Thursday 20 June 2013

"My Favourite TED Videos" by Shatrunjay Hegde

This video demonstrates the future of experiencing images on the internet and visiting places on Earth digitally. When Google Earth and Google Maps came out I was impressed, when Google Street View came out I was amazed, but after this demonstration..... mind blown!

You could see very basic Photosynth experiments on http://photosynth.net/.

Blaise Aguera y Arcas demos Photosynth




Blaise Aguera y Arcas leads a dazzling demo of Photosynth, software that could transform the way we look at digital images. Using still photos culled from the Web, Photosynth builds breathtaking dreamscapes and lets us navigate them.
Blaise Agüera y Arcas is a Distinguished Engineer at Microsoft. His team works on augmented reality, mapping, wearable computing and natural user interfaces. He was the co-creator of Photosynth, software that assembles photos into 3D environments

Physical Practices of Kalaripayattu by Sidhanth Narula

In order to adopt the fundamental principle of Kalalripayattu, which states that an opponent should by no means manage to reach the practitioner; like in any other martial art, the basis, must be firm. A strong foundation requires a daily dose of exercise accompanied by perseverance, rigour, and support from the Gurukkal; who guides his students through physical challenges.
 This solid base is integrated with three stages of training known as ‘meithari’ or a series of exercises to train the body, ‘kolthari’ or training with wooden weapons, and the final stage being  ‘ankathari’ or training with rigid metallic weapons. In ‘meithari’, the training comprises of bare-hand techniques, various stretches, and stances, jumps to gain overall flexibility, strength and stamina of the body. Flexibility is a vital part of Kalaripayattu, without which one can’t prove their effectiveness in combat and therefore defeating the fundamental principle altogether. Flexibility allows the student to dodge an attack from his adversary and simultaneously throw in a fist or kick of his own. It is also a prerequisite to perfect the eight stances derived from wild animals; known as ‘Meipayattu’. These techniques are not only drawn from the external nature of the animal but also the internal.   For example, ‘kutichu chadi’ is a position adopted by observing the tiger’s leap, as it draws its whole body back to gather strength and finally thrusts its whole body fiercely, exposing its claws and stretching the entire body. ‘Meipayattu’ forms an essential component of the physical practices in ‘Kalaripayattu’ as these stances enable the fighter to impart energy into their attack, the same way an animal accumulates power either to catch its prey or resort to self-defence when faced with danger. In this unique form of preparation, by achieving sheer mastery over one’s limbs through training the legs, middle and upper body with a series of exercises that gradually get intricate with progression; one can move with agility, attain neuro-muscular synchronization and consequently be able to withstand any onslaught from an attacker.
The other seven forms are as follows:
1.      ‘Gaja Vadivu’ or the form of an elephant is a position in which the practitioner keeps his feet in contact with each other, keeping both the heels fixed on the ground. The front portion of the feet are then moved in an arc like position, the right foot to the right side and the left one to the left side to the maximum extent possible. The face is then raised to look upwards, while the forearms keep touching each other and the fingers are folded into a fist. The practitioner then bows down in order to lower the upper segment of his body and keeps the sides of his ribs parallel to his thighs. This particular form gives the practitioner great balance and allows him to thrust hard with his fists. This position is seen extremely effective when it comes to facing a tough, heavily built opponent.

2.      ‘Aswa Vadivu’ is that stance which resembles the positioning and movements of a horse. The objective of this stance is to concentrate energy in the chest, similar to the way a horse gears up in order to jump. This form enables the practitioner to strike his opponent especially if he decided to make a sudden move, by delivering a backward blow to his ribs with use of his elbow. The stance involves the upper body inclined in such a manner that the chest touches the left knee, which faces forward while the right leg is stretched behind with the right hand placed parallel to it. The left hand is placed inwards under the practitioner’s jaw, which subsequently allows the elbow to jut out. This form can be quite deadly and is most suitable in a fight when a mob is involved.

