Recently, the author truly wondered, as to why there were exactly 12 months in a year, around 30 days in a month, 24 hours in a day, 60 minutes in an hour, and 60 seconds in a minute. The 12 months can be neatly categorized into the four seasons, provided one was in a place which experienced the four seasons. The magic number seems to be 12. How did all this brilliant development of a means to quantify time, happen? The author thought of a few reasons for the sacred numbers, and upon further reading, was truly amazed with the way this entire system came about. How much of all this has been observation? In fact, all.
The fundamental reason for 12 is that, using one's thumb, one can count the 12 finger joints (phalanxes). The 5 fingers of the other hand can be used to count 60. How much more elegant and simple can it become to have this as the fundamental unit of the time system? The 24 came about, as 12 hours of night (depending on the movement of the 12 stars under observation), and the corresponding 12 hours of day. Initially, day and night were considered as two separate measures. What would the first man have thought, to have this prolonged spell of darkness, before the sun came back? Would it have been fear?
While man was slowly getting used to this every"day" phenomenon of day and night, one more reason to jar him and bring him out of his comfort zone would have been, this sudden change of climate, where it suddenly just pours and pours snow, and everything around is grey, white and cold. While it does give way to the beautiful spring, thereby giving us this great aphorism, "even the harshest winter gives way to the lovely spring", imagine what the primitive man would have first felt to see all of this in great bewilderment? The four seasons. Indeed, it is one of continuous amazement to see this entire four season phenomenon happen cyclically every year.
Like Calvin says in one of the cartoon strips to this effect, "So, this is the 21st century. Where were all the flying cars and buses? We are still stuck with the four seasons?" So, while one is bound to be smug about the constant pattern and mundane appearance of these seasons, the recent importance given to climate change, forces one to take notice, and make this a priority, both at the macro- and micro- levels. Recent news claiming the lashing fury of the monsoons, leading to the severe floods in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India, has been linked to the changing climate across the world. Ironically, in these parts, floods were supposed to be a rare phenomenon. Rivers are behaving in not-so-well-understood ways, and the glaciers are melting at a higher rate due to global warming.
The Tsunami that struck India and Sri Lanka in 2005, in fact, changed the entire climate pattern of the peninsula. The "hot, hotter, and hottest" weather scheme in Chennai, is no longer so. While Chennai experiences a decent amount of cold now, Bangalore is getting warmer now. Further, the author remembers reading about the El Nino ocean current having an affect on the Indian monsoons, long time back. It used to amaze him that one such phenomenon in the South Americas should affect the Indian peninsula, leading to the vagaries of the monsoon. Increasingly, it is becoming more and more important to be cognizant of the fact that the world is all linked and we are all in this together.
Obviously unknowingly at the beginning, and now, very much knowingly, man has tempered with nature, and it is in our earnest to act, and correct. We want the four seasons. Please.
The fundamental reason for 12 is that, using one's thumb, one can count the 12 finger joints (phalanxes). The 5 fingers of the other hand can be used to count 60. How much more elegant and simple can it become to have this as the fundamental unit of the time system? The 24 came about, as 12 hours of night (depending on the movement of the 12 stars under observation), and the corresponding 12 hours of day. Initially, day and night were considered as two separate measures. What would the first man have thought, to have this prolonged spell of darkness, before the sun came back? Would it have been fear?
While man was slowly getting used to this every"day" phenomenon of day and night, one more reason to jar him and bring him out of his comfort zone would have been, this sudden change of climate, where it suddenly just pours and pours snow, and everything around is grey, white and cold. While it does give way to the beautiful spring, thereby giving us this great aphorism, "even the harshest winter gives way to the lovely spring", imagine what the primitive man would have first felt to see all of this in great bewilderment? The four seasons. Indeed, it is one of continuous amazement to see this entire four season phenomenon happen cyclically every year.
Like Calvin says in one of the cartoon strips to this effect, "So, this is the 21st century. Where were all the flying cars and buses? We are still stuck with the four seasons?" So, while one is bound to be smug about the constant pattern and mundane appearance of these seasons, the recent importance given to climate change, forces one to take notice, and make this a priority, both at the macro- and micro- levels. Recent news claiming the lashing fury of the monsoons, leading to the severe floods in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in India, has been linked to the changing climate across the world. Ironically, in these parts, floods were supposed to be a rare phenomenon. Rivers are behaving in not-so-well-understood ways, and the glaciers are melting at a higher rate due to global warming.
The Tsunami that struck India and Sri Lanka in 2005, in fact, changed the entire climate pattern of the peninsula. The "hot, hotter, and hottest" weather scheme in Chennai, is no longer so. While Chennai experiences a decent amount of cold now, Bangalore is getting warmer now. Further, the author remembers reading about the El Nino ocean current having an affect on the Indian monsoons, long time back. It used to amaze him that one such phenomenon in the South Americas should affect the Indian peninsula, leading to the vagaries of the monsoon. Increasingly, it is becoming more and more important to be cognizant of the fact that the world is all linked and we are all in this together.
Obviously unknowingly at the beginning, and now, very much knowingly, man has tempered with nature, and it is in our earnest to act, and correct. We want the four seasons. Please.
4 comments:
the end is amazing!!! it is a request, an order and a statement!!
just saw your comment on my blog. thank you. i just wrote whatever i felt about the book.
are you not ashamed? you are writing writing one article for one year.
shame on you!
oye... Ranga, how are you? How have you been? Been to Chennai since 2005/6?
Man, I was in Bangalore for sometime. Now am in Pune.
Am reading your new posts... long time, no read. You too disappeared from my blog.
All the best; by the way, watch 3 idiots, if u haven't already. i am sure you would relate more to it!
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