Take care of the small things and the big things will fall into place

The metaphor of the phytoplankton is in fact a metaphor for existence itself! The parable of the phytoplankton states that the health of the ecosystem of the entire planet depends on the health of the smallest things like the microscopic phytoplankton that exist at the base of the food pyramid. 

By studying the Phytoplankton we can see how even the smallest of changes in the environment can have grave repercussions on the wellbeing of the planet. Phytoplankton are not just an important source of nutrition for larger aquatic creatures, but rather they also play a pivotal role in absorbing excess carbon dioxide thereby maintaining the health of the global carbon cycle. A further depletion in the ozone layer will affect the Phytoplankton which in turn will affect the lives of all marine animals, birds and ultimately, us human beings.

Thus, we need to act accordingly to protect the health of the Phytoplankton. By doing so we will be taking a positive step towards protecting the health of the planet. Our existence on this planet depends on many factors, one of which is the health of the Phytoplankton. Think about the Phytoplankton and then you will find solutions for the bigger problems affecting our planet.

Why is Antarctica like a living laboratory ?

Antarctica is like a living laboratory because by studying it we can gain an insight into our past, understand the climactic changes taking place in the present and predict how our future will be. We can gain insight into not just how our climate will be but also learn about the factors causing geological changes in our planet.

First and foremost, to visit Antarctica is to be part of history. one can study how the planet was formed. A study of Cordilleran folds and pre-Cambrian granite shields will tell us about the structure of our planet. A study of ice-core samples can give us data about Carbon dioxide levels that existed in the atmosphere in the past. We can also gain an insight into past global temperatures through a study of the amount of Carbon trapped in the ice-core samples.

Looking at how India and Antarctica were once part of the same continent, gives us an idea about the drifting of the continental plates can help us imagine how the planet will look like in the future. We can also predict accurately the impact of global warming on the entire planet by studying scientific data from Antarctica.

A Character Sketch of the Tiger King in the Short Story by Kalki

An analysis of the Maharaja of Pratibandapurum's character shows him to be far from perfect. He turns out to be a most self-centred, self-obsessed head of state who puts his desire to kill a hundred tigers before his duties towards the state. He abdicates his responsibility as a head of state by wantonly setting off on a killing spree knowing very well that even as a head of state he doesn't have the right to kill a tiger, unless, of course, in 'self-defence'.

Some people might claim that the Tiger King was brave enough to have fought with ninety-nine tigers and killed them in the end. However, the question here is, what was the purpose of this bravery? What was the end result of this act of killing ninety-nine tigers? Did it benefit society? Ultimately, it all boils down to the argument that the Tiger King was so scared of being killed by the hundredth tiger that he set out to eliminate the hundredth tiger so that what the astrologer had said would not come true. 'If he could kill just that one single beast, the Maharaja would have no fears left.' It is his fear of being killed by a tiger, that too, the hundredth tiger that fuels the Tiger King's frenzy toward killing tigers.

The Tiger King's obsession with killing tigers detracts him from his duties as the head of the state. 'The Maharaja vowed he would attend to all other matters only after killing a hundred tigers.' He is not just a bad statesman who neglects the state but also a father who neglects his duties toward his son. He had given his entire time to hunting tigers, so much so that 'He had had no time to spare for the crown prince.' Thus when his son turns three he decides to celebrate his birthday. 

Perhaps the greatest flaw in the Tiger King's character lies in his desire to kill tigers. It is the duty of every well-meaning statesman to work for the welfare of his people and wildlife too. As a king, it is his duty to protect tigers and knows very well that even a king cannot kill tigers. The abdication of his duties towards the state in favour of his mission to kill tigers brings out his selfishness. And last but not least is the fact that he is a bad father. It is no wonder that "The operation was successful" and it resulted in the death of the tiger king!

What are Geoff Green's reasons for including high school students in the Students on Ice expedition?

According to Tishani Doshi, Geoff Green, wanted to involve students in the expedition to Antarctica because he believed that doing so would help provide 'them with inspiring educational opportunities'. He believed that taking students to Antarctica would help students understand the planet better. It would be an experience that would transform their understanding of the world we live in.

Geoff Green was 'tired of carting celebrities' to the Antarctic continent who could 'give' back in a limited way. It is clear from a reading of the lesson that a visit to Antarctica was much more than a sight-seeing expedition for Tishani, and, for that effect Geoff Green because the continent is like a 'living laboratory' a time-capsule that provides us with vital feedback about the health of the planet.

