the ceremony/event.
Lighting lamps is considered auspicious.
Clarified butter (Ghee) or oil is used to light a lamp, it is believed that the clarified butter or oil represents the ego within us, and this needs to be removed or burnt off.
Light represents knowledge and darkness represents ignorance. Lighting one oil lamp enables the lighting of countless number of lamps, just as one knowledgeable person can enlighten others with his knowledge.
Light represents the presence of God as we believe that he is the authority that gives us knowledge and removes ignorance ( as in the Bhagavad Geeta, where Krishna advises Arjuna).
All of mankind is in search of peace and this ultimately comes from the realization of ultimate truth and knowledge. A diya or deep is an oil lamp lit such that everything outside and below the rim of the lamp is dark. The inside of the lamp glows with the flame of the wick, and the trajectory of the light is upwards. Each diya represents a human being.
Once the lamp is lighted, the darkness recedes to bottom of the lamp but does not go away. By lighting the lamp, the individual not only illuminates himself but also everything around him so that the inflated ego is put in its proper place. The ego is not destroyed but transcended by the light of patience, compassion, love, and respect for all beings.
In the darkness of night, all one sees from a distance are the identical flickering lights of the lamps, not the lamps themselves. The row of lamps indicates a row of people. It tells us that it is the illuminated part.
Patience, compassion, love and respect for all beings that unites us in a world of darkness.


Why do we do Aarti?
Aarti being performed with Camphor has a spiritual significance. Camphor burns itself out completely without leaving a trace. Camphor represents our Vasanas, unmanifest desires. So also if we were to take refuge in the Lord, obtain knowledge, these desires will get burnt out. Although the camphor burns itself out, it emits a nice perfume. On a human plane it means that we should sacrifice ourselves to serve society, in the process spread the perfume of love and happiness to all.
We close our eyes while performing the Aarti as if to look within. The Self or Atman is within us. Self realization can be achieved by knowing thyself, with the flame of knowledge.
At the end of the aarti we place the hands over the flame and touch our eyes and top of the head. It means that may the light that illumined the Lord light up my vision, may my thoughts be pure and beautiful. With the Aarti comes the flame which signifies light. There can be light in our lives only if we have knowledge. In an era of darkness there would be ignorance, we would be perpetually running to fulfill our vasanas resulting in unhappiness and stress all around

MANGO PICKLE

Mango pickle
Ingredients
Raw mangoes - 500 gms.
Fenugreek seeds - 3 tbsp.
Fennel seeds - 4 tbsp.
Red chilly powder - 2 tbsp.
Turmeric powder - 2 tsp.
Mustard seeds - 3 tbsp.
Mustard oil - 350 mls.
Salt As per taste

Method
Cut raw mangoes into half, remove seed and then cut ¾th inch sized pieces. Apply turmeric powder and salt, rub nicely and then keep it for half an hour. Drain out excess moisture.
Grind fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds and mustard seeds to a coarse
powder.
Heat mustard oil until smoking point, remove and let it cool.
Mix fenugreek seeds, fennel and mustard powder with red chili powder.
Add half of the mustard oil to this mixture and rub this spice and oil mixture to the mango pieces. Mix thoroughly.
Put this into an earthenware jar and pour the remaining mustard oil.
Cover the jar with a muslin cloth and keep it in the sun for 5-6 days.
Make sure you stir the contents o f the jar for the first two weeks at least once a day. This is to ensure that the mango pieces are always in contact with the oil.

Note: In most of the Indian pickles, salt and oil are used as preservatives.

