I herd Pink Floyd - Comfortably num.
Kind of..Wish you were here.
The first one was Queen I want to Break Free..Second Pinkfloyd.Then I decided to write about it when Thrill Is Gone. -B.B.King and Tracy Chapman played.
Have you ever remembered what you heard today? Well if you do listern then you would. Some people watch news, some worship, some do do what not.
I listern to music.
So what did you hear tonight....?
Monday, October 22, 2007
Wednesday, October 03, 2007
Raid De Himalaya 2007.
The 9th Raid De Himalaya was flagged of from Shimla on 2nd October 2007. The raid is one of the toughest motor sport events in the world. Though the participation is not as great as Dakar but the terrain and difficulty level is equal to any other top rated rally in the world. The raid is provably the only moptorsport event that runs through altitude as high as 5259 meters at Khardung La which is also the official highest motorable road in the world. The event covers almost 2400 Kilometers in seven days and is the real test of man and machine.
The raid this year is running in seven legs/stages .
Day 1- Leg 1: 2nd October 2007
After being flagged off from Shimla the raid went through nine sections throughout the day, 5 transport and four competitive. The day is a real long one and the raiders ride almost 400 kilometers.
On the first day the raid dose not pass through the toughest route still the day is full of excitement and rally thrills as the raid dose not take the normal highway route from Shimla to Manali instead it goes through some of the most unseen roads in Himachal.
Day one saw a large number of accidents and disqualifications in the first stage riding on two wheels VIKRAM V. RAO(BIKE # 117) got disqualified after mechanical failure on his bike, German rider JOACHIM VON LOEBEN(BIKE # 143) got lost on the way and did not make it in the given time, BIKE # 131 KURIEN PHILLIP riding YAMAHA RX 135 got left out with issues on the bike. KHUSHWANT RANDHAWA (CAR # 10) in his car blew a gasket and had to pack his bags.
Stage two from KHADRALA to UMLADWAR was no better and claimed ten raiders. DILIP RAMESH(BIKE # 132) was the first one followed by experienced ANIL WADIA(CAR # 4) with a broken differential unit. CAR # 15 driven by MAAN S CHAMBYAL was the first to go off the road both the driver and co driver were attended by Life Saving Ambulance(LSA) and are fine. BIKE # 136 RAJAN SIDHU went off road as well but was back on the bike with the organizers help. CAR # 7 with army entry MAJOR RAJESH PAWAR rolled off both drivers were lucky to have escaped scratch less, thanks to the strict safety standards required. JASBIR SINGH RANDHAWA (CAR # 30) broke the deferential and was out, BIKE # 124 GURINDER SINGH SARAO from HOUSTON, TEXAS was technically disqualified as he had lost his time card.
After all the action and rigorous driving rest of the participants reached manali after sunset and covering 400 kilometers.
Day 2: Day 2 started with snow and hail on rohtang pass and continued till kaza.
Day 3 : Unfortunately day three was the last day for the raid this year due to heavy snowfall on Baralach La. Day 3 kept Suresh Rana in his Gypsy in top position.
ASHISH SAURABH MOUDGHIL was the winned in the two wheel catogary riding his karizma.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
The story of a practice that involves human sacrifise to please the gods or to get a higher position in the society.
Bhunda Narmedh Mahayajna .
The great Indian rope trick .
The story of a practice that involves human sacrifise to please the gods or to get a higher position in the society.
In Bachoonch village in the Spail valley, Bhunda mahayajna was performed last December to an audience of around 70,000 people. The village is 9 km from Rohru town,this death-defying human rope trick held there to please the local deities was performed after a gap of 70 years. Apparently it was last performed in 1996 in Pujarli village in Rohru tehsil after a gap of 30 years, but i think they may have used a goat rather than a human.
The link contains two videos from the three day celebration and a detailed description about the ritual and its origin.
http://himachal.us/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/religion/yashrazz#more-1579
Disclamer -- Do not watch the 2nd video on the page as it shows animal sacrifise.
The great Indian rope trick .
The story of a practice that involves human sacrifise to please the gods or to get a higher position in the society.
In Bachoonch village in the Spail valley, Bhunda mahayajna was performed last December to an audience of around 70,000 people. The village is 9 km from Rohru town,this death-defying human rope trick held there to please the local deities was performed after a gap of 70 years. Apparently it was last performed in 1996 in Pujarli village in Rohru tehsil after a gap of 30 years, but i think they may have used a goat rather than a human.
The link contains two videos from the three day celebration and a detailed description about the ritual and its origin.
http://himachal.us/2007/03/12/himachals-bhunda-narmedh-mahayajna/1579/religion/yashrazz#more-1579
Disclamer -- Do not watch the 2nd video on the page as it shows animal sacrifise.
Friday, May 11, 2007
My new Toy Canon 400D(Rebel XTi)
I was using a P2S Sony till now. Then I decided to pamper myself a bit so bought a bigger Canon 400d . Being one of the best entry level SLR camera its very powerful yet very convenient. Deciding the camera these days is not an easy task that too if you are running on a limited budget like mine and need the most out of your money. Upgrading later is a long story and not very convenient as SLR cameras are expensive and one expects to use it at least for a couple of years before buying a new one.
