Dr. Abdul Kalam's Letter to Every Indian
Why is the media here so negative?
Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own strengths, our achievements?
We are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?
We are the first in milk production.
We are number one in Remote sensing satellites.
We are the second largest producer of wheat.
We are the second largest producer of rice.
Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters.
I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.
In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime.. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T.Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.
Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India . For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation.
Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.
Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours..
YOU say that our government is inefficient.
YOU say that our laws are too old.
YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage.
YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke. The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination.
YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.
YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it?
Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - 'YOURS'. Give him a face - 'YOURS'. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are.. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity… In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai .. YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah.
YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds (Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.'YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son. Take your two bucks and get lost.' YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and New Zealand ..
Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?
In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan ..
Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility.
We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms.
We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.
This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public.
When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone forego my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system?
What does a system consist of? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbours, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.
Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to
America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.
Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks one's conscience too…. I am echoing J. F. Kennedy's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians…..
'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY'
Lets do what India needs from us.
Forward this mail to each Indian for a change instead of sending Jokes or junk mails.
Thank you,
Dr.. Abdul Kalam
Friday, January 29, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Science wins always
Sasthram jayikkunnu; manushyan tholkunnu enna slogan came to my mind when I saw a report in today,’ on the sand mining at Aruvikkara recently launched by the government as a solution for a host of problems, viz. raising the capacity of the reservoir, providing jobs under the JNREGS and to supply sand to the sand starved construction sector through the “Kalavara” stores. Indeed a noble idea. What morer one would expect from a democratic government?
Only trouble was that it went against the basics of geological sciences viz., the chemical weathering which is governed by the second law of thermodynamics. The objections raised were not addressed by the government anyway. The govt instead went along with its own instinct ignoring the science of sand formation in nature. Surprisingly to day in a camera straight Mr. Premachandran quoted the 30:70 rule of quartz to other minerals in the rocks, pretending to be following the science of sand. I would correct the number by 27:73 instead. The govt. by being what it is, can always ignore and blackout the aspects of science; whether it is Athirapally or Sand mining from reservoirs.
The campaign was launched as a solution to remedy at least partly the scarcity of construction sand locally, to enlarge the reservoir capacity and to provide jobs to the local BPL citizenry under the JNREGS .In fact a similar program was launched couple of days ago by Mr. Premachandran the water resources minister in Chulliar in Plakkad Dist.
From the day one of this new campaign of recovering sand from the reservoirs in Kerala, based on science, I was warning that there is no “gold mine” of sand hidden under the placid wares of the reservoirs of Kerala.
It is much more so in respect of the hydel reservoirs as the rate of catchment erosion is far less than that of the reservoirs built down below say at elevations in the range of 80- 160 m. ( above msl),. for irrigation purposes. I am sure that some one will soon sing the requiem for the reservoir sand mining in Kerala.
thrivikramji@gmail.com
Only trouble was that it went against the basics of geological sciences viz., the chemical weathering which is governed by the second law of thermodynamics. The objections raised were not addressed by the government anyway. The govt instead went along with its own instinct ignoring the science of sand formation in nature. Surprisingly to day in a camera straight Mr. Premachandran quoted the 30:70 rule of quartz to other minerals in the rocks, pretending to be following the science of sand. I would correct the number by 27:73 instead. The govt. by being what it is, can always ignore and blackout the aspects of science; whether it is Athirapally or Sand mining from reservoirs.
The campaign was launched as a solution to remedy at least partly the scarcity of construction sand locally, to enlarge the reservoir capacity and to provide jobs to the local BPL citizenry under the JNREGS .In fact a similar program was launched couple of days ago by Mr. Premachandran the water resources minister in Chulliar in Plakkad Dist.
From the day one of this new campaign of recovering sand from the reservoirs in Kerala, based on science, I was warning that there is no “gold mine” of sand hidden under the placid wares of the reservoirs of Kerala.
It is much more so in respect of the hydel reservoirs as the rate of catchment erosion is far less than that of the reservoirs built down below say at elevations in the range of 80- 160 m. ( above msl),. for irrigation purposes. I am sure that some one will soon sing the requiem for the reservoir sand mining in Kerala.
thrivikramji@gmail.com
In quest of Varinjam Raghavan Pillai: Sri Bhuvanendran's biographer
18-01-2010 (Sunday)
Face to Face with Shri Varinjam Vikraman Pillai (and SMK & KPT)
Address; Manager,KKPM UP School, Ambadi, Varinjam, Karamkode.
We, Prof. SMK and Dr. KPT reached the Hill side home, Ambadi, of Manager Vikraman Pillai, KKPM UP School at about 10:30 am. We got off the Bus at Seematti mukku, in NH47, couple of km northerly from Kalluvathukkal. In fact we walked down from the Seematti mukku toward Varinjam say about little more than a km, The road nearly followed a steep and straight course, till it reached narrow valley and took a sharp anti-clockwise bend and proceeded toward Ayur via, Velinallur, where Saami (VRP) had spend the last days of his life in a humble ashramam or hermitage.
At the beginning of the bend and on the north stands a large mansion where Varinjam Vasu Pillai (a Janata Dal leader) kid brother of Saami lived worked from and finally died recently. At the end of the bend, and south of it stands the modern house, Ambadi, where Manager Vikraman Pillai currently lives with his extended family.
Surprisingly, when we gate crashed at Ambadi, the generally busy and active Manager was at his home. He too was sort of stunned by t he fact that he was available himself in the house at that time to see and talk to us. In fact our team never faced any road block in our quest in the research efforts we undertook, for the Bhuvanendran Book Project.
Initially the stocky, fully grayed and grandly bald but clean shaven man with a prominent thin but long mustache appeared to be quiet reserved. When we declared the purpose of our mission, this man became very eloquent and slowly but steadily pouring out with anecdotes. Of life and journey of his eldest brother, VRP who, he frequently quoted by the nick name saami.
In fact when we parted with Manager Vikraman Pillai, as he was popularly known in t he immediate and distant neighborhood, we were fully and completely happy about close to 5 hr we had spend with this man, who was practically dominating the discussion. He in fact kind of stopped us from poking questions when he was pouring out the anecdotal narration. This covered practically the various facets of life and character of VRP.
Now for the details
Parents and family
Father: Shri (late) Narayana Pillai, Kallada,
Chief Karyadarsi or so to speak the only trustee of the temple.of Chittumala Devi – Kuthirakettu marks the grand finale of Annual Pooja.- 18 Karakkars will come with one Eduppukuthira each and one among these will be elected as the first.
Mother: Smt. Kalyani Amma of Vettikkalariyam
The mother delivered 14 children but only eight survived. Shri Varinjam Raghavan Pillai was the eldest one. Others are:
Varinjam Gopinathan Nair (A high School teacher etc.)
