The solar transit of Alpha Scorpi starts today

Today is the day when the Thrikketta Njattuvela or the solar transit of Alpha Scorpi starts. This is the Retreating Monsoon or the Thula Varsha and this Njattuvela may signal the end of the Monsoon season.


The word Monsoon itself makes one happy. The intoxicating smell of the dry parched earth drenched, the splashing waters makes monsoons the favourite season in Kerala. Kerala has been defined as Tropical Wet by the German climatologist Koppen and Monsoon is a refreshing change from the long summer months, when scorching heat and dust ruled the roost. The farmers get relief from the draught like situation and the promise of the rains which heralds prosperity. Enjoy the monsoons of Kerala under Monsoon Tourism.

Never to be wasted indoors is this enchanting seasons of raindrops and rainbows. Monsoon gives everything to you in fresh as the special season of the year. Monsoon is not all packed up in rain coats. On the contrary, they are fun time. Splashing and swimming in knee deep waters and getting wet are some of the pastimes intended for you by the grace of the monsoons. You can take out an Ayurvedic Vacation during Monsoon. Monsoon is the season recommended by Ayurveda for Rejuvenation Therapy. You can rejuvenate your soul and replenish your body during the Monsoon season. Monsoon is the true season for rejuvenation, when people take ayurvedic remedies, detoxificaton etc to purge the body of toxins and rejuvenate the tissues. Various diseases can be cured, if the body is detoxified and rejuvenated, averrs Ayurveda.

Eco Tourism in Kerala

There are many number of definitions of Ecotourism,
each highlighting different aspects. It is to be noted
that different parameters emerged in common to all eco
tourism developmental initiatives.

Eco Tourism may be defined as that

Which is based on Nature
Where interpretation and education are important
components
Which is sustainable ecologically
Which benefits the local people.

If any of these components are not satisfied, such a
venture cannot be classified as an Eco Tourism venture !

Tourism, without well thought out plans and managed
programs, can mean the destruction of the natural habitat.
Also the cultural shock concomitant with interaction with
various cultures can also put the locals in danger.

Stipulation of certain standarss and awareness campaigns
amongst tour operators and travel agents reduces considerably
this impact. Eco Tourism,therefore, is considered as a solution
to tourism related environmental problems.

The region of the Western Ghats of Kerala, with its tropical
forest ecocystem, provides the natural advantage for this
division of InternationalTourism. In order to develop the
immense potential of Kerala Tourism, our tourism products
diversification is essential. Hence Western Ghats can be
projected as the Eco Tourism Zone of Kerala. Eco Tourism
adumbrates the concept of sustainability in Tourism. Future
generatoins are protected, as the needs of the now a day
visitor is transformed with Green Education !


The Present Situation

The major tourism destinations can be classified as beaches,
wild life sanctuaries, backwaters, hill stations, and festivals
which represent culture. Kerala will have to upgrade its products
and provide infrastructural facilities. There is no system at
present through which the public can see the forest and have a
lasting,quality experience. The visits to sanctuary, which is
widely practised now, cannot be called as ecotourism. It is
only mass tourism to a sanctuary. A more concentrated strategy,
which is small group oriented and supply driven, is the need of
the hour.

Those in charge should provide education and provision for
learning process for the tourists, as Tourism needs close
monitoring in an ecologically sensitive area.It is imperative
that Tourism be ecologically sustainable. The economic benefit
should benefit the locals to ensure sustainability.

Eco Tourism

Serene natural habitats are marketed and this is known as Eco Tourism, a branch of International Tourism. Nature and her pristine beauty is highlighted and Tourism without damaging Nature is encouraged.

Natural Philosophy, championed by Goethe and others, point out that Nature is the main efficient cause. While God is still invisible, the only visible manifestation is Nature.

I follow two philosophers this way

It was Nature, Nature, all I heard them say ! ( The Faust - Goethe )

Aimed to provide awareness to the tourists about the wisdom of Nature and the protective functions of the forests, Eco Tourism is educational in nature.

The guide and the tourist visit the naturally beauteous areas for understanding the cultural and natural history of environment, but taking care not to change or alter the integrity of the ecosystem. At the same time, this safe tourism provides economic opportunities to the local inhabitants, who also join in the green Conservation Movement !

It can also be defined as environmentally conscious tourism and not a search of pristine locations

It has to be sustainable with the continous capacity to

Safeguard natural environment, which is the base of tourist attraction

Maintian and provide the quality of the satisfaction of the tourists , thus benefiting the locals in the area.

