Planting a green thought

As I entered my sisters house I heard my niece shriek and rush past me to the balcony. I ran behind her worried that she might be hurt. But little I did I understand the difference of a joyful shriek and painful shriek. Well my niece was indeed shrieking in joy about the development in the fenugreek plant she had planted a week back. She sat with me nearly for an hour listing out all the possible ways she can use the fenugreek for. This might sound like a cute story but what surprised me here was the ability of a nine year old to understand the importance of nurturing and caring for a tender plant. What we are looking forward with the next generation might be the compensation for  all the loss from the previous generations.

Barelysix  years old my nephew comes home with a sapling and asks me to accompany him in planting the sapling.This is the homework they are given these days.At a fragile age the kids are made to understand every step in the process of growing and protecting the plants. Gone are the days when kids used to swing with the banyan root. Kids these days are pointing out scientific reasons to why one should not swing with the banyan roots- swinging stops their growth. Surprising isn't it? Well partially we have to appreciate the role of schools played in helping the kids gain insight into the such complicated concepts in an easy way. The process of photosynthesis which I learnt through diagrammatic representations is know being taught to kids by asking them to grown a plant. Like always getting messy is fun for kids. Its like a little adventure and it doesn't stop there. They question and try to understand every bit of the process. They also go back and google to find more information about the plants.

Like learning about photosynthesis by actually growing a plant was not enough they only plant Tulsi, Mint and other such plants with medicinal properties. They have the tendency to observe and intake the information at one go and immediately they want to practically test it out. Its like they are being trained to be Ayurveda doctors as they already know what is the purpose of Tulsi and likes. The kind of activities they are involved also surrounds the topic of going green. A visit to the Vedanthangal to understand and study the various kinds of birds which migrate to Chennai. This is a mere weekend get away. If its summer vacation a visit to Nagarhole in Karnataka to walk in the dense jungle and understand the kind of environment the wild animals live in and also the occasional woos and awws at the colourful birds, butterflies and animals is worth every bit. And I learnt the types of wild animals through charts. The next time I meet my niece I wont be surprised if she feeds me with a spoon full of Kashayam for  bad cold.

It's a maaaaall wonder..

A city’s cool status has always been graded with the number of malls. Bangalore , Bombay, Gurgaon and our very own capital New Delhi has a mall in every street corner just like the petty shops in Chennai. But behold! We are no less cooler now. With the recent Express Avenue's (EA) vast land area and every international brand name splashed across the windows Chennai is now giving every other city malls a run for their money. Not to forget the stiff competition from emerging landmark of Nelson Manickam road - Ampa Skywalk. This five storied building captivates every passer by with big brands like W, Biba, Hush puppies and of course every woman's favorite - the Body shop. If these brands dont sound inviting then there is multiplex's like Escape and PVR cinemas which is sure to make you grab a tub of popcorn and tickets for your favorite movie. The chains of food stalls varying in cuisines lined up in the food court is sure a treat for your taste buds.

Growing up with this city has its advantages. Ten years back the only mall anyone ever related Chennai with was the good old Spencer plaza which till today stays as the one of the popular hangouts for the Chennaiites. This landmark build in the 1985 which was in the beginning a mere super market  is now  one of the oldest malls in India and has become the face of the city. Following this trend many malls like Alsa mall, Pattni plaza, Prince plaza etc dotted across the city. Though not the house hold of popular brands, these malls defined the city in a special way. These malls are definitely the birth mark of Chennai as they have developed with this city. Its hard to imagine Chennai without these landmarks. However Chennaiites have to thank Citi Centre for bringing into the big picture the amalgamation of shopping, food and cinema under one roof. Barely three years since its establishment the mall has been every Chennaiites favorite hangout spot.

Not to be satisfied with the presence of all this big and small malls the Chennaiites hunger for more malls will be met by another 15 malls likely to be built in the city in the near future. Almost near completion is the 48,000 square feet Chennai Central at Kadhar Nawaz Khan road which is a joint venture of SSPDL (Srinivas shipping and property development)  Ltd and Pantaloon. Chennai considered to be one of the conservative city of the metros is slowly starting to accommodate the modern temples of mall.

