Sustainable living is a method of reducing one’s “carbon footprint”. In this life style people learn to minimize their use of Earth’s resources and reduce the personal and environmental impact. It also includes healthy organic food choices.
Sustainable living means we prioritize the use of natural and renewable resources instead of creating excess waste and depleting environmental resources for future generations. Sustainable living can counteract climate change and other negative environmental concerns happening from human activity of exploiting natural resources.
Sustainable living is a practical life style choice or philosophy that aims to reduce personal and environmental impact by making positive changes.
More precisely, sustainable living is a method of reducing one’s “carbon footprint”.
In this life style people learn to minimize their use of Earth’s resources and reduce the personal and environmental impact.
Sustainability or sustainable living was an idea proposed to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.
Living sustainably means” curb expenditure” in order to protect and improve our environment.”
The natural resource base to supply food is being threatened by overfishing, land degradation, and more human activities exploiting natural resources. All these unbridled exploitations are polluting the world’s freshwater supplies faster than nature can purify them, and excessive use of water is contributing to global water stress. And household energy usage is contributing to 21 percent of consequential CO2 emissions.
A few sustainable living options
· Empower organic farmers & people with agricultural and financial support they needed to make a fair living without cutting down trees.
· Don’t use plastic bags at checkout. Instead, take your own bags for groceries.
· Buy your grains & groceries in bulk from your local farmer’s markets.
· Avoid buying plastic-wrapped products, opt for a paper bag instead.
· Stop buying bottled water. Use your own steel or glass bottles filled with water.
· Shop at bulk food stores for any goods, avoid frequent food travels. Better take products in your own jars or bags.
· Take your own paper bags or a container when buying snacks .
· Support fashion brands that are ethical and environmentally conscious.
· Learn how to find sustainable materials when shopping.
· Go paperless to avoid deforestation or falling down trees for making paper.
· Opt to receive digital letters and notices.
· Send electronic wedding invitations.
· Collect scrap paper in a tray.
· Turn off your computer before leaving work.
· Get rid of your home printer.
· Unplug workstation from ports overnight to reduce phantom power.
· If you need business cards, use an eco-friendly printer.
· Add small pot plants to your workspace. Adopt green office environment
· Always use double-sided printing where possible.
· Juice the off-cuts of your vegetables and fruits.
· Repurpose glass jars usage.
· Use washable metal straws instead of disposable plastic straws.
· Limit the use of hot water when hand washing dishes.
· Use cloths instead of paper towels.
· Make your own coffee instead of buying takeaway.
· Ditch your bin liner or use newspaper instead.
· Start composting the vegetable and food waste.
· Reduce your food waste by eating only what you need.
· Invest in a pressure cooker and reduce your cooking time and save energy.
Rock arts of prehistoric era-The genesis of art in Indian subcontinent
The origin of Indian art can be traced back to prehistoric settlements in the 3rd millennium BCE. Indian subcontinent has many rock art forms. The ancient art forms include rock paintings and engravings of prehistoric people . Later with the growth of civilizations terracotta figurines emerged as part of the culture and arts . Archeological studies denote that religious beliefs and daily life activities were portrayed in these art forms.
Rock arts of prehistoric era
Rock art of India includes rock relief carvings, engravings and paintings, some from the South Asian Stone Age. It is estimated there are about 1300 rock art sites with over a quarter of a million figures and figurines. The earliest rock carvings in India were discovered by Archibald Carlleyle, although his work only came to light much later via J Cockburn.
Rock arts commonly depicted scenes of human life , animals, and hunts with stone implements. Although the topics of artistic expression were the same , their artistic style varied with region and age. The prominent feature of these art forms was a red wash made using a powdered mineral called geru, which is a form of iron oxide.
With the emergence of civilizations the art forms also progressed in style as well as in the materials used .
