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Buddhist holocaust of Kerala by Manju Edangam Nothing Sacred; Nothing Innate

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 14:48:00 +0000

Buddhist holocaust of Kerala
Saturday, July 15, 2006

In India, every person has had a glorious past. Glorious Vedic, Buddhist, Dravida and probably non-patriarchal past. I will restrict myself to Buddhist past of Kerala.

Just other day, I came across a comment that Buddhists were all holocausted in Kerala. Since this part of the history is a constructed from archeological evidences and not recorded in the history, in print or in visual media, I think I can question this without being labelled as a holocaust denier.

I do have serious problems with glorious Buddhist past theory. Whenever, some of the propagandists from Kerala portray Buddhism as something secular, egalitarian and noble, I laugh. Just show that to me in the past Sri Lankan society.

Malayalee society before 7th century:

It seems Malayalees became agrarian society around 7th century CE. Well, Kerala society existed even before that. So what could have been the main communities of Proto-Malayalees. I can think of only tribals and fishermen. Tribals, could be spirit worshipers or shamans. What about fishermen, probably idol worshipers, worshiping the goddess of the sea and probably Tantriks. So what happens when Buddhist preachers visit such a society? For that, we have to understand the spread of Buddhism in pure Shamanist Tibetan society.

Shamans and Buddhism:

A member at Quetzalcoatl Anthropology forum mentioned that Tibetans got Shamanic religion from Burushos which was later supplanted by Buddhists from South Asia (Or is it from China, I forgot). Initially, Shaman priests were barred from practicing the religion. However, Buddhism being more egalitarian when it comes to education these Shamanist priests could merge their religion and could give rise to a synthesis of Buddhism and Shamanism, claiming back their priestly position. So there is no relation with Buddhism and Shamanism.

Tantriks and Buddhism in Kerala:

Among fishermen and tribals who could be the most advanced community? I think it should be fishermen. Just as in Tibet, the Tantrik fishermen also got educated because of Buddhism. However, unlike Tibet their Tantrik religion remained dominant and Buddha was lost. Again there is no relationship between Buddhism and Tantra.

South Indian society and religious wars:

In South India, many rulers were Jains until probably 12-13th century. The most of the religious wars were between Jains and Saivites(in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka) and between Jains and Buddhists(in Andhra Pradesh). At least, these were recorded in the history. I don't have any idea if any Andhra Pradesh Brahmins are known as Tantris. So I am not sure what happened to Buddhists of Andhra Pradesh. Since Jains were mostly rulers and elite in all of the South Indian society their numbers remained small or they were absorbed into Vishnuism of later centuries(as both had common enemies in Saivas). It should be noted here that Buddhists were never rulers of South Indian society.

Kerala Buddhists or most probably only Tantriks:

I don't think Tantriks of Kerala knew the story of Pushyamitra Shunga of 2nd century BCE. Also, since I don't believe Buddhists were ever rulers of Kerala society those Tantriks had any identity. The rulers could be mostly from the Shamanic tribals. As Vaidiks migrated to Kerala society something happened and all the Tantriks got merged with them. Of course, just like those Shamanist priests of Tibet, they continued to control the temples of Kerala but changing its character. I believe there could be a Jain holocaust in South India(which again I don't believe) but never Buddhist holocaust.

Reference:

1. Pattars in Kerala society. From the article;

They(Tamil Brahmins) held themselves higher than Malabar Brahmins and Namboothiris, who they say sprang from fisherman elevated to Brahminical dignity by Parusuraman.

Breast Cloth Struggles in Kerala: Nanjinad to Talapally by Ajaysekhar in Margins

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Sat, 15 Oct 2016 10:21:00 +0000

Breast Cloth Struggles in Kerala: Nanjinad to Talapally

July 27th, 2013 Cultural Politics

V Lakshmikutty (1911-2013) in 1952 at the time of the breast cloth struggle in Velur, Thrissur and three years ago as she turned 100.

Women in Kerala especially Avarna or dalitbahujan women were forced to uncover their breasts in public by the caste feudal lords for more than a millennium as a symbolic humiliating bodily practice reinstating caste and gender hierarchy. This dehumanizing practice that followed genocidal violence came to currency around the 8th century when Brahmanic Hinduism was established here subverting Buddhism through a hegemonic nexus between patriarchal priestocracy and the militia clans and continued up to the 20th century. Brahmanic patriarchy and its Savarna subservient Sudra foot soldiers were maintaining this inhuman convention in the name of the Sanatana Hindu religion and its sacred purity tradition with bloody repression and violence for all these 1200 years at least with regional variations.

This heinous Hindu caste practice came to an end in Nanjinad in south Travancore in mid 19th century with the colonial missionary interventions that contributed to the Nadar rebellion that transformed Travancore challenging Savarna power and absolute hegemony for the first time in the modern times. The cultural ground work of Ayya Vaikuntan, Narayana Guru and Ayyankali was inseparable from this social protest and reform possibility. The people following the ethical and egalitarian traditions of Buddhism and Jainism were expelled as untouchables and slaves. Humiliation was made ritualisticallypublic and a performative social practice in every day life through unimaginable shaming practices like exposing the breasts before the caste lords. The Avarna in general were prohibited from wearing decent cloths and using decent language. The caste system was inscribed deep into cultural codes through the manipulation of various domestic practices including food, ornaments, cloths and even sexuality and body.

Caste lords specifically Nair Pattalam and Savarna goons violating the honour of Avarna women in public: Channar Woman by Chitrakaran T Murali

It was a religious and partly ethnic conflict that infuriated the Bhudevas, the earthly gods or the Brahman and their menial mindless doggedly henchmen the Sudra who cheated their own brothers and women in search of the Vedic wisdom of Brahmanism. The Avarnas who where thus expelled outside the Varna system because they adhered to their ancient Buddhist egalitarian anti caste values that date back to BC fourth century in Kerala, never accepted the caste ideology of Brahmanism and its purity-pollution riddles and never opened up their households for the high priests for inhuman Manipravala sexual slavery. The local elites who provided sexual colonies and militia services to the priests were thus upgraded and reloaded as the Sudra, the fourth Varna. These Sudra or Kanakar where protecting the Varna Dharma by killing and dying with the sword and spear till the Kerala renaissance social revolutions in late 19th and early 20th century changed society and polity following the western evangelical intervention.

Though this practice of systematic public shaming ended in Travancore in late 19th century and early 20th century in Cochin through the historic struggles of the subaltern; it continued even up to the second half of 20th century in Malabar. In Thrissur district in Talapally taluk this caste practice sustained even after the Indian independence. In 1952 Velathu Lakshmikutty (1911-2013) a brave Avarna woman belonging to the Ezhava community was instrumental in leading the agitation to end it. In the Manimalarkavu temple in Velur just a few miles east of Kechery in Thrissur, Avarna women were forced to parade exposing their breasts as a religious festival ritual by the Nair caste lords of the Thazhekad petty kingdom who controlled the shrine that was originally a Buddhist shrine before the early middle ages. The taluk now skewed as Talpilly was originally called Talapally the head Vihara or the leading Pally, that clearly distinguishes the region as Buddhist before Brahmanism was established in the 8th or 10th century here.

Lakshmikutty the defiant Avarna crusader against Brahmanic Patriarchy and its inhuman dictates on the gendered subaltern body, led a procession of Avarna women who were decently dressed and challenged the caste Nair lords and their Brahman paternal priests by breaking their one millennium old cultural taboos. The Avarna renaissance organizations and the forming communist party workers mostly dalitbahujans, where there to resist the casteist aggression form the Savarna males. This historic assertion of human rights and women dignity by Avarna women, organized and led and materialized by Avarna women and men is not yet textualized in Kerala history. It is also a shocking fact for Kerala and its social history as it exposes the reality of caste humiliations continuing in constitutional India even after independence. It also explodes the myth that caste feudalism and Brahmanic patriarchy ended in Malabar with the Mysore occupation in early 18th century.

Velathu Lakshmikutty (1911-2013) at 103. Photo: The Hindu

Such subversive trajectories of subaltern women movements are all the more important in the present where the same elite Manipravala forces the covert Savarna status quoists in the regime are corrupting and ruining democracy through the creation of a parallel government colonizing the secretariat with sexy sirens with caste tags and tails attached. A Savarna caste tail would give any one access to the CM’s chamber or the cockpit of a flying passenger aircraft. Brahmanism and Brahmanic ancestral claims are growing not just among the Savarna Hindus but among some of the OBCs and even Syrian Christians and elitist power groups within Muslims in Kerala.

Collective amnesia regarding key aspects of subaltern social struggle and protest that created modern Kerala and the Kerala renaissance or indigenous democratic model is proving to be fatal. The ex caste lords are pepping up their dark age caste surnames to get into ‘key positions’ in the regime and the growing Hinduization discourses and Ramayana propaganda even in the official media especially on AIR and DD are enslaving the minds of the dalitbahujan and persuading them to imitate and follow their immediate caste superiors, the Sudra in the true Varnasrama Dharma fashion. Only Gandhi who wrote and published a defense of the same would be happy with this and the neo Gandhians like Anna and Kejariwal; and neo Nationalists in the Siv, Sriram Senas who are presenting and remixing Na Mo as the new Rambo and neo Rama the savior of India, the Virat and Vikas Purush (cosmic developmental Man) would be happier soon.

Go to Hindu news on the demise of V Lakshmikutty

Courtesy: Information and Photos: Margins a blog Ajaysekhar

Buddhism in Kerala by Ajaysekhar Margins January 3, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 06:49:00 +0000

Buddhism in Kerala

January 3rd, 2010

Buddha Sculpture at Mavelikara

The Buddha idols of Mavelikara and Karumadi in south Kerala are now well known all over the world. Today we see plenty of relics and ravages related to Buddhism and the Sramana tradition in Kerala scattered all over the state. Architectural and sculptural reminiscences are numerous apart from the vital linguistic and cultural imprints like the abundance of Pali (the ancient Buddhist Bahujan language) words in the present south Indian regional languages.

Karumady Kuttan: Half destroyed Buddha idol in Karumady near Ambalapuzha

The state is also known for the educational and health care achievements apart from its universal literacy. All these human development indicators are not just the product of 20th century evangelical Christian missionary activities and state welfare schemes but the lasting legacy of Buddhism, the democratic, egalitarian and inclusive way of living that shaped the cultural contours of Kerala from B C 3rd century to A D 13th century.

Nilamperur Pally temple: Converted to Hindu after Pallybana Perumal

Kerala is also known for its progressive left and democratic politics. This grass root level democracy and collective struggles of subaltern people are also a reminiscence of Buddhism that was the first missionary yet peaceful religion that welcomed women and outcastes to the mainstream community. The people or Bahujans who were defiant to Hindu Brahmanism after the destruction of Buddhism by Brahmanism were condemned as untouchable Chandals as outside the Brahmanic Hindu Chatur Varnayam after the devastation of Sramana tradition in Kerala. These Chandals or untouchable Buhujan masses were and still are the agents of Kerala social revolution or renaissance under the aegis of various radical social rebellions like the Narayana Guru movement, Ayyankali movement, Sahodara movement and various other progressive left and democratic processes in Kerala..

Buddhist Pagoda Shrine housing Karumady Kuttan, built by Dalai Lama

According to researchers, historians and thinkers like P C Alexander, P K Gopalakrishnan, Pavanan, Puthussery Ramachandran, Aju Narayanan etc. Buddhism was introduced in Kerala in the B C third century itself by the missionaries of emperor Asoka on their way down south to Sri Lanka which still is a Buddhist country. Jainism and Ajivaka philosophy also co-existed with Buddhism creating the great Sramana civilization of the South that has given birth to cultural classics like The Thirukural, Silapatikaram, Manimekhala and the whole canon of Sangham writing. The Buddhist, Jain and Ajivaka seers introduced the Brahmi script and the art of writing in South India. All the early inscriptions now available are written in Brahmi script in Tamil language. The ancient Tamilakam or Tamil country was a treasure house of Sramana heritage.

A fake Gandhara Buddha in Mattaanchery antique market

Almost all the current Savarna Hindu temples in Kerala are modified Buddhist or Jain temples by coveted Brahmanism and its Padaja (Sudra or subservient Varna) forces. The brutal persecution of Buddhist monks/nuns and conversion of temples happened in eighth and ninth centuries under the leadership of Sankara the furious advocate of Brahmanical propaganda and violence. He argued with other religious scholars, defeated them verbally and annihilated them and their religion forever. His brutal followers and henchmen like Vramila Bhatta converted the seat of the defeated to that of Hindu Brahmanical temples with extended support from ruling classes. He is also called Prachanna (pseudo) Buddha as he modified and disguised Buddha’s Sunyavada (rational theory) into the empire of the.

Brahmanic self, the Advaita ‘theory’ that reiterated and enforced caste division and hierarchy with a peripheral and cunning shroud of unity that cheated the masses. Thirumulla Varam, Thottappally, Podiyil Mala, Sabarimala, Kodungallur, Thrissur, Kottakkal, Madappally and Bekal were world renowned Buddhist shrines of worship, learning, health care and nature conservation. In places like Mathilakam and Kiliroor there were even Buddhist and Jian universities and Research centres in Kerala in the early centuries of the first millennium that attracted intellectuals and students from all over the world.

Karunagapally Buddha is claimed to be much older than Archeology Dept. says. Aju Narayanan argues that it is made out of a monolith in 8th century

Pally is still the most popular affix used along with place, plot and family names in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra. The Pali word Pally means a non Hindu/ Brahmanic place of worship. In the ancient times it denoted a Jain or Buddhist shrine. Buddhism guided culture and society in the south for more than a millennium. It was erased from Kerala through the barbaric and coveted Brahmanic invasion that happened from the fifth to eighth centuries under cruel and reckless royal patronage and usurpation with power.

Images and records of Buddhist persecution by the Brahmanic barbarians are still available in Kerala in the form of stone carved images, local subaltern orature and secret lore (Valath). The Hindu Brahmanic colonists burned the Pali canon and the sacred texts and knowledge systems of Buddhism in Kerala. These nomadic Aryans from the Vedic and Sanskritic clans of West and Central Asia introduced Sanskrit and Hindu religion in the South Indian Kingdoms. They found leverage in royal patronage through cunning usurpation and cheat. The legend of Onam and Maha Bali still articulates the historic deceit of Buddhist Bahujan culture by the Brahman dwarfs. Poets like Sahodaran Ayyappan has extensively written about the internal imperialism of Hindu Brahmanism in Kerala.

Vadayar Attuvela: A relic of Buddhist past

The Brahmans created the notorious sexual colonies among the Sudra women and used their male counterparts as foot soldiers who ensured the caste and Varna system, the practice of untoucahbility and pollution. The Sudras in return were given land and titles (as Nayar, Panikar, Thampy, Unni, Kaimal, Kurup, Menon etc.)with which they suppressed the local defiant untoucahable people having Buddhist lineage with bloody hands and weapons. These foot soldiers and menial hands of Brahmansim were absorbed to the Chatur Varnyam (fourfold Varna stratification of Brahmanical imagiNation comprising of Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaisya and Sudra) as the fourth and last Varna, the Sudra. The vast majority of people, the Dalit Bahujans were outside the cultural geography of Brahmanism as Chandals and Mlechas, as they are the former Buddhist and Jain population.

Perinjanam Pallyil Bhagavati temple north of Kodungallur. The first installation by Pallyvanar in early 16th century. Goddess became prominent here as well.

The Nayar dominance in Kerala history began in the middle ages with large scale Brahman settlements and militarization and still holds sway though they also want to be declared as a backward community now, as they still relish absolute power! According to state commission reports this power elites and historically advantageous group having less than 15 percent of Kerala’s population enjoy more than 32 percent share in government jobs. In higher education and universities it is more than 48 and in private owned print media and visual media it is almost 90 percent. Imagine the extent of Savarna Nayar hegemony in Kerala even today!

Sastha idol recovered from Cherthala. Dharma Sastha is a synonym for the Buddha and is clearly related to pre Brahmanic traditions, Krishnapuram palace museum, Kayamkulam

These henchmen of Brahmanism who cheated and killed their Buddhist, Ajivaka and Jain brethren to enforce Brahmanic caste and did the work of pimps by fetching their own women for the Brahmanic high priests with all the shameless pride of getting an elite alliance; are now hailed as the Samurais of Kerala by some fascist spokesmen of elitism who thrive in popular cinema and culture. This historical mediating middllemen are still the advocates of Gita classes, Veda and Vedantic obscurantism in Kerala and outside! They are the orchestrators of Hindu hegemonic discourses and the power heads of the Parivar forces all over the country allying with the Neo Kshatriya aspirants. They are also Hinduizing the Bahujan masses who are attracted to power and chauvinist social status! They need the numbers of Hinduized Bahujans for their pseudo majoritarian and fascist politics. It is an absurdity of history that some of them even today boast about their Brahmanical wedlock which was stopped just a few decades ago!

This Brahman – Sudra alliance or infamous Sambandham gave birth to the Manipravalam literature, the new Malayam-Tamil and later Malayalam and the Savarna elite culture of Kerala in the dark and dubious middle ages that Sanskritized and Hinduized Kerala elites and a lot of people. Even Syrian Christians boast about their Brahmanical connections more than 2000 (?!) years after conversion! Actually there were no Brahmins in the south in the A D first century! Then how could St. Thomas convert those absent Brahmans to Christianity? The coveted Brahmans came to Kerala only in the 4th or 5th century or later.

The power of Brahmanism and Hindu hegemonic discourse is that much tangible and an everyday reality in Kerala and India. This hidden Savarna elitism is the real culprit behind all the fascist pogroms and genocides in post Independent India. All the minority religions in Inida and Kerala like Jews, Muslisms and Christians still use the Pali word Pally to refer to their place of worship along with Jains and Buddhists in the south. Buddhism is making a second coming as an ethical philosophy and eco-spiritual alternative way of life all over the world and in India and Kerala in particular.

Smiling Buddha at Pallykal Bharanikavu, Kayamkulam

The historic affiliation to Buddhism in the philosophy and praxis of Narayana Guru the seer of Kerala modernity, his disciples and intellectuals like C V Kunhiraman, Asan, Sahodaran Ayyappan and now the new Ambedkarite Dalit movement in Kerala are significant. Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s illuminating subaltern hermeneutics of Buddhism in his masterpiece Bddha and his Dharma are also instrumental in the second rebellion of Buddhism against caste Brahmanism and social exclusion. Plenty of radical scholars and organic intellectuals in India and Kerala are now working on Buddhism like Gail Omvedt herself. It could be well assumed that Buddhism is emerging as the cultural and ethical alternative of the present and future all over the world and particularly in Kerala. The Bahujans in Kerala who lost their true Sramana legacy in the onslaught of Hindu Brahmanic internal imperialism are now recovering from the calamity of Brahmanism and its burden and looking forward to alternative paradigms and new ways of living.

