Kerala is and has always been home to many ancient art forms, including dance, folk

songs, drama and holistic treatments. But one of the most ancient and probably the most

fascinating art form has been Kalarippayattu, a form of martial art which has been handed

down through generations.

Called Kalari for short, noone is precise about the age of this centuries-old tradition, but

most historians agree it has been around for at least 2000+ years. The origin of Kalari

have long been shrouded in the mists of time, but legends say that it descended from

Parasurama, master of all martial arts, who was a disciple of Lord Shiva. Parasurama

is credited with raising Kerala from the abyss of the Arabian Sea, and it is said that he

established 42 Gurukuls and set 21 masters to inculcate the principles of Kalari to watch

over and protect the land he had created. Gurukul is the place where the students of

Kalari are taught and nurtured.

This great art is mentioned in the Dhanur Veda, and the Vishnu Purana lists Kalari as

one of the 18 traditional branches of knowledge. The patron saint of Kalari is said to

be Sage Agastya, a holy man and ascetic, who was said to possess incredible physical

strength and unmatched powers of meditation and self-awareness. So much was his

mental strength that ancient folklore say that, when Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi were

married, all the gods and goddesses were present at Mount Kailasa, causing the balance

of the world to shift, it was Agastya who was sent south to restore balance back to the

world. It is the essence of this mental strength and dexterity that Kalari has drawn its

basic concepts from.

In fact, the origins of popular martial arts such as kung-fu and judo can be traced back to

Kalari. It has been widely documented that an Indian sage named Bodhidharma brought

the knowledge of this art to China, to the ancient Shaolin temple, where he found the

resident monks listless and unable to protect themselves against marauders. He taught

them the principles of martial technique, using movements taken from animals found in

the wild, such as the tiger, crocodile, snake and others.

Though commonly viewed by an observer as a means of self-defence, the art of Kalari

is in no way just a martial art. A Kalari proponent is systematically trained in scientific

exercises and bringing flexibility and ergonomic harmony to his body and body organs.

He also learns about human physiology and how each part of the body can be trained and

conditioned to be used with speed, accuracy and effectiveness. The Veda states “ Human

is an immortal spirit encased in a perishable body so there should be points where spirit

hinges matter which are called `marmas` or vital points.” It is these vital points of human

body that Kalari seeks to bring into focus.

Kalari teaches that there are 108 vital points or marmas on the human body, and that an

attack on these points can cause pain, paralysis, disability or even death. These marmas

can also be stimulated for natural healing of the body or treatment for ailments such

as accidents, fractures, dislocations, rheumatism, paralysis, spondilitis and nervous

disorders. Students of Kalari are massaged by their gurukkal ( teacher ), with the feet and

using special medicated oils. This brings extreme flexibility and harmony to the body,

making them fast, agile and nubile.

Students are initiated to Kalari ideally from age 7, and it is not uncommon to see training

being imparted over a time of 10-12 years. A similarity can be drawn to the ancient

Greek city of Sparta, where similar customs have been followed. Practitioners are trained

in flexibility exercises, unarmed combat, and fighting with weapons such as the sword

and shield, spears, short knives, staves and a variety of other weapons. But the primary -

weapon the student learns to use is his mind. Meditation, self-control and inner peace are

the cornerstones of Kalari.

Kalari was a way of life in medieval times in Kerala. There were numerous gurukuls

and masters to train and nurture young boys and girls in this art. One of the types of

Kalari was Ankakalari, where they were trained to be warriors for their land and ruler.

Any disputes between kingdoms were often decided by a duel between a warrior of each

faction. These duels were called `Ankas`, and it was a public spectacle where thousands

would arrive to watch the Anka in a public arena. An Anka usually took place on a raised

platform and the fights were usually to the death. The fighters were paid handsomely

for their participation and it was considered to a matter of pride to take part in one. A

Kalari fighter was trained to be brave, fearless and act with honour, and they were well-

respected in their villages for their exploits.

The art of healing through Kalari – called Kalarichikilsa or Marmachikilsa has its roots

in traditional Ayurveda and Sidhaveda. It primarily uses very elaborate and specialized

massage techniques, employing medicinal oils and herbal preparations to effect natural

healing and revitalization of the body. It is also said to be very effective in getting rid of

body toxins and eliminates poisons.

This noble art was all but lost during the British rule in India. Fearful of uprisings,

a decree was stamped forbidding the carry of weapons, which led to a decline in the

number of duels, and subsequently, the number of gurukuls and masters. But it has found

a large number of followers in recent times, who have sought interest in learning the

basic roots of this ancient art. More popular now, is the massage healing therapy, which

has found note all over the world.

It also brings hope to find gurukuls springing up in various parts of kerala, seeking to

train young men and women in the art of meditation and self-restraint. This is indeed an

encouraging thought, considering that control over the mind and self-realization would

work wonders in today`s high pressure world.

There is hardly anyone using a computer today who has not found it working to his liking

at one point or another. But did you know that most computer problems can be prevented

or fixed by employing some simple steps that even a novice can try. Now it is quite

understandable that most people would prefer to take their systems in for servicing to a

local technician or to the dealership for any issues they might come across, but there are a

lot of things we can try before actually going for that step.

In the realm of computer troubleshooting, there is only one motto: PAIR. This stands for

Probing, Analyzing, Isolating and Resolving. Sounds too complicated? It isn’t, actually.

The only thing we need to keep in mind is that the problem is caused by a specific

component. All we need to do is use logic and arrive at the root cause. This is done by

eliminating all possibilities one by one until we find the culprit. Let’s take a look at some

common examples.

(I am giving solutions for Windows XP and Windows Vista, as these are the most

commonly used Operating Systems used. You are using XP, if you see a START button

on the bottom left of the screen. Vista would have a circular button with the image of

Windows.)

Scenario: When playing a movie, only the picture is seen, but no sound.

Make sure all the audio connections are connected properly and the components are

turned on and are receiving power.

Check the Volume settings – System Volume, Player Volume, Headset Volume (if

applicable). Check if the Volume has been muted.

Use another speaker/headset. This can isolate the problem.

Is the problem resolved if the movie is played on another program? If so, the issue lies

with the player. Check the player settings and update the player. If not, it is a system

issue.

In case of system issues, update the Audio drivers. This can be done by clicking on

Start>Control Panel>Audio/Sound>Driver>Update Driver.

Scenario: Unable to go online or browse a website

Are you using a wireless connection? If so, try connecting directly. If working, then

reconfigure your wireless connection.

Try using a different browser. Popular browsers are Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox,

Opera and Chrome. Make sure they are fully updated.

Check if you are getting an internet signal. This can be checked by viewing the

connection icon on the bottom right of your screen (looks like two computers attached to

each other). If there is a red X mark on it, this means you are not receiving a signal.

Check your internet connections. Make sure that all the cables are properly connected.

Try disconnecting and reconnecting the internet cables.

Go to Start>Run>type “cmd”. Then type ping yahoo.com. If you are getting a reply, that

means the connection is fine. If not, contact your ISP (Internet Service Provider).

In the same cmd window, type “cd\”. Then type “ipconfig /flushdns”. Check if this solves

the issue. If not, contact your ISP.

Scenario: Computer very slow, programs taking a long time to open, or creating errors

This can be caused due to low disk space, corrupt programs or any viruses present in the

computer. If the issue is just with one or more programs, try uninstalling and reinstalling

the affected programs. This can be done by the following steps.

Go to Start>Control Panel>Add/Remove programs.

Select the problematic program and click on Uninstall.

Reinstall the program.

If issue continues, follow the steps listed in the maintenance section.

Scenario: Keyboard or mouse not working

Is the device a USB one? If so, try connecting it to another port and check.

If not a USB device, first disconnect, reconnect and restart the computer.

Ensure that the device drivers have been fully updated. To update, follow these steps.

Right-click on My Computer and select Properties.

Select Hardware and then click on Device Manager.

Right click the affected component and select Update Driver.

Easy ways to maintain your computer

A computer is like any other device which needs to be fine-tuned and checked at regular

intervals. Did you know that 95% of computer problems can be avoided by simply

keeping it well maintained and fully updated? Simple steps like dusting it regularly

or keeping it placed in a cool, ventilated room does go a long way in preventing those

annoying little breakdowns and crashes.

1. Make sure all updates are in order.

Windows XP

Click Start, and then click Control Panel. Depending on which Control Panel view you

use, Classic or Category, do one of the following:

Click System, and then click the Automatic Updates tab.

Click Performance and Maintenance, click System, and then click the Automatic

Updates tab.

Click the option that you want. Make sure Automatic Updates is not turned off.

Windows Vista

Open Windows Update (click the Start

button, click All Programs, and then click Windows

Update).

Click the Get updates for more products button. (Note: If this button does not appear, it's

likely you've already enabled Microsoft Update. This may happen when you installed other software

programs like Microsoft Office 2007. In this case, the phrase "You receive updates: For Windows and

other products from Microsoft Update" should appear near the bottom of the window.)

