Attaining Nirvana in Nepal

By

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April 11, 2010

Can we seek nirvana with a money back guarantee… Is there a place where backpackers and luxury travellers can both get the best bargains… Is there Shangri La on earth where all people live perfect harmony with nature…

To seek an answer to all these questions, we need to travel to distant land tucked away in the misty mountains. Imagine a perfect triangle shaped mountain capped with snow; imagine a city nestled besides the mountain range and a serene lake reflecting the snowy peaks; imagine a suburb next to the lakeside which is cut off from the busy city; imagine fragrance of Patchouli and chants of ‘Om mani padme om’ emanating from shops and restaurants that sell delicious food, t-shirts, carpets, books and trekking bags; imagine smiling faces that greet a courteous Namaste. Now wake up, that’s Pokhara.

Nepal

Welcome to the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal! Before we came to Nepal, lot of friends warned about the cunning nature of Nepali guides and the grim security situation due to the Maoist insurgency. On the contrary, we did not get cheated by anyone and the countryside was as tranquil and peaceful as the mountains. Later we realized the reason behind this misconception; most travellers land in Kathmandu and get trapped by the scheming travel agents.

Nepal

The political situation has improved drastically with the new multi-party democracy system. Thankfully we researched thoroughly using the Lonely Planet guide book and the internet and we chose to land in the second largest city of Nepal.

pokhara nepal

The list of sight seeing spots that Pokhara offers is endless: Phewa Tal boating, paragliding from the Sarangkot sunrise viewpoint, gushing waters of Devi’s Fall, trekking on Annapurna circuit, sunset at the World Peace Pagoda, shopping by the lakeside, bats in the Gupteshwar caves, mountaineering museum and many more. We kept apart atleast three days to enjoy all the sights in and around Pokhara.

annapurna circuit

The Royal Chitwan National Park is a must see for all visitors, but you need to be lucky to get a glimpse of the wild animals. We were lucky enough to get only the wild deer. But the early morning elephant ride was really an exhilarating experience. But luckily the annual winter elephant race and football matches were on and we were amazed by the skills displayed by the elephants. This race is organized specially for the hordes of foreign tourists who really keep the local economy flourishing. Otherwise Nepal is a poverty-stricken country which is now slowly emerging from the political turmoil.

Manokamana

The Manokamana Mandir cable car is an amazing journey across the beautiful mountainside. It is truly amazing to see such a sophisticated cable car in a country plagued by crumbling infrastructure. People who complain about Indian roads need to go to Nepal once in their lifetime!

Nepal river rafting

People who had experienced river rafting in tame Indian rivers, will know what is Level-3 in rafting! River rafting in the true Himalayan white water rivers is a lifetime experience and another must-do item. The chilling waters drag the rafts through the gushing river winding through narrow valleys of terraced farms and tiny hamlets.

Finally on the New Year’s Eve, we arrived at the much fabled city of Kathmandu. The day was 29 December 2007, and the interim parliament amended the Nepali constitution to create the people’s socialist republic and abolish the monarchy. There were political demonstrations and processions and there was immense excitement on the streets.

kathmandu nepal

We stayed in Thamel, a small tourist locality where all the western travellers stay. The New Year night was truly extraordinary with dance troupes from brazil, djembe players from Africa, rock musicians from Europe, flute and tabla players from India all trying to entertain their niche crowd in the numerous pubs and dance bars. Finally, after an exhilarating night, we woke up the next day to realise that we had exceeded our office vacation, and reluctantly packed up from the enchanting land of Nepal!

Here is a documentary video dedicated to Nepal from caleidoscope team.

Pics by: Nagz

Packaging Heritage Museum

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 10, 2010

2

Is it possible to find tins of Parry’s Nutrine, Amulspray and Lactogen, Philips radio, VAT 69 bottle, Army hipflask, Agfa camera in a leather case, ancient Pepsi and Coca Cola bottles, wooden cigar boxes all in one place… One would wonder how and why such a diverse assembly would happen in the first place!

It would surprise many of us to find a Packaging Heritage Museum in Bangalore city which chronicles the evolution of packaging in the 20th Century. Visitors are fascinated to find curious collectibles from yesteryears displayed in pristine condition, reminding them of their childhood. Gramophone records of Lata Mangeshkar packed in two-colour printed paper board, tin case of Cadbury Fry chocolate, huge hot cases with space for hot coal, velvet lined cutlery kit and lab tool cases, metal body cameras cased in leather, wood finish radios, you will find them all.