Climate Change and Astro Meteorology

Successive draughts, intense cold climate and floods have ravaged Bolivia. Let us hope that Kerala will not go the way of Bolivia !

That Bolivia is going towards a major Food Crisis has been highlighted by the Food and Agricultural Organisation of UN.

16000 cattle, 24000 hectares of wheat, corn fields etc will perish in Bolivia. Bolivia will not be able to absorb this crisis of a high magnitude. One fifth of Bolivia is stll reeling under the impact of Climate Change. FAO warns that all natural calamities except cyclones will have to be faced by Bolivia.

The agriculturists are always affected by Climate Change. Traditional agriculture gets destroyed by intense rains or drastic draughts. The agriculturist lives in debt and dies in debt. He is forced to stop his agriculture or fall into the debt trap !

That which is happening in Bolivia may happen in India and Kerala.

Normally Libra rains start in the evening, drizzle at night and before dawn stops raining. Now the climate patterns have changed and intense rains destroyed 5000 acres of paddy fields this season ! All seeds were destroyed and Keralites had to go to Madras to get the seeds. If the earlier patterns were followed - bright sunny days after the intense downpour - then the water would have drained itself from the paddy fields.

Heat also has changed its patterns. It is now 40 degrees at Palghat and the lowest temperature recorded is 22 degrees. In Nilgiriis, rising heat has created red spiders . 8% crop has been destroyed as a result. Red spiders attack the tea plantations which are devoid of huge trees.

There are many paddy fields in Kerala which does not produce, despite the intense work done by the agriculturists.

In Alleppey Dist, when temperature rose 1.8 degrees, there was a reduction in weight of the produce. The rising temperature during the months of January, February and March was the villain. The rice fields of Trichur and Palghat were also considerably affected.

Pepper cultivation is also affected. Weight also comes down. Also cocoa, tea etc in the highlands. In 2004, cocoa produce came down by 39%. Rubber produce declined by 3.8%. . In Kottyam, the highest temperature recorded was 33.3% and now it is 35% ! Because of intense heat and cold, more funguses made their way into rubber. Cashew has also been affected adversely by Climate Change. There is a drop in the produce by 30%. Kerala, which was first in cashewnut production, is now only fourth !

Palghat Dist, bordering Tamil Nadu, looks like the hot TN !. 41 degrees have been reported as the highest temperature. If you go to Chittoor in Palghat, you will come to know how different Palghat looks than the rest of Kerala. Paddy cultivation has come down in Palghat. Palghat gets more North East Monsoon than South West Monsoon !

Global Warming and change in climate

Climatologists are of the opinion that the quantity of rains have not come down in Kerala. On the other hand, rainy days have declined. Now there are fierce downpours and sunny interludes. Fierce rains are defined as rains which give 20 cms of rain in one hour. Such fierce rains have increased and sunny days have also increased. This Climate Change is caused by Global Warming.

In 2008, in Kuttanad, such rains created havoc, destroying crops. Such rains continued this year, during both the Monsoons, the North East and the South West. Depressions caused these rains. The snowfall in Idukki caused destruction in cardamom crops. Climatologist view these happenings as unnatural phenomena. During some years, the intensity of the South West Monsoon becomes less. Not only Kerala, but Jharkhand, Chattisghand are also adversely affected.

It is said the dogs need not check the Astro Calender to know which is the sidereal month of Virgo or Kanya. It is also proof that time for procreation and Climate are interlinked. Kanya or the sidereal month of Virgo is the interlude between the two major monsoons and is devoid of rains. Less daylight and more the duration of night characterise this sidereal month. This is the month dogs find it easy to mate. This month stimulates the procreational urge in dogs and they instinctively that this is the month for mating. The cause is attributed to the Bio Clock mechanism in dogs. Female dogs give birth only after 60/70 days. By that time the Kala Varsha or the Sourth West Monsoon will be over. The young ones will get the right atmosphere for growing. That is why Nature gave dogs such a benign month.

This year the Kala Varsha continued during the month of Kanya with the result the procreational cycle of dogs is adversely affected. The dogs ran here and thereby their mating declined ! The physiological processes of dogs is affected by Climate Change. Now dogs that are born have less weight and this phenomenon has been observed in Alsation dogs particularly.

The intensity of the rains have increased with the result fierce rains wreaked havoc on Agriculture. The rainwater does not seep through the earth and hence there are less wells and water reservoirs. Floods have increased considerably.

