CHAKKARAM THE WHEELS

1. Idiom "There are wheels with in wheels "

If I remember I have studied this idiom in the English lecture class while I joined the college. The idiom means things are complicated than prima-facie seen. 

2. Mahabharatha- Wheel of Karna's chariot

The next thing coming to my remembrance is that while the wheel of his chariot was struck and lowered a little, Karna was attacked from Pandava side with out hearing the plea of war dharma in the Kurukshethra war. 

Karna's pleading to wait a little was retorted with a reply- "when the Droupadi's cloths were being removed by Dussasana, he was well present in the scene, where had gone his dharma rule at that time? "

3. Kaikeyi given boons by Dasaratha

Once Kaikeyi helped Dasaratha to set right the wheels of his chariot getting removed by breaking of axle. Pleased on her action Dasaratha gave two boons. These boons were asked at the instance of Mandhara to perform Pattabhishekam of Bharatha as young king and to send Sree Rama to Vanavasa. 

4. Wheels in the mechanical clock

In mechanical clock the movement of Pendulum makes the seconds wheel move, 60 movements of seconds wheel make the minute wheel to move once and 60-minute wheel make the hour wheel to move once. I think still old tower clocks employ still these mechanical equipments. 

5. Chakram in coinage

The wheel is called chakram in Malayalam and it also meant a coin in use during the regime of Maharaja in Kerala. This chakram was made of copper and was the size of present one rupee coin. If I recollect 28 chakram was equal to one British rupee. All coins in those days were circular like wheel. On those days for one chakram we could get four Parippu vada from nearby teashop or one coconut from shanty. 

6. Sree chakram at Kamakshi Amman temple at Kancheepuram 

It is told that Kamakshi Amman at Kanchipuram was very ugram and to reduce her ugram and keep her calm Adisankara installed one sree chakram in front of her in the sanctum and she is a calm goddess now.

7. Chakra dasa

Chakra dasa is one of the dasa system followed in Astrology for certain calculation. 

In fact though astrologers of south draw as square for simplicity, Jathakam position of planets has to be marked in circle. Hence astrologers refer to it as Rasi chakram and Amsaka chakram.

8. Sankhu chakra Gada panae

Every day in our sandhya vandanam we refer to Mahavishnu as "Shanku chakra Gadapanae dwaraka Nilayachutha" Mahavishnu hold in his hand Sudarsana chakram or chakrayudham.

9. Chakra swasam

I thought not to include it first, but to explain an idiom I have to state it. It is a breathing stage which one suffers while departing from this world. In Malayalam "Chakraswasam " is very often used when a person is at extreme difficulties for money and money is to be spent for an unwanted thing. 

10. Wheel gate

Wheel gate (Wicket gate) is very much employed at the entrances in addition to main gate in parks, schools etc where one person can enter rotating the gate inside. The wheel gate work on wheel and axle principle. 

11. When did wheel originate?
In the Stone Age may be the answer most proper. Stone wheels have been recovered by archaeologists in different ancient cites as a proof of it. 

12. Do we use stone wheels today?

Yes is the answer. It is used for its weight for pressing purposes in road rollers. We used to say the most patient men are the drivers of road rollers. 

13. Metal wheels

The next development was metal wheels. It reduced the weight to a very great extent comparing to stone wheel. Metal wheels we use very much today. Just like stone wheels metal wheels also the men could never forgo. The metal wheels are used for movement of the rakes over the rails for trains. So far we have not come across any other wheels for rakes. 

14. Wooden wheels

I am not sure totally wooden wheels are used any were other than temple chariots permanently. Even the village bullock cart has the wooden wheel having a shield of thick metal sheet over it. 

The power and telecom cables are rolled over a cylindrical surface fitted with wooden wheels. They are called cable drums. But this is temporary use. 

15. Well wheel

On those days a wooden roller was used to fit on the top of the well on two pillars on an axle. For fetching water a rope was put over it and bucket was pulled up with water with least effort. Later this wooden roller was replaced with a metal wheel fitted, which had provision to hold a rope of standard size with out slip. I have seen wooden roller mostly in temples even today. 

16.Wheel application in modern equipments

Have you opened the VCR in your house? Mechanical wheels are provided for movement of tape. In the CD drive of desktops or laptops mechanical wheel drive is employed. All our motors employ wheel drive