Manjushree Packaging Heritage Museum is a fascinating collection of all kinds of packaging material used since early part of 20th Century. It is located inside the premises of Manjushree Technopack Ltd, which is a Bangalore based leading plastic packaging company catering to all top FMCG companies. The museum maintained by Vimal Kedia, CEO of Manjushree Technopack displays a diverse collection of old as well as existing brands in different packaging material.

Packaging Heritage Museum
Manjushree Technopack Ltd established this unique museum in 2003, as part of its packaging innovation division. A brainchild ofVimal Kedia, this museum is the result of his passion of packaging technology. This collection attracts FMCG packaging experts and layman enthusiasts to study the gradual evolution of packaging material as well as changing consumer needs.

One look at the 250 items gives you a perspective on the sea of change that has happened in the world consumer goods packaging. Beginning from wood casing in the 1900s, packaging has moved to metal, then to glass, paper, cardboard and finally to plastic containers today. Today, marketing managers of various top brands do visit the museum to understand the legacy of their brands in the years gone by. For instance, we can see the gold plated spoon offered by Nescafe during its early days of promotion in the Middle East. Personal care items were showcased in hard casing with velvet and silk finishing in the interiors.

Packaging Heritage Museum

Tracing the origins of his collection, Mr.Vimal Kedia narrates “Most of our displayed items have been collected through friends and relatives who contributed from their attics. Whenever I traveled across the country, I searched for packages in old warehouses and shops. Smaller towns and villages are the best places to find such items and my visits to remote towns in Assam have yielded many such objects. Almost all of the information about these curious items was given to us by word of mouth. In fact, many of can find them in the attics of our grand parents.”

But there is a hitch before Nostalgiphiliacs want to go for a pilgrimage. This museum is in way outside the city in Electronic City. Moreover, it is inside the factory premises and you need to take prior permission to visit it!

Fact file –
Name: Manjushree Packaging Heritage Museum
Location: Electronic City II stage
Contact: Ankit Kedia
Info: http://www.manjushreeindia.com

Chittara – Discovering a Folk Art Form of Karnataka

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 10, 2010

7

Hope you have heard of anthropologists going deep into the wild jungles to discover unknown tribes… if they are not cannibals, those scientists survive, learn about the tribe’s culture and come back to civilization to reveal them… the discovery would make both of them famous!

In late 1990s, when I worked as a media coordinator for Madhyam, a social communication agency in Bangalore, I got a chance to discover a lost folk art form. I was quite enchanted by the intricate detailing of a Warli art from Maharashtra or a Madhubani from Bihar. I wondered if we could find a similar art form in south India. Karnataka is well-known for its performing folk arts such as Yakshagana, Bayalaata, Dollu Kunitha, Kamsaale, etc. However, not many know about the existence of a visual folk art form named Chittaara or Chittara.

I was pleasantly surprised to know that my home town of Shimoga district has a folk art form which is quite evolved and is getting national recognition. Some members of an adventure club had discovered it among communities living close to Jog Falls. This was getting really exciting… lost folk art form… found near a water fall inside deep tropical jungle… media has no clue of it… rediscovered by modern day David Livingstones… I was thrilled!

chittara-folk-art-of-karnataka2 — Source

Dr. Kuruva Basavaraj, the Curator of Karnataka Janapada Parishat who had rediscovered Chittaara, informed me about it. He guided about where to go and whom to meet. So I set out on my own to rediscover Chittaara!

Traveling beyond Shimoga town, I took a bus to Talaguppa on the way to Jog Falls. Honnemaradu is a tiny village perched on the hills that overlook the Linganamakki Dam on the back waters of River Sharavathi. I met the caretakers of The Adventurers group’s watersport camp. They informed me that the Deewaru community who paint the Chittaara art, reside in the nearby villages of Gaddemane, Hasuvanthe and Manjina Kaanu. These villages are the cradles of the exquisite mural art of “Chittaara”, done by the women of the Deewaru Community. Interstingly, Manjina Kaanu, literally means ‘the mist of the forest’ and truly the thick tropical evergreen forest was awe-inspiring!

I met Ishwara Naik, an award winning Chittaara artist from Deewaru Community. Although Chittaara is a collaborative effort of the womenfolk in the community, Ishwara had taken up task of propagating the art to outside world.