Follow the instructions to use Microsoft Update. Windows Update will begin to scan your

PC for available updates for Windows and other Microsoft products if you have automatic

updating turned on.

Updating the computer regularly ensures that you have the latest software versions

working on your computer. This in turn helps close any loopholes and implements the

latest changes in the software.

2. Clearing out unnecessary files, unused programs and freeing disk space

Having more free space on your computer helps in optimizing the usage of existing

programs and ensures that the computer does not waste resources in performing

unnecessary tasks.

You can either use free programs like CCleaner to perform these functions, or you can

perform them manually as follows.

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click Disk

Cleanup. If several drives are available, you might be prompted to specify which drive you want to clean.

In the Disk Cleanup for dialog box, scroll through the content of the Files to delete list.

Choose the files that you want to delete.

Clear the check boxes for files that you don't want to delete, and then click OK.

When prompted to confirm that you want to delete the specified files, click Yes.

After a few minutes, the process completes and the Disk Cleanup dialog box closes, leaving your computer

cleaner and performing better.

3. Defragment your hard disk once a month or so

Your computer is constantly storing, deleting and editing data while it is being used.

Handling so many functions mean that data is being stored on the hard disk at multiple

locations. For example, a single Word document will have its parts located at different

locations. This means that more time and resources are used to retrieve the data.

Defragmenting your hard disk collates and reallocates all your data in a systematic

manner, enabling quicker retrieval, and thereby, ensuring faster performance.

To use Disk Defragmenter:

1.

Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then

click Disk Defragmenter.

Click Analyze to start the Disk Defragmenter.

2.

In the Disk Defragmenter dialog box, click the drives that you want to defragment, and then click

the Analyze button. After the disk is analyzed, a dialog box appears, letting you know whether you

should defragment the analyzed drives.

Tip: You should analyze a volume before defragmenting it to get an estimate of how long the

defragmentation process will take.

3.

To defragment the selected drive or drives, click the Defragment button. Note: In Windows Vista,

there is no graphical user interface to demonstrate the progress—but your hard drive is still being

defragmented.

After the defragmentation is complete, Disk Defragmenter displays the results.

4.

To display detailed information about the defragmented disk or partition, click View Report.

5.

To close the View Report dialog box, click Close.

6.

To close the Disk Defragmenter utility, click the Close button on the title bar of the window.

Detect and repair any disk errors

4.

With repeated usage, your hard disk can become overloaded with information which can cause freezing

or slowing of the system. Also, this can lead to bad sectors, lost clusters, cross-linked files, and

directory errors. The simplest way to resolve this is detect and repair any such errors.

1.

Double-click My Computer, and then right-click the hard disk that you want to check.

2.

Click Properties, and then click Tools.

3.

Under Error-checking, click Check Now. A dialog box that shows the Check disk

options is displayed,

4.

Use one of the following procedures:

o

o

o

To run Chkdsk in read-only mode, click Start.

To repair errors without scanning the volume for bad sectors, select the

Automatically fix file system errors check box, and then click Start.

To repair errors, locate bad sectors, and recover readable information, select

the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box, and then

click Start.

Note If one or more of the files on the hard disk are open, you will receive the following

message:

The disk check could not be performed because the disk check utility needs exclusive

access to some Windows files on the disk. These files can be accessed by restarting

Windows. Do you want to schedule the disk check to occur the next time you restart the

computer?

Click Yes to schedule the disk check, and then restart your computer to start the disk

check.

5.

Using a good AntiViral program and Spyware protection

Computer viruses are software programs primarily designed to infiltrate a computer and

interfere with its internal functions and have an innate ability to spread by means of disks,

drives or the internet. They can wreak havoc on a system, depending on the programming

used. Spyware is used by individuals or firms with the primary intent of advertising,

but they can also perform functions like collecting sensitive data, change the computer

configuration and display unwanted advertisements.

Using good AntiViral and Spyware protection programs and having them updated regularly

helps both as a preventive and elimination method. Programs like Windows Defender, AVG

Anti-Virus and Norton would help in detecting and getting rid of these programs.

Be careful of what you download or install on your computer. A lot of programs have

spyware and viruses embedded in their programming, so make sure that your program

source is a trusted one.

6.

Keep your computer physically safe and clean.

As far as possible, use a UPS to protect it from power surges, power disconnects and low

voltage exposure. Any one these can cause damage to the internal components and effect a

trip to your service center. Do not use your computer during a storm or when the voltage is

fluctuating.

Just like any piece of hardware, your computer has a tendency to gather dust and dirt in

the long run. Have a soft, lint-free cloth handy to wipe the surfaces of dust on a regular

basis. Keep the system covered while not in use. Nothing is more annoying than having

dust gather under a keyboard and finding keys not working. A can of compressed air

becomes very handy to blow away dust from those hard to reach places.

God`s own country, they call it. And why not – bustling cities to fertile farms, pristine

beaches to fern-covered hills, lush paddy fields to thick green forests, it has everything

a discerning sightseer or an adventurous tourist would ever want. What are we talking

about? The Land of Coconut trees and Lagoons – Kerala.

Touted as one of the thirteen paradises on earth, Kerala lives up to its reputation for

serenity and beauty, offering the wealth of nature along with an incredible mix of

grandeur, religion, colourful festivals, exotic food, unique culture and much more. Small

wonder then, that Kerala has been named in one of the 50 destinations of a lifetime by

National Geographic.

The unique feature about visiting Kerala is that you can reach your next tourist location

from the present one in a maximum of 2 hours. Locations are so varied and numerous

that little time is actually spent on traveling.

Bounded by the Western Ghats range in the east, and the Arabian sea in the west, Kerala

has always enjoyed a temperate climate thanks to abundant rainfall around the year. This

geographical location has provided Kerala with numerous sandy beaches and serene

backwaters, as well as forests, thick with a wide variety of flora and fauna. For the

tourist, Kerala is a land where the season never ends.

Tourism has received a shot in the arm from the government, which has long seen

tremendous scope for this sector. In fact, many of the initiatives implemented to draw

tourists and travelloers has been spearheaded by the Government of Kerala. These

factors, and the response evinced, have been rewarded by many laurels such as the Das

Golden Stadttor Award for Best Commercial, 2006,] Pacific Asia Travel Association-

Gold Award for Marketing, 2003 and the Government of India's Best Promotion

Literature, 2004, Best Publishing, 2004 and Best Tourism Film, 2001.

One of the first questions asked would be, “ Why is Kerala so sought-after ?”.

In this article, the writer attempts to present a picture of what Kerala offers to both the

casual traveler and the adventurous tourist.

Hill Stations

The high and rugged Western Ghats endow the state with a number of hill stations, which

unlike the rest of the state have a high rate of tourist influx during the summer months.

If you seek to beat the heat or enjoy the cozy comfort of Nature or wish to trek on the

woody mountain trails or I you are simply answering the "call of the mountains", get

away to one of these beautiful chilly places in Kerala. The undulating paths, the rich

variety of flora and fauna available, the beautiful gorges and valleys and the sparkling

silver streams that skip and dance through the rocks, the settling clouds that one can walk

through and the fresh plucked green tea - this is the irresistible lure of the land.

Devikulam Hill Station

Devikulam hill station is located at a height of 1800 meters above sea level and is around

16 kilometers from Munnar in Kerala. The Devikulam hill station in Munnar is famous

for its mineral water springs and the beautiful landscape it has offer.

Ponmudi Hill Station

Ponmudi hill station, Trivandrum is a beautiful hill station located at a distance of 61

kilometers from the city. An unexplored destination, Ponmudi, Kerala is a tranquil spot

located atop hills and is a must visit if you to experience true bliss and feel rejuvenated

once again.

Vagamon Hill Station

One of the most beautiful places in Kottayam, Vagamon hill station is a beautiful place

and a much sought after tourist destination. The hill station is located at a height of

around 1100 meters above sea level.

Idukki

Idukki is a beautiful hill station located in Kerala. Idukki is the place you want to be to

unwind and relax and forget all tensions of the world. The name Idukki has been derived

from the Malayalam word "idukku", which means narrow gorge.

Munnar

Munnar is one of the most beautiful hill stations of Kerala. Nature blossoms and thrives

in full form in Munnar. Munnar is located at the converging point of three mountain

tributaries namely, Mudrapuzha, Nallathanni and Kundala.

Thekkady

Thekkady is a beautiful place located in central Kerala. While you travel to Thekkady,

you will see nature in its purest form. Uninterrupted rows of lush green trees, chirping

birds, velvety hills and stunningly beautiful landscape are what make Thekkady a hot

tourism center.

Wayanad

Situated at a height of 2100 meters above sea level in Kerala, Wayanad hill station is

one of the most charming and calm hill stations of Kerala. The lush green vegetation,

along with mist-clad hills and pure air will make your travel to Wayanad an unforgettable

experience.