The factors I considered before deciding were:
1.PRICE !!!!! - When I started looking for the best in my budget I had different sourcing options like
a> ask some friend /relative to get one for me from the US or Singapore. That was not very convenient as international warranties are not valid in India hence I would get the camera without a warranty and will need to ask somebody for a favor.
b>Another option was to buy it from a website and get it delivered. Though this looks like a good option but I was not very comfortable paying through my CC to foreign website and again International Currier rates are high.
c>Buy it from an Indian website. I found only 2 websites http://www.ebay.in/ that i never rely on and http://www.jjmehta.com/ jjmehta looked like a good option though the prices were on the higher side. For some products even higher that the dealer price. Local dealers-- after searching for a SLR in the local market and wasting one complete afternoon it was clear that only photography shops keep SLR cameras. Well after visiting the major stores in Delhi mainly in CP I was shore of one thing that buying a camera from a authorized shop was waste of money as the prices were 30-40% higher that foreign or gray market prices.
Finally I bought my Canon 400D XTi from one of the recommended local dealers in Chandni Chok and he gave me a real good bargain. Though there is no warranty I’m shore the repair cost in 2 years is not going to be more than the extra $$ I would have paid for the warranty and bill. The worst part is that the warranty dose not cover breakage and damage due to water, heat or moisture.
Mega Pixel : The Canon400D has a 10.1 MP sensor. and is capable of processing images in both RAW "CR2"and jpg format.
Standard Lens: The camera comes with a 18-55 MM standard-----canon lens the lens cannot be bought without the camera. The lens though not very powerful but is good enough as a primary lens and is capable of capturing good landscapes at 18MM to anything as small as an Ladybird at 55MM. The F/stop is also great, especially since it is low (f/3.5 – f/5.3). Also extra lenses for canon are better priced than Nikon and option of getting 3rd party lenses is more. Here is a review about the lens: http://photo.net/equipment/canon/efs18-55/review/
The main features of the EOS 400D are :
Finally I bought my Canon 400D XTi from one of the recommended local dealers in Chandni Chok and he gave me a real good bargain. Though there is no warranty I’m shore the repair cost in 2 years is not going to be more than the extra $$ I would have paid for the warranty and bill. The worst part is that the warranty dose not cover breakage and damage due to water, heat or moisture.
Mega Pixel : The Canon400D has a 10.1 MP sensor. and is capable of processing images in both RAW "CR2"and jpg format.
Standard Lens: The camera comes with a 18-55 MM standard-----canon lens the lens cannot be bought without the camera. The lens though not very powerful but is good enough as a primary lens and is capable of capturing good landscapes at 18MM to anything as small as an Ladybird at 55MM. The F/stop is also great, especially since it is low (f/3.5 – f/5.3). Also extra lenses for canon are better priced than Nikon and option of getting 3rd party lenses is more. Here is a review about the lens: http://photo.net/equipment/canon/efs18-55/review/
The main features of the EOS 400D are :
• 10.1 effective Megapixels
• APS-C size 22.2 x 14.8 mm CMOS image sensor.
• Focal length of 1.6x.
• Dust removal system.
• 3 frames per second - maximum of 27 JPEG or 10 RAW.
• 9-point auto focus system.
• 2.5-inc LCD monitor.
Apart from the camera I bought a SanDisk CompactFlash 2 GB Extreme III memory card as each click with the 400d costs around 20-30 MB in raw format.
Apart from the camera I bought a SanDisk CompactFlash 2 GB Extreme III memory card as each click with the 400d costs around 20-30 MB in raw format.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Photography - F/8 and Be There
A professional photographer once gave me an advise, he said if you have a camera, you are experimental and innovative with experience you will become a good photographer.
Well I'm still an armature and here is what I have learnt gathering information from the Internet and practice.
I'm not going into details about types of cameras etc .My focus is on Digital cameras. Digital cameras have changed the way the world looks at photography.
There are two basic types of cameras
1. Point and shoot camera- Most people today use point and shoot digital cameras. Though the quality of these cameras has improved with time but they have very few manual functions to play around with.
2. SLR or Single Lens Reflector cameras use the same lens to view an object and capture it so what you see is what you capture. SLR cameras have full manual functions and give more flexibility and creativity.
It may be it a film camera of a Digital SLR camera the basics of photography remain same.
There are some simple things that can change the was you look through your camera.
1. Light.
2. Shutter Speed.
3. Aperture.
4. Focal Length.
1.Light
Light is the most crucial factor in a photograph. one will always need enough light to capture the subject but the volume and direction of light is critical.
2. Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is the time for which the shutter window will remain open and expose the film or the digital sensor to outside light. (Remember the dark room where photographs ware processed in dim light. )
When neither the camera or the subject are moving the shutter speed is not very important. But when either one is moving shutter speed becomes relevant. If you are trying to capture a fast moving sports ca
r you will need a fast shutter like 1/4000 (4000'th part of 1 second. Modern day cameras are capable of doing 1/8000 to even 1/16000) if you use a slower speed say 1/2 seconds you will find fading of Motion Blur . Again motion blur is not always a bad thing it is really interesting to give pictures a motion blur. In this photograph the rider looks still and the back ground is blur. Though I was standing on the side of the road and my friend was riding fast I was able to capture him and the bike you can see the motion blur on the bike as it looks shaky. The background is also blur focusing on the rider that is another trick using a wide aperture.
3. Aperture and DOF (Depth of Field)
Aperture is how the lens controls the light going through it.
Aperture is calculated in terms of "f" value. There is a mathematical formula for aperture that i have never been able to understand of remember. Simple thumb rule is more the shutter opens lower is the "f" value or aperture.
Looking at the figure
at f/2.8 the shutter opens wide and lets a lot of light inside the camera on to the sensor. The amount of light reduces as the increase in f/value
at f/22 the shutter opens very less hence very less light gets in.
Why do we need to change aperture ?
The answer to the question is DOF or Depth Of Field precisely the focus of the photograph.
Here is an example
The yellow flower and The Yellow Field
The difference between the two is that in the first picture the yellow flower is sharp and focused where as in the second picture the background is clear and the flower is blur.
How did I do this ? Aperture is the answer. For the first picture i used a lower aperture value of f/2.8 for a shallow DOF in the second picture I used f/8.0 hence a deeper DOF and the flower near to the camera got blur.
The first image of my friend riding his bike is a good example as I used a small "f" value f/2.8 hence the background in that picture is blur but because of fast shutter speed the bike and the rider are clear and sharper.
Hence photography is all about Shutter speed aperture and focal length.
4. Focal Length
I used the term Focal Length or 35MM camera. It means that the lens used on the camera is 35MM wide. Here is a very good link to understand focal length.
http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm
Below is a landscape that has been shot from the same camera using different lenses .
25MM
50MM
200MM
Very simply, it is the distance from the lens to the film/sensor, when focused on a subject at infinity. In other words, focal length equals image distance for a far subject. To focus on something closer than infinity, the lens is moved farther away from the film. This is why most lenses get longer when you turn the focusing ring. The distances follow this formula:
800MM
This means a 400mm lens should be 400mm long. If you get out your ruler and measure it, you will find it is less than 400mm. That is because a camera lens really has many individual glass lenses inside, and this makes it behave as if it is longer than it really is. This is called "telephoto."
Aperture ,focal length and shutter speed combined give really good results.
To get a shallow DOF one can use a longer lens like 200mm . Photographers who use long lenses are able to get the shallow affect with blur background easily with larger aperture like f/1.8. Specially portraits and fashion photographers use longer lenses with large aperture size. On the other hand nature and landscape photographers also use long lenses as long as 800mm but with smaller apertures like f/16 to f/32 so that the complete photograph is sharp and clear.
If you change one component (such as aperture), another component (such as shutter speed) needs to be adjusted while the third component (ISO, in this case) stays constant.
Tip: Use a Fast Enough Shutter SpeedThe general rule is to choose a shutter speed with a fraction denominator that's larger than the focal length of the lens. For example, a shutter speed of 1/60 sec. would be ideal if you're using a 50mm lens or a shutter speed of 1/300 sec. if you're using a 300mm telephoto lens.
Panning-
What if you don't want sharp results? Good question. One very popular and fun technique - called panning - allows you to capture a relatively sharp subject against a super blurred background.
If you try this, keep three things in mind.
Be prepared to take a lot of pictures. This takes a lot of trial and error to get winning results. It helps to team up with a friend who is willing to ride by you again and again while you master the panning technique. Don't worry if your subject is not perfectly sharp. As long as your main subject is relatively sharp - that is the main goal. Try to frame your subject so that it is moving into the scene instead of out of the scene. In other words, if the subject is moving from left to right, it should be slightly to the left.
Small f number = small depth of field
Well I'm still an armature and here is what I have learnt gathering information from the Internet and practice.
I'm not going into details about types of cameras etc .My focus is on Digital cameras. Digital cameras have changed the way the world looks at photography.
There are two basic types of cameras
1. Point and shoot camera- Most people today use point and shoot digital cameras. Though the quality of these cameras has improved with time but they have very few manual functions to play around with.
2. SLR or Single Lens Reflector cameras use the same lens to view an object and capture it so what you see is what you capture. SLR cameras have full manual functions and give more flexibility and creativity.
It may be it a film camera of a Digital SLR camera the basics of photography remain same.
There are some simple things that can change the was you look through your camera.
1. Light.
2. Shutter Speed.
3. Aperture.
4. Focal Length.
1.Light
Light is the most crucial factor in a photograph. one will always need enough light to capture the subject but the volume and direction of light is critical.
