Trees are vital

Many of us think of trees as providers of wood for buildings and furniture, burning fuel and raw material for paper. Actually they are vital to life.

Trees are protectors of world climate. They absorb carbon dioxide and purify the air. They provide food such as fruits, medicines, and many other necessities. Trees control runoff water by absorbing it and prevent soil erosion. They mitigate the impact of floods. A great many vital organisms are sustained by trees. Apart from building materials for people trees also offer shelter to animals and birds. And they are of such great visual beauty.

Can you imagine life on Planet Earth without trees?

Trees are vital to the world. Conserve the existing ones and plant more.

Here are some nice photos of trees:

Photos Copyright KO Isaac. Click on them for enlarged view.

Savage Kerala

Last Sunday’s evening news on a Malayalam TV channel showed shocking visuals of a fully pregnant woman, her 16 years old daughter and an even younger son being beaten up by a mob in broad daylight. The savagery started in a cloth shop. The woman was then dragged down to the road where the thrashing and stomping continued. Her clothes were pulled away partially and torn, exposing her lower belly and underclothes.

Initially I thought that the news was from some North Indian State where incidents involving men (not women) being beaten to death or lynched by angry mobs were reported recently. But I was sadly mistaken. The shocking scenes were from Kerala, the so called God’s Own Country.

The problem started when a woman customer at the shop reported that one anklet of her child was missing. Immediately suspicion turned to a group of females from a nearby State, who happened to be on the premises. In any civilized country, the proper drill would have been to inform the police and have the suspects searched by lady constables.

But not so in ‘literate’ Kerala. A mob gathered immediately and started beating the pregnant woman and her children with hands and rods, punching them and kicking them. According to the media, this show in Edapal Town went on uninterrupted for about 45 minutes. When the police finally arrived and searched the woman, the missing anklet was not found on her. She was reportedly hospitalized by the police.

The political reaction was predictable. Ministers condemned the assault, a couple of junior policemen were suspended, a case was registered and about half a dozen people arrested. The Human Rights Commission has also taken up the issue.

But what is the use? To convict an accused, credible witnesses are required. The people who were close enough to the scene were all busy sharing the action. The battered woman and her children would be the ideal persons to identify the culprits. But they are mysteriously missing from the hospital. Either they ran away to escape further torment or they were removed from the place to protect the assailants. The police are of course searching for the bruised pregnant woman and her children, identification photos in hand! These are the kind of things which happen in Kerala today.

Has there been any damage to the life that is growing in the womb of the assaulted woman? Who knows? Does any one care?

I feel that all of us Keralites should hang down our heads in shame.

Ends.

Also see:

Kerala: Onam goes up in spirit

Un-ploughed lies my land

Health: Slipped Disc (Prolapsed Disc)

My recent 8-day trip to Kerala was enjoyable, as usual, till I suddenly developed a rather severe pain in the lower back. Like a fool I tried to manage it by applying some painkilling gel to the affected area and went to a specialist only after returning to Chennai yesterday. He confirmed that the problem was Slipped Disc, which is also known as Prolapsed Disc. I decided to write about because somebody might find it useful.

Now, the disc in this context is padding between the vertebrae that encase the spine. It is a cartilage with a gel-like core of connective tissue in the centre. It is a protective buffer and provides flexibility to the spine. Sometimes, with aging, the connective tissues in the core break down and results in bulging. The condition is neither slipping of the disc nor infection. Incorrect posture particularly while lifting weight can trigger off an attack of pain. It seems that in 20% of the cases no outward symptoms are noticeable.

Usually the doctors approach a case of slipped disc conservatively. Surgery is only rarely resorted to. The treatment is a course of medication, mostly painkillers and bed rest. In my case the doctor has not recommended traction. After four days of medication I have to undergo physiotherapy.

The diagnostic procedure normally involves a scan. I think the doctor’s clinical judgment is sufficient but the scan is done to protect the doctor from legal problems that may sometimes come up. In my case the doctor asked me whether I want a scan done immediately or wait and watch for a week. I decided to wait.

It seems that taking painkiller tablets only when a bout of pain comes is not advisable. It is better to have them at regular prescribed intervals. Avoid bending down and awkward postures. If you need to pick something from the floor, ask someone else to do that for you or do it yourself by bending at the knees. No sitting at one stretch for more than thirty minutes. I am typing this post with a break in between writing. Don’t lift weights. To prevent recurring bouts of slipped disc, regular walking is recommended.

You must please appreciate that this is only a layman’s understanding of the Slipped Disc problem. It is always safer to consult a specialist.

Ends.

Also see:

Health: Slipped Disc (Prolapsed Disc) - a personal...

Medicine men of Olavipe

Image: A temple priest

Copyright KO Isaac

Also see:

Images: Two Faces

Poetry: Khalil Gibran - Song of the Wave

This morning at Olavipe, my ancestral home, I accidentally came across this poem by Khalil Gibran at Poet Seers

Song of the Wave

The strong shore is my beloved
And I am his sweetheart.
We are at last united by love, and
Then the moon draws me from him.
I go to him in haste and depart
Reluctantly, with manyLittle farewells.

I steal swiftly from behind the
Blue horizon to cast the silver of
My foam upon the gold of his sand, and
We blend in melted brilliance.

I quench his thirst and submerge his
Heart; he softens my voice and subdues
My temper.
At dawn I recite the rules of love upon
His ears, and he embraces me longingly.

