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Kolkata won by 5 wickets.

Delhi Daredevils won by 9 wickets.





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IPL Live match online AND IPL Live Scores IPL Scorecard IPL Schedule IPL Commentary IPL Graphs IPL Highlights IPL Squads.

IPL Live match online AND IPL Live Scores IPL Scorecard IPL Schedule IPL Commentary IPL Graphs IPL Highlights IPL Squads.

ImageIts a talk of the town today. BCCI has awarded Live Current Media Inc. for Indian Premier League's exclusive content rights. BCCI has tied up with Live Current Inc to launch new website which will provide cricket-related content and distribution.



The official website of DLF Indian Premier League, is IPLT20.com. Fans from around the world will now have access to the 44 day long season starting tomorrow, April 18. The site will offer access to official league content including audio-visual, photographs, live scoreboards and summaries, match results, Fantasy Cricket, player interviews, profiles, schedules, statistics, ticketing and fan interaction through polls, contests and newsletters.

Teams	MP	W	L	NR	T
Mumbai Indians	0	0	0	0	0
Hyderabad Deccan Charges	0	0	0	0	0
Bangalore Royal challengers	1	0	1	5.41	0
Chennai superkings	0	0	0	0	0
Delhi Daredevils	0	0	0	0	0
Punjab xi kings	0	0	0	0	0
Kolkata Knight riders	1	1	0	11.1	0
Rajasthan royal	0	0	0	0	0

indiana Earthquake midwest,chicago usgs earthquake, missouri AND evansville earthquake louisville,

indiana Earthquake midwest, chicago, usgs earthquake, missouri AND evansville earthquake louisville

Chicago officials say there was no damage detected here from the quake.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	4.2 (Light)
Date-Time	Monday, June 28, 2004 at 06:10:51 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Monday, June 28, 2004 at 1:10:51 AM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	41.443°N, 88.927°W
Depth	5 km (3.1 miles) set by location program
Region	ILLINOIS
Distances	13 km (8 miles) E (101°) from Troy Grove, IL 13 km (8 miles) NNE (32°) from North Utica, IL 13 km (8 miles) NNW (342°) from Naplate, IL 63 km (39 miles) SW (236°) from Aurora, IL 113 km (70 miles) WSW (247°) from Chicago, IL
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 4.9 km (3.0 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters	Nst= 37, Nph= 37, Dmin=196.8 km, Rmss=0.97 sec, Gp= 72°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=9
Source	USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	uskgad

• This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.

However, some 200 city inspectors were dispatched to check "key locations" such as the Navy Pier Ferris wheel and construction cranes.

Felt Reports

WEST SALEM, Ill. - Bricks shook loose and fell from buildings. Walls cracked. Books tumbled off shelves. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake centered near this southern Illinois town struck before dawn Friday, rocking skyscrapers in Chicago, 230 miles north of here, but doing little damage and seriously hurting no one.

It was the kind of tremor that might be ignored in earthquake-savvy California, but the temblor shook things up from Nebraska to Atlanta and rattled nerves in Milwaukee, Cincinnati and Louisville, Ky., where bricks toppled to the pavement.

"We thought it (the house) was falling on us, we really did," said 85-year-old Anna Mae Williams, who was shaken awake at 4:37 a.m. in tiny West Salem, six miles from the epicenter.

Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one with a magnitude of 4.6.

The quake is believed to have involved an extension of the New Madrid fault, a network of deep cracks in the earth's surface, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The fault is at the center of the nation's most active seismic zone east of the Rockies, something that's known to Midwest residents, even if they forget it now and then — the last severe earthquake in the region was a 5.0 magnitude quake in 2002.

Williams said she knew exactly what was happening because it reminded her of an earthquake back in 1968. Others had no idea what was going on.

Janet Clem of nearby Mount Carmel thought a nearby power plant had exploded, and was just as afraid when she realized that what she'd heard — "a heck of a rumble then a loud kaboom" — was in fact one of the most powerful earthquakes in Illinois history.

"I'm terrified, I'm not going to lie to you," she said after the earthquake collapsed her porch. "I've never experienced anything like that and I don't want to experience it again."

The earthquake was the talk of towns throughout much of the Midwest.

"I just saw my house just shake. Golly," said Mike Morrow of Mount Carmel, his eyes widening during an aftershock.

Morrow's two-story apartment building was evacuated because of loose and falling bricks. The initial quake woke the 30-year-old and startled his pit bull.

"He was about as scared as I was," Morrow said. "We both just froze."

Though nowhere close to the power of the nation's most famous quakes — including the devastating temblor that hit San Francisco exactly 102 years ago Friday — it was enough to remind people of the risk that exists in the Midwest.

In 1811 and 1812, the New Madrid fault produced a series of earthquakes estimated at magnitude 7.0 or greater said to be felt as far away as Boston. They were centered in the Missouri town of New Madrid (pronounced MAD'-rid), 140 miles southeast of St. Louis.

Experts said that with the much higher population in the Midwest, another major quake along the New Madrid fault zone could destroy buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure, disrupt communications and isolate areas.

Road crews in Kentucky and Indiana were out early Friday inspecting bridges and overpasses, and work crews took a close look at skyscraper construction sites in Chicago.

Early homeowner damage claims received by State Farm, the largest provider of earthquake coverage in the area, were mostly for cracks in drywall and foundations, spokeswoman Missy Lundberg said.

Many residents said they felt helpless.

"I tell you, it was scary," said Williams. "There was no warning at all."

David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign, said he was awakened by the quake.

"Windows were rattling, and you could hear it," he said. "The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

mbLg 4.5 (GS). Felt (V) at Earlville, Oglesby, Ottawa and Tonica; (IV) at Chillicothe, Dalzell, Frankfort, Granville, Hinckley, Hinsdale, Ladd, La Salle, Lockport, Marseilles, Mendota, Monee, Paw Paw, Peru, Princeton, Rock Island, Seneca, Sheridan, Somonauk, Sterling, Streator, Sublette and Utica. Also felt (IV) at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Felt in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri and Wisconsin.

The city's Department of Transportation also examined bridges and viaducts but reported no damage. The CTA inspected its rail lines and reported no damage.

In Chicago, city operators fielded about 300 calls from concerned residents.

City officials recommended that homeowners examine foundations, basements and walls for cracks or any other signs of damage.

WEST SALEM, Ill. (AP) - Residents across the Midwest were awakened Friday by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that rattled skyscrapers in Chicago's Loop and homes in Cincinnati but appeared to cause no major injuries or damage.

Dozens of aftershocks followed, one with a magnitude of 4.5.

The quake just before 4:37 a.m. was centered six miles from West Salem, Ill., and 45 miles from Evansville, Ind. It was felt in such distant cities as Milwaukee, Des Moines, Iowa, and Atlanta, nearly 400 miles to the southeast.

"It shook our house where it woke me up," said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. "Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It's not like California."

In West Salem itself, a chimney on one house fell and there were reports of cracks in walls. "We're very thankful we had no one injured," said Harvey Fenton, the town's police and fire chief.

He was at first unsure what to make of the sudden rumbling when it woke him up.

"A major shaking is the best way I can describe it," said Fenton, 58.

Fifteen miles to the southeast, in Mount Carmel, a woman was trapped in her home by a collapsed porch but was quickly freed and wasn't hurt, said police dispatcher Mickie Smith. A century-old apartment building there, a former schoolhouse, was evacuated because of loose and falling bricks.

Bonnie Lucas, a morning co-host at WHO-AM in Des Moines, said she was sitting in her office when she felt her chair move. She grabbed her desk, and then heard the ceiling panels start to creak. The shaking lasted about 5 seconds, she said.