2. Shutter Speed
Shutter speed is the time for which the shutter window will remain open and expose the film or the digital sensor to outside light. (Remember the dark room where photographs ware processed in dim light. )
When neither the camera or the subject are moving the shutter speed is not very important. But when either one is moving shutter speed becomes relevant. If you are trying to capture a fast moving sports ca
r you will need a fast shutter like 1/4000 (4000'th part of 1 second. Modern day cameras are capable of doing 1/8000 to even 1/16000) if you use a slower speed say 1/2 seconds you will find fading of Motion Blur . Again motion blur is not always a bad thing it is really interesting to give pictures a motion blur. In this photograph the rider looks still and the back ground is blur. Though I was standing on the side of the road and my friend was riding fast I was able to capture him and the bike you can see the motion blur on the bike as it looks shaky. The background is also blur focusing on the rider that is another trick using a wide aperture.3. Aperture and DOF (Depth of Field)
Aperture is how the lens controls the light going through it.
Aperture is calculated in terms of "f" value. There is a mathematical formula for aperture that i have never been able to understand of remember. Simple thumb rule is more the shutter opens lower is the "f" value or aperture.
Looking at the figureat f/2.8 the shutter opens wide and lets a lot of light inside the camera on to the sensor. The amount of light reduces as the increase in f/value
at f/22 the shutter opens very less hence very less light gets in.
Why do we need to change aperture ?
The answer to the question is DOF or Depth Of Field precisely the focus of the photograph.
Here is an example
The yellow flower and The Yellow Field
The difference between the two is that in the first picture the yellow flower is sharp and focused where as in the second picture the background is clear and the flower is blur.
How did I do this ? Aperture is the answer. For the first picture i used a lower aperture value of f/2.8 for a shallow DOF in the second picture I used f/8.0 hence a deeper DOF and the flower near to the camera got blur.
The first image of my friend riding his bike is a good example as I used a small "f" value f/2.8 hence the background in that picture is blur but because of fast shutter speed the bike and the rider are clear and sharper.
Hence photography is all about Shutter speed aperture and focal length.
4. Focal Length
I used the term Focal Length or 35MM camera. It means that the lens used on the camera is 35MM wide. Here is a very good link to understand focal length.
http://www.paragon-press.com/lens/lenchart.htm
Below is a landscape that has been shot from the same camera using different lenses .
25MM
50MM
200MMVery simply, it is the distance from the lens to the film/sensor, when focused on a subject at infinity. In other words, focal length equals image distance for a far subject. To focus on something closer than infinity, the lens is moved farther away from the film. This is why most lenses get longer when you turn the focusing ring. The distances follow this formula:
800MMThis means a 400mm lens should be 400mm long. If you get out your ruler and measure it, you will find it is less than 400mm. That is because a camera lens really has many individual glass lenses inside, and this makes it behave as if it is longer than it really is. This is called "telephoto."
Aperture ,focal length and shutter speed combined give really good results.
To get a shallow DOF one can use a longer lens like 200mm . Photographers who use long lenses are able to get the shallow affect with blur background easily with larger aperture like f/1.8. Specially portraits and fashion photographers use longer lenses with large aperture size. On the other hand nature and landscape photographers also use long lenses as long as 800mm but with smaller apertures like f/16 to f/32 so that the complete photograph is sharp and clear.
If you change one component (such as aperture), another component (such as shutter speed) needs to be adjusted while the third component (ISO, in this case) stays constant.
Tip: Use a Fast Enough Shutter SpeedThe general rule is to choose a shutter speed with a fraction denominator that's larger than the focal length of the lens. For example, a shutter speed of 1/60 sec. would be ideal if you're using a 50mm lens or a shutter speed of 1/300 sec. if you're using a 300mm telephoto lens.
Panning-
What if you don't want sharp results? Good question. One very popular and fun technique - called panning - allows you to capture a relatively sharp subject against a super blurred background.
If you try this, keep three things in mind.
Be prepared to take a lot of pictures. This takes a lot of trial and error to get winning results. It helps to team up with a friend who is willing to ride by you again and again while you master the panning technique. Don't worry if your subject is not perfectly sharp. As long as your main subject is relatively sharp - that is the main goal. Try to frame your subject so that it is moving into the scene instead of out of the scene. In other words, if the subject is moving from left to right, it should be slightly to the left.
Small f number = small depth of field
Monday, April 09, 2007
Choor Chandni
Chaur Peak (Choor Chandni or Choor Dhar) : 3,647 m. It offers an unhindered view of wonderful landscape, vast meadows, green forests, open valleys and distant habitations from the hill top-a gorgeous pointed peak. There is a Shiva temple and a Sarai located here. As per local legend it was here in Choor Dhar that Lord Hanuman found the 'Sanjeevani buti' which was administered to Lakshmana, brother of Lord Rama for his revival.
It is trekkers' dream, The trek leads through forests ad slush created by gurgling streams and snow. It is easily accessible from Shimla via Solan-Rajgarh-Nohra near Haripur Dhar or Sainj near Kotkhai or Tiuni.
This week I got the opportunity to trek to the Choor Dhar with four friends.Though this was not the best time to trek to choordhar because of the snow but it made the trek more exciting and adventurous.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
This page is going to be a joke in the next 23 years....
This page is going to be a joke by 2030.
