The Three Day Convention at the Church of the Epiphany Focused on Spiritual Revival

The three-day Annual Convention that took place at the Church of the Epiphany from the 26th to the 28th of September 2025 focused on Spiritual Revival. The Speaker on the occasion was Rev. Dr. Shivraj K. Mahendra. The Convention was organised by the Pastorate Committee and Convention Team, who led the praise and worship part.

It was a joy to see packed pews and benches, and the organisers had to place additional chairs to accommodate the faithful.

Rev. Dr. Shivraj talked at length about the message of the Cross. He spoke of the significance of the Cross as a symbol and metaphor for renewal and inspiration. He stated that a love for the world, then the love of the Father, is not with them. He went on to develop the idea that the history of the Church is a history of movements. Rev. Shivraj spoke repeatedly about how permanent happiness is linked or wedded to holiness.

In his analysis of the symbol of the Cross, Rev. Shivaraj spoke at length about unravelling the meaning of the Cross. According to him, the Cross is made up of the following:

C: stands for Curse. In relative terms, the C talks about how the Cross helps us rise above the curse of negativity, poverty, and the baggage that society imposes on us. Those who don't hearken to the Cross are cursed; however, because of Christ, we are redeemed.

R: stands for rejection. However, those who are led by the Spirit of the Lord will be able to overcome rejection. Cross helps drive acceptance in a world that is driven by rejection.

O: stands for obstacles. The Cross transforms rejections into Opportunity. The power of the Cross lies in its ability to turn obstacles into opportunities.

S: stands for shame. The Cross can transform shame into esteem. You will receive power to drive shame into confidence.

S: stands for suffering. The Cross can transform suffering into salvation.

For such is the power of this humble symbol that it can transform lives and drive revival in a society that is so hungry for revival, inspiration, and affirmations, in a society that is burdened by negativity, stress, competition, and so bereft of hope! Rev. Shivraj talked about how society is creating people who are wrongdoers, rather than those who have been redeemed.

What do Brain Rot, Brain Fog, and Digital Dementia have in Common?

The title is deliberate and intended! Brain Rot, Brain Fog, and Digital Dementia have a lot in common! All three concepts have a cognitive aspect, and they are induced, besides various other factors, by excessive dependence on AI-based platforms. I don't mean to be an alarmist, but what is stated is a fact!

While scrolling through a few research papers, I came across one that described a phenomenon called Digital Dementia. It struck me as the most appropriate term that describes those of us who are closely connected to AI and AI-based platforms. Our increasing dependence on AI-based platforms, ChatGPT included, has made us lazy, complacent, and lacking in creativity. We are no longer content creators; rather, we have become content curators!

One might argue that tech advancements have always been viewed with suspicion and doubt. The advent of the calculator made calculations easier, but then, it has also resulted in us forgetting our tables and our ability to do minor everyday calculations like adding, multiplying, and dividing numbers. The invention of the word-processor, desktops, laptops, and tablets has made typing easier, but then this has come at a cost. Most, if not all, word-processing software includes a spell check or autocorrect function that has made things easier. Unfortunately, our ability to spell words correctly has taken a hit.

Advancements in technology are dependent on advancements in software built on algorithms, data, data analysis, and machine learning tools. All of them are driven by AI. Unfortunately, the increasing influence of AI threatens to rob us of our very ability to think, create, analyse, summarize, and critique information. These are critical human skills and abilities that make us different from other life forms, though I would dare say that there are other life forms on earth capable of intelligence! Intelligence is not, after all, only a human capability, although it is soon to be taken over by a new entity!

Digital Dementia leads to cognitive decline, including reduced attention spans, memory issues, and difficulty focusing on tasks, resulting from excessive reliance on digital media and digital devices, such as excessive screen time. The concept, introduced by neuroscientist Manfred Spitzer, is trending today. Other similar concepts trending today are Brain Rot and Brain Fog. Excess dependence on AI has led to Digital Dementia, Brain Rot, and Brain Fog. Brain Fog refers to the clouding of consciousness. This happens when a person is conscious but a bit less aware or wakeful. Such people might appear drowsy or sleepy, and thus they are not able to pay attention when especially in class. More of our students come to class with symptoms associated with Brain Fog. Brain Fog could also be the result of COVID-19 infections exacerbated by excess use of AI. Strange though it may seem, the COVID-19 pandemic had a lot of impact on the cognitive development of children, making them more vulnerable to the damaging effects of excess screen time.