Chittaara murals, painted intricately on the red mud coated walls of their houses, depict the important events of their life. Every line in the painting is symbolic of the life around them and the experiences they live through. The art forms, therefore, represent the daily hustle and bustle of their village life, the birds and animals around them, the toys their children play with, the flowers used for pooja, etc.

Music is interwoven into their art and folklore. Mesmerizing melodies fill households with vibrant notes. Every situation and every chore has a song. All their day-to-day activities like grinding flour, pounding rice, sowing saplings, removing weeds were enlivened by songs. However, this tradition of singing while working is fading away.

Marriage, the most important event in their lives, is shown in elaborate detail with the kalyan mantap (the wedding altar), guests, the couple and scenes of festivity. Sometimes there are occasions when two marriages take place simultaneously in a family, which is depicted in ‘Pappali Chittaara’. ‘Theru Chittaara’ illustrates the temple chariot festival where devotees are shown pulling the chariot. There is ‘Cheeku Bagilu Chinnaani’ in which the energy of the mind is depicted. Other murals are ‘Hadhinaaru Moole Arathi’ and ‘Mumdige Chittaara’, ‘Chittaara Chaavadi’ dealing with different themes.

These murals are done basically in four natural colours, White, Black, Red and Yellow. White colour is made of rice which is first thrashed and then pounded into a paste. Black is burnt rice ground into powder and Red is the laterite soil readily available in the surroundings. Yellow is the pigment colour extracted from the Gurige flower. All these colours are made by women of the household, who make large quantities of the powder and then use small quantities mixed with water every time they paint. They use the fine fibres of the pundi plant as paintbrushes.

Till now there has been little effort to document this art form or revive it, except for the work done by Karnataka Janapada Parishat in bringing this art form to light. The Adventurers Group working in that area has supported the artists by giving them shelter. An effort is being made in the village of Hasuvanthe, where a widow and her brother Ishwara Naik have taken up the task of teaching this art. Both of them decided that they would not only take up this art in a serious way, but also teach it to other interested young girls. They feel that if girls are taught this art, they will pass it on to their children after they marry. After three years of troubles and turmoil, resentment from the community and lack of economic support they have managed to give this art a status.

Also Read Revive-it-yourself – Potli folk art kit
Buy Quality Painting Stuff from ItsyBitsy

Fact file –
Art form: Chittaara or Chithara
Creators: Deewaru Community
Material: Pigment colours and paper,
Bamboo baskets, Mural on red mud walls
Location: Sagar taluk of Shimoga district
Contact: Ishwara Naik
Tel: +91 94492-05209 or 94819-35579

http://www.craftrevival.org

Guide Time Lapse Photography

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 10, 2010

4

Although, it is one of the most tedious forms of nature photography, the results are usually extraordinary. A flower bud bursting open into full bloom… a sprout emerging from the ground… a fern unfurling are some delightful scenes that can be captured. The easiest subject for time lapse is a sunrise or a sunset.

Time lapse photography is the reverse of slow motion photography. In slow motion, the film is shot at high speed at about 64 frames per second and is displayed at regular projection speed of about 16-24 frames per second. In time lapse, the film is shot at very slow speed of about 1-2 frames per minute and displayed at regular projection speed. The action will appear to be tremendously accelerated, giving you a different perspective to normal life.

Essential things for a successful time lapse photograph are:

* A camera (preferably digital)
* A tripod to keep the camera steady in the exact position
* A steadily moving subject
* A uniform light source for all exposures

To begin with, for your first experiment, choose a fast opening flower for an indoor time lapse shoot. For outdoors, you could choose a sunset which gives a dramatic effect.

1. Mount the camera onto a tripod. a strudy platform like a table or a pulpit also works fine.
2. Ensure steady and uniform lighting.
3. Focus on the subject and zoom in or out to get the best possible composition.
4. For a landscape shoot like a sunset, set the aperture high to get better depth of field. for a close-up of a flower, reduce the aperture to blur out the background.
5. You need to calculate the number of frames needed to capture an activity. For a sunset, which will last 15-20 minutes, you need to shoot a frame every 30 seconds. For a budding flower, which will take 120 minutes to open, you could shoot a frame every 60 seconds.
6. If you have an advanced SLR camera, you can set the camera automatically to take time lapse frames at regular intervals.