For a long time I have been thinking of writing about Himalayan Glaciers on my blog.
Finally I did....
Bara Shigri :-
Bada Shigri is the largest glacier in Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Chandra valley of Lahaul and it feeds the river Chenab. Bada Shigri glacier is more than 25 km. long and about 3 km. wide. It lies on the middle slopes of the main Himalayan range. It is also aided by many small tributary glaciers. It is surrounded by high mountains from three sides. It is said that this glacier formed Chandertal lake by causing a major havoc in Chadra valley in 1936. Bada Shigri glacier was conquered by all women mountaineers in 1956. It was further successfully trekked by Stephenson in 1956. There are number of prominent glaciers in Chandra valley in Lahaul. Some of them are Chhota Shigri ( means Small Glacier ), Kulti, Shpting, Pacha, Ding Karmo, Tapn, Gyephang, Bolunag, Shili and Shamundri. Gyephang is the chief deity of Lahaul valley and the Gyephang glacier is named after him. It is full of snow all the year. It is considered as the Manimahesh of Lahaul.
Chandra Nahan Glacier :-
It is located on the South-Eastern slopes of the main Himalaya in the area to the North-West of Rohru in Himachal Pradesh. Chandra Nahan Glacier is also aided by various small tributary glaciers. The famous Chandra Nahan lake lies in it and it feeds the river Pabbar. Chandra Nahan lake is accessible only to experienced trekkers and fed by a series of springs. Chandra Nahan glacier is surrounded by high rising peaks. The elevation of Chandra Nahan glacier is more than 6,000 meters. Bhadal Glacier: - Bhadal glacier is located on the South-Western slopes of the Pir Panjal range in the Bara Banghal area of Kangra district. It feeds the river
Bhadal:-
Bhadal river rises from the snowy range of the area lying between the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. Bhadal river's catchment is made up of U shaped valleys, waterfalls, moraines, cirques and towering peaks. This river is one of the main tributaries of the river Ravi. The size of Bhadal glacier suddenly grows up because of rapid and heavy snowfall.
Bhaga Glacier:-
It is located on the slopes of the main Himalayan range in Lahaul area. This glacier feeds the river Bhaga. U shaped valleys, waterfalls, glaciers and moraines characterizes the upper catchments of the Bhaga river. The entire tract is devoid of a vegetative cover. The discharge of this river increases during the summer months, when the snow on the high mountains start melting. Bhaga Glacier is surrounded by high snow-clad peaks from all sides. Bhaga glacier is 25 km. long. The other important glaciers of Bhaga valley are Lady of Keylong, Mukkila, Milang and Gangstang.
The Lady of Keylong: -
The Lady of Keylong glacier is very popular among visitors. The name 'Lady of Keylong' was given by 'Lady Elashainghday' about a century ago during British ruling. The glacier is situated at an altitude of about 6,061 meters and it can be seen clearly from Keylong. It remains covered with snow throughout the year. But in the middle, there is seen a dark bare patch that looks like the figure of a womam, walking with a load on her back. It is also recorded as 'Lady of Keylong' by the geological survey team of India.
Mukkila Glacier :- It is situated at the height of about 6,478 meters. It is located in Bhaga valley. Its impression is awesome.
Sonapani :- It was first surveyed by Walker and Pascoe in 1906. It is visible from the Rohtang Pass. It is about 6 km. from the confluence of Kulti Nala.
Gora Glacier :- It has receded in the recent past due to a unstable mass balance. It lies in the South facing slopes of the main Himalayan range.
Perad Glacier :- The Perad glacier is small and easily accessible and it is near Putiruni. It also has a nice cave.
Parbati and Dudhon :- These glaciers are located in district Kullu. Both glaciers are 15 km. long. They feed the Parbati river. Beas Kund :- It feeds the river Beas and is located on the South facing slopes of the towering Pir Panjal near the world famous Rohtang Pass
Day before yesterday I woke up and as usual got hold of the news paper. The front page gave me a real shock "Forget Himalayan Glaciers by 2030" ie 12.5 years from now.
I rushed to my computer to investigate more and was astornished to see the facts. Here is one of the article I came accross.
"Don't dismiss it as one of the favourite whines of environmental campaigners. The result of the melting of most of the Himalayan glaciers by 2030, as predicted by the UN panel on climate change, could be truly catastrophic for India and its neighbours.
Rivers 'mothered' by the Himalayan glaciers are the lifeline of hundreds of millions of people in the Indian subcontinent and China, most of whom live far from the Himalayas.
As much as 70% of the world's fresh water is frozen in glaciers. The Himalayan glaciers are the largest store of water outside the polar ice caps, and feed seven great Asian rivers — Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Salween, Yangtze and Huang Ho (Yellow River). The glaciers are believed to be retreating at a rate of about 10-15 metres a year.
The first danger of the meltdown could be widespread flooding. In a few decades, it could be followed by irreversible droughts, threatening the livelihood of millions of people. This would not only mean unprecedented food shortages but also a massive water crisis. The Gangetic basin alone is home to more than 500 million people. Nearly 70% of the discharge into the Ganga is from rivers in Nepal, which means that if the Himalayan glaciers dry up so will the Ganga downstream in India.
