New Year's Day

New Year's Day is celebrated globally on January 1, the first day of the year on the Gregorian calendar. The celebrations may begin on the night of December 31, the New Year's Eve. The first time January 1 was celebrated as the New Year Day was in Rome in 153 BC.

One of the popular New Year’s traditions includes making New Year resolutions by which people promise themselves to do something good, such as quitting a bad habit or to do well in studies.

In most countries, people greet the New Year with fireworks. In London, thousands of people assemble to watch the fireworks around the London Eye, the giant Ferris wheel on the south bank of the River Thames. Another famous display of fireworks is performed in Sydney, Australia.

In India, the New Year’s Day has been one of the most popular celebrations. It is a secular celebration in India, with people of all faiths, languages and regions observing the day.

It is observed as a joyful occasion in which people of all age groups greet their dear and near ones with good wishes for the New Year. Some people may celebrate it with parties in hotels, clubs or other locations, or may visit tourist destinations. Some people may arrange celebrations at their homes. There can be colorful illuminations, feasts, crackers, music and dance.

Restaurants, resorts and markets are decorated for the occasion well before the day. It is also the occasion for shopping for many people. Exchanging greetings, messages and gifts are part of the celebration.

The significance of the New Year is bidding farewell to the bygone year to welcome the New Year, full of new aspirations and hopes for happiness, peace, harmony and prosperity for everyone.

Peacock, the National Bird of India

The national bird of India is Pavo cristatus, commonly known as the Indian Peacock or the Indian Peafowl. The male birds (peacocks) are more brightly coloured and beautiful than the females (peahens).

The peacock has enjoyed a place of pride in India. It is frequently depicted in literature, mythology, art and culture, music, folklore and traditions. They are prominent in temple art and architecture, textile designs, fashion and more. Their feathers are used in many rituals.

Pavo cristatus is a large-sized bird. Its crest, breast and neck are in metallic blue colour, and has bronze-green feathers on its back. The tail is dark brown, and the male has a long ‘train’, made of around 200 elongated upper tail coverts. The train feathers have multicolor eyespots. The peahen, slightly smaller in size, is not as attractive as the male and does not have the ‘train’.

The peacock raises its train feathers spreading like a fan and quivers it, performing ‘the peacock dance’ during courtship. The vibrant iridescent feather colours are not due to pigments, but resulting from optical interference reflections of nanostructures of the fiber-like components of feathers. Occasionally, white peafowl may be seen; some may be albinos and the others may be lacking colour pigments.

They are found in forests and even in villages and cities. They mainly feed on nuts, fruits, seeds, vegetables, and also prey on insects, lizards, rodents, and small snakes. Their lifespan is estimated to be between 15 and 23 years.

They have loud distinctive calls sounding ‘pia-ow’ or ‘may-awe’, more frequently before Monsoon rains. In the wild, their calls may indicate the presence of predators such as leopards and tigers.

The National Animal of India

The National Animal of India is the magnificent tiger (Panthera tigris). These iconic animals are recognizable for their beautiful pattern of dark vertical stripes on thick fur coat of colour varying from yellow to reddish orange with a lighter underside.

According to a 2016 global census, there are only about 3,890 wild tigers in the world, down from around 100,000 at the beginning of the 20th century. Out of this, about 2,580 are living in the Indian subcontinent. The major reasons for the decline in their population include poaching and habitat destruction.

Tigers belong to the genus Panthera to which the lion, leopard, jaguar and snow leopard also belong. There are 10 Panthera tigris subspecies out of which four are extinct. The remaining six subspecies have been declared endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The subspecies known as the Indian tiger (Panthera tigris tigris), also called the Royal Bengal Tiger, is the most numerous. It has a population of 2,226 living in the wild in India. It can be found in the wild throughout India except in the northwestern region. It is also found in Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

In April 1973, the Government of India launched a conservation program known as Project Tiger. The project aims at increasing the population of Bengal tigers in their natural habitats. Under this program, the government has so far established 27 tiger reserves covering total area of 37,761 sq km.

