SEASONAL WIND

Monsoon

     The word “monsoon” is from the Arabic word "mausim", meaning season of winds, which is often applied to the seasonal reversals of the wind direction along the shores of the Indian Ocean and surrounding regions, especially in the Arabian Sea.

     Monsoon is a seasonal wind, which changes direction twice in a year, producing weather changes mainly in India and Southeast Asia. It blows from southwest to northeast from April to October and from the northeast to the southeast and southwest from October to April. This phenomenon is similar to land and sea breezes, but on a larger scale and affecting a vast area.

     The southwest monsoon first hits the Western Ghats of Kerala, making it the first state in India to get rains. The northeast or retreating monsoon pours over the East coast of India. India is heavily dependent on the monsoon for its agricultural production.

     No other country receives as much rain as India does during the monsoons. Unfortunately we have not yet learnt how to collect this vast quantity of water efficiently and much of it runs back into the seas. As a result if the monsoon fails in any year, many parts of the country have no reserves of water to fall back on and drought descends on the land.

     The scientific measurement of rainfall in India began in 1875, when the Indian Meteorological Department was set up. The rainfall measured is that which falls on the plains. Rainfall over hilly and mountainous regions and over the oceans is still not adequately measured.

     The first observatory in the country to record rainfall was Madras Observatory in 1793. The next to do so were the observatories at Colaba Mumbai in 1826 and Shimla in 1841.

LIGHT FIDELITY

 Li-Fi

     Li-Fi, short for Light Fidelity is a wireless communication technology similar to Wi-Fi. Li-Fi uses the visible light spectrum with the help of special LED bulbs for data transmission, while Wi-Fi uses radio waves.

     Professor Harold Haas from the University of Edinburgh introduced Li-Fi to the world in 2011. Since then, companies have been developing the technology.

How does Li-Fi work?

We all know that binary information is made up of 1's and 0's. Some may consider switching on the LED light as 1 and switching it off as 0. Flicking the light on and off at an imperceptibly fast speed will cause the data to transform into binary code, transmit in the form of light and then turn to data again in our computers or mobiles.

What are the advantages of Li-Fi?

As Li-Fi uses light, it can function without causing electromagnetic interference. Hence it is useful in electromagnetic sensitive areas like aircraft, hospitals or at nuclear power plants. Another advantage is that Li-Fi is 100 times faster than Wi-Fi with speeds of up to 100 Gbps.

What are the disadvantages of Li-Fi?

Li-Fi may be fast but it depends on light visibility, therefore if the path of light is blocked by an opaque surface then the connection will be cut-off. In other words Li-Fi can be used in one room only as light cannot travel through walls. But on the plus side, it is more secure. Also the installation costs are on the higher side although maintenance costs are lower than that of Wi-Fi.

     

LOKAMANYA

 Bal Gangadhar Tilak

(23 Jul 1856 ~ 1 Aug 1920)

     Bal Gangadhar Tilak was born at Mumbai and grew up in Ratnagiri until age 10, when his father, educator and noted grammarian, took a job in Pune. At Deccan College he earned bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and Sanskrit. He then studied law, receiving degree in 1879 from University of Bombay.

     He started teaching mathematics in a private school in Pune. He developed the institution into a university college after founding Deccan Education Society in 1884, which aimed at educating the masses, especially in English language. He and his associates considered English to be a powerful force for dissemination of liberal & democratic ideals.

     The life members of the society were expected to follow an ideal of selfless service, but when he learned that some members were keeping outside earnings for themselves, he resigned. He turned to task of awakening political consciousness through two weekly newspapers he owned and edited: "Kesari" published in Marathi and "The Mahratta", published in English

     Through those newspapers he became widely known for bitter criticisms of British rule and of those moderate nationalists who advocated social reforms along Western lines and political reforms along constitutional lines. He believed that social reform would only divert energy away from political struggle for independence.

     He sought to widen popularity of the nationalist movement by introducing Hindu religious symbolism and by invoking popular traditions of Maratha struggle against Muslim rule. He organised two important festivals, Ganesh Chaturthi in 1893 and Shivaji Jayanti in 1895.

     His activities brought conflict with  British government, which prosecuted him for sedition and sent him to jail in 1897. The trial and sentence earned him the title Lokamanya. He was released after 18 months.