If you have a digital camera, your results are obvious to you. This is one advantage which makes digital far better than the old film camera. However, Nostalgiphiliacs may not appreciate the advantages. They would rather prefer the old tedious and eco-harmful way of going to the studio and processing their film to see the result!

Coming back to the topic, you need to stitch together the photo frames to get a movie-like effect. Remember, if you want to image process your frames in Photoshop, you need to do it to all the frames to get uniformity. Rather you should focus on getting the best composition and lighting during the shoot and leave it at that.

MS-Powerpoint offers a simple non-geek solution of stitching the frames together. Place all the frames in one slide and give custom animation of fade-in and fade-out for each frame. But this process is quite tedious and inaccurate. Rather you should have image processing software like IrfanView or AC-DC which give the option of automatic slideshow with frame speed control. Create a slideshow with a suggested speed of 2-3 frames per second. You can save the file as an .EXE file which will run on its own.

Info source: Field Book of Nature Activities and Conservation

Ber or Bore or Jujube

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 10, 2010

7

Have you heard Superstar Rajnikanth uttering the word ‘Jujube’… Do have a faint memory of eating a Ber phal, Bore hannu or Jujube in your childhood… Passing through a roadside vegetable market, have you seen someone selling this fruit these days… Does the sight of this dull brown or red fruit bring a rush of saliva in your mouth… do you get a sudden urge to stop your vehicle and buy a handful of this tangy fruit…

Oh! Really, then you have a classic case of ‘Rustic Retro’ symptom. This is a rash like itching symptom of a dreaded disease called ‘Nostalgiphilia’ that afflicts mainly those urbanites who are above 21 years, artistically inclined and who have a lot of free time to feel nostalgic. Too many films, poems, paintings have been melancholyed on this disease. Once someone gets Nostalgiphilia, there is no cure. The disease can only be controlled with a daily dose of harsh reality, but otherwise it is a bleak scenario of the rest of the family members who have to endure the pain. More about Nostalgiphilia can be found in a separate link.

Coming back to Ber or Bore or Jujube (why do I have to repeat the fruit’s name in Hindi, Kannada and Tamil? It is an attempt to induce Nostalgiphilia in the readers. If you do not feel nostalgic when you hear the name, then you are immune to the disease and you can read further. Others please stop right now and take your daily dose of harsh reality!

Wondering why I am digressing from the main topic… that is yet another symptom! Meanwhile, the fruit named Ber or Bore or Jujube is mainly found in rural towns and semi-urban cities. Rarely you may come across an old man selling this fruit in a market on the outskirts of a metro. Go ahead and make an effort to taste this dull unglamorous fruit which has a slimy pulp and a hard seed. The seed is so hard that you can use it as a catapult bullet and crack somebody’s skull. (Now, do not ask what a catapult is? I will have to digress again and let loose another downpour of nostalgia!)

Image – Zehawk

The pulp is so tangy that if you have tooth decay or weak gums, your bones will rattle and your spine will chill. You feel I am exaggerating; great, then go ahead and taste it yourself. But once your body stops rattling and you swallow all the saliva, you start savouring the fruit. It does have a strange taste and some of us might acquire a liking for it. Again your liking has a direct connection to the symptoms described earlier.

In the countryside, you will find short shrubby Ber trees on the roadside. The fruit ripens in winter and after December, you will find a carpet of fruits strewn around the tree. While picking them up, be careful not to pick a too ripe or rotten one. (Remember bone rattling!) If you are the adventurous kind, you can climb the Ber tree which is normally 10-30ft tall. But beware of the thorns. Smarter way is to stretch a wide cloth and shake the tree!

Ber leaves are alternately placed and are oval shaped. Branches are quite thin and the tree bark is really hard. The fruits begin to ripen at different times even on a single tree starting from early November till late February. The fruit’s skin is smooth, dull glossy, thin but tough. The fully mature fruit will be brownish red, soft, juicy with wrinkled skin and has a strong aroma. (Intoxicating is the right word)

The tree is mainly found in semi-arid regions of Deccan Plateau; which means all across the heart of India leaving aside the Himalayas, the Thar desert and the coastal regions. Naturally grown roadside Ber tree might bear (check the pun!) 5,000-10,000 fruits in a season. Superior grafted trees which are commercially cultivated may yield as many as 30,000 fruits.

jujube fruit

The fruit is eaten raw or pickled or used in beverages. It is quite nutritious and rich in vitamin C. In India, the ripe fruits are mostly consumed raw, but are sometimes stewed. Slightly ripe fruits are pickled by a process of pricking and immersing them in a salt solution. Ripe fruits are preserved by sun-drying and a powder is prepared for off-season purposes. The dried ripe fruit is a mild laxative. The seeds are.

