Ideas That Give ‘Far Out’ A New Meaning
Skandagiri Hills – Karnataka
Photo credits: Dileep
Skandagiri Hills is located near the town of Chickballapur, in the Indian state of Karnataka. Skandagiri Hills is very famous for its night trekking, and consequently, can be a trekker’s paradise during an evening with a full moon. Part of the allure of a Skandagari trek is with the high altitude one feels to be “walking above the clouds.” Additionally, there is a small temple stationed on top of the hill that is worthy of a visit. Continue reading
Chaco Guardians
Biologist Erika Cuéllar says that unless the indigenous inhabitants are involved it will be impossible to save the biodiversity of the Gran Chaco. Photograph: Dan Collyns
Thanks to the Guardian for its coverage of the Chaco’s guardians in this story, Bolivia’s indigenous people join fight to save Gran Chaco wilderness, by Dan Collyns:
Second largest wilderness in South America threatened by farming, ranching and drugs trade
Only from Cerro Colorado – a rocky outcrop that rears vertiginously over the treetops – is it possible to make out the vastness of the Gran Chaco as it stretches from this corner of Bolivia beyond the horizon into Paraguay. This enormous swath of dry forest and scrubland, where every plant or tree bears thorns, is South America’s second largest wilderness after the Amazon rainforest.
The Gran Chaco is threatened on all sides: Mennonite cattle ranchers have bought up large tracts in Paraguay and Brazilian farmers looking for cheap land for their soy crops have flooded across the border. Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Black Vulture
Ek Balam, Mexico
Onion Plantation
Photo credits: Dileep
In India and throughout the world, onions are often used as a spice, and are an essential ingredient in many meals. Specifically in India, onions are considered to be one of the most important cash crops. They are a staple food, and are relied upon by everyone from the rich to the poor. Continue reading
Communities Acting Collectively With Entrepreneurial Leadership
Thanks to this interview podcast on Fresh Air, we learned about Ava DuVernay and through her we learned about @AFFRM (click the banner above to go to their site, and be sure to read her interview with Director Spike Lee). DuVernay is a cultural entrepreneur, par excellence, and we salute her sense of community and collaboration:
Before she started making movies a few years ago, DuVernay made a name for herself through her marketing and publicity firm DVA Media + Marketing, which has handled films by brand-name directors like Clint Eastwood and Steven Spielberg. Continue reading
Icelandic Writings
The two first edition volumes of Captain Richard F. Burton’s “Ultima Thule; or, a Summer in Iceland,” 1875. Photo by Bauman Rare Books.
I’ve mentioned before that throughout the literature from the 18th and 19th centuries in Iceland I’ve found a conflict between traditional and modern conceptions of the land’s nature, but I want to clarify that this was likely not limited to a simple farmer-or-scientist dichotomy. My aim is to more closely examine any relationships between the writings of Icelanders and Europeans that were meant for a European audience (in the case of the former this involves contemporary translations) and tease out the nuances between them. I believe these scientists, travelers and explorers from various cultures sought the same thrill of setting foot on ground that had never been touched by “civilized” man before; they traveled untrodden lands whose exploration allowed them to feel a sense of discovery and lonely grandiosity while experiencing wilderness; and in some cases they desired the satisfaction of improving scientific knowledge of a natural area.
When I talk about looking at ‘writings’, I mean primary sources like Continue reading
From Behind the Wheel: Mass Transit With Clout
Mattancherry
Bird of the Day: Northern Pygmy-Owl (Huachuca Canyon, AZ)
An Introduction to India
View out of the Houseboat
My name is Kendra, and last week I arrived in Cochin, India. I am a recent graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, and I traveled here to work for four months with Raxa Collective to learn more about Conservation-tourism in action.
Before I arrived in India I didn’t know what to expect. I knew the culture and food were different from the western style I grew up with, but when I arrived I was completely spellbound by what I experienced. My first sights of India came during a drive I took through the southern city of Cochin, and it was amazing. I didn’t expect it to be so full of life and color, especially in the rain. I saw women in beautiful saris racing across the busy streets in the rain and billboards advertising intricate and colorful jewelry. This was my first view of India, and despite my earlier apprehension I was enthralled with it. Continue reading
Malayalam Milestone
Sabdatharavali compiled by Sreekanteswaram
Sreekanteswaram is our kind of hero, protecting his cultural heritage without much fanfare but with a sense of humor:
That the first and the most authentic Malayalam dictionary to date, Sabdatharavali by Sreekanteswaram G. Padmanabha Pillai, turns 90 this year is a fact lost on Malayalis basking in the language’s hard-won classical status.
While such forgetfulness on the part of language Tsars is understandable, given the backward status of linguists and lexicographers in cultural hierarchy, a handful of ordinary language-lovers like poet Kureeppuzha Sreekumar Continue reading
Bharani Festival, Chettikulangra Temple – Alappuzha
Photo credits: Ramesh Kidangoor
Chettikulangra Temple is dedicated to the Goddess Bhadrakali. The temple is famous for the Bharani festival, with special rituals and Kettukazhcha processions attract numerous devotees. Continue reading
Natural Resources, Economic Development, And Fair Play
Guinea, in West Africa, is one of the world’s poorest countries. The iron ore buried inside the Simandou range may be worth a hundred and forty billion dollars.
An article in this week’s New Yorker documents the challenges of sustainability in resource-rich developing economies with a history of political instability:
One of the world’s largest known deposits of untapped iron ore is buried inside a great, forested mountain range in the tiny West African republic of Guinea. In the country’s southeast highlands, far from any city or major roads, the Simandou Mountains stretch for seventy miles, looming over the jungle floor like a giant dinosaur spine. Some of the peaks have nicknames that were bestowed by geologists and miners who have worked in the area; one is Iron Maiden, Continue reading
Bird of the Day: Artic Tern (Portland Island, British Columbia)
If You Happen To Be In New York
Last time we mentioned this library, it was to raise some important questions; on a previous occasion to recommend a lecture; this time we recommend what looks like an important exhibition curated by Leonard S. Marcus:
The ABC of It is an examination of why children’s books are important: what and how they teach children, and what they reveal about the societies that produced them. Through a dynamic array of objects and activities, the exhibition celebrates the extraordinary richness, artistry, and diversity of children’s literature across cultures and time. Continue reading
Kovalam Beach- Kerala
Photo credits:Ramesh Kidangoor
Kovalam Beach is located in Thiruvananthapuram, which is the state capital of Kerala, and is only a short drive away from the local international airport. It is comprised of three adjacent crescent-shaped beaches, and is the sight of golden sand, rocky palm groves, and miles of shimmering sea. Continue reading
PhotoSingularities: Wild Boar
This photograph was taken in Parambikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala. This male boar was one of several dozen in a sounder (wild boar’s collective noun) seen from our vehicle at close proximity – we shared the road with them for some time and I was able to capture it from eye level before he wandered back into the forest.
Bird of the Day: White-bellied Blue Flycatcher
female – Thekkady, Kerala
Red Trumpet Lily
The Red Trumpet Lily is an ornamental flower commonly seen in the hill stations of Kerala that are above 800 meters. These plants bloom during the summer with group of flowers in each branch. Continue reading
Organikos 