Reference

Alexander, P C. Buddhism in Kerala.
Gopalakrishnan, P K. Keralthinte Samskarika Charithram. Tvm: Kerala Bhasha Institute, 2001.
Omvedt, Gail. Buddhism in India: Challenging Brahmanism and Caste New Delhi: Sage, 2007.
Pavanan. Baudhaswadheenam Keralathil. Tvm: Kerala Bhasha Institute, 2008.
Ambedkar, B R. Buddha and his Dhamma. Bombay: Govt. of Maharashtra, 1980.
Valath, V V K. Keralathile Sthala Charithrangal: Ernakulam Jilla. Thrissur: Kerala Sahitya Academy, 2001.
—, Thrissur Jilla,Thrissur: Kerala Sahitya Academy, 2001.
—, Thiruvananthapuram Jilla, Thrissur: Kerala Sahitya Academy, 2001.
Narayanan, Aju. Keralathile Buddhamatha Samskaram. Thrissur: Current/Tapasam, 2005

Generation of spoiled idiots (அ) வாழ்க பாரதம், வளர்க தமிழ்நாடு கொழந்த's blog

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:26:00 +0000

Generation of spoiled idiots (அ) வாழ்க பாரதம், வளர்க தமிழ்நாடு in கொழந்த's blog Wednesday, September 21, 2016.

காவிரி நீரை பங்கிடுவதில் 1800 ஆண்டுகளிலே தொடங்கி சிக்கல் இருந்துள்ளது. பலகட்ட பேச்சுவார்த்தையைத் தொடர்ந்து 1892 ஆம் ஆண்டு அன்றைய சென்னை மாகாணத்திற்கும் (மெட்ராஸ் புரோவின்ஸ்), மைசூர் மாகாணத்திற்கும் (மைசூர் புரோவின்ஸ்) நதிநீர்ப் பங்கீடு ஒப்பந்தம் கையெழுத்தானது. தொடர்ந்து 1924 ஆம் ஆண்டு மீண்டும் ஒரு ஒப்பந்தம் கையெழுத்தானது.

மொழிவாரி மாநிலங்களாக தமிழ்நாடும், கர்நாடகாவும் உருவானது. இதன் பின்னர் காவிரி நதிநீர் பங்கீட்டுப் பிரச்னை தீவிரமடைந்தது. 1976ம் ஆண்டு ஆகஸ்ட் மாதத்தில் இரு மாநில அரசுகளும் ஒரு புதிய ஒப்பந்தத்தை ஏற்படுத்தின. எனினும் பிரச்னைக்கு தீர்வு எட்டப்படாத நிலையில் 1983ல் நீதிமன்றத்தில் வழக்கு தொடரப்பட்டது.

தமிழகத்தின் நீண்ட நாள் கோரிக்கையை ஏற்று 1990ம் ஆண்டு காவிரி நடுவர் மன்றத்தை அமைக்க உச்சநீதிமன்றம் உத்தரவிட்டது. காவிரிப் பிரச்னையை விசாரித்த நடுவர் மன்றம், 1991ம் ஆண்டு ஜூன் 25ம் தேதி இடைக்காலத் தீர்ப்பு ஒன்றை வெளியிட்டது. அதன்படி, கர்நாடக மாநிலம் ஆண்டுக்கு 205 டி.எம்.சி தண்ணீர் வழங்க வேண்டும் என்றும், கர்நாடகா தனது பாசனப் பரப்பை 11 புள்ளி 2 லட்சம் ஏக்கருக்கு மேல் விரிவுபடுத்தக் கூடாது என்றும் கூறப்பட்டது. மழை பொய்த்து போகும் காலங்களில் எல்லாம், தண்ணீரைத் திறந்து விட வேண்டும் என்று தமிழக அரசு வலியுறுத்துவதும், தங்களது தேவையை பூர்த்தி செய்யவே போதுமான தண்ணீர் இல்லை என்று கூறி கர்நாடகா கைவிரிப்பதும் தொடர்கதையானது. இந்நிலையில் காவிரி நதிநீர் பங்கீடு தொடர்பாக, கர்நாடகா மற்றும் தமிழகத்தில் போராட்டங்களும், வன்முறைகளும் நடந்து வருகின்றன. தற்போது கர்நாடகாவில் நடந்து வரும் பந்த் மற்றும் மறியல் போராட்டங்கள் வன்முறையாளர்கள் கைக்கு போய்விட்டது. வன்முறை கட்டவிழ்த்து விடப்பட்டது. பெங்களூர் வாழ் தமிழர்கள் மிகுந்த அவதிக்குள்ளானார்கள். கடைகள், சொகுசு பேரூந்துகள் அடித்து நொறுக்கப்பட்டும் தீயிட்டும் கொளுத்தப்பட்டன. சட்டம் ஒழுங்குப பிரச்சினை பற்றி பேசப்பட்டது.

இந்நிலையில் கொழந்தைஸ் பிளாக்கில் வெளியான Generation of spoiled idiots (அ) வாழ்க பாரதம், வளர்க தமிழ்நாடு கொழந்த's blog என்ற கட்டுரை நதிநீர் பற்றி வலுவான விழிப்புணர்வினை ஏற்படுத்தும் என்பது திண்ணம். படித்து உங்கள் கருத்துக்களை பகிரலாமே!

எதற்கெடுத்தாலும் உணர்ச்சிவசப்படுவதே தமிழர் மரபு. ஒரு வீடியோவையே இதற்காக வேலைமெனக்கெட்டு அப்லோட் செய்துள்ளேன். இந்த காவிரி பிரச்சனையில்(கிட்டத்தட்ட எல்லா பிரச்சனைகளுக்கும்) பெருவாரியாக எழுப்பப்படும் கோஷங்களில் ஒன்று - தமிழர்கள் வஞ்சிக்கப்படுகிறார்கள். தமிழ்நாடு என்றொரு மாநிலமே இல்லை; அட...இதை சௌராஷ்டிரநாடு என்று வைத்துக்கொள்வோம். இப்பொழுது இருக்கும் பிரச்சனைகள் அப்பொழுதும் இல்லாமலா போய்விடும். இலங்கை நண்பர் ஒருவர்கூட - எங்கு போனாலும் தமிழர்கள் அடிவாங்கிக்கொண்டே இருக்க வேண்டியதுதானா - என்று ஸ்டேடஸ் போட்டிருந்தார். நண்பரே....இலங்கை தமிழர்கள் என்றில்லாமல், இலங்கை தெலுங்கர்களாக இருந்தாலும் இதேதான் நடந்திருக்கும். அடுத்தவனை நாசமாக்கப்பார்ப்பதெல்லாம் human traits. உலகம் முழுக்க உள்ளதுதானே. எப்படி, மைனா - invasive speciesஸோ, அதுபோல பல விஷயங்கள் defaultடாக நமது ஜீனில் உள்ளது. சரி, அவ்வளவு உத்தமர்களாக இருந்தால் - ஏன் ஒரு தரப்பு "தமிழன்" மட்டும் பீ அள்ளிக்கொண்டிருக்க வேண்டும் ? தமிழர்/திராவிடம் பேசும் எல்லாரிடமும் இந்தக்கேள்வியை கேட்டிருக்கிறேன். இதுவரை ஒருவர்கூட உருப்படியான மறுமொழி சொன்னதில்லை.

காவேரி - பூகோளரீதியாக நாம் இருக்கும் இடம், கர்னாடகா ethicalலாக நடந்துகொள்ள வேண்டும் என்பதையெல்லாம் விடுங்கள். நாம் நமது natural resourcesசை என்ன செய்து கொண்டிருக்கிறோம் ? இந்தப் பதிவின் நோக்கம் இதுமட்டுமே. நிலத்தடி நீர்வளம் - மலைகள் - ஆறுகள்/ஆற்றுப்படுக்கை, ஆற்று மண்.....ஒன்றைக்கூட விட்டுவைக்கவில்லை. அவ்வளவு தூரம் கெடுத்துவைத்திருக்கிறோம். இந்தரீதியில் போய்கொண்டிருந்தால் இன்னும் இருபது - முப்பதாண்டுகளில் பல்லி மூத்திரம் அளவிற்குதான் காவேரி ஓடிக்கொண்டிருக்கும்.

ஜல்லிக்கட்டு - இயற்கையின் பெருமையை போற்றுகிறது; தமிழர்களுக்கும் இயற்கைக்கும் உள்ள உறவை எடுத்துக்காட்டுகிறது என்றெல்லாம் வாய்சவடால் விடுகிறோமே....நாளுக்குநாள் இயற்கை வளங்கள் எல்லாம் குறைந்துகொண்டே போகிறதே. அதுபற்றி கொஞ்சமாவது உறுத்தல் இருக்கிறதா ? நிஜமாகவே இயற்கையின்மீது பிடிப்பிருந்தால் - இதையல்லவா முதலில் காப்பாற்ற வேண்டும். "Natural Resources Management"ல் தமிழர்கள் அறிவு. சூன்யம். பூஜ்யம். சைபர். எங்கு வேண்டுமென்றாலும் வந்து சொல்வேன். உடனே, "2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே...." என்று ஆரம்பிக்க வேண்டாம் ஐயா. 2000 ஆண்டுளுக்கு முன்பிருந்த மக்கள்தொகை வேறு; வாழ்க்கைமுறை வேறு; இத்தனை தொழிற்சாலைகள் இல்லை; இத்தனை கட்டிடங்கள் இல்லை; இத்தனை குழப்பங்கள் இல்லை; வாழ்க்கை இத்தனை சிக்கல் நிறைந்ததாக இல்லை; அப்போதிருந்த மலைகள் இல்லை; ஆறுகள் இல்லை. எல்லா மாறிவிட்டது. நிகழ்காலத்திற்கு வாருங்கள் ஐயா. தொட்டதற்கெல்லாம் "2000 ஆண்டுகுளுக்கு முன்பே தமிழன்..". Natural Resources Management - எந்த கட்சி ஆட்சிக்கு வந்தாலும் இதில் மட்டும் முன்னேற்றமேயில்லை. நண்பர் ஒருவர் Facebookல் போட்டிருந்தார் "சிவகாசி திருப்பூர் போன்ற நகரங்களில் கூட முன்பிருந்தது போன்ற தண்ணீர் பஞ்சம் இல்லையென்றால் திமுகாவின்" என்றாரம்பித்து ஒரு போஸ்ட் போட்டிருந்தார். ஒழுங்கான திட்டமிடல் இல்லாமல் இந்தப் பகுதியில் தண்ணீர் எடுத்ததன் விளவை கீழே - over exploited mapல் பார்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். Of course, தண்ணீர் ஒவ்வொருவருக்குமான உரிமை. அதை கொடுத்தேயாக வேண்டும். ஆனால், அந்தப் பக்கம் க்வாரி அனுமதி வழங்குவதில் ஆரம்பித்து - நீர்நிலைகளை முறையாக தூர்வாராமலிருந்தது - முறையற்ற போர்வேல்கள் - ஆற்றுபடுகைகளில் ஆக்கிரமிப்புகள் - குளம் குட்டை ஆக்கிரமிப்புகள் - மணல் மாஃபியா - திமுக/அதிமுக அரசுகள் பற்றி லிஸ்ட் போட்டுக்கொண்டே போகலாம்...விளைவு ? கீழே கொடுக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும் ரிபோர்ட்கள் அனைத்தையும் படியுங்கள். கையாலாகாத, ஊழல் நிறைந்த அரசும் + அதன் கட்டமைப்பும் பெருமளவில் இதற்கு காரணம் என்ற உண்மை, கொஞ்சமாவது உறைக்காவிட்டால்....கஷ்டம்.

போன வாரம் தமிழ்நாட்டில் - காவேரி விவசாயிகளுக்காக முழுகடையடைப்பு நடத்தினார்களே....லாரி உரிமையாளர்கள் எல்லாம் ஆக்ரோஷமாக பேசுவதை கேட்டேன் (அதே கோஷம் தான்....தமில்டா...தமிலர்கள்டா...விவசாயிகள்டா). ஐயா... தெரியாமல்தான் கேட்கிறேன். விவசாயிகள் மீது அவ்வளவு அக்கறையிருந்தால் திருட்டுமணலை எங்கள் லாரியில் அள்ளிக்கொண்டுபோக மாட்டோம் என்று முடிவுக்கு வருவதற்கென்ன ? ரயிலை மறிக்கும் ஆசாமிகள் எல்லாம் - காவேரி பேஸினில் நடைபெறும் அராஜகங்களை கண்டித்து - ஒருநாள் முழுக்க தமிழ்நாடு முழுக்க கடையடைப்பு/போராட்டம் நடத்தினால் என்ன ?

We have fucked up the whole system. Period. அதை சரி செய்யாமல், இந்தாண்டு தண்ணீர் கிடைக்கலாம்... அடுத்தாண்டு கிடைக்கலாம்..அதற்கடுத்து ? மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் மீண்டும் பலரும் எதிர்பார்ப்பது ஒரே விஷயம் தான். நமக்கு இன/மொழி பற்றாளர்களைவிட visionaries தான் தேவை. துரதிர்ஷ்டவசமாக நம்மிடம் அப்படி யாருமே இல்லை. 50 வருடங்கள் கழித்து தமிழ்நாட்டின் இயற்கை வளம் எப்படி இருக்கும் ? இந்த கேள்விக்கு இப்போதிருக்கும் அரசியல்வாதிகளுள் எத்தனைபேர் - முதலில் இந்த விஷயத்தின் முக்கியத்துவத்தை உணர்ந்திருக்க வேண்டுமே..அதுவே கஷ்டம் - தெளிவான பதில் வைத்திருப்பார்கள் என்று நினைக்கிறீர்கள் ? அரசியல்வாதிகளை விடுங்கள். நாம் என்ன தெரிந்து வைத்திருக்கிறோம் ? நமது தற்போதைய நிலைமை என்ன ? ஒருவேளை கடுமையான வறட்சி ஏற்படுகிறது...என்ன செய்வோம் ?. 1 லிட்டர் - 20 ரூபாய். 50 ரூபாயாகுகிறது - என்னால் வாங்க முடியும். 100 ரூபாய் - சமாளிக்க முடியும். ஆனால் அடிமட்டத்தில் இருக்குமாளுக்கு ? அடுத்த சந்ததியினருக்கு (இதற்குத்தானே ஐயா காதல் - கல்யாணம் - குழந்தை குட்டி - lifeல செட்டிலாகனும் - எல்லாம். அதற்கே ஆபத்தென்றால் ) என்ன பதில் வைத்திருக்கிறோம் ?

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1) சென்னைவாசிகளே, மற்ற இடங்களை விடுங்கள். உங்கள் ஏரியாவில் டிசம்பர் 2015ல் வெள்ளம் வந்திருந்தால் - பருவமழை ஆரம்பிக்க இன்னும் மூன்று மாதங்களே உள்ளன - அதை தடுக்க தற்போது என்ன மாதிரியான நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது... என்ன ஏது....எதாவது விசாரித்தீர்களா ?

2) Madhav Gadgil / Kasturirangan reports பற்றி என்ன நினைக்கிறீர்கள் ? (நாம நெனச்சு என்னாக போகுதுன்றீங்களா...)

3) உங்கள் வீட்டின் நிலத்தடிநீர் மட்டம் எத்தனை அடிகள் ? Over head tankல் boreலிருந்து தண்ணீர் நிரப்புவதில் முன்பிருந்ததைவிட - நேரத்தில் - வித்தியாசம் இருக்கிறதா ?

4) Cash cropsகள் என்னென்ன ? ஏன் அந்தப் பெயர் ?

5) Minimum Supportive Price(MSP) - அப்படியென்றால் ?

6) டேம்கள் கட்டுவதைப்பற்றி என்ன நினைக்கிறீர்கள் ? அதைவிட முக்கியமாக, "நதிகள் இணைப்பு" மாதிரியான விஷயங்கள் பற்றி...

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பூமியின் மொத்த நீரில், 97.4% கடல் நீர். மீதி 2.6% மட்டுமே நன்னீர். Freshwater. அந்த 2.6%டிலும் ஏறக்குறைய முக்கால்வாசி போலார் பகுதியில் இருக்கும் glaciers. எல்லாம் போக, ஆறுகளில் குளம் குட்டைகளில் இருக்கும் நீர் எவ்வளவு இருக்கும் ? இந்தப் படத்தில் இருக்கும் சின்ன bubble அளவிற்குத்தான். பெரிய bubble தான் அந்த 2.6%.

இந்த சின்ன bubble (freshwater)...இரண்டு வகைப்படும். Groundwater - Surface water. Ground water/Freshwater – கடல் – மழை – காடுகள் – மரங்கள் – உயிரினங்கள் – விவசாயம் – காவிரி – தமிழர்....எல்லாவற்றிக்கும் தொடர்ப்பிருக்கிறது. Complex cycle. அதனுடையே அருமை தெரியாமல் ரொம்பவும் அலட்சியமாக நடந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறோம். சில அடிப்படைகளை புரிந்துகொண்டாலன்றி அலட்சியத்தின் முழு வீரியமும் புரியாது. அதனால்...

Hydrology Cycle:

ஏன் எப்பொழுதும் வானத்தில் மேகங்கள் இருக்கின்றன ? ஏன் எப்பொழுதும் கடலில் நீரின் அளவு ஒரு நிலையிலேயே இருக்கிறது ? எளிமையான காரணங்கள். இதுவொரு endless cycle. கடல் நீர் ஆவியாகி மேலே செல்கின்றன(Evaporation) -> ஆவி, கொஞ்சகொஞ்சமாக உறைந்து மேகமாகிறது(Condensation) --> வெப்ப சலனங்கள் காரணமாக மேகம் தேக்கி வைத்திருக்கும் நீர் உடைந்து மழையாகப் பொழிகிறது(Precipitation).

எப்படி கடல் நீர் ஆவியாகிறதோ, அதுபோல மரங்கள்/செடிகொடிகளும் தாங்கள் உறிஞ்சிய நீரை ஆவியாக்குகிறது (Evapotranpiration). நமது வீட்டு வாசலில் இருக்கும் – நன்றாக வளர்ந்த/வயதான மரம், நாள் ஒன்றிக்கு எவ்வளவு நீரை ஆவியாக்கிறது என்று நினைக்கிறீர்கள் ? 500 – 800 லிட்டர்ஸ். சதவீத அடிப்படையில் – கடலிலிருந்து ஆவியாகும் நீரின் அளவு மரங்கள்/செடிகள் வெளியிடும் நீரின் அளவைவிட அதிகம். Obviously. 70% பூமியில் கடல் நீர்தானே. இவ்வளவு கடல் நீர் இருக்கிறதே....பிறகெதற்கு மழைக்கு மரங்களை மட்டும் பெரிதும் சார்ந்திருக்க வேண்டியிருக்கிறது ? காடுகளைப்பற்றி இவ்வளவு தூரம் பேச வேண்டியிருக்கிறது ? இங்குதான் சிக்கல். கடலிலிருந்து ஆவியாகும் நீர் பெரும்பாலும் கடற்கரையிலிருந்து 250 கிலோமீட்டருக்குள் மழையாக பெய்துவிடுகிறது (காற்றழுத்த தாழ்வு நிலை/புயல் மாதிரி எதாவது மேகங்களை தள்ளிக்கொண்டு சென்றால் தான் உண்டு). மீதி பகுதிகளில் ? மரங்களின் evapotranspiration பல வெப்ப/காற்று சலனங்களை ஏற்படுத்துகிறது. மரங்கள் எவ்வாறு மேகங்கள் உருவாக காரணமாக இருக்கின்றன என்பதைப்பற்றியெல்லாம் பல ஆராய்ச்சிகள் செய்யப்பட்டு வருகின்றன. பல முடிவுகள் படிக்கவே அட்டகாசமாக இருக்கின்றன

ஸ்கூல் பசங்களுக்கு சொல்லித்தரப்படும் (சொல்லி மட்டுமே தரப்படும்) இந்தத் தகவல்கள் எல்லாம் எதற்கு ? நிற்க: Western Ghats. 1,60,000 சதுர கிலோமீட்டர். எத்தனை மரங்கள்....நாளொன்றுக்கு எத்தனை லிட்டர் தண்ணீர் அந்த மரங்களிலிருந்து வெளியேறும் என்று கற்பனை செய்து பாருங்கள். இதைத்தாண்டி, எடுத்தஎடுப்பிலேயே UNESCO மேற்குத்தொடர்ச்சி மலை பற்றி என்ன சொல்கிறது...