Varinjam Vasupillai (A Janatha Dal leader)
Saraswathy Amma
Kunjukrishna Pillai
Kammala Devi Amma and
Varinjam Vikraman Pillai (Manager of KKPM UP School)
Saami was an an embodiment of compassion to poor, and needy, synonym of unselfishness, brilliant in studies at college and earned scholarship from the government, recalls Pillai. Though Shri Gopinatha Pillai was equally brilliant in studies and earned a government scholarship at College, was opposite of Raghavan Pillai in other respects – like very selfish, stingy, and self promoting and not worrying about others trials and tribulations. Bothe these brothers studied for college in Trivandrum. Shri Raghavan Pillai studied to become a lawyer – the closely guarded and nurtured desire the dad.
Though the legal ownership of the Chituumala Devi temple was originally vested in a group of Brahmin families in Trivandrum, the day to day running of the temple along with the rights to own, safe keep and control the income as well as other landed wealth of the temple was entrusted by the original Brahmin owners to Shri Vasu Pillai of Kallda near Chittumala. .The temple festivities were the sole right of 18 Karakkars. Kettukuthira display was the chief item of the festivities. Such Kuthiras came by canoes as well as on land by the shoulders of devotees from each of the Karas or let us say the families.
Shri VAsu Pillai use to utilize portions of the temple income for ones own needs including the educational expenses of the children who were going to college in Trivandrum. Shir Vasu Pillai was also very close to the Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer. The dad Pillai desired and sincerely hoped to make use of the Dewan connection to make the eldest son a Judge in the state soon after completing the law degree.
With this noble dream in mind, Shri VAsu Pillai after orally seeking the permission of Chittumala Devi, as and when need arose took money or gold from the temple vault for use in connection with the studies of the children in college. Shri Vasu Pillai also made the solemn promise to the Devi that all the sums he owed to Devi will be returned once the son reaches the Judges Chair and earns an income from the judges job. In fact the dad used to maintain a register about all the sums and gold the former owed to the Chittumala Devi.
One day in a Horse Buggie Shri Raghavan Pillai reached Chathannur to participate in a slogan shouting and picketing protest against the Dewan’s and British rule. Before joining the strikers, VRP had a meal of Cooked rice and butter at home, which he served on his own with out informing mother. Mother caught this self service when she saw the rise pot standing right side up in the kitchen. In fact the water in the pot hafd not completely drained.
VRP shouted slogans like “Mahathma Gandhi Ki Jai; Bharathamatha Ki Jai” and so on. The egg buying/vending shop owner was the one who informed dad about the various deeds that happened on that day.
Then dad came home and departed to Trivandrum to meet with Sir CPR to plead for the release of shri VRP from jail. CPR insisted that due to the anti-state actions .VRP will not be allowed to gho away. But instead agreed to let VRP to take the examinations in t he jail cell. But VRP instead declared that he will not take any examination in the Jail. The intensely and deeply agonized dad came back home and in desperation started rolling over and kept rolling over in the front yard of the house. When the mopm enquired it was the sons adamancy about not taking the examination in the jail that made him roll over again and again in the front yard of the house. Dad died on the seventh day of this incident. VRP was allowed to go home from jail with police escort to perform the last rites to the departed soul and then was taken back to jail.
VVasu Pilla (Janatha Dal leader later) took over the management of the house hold and the properties to help the siblings to attain what ever they attained later.
Para Raghavan, Harijan Postman was a good friend of VRP. These friends on one day sat in the same mat ready to eat lunch to be served by the mom. Mom seved rice and other curries to both fellows. In fact at some point, when there was excess rice served to Para Raghavan, mom had to make the potion smaller, by removing some from the brass plate, and mom later promptly served the same rice to others. Mom never had any clue to the origins of Para Raghavan.
The VRP asked if mother had any objections in serving food to Para Raghavan – a person who shouldn’t have stepped into the house due to the bane of untouchability.
Mon promptly replied “ For me he is also like you only”
Never, kneel down to the British police was a slogan by the spirited N.Srikantan Nair, which attracted VRP to team up with Srikantan Nair. When Srikantan Nair jumped the poison, he promptly went VRP’s house and started a hidden life in the attick of VRP’s house. Srijkantan Nair was a voracious eater and for example,
VRP was arrested again and sent jail.
To express the opposition to British rule VRP and Srikantan Nair decided to follow a policy of not rising up at the sight of any member of the British police. Once it so happened that VRP did not stand on his feet when police party arrived. The angered police started beating up VRP. This made Srikantan Nair to jump up on ones feet to escape the wrath of the British Police.
When British administration ordered killing of Betaji, VRP started publication of a Magazine (monthly) called “Netaji”. Unfortunately, the magazine never saw the light of the day. Copies were bundled together and kept away without circulating it.
Soon one man came rushing to the house asking the mom to put away all copies of “Netaji:” away from and out of the house so that police party supposed to come for home search will not get any clue or any copy of the magazine. Chathannur Vasu Pillai came that evening and removed all copies of the magazine.
CP ordered confiscation of copies of “Netaji” from every where. Police came in search of copies to the VRP house where mom was living with Vikraman Pillai. In fact when Police came to search the house, mom was sweeping the front yard with a broom and Vikraman Pillai was towing behind amma. Police searched for the magazine every where in the house. Angrily police loaded all the furniture in the house. Mom went and lied down in the only remaining piece – a cot in which Vikraman Pillai and mom slept together every night. There was no lady police those days. Out of fear, Vikraman Pillai held on to a limb of mom and police started pulling the boy clinging to the mom so that both will fall off leaving the cot behind. The clever amma kicked the dear son who fell off the cot so thatr police became helpless and left with out the cot. But then on the early evening on tremorse mom and Vikraman Pillai as usual slept in the cot.
This furniture on auctioning was purchase by congress veteran TM Vargheese but did not go back to VRP house in spite of the strong desire to do so by Pattom Thanu Pillai. .
Though the moneis taken from Devi temple were taken on the promise of prompt returni that part did not happen. Devi probably was angry at this and as a result all such untoward things happened.
VRP was allotted the Kottarakkara seat at the time of elections. At the time filing nomination papers for the election VRP strayed some where else and could not participate in t he lection.
There was a picketing organized under the leadership of VRP in the Gun court of Kollam. The styagrahis were lying in a line blocking the path of speakers. Many of them stepped on the bodies while walking across to the dias while only Pattom Tanupillai care fully tiptoed over the bodies. The meeting however ended with out the usual speech making.
Strated publishing a daily called “Jai Hind”. The editorial used to attract a wide readership, yet the daily did not survive for long.
VRP and VGP used to go for reciting Bhagavatham. One would read or recite and the other would explain. Many a times the sessions appeared to be a wordly fight between them which also divided the listenersa to take side and argue. The poor crowd never knew that the guys were only a team of brothers. Similar incident happened once at Varkala on a sivarthri night.
Where ever he goes VRP will be in t he first row.
Kumbalam was a leading figure in the Karunagapally taluk. If any body spoke against this man, the thandars will teach those guys a lesson.
