GLOBAL WARMING

Green house effect

Global warming refers to an average increase in the earth’s temperature, which in turn causes changes in climate.   During the past 4.65 billion years of its history, earth has warmed many times. But at present it is facing a rapid warming mainly due to human activities. The average temperature of the earth is about 59⁰F (15⁰C). During the last century this average has risen by about 1⁰F. By the year 2100, it is believed that the rise would be between 2.5 and 10.4⁰F. This will cause dramatic changes such as rise in sea level, changes in rainfall patterns,wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife and humans.

Green house gases and Green house effect

The trapping of energy from the sun by certain gases in the atmosphere leading to rise in earth’s temperature is known as Green house effect. Hence these gases are known as green house gases. Some gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane act as the trap. These gases absorb and reflect infra-red waves radiated by earth. By doing so,these gases conserve heat as in a green house.

Normally all life on earth depends on this green house effect. If it does not exist, earth would be cooled,and ice would cover earth from pole to pole.But if the greenhouse effect becomes strong it could make the earth warmer than usual. Even a little extra warming may cause problems for humans, plants and animals.

Types of Greenhouse Gases

In the environment, greenhouse gases occur (i) naturally or (ii) from the human activities.

The most abundant greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide. It reaches the atmosphere due to volcanic eruptions, respiration of animals, burning and decay of organic matter such as plants.  Normally carbon-dioxide is removed by the plants through photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is also absorbed into ocean water. But humans by their activities increase the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Such activities include burning of fossil fuels,solid wastes,wood and wood products to drive vehicles, generate electricity etc. At the same time due to deforestation, the number of trees available to absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis has been greatly reduced.

Human activities, have caused carbon-dioxide to be released to the atmosphere at rates much faster than that at which earth’s natural processes can recycle this gas. There were about 280 molecules of carbon-dioxide per million molecules of air (i.e.,parts per million or ppm) in 1750. Today atmospheric carbon-dioxide concentrations are 368ppm, a 31% increase.

Methane traps 20 times more heat than carbon-dioxide. It is emitted during the production and transport of coal,natural gas and oil. It is also emitted from rotting organic waste in sand fills,by the cows as a by product of digestion. Since 1750,the amount of methane in the atmosphere has more than doubled.

Nitrous oxide traps 300 times more heat than carbon-dioxide. Burning fossil duels and ploughing farm soil releases Nitrous oxide. Since 1750 ots level increased by 17%.

Hydrocarbons formed from the manufacture of foams,coolants such as chlorofluorocarbons used in refrigerators are the other gases responsible for global warming.

In 2000,scientists discovered an alarming increase in the level of a new gas called trifluoromethyl sulphur penta fluoride. Eventhough the gas is rare, it traps more effectively than all other greenhouse gases, The saddest part of it is that the industrial source of the gas is not yet identified.

Effects of Global warming

1. Due to the warming of oceans, sea level will rise. Glacier ice will also melt,causing further rise in sea level. As a result in the 21st century sea level will rise from 9 to 88 cm. Such a rise will submerge many parts of countries.

2. Seasons will be longer in some areas.

3. The warmed would will be generally more humid and greater humidity will increase the rainfall.

4. Storms are expected to be more frequent and intense.

5. Some regions of the world become dry.

6. Wind blows will be harder and in different patterns . Hurricane would be more severer.

7. Weather patterns would be less prediclable and more extreme.

8. Crops and forests may be affected by more insects and plant diseases.

9. Some types of forests may disappear.

10. More people will get sick or die from heat stress.

11. Tropical diseases such as malaria, dengue fever,yellow fever and encephalitis will spread to other parts of the world.

Effects to control Global warming

Two major ways are there to control global warming: 1. to keep the carbon-dioxide out of the atmosphere by storing the gas or its carbon component somewhere else,a strategy called carbon sequestration. 2.to reduce the production of greenhouse gases.

Carbon sequestration

The simple technique is to preserve trees and plants more. Trees ,take up carbon-dioxide, break it down in photosynthesis, and store carbon in new wood. It need massive reforestation. Carbon-dioxide can also be sequestration directly into deep ocean water or into oil wells or some aquifer from which it cannot escape.

Reduce the production of greenhouse gases

Usage of alternative fuels such as nuclear energy, solar power, wind power and hydrogen fuel cells which emit no greenhouse gases are being considered.

Bhagat Singh- The Legend.

Bhagat Singh was a true symbol of heroism for the youth of India. Born on September 28, 1909, in Lyallpur now in Pakistan. Bhagat was the son of Shri Kishan and Shrimati Vidyavati. He was still a student of the National College and only sixteen years of age when he joined the revolutionary movement.

  The very tragedy of Jallianwala Bagh in 1919, where the British fired at the gathering in the bagh killing men, women, and children. This event caused a wave of terror and anger amongst the people all over the country. Bhagat Singh then a young lad of twelve years was greatly disturbed by this event. The feeling that the British must be driven out of India., lodged in the young boy’s mind. He asked his father Kishan Singh who himself was a revolutionary for permission to join the revolutionary movement.