Beaches

Blessed with a long coastline that measures almost 580 kilometers, Kerala has some of

the most exotic and mesmerizing beaches in India. The beaches of Kerala, India provide

the best getaway and give ample opportunities to relax and unwind. The coconut lined

golden sands and turquoise blue sea, makes the beaches a picture perfect destination to

spend to your vacation. So read on further about the renowned beaches in Kerala and

come here to feel rejuvenated again.

Alleppey Beach

Alleppey beach is a popular tourist place and a picnic spot for tourists and locals alike.

This beach is also known as Alappuzha beach and one gets to see beautiful, vast expanse

of sands and turquoise blue water of the Arabian Sea.

Bekal Fort Beach

One of the best-maintained beaches in Kasargod, Bekal Fort Beach is a vast expanse of

white sands spread over an area of 35 acres. The beach is dotted with palm trees thus

giving it an exotic feel.

Beypore Beach

The Beypore Beach in Calicut is a beautiful expanse of vast land and turquoise blue sea.

Nature will embrace you in its arms on the calm shore shores of this beach. The endless

Arabian Sea laps at your feet as you stand on the soft sands watching the sunset.

Chithari Beach

The Chithari Beach is a beautiful beach with vast sandy shores, dotted by green trees. It

looks absolutely untouched by time and you will feel like you have reached a magical

land.

Kovalam Beach

One of the most popular beaches in Trivandrum, Kovalam beach is situated at a distance

of 16 kilometers to the south of Trivandrum city. The natural beauty of this beautiful

beach is what attracts people from far and wide to come here.

Thirumullavaram Beach

The Thirumullavaram Beach in Kerala is situated at a distance of around 6 kilometers

to north of Kollam. Unexplored and untouched by time, the beach offers unadulterated

tranquility and peace of mind.

Varkala Beach

The Varkala Beach of Trivandrum is considered to be one of the most secluded beaches

of Kerala. It is located at the north of Trivandrum city at a distance of around 54

kilometers. To enjoy the serene and tranquil surroundings, away from the bustling city,

Varkala beach of Thiruvananthapuram is the ideal choice in Kerala.

Backwaters

Kerala has over 900 Km of interconnected waterways, rivers, lakes and inlets that make

up the Kerala backwaters. In the midst of this beautiful landscape there are a number of

towns and cities, which are the starting and end points of Kerala backwater cruises. These

Kerala backwater destinations are a mixture of historic and modern towns and scenic

holiday getaways in the backwaters of Kerala. Tourists from all over the world come to

these Kerala backwater destinations to see their scenic attractions.

Perhapa the most popular and best way to experience the beauty of the backwaters is to

enjoy a ride on the famed Houseboats plying through the length and breadth of Kerala`s

interconnected lagoons, inlets and backwaters. Cruising along the backwaters of Kerala is

an unforgettable experience.You could get in any house boat of your liking, saunter down

the cool placidness of the waters, have a merry time and get back home either the same

day or after spending a night out floating around.

You can enjoy the lovely homely food served on board, appreciate the fine level of

hospitality and go back home, a new rejuvenated person altogether. That's what a cruise

along the backwaters in a house boat can do to you and your family or to you and your

close friends or corporate colleagues.Your trip could be for business or pleasure,or you

could mix both.

Cuisine

A melange of aromas resulting from the free use of pepper, cardamom, cloves, turmeric,

ginger, chillies, and mustard, used in most curries, fill the kitchens of the well-to-do, but

generally the poorer folks content themselves with kanji (rice with water) and take fish

with tapioca. Most dishes in Kerala are cooked in coconut oil and are incomplete without

a mandatory use of coconut in some form or the other.

Kerala is equally famous for traditionally homemade snacks a variety of banana chips,

and rice flour cookies, are served with evening coffee.

Forestry and Trekking

Kerala has abundant reserves of lush jungles and forests filled with wildlife. Be it the

Periyar Tiger reserve or the famed Silent Valley, outdoor enthusiasts have always loved

the thrill of the outdoors that Kerala offers.

Some of the forest resorts in Kerala India offers accommodation in tree houses. Staying

at tree house will give you a chance to imitate the life of Tarzan. Surrounded by lush

green foliage, Kerala forest resorts are perfect fore discovering the rich flora of God's

Own Country. Kerala forest resorts are located close to wildlife sanctuaries.

Periyar Tiger Reserve

Periyar tiger Reserve, Thekkady, is an example of nature’s bounty, with great scenic

charm, rich bio diversity and providing veritable visitor satisfaction. Sprawled over an

area of 777 Sq .km., Periyar is one of the 27 tiger reserves in India.

Zealously guarded and efficiently managed reserve is a repository of rare, endemic and

endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of

Kerala, the Periyar and Pamba.

Silent Valley Reserve

Silent Valley is a virgin, fragile forest, nestled in the mountain folds of the Nilgiris in

Southern India. In God’s own country, Kerala, Silent Valley is surely God’s own abode.

It has etymological connotations to the absence of noisy insect cicadas that are generally

abundant in tropical rain forests, although now, cicadas form an integral part of the forest.

The local names of the valley and the river that flows through it, resurrect the grand

tale of the Mahabharata. Cut-off from civilization and commercialisation, Silent Valley

is an ideal destination for nature lovers, researchers and gutsy trekkers. Undulating

mountains and lush greenery greet the eye at Silent Valley. View from the watch tower

at Sairandhiri is panoramic and the entire valley below appears to be a wavy green

enormous carpet.

Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary

A lush area of over 300 sq. kms, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary is covered with moist

deciduous teak forests and semi evergreen tree pastures. What with exhilarating

waterfalls and steep peaks, it truly is a joy for adventure-seekers.

"Mr. Watson -- come here -- I want to see you." Alexander Graham Bell had no idea what

would happen as a result of these words. These words sparked off a revolution in the way

we communicate with each other. What are we talking about? The telephone. Bell, its

inventor, uttered these words to his assistant sitting in the next room over an instrument

he called a “harmonic telegraph”.

Its been more than a century and a quarter since that day on 10 March 1876, and

telephones have grown exponentially in popularity, technologically and socially. The first

telephones were diverse devices, consisting of 2 parts – a receiver and a transmitter. It

required continuous cranking, or the conversation would end.

Early telephones were identified individually by names, not by numbers. I wasn’t until

1879 that an alphanumeric identification system was used for a phone. The earliest

telephone exchange was established in New Haven, and there were concerns that

the telephone operators might not know all the subscribers individually. Hence, the

brainstorm for assigning unique alphanumeric identities, in a 2-letter 5-digit format.

The use of operators was discontinued in 1924, when it was seen that the electronic

system of switching calls was far more reliable. This technology was developed by

Almond Brown Stroger, who invented the first dial telephone and installed automatic

exchanges in the US and Europe.

A young inventor, Dr. Lee De Forest, began work in 1906 on applying what was known

as an "audion," a three-element vacuum tube, which could amplify radio waves. He

recognized the potential for installing audions or repeaters on telephone lines to amplify

the sound waves at mid-points along the wires. The Bell System bought the rights to De

Forest's patents in 1913. Long-distance telephone service was constructed on the New

York to San Francisco circuit using loading coils and repeaters.

By this time, use of the telephone had become widespread and there was a need for

communication between the US and Europe. The first transatlantic service, from New

York to London was establised in 1927, and was transmitted by radio waves. Research in

electronic telephone exchanges began in 1936 in Bell Labs, and was ultimately perfected

in the 1960s with its Electronic Switching System (ESS).

Changes were underway in the 1950s. There were initial consumers objections to all-

numeral telephone numbers that had been introduced in the latter half of the decade

due to the demand for telephones. The alphanumeric system had almost run out of

combinations to supply unique identities. To counter this problem, the fully-numeric

system was introduced. The laying of transatlantic telephone cables began in 1955.

Care was taken to ensure that the submarine repeaters would be of the highest quality,

guaranteed to last at least twenty years before replacement would be required.

The Bell System, with the collaboration of NASA, launched Telstar, the world's

first international communications satellite into orbit on July 10, 1962. Satellites in

geosynchronous orbit are used mostly for long-distance service. Videophones, developed

in the mid-1960s, were becoming more affordable and practical with the combination of

devices that eased the transmission and reception of both audio and video signals over

telephone lines.

The early 1980s saw a radical breakthrough in the telephone era with the development

of fiber optics. This technology had the potential to carry greater volumes of calls than

satellite or microwave links. Electrical telephone signals are fed into tiny semiconductor

lasers, which produce pulses of light in response to incoming signals and are bounced

down the inside of extremely thin glass fibers.

It was around this time that the world saw the advent of a phenomenon that would spread

wide and far – the mobile phone. Although first tested way back in 1910 by Lars Magnus

Ericsson, who installed a telephone in his car. It was used by stopping at places where

regular telephone services were available, and connecting it to the tower by means of two

electrode rods.