Narayana Pillai used to be in charge of Chittumala Temple for 18 years and conducted the festivities very precisely and promptly. Narayaana Pilla used to accept and obey only the Devi and no body else in the world. However, Shri Pillai no longer was favored by or acceptable to the Karakkar or the important families that participated in kuthirakettu.. In fact, some Karakkars at the time of Kuthirakettu, wanted a different route for the procession carrying the Idol of Devi. In fact, some wanted the Devi procession to stop and allow one particular Karakkar to offer puja and related rituals, practically violating the order that was in place for a long time. This was trick played by and managed by Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai. But, Narayana Pillai’ had a ferocious brother who loved only own brother and no one else. He secretly asked the Potti, if any altercation regarding the route of procession and the first stop arises, just keep the idol at the place of dispute and not take it up again to continue with the procession. If it was not carried out elder uncle will finish off the Potti. The celebrations went on with out any dispute coming to the fore. Chittumala Temple keys were formally taken away from Narayana Pillai, and with that act Devi was too much angered resulting in the down trip of the temple and Karakkar. Currently the Karakkar and the temple have come back to limelight again.
Devi told dad “What ever you said have all been fulfilled” and continued “what about your promises to me that you wrote and kept”
“VRP published a small book “Prathyaksha Pathram”. VRP wrote, “Pattom Thanu Pillai had only one longing and desire, that is to become the chief minister of the state”
VRP was a failure in politics – a field where just and principle individuals totally fail or become utter failure.
VRP also published a news paper “Jai Hind” which also turned out to be a failure. VRP also wrote two books – “Hridayanjali” and second one “Kairali”.CP came under severre criticism in one of the books.
Saami made a trip to Kolkotha to meet Shri Sarachandra Bose, Netaji Subhash Chandra’s bother. Unfortunately the day saami reached Kolkotha, the news of demise of Sarchandra reached him.
Later Saami without any ones knowledge went Himalayas to seek sanyas and asceticism. There was a blackout for a longer while about saami. Later say after six months or so, saami reappeared in Varinjam with fully matted hair, long black beard. He traveled all the way back home in trains with out a ticket .Once reaching Kollam, some one funded saami to get back home by bus. After reaching home, saami completely shaved off the matted hair. Then saami went away to Trivandrum. And from Trivandrum went to Cherukol Bhuvanendra sadanam. Stayed there, observed the various happenings and events that appeared around Sri Bhuvanendran. Varinjam Gopinathan Nair, a teacher brother, was those days a staunch communist.
During the stay at Cherukol, Saami gifted all his landed wealth to sisters and to Vikraman the land where now Ambadi is built. The copyrights of the books of Saami was given away to a nephew (sister’s son)
Later, Saami came to the varinjam homestead along with athbhuthasisu and a party of devotees. There was an altercation then at the house. Vikraman Pillai intervened and declared that “each and every one has civil rights” No one can trespass into those rights. Then Saami went back to Cherukol (Thiruvattar). Saami then joined with Sri Bhuvanendran and made a trip to Guruvayoor. Vikraman Pillai, Manager, recalls “the showering of flowers offered to idol in the temple slowly descending on Bhuvanendran which surprised every one present inside the temple.
Due to blessings of Choittumala Devi VRP came back, recalls Manager.
One of these days, Saami’s amma was bitten by a snake and she died of the complications due to snake bite. Saami did not come to see the dead mom. When asked, Saami answered that:” he knew in advance that thakshakan will finish off mom”. Mom was a god fearing and a devoted individual to god. There was a babmper crop of cow pea around the homestead in that season. Mom was harvesting the cow pea. A snake without mom’s notice was following her. And one day she was bitten by the snake. This strong willed mom, tore off a piece of cloth from her own dress and and tightly tied it above the bitten spot on her leg. She was in coma for about two days before breathing her last breath.
Manager Pillai was due to speak in the school on a weekly public speaking classes, that mom’s death was taken to school to fetch the boy back home. When the time was speaking came up his class teacher with over flowing eyes went to Pillai to ask him to go home without going to the presentation. Pillai did not know the cause of sudden change in the schedule. At home Pillai saw the dying mother showing convulsions. My uncle Vasu Pillai shouted my sister is gone and gone for ever”
During the Vimochanasamaram, Saami joined the picketing of Kollam Collectorate.
KKPM UP School was sanctioned at the instance of Saami taking up the case with Pattom Thanu Pillai, the CM. School opened on 1962 May 25th. Vikraman Pillai with the company of a friend, Thankappan Pillai walked on a wet mid night over to see Saami at the latters hermitage at Velinallur. Thankappan Pillai wanted Saami to intervene in the quick sanctioning of the school which is named after his deceased ascetic brother Kunjukrishna Pillai for which Saami agreed. Only ten Vikraman Pillai appeared in fromnt of Saami. Saami offered a late night dinner of pineapple to both and offered to see both at Trivandrum to see the concerned people, i.e., the CM.. .School is named KKPM UP School- named after late Kunjukrishna Pillai who died of an enlarged heart in a Bangalore.Hospital. The body was brought back home by a party to which Vikraman Pillai too was in.
Saami died toward the end of 1995 at a hospital/home of nephew in Trivandrum. The body decorated with then wreaths placed by leading congress men like O.Chandy and others were taken back to the Velinallur and later to Varinjam and was cremated in the presence of a large crowd of friends and followers. We saw the burial ground now marked by the ritual and traditional coconut tree in the distant backyard of Ambadi homestead.
Rendering:thrivikramji@gmail.com
-----------------
Face to Face with Shri Varinjam Vikraman Pillai (and SMK & KPT)
Address; Manager,KKPM UP School, Ambadi, Varinjam, Karamkode.
We, Prof. SMK and Dr. KPT reached the Hill side home, Ambadi, of Manager Vikraman Pillai, KKPM UP School at about 10:30 am. We got off the Bus at Seematti mukku, in NH47, couple of km northerly from Kalluvathukkal. In fact we walked down from the Seematti mukku toward Varinjam say about little more than a km, The road nearly followed a steep and straight course, till it reached narrow valley and took a sharp anti-clockwise bend and proceeded toward Ayur via, Velinallur, where Saami (VRP) had spend the last days of his life in a humble ashramam or hermitage.
At the beginning of the bend and on the north stands a large mansion where Varinjam Vasu Pillai (a Janata Dal leader) kid brother of Saami lived worked from and finally died recently. At the end of the bend, and south of it stands the modern house, Ambadi, where Manager Vikraman Pillai currently lives with his extended family.
Surprisingly, when we gate crashed at Ambadi, the generally busy and active Manager was at his home. He too was sort of stunned by t he fact that he was available himself in the house at that time to see and talk to us. In fact our team never faced any road block in our quest in the research efforts we undertook, for the Bhuvanendran Book Project.
Initially the stocky, fully grayed and grandly bald but clean shaven man with a prominent thin but long mustache appeared to be quiet reserved. When we declared the purpose of our mission, this man became very eloquent and slowly but steadily pouring out with anecdotes. Of life and journey of his eldest brother, VRP who, he frequently quoted by the nick name saami.