Licensed to chill

"You know? This whole ice age thing is getting old. You know what I could go for? A global warming." Sid, the sloth (voice by John Leguizamo)

The movie Ice age is all about the adventures of a giant ground sloth - Sid, a mammoth - Manny and a smilodon - Diego.This commputer animated movie by Blue Sky Studios, was directed by Carlos Saldanha and Chris Wedge adapted from a story by Michael J. Wilson. The movie was followed up with two sequels Ice age 2 or Ice age : The Melt Down and Ice age 3 or Ice age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs. The three movies showcase the journey Sid, Manny and Diego through three different eras. The Ice Age movies, which revolve around environment related problems have helped set a bench mark for other computer animated movies. Much critically appreciated and one of the biggest box office hits, this movie has wooed kids and adults alike.

Ice Age, the first movie was released in 2002. The new concept of mammals trying to save a human baby and to take him back to his father was not only accepted well by kids but also gave an insight to the idea that animals and humans can share a bond. The movie pictures the journey of Manny the mammoth’s migration to the north with a ground sloth named Sid following him and their adventures together when they find a human baby. During this journey they are joined by a Diego the smilodon who initially plans to lead them into a ambush setup by his herd but changes his mind when saved by Manny.  The movie ends by the three returning the baby to the humans.

This  movie, about the connection between three mammals and their connection with the humans, acts as an eyeopener about the ice age era brought alive through computer animation. The sub story of Scart, the squirrel and his efforts to save an prized acorn adds humor to the story. Everyone will agree to the fact that Scart is the silent hero of the movie who has simply impressed the audience purely with his actions.

The sequels take us through the meltdown (Ice Age 2) and the world of Dinosaurs (Ice Age 3). Ice Age 2 shows the meltdown of glaciers and ice which the animals don’t realize to be a harmful and just enjoy the pleasant sunny weather. A vulture tells them that a giant tree can save them and the animals set a journey in search of the tree. During this the three main characters Sid, Manny and Diego are joined by another three characters. Two opossum and Ellie, a mammoth who thinks she is a opossum. The journey is filled with action, love and overcoming fear and the flood situation together. However the third part of the movie The Dawn of the Dinosaurs surprised everyone with the ice age heroes finding out a world of Dinosaurs. Sid the sloth adopts three abandoned eggs and they hatch into baby Tyrannosaurus in the morning. Soon the mother of Tyrannosaurus takes her babies and kidnaps Sid. Manny and Ellie decide to save Sid and in the process discover a whole new world of Dinosaurs. The additional character, an one eyed insane weasel called Buck adds humor to the already funny movie.

Through out the three movies the audience is taken through the three different phases of the world from the past and are given an insight to what harm they have done to earth and its inhabitants. Ice Age has helped the kids understand complex problems in an easy and a funny way. Choosing three extinct animals as the main protagonists of the movie clearly states the purpose. The sub zero heroes are indeed the real heroes. 

Some of my favorite quotes from the movie

Freaky Mammal: Well, why don't they call it The Big Chill? Or The Nippy Era? I'm just sayin', how do we know it's an Ice Age?

Freaky Mammal: Because of all...

[ shouts]

Freaky Mammal: The *ice*!

Freaky Mammal: Well, things just got a little chillier.

[passing a Stonehenge-like structure]

Manfred: Modern architecture. It'll never last. 

Manfred: Mammoths can't go extinct; we're the biggest animals on Earth.

Diatryma Mom: Uh, what about the dinosaurs?

Manfred: The dinosaurs got cocky. They made enemies.  

Emerging Realtiy Of The Reel World

Tamil cinema world has continued to set an example of how movies can be used as a mirror to reflect the happenings in the society and this can be credited solely to the writers. From the days of Annadurai Tamil cinema has been influenced by great writers and their works .This trend set off in the early 1940’s. Velakari (1949), a movie based on class conflicts, written by Annadurai was not just a box office hit but the reception by the audience and the impact it created was strong. Each dialogue from the movie showcased the ill treatment of the poor by the rich. The famous “Sattam Oru Iruttarai. athiley vakkilin vaathamoru vilakku. anaal athu ezhaikku ettaatha vilakku" (The law is a dark room. In which the lawyer's arguments are like the lamp light, but the poor cannot get it) sums up the predicaments of the society in just two meaningful lines.