Terracotta figurines of Indus valley civilization [3300 BCE – c. 1750 BCE]
The archeologists have found a large number of gold, terracotta and stone figurines of girls in dancing poses from relics of Indus valley civilizations. They reveal the presence of some forms of dance prevailed during that period. The terracotta figurines from here also included cows, bears, monkeys, and dogs.
Seals have been found at Mohenjo-Daro depicting a figure standing on its head, and another, on the Pashupati Seal, sitting cross-legged in a yoga-like pose. Thousands of steatite seals have been recovered, and their physical character is fairly consistent. In size they range from 3⁄4 inch to 11⁄2 inches square. The most famous seal piece is the bronze Dancing Girl of Mohenjo-Daro, which shows remarkably advanced modelling of the human figure of this period.
It is surprising that after the end of the Indus Valley Civilization, there is an absence of art of any great degree of sophistication until the Buddhist era. It is presumed that this partly reflects the use of perishable organic materials such as wood during this period and those degradable artefacts faded into oblivion overtime.
Vedic art
During vedic period , there is sheer absence of anthropomorphical depictions. Anthrapomorphism is the attribution of human traits, emotions, or intentions to non-human entities. Animal-shaped works of art represent the earliest known evidence of anthropomorphism.
Mauryan art (c. 322 BCE – c. 185 BCE)– Ancient Indian art
Mauryan sculpture and architecture is characterized by a very fine Mauryan polish given to the stone, which is rarely found in later periods. Many small popular terracotta animal and human figurines of these kinds are recovered by archeologist. The Pillars of Ashoka is another monumental art form of this period, which showed a confident and boldly mature style and craft and first of its kind iron casting without rust until date.
Sharavati is one of the well known rivers flowing through Karnataka state ,India and major part of the river basins lies in the western ghats.
Sharavati river flows through Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada districts of Karnataka. The river is around 128 km long and it joins the Arabian Sea at Honnavar in Uttara Kannada district.
On its way to Arabian Sea, the Sharavati forms the Jog Falls [ in Siddapur taluk ,Uttarakannada district] where the river falls from a height of 253 m.
The river is dammed at Linganamakki. This part of the river above the dam is upstream and the remaining is downstream. The Linganamakki dam located in the Sagar taluk has a length of 2.4 km and was constructed across the Sharavati river in 1964.
The major tributaries of the river are Nandihole, Haridravathi, Mavinahole, Hilkunji, Yennehole, Hurlihole, and Nagodihole
Origin of the river and myth
Indian geography and landscapes are intricately connected with mythology, epics and religious sentiments of the country. As Diana .L. Huc describes in her book ‘ India a sacred geography ‘ each and every landscapes including rivers, mountains and forests of this land are elaborately linked to the stories of gods & heroes of myths & epics. The Sharavati river also is not an exception to this sacred connection.
Sharavati originates at a place called Ambutheertha in the Thirthahalli taluk. According to ancient legend, the Hindu god Rama [ Of epic Ramayana] shot at the ground with his Ambu (arrow) to quench the thirst of his consort sita devi. When his arrow hit the ground, water[ Thirtha] poured out. This location of origin of the River is known as thirthahalli [ which translates into” A hamlet of water”]. The river which originated from an arrow later known as “Sharavati” as “Shara” translates to arrow.
Indian subcontinent has an amazing number of myths and legends, rituals and festivities connected with its geography & landscape. It denotes that ancient people of India had given supreme reverence to nature and regarded everything they received from nature as gifts of God. In Indian subcontinent the landscapes are not only connected with Hinduism, but also they have been linked to Buddhism, Jainism and various other religions of the subcontinent. If the historical geography of any particular landscape is studied it may point out that the rivers, mountains and other landscapes were part of many literary documents.
Sharavati river basin- Climate, Biodiversity ,Wild life
The river basin lies in Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga districts of Karnataka,India. The Sharavati river basin gets a large amount of rainfall. Mean annual rainfall ranges from 6000 mm in the western side to 1700 mm in the eastern side of the basin. Monsoon in July fills the river abundantly.