In fact when we parted with Manager Vikraman Pillai, as he was popularly known in t he immediate and distant neighborhood, we were fully and completely happy about close to 5 hr we had spend with this man, who was practically dominating the discussion. He in fact kind of stopped us from poking questions when he was pouring out the anecdotal narration. This covered practically the various facets of life and character of VRP.
Now for the details
Parents and family
Father: Shri (late) Narayana Pillai, Kallada,
Chief Karyadarsi or so to speak the only trustee of the temple.of Chittumala Devi – Kuthirakettu marks the grand finale of Annual Pooja.- 18 Karakkars will come with one Eduppukuthira each and one among these will be elected as the first.
Mother: Smt. Kalyani Amma of Vettikkalariyam
The mother delivered 14 children but only eight survived. Shri Varinjam Raghavan Pillai was the eldest one. Others are:
Varinjam Gopinathan Nair (A high School teacher etc.)
Varinjam Vasupillai (A Janatha Dal leader)
Saraswathy Amma
Kunjukrishna Pillai
Kammala Devi Amma and
Varinjam Vikraman Pillai (Manager of KKPM UP School)
Saami was an an embodiment of compassion to poor, and needy, synonym of unselfishness, brilliant in studies at college and earned scholarship from the government, recalls Pillai. Though Shri Gopinatha Pillai was equally brilliant in studies and earned a government scholarship at College, was opposite of Raghavan Pillai in other respects – like very selfish, stingy, and self promoting and not worrying about others trials and tribulations. Bothe these brothers studied for college in Trivandrum. Shri Raghavan Pillai studied to become a lawyer – the closely guarded and nurtured desire the dad.
Though the legal ownership of the Chituumala Devi temple was originally vested in a group of Brahmin families in Trivandrum, the day to day running of the temple along with the rights to own, safe keep and control the income as well as other landed wealth of the temple was entrusted by the original Brahmin owners to Shri Vasu Pillai of Kallda near Chittumala. .The temple festivities were the sole right of 18 Karakkars. Kettukuthira display was the chief item of the festivities. Such Kuthiras came by canoes as well as on land by the shoulders of devotees from each of the Karas or let us say the families.
Shri VAsu Pillai use to utilize portions of the temple income for ones own needs including the educational expenses of the children who were going to college in Trivandrum. Shir Vasu Pillai was also very close to the Dewan of Travancore, Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer. The dad Pillai desired and sincerely hoped to make use of the Dewan connection to make the eldest son a Judge in the state soon after completing the law degree.
With this noble dream in mind, Shri VAsu Pillai after orally seeking the permission of Chittumala Devi, as and when need arose took money or gold from the temple vault for use in connection with the studies of the children in college. Shri Vasu Pillai also made the solemn promise to the Devi that all the sums he owed to Devi will be returned once the son reaches the Judges Chair and earns an income from the judges job. In fact the dad used to maintain a register about all the sums and gold the former owed to the Chittumala Devi.
One day in a Horse Buggie Shri Raghavan Pillai reached Chathannur to participate in a slogan shouting and picketing protest against the Dewan’s and British rule. Before joining the strikers, VRP had a meal of Cooked rice and butter at home, which he served on his own with out informing mother. Mother caught this self service when she saw the rise pot standing right side up in the kitchen. In fact the water in the pot hafd not completely drained.
VRP shouted slogans like “Mahathma Gandhi Ki Jai; Bharathamatha Ki Jai” and so on. The egg buying/vending shop owner was the one who informed dad about the various deeds that happened on that day.
Then dad came home and departed to Trivandrum to meet with Sir CPR to plead for the release of shri VRP from jail. CPR insisted that due to the anti-state actions .VRP will not be allowed to gho away. But instead agreed to let VRP to take the examinations in t he jail cell. But VRP instead declared that he will not take any examination in the Jail. The intensely and deeply agonized dad came back home and in desperation started rolling over and kept rolling over in the front yard of the house. When the mopm enquired it was the sons adamancy about not taking the examination in the jail that made him roll over again and again in the front yard of the house. Dad died on the seventh day of this incident. VRP was allowed to go home from jail with police escort to perform the last rites to the departed soul and then was taken back to jail.
VVasu Pilla (Janatha Dal leader later) took over the management of the house hold and the properties to help the siblings to attain what ever they attained later.
Para Raghavan, Harijan Postman was a good friend of VRP. These friends on one day sat in the same mat ready to eat lunch to be served by the mom. Mom seved rice and other curries to both fellows. In fact at some point, when there was excess rice served to Para Raghavan, mom had to make the potion smaller, by removing some from the brass plate, and mom later promptly served the same rice to others. Mom never had any clue to the origins of Para Raghavan.
The VRP asked if mother had any objections in serving food to Para Raghavan – a person who shouldn’t have stepped into the house due to the bane of untouchability.
Mon promptly replied “ For me he is also like you only”
Never, kneel down to the British police was a slogan by the spirited N.Srikantan Nair, which attracted VRP to team up with Srikantan Nair. When Srikantan Nair jumped the poison, he promptly went VRP’s house and started a hidden life in the attick of VRP’s house. Srijkantan Nair was a voracious eater and for example,
VRP was arrested again and sent jail.
To express the opposition to British rule VRP and Srikantan Nair decided to follow a policy of not rising up at the sight of any member of the British police. Once it so happened that VRP did not stand on his feet when police party arrived. The angered police started beating up VRP. This made Srikantan Nair to jump up on ones feet to escape the wrath of the British Police.
When British administration ordered killing of Betaji, VRP started publication of a Magazine (monthly) called “Netaji”. Unfortunately, the magazine never saw the light of the day. Copies were bundled together and kept away without circulating it.
Soon one man came rushing to the house asking the mom to put away all copies of “Netaji:” away from and out of the house so that police party supposed to come for home search will not get any clue or any copy of the magazine. Chathannur Vasu Pillai came that evening and removed all copies of the magazine.
CP ordered confiscation of copies of “Netaji” from every where. Police came in search of copies to the VRP house where mom was living with Vikraman Pillai. In fact when Police came to search the house, mom was sweeping the front yard with a broom and Vikraman Pillai was towing behind amma. Police searched for the magazine every where in the house. Angrily police loaded all the furniture in the house. Mom went and lied down in the only remaining piece – a cot in which Vikraman Pillai and mom slept together every night. There was no lady police those days. Out of fear, Vikraman Pillai held on to a limb of mom and police started pulling the boy clinging to the mom so that both will fall off leaving the cot behind. The clever amma kicked the dear son who fell off the cot so thatr police became helpless and left with out the cot. But then on the early evening on tremorse mom and Vikraman Pillai as usual slept in the cot.
This furniture on auctioning was purchase by congress veteran TM Vargheese but did not go back to VRP house in spite of the strong desire to do so by Pattom Thanu Pillai. .
Though the moneis taken from Devi temple were taken on the promise of prompt returni that part did not happen. Devi probably was angry at this and as a result all such untoward things happened.
VRP was allotted the Kottarakkara seat at the time of elections. At the time filing nomination papers for the election VRP strayed some where else and could not participate in t he lection.