With all these great qualities, why is the Ber fruit so neglected… Nostalgiphilia victims will immediately react, “see the ill-effects of globalisation!” However, it is because of its low shelf life and strong aroma, which discourages storage, refrigeration and transport. So while you can enjoy an apple from the Washington state in the US, you cannot sell these fruits to them. The whole container will stink and the US authorities will come down heavily penalising you for selling arrack!

— Fact-file —
Name: Ber phal in Hindi, Bore hannu in Kannada or Jujube in Tamil
Scientific name: Ziziphus mauritiana
Native: Central India
Nutritional value: 20-30% sugar, 2.5% protein, 12.8% carbohydrates
Medicinal value: Fruit – mild laxative; rich in Vitamin C | Seed – powdered and consumed to stop nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pains in pregnancy
Photo location: Brahmapuri near Nagpur

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org
http://www.hort.purdue.edu

From scrap metal to showcase

By

Nagaraj

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April 9, 2010

2

It was a sunny Sunday morning, when a friend of mine “Shaghi” alias Shivanand Shagoti appeared at my house with a bag so heavy that his tired expression indicated it. After a warm hug of welcome, I went into the kitchen. But while preparing food, I could hear the sound of metal falling on ground, I asked my friend what was the sound but didn’t get any reply. Holding the tea cups I entered the study room to see the things that filled my ears while preparing tea. To my shock I found Shagi sitting on the floor, lost in the junkyard metal scrap and trying to arrange the metal in the shape of a cruiser bike. With all my curiosity, I asked “what is wrong with you, where did you get this scrap from?” Humbly he replayed “I am building a miniature cruiser bike with this scrap”. I was so thrilled by seeing the metal scrap crudely arranged like a bike on the floor. And the story behind this scene began to unwind…

My friend had got an order by a coffee shop to build a miniature cruiser bike to display in there shop. So he had been to a junk yard in the morning and picked up the scrap that suite to build a bike. Well this is the most important stage in the process of bike building. One must have strong visualizing skill to think and build the bike in mind with the 100s of scrap hanging in front of you. It coasted him 1000 bugs to buy the scrap that matched his needs. On his way back to home, he visited my place since it’s near to the junkyard.

I sat next to him looking at the scattered junk and visualizing the fully built bike. It took us one hour to analyze which scrap will match the actual parts of the bike and started to arrange the bike on the floor. With lots of arguments and compromises we finally had a model that is ready to go for final welding. Before the model is dissembled I took some pictures of the arranged scrap. Before leaving, shagi took the photos with him saying, it will help him to arrange scrap in right place and position during the welding process. I told my friend to join him in the welding process tomorrow.

Next morning I got a call from my friend but unfortunately I could not join him due to heavy work load from office. Although I really wanted to see the scrap metal getting shaped into a bike, he alone took the scrap to a gas welding work shop and guided the welding guy to build a nice bike. It took him half a day to get the final bike done.

Since we come from the same visual art background, we both are very eager to showcase our work and share our bouquets and brick bats. Finally I rushed to his room to see the cruiser bike. O My Gosh…! What a piece of art it was, which was turned from scrap metal to showcase material! I really didn’t have words to express the beauty of this junkyard bike. We really wished we could take a ride on it. Since we couldn’t do so we took a lot of pictures in countless angles. Since it was made for a client of my friend I could only get the photos of this junkyard beauty! My friend promised to build one for me. Hope I get one soon…!

Wanna try coffee flavoured honey?

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 8, 2010

3

What flavour of honey would you prefer… orange, eucalyptus, mango, or coffee! No, you don’t need to fantasise to have flavoured honey of your preference. You just have to travel a bit.

Coorg or Kodagu fascinates anyone who prefers the woods and the rain, and wants to escape the crowds. This tiny district in Karnataka has the maximum number of Athithi homestays in India. On the road from Bangalore to Madikeri, (the district capital of Coorg) via Mysore, the moment you cross Kushalnagar and begin the climb up the hills, you will get a hint of what to expect ahead. If you travel during the coffee flowering season in spring, the valley will be bedecked in a sea of white blossoms. The scent can be intoxicating when you enter a coffee estate!