Older than the Himalaya mountains, the mountain chain of the Western Ghats represents geomorphic features of immense importance with unique biophysical and ecological processes. The site’s high montane forest ecosystems influence the Indian monsoon weather pattern. Moderating the tropical climate of the region, the site presents one of the best examples of the monsoon system on the planet

கவனித்தீர்களா... best examples of the monsoon system on the planet. இதுவும் போதாதென்று மேற்குத்தொடர்ச்சி மலை நமக்குத்தரும் கொடைகளில் முக்கியமான மூன்று விஷயங்கள்: கோதாவரி, கிருஷ்ணா, காவேரி. இம்மூன்று நதிகளையும் தாண்டி, துங்கபத்ரா – தாமிரபரணி போன்ற ஆறுகளையும் அதன் கிளையாறுகளையும் கணக்கெடுத்தால் ஒரு பக்கத்திற்கு லிஸ்ட் போடலாம்.

பல்லுயிர் ஓம்புதல் – இயற்கை வழிபாடு – இயற்கையோடு இயைந்த வாழ்வு கொண்ட தமிழர்/இந்தியர் மரபு என்றெல்லாம் காலங்காலமாக ஜல்லியடித்துக்கொண்டுவரும் நாம் என்ன செய்திருக்கிறோம் ? // Change analysis has revealed the net loss of 35.3% of forest area in the Western Ghats from 1920’s to 2013 //. எண்பதே வருடத்தில் 35.3 % அழிந்தேவிட்டது. இத்தனைக்கும் இது அரசு துறை சார்ந்த அமைப்பு வெளியிட்ட ஸ்டடி. இழப்பு மேலும் அதிகம் என்று வேறு சில ஆராய்ச்சிகள் கூறுகின்றன.

Report: Assessment and monitoring of long-term forest cover changes (1920–2013) in Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot

இந்த அழிவிற்கும் மழைக்கும் என்ன சம்பந்தம் ? ஏகத்துக்கும் இருக்கிறது. 1920ல் ஒரு லட்சம் ஹெக்டரில் மரங்கள் இருந்தன என்று வைத்துக்கொள்வோம். அத்தனை மரங்கள் சேர்ந்து செய்யும் evapotranspiration + வெப்பநிலை/காற்று சலனங்களினால் கோவாவில் ஆரம்பித்து தமிழ்நாடு வரை மழை அளவு ஒருமாதிரி இருந்திருக்கும் அல்லவா. இப்பொழுது, ஒரு லட்சம் ஹெக்டர் 64,000மாக குறைந்திருக்கிறது. இது என்ன மாதிரியான விளைவுகளை ஏற்படுத்தும் ?

சீரான மழை இருக்காது, ஒரு மாதத்தில் பெய்ய வேண்டிய மழை ஒன்றிரண்டு நாட்களில் பெய்து முடித்துவிடும்; இல்லை பொய்த்துப்போக நேரிடும். நான் சொல்லவில்லை. IISc இந்த விரிவான ஸ்டடி சொல்கிறது. அடுத்த பத்தாண்டுகளில் மேற்குத்தொடர்ச்சி மலை சார்ந்த மழை அளவு குறைவாகவே இருக்குமென்று. கர்னாடகா தான் இதில் மிகவும் பாதிப்படையக்கூடுமென்றும் இந்த ஸ்டடி கூறுகிறது.இந்த அறிக்கையின் Appendixல் மிகத்தெளிவாக – அடுத்த பத்தாண்டுகளுக்கான மழை அளவு கணிப்பு பட்டியலிடப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. ஒருசில மாதங்கள் தவிர, பல மாதங்களில் மழை அளவு சீரற்றதாகவே உள்ளது.

Source: Analysis of land surface temperature and rainfall with landscape dynamics in Western Ghats, India

குவாரிகளில் ஆரம்பித்து விவசாயம் வரை deforestrationனுக்கான பல காரணிகளுண்டு. உதாரணத்திற்கு விவசாயம். மலைப்பகுதியை ஆக்ரமித்து (மண்வளம் காரணமாக) விவசாயம் செய்வது காலங்காலமாக நடந்து வருகிறது. விளைவு ? 2003 – 2012. பத்தே வருடம். எவ்வாறு விவசாயம் என்ற பெயரில் காடுகள் அழிக்கப்படுகின்றன என்று பாருங்கள். இருப்பதிலேயே Southern Western Ghatsல்(கர்னாடகா - தமிழ்நாடு - கேரளா) தான் பாதிப்பதிகம்.

Water, the elixir of life:

மழை பெய்தது/பெய்கிறது/பெய்யப் போகிறது. அடுத்து ? இந்த கட்டம்தான் மிகமிக முக்கியமானது. எவ்வளவு கவனமாக நாம் செயல்பட வேண்டும், அசட்டையாக நாம் செய்யும் காரியங்களினால் எவ்வாறான விளைவுகள் ஏற்படும்....ஏகப்பட்ட விஷயங்களை புரிந்துக்கொள்ள Groundwater/Surface water பற்றிய புரிதல் மிகமிக தேவையானது.

Surface water: குளம், குட்டை, ஆறுகள், ஏரிகள் – இவைகள் அனைத்துமே surface water. நிலத்தின் மேற்பரப்பில் இருக்கும் நீர். மழை பெய்தவுடன், மேடான பகுதியிலிருந்து இறக்கமான பகுதிக்கு நீர் ஓடும். நடுவில் பள்ளம் (குளம், குட்டை, ஏரி) இருந்தால் அங்கே தேங்கி நின்றுவிடும். Western ghatsசில் பெய்யும் மழையால், கிட்டத்தட்ட 2800m உயரம் என்பதால் மழைநீர் ஒன்று சேர்ந்து(காவேரி) பள்ளத்தை நோக்கி ஓடுகிறது. பள்ளம் ? கடல் தான். பல மில்லியன் வருடங்களாக இந்த process நடந்துகொண்டிருக்கிறது. இந்த natural flow தடைப்பட்டால் – ஆற்றுப் பாதையில் ஆக்கிரமிப்பு மாதிரி – என்னாகும். Simple. சென்னை டிசம்பர் 2015.

Groundwater: மழை அடித்துத் துவைத்திருக்கும். ஆனால் அடுத்தநாள், சுத்தமாக எல்லா நீரும் காணாமல் போயிருக்கும். அட பகல் நேரமாக இருந்தால்கூட ஆவியாகியிருக்கும் என்று புரிந்துகொள்ளலாம். இரவு நேரத்தில் எங்கே போயிருக்கும் ? Of course, எல்லாருக்கும் தெரிந்ததுதான். பூமி உறிஞ்சிக்கொள்ளும். பூமி என்ற வஸ்து என்று தோன்றியதோ, எப்பொழுதிருந்து மழை பெய்ய ஆரம்பித்ததோ எப்பொழுது நதிகள் ஆறுகள் ஓட ஆரம்பித்ததோ அன்றிலிருந்து பூமி நீரை உறிஞ்சிக்கொண்டே இருக்கிறது. அந்த நீர் எங்கே போகும் ? Aquifers. எளிமையாக சொல்வதென்றால், பூமிக்கு அடியிலிருக்கும் பாறை இடுக்குகள். நமது பூமிக்கடியில் எல்லா இடங்களிலும் நிலத்தடி நீருண்டு. அது எந்த மட்டத்தில், எந்த மாதிரியான பாறைகளுக்கு நடுவில் என்பதுதான் கேள்வி.

க்ரைண்டர் துடைக்கும் ஸ்பான்ஜ் மாதிரியான அமைப்பை கற்பனை செய்துகொள்வோம். ஸ்பான்ஜின் மெட்டீரியல், கடிமானதாக/தண்ணீர் உறிஞ்சும் தன்மை குறைவாக இருந்தால்....நிச்சயமாக ஸ்பான்ஜ் தண்ணீரை பிடித்துவைக்கும் அளவு குறையும் தானே. அதுபோலவே...பாறை வகைகளைப் பொறுத்துதான் நிலத்தடி நீரின் ஓட்டம் இருக்கும். Limestone மாதிரியான வகை என்றால் நீரை அதிகளவு “பிடித்து” வைக்கும். இந்த பாறைகளிலிருக்கும் இடுக்குகள்/ஓட்டைகளின் அளவைத்தான் porosity என்பார்கள்.

இந்த நிலத்தடி நீர், gravityயின் காரணமாக கடல் மட்டத்தை நோக்கி நகர்ந்துகொண்டே இருக்கும். பாறைகளமைப்பு, மண் தன்மை போன்ற காரணிகளால் இந்த “நகர்தல்” சில சமயம் மிகமிகமிக மெதுவாக ஆண்டுக்கணக்காக நடைபெறும். சில சமயம் மிக வேகமாக ஒரேநாளில் கூட நகர்வதுண்டு.

Riparian zone - இது மிக முக்கியமானது. ஆறு/நதி ஓரங்களில் இருக்கும் நில/காடு பரப்புகளுக்கு riparian zone/forests என்று பெயர். மிகவும் வளமையான பகுதிகள் இவை. ஏகப்பட்ட உயிரினங்கள் இந்த riparian zoneகளை நம்பியுள்ளன.

Surface waterக்கும் Groundwaterக்கும் இருக்கும் பல முக்கிய வேறுபாடுகளில் ஒன்று – தூய்மைத்தன்மை. நிலத்தடி நீர் பூமிக்கடியில் இருப்பதால், surface waterல் இருக்கும் வைரஸ், பாக்டீரியா போன்றவைகளோ, கழிவுகளோ இருக்காது. அடியில் போகப்போக Filterராகிவிடும். மாறாக, contamination இருக்கும். குறிப்பாக வேதிப்பொருட்கள். நிலத்தடிநீர் மெதுவாக நகர்வதால் – ரசாயன வேதி பொருட்கள் எல்லாம் உள்ளே இறங்கி இறங்கி தங்கி நச்சுத்தன்மை கூடும். Surface waterல் இருக்கும் கழிவுகளைக்கூட கொஞ்சம் சிரமப்பட்டு சரிசெய்து விடலாம். ஆனால் அந்த surface waterரை ஆண்டுக்கணக்கில் உறிஞ்சிகொண்டே இருக்கும் நிலத்தடி நீரில் படிந்த வேதிபபொருட்களை நீக்குவது முடியாத காரியம். இதனால்தான் பலரும் தோல் தொழிற்சாலை கழிவுகளிலிருந்து பிளாஸ்டிக் கழிவுகள் வரை ஆறுகளில் முறையில்லாமல் கலப்பதை கடுமையாக எதிர்க்கிறார்கள்.

தமிழ்நாட்டின் தற்போதைய நிலை என்ன ? Tamilnadu Pollution Contraol Boardன் ரிபோர்டை படித்தால் உண்மையான நிலவரம் புரியும்.

Source: Pollution Database for Tamilnadu

நிலத்தடி நீர் மாசடைதல் ஒருபக்கம் என்றால், அடுத்த பிரச்சனை....over exploitation. சக்கையாக நிலத்தடி நீரை உறிஞ்சி எடுப்பது. முறையற்ற bore போடுதலில் ஆரம்பித்து....

TWADன் இந்தப் படம் எந்தளவுக்கு தமிழ்நாட்டின் நிலை மோசமாக உள்ளது காட்டுகிறது. பாருங்கள்...காவேரி பேஸின், கோவை முழுக்க முழுக்க over exploitation தான். இதுபோக, கடைகரையோரம் உப்புநீர் உள்ளே ஏறியிருக்கிறது. தமிழ்நாடு முழுக்க - 320+ blockகளாக பிரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. அதில் Safeயை (பச்சை) விட Critical + Semi - critical எத்தனை என்று பாருங்கள். மேலதிக தகவல்களுக்கு அந்த ரிப்போர்ட்டை படித்துப்பாருங்கள். அப்படியே இதையும்...

Over exploited blocks of Tamil nadu

Source: Pollution Database for Tamilnadu

Over exploitation எப்படி நடக்கிறது ? ஆக்டோபஸின் டென்டகில்ஸ் மாதிரி ஏகப்பட்ட கிளைக்கதைகள் இதற்குண்டு.

முறையற்ற Borewellகளில் ஆரம்பித்து...

மேலிருக்கும் படம் மிகத்துல்லியமாக நிலைமையை விளக்குகிறது. போர் போடும்போது - அந்த இடத்தின் சூழலியல், மண்ணமைப்பு, நீர்வளம் பற்றியெல்லாம் கவலையேபடமால் ஆழமாக செல்லச்செல்ல சுற்றி இருக்கும் எல்லா நீரும் போர்வெல்லை நோக்கியே வரும்தானே. இதனால் என்ன நடக்கும் ? இதுவே கடற்கரையோரம் போர்போட்டால் ? இயற்கையாக கடலைநோக்கி நகர்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கும் நீர் உள்வாங்கும். அந்த நீர் முடிந்தவுடன்....கடல்நீர் உள்ளே வர ஆரம்பிக்கும். இப்படித்தான் சில விவசாய நிலங்களில் உப்புநீர் உள்ளே ஏறுவது.

விவசாயம் வரை

விவசாயத்திற்கு நிலத்தடி நீரை உபயோகப்படுத்துவதை எப்படி குறை சொல்ல முடியும் ? சுத்த பேத்தல் இது. அதானே.....நிற்க: இந்தியாவைப் பொறுத்தவரை 1960கள் மிகமிக முக்கியமான ஆண்டுகள். உணவில் தன்னிறைவை அடைந்தே தீருவது என்ற முனைப்புடன்....இந்தியா இறக்குமதி செய்த "பசுமை புரட்சி" கோடிகணக்கான இந்தியர்களின், குறிப்பாக விவசாயிகளின் தலையெழுத்தை அடியோடு மாற்றியது. அதோடு மட்டுமா...நாட்டின் விவசாய நிலங்களின் போக்கையும் அடியோடு மாற்றித்தொலைத்தது. அதுவரை surface waterகளான ஆற்றுநீர், குளம், குட்டைகளை நம்பி இருந்த விவசாயம், கொஞ்சகொஞ்சமாக நிலத்தடி நீரை நோக்கை நகர ஆரம்பித்தது. காரணம் ? "இறக்குமதி" செய்யப்பட்ட HYV (High Yield Varieties) அரிசி/கோதுமை விதைகளுக்கு நமது பாரம்பரிய விதைகளை விட பலமடங்கு தண்ணீர் தேவைப்பட்டது. 1950களில் இந்தியா முழுக்க - நிலத்தடி நீரை நம்பி செய்யப்பட்ட விவசாயத்தின் சதவீதம் இன்று எந்தளவுக்கு இருக்குமென்று நினைக்கிறீர்கள் ? 10.....20....50...100...ம்ஹும்....500 %, சரியாகத்தான் வாசித்தீர்கள் 500 % அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது. குறைந்தசெலவில் மின் மோட்டர்கள், இலவச மின்சாரம் என்று பலதும் சேர்ந்து சக்கையாக நிலத்தடி நீர் உறிஞ்சப்பட்டது.

Referenced Article: India's groundwater crisis

இந்த HYVகளால் ஏற்பட்ட இன்னொரு கொடுமை, விவசாய நிலங்களின் தன்மை மாறியது. இதோடு பல காரணிகளின் சேர, விவாசாயிகள் பணப்பயிர்களுக்கும், கரும்பிற்கும் மாறும் சூழ்நிலைக்கு தள்ளப்பட்டனர் (இதைப்பற்றி கொஞ்சநேரங்கழித்து பேசுவோம்). விவசாயத்தை மட்டும் குறை சொன்னால் எப்படி....மற்ற துறைகள் என்ன செய்தது ? நியாயமான கேள்வி. ஆனால், தமிழ்நாட்டின் மொத்த நீரளவில் கிட்டத்தட்ட 90% விவசாயத்திற்குதான் தேவைப்படுகிறது.

இன்னொரு பக்கம், தேவை குறைவாக இருந்தாலும் தொழிற்சாலைகளில் ஆரமபித்து, கோக் - பெப்ஸி போன்றவைகளும் - வாட்டர் பாட்டில் கம்பனிகளும் எவ்வளவு உறிகின்றன என்பதுகுறித்தான ஆராய்ச்சிகள் மிகமிகக்கம்மி. அரசாங்கமும் இதில் - obviously - மெத்தமானகவே இருக்கிறது. எப்படி நடவடிக்கை எடுக்கும் முனைப்புவரும் ? அனுமதி யார் கொடுத்தது, எவ்வளவு பேருக்கு எவ்வளவு பங்கு போயிற்று...இப்பிடி எத்தனை உட்பிரிவுகள் இதில் உள்ளன. எங்கப்பன் குதிருக்குள் இல்லையென்று அரசே சொல்லுமா என்ன. உதாரணம் வேண்டுமா... இதோ: எந்த ஏரியா...ஏற்கனவே மேலே பல புள்ளிவிவரங்களும் மோசமாக இருப்பதாக அறிவித்த கோவை - திருப்பூர் ஏரியா தான்

OK. காவேரி பிரச்சனைக்கு வருவோம். தமிழர்கள் வஞ்சிப்பு, நூற்றாண்டுகால ஒப்பந்தம்...blah...blah..blah...இதெல்லாம் தாண்டி, அசலான பிரச்சனைகளாக மூன்று விஷயங்களைச் சொல்லலாம்.

1) 2015ல் விவசாயிகள் தற்கொலை அதிகளவில் நடந்த மாநிலங்கள் என்னென்ன தெரியுமா ? நமக்கு மேலே இருக்கும் எல்லா தென்னக மாநிலங்களும். குறிப்பாக, கர்நாடகாவில் பாருங்க...40% அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது. தென் கர்நாடகா - படுவறட்சியில் உள்ளது. அதுபோலவே, ஆந்திரா - தெலுங்கானாவின் பல பகுதிகளும். இந்நிலையில் சிறிய check-damsகளை கட்டுவதை நாம் எவ்வாறு நிறுத்த சொல்ல முடியும் ? அப்பறம் தண்ணீர் இல்லாமல் நாம் மட்டும் சாவதா...அதானே. பொறுங்கள்.