3.      ‘Varaaha Vadivu’ is when a practitioner assumes the position of a wild boar. Initially, the practitioner stands keeping his feet together. He then places his right foot slightly backwards, moves the front portion of the foot towards the right to the maximum extent possible. The same is done with the left foot, with the front portion of the foot facing towards the left. The body is then turned to the right side with the face looking straight ahead and the hands are locked into fists. The right hand is held high in front of the forehead, while the left hand is placed next to the hip. This position allows the body and hands to create wave like movements called ‘Theruthu’ in Kalaripayattu which can be only learnt by closely observing the demonstration, either from the master or an experienced practitioner. After one masters ‘Theruthu’, he can effectively subdue his opponent at close quarters. Hence, this position can be resorted to against a mob, similar to the application of ‘Aswa Vadivu’.

4.      ‘Sarpa Vadivu’ is a stance adopted by observing serpents. The first step is to stand upright and then move the left leg forward in an arc. The next step involves the right leg moving backwards and simultaneously lowering the upper body towards the left leg, giving the whole body a slight inclination. Once, the body is inclined to an angle of approximately 45 degrees, the face is lowered bringing the chin closer to the chest and the left arm is circled around the chest without contacting it, while the right hand is positioned next to the hip, free to move and strike the opponent. The position is said to be performed at an extraordinary speed in order to destabilise the enemy by pulling his feet off the ground.

5.      ‘Maarjaara Vadivu’ is a movement imitating a cat gearing up to pounce on its prey. The practitioner lies down on his chest, positioning the body parallel and in contact with the ground. The left leg is slightly bent whilst the right leg is stretched out. The palms are placed beside the shoulders comparable to the way a cat digs its claws into the ground before the final ambush. This stance gives the practitioner immense energy and needs to be performed with agility to strike his opponent.

6.      ‘Kukkudu Vadivu’ or the form of rooster, is a position where the practitioner stands straight, balancing on only his right foot with the left leg raised bending the knee, extending above his head or vice-versa. The hands are then crossed in front of the chest. The position allows the practitioner to leap against the opponent, at the same time punch with his fists, moving the hands forward from the crossed position.

7.      ‘Matsya Vadivu’ is when the practitioner mimics the movements of a fish as he places his left leg firmly on the ground, bending the right leg behind, but upwards. The body is now entirely in a horizontal position, parallel to the ground. The left hand is then stretched out, exposing the open palm while the right hand is positioned beside the head, the elbow of which juts out backwards. This movement, like ‘Kukkudu Vadivu’ also enables the practitioner to jump against his opponent along with synchronized turning and winding of the body, striking effectively with the hands. It is also one of the positions that need to be practiced under the supervision and direction of an experienced Guru.

After one manages to accomplish the art of applying free hand techniques in training, there comes the time to progress on to the second phase of physical practice, known as ‘Kolthari’, where wooden weapons along with a long, flexible, whip like sword are brought into play. ‘Kettukari’ is one such weapon made out of bamboo, which is around six feet in span and is effectively used by hurling blows at different parts of the foe’s body. Practicing with this weapon makes handling the spear in ‘ankathari’, seem extremely straightforward. Another weapon is the ‘viada’ or the mace which is a double handed, heavy club; fatal enough to break skulls.
The next weapon introduced into this stage is the ‘cheruvati’. Also made out of bamboo, used in both attack and defence, this weapon is fairly short in span; however it’s solid, heavy and in the hands of a skilled practitioner, it can strike at an astounding rate of 200 a minute.
The ‘urimi’ as mentioned earlier, is a long, flexible, double-bladed sword which is worn around the warrior’s waist like a belt. Agility and awareness are essential preconditions while handling this weapon as one’s own blood could be at stake. The weapon is extremely effective when many assailants are around. Most opponents would eventually turn back and leave combat in the fear of being decapitated.
The final weapon taught to the practitioner in ‘kolthari’ is the ‘ottakkol’ which plays a critical role in his progress, since the application of the weapon involves complex movements of the body. The wooden weapon is unique in form seeing that it has a small club at one end and a handle, for grip, at the other. Considered more than just a weapon, the ‘ottakkol’ is retained for the highest level in kalaripayattu primarily for the reason that the fighter must be extremely dextrous before he gets his hands on this exclusive entity. The weapon can either be ineffective or lethal depending on the level of the practitioner as here the knowledge of marmas comes into play. The weapon is used to strike vital pressure points of the body that will kill the opponent; anything short of that would be paralysis. While all other weapons have twelve training sequences, it’s rather simple to understand as to why the ‘ottakkol’ would have eighteen.
The third and final stage is known as ‘ankathari’, or combat exercises with weapons made from unbending metal. The training commences with a dagger called ‘kattaram’, used in combat duels fought at close quarters. Numerous grips and several components of bare-hand techniques in ‘meithari’ are practiced for efficient use of the dagger. Fighting with a dagger entails close body contact; hence the slightest lapse in alertness can lead to serious injury.
The sword and shield were the primary arms used in combat during the medieval times in Kerala and have been carried on through since then in the kalaripayattu system. The application of this attack and defence weapon combination draws on the various movements learned in the preliminary physical training exercises or ‘meithari’. This furthermore goes on to show that during the transition from the first stage to the last, every phase of training is given grave importance as one can’t do without the other in order to progress in Kalaripayattu.