Ericsson further developed this idea and created the first fully automatic mobile phone system,

called the MTA (Mobile Telephone system A). It was released in Sweden in 1965 and was a first

in not needing any kind of base stations. It was not without ambiguities either – it weighed an

astounding 40 kilograms. Shortly thereafter, an upgraded version, the MTB, was released. This

unit used transistors and employed the DTMF signaling system.

The first truly mobile cell phone however, was the brainchild of Leonid Kupriyanovich, a young

and dynamic Soviet radio engineer from Moscow in 1957. This mobile phone consisted of a

relatively small-sized handset equipped with an antenna and rotary dial, and communicated with

a base station. Kupriyanovich's "radiophone" had 3 kilogram of total weight, could operate up to

20 or 30 kilometers, and had 20 or 30 hours of battery lifespan

In 1958, Kupriyanovich resized his "radiophone" to "pocket" version. The weight of

improved "light" handset was about 500 grams.

One common factor of all these phone systems was that they had to be used within a

certain vicinity of the base station. This seriously curtailed the portability of the unit as

the user might move out of the required range. This issue was resolved by Bell Labs,

which developed a “transfer” system, where the call could be “handed-off” to the next

available network.

It was after this that the cell phone industry hit a home run.

By 1987 there were over one million cell phone users in the US alone. It seemed as

if everyone wanted a cell phone and the major companies involved had found the

next big thing. However, there were difficulties. For example, in the US, the FCC is

the body that regulates and allocates radio bandwidth for different purposes. The

radio spectrum is limited and can become ‘full’, so it is necessary to curtail who

gets use of different parts of it. The area they licensed for cell phones, at 800 MHz

became clogged. However, instead of giving more bandwidth, the FCC forced the

cell phone companies to come up with newer technology and more efficient ways of

utilizing the existing bandwidth they had. Thus began the race to create newer and

yet newer innovations for the cellular phone.

The first generation phones (1G) were essentially devices to just make and receive

calls. It weighed as much as a brick, and was primarily used as car phones, while

there were some models being able to carried around in a bag, with an extra

battery or two.

By the 90s, technology had come up with newer mobile systems like the GSM and

CDMA networks. It enabled cell phones to be used as a medium for a variety of

applications. 2G phones became much smaller due to advancements in battery

technology, as well as computer chip technology. Using digital circuit switched

transmissions, this gave faster network signaling, lowering the amount of dropped

calls and increasing call quality. As 2G digital networks were online, most of the

time, they replaced analog network frequencies, effectively making them obsolete.

Presently, mobile operators have developed the latest in cell phone technology, the 3G

system. It incorporates several new additions to the phone, enabling it to be used as much

more than a phone. This includes streaming audio and video, WiFi access and Bluetooth

technology.

“Alcohol ruins one physically, morally, intellectually and economically. Alcohol makes

a man forget himself; and while its effects last, he becomes utterly incapable of doing

anything useful. Those who take to drinking, ruin themselves and ruin their people. They

lose all sense of decency and propriety.” Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi uttered these

words more than two score years ago. The aversion of the Mahatma for any kind of

liquor is well known. Sounds ironic then, that when his personal belongings came under

the aunctioneer`s hammer, it was the liquor baron of India, Vijay Mallya who went home

with them, for an impressive $1.8 Million ( Rs.9.3 Crores ).

Perhaps Gandhiji`s words were never heard in Kerala. Oxymoronic, it seems, that the

state having the highest literacy percentage and male to female ratios also bears the

dubious distinction of being the highest consumer of alcohol in the country. We`re

talking about a state which, come prosperity or depression, manages to break its own

records year after year in the consumption rate of alcohol.

Statistics done in 2006 show that the average Keralite consumed 8.3 liters of

liquor every year, and that Kerala spent a whopping Rs.7500 crores on alcohol, as

compared to a comparatively miserly Rs.2800 crore on rice. In the last 20 years, the per

capita of alcohol consumers has increased from one in 300 to one in 20.

Dr T. S. Jaisoorya is currently working as a Consultant Psychiatrist in Co-operative

Medical College, Kochi opines “The government policy of considering alcohol only as

a means to fill its coffers is not helpful. The government led Beverages Corporation has

outlets in every nook & corner of the state, ensuring wide and continuous availability of

alcohol. There is also a very limited awareness among the people on the physical and

psychological consequences of alcohol use. All this has resulted in an alarming increase

in use of alcohol. “

When we think about it, why would the Government have any reason at all to ban or even

curb the sales or consumption of alcohol? Last year, during the Onam festival, the state

has shown an income of Rs.100 crore from liquor sales. Tax earned for the state – Rs.84

crore. Unlike in most other states, the sale of liquor in Kerala is permissible only from

either Gonvernment-owned Civil Supplies depots or licensed bars. Owing to the fact

that a bottle bought from a bar would often cost twice as much, the average consumer is

bound to purchase his hooch from the depot.

The Kerala State Beverages Corporation (KSBC) is the sole distributor of Indian Made

Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in the state. In the last fiscal year, it had registered a 29 per

cent increase in the sale of liquor for the quarter ended December 31 compared to the

corresponding period last fiscal.

Managing Director Shanker Reddy said the economic downturn has had little impact

on the sale of IMFL. Total IMFL sales in the last fiscal stood at Rs 3,669.49 crore. The

figure likely to touch Rs 4,500 crore in the current fiscal, added Reddy.

KSBC's contribution to the state exchequer by way of taxes has jumped from Rs.1,163

crore to Rs.1,356 crore during the last financial year.

Small wonder then, that the government seems to be dragging its feet. After all, why

would anyone want to kill the goose that lays golden eggs. Especially since this particular

goose happens to be the biggest revenue earner for the state, accounting for more than

20% of its income, year after year without fail.

Perhaps Kerala is the only state that has fielded a new organization called the All Kerala

Drinkers' Welfare Association. The Association has more than 6000 members and is still

growing exponentially. “We are not planning to encourage drinking. The government

and abhkaris are looting the poor man who comes for an evening drink. We have no

facilities for these people. The government's revenue from the liquor industry is so huge

but what are they doing to help families affected by drinking?” said an alcohol consumer,

Vauvakavu Basheer. In a 15-point agenda submitted to the Government, the association

asks for facilities such as a single room for the average middle-class drinker.

Kerala has witnessed such a spurt in liquor sales ever since the local hooch, called

arrack, was banned. Ostensibly, the reason for the ban was that the local brews were

mostly home-made and therefore, susceptible to dangerous levels of poisonous methyl

alcohol. But in effect, what transpired were the liquor tragedies of Vypeen and Kollam,

which caused a toll of more than a 100 lives. In the investigations that followed, it was

determined that since methyl alcohol comes cheap, the trick employed is to first add

water to potable spirit to increase the volume and then add the methyl to ensure the

diluted drink gives a suitable high. When the percentage of methyl increases, it's lethal.

The source of the contaminated brews were traced to private liquor barons, who for

profits, and with the help of bribes to state officials, were responsible for these tragedies.

In order to study this problem, one needs to come out and look at it from an outside

perspective. What drives people to drink particularly in this state?

First of all, would be the ready availability and accessibility of alcohol in the state. It

is virtually impossible to find a town or village center without a Civil Supplies depot

or bar anywhere in the state. The staggering rate of local unemployment – 35% in the

professionally educated sector would also be counted as a factor.

Its not as if efforts have not been made to counter this issue. We have had NGOs scouring

the state educating people of the enormity of the problem. Several women`s groups have

staged protests against the indiscriminate sale of tainted liquor.

AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), an international group, has found base in Kerala. It is a

fellowship of men and women who share their experiences, strengths and hopes with

each other to solve common problems and help others recover from alcoholism.

AA has an approximate strength of around 2500 members in Kerala. Not a lot, but

enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Cover me! I`m taking fire!” “I`ve got HP down to 30, need backup on B tunnel!” The

yelling I heard came from the booths next to mine. Accompanying these were the harsh

sounds to staccato gunfire and exploding grenades. The internet café I had visited to

check my mail sounded as if it was in a warzone, with a battle in progress. Hoping for

some quiet and to get some fresh air, I stepped out. I found another group of teenagers

talking an arcane language. “Better get your inventory in place by level 8”. “Go to invi

mode and get DD”. “Flash those crates before charging”. Total greek? Welcome to the

world of the gamer.

In fact, even though the gaming market has been around for a while in India, it is only in

the past few years that it has exploded into a $300 million industry. Often viewed askance

by parents, gaming has rapidly become one of the most popular entertainment pastimes

today. This includes gaming on consoles, PCs and mobiles.

In a country where we still are trying to break out of a mindset of thinking that serious

gaming is a waste of time and meant only for kids, the gaming culture is still in the

nascent phase and still has leaps and bounds to go. But a recent report by NASSCOM,

which shows that the gaming industry is increasing by 53% per year, and that the industry

is expected to be worth $830 million by 2012, should bring cheers to the lakhs of gamers

across the country.