It will be apt to say that movies penned by writers like Kalaingar Karunanidhi has brought into light the black marks of society and has also influenced the audience to understand the complications in it. The movie Parasakthi’s climax dialogue delivered by Sivaji Ganesan not only provoked the emotional feelings of the audience but also conveyed the various forms of cruel elements in the society. The metaphor used by Kalaignar ‘Kodiyorgalin Kudaram’ to refer the state of society in the same movie clearly identifies the talent of a writer to put in the hard view in beautiful words.

Bhaskhar Sakthi, script writer of Vennila Kabadi Kulu, whose short novel is being made into a movie, Azhagar Samy Kuthirai voiced his opinion on a writer’s role in cinema by saying “A script is the back bone of a cinema. Cinema is a way for us to express and share our thoughts and lessons from life and this is what cinema is also about. However, perceptions differ from one writer to another and also the style of writing.” He also added his comment on books being adapted into movies by saying “Adaptation of books into movie takes the novel to the next higher step. It gives the book another dimension and certain areas are developed in the process of making the movie”.

The very first time Padma Bhushan ,Tamil literature winner,writer Jayakanthan’s Sila Nerangalil Sila Manithargal was adapted intoa  movie with the same title. Crazy Mohan who has penned lots of humors dramas and dialogues for movies has conveyed messages with a tone of humor. Also women writers like Anu Radha and Shiva Shankri having been contributing to the glory of Tamil Cinema.This clearly shows the growth time line of Tamil cinema world.From portraying a small issue like family conflicts to social problems like class and status conflicts up to the recent technologically sound movies like Endhiran Tamil cinema continues to prove itself as the hub of cinema and is growing towards the point of becoming an icon internationally.  Along with this phenomenal growth is the new found recognition and celebration of writers. Be it a lyricist or a script writers they are all getting their rightful share in the title credits.

Through the green lens

An ace cinematographer, an environmental activist, an Emmy award winner and a socially committed individual. Alphonse Roy is all this and more. He is the man behind many path breaking documentaries that we've seen in BBC and National Geography. He opens up about his 23 years of wildlife journey, the passion it takes to be a part of it and the future of it all.

Having studied at the Film and TV institute of Tamil Nadu, Chennai what made you take up wildlife cinematography?

I always wanted to be a Wildlife cinematographer. My father was a photographer for the railways and during my childhood days he used to take me to wildlife sanctuaries. So at a tender age I started developing an interest towards wild life. As a film institute student I was exposed to the technical aspects. This merger of interest and education in the field paved way for my successful career.

What is your opinion about wildlife cinematography as a career in India?

Wildlife Cinematography is a great career opportunity. To specialize in this patience is very important. I took nearly four years for me to complete my first movie on tigers. The viewership is good in India but what we are lacking is encouragement and the passion towards the field. How many of us have been to wildlife sanctuaries and spent a night or two there?  A very few of us and we give it minimum importance.  The kind of passion to go out and understand their world is the fundamental need for a wildlife cinematographer. If you have the passion for it you can do it.

Can you elaborate on the various special cameras you have used in your works? Especially about the Red Camera.

I started out with using the basic cameras. Then I moved on to High Definition cameras and I can tell you that Digital is the future. Red camera was used in one of my films ‘Anything for you’, directed by Anand Algappan. A red camera has an incredible resolution of 4 K.

What is the history behind the 14 feet tall Elephant Tripod?

The story of Elephant tripod is interesting. A wildlife cinematographer faces challenges everyday on field. One such challenge was to shoot tigers sitting on elephant backs. Tigers can’t be shot from ground level we have to do with the help of elephants. During this the shoots would get shaky as they constantly keep moving. I tried befriending an elephant and I would sit under its four legs and shoot. But this proved difficult for the long run. So thus I invented the 14 feet tall stool- the Elephant Tripod. I would climb on the elephant and shift to the 14 feet stool.

An AIDS awareness movie with the granddaughter of John F Kennedy, Rory Kennedy. A bit of a shift from wildlife, how did it feel?

It is a real life story and for this movie we watched the AIDS patients go through this. We had the whole story developed around a married couple where the husband is an AIDS patient and how they decide on having a baby and how their baby was born with AIDS too. The movie also contained the new drug developed which was given to the wife during her pregnancy and before her operation. It was a good experience overall.

You are a winner of the prestigious Emmy awards for the one-hour film ‘Tibet: The End of Time’. How was the experience?