There was a picketing organized under the leadership of VRP in the Gun court of Kollam. The styagrahis were lying in a line blocking the path of speakers. Many of them stepped on the bodies while walking across to the dias while only Pattom Tanupillai care fully tiptoed over the bodies. The meeting however ended with out the usual speech making.
Strated publishing a daily called “Jai Hind”. The editorial used to attract a wide readership, yet the daily did not survive for long.
VRP and VGP used to go for reciting Bhagavatham. One would read or recite and the other would explain. Many a times the sessions appeared to be a wordly fight between them which also divided the listenersa to take side and argue. The poor crowd never knew that the guys were only a team of brothers. Similar incident happened once at Varkala on a sivarthri night.
Where ever he goes VRP will be in t he first row.
Kumbalam was a leading figure in the Karunagapally taluk. If any body spoke against this man, the thandars will teach those guys a lesson.
Narayana Pillai used to be in charge of Chittumala Temple for 18 years and conducted the festivities very precisely and promptly. Narayaana Pilla used to accept and obey only the Devi and no body else in the world. However, Shri Pillai no longer was favored by or acceptable to the Karakkar or the important families that participated in kuthirakettu.. In fact, some Karakkars at the time of Kuthirakettu, wanted a different route for the procession carrying the Idol of Devi. In fact, some wanted the Devi procession to stop and allow one particular Karakkar to offer puja and related rituals, practically violating the order that was in place for a long time. This was trick played by and managed by Kumbalathu Sanku Pillai. But, Narayana Pillai’ had a ferocious brother who loved only own brother and no one else. He secretly asked the Potti, if any altercation regarding the route of procession and the first stop arises, just keep the idol at the place of dispute and not take it up again to continue with the procession. If it was not carried out elder uncle will finish off the Potti. The celebrations went on with out any dispute coming to the fore. Chittumala Temple keys were formally taken away from Narayana Pillai, and with that act Devi was too much angered resulting in the down trip of the temple and Karakkar. Currently the Karakkar and the temple have come back to limelight again.
Devi told dad “What ever you said have all been fulfilled” and continued “what about your promises to me that you wrote and kept”
“VRP published a small book “Prathyaksha Pathram”. VRP wrote, “Pattom Thanu Pillai had only one longing and desire, that is to become the chief minister of the state”
VRP was a failure in politics – a field where just and principle individuals totally fail or become utter failure.
VRP also published a news paper “Jai Hind” which also turned out to be a failure. VRP also wrote two books – “Hridayanjali” and second one “Kairali”.CP came under severre criticism in one of the books.
Saami made a trip to Kolkotha to meet Shri Sarachandra Bose, Netaji Subhash Chandra’s bother. Unfortunately the day saami reached Kolkotha, the news of demise of Sarchandra reached him.
Later Saami without any ones knowledge went Himalayas to seek sanyas and asceticism. There was a blackout for a longer while about saami. Later say after six months or so, saami reappeared in Varinjam with fully matted hair, long black beard. He traveled all the way back home in trains with out a ticket .Once reaching Kollam, some one funded saami to get back home by bus. After reaching home, saami completely shaved off the matted hair. Then saami went away to Trivandrum. And from Trivandrum went to Cherukol Bhuvanendra sadanam. Stayed there, observed the various happenings and events that appeared around Sri Bhuvanendran. Varinjam Gopinathan Nair, a teacher brother, was those days a staunch communist.
During the stay at Cherukol, Saami gifted all his landed wealth to sisters and to Vikraman the land where now Ambadi is built. The copyrights of the books of Saami was given away to a nephew (sister’s son)
Later, Saami came to the varinjam homestead along with athbhuthasisu and a party of devotees. There was an altercation then at the house. Vikraman Pillai intervened and declared that “each and every one has civil rights” No one can trespass into those rights. Then Saami went back to Cherukol (Thiruvattar). Saami then joined with Sri Bhuvanendran and made a trip to Guruvayoor. Vikraman Pillai, Manager, recalls “the showering of flowers offered to idol in the temple slowly descending on Bhuvanendran which surprised every one present inside the temple.
Due to blessings of Choittumala Devi VRP came back, recalls Manager.
One of these days, Saami’s amma was bitten by a snake and she died of the complications due to snake bite. Saami did not come to see the dead mom. When asked, Saami answered that:” he knew in advance that thakshakan will finish off mom”. Mom was a god fearing and a devoted individual to god. There was a babmper crop of cow pea around the homestead in that season. Mom was harvesting the cow pea. A snake without mom’s notice was following her. And one day she was bitten by the snake. This strong willed mom, tore off a piece of cloth from her own dress and and tightly tied it above the bitten spot on her leg. She was in coma for about two days before breathing her last breath.
Manager Pillai was due to speak in the school on a weekly public speaking classes, that mom’s death was taken to school to fetch the boy back home. When the time was speaking came up his class teacher with over flowing eyes went to Pillai to ask him to go home without going to the presentation. Pillai did not know the cause of sudden change in the schedule. At home Pillai saw the dying mother showing convulsions. My uncle Vasu Pillai shouted my sister is gone and gone for ever”
During the Vimochanasamaram, Saami joined the picketing of Kollam Collectorate.
KKPM UP School was sanctioned at the instance of Saami taking up the case with Pattom Thanu Pillai, the CM. School opened on 1962 May 25th. Vikraman Pillai with the company of a friend, Thankappan Pillai walked on a wet mid night over to see Saami at the latters hermitage at Velinallur. Thankappan Pillai wanted Saami to intervene in the quick sanctioning of the school which is named after his deceased ascetic brother Kunjukrishna Pillai for which Saami agreed. Only ten Vikraman Pillai appeared in fromnt of Saami. Saami offered a late night dinner of pineapple to both and offered to see both at Trivandrum to see the concerned people, i.e., the CM.. .School is named KKPM UP School- named after late Kunjukrishna Pillai who died of an enlarged heart in a Bangalore.Hospital. The body was brought back home by a party to which Vikraman Pillai too was in.
Saami died toward the end of 1995 at a hospital/home of nephew in Trivandrum. The body decorated with then wreaths placed by leading congress men like O.Chandy and others were taken back to the Velinallur and later to Varinjam and was cremated in the presence of a large crowd of friends and followers. We saw the burial ground now marked by the ritual and traditional coconut tree in the distant backyard of Ambadi homestead.
Rendering:thrivikramji@gmail.com
-----------------
Sunday, January 10, 2010
MSU/AG/S$/CT1-2010 Jan
MANONMANIANM SUNDARANAR UNIVERSITY
AG4/CT1- GEOSTATISTICS
Time: 1 hr Max.Marks 25
Section-A
Answer all questions
1a Lengths (in mm) of long axes of cobbles collected from a mountain tributary of Thamirabarani Ar are listed below. 325, 485, 456, 456, 438, 455, 338, 369, 389, 365, 351, 350. Now estimate the mean. Also write the general formula for estimating the sum. (3)
1b For the data in 1a, calculate the sum of deviations from the mean, which is Σ x - ¯x . Do not drop the sign of the values. Estimate and write down the sum of positive deviations as well as that of the negative deviations. (3)
1c.Also estimate sum of squares of deviations of the mean, with the formula
Σ (x - ¯x)2. (3)
2. Graph and correctly label to demonstrate positive and negative correlations
(2)
Section- B
Answer any two questions
3. Class mid points of the cobble lengths along with the frequencies are given in the table below. In a graph paper plot the following data set and draw a frequency curve. .