In 2016, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) declared that the world population of wild tigers has increased for the first time in a century.

The National Flag of India

The National Flag of India is a horizontal rectangular tricolour of three equal strips. It has deep saffron at the top, white in the middle and dark green at the bottom. The ratio of width of the flag to its length is two to three.

The colours of the three strips of the flag are symbolic of the core values India stands for: saffron symbolizes strength and courage, white for peace, and green for fertility, growth and auspiciousness.

At the centre of the white strips is a navy blue wheel, the Ashoka Chakra, with 24 equally spaced spokes. It represents the Dharma Chakra, the eternal wheel of law. It is adapted from the abacus of the Sarnath Lion Capital, erected by Ashoka, the great Indian emperor of the Maurya Dynasty who ruled in the 3rd century BC.

It was proposed as India’s national flag by Jawaharlal Nehru at the Constituent Assembly of India on 22 July 1947, and was accepted with a unanimous resolution. Since then it has been the national flag of India.

The tricolour has been associated with India’s struggle for independence. It underwent several modifications to suit India’s aspirations as a multicultural secular nation since it was first hoisted on 7 August 1906.

The hoisting, display and all other aspects of the usage of the flag are governed by the Flag Code of India and other laws relating to the National Identity Elements of India.

The National Anthem of India

The National Anthem of India consists of the first stanza of the song "Jana Gana Mana", the music and words of which were composed by the Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore. The National Anthem is one of National Identity Elements of India.

The Constituent Assembly of India adopted Jana Gana Mana as the National Anthem of India on 24 January 1950. Its full version takes a formal playing time of approximately 52 seconds.

The officially recognised version reads as follows:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata
Punjaba-Sindhu-Gujarata-Maratha
Dravida-Utkala-Banga
Vindhya-Himachala-Yamuna-Ganga
uchchala-jaladhi-taranga
Tava shubha name jage, tava shubha asisa mage,
gahe tava jaya-gatha.
Jana-gana-mangala-dayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, Jaya he, Jaya he,
jaya jaya jaya, jaya he.

A shortened version consists of the first and last lines and takes about 20 seconds to play. It reads as follows:

Jana-gana-mana-adhinayaka jaya he
Bharata-bhagya-vidhata.
Jaya he, Jaya he, Jaya he,
jaya jaya jaya, jaya he.

Tagore's English rendering of the anthem is as follows:

Thou art the ruler of the minds of all people,
Dispenser of India's destiny.
Thy name rouses the hearts of Punjab, Sind,
Gujarat and Maratha,
Of the Dravida and Odisha and Bengal;
It echoes in the hills of the Vindhyas and Himalayas,
mingles in the music of Jamuna and Ganges and is
chanted by the waves of the Indian Sea.
They pray for thy blessings and sing thy praise.
The saving of all people waits in thy hand,
Thou dispenser of India's destiny.
Victory, victory, victory to thee.

The National Anthem in Devanagari script is as follows:

जन-गण-मन अधिनायक जय हे
भारत भाग्य विधाता ।
पंजाब-सिंधु-गुजरात-मराठा
द्राविड़-उत्कल-बंग
विंध्य हिमाचल यमुना गंगा
उच्छल जलधि तरंग
तव शुभ नामे जागे, तव शुभ आशिष मांगे
गाहे तव जय-गाथा ।
जन-गण-मंगलदायक जय हे भारत भाग्य विधाता ।
जय हे, जय हे, जय हे, जय जय जय जय हे ।

The Government of India issues instructions about the correct versions of the anthem, occasions when the anthem is to be sung or played and the need to observe proper decorum when the anthem is performed.

The official instructions, information and guidance are here: http://knowindia.gov.in/knowindia/national_symbols.php?id=6

The correct rendering of the National Anthem can be heard here: http://knowindia.gov.in/myindia/images/jan.mp3

Global Warming

Global warming is a phenomenon that causes gradual rise in temperature on the Earth's surface. The current average temperature is higher than the temperature at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (around 1750).