     When Lord Curzon, viceroy of India, partitioned Bengal in 1905, Tilak strongly supported Bengali demand for annulment of partition and advocated a boycott of British goods, which soon became a movement that swept the nation. The following year he set forth a program of passive resistance, known as the Tenets of the New Party, that he hoped would destroy British rule and prepare the people for sacrifice in order to gain independence.

     His approach was strong fare for the moderate Indian National Congress. He aimed at swarajya (independence), not piecemeal reforms & attempted to persuade Congress to adopt his militant program. He clashed with the moderates during the party’s session at Surat in 1907 that resulted in the party split.

     Taking advantage of the division, the government again prosecuted Tilak on a charge of sedition and inciting terrorism and deported him to Mandalay, Burma, to serve a 6-year prison sentence. Here he wrote his magnum opus: Gita Rahasya.

     Earlier, in 1893, he had published The Orion; or, Researches into the Antiquity of the Vedas and a decade later, The Arctic Home in the Vedas. Both works were intended to promote Hindu culture as the successor to Vedic religion.

     On release in 1914, on eve of World War I, he again plunged into politics. He launched Home Rule League with rousing slogan 'Swarajya is my birthright and I shall have it' (Annie Besant also established an organisation with the same name at same time).

     In 1916 he rejoined Congress and signed historic Lucknow Pact, a Hindu-Muslim accord, with Mohammed Ali Jinnah. He visited England in 1918 as president of Indian Home Rule League. He realised that Labour Party was a growing force in British politics, and established firm relationships with its leaders.

     He returned home in late 1919 to attend the meeting of Congress Party at Amritsar. He advised delegates to follow policy of 'responsive cooperation' in carrying out the reforms, which introduced a certain degree of Indian participation in regional government. 

     He and Lala Lajpat Rai were instrumental in founding of All India Trade Union Congress. AITUC itself was part of the workmen struggle to demand a 10-hour working day and dearness allowance that brought together a wide spectrum of workers.

     He died before he could give the new reforms a decisive direction. In tributes, Gandhi called him 'Maker of Modern India' and Nehru described him as 'Father of the Indian Revolution'.

Lokamanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak will be always remembered as a scholar, mathematician, writer, editor, journalist, and most important as a freedom fighter.

 

PARABLE OF THE SHOE SALESMAN

 Adversities can be opportunities

     Two salesmen were sent to two different parts of the country by a shoe-manufacturing firm. The first man noticed that nobody in the area wore shoes. Disappointed, he sent a message to his manager, saying, "Nobody in this part of the country wears shoes. Hence no scope for selling shoes here."

     The second salesman also noticed the same reality, but was highly motivated by it. He sent a message to his manager informing, "Nobody in this part of the country wears shoes. Therefore, there is tremendous scope for our products. Dispatch the whole lot immediately."

     Like the two salesmen in the story, we all look out for opportunities. Most of us, like the first salesman, complain that there are no chances to promote our products, failing to notice and take advantage of the immense openings and opportunities around us, though we, in fact, live in an ocean of vast opportunities. However, we need a genuine desire as well as an open and inquisitive mind to find these prospects and utilize them.

     We must look out for opportunities and not wait for them to come and knock our door. It is said that heroes extract gold from opportunities in hand, rather than waiting for golden opportunities to be handed to them. We have to be optimistic. We must strive to turn adversities into opportunities and pursue our goals with passion. This will enable us to face challenges and succeed even in the most hostile situations.

CRUM'S CRISP FRIES

Potato chips

     In the late 19th century, New Yorkers would throng Moon's Lake House at Saratoga Springs to eat the potato fries that Chef George Crum made.

     So it came as a surprise to Crum when one day a customer complained that his fries were too thick.

     To please the customer, Crum sliced the potatoes thin but the customer continued to complain that the fries were not to his satisfaction. Finally in exasperation, Crum sliced the potatoes so thin that they couldn't be eaten with a fork. To his utter surprise, the customer loved them.

     Crum's crisp fries are what we call potato chips today.

JAPANESE ART OF FLOWER ARRANGEMENT

  Ikebana

     Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. The term Ikebana comes from two Japanese words Ikru, meaning ‘to live’ and hana, meaning ‘flowers’.

     The flowers are used in odd numbers and placed in an asymmetrical triangle. The length of the flowers in the arrangement is proportionate to the vase. Three main lengths are used to signify man, earth and heaven. The angle at which each flower is placed is different to provide rhythm and movement to the arrangement. 