The increased availability of high-end computer hardware, high speed internet and the

market realization of this field by players like Reliance and Sify, have helped to this

trend. With gaming center outlets like Zapak and Sify Gamedromes opening all over the

country, the gaming industry has received a boost. Zapak Digital Entertainment COO

Rohit Sharma says “If you look at countries like China and Korea, it is the stickiest

social networking opportunity. Other entertainment options do not engage on a

social level. In a virtual world, though, you live a virtual life. Already in our cafes,

you see thousands of kids who live in a virtual environment”. This can be explained

by the immensely popular MMPORG “Massively MultiPlayer Online Realtime Games”

genre like World of Warcraft.

Gaming has indeed come a long way since the days of PacMan and Mario. Today

we have games like NFS Undercover and Prince of Persia requiring high-end PCs

with state of the art graphics to play. Visits to a few gaming cafes and talking to

few café owners have thrown up an interesting fact too. When earlier, the gaming

fraternity used to comprise solely of teenagers, nowadays they found their cabins

being increasingly occupied by 20-somethings, young professionals and even a

few 35+ individuals. Realizing and catering to this demand, Zapak has hosted

Corporate Gaming tournaments, generating a huge interest. Gaming has come to be

considered a relaxant and an engaging and fun pastime. Ample proof of this can be

considered by the increasing sales in the last few years of gaming consoles like the

Xbox and the PlayStation series. Market surveys indicate a growth of over 30% in

these sectors. G.A. Sumanth, 26, gamer, event organiser and store manager for Zapak,

Koramangala, is obviously passionate about the subject: “There are plenty of career

opportunities. I started off as a game jockey, organised events, and now am consultant

with a number of companies about strategy games.”

In a country where serious gaming is often viewed with scorn, regular gamers are

quick to explain their views. Naresh Tapa says “ I met almost all my friends at

Zapak. It’s a great place to hang out. I also have a lot of online friends with whom

I play”. Vahini R agrees “ I used to think gaming was all about yelling and staring

at a computer screen. But the kind of atmosphere these places have and the energy

levels here is simply amazing!”.

As for me, I have started searching for a new internet café. The sounds of rapid fire

and incessant yelling and screaming by the gamers was too much for me to handle.

Neelima Choudhary wakes up every morning at 7 and makes tea for herself and Amit.

She is ready for work by 9 and leaves. Amit leaves for his office by only 10, as his shift

starts only at 11.

At first notice, a normal morning in the life of a perfectly normal couple living in one

of many high-rise apartments in Mumbai. A closer look into their life reveals another

interesting fact – they are not married. They live in a sort of mutual understanding

arrangement, or what we now refer to as a `live in` relationship.

While the moral police have been busy raking up this issue - and a few people in the

process, the spurt in the number of such arrangements have brought spotlights and a few

hard looks at this largely urban phenomenon. Further fuelling more controversies on this

topic is the fact that the Maharashtrian government recently accorded legal status to such

arrangements.

To get a clearer idea of the issue at hand, a definitive explanation of the situation is

required. What exactly is a live-in relationship? A live in arrangement is at heart,

essentially a scenario where a couple, without the institution of marriage, shares a

household. Though this has been a regular occurrence in cities like Delhi and Bangalore

for years, it is only in recent years that so hard a look has been cast upon it. Dr Sharita

Shah, Consultant Woman & Child Psychiatrist at Bhatia Hospital, and Dr. L. H.

Hiranandani Hospital, notes, “Although we are global in our outlook in many ways,

our society does frown upon live-in relationships. Most Indians believe that a man and

woman can only live under the same roof and share a bed if their relationship has been

solemnized by marriage. The taboo does exist in the older generation. But for the younger

lot, who are more influenced by the west and those who have lived abroad, it is more

acceptable.”

Most people arguing for the cause believe that this kind of arrangement enables a

couple to understand each other completely before tying the knot. Vaidehi Naik is an

IT professional in Mumbai. She currently lives with her boyfriend, sharing a flat in

Bandra. “We were going out for two years before we decided to move in together. It

definitely gave me a chance to know what I was getting into. It's different when you

are dating and stay over at each other’s place compared to when you are living together

where you share everything from chores to bills.”

Vaidehi may have a point. Couples planning to marry have started to choose this

option in order to get a preview of what life after marriage can be, and to find out if

they are really compatible with each other. A live in arrangement affords them a real-

time scenario where they manage everything a household requires, and the flexibility

of backing out if the relationship is not really working for them. Studies show that

many marriages in the recent past have ended not for serious reasons like adultery or

harassment, but have been incited by trivial matters like sleeping, snoring, bathroom

habits, etc. A live in relationship is the perfect way to detect and resolve issues like this.

When asked, the most common reason given by couples is that they are in love and want

to spend more time to know each other completely. Good thinking, many young people

today would agree. Vaidehi explains "They say the first year of marriage is the hardest

and if you survive that, then you are in for a long haul. We already lived that. I never feel

trapped that we have to be together now that we are married, but felt that I was given a

chance to know him before I took the decision of living with him for the rest of my life."

Shocking words, perhaps, for parents in India. In a land where the institution of marriage

is ingrained and has been the norm for ages, such radical concepts evince a furore over

the supposed deterioration of the sanctity of marriage and demeaning of wedlock. But

there has been a perceptible shift, notably in the metros. "The level of commitment in a

live-in relationship tends to be less (though there may be exceptions)," says Samindara

Sawant, clinical psychologist, Disha Counselling Clinic, Mumbai , "because when you

are married, your family is also involved. Besides this, those who live-in also often prefer

not to have children. It is also easier to dissolve a live-in relationship than a marriage

because of the [lack of] legal implications."

Perhaps another reason for this arrangement to gain popularity is the rising income levels,

and subsequent independence enjoyed by young people today. Financial reasons are

also good factors for this situation. A couple are together most of the time, including

nights, anyway, so why bother to pay two rents and have two household expenditure

lists?, ask today`s youth. While mainstream society and family factors may frown on

such relationships, the younger generation may not have the dependence on family, and

resulting helplessness to follow practiced norms and perceived values in society. And

yes, in a country like India, where age-old customs and societal approval is still adhered

to, and rigorously followed on a larger note, the very notion of a couple living together

without the “license” of wedlock can raise the hackles of every self-righteous upholder

of Indian culture. “Unacceptable”, opines Rajiv Saxena, an activist with the Bharatiya

Sanskar Sena, an outfit in Bangalore. “Foreign influences and mannerisms are poisoning

the thoughts and lives of the young generation. Today it is live-in, tomorrow it will be

something else”.

Notwithstanding the comments and opinions flying fast around this issue, the simple fact

remains that this scenario is here to stay. Accepted concepts and norms are being broken

in India at break-neck speed today. Generation-Y has refused to conform to traditions and

is not afraid to experiment. Only time will tell whether changes going on today are for the

better or worse for modern India.

Security has always been one of man's necessities. Right from our ancestors who used to

bar the entrance of their cave dwellings with logs or a large stone to the modern era of the

motion sensor detectors, man has constantly developed and modernized the methods used

to provide security for his possessions, especially for his home.

Perhaps the earliest way man had discovered to protect himself and his belongings

was the guard dog. Dogs have, since time immemorial, been man’s best friend. Highly

adaptive, possessing superior intelligence and extremely loyal, the canine have long

been entrusted with the charge of guarding his master’s property. The most prolific and

suitable security dog breeds are arguably the Rottweiler, the German Shepherd and the

Scottish Terrier. There are a few specific reasons for this. All these breeds are excitable

and will bark vigorously at the presence of an intruder or in most situations that they

think are out of the ordinary. Even today, dogs are a preferred method for security as they

provide companionship too.

Door locks are one of the primary components of any home or office. Having a good

lock ensures us varying degrees of security from intrusion. Degree of security depends

largely on the type and kind of locking system used. The most common kinds of lock

used is the deadbolt, the wedge and the knob lock. The deadbolt is the most favored one

as it provides the maximum degree of security. It has a distinct advantage over the spring-

bolt system in that the deadbolt is considerably heavier and cannot be forcibly pried or

`jimmied` by an intruder. Most deadbolts require the correct key, which moves the bolt to

the `open` position, opening the lock. A common variation is the vertical deadbolt, which

can be used for added security, as the vertical position of the lock prevents it from being

forced open by using a bar or another object between the lock and the doorframe.

Door phones have been popular and widespread in use in many offices, homes and

apartment buildings due to its simplicity of installation and versatility of use. The ability

to identify the person requesting access to your premises has always been a crucial

one. Door phones provide this facility employing intercom technology. Using this, a 2-

way conversation can be initiated, giving the concerned person the option to allow or

deny access. Door phones have evolved from voice models to video models which are

available in the market today. Video models allow the person inside to actually see the

person requesting access, and thus provide added security.