SKIN

SKIN

Home remedies for glowing skin
-Cucumber for face :Take a fresh cucumber and blend it well. Apply the blended cucumber on face, eyes and neck. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off. Cucumber is a wonderful tonic for face and skin near by. Cucumber could be used regularly which could help in preventing blackheads, pimples, face dryness and wrinkles. Cucumber could also be used as a whitener for all types of skins. Make lotion out of few drops of limejuice, a bit of turmeric and one tbs of cucumber juice. Stir it well and apply it on face and neck. Leave it for half hour and wash it off.
· Coconut Face Mask : Take coconut oil and use it to massage your face properly. Once you have massaged your face with coconut oil, take a cloth, dip it in hot water, squeeze the excess water and spread it over face. Cloth should not be too hot. Repeat the process for 5-6 times. wash your face now with warm water. Now use rose water with some cotton and spread it on your face gently so as to remove traces of oil. Wow, you got a glowing face.
· Paste of Oatmeal for oily skin :Ingredients:Oatmeal: 2 tablespoonOlive oil: 1 teaspoonParsley: 1 tablespoon (chopped)Lemon juice: 1 tablespoonYogurt: 4 tablespoon (plain)
Make a mixture out of all the above ingredients. Massage the mixture on skin and rinse it after about four to five minutes. This preparation is best for oily and irritated skin.

Pigmentation
·Honey helps to reduce the pigmentation. Apply and drink 1-teaspoon honey and 1/2 lime every day in water.

Herbal remedies for removing mark (chicken pox)

Make a paste of ground neem leaves and turmeric and apply to the marks they heal gently with almost no side effects. Results vary from person to person and may not heal lesions caused by chicken pox.

BAKED BREAD ROLLS

BAKED BREAD ROLLS
Ingredients
6 slices soft bread fresh
1 tbsp. butter softened
2 flakes garlic crushed
1/2 tsp. crushed red chilly
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. grated cheese

Method
Roll the bread flat with the help of a rolling pin.
Mix the salt, chilli, garlic in the butter. Apply on all slices generously.
Roll one slice tightly from end to end. Brush all over with a bit of butter.
Coat the roll with grated cheese by rolling in it.
Repeat for all slices. Cover rolls with a moist cloth.
Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. So that it gets set.
Bake in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes or till golden brown and crisp.
Serve hot with ketchup.

Tip: If you have trouble keep the rolls in place when raw, secure them with toothpicks before placing in the fridge.

Note: Remove toothpicks before baking.

Making time: 10 minutes (excluding chilling and baking time)

Makes: 6 rolls

Coconut water and its benefits

Why Drink Coconut Water? CocoWater is naturally: > Low in Carbs > 99% Fat Free > Low in sugars

Coconut Water contains organic compounds possessing healthy growth promoting properties that have been known to help: Keep the body cool and at the proper temperature Orally re-hydrate your body, it is an all natural isotonic beverage Carry nutrients and oxygen to cells Naturally replenish your body's fluids after exercising Raise your metabolism Promote weight loss Boost your immune system Detoxify and fight viruses Cleanse your digestive tract Control diabetes Aid your body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes, and AIDS Balance your PH and reduce risk of cancer Treat kidney and urethral stones Boost poor circulation

Coconut Water Information
complied by John Kohler
The English name coconut, first mentioned in English print in 1555, comes from Spanish and Portugese word coco, which means 'monkey face.' Spanish and Portugese explorers found a resemblance to a monkey's face in the three round indented markings or 'eyes' found at the base of the coconut. On the Nicobar Islands of the Indian Ocean, whole coconuts were used as currency for the purchace of goods until the early part of the twentieth century.
Coconuts are the fruit of the coconut palm, botanically known as cocos nucifera, with nucifera meaning 'nut-bearing.' The fruit-bearing palms are native to Malaysia, Polynesia and southern Asia, and are now also prolific in South America, India , the Pacific Islands , Hawaii and Florida. The light, fibrous husk allowed it to easily drift on the oceans to other areas to propagate. In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning 'tree which gives all that is necessary for living,' since nearly all parts of the tree can be used in some m anner or another. The coconut itself has many food uses, including milk, meat, sugar and oil as well as functioning as its own dish and cup. The husk was also burned for fuel by natives, but today a seed fibre called coir is taken from the husk and used to make brushes, mats, fishnets, and rope. A very potent fermented toddy or drink is also made from the coconut palm's sap. Coconut oil, a saturated fat made from dried coconut meat, is used for commercial frying and in candies and margarines, as well as in non-edible products such as soaps and cosmetics.
Although it takes up to a year for coconuts to mature, the trees bloom up to thirteen times a year, so fruit is constantly forming yielding a continuous harvest year-round. An average harvest from one tree runs about 60 coconuts, with some trees yielding three times that amount. The coconut's name is a bit of a misnomer, since it is botanically classified as a drupe and not a nut. It is the largest seed known.
If you've ever opened a fresh coconut, you will have seen the thin, opaque almost clear coconut juice or water which has a slight almond flavor. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the coconut milk. However, the water is consumed as a drink fresh from the coconut by many, and it can also be used in recipes.
Here is some information about Coconut Water:
'It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak.' In fact, during the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers.
Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas - once exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics, and begins to ferment.

• Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!
• Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories
• Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which is present in human mother's milk
• Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!
• Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blood plasma
• Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.
• Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.

'Coconut water is the very stuff of Nature, biologically Pure, full of Natural Sugars, Salts, and Vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks BUT natural!', according to Mortin Satin, Chielf of the United Nation's Food & Agriculture Organization.
Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks.
Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and energy drinks have about 200 mg!
Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of Altered Sugars.
Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg, compared to sports drinks at about 39mg.
Data is based on a 100ml drink.

MAA KI DAL (Whole Black Lentils Soup)

MAA KI DAL
Black gram or Whole Udad Dal is known as 'maa ki dal'. Whole udad dal is cooked in most north Indian houses. These lentils are small and oblong. When cooked they have a rich, heavy taste and they usually give a thick consistency to the final dish. These lentils can be cooked with red kidney beans (Rajma) to make Punjabi 'maa ki dal'. Here is the recipe for Maa ki dal which would be considered as a comfort food for most North Indians. Using butter instead of oil increases the taste of this dal manifold. For health purposes I have avoided using fresh cream while I made the Maa ki dal although the recipe uses fresh cream. The dal that I cooked in the morning tasted amazing in the night and tasted still better the next day, probably because the spices enter the dal and make it tastier.

Ingredients
Black lentils, whole Udad daal – 1 ½ cups
Onions - 2
Tomatoes – 2
Green chilies - 2
Ginger – a small piece
Garlic 1-2 flakes (optional)
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 tsp
Chilly powder – 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1tsp
Cumin powder – 1 tsp
White Butter – 2 tbsp
Fresh Cream – 2 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method
Wash, rinse and soak lentils for at least 3 hours. Pressure cook the lentils with a pinch of turmeric. Once cooked, mash the lentils well with the back of a ladle. Keep aside. In a wok (kadhai), Make a paste of one onion, one tomato, the green chillies, ginger and garlic. Chop the other onion and tomato. Heat the butter, fry the cumin seeds, add the chopped onions and sauté for a minute, then add the onion-tomato-ginger-chilly-garlic paste. Fry for 2-3 minutes, Add the tomatoes and fry for another 2 minutes. By this time the masala paste looses it raw smell and gets cooked Add all the powders i.e the Cumin, coriander, red chilly and garam masala powders and mix well and fry for another minute or two. Now add the boiled lentils. Cook further for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. This dal tends to stick to the bottom of the pan hence its important to keep stirring. Add chopped coriander and one tablespoon of the fresh cream (leaving 1tbsp aside). Serve hot garnished with the rest of the fresh cream. Serve hot with Roti or rice.

INSTANT CHOCOLATE-MALAI BARFI

Instant Chocolate- Malai Barfi
Ingredients:
Milk powder - 2 cups
Almond meal (Powdered almond (skinless))- 1 cup
Thickened cream - 300 ml
Castor Sugar (powdered sugar) - 3/4 cup
Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
Method:
Place all ingredients except cocoa powder in a large microwavable bowl.
Mix well and place bowl in a microwave oven for 4 minutes on high cook.
Remove bowl and stir mixture. Place again for another 4 minutes.
Transfer half the barfi in a greased plate.
Quickly blend in the cocoa into the remainder and pour over the barfi in the plate and spread evenly.
Cool and cut into the shape of your desire.
Blanched nuts can be sprinkled on top along with silver varq (foil).

