Apocalypse

                 It is not unlikely that the world may come to an end in 2012. The risk factors are pretty high, according to the show ‘Apocalypse’ that aired on the Discovery channel. I should admit that watching Discovery channel is not my cup of tea, but I stumbled upon the show when I was flipping channels aimlessly during one night. The show investigated various possibilities that can trigger the doomsday, anytime around 2012.
                  The dramatic narration of the show coupled with the various sequences from the film ‘2012’ effectively fortified the gravity of the situation it was trying to portrait.  The programme depicted vivid images of the sun, earth, atmosphere and the galaxy, which added to the intriguing appeal of the show.

              Dec 21, 2012 was mentioned specifically, as the end date of Mayan calender and as the day on which the sun will perfectly align between the earth and the centre of galaxy. The sun will eclipse the earth from a vital energy, believed to be needed for earth’s survival. But scientists refute this concept, saying that no such vital force was proven to actually exist and the galactic alignment had occurred previously around 1998 with no appalling effects.

                    The initial theory was the terrible effects of solar flares, incredibly high energy releasing explosions in sun’s atmosphere, which can be clearly seen among the spectacular images of the surface of sun. The shock waves of the traveling solar energetic particles interfere with earth’s magnetic field, creating strong auroras or lights at the poles. This geomagnetic storm could destroy satellites, abruptly vanishing GPS services that could lead to incidents like plane crashes. The waves could result in the breakdown of power grid and electrical systems and could create a total black out, which would take about 4 to 10 years to recuperate.

                      Scientists are of the opinion that the earth’s magnetic field is becoming weaker as a result of this electromagnetic interference. The solar particles will accumulate and nitrates formed as a result could deplete the ozone layer. The photosynthetic ability of plants and planktons in sea would be lost, leading to the disruption of food chain and ecosystem.

                      The influence of the electromagnetic radiation over the earth’s magnetic field could lead to shifts in the tectonic plates. That spells out massive earth quakes followed by huge tsunami waves, capable of wiping out some of the prominent cities in the world, since most of them are located near the sea.

                       Other spontaneous factors include volcanic eruptions, especially of a volcano in Canary Islands called Cumbre Vieja. An unascertained eruption would dip a substantial portion of the island into sea, generating mega tsunami with sea waves rising up to 3000 feet, not to mention the accompanying earth quakes.

                        Most people who visit the Yellow stone National park in USA do not know that the park harbours one of the super volcanoes in the world. Eruptions of super volcanoes are several thousands of folds compared to normal ones and this particular one could annihilate the entire North America. It could even cause a change in earth’s rotation. The dust would spread towards all parts of the world, taking years to clear. This would be catastrophic for the survival of life.

                         Another doomsday theory involves an impending collision with the planet X, an imaginary planet which is supposed to be causing a wobbling in other planets of solar system, a phenomenon which cannot be attributed to any other factors. But this is quite unlikely.

                          Concluding session of the show concentrated on the probability for these events to occur specifically in 2012, with most scientists agreeing that the chances are pretty slim. Mayan culture experts say that there are still people who follow Mayan beliefs and customs and they do not see the final day of their calendar as an end, but interprets it as a new beginning after an end of a cycle.

                          The show never touched upon issues related to man – made situations like global warming. Nevertheless, the show was very fascinating to watch and kept its captivating pace till the end. And the bottom line came to this:

Dec 21, 2012 – the chances of it being a doomsday is the same as any other day.

A night with bed bugs

                     I have never been attacked so brutally in my life like this. Especially at night. The culprits were blood sucking vicious creatures who terrorized me throughout the hours of dark, without giving me a wink of sleep. I should say that this was my first experience with bed bugs, since I have not encountered them in such severity ever before in my years.