Perhaps the most serious non-human threat to a building or structure is damage incurred

due to fire. More so nowadays, as most buildings and apartments contain multiple

connections for electricity, gas and various other electrical connections. Any one of these

can be considered a hazard, if leakages or breakages occur. In case of such occurrences,

the best method to avoid loss of life or property is the installation of a smoke and fire

alarm system. The fire alarm system is basically classified into two categories – the

manual and the automatic versions. Manual devices work on the premise that the fire

has been discovered by an occupant of the building. The alarm can then be activated

by either pushing a button or pulling a lever, triggering an audio response, in effect

warning everyone in the premises. Automatically activated devices can take many forms

intended to respond to any number of detectable physical changes associated with fire:

convected thermal energy; heat detector, products of combustion; smoke detector, radiant

energy; flame detector, combustion gasses; carbon monoxide detector and release of

extinguishing agents; water-flow detector. The newest innovations can use cameras and

computer algorithms to analyze the visible effects of fire and movement in applications

inappropriate for or hostile to other detection methods.

One of the most widely used and popular methods of security today in the CCTV.

Abbreviated for Closed Circuit Television, CCTV has gained tremendous popularity

due to its capability for both real-time and recorded footages. Perhaps this is why it has

become a fixture in law enforcement agencies and security details around the world.

CCTVs all work on the basic principle of transmitting images and videos taken by

cameras or video recorders from the point of origin to a central monitoring area, normally

manned by security personnel.

The motion sensor detector is a tool used by security specialists around the world. It

involves a motion sensor that transforms the detection of motion into an electric signal.

This can be achieved by measuring optical or acoustical changes in the field of view.

There are various types of detectors including the Passive Infrared Sensor, which detects

emission of body heat to identify an intruder, Ultrasonic Sensors, which sends out pulses

and measures the reflection off a moving object and the Microwave Sensor, which sends

out microwave pulses and measures the reflection off a moving object.

Many offices and establishments have adopted the card entry system and the keypad

identification system to monitor entry into their premises.

Most cards used for passcard entry have a magnetic stripe on it. This stripe contains

information about the user and other data which is written with the help of an encoder. It

works on the principle of varying magnetic fields. A card reader can read the information

on the card using these fields present on the card, thus allowing or denying access to the

user.

The Keypad Identification System employs numeric or alphanumeric keypads that

require the user to enter a required sequence of characters, which is then compared to a

database and if matching, allows access to a particular area. The advantage of this system

is that the person holding the required sequence has to reveal the information in order to

gain access. In other words, no one can gain access without the prior knowledge of the

primary user.

The card entry system and the keypad identification systems are preferred methods

of security in an establishment, as they can be configured and designed to restrict and

manage access for a user for different levels. Thus, a person using a card or having a

keypad combination does not necessarily gain access to the entire facility. His passcard or

password can be preset to allow only certain areas.

The most popular and commonly used security measure designed for the home is the

Burglar Alarm System. This system employs most of the technologies described above,

with the added functionality to trigger a silent or non-silent response at the local or

a remote station. The principle used here is that the owner of the house activates the

alarm when going out, or while sleeping. A combination of motion sensors and door-

entry detectors detect any unauthorized intruders and set off the alarm. The alarm can be

custom-set to flash lights, produce loud sound or trigger an alarm at the nearest police

station. The burglar alarm system can easily be deactivated by using a passkey or a

passcode.

Mrs. Patel lives in Calcutta and makes her weekly trips to her local supermarket armed with a supply

of paper bags. Ask her why she prefers them to the plastic reusable bags given at the market and

she replies “ Someone once told me that plastic takes thousands of years to decompose. Just doing

my bit for the environment! ” Rajiv Agarwal from New Delhi has recently switched all the lights in his

house from regular incandescent ones to fluorescent bulbs. He explains “ Regular bulbs consume more

electricity and produce very little of light. “ Do a little research and we find that he`s right. Incandescent

light bulbs use up huge amounts of power and on an average, generate just around ten percent of the

energy as light. The rest is emitted as heat. Fluorescent bulbs, on the other hand, use up to sixty to

seventy five percent of the consumed energy as light.

Mr. Agarwal and Mrs. Patel are just a few examples of ordinary people “going green” in our society

today. In a era where the environment and global climate scenario has captured the attention of

the public in a big way, more and more people are coming forward with doing their bit to save the

environment. It is in this context that the term “Green Technology” was born.

Green Technology refers to the conception and application of science to curb the use of natural

resources and implement a widespread use of alternative and recyclable energy sources, and in the

process, curbing and limiting the harmful effects brought on by continued use of fuels like fossil fuels.

The primary objective behind this technology is sustainability.

This coming-of-age technology primarily inculcates two major policies at its core. One is the reduction

and negation of the effects of byproducts of traditional fuel sources. Second is the implementation of

new advances in technology and alternative energy sources to replace existing ones.

Reduction and cleaning up of waste and harmful particles in the environment encompasses factors like

Solid Waste Management, Water Purification and Sewage disposal, Item Recycling and Environment

Decontamination. Solid waste management involves handling and processing of solid garbage produced

by humans. Methods for this include incinerators, recycling and dumps. The earliest known methods

simply consisted of digging pits and burying waste. However, as society progressed and communities

became larger, the amount of waste produced increased and the space for pits decreased. In

contemporary times, public management systems have implemented regular collection and disposal of

garbage, ensuring safe elimination. Water recycling strategies involve two basic processes – recycling

without purification and recycling without purification. Recycling without purification is used for several

agricultural processes in industries and in household purposes where human consumption is not

required. A good example of this would be garden usage and irrigation. Recycling with purification clearly

indicates processing of water to be used for potable purposes. These may include drinking, cooking

purposes and others. Sewage disposal is the ultimate return of waste water to the environment. Waste

water, before disposal, is suitable treated and processed to facilitate elimination of harmful substances

that could potentially destroy the disposal points.

Development of new materials and technologies to implement changes in the consumption of existing

fuel sources has been a major turning point in the progress of biotechnology. Examples of this include

usage of materials like zirconium, yttrium, tellurium and other rare earths. A good instance would be the

widespread change from lead to lithium in batteries.

The Green revolution has triggered a lot of advancements in technology, notably in companies

manufacturing and producing eco-friendly products in the market today. A very good example is the

production of building bricks from flyash, which is a byproduct of coal-burning. This process promises

to use around 85% less energy as the contemporary sources, with an equivalent reduction of carbon

emissions. Solar energy promises a huge advantage in terms of reducing power wastage, air pollution

and carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. One producer of zero-harmful emissions is the use

of nuclear reactors. Already wide-spread in use, nuclear energy is probably the single most abundant

and potentially permanently sustainable source of non-pollutant energy today. An example of materials

science playing a part in eliminating production of green house gas causing air pollutants is in the use

of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). SOFCs are electrochemical power plants that some believe will power

automobiles in the future because they produce no air pollutants in the process. However, because they

still rely on hydrocarbons as their energy source, they do not eliminate generation of CO2 emissions.

This would require the creation of a hydrogen infrastructure which is often discussed but is not being

seriously proposed at this time due to both safety concerns and the cost to produce, store and transfer

hydrogen.

In this context, it is heartening to know that industries in India have taken a long and serious view of

going green. The oldest industrial house in India, TATA, has already made giant strides in this direction.

Chairman Ratan Tata says, “We have embarked on a group-wise initiative to create awareness and

implement eco-friendly processes wherever it is possible and, in fact, look at some of our older processes

to see how we can ensure that they are in compliance with the state-of-the-art exhibits. This is going

to be a long and expensive journey and we are fairly committed to it.” Among its ventures are its hotel

chains, which features eco rooms which will have energy-efficient mini bars, organic bed linen and

napkins made from recycled paper, and the all new Indica EV, an electric car that will run on polymer

lithium ion batteries.

You`re in the enemy territory, holding your sniper rifle, scanning the horizon for hostile activity. From

the darkness, a new shadow emerges, stealthily moving towards your position. You raise the rifle, aim

for the intruder and squeeze the trigger. The recoil of the gun, the crack of the shot and the sudden

plummet of the shadow tells you that you have found your mark.

You`ve entered the main living room. You go through the arched mezzanine and peek into the master

bedroom. But something`s not right. The door frame ought to be at least half a foot higher. You make a

mental note to talk to your architect and proceed to walk through the rest of the house.

Fairly straightforward scenarios, both of these. In one, you`re a vigilant soldier on patrol duty. In the

other, you`re inspecting your new house. The strange thing in both these scenarios is that neither one

actually exists. There is no gun, nor is there a house. You are just seeing thinking there is, when in fact,

the whole scenario is just made up on demand. This, in a nutshell, is the world of virtual reality.

Virtual Reality, or VR, as it is commonly known, is the one of the most modern advancements in the

world of computer simulations and environments. It is basically defined as a computer generated

realistic creation of a world which exists only in imagination. A person experiencing this world is able to

sense, feel and interact with this imaginary world as if he were traversing a real environment. The overall

experience the user gains is the ability to navigate through, and perform functions with this artificial

scenario with the luxury of not needing to have the real environment. In this article, we take a look at

the development and practical uses of visual reality technology.