I was quiet young when I received the award. To be quite honest I was not very excited and I dint know the value of it then. But thanks to my Friends in the USA, who started making noise about the award and t told me that an Emmy Award is equal to an Oscar. So it was after then I started hanging it up.

Your opinion about Green media?

I call it  flying in on borrowed feathers. Projecting the problems is great effort but what happens after that  is my real question? There should be some realistic activities. What is essential for the media to cover and inform is about the people who live near the sanctuaries. They are economically very backward and their state of livelihood is very sad. If you ask me why it is important to know about them it is simple. They are the people who live close to nature and they know how to protect it. So for us to protect them is important.

The Endangered Spirits

Monday evening as I sit down in front of my monitor filled with words in my mind for my next post I come across something in Google. A Polar bear, is he not cute? I get distracted as usual and click on the link to view the photo. But little did I know one click can open a different world. I entered the world of Spirit Bears. Be it the first time or the fifth time they will still look like polar bears. But they are not.What makes them unique? How can you differentiate? With too many questions in my mind I hit the search button. In an instant thousands of suggestions popped up. But Im going to consolidate the information , basically free you from the boring zoological terms.

Spirit Bears or the Kermode Bears  is a subspecies of the American Black Bear living in the central and north coast of British Columbia. What is the reason behind that particular fur type? They are not Albinos(partial pigmentation or absence of pigment), They are not related to Polar bears in any way nor are they related to the blond brown bears of Alaska. The colour morph is mainly because of recessive allele, which in simple terms means the dominance of one gene variant over another gene variant. The name Kermode comes after the researcher Francis Kermode, who researched the subspecies. Also what most of us dont know is that Kermode bears are the official animal of British Columbia. Now that we know the basics lets get to the complicated part.

Just like any other animal, spirit bears also have to fight for their life and space. 'Spirit bear faces pipeline threat' as I read the headlines from a news website my heart almost stops beating because it took hardly 15 minutes for me to discover this species and its endangerment. A proposed 1,172 km pipeline at the cost of $5.5bn in Canada from Kitimat to Bruderheim poses threat to one of the cute and nearly-extinct creatures on Earth. Will the selfishness of Homosapiens ever stop? But maybe I should not generalize it. When I'm here talking about Spirit bears and the fight for their living I should mention about Simon Jackson, the founder of Spirit Bear Youth Coalition.He has been fighting over 8 years now for the spirit bears. And how we can help better the situation is by spreading the information. I have done my part. Its upto you now.

In an era when the world sees the end of species that first brought life on earth, humans-the latest entry in the race for survival, cannot contain their avarice. As tigers and bears struggle to survive, the ungrateful sapien robs their basic right to life in an attempt to see an end to his never ending needs. But all it is, and will be, an attempt. Meanwhile, too much would have been lost, nature stripped of its right to create and pro-create.

Eco warriors of tomorrow

Kids these days!  We here almost every senior citizen giving the genx an accusing look for all the out of the box ideas and activities they are a part of. But what they don’t realize is that these kids are more aware of what is going on with the planet we all live in and are also working to clean the mess created so long ago.

We all know the growing need for being more environment friendly but it’s these kids who are not just aware of it but are working for it. A recent event which made me realize this was the SAARC chamber of women entrepreneur council’s Global Green Summit, a two day exhibition of Eco friendly products brought in from various countries across the globe. In this exhibition I could not help but notice one particular stall which had unusual plants. Unusual because it did not have roses or orchids, it had something more valuable like Tulsi and Mint. The friendly faces of the stall owners who are probably in their high school  flashing City coordinators badge got me more curious. As one started off about the medical properties of plants which are easy to grow in all our houses and how it is free from side effects unlike the anti biotic, my taste buds could not help but remember the good old grandmother kashayams. The surprise element of this stall was that there were plants like Tulsi, Mint, Betel leaves which is commonly found in the Indian kitchens for parathas but what we don’t know is that these plants carry the magic of curing the troublesome diseases. Thus I was introduced to the world of ‘Herbal Plants’ and many thanks to the kids. It does not stop here. These kids are part of an NGO which has been present in Chennai for more than 8 years which probably explains the mysterious city coordinator badge. They introduced me to a series of activities like turtle walks, sparrow nesting etc which they have been taking part in for years together and I was dumbfounded. 

This is a cause the whole world is talking about but these kids are acting, taking initiatives.  Aren’t they the true celebrities of tomorrow?