கர்னாடகாவில் எங்கிருந்து பிரச்சனை தொடங்கியதென்றால், அவர்களது பயிர் செய்யும் முறையிலிருந்து. நாம் மட்டும் விதிவிலக்கல்ல. ஆனால், கர்னாடகம் நம்மைவிட, அதிகளவில் நீர் தேவைப்படும் பயிரை பயிரிட்டுக்கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அதுபற்றிய மிகத்தெளிவான கட்டுரை இது. இந்தக் கட்டுரை தான் என்னையும் இவ்வளவு நீண்ட கட்டுரையை எழுதத் தூண்டியது.

Water isn't infinite: Karnataka should take a hard look at how it uses its lifeline

கர்னாடகாவில், 40 வருடத்தில் கருப்பு பயிரிடப்படும் ஹெக்டரின் அளவு....நம்ப முடிகிறதா...+586 % அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது. இதுபோக, நெல் (Paddy) சாகுபடி. நெல் - அதிகம் தண்ணீர் தேவைப்படும் பயிர். அதன் பரப்பளவும் கர்னாடகாவில் அதிகரித்திருக்கிறது. இதுபோக, பணப்பயிர்கள். அரசாங்கத்தின் கேணத்தனமான பல கொள்கைகளையும் காரணமாக சொல்ல வேண்டும். உதாரணத்திற்கு, கரும்பிற்கு தரப்பட்டும் குறைந்தபட்ச ஆதார விலை (MSP - Minimum Support Price) அதிகம். அதனால், ஏற்கனவே நட்டத்தில் பொழப்பை நடத்திக்கொண்டிருக்கும் விவசாயிகள் அதைநோக்கி நகர்வதைத் தவிர வேற வழியில்லையே. நமது பாரம்பரிய உணவுப் பயிர்களான - தண்ணீர் மிகக்குறைவாகத் தேவைப்படும் - சிறு தானியங்களை யார் கண்டுகொள்கிறார்கள் ?. தமிழ்நாடென்று மொத்தமாக எடுத்துக்கொண்டால், கரும்பு பயிரிடப்படும் பரப்பளவு +220% கூடியிருக்கிறது. நெல், பருத்தி போன்ற தண்ணீர் அதிகளவு தேவைப்படும் பயிர்களின் பரப்பளவு குறைந்திருக்கிறது.ஆனால் பணப் பயிர்களின் பரப்பளவு அதிகமாயிருக்கிறது. நமது மண்வளம்/நீர் வளத்திற்கு உகந்த சிறுதானியங்களின் பரப்பளவும் குறைந்திருக்கிறது. மேலதிக விவரங்களை ரிப்போர்ட்டிலிருந்து பெறலாம்.

Must Read:

1) Why farmers continue to plant water-intensive sugarcane in drought-hit Marathwada

2) Water scarcity: It’s the crop pattern

3) Why sugarcane can’t be blamed for Marathwada drought woes

Reports:

4) India: 1970 - 71 Agriculture Census

5) Tamilnadu Agriculture Census: 2013 - 2014

மேலிருக்கும் புள்ளிவிவரம் தமிழ்நாடு முழுமைக்குமானது. சிக்கல் எங்கேயென்றால் காவிரி டெல்டா பகுதிகளில் தான். இந்த இரண்டு மேப்களைப் பாருங்கள். பிரச்சனையின் ஆரம்பப்புள்ளி இதுதான். காவேரி பேஸின் பகுதியில் கர்னாடகா, தமிழ்நாடு - இரண்டு மாநிலங்களுமே அதிகளவில் கருப்பையும், நெல்லையும் பயிரிட்டுள்ளனர். (தற்போது நீர் திறக்கப்படுவது சம்பா சாகுபடிக்குத்தான் என்றாலும்) இரண்டிற்குமே அதிகளவில் தண்ணீர் தேவை. நிலத்தடி நீர்தான் பெருமளவில் பயன்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. இதுவே over exploitationனிற்கு வழிவகுக்குகிறது. அதைத்தான் மேலே இருக்கும் தமிழ்நாடு மேப்பில் தெளிவாக பார்த்தோமே. இந்த over exploitation, ஆறு/குளம்/குட்டை/ரிசர்வாயர்களில் இருக்கும் surface waterரை பாதிக்கிறது. இந்த சைக்கிள் அப்படியே தொடர்ந்துகொண்டே இருக்கும்.

Src: http://archive.indiawaterportal.org/book/export/html/113

மணல் கொள்ளை....

நிலத்தடி நீரை விடுங்கள். இவ்வளவு நீர்பற்றாகுறை நிறைந்த மாநிலம். தண்ணீருக்காக சுற்றியிருக்கும் எல்லா மாநிலத்துடனும் சண்டை. நிலமை இப்படியிருக்கையில், உள்ள நீரை எவ்வளவு ஜாக்கிரதையாக பாதுகாக்க வேண்டும் ? ஆனால் தமிழ்நாட்டில் (கர்நாடகாவிலும் தான். கேனத்தனத்தில் மட்டும் அணைத்து இந்தியர்களும் ஒன்று) மணல் மாஃபியா கொடிகட்டிப் பறக்கிறது. ஆற்று மணலை எடுத்துக்கொள்வோமே. ஆற்று மணல்கள் ஏன் முக்கியத்துவம் வாய்ந்தது ? ஆற்று மணல்களுக்கு நீரை உறிஞ்சும் தன்மை அதிகம்; மழை நீரை உள்ளது உள்ளபடி அலேக்காக உறிஞ்சிக்கொள்ளும். இதனை கண்டபடி அள்ளும்போது நிலத்தடி நீர் மட்டம் குறையும்; ஆற்றின் போக்கு மாறும்; வெள்ளப்பெருக்குகளுக்குக்கூட காரணமாக அமையும்.

இதை தற்போது அரசாங்கமே நடத்தித்தொலைவதால் இன்னும் வசதியாக போயிற்று. ஐந்தடி வரை அள்ளலாம் என்று அனுமதி வாங்கிக்கொண்டு 25 அடிவரை அள்ளப்பட்ட இடங்கலெல்லாம் தமிழ்நாட்டில் உண்டு. இந்த ஆய்வைப் படித்துப்பாருங்கள். தாமிரபரணியில் எப்படி அழித்தொழிக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறதென்று. இதுபோக, தமிழ்நாட்டின் மொத்த மணல்தேவையில் 60% காவிரியில் பேஸின் பகுதியிலிருந்துதான் எடுக்கப்படுகிறது (அரசே அனுமதித்த அளவின்படி). இதோடு திருட்டுத்தனமாக மணல் அள்ளுதலையும் சேர்த்துக்கொள்ளுங்கள். சுத்தம். டிட்டோ, கர்னாடகாவிலும் இதேதான் நடக்கிறது. God's own country...கேரளா மட்டும் தப்புமா என்ன ? Western Ghats முழுக்க இதே நிலைமைதான்.

ஆட்சி மாறினாலும் இந்த கொள்ளைகள் மட்டும் என்றாவது குறைந்து பார்த்திருக்கிறீர்களா ? திமுக - அதிமுக ஆட்சி மாறினாலும், மாண்புமிகு புரட்சித்தலைவி அம்மா அவர்கள் - திமுக ஆட்சியில் கட்டபட்டது என்ற ஒரே காரணத்திற்காக கோட்டூர்புரம் லைப்ரரியை மூடினார்களல்லவா..ஆனால், க்ரானைட்/கணிம வளம்/மணல் அள்ளுதல் - இந்த விஷயங்களிலெல்லாம் முந்தைய திமுக ஆட்சியின் கொள்கைகளை மட்டும் அப்படியே வைத்துக்கொண்டார். ஏனென்று நான் சொல்லித்தெரியவேண்டியதில்லை.

Desiltingகினால் (தூர் வாருதல்) என்ன நடக்கும் ? மழை பெய்கிறது. குளம், குட்டைகளில் தேங்குகிறது, ஆறுகளில் ஓடுகிறது. இந்த அமைப்புகளை முறையாக ஆழப்படுத்தி – குப்பைகள் சேராமல் வைத்திருந்தால்....நிலத்தடியின் நீர்மட்டும் அதிகரிக்கும்; இதன்மூலம் – வேதிப்பொருட்கள் கலந்த நீரின் மாசு குறையக்கூடும்; தண்ணீர் நிறைய தேங்கி இருப்பதன் காரணமாக தண்ணீர் தட்டுபாடான காலத்தில் ஓரளவு சமாளிக்க முடியும்.

க்வாரிகளுக்கு வருவோம். க்வாரிகளால் என்ன பாதிப்பு ஏற்படும் ? நிலத்தடி நீர் பாறைகளுக்கிடையே இருக்கும்; அது பாறையின் தன்மை பொறுத்து நீரோட்டம் இருக்குமென்று கொஞ்சநேரத்திற்கு முன்பு பார்த்தோமில்லையா ? Granite போன்ற பாறைகள் அடர்ந்த வகைப் பாறைகள். இதில் ஏற்கனவே குத்துயிரும் கொலையிருமாகவே நிலத்தடி நீர் நகர்ந்துகொண்டிருக்கும். நாம் அதையும் சிதைக்கும் போது – க்வாரிகள், வெடிகள் – மொத்தமாக இந்த பாறைகளின் அமைப்பு சிதைந்து நிலத்தடி நீர் அங்கேயே மாட்டிக்கொள்ளக்கூடும். இதுபோன்ற பகுதிகளை aquitards என்று சொல்வார்கள். இதைமட்டும் சொல்லியாக வேண்டியுள்ளது. மதுரையில் கிரானைட் முறைகேடு/சகாயம் விஷயம்...அனைவருக்கும் தெரிந்திருக்கும் என்று நம்புகிறேன். க்ரானைட் வெட்டி எடுக்கப்படுவதற்கு - 2003 to 2011 வரை 139 அனுமதிகள் வழங்கப்பட்டிருக்கின்றன. அதில், 77 அதிமுக (2001 - 2006 ஆட்சியில்) திமுக - 68 (2006 - 2011) ஆட்சியில்.

Must Read:

1) Cauvery gouged

2) Mining mafia silenced the media

3) Illegal Sand Mining, Karnataka

4) Illegal sand mining in River Bhavani continues

5) Environmental impact of sand mining in Tamiraparani River, south Tamilnadu

6) A requiem for rivers

7) The mother of all loot

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இதோடு முடித்துக்கொள்வோம். அடிக்கடி கேட்க நேரிடும், உடலெல்லாம் ப்ளேடால் கீறியதைப்போல என்னை பதற வைக்கும் சில வார்த்தைகள் "நதிநீர் இணைப்பு", "வீணாக கடலில் கலக்கும் ". மேலே பதிவு முழுக்க மனித ஜந்துகளுக்கு தேவையான விஷயங்களைப்பற்றி மட்டுமே பார்த்தோம். ஐயா.....ஆறு/நதி என்பது நமக்கானது மட்டுமல்ல. எல்லா உயிரினத்திற்கும் பொதுவானது. நம்மைவிட ஆயிரக்கணக்கான ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பே இங்கே பலநூறு உயிரினங்கள் நடமாடிக்கொண்டிருந்தன. நாம் ஆற்றின் போக்கை மாற்றுகிறோம் என்று பேசுவதேகூட அபத்தத்திலும் அபத்தமானது. "மேற்குத்தொடர்ச்சி மலையில் தொடங்கி கேரளா வழியாக வீணாக கடலில் கலக்கும் ஆற்றை..." இப்படி பலரும் பேசத்'தொடங்குவதை பார்த்திருக்கிறேன். ஐயா...அந்த ஆறு போகும் வழியெல்லாம் நமக்கு தெரிந்த/நமக்கு தெரியாத எத்தனை எத்தனை உயிரினங்களை வாழவைத்துக்கொண்டிருக்கிறதென்று துல்லியமாக கணக்கிடும் அளவிற்கு மனிதனுக்கு சக்தியில்லை. ஆறும் - கடலும் சங்கமிக்கும் முகத்துவாரங்கள் குறிப்பிட்ட வகை மீன்கள், நண்டுகளில் ஆரம்பித்து பல உயிரினங்களுக்கு மிகமிக முக்கியமான பகுதி. இந்த சிறு உயிரினங்களை நம்பி பெரிய உயிரினங்கள் உண்டு. எல்லாவற்றையும்விட, சில processகள் irreversible. கிறுக்குத்தனமாக நாம் எதையாவது செய்துவைத்தோம் என்றால், மீண்டும் அதை சரிசெய்யவே முடியாது. மற்ற உயிரினங்களோடு சேர்த்து...சுத்திமுத்தி பாதிப்பு நமக்கும் வந்துசேரும்.

இந்த மாபெரும், அதியற்புதமான, intricate - சூழலியலில் நாமும் இருக்கிறோம். நாம் மட்டுமே கிடையாது. அவ்வளவே (இந்த புரிதலிருந்தால் ஏன் பெண்கள் மீதி ஆஸிட் அடிக்கப்போகிறான், சாதி கட்டமைப்பு இன்னும் இருக்கப்போகிறது). பூமிக்கு வந்தோமா - நமது சந்ததியை பெருக்கிவிட்டோமா - அனைத்தையும் மூடிக்கொண்டு, வேடிக்கை பார்த்தபடி இருந்தோமா - ஒருநாள் கட்டையை சாத்தினோமா....போதும். இதுவே போதும். எதையும் கெடுக்காமல் சும்மா இருப்பதே பெரிது. இதெல்லாவற்றையும் தாண்டி, இயற்கையின் complexityயை புரிந்துகொள்ள நமக்கு ஒரு ஆயுள் போதாது. ஆனால், புரிந்து கொள்ள முயற்சிக்கலாம். நமது குழந்தைகளுக்கும் புரிய வைக்க முயற்சி எடுக்கலாம்.

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நன்றி : Generation of spoiled idiots (அ) வாழ்க பாரதம், வளர்க தமிழ்நாடு கொழந்த's blog

Drink Your Vegetables and Fruits for Sustaining Best Health

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 17:43:00 +0000

Amla (Indian Gooseberry) Juice

Gooseberry (English), Nellikkai (Tamil), Amla (Hindi), Amalaki (Sanskrit), Emblica officinalis (Botanical).
Indications: Best among rejuvenatory fruits; Cold in potency; Balances Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Recommended for: Anemia, Asthma, Bleeding diseases, Constipation, Cough, Skin diseases, Diseases of heart, Jaundice, Weight loss
Ingredients: Gooseberry or Nellikai - 100gm; Jagery - 50gm; Water - As Required
Preparation: Light steam boil the fruit after removing seeds. Blend the gooseberry fruit. Add required water and jagery.

Beetroot Juice

Beetroot (English), Beetroot (Tamil), Beetroot (Hindi), Beta Vulgaris (Botanical),

Recommended for: Antioxidant, Blood pressure, Blood vessel widens, Detoxifier, Improves Blood circulation, Cancer prevention, Digestion diseases,Lowers bad cholesterol level
Properties: Alkalizer, Aphrodisiac, Balances pitta and kapha, Blood purifier, Healing, Nourishing , Improves immunity in children, Protects liver, Rich in magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and calcium as well as small amounts of copper, selenium, zinc, iron and manganese.
Ingredients: Beetroot - 100gm, Palm sugar - 30gm, Lime Juice - one tsp , Water if required
Preparation: Extract the juice from the carrot in a blender. Add palm sugar to the extracted juice. Add lime juice and stir well.

Carrot Juice

Carrot (English), Karat (Tamil), Gaajara (Hindi), Gaajara (Sanskrit), Daucus carota (Botanical)
Recommended for: Bleeding diseases, Cold and cough, Laxative, Piles, Sprue, Ulcers.
Properties: Alkalizer, Aphrodisiac, Balances pitta and kapha, Blood purifier, Healing, Nourishing , Improves immunity in children, Protects liver, Rich in beta carotene (i.e, anti-cancerous properties, especially lung Cancer), Calcium, Iron, phosphorus, Potassium, Sodium, Sulphur, Vitamin A and C and other minerals.
Ingredients: Carrot - 100gm, Palm sugar - 30gm, Lime Juice - one tsp , Water if required
Preparation: Extract the juice from the carrot in a blender. Add palm sugar to the extracted juice. Add lime juice and stir well.

Cucumber Juice

Cucumber (English), vellerikkai (Tamil), kakdi (Hindi), karkati (Sanskrit), Cucumis utilissimus Linn (Botanical)
Recommended for: Cancer, Difficulty in passing urine, Heart diseases, Loss of appetite, Relieves Eczemas
Properties: Antidote. Anti-poisonous, Balancing of three doshas, Binds stools, Cools Body, Dietary Fiber, Digestion Problems, Diuretic, Fluid Restoration, Rich in Vitamin C, Folate and Potassium, Thirst Quencher,
Ingredients: Cucumber (medium) 100gm; Buttermilk 50ml; Rock salt 3gm; bunch of chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves
Preparation: Extract juice from the cucumber in a blender; Grind & squeeze the juice of coriander leaves & curry leaves. Add buttermilk, a pinch of rock salt, chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves and beat the ingredients again and serve.

Dates Juice

Dates (English), Pereecham pazham (Tamil), Chuhada (Hindi), Karjura (Sanskrit), Phoenix sylverstris (Botanical)
Recommended for: Anemia, Aphrodisiac, Burning sensation, Injury, Gain weight, Improves Kapha and Semen, Weight Gain and Weight loss.
Properties: Binds the stools, Blood purifier, Cold in potency, Digestion Problems, Nourishing, Reduces Vata and Pita Doshas, Unctuous in quality, Rich in protein,minerals and essential amino acids.
Ingredients: Coconut (Riped) – 1, Dates – 15 gm, Water – as desired
Preparation: Extract coconut milk from the scraped coconut. Soak the seedless dates in it for 1 hour. Make a paste of this mixture. If required, a little water may be added.

Papaya Juice

Papaya (Papaya), Pappali (Tamil), Papita (Hindi), Eranda Karkati (Sanskrit), Carica papaya (Botanical)

Recommended for: Allergies, Amenorrhea, Anemia, Asthma, Cardiovascular diseases, Colon cancer, Osteoarthritis, Sports injuries, Trauma.
Properties: Appetizer and Digestion improver, Balances kapha and vata, Binds stools, Boosts immunity, Increases pitta, Reduces inflammation, Rich in anti oxidant nutrients,
Ingredients: Papaya – 1 medium size fruit, Palm sugar – 30 gm, Water : Desired quantity
Preparation: Peel and de-seed papaya. Dice and blend it in a mixer. Add palm sugar and water if required. Beat it again and serve.

Plantain Pith Juice

Plantain (Plantain), Valaithandu (Tamil) Kela (Hindi), Kadali kanda (Sanskrit), Musa paradisiaca (Botanical)
Recommended for: Obesity, Urinary stones, Ulcers, Burning sensation, Acidity, Diabetes, Bleeding disorders, Menorrhagia
Properties: Alkalizer, Bitter & astringent in taste, natural diuretic, Cold in potency, Reduces cholesterol, Its astringent quality helps in blood coagulation,
Ingredients: Plantain’s pith of the stem – 100gm; Buttermilk – 50 ml; Rock salt – 3 gm; Water – 50 ml
Preparation: Put the plantain stem in juicer and extract the juice. Add little buttermilk, water and rock salt. Stir well and serve.