At eventide I sing to him the song of
Hope, and then print smooth hisses upon
His face; I am swift and fearful, but he
Is quiet, patient, and thoughtful. His
Broad bosom soothes my restlessness.

As the tide comes we caress each other,
When it withdraws,
I drop to his feet in
Prayer.

Many times have I danced around mermaids
As they rose from the depths and rested
Upon my crest to watch the stars;
Many times have I heard lovers complain
Of their smallness, and I helped them to sigh.

Many times have I teased the great rocks
And fondled them with a smile, but never
Have I received laughter from them;
Many times have I lifted drowning souls
And carried them tenderly to my belovedShore.
He gives them strength as he
Takes mine.

Many times have I stolen gems from the
Depths and presented them to my beloved
Shore. He takes them in silence, but still
I give fro he welcomes me ever.

In the heaviness of night, when all
Creatures seek the ghost of Slumber, I
Sit up, singing at one time and sighing
At another. I am awake always.

Alas! Sleeplessness has weakened me!
But I am a lover, and the truth of love
Is strong.
I may be weary, but I shall never die.

Khalil Gibran

Acknowledgement. Poet Seers

This is a website that is edited byAbichal Watkins and Tejvan Pettinger. They are both students of Sri Chinmoy and members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre The website has a great collection of poetry from all around the globe.

Ends.

Also see:
God's own dream

Kerala: More on coconuts

Jacob Matthan (Jacob's Blog) of Oulu, Finland, has left the following comment on my post ‘Kerala: Of monkeys and nuts’:

“This is quite disturbing. In all our supermarkets the number of coconut related products is increasing exponentially. The number of brands of coconut milk hitting the shelf are growing by the day. And each supermarket is bringing in its own brand. Coconut sweets are also becoming very popular. The products are coming from primarily Thailand which has learnt to exploit the western tastes at good profit. I hope Indian growers in Kerala can get together like the grape growers in Maharashtra as we are really seeing a trend here which must be allowed to become an accepted trend. Then the marginal cost of a coconut plucker should fade into oblivion!”

In 1985 I traveled to Stockholm, Sweden, to visit a research company named Scarab, which was doing a great deal of study into coconut products and processing. The CEO (forget his name) of that company was kind enough to pick me up from the airport. He told me to choose at random any one of the several supermarkets we would be passing en route to my hotel.

I was amazed to find an array of coconut-based products on display at the shop
that we went into. There was not a single one from India. The CEO told me that value adding to the coconuts was the way to the survival of the coconut sector in Kerala. He also explained that from their research they had found coconut oil was the ideal base for high quality suntan lotion and that income from coconut trees could be increased by twenty times.

On return to Kerala I tried to organize a project on the lines the Scarab chief had suggested. Unfortunately I couldn’t generate enough enthusiasm. While discussing the coconut situation yesterday at Olavipe, my brother Jacob came out with an answer. Today money comes to Kerala through mail from expats. Those back home still lead a laid back life. Why bother about coconuts?

Last Saturday at my club, a friend who deals in tiles mentioned that he is now importing coconut wood tiles from Philippines! They come in three grades – 30 years old wood, 50 years old, and 70 years old. And they are popular in Kerala, the land of coconuts!

Ends.

Also see: Kerala photos: Coconut palms

Gold color chips and a golden hearted Lady

Sumitha’s ‘Kitchen Wonders’ (http://kitchenwonders.blogspot.com/) is a good Blog. I came across an illustrated recipe on it for jackfruit mousse (an exotic idea, I must say). One photo, that of jackfruit cut lengthwise, reminded me of the chips which Eammachi, my maternal grandmother, used to make from this giant sized fruit.

Those familiar with Kerala are likely to have tasted jackfruit chips. They are available in the market. Most of them are hard, yellow and brownish pieces shaped without any cosmetic sense and packed in plastic (forget about food grade) pouches. A person with a discerning palate may not try the market version again.

Eammachi’s jackfruit chips were of the same color that you see in the ‘Kitchen Wonders’ picture, even-sized, and would crumble in the mouth. And they didn’t have a trace of oil. I believe this was achieved by using a fresh chatti (an earthen cooking basin) for each batch. The frying was always even too. How that was achieved without thermostat control was a wonder. The raw material was carefully sourced from selected trees. Only fruits of a particular maturity from varikka (see: Jackfruit, the jumbo) species were used.

Eammachi used to make a whole range of chips and preserves and halwas (my favorite was papaya halwa) and savories with the same care and perfection. The store room in the ara would be full of such goodies when the grandchildren and great grandchildren visited her during holidays.

A remarkable thing about Emmachi was that she would remember each one’s preference, even in curries. But after Ichachan (my maternal grandfather) died, she became a bit disoriented and used to get things mixed up. As a result one would get something that was somebody else’s favorite. We used to eat whatever was served without any protest. What mattered most was the grand old lady’s satisfaction in watching us eat well.

Ichachan was the uncrowned (though he used to wear a turban) king of that area. Eammachi could have lived like a queen but she chose to restrict her domain to the area north of the nalukettu. One very rarely saw her in the southern portion of the large house.

The last time I saw Eammachi was when I dropped in while driving my children back to school in Bangalore after their holidays. As we were leaving she asked ‘Will I see you again?’ I told her I would visit her after a month.

When we reached Bangalore, a telegram (no mobiles those days) was waiting. It carried the sad news of Eammachi’s demise and I caught the next flight back. Even as I write this, my eyes are full.

Ends.

Also see:

Remembering grandfather

Oru Desathinte Amma.

Jackfruit, the jumbo

Giant fruits from small tree