In the early 1960s, the US Air Force was looking for ways of training pilots in the art of flying while trying

to negate the risk of training accidents or mishaps. They hit upon a way to accomplish this end. Mockups

of cockpits were constructed with computer screens and speakers inside to provide realistic flying

situations for the trainee pilots to handle. Later in the 1970s, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(MIT) created a computer program which could simulate an entire city, including realistic effects such

as street traffic and birds flying overhead. This was the time when the term Virtual Reality came into

prominence.

A virtual reality system works primarily on the concept of user immersion and interaction. Immersion

is the feeling of being an actual part of a world. When the user negotiates and takes meaningful actions

in this world, it is referred to as interaction. The sense of both immersion and interaction is known as

telepresence. For this purpose, the user usually has various devices such as a headset or a wired glove

for input purposes. Head-mounted displays are common in these scenarios as they can easily construct a

fully 3D environment. An immersive experience suffers if a user becomes aware of the real world around

him. Truly immersive experiences make the user forget his real surroundings, effectively causing the

computer to become a non entity. These limitations are fast becoming no more as graphical software

and better data processing hardware gets developed at a rapid pace. The critical part about VR is that

the user should be able to affect the virtual environment, thereby modifying the program, as he sees

fit. Only then does a truly interactive experience occur. This is done by sensors directly linked to the

user`s senses, which in turn detects changes done to the program in the virtual world, and consequently,

generates an appropriate response to that action, in effect, changing the graphics or dimensions of that

environment. Early VR systems relied mainly on the basic senses of hearing and seeing to reproduce

an element of authenticity in the artificially created world. But as technology gets more advanced,

researchers and scientists have included the sense of touch as an input method. Systems that give a user

force feedback and touch interaction are called haptic systems. This technology has enormous obvious

advantages insofar as the user can now truly interact with the program, paving the way for development

of numerous practical applications.

Virtual Reality is now a popular tool among the world`s military training facilities, its reasons being

pretty clear. Trainers and trainees are now able to design experience real-time tactical and strategic

maneuvers and hone critical field skills without the risk of being in a real hostile environment.

Architectural engineers have used VR to simulate building specifications and practicability. The video

gaming community has been using this technology to a large extent in improving gaming experiences by

providing more realistic 3D effects. The medical arena has profited immensely from VR technology, using

it to simulate training sessions for surgeries and other medical procedures.

Virtual Reality systems have not become an everyday application today, but considering the immense

potential of this growing technology and the expansion of electronic networking of the world today, the

day may not be far off where a large part of our industries may be using it to a very large extent.

Visitors, both domestic and foreign, to our country’s historic and picturesque spots have

always been fascinated by the rich and vibrant history that make up the grandiose and

lore of the land. Though most of these sightseers are often drawn to the more popular

sites like Agra or Ooty, there are doubtless many more scenic and breath-taking vistas

to explore in our vast nation. A fully paid-up member of this category is the Pattumala

Church and Monastery in Kerala.

Nestled in the magnificent Nilgiri mountains bordering Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the name

Pattumala literally means “Silk Mountain” (Pattu – silk, mala – mountain). The whole

countryside is a kaleidoscope of tea garden estates, steep cliffs and winding mountain

fresh springs. Rich undulating slopes, cool refreshing breezes, tea-scented whispers of

wind and the sunny yet chilly climate is the traveler’s paradise. Small wonder that it

has been called the “Ooty of Kerala”. Rising more than three thousand meters above

sea level, this location is indeed a sight to behold. Among others, the aromas of pepper,

cloves and cardamom also add that extra spice to the area. Though rich in tourist spots

and scenic wonders, no visit can ever be complete without a tour of the grand old church

of the land – Pattumala Church.

Locally known as a famous pilgrim center of late, the Pattumala Church sits squarely

on the top of a hill overlooking the town of Peermade. The art style of construction

is classical Gothic in nature. The most curious fact about this structure is that it is

made entirely from granite. Not a stick of wood or side of brick has been used in its

construction. As with most historical buildings, the Church has gone through various

stages of refurbishing and expansion before reaching its final look in 1989.

In the early 1960-s, it was a time when Christian missionaries were venturing into the

inlands of Kerala spreading the faith of Christ. It was a normal practice to find a serene

location, build some temporary lodgings and live in service to the local populace. So

it was that the Franciscan order of Missionary Brothers, on their travels, found a calm,

remote and absolutely beautiful land named Pattumala. They constructed an ashram and

began catering to the needs of the indigenous people. A small chapel was also built for

religious purposes. After some years, it was noticed that prayers offered to the Mother

Mary, mother of Christ, were being answered and boons being granted. Although viewed

with askance at first, this strange happening captured the imagination of the people,

prompting the local priest to report this to the Church. Convinced of the benevolence of

the Lady Mary and the sanctity of the spot, the church has a sculpture of the Lady made

and blessed, later transporting it to Pattumala, via a procession that extended sixty-eight

kilometers. The huge statue, weighing over 8 tonnes, were hauled up the church and

fitted with just manpower minus any machinery!

The church is built from black and white granite taken from the local stone hills and

etched into beautiful descriptions depicting various moments from the life of Jesus

Christ and extolling the greatness and magnificence of the Almighty. The granite pillars

supporting the building rise twenty-eight feet into the air and are intercrossed with stone

carvings of flying pigeons and delicate floral markings. The rough-hewn stone on the

outside, making up the base of the structure exudes a feeling of solidity and permanence

to the church and give it a old-world feeling.

The altar, located at the very front inside, is encompassed on three sides by stone

seraphims holding cymbals and depicting them as chanting hymns in the presence of

God. The great church hall is cavernous and being devoid of any real furniture, shows an

echoic character, further accentuated by the stone characteristics of the building. Legend

says that the local people, fearing bandits, used to hide their valuables behind the altar,

knowing any footfall in the church would be magnified, alerting the monks living there.

No visit to Pattumala Church would be complete without a stroll of the amazingly

beautiful flower gardens adjoining the compound. The roses, orchids and anthoriums are

indeed a lovely sight to behold, more so being surrounded by the native beauty and silent

splendor of the Nilgiris.

No Indian meal is ever complete without the tantalizing array of side dishes one can dip

into. Indeed, most people are of the opinion that it is these savory dishes that lend the

unique taste to the meal as a whole. In the world of side dishes, an inevitable and truly

mouth-watering element is undoubtedly the chutney.

Originally derived from catni, a mix of Hindi, Tamil, Urdu and Kannada dialects,

chutney has fast captured the tastes and tongues of Indians and foreigners alike. The

variety in ingredients and preparation methods used to make chutney are diverse, often

peculiar to a region and display the range of flavors available. There seems no end to the

amount of experimentation and fun one can have in choosing the flavor and base of this

dish. In this article, we shall go through some of the more common and easily preparable

chutney dishes from a wide range of regions and ingredients.

In days gone by, chutney used to be prepared with a mortar and pestle, grinding and

mixing the materials very finely to pulp. Though traditionalists still believe in the old

fashioned method and maintain that the taste truly comes out when done so, nowadays

people have taken to using the common kitchen mixer-grinder, of course using all the

spices and flavors needed.

Chutneys are relished and enjoyed depending on the palates of the people indigenous

to that particular locality. For instance, people from Himachal Pradesh would prefer a

variant of chutney seasoned with eggplant or guava. On the other hand, a Keralite relishes

one prepared with the help of coconuts or dried shrimps. Each variant has its own special

taste and flavor.

Although chutney is usually a side dish complementing rice and other grain food items, it

is also not uncommon to find them alongside such dishes as chapattis and fast food items.

Another very popular side dish among the masses seems to be the ever-present pickles.

Food lovers and connoisseurs alike agree that a good pickle changes the very soul of a

meal. Indeed, there is a joke doing the rounds that the pickle is the lazy housewife`s best

friend.

Pickles are very similar to chutney in the sense that it is used as basically an add-on to

the meal, adding a bit more spice and flavor to it. For this reason, pickles are usually

prepared integrating the acidic properties inherent in fruits and vegetables. After

marinating them properly in oil, they are usually stored in airtight jars for at least a few

weeks to help them mature. Mangoes and carrots are some of the most popular bases used

for the preparation of pickles.

One particular characteristic of pickles and chutneys is the fact that they retain their taste

and freshness as long as they are stored hermetically. That is to say that they do not lose

their flavor when not exposed to the environment. When in contact with air, the ambient

moisture in the air reacts with the pickles, generating chemical reactions that begin to

oxidize it. Therefore, it is imperative that chutneys and pickles are stored in airtight

compartments when not in use.

Several years ago, Bihar witnessed a strange sight. In full public gaze, the erstwhile and

irrepressible Laloo Prasad Yadav was seen taking to the streets in early every morning on

a bicycle, surrounded by his coterie and bodyguards. While most passed the phenomenon

of as attention-seeking, there were a few who praised it just for the symbolic significance.

And this was a time when climate change and the greenhouse effect was not even heard of.