Pumpkin Juice

Pumpkin (English), Poosanikkai (Tamil), Petaa (Hindi), Kooshmaanda (sanskrit), Cucurbita maxima (Botanical)
Recommended or Beneficial for: Chronic Fever, Calculi, Diabetes, Difficult urination, Excessive bleeding, Excessive thirsty condition, Fever due to Pitta, Internal fever, Leucorrhoea, Loss of appetite, Obesity, Skin diseases, Toxicity
Properties: Aphrodisiac, Balances Pitta dosha, Clears the urinary tract, Diuretic, Laxative, Nourishing, Relieves three doshas.
Ingredients: Yellow Pumpkin Pulp – 300gm, Jaggery or Sugar – 20 gm, Water – Desired Quantity
Preparation: Extract juice from pumpkin using blender. Add desired quantity of sugar or honey (in case of obesity).

Tender Coconut Water

Tender Coconut (English), Ilaneer (Tamil), Nariyal Pani (Hindi), Narikela Pani (Sanskrit), Cocos Nucifera (Botanical)
Properties: Aphrodisiac, Cooling, Diuretic (mild), Light to digest, Reduces Pitta & Vata doshas, Refreshing Tonic, Rehydrator (replace saline), Rich in mineral salts, Urinary bladder Cleanser,
Recommended for: Diabetes, Heat boils, Itching, jaundice, Measles, Nausea, Pimples, Prickly heat, Sun burn, Urinary diseases, Urinary stones, Vomiting , Worm infestation (for children)
Ingredients: Tender coconut water
Consume in its 1. Natural form 2. With Tender coconut water add 2 spoons full (10 ml) and milk 50ml. 3. Tender Coconut water - 150 ml add few drops of Lemon juice.

Reference: Medindia. net, Ayurvedic Diet, Juices.

I Am Your Hair: Anatomy, Physiology and Growth

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:01:00 +0000

Look here! It;s me, your hair speaking. Are you surprised? You can feel my presence on your scalp. You will also find me on all the major visible surfaces of your body – eyebrows, above lips, cheeks, chin, arm pits etc.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Men and women are worried about my (hair) health. Remember that only my healthy presence could enhance beauty and youthfulness. I am totally responsible for your gender identity. Women folk are very keen about my appearance. They are ready to spend more time in beauty spas or hair dressing saloons to improve my appearance.

Do you know that I have much more complicated anatomy than my outward appearance? It is always useful to understand the biology. My unique structure and functions will provide completely renewable growth. This article explains about the basics of my constitution and growth.

Hair Shaft

How I am Structured? I have two different structures. What you see on your scalp is known as hair shaft. It is nothing but the dead shaft seen above the scalp. These colored strands are attached to your scalp. It is my outward structure. Each hair shaft is made up of there essential layers i.e. cuticle, medulla and cortex. Cuticle is the outermost layer. Cuticle protects medulla and cortex. Simply cuticle is a transparent structure and only this layer gives shiny appearance. If this outer layer is not healthy then you will get dull appearance. Medulla is the innermost layer constituted by large size cells. Cortex constitutes the middle layer. Cortex possesses the protein called keratin and coloring pigments. It is the cortex that determines my strength and size.

Keratin: Protein Constituent

Do you know about hair shaft constitution? The main constituent is the wonderful protein called Keratin. This protein safeguards hair shaft from wear and tear. Your nails are also constituted mainly by keratin. You will also find keratin within the feather of a bird and in the claws of animals. The large molecules of keratin are constituted by tiny amino acid beads forming a chain like appearance. My other constituents include the pigment called melanin (responsible for hair color), certain fat, small quantity of vitamins and traces of minerals like zinc etc. My constitution also includes 10 to 15 per cent of water and this helps me to maintain my moisture and balance the biochemical and physiological properties.

Hair Follicle

The other part or structure is called follicle. This pouch like structure is sunken inside your scalp. The follicle is encircled by two protective sheaths i.e. inner sheath and outer sheath. The hair shafts are well protected and molded by these two sheaths. The follicle also provided with an oil gland called sebaceous gland. The sebaceous gland is responsible for the production of sebum – a natural hair conditioner. You will produce sebum after you attain puberty. The women folk produce lesser sebum as they grow older. The men folk also produce some what lesser sebum but it is more when compared with women folk.

The hair shaft has its root in the follicle. Hair shaft comes out from the follicle. At the bottom there is a projection called hair papillae. The hair papillae have tiny blood capillaries to nourish my hair root. The thickness of the shaft totally depends up on the follicle size. It is the follicle that is responsible for my health.

However the follicle could support its nourishment till the shaft is pushed out of the follicle base. Afterwards the shaft could not derive nourishment from follicle and hence they die. After the death the shaft gets transformed into harder protein called keratin. Simply understand that only the bottom portion of your shaft is nourished by follicle.

Follicle Development

You will be surprised to learn that the development of hair follicles takes place in the fetus itself during 22nd week (child development stages). The child will have around on million follicles on the scalp. The more you grow older the density of follicles decrease.

Hair Follicle Cycle

Have you ever tried to understand my (your scalp hair) growth rate per year? My growth at your scalp will be around six inches per year. You will get hair growth of 0.03 to 0.04 mm only and you will get this much hair growth. You will have random hair growth or hair loss. It is not cyclic or seasonal. Simply understand that in a given period of time you will have a random number of hair growth and shedding on your scalp. Your hair growth involves three stages: (1). Anagen, (2). Catagen, and (3). Telogen.

Anagen

It is the active hair growth phase. There is active cell division at your hair roots. More and more new hairs are formed and your hair follicles push out the club hairs out of your follicles. Every 28 days you will get rapid hair growth around 1 cm. The hair grown during this growth phase will remain for about two to six years. Some of you might have felt problem of hair growing beyond certain length. It may be due to short phase of growth (Anagen). Some of you might be blessed with very long hair and reason is simply long phase of growth. Have you ever noticed that there is short active hair growth phase on your arm pits, limbs, eyelashes, and eyebrows? There is a very short active growth phase at these regions i.e., about 30-45 days. Active phase of growth is not warranted at these regions.

Catagen

It is the transitional phase. The Catagen is the phase that follows active hair growth phase called Anagen. Once your Anagen phase gets completed your hair undergoes a transitional stage. About three per cent of your hair undergoes this transitional process at any given period of time. This phase will lasts for about a period of three to four weeks. During Catagen your hair growth gets stopped. The outer sheath of your hair root undergoes shrinking process. There your hair gets attached firmly.

Telogen

It is the resting phase. The Telogen is the phase that follows transitional phase called Catagen. Your hairs undergoes the resting period. About 10-15 per cent of all of your hairs undergo this resting process at any given period of time. Telogen is the resting phase and accounts for 10-15% of all hairs. This phase will lasts for about a period of 100 days (for your scalp) and it will be more than 100 days for hairs present on your limbs, armpits, eyelashes, eyebrows etc. Your hair follicles are put at rest during this phase. Your hair development cycle gets completed. Your hair root will have a whitish dry, hardened solid substance. Every day you may be shedding about 75 to 100 Telogen hairs during this phase.

Reference Sources:
1) Hair follicle http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair_follicle
2) Hair http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hair
3) Sebaceous gland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebaceous_gland

Article published by R.Muthusamy, on May 15, 2009, Category in Scienceray
I Am Your Hair: Anatomy, Physiology and Growth http://scienceray.com/biology/human-biology/i-am-your-hair-anatomy-physiology-and-growth/2/

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Thu, 20 Feb 2014 14:40:00 +0000

Aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine or therapy, is designed to treat the whole person with systematic use of volatile plant oils or essential oils. The objective of the therapy is to treat the whole person; it is not aiming for symptomatic treatment. We are able see and believe that aromatherapy is helping and bringing relief to millions of people where conventional medicine currently fails.

Do you feel that aromatic substances can benefit mankind in treatment or prevention of diseases? How best the systematic use of volatile plant oils will improve our health?

Wikipedia: Aroma Therapy

Aromatherapy, a form of alternative medicine or therapy, designed to treat the whole person with systematic use of volatile plant oils or “essential oils.” The use of aromatherapy can benefit you in many ways. However the benefits you get mostly relies on a set of factors: a. your body type; b. your brain’s reaction with scents or aroma; and c. the kind of aromatherapy you receive. The objective of the therapy is to treat the whole person; it is not aiming for symptomatic treatment i.e., treatment for cold, cough etc.

Many centuries ago the mankind has found the mysterious world of smells, having learned to receive aromatic essences from plants. These plant essences have been used throughout the ages for healing. The French chemist Rene Maurice Gettefosse, who is known as the father of modern aromatherapy, first coined the term “aromatherapy” in 1920. He dedicated his life in the application of distilled plant volatiles for treatment or prevention of disease. The Indian Ayurvedic medicine includes aromatherapy as a form of treatment and uses aromatic oils in massage.

Essential oils or distinct fragrant oils are extracted from plants – i.e., flowers (Jasmine oil), leaves (eucalyptus oil), stem / wood / bark (sandalwood oil), roots (zingiber), and seeds (almond oil). The process of extraction is known as solvent extraction. Modern aromatherapy obtains essential oils from more than two hundred plants and trees. Absolute are fragrant oils extracted from flowers. Hydrosols are the by-products of the distillation process e.g., rose water. Carrier oils are plant based triacylglycerides used to dilute essential oils for external applications on the skin. Always essential oils must be mixed with carrier oils and used only for external applications; you are warned not apply essential on your skin directly. Be cautious while applying aromatic substances on children; and all such treatments must be on the advice of trained aroma-therapist.

You may use the essential oils as your massage oils or diffusers and burners or room sprays, compresses and (few drops) in your bathing water. The aromatic treatments physiologically regularise, balance, heal, and maintain your body system.

How our body systems absorb the essential oils? How the molecules of the aromatic substance help to provide the desired healing?

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to diffuse and permeate through our olfactory system or nostrils to reach the brain

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to diffuse and permeate through olfactory system or nostrils to reach respiratory system. Our skin rightly absorbs the substances or the volatile substance permeate into our nostrils and enter into our lungs.

Aromatherapy uses essential oils to diffuse and permeate through the pores of our skin membrane to reach muscular system. There are substances which can get along with our blood circulation. Even some tiny portion of the substace can do the desired absorption into our body system.
As a result some unique properties of the substance can increase your blood circulation; some other specific properties of the substance may flesh out toxins; few more friendly substance properties may induce cell growth.

Stress can change the complex chemistry of our bodies and affect our immune system. Body ache, head ache, indigestion etc., are the symptoms of stress. The prolonged stress influences the increased secretion of adrenalin and cortisol. The aromatherapy has solution to alleviate the problems of stress.
Modern research has ascertained that Jasmine / lavender oil could be used as an effective relaxant and efficient medicine for promoting sleep.

Aromatherapy relies on massage as its principal method for the application of essential oils. Full body massage is often found appropriate and at times the chosen limbs or body where discomfort is felt, are considered for massage. Massage is an efficient application to rejoice aromatherapy. The essential oils are fully absorbed by the body and the act of massaging also bring greater relief to discomfort. Massage also helps our body to get rid of toxins by stimulating our lymphatic system.
Aromatherapy reduces depression, relax our nerves and restores balanced mind. A handfull of essential oils i.e., Clary Sage, Frankincense, Lavender, Sweet Marjoram, Sandalwood, and Ylang Ylang are found to influence the secretion of neuro-stimulant known as “serotonin”. The serotonin is known for its relaxant and sleep inducing properties.

Aromatherapy is finding its application as a form of complementary and alternative medicine. We are able see and believe that aromatherapy is helping and bringing relief to millions of people where conventional medicine currently fails.

Article published by R.Muthuamy on July 17th, 2008 in HealthMad

Aromatherapy: An Alternative Therapy http://healthmad.com/alternative/aromatherapy-an-alternative-therapy/

Siddha Alchemy (Rasavatham): the Ancient Protoscience of Tamil Siddhas

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 18:10:00 +0000

Rasavatham or Alchemy is the branch of ancient proto-science and secretive Tamil Siddha knowledge system developed and practiced Tamil Siddha tradition. Of course modern biology, chemistry and medicine branched out from the science of alchemy. The Tamil Siddhas are a kind of (Hindu religious?) mystics lived between seventh and eleventh centuries in South India. They are Saiva Siddhantis followed the tradition Lord Shiva and Saiva Siddhanta. Siddhas achieved spiritual perfection and the power to control the physical world and their practices often related with cosmology and Tantricism. Some of the Siddha alchemists and their contribution to rasavtham (alchemy) is shown below:

Agathiyar Siddhar: manuscripts Vaidiya Sigamani, Chendhooram - 300, Mani-400, Sivajalam, Sakthijalam etc.
Bhogar Siddhar: Bhogar's contribution on the synthesis of mercury, mercurial compounds and arsenical compounds are note worth. In Bhogar's Pogar (Bogar)-7000 aka. Saptakanda he reveals details ofvarious medicinal preparations to his disciple Pullippani Siddhar (so named as he is believed to have wandered in the forests atop a puli or tiger) and at every stage he quotes his guru Kalangināthar Siddhar as the authority. It is considered that the statue of Lord Dhandayudhapani (Palani temple) was concocted with Nava pasana (Nine arsenical compounds).
Konganar Siddhar: Out of all Konganar's works more than 40 deal with the alchemy and the elixir (muppu) of life.
Therayar Siddhar is considered as the master of all the fields like astrology, mysticism, alchemy, medicine and language.
Edaikadar Siddhar: Edaikadar's contribution towards Rasavatham/Kayakalpam is remarkable.
Chatta Muni Siddhar: Chatta Muni took kalpam to change the body thathuvas and by which he evolved 96 thathuvas.

Kalanginathar Siddhar

Bhogar Siddha

Pulipani Siddhar

Siddha alchemy is unfathomable. Alchemy is a study of the basic elements called fire, water, earth and air. It is the study of transmutation. It was first studied to learn how to change lead into gold. It is similar to chemistry, but much older. People who studied alchemy were called alchemists.

According to Siddha alchemy and Siddha Tantric parlance, mercury is the representation of male (Shiva) form Shiva’s metal (Shivadhatu with divine (seminal) energy consciousness ). Whereas sulphur, the chemical element associated in the solidification process, is considered as the representation of female (Shakti or Gauri, consort of Shiva) form.

Mercury is the deadly poisonous substance obtained in semi-liquid form. Siddhas conducted amazing experiments with purification and transformative rituals to bring forth hidden qualities of mercury. They treated mercury with metals and other poisonous substances and developed the secretive mystical alchemical science. Alchemy deals with the basic elements known as fire, water, earth and air. All living and non-living subjects in this cosmic universe include these basic elements. Alchemy is the discipline concerned with transmutation. The science of alchemy paved way to develop number of scientific disciplines such as alchemy (modern), biology, bio-chemistry, bio-physics, chemistry, medical sciences, and pharmaceutical and therapeutic sciences.

What are the goals and the purposes of alchemy? The two major goals of alchemists were : the transmutation of lead and other base metals into gold, and the discovery of the "elixir of life". Alchemy of transmutation is known as chrysopoeia which aims the creation of a panacea, and the discovery of a universal solvent.

During the alchemy process, the metals and other poisonous nature of substances are transmuted into a powerful new form with bio-chemical, therapeutic, and spiritual properties for treating intractable diseases.

They even formulated the “transformation” and “purification” and “refinement” processes and documented the processes of alchemy in uniquely coded Tamil poetic form. With the art and science of alchemy they aimed to achieve many perfections and Siddhis. When mercury is refined through alchemical process (108 sanskars of mercury), it starts to acquire certain higher dimensional energetic qualities. Mercury alchemy leads to Siddha pharmaceutical system wherein lots of oxides (bhasmams) and other Siddha preparations are developed to treat number of diseases as well as rejuvenate the body and promote longevity.

The process of solidification of mercury is the surreptitious process documented by Tamil Siddhas. Pada-rasam is the given In Tamil to mercury and the Siddhas carved Shiva Lingam from solidified mercury and called as Rasalingam. Modern science develops the mercury amalgam (solidified mercury amalgam) by treating with few metals. Siddha alchemy solidifies mercury by submerging the fluid prepared with certain medicinal herbs and few other pharmaceutical substances and allow to settle under shadow light for a specific period of time.

Another important quest of alchemy is the transmutation of low value metals (example lead) into precious metals like gold and silver. Changing the element requires changing the atomic (proton) number. The precious metals have been subjected to incineration process for the conversion and preparation of metallic oxides (bhaspams), and reduce metals into red (chendhrams) and white (chunnams) calcinated salts (metallic nano-particles) to treat chronic diseases as well as to promote longevity.

Tamil Siddhas were concerned with the unique discovery of 'Muppu.' What is 'Muppu?' Muppu is termed as the universal solvent prepared by combining three salts representing three natural elements i.e, water, air an fire. Muppu was used in the consolidation process of mercury into pills as well as for rejuvenation purposes. There are different types of muppu preparations classified and documented by Siddhas. To make it clear, the constituents of the universal solvents differed depending upon the application of muppu in internal alchemy, external alchemy, pharmaceutical and therapeutic uses. Muppu was potent enough to reduce minerals into white (chunnum) or red (chenduram) calcinated powders and invigorate the medical potency. In total muppu is the rejuvenating medicine and to maintain human body young, energetic and free from diseases.

Reference

A critical study of the chronology of Sidha by KV.Ramakrishna Rao http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/essays/siddhas.asp

Alchemy – A Siddha Science by Kaulabhairav http://kaulabhairav.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/alchemy-a-siddha-science/

Siddhar’s Methods Of Processing Therapeutic Mercury http://openmed.nic.in/2740/01/thomas.pdf

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Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS): The Problem of Computer Induced Eye Strain

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Sat, 25 Jan 2014 08:51:00 +0000

Do you spent more time with your PC? If you spend more than two hours on your PC each day you will experience the most common symptoms like burning and aching eyes due to eye strain and eye tiredness, sensitivity to light, difficulties in focusing eyes, dry eyes due to lack of lubrication, double or blurred vision, headaches, and pain around your shoulder and neck. This kind of computer induced eye strain or the Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) occurs due to constant use of PC. The CVS is the popular occupational health hazard.

The CVS is really disturbing many active PC users. Your eyes and your focusing are comfortable if the image you are focusing has very well defined edges. If the image maintains good contrast between the symbols / letters and the background then your focusing is comfortable. Your focusing of printed page with white background and contrasting black letters or symbols is more comfortable. You are experiencing difficulty and eye strain while focusing your PC monitor. Your PC monitor displays are permutation and combination of small or tiny dots or pixels. The images formed by pixels do not have perfectly defined edges. There are frequent variations between the background and the symbols / letters. So you experience focusing difficulty.

Source:Computer Vision Syndrome(CVS):Causes,Treatments and Prevention By Samantha Kareechy

If you keep focusing on your monitor the focusing muscles or ciliary body of your eyes soon experience eye fatigues and develop symptoms like burning and aching eyes. This kind of vision condition is termed as Presbyopia and those affected with presbyopia will experience difficulties in focusing on close objects.

