Archana – Page 33 – Spice of Life!

18/04/201821/07/2020

P for Privacy

Welcome!
We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day sixteen and the alphabet is P.

Traditionally P is for Pen or Parrot. But in view of the recent outcry around the world and the Cambridge Analytica scandal, I would say P is for Privacy. Privacy or security of our data- whether on social media or simply information generated by using our cell phones.

This data breach has generated a volley of jokes and I will share a couple of them here- both received via WhatsApp.

Mark Zuckerberg got involved in a car accident with an M.P’s son’s car in Delhi. (MP = Member of Parliament)

MP’s Son angrily: Do you know who my father is?

MZ: yes, his name is Jaspal Singh. He has 237 friends out of which 35 are women and your mother doesn’t know 10 of them. Last month he went to Thailand and he……..

MP’s son: Bas kar yaar galti meri thi (Stop it, it was my mistake)

In the old days, such activity may have been called ‘spying’ but may have been used exclusively by governments or security agencies. We have read of letters being steamed open, phones tapped. On a general level, the neighbourhood shopkeeper knew preferences and ordering pattern of all his customers.

Such monitoring of individual preferences has now spread to the digital world as people switch to ordering via e-portals, extensively depend on apps etc. Naturally, this info is much sought after by marketing companies. They use it to sell their products, subtly ‘guide'(influence) our thoughts and so on.

When ever we sign up for a social media account, we first have to tick a checkbox that has us agreeing to their Terms and Conditions. This usually covers the way in which the company will use our data, jurisdiction for any disputes etc. My sole attempt to read these Terms and Conditions was discouraging – not because of what was written but its nature. There was reams of legalese – the implications of which were quite difficult to comprehend. So if I needed to use that particular service, I simply ticked the check box and proceeded.

Like it or not, we are in a digital age. The SciFi movies of our childhood do not seem imaginary any more. Its almost as if the situations depicted in some episodes of the Netflix serial ‘Black Mirror‘ are actually happening!

The Internet is here to stay and along with it the new age spies. Its up to us to use our discretion to keep these forces at bay. Learn to live with it knowing its disadvantages.

Here are a couple of good articles about how we can reclaim our privacy.

Is it time to go back to the old ways? Letters by Post, Libraries instead of Google to search and so on…

I would love to hear your views on this subject!

17/04/201821/07/2020

O for Oxygen

Welcome!

We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day fifteen and the alphabet is O.

While in the first associations for O were with Ox, Orange .. today, I first associate O with Oxygen. Naturally you may think I am referring to the ever growing menace of pollution and poor air quality. But maybe that is more of a case of increase in ‘bad’ gases …

So which oxygen am I referring to… ???

To get straight to the point, this post is about the oxygen or rather its depleting quantities at higher altitudes. Earlier it would have only affected mountaineers on expeditions to the high peaks but these days, more and more people choose to trek the mountains as a holiday of choice. This includes both young and those young at heart !!

At elevations of over 10000 ft the effective amount of oxygen reduces. Some people get hit by what is called as Acute Mountain Sickness or HAPO which stands for High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema. It may begin with headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, feeling of uneasiness, vomitting and then worse.

Ladakh

These symptoms are NEVER to be ignored at high altitudes. The immediate treatment will be to be administered oxygen and then descend to a place at a lower elevation. Naturally, folk dont want to miss out on a holiday but its better than putting your life in danger.

There is a complicated explanation for why HAPO occurs and I will not get into that.

Its not possible to totally avoid it but one can take some measures to reduce chances of its occurance. The first is to get properly acclimatised at the base camp or the first place of halt at 10000ft. One step is to take things slowly for atleast 24 hours, avoid unnecessary activity and that includes normal sightseeing. Factor in this extra time in your holiday plan.

Many people take a course of tablets called Diamox starting one day prior to the journey till the day they return to 10000ft. There is a huge debate if this really works and I suggest reading this indepth article by IndiaHikes on this topic. Personally, I have taken Diamox on my two visits to regions of over 10000ft.
Please consult your doctor before starting on Diamox. Self medication is not advisable.

Besides medicines, one must take up a good cardio training program ahead of your travel/trek. Being physically fit is a big plus.

Trekking at about 14000ft

Here is another important article again from IndiaHikes about how the author has recognised and dealt with impending HAPO.

Have you travelled to high altitude locations? Did you face any health issues due to reduced oxygen?

This post is not meant to put anyone off such destinations. A little care and training before travel will surely give you a beautiful enjoyable stress-free holiday!

16/04/201821/07/2020

N for Netflix

Welcome!

We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day fourteen and the alphabet is N.

Usually, N would be for Nest. Right? Yet today, the first word that this alphabet reminds me of is Netflix!

Do I hear you laughing? I guess, for a fifty something doting mother and mother in law, Netflix is a perfect alternative to watching cliched TV serials.
Before I proceed, let me assure you that this is not a sponsored post
😉

I had been hearing about this for quite some time but I guess there is time for everything. As they say, when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.

Just as we found that TV channels had nothing interesting for us, we explored Netflix. Ofcourse it meant having to first get a fast broadband. Looking back I am not sure which came first, Netflix or broadband (till then we managed on dial up connections).
Now we barely watch the telly as Netflix allows us to watch movies and shows both old and new.