Another phenomenon is the retreat of the monsoons. In July/ August of 2002, less rains caused draught. It used to be 21% rainfall during June, 33% in July, 28% in August and 18% in Sep.

Now Climate Change has changed all that. More sunny interludes have been reported in July. This phenomenon has increased by 30% due to the the wind waves of the South West Monsoon going to the bottom of the Himalayas.

For the last 15 years, oreographic precipiation or rains in the hilly areas, have declined by 20%. Lesser and lesser amount of rains are reported every year.

Deforestation is the cause for less rains in Peerumedu and Nerumangalam. The mountains do block the cold wind waves coming from the Indian Ocean and cause precipitation.

In short, Global Warming's repercussions on Climate can be drastic. We hope furthur negative reports do not come from the Climatologists !

Global Warming and its effects on Kerala

There was a CMFRI ( Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute of India ) report that Global Warming affects fish production.

Co2 emissions are more. The Carbon Dioxide combines with ocean water and forms Carbolic Acid. This increases the acidity levels of the ocean water and affects fish.

The Sea Surface Temperature (SST) goes up due to GW and this affects fish. Fish tend to go to colder areas.

The SST has gone up. In 1962, the SST was 28.3 and in 2007, it is 28.94 !

In fact, the quanity of fish has not come down. It is because of the burgeoning population - 1.2 billion in India and more consumption, that it seems to be so. Some species of fish disappeared. Some moved away to other areas.

In Kerala, from 1960 to 1984, fish production increased threefold due to technology, more education and good nets. But then after 1990, it has not gone up. After 1992, there was not much tuna catch. Mackerels catch also declined significantly. Sardines catch only increased marginally.

Catfish production also declined. Catfish has moved from Trichur but is available in Calicut District. Sharks also have disappered from the Trichur coast.

The heat above the surface of the ocean will be more before the South West Monsoon and will come down during the SW Monsoon. For the last 41 years, a different phenomenon has been observed. The temperature during the Monsoon season was 27.16 and now it is 28. 46!

Sardines are available on the Kerala coast after the Monsoons. Mackerel is available during the monsoons. The difference in temperature is responsible for this.

The difference in temperature is the cause for the change in habitat for fish. Ghee sardines and macekerels, which are found in less deep waters, move towards colder areas when they experience heat. There are also fish which move towards deeper waters. Mackerels which were never caught in deep waters before. are now available in deep waters. Different types of fish survive in different temperatures and GW changes the fish production equation !

The food which is eaten by the fish is also affected by the rise in temperature. Phytoplankton is the main food of fish. The Co2 is absorbed by Phytoplankton and food is prepared. The rising temperature destroys the Phytoplankton thus affecting the food of the fish ! Fish cannot survive due to the destruction of the Phytoplankton ! Some small plants grow rapidly due to the increasing heat, which cannot be eaten by fish ! During some seasons, phytoplanktons grow rapidy and gets destroyed. This also affects fish !

That the ocean becomes orange and red has been reported. This is due to certain phytoplanktons spreading. Some species of fish become more and some less. Poisionous plants become more and this adversely affects fish !

Let us hope GW will not devastate furthur !

G W has also affected astro meteorological patterns. Kerala received 56% more rains during this Monsoon season. Intense rains destroys crops and agri lands were indundated.

Rains lash Kerala as Sun transits Delta Scorpi

Meteorology may say it is a depression in the Bay of Bengal called La Nina which is responsible for the rains, but to those well versed in Astro Meteorology, it is the Sun's transit of Scorpio and the constellation of Delta Scorpi, which is the cause, as heavy rains lashed Trichur. From 0500 PM it was raining till 1100 PM, when I went to sleep.

According to Meteorology, La Nina is a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon of El Nino, as a part of the El Nino Southern Oscillation Climate pattern. La Nina is defined as the dialectial opposite of El Nina !

These depressions happen only during the Monsoon season, when the Sun transits the constellations from Eta Tauri to Alpha Scorpi ! So Astro Meteorology is right !

Why do these depression not happen during the summer season?

Climate Change, triggered by Global Warming, is creating havoc throughout the world. Sea levels rose by 1.8 mms from 1961 to 2003. All snowy mountains are melting. Co2 levels are increasing. Forest fires increased. When hot air creates lightning, forest fires are more. More cyclones and thunderstorms. Extreme climatic patterns are produced. More floods and more draughts than usual.