Now let us consider two situations. Your physician is prescribing spectacles for your focusing difficulties. He asks you to read the printed matter in a card (snellan Card) and based on your focusing difficulties he prescribes glasses for you to focus on printed letters and symbols. But there are focusing difficulties for you read letters and symbols on your PC monitor from a distance of twenty inches.

Source: Computer Vision Syndrome and Computer Glasses by Wendy Strouse Watt

Source: Computer Health Hazards

Now your focusing problems in relation to printed material are corrected with a pair of glasses. But your focusing problems in relation to viewing PC monitor are not corrected properly. The next time when you visit your eye physician, tell him that you need to work constantly on PC. There is an instrument called PRIO used by eye physicians to diagnose problems related to your computer monitor focusing. This instrument simulates the computer screen for you to focus. He will accurately diagnose your problems on your computer vision and prescribe suitable eye glasses for you to enjoy your PC sessions comfortably with enhanced productivity.

Reference Sources

All About Vision. Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) http://www.allaboutvision.com/cvs/
Computer Vision Syndrome and Computer Glasses by Wendy Strouse Watt http://www.mdsupport.org/library/cvs.html
Wiki Answers. How do you adjust the PC monitor to reduce eye strain? http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_do_you_adjust_the_PC_monitor_to_reduce_eye_strain

Article published in Yahoo Voices on Mar 1, 2009:

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) : the Problem of Computer Induced Eye Strain

http://voices.yahoo.com/computer-vision-syndrome-cvs-problem-computer-2798164.html

Alcoholic Abuse and Rehabilitation

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 06:33:00 +0000

Alcoholics don’t have self control and they have an irresistible urge to consume alcohol. You may call it as a condition. The exact term to describe their condition is ‘alcohol abuse’.

Alcoholism

What exactly alcoholism? My friend has consumed alcohol one or two occasions in his life. Another friend even now drinks once in a month. Do you wish to call them as alcoholic? No! The former has consumed alcohol and stopped now and latter is still consuming with self control.

Alcoholics don’t have self control and they have an irresistible urge to consume alcohol. You may call it as a condition. The exact term to describe their condition is “alcohol abuse.” When people consume alcohol in larger doses of alcohol than their acceptable body limits, then you may call them as alcoholics. Of course they are abusing alcohol. The lack of self control and an irresistible urge towards alcohol will definitely lead them towards this pathetic condition or you may call it as a disease. As the condition advances they are loosing their mental equilibrium and become physically weak. They are termed as alcohol addicts. You may very well call them as alcoholics.

Alcoholism is considered as a social evil in India. Both our society and religions consider alcoholism or abuse of alcohol as a taboo. The saints, national leaders, elders showed determination in eliminating alcoholism. The Indian government has enforced statutory measures to exercise control in alcoholism.

Causes

What could be the causes of alcoholism? If an individual looses emotional balance due to tussled relationship (love failure, divorce, adultery, impotency, family quarrel etc.), loss of dear and near, loss of money, property assets, suffering from chronic illness, psychological problems etc, he consumes alcohol to divert his attention.

How alcohol changes the behavior of an alcoholic? His condition is becoming more and more pathetic. You can easily notice the trembling limbs. He will remain restless. He cannot talk steadily. If he gets an irresistible urge to drink and in case if he is not getting his alcohol quota he will become wild. Some may abuse and some other may trouble family members. At times they may realize their condition. Slowly they will become a burden to the self and family.

Alcoholics show lot of physical symptoms due to alcoholism. Their heart beat becomes abnormal. They are becoming weak; reddened eyes, swollen face with hard and rough voice. Some may show breathing problems. Their appetite may not be proper and they may suffer from digestive disorders. Most of them will vomit the content. They will always have headache, body pain, stomach ache and chest pain.

Save the Alcoholics from alcohol abuse

Alcoholism is only a condition. The alcoholics have become addicts without knowing the evil after effects. Now they cannot exercise self control and bring down the dosages. Don’t keep advising them or abusing them. They have crossed level of listening to your advices or abuses. This may increase their stress.

Have sympathy on alcoholics and treat them with compassion. Keep him in proper rest. If possible engage him to do some physical activities that may make him tired and also make him to forget alcohol for a while. You can provide tender coconut water which may reconstruct the lost electrolytes. Otherwise give him citrus fruit juices (even lemon juice is sufficient). Provide him mild and healthy diet.

Find out the reason that made him to drink. Make him to think positively. Tell him that the reason is trivial and negligible. Make him to understand that things have changed. Just make him to understand his importance. Let him not feel guilty. Ensure the support of family and friends. Above all keep him away from alcohol as well as alcoholic environment and friendship.

Counseling

Have an open session with the alcoholic. Listen to him. Allow him to talk. Tell him about the dangers of alcohol. Strongly urge the alcoholic to stop drinking. Make him to understand the importance of his self and the dependence of his family over him for their bright future. Have few sittings at regular intervals. Keep observing him and if he shows aggressive behavior, anger or depression, just repeat counseling. Encourage him to become active in his career or job or business or any other useful activities.

De-addiction and Treatment

The successful treatment lies in making the alcoholic to understand that he has lost self control i.e. alcohol abuse. Just he must recognize his root cause problem problem. What is most important is that his family members and close friends should make him understand that the root cause problem is lying within his control and if he believes and is willing to overcome, he can overcome this problem very soon.

There must be comprehensive treatment approach. Counseling and motivation should be part of the treatment. There are support groups providing psychotherapy i.e. Alcoholics Anonymous (or some other support groups). There are NGO rehabilitation programs i.e. outpatient and inpatient or community de-addiction camps are conducted by these support groups. Currently, effective medications exist for alcohol abuse i.e. Benzodiazepine antagonists have been developed.

Reference:

Alcohol Addiction Threats http://deaddictioncentres.in/glossary/alcohol/
Alcohol abuse – what you need to know http://health.india.com/diseases-conditions/alcohol-abuse-what-you-need-to-know/
Alcohol in India in Endodest http://cms.mumbaimirror.com/portalfiles/34/9/201105/Image/564.jpg
Alcoholism. Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholism
Alcoholism in The Free Dictionary http://www.thefreedictionary.com/alcoholism
Discovery Health "Yoga Pictures" health.howstuffworks.com http://r.ddmcdn.com/w_622/u_0/gif/yoga-rehab.jpg
How alcoholism is creating a socio-economic problem in India in Health Care in India http://www.healthcare-in-india.net/public-health-2/how-alcoholism-is-creating-a-socio-economic-problem-in-india/
What Is An Alcoholic? What Is Alcoholism? http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/157163.php

This article was published in Healthmad on October 14th, 2008 http://healthmad.com/addiction/alcoholic-abuse-and-rehabilitation/#ixzz2p1nkcDU0

Alcohol Metabolism: Interesting Facts

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 05:31:00 +0000

Do you know how your body eliminates the alcohol you consumed? When alcohol enters into your stomach all the green signals are on and the alcohol runs through all absorption process so quickly. Your liver does the major performance in metabolizing the remaining ninety per cent of your alcohol. Through oxidation process, the alcohol you have consumed gets detoxified and removed from your blood.

When alcohol enters into your stomach all the green signals are on and the alcohol runs through all absorption process so quickly. Within one minute or two your stomach walls of your empty stomach absorb twenty percent of the alcohol you have consumed.

Human Digestive System and Alcohol Absorption

Absorption

Do you know how your alcoholic drink gets absorbed in to your body? The absorption of alcohol is quicker than your food. Of course your food items have to undergo several steps before absorption and the absorption procedure needs enzyme. If your drink has higher alcohol concentration then your absorption will be faster. If your drink is carbonated i.e. beer or if you add carbonated water to your drink then your absorption will be faster. If you consume your drink in empty stomach your absorption will be still faster. So make sure that you are not consuming your drink in empty stomach. It is reported that about twenty per cent is absorbed in your stomach. The remaining eighty per cent is absorbed in your small intestine. In your small intestine there is rapid absorption of alcohol takes place.

Dissolving in Blood Stream

Once you absorb your alcohol, the liquid makes entry into your blood stream and get it dissolved in your blood. The water molecules in your blood allow the liquid to get dissolved. The water molecules of your tissues dissolve the alcohol and now this liquid exerts its effects on your body.

Blood Alcohol Concentration

If the amount of alcohol consumed by you exceeds your body’s ability to metabolize it, your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) increases. Now are able to feel the effects of alcohol intoxication and you can find your BAC increased significantly within twenty minutes after consuming your drink.

Alcohol Metabolism

The alcohol concentration in your blood as well as body tissues will be metabolized and eliminated by three different organs of your body. Your kidney can flush out and eliminate just five per cent of your alcohol through urine. Your lung will help you to eliminate five per cent of your alcohol through your breathing.

Your liver does the major performance in metabolizing the remaining ninety per cent of your alcohol. The alcohol concentrated blood flows towards your liver via the veins and capillaries of your digestive tract. After reaching your liver the blood affects nearly every liver cell.

Breakdown and Detoxification of Alcohol

Please understand that your liver cells of your body can produce the required enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) to oxidize alcohol at a faster rate to ease out alcohol concentration. The alcohol metabolism is a complex process. Your body metabolism involves a several metabolism processes, one of which is referred to as oxidation. Through oxidation process, the alcohol you have consumed gets detoxified and removed from your blood. The enzyme ADH converts alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is quickly converted to acetate by other enzymes and is eventually metabolized to carbon dioxide and water. Thus your liver cells prevent the alcohol from accumulating and destroying your body tissues and vital organs.

Extra Load to Your Liver Cells

Your liver cells generally utilizes fatty acids as fuel and stores excess fatty acids as triglycerides. Your alcohol concentration triggers the alarm bell and warns your liver cells to do some disaster management job. Now your liver cells will shift the priority to alcohol metabolism. It simply diverts its concentration on the alcohol concentrated blood. Till the time your liver cells engage in alcohol metabolism, the fatty acids accumulate in huge amounts in your liver. It simply breaks down alcohol into acetic acid. How much alcohol you can eliminate within one hour? It is estimated that, if you are an average person, you can eliminate just 15 ml (0.5 oz).

Liver Damage

If you keep on disturbing your liver cells to exert more energy on alcohol metabolism, there will be changes in your liver cell structure. Soon your liver cells will loose the ability to metabolize fats. Now you may able to understand the causes for developing fatty liver. Your kidneys also get enlarged and there is disturbance in your hormone functions. As a result you may end up with kidney failure.
Now you know the elimination process. Please understand that large amount of alcohol over a period of an hour in take will slow down your absorption, dissolving, elimination metabolism and will increase your BAC much more. The BAC increases when the body absorbs alcohol faster than it can eliminate it. So, because the body can only eliminate about one dose of alcohol per hour, drinking several drinks in an hour will increase your BAC much more than having one drink over a period of an hour or more.

In general, it takes the average drinker’s body one hour to metabolize one drink. As one’s BAC continues to increase, the user will experience different levels of intoxication.

Reference:

Alcohol & Your Body in Brown University Health Education http://brown.edu/Student_Services/Health_Services/Health_Education/alcohol,_tobacco,_&_other_drugs/alcohol/alcohol_&_your_body.php
Alcoholic liver disease diagnosis CAGE criteria Treatment in Medic Scientist http://medicscientist.com/alcoholic-liver-disease-diagnosis-cage-criteria-treatment
Alcohol Metabolism in About.com http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/alerts/l/blnaa35.htm
Ethanol metabolism. wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethanol_metabolism
Hepatic alcohol metabolism in Total Pict http://totalpict.com/hepatic%20alcohol%20metabolism
How Alcohol Is Metabolized in the Human Body http://hamsnetwork.org/metabolism/
Metabolic Detoxification Programme - increase vitality & energy in Naturopathy & Nutritional Therapy http://mynaturopath.webs.com/metabolicdetoxification.htm
Option H Liver function in Click4biology http://click4biology.info/c4b/h/h4.htm
Role of Acetaldehyde in Mediating the Pharmacological and Behavioral Effects of Alcohol in National Institute of Alcohol Abue http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh294/258-265.htm
Why Does Alcohol Allergy Occurs? in x↓↓CURE↓↓x Allergy to Alcohol Treatment http://alcoholallergytreatment.blogspot.in/

This article was published by me in Healthmad on November 1, 2008 http://healthmad.com/health/alcohol-metabolism-interesting-facts/#ixzz2oyvA6Bg6

Alcohol: The Facts You should Know

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 17:39:00 +0000

Alcohol is one of the oldest intoxicating liquor known to man. Alcoholism is an illness of the mind and body. Enough is enough.

What is Alcohol? It is a hydroxyl compound. Its chemical name is ethyl alcohol, or ethanol. The chemical properties of this liquid include its flammability and solubility in water. It is less dense and evaporates at a lower temperature. Alcohol is prepared by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Alcohol can be produced from a wide range of agricultural products, such as grapes, barley, wheat, grains, fruit, and potatoes.

Source: Alcoholism: Nature, Nurture or Both? EMMA ELIZABETH FIVEK on December 2, 2012 http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/12/alcoholism-nature-nurture-or-both.html

The popular process is fermentation sugar (usually grain or fruit mixtures) is converted by a single-celled microorganism such as yeast into alcohol. e.g. beer. Another popular process is distillation wherein a fermented liquid (fruit or grain mixtures) is heated to make the alcohol evaporate as vapor. The alcohol vapor is then condensed into liquid form e.g. gin, vodka, whiskies etc., are made by distilling a kind of beer made from grain. Rum is obtained from fermented sugar cane juice or molasses. Brandy is obtained from fermented grape juice. Similarly you will get fruit Brandy if you ferment fruits other than grapes.

Ethyl alcohol or ethanol is the intoxicating ingredient found in beer, rum, vodka, whiskey and wine. So when we say “alcohol,” we mean ethanol. However just understand that the ethyl alcohol concentration is not hundred per cent. You are not consuming pure alcohol in your drink. If you consume few ounces of pure alcohol your blood alcohol concentration will shoot up to the danger zone.

Alcohol by volume (ABV, abv, or alc/vol) is a standard measure of alcohol (ethanol) concentration in an alcoholic beverage (expressed as a percentage of total volume). Among the alcohols, beer has the lowest (4 to 6 per cent) ethanol concentration. In wine it is about 8 to 15 per cent. The concentration is about 40 to 95 per cent in gin, rum, whiskey, vodka etc.

Table source: Alcohol by Volume. Wikipedia

Drink	Typical ABV
Fruit juice (naturally occurring)	less than 0.1%
Low-alcohol beer	0.05%–1.2%
Beer	2%–12% (usually 4%–6%)
Malt liquor	5%+
Barley wine (strong ale)	8%–15%
Wine	9%–16% (most often 12.5%–14.5%)^[6]
Dessert wine	14%–25%
Sake (rice wine)	15% (or 18%–20% if not diluted prior to bottling)
Liqueurs	15%–55%
Fortified wine	15.5%–20%^[7] (in the European Union, 18%–22%)
Vodka	35%–50% (usually 40%)
Brandy	35%–60% (usually 40%)
Rum	37.5%–80%
Gin	40%–50%
Whisky	40%–61% (usually 40% or 43%)
Arak	60%–65%
Neutral grain spirit	85%–95%
Rectified spirit	95%-96%

Alcohol politics, policies and public health The Hindu November 2, 2009 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/alcohol-politics-policies-and-public-health/article42353.ece

The rural illegal distilleries in India produce and market country liquor, an alcoholic drink made from locally available cheap raw material such as sugar-cane, rice, palm, coconut and cheap grains, country wood bark, expired battery cell with an alcohol concentration between twenty five to forty five per cent. Most popular country liquor varieties are arrack, desi sharab, tari etc. The country liquor is produced clandestinely in desolated places e.g. jungles, hills, isolated cottages. In each village there will be one or two units operating illegally.

Arrack Shop Mullodai by dhanasekarangm Panoramio http://www.panoramio.com/photo/87854840

There is no quality check on these liquors and the alcohol concentration varies and touches high. Another evil with country liquor is adulteration. Illicit units always use industrial methylated spirit as a common adulterant and sell the liquor at a cheaper rate. Consumption adulterated liquor is popular among poorer rural or urban mass. Often mass poisoning incidents are often reported in newspapers in India. Loss of life or irreversible damage to the eyes is very common.

Source: Palm Wine. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_wine

Have you heard of ‘toddy’? Toddy is an alcoholic drink obtained by fermenting the sap of a coconut palm. This white colored natural drink will turns from sweet to sour taste as the fermentation progresses. Its alcohol concentration is between four and six per cent. The drink has a shelf life of about 24 hours. Toddy is very popular drink among the rural mass in south India.

The ethnic groups in the eastern part of India enjoy Jack-fruit wine, an alcoholic beverage made from the pulp of jack-fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). They peel off the ripened jack fruit and discard the skin. They obtain the pulp after removing the seeds and soak it in water. They extract juice from soaked pulp and for extraction they use bamboo baskets. The juice will be collected in earthen pots and a small quantity of water added to the pots along with fermented wine inoculums from a previous fermentation. The pots are meticulously covered with banana leaves and set to ferment at 18 to 30ºC for about one week. The fermented liquor is then decanted and drunk. The alcohol concentration is about seven to eight per cent.

Apong is a popular rice wine consumed by the rural mass in Arunachal Pradesh. Zu and Rohi are locally processed alcoholic liquors found in Nagaland. The alcohol concentration ranges from ten to twenty per cent.

Daru, popular liquor distilled from the flowers of the mahwa tree. It is consumed by the rural mass – the Rajputs of north-western India. The alcohol concentration ranges from twenty to forty per cent.

Say No to Alcohol

Reference:

Alcohol politics, policies and public health The Hindu November 2, 2009 http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/alcohol-politics-policies-and-public-health/article42353.ece
Alcoholic beverage. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholic_beverage
Alcoholism: Nature, Nurture or Both? EMMA ELIZABETH FIVEK on December 2, 2012 http://www.personal.psu.edu/afr3/blogs/siowfa12/2012/12/alcoholism-nature-nurture-or-both.html
Overview of alcohol consumption National Institute on Alcohol abuse and alcoholism http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption
Palm wine. Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_wine

(This article was published by me in Gomestic on Nov 01, 2008. http://gomestic.com/cooking/alcohol-the-facts-you-should-know/)

I Am Your Liver: The Most Faithful Servant - Help Me to Serve You Better

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 10:22:00 +0000

Look here! It is me, your liver. You can feel my presence by touching the right side of your abdominal region. You can feel your bony rib cage. I am safely placed on the right side of your rib cage, just beneath your diaphragm. Physicians always prefer to check my condition by palpation, in case if you suffer from chronic ailments like jaundice, hepatitis, inflammation etc. Physicians and nutritionists always keep warning you for the excess consumption of alcohol or steroid drugs. No doubt, I am one of your most important organs.

How I am Organized?

1) You may recognize me by looking my unequally shaped four lobes with varying sizes. Invariably my weight will be ranging between 1.4 and 1.6 kg. You may easily identify me since I am considered as the largest (glandular) organ in your body. You cannot miss my reddish brown color appearance.

2) I have been composed by thousands tissues called lobules. Each of my lobule is made up of hepatic cells. Through my hepatic cells I am able to perform your liver metabolism.