In some rivers, the flow may go down by as much as 90%, according to glaciologist Syed Iqbal Hosnain, who has conducted extensive studies on Himalayan glaciers. Studies have predicted that in the Ganga, the loss of glacier melt water would reduce July-September flows by two thirds, causing water shortages for 37% of India’s irrigated land. As water flows from glaciers dry up, the energy potential of hydroelectric power will decrease, causing problems for industry, while reduced irrigation means lower crop production.
In a report in 2005, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warned that "in the long term, the glaciers could disappear altogether, causing several rivers to shrink and threatening the survival of those who depend on them". What was forecast to happen "in the long term" two years ago, appears imminent now.
All is not lost, though. Experts say immediate action against climate change could slow the rate of melting. The Himalayan glaciers have been found to be in a state of general retreat since 1850. But the retreat has been alarming since the 1970s.
The Himalayan region, called the 'Water Tower of Asia', has a glacier coverage of 33,000 sq km. It provides around 8.6 million cubic metres of water annually.
Researchers have estimated that about 17% of the Himalayas and 37% of Karakorum is currently under permanent ice cover. The main glaciers of this region are Siachen (72 km); Gangotri (26 km); Zemu (26 km); Milam (19 km) and Kedarnath (14.5 km).
The Gangotri glacier, which supports one of India's largest river basins, is receding at an average rate of 23 metres per year. The Khumbu glacier, a popular climbing route to the summit of Mount Everest, has retreated more than 5 km from where Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set out to conquer the worlds highest peak in 1953. "
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Himalayan_meltdown_catastrophic_for_India/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1848002.cms
For a long time I have been thinking of writing about Himalayan Glaciers on my blog.
Finally I did....
Bara Shigri :-
Bada Shigri is the largest glacier in Himachal Pradesh. It is located in the Chandra valley of Lahaul and it feeds the river Chenab. Bada Shigri glacier is more than 25 km. long and about 3 km. wide. It lies on the middle slopes of the main Himalayan range. It is also aided by many small tributary glaciers. It is surrounded by high mountains from three sides. It is said that this glacier formed Chandertal lake by causing a major havoc in Chadra valley in 1936. Bada Shigri glacier was conquered by all women mountaineers in 1956. It was further successfully trekked by Stephenson in 1956. There are number of prominent glaciers in Chandra valley in Lahaul. Some of them are Chhota Shigri ( means Small Glacier ), Kulti, Shpting, Pacha, Ding Karmo, Tapn, Gyephang, Bolunag, Shili and Shamundri. Gyephang is the chief deity of Lahaul valley and the Gyephang glacier is named after him. It is full of snow all the year. It is considered as the Manimahesh of Lahaul.
Chandra Nahan Glacier :-
It is located on the South-Eastern slopes of the main Himalaya in the area to the North-West of Rohru in Himachal Pradesh. Chandra Nahan Glacier is also aided by various small tributary glaciers. The famous Chandra Nahan lake lies in it and it feeds the river Pabbar. Chandra Nahan lake is accessible only to experienced trekkers and fed by a series of springs. Chandra Nahan glacier is surrounded by high rising peaks. The elevation of Chandra Nahan glacier is more than 6,000 meters. Bhadal Glacier: - Bhadal glacier is located on the South-Western slopes of the Pir Panjal range in the Bara Banghal area of Kangra district. It feeds the river
Bhadal:-
Bhadal river rises from the snowy range of the area lying between the Pir Panjal and Dhauladhar ranges. Bhadal river's catchment is made up of U shaped valleys, waterfalls, moraines, cirques and towering peaks. This river is one of the main tributaries of the river Ravi. The size of Bhadal glacier suddenly grows up because of rapid and heavy snowfall.
Bhaga Glacier:-
It is located on the slopes of the main Himalayan range in Lahaul area. This glacier feeds the river Bhaga. U shaped valleys, waterfalls, glaciers and moraines characterizes the upper catchments of the Bhaga river. The entire tract is devoid of a vegetative cover. The discharge of this river increases during the summer months, when the snow on the high mountains start melting. Bhaga Glacier is surrounded by high snow-clad peaks from all sides. Bhaga glacier is 25 km. long. The other important glaciers of Bhaga valley are Lady of Keylong, Mukkila, Milang and Gangstang.
The Lady of Keylong: -
The Lady of Keylong glacier is very popular among visitors. The name 'Lady of Keylong' was given by 'Lady Elashainghday' about a century ago during British ruling. The glacier is situated at an altitude of about 6,061 meters and it can be seen clearly from Keylong. It remains covered with snow throughout the year. But in the middle, there is seen a dark bare patch that looks like the figure of a womam, walking with a load on her back. It is also recorded as 'Lady of Keylong' by the geological survey team of India.
Mukkila Glacier :- It is situated at the height of about 6,478 meters. It is located in Bhaga valley. Its impression is awesome.