I have enjoyed many Netflix Original shows like The Crown, Narcos and House of Cards and also several old movies … When displaced from this screen, there is always the old TV to go back to. Or the phone.

So which is the idiot box?

Do you watch Netflix? Which is your favourite show?
Tomorrow is the alphabet O and I wonder whats in store!!

14/04/201821/07/2020

M for Magnet

Welcome!

We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day thirteen and the alphabet is M.

As far as I remember, we were taught that M was for Monkey. I have had my encounters with this species when we stayed in Tezpur but I shall save that for another day. Currently, the most relevant M word is Magnet. Specifically Fridge Magnet.

Over the years, I had seen a few of them stuck on fridge doors but what really got me hooked (or should I say attracted?) is the sight of my friend’s double door refrigerator which was totally covered with magnets. Of all shapes, sizes and colours. A wonderful collection of places they had visited.

That’s when I too began to specifically look for fridge magnets. Secretly maybe I wanted to match my collection with hers but I know I have a long long way to go. I have purchased some great magnets but some spots have absolutely nothing. In that case, I end up making my own.

These magnets are perfect mementos – easy on the pocket, easy to carry and daily reminders of a wonderful holiday. Not to mention being the envy of all visitors to our home 😉

Magnet collectors are called memomagnetist – something I learnt from a magazine cut out sent to me.

Here is my collection. A few friends have said I need a new fridge to accomodate these! I think there is plenty more space…

Here are a couple of magnets that I have made.

A magnet that I have made for a significant occasion in our life

Yet another one I engineered….

I have heard that magnets cannot be stuck on modern refrigerators – especially the side surface. Some of my friends have ended up making a metal frame to stick their magnets. I guess I will cross that bridge when I reach there…

So what kind of mementos do you collect on your travels? Do magnets figure in your shopping list?

We are almost half way through the blogging challenge and at the end of week two. I hope fatigue is not setting in …

See you with my next post with the alphabet N.
Cheers!

13/04/201821/07/2020

L for Lion

Welcome!

We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day twelve and the alphabet is L.

Today I will go with the traditional, age old teaching of L for Lion.

The Asiatic Lion whose sole home presently is the Gir National Park in the state of Gujarat in India. According to the 2015 census mentioned on the website, there were 523 lions which was said to be a comfortable figure.

Spot the lioness sitting behind the trees in the distance

We were lucky to see this pair walk right past our vehicle. To tell the truth, I was a little scared too!

And here is video of the same pair

Panthera leo persica (which is their scientific name) is smaller than the African lion and has a longitudinal fold of skin along stomach. Further, ears of the male lions in Gir are visible as they have a less thick mane compared to their cousins from Africa! Here is wonderful National Geographic article about lions.

They face threats as their habitat is slowly breaking up (as jungles are cut off) and poachers. Several efforts are on to help protect this great animal!

Have you visited Gir? Have you seen the Asiatic lions?

The next alphabet is M and and Is M still for Monkey? I think not… Hope to see you again tomorrow.
🙂

12/04/201823/09/2021

Golden Leaves (ThursdayTreeLove)

My tree for today stands out green in the dry deciduous jungle .. its quite inconspicuous otherwise and easy to miss unless one looks carefully.. Its the Apta tree .. In Maharashtra, family members exchange Apta leaves on day of Vijayadashami or Dusshera. Going by the botanical name of Bauhinia racemosa, it belongs to the Caesalpinia family (Gulmohor family). I have seen it growing on the Pune hills but not in the city itself.

The Apta tree possibly grows just upto 5m tall and its characteristic feature is the bilobed leaf shaped like the hoofs of a cow.

When folded the leaflets cover each other perfectly as you can see in the video below. Infact, its this very feature that has given the genus Bauhina – to honor the twin botanist brothers Johann Bauhin and Casper Bauhin.

Flowering of the Bauhinia racemosa is in the months of February – May and here is an image of its flowers.

I am not sure of the exact origins of the practise of exchanging Apta leaves. These days, people have to buy the leaves which means rampant defoliation of all trees with such bilobed leaves like Kanchan. Those who cannot distinguish between the different Bauhinia species end up buying the other leaves. End result, the trees suffer terribly.

A ‘cousin’ of this species, the Kachnar is quite common as a roadside tree and in gardens. I am sure you will have noticed its flamboyant pink blossoms. Next time, notice its bilobed leaves too and remember the ‘golden’ leaves of Apta!

I am joining Parul’s #ThursdayTreeLove37. Do head over to see some amazing trees from around the world.

12/04/201823/09/2021

K for King

Its day eleven and the alphabet is K.

K is for King. As in the guy who wears a crown and sits on a throne.

Can something else also be called a King? The Lion is said to be the King of the jungle. Recently I had posted a Ficus Bonsai that was displayed in full royal style.

Today I have yet another candidate for the post of King.