3) I am attached by your circulation system through your hepatic artery and the portal vein. These two blood vessels are terminated after passing through me as tiny capillaries and after undergoing repeated subdivisions each capillary leads to a lobule. I will be receiving the blood supply regularly through these capillaries.

4) You may be surprised to understand that your hepatic artery brings around 1.5 liters of oxygen-rich blood every minute and help me to function properly by purifying my internal organs. Your portal vein brings out the blood comprising digested food from your small intestine.

How do I Function?

1) Your physician shows lot of respect on me because my role as the powerhouse or energy bank of your body. I render vital help in digesting:

a) Carbohydrates. I am your energy savings bank. Some are equating me as your battery. Simply I convert excess sugar, i.e. excess starch substance you consumed, in the form of glycogen and deposit it in the energy bank. Once your blood glucose levels goes down I will come to your rescue and convert the glycogen into glucose.

b) Proteins. I also run another bank with your amino acids. You may call it as your current account, since you cannot store amino acids. I receive the protein substances consumed by you and I disintegrate the protein in to tiny energizing units called amino acids. These amino acids are responsible for your essential physiological functions. I am also responsible for flushing out the wastes in the form of urea and nitrogen.

c) Fats. I am held responsible for converting the fats you consume into simpler form and utilize the in the future when more energy is required by your body. I am held also responsible for producing cholesterol. I am only producing about 80% of the cholesterol in your body.

d) Vitamins and Minerals. I am also responsible in storing iron reserves, vitamins (vitamins A, D, K and B12) and minerals in your body.

2) I perform over 500 jobs, and produces over 1,000 essential enzymes. You may call me as your bio-chemical plant. I am responsible for the synthesis and secretion of so many chemical fluids. You call them as enzymes and hormones.

3) You might have heard of a yellow pigment called bile. It is synthesized and secreted from me. The bile does a major role and helps you to digest your fat consumed by you without minding my work load. Have a heart and think of my strain. The bile also provides normal color to your stool and urine.

4) Some of my blood clotting fluids rush to the bruised or injured site of your body and arrest bleeding immediately.

5) I am entrusted with the responsibility of securing you from harmful food substances, alcohol, medicines, steroids administered as injections etc. I am you security office and I carry out physical checking when these substances try to enter by mustering in. If I am not guarding you from these harmful substances they may be playing their purposeful role and damage your vital organs.

6) As told I am responsible in guarding your blood vessels, heart, kidneys and brain from the toxic substances i.e. alcohol and excess of steroidal drugs. Do you want to know how I am doing this? Simply I filter them and convert the toxic materials into less harmful chemicals and flush them out of your body.

My strengths

I must tell you about my ability to strengthen my self and I am entrusted with an extraordinary ability to maintain my health. Even if you strain my health with toxins through your food alcohol and drugs, I will constantly fight against all these toxins or those wastes produced in the body as a result of various chemical reactions.

My Weaknesses

1) Some times I am very much affected by genetic disorder called Wilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration. Due to this conditions copper gets accumulated in my tissues. This condition further damages with inflammation.

2) Your alcohol consumption over longer periods of time alters my metabolism and brings overall detrimental effects in my normal functions.

3) Hepatitis B infects me and inflates my size (liver inflammation) and hampers my functions. I develop scar easily, and your physicians call these scars, as "cirrhosis" and the scars are permanent. Cirrhosis (a chronic condition of developing scars) is an undesirable development that may damage myself and bring total failure in my functioning.

4) As any other organ in your body, I may also get affected with cancer and suffer from normal functioning.

5) For this purposes I am well equipped with an extraordinary defense mechanism to recover. I am expected to perform all my charter of duties even if eighty per cent my cells are damaged. I am blessed with the ability to regenerate the cells damaged due to harmful substances or due to harmful virus infection.

Help Me to Serve you Better

Kindly think about my importance. Without me your health is under siege. No body metabolism; no secured living from harmful substances that is ingested in the form of drug or alcohol; no saving of glycogen or amino acids or fat. In the absence of proper care, I get affected badly. My size and shape will keep shrinking and I will appear pale and yellow to you. Over the period of time I will undergo slow death. Do you want this ill fate should take place in your life? Should you or I deserve such a pathetic situation?

I request you to keep me under periodical check up and review. As any other vital machinery and equipment, I must receive periodical check up and treatment. Check me out with your physician.

He will advice you to under go 'Blood screening tests' to identify my condition precisely. He may be satisfied with my stable conditions if I am soft and smooth. He will conclude some trouble within me and he will be worried if I look rough and inflated. He may recommend certain laboratory tests including ultra sound and CT scans to make precise diagnoses. He will make me alright and handover me back to continue my service.

I hope now you have understood my role and services. For want of modesty I have discussed few points only. I am your faithful servant. Your life partner. I am the one and only natural source created by God to render typical service. There is no substitute for me. My ensured service will be available to you. What I expect from you is tender loving care.

Thank you,
Regards,
Your Liver

Reference:
1) MamasHealth.com - Liver - http://www.mamashealth.com/organs/liver.asp
2) Mountain Herbz - Did you know who I am? -http://www.mountainherbz.com/esg_des.html
3) Health Properties of Chanca Piedra or Bhumyamalaki or Phyllanthus Amarus / Niruri by Muthusamy R http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/105764/health_properties_of_chanca_piedra.html?cat=5
4) Wikipedia - Liver - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liver
5) Wikipedia - Wilson's Disease - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson's_disease

This article was published by Muthusamy.R in Associated Content in Oct 6, 2008. Now available at Yahoo Voices (http://voices.yahoo.com/i-am-liver-most-faithful-servant-2004163.html)

Toshiba's TransferJet Technology components promise High-speed Wireless data transfer @ 560 Mbps: Adoptable in Digital consumer electronic devices (Smart-phones, Tablets etc.)

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 08:43:00 +0000

'TransferJet' high-speed, wireless transfer technology'

'TransferJet' is the close proximity, high-speed, simple connectivity, wireless transfer technology' standard researched, designed, developed and demonstrated by Sony during early 2008. The touch activated interface and the wireless TransferJet technology aimed to facilitate high speed data exchange between two electronic devices (peer to peer mode). The amazing physical transmission rate of this device is 560 Mbit/s. However the maximum throughput is rated as 375 Mbit/s after allowing for error correction and other protocol overhead.

Toshiba America Electronic components, Inc. and TransferJet Consortium

The technology is further promoted by the TransferJet Consortium whose membership consists of 45 companies (as of August 2012), including Toshiba. Toshiba America Electronic components, Inc. offer a single chip solution that utilizes an RF-CMOS manufacturing process to support both RF and digital functions in one chip. Since the ultra small module single chip TransferJet embedded design (comprising built-in crystal and RF components in a 4.8x4.8x1.0 mm package) reduces power consumption, it is oriented towards small form factor consumer electronic devices.

Toshiba TransferJet Technology Components and Applications

The form factor TransferJet technology components announced by Toshiba includes:

Source: http://www.toshiba-components.com/transferjet/

1. USB adaptor (TJM35420UX); 2. MicroUSB adaptor (TJM35420MU ); 3. MicroSDIO card (TC35420US); and 4. TransferJet-enabled SDHC memory card.

These components aim to promote quick adoption of the TransferJet technology by OEMs and for end-user implementation (smart phones and hand-held micro-computing devices). For example: 1. The USB adaptor is compatible to Windows 7 and Windows 8 Operating Systems with Toshiba software; 2. The microUSB adaptor can be adopted in the Android™ 4.0 OS and above devices (equipped with a microUSB port and USB OTG (On The Go) function as well as Android application software; 3. The microSDIO card (adoptable to) runs on Android 4.0 OS with (Toshiba) Linux drivers for OEMs to port it to their Application processors.

Toshiba TransferJet technology and Digital Electronic Devices' Consumers

Toshiba TransferJet technology is all set to become the next big thing in the close proximity wireless data transmission arena. The devies can transfer very large files, such as 1. from a portable device to a portable device (smartphone or a tablet) or 2. a portable device to a stationary device (TV or printer) with a simple connection in the shortest possible time. No file type limitation and all in mission critical data including aerospace, defense, medical application information - ebook, reports, drawing, photos, output from medical instruments, and videos, in very large file formats are compatible for secure and very high-speed data transfer.

Source: http://www.toshiba-components.com/transferjet/

The wireless speeds of TransferJet is about 8 faster than Wi-Fi Direct; the speed is amazing and transfer of 100 MB data file from mobile phone to television is possible in less than 2.0 seconds. Yet the TransferJet technology devices will consume lesser power than Blue tooth devices. Each of these devices may cost around $ 38.00 to 40.00 and can be applicable to mobiles or tablets with Android 4.0 or higher and Windows 7/8.

Source: http://www.toshiba-components.com/transferjet/

Reference:

TransferJet Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TransferJet
www.toshiba.com/taec
TransferJet™ Wireless Data Transfer Technology: Frequently Asked Questions http://www.toshiba.com/taec/components/Generic/QandA_TransfrJet.pdf

YouTube: TransferJet Wireless Communication for the Digital Community by Toshiba Eletronics

Madras Day: On 22nd August 2011Madras turns 372 !

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:21:00 +0000

Madras, now Chennai, city deserves to celebrate its 372nd birthday. The city with its colonial relics certainly deserves it.

The lovers of this city and its unique history launched a unique celebration in 2004.

The history speaks that Madras was founded on August 22, 1639.

It was on August 22, 1639 that a sliver of land, where Fort. St. George stands today, was transacted by the East India Company.

The deal for this historic piece of land was struck by two representatives of East India Company - Francis Day, his ‘dubash’ Beri Thimmappa, and their superior, Andrew Cogan, with the local Nayak rulers. It is believed that this deal was made on August 22, 1639.

Number of settlements came around the Fort. St. George and what is now known as George Town was called as Black Town. Then slowly sorounding villages were annexed and brought together. Later the old towns and new towns got linked up. Slowly but steadily Madras took new shapes and evolved as an important metro city.

Today, the metro city Chennai (often described as the 'Gateway of South') stands tall for a variety of reasons. Education, healthcare, IT, history, tourism, auto industries, movies, etc. And yes, it also has its warts.

Madras Day celebrates the city.

Madras Day was the brain child of three well known people i.e.,

S. Muthiah, the city’s famed historian;

Sashi Nair, popular journalist; and

Vincent D’ Souza, known publisher.

Later, three more eminent people joined with the Madras History Movement:

Sushila Ravindranath, senior journalist and editor;

Revathi R, journalist and web site entrepreneur and entrepreneur; and

Sriram.V, writer-historian.

The objective of the Madras Day is to focus on the city, its culture rich tradition, its history, its past and its present and the above six form as the core team and this team communicates and motivates communities, groups, companies and campuses in the city to host events that celebrate the city.

Heritage walks, school exchange programmes, talks and contests, poetry and music and quiz, food fests and rallies, photo exhibitions and bike tours . . . . these and more are the ways in which the city is celebrated.

In order to enlarge participation, the Madras Day has been expanded to create the Madras Week.

In 2011, MADRAS WEEK will be celebrated from August 21 to 28. MADRAS DAY, as always, is August 22

NHM Converter Online – Tamil font encoding converter online

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 12:14:00 +0000

NHM Converter is the Tamil font encoding converter tool available free-of-cost from NHM writer.

Now you can avail NHM Converter facilities over online too. Since NHM Converter is browser reliant, now you have NHM converter specifically for Linux, Mac operating systems too. In the beginning, Suratha‘s Pongu Tamil was the only available tool.

The down-loadble version is available for Windows. Soon the Linux version will be made available.

Some of the distinctive features of NHM converter are:

    1. Embedded fonts. You don’t need to install any fonts.
    2. Speed of the conversion as conversion takes place at client side. We used NHM converter for the Tamil Wiktionary Automation project and it helped us convert font encoding of large MB files with ease.
    3. Auto detect encoding
    4. Extendability
    5. Sometimes it will be helpful, if you want to type in a 8 -bit encoding without any font. (another usage of font embedding feature)

NHM Converter Online - A Software to convert various font encodings in Tamil

View more presentations from Badri Seshadri

How to compose your Gmail Email in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam?

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 15:48:00 +0000

how to compose your Gmail Email in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam

View more presentations from R S

Source: http://www.slideshare.net/rc_sharma/how-to-compose-your-gmail-email-in-hindi-telugu-tamil-kannada-malayalam

How to Optimize Your Blog Posts Using Wordtracker SEO Blogger Tool?

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:30:00 +0000

Wordtracker’s new launch is the easy to use keyword research tool for blogger. With this Mozilla Firefox add-on you can optimize your blog post easily. Read on the features of this user friendly tool used to optimize your blog post as you write.

SEO Blogger Tool

How about a free tool that allows you to combine both keyword research and article writing functions together? SEO Blogger, a Firefox extension or add-on tool was launched recently by the well known keyword research lab WordTracker. This fantastic keyword utility tool works (only with Mozilla Firefox) well with most of the content management system (CMS) such as Wordpress or SubHub and will guide you to optimize your keywords and get them incorporated into your content. The utility tool will appear at the left hand side of your browser / text editor and when you start typing your article, the tool will search, analyze and validate the search volumes of the appropriate keywords from the text typed.

You will find it much comfortable with such a very fast keyword optimization result and you can precisely determine the most appropriate keywords for your current article based on their search volumes. You need not leave your text editor for searching and optimizing the keywords from the given text paragraphs. As a result you will get your fully optimized article while editing your text. Your browser, in combination with the WordTracker add on will provide you the fully optimized article while editing your text.

How You Can Download, Install and Use the Tool?

Just below find the screen grab of WordTracker’s SEO Blogger:

SEO Blogger Tool

How You Can Download, Install and Use the Tool?

Just below find the screen grab of WordTracker’s SEO Blogger:

Use the Tool.

You are at freedom to use the tool. I would like to create a post on Ramayana. Let me enter the keyword ‘Ramayana’. The keyword options listed with search volumes are shown below:

1 ramayana 208

2 ramayana adaptations 140

3 ramayana for children 13

4 the ramayana 8

5 adhyathma ramayana+download+mp3 5

6 ramayana at hiawatha ng india 5

7 ramayana epic 5

8 ramayana the epic 2010 5

9 summary of ramayana 5

10 ananda ramayana 4

Your success lies in choosing the right keyword with good weightage and this tool will keep counting of how many times you use the keyword or key phrase in your post or article. Of course your objective should be the maximum amount of search traffic that your post could attract. I am sure your objective will be realized with this tool.

Reference:

SEO Blogger: Optimize Your Posts As You Write http://www.wordtracker.com/seo-blogger/

How to seo blogger with custom meta and title tag?

SEO blogger Firefox add-on tutorial

Henna, natural dye for tatoo and hair color

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:30:00 +0000

History

Let us begin from the fundamental. Henna has a long history dating back to the Bronze Age and has been used to dye the hair, skin, and fingernails. Henna is a dried powder made from a plant called Laesonia Inermis. This plant grows predominately in hot climates. It is cultivated in India, Pakistan, Morrocco, Yemen, and other countries in this area. Initially henna was applied in these countries to cool the body in the hot summers.

Ancient Egyptians used henna to color their hair beards and nails. You might have heard the term ‘Mehndi ‘. The traditional Indian name for the art of henna is referred to as mehndi. The art is achieved by applying paste made from the dried and crushed leaves of the henna plant. A chemical, lawsone, bonds itself into the outer layer of skin i.e., palms, nails etc., leaving a red-brown stain that becomes darker the longer the henna paste is kept in place. The stain that remains on the skin from the henna will stay on the surface for an upwards of three weeks. The powdered henna is usually mixed with a slightly acidic liquid such as lemon juice or tea. The paste is applied on the skin along a pattern after the paste has ‘rested’ for at least six hours. This allows the lawsone to develop properly enough to bond with the skin. Some preparations have tea tree oil, lavender oil, or eucalyptus oil to help improve the stain.

Properties

It takes some time for a very dark color to develop. The paste can be left on for hours, the longer it is left on, the more intense the color result. The paste will dry and flake during the time it is left on, so some artists apply a mix of lemon juice and sugar to the paste by dabbing it on. Others may add the sugar directly to the paste which may increase intensity of color as well. When the paste is removed, the stain will be orange tinge, but will darken over the next several days to a red-brown color. The soles of the feet and palms of the hands have the thickest layers of skin and will absorb the most henna stain. The stain here will be the darkest and last the longest.

Since henna is a natural dye and turns the hair to a lustrous look, people all over the world use it to color their hair. Henna is a safe, natural alternative to coloring hair with commercial hair color products containing harsh and often harmful chemicals. Henna has to be mixed in the right proportion with the right ingredients to get the desired color and effect. Henna works by coating the hair strands. Henna stops falling of hair and reduces the itching of the scalp. It also helps dandruff problems.

Mehndi

The different cultures gave rise to different style of mehndi and different methods of application. Applying art form of henna is an important part of wedding ceremonies. Today Mehndi has also become popular in the west.

Published in Rediff blog on June 2, 2008
http://blogs.rediff.com/muthusamy/2008/06/02/henna-natural-dye-for-tatoo-hair-color/

Colors: Words and different Meanings in different Culture

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 13:06:00 +0000

Colors often have different meanings in various cultures. The meanings of various colors have changed over the years.

BLACK

Black: Black is the color of authority and power.The term “black” is often used in the West to denote the race of people whose skin color ranges from light to darker shades of brown. In ancient China, black was the symbol of North and Water, one of the main five colors. In Japanese culture, kuro (black) is a symbol of nobility, age, and experience, as opposed to shiro (white), which symbolizes serfdom, youth, and naivet�. Black is a symbol of mourning and bereavement in Western societies, especially at funerals and memorial services.

Black body: In physics, a black body is a perfect absorber of light, but by a rule derived by Einstein it is also, when heated, the best emitter.
Black belt: Thus the black belt is a mark of achievement and seniority in many martial arts. These ranks are called dan.
Black bloc: Wearing black clothing is also sometimes an anarchist tactic during demonstrations, with a practical benefit of not attracting attention and making later identification of a subject difficult. This strategy is referred to as a black bloc.
Black box: A black box is any device whose internal workings are unknown or inexplicable.
Black flag: The plain black flag is explained in various ways, sometimes as an anti-flag or a non-flag.
Black frequently: Black frequently symbolizes ambiguity, secrecy, and the unknown.
Black hole: The term “black hole” is applied to collapsed stars. This term is metaphorical however, because few properties of black objects or black voids apply to black holes. However, light emitted within a black hole’s event horizon cannot escape, hence a black hole cannot be directly observed.
Black light: Ultraviolet light is called “black light” because, unseen (per se), it causes many minerals and other substances to fluoresce.
Black magic: Black magic is a destructive or evil form of magic, often connected with death,
Black market: The black market is used to denote the trade of illegal goods, or alternatively the illegal trade.
Black project: A black project is a secretive project, like Enigma Decryption, other classified military programs or operations, Narcotics, or police sting operations.
Black robes: Lawyers and judges often wear black robes.
Black sheep: The black sheep of the family is the ne’er-do-well.
Black sky: Black sky refers to the appearance of space as one emerges from the Earth’s atmosphere.
Blackmail: Blackmail is the act of threatening to reveal information about a person unless the threatened party fulfills certain demands.