Generally the climate is cool [22.2degree Celsius]. Humidity exceeds 75% for most times of the year. During the months of monsoon, the relative humidity during the afternoons is approximately 60%.
The Sharavati river basin is rich in biodiversity. In a survey conducted in the basin, 23 amphibians belonging to the families of Bufonidae, Ichthyophiidae, Microhylidae, Ranidae and Rhacophoridae were recorded.
The Sharavati waters contain a few special species of fishes which are named after the river.These include:
Batasio sharavatiensis: A bagrid catfish discovered near Jog Falls, Uttara Kannada district.
Schistura sharavatiensis: A fish species discovered in Sharavati river near Algod, Shimoga district.
Two new species of diatoms were also discovered from Hirebhaskeri Dam of Sharavati River in 2011.
A part of the Sharavati river basin was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 20 April 1972
Sharavati wildlife sanctuary
The river basin is home to many species of plants and animals. Due to the presence of rich biodiversity a part of the Sharavati river basin was declared as a wildlife sanctuary on 20 April 1972. The wild life sanctuary is spread over an area of 431.23 km2 , it has dense evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. The vegetation here ibnclude evergreen, semi-green and some moist deciduous forests.
Trees in the evergreen forest include species such as Dipterocarpus indicus, Calophyllum tomentosum, Machilus macrantha, Caryota urens and Aporosa lindleyana. In the semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forests, common species include Lagerstroemia lanceolata, Hopea parviflora, Dalbergia latifolia, Dillenia pentagyna, Careya arborea, Emblica officinalis, Randia sp., Terminalia sp. and Vitex altissima.
The altitude in the sanctuary varies from 94 m to 1102 m, the highest point being Devarakonda on the southern edge of the sanctuary.
Linganamakki reservoir
Linganamakki reservoir, with an area of 128.7 km2 , is a part of this sanctuary. The remaining area has been divided into core zone (74.33 km2.), buffer zone (170.67 km2) and tourism zone (57.53 km2). Honnemaradu is an island on the reservoir formed by the Linganamakki dam. It is located in the Sagar taluk of Shimoga district. This place is popular for water sports, such as canoeing, kayaking and wind surfing.
The wild life including the animal species is varied in the sanctuary. It is home to the endangered lion-tailed macaque. Other mammals include tiger, leopard (black panther), wild dog, jackal, sloth bear, spotted deer, sambar, barking deer, mouse deer, wild boar, common langur, bonnet macaque, Malabar giant squirrel, giant flying squirrel, porcupine, otter and pangolin.
Reptiles are also part of the wildlife here and include king cobra, python, rat snake, crocodile and monitor lizard. Sharavati river basin wild life sanctuary has numerous birds also. Some of the avian species include hornbill, paradise flycatcher, racket-tailed drongo and Indian lories and lorikeets.
How to reach Sharavati river basin?
Nearest airport is Mangalore international airport. The distance by road from Manglore to sharavati is 200km. You can also reach from Bangalore airport.[274km].
References
A Walk on the Wild Side, An Information Guide to National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries of Karnataka, Compiled and Edited by Dr. Nima Manjrekar, Karnataka Forest Department, Wildlife Wing, October 2000
Dementia is a medical term which denotes impaired ability to remember, think, or make decisions that interferes with doing everyday activities. Around more than 55 million people suffer from dementia globally. Currently Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
In this disorder of brain there is destruction or degeneration of nerve cells of brain. The end result of this degeneration is deterioration in cognitive function (i.e. the ability to process thought) . This state can not be compared with age related degenerative changes in brain and gradual loss of memory and other brain functions. It is more complex than the age-related changes in cognition.
The consciousness is not affected in this disorder of brain. Some kind of changes in mood, emotional control, behavior, or motivation occur in most of the dementia affected people before or after the impairment in cognition or functions of brain.
Who are affected more with dementia?
It is believed that dementia runs in families sometimes. But we cannot conclude that every case of dementia may have a history of occurrence of the disease in the family. Briefly, there wouldn’t be a positive family history in all types of dementia.