  Later on, he even refused to marry and dedicate his life to the Liberation of India. He organized revolutionary activities others like namely Raj Guru, Chandrashekhar Azad, Sukhdev, and others. The planned agitations in Panjab, U.P., Delhi. They also planned agitation against the Simon Commission who had come from England to India to decide how much freedom and responsibility could be given to Indians. The absence of Indians on the committee made the Indians very angry. They protested with black flags, shouting ‘Go Back, Simon’. Lala Lajpat Rai was the patriot leader of this group. An officer named Saunders had hit Lala Lajpat Rai on his chest. Lalaji was badly injured and succumbed to his injuries a month later. This loss was avenged by Bhagat Singh and his revolutionaries who decided to kill Scott who had ordered the assault, instead they killed Saunders, the same officer who had hit Lalaji and killed him.

   They also exploded a bomb in the Central Legislative Assembly of ‘Inqalaab Zindabad’ ( long live Revolution). Bhagat Singh and his companions were arrested and a trial commenced. The judgment said that Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru, and Sukhdev were to be hanged until death while some others were jailed for a few years. The day decided was the 24th of March 1931, but they were hanged a day earlier and not even their families were allowed to meet them. Even on the day of hanging, they were fearless and cheerful. Kissing the rope, they themselves put it around their neck, they died with the name of Bharat Mata on their lips.

  Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary and a true patriot. He was against the tyrannical explorers and was of the view that the people were strong enough to rid themselves of their capitalist oppressors. He urged the people to feel proud and dedicate themselves to the liberation of their Motherland. Bhagat Singh died when he was only twenty-four years of age. An age at which other young people indulge in trivial pleasures and have no real aim in life. We owe it to him, and to the others who had died for the nation, to realize their dreams and shape India according to the ideals set by them that of a progressive and peaceful India.

Global Warming- Heating the mind to stress

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
Photo by Guillaume Falco on Pexels.com

It is happening every summer that we find it hotter than the last one. Ever wondered why?

It is not because we can’t tolerate heat but try to blame it all on the season. It is a real phenomenon taking place namely, Global Warming. It points to the increasing heat in the atmosphere and on the surface of the Earth due to the presence of pollutants and carelessness of people.

The problem is increasing manifold with no concern among the people. They are continuing to use products which are harmful for the health of our planet and cause damage and depletion of its ecosystem.

The presence of smoke and melting of Glaciers clearly signals the need to conserve the environment. The issue is we notice the Smog covering the atmosphere and obstructing our vision during winters, but do not find reasons and solutions to it. We read and listen news about the Glaciers melting out rapidly but do not try to find out the reasons behind the same. Even when we know the problem, we leave it all to the government to sort it out for us. However it is equally important for us to participate in them and support the authorities which are working for it. Only few can’t solve a problem created by us all. We all are responsible for it and should work towards the solution. The pollution has been created because we all use ACs, refrigerators, Private vehicles or any of such products which emit pollutants harming the ecosystem. Industries are growing, so is the pollution. The ozone layer is depleting bringing in harmful sun rays that cause skin diseases, cancer, cataract. We are aware about them but still don’t work for them which is completely foolish. We are keeping ourselves in the dark. The effects may not be visible to the careless eyes now but it would lead to long term consequences which can destroy Life on the planet.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Talking about the present, this increased heat on the surface of the Earth is affecting the mental health in a way. It becomes too hot during the summers and too cold during the winters which is all due to the Global Warming. These adversities of the climate affect the mind and the thinking skills of a human. They affect other life forms as well but focusing on the humans, they affect our power of mind.

You might have heard “Too much of anything is not good”. It implies in this situation as well. It’s important for it being hot in summers and cold during winters but too much of them affects the lifestyle. Our body is designed to adapt the natural changes that take place automatically but the changes in the nature that are happening due to our carelessness go against the environment, which is unfavorable for us as well. We cannot hold on to much of heat. It starts moving to our brain from the upper body surface and affects out mental capability.

Anger is the most observed and typical example to prove it. You must have seen people getting angry on small things, during the day, which is because they already handle load of work which is now being complemented by the harmful heat of the day. The sun rays affect the mind. The difference is, it is positive when in limits but converts to negative when exceeds the requirements of the human body. The stress shoots up and you might feel headache very often.

The Fascination of Blue

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

The fascination is something that comes in handy when you indeed are gifted with the weird yet beautiful planet of the solar system. Yes, earth, though this earth has many things to provide us and above all give us our life, a place to call home and a guardian to protect us too it also has many secrets, some of them we can find but some are way deep than our reach and all this is what makes it more fascinating and mysterious in its way.

So, today this article will provide you more facts and data to help the level of fascination to be more than just a child’s dream of a candy house.