Sonapani :- It was first surveyed by Walker and Pascoe in 1906. It is visible from the Rohtang Pass. It is about 6 km. from the confluence of Kulti Nala.
Gora Glacier :- It has receded in the recent past due to a unstable mass balance. It lies in the South facing slopes of the main Himalayan range.
Perad Glacier :- The Perad glacier is small and easily accessible and it is near Putiruni. It also has a nice cave.
Parbati and Dudhon :- These glaciers are located in district Kullu. Both glaciers are 15 km. long. They feed the Parbati river. Beas Kund :- It feeds the river Beas and is located on the South facing slopes of the towering Pir Panjal near the world famous Rohtang Pass
Day before yesterday I woke up and as usual got hold of the news paper. The front page gave me a real shock "Forget Himalayan Glaciers by 2030" ie 12.5 years from now.
I rushed to my computer to investigate more and was astornished to see the facts. Here is one of the article I came accross.
"Don't dismiss it as one of the favourite whines of environmental campaigners. The result of the melting of most of the Himalayan glaciers by 2030, as predicted by the UN panel on climate change, could be truly catastrophic for India and its neighbours.
Rivers 'mothered' by the Himalayan glaciers are the lifeline of hundreds of millions of people in the Indian subcontinent and China, most of whom live far from the Himalayas.
As much as 70% of the world's fresh water is frozen in glaciers. The Himalayan glaciers are the largest store of water outside the polar ice caps, and feed seven great Asian rivers — Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong, Salween, Yangtze and Huang Ho (Yellow River). The glaciers are believed to be retreating at a rate of about 10-15 metres a year.
The first danger of the meltdown could be widespread flooding. In a few decades, it could be followed by irreversible droughts, threatening the livelihood of millions of people. This would not only mean unprecedented food shortages but also a massive water crisis. The Gangetic basin alone is home to more than 500 million people. Nearly 70% of the discharge into the Ganga is from rivers in Nepal, which means that if the Himalayan glaciers dry up so will the Ganga downstream in India.
In some rivers, the flow may go down by as much as 90%, according to glaciologist Syed Iqbal Hosnain, who has conducted extensive studies on Himalayan glaciers. Studies have predicted that in the Ganga, the loss of glacier melt water would reduce July-September flows by two thirds, causing water shortages for 37% of India’s irrigated land. As water flows from glaciers dry up, the energy potential of hydroelectric power will decrease, causing problems for industry, while reduced irrigation means lower crop production.
In a report in 2005, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) warned that "in the long term, the glaciers could disappear altogether, causing several rivers to shrink and threatening the survival of those who depend on them". What was forecast to happen "in the long term" two years ago, appears imminent now.
All is not lost, though. Experts say immediate action against climate change could slow the rate of melting. The Himalayan glaciers have been found to be in a state of general retreat since 1850. But the retreat has been alarming since the 1970s.
The Himalayan region, called the 'Water Tower of Asia', has a glacier coverage of 33,000 sq km. It provides around 8.6 million cubic metres of water annually.
Researchers have estimated that about 17% of the Himalayas and 37% of Karakorum is currently under permanent ice cover. The main glaciers of this region are Siachen (72 km); Gangotri (26 km); Zemu (26 km); Milam (19 km) and Kedarnath (14.5 km).
The Gangotri glacier, which supports one of India's largest river basins, is receding at an average rate of 23 metres per year. The Khumbu glacier, a popular climbing route to the summit of Mount Everest, has retreated more than 5 km from where Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay set out to conquer the worlds highest peak in 1953. "
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS/India/Himalayan_meltdown_catastrophic_for_India/RssArticleShow/articleshow/1848002.cms
Monday, March 19, 2007
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Metallica - Unforgiven
===================================================================
The song talks about a child who is learning to live life
according to the rules. He tries to please everybody around him
and never shows what he wants or thinks. By the time he
gathers himself to face the world he is already an old man
deciding to die with the regret.
===================================================================
Here are the lyrics.
===================
New blood joins this earth
And quikly hes subdued
Through constant pain disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on hes known
A vow unto his own
That never from this day
His will theyll take away
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never be
Never see
Wont see what might have been
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub the unforgiven
They dedicate their lives
To running all of his
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is
Throughout his life the same
Hes battled constantly
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never be
Never see
Wont see what might have been
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub the unforgiven
You labeled me
Ill label you
So I dub the unforgiven.
The song talks about a child who is learning to live life
according to the rules. He tries to please everybody around him
and never shows what he wants or thinks. By the time he
gathers himself to face the world he is already an old man
deciding to die with the regret.
===================================================================
Here are the lyrics.
===================
New blood joins this earth
And quikly hes subdued
Through constant pain disgrace
The young boy learns their rules
With time the child draws in
This whipping boy done wrong
Deprived of all his thoughts
The young man struggles on and on hes known
A vow unto his own
That never from this day
His will theyll take away
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never be
Never see
Wont see what might have been
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub the unforgiven
They dedicate their lives
To running all of his
He tries to please them all
This bitter man he is
Throughout his life the same
Hes battled constantly
This fight he cannot win
A tired man they see no longer cares
The old man then prepares
To die regretfully
That old man here is me
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never be
Never see
Wont see what might have been
What Ive felt
What Ive known
Never shined through in what Ive shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub the unforgiven
You labeled me
Ill label you
So I dub the unforgiven.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Inside on 4X4
What makes a 4WD a 4WD?