Brain Rot is a more colloquial term for a decline in mental and cognitive abilities caused by excessive consumption of low-quality, trivial content on social media like reels. Reels have a lot to do with Artificial Intelligence, as many of the reels seen on social media have been developed with the help of Artificial Intelligence. Furthermore, AI now determines what content one watches. Complex algorithms driven by AI analyse viewer patterns and preferences to predict which content will be more likely to be consumed and what will not be consumed. Reels are addictive, and once a person checks out a reel of a particular genre, it is likely that that person will start receiving content of a particular kind. It is indeed a vicious circle, a whirlpool from which there is no escape. Such AI-driven reels have turned the consumers into Dopamine junkies looking for constant hits. 

As we struggle with increasing numbers of people suffering from mental health issues, one cannot help but wonder if this is normal or an aberration caused by unnatural exposure to Machine Intelligence. However it is, we are in for a change the likes of which have never been seen in the past. The fourth industrial revolution is going to be a revolution in the true sense!

In a twist of irony, the images in this blog post are AI-generated, so there is no question of copyright!

Why does Gurgaon Drown During the Monsoon Season?

Bar-Headed Geese keep returning to the Basai Wetland even though the Basai Wetland is no longer a wetland; rather, it is more of a scrubland waiting for the developer's excavator to dig out the basement of a large building.

 

Many years ago, when I migrated to India for further studies, my grandmother used to hire a rickshaw to take us around Gurgaon. On our rounds, we spotted bunds and streams that crisscrossed the hamlet. Today, of all those British-era bunds, only a handful remain! On doing some research, I came to know that Gurgaon had many British-era bunds or check dams, designed to control floods and manage water overflow. Unfortunately, of the  63 bunds, only three remain! 

 The purpose of the British era bunds was to control and channel seasonal floods and hold rainwater to prevent it from flooding residential areas. I guess the British town planners were more intelligent than our present town planners! The true purpose of these British-era bunds or check dams was to recharge groundwater tables and to support water bodies that no longer exist! Urbanization and encroachment have resulted in the destruction of these carefully planned bunds! Gurgaon is a prime example of the tragedy of unplanned development, rampant encroachment, and a lack of initiative among its stakeholders. The lure of "good money" from developers and real estate giants has won over considerations associated with the need to conserve the ecology and the environment.

I have noticed the deterioration of wetlands in Gurgaon, especially the Basai Wetland, which no longer exists! The Basai Wetland was once an important biodiversity hotspot. It was once the favoured resting point for Bar-headed Geese and other migratory birds. Today, it is sprouting high-rises, a flyover, and barricades that promise "good living" to investors in real estate. At first, the wetland was flooded with sewage, then they sold off the ponds to investors who wanted to grow the deadly  catfish, and then they claimed that the Basai Wetland was not a wetland! Then they developed a construction waste-disposal plant.

It is said that rainwater channels can never be dismissed as they follow their origins irrespective of efforts to cover them up! Gurgaon is drowning today because we have covered all these rainwater channels due to our greed to convert them into spaces for building high-rises. 

Another tragedy that has taken place in Gurgaon is the draining of wetlands. One prime example of a victim of real estate development is the Basai Wetland. What was once home to a large number of migratory birds and endemic species of mollusks,  fish is now a dry land waiting for multiplexes to sprout. The Damdama Lake was once a vibrant water body, fed by rainwater runoff from the surrounding Aravali mountains. Today, those rainwater channels have disappeared, thanks to rampant development taking place all around the lake and catchment areas.

The reason why Gurgaon drowns during the monsoon season is that we have destroyed the city's wetlands, filled up the rainwater channels, and damaged the bunds that had been strategically placed and built concrete towers, and paved roads that prevent the soil from soaking up the excess surface water.