The quake is believed to have involved the Wabash fault, a northern extension of the New Madrid fault about six miles north of Mount Carmel, Ill., said United States Geological Survey geophysicist Randy Baldwin.

The last earthquake in the region to approach the severity of Friday's temblor was a 5.0 magnitude quake that shook a nearby area in 2002.

"This is a fairly large quake for this region," Baldwin said. "They might occur every few years."

It was initially reported as a 5.4-magnitude earthquake, but the USGS later revised its estimate to 5.2.

"This was widely felt, all the way to Atlanta, a little bit in Michigan," said USGS geophysicist Carrieann Bedwell.

In Cincinnati, Irvetta McMurtry said she felt the rattling for up to 20 seconds.

"All of a sudden, I was awakened by this rumbling shaking," said McMurtry, 43. "My bed is an older wood frame bed, so the bed started to creak and shake, and it was almost like somebody was taking my mattress and moving it back and forth."

In Louisville, Ky., the quake caused some bricks to fall off a building near downtown. Television video showed them strewn in the street.

In Chicago, officials were checking structures to ensure there was no damage. The quake also shook skyscrapers in downtown Indianapolis, about 160 miles northeast of the epicenter.

The strongest earthquake on record with an epicenter in Illinois occurred in 1968, when a 5.3-magnitude temblor was recorded about 75 miles southeast of St. Louis, according the USGS. The damage was minor but widespread and there were no serious injuries.

In 1811 and 1812, the New Madrid fault produced a series of earthquakes estimated at magnitude 7.0 or greater said to be felt as far away as Boston. They were centered in the Missouri town of New Madrid (pronounced MAD rid), 140 miles southeast of St. Louis.

Experts say that with the much higher population in the Midwest, another major quake along the New Madrid fault zone could destroy buildings, bridges, roads and other infrastructure, disrupt communications and isolate areas.

hanuman jayanti 2008 festival -Simian Symbol of Strength!

Wish Hanuman Jayanti with scraps,messages,photo,pictures,images,sms This is a Great Festival of Hindu.

About Hanuman Jayanti

Yatra yatra raghunatha kirtanam;
Tatra tatra kritha masthakanjalim;
Bhaspavaari paripurna lochanam;
Maarutim namata raakshasanthakam

Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Hanuman, the monkey god widely venerated throughout India. It is celebrated during the month of Chaitra.

Hanuman Jayanti

Meaning : "We bow to Maruti, Sri Hanuman, who stands with his palms folded above his forehead, with a torrent of tears flowing down his eyes wherever the Names of Lord Rama are sung". Introduction In Maharashtra, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day (pournima) of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra. A special feature of Hanuman Jayanti is that according to some religious almanacs (panchangs) the birthday of Hanuman falls on the fourteenth day (chaturdashi) in the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin while according to others it falls on the full moon day in the bright fortnight of Chaitra. On this day, in a Hanuman temple spiritual discourses are started at dawn. Hanuman was born at sunrise. At that time the spiritual discourse is stopped and the offering of food (Prasad) is distributed to everyone. Incidents in Lord Hanuman’s life and their significance Lord Rama and Hanuman To provide assistance for the establishment of the Divine Kingdom: The main objective of Lord Hanuman’s life was to destroy obstacles in the establishment of the Divine Kingdom by providing the required warrior element. As a result, the embodied souls who would assist in the establishment of the Divine Kingdom were protected. For this reason itself Lord Maruti manifests Himself in various forms during different Yugas. His task in the manifest-unmanifest form never ceases. Lord Maruti has humility in serving (i.e. Dasyabhav) to the extent of 100%. Thus He is constantly active. Assisting embodied souls in performing spiritual practice: Lord Maruti has always helped embodied souls do spiritual practice in various Yugas. In the Tretayuga Lord Maruti taught the right path of spiritual practice to the monkeys and helped them. Liberating many souls: The embodied souls with an intense desire for spiritual practice were granted liberation by Lord Maruti even at the cost of His own powers. He liberated many souls from existence in their cursed class by using His mace. An example of a perfect Sevak: Lord Maruti presented an example of a perfect sevak. As a result, many embodied souls attained Final Liberation by following the same path i.e. Dasyatva. Due to His humility only He was able to narrate the good qualities of Lord Rama to Ravan and when Ravan denigrated Lord Rama, Maruti burnt Lanka and returned safely. Interesting articles about Lord Hanuman How did Lord Maruti acquire the name Hanuman? Anjani gave birth to Hanuman. After birth, thinking that the rising sun was a golden fruit He leapt into the sky for it. What is the significance of various forms of Lord Hanuman? Hanuman has two forms namely Maruti as the servitor and Maruti as the courageous one. The servitor form is the one in which Hanuman stands in front of Rama with His hands folded in obeisance, His tail resting on the ground. Use of Brahmatej and Kshatratej as required The sacred thread (Janeu) on Hanuman’s left shoulder is a sign of Brahmatej. Since Lord Maruti is an incarnation of Lord Shiva He has destructive powers too. Yet, because of His devotion to Lord Rama, Vishnu-tatva developed in Him. Since Maruti adorns Brahmatej and Kshatratej during wars, He can use both as required. During the war between the Kauravas and Pandavas, Lord Krishna seated Maruti on Arjun’s chariot (He can be seen on the flag at the top of Arjun’s chariot). Hanuman destroyed the weapons, directed at Arjun and his chariot, in mid-air itself. Install the Hanuman idol in warrior posture To get the benefit of the gross, manifest and destroyer element, we should avoid installing an idol of Maruti in seated posture. Amongst the seven higher deities (Shiva, Ganapati, Rama, Krishna, Datta, Maruti, Durga), Lord Hanuman’s element (tatva) is of gross, manifest and destroyer nature. The word ‘Hanuman’ means - “One whose ‘roar’ cannot be fathomed even by Gods.” When Gods perform a destructive activity, they use the ‘Maruti’ element (which moves at the speed of wind) as a medium to appear in the Universe. Hence He is referred to as Maruti. The roar of Lord Maruti is capable of activating the element of any higher deity in the Universe engrossed in deep meditation. Similarly, it also possesses the power to shake all the fourteen planes (Saptalok and Saptapatal). Maruti in seated posture depicts the unmanifest form of power. Maruti in a warrior posture depicts the manifest form of power. To obtain benefit of the gross, manifest and destroyer element we should avoid installing a seated idol of Maruti in a temple. Maruti in seated position implies He is in deep meditation, wherein His motor organs are in dormant, inactive state. Thus, a common man will be able to derive very little benefit from this posture of Maruti. When the spiritual level of an embodied soul is above 60% , it is capable of activating the element present in an idol in meditation, through his devotion. Blasphemous paintings of Lord Hanuman by MF Hussain! The modern Ghazhani MF Hussain has painted Lord Hanuman in very blasphemous form along with Sree Sita and Lord Ram. Followings are some paintings by Hussain. Lord Hanuman is a symbol of devotion and divine power. Hindus worshipping the Lord Hanuman should notice his strength and wake up to destroy these modern forms of Rawans, then it will be the true worship of Hanumanji. In Maharashtra, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day (pournima) of the Hindu lunar month of Chaitra. A special feature of Hanuman Jayanti is that according to some religious almanacs (panchangs) the birthday of Hanuman falls on the fourteenth day (chaturdashi) in the dark fortnight of the month of Ashvin while according to others it falls on the full moon day in the bright fortnight of Chaitra. On this day, in a Hanuman temple spiritual discourses are started at dawn. Hanuman was born at sunrise. At that time the spiritual discourse is stopped and the offering of food (Prasad) is distributed to everyone. Sri Hanuman is worshipped all over India-either alone or together with Sri Rama. Every temple of Sri Rama has the murti or idol of Sri Hanuman. Hanuman is the Avatara of Lord Shiva. He was born of the Wind-God and Anjani Devi. His other names are Pavanasuta, Marutsuta, Pavankumar, Bajrangabali and Mahavira. He is the living embodiment of Ram-Nam. He was an ideal selfless worker, a true Karma Yogi who worked desirelessly and dynamically. He was a great devotee and an exceptional Brahmachari or celibate. He served Sri Rama with pure love and devotion, without expecting any fruit in return. He lived to serve Sri Rama. He was humble, brave and wise. He possessed all the divine virtues. He did what others could not do-crossing the ocean simply by uttering Ram-Nam, burning the city of Lanka, and bringing the sanjeevini herb and restoring Lakshmana to life again. He brought Sri Rama and Lakshmana from the nether world after killing Ahiravana.