According to Tishani Doshi, Geoff Green believed that the Students on Ice programme would offer students a 'life-changing experience' that would help develop and prepare 'a future generation of policy makers' who can work in a more pro-active manner to protect the planet from decline. There is a chance that young people can be taught to care for the planet if they are given meaningful experiential learning experiences.

Climate change is one of the most contested environmental issues today. Unless we halt global warming, our very future on this planet will be at stake. While grown-ups and adults brush away such concerns believing that they have always plagued us, it is people like Tishani who can plan for the future when they become adults who have a say in making policy decisions regarding the health of our planet.

A Sunday Visit to Old Delhi Springs Some Unexpected Surprises!

Books by the Kilo

A Sunday visit to Darya Ganj today sprang a few surprises. Gone were the street-side stalls overflowing with piles of books, instead of a street lined with numerous actual shops selling books, there were just a couple of them. I was able to get George Orwell's, Animal Farm from the first shop that had also diversified into stationery items and then decided to explore more options in the narrow alleys down the road. My brother and I finally landed up in a shop that had a huge number of books of all kinds. The best part was that some of the books were being sold at the rate of Rs.200/- per kilo. I was able to buy a further four books from the Dhruv Book Centre at Darya Ganj, including one titled The Tandoor Murder a book authored by Maxwell Pereira. When I talked to the proprietor of the shop, he told me that they were doing good business although the inroads made by e-books on kindles and tablets had definitely affected the sale of actual books. I guess he was trying to put up a brave face! However, I know that where there once used to be roadside stalls, there were empty spaces.

You never know, you might come across a rare book!

This Visit for me came after almost ten years!

Intricately designed facades a throwback to a resplendent past

Where the signs point towards the famed Paranteh wali gali

The famed Paranthe wali gali

Our next destination after Darya Ganj was Chandni Chowk. Another surprise awaited us when we reached it. We could not drive down Chandni Chowk since entry from the Red-fort side had been restricted. However, we were able to enter the place by driving from the Cycle Market side. We could drive unrestricted till the entry point to Nai Sarak and Ballimaran. It was, moreover, a pleasant sight that met us when we reached Chandni Chowk. The bollards, vistas and neatly planned walkways including restrictions on vehicular movement made it less crowded, though I guess we had reached the place early at about ten in the morning so there were fewer people around.

Emperor Firoz Shah's Tomb stands tall

It is said that the foremost Tomb is that of Firoz Shah

The intricate design of the roof of the tomb is simply amazing

The entrance to Emperor Firoz Shah's Tomb

After Chandni Chowk, we had planned to visit the Qutb Minar, the world's largest brick-made tower in the world. On the way, we had also decided to visit Sunder Nagar as we remembered the days in the nineties when we were regular visitors to the  Sunder Nagar Sweet corner. Unfortunately, when we reached the spot, we could only see another sweet shop. Of the erstwhile shop, there was simply no sign. Disappointed we made our way to the Qutb Minar tower but we were scared to see large crowds at the ticket counter. Scared by the prospect of having to stand for hours in long queues we decided to visit the monument another day! Instead, my brother suggested that we should visit Haus Khas. I guess that was a life-saver in a way because it turned out to be a good decision! 

One of the few domed buildings

The Pillars in one of the halls - mathematical accuracy!

The Lake in the Firoz Shah Monument complex

Hauz Khas is, incidentally a place where artisans and artists gather to create some of the most artistic objects, whether it might be designer boutiques, household decorative artefacts, or even some of the most quirky hookahs! It reminds me of the short story, The Last Leaf where the aspiring artists, Sue and Johnsy live. Besides, Haus Khas is a must-visit place for food. The words, 'Hauz Khas' mean Royal Tank. The tank was excavated under the orders of Allaudin Khilji (1296-1316) for the use of the inhabitants of Siri, the second city of Delhi founded by him. Firoz Shah restored the water supply to the tank and built a madrasa around it.

Incidentally, I used a Canon f-2.8, 40 mm STM pancake lens for all the above photographs. I wanted to experiment with the lens since I have not used it for quite some time. While, no doubt, the lens doesn't have a wide enough field of coverage making it difficult to a wider area without having to move back quite a few steps. However, the result is very good, with crisp and sharp results.