X (cm) Y (f)
5 20
10 30
15 40
20 50
25 60
30 55
35 50
40 45
45 40
Correctly plot the mode and median in the graph. . (5)
5. Write FORTRAN IV codes for the following (5)
a c = product of a and b; c = sum of a and b; c = difference between a and b
b. a statement that will allow reading values of a and b using a format
c. Examples of constants and variables.
d. Examples of Floating points and Integers
e. Arithmetic operators in FORTRAN IV
5 Illustrate matrices 2 rows and 3 columns and 3 rows and 3 columns (5)
Section- C
Answer any two questions
6. .Draw a symmetrical frequency curve and label the mean, mode and median;
and an asymmetrical frequency curve and label. (4)
OR
7. Write the general equation for regression (line with a positive slope) and define the variables and constants in the equation. .
-------------------------
. .
AG4/CT1- GEOSTATISTICS
Time: 1 hr Max.Marks 25
Section-A
Answer all questions
1a Lengths (in mm) of long axes of cobbles collected from a mountain tributary of Thamirabarani Ar are listed below. 325, 485, 456, 456, 438, 455, 338, 369, 389, 365, 351, 350. Now estimate the mean. Also write the general formula for estimating the sum. (3)
1b For the data in 1a, calculate the sum of deviations from the mean, which is Σ x - ¯x . Do not drop the sign of the values. Estimate and write down the sum of positive deviations as well as that of the negative deviations. (3)
1c.Also estimate sum of squares of deviations of the mean, with the formula
Σ (x - ¯x)2. (3)
2. Graph and correctly label to demonstrate positive and negative correlations
(2)
Section- B
Answer any two questions
3. Class mid points of the cobble lengths along with the frequencies are given in the table below. In a graph paper plot the following data set and draw a frequency curve. .
X (cm) Y (f)
5 20
10 30
15 40
20 50
25 60
30 55
35 50
40 45
45 40
Correctly plot the mode and median in the graph. . (5)
5. Write FORTRAN IV codes for the following (5)
a c = product of a and b; c = sum of a and b; c = difference between a and b
b. a statement that will allow reading values of a and b using a format
c. Examples of constants and variables.
d. Examples of Floating points and Integers
e. Arithmetic operators in FORTRAN IV
5 Illustrate matrices 2 rows and 3 columns and 3 rows and 3 columns (5)
Section- C
Answer any two questions
6. .Draw a symmetrical frequency curve and label the mean, mode and median;
and an asymmetrical frequency curve and label. (4)
OR
7. Write the general equation for regression (line with a positive slope) and define the variables and constants in the equation. .
-------------------------
. .
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Grim Furture for Ground Water in NW India
The fields of barley, rice and wheat that feed much of India are running out of water, according to a new study based on satellite data and published online in Nature today. The heartland of last century's Green Revolution lost 109 cubic kilometers of water from its Indus River plain aquifer between August 2002 and October 2008. (Scientific American is part of the Nature Publishing Group.)
"By our estimates, the water table is declining at a rate of one foot per year averaged over the Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, including the national capital territory of Delhi," an area in northwestern India that covers more than 438,000 square kilometers, says NASA hydrologist Matthew Rodell, lead author of the paper. "We are not able to estimate the total amount of groundwater in storage [in the aquifer], so we can't say when it will be gone, but residents are already feeling the effects and it will only become worse."
The consequences include wells that run dry, water shortages in India's capital and, potentially, a decline in yields from agriculture. India's Ministry of Water Resources has long suggested that tapping the aquifer for irrigation was exceeding the limited regional rainfall that replenishes its water, and the World Bank has warned that the country faces a water crisis. On a yearly basis, nearly 63 cubic kilometers of water are drawn from the aquifer, whereas the Indian government estimates that roughly 45 cubic kilometers of water recharge the aquifer annually.
The scientists relied on data from the pair of GRACE satellites—NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment orbiters launched in 2002—that measure subtle changes in Earth's gravitational field, which are often the result of shifting water, whether on the surface or deep beneath it. In addition to large-scale water losses detected in Greenland and other polar regions by the GRACE satellites, northwestern India stands out as another area of rapid water loss. "Basically, it is like we weigh Earth every month and we look at the changes," explains geophysicist Isabella Velicogna of the University of California, Irvine, part of the research team.
The primary reason for such groundwater depletion is irrigation, which has fed the Green Revolution that transformed cereal production in the region and helped sustain a growing population that has reached 114 million people. Between 1970 and 1999 irrigated fields in India tripled in overall extent to cover more than 33 million hectares.
That irrigation now looks unsustainable: "The problem is that groundwater consumption was not capped at a sustainable level and now it will be difficult to curb demand," Rodell notes.
It is also clear that global warming's accelerated melting of the nearby Himalayan glaciers is not the primary culprit in the region's water deficit. These meltwaters feed the rivers of northwestern India and beyond, but that water soon flows out of the area and is lost to it. Even with a generous assumption that all Himalayan glacial melting since 1962 (roughly 13.4 cubic kilometers per year) was concentrated in the 150-kilometer stretch of land closest to the study zone rather than spread across the entirety of the Himalayas, the scientists could explain, at most, 15 percent of the water loss in northwestern India. And the arid region's rainfall levels were above the average of 50 centimeters per year from 2002 to 2008.
The water contained in the Indus River plain aquifer, once pumped, is lost to the region via evaporation from irrigation or transpiration from irrigated plants. And GRACE has detected similar depletion in the U.S., as well, including the Ogallala Aquifer under the western plains and the groundwater in the California's Central Valley. "Groundwater resources are being rapidly depleted in many regions of the world," says U.C. Irvine hydrologist James Famiglietti, another team member. "These signals of groundwater loss, in particular in the Central Valley, are very strong."
The solution may be to impose limits on pumping aquifer water— particularly in the case of northwestern India, which uses it to fill seasonal rice paddies covering some 38,000 square kilometers. "If farmers would shift away from water-intensive crops, such as rice, and implement more efficient irrigation methods, that would help," Rodell says.
As population growth continues and food production increases, however, demand for groundwater will only increase, Famiglietti warns. Nevertheless, this research, he says, "suggests that we can keep track of rates at which groundwater reserves are dwindling the world over."
(Courtesy:SciAm.)
"By our estimates, the water table is declining at a rate of one foot per year averaged over the Indian states of Rajasthan, Punjab and Haryana, including the national capital territory of Delhi," an area in northwestern India that covers more than 438,000 square kilometers, says NASA hydrologist Matthew Rodell, lead author of the paper. "We are not able to estimate the total amount of groundwater in storage [in the aquifer], so we can't say when it will be gone, but residents are already feeling the effects and it will only become worse."