He had devotion, knowledge, spirit of selfless service, power of celibacy, and desirelessness. He never boasted of his bravery and intelligence.

He said to Ravana, "I am a humble messenger of Sri Rama. I have come here to serve Rama, to do His work. By the command of Lord Rama, I have come here. I am fearless by the Grace of Lord Rama. I am not afraid of death. I welcome it if it comes while serving Lord Rama."

Mark here how humble Hanuman was! How very devoted he was to Lord Rama! He never said, "I am the brave Hanuman. I can do anything and everything."

Lord Rama Himself said to Sri Hanuman, "I am greatly indebted to you, O mighty hero! You did marvellous, superhuman deeds. You do not want anything in return. Sugriva has his kingdom restored to him. Angada has been made the crown prince. Vibhishana has become king of Lanka. But you have not asked for anything at any time. You threw away the precious garland of pearls given to you by Sita. How can I repay My debt of gratitude to you? I will always remain deeply indebted to you. I give you the boon of everlasting life. All will honour and worship you like Myself. Your murti will be placed at the door of My temple and you will be worshipped and honoured first. Whenever My stories are recited or glories sung, your glory will be sung before Mine. You will be able to do anything, even that which I will not be able to!"

Thus did Lord Rama praise Hanuman when the latter returned to Him after finding Sita in Lanka. Hanuman was not a bit elated. He fell in prostration at the holy feet of Lord Rama.

Lord Rama asked him, "O mighty hero, how did you cross the ocean?"

Hanuman humbly replied, "By the power and glory of Thy Name, my Lord."

Again the Lord asked, "How did you burn Lanka? How did you save yourself?"

And Hanuman replied, "By Thy Grace, my Lord."

What humility Sri Hanuman embodied!

His birthday falls on Chaitra Shukla Purnima (the March-April full moon day).

On this holy day worship Sri Hanuman. Fast on this day. Read the Hanuman Chalisa. Spend the whole day in the Japa of Ram-Nam. Sri Hanuman will be highly pleased and will bless you with success in all your undertakings.

Part 1: The Mighty Monkey!

In May, 2001, an obscure village in India's southern state of Karnataka was in news for suddenly turning into a Hindu pilgrimage — by accident! Thousands of people are still thronging to this hamlet called Theranya in Hassan district to worship a 40-feet green granite block weighing around 100 tonne that slipped off a truck while being transported to a temple in Tamil Nadu for carving out a statue of Hanuman — the monkey god. Even an unsculpted piece of rock can become a deity when it comes to the reverence shown by Hindus towards this simian icon.

The Power of Devotion
The character of Hanuman teaches us of the unlimited power that lies unused within each one of us. Hanuman directed all his energies towards the worship of Lord Rama, and his undying devotion made him such that he became free from all physical fatigue. And Hanuman's only desire was to go on serving Rama. Hanuman perfectly exemplifies "Dasyabhava" devotion — one of the nine types of devotions — that bonds the master and the servant. His greatness lies in his complete merger with his Lord, which also formed the base of his genial qualities.

Hindus believe in ten avatars of Lord Vishnu and millions of gods and goddesses. One of Vishnu's avatars is Rama, who was created to destroy the evil Ravana. In order to aid Rama, Lord Brahma commanded some gods and goddesses to take the avatar of "Vanaras" (or monkeys). Indra was reincarnated as Bali, Surya as Sugriva, Vrihaspati as Tara, and Pavana, the god of wind was reborn as Hanuman, the wisest, swiftest and strongest of all apes.

The Birth of Hanuman
The story of the birth of Hanuman goes thus: Vrihaspati, the preceptor of the gods, had an attendant called Punjikasthala. She was cursed to assume the form of a female monkey — a curse that could only be nullified if she would give birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Reborn as Anjana, she performed intense austerities to please Shiva, who finally granted her the boon that would cure her of the curse.

When Agni, the god of fire gave Dasharath, the king of Ayodhya, a bowl of sacred sweet food to share among his wives so that they may have divine children, an eagle snatched a part of the pudding and dropped it where Anjana was meditating, and Pavana, the god of wind delivered the drop to her outstretched hands. After she took the divine dessert, she gave birth to Hanuman. Thus Lord Shiva incarnated as a monkey, and was born as Hanuman to Anjana, by the blessings of Pavana, who thus became Hanuman's godfather.

Hanuman's Childhood
The birth of Hanuman released Anjana from the curse. Before she returned to Heaven, Hanuman asked his mother about his life ahead. She assured him that he would never die, and said that fruits as ripe as the rising sun would be his food. Mistaking the glowing sun as his food, the divine baby leapt for it. Indra, the king of heavens struck him with his thunderbolt and hurled him down to earth. But Hanuman's godfather Pavana carried him to the nether world ("Patala"). As he departed from the earth, all life panted for air, and Brahma had to beg him to return. In order to appease him they conferred a lot of boons and blessings on his foster child that made Hanuman invincible, immortal and super powerful.

Hanuman's Education
Hanuman selected Surya, the sun god as his preceptor, and approached him with the request to teach the scriptures. Surya agreed and Hanuman became his disciple, but had to face his constantly moving guru by traversing the sky backwards at equal pace, while taking his lessons. Hanuman's phenomenal concentration took him only 60 hours to master the scriptures. Surya considered the manner in which Hanuman accomplished his studies as his tuition fees, but when Hanuman requested him to accept something more than that, the sun god asked Hanuman to assist his son Sugriva, by being his minister and compatriot.

It is hard to find a mythical character who is at once so powerful, learned, philosophic, humble and amusing! Hanuman features prominently in the great epics of Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

Hanuman Meets Rama
Hanuman met Rama and his brother Lakshmana while Rama was in exile in the jungle, and searching for his wife Sita who was abducted by Ravana. Their quest brought them near Pampa Lake at the foot of Mount Risyamukha, where the monkey king Sugriva and his ministers were hiding. Sugriva, who was being persecuted by his brother Bali, suspected that Rama and Lakshmana might have been sent by Bali to slay him. To find out the facts, Hanuman approached them in the guise of a Brahmin.

In Service of Rama
Hanuman's initial words highly impressed Rama, and made him comment: "None can talk this way without mastering the Vedas. He has such a flawless countenance, a wonderful accent, and a captivating way of speaking. He has the ability to move even an enemy..." After he revealed his identity as the prince of Ayodhya, Hanuman fell prostrate before him in respect of the Lord. Rama picked him up and embraced him. There began the story of Hanuman, which is inextricably interwoven with Rama, and dealt with in detail in Valmiki's Ramayana and the Tulsidas' Ramacharitamanas.

Exciting Exploits!
To cut the long story of Hanuman short, he then introduced Rama to Sugriva, and began his massive search for Sita. Finding out her whereabouts, he consoled Sita, and burnt down the city of Lanka. Hanuman then brought Rama to Lanka, fought the battle against Ravana with his simian army, and vanquished the demons. Hanuman's greatest feat was saving the life of Lakshmana by fetching the life-giving herb "Sanjivani" from the Himalayas. He flew fast towards the Himalayas, but unable to recognise the right herb, picked up the whole mountain on his hand and flew back to Lanka, just in time to save Lakshmana. Thereafter Hanuman served Rama forever.