Rolling It Up

  • Round- Round way flat- Though we have always learned from childhood that our home is round but what if I tell you it’s flat around the equator and the melting of ice is also helping in the broadening of its waistline. Earth rotation, many other forces, and motion are responsible for changing the earth’s shape, it still will be able to hold this not-so-round sphere shape for a long time.
  • The Purple and long Day– Do you know that many scientists believe that our earth once was purple in color because at that time as a molecule Retinol was used as the way to absorb green light instead of chlorophyll. Our day use to be 6 hours long but as our moon keeps slowing down the rotation of the earth today we have 24hrs long days and it will keep on increasing after every century.
  • Magic is in Air: Every one of us believes in the magic of something or anything but what if I say that it’s actually true that magic is in the air and every day the dust or cosmic dust as we call them is falling on the earth surface around 60 tons every day. Our earth is not just having cosmic dust but also there is no record of having the information about who gave it the name Earth as every else planet is named after Greek god just not the earth.
  • The big Appetite: Our earth is close enough to the sun, though having many benefits over the doom but we still have some pressing issue of the big, old and angry star our Sun. As every old star gets old, exhausts its hydrogen and collapses into gravity, and then consumes everything around him to create a void-filled hole, a black hole. So do can happen with our sun and taking all of us in the process but we don’t need to worry it’s still a long way down.
  • The apple that fell: As the apple fell so do the gravity gets its virtue but even though we know there is everywhere gravity and not just our solar system but each and everything is under the direct effect of gravity which is keeping everything in its static position, but then also some of the places or point of the gravity bed is so high and so low that they make a noticeable difference. This variation is known as Gravity Anomili.

SUCCESS STORY OF KFC

 

“It’s never too late to start something
new, to do all those things that you’ve been longing to do.” Dallas Clayton.
This proverb stands true for KFC owner Colonel Harland Sanders. He
started selling fried chicken when he was 69. He shattered entrepreneurial myth
such as you have to start at young age to be a successful entrepreneur.

History of KFC

KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) was
established by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952 in Utah. He worked for many
years in various fields with mixed success before starting fast food chain KFC.
KFC
focused on the fried chicken when there was dominance of hamburger. Sanders
learnt cooking at the early age of 7. He developed what he called his “Original
Recipe” comprising of 11 herbs and spices in July 1940. The same recipe is used
for KFC restaurants chain. KFC headquarter was established in Louisville,
Kentucky in 1959.

Early Years of KFC

In 1952, Sanders franchised his secret
recipe “Kentucky Fried Chicken” for the first time, to Pete Harman of South
Salt Lake, Utah, the operator of one of that city’s largest restaurants. The
franchise concept became successful. After the success of Pete Harman, several
other restaurant owners franchised the concept and paid Sanders $0.04 per
chicken. Sanders visited suitable restaurants in US
looking to offer the franchise, after he sold his south salt lake restaurant
due to new reduced traffic rules. After closing the North Corbin site, Sanders
and his wife Claudia opened a new restaurant and company headquarters in
Shelbyville in 1959. He slept in back of his car quite often, while visiting
the restaurants to offer the franchise if the staff liked his chicken. After
some time the franchise started to visit Colonel Sanders instead. He ran the
company and his wife Claudia mixed and shipped the spices to restaurants.

The franchise approach was the demand of
the town; KFC was one of the first fast food chains to expand internationally,
opening outlets in Canada and later in the UK, Mexico and Jamaica by the
mid-1960s. Overwhelmed by the growth of the company,
aging Colonel Sanders sold the company to John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack C. Massey
in 1964. But Sanders continued his association with the company as a salaried
brand ambassador. Colonel Sanders died at the age of 90 years in December 16,
1980. During this journey, he got a rejection from 1009
restaurants. However, he never gives up as he was confident about his unique
recipe and its taste. And finally, the day came when few restaurants agreed to
sell Sander’s chicken recipe. By the year 1963, nearly 600 restaurants agreed
to sell the recipe and Kentucky chicken making it a brand.

Today KFC has established itself as the
2nd largest food chain spread globally in 136 countries. The lesson we learn
from Sander’s life is that Success is achievable at any age. The only thing
required is your conviction towards fulfilling your dream at any stage of your
life. Always believe in yourself wholeheartedly, the burning desire to succeed
will pave your path towards your dream despite everything even your age! So
Never give up!

 

ECO CIRCUIT OF BIHAR

KAKOLAT (NAWADA)

It is a waterfall in Gobindpur, about 21 miles away from Nawada. Just below the fall, there is a deep natural reservoir. The fall is about 150 to 160 feet, from the ground level. The scene is panoramic due to all around green forest area, which looks very pleasant in watching. According to the legend, in Treta Yuga a king was cursed by a Rishi and had to take a shape of a python and lived here. The place was visited by the great Pandava during their exile and the king who was cursed got salvation from the bad effects of the curse. The king after getting rid of the curse proclaimed that one who would bathe in the waterfall will not take the yoni of snake and that is why a large number of people from far and near bathe in the river. A big fair is held on the occasion of vishya or Chait Sankranti.

BHIMBANDH (MUNGER)
Bhimbandh Wild Life Sanctuary is located in the south west of Munger District. The forests cover an area of 681.99 sq km on the hills and undulating tract of Kharagpur Hills. The vegetation of these forests is very rich where Sal, Semal and other trees grow side by side the hilly terrains, protecting from the sun rays the forms and the humble creepers which grow below. A host of wild animals such as Tiger, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Nilgai, Sambhar, Barking deer, Wild Bear, Four Horned Antelope are found in these forests. In the valley portions and at the foothills are several hot springs of which the finest are at Bhimbandh, Sita Kund and Rishi Kund.
GHODA KATORA 
It is being developed as an Eco-tourism site, which will have a huge Buddha statue which will be flanked by his four important disciples Ananda, Maha Kassapa, Maha Moggallana and Sariputta. The idea is to tribute to the Buddha and his disciples who are part of the cultural legacy of Bihar.