Coorg is the leading producer of coffee in the country. It is strange that one district alone does nearly 50-60% of coffee production for the entire country. In fact, the other district, Chickmagalur which can seriously compete is also in Karnataka! More about Indian coffee later.

Meanwhile, coffee addicts obsessed with this legal drug will be pleased to know that honey from Coorg is coffee flavoured. Honey is produced by bees that collect their honey from the pollen of flowering coffee plants. Regular honey is a blend of many different honeys. These days, gourmet shops and even supermarkets are offering ‘monofloral honeys’. In fact a Coorgi entrepreneur Chayaa Nanjappa has launched a dedicated brand of flavoured honey named ‘Nectar Fresh‘ offering a variety of flavours such as clover, ajjwain, lychee and acacia honeys!

Coffee flavoured honey

This type of honey is called ‘Monofloral honey’, meaning collected from one single source of flower. The coffee doesn’t taste like coffee, but it does have a distinctive taste that is absolutely delicious. The idea is that honey from a hive positioned in the middle of, say, an orange grove will taste like — well, not orange, but certainly different from honey made by bees in an coffee estate. Coffee honey is termed by experts as “mild tasted, dark medium amber coloured, spicy, almost peppery, but unassertive — neither sweet nor rich”.

It is interesting to know there is a place in Coorg named ‘Honey Valley’, which was once the hub of honey production. In fact, Coorg is one of the leading producers of honey in India. This year, the Coorg Honey & Wax Producers’ Cooperative Society produced 60,000 kg of honey. In fact, during its hey day in the 1990s, the society produced 100,000 kg of honey! But the ‘Thai sac brood’ disease played havoc some years ago, affecting honey production in the district.

Apart from honey, Coorg is renowned for its diverse variety of wines and squashes as well. Ginger wine, Betelnut wine, Pomegranate squash, Kokum juice, etc the variety is gourmet’s delight. While on our way to Bhagamandala, we saw a shop named “Talacauvery Eco-coffee Works” and we stopped by for refreshments. It is run by a women’s self help group of Kargunda. We bought freshly made coffee, coorg honey, a bottle of betelnut wine.

It is surprising to note that honey in coorg is always packaged in recycled bottles of liquor. Why… you do not have to ponder a lot. Kodavas are fun loving people who take too many for the road. So the Mcdowell’s is reborn as a brand of honey! Hey, did you know that what do humans and honey bees have in common… not the boring community oriented society and division of labour. It is the affinity to alcohol. Researchers have found that honeybees are the only animals who are not affected by drinking pure alcohol. Read this link to believe it!

– Factfile –

Location – Madikeri, Coorg or Kodagu, South Karnataka

Elsewhere – Namdhari Fresh and other gourmet outlets in Bangalore, Mysore

Honey availability – throughout the year

http://eats-shoots-n-leaves.blogspot.com/2009/08/coorg-calling.html
http://www.nysun.com/food-drink/how-sweet-it-is-2007-04-11/52242/
http://www.coorgshoppe.com/

Text & pics by: Levine Lawrence

Urban Organic Farming

By

Levine Lawrence

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April 7, 2010

2

Do we wonder what food we eat everyday in our lives… Most of us wonder about it only when we go for a fine dining eat out! Otherwise on any other day, we care a damn what vegetables and cereals are being cooked to make our curry… After eating a tasty crunchy Gobi Manchurian or a Butter Chicken, why do our fingers have orange coloured stains… When mom cooks at home, we never have stains!

Do you remember all those grandma tales about how strong people were in those days… How immune they were to diseases and injuries … it’s a different story that more people died of cholera and typhoid in the good old days! But then, antibiotics were not yet invented. So without modern medicine how did the villagers managed to survive…

There must be something in their Dal-roti and their Jati-bootiya! Hey, could the secret of their success be chemical free organic food! Oh my goodness, it’s the same food promoted by those khadi kurtha wearing NGO types and oh so pseudo intellectual types!