The consequences include wells that run dry, water shortages in India's capital and, potentially, a decline in yields from agriculture. India's Ministry of Water Resources has long suggested that tapping the aquifer for irrigation was exceeding the limited regional rainfall that replenishes its water, and the World Bank has warned that the country faces a water crisis. On a yearly basis, nearly 63 cubic kilometers of water are drawn from the aquifer, whereas the Indian government estimates that roughly 45 cubic kilometers of water recharge the aquifer annually.
The scientists relied on data from the pair of GRACE satellites—NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment orbiters launched in 2002—that measure subtle changes in Earth's gravitational field, which are often the result of shifting water, whether on the surface or deep beneath it. In addition to large-scale water losses detected in Greenland and other polar regions by the GRACE satellites, northwestern India stands out as another area of rapid water loss. "Basically, it is like we weigh Earth every month and we look at the changes," explains geophysicist Isabella Velicogna of the University of California, Irvine, part of the research team.
The primary reason for such groundwater depletion is irrigation, which has fed the Green Revolution that transformed cereal production in the region and helped sustain a growing population that has reached 114 million people. Between 1970 and 1999 irrigated fields in India tripled in overall extent to cover more than 33 million hectares.
That irrigation now looks unsustainable: "The problem is that groundwater consumption was not capped at a sustainable level and now it will be difficult to curb demand," Rodell notes.
It is also clear that global warming's accelerated melting of the nearby Himalayan glaciers is not the primary culprit in the region's water deficit. These meltwaters feed the rivers of northwestern India and beyond, but that water soon flows out of the area and is lost to it. Even with a generous assumption that all Himalayan glacial melting since 1962 (roughly 13.4 cubic kilometers per year) was concentrated in the 150-kilometer stretch of land closest to the study zone rather than spread across the entirety of the Himalayas, the scientists could explain, at most, 15 percent of the water loss in northwestern India. And the arid region's rainfall levels were above the average of 50 centimeters per year from 2002 to 2008.
The water contained in the Indus River plain aquifer, once pumped, is lost to the region via evaporation from irrigation or transpiration from irrigated plants. And GRACE has detected similar depletion in the U.S., as well, including the Ogallala Aquifer under the western plains and the groundwater in the California's Central Valley. "Groundwater resources are being rapidly depleted in many regions of the world," says U.C. Irvine hydrologist James Famiglietti, another team member. "These signals of groundwater loss, in particular in the Central Valley, are very strong."
The solution may be to impose limits on pumping aquifer water— particularly in the case of northwestern India, which uses it to fill seasonal rice paddies covering some 38,000 square kilometers. "If farmers would shift away from water-intensive crops, such as rice, and implement more efficient irrigation methods, that would help," Rodell says.
As population growth continues and food production increases, however, demand for groundwater will only increase, Famiglietti warns. Nevertheless, this research, he says, "suggests that we can keep track of rates at which groundwater reserves are dwindling the world over."
(Courtesy:SciAm.)
Paleo-Climate Labels of Late Quaternary, Southern Tamil Nadu.
Paleo-Climate Labels of Late Quaternary, Southern Tamil Nadu.
Thrivikramj.K.P. and Joseph, S
thrivikramji@gmail.com
Formerly, University of Kerala, Dept. of Geology, Kariavattom Campus, 695581
Univ. of Kerala, Environmental Sciences, Kariavattom Campus, 695581
Abstract
The planet earth, since the very early days of its history, had gone through dramatic climate shifts (like repetitive glaciations, Humid-temperate spells and periods of aridity) of widely varying amplitudes. The labels of past climate or climate shift are invariably or often hidden in the rocks, especially in fossil assemblages, mineral associations, sedimentary facies associations, geochemical attributes etc.. Further older the rock formation, harder it is for the labels to come by, which is primarily due to multiple deformations and variations in the chemistry of pervading fluids through the rock-intergranular- pores. .
The Teris of southern Tamil Nadu, a fairly contiguous and distinctly prominent sedimentary deposit, coloured in sharp or well defined shades of red, is noticed in the Tirunelveli Dist. (Table 1). Colour of the sand sheet ranges from yellowish red (5YR 4.5/6) to dark reddish brown (2.5 YR ¾) and to dark red (10R 3/6) Teris are broadly grouped into the ITD or Inland Teris Deposits (with poorly sorted, medium to coarse sand) occurring adjacent to the eastern side of the Western Ghats (area =~33.0 km2) and CTD (moderately sorted, medium sand) or coastal teri deposits (area=387.0 km2) positioned adjacent to modern or ancient shorelines of the Tirunelveli Dist.
This thick sheet sand of variable thickness especially in the CTD has been moulded into large barchans, barchanoids and transverse-subaerial-dunes, which in turn are covered by bedforms like ripples of different morphologies, suggesting the current occurrence of a dynamic surface layer of wind driven sand. This “sea of red sand” is unique to India, in that that there is no other comparable occurrence anywhere else in the rest of the country.
The Teri sand sheet rests unconformably either on variably weathered and/or eroded Precambrian basement (e.g..Kulathur) or on a calcareous sandstone (e.g., at Melmandi) or on a fossiliferous limestone bed (like at Meyyur and Menjanapuram). Inspite of the considerable thickness of the sand body (10.0 m at Sattankulam and 12.0 m at Ovari), the primary depositional structures are difficult to discern in the sections – perhaps due to shift in mass balance during pedogenesis.
The ITD has a large content of feldspar, in contrast with the CTDs wherein large presence of opaques and subordinate feldspar are noticed. Clay fraction in both ITD and CTD is not only autochthonous but display larger bulk of kaolinite and subordinate content of illite. Hematite and goethite dominate the mineralogy of cutan.
The kaolinisation (a humid climate label) and illitisation (a semi-arid climate label) processes that the teri sand underwent did not over lap instead the former preceded the latter. The scarce or intensely corroded garnet grains, altered pyriboles, opaques and feldspar in the teri sediment unequivocally point to intrastratal origin of cutan.
The ubiquitous occurrence of rhizoliths of calcrete in the teris of Syyarpuram and Sattankulam, and calcretisation of the basement crystallines rimming the teri sheet sand clearly indicate the continuation of the semi-aridity that promoted ilitisation of earlier formed kaolinite through the modern times. The 14C date of 3680+-110 yr B.P. of calcrete, is a robust timeline indicating transition from the humid to semi-arid climate in southern Tamil Nadu.
Further, in future i.e., by 2050, the extent of semi-arid zone in Tamil Nadu and rest of India are bound expand and enlarge further forced by the climate change phenomenon. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu state along with the other Indian states will have to brace itself to face up the challenges of the impending climate change by harnessing the tools and services of science and technology , and possibly a a new and appropriate life style..