This neurocognitive disorder seems to be linked with some ethnic groups.
Older African Americans are twice more likely to have dementia than whites. Hispanics 1.5 times more likely to have dementia than whites.
It has been found that dementia rate is accelerated by some habits in people such as smoking. Smoking can enhance the risk for dementia.
What are the different types of dementia?
Alzheimer’s disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for 60 to 80 percent of cases. The risk increases by 10 to 30 percent if te disease is present among family members.
Vascular dementia
About 10 percent of dementia cases are happening after strokes or other impediments with blood flow to the brain. This is known as vascular dementia. Diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are risk factors for vascular dementia.
Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia is another type of dementia associated with memory loss, balance problems, stiffness or trembling.
Fronto-temporal dementia
Fronto-temporal dementia is a special type of dementia linked with changes in personality and behavior because of changes in specific brain areas. In people with this dementia behavior is affected worst. They may make offensive comments without any reason. Also neglecting responsibilities at home or work is common in these patients. Their language skills like speaking or understanding also affected.
In some people more than one type of dementia may coexist, particularly in people aged 80 and older. Dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease and stroke may occur in the same person. This is called mixed dementia.
Other reversible causes of dementia include side effect of medication, increased pressure in the brain, vitamin deficiency, and thyroid hormone imbalance etc.
Dementia is currently the seventh leading cause of death and one of the major causes of disability and dependency among older people globally.
Risk factors for dementia
· Old age (more common in those 65 or older)
· high blood pressure (hypertension)
· high blood sugar (diabetes)
· Overweight or obesity
· Smoking
· drinking too much alcohol
· Physical inactivity
· Social isolation
· Depression
How does dementia affect the quality of life of a person?
Dementia affects the potentials of a person & quality of life .
It affects:
· Memory
· Attention
· Communication
· Reasoning, judgment, and problem solving
· Visual perception beyond typical age-related changes in vision
Signs that may indicate dementia include:
· Getting lost in a familiar neighborhood
· Using unusual words to refer to familiar objects
· Forgetting the name of a close family member or friend
· Forgetting old memories
· losing or misplacing things
· getting lost when walking or driving
· being confused, even in familiar places
· losing track of time
· difficulties solving problems or making decisions
· Losing the ability to do things independently.
Changes in mood and behavior also follow or precede the main symptoms of dementia and these include:
· anxious, sad, or angry mood about memory loss
· personality changes
· inappropriate behavior
· withdrawal from work
· indifferent to social activities
· not interested in other people’s emotions
Complications of dementia memory loss
Usually most of the symptoms of dementia worsen over time, while a few symptoms diminish for a particular period or only occur in the later stages of dementia.
As the disease progresses, the ability to do things independently decreases.
Dementia has physical, psychological, social and economic impacts.
The people affected with dementia fail to recognize family members or friends.
There can be loss of control over their bladder and bowls.
They may have trouble eating and drinking .Aggressive behavior may happen in dementia and it will be troublesome to care givers and the patient too.
How can you suspect dementia ?
The diagnosis of dementia requires observation of a change from a person’s usual mental functioning and a greater cognitive decline than what is caused by normal aging. There should be considerable change in memory and other cognitive brain functions in a greater degree to suspect dementia.
The symptoms observed by the relatives or care givers is important . Dementia is more serious than the age related changes in memory and thinking capacity. However the problem requires some lab investigations and imaging studies to confirm or rule out it.
Diagnosis is usually based on history of the illness and cognitive testing with imaging studies [ MRI, CT scans]. Blood tests may be done to rule out other probable but reversible causes.
What is the treatment available for managing dementia?
The treatment is decided based on the type of dementia and the underlying causes. So the primary step is to identify the causes of this brain disorder.
In vascular dementia stroke is the cause of dementia. It is addressed with post stroke medications, nutrition and exercise programs.
Alzheimer’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder with genes as its most probable cause. There is no effective cure till date.