But then do you remember the last time when Coca-cola and Pepsi had a joint press meet to address some big issue… why would those sworn arch-rivals hold anything jointly… Yes, it was about the pesticides in their oh! so soft drinks! Hard to digest, isn’t it… The whole world collapsed on the gentle MNC giants who till were seen as noble saviours by the Indian Youngistan! http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_24/b4038064.htm

Anyway, coming back to the topic, apart from the nutrition and ‘ma-ki-mamtha’ that goes into our food, a lot of pesticides and chemical fertilisers join in the feast. But then should we believe those intellectual types about organic food being so pure and nutritious… The only way to find out was to go to the farm where food is produced. I thought it is better to visit a farmer who has a chemical free organic farm anywhere near Bangalore.

A day before May Day, I read an article about an organic farmer totally transforming not only his land, but also the entire village. I was thrilled to know that his place was just outside Nelamangala on Pune-Bangalore highway and we friends had to go there. As we turned from the highway towards Kunigal, we were surprised to find a well-metalled road leading us into a valley to the edge of Kumudvathi river. All through the way, there were cultivated farmlands interspersed among the ubiquitous Nilgiri (Eucalyptus) plantations.

Organic Farm Sukrushi

We came to the end of the road in Marasarahalli and stood in front of Sukrushi Farm covered with lush green foliage of coconut, cyprus, and teak trees. We met with H R Jayaram who is actually a lawyer by profession and an organic farmer by vocation. He has made a Herculean effort for six years to make this miracle happen. When he bought this degraded land, it was covered with a dense cultivation of eucalyptus plantations. Today, farm veterans have been surprised by a lush greenhouse full of flower plants grown without a trace of fertilizer or pesticide.

Jayaram made sure to plant more trees from different species so that they complement each other rather than compete on resources. Today after six years of hardwork and scientific approach, this flourishing plot of land is a dense forest of arecanut, banana, coconut, drumstick, Singapore cherry, glyricidia, silver oak, gooseberry, sapota and even vanilla.

Imagine a three year old Tiptur Tall Coconut palm giving yield! Imagine a banana plant sprouting a plantain right in the middle of its stem!!! It stands as evidence for the soil enrichment due to organic activity.

Lot of effort goes into building this organic activity by the use of Vermicompost. Jayaram has created all the required facilities to prepare compost and growth promoters. This rich black gold which comes out after two months of work nourishes the soil and builds beneficial microbial activity. Blue green algae is grown as a nutrient.

The abundance of flowers in the farm allows the bees to collect honey throughout the year.

Rain water that flows down from the storm drain is diverted to a porous pit. The pit allows the water to trickle down slowly into the bore-well.

Jayaram has been relentlessly persuading other farmers around the Marasarahalli village to take up organic farming. His model of water seepage concept with the help of a check dam has been an eye-opener for them.

Sukrushi

Earlier weeds were simply burnt, but now farmers have learnt to put them in compost pits and for mulching. They now use arecanut leaves to cover up the base of the plants. Each plot of land has a pond whose water will be useful throughout the summer.

To our surprise, we found some foreign tourists working along with the farm workers! When we enquired with Jayaram, he said they are tourists as well as organic enthusiasts who are part of the global farming voluntary organisation. WOOFING is the platform where touring enthusiasts get to know which farm to go next. To our shock, we found that the global organic movement is so vast and well networked. http://www.wwoofindia.org/home.htm

After this enlightening visit to Sukrushi Farm, I was converted into an organic enthusiast. Yes, now I wear khadi kurthas and hobnob with the pseudo intellectuals!

– Factfile –

Location – Marasarahalli, on the way to Kunigal

Best time to visit – Weekends after summer rain

Contact – H R Jayaram – hrjorgfarmer@yahoo.com

Images

https://www.flickr.com/photos/greenpathstream/page1/

15 Best Happy Birthday Wishes For Husband

By

Caleidoscope

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March 16, 2010

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All the bonds of life are related by blood, but one bond which is the purest and the most beautiful is bonded by heart and trust. It is none other than with your life partner. And a husband always completes his wife the way she does him. And on his special day, the words come directly from the heart and gets engraved in the soul. Down below you will find a list of some heart winning birthday wishes for your husband.

If you want you can also create a happy birthday video for your husband including these wishes which are listed below –

1. Dear husband you completed my life with love and companionship. So on your special day this wish comes directly from my heart, may your days be full of love sunshine, and your nights a soft sparkling with the spread of the joyous stars of our marriage. Wishing my man a very happy birthday.