VALMIKI NAGAR TIGER RESERVE
It is the safe home for the tigers, one of the threatened species of the world. It is spread across 880 sq km (approx). Located at the cradle of Himalayan outermost Shivalik range, the region has a very undulating landscape compromising of steep rise and deep ridges with the lush green forest around. The leopards and Tigers along with the Fishing Cats, Chitals, Sambar, Black Bucks, Langur, Sloth Bears, Gaurs make the jungle an adventurous destination for the tourists. The deep forests of Sal, Asan, Karama, Semal, Cane etc. offers a pleasant climate in the area. 
BARABAR CAVES 
The architectural beauty of Barabar Caves situated in the Barabar Hills is magnificent. These caves are located at a distance of around 25 km from Gaya. These caves were carved during the first phase of development of Buddhism in the second century BC. These rock caves are deep and finely cut and have fine glassy and shining polish inside. Buddhist literature reveals that these caves are divided in three types and one of them is Nagarjuna Caves. Other two are Hut Caves and Caves of Pandavas. Nagarjuna situated on Nagarjuna Hill are two in number; Sudama Chaupar. These caves are meant for ascetic spiritual Buddhist monks who were truth seekers and wanted isolation .
GANGETIC DOLPHINS SANCTUARY, BHAGALPUR
Located in Bhagalpur district, the sanctuary is a 50 km stretch of the Ganga river. It is the only protected area for the endangered Gangetic Dolphins in Asia.

KANHA

Kanha is situated in Madhya Pradesh. Kanha’s Sal and bamboo forests, rolling grassland and meandering streams stretch over 940 sq km in dramatic natural splendor. Kanha National Park forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The park is the only habitat of the rare hard ground barasingha.  
In the 1930s, the Khana area was divided into two sanctuaries, Gallon and Banjar, of 250 sq km and 300 sq km each. Though one of these was subsequently disbanded, the area remained a protected one until 1947. Depletion of the tiger population in the years that followed led to the area being made an absolute sanctuary in 1952.
By a special statute in 1955, Khana National Park came into being. Since then, a series of stringent conservation programmes for the protection of the park’s flora and fauna has given Khana it’s deserved reputation for being one of the best and finest administered National Parks in Asia.
Forest Department guides accompany visitors around the park on mapped-out circuits which enable viewers to see a good cross-section of Kanha’s wildlife. The best areas are the meadows around Kanha, where black buck, chital and barasingha can be seen throughout the day.
Kanha has some 22 species of mammals. Those most easily spotted are the stripped palm squirrel, common langur, jackal, wild pig, chital or spotted dear, barasingha or swamp dear, sambar and black buck.
Patient watching should reward the visitor with a sight of Indian fox, sloth bear, striped hyena, jungle cat, leopard, mouse deer, chausingha or four horned antelope, nilgai, ratel and procupine. Wolf can be seen far east of the park, chinkara can be found outside the park’s northern boundary. Indian pangolin, the smooth Indian otter and the small Indian civet are also the rarely seen species.
Kanha has some 200 species of birds. Watchers shoud station themselves in the hills, where you can see bamboo forest and other species of flora. Water birds can be seen near the park’s many rivulets and at Sarvantal, a pool that is frequented by water birds and the area in front of the museum. The sal forests do not normally yield a sight of Kanha’s avifauna. Early mornings and late afternoons are best for bird watching, binoculars are an invaluable aid to the watchers. Commonly seen birds are cattle egret, pond heron, black Ibis, common peafowl, crested serpent eagle, racket-tailed drongo, hawk, red wattled lapwing, dove, parakeet, woodpecker, Indian roller and grey hornbill.
Bamni Dadar known as Sunset Point, this is one of the most beautiful areas of the park, from where a spectacular sunset can be watched.
October to June is the best time to visit Kanha National Park. The park is closed from 1st July to 30th September due to rains. For  those planning a visit, a stay of at at least three nights is recommended in order to have a good chance of seeing the more elusive animals.
Kanha Museum
This is a unique natural history museum that preserves skeletons of reptiles and animals and houses an exhibition of the wildlife conservation work done in Kanha and an audio library of sounds of birds.
Things To Do
1.Enjoy walking and cycling in the pristine air of buffer zone.
2.Take a safari in open Jeep (all days except Wednesday afternoons).
3.Visit the nearby villages to experience life in remote jungle- Sarekha (15 km from kiski gate), Garhi (20 km from Mukki gate), Lagna(5 km from Mukki gate), Mocha (10 km from Mukki gate)
4.Shop for souvenir at the Khatia gate. 

