Medical Power of the Banana leaf - Eat the South Indian Way

It is a time-honoured practice in Tamilnadu and other South Indian states to eat off a Banana leaf - (not a plate that is so typical now). The advantages of eating from a Banana leaf is manifold:
1. Hygiene - It is use and throw - there is no reuse - so you are ensured of hygiene and cleanliness. The leaf can be used only when it is fresh, so no question of "Old stocks". It is quite easy to grow a banana tree in the home - one can harvest a leaf just before a meal to have a very fresh leaf for the meal.
2. Medicinal properties - When hot food is served on the banana leaf, the food mildly absorbs the antioxidants and other friendly chemicals from the leaf and transmits it to the body in very small doses. These anti-oxidants are similar to what is found in Green Tea. So they enter the body effortlessly and work to prevent any stomach disorders, and prevent various other ailments.
3. Since its a use and throw, there is no need for post-meal washing - so no usage of soaps or water - how better could conservation become.
4. What happens to the used leaf? You can dump it in a nearby open space. If cows are sheep are in the vicinity, they will have a quick snack, if such bovine animals do not frequent the place, the leaves will decay and mingle with the soil in just a few days' time.

Once you plant a banana tree, it also gives rise to shoots of new baby banana trees, hence, they live on for ever, provided you give them space, and some water.
Hail our culture for influencing our lives in subtle but powerful ways.

A "Make in India" solution to our Farmers' Problems

India is an agrarian country. A good show in the agri. business is vital not only for the individual farmer, but for the entire nation. It is quite disturbing to see all kinds of news on how our agriculture sector is suffering. Of course, it becomes all the more complicated when people tend to view the whole problem with politically coloured eyes. It certainly is no solution to this challenge.

The biggest problem in agriculture today is the soil - the quality of soil needs to be maintained. The easier solution is to dump lots of urea and chemicals and fertilizers to ensure quality soil and thereby quality produce. Like all other quick-fix solutions, this approach has led to the ruining of our soil. 

Why not think about a "Make in India" solution to the problem? The time-tested approach in our country has been to use natural soil nourishing products, and what better than the cows' manure (aka Panchagavya). It is quite natural for the farmer to rear some cows. The cow dung, cow urine, milk, curd and ghee - the FIVE products(even the dung is a product! - such is the beauty of the cow) - together are used to compose the PANCHA- GAVYA (In Sanskrit, Pancha means five(5) and Gavya means that which is produced by the cow). In plants Panchagavya promotes growth, yield and immunity and is also an organic pesticide. 

Panchagavya can also be used for animals and humans. For animals, Panchagavya stimulates the production of anti-bodies increasing immunity. In humans, Panchagavya has been reported to increase appetite, heal wounds, and as a cure for psoriasis and white patches. 

This approach is closer to nature, a true "Make-in-India" recipe for our agri-crisis. It is sustainable in the long term, and absolves the farmer from depending on costly fertilizers and chemicals. 

Go Green- Go Clean- Go Panchagavya

(Incidentally, 'Go' in Sanskrit means COW)

Some interesting facts about recycling

Recycling is easy... and see the benefits

RECYCLE..SAVE NATURE

• It is believed that a ton of paper that is recycled saves 7000 gallons of water, 380 gallons of oil and as much electricity to electrify an average household for 6 months.
• One aluminium can recycling can save electricity needed to run a TV for 6 hours.
• Recycling one glass bottle saves as much electricity as to power a 100-watts bulb for 4 hours, so calculate the amount of energy one would save by using an energy saving bulb.

A solar light for the garden - Review on D-Light's KIRAN

With an obsession to going green, I ordered for D-Light company's KIRAN, touted as the world's cheapest Solar lamp (price being Under $ 10). After doing some online research, I found the solar lamp KIRAN online. The price is Rs.550 (INR). Here is a review on the product:

POSITIVES:

• It harnesses solar energy and is a one-time expense
• It looks really nice and can fit into your bedroom or drawing room more than the garden
• Light-weight (feather-weight)
• Single unit
• Has 2 lighting modes