Hanuman and the Pandavas
The venerable ape also features in the great epic Mahabharata. How Hanuman met the valiant Bhima, one of the Pandava brothers is itself a marvelous tale. He recognized Bhima as his spiritual brother, since both were born with the blessings of Pavana, the Wind God, and promised to aid the Pandavas in the big battle of Kurukshetra. Hanuman positioned himself in the flag of Arjuna's chariot to secure and stabilize the war-craft. The triangular saffron flag of Hanuman stands for stability and equilibrium, sense-control and mind-control, and a sure sign of victory over all that is base and evil.

Along with Bhagwan Ramchandra, Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Matsya avatar, the month of Chaitra also witnesses the manifestation of Ramchandra's stalwart devotee Hanumanji, on Chaitra sud Punam.

By the grace of the deities Shiva and Vayu, Anjana (Anjani), wife of Kesari, king of the monkeys, gave birth to Hanumanji. Therefore he is also known as: Anjanisut (sut means son), Anjaneya, Pavansut, Marutsut, Maruti and Vajrang. Pavan and Marut denote Vayu deva. Vajra means indestructible and Indra's weapon. Ang means body.

Pre-birth Story
Once Angira rishi visited Indra in Swarg. Indra welcomed him by arranging a dance by a damsel named Punjiksthala. As soon as she commenced dancing, the rishi closed his eyes to meditate on Paramatma. When the dance ended, the rishi remained silent. Indra then asked him, "O rishi! How was the dance?"

"We were absorbed in meditation of the Almighty. Such dance does not interest us." Indra felt ashamed. However, the ego-filled damsel sneered, "How can such a (fickle) rishi appreciate dancing in Swarg?" Hearing this, Angira cursed her, "Behold! You shall degrade to earth from Swarg. You will be born as a female monkey in the mountain forests."

The whole of Swarg plunged into consternation. The damsel greatly regretted and repented. She repeatedly begged for forgiveness. Finally, the merciful rishi solaced her, "A great devotee of Paramatma will be born to you. He will forever serve Paramatma."

This damsel was the daughter of Kunjar, the king of the monkeys. She married Kapiraj Kesari of Mount Sumeru.

Therefore, Hanumanji manifested as a result of five divine factors:

1. Angira rishi's curse and subsequent blessings
2. Anjani's prayers
3. Shri Mahadevji's (Shiva's) blessings
4. Attainment of Shiva's divine shakti by Vayu deva and
5. The fruit of a Putreshti Yagna

The Shiva Puran cites that since Shiva could not serve Shri Ram in his present form, he inspired the birth of one Rudra from his 11 Rudras, as a monkey, Hanumanji.

Once when Hanumanji was young Surya deva (Sun deity) imbued him with knowledge of countless weapons and mantras. However, his hyperactive nature induced him to think of swallowing the `red, ripened fruit' - the Sun! Before he succeeded, Indra hit him with his Vajra and persuaded him not to. On being hit by the Vajra, his beard - hanu-, became slanted. Therefore he also became known as Hanuman. The "ji" suffix after any name accords respect. Indra then blessed him that he will eternally remain undefeated, victorious. Hanumanji also obtained boons from Varuna deva (water deity) and Yama - deity of death, victory and immortality. From Brahma he obtained the power of inducing fear in enemies, of destroying fear in friends, to be able to change his form at will and to be able to easily travel wherever he wished. From Mahadevji he obtained the boons of longevity, scriptural wisdom and ability to cross the ocean (Padma Puran, Patal Khand, 114, Uttar Khand, 66, Narad Puran, 1.79).

Now Hanumanji attained a supremely formidable form. However as such, he began harassing rishis. Therefore Bhrugu rishi and Angira admonished him that he would forget the ability to use his formidable power and only a divine personality will later guide him to use it appropriately.

Henceforth Hanumanji lived an ordinary simian life in Kishkindha, on Mount Hrushyamuk as Sugriva's advisor. Only when Shri Ramachandra and Lakshman arrived in search of Sita, did the two first meet. (Valmiki Ramayana Kishkindha 1-4). Thus his life turned a new course. Ramchandraji asked him who he was. Gleaning his identity, Hanumanji humbly replied, "O Prabhu! From the body's point of view, I am your das (servant) and From the jiva's view, I am your bhakta."

Pleased with his wise reply, Shri Ram accepted his seva. Hanumanji and Sugriva then gathered and sent a mighty army of monkeys to aid Shri Ram in search of Sita. (V.R.Kishkindha 40-41).

When Hanumanji struck southwards towards Lanka, Ramchandraji gave him his ring. In case he met Sitaji, he would need to show it to prove that he was Shri Ram's envoy. Accompanied by Jambuvan, they all arrived on India's southern shore. Jambuvan graced Hanumanji. This resulted in him recalling his phenomenal power. Uttering "Jai Shri Ram!" Marutsut leaped high across the ocean towards Lanka!

Here, at night, assuming a subtle form, he entered Lanka. He combed through Ravan's palace, yet failed to locate Sitaji.

However during his search his phenomenal level of brahmacharya manifested.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan singularly highlights this in Vachanamrut Jetalpur 2. He avers that while searching for Jankiji (Sitaji), Hanumanji looked at every demoness in Ravan's palace, including Mandodari, Ravan's wife. After leaving, he wondered whether glancing at so many women would affect him (his brahmacharya) adversely? He then realized that he had done this to look for Jankiji by Ramchandraji's command. Additionally, his senses and consciousness by Ramchandraji's grace had not faltered. He then continued his search. In the midst of such allurements, one who remains unallured like Hanumanji, remarked Bhagwan Swaminarayan, is known as a yati.

Throughout the Ramayan one observes that whenever a vexing problem arose warranting diplomacy, Valmiki lauds Hanumanji as a confluence of such virtues as: integrity, valor, intelligence, strength, patience and wisdom. Hanumanji resolved such problems with finesse and devotion. When he finally located Sitaji, to first soothe and gain her trust, since more than likely she'd be frightened and would take him as one of Ravan's mayic form, he began to recite the glory of King Raghu's lineage while hidden among the trees. He then further recited Ramchandraji's glory. Sitaji's misery, loneliness and distress vanished. Charged with joy, she then requested the deity who sang the glory to present himself!

When Ravan's son Indrajit used his miraculous weapons, rendering Shri Ram and Lakshman unconscious, Hanumanji's supreme devotion as the ideal devotee manifested. Advised by the Ayurvedic physician Sushena, to fetch the four types of herbs on mount Dronachal to revive the two, Hanumanji flew there. Not recognizing the herbs, he returned with the whole mountain! This miraculous power arose from his unalloyed devotion to Shri Ram and his brahmacharya.

During Shri Ram's coronation, Sitaji gifted her invaluable pearl necklace to Hanumanji in jubilation. Being a detached and loyal devotee, he cracked a few pearls with his teeth. Not discovering his master inside, he discarded the necklace!

In a packed assembly, when somebody questioned him whether he really had Sita and Ram in his self, he literally tore open his chest to reveal both, in his heart! Seeing such zealous devotion, Ramchandraji embraced him and granted a boon. "Wherever my katha is being recited, you shall always be there... I shall never ever be estranged from you!"

Shri Ramchandraji further added, "O Hanuman! You have helped me countless times. Even if I give my life for you repeatedly, I cannot repay your debt. What then can I give you?" After pausing a few moments he added, "I give you what I possess; I gift you my love and grace!" He then embraced Hanumanji! Such occasions are a true devotee's supreme moments of fulfillment.