PANNA

Panna, the erstwhile capital of the Bundela Kingdom in Madhya Pradesh is famous for the Panna National Park. Panna Town, the administrative headquaters of Panna District, is the hub of many religious monuments, which showcases the architectural Marvel’s of Hindu and Islamic styles. Adorned with greenish meadows dotted with evergreen trees, undulating forests, hills and rocks, Panna serves as a perfect place for holiday tours.
Panna National Park was created in 1981. It was declared as a Project Tiger Reserve in1994. The National Park consists of areas from the former Gangau Wildlife Sanctuary created in 1975. The sanctuary compromised of territorial forests of the present North and South Panna Forest Division to which a portion of the adjoining Chhatarpur forest division was added later. The reserved forests of the Park in Panna district and some protected forests bordering Chhatarpur were the hunting reserves of the erstwhile rulers of Panna, Chhatarpur and Bijawar princely states in the past. The location of the National Park is crucial as it is situated at a point where the continuity of the forest belt, which starts from Cape Comorin in the south is broken and from there beyond, the great Gangetic plains begin. This area is also the northern most tip of the natural teak forests and the eastern most tip of the natural Kardhani forests. The Ken river, which flows through the reserve from south to north, is home for Gharial and Mugger.
Tiger, the king of the jungle, roams freely in the secure habitat along with his fellow creatures like leopard, wild dog, wolf, hyena and caracal and smaller cats. Sloth bear has his most favorite home in the rock escarpments and undistributed vales. The wooded areas are dotted with sambar – the largest of Indian deers, chital and chowsingha. Other animals that can be found are nilgai, chinkara, snakes and reptiles.
There are more than 200 species of birds including migratory birds. One can see White Necked Stork, Bar-Headed Goose, Honey Buzzard, King vulture, Blossom Headed parakeet,etc.
Panna has dry and hot climate and has shallow Vindhyan soil which give rise to dry Teak and dry mixed forest. The dominating vegetation type is miscellaneous dry deciduous forest inter spread with grassland areas. The characteristic floral species of this area include tree species such as Tectona fransis, Diospyros melanoxylon, Madhuva indica, Buchnania latifolia, etc.
OTHER PLACES TO EXPLORE 

Fort of Ajaygarh 
Built in 1765 AD by the nephew of the Maharaja of Jaitpur, the fort is situated at a height of 800 ft. However by 1809 the Britishers overpowered it.
Gatha Falls
The height of Gatha fall measures up to 91 meters.The Gatha falls are at their prime during the rainy season, when the river water swells to the maximum. River Ken is the water source of Gatha Falls.
Mahamati Prannathji Mandir 
It is one of the most revered pilgrim places for the Pranami sect followers the world over. The temple was completed in 1692. Other than this Padmavati temple, Jugal Kishore Temple and Kalinjir Fort are with a visit.
National Museum 
It was established in 1988. It has a remarkable collection of icons and coins. 

PACHMARHI: Verdant Jewel of the Satpuras

Pachmarhi is Madhya Pradesh’s most verdant jewel, a place where has found exquisite expression in myriad enchanting ways.
Complementing the magnificence of nature are the works of man; Pachmarhi is also an archaeological treasure-house. In cave shelters in the Mahadeo Hills is an astonishing richness in rock paintings. Most of these have been placed in the period 500- 800 AD , but the earliest paintings are an estimated 10000 years old.
The town has a quiet gentility about it as if Victorian traditions and high collars still governed most people’s lives.
PLACES TO EXPLORE 

PRIYADARSHINI (FORSYTH POINT)
This vantage viewing point marks the place from where Pachmarhi was discovered by Captain Forsyth in 1858. The British developed Pachmarhi as a resort and their influence is embodied in its churches and colonial architecture.
JAMUNA PRAPAT (BEE FALL)
A spectacular fall in the stream which provides drinking water to Pachmarhi. The bathing pools above the fall are very popular.
HANDI KHOH
A mile long trek from Bee Falls takes one to Handi Khoh, a horse-shoe shaped ravine, the edge of which drops a sheer 100m into the earth. The valley is rich in medicinal plants. 

APSARA VIHAR (FAIRY POOL)
Easily accessible from Jai Stambh, this fairy pool is an ideal picnic spot for families with small children, since the pool is shallow, deepening only towards the base of the fall.
ALSO VISIT:  Banshree Vihar, Tridhara and Irene Pool are the other pool of Pachmarhi. 
RAJAT PRAPAT (BIG FALL)
Those seeking adventure will find it in this ten-minute walk over rocks and boulders from Apsara Vihar to the top of the Rajat Prapat.

JALAWATARAN (DUCHESS FALLS)
The descent is steep and the trek strenuous for almost all of the 4km to the base of the fall’s first cascade.
SUNDER KUND (SAUNDER’S POOL)
Crossing the stream below Duchess Falls and following a footpath about 2.5km in a south-westernly direction brings one to a huge Rocky pool in the Jambu Dwip stream, an excellent place for swimming.
MAHADEO
The temple at Mahadeo cave is located at the base of the Mahadeo hill, at a distance of 12km from Pachmarhi town. There is a pool in the temple which has curative properties. About half a kilometer west of the Mahadeo cave is a natural fissure in the rock, that is worshipped by the locals as Gupt Mahadeo or Chhota Mahadeo.
CHAURAGARH TEMPLE
Located at an altitude of 1330m atop the Chauragarh Peak, the trek to the Chauragarh temple comprises of 1380 steps. The temple courtyard is stacked with thousands of tridents offered by the devotees. The temple is a half-built modern structure with an idol of Shiva in the sanctum.
CHRIST CHURCH
Built in 1857 by the British, this church is generally regarded as the most beautiful small Church in Madhya Pradesh. The Church’s architecture if fascinating; its ‘sanctum-sanctorum’ has a hemispherical dome on top with its ribs ending with faces of angels. The nave of the church does not contain single pillar for support. The baptismal font is a rare brass piece and the bell is as old as the church and it’s chimes can be heard from a long distance.