Today, we wish more people do the same.

In India, the buzz about cycling has always been lack lustre, either reminiscent of childhood

or aligned with a low monetary status; this mode of transport hasn’t gotten its due till now

but with the recent developments taking place under the state ministry of Delhi it looks

as though changes are just around the corner. Recently the chief minister, Sheila Dixit

expressed her distaste with autorickshaw drivers, claiming how they are a menace to the

public. Adding to this, she mentioned how there needs to an alternative presented to the

public in case autorickshaws are wiped out as the people in Delhi need to have a stable

public transport system. At a summit recently held, Sheila Dixit championed the usage of

bicycles and mentioned how autorickshaw cycles operated with batteries could be a very

safe and environmentally inclined option, this also came in as she expressed her confidence

in having people use bicycles as an active mode of transport.

Indeed it is a matter of concern that compared to other transport methods, cycling could be

proven to be most prone to danger as has been evident in the past due to the less interest

paid in making roads cycle-safe, but as a part of the new strategy by the Chief Minister, as

adequate and appropriate cycle stands would be put into place in order to maintain safety

for cyclists, this way people can resume their day to day routine via this transportation. It

is, though, too soon to finalise a concept such as this as the population on roads in terms

of vehicles and bad traffic with the almost absent state of proper infrastructure but it isn’t

too soon to be optimistic about something that is nature friendly by being convenient to

the public. The environment advantages are endless if cycles are made more popular as fuel

capacity is zero and so is the ever increasing danger of pollution, cycles are also a healthier

option than any other mode of transportation as physical effort required can substitute

exercise without having as much strain. Delhi being first to initiate a movement such as this,

especially in the light of Delhi Cycling Club (DCC) submitting a memorandum of demands

to Chief Minister Sheila Dixit last month. The group sought her urgent intervention to

make Delhi roads safer and build suitable infrastructure and facilities for lakhs of people

who commute by bicycle but are always at the risk of pushed or hit by motor vehicles. This

movement has essentially paved way for other states to take notice of the benefits of

cycling, which could mirror the kind of regard it holds in the western countries, where cycle

in an integral form of commute.

Take for instance, a country like China. Now here is a nation where the number of

cyclists exceeds motorists. Indeed, it is a fact that the bicycle is the only way one can get

somewhere on time. Now compare this to India, where the average motorist spends an

hour and a half in traffic, and in the process, inhales a good deal of harmful engine exhaust

fumes. Proponents of the bicycle wax eloquent over the cardio-building and health-

maintaining benefits of the bicycle. It is a little known fact that having an hour’s ride on the

bicycle is worth forty minutes of vigorous exercise in the gym. Health experts stress that

cycling is very beneficial for the legs, abs and upper body physique. It also improves working

of the lungs, heart and functions as a good stress reliever.

And as from the environment point of view, the advantages have to obvious. Consider that

for every cycle being used, a gallon of diesel is being saved, and one can see the point.

Taking the example of a city like Delhi, where we can see hundreds of vehicles waiting for

the green at a traffic light, we can see the picture.

Vinay* (name changed) has been working at a KPO called TutorVista

for the past four and a half years. He heads a young team handling the

customer service department at his firm. But he has`nt been coming

to office for the past week. He has been hospitalized following a bike

accident on the way to office at 2.30 AM. Reason – he slept off at the

wheel. The medical investigation that followed showed that Vinay was

suffering from a case of sleep deprivation. Small wonder, considering

that for the past four years, he has been working almost 12 hours

a day with precious little time for rest. Factor in the impossible

deadlines, grueling pressure from the management and the irregular

work timings, one should`nt be too surprised. Vinay admits that he had

reported this to his boss, who promptly suggested visiting a doctor.

On his own time of course, since the firm has no medical personnel

available on campus.

Relatively speaking, Gopi is just plain lucky. He was just fired for

nodding off for a few seconds at his desk during a quiet interval at

work. In a similar fashion, he had requested for a day`s leave so that

he could catch up on his sleep, but his manager had declined, citing

the reason as laziness.

Vinay and Gopi are not alone. The outsourcing industry has seen

its peak in India with several companies setting up shop with their

offshoring dictum in mind. Considering the wealth of skilled and

semi-skilled young workforce, relatively low pay packages and high

intelligence quotient, BPOs and KPOs seem to have sprung up from the

ground in many metro and urban cities in India. The industry indeed

has taken the employment market by storm in the last decade or so.

Small wonder then that the youth flock towards this trend today.

Among the lesser known patterns of a BPO employee is the amount

of neglect and abuse the human body endures. Man was meant

to be awake during the day and sleep at night. Conversely, the

outsourcing industry has created a daily regimen which encompasses

exactly the opposite. Almost 80% of the BPO workforce in India work

throughout the night and small hours of the day, resulting in a myriad

of physiological and psychological ailments, not least some of which

are exhaustion, stress-related problems, hypertension, eye disorders

and digestive problems. Studies are on to analyze these concerns and

their findings have turned up surprising and frankly, alarming results.

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an independent

survey body, had conducted an across-the-board survey to ascertain

the effects of the outsourcing industry and the results were as follows.

32 per cent of the workforce suffered from sleep disorders, 25 per cent

had developed digestive problems, and about 20 per cent suffered

from eyesight problems. 13% reported back pain from sitting for hours

at a stretch. Then there are sleep disorders as workers must always

be prepared to work on any shift. In our study, 13% reported insomnia

and 7% reported fatigue. Six months after giving up a call centre job,

workers still have difficulty sleeping at normal times. Women have

gynaecological problems because of irregular sleep cycles. Some 13%

reported visual problems such as eye fatigue; 3% reported headaches;

23% had indigestion and constipation. They suffer repetitive stress

injuries from long hours at the computer and “repetitive voice injury”

from speaking on the telephone for hours continuously.

The story does not end here. A job at a BPO entails constant pressure

and presence of mind on the work at hand. Add to this, the average

age of a BPO employee, around 24, and we notice a widespread usage

of intoxicants and pick-me-ups in prevalence. This includes usage of

tobacco related products like cigarettes and gutka, and even a dosage

of up to 8 cups of coffee a day! Calculate the amount of nicotine and

caffeine entering the body and one gets the picture. As is well known,

tobacco and caffeine are some of the most dangerous stuffs to be

ingested, leading to a gamut of illnesses, including respiratory and

alimentary problems, cardio-related complications and nervous issues.

Consider Aravind. Aravind was fresh out of junior college and started

to work for an amazing five figure salary. He was athletic and robust,

running for his college and being vice-captain of the football team. A

year down the lane, and he now finds difficulty in running two laps.

Reason – he loses breath easily - he`s started smoking. It came easily

to him, a way to keep his eyelids open through the night, working

gruelling hours. That’s not his only addiction. He has developed a

taste for strong coffee, and has several cups throughout his shift. A

combination of caffiene and tobacco has marred this young man`s

body to the point where he would need years to remedy the damage.

Vinay might have been lucky to end up with just a fractured leg,

but there are several other people who did not have that amount of

good fortune. A recent incidence in Delhi, at a premium outsourcing

company suggests the same. Rahul, working the midnight shift, was

coming back home on his moped, dozed off for just a few seconds and

accidentally rammed into a parked van, injuring his head and suffering

other internal injuries. Though out of danger in a few weeks after a

whole plethora of operations and treatment, doctors at the Apollo

Hospital now say that it was a very close call.

Studies are on to investigate the above said problems and hopefully

find solutions for them. Almost all BPOs and KPOs now have their own

transport facilities and encourage their employees to use them. Efforts

are also on to provide good and healthy food to the employees while

on the job. Noted outsourcing companies like Aditya Birla Minacs have

a full-time infirmary on campus and a visiting doctor coming three

times a week. An on-demand cab is also available 24/7 in case of any

emergency trips to a hospital.

Indian regulatory authorities haven't really got around to framing

regulations for the BPO industry.The only law we have in India that

is remotely linked to the BPO industry is the Indian IT Act of 2000.

While regulations are galore in reference to data theft, client records

privacy and anti-fraud norms, the state of the legal situation with

regard to BPO employees is virtually nil. The government, however,

begs to differ. “BPOs are covered under the existing labour laws. The

state governments are appropriate governments under various labour

laws and legally vested with powers to deal with violation of labour

laws in the BPO sector," K C Rao, Minister for Labour and Employment,

informed Lok Sabha in a written statement. Ostrich with his head in

the sand, perhaps?

Following is an excerpt from an interview with Dr,Vinod Tiwari, a

leading medical practitioner in Navi Mumbai.

“ There is no doubt that the workforce in the BPO sector are frequent

visitors to the doctor`s clinic. We have seen a lot of cases dealing with

exhaustion, sleeplessness, dependence on intoxicants, frequent bouts

of illness and other physiological disorders. It seems to indicate that

the call center industry needs to get a heads-up on the deteriorating

health conditions of its employees.”

A ray of light seems far off in this sector, but its definitely there.