2. Sometimes i fail to express my love to you but on this day here is a heart full of love, a soul full of warmth and affection and my arms always ready to wrap you with memories. A very happy birthday my darling.

3. My darling honey you are not just the man of my life but also the hero of my dreams, and unknowingly you have filled my heart fully. So on your special day just to say i love you till the moon, and a very happy birthday.

4. The world may think you to be a tough man, but the inner child within is only preserved for me. So just to let you know this soft side of yours is safe with me and on your birthday you are just loved and wished abundance of happiness.

5. Like the planets revolve around the warmth of the sun, we all revolve around you as you are the sun of our lives. So dear hubby a wish from the heart that you have a wonderful year ahead. Love you more today.

6. My darling husband on your special day here is a wish which comes directly from my heart to touch your soul. You are the rose of my garden of the heart, and you are the shining star on the wide sky of my life. Have a sparkling and fragrant birthday my honey bunny.

7. Withy the passing time each day i feel a fresh new spark of love burning in my heart for you as your companionship completes me every moment. Wishing a world of happiness and love my darling honey.

8. I thank you mom to give me his best precious son who has filled my empty life with love and family. So on your special day i wish you my love, commitment and companionship for eternity. Just be the way you are as you are special and unique.

9. I look up to you whenever i feel lost and cannot find my way back, as you are the guiding star of my life. Honey you make me complete, just remember to enjoy your special day although you are away from home, i am always with you.

10. You are the father of our children and the hero of my life, so just a small wish, happy 35th birthday so let’s rock the evening with friends and food.

11. The sky is spread as a vast platter to look up and dream with the wings of hope. In the same way you are the sky of love and affection in my life where i can fly with my wings of freedom and respect. Honey you make my life special so wishing you a world of success and happiness.

12. As the clocks tics 12 so many words are coming in my heart, but just one word love, covers all others. Wishing you a loving and peaceful birthday. Would be waiting with your favorite cake.,

13. In today’s world there is no guarantee of anything, but your love gives 100% guarantee of a beautiful future for eternity. So on your first birthday after our wedding i wish you a world full of love and companionship my love.

14. You are the dream which came true and now i can see it each day with open eyes. So wishing you a very happy and prosperous year ahead on this special day of yours.

15. My darling honey bunny just wishing you the happiest memories and moments of life with our togetherness. You are the rockstar of my life.

Now you have so many ways to wish happy birthday to your husband. You can use any one of these. I am sure you like these birthday messages, for more wishes you can visit Birthdayinspire.

Difference between Whisky and Scotch

By

Caleidoscope

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March 1, 2010

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One of the most asked question amongst newbies is what is difference between Whisky and Scotch. Although the answer to it is simple but it has got a lot of intricacies which one must know. Let us give you clarity on the difference then:

Key Differences

Scotch, as one might guess is related to Scotland. Basically, whisky that has been prepared, distilled and bottled in Scotland is called Scotch.
Whisky is used to describe the product created in any other part of the world. For e.g. Canada, Japan, India and Australia call their malted and grain spirits Whisky, whereas the Irish and Americans call it Whiskey.
Scotch Whisky is prepared using a mash that contains malted barley and other grains in varying quantities whereas Whisky or Whiskey in other countries often employ other grains or grain combinations to produce their spirits. The best Scotch whisky uses a significant amount of barley in their mash.
Scotch must be aged in an oak barrel and no colour is added while it is prepared. Initially scotch is transparent like water, the oak wood imparts its characteristic brown color.

To truly appreciate these differences, using the right whiskey glasses can enhance the experience by highlighting each drink’s unique qualities.

To settle this for once and all, here are some examples of Scotch and Whisky.

100 Pipers Scotch Whisky

100 pipers scotch whisky is a blended scotch whisky which is extremely popular in India, Thailand, Spain, Venezuela and Australia. This mean that 100 Pipers is aged, distilled and bottled in Scotland and is a mix of grains. It is also an awarded scotch as it received a Gold Medal at “The Asian Spirits Masters 2014”.

Sterling Reserve Blend 10

Sterling Reserve Blend 10 is owned by ABD distilleries and is a type of Indian whisky. It is a blend of scotch malts and Indian grain spirits; hence it cannot be called Scotch but just Whisky. The company claims the Whisky to be chill filtered and has as many as 10 tasting notes.

You can read about more Whisky Brands at The Whiskypedia portal which is like the Wikipedia for Whisky related information.