Four wheel drive vehicles come in all shapes, sizes and body styles with different types of features and equipment. However, there are several basic functions that all 4WDrives have in common.
Drivetrain
A 4WD can be a constant 4WD, part-time 4WD or both. An example of a constant 4WD is a Range Rover. It is always in 4WD and cannot select 2WD at all. A Toyota Tacoma is an example of a part-time 4WD, which means that it can switch between 2WD and 4WD.
A Mitsubishi Pajero is an example of a 4WD that can be both a constant 4WD and a part-time 4WD. It can select 2WD, constant 4WD and locked 4WD. The difference between the Patrol and the Pajero is that the Pajero has a center differential. A center differential allows 4WD to be used on normal roads (constant 4WD) and can be locked for off-road use (part-time 4WD). The "axle/transmission windup" text below explains why a part-time 4WD cannot be driven in 4WD on the bitumen.
Axle/Transmission Windup
When a 4WD is traveling in a straight line all four wheels rotate at the same speed, but during cornering each wheel travels at a different speed due to the radius of the turn. All vehicles have a differential on the front and rear axles to allow the wheels on the same axle to rotate at a different speed. Constant 4WD’s have a central differential fitted to allow for different speeds between front and back wheels, but most part-time four wheel drives do not.
When a part-time 4WD (without a center differential) is in 4WD an attempts to corner on bitumen, all wheels need to rotate at different speeds, but without a centre differential they cannot. This creates the phenomena called "axle windup" or "transmission windup". High strain is placed on the drive shafts and transmission, eventually causing one of two things to happen. Either one of the wheels slips or spins to overcome the stress or the drive-shaft/transmission breaks. This is why part time 4WD’s should never select 4WD on paved surfaces.
Constant 4WD’s have a central differential within the transmission to overcome this problem. However once in the dirt a constant four wheel drive can be bogged with only one wheel spinning. This is why they have a central differential lock that stops the action of the center diff and makes it like a part-time four wheel drive in 4WD mode. The center diff lock should never be used on paved roads or non-slip surfaces for the reasons mentioned above.
In reality, a 4WD is only a two wheel drive with one front and one back wheel driving when traction is lost. One wheel on each axle spins while the other receives no drive at all due to the action of the differential. The exception to this is when a limited slip or locking differential is installed. A limited slip diff allows a limited amount of drive to be applied to the stationary wheel before the other wheel on the same axle spins. A locking diff allows no slip at all and both wheels on the same axle turn at the same speed, regardless of the amount of traction.
High/Low Range
To enable a 4WD to travel at lower speeds while traveling on rough terrain it needs lower gear ratios. Not all 4WD’s have low range gearing and this restricts their ability to tackle rough terrain. However 4WD’s that lack low range gearing are generally not built for severe off-road conditions or sometimes have a "crawler" 1st gear to compensate for the lack of low range gearing.
The high range ratios in 4WD mode are the same as the gear ratios in 2WD. When low range 4WD is selected, the gear ratios are approximately half that of high range, although the exact ratio varies for each vehicle manufacturer.
For example this means that if an engine speed of 3000 rpm in high range fourth gear is 65 mph, then in low range at the same engine speed and the same gear, the speed would be around 30 mph.
Some points to note about low range gearing are:
You cannot select low range in 2WD mode in most cases.
You do not have to use low range as soon as you put the vehicle in 4WD, but only if the terrain requires it.
On most vehicles you have to be stationary when changing from high to low range, check your owners manual for your particular vehicle.
A handy hint when reversing with your vehicle while towing is to select low range 4WD to be able to move very slowly without having to slip the clutch. However you can only do this if you have a constant 4WD or your part-time 4WD is fitted with free-wheeling hubs AND they are not locked in, otherwise you will cause transmission windup.
Free Wheeling Hubs
If your vehicle is fitted with free wheeling hubs, you will need to lock them in before selecting 4WD. The free wheeling hub connects the front wheel to the front axle allowing it to be driven when four wheel drive is selected.
Free wheeling hubs are fitted to reduce wear on the front diff and drive shaft, and to (marginally) help improve fuel economy when it is in 2WD. Permanent 4WD's do not have free wheeling hubs as they are always in 4WD and need the front wheels to be permanently connected to the axle.
If you select 4WD without the freewheeling hubs locked in, then you will only be in 2WD, even though the 4WD dash light indicator (if fitted) will show 4WD. Even experienced 4WDrivers make this common mistake of forgetting to lock the freewheeling hubs.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Trouble in Heaven
Here are some Video's from the Great Himalayan National Park.
It really hurts to see how modern civilization is tacking its tole on this heaven and the inhabitants.
It really hurts to see how modern civilization is tacking its tole on this heaven and the inhabitants.
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