                       It all happened in one of my frequent shuttles between the garden city and god’s own country, during which you usually board the bus at night, drift comfortably to sleep and happily get off to work in dawn with a yawn. On that fateful night I embarked on one of the grand vehicles of SPS Tours and Travels, wearing clothes which had slits at the sides. After the initial hustle of getting used to the seat and securely putting off luggage, I settled for a good night’s sleep.

                     Around half an hour after the lights were turned off, I felt sharp stings like mosquito bites over my feet and near the sides of my body. I stated them as mosquito bites since the thought of bed bugs never occurred to me, considering the grandeur of the bus and the ticket fee. Half conscious in sleep, I started the process of picking the little pests off my body without realizing them as bed bugs. Then the severe attack started as more and more of the sanguivorous creatures started quenching their thirst from the same wound from where I had removed them just then.

                     Neither could I sleep that night, nor could I sit comfortably in my seat as I was so engrossed in the activity of removing them. I realized people around me are shifting uneasily in their positions, definitely under the same assault. But what intrigued me was the fact that nobody wanted to voice their protest or say a few words regarding the issue to the authorities.

                     To my astonishment, I met another passenger during one of my trips who had a similar experience in one of the vehicles of the same agency. And I found similar horror stories in the web, mainly transcripts of people who wanted to discuss about it. I hope the agency takes some measures to curb the situation considering the fee they were charging for luxury travel.

An unexpected rendezvous with GROW Vasu

                     The man sat in his allotted seat in the train with a grace, impervious to the stares thrown by the people around him. He appeared lean, but when he spoke he radiated an aura that captivated the listeners. It was unbelievable that a man like Ayinoor Vasu, who had to cart the memories of aggressive experiences, could project such calm and elegance. He is also known as GROW Vasu since he was the leader of Gwalior Rayons Workers’ Organisation or GROW.

                    After much prodding, he started to talk. Even in his eighties, his voice was strong when he spoke passionately about the adivasis. He was proud of the developmental strides made by the once oppressed race. ‘The conditions of thousands of adivasi families improved as a result of the rebellion by Varghese and his colleagues. The slavery was stopped for once and for all. Their children are now doctors and engineers.’ His voice ringed with satisfaction.

                     He had to endure about seven and a half years in jail, five years due to an extended remand and the rest around the emergency period, when he was caught in the jail premises itself following the release after five years. He remembers the time he spent alone in the Wayanad forests, when he lived only on fruits and natural spring water for about five days. He says that the only thing worried him was the thorns, since mostly the movement was during nights as the forest was surrounded by police and CRPF. Using binoculars and a compass, he found a way out of the jungle to a tea estate. He narrates the events after being caught by the police and then being beaten brutally. ‘I barely escaped death’, he says simply.

                    The present rural scenario of India disheartens him. ‘There are about 8 states India whose people are well below the poverty line. The condition in West Bengal is the same. They are people who are earning only twenty to thirty rupees. People under BPL are deprived of land and even what they have. No wonder there are rebellions from Maoists. They are in the same state as we were about 20 to 30 years ago.’ He says that it is the duty of the government and the society to uplift such downtrodden people. He also quotes that “Every nation has the government it deserves”, by Joseph de Maistre, the French diplomat and philosopher.

                   He recounts incidents with excellent memory, complete with dates and year, astonishing for a man of such age. His formal education was only up to fifth standard but he had read extensively from his native library which accounts for the excellent vocabulary and knowledge he imparts. He lives his life by his own principles. He is an atheist, but a humanitarian who firmly believes in moral values of love, kindness and compassion.

                 Looking back at his life, he feels complete satisfaction to reach at this stage of life after wading through such terrible paths in his lifetime. He is not married and lives atop his small shop which sells footwear and umbrella. Even though his life is impregnated with events defining the history of Kerala, he says he has no time for an autobiography as he is so engrossed in local humanitarian activities.

                   He carries small paper clippings of events related to Rajan case. He is still working to fulfil his promise towards Eechara warrior, who wants his son’s funeral rites to be done using a part of earth from where his son was buried.