PANDAV CAVES 
Five ancient dwellings excavated in the sand-stone rock in a low hill. Pachmarhi derives its name from these caves which, as the legend goes, once provided shelter to five Pandav brothers. These caves are now protected monuments.

SATPURA NATIONAL PARK 
Set up in 1981, Satpura National Park is 524 sq km in area. It spreads through a dense forest of evergreen Sal , teak and bamboo. The park is home to the gaur, tiger, leopard, beer, four-horned deer, blue bull and rich variety of birds.
BISON LODGE 
Constructed in 1862, the Bison Lodge is the oldest house in Pachmarhi. It now houses a beautiful museum depicting the rich flora and fauna of Pachmarhi.
ALSO VISIT: Jata Shankar, Catholic Church, Dhoopgarh, Trishar, Banshree Vihar, Reechhgarh, Sangam, The Cave Shelters, Astachal and Harper’s Cave.

BANDHAVGARH: National Park With a Rich Historical Past

Bandhavgarh is a small National Park ; compact, yet teeming with wildlife. The density of the tiger population in Bandhavgarh is the highest known in India. This is also White Tiger country. These have been found in the old state of Rewa for many years. The last known was captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951. This white tiger, Mohun, is now stuffed and on display in the palace of the Maharajas of Rewa.
The terrain is of great Rocky hills rising sharply from the swampy and densely-forested valley bottoms. The finest of these hills in Bandhavgarh, sided with great cliffs and eroded rocks and on its highest point stands Bandhavgarh Fort, and particularly around the fort, are numerous caves containing shrines and ancient Sanskrit inscriptions.
Prior to becoming a National Park, the forests around Bandhavgrah had long been maintained by as a Shikargah, or game reserve, of the Maharajas of Rewa. Hunting was carried out by the Maharajas and their guests – otherwise the wildlife was relatively well-protected. 
In 1947 Rewa State was merged with Madhya Pradesh; Bandhavgarh came under the regulation of Madhya Pradesh. The Maharaja of Rewa still retained the hunting rights of Bandhavgarh and no special measures were taken until 1968, when the areas were constituted as a National Park, since then, numerous steps have been taken to retain Bandhavgarh Bational Park as an unspoilt natural habitat. 

What to see 

The Fort 
The Fort is estimated to be 2000 years old. Various dynasties have ruled the fort : the Maghas from the 1st century AD, the Vakatakas from the 3rd century AD, the Sengars from the 5th century AD, the Baghela took over, ruling from Badhavgarh until 1617, when Maharaja Vikramaditya Singh moved hi capital to Rewa. The last inhabitants deserted the fort in 1935.
Flora 
The vegetation is chiefly of Sal forest in the valleys and on the lower slopes, gradually changing to mixed deciduous forest on the hills and in the hotter, drier areas of the park in the south and west. Bamboo is found throughout.
Wildlife
There are more than 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds. Common langurs and rhesus macaque represent the primate group. Carnivores include the Asiatic jackal, Bengal Fox, sloth bear, ratel, grey mongoose, striped Hynes, jungle cat, leopard and tiger. The artiodactyls frequently sighted are wild pig, spotted dear, sambar, chausingha, nilgai and chinkara. Mammals such as dhole, the small Indian civet, palm squirrel and lesser bandicoot rat are seen occassionally. The vegetation along streams and marshes is rich in birdlife. The common ones are little grebe, egret, lesser adjutant, saris crane, black kite, crested peafowl, red jungle fowl, dove, parakeet, kingfisher and Indian roller. Reptilian fauna include cobra, Krait, viper, ratsnake, etc.

Wildlife viewing 
The main way of getting about in the park is motor vehicle. Jeep safaris timing are from 10 am to 4 pm, as the animals are most active during these periods. A Forest Department guide must always accompany you. This guide will able to direct you and point out wildlife. 