Another virtue of Hanumanji that Valmiki lauds is Buddhimataam Varishtham - the supreme among the wise. One well known episode reflects his wisdom. Once Mahadevji visited Shri Ram's court in Ayodhya. Ramchandraji welcomed him by offering a grand seat. He then requested Hanumanji to fetch milk. On fetching the milk, Hanumanji experienced a slight dilemma. Being a pativrata devotee (supremely loyal) of Shri Ram, how could he offer the milk to Mahadevji? Instantly he handed the bowl to his Master. Therefore Ramchandraji pointed out, 'O Hanuman. The guest is Mahadevji. Why do you offer me the milk?'
Instantly Hanumanji replied, "Prabhu! Mahadevji is such a lofty guest that it would not be fitting for a lowly servant as me to offer him anything. It would only be appropriate for you to offer him the milk!"
Bhagwan Swaminarayan lauds his glory as: one who has Pativrata - unalloyed bhakti towards Shri Ram (Gadhada III.16), being ideal in dasatva bhakti (Gadhada II.62) and as supreme yati (Jetalpur 2). Muktanand Swami accords him the titles jitendriya - one who has mastered his indriyas and naishthikendra - one who is a naishthik brahmachari. In the Hindu Dharma, he is rightfully venerated as a deva who is an ideal devotee of Ramchandra Bhagwan. The appellation "monkey god" by non-Hindu writers is a flagrant misnomer, depicting their ignorance. This too applies to Shri Ganeshji, who is also a deva and not an elephant god.

In the Vachanamrut then, Bhagwan Swaminarayan exhorts every devotee to imbibe Hanumanji's three foremost virtues of the ideal bhakta; pativrata bhakti, Dasatva bhakti and Naishthik brahmacharya.

In the Shikshapatri, Bhagwan Swaminarayan advocates Hanuman pujan on Aso vad 14 (Kali Chaudash) and enjoins those afflicted by evil spirits to chant the Hanuman Stotram (Shik. 127, 85).

In all the mandirs of the Swaminarayan Sampraday Hanumanji and Ganeshji are consecrated in their own special shrines in the front of the mandir. He is offered special pujan on Saturdays with oil and white ankada flowers( Calotropis gigantea - Swallow wart )

Glory to Hanuman! Glory to his Lord, Sri Rama!

IPL Chennai Superkings Video

IPL Chennai Superking team video (Not IPL China)

Video will feature captain M.S Dhoni, opening batsman Matthew Hayden, Mutthiah Muralidharan, and Chennai Super Kings brand ambassadors Ilayathalapathy Vijay

This is a fan blog of the Indian Premier League team - Chennai Super Kings.



Chennai Super Kings video launches on April 25. Friday - Apr 18, 2008. Televisionpoint.com Correspondent | Chennai After the lady who bowls with a cluster

Just saw in the news a small clipping of the Chennai Super Kings Video, where Dhoni and the rest of the team are wearing the yellow Tshirt and running

Chennai Superkings video. Hi Friends,. The IPL match is due to begin on April 18th, 2008. About eight cities are participating in this IPL match

Vijay and Nayantara Inaugurate Chennai Super Kings ”. # 1 Tamil Video Says

IPL Twenty20

Ambani brothers likely to compete for IPL Twenty20 title rights

Where friends take a backseats.

DLF bags title sponsorship rights of IPL Twenty20

Both Mukesh Ambani-promoted Reliance Industries Limited and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group are said to be eyeing the title sponsorship for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament floated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, sources close to the development confirmed on Friday.

RIL, owned by elder brother Mukesh Ambani, had acquired the Mumbai team last month for $111.9 million (about Rs 448 crore) for 10 years. Anil Ambani chose to stay away from the bids for the eight teams last month.

Bidding for the title sponsorship is due February 13 and is expected to attract a base price of Rs 23.6 crore for one year.

The Ambani brothers, who split their father's petrochemicals-to-telecommunications empire on June 18, 2005, had agreed not to enter each other's areas of business.

The agreement, however, does not cover new business areas such as cricket sponsorship.

The brothers' companies are currently in dispute over the supply and pricing of natural gas to ADAG plants from the RIL-owned Krishna-Godavari basin.

Both RIL and ADAG spokesmen declined to comment.

The rights, which offer enormous branding potential, will be given for the first five seasons of IPL. The winner of the title rights holds the first right of refusal for the next five years (the 6th to 10th seasons).

London, April 5: England's dashing batsman Kevin Pieterson is desperate to play in the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) and wants the cricket administrators of his country to accommodate the Twenty20 tournament in the calendar.

'As long as it doesn't interfere with me playing for England, then I'm all for the IPL. I won't jeopardise my England career for the IPL just yet, but the schedules have to be sorted because
the England players are the only ones missing out,' Pieterson told The Times newspaper.

DLF bags title sponsorship rights of IPL Twenty20

Highest bidder at Rs 200 cr for a period of 5 years

---

Keeping wickets

DLF wins through open bid process

DLF Indian Premier League to be the name

59 matches over 44 days to be hosted

'There are guys in our team who could be earning a lot of money. Chris Gayle [West Indies captain] texted me the other day to ask why I'm not playing and I said, 'I can't.' He just sent dollar signs in the next text message. I'm not being paid [extra] playing for Hampshire, while he'll be copping a hundred grand a game.'

English players are missing the IPL because the 45-day tournament, starting April 18, is clashing with England's home series against New Zealand. Players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Andrew Symonds will earn more than 500,000 pounds for six weeks' work during which 59 matches will be played.

BCCI will also issue tickets to the title sponsor and permit branding and promotional activities on tickets.

IPL will begin in April and will host 59 matches that will be played between eight teams.

Apart from RIL's ownership of the Mumbai team, the other team owners are GMR (Delhi), a Shah Rukh Khan consortium (Kolkata), the Emerging Media consortium (Jaipur), Preity Zinta (Mohali), Deccan Chronicle (Hyderabad), Vijay Mallya (Bangalore) and India Cement (Chennai).

Chandigarh: What does the highest test wicket-taker in the world Muthiah Murlitharan want when he bowls to Sri Lankan team mates Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament?

"Try to take them in the first ball," is the prompt answer that Murlitharan gives with a grin and a hearty laugh.

"There will be no concession now," Murli added as he explained his preparations for his IPL team Chennai Super Kings for their first encounter scheduled Saturday against the Mohali IPL team, Kings XI Punjab.

What does the highest test wicket-taker in the world Muthiah Murlitharan want when he bowls to Sri Lankan team mates Kumar Sangakkara and captain Mahela Jayawardene in the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament?

'Try to take them in the first ball,' is the prompt answer that Murlitharan gives with a grin and a hearty laugh.

'There will be no concession now,' Murli added as he explained his preparations for his IPL team Chennai Super Kings for their first encounter scheduled Saturday against the Mohali IPL team, Kings XI Punjab.

The Mohali team coach Tom Moody, who himself was the coach of the Sri Lankan national squad earlier, is eager to see the on-field contest as the Sri Lankans face one another.

'I am looking forward to seeing Jaya (Jayawardene) and Kumar (Sangakkara) play Murli. I want them to be hitting him out of the ground,' Moody said here.

Jayawardene and Sangakkara are in the Kings XI Punjab side led by Yuvraj Singh.

Players from the same national squad in respective countries will be facing one another in an international encounter in a big way in the inaugural IPL tournament starting Friday.

So when Brett Lee comes charging in to bowl at 'big-man' Mathew Hayden, there will be no concession either.

'I am excited about bowling to Mathew (Hayden). I will give my 100 percent to it,' Lee sounded a clear warning to his Australian counterpart.