Recently oxidative stress by free radicals has been implicated with significance. Therefore the role of nutrition and antioxidant rich food is included in the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Being physically active or taking part in activities and social interactions that stimulate the brain and maintain daily function is important in prevention as well as management of dementia.
Medications
Some medications in modern or conventional medicine can help manage dementia symptoms.
Cholinesterase inhibitors like donepezil are used to treat Alzheimer disease.
NMDA receptor antagonists like memantine are used for severe Alzheimer disease and vascular dementia.
Medicines to control blood pressure and cholesterol can prevent further damage to the brain due to vascular dementia consequent to stroke.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) can help with severe symptoms of depression in people living with dementia if lifestyle and social changes found ineffective. In aggressive dementia patients who are at risk of hurting themselves or others, medicines like haloperidol and risperidone can help.
All the medications are to be recommended by a board certified healthcare provider after careful analysis of each person having dementia. Do not take over the counter medications.
Complementary & alternative system of medicine
Following therapies are available to mitigate the psychological, behavioral and speech related problems.
· Occupational therapy
· Speech therapy
· Mental health counseling.
· Music or art therapy
· Homeopathy
Homeopathy offers some medicines to improve the symptoms of cognitive decline. Here also the underlying cause of the condition is taken into account to decide treatment.
The stupas, temples, viharas, and stambha monuments at Sanchi in Madhyapradesh,India are among the oldest and most relevant examples of aniconic arts and free-standing architecture that comprehensively document the history of Buddhism in ancient India.
Dr.Sanjana p Souparnika
Sanchi Stupa is a Buddhist complex, famous for its Great Stupa, on a hilltop at Sanchi Town in Raisen District of the State of Madhya Pradesh, India. It is located 46 kilometres (29 mi) north-east of Bhopal, capital of Madhya Pradesh.
The stupas, temples, viharas, and stambha at Sanchi in central India are among the oldest and most mature examples of aniconic arts and free-standing architecture that comprehensively document the history of Buddhism from the 3rd century BCE to the 12th century CE. It is an important monument of Indian Architecture originally commissioned by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century BCE. The stupa at Sanchi built during the Mauryan period was made of bricks.
The monuments at Sanchi now comprise a series of Buddhist monuments starting from the Mauryan Empire period (3rd century BCE), continuing with the Gupta Empire period (5th century CE), and ending around the 12th century CE. It is probably the best preserved group of Buddhist monuments in India.
The oldest, and also the largest monument, the Great Stupa also called Stupa No. 1, initially built under the Mauryans, and adorned with one of the Pillars of Ashoka
Sanchi is the center of a region with a number of stupas, all within a few miles of Sanchi. These include
Satdhara (9 km to the W of Sanchi]
The Relics of Sariputra and Mahamoggallana
Bhojpur (also called Morel Khurd, a fortified hilltop with 60 stupas11km away)
Andher (17 km SE of Sanchi)
Sonari (10 km SW of Sanchi)
Saru Maru stupa [ 100 km away ]
Bharhut is 300 km to the northeast.
During the reign of under the Shungas and the Satavahanas, the Great Stupa was enlarged and decorated with gates and railings, and smaller stupas were also built in the vicinity, especially Stupa No.2, and Stupa No.3
Sanchi monuments were rediscovered by the British colonialists general Henry Taylor in 1818.The first excavation of this site was done under the supervision of Major Alexander Cunningham in 1851.
The architecture of great stupa at Sanchi
The “Great Stupa” at Sanchi is the oldest structure and was originally commissioned by the emperor Ashoka the Great of the Maurya Empire in the 3rd century BCE.
Its nucleus was a hemispherical brick structure built over the sacred relics of the Buddha, with a raised terrace encompassing its base, and a railing and stone umbrella on the summit, the chatra, a parasol-like structure symbolizing high rank.
The original Stupa only had about half the diameter of today’s stupa at Sanchi , which is further enhanced by the Sungas. It was covered in brick, unlike the stones that now cover it.