THE PENCH

Pench lies in Madhya Pradesh. Nestled in the southern sloes of the satpura ranges of central India, Pench Tiger Reserve(757.90 sq.kms)lies in southern Madhya Pradesh , bordering Maharashtra. The Pench National Park which constitutes the core of the Park is 292.86 sq.kms , and comprises the Indira Priyadarshini Pench National Park and the Mowgli Pench Sanctuary. Pench was brought under Project Tiger in 1992 .
Pench National Park gets its name from the Pench river that flows through it, dividing it into the western Chhindwara Block (141.61 sq kms) , and the eastern Seoni Block (145.24 sq kms).
Over 1,200 species of plants have been recorded in the area including several rare and endangered plants as well as plants of ethnobotanical importance.
Pench National Park is the original setting of Rudyard kipling’s famous work, The Jungle Book. The character, Mowgli, was inspired by Sir William Henry Sleeman’s pamphlet, ‘An Account of Wolves Nurturing Children in Their Dens’ which describes a jungle boy captured in Seoni district near the village of Seoni district near the village of Sant Baori in 1831. 
Pench being situated in Central India is subjected to extreme and tropical weather. Month of January may also witness sub-zero temperatures and frost. Monsoon arrives in the second week of June. 
The forests found in Pench Tiger Reserve are divided into three parts as follows:-
1.Southern Tropical Wet Deciduous Forest
2.Southern Tropical Dry Teak Deciduous Forest
3.Southern Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous Forest
Dry mixed forest spreads in about one-third area of the protected area. Whose main species are salai, pickle, moyan, tendu etc. Kahua (Arjuna), Jamuna, Guular and Saja are found along the banks of river streams. Trees of Mahua, Palash, Plum etc. are found scattered around the open forests of displaced areas of old villages. Teak forests are found in about one quarter area. There are about 82 types of grass species and Bamboo found in this forest area.
Pench is prime tiger country. The area has always been rich in wildlife. Pench Tiger Reserve has the highest density of herbivores in India, 90.3 animals per square kilometre. The area is especially famous for its huge population of gaur (Indian bison), cheetal, sambar, neelgai, wild dog and wild pig. Other animals in the Park include the sloth bear, chousingha, chinkara, barking deer, jackal, fox, palm civet, small Indian civet, jungle cat, hyena and porcupine.
Pench Tiger is also among the best area for bird watching. Over 285 species of resident and migratory birds including the Malabar pied hornbill, Indian pitta, osprey, grey headed fishing eagle, white-eyed buzzard are found here. Four species of the endangered vulture, white-rumped, long billed, white scavenger and king vulture can be seen in good numbers in these forests. In winter, thousands of migratory birds come to this reserve. 
Jungle safaris are a major attraction of the park. A dawn safari, when animals are out in the open looking for food and water, is an unforgettable experience. Tigers and leopards can be seen near water bodies and even on the roads in summer. Cheetal, sambar and neelgai are found grazing in the forests and the banks of the river. Large herds of gaur are often spotted in the bamboo patches. Jackals, wild dogs and rhesus monkeys can be seen foraging for food in the densely-wooded jungles.

DEEP LEARNING SERIES- PART 6

The previous article was about the procedure to develop a deep learning network and introduction to CNN. This article concentrates on the process of convolution which is the process of taking in two images and doing a transformation to produce an output image. This process is common in mathematics and signals analysis also. The CNN’s are mainly used to work with images.

In the CNN partial connection is observed. Hence all the neurons are not connected to those in the next layer. So the number of parameters reduces leading to lesser computations.

Sample connection is seen in CNN.

Convolution in mathematics refers to the process of combining two different functions. With respect to CNN, convolution occurs between the image and the filter or kernel. Convolution itself is one of the processes done on the image.

Here also the operation is mathematical. It is a kind of operation on two vectors. The input image gets converted into a vector based on colour and dimension. The kernel or filter is a predefined vector with fixed values to perform various functions onto the image.

Process of convolution

The kernel or filter is chosen in order of 1*1, 3*3, 5*5, 7*7, and so on. The given filter vector slides over the image and performs dot product over the image vector and produces an output vector with the result of each 3*3 dot product over the 7*7 vector.

A 3*3 kernel slides over the 7*7 input vector to produce a 5*5 output image vector. The reason for the reduction in the dimension is that the kernel has to do dot product operation on the input vector-only with the same dimension. I.e. the kernel slides for every three rows in the seven rows. The kernel must perfectly fit into the input vector. All the cells in the kernel must superimpose onto the vector. No cells must be left open. There are only 5 ways to keep a 3-row filter in a 7-row vector.    

This pictorial representation can help to understand even better. These colors might seem confusing, but follow these steps to analyze them.

  1. View at the first row.
  2. Analyse and number the different colours used in that row
  3. Each colour represents a 3*3 kernel.
  4. In the first row the different colours are red, orange, light green, dark green and blue.
  5. They count up to five.
  6. Hence there are five ways to keep a 3 row filter over a 7 row vector.
  7. Repeat this analysis for all rows
  8. 35 different colours will be used. The math is that in each row there will be 5 combinations. For 7 rows there will be 35 combinations.
  9. The colour does not go beyond the 7 rows signifying that kernel cannot go beyond the dimension of input vector.

These are the 35 different ways to keep a 3*3 filter over a 7*7 image vector. From this diagram, we can analyse each row has five different colours. All the nine cells in the kernel must fit inside the vector. This is the reason for the reduction in the dimension of output vector.

Procedure to implement convolution

  1. Take the input image with given dimensions.
  2. Flatten it into 1-D vector. This is the input vector whose values represent the colour of a pixel in the image.
  3. Decide the dimension, quantity and values for filter. The value in a filter is based on the function needed like blurring, fadening, sharpening etc. the quantity and dimension is determined by the user.
  4. Take the filter and keep it over the input vector from the first cell. Assume a 3*3 filter kept over a 7*7 vector.
  5. Perform the following computations on them.

5a. take the values in the first cell of the filter and the vector.

5b. multiply them.

5c. take the values in the second cell of the filter and the vector.

5d. multiply them.

5e. repeat the procedure till the last cell.

5f. take the sum for all the nine values.

  • Place this value in the output vector.
  • Using the formula mentioned later, find the dimensions of the output vector.

HAPPY LEARNING!!

DEEP LEARNING SERIES- PART 5

The previous article was on algorithm and hyper-parameter tuning. This article is about the general steps for building a deep learning model and also the steps to improve its accuracy along with the second type of network known as CNN.

