'Cactus-194[1] ' by Paolo NaoAlso see, Wikipedia article on "Consumer Protection": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_protection
Courtesy: “Malligai Magal”, Tamil Monthly, March 2008 (“Useful News”) and Wikipedia.
'Cactus' by Paolo NaoAlso read Wikipedia articles on "Judiciary" and "Separation of Powers": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judiciary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_powers
Grateful thanks to Dr.Y.P.Joshi, The Hindu and Wikipedia.
'Cactus' by Paolo Nao The word fencing usually brings to mind along cement wall surrounding a plot of land or barbed steel wires attached to granite pillars around the periphery of the land.
For a variety of reasons, a small farm needs to be fenced. A fence marks the boundary of the farm and keeps away stray animals.
The investment for either constructing a wall or putting up steel wires is quite heavy. Small and marginal farmers cannot invest a huge sum for erecting such a fence.
Instead, Dr.G.Nammalvar, organic scientist, suggests that farmers can grow crops around their lands as a live fence.
“People who go for natural way of farming prefer to have a live fence,” he said. Even if it takes two or three years to complete such a task, the monetary investment is less and the fence becomes a long lasting one.
Usually thorny plants are grown to make a live fence. For example, bushes such as agave and cactus, creepers, and small shrubs (perennial bushes) are the most sought after ones. Besides, trees such as subabul and casuarinas can also be planted as a live fence.
But does not a live fence occupy more space and require care?”
“Yes, to an extent, live fence does occupy some more space than concrete structures, but it also gives us wild vegetables which are more nutritious and medicinal than the regular cultivated crops. This cannot be got from steel wires or concrete walls,” explained Dr.Nammalvar. A perennial bio-fencing with a width of 3 to 4 metres will be a boon to a farm. For example, bamboo can be ideally used as live fence material.
After four or five years, bamboo gives us building material for farm requirements and its leave a good fodder for cattle and goat.
“When we choose plants for bio-fencing it would be wise to choose multi purpose plants. Bio-fencing has one more role to play in the farming.
It can act as a wind breaker. During the summer months, it the dry wind enters the farm the soil moisture is carried away.
“A wind breaker breaks the speed of the wind and reduces the heat. Likewise in the winter season, it blocks the cold winds and saves the crop from damage due to frost, and reduces the damage from cyclones. Tree species such as subabul and casuarinas, if closely planted, will form very good wind breakers.
“The best purpose of having a live fence is that it serves as a shelter belt. This provides shelter for wild animals such as squirrels, rats, mongoose, hares, foxes and birds such as sparrow, cuckoo, mina, peacock and wild chicken,” he explained.
These wild animals help the farmer in plant protection by eating the pests on plants and by adding micro nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, nitrogen and phosphorus.
Also they help in converting organic and inorganic substances into elements needed for the growth of cultivated and uncultivated plants, according to him.
“We should keep in mind that we would not walk into the shelter belt frequently to encourage the wild friends to come and nest inside.
“They will bring seeds of plants from far off places and their excreta brings new kinds of micro organisms to our soil,” said Dr.Nammalvar.
A good example of a live-fence is at Kolunchi, centre for training and research on ecological food production located in Odugampatti village at a distance of 11 kilometers from Keeranur, Pudukkottai district.
It is established and maintained by Kudumbam, a Non-Governmental Organization engaged in LEISA (Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture).
For more information, readers can contact Dr.G.Nammalvar at No.17/9, 5th Cross, Srinivasa Nagar, Thiruvanaikkoil, Tiruchi-620005, Tamil Nadu. Email: nammalvar@gmail.com, mobile: 9442531699.
Courtesy: M.J.Prabhu (‘Role of a live fence in a small farm) and The Hindu, Madurai, April 24, 2008 (Agricutlure).
Also read Wikipedia article on "Fencing": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing
Grateful thanks to Mr.M.J.Prabhu, The Hindu and Wikipedia.
'Cactus' by Paolo Nao from
'Cactus' by Paolo Nao fromFear of death looms large in the lives of people. It is the fear of losing what we possess and also the fear of the unknown that makes death fearful to most of us. It seems sensible to seek the cover of security that life seems to offer and get involved in the attainments, agendas and desires relevant in this context rather than even think of death.
Swami Mitrananda pointed out in a lecture that the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita emphasizes the essence of intelligent living as a well-designed plan for a rewarding exit from this world. Lord Krishna makes it clear that death is inevitable to one who is born and it is necessary to remove any sense of fear towards the reality of death. Since the Lord assures that those who remember Him at the time of death surely will attain Him, the path for the spiritual seeker is clear – to constantly have thoughts of Him even while engaged in one’s daily duties. When a person dies, the soul attains that state which the mind had been contemplating at the time of death. Our past thoughts and actions determine our present birth and our future is determined by our present way of life. Our desires direct the mind and the body goes in pursuit of those thoughts. If our life is directed towards God, our mind directs us towards thoughts of God. One has to pay attention to these materials while living.
Since Vedanta is difficult to comprehend even when one’s intellectual and physical faculties are intact, it will be well nigh impossible to be grasped at the time of death. So the mind has to be trained to be in contemplation mode during one’s life time through sincere practice. If the lifetime is spent in the pursuit of wealth, one loses the chance to gain to higher knowledge of Vedanta that can win liberation. We get tossed in the finite world.
To get out of this endless cycle, one has to let go of attachments to people, places, possessions, etc. Practising detachment can help one to conquer fear of death, enabling one to face death with peace and no regrets. When desires are transcended, one gains the courage to lose what one has been attached to, even it be a mere pen or a coveted post that had been gained through tremendous effort.
Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, April 22, 2008 (Religion)
Grateful thanks to Swami Mitranandaji Maharaj and The Hindu for the wonderful article and Paolo Nao and the Public-Domain-Photos.com for freely providing the above photograph.