-------------------------------
Thrivikramj.K.P. and Joseph, S
thrivikramji@gmail.com
Formerly, University of Kerala, Dept. of Geology, Kariavattom Campus, 695581
Univ. of Kerala, Environmental Sciences, Kariavattom Campus, 695581
Abstract
The planet earth, since the very early days of its history, had gone through dramatic climate shifts (like repetitive glaciations, Humid-temperate spells and periods of aridity) of widely varying amplitudes. The labels of past climate or climate shift are invariably or often hidden in the rocks, especially in fossil assemblages, mineral associations, sedimentary facies associations, geochemical attributes etc.. Further older the rock formation, harder it is for the labels to come by, which is primarily due to multiple deformations and variations in the chemistry of pervading fluids through the rock-intergranular- pores. .
The Teris of southern Tamil Nadu, a fairly contiguous and distinctly prominent sedimentary deposit, coloured in sharp or well defined shades of red, is noticed in the Tirunelveli Dist. (Table 1). Colour of the sand sheet ranges from yellowish red (5YR 4.5/6) to dark reddish brown (2.5 YR ¾) and to dark red (10R 3/6) Teris are broadly grouped into the ITD or Inland Teris Deposits (with poorly sorted, medium to coarse sand) occurring adjacent to the eastern side of the Western Ghats (area =~33.0 km2) and CTD (moderately sorted, medium sand) or coastal teri deposits (area=387.0 km2) positioned adjacent to modern or ancient shorelines of the Tirunelveli Dist.
This thick sheet sand of variable thickness especially in the CTD has been moulded into large barchans, barchanoids and transverse-subaerial-dunes, which in turn are covered by bedforms like ripples of different morphologies, suggesting the current occurrence of a dynamic surface layer of wind driven sand. This “sea of red sand” is unique to India, in that that there is no other comparable occurrence anywhere else in the rest of the country.
The Teri sand sheet rests unconformably either on variably weathered and/or eroded Precambrian basement (e.g..Kulathur) or on a calcareous sandstone (e.g., at Melmandi) or on a fossiliferous limestone bed (like at Meyyur and Menjanapuram). Inspite of the considerable thickness of the sand body (10.0 m at Sattankulam and 12.0 m at Ovari), the primary depositional structures are difficult to discern in the sections – perhaps due to shift in mass balance during pedogenesis.
The ITD has a large content of feldspar, in contrast with the CTDs wherein large presence of opaques and subordinate feldspar are noticed. Clay fraction in both ITD and CTD is not only autochthonous but display larger bulk of kaolinite and subordinate content of illite. Hematite and goethite dominate the mineralogy of cutan.
The kaolinisation (a humid climate label) and illitisation (a semi-arid climate label) processes that the teri sand underwent did not over lap instead the former preceded the latter. The scarce or intensely corroded garnet grains, altered pyriboles, opaques and feldspar in the teri sediment unequivocally point to intrastratal origin of cutan.
The ubiquitous occurrence of rhizoliths of calcrete in the teris of Syyarpuram and Sattankulam, and calcretisation of the basement crystallines rimming the teri sheet sand clearly indicate the continuation of the semi-aridity that promoted ilitisation of earlier formed kaolinite through the modern times. The 14C date of 3680+-110 yr B.P. of calcrete, is a robust timeline indicating transition from the humid to semi-arid climate in southern Tamil Nadu.
Further, in future i.e., by 2050, the extent of semi-arid zone in Tamil Nadu and rest of India are bound expand and enlarge further forced by the climate change phenomenon. Therefore, the Tamil Nadu state along with the other Indian states will have to brace itself to face up the challenges of the impending climate change by harnessing the tools and services of science and technology , and possibly a a new and appropriate life style..
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THE EMAK WORKSHOP (Nov.3-4/11/09, Trivandrum)
SUGGESTIONS TO THE DRAFING COMMITTEE OF THE EMAK WORKSHOP
(Nov.3-4/11/09, Trivandrum)
thrivikramji@gmail.com
1. With the exception of distributing CFL to the BPL segment of the society, for good reasons or no reasons the state government is not paying any serious attention to the issue of climate change and consequences to the state of Kerala. In fact being a littoral state and drained by the 41 west flowing rivers the people are endowed with decent quantities of water for irrigation, drinking and power generation. By 2050 the state may add another crore of people raising the annual water demand.
Keralites shall start feeling the consequences of CC by 2025. The erratic monsoons and the current weak NE monsoon may become the order of the day. Any decrease or unseasonal rains in Kerala will immediately be reflected in the following year in the states economy, which is an agricultural economy.
The fall production of rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom, coconut, arecanut and other farm produce will affect the SDP of the state. No need to indicate the consequences of water scarcity, spread of vectoral diseases, heat exhaustion, general unrest among the individuals in the society etc which are projected as other potential distresses.
Therefore to advice the government on policy decisions and if necessary in formulating legislations, the Govt. must create a Climate Change Commission as a statutory body., which will advice the government on measures, policies and initiatives to mitigate or adapt the consequences of climate change.
2. Along the lines of other committees of legislature, a separate Legislative Committee on climate change needs to be created to assist the state legislature in formulating mitigation and adaptation measures.
3. Essential changes in the statutes of the agriculture department should be introduced to require the sellers of pesticides in the state to give a brief cautioning the applicator to use safety gadgets like dress and masks.
4. CWRDM has launched a study of water quality in the state of Kerala. The CPCB assists the state board in doing similar water quality checks in the state. It is advisable to have the agencies collect water samples from the same collection points or sampling stations in the respective rivers to enable cross comparison and avoidance possible disparities.
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.
(Nov.3-4/11/09, Trivandrum)
thrivikramji@gmail.com
1. With the exception of distributing CFL to the BPL segment of the society, for good reasons or no reasons the state government is not paying any serious attention to the issue of climate change and consequences to the state of Kerala. In fact being a littoral state and drained by the 41 west flowing rivers the people are endowed with decent quantities of water for irrigation, drinking and power generation. By 2050 the state may add another crore of people raising the annual water demand.
Keralites shall start feeling the consequences of CC by 2025. The erratic monsoons and the current weak NE monsoon may become the order of the day. Any decrease or unseasonal rains in Kerala will immediately be reflected in the following year in the states economy, which is an agricultural economy.
The fall production of rubber, tea, coffee, cardamom, coconut, arecanut and other farm produce will affect the SDP of the state. No need to indicate the consequences of water scarcity, spread of vectoral diseases, heat exhaustion, general unrest among the individuals in the society etc which are projected as other potential distresses.
Therefore to advice the government on policy decisions and if necessary in formulating legislations, the Govt. must create a Climate Change Commission as a statutory body., which will advice the government on measures, policies and initiatives to mitigate or adapt the consequences of climate change.
2. Along the lines of other committees of legislature, a separate Legislative Committee on climate change needs to be created to assist the state legislature in formulating mitigation and adaptation measures.
3. Essential changes in the statutes of the agriculture department should be introduced to require the sellers of pesticides in the state to give a brief cautioning the applicator to use safety gadgets like dress and masks.
4. CWRDM has launched a study of water quality in the state of Kerala. The CPCB assists the state board in doing similar water quality checks in the state. It is advisable to have the agencies collect water samples from the same collection points or sampling stations in the respective rivers to enable cross comparison and avoidance possible disparities.
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