     Once the basic techniques are mastered, one is free to express oneself using plant materials like branches, barks, leaves, grass, moss, flowers, fruits or even seeds. The arrangement can be made on a platter, a vase, a cup, a wine glass or on anything that catches one’s fancy.

     What makes Ikebana different from other flower arrangements is its asymmetrical composition, the use of ‘empty’ space and lack of clutter. 'Less' is regarded as 'plenty'. One can create a beautiful arrangement with just one flower.

     Ikebana brings one close to nature. One gets to know the feel and texture of various flowers and the seasons when they are in bloom. The art instills patience and discipline and is a good stress buster, especially when one is bogged down by homework and studies. It teaches one to be in the present, and as an arrangement does not last long, one learns not to become attached to things. 

     Last but not the least, when one realises that one can create a good Ikebana arrangement with only a few flowers, one understands that it is possible to have a good life with only a few possessions.

AN IMPORTANT PROCESS IN FLOWERING PLANTS

 Pollination

     Did you know that some of the delicious fruits you enjoy are the result of the hard work put in by a tiny insect?  

     Pollen is a fine powdery yellow substance produced by flowers. The pollen from one flower has to be transported to another flower of the same species for fertilisation tooccur. A few plants disperse their pollen, aided by the wind. Aquatic plants float their pollen on water, but most plants depend on animal couriers. Mangoes, peaches, apples and a host of other fruits and vegetables are pollinated by bees and other insects such as wasps, moths, butterflies, flies, birds and even mammals like bats. In fact, some plants and their pollinators are so mutually dependent that one cannot live without the other!

Trick and Treat: Flowering plants have a number of lures to attract pollinators. Dazzling colours, heady fragrances, loads of sugary nectar and convenient perches are a few of them. Plants have also adapted their arsenals to suit the creatures visiting them. Blooms pollinated by nocturnal moths are white, large, showy and sweetly scented. They also have lots of nectar. Flowers pollinated by bats are flamboyant, and white or light-coloured since their visitors are nocturnal like the moths. Flowers that attract bees are usually yellow, blue and purple.

The Real Deal: There are 20,000 different species of bees! Of course, not all of them pollinate crops valuable to us. However, nearly three fourths of crop species that provide us food are bee-pollinated. A few among these are almond, cocoa, coffee, strawberries, avocado, mango, kiwi fruit, cashew, onions and tomatoes. 

     Pollination-dependent crops are five times as valuable as those that do not need pollination—their produce is worth between US$235 and US$577 billion a year. The volume of agricultural production dependent on pollinators has increased by 300 per cent in the last 50 years. 

  Wild pollinators: Wild pollinators are twice as effective as honeybees which have been raised for this purpose (known as ‘managed’ honeybees). The fruits and seeds are superior in every way, including nutrition, and the yield is much greater. Commercial apiaries (an apiary raises bees on a large scale) not only produce honey and beeswax, but also rent out their hives to farmers for pollination. For instance, California’s almond farms require almost a million beehives for pollination! The Latest Buzz: There has been a drastic decline in the population of wild bees and other wild pollinators. Not only have their habitats been degraded or destroyed, climate change has also had a devastating effect. Rising temperatures and extreme weather events have led plants to bloom at odd times when pollinators are absent or few, depriving the plants of fertilisation and the pollinators of food when they need it! Intensive agriculture (growing just one crop at a time) and the widespread use of pesticides have also led to a decrease in wild pollinators.

World Bee Day: Anton Janša is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern apiculture. 

     Janša was born in 1734 in Slovenia. His family owned more than a hundred beehives, so although he was a talented painter, he took up professional beekeeping. He designed a new beehive, perfected the techniques of producing honey and wrote books on apiculture. The United Nations decided to observe Janša’s birthday on 20 May as World Bee Day in 2017.

FACT FILE:

◆ The paw-paw, a fruit native to the US, depends on flies for pollination. Farmers hang rotten meat from the tree to draw in even more of them.

◆ Bats pollinate more than 300 species of fruit-bearing plants, including mangoes, bananas and guavas.

◆ Colony Collapse Disorder is a phenomenon affecting honeybee colonies in commercial apiaries. The colony suddenly dies with no healthy adult bees remaining. The bees leave the hive to collect nectar and pollen but never return.

◆ Plants can be pollinated by hand when there is a lack of natural pollinators. The pollen is transferred manually from the stamen of one flower to the pistil of another, using a cotton swab or small brush.