During the later rule of the Shunga, the stupa was expanded with stone slabs to almost twice its original size. The dome was flattened near the top and crowned by three superimposed parasols within a square railing. With its many tiers it was a symbol of the dharma, the Wheel of the Law. The dome was set on a high circular drum meant for circumambulation, which could be accessed via a double staircase. A second stone pathway at ground level was enclosed by a stone balustrade.
Myths & history associated with Sanchi stupa
According to one version of the Mahavamsa, the Buddhist chronicle of Sri Lanka, The emperor Ashoka is closely linked with the region of Sanchi. It is believed that While he was heir-apparent and was journeying as Viceroy to Ujjain, he is said to have halted at Vidisha (10 kilometers from Sanchi), and there married the daughter of a local banker who was named as Devi. Sanchi was the venue of Devi and Ashoka’s wedding.
The original construction work of this stupa was overseen by Ashoka. In the 1st century BCE, four elaborately carved toranas (ornamental gateways) and a balustrade encircling the entire structure were added.
Inscriptions
Sanchi, especially Stupa 1, has a large number of Brahmi inscriptions. Although most of them are small and mention donations, they are of great historical significance. James Prinsep in 1837, found that most of them ended with the same two Brahmi characters. Princep took them as “danam” (donation), which permitted the decipherment of the Brahmi script.
An analysis of the deciphered scripts denote that most of the donors were from Ujjain, Vidisha, Kurara, Nadinagar, Mahisati, Kurghara, Bhogavadhan and Kamdagigam. Three inscriptions are known from Yavana (Indo-Greek)donors at Sanchi,. The script denoting which reads “Setapathiyasa Yonasa danam” (“Gift of the Yona of Setapatha”), Setapatha being an uncertain city.
The art of Sanchi
The art of Sanchi developed considerably in the 1st century BCE/CE and is thought to predate the blooming of the Greco-Buddhist art of Gandhara, which went on to flourish until around the 4th century CE.
The art of Sanchi is considered as the ancestor of the didactic forms of Buddhist art that would follow, such as the art of Gandhara. The Buddhist monuments at Sanchi contain an appreciable concentration of early Indian artistic techniques and Buddhist art, referred to as its Anionic School or Phase. Depicting Buddha through symbols, the sculpted art shows the evolution in sculpting techniques and the elaboration of icons, especially depicting Buddha.
Ashoka pillar
A pillar of finely polished sandstone, one of the Pillars of Ashoka, was also erected on the side of the main Torana gateway. The bottom part of the pillar still stands. The upper parts of the pillar are at the nearby Sanchi Archaeological Museum. The capital consists in four lions, which probably supported a Wheel of Law.
The pillar has an Ashokan inscription (Schism Edict)[13] and an inscription in the ornamental Sankha Lipi from the Gupta period.[6] The Ashokan inscription is engraved in early Brahmi characters. It is unfortunately much damaged, but the commands it contains appear to be the same as those recorded in the Sarnath and Kausambi edicts, which together form the three known instances of Ashoka’s “Schism Edict”. It relates to the penalties for schism in the Buddhist sangha:
… the path is prescribed both for the monks and for the nuns. As long as (my) sons and great-grandsons (shall reign; and) as long as the Moon and the Sun (shall endure), the monk or nun who shall cause divisions in the Sangha, shall be compelled to put on white robes and to reside apart. For what is my desire? That the Sangha may be united and may long endure.
Now Sanchi group of monuments are owned by the Government of India and is conserved, prot
ected, maintained, and managed by the Archaeological Survey of India under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act (1958
Sanchi Monument listed by UNESCO
Currently , around fifty monuments remain on the hill of Sanchi, including three main stupas and several temples. The monuments have been listed among other famous monuments in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1989.
How to reach Sanchi?
The nearest airport is Bhopal which is 55 km away from it. Trains are available from Bhopal and Rani Kamlapati to Sanchi railway station.