For that matter, the much-hyped Mahendra Singh Dhoni versus Yuvraj Singh contest will see their off-field friendship take a backseat.

'There will be no let up. We will all compete to win. Whoever plays well will win,' Yuvraj said before his team Kings XI Punjab's first match against Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings here Saturday.

Mohali team coach Moody also does not want to restrict the temperamental S. Sreesanth on the field.

'He needs to stay aggressive. He is an entertainer and it should be like that. We will see if he crosses the line. But he needs to keep the aggression against all,' Moody said.

Despite the T20 format being heavily loaded in favour of batsmen, ace spinner Murli is not too worried.

'The Indian tracks support spinners a lot and I will take advantage of that. The South African tracks (in the T20 world cup last year) were flat and fast. This time, it is going to be different,' the ever-smiling Murli said.

today 5.2 earthquake o 04/18/08 center aftershock,activity earthquake map monitor, san francisco, kentucky, cincinnati

Expert Says To Expect More Aftershocks

SHERIFF INSPECTS DAMAGE - White County Sheriff Doug Maier inspected this crack running from the ground to the roof of the northeast corner of the City-County Jail in Carmi Friday morning. The damage is believed to have been caused by a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that struck the area around 4:37 a.m. and was centered neared West Salem. --Times photo/Braden Willis

An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale hit southern Illinois at 4:37 a.m. Friday, causing some minor structural damage in the area, including damage at the City-County Jail and the White County Courthouse in Carmi.

The quake was centered about halfway between West Salem and Mt. Carmel, to the northwest of Mt. Carmel and southeast of West Salem, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS reported the quake was 7.2 miles deep. The initial report indicated the quake measured 5.4, but it was revised to 5.2 shortly thereafter.

The 5.4 measurement matched a 1968 quake in the area that caused some damage.

White County Sheriff Doug Maier inspected the jail Friday morning and confirmed there was damage to the structure. He told The Times the damage affected three outside corners of the brick structure of the jail, two interior walls of the jail and a small area above an old coal chute on the outside brick wall of the west side of the Courthouse.

The damage to the Courthouse was very minor, while the damage to the jail was more significant. The cracks on the outside walls ran from the ground to the roof on both sides of the corners on the northeast and southeast corners. The interior cracks were very slight.

Maier said he would check with the county's insurance carrier about the damage and costs to repair it.

Carmi Police Chief Mike Thomas said he had received a few reports of minor structural damage to some residences. He was unaware of any damage to commercial structures. There were reports of merchandise being rattled off shelves in some stores. Many area residents reported being awakened by the quake.

Municipal utility crews in Carmi and the surrounding towns were busy checking power lines, while Consumers Gas Co. officials said they were swamped with calls about possible gas leaks, though all of them, as of 8:50 a.m. Friday, had been unfounded, including one report near Iris Lane in Carmi. Crews farther north, nearer the epicenter of the quake, were also busy checking gas and utility lines as reports or concerns of leaks poured in.

The quake was felt as much as 300 miles away, with reports of skyscrapers swaying in Indianapolis and residents in all the surrounding states reporting having felt the quake.

Some reports of minor to moderate damage were reported to some structures nearer the epicenter, including residents reporting dishes being cracked and bricks being shaken free from structures in Albion, Bridgeport, New Harmony, Ind., and Grayville.

In downtown Grayville, a ceiling fell in at Hair Gallery in the 100 block of East North Street. Steve Hartsock of the Navigator newspaper in Grayville said his residence had cracks in some plaster and, at the newspaper office, a clock fell off a wall and broke.

Rick Atterberry of the University of Illinois Extension reported that some experts' opinion is that today's earthquake may be followed by an aftershock or aftershocks, but there is no way to predict their strength. One USGS geologist quoted this morning cautioned that there is a very slim chance this could be a pre-shock to something bigger. Atterberry provided a link to a FEMA site about earthquake preparedness and response: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/earthquake/eq_before.shtm

Extension is hosting a conference May 6 and 7 on the New Madrid seismic zone and earthquake preparedness. For more information visit, the following web address: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/state/newsdetail.cfm?NewsID=10042

The registration deadline is April 22, but Extension officials said they will accept registrations until April 25. The fee is $40.

Atterberry added that gas leaks sometimes can occur in relatively minor earthquakes, especially at connections to furnaces and water heaters.

Water heaters can be somewhat top heavy and are prone to falling over, so he recommended following local building codes regarding strapping them to a wall and using flexible gas lines. He cautioned to never attempt to repair a gas leak oneself.

Evacuate the building and call 911 before calling the utility company or a plumber. This would be a good time to review how to shut off gas at one's meter if it can be done safely in an incident. Notice if a wrench or any special tools are needed and keep the tools in a handy location.

According to the USGS, the Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude ML scale, assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released by an earthquake. It was developed in 1935 by Charles Richter in partnership with Beno Gutenberg, both of the California Institute of Technology.

The scale was originally intended to be used only in a particular study area in California, and on seismograms recorded on a particular instrument, the Wood-Anderson torsion seismometer.

Because of the limitations of the Wood-Anderson torsion seismometer used to develop the scale, the original ML cannot be calculated for events larger than about 6.8. Events with magnitudes of about 4.6 or greater are strong enough to be recorded by any of the seismographs in the world.

The following information describes the typical effects of earthquakes of various magnitudes near the epicenter. Intensity, and thus ground effects, depends not only on the magnitude, but also on the distance to the epicenter, the depth of the earthquake's focus beneath the epicenter and geological conditions (certain terrains can amplify seismic signals).

Earthquakes measuring less than 2.0 are classified as micro-earthquakes and generally are not felt. Seismographs around the world record about 8,000 of these events per day.

Earthquakes measuring 2.0-2.9 are classified as minor are also generally not felt and there are about 1,000 of these recorded per day.

Going a little higher on the scale, from 3.0-3.9, still classifies the quake as minor, though quakes of this magnitude are usually felt. However, they rarely cause damage. Seismographs record about 49,000 of these per year around the world.

From 4.0-4.9 many people begin to notice light shaking of indoor items and may report rattling noises. Significant damage is unlikely. There are about 6,200 earthquakes this powerful measured each year.

Quakes like the one Friday, measuring between 5.0-5.9, are classified as moderate and can cause major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions. At most, slight damage may result to well-designed buildings. There are usually about 800 quakes of this magnitude per year.

Quakes measuring 6.0-6.9 are classified as strong and can be destructive in areas up to about 100 miles across in populated areas. Only about 120 of these are reported per year.

Major quakes measuring 7.0-7.9 can cause serious damage over larger areas. There are about 18 quakes hitting this level per year, while quakes measuring 8.0-8.9, classified as "great," can cause serious damage in areas several hundred miles across. Only about one quake this powerful is reported per year.

About every 20 years worldwide, a quake measuring 9.0-9.9 is reported. Quakes this strong are, of course, devastating. There has never been a recorded quake that measured more than 9.9.

According to the USGS' website, earthquakes in the Illinois Basin, Ozark Dome Region, are located in a large region bordering the seismically active New Madrid seismic zone on the seismic zone's north and west. The Illinois Basin, Ozark Dome Region, covers parts of Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas and stretches from Indianapolis and St. Louis to Memphis.

Moderately frequent earthquakes occur at irregular intervals throughout the region. The largest historical earthquake in the region (magnitude 5.4) damaged southern Illinois in 1968. Moderately damaging earthquakes strike somewhere in the region each decade or two, and smaller earthquakes are felt about once or twice a year.

In addition, geologists have found evidence of eight or more prehistoric earthquakes over the last 25,000 years that were much larger than any observed historically in the region.