Scientists have been analyzing temperatures from the late 19th century since when recorded data is available. They show an increase in temperature during 1920-40, while in the next three decades the temperature became slightly cooler. The data from 1970 to the present show an increase of about 0.6 °C.

Of all the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and climate change, carbon dioxide is the major contributor. Cars and other vehicles, thermal power plants, airplanes, factories, and other human activities release about 23 billion tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into atmosphere annually.

The current amount of carbon dioxide in the air is about 31% more than the 1750 level. Out of this, 75% was added by fossil fuel burning in the last two decades. The remaining 25% is attributable to deforestation, forest fires, crop stubble burning, burning forests for agriculture, and similar activities.

As the surface temperature increases the sea level rises due to the expansion of water and melting of glaciers and polar icecaps. This causes coastal flooding and inundation of coastal cities and other areas. Hot deserts will become hotter and expand destroying green areas. Disastrous storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes can make winds faster than 320 kilometers per hour destroying life and property. Weather pattern will change drastically and farming and food production will suffer.

It’s time that the governments of all countries join hands, giving up their differences, and try to reduce global warming. Similarly, people can also contribute to resolve the problem by consuming less energy or adapting to clean and green energy sources.

Greenhouse Effect

Greenhouse effect is caused by greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere by absorbing infrared radiation.

In 1824 the French physicist Joseph Fourier, credited as the discoverer of greenhouse effect, first suggested that the Earth's atmosphere acts as an ‘insulator’. His observations were subsequently confirmed by other scientists. But the term ‘greenhouse effect’ was first used by the Swedish meteorologist Nils Gustaf Ekholm in 1901.

In 1896, the Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius was the first to calculate how increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) will increase the Earth's surface temperature. He predicted for the first time that CO₂ emissions will cause global warming.

About 10,000 years ago CO₂ in the atmosphere was 260 to 280 parts per million (ppm), which increased to 389 ppm in 2011 due to excessive burning of fossil fuels. According to most scientists, the safe level of CO₂ in the atmosphere is 350 ppm or less.

But greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon and an essential evil. Without this effect, the average temperature all over the earth would be −18 °C (0 °F), in place of the current average of 15 °C (59 °F). That is a fall in temperature by 33 °C, which will render the Earth too cold to support life. So, what is required is maintaining greenhouse gas emissions within safe limits by reducing burning of fossil fuels and other causes.

The four major gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone. Increase in the amount of these gases makes the air hotter, causing global warming and climate change.

Global warming can cause serious consequences such as desertification, melting of polar ice and glaciers, sea level rise and submerging of coastal areas and islands. It can also cause severe droughts and devastating floods and drastically affect farming and food production.

Greenhouse gases: a short school essay

Greenhouse gases (GHG) trap heat in the atmosphere by reflecting radiation that the Earth emits. This increases the Earth's temperature, which is the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse gases are required in the atmosphere to some extent. For instance, if all greenhouse gases are eliminated, the average temperature will fall by 33 °C, making it difficult for life to exist. And too much of greenhouse gases will increase the atmosphere to undesirable levels.

The primary GHG are water vapor (H₂O), carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and ozone (O₃).

It is estimated by scientists that human activities have increased the atmospheric concentration of CO₂, the most harmful greenhouse gas, by 40% since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution (1750 AD).

Burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas as well as activities like livestock rearing, agriculture and deforestation push up CO₂ concentration. Livestock added 14.5% of all human-caused GHG, while transportation (all vehicles and planes) added 13% yearly.

Deforestation (cutting trees) reduces absorption of carbon dioxide by plants during photosynthesis. Raising farm animals, including cattle and others such as pigs, chickens and sheep, add methane to the atmosphere.

Water vapour is the most abundant GHG causing climate change. But human activities add more water vapor to the atmosphere through industrial heating, use of cooling towers and by creating artificial lakes.