General procedure to build an AI machine

  1. Obtain the data in the form of excel sheets, csv (comma separated variables) or image datasets.
  2. Perform some pre-processing onto the data like normalisation, binarisation etc. (apply principles of statistics)
  3. Split the given data into training data and testing data. Give more preference to training data since more training can give better accuracy. Standard train test split ratio is 75:25.
  4. Define the class for the model. Class includes the initialisation, network architecture, regularisation, activation functions, loss function, learning algorithm and prediction.
  5. Plot the loss function and interpret the results.
  6. Compute the accuracy for both training and testing data and check onto the steps to improve it.

Steps to improve the accuracy

  1. Increase the training and testing data. More data can increase the accuracy since the machine learns better.
  2. Reduce the learning rate. High learning rate often affects the loss plot and accuracy.
  3. Increase the number of iterations (epochs). Training for more epochs can increase the accuracy
  4. Hyper parameter tuning. One of the efficient methods to improve the accuracy.
  5. Pre-processing of data. It becomes hard for the machine to work on data with different ranges. Hence it is recommended to standardise the data within a range of 0 to 1 for easy working.

These are some of the processes used to construct a network. Only basics have been provided on the concepts and it is recommended to learn more about these concepts. 

Implementation of FFN in detecting OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA)

Advancements in the detection of OA have occurred through AI. Technology has developed where machines are created to detect OA using the X-ray images from the patient. Since the input given is in the form of images, optimum performance can be obtained using CNN’s. Since the output is binary, the task is binary classification. A combination of CNN and FFN is used. CNN handles feature extraction i.e. converting the image into a form that is accepted by the FFN without changing the values. FFN is used to classify the image into two classes.

CNN-convolutional neural network

The convolutional neural network mainly works on image data. It is used for feature extraction from the image. This is a partially connected neural network. Image can be interpreted by us but not by machines. Hence they interpret images as a vector whose values represent the color intensity of the image. Every color can be expressed as a vector of 3-D known as RGB- Red Green Blue. The size of the vector is equal to the dimensions of the image.

                                                  

This type of input is fed into the CNN. There are several processing done to the image before classifying it. The combination of CNN and FNN serves a purpose for image classification.

Problems are seen in using FFN for image

  • We have seen earlier that the gradients are chain rule of gradient at different layers. For image data, large number of layers in order of thousands may require. It can result in millions of parameters. It is very tedious to find the gradient for the millions of these parameters.
  • Using FFN for image data can often overfit the data. This may be due to the large layers and large number of parameters.

The CNN can overcome the problems seen in FFN.

HAPPY LEARNING!!!

History & Law

                                            (Photo: University of Chicago Law School)

“History and law are two sides of a polished mirror”. As we read it, that is there any relation of history with the law, then suddenly it strikes our mind that these two are different subjects because in India students mostly take topics in relation with the subjects they are studying. But when we think beyond, the subject we get to know that history and law are interrelated. Laws are influenced by events in history. The events which have happened before and what their outcomes were and what things can be changed for the better. In taking all these points in mind, laws are made. We take a lesson from our history to make laws.

 History is also related to law. As we read the incidents in our history, they are somehow related to the laws which existed at those times. The British laws which are still followed now from our history are Indian penal code,1860; the transfer of property act, 1882; the foreigner’s act, 1946; Income tax act, 1961; Indian evidence act,1872; Indian police act,1861; etc.

 The goods and the bads all somehow share a relationship with the laws and rules. The movements which changed the life of many countries also took place because of the heinous laws in countries like the French revolution, the American civil war, the National movements in India, and many more. All are related to laws that became unbearable torture on the victims. One can study the connection between law and history in comparative law. Comparison of laws of different time scales can be done. Law is a process that makes the public civilized, abides by norms that are set by society from time to time. Hence, the law is continuity in search of humanity and civility.

 Now the question that arises is: “Which part of history is relevant in today’s time“? According to my, contemporary history is most important in the present time. Contemporary history includes the span of historical events starting from 1945. These events are most relevant to the present time scenario. Many historians describe the early modern period as the time frame between 1500 and 1800.  This period mainly follows the late middle-age period. Further, it is marked by the initial European colonies, the beginning of recognizable nation-states as well as the rise of strong centralized government.

 Contemporary history helps in strengthening the cultural identity of a nation. This is because when we learn about the cultural heritage of our race or religion, we engulf ourselves in an abundance of information, which often depicts the decisions our ancestors made or the traditions that have been carried down the generations. These define who we are and why we exist in our society.

 History well told is beautiful. Many of the historians who most appeal to the general reading public, know the importance of dramatic and skillful writing as well as of accuracy. History is very important because it helps us to understand the present. If we will listen to what history has to say, we can come to a sound understanding of the past that will tell us much about the problems we now face. If we refuse to listen to history, we will find ourselves fabricating a past that reinforces our understanding of current problems.

 To conclude, George Mosse once said, “What man is, the only history tells.” History is interlinked with law. With truly reading, one can have a holistic view of the idea of the concept. In my view, contemporary history is more relevant in today’s time. The study of it is still relevant albeit the uncertainty of today’s world. As the saying goes, “With age comes wisdom“, is a true reminder of the experience one gains with the passage of times (which is history).