Earthquakes in the central and eastern U.S., although less frequent than in the western U.S., are typically felt over a much broader region. East of the Rockies, an earthquake can be felt over an area as much as ten times larger than a similar magnitude earthquake on the west coast.

A magnitude 4.0 eastern U.S. earthquake typically can be felt at many places as far as 60 miles from where it occurred, and it infrequently causes damage near its source. A magnitude 5.5 eastern U.S. earthquake usually can be felt as far as 300 miles from where it occurred, and sometimes causes damage as far away as 25 miles.

Earthquakes everywhere occur on faults within bedrock, usually miles deep. Most bedrock in the Illinois Basin, Ozark Dome Region, was formed as several generations of mountains rose and were eroded down again over the last billion or so years.

At well-studied plate boundaries like the San Andreas fault system in California, often scientists can determine the name of the specific fault that is responsible for an earthquake. In contrast, east of the Rocky Mountains this is rarely the case.

The Illinois Basin, Ozark Dome Region, is far from the nearest plate boundaries, which are in the center of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Caribbean Sea and in the Gulf of California. The region is laced with known faults but numerous smaller or deeply buried faults remain undetected.

Even the known faults are poorly located at earthquake depths. Accordingly, few earthquakes in the region can be linked to named faults. It is difficult to determine if a known fault is still active and could slip and cause an earthquake.

Tim Larson of Urbana knew what was happening.

"It woke me up this morning," said Larson, a geophysicist who monitors earthquakes at the Illinois State Geological Survey at the University of Illinois. "I knew it was a significant earthquake at some distance away.

"We've had reports of damage as far away as Louisville, bricks falling, that kind of thing," Larson said.

The last major earthquake to hit Illinois had an epicenter close to today's.

In 1987, a 5.0 earthquake struck with an epicenter about 100 miles south of Champaign, close to the Wabash Valley fault system, on the Illinois/Indiana border. "It's amazing how on schedule this is," Larson said. "We have earthquakes there every 20 years."

There was a a 5.5 earthquake near Broughton on Nov. 9, 1968, and the 5.1 quake on June 10, 1987

The area prone to occasional earthquakes is called the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone, Larson said. Scientists are not sure what causes the quakes in that area, but there are old faults in the earth's crust in that zone. The relationship between these new quakes and those old faults is not clear, he said.

"It's almost like there is a weakness in the earth's crust," in the Wabash Valley zone, Larson said. "It's like an old scar being torn off. Normally, we have quakes where the faults bump against each other."

The New Madrid Zone further south in Illinois produces very powerful quakes, but it is not clear if there's any connection between the New Madrid zone and the Wabash Valley zone.

"That's a point of research," he said.

The biggest earthquake to hit Illinois in the last century, according to the Illinois State Geological Survey, was the 5.5 tremor in 1968. There have been more than 160 earthquakes in Illinois since records began in 1795, 80 percent of them in the southern half of the state.

Timothy Gress of the Mid-American Earthquake Center said the tremor was possibly related to the Wabash Valley fault.

"It's relatively active," said Gress, whose children were awakened by this morning's tremor. "We at the center are involved with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, modeling effects of what would happen if there were a major tremor. Indiana is particularly interested in this."

Toledo resident Betty Enigk remembers the 1968 earthquake that moved furniture across her tile floor.

She has carpet now, but a Friday morning tremor still managed to “jingle” the dishes in her china cabinet and alarm her black lab “Willy,” she said.

Enigk was just sitting down at her computer with a fresh cup of coffee when the earthquake struck. Living adjacent to Illinois Route 121, “I thought a big truck was going by,” she said.

“But the truck never came. It just felt like it was going on and on and on. The house was just moving under my feet. (Then) I knew it was an earthquake.”
When she let Willy back into the house, “He just about barreled me down. His hair was bushed out,” Enigk said.

The largest earthquake felt in Illinois in four decades startled area residents early Friday morning but apparently did little else.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the 5.2 magnitude tremor began at 4:37 a.m. at its epicenter five miles northeast of Bellmont, about 90 miles southeast of Coles County. A 4.6 magnitude aftershock at 10:14 a.m. — which could be felt in Coles and neighboring counties — originated eight miles east of West Salem, near the epicenter of the original quake, said the USGS.

The National Earthquake Center recorded three other aftershocks measuring 2.5, 2.5 and 2.6.

“We’ve had no reports at all” of destruction from the first earthquake, said Tom Watson, Coles County Emergency Management Agency director, at about 10 a.m. Friday.

Sheriff’s offices in area counties said they were flooded with 911 calls shortly after the initial tremor.

At about 5 a.m., Mattoon firefighters responded to a report of gas odor at a gas station on 21st Street, but they found no evidence of a gas line break.

Mattoon Building Inspector Kyle Gill said no one notified him of any structural damage, especially to brick or masonry walls.

“The earthquake woke me up and I thought this could cause some problems with bricks, but we’ve not had any reports this morning,” Gill said.

Charleston Public Works Director Curt Buescher said crews were asked early in the day to be on the lookout for earthquake-related damage to water/sewer lines or other city infrastructure. He said no damage had been called in as of late Friday morning.

“Hopefully, there won’t be any damage at all,” Buescher said.

In Clark County, which of the area counties is among the nearest to the epicenter, EMA Deputy Director Michael Duvall said the earthquake “was felt in all parts of the county.”

Friday morning’s quake rivaled the magnitude 5.3 event in 1968 that started in Hamilton County in Southern Illinois, said the USGS. Prior to that, the largest quake felt in Illinois originated in Missouri in 1895, according to the USGS.

Rural Charleston resident Ann Bacon also was awake and reading the newspaper when the temblor hit.

“At first I thought it was some kind of explosion,” she said.

“And then I thought, ‘No, it’s a tornado.’”

She said her dishes and windows began “chattering.” Then she went outside, and realized what had happened.

“All of the animals — there was just noise,” she said. “The critters were up and something was wrong. It was a very odd morning.

“I’ve never experienced anything like that. (It) was very eerie and very scary for those few seconds.”

For many in the Midwest, Friday got off to a shake, rattle and roll when a 5.2 magnitude earthquake, centered near West Salem, Ill., let loose.

The 5:37 a.m. quake was felt from Atlanta to Michigan and awoke many Lawrence and Orange County residents who felt the second strongest quake to hit Illinois.

Bedford North Lawrence High School junior Kaleb Kirkman of Avoca said he was sitting on the back deck of his house when the quake occurred.

“It started shaking the whole house,” he said. “ I thought our house was falling down. I hang everything up in my room. Stuff was falling off my walls.”

With the rarity of earthquakes in the Midwest, many, including Josh Nicholson, weren’t sure what was happening.

“I just got out of bed whenever it started. I thought I was still dreaming because everything started shaking,” said Nicholson, a BNL junior. “I didn’t know what was going on. My mom came running in and thought it was a tornado or something. My bed was clanging up against the wall and making all kinds of racket and a couple of pictures fell off my shelf.”

Earthquakes take on added relevance for those who have experienced them in California, where the phenomenon is more common.

“I knew it was an earthquake,” Jean Bower said.

The Bedford resident added, “The bed was shaking real bad and the bathroom door, I could feel it shaking, and it (the tremor) knocked two little things off the wall in the back bedroom. The reason I knew this (was an earthquake) is because I lived in California in 1952. ... My husband was in the Navy and so I lived in Long Beach and this aftershock came from San Diego. ... It scares you to death. It did then, too.”

Amanda Vernon, from southern Orange County, was a youngster living in California when one of the more powerful earthquakes in recent times hit in 1989.

Still, Vernon wrote in an e-mail, “It took me the longest time to figure out this was earthquake. Naturally, I thought it was a tornado or strong winds.”

Vernon told her husband, Sam, they needed to get in the basement, but he went outside and realized there was no wind activity.