All these human activities contribute to increase in greenhouse gases and cause global warming.

If greenhouse gas emissions are not controlled, the Earth's surface temperature would cross danger level by 2047, making life on earth difficult. And it may cross the threshold of 2 °C global warming by 2036.

Santa Claus

Photo: Santa Claus and his reindeer on postcard

It is believed that Santa Claus brings toys, sweets and other gifts for children during Christmas celebrations. He is also known as St. Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Christingle, Christkind and by many more names.

Santa Claus is a fictional character that cannot be traced to early Christian traditions or the Bible. His name first appeared in the American press in 1773 as a phonetic derivation of Sinterklaas.

The current image of Santa Claus is a combination of Father Christmas and another traditional gift-giver, Saint Nicholas who is known in Dutch as Sinterklaas. Saint Nicholas was a bishop, who lived in Greece in the 4th century AD.

According to the North American legend, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole with his wife Mrs. Santa Claus. He remains busy the whole year in his workshop making toys with the help of his elves.

On the Christmas Eve, he loads his sleigh with toys and other gifts and flies around the world. His sleigh is drawn by eight reindeer through the sky, stopping at each child’s house. He slides down the fireplace chimney of the house and leaves gifts for the child.

Traditionally, children leave for Santa refreshments like milk, cookies, Christmas pudding or other Christmas delicacies. They also leave carrots for Santa's reindeer.

It is believed that Santa categorizes children as good or bad according to their behavior. He presents good children with toys and other gifts. He gives lumps of coal for children who do not behave well.

Traditionally, children have been writing letters to Santa for many years, with wish lists of toys and promising good behavior. Postal authorities of countries such as Canada, Finland and UK have provided Santa Claus addresses with postcodes.

Santa Claus is a very popular figure for businesses. He appears in advertisements, sales promotions and other marketing programs weeks before Christmas.

Organic Farming

Photo: Cultivation of vegetables on an organic farm in Capay in Yolo County in California, USA

Organic farming is a natural method of food production that uses only natural inputs and discourages the use of pesticides, fertilizers, etc.

Human beings started agriculture when they transformed from hunter-gatherers to permanent settlers many thousands of years ago. Till the middle of the 19th century, farmers used only natural methods developed over the years. In fact, it was organic farming, though not called so.

With the increase in population, food shortage became acute so that chemical fertilizers, pesticides, etc. were invented in the 20th century. Though these increased yields, they also brought in harmful side effects, including serious health hazards due to toxic chemicals entering our body through food.

So, humans returned to the original farming methods, but with the help of modern science, in order to prevent toxic substances entering our food chain. The new system, organic farming, does not use chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and other harmful inputs.

Manure such as compost, green manure, and other natural inputs are used along with crop rotation and companion crop planting in the new method of agriculture.

Farming techniques involving pulses/leguminous plants help in nitrogen fixation through symbiosis with rhizobia (soil bacteria). Organic agriculture prohibits antibiotics, genetically modified plants and animals, growth hormones, chemical stimulants, etc. Weeds and insects are controlled using natural substances, without using chemical herbicides, weedicides, insecticides, etc.

In traditional farming activities such as raising poultry and livestock for meat, milk and eggs, only biological methods are used, rejecting hormones, harmful antibiotics and artificial stimulants. Raising cattle and poultry organically complements organic farming.

In India, the central government is promoting organic farming through various schemes, including the Paramapragat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY).

In 2001, the Indian government implemented the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP), constituting norms for organic food production and related matters. In the last decade, the area under certified organic farming has increased about 17 fold.

The salient features of PKVY include financial assistance of Rs. 20,000 per acre per farmer in three years to support expenses from seed to harvesting and to transport produce to the market. Besides, the government promotes organic farming using traditional resources and links produce to the market.

Indian states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Sikkim have been promoting organic farming.

Sikkim, with 75,000 hectares of land certified as organic farms, is already the first fully organic state in India. Sikkim also joined hands with the organic food producing states such as California, Wisconsin and others.