Its a 250 year old Ficus tree that is growing at the Acharya Jagdish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden in Kolkata. The 1786-founded garden has a vast collection of lovely old trees. The main attraction is the Great Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) that is supported by thousands of roots and is spread over five acres. Despite its loss of the main trunk in 1925, the Banyan is still ‘growing’ . The authorities have had to increase the protective perimeter built around it as the tree ‘walked’ eastwards!

Here are some images of The Great Banyan.

It stands on thousands of supporting roots

This video will give take you straight to this great tree..

I am sure you will agree that this candidate is highly suitable for being called the King!
🙂

11/04/201821/07/2020

J is for Jungle

Its day ten and the alphabet is J.

The earliest memory of what the alphabet J stands for is a Jug.

However, I would like to talk about another J word .. Jungle. I guess this is not surprising considering my interest in Field Botany.

No, I will not talk about how fast and extent of jungles that we are losing to ‘development’ but instead I would like to give you some glimpses of a few forests. India is rich in natural heritage and there are reserve forests and sanctuaries across the length and breath of the country.

A naturalist once told me, “No two forests are the same. Each one has its own beauty and must be enjoyed for what it has to offer.” I had asked him which forest is better – Tadoba or Pench or Kanha.

Then, I had not really understood what he meant but now that I have managed to tick off a few forests from my bucket list, I can truly appreciate what he wanted to say.

Here are some images …

I have always loved trees and plants but I think this ‘nature walk’ in the Dubare Forest really set me off on my current path. It was quite scary to walk on those paths considering that we had to wear anti-leech socks and had to keep totally quiet as there were wild elephants around…

That was when made it a point to add trips to Jungles to our holiday lists.

The Sal forest in the Corbett National Park has a beauty of its own especially when the trees break out into fresh foliage. The landscape takes another dimension when you know it is the home of the Tiger.

Driving through the towering Shorea robusta trees

The Gir forest is home to the Asiatic Lion and some amazing trees as well. Here is a dramatic white ghost like tree which is the Sterculia urens .

Yet another totally different jungle is the mangrove forest of the Sunderbans. Looks innocent and forbidding simultaneously. Tourists are not allowed to step inside. A single day trip is not sufficient to admire this amazing ecosystem that protects our coastlines from hurricanes and storms even as it yields important forest produce.

View of the mangrove island from the boat

The jungles of Gir, Tadoba, Pench, Nagzira, those in the North Eastern states and in the hills of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have a different terrain and beauty.

Many forests and sanctuaries offer accommodation either outside the Park limits. Each region comes into its own depending on the flora and fauna that lives there. A visit can be planned depending on what one wants to see or admire or study. Permits are required and in most cases, they can be acquired in advance online.

This is a teeny tiny introduction to forests without being boring or bookish!

Folks, what does J remind you of? Jug? Jungle? Jalebi?

🙂

10/04/201821/07/2020

I for Ink

Welcome!
We are with the 2018 April AtoZ Blogging challenge and its my fifth attempt. For those who missed it, here is the link to my Theme Reveal post. Do the alphabets still stand for the same things we learnt about in Nursery school?

Its day nine and the alphabet is I.

I for Ink. Ink Pens.

We began writing in school with a pencil. Among the other perks of growing up to middle school was using the ink pen. The fountain pen as it was called brought its own set of difficulties. It often leaked and the stain was quite difficult to wash off. Preparing for exams meant we had to take extra pens as it not possible to refill ink from the bottle at the examination centre.

Chelpark was the brand of choice and the colour was invariably Royal Blue. I know that other colours were available but Royal Blue was the only one in our home.

I was thrilled when I was gifted a pen which had a sort of pump attached to the nib. This made refilling easy and clean. Then a few years later, we got cartridges of inks that we just had to affix below the nib. This eliminated the need for a ink bottle.

I remember using ink pens for my Class X exams but just two years later, ball point pens were making their presence felt. My pencil box had one just as a ‘back up’. Soon these ball pens took became the writing equipment of choice. They lasted for longer than ink pens and were not messy. I think they won on the price front too.

I was happy that my daughter used a fountain pen when in school and the Chelpark bottle again had a place of pride on her study desk. However like me, it lost the battle to new fangled Gel Pens.

The green pen on the extreme right is a fountain pen.

I think, my handwriting was much better with a fountain pen as compared to the ball pens.

Today, we hardly write. Everything is either on the computer/laptop/smartphone. People voice-record lectures which does away the need to take notes. Students take photos of the notice board so there is no need to write down any time table. Shopping lists are on various apps.

Ink pens are slowly getting redundant. The only time we use it regularly is to sign cheques or fill pay-in slips.

Do you use a fountain pen?
Do share your thoughts!

09/04/201821/07/2020

H for Horse

A Mule is the offspring of a male donkey and female horse (wisdom from Wikipedia). I have never really given much thought to this animal till I went on the Hampta Pass trek. On that trip, the mules were the most important part of our support team as they carried all our bags, tents and other logistical materials.

The unsung heros

In fact, our trek was amazing because of these silent mules that plodded along never protesting. Here are some images with my thoughts …

Every morning, the mules were assembled and then sacks loaded up for the journey

The mules always started after us and easily overtook us every single day. They could easily and quickly navigate the moraine unlike us two-legged creatures!