Neem Tree - The Wonder Tree

NEEM TREE - THE WONDER TREE
Medicinal properties of Neem
New Findings by D.P. Agrawal
For thousands of years the beneficial properties of Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) have been recognized in the Indian tradition. Each part of the neem tree has some medicinal property.

Biswas et al (2002) have recently reviewed the biological activities some of the neem compounds, pharmacological actions of the neem extracts, clinical study and plausible medicinal applications of neem along with their safety evaluation.

Neem has two closely related species: A. indica A. Juss and M. azedarac, the former is popularly known as Indian neem (margosa tree) or Indian lilac, and the other as the Persian lilac. Neem has been extensively used in ayurveda, unani and homoeopathic medicine.The Sanskrit name of neem tree is Arishtha meaning 'reliever of sickness' and hence is considered as Sarbaroganibarini.

The tree is still regarded as 'village dispensary' in India. The importance of the neem tree has been recognized by US National Academy of Sciences, which published a report in 1992 entitled 'Neem – a tree for solving global problems'. More than 135 compounds have been isolated from different parts of neem and several reviews have also been published on the chemistry and structural diversity of these compounds. The compounds have been divided into two major classes: isoprenoids (like diterpenoids and triterpenoids containing protomeliacins, limonoids, azadirone and its derivatives, gedunin and its derivatives, vilasinin type of compounds and C- secomeliacins such as nimbin, salanin and azadirachtin ) and non-isoprenoids, which are proteins (amino acids) and carbohydrates (polysaccharides), sulphurous compounds, polyphenolics such as flavonoids and their glycosides, dihydrochalcone, coumarin and tannins, aliphatic compounds, etc.

Biological activity of some Neem compounds Nimbidin, a major crude bitter principle extracted from the oil of seed kernels of A. indica demonstrated several biological activities. From this crude principle some tetranortriterpenes, including nimbin, nimbinin, nimbidinin, nimbolide and nimbidic acid have been isolated. Biological activity of Neem compounds Anti-inflammatory; Antiarthritic; Antipyretic; Hypoglycaemic; Antigastric ulcer; Spermicidal; Antifungal; Antibacterial; Diuretic; Antimalarial; Antitumour; Immunomodulatory etc.

Medicinal Uses
Various parts of the neem tree have been used as traditional Ayurvedic medicine in India. Neem oil and the bark and leaf extracts have been therapeutically used as folk medicine to control leprosy, intestinal helminthiasis, respiratory disorders, constipation and also as a general health promoter. Its use for the treatment of rheumatism, chronic syphilitic sores and indolent ulcer has also been evident. Neem oil finds use to control various skin infections. Bark, leaf, root, flower and fruit together cure blood morbidity, biliary afflictions, itching, skin ulcers, burning sensations and pthysis ( see Table 1).

Immunostimulant activity
The aqueous extract of neem bark and leaf also possesses anticomplement and immunostimulant activity. Neem oil has been shown to possess activity by selectively activating the cell-mediated immune mechanisms to elicit an enhanced response to subsequent mitogenic or antigenic challenge.

Hypoglycaemic activity
Aqueous extract of neem leaves significantly decreases blood sugar level and prevents adrenaline as well as glucose-induced hyperglycaemia. Recently, hypoglycaemic effect was observed with leaf extract and seed oil, in normal as well as alloxan-induced diabetic rabbits.

Antiulcer effect
Neem leaf and bark aqueous extracts produce highly potent antiacid secretory and antiulcer activity.

Antifertility effect
Intra-vaginal application of neem oil, prior to coitus, can prevent pregnancy. It could be a novel method of contraception.