“It has me thinking about the earthquake of ’89,” Vernon said. “We lived in the Fresno area and its epicenter was outside of San Francisco, but we still felt it much stronger than this quake today.”

Springville resident Steve Kimmel, when he went outside during the quake, noticed a strange accompaniment.

“At the time this was happening, my husband went out on the front porch, looked up and noticed the moon was blood red,” said Kimmel’s wife, Elayne.

The quake is believed to have involved the Wabash fault, a northern extension of the New Madrid fault about 6 miles north of Mount Carmel, Ill., said United States Geological Survey geophysicist Randy Baldwin.

The last earthquake in the region to approach the severity of Friday’s temblor was a 5.0 magnitude quake that shook a nearby area in 2002, Baldwin said.

“This is a fairly large quake for this region,” he said. “They might occur every few years.”

The earthquake center is 100 miles from Bedford. And the tremors were noticed as far away as Atlanta, Chicago, St. Louis and Cincinnati. Officials say no injuries have been reported and only minor damage.

“It shook our house where it woke me up,” said David Behm of Philo, 10 miles south of Champaign. “Windows were rattling, and you could hear it. The house was shaking inches. For people in central Illinois, this is a big deal. It’s not like California.”

Lucas Griswold, a dispatcher in West Salem, said the Edwards County sheriff’s department received reports of minor damage and no injuries.

“Oh, yeah, I felt it. It was interesting,” Griswold said. “A lot of shaking.”

Indiana State Police spokesman Sgt. Todd Ringle in Evansville said there were no immediate reports of damage.

Steve Jenkins, vice president, gasification services for CH2MHill, an engineering company, was in a Mattoon motel Thursday night prior to attending the Coles Together annual meeting.

A Florida resident, Jenkins said he has experienced hurricanes and tornadoes.

“But I will always remember where I was at 4:37 a.m. today when I felt an earthquake,” he said.

The latest quake was triggered in the Ozark Dome Region of the Illinois Basin, which borders the “more seismically active” New Madrid seismic zone to the north and west, according to the USGS.

The Ozark Dome Region “is far from the nearest plate boundaries, (and) the region is laced with known faults, but numerous smaller or deeply buried faults remain undetected,” said the USGS report.

Staff Writer Rob Stroud contributed to this story.

Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860. Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.

Magnitude 6.8 WASHINGTON
2001 February 28 18:54:32 UTC

Preliminary Earthquake Report
U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center
World Data Center for Seismology, Denver

Date-Time 2001 02 28 18:54:32 UTC Location 47.14N 122.72W Depth 52.0 kilometers Magnitude 6.8 Region WASHINGTON Reference Source USGS NEIC

The preliminary mechanism for this earthquake is tensional (normal) faulting in the subducting (downgoing) Juan de Fuca Plate, caused by bending of the plate. Damage and injuries have occurred in the Olympia-Seattle area. This earthquake is located in the same general area as a magnitude 7.1 earthquake on April 13, 1949. The location for this earthquake was furnished by the Geophysics Program, University of Washington, Seattle.

About 400 people injured and major damage in the Seattle-Tacoma- Olympia area. Maximum intensity (VIII) in the Capitol Hill area of Olympia and in the Pioneer Square area south of downtown Seattle. Preliminary estimates of damage are between 1 and 4 billion U.S. dollars. Felt from central Oregon to southern British Columbia and as far east as northwestern Montana. The maximum recorded acceleration was 0.3g at Seward Park. Landslides occurred in the Tacoma area and near Renton. Liquefaction and sand blows occurred in parts of Olympia and South Seattle.

No aftershocks were recorded by the University of Washington network in the first 6 hours following the magnitude 6.8 main shock. In a typical aftershock sequence, the highest rate of aftershock activity occurs during this period. Earthquakes of comparable magnitude with nearby epicenters and similar depths occurred in 1949 and 1965. The 1949 earthquake had only one aftershock in the following six months, and little aftershock activity was observed following the 1965 earthquake. On the basis of this information, we do not expect significant aftershocks from today's earthquake. The depths (50-70 km) of these three earthquakes may be a factor in their low aftershock productivity. Shallow (less than 20 km) mainshocks are more likely to have energetic aftershock sequences.

24-Hour Aftershock Forecast Map

Click on the map to zoom in.

This is a time-dependent map giving the probability of strong shaking at any location in California within the next 24-hours. For this purpose, “strong shaking” is defined as Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) VI, or the level of shaking that throws objects off shelves.

What Are Aftershocks, Foreshocks and Earthquake Clusters?

The calculations in this system are based on known behaviors of aftershocks. Scientists have shown that the rules governing aftershock behavior also apply to "aftershocks" that are larger than their main shock - i.e., the possibility that the first event was a foreshock. These rules include:

Aftershock Facts: In a cluster, the earthquake with the largest magnitude is called the main shock; anything before it is a foreshock and anything after it is an aftershock. A main shock will be redefined as a foreshock if a subsequent event has a larger magnitude. The rate of main shocks after foreshocks follows the same patterns as aftershocks after main shocks. Aftershock sequences follow predictable patterns as a group, although the individual earthquakes are random and unpredictable. This pattern tells us that aftershocks decay with increasing time, increasing distance, and increasing magnitude. It is this average pattern that this system uses to make real-time predictions about the probability of ground shaking.

Distance: Aftershocks usually occur geographically near the main shock. The stress on the main shock's fault changes drastically during the main shock and that fault produces most of the aftershocks. Sometimes the change in stress caused by the main shock is great enough to trigger aftershocks on other, nearby faults, and for a very large main shock sometimes even farther away. As a rule of thumb, we call earthquakes aftershocks if they are at a distance from the main shock's fault no greater than the length of that fault. The automatic system keeps track of where aftershocks have occurred, and when enough aftershocks have been recorded to pinpoint the more and less active locations, the system adjusts the probabilities on the map to reflect those local variations.

Time: An earthquake large enough to cause damage will probably be followed by several felt aftershocks within the first hour. The rate of aftershocks decreases quickly - the decrease is proportional to the inverse of time since the main shock. This means the second day has about 1/2 the number of aftershocks of the first day and the tenth has about 1/10 the number of the first day. These patterns describe only the overall behavior of aftershocks; the actual times, numbers and locations of the aftershocks are random. We call an earthquake an aftershock as long as the rate at which earthquakes occur in that region is greater than the rate before the main shock. How long this lasts depends on the size of the main shock (bigger earthquakes have more aftershocks) and how active the region was before the main shock (if the region was seismically quiet before the main shock, the aftershocks continue above the previous rate for a longer time). Thus, an aftershock can occur weeks or decades after a main shock.

Magnitude: Bigger earthquakes have more and larger aftershocks. The bigger the main shock the bigger the largest aftershock will be, on average. The difference in magnitude between the main shock and largest aftershock ranges from 0.1 to 3 or more, but averages 1.2 (a M5.5 aftershock to a M6.7 main shock for example). There are more small aftershocks than large ones. Aftershocks of all magnitudes decrease at the same rate, but because the large aftershocks are already less frequent, the decay can be noticed more quickly. Large aftershocks can occur months or even years after the main shock.

Q: Foreshocks, aftershocks - what's the difference?

A: "Foreshock" and "aftershock" are relative terms. Foreshocks are earthquakes which precede larger earthquakes in the same location. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes which occur in the same general area during the days to years following a larger event or "mainshock", defined as within 1-2 fault lengths away and during the period of time before the background seismicity level has resumed. As a general rule, aftershocks represent minor readjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the main shock. The frequency of these aftershocks decreases with time. Historically, deep earthquakes (>30km) are much less likely to be followed by aftershocks than shallow earthquakes. (Univ. of Washington)