BLUE

Blue: The blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing.
The English language commonly uses “blue” to refer to any colour from navy blue to cyan. The word itself is derived from the Old French word bleu. In the English language blue may refer to the feeling of sadness. Blue often represents the human emotion of sadness. e.g. “He was feeling blue”.

Blue movie: An adult movie or one with significant sexual content can be referred to as a “blue movie”
Blue ribbon: In symbolism blue ribbon is a term used to describe something of high quality.

GREEN

Green: Currently the most popular decorating color, green symbolizes nature. It is the easiest color on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming, refreshing color. People waiting to appear on TV sit in “green rooms” to relax. Hospitals often use green because it relaxes patients.

The word green is closely related to the Old English verb growan, "to grow". It is used to describe plants or the ocean.

Green (Emotion): Sometimes it can also describe someone who is inexperienced, jealous, or sick.
Green (Environment): Green is common in nature, especially in plants.
Green Movement: Recent political groups have taken on the color as symbol of environmental protection and social justice, and consider themselves part of the Green movement, some naming themselves Green parties. This has led to similar campaigns in advertising, as companies have sold green, or environmentally friendly, products. Green (Religion): Green is considered the traditional color of Islam. For example, Islam venerates the color, as it expects paradise to be full of lush greenery.
Green Revolution: The Green Revolution of agriculture that led in some places to significant increases in agricultural production between the 1940s and 1960s. India began its own Green Revolution program of plant breeding, irrigation development, and financing of agrochemicals. M. S. Swaminathan, adviser to the Indian minister of agriculture played a key role in the revolution.
Green (Social): Green is also associated with regeneration, fertility and rebirth for its connections to nature.
Greenwashing: A company is greenwashing if they advertise positive environmental practices to cover up environmental destruction.

GREY

Grey: Grey symbolizes mediocrity, the background noise of society.

Grey Area: A concept that is in a Grey area is a concept about which one is unsure what category in which to place it.
Grey (Emotion): Grey is often synonymous with things that are dull and boring. Grey represents pessimism whereas its opposite, optimism, is represented by the color rose.
Grey goo: Grey goo is to a hypothetical end-of-the-world scenario involving molecular nanotechnology in which out-of-control self-replicating robots consume all living matter on Earth
Grey matter: The substance that composes the brain is referred to as “grey matter”, and so the color is associated with things intellectual.
Grey person: A “grey person” is someone who goes unnoticed (Parties).
Grey Hair: Aging hair is often perceived as being grey although it is actually white, because white hairs next to other colors look comparatively darker. Hence grey is associated with the elderly.

ORANGE

Orange: Orange (deep saffron.)in general represents Hinduism in the flags of India.

RED

Red: The most emotionally intense color, red stimulates a faster heartbeat and breathing. It is also the color of love. Red clothing gets noticed and makes the wearer appear heavier. Since it is an extreme color, red clothing might not help people in negotiations or confrontations.

The color red is associated with heat, energy and blood, and emotions that stir the blood, including anger, passion, and love. Fire is also strongly connected. associated with lust, passion, love, and beauty as well. Red is also used as a symbol of courage and sacrifice.

Red (Blood): Oxygenated blood is red due to the presence of oxygenated hemoglobin.
Red cross: International symbol for first aid, ambulance.
Red flag : “Socialist” red was used as a color of European Revolutionaries, often in the form of the red flag.. During the 1950s when red was so strongly associated with communism.
Red-handed: Phrase “caught red-handed”, meaning either caught in an act of crime or caught with the blood of murder still on one’s hands.
Red-light districts: At one point, red was associated with prostitutes, or now, with brothels (red-light districts).
Red (Mythology): Satan is usually depicted as colored red and/or wearing a red costume in both iconography and popular culture.
Red (Night vision): Red light is used to preserve night vision in low-light or night-time situations, as the rod cells in the human eye aren’t sensitive to red.
Red Planet: Mars is called the Red Planet.
Red (Signal): Red has seen widespread use as a danger signal, in stop signs, to warn people of extreme heat or flammability, and even to signal warnings in sports such as soccer.
Red (Symbol): The usage for animal color appears similar to that for red ochre, red hair and Red Indian.

WHITE

White: Brides wear white to symbolize innocence and purity. White reflects light and is considered a summer color. White is popular in decorating and in fashion because it is light, neutral, and goes with everything. Examples include classic “white” substances such as sugar, foam, pure sand or snow, cotton, clouds, and milk. White is commonly the color of snow and ice.

White elephant: A white elephant is a gift or possession that creates a burden or difficulty for the recipient.
White (Clothe): White is the clothing color of the physicians, surgeons, as well as cricketers.
White (Economics): White is often associated with Capitalism (as opposed to Communism).
White feather: To “show the white feather” is to display cowardice.
White flag: A white flag is an international sign of either surrender, or truce, that is, it is a sign of peaceful intent, typically at time of war.
White House: The White House is the residence of the President of the United States.
White magic: Healing or “good” paranormal magic is called White magic.
White noise: White noise, in acoustics, is a sibilant sound that is often a nuisance, although it can also be deliberately created for test purposes.
Whiteout: Whiteout is a weather condition in which visibility is reduced and surface definition lost in snowy environments.
White paper: A white paper can be an authoritative report on a major issue, as by a team of experts; a government report outlining policy; or a short treatise whose purpose is to educate industry customers. It is called white paper because it was originally bound in white.
White Revolution: The White Revolution (Persian: Enghelab-e-Sephid) was a far-reaching series of reforms launched in 1963 by the last Shah of Iran. Verghese Kurien, chairman of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd.(GCMMF), set up the Anand model of cooperative dairy development, engineered the White Revolution in India, and made India the largest milk producer in the world.
White ribbon: The white ribbon is worn by movements denouncing violence against women.
White Rose: The White Rose was a non-violent resistance group in Nazi Germany, consisting of five students from the University of Munich and their philosophy professor.
White (Science): In the science of lighting, there is a continuum of colors of light that can be called “white”. Stars of stellar class A are white.
White (Social): White often represents purity or innocence in Western Civilization. In Chinese, Japanese and Korean tradition, white is the color of mourning and death. In Indian tradition, white is also the color of death and ghosts, and also stands for Peace and Purity.
White Stick: White Stick as a symbol of blindness.
White Terror: This originated from Royalist rebellions against the French Revolution (see Revolt in the Vend�e), known as the White terror.
Whitewash: Whitewash, figuratively, means an attempt to obscure the truth by issuing a blanket of lies.

YELLOW
Yellow: Cheerful sunny yellow is an attention getter. While it is considered an optimistic color, people lose their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and babies will cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, so it can be overpowering if overused. Yellow enhances concentration, hence its use for legal pads. It also speeds metabolism. Yellow is associated with age and aging, both with people and objects (i.e. yellowed-paper).

Yellow cake: Yellowcake (also known as urania and uranic oxide) is concentrated uranium oxide, obtained through the milling of uranium ore.
Yellow Card: In Association football (soccer), the referee shows a yellow card to indicate that a player has been officially cautioned.
Yellow (Emotion): The term is associated at times with jealousy, as well as cowardliness.
Yellow emperor: The legendary first emperor of China was known as the Yellow Emperor.
Yellow-fever mosquito: A yellow-fever mosquito is a mosquito in the Aedes genus, so named because they transmit dengue fever and yellow fever, the mosquito-born viruses.
Yellow (Graphite): Pencils are often painted yellow, originally because of the association of this color with the orient, where the best graphite was found.
Yellow (Jaundice): Yellow is associated with jaundice, since someone who has that disease turns yellow. yellow has traditionally been associated with jaundice and cowardice.
Yellow journalism: “Yellow journalism” was sensationalist journalism that distorts, exaggerates, or exploits news to maximize profit. Lastly, it is associated with sensational journalistic practices, or yellow journalism, and resistance to militant trade unions.
Yellow Race: Asian people are sometimes referred to as the yellow race.

Source

1. WIKIPEDIA (http://en.wikipedia.org/)
2. Color Psychology: Do different colors affect your mood?
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/colors1.html

How to Evaluate the Purity of Gold: Gold Carat and Purity

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:46:00 +0000

Tips for Identifying Gold Hallmarks

It is said that more than 40% of the gold products in the world is bought by Indians! Gold is considered as a commodity, and not a product. We Indians culturally have fascination for wearing these beautifully crafted gold ornaments and jewels in every visible part of their body since from our ancient times.

For Hindus, jewelry is associated with most religious ceremonies, especially the samaskaras (stages of life) such as the namkarna (naming ceremony) or the vivaha (marriage). To signify marital status, Hindu women must wear the mangalsutra or the thali, which consist of gold pendants strung in a certain combination with other beads. Traditionally, a goldsmith pierces a child's ear with a gold pin twelve days after it is born. The variety of our ornaments bears the testimony to the excellent skills of the jewelers in India.

You may conclude that demand for gold India is not price-elastic. But it is prosperity elastic - that is, jewelry serves as an identity marker and the prosperity is generally matched with the purchases of more gold.

Use this gold information to learn more about this precious metal. Here's how to evaluate the purity of gold.

Properties of Gold

You may wonder to know that this soft metal is very malleable and corrosion-resistant and generally does not cause reactions on skin for the vast majority of people. From any chemistry text book you may understand that gold has melting point at 1064 deg. C and boiling point at 2808 deg. C.

As gold is very soft, jewelers mix copper, silver, palladium and nickel to harden it. The gold you see in your gold jewelery is actually gold alloy. The alloy, suitable for jewelery-making, will influence the final colour of the gold -- nickel would produce a whiter tone than copper, which will produce a yellow metal.

Carat and Purity

Now we try to understand few interesting facts about the metal that we all cherish so dearly. The purity of gold is measured in Carats. The term Carat was used hundreds of years ago in the Middle East. Caratage is an important factor in buying gold jewelry as it indicates how pure the metal is.

The gold Carat (ct) tells you how many parts of gold and how many parts of other metal are in the gold alloy. Jewelry standards specifies the benchmarks for gold to ascertain its fineness i.e., parts per thousand. For example your 24 Carat gold is considered to be 999.999 parts per thousand. One carat is one part of 24, or 41.66 parts of a thousand.

Now you may understand the basis that there can never be a total and absolute purity of gold. Your 22 Carat gold is 22/24th (gold is 916.000 parts per thousand and other metals have 84 parts). Your 18 Carat gold is 18/24th (gold is 750 parts per thousand and other metals have 250 parts). Similarly your 14 Carat gold is 14/24th or 585.000 parts per thousand and other metals have 415 parts. Your 9 Carat has this ratio: 9/24th (gold is 375.000 parts per thousand and other metals have 625 parts). This system of calculation gives only the weight of pure gold contained in an all.

Acid Test Kits and Electronic Testing Kits

You can test the purity of gold yourself with the right test equipment. The acid solutions are marked with various Carat gold strengths, usually 22K, 18K and 14K. A touch stone is a ground black glass sheet or similar. What you need to do is go through the surface of the gold by using a file or blade in an INCONSPICUOUS place.

File or cut into it a small amount and then place a drop of, say 9K acid, directly on the cut. If no reaction then it is at least 9K. Use the next highest acid (say 14K). If no reactions, then try 18K acid. No reaction? Then you know it's a least 18K gold. If some reaction, say the cut turns brown, the gold is lesser than your acid strength. Proceed to apply lesser strength acids till there is no reaction.

Bear in mind however that any testing of gold with chemicals will mean a loss of some small amount of gold. Electronic gold testing is now becoming popular and electronic testers can be found with a little investigation and research, and money. Testing gold is a great way to determine fool's gold from pure gold.

Hallmarking of Gold

Now let me discuss about hallmarking of gold. What is hallmark? Hallmark is a purity certification of gold articles in accordance with Indian Standard specifications. India Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) was named as the sole agency in the country for Hallmarking of gold jewelry under the provisions of the BIS Act, 1986. BIS is primarily engaged in the preparation and promotion of standards and operation of different quality certification schemes. You might have noticed hallmark seal placed on gold ornaments and jewels in jewelry houses. If not noted, at least from now onwards you ensure this mark on your jewelry. This is why identifying gold hallmarks is important. Your hallmark comprises five elements

* BIS Mark
* The fineness number (corresponding to given caratage)
* Assaying and Hallmarking Center's mark
* Jeweler's mark
* Year of marking denoted by a code letter and decided by BIS (e.g. code letter 'A' was approved by BIS for year 2000, 'B' being used for the year 2001 and 'C' for 2002).

The marking is done either using punches or laser marking machine. Its purpose is to safeguard the consumers. The meaning of this mark is that the assayers (an independent body - assay office) guarantee the legal standard of fineness or purity. This mark applies for both buying and selling of ornaments and jewels.

Hallmarking is the reliable certicification scheme. But its implementation is not complete in all respects. It seems only more fashion jewelries are sometimes less reliably hallmarked. So be cautious. While buying gold check it yourself if you feel confident or have it checked by a professional. LASTLY, I would like to point out that I am not a jeweler and that the above guidelines are not provided out of expertise in gold ornaments.

Required Tools:

* Self knowledge about caratage, touch, halmark or Professional Expertise and Guidances
* Understanding about BIS i.e. promotion of BIS standards and its and operation of different quality certification schemes.
* Understanding of Acid Test Kits and Electronic Testing Kits

Quick Tips:

* Caratage is an important factor in buying gold jewellery as it indicates how pure the metal is. One carat is one part of 24, or 41.66 parts of a thousand.
* You can test the purity of gold yourself with the right test equipment - i.e. acid test kit or electronic test kit
* In India Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) was named as the sole agency in the country for Hallmarking (purity certification) of gold jewellery under the provisions of the BIS Act, 1986.

Useful Links:

* Bureau of Indian Standards BIS Criteria for Recognition of Assaying and Hallmarking Centers
* Fake gold or real? A few hints and tests.

Kancheepuram Silk Saris: Always Trendy, Always Appropriate

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:18:00 +0000

How have Kancheepuram silk saris evolved to suit the changing lifestyles and preferences of women around the world? Why have the saris stayed the most sought-after possession in the wardrobe of women? What makes them more fashionable?

Women and silk saris are two distinct words that cannot be separated and they love to wear finest silk. Previously silk saris were worn by women only because of the ritual or culture to do so. But now it has become a fashion statement for women, and they love wearing it. Indian silk saris are the traditional garments of women of all ages and they are always graceful, trendy and appropriate.

Well, Kancheepuram silk sari is one such popular silk sari which is being loved especially by teens. The pure silk Sari is amongst the most superior silks (pure mulberry silk) in the world. It definitely enhances the looks and are very popular now-a-days. It can completely change the personality of the person wearing it.

Historical records date back to nearly 400 years and reveal that it was during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya that silk weaving rose to eminence in Kancheepuram. The rich silk saris were initially woven in the temples.

The special hand weaving technique makes the sari to its reputation. The basic raw material, three single threads of, dyed silk yarn is woven using double warp and double weft technique. The silk yarn is woven with interleaved designs made with “Zari.” The zari is a Silk thread twisted with a thin Silver wire and then gilded with pure Gold. The border, body and the pallu are woven separately and then interlocked together. This joint is woven so strongly that even if the sari tears, the pallu or border will not detach. The contrasting border & pallu are woven with a variety of zari motifs. This enhances the beauty and the value of the silk.

The Kancheepuram silk saris are available in mind-boggling color contrasts and every imaginable design and variety, which can make the art of sari selection quite challenging. The traditional designs found in Kancheepuram saris include pyramidal temple borders, checks, stripes and floral “buttas.” The sari continues to hold pride of place among the various silk sari varieties available in India. The reasons for its pride possession and enviable reputation include fine texture, great luster, long durability and excellent finish. The biggest advantage of silk saris is that they can be treasured for years.

Caring and maintenance of silk saris is an art. There are traditional ways and means to wash saris. Use mild cold water for washing. Avoid hard water for washing. Use very mild detergent. Ensure it is meant for washing silk saris. Always resort tohand washing. Do not soak silk in soap water. Just dip your sari in water, rub soap gently, rinse it for one or two times, wring lightly and dry it in a shady place. Use mild heat while ironing. Preserve it under your wardrobe.

Kancheepuram silk saris are very much popular in Indian weddings, festivals and other celebrations. In Tamil Nadu or all over India, brides are expected to wear these heavy bridal silk saris for their marriage ceremony. No other fabric can match the grace of these traditional silk saris. The occasions meant for silk sari are birthdays! Anniversaries!! Festivals like pongal, diwali, dussera, New Year.

Source: Published in Beyond Jane on July 15, 2008 by Muthusamy R
http://beyondjane.com/fashion/style/kancheepuram-silk-saris-always-trendy-always-appropriate/

Designer Indian saree- Fashion Show

Kanchipuram Silk Saree Weaving

Financial Planning in India by Financial Planner Raag Vamdatt Video

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:56:00 +0000

Here's is a video from me that explains exactly why you need a good financial plan, and why you should get it prepared as early as possible.

The video also explains why I am the right financial planner for you.

So don't wait - get your financial plan prepared now!

Topics Covered in the Video

I do not have the transcript of the video yet, but here are the topics covered in the video:

Financial planning service provided by Raag Vamdatt, a Pune (India) based financial planner.

- Why do you need a financial plan?

- The right questions to ask yourself about financial goals

- Financial plan features

* Online
* Web based
* Actionable
* Practical
* How much to invest
* Where to invest
* Retirement planning
* Life and health insurance analysis
* Net worth calculation
* Asset allocation analysis
* Emergency fund
* Retiring credit card debt

- Do you need a financial plan? (as per your age / income)

Source: Financial Planning – Why you need a financial plan, and why you should get it prepared through me

http://www.raagvamdatt.com/Financial-Planning-Why-you-need-financial-plan-why-you-should-get-it-prepared-through-me/299/

Investment 101 - Simple and fun by Ms.Tina Video

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:59:00 +0000

This one was a bit about going back to the basics. A lot of people know what stocks and bonds are, but the whole picture is a bit fuzzy. We wanted to make sure that our viewers understand some very basic and critical but often ignored concepts in investing. This video is a bit like a school maths class. But remember, the stuff you learnt there is still fundamental to your life, especially if you are counting all your eggs and baskets. So hopefully, this video helps those of you who are new to investing, and those of you who have been investing without the full arsenal of financial information! Good luck with your investments. Do tell us what you think of this video!

-Tina (writer & director)

Published Jul 07 2008, 12:04 AM by tina
Filed under: Investing 101

http://www.investmentyogi.com/videos/investment-101.aspx

Mutual Fund in India - A Fun Version by Ms.Tina Video

noreply@blogger.com (iramuthusamy@gmail.com) — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 07:48:00 +0000

One of the most popular investment vehicles in the world and yet most folks, even the ones with investments in mutual funds, don’t always know some of the things to consider when investing in them. Decisions to invest are often made on the basis of brand name or the fund’s perceived success so far. The goal of this video was to bring all our viewers on the same page and ensure that they make investment decisions keeping in mind all aspects of the mutual fund!

Does it work? Did it help? Do tell us!

-Tina (writer & director)
Published Jul 06 2008, 05:17 AM by tina Filed under: investing, mutual funds

http://www.investmentyogi.com/videos/mutual-funds-in-india.aspx