Antimalarial activity
Neem seed and leaf extracts are effective against both choroquin-resistant and sensitive strain malarial parasites.

Antifungal activity
Extracts of neem leaf, neem oil seed kernels are effective against certain fungi including Trichophyton, Epidermophyton, Microspor Trichosporon, Geotricum and Candida.

Antibacterial activity
Oil from the leaves, seed and bark possesses a wide spectrum of antibacterial action against Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms, including M. tuberculosis and streptomycin resistant strains. In vitro, it inhibits Vibrio cholerae Klebsiella pneumoniae, M. tuberculosis and M. pyogenes. Antimicrobial effects of neem extract have been demonstrated against Streptococcus mutans and S. faecalis.

Antiviral activity
Aqueous leaf extract offers antiviral activity against Vaccinia virus, Chikungemya and measles virus. Anticancer activity Neem leaf aqueous extract effectively suppresses oral squamous cell carcinoma induced by 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a] anthracene (DMBA), as revealed by reduced incidence of neoplasm. Neem may exert its chemopreventive effect in the oral mucosa by modulation of glutathione and its metabolizing enzymes.

Antioxidant activity
The antioxidant activity of neem seed extract has been demonstrated in vivo during horse- grain germination.

Effect on central nervous system
Varying degrees of central nervous system (CNS) depressant activity in mice was observed with the leaf extract. Fractions of acetone extract of leaf showed significant CNS depressant activity.

Possible medicinal applications of neem Neem extract Its effective to cure ringworm, eczema and scabies. Lotion derived from neem leaf, when locally applied, can cure these dermatological diseases within 3-4 days in acute stage or a fortnight in chronic case.

A paste prepared with neem and turmeric was found to be effective in the treatment of scabies in nearly 814 people100.

Neem leaf extract has been prescribed for oral use for the treatment of malaria by Indian ayurvedic practitioners from time immemorial.

Recently, a clinical trial has been carried out to see the efficacy of neem extract to control hyperlipidemia in a group of malarial patients severely infected with P. falciparum.
The lipid level, especially cholesterol, was found to be lower during therapy when compared to non-malaria patients.

Reports are available regarding the use of neem to treat patients suffering from various forms of cancer. One patient with parotid tumour and another with epidermoid carcinoma have responded successfully when treated with neem seed oil.

NIM- 76, a refined product from neem oil, was studied in 10 human volunteers, where intra-vaginal application before sexual intercourse could prevent pregnancy with no adverse effect on vagina, cervix and uterus. The data suggested that intrauterine treatment is safe.
Safety evaluation with various parts of neem and neem products Various studies have been reported on the safety evaluation of different parts of neem as well as its various biologically active products.

Nimbidin produces sub-acute toxicity in adult rats after daily administration of 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg for six weeks. A significant hypoglycaemic effect was observed by feeding nimbidin to fasting rabbits.
Nimbidin also has spermicidal activity. Nimbolide, a major chemical component of neem seed oil, and nimbic acid were found to be toxic to mice when given intravenously or intraperitoneally. They are, however, less toxic to rats and hamster. Nimbolide and nimbic acid at a lethal dose cause death in most animals by dysfunction of kidney, small intestine and liver as well as by marked and sudden drop of arterial blood pressure.

Conclusion
It is heartening to see that a traditional Indian plant medicine has now led to several therapeutically and industrially useful preparations and compounds, which generates enough encouragement among the scientists in exploring more information about this medicinal plant. As the global scenario is now changing towards the use of nontoxic plant products having traditional medicinal use, development of modem drugs from neem should be emphasized for the control of various diseases. In fact, time has come to make good use of centuries-old knowledge on neem through modern approaches of drug development. For the last few years, there has been an increasing trend and awareness in neem research. Quite a significant amount of research has already been carried out during the past few decades in exploring the chemistry of different parts of neem. An extensive research and development work should be undertaken on neem and its products for their better economic and therapeutic utilization.