Looking at the intensity of the physical practices and discipline that goes into Kalaripayattu, one can conclude that this martial art is not only meant to transform the practitioner into a defendant, but also a skilful combatant. Today, we see more people in Kerala take to this martial art largely for the fact that one is able to attain the physical control and mental concentration similar to that of a warrior, apart from only having self defence or fitness on their agenda. The first stage of training or ‘meithari’ can alone give the practitioner immense strength, stamina, flexibility and agility that one can easily defend themselves, whether against a single opponent or few. The movements and stances included in ‘meipayattu’ add finesse to the fighting style. As far as weapons go, since Kalaripayattu is rehearsed in the present day and age, using a weapon outside the kalari would be extremely redundant and illegal, but narrowly escaping a slash or a hit almost every single time during practice, must get the body’s adrenaline flowing. It could be possible that a few people end up gaining thrill out of using deadly weapons in false combat. By analysing these effects of the practices on the body as well as the mind, we can establish that the benefits themselves stand testament to the ability of Kalaripayattu to survive and continue through the ages. 

Blemishes in our Society by Sidhanth Narula

Skimming through the television, completely oblivious of the world outside, I arrived at a news channel with “Breaking News” flashing at the bottom of the screen. A policeman returning home on a motorcycle gets hacked by five goons, but he wasn’t the intended target. In a case of mistaken identity, the goons left him to die in the middle of the road. A few moments later a troop of government vehicles passed by and stopped before the wounded officer. A politician and a bunch of his police bodyguards got out of their vehicles, not to help but only gaze at the stream of blood flowing from his body. The scene was far more gruesome than even a Quentin Tarantino film. Time was ticking; the onlookers didn’t budge while the helpless soul cried in agony. Gradually, one of the bodyguards stepped up to help his ‘Brother in arms’, but it was too little too late as the officer died on the way to the hospital.
This is a sad but true story, which goes to show that people would rather watch such a grim spectacle than do anything about it, even when it comes to a politician who has 24 hour security mainly comprising of policemen but wouldn’t bother returning the favour. These are the kind of people that tarnish the image of our nation, these are the people we trust with our money, our security, our laws and hence our lives.
Let’s face it, getting justice in this country is rare even though how strong and independent the jury may be. Conviction rates are extremely low and procedures overshadow the objectives. Cases are ‘open and shut’ which take ages with shifting theories, but then again there are relatively simple cases that never get solved and no one is ever held responsible. According to the RTI, there are nearly 30 million cases pending that it is impossible for them to get concluded in one’s lifetime and by the time the judgement is done, the damage has already been done. This shocking reality suggests that we’d rather not have any judicial system in place. Justice must prevail rapidly, be definite and not forgotten like most cases in our country.
          Though the judges are being let off because of lack of "prosecutable evidence", the findings of the probe could jolt those who play down the growing instance of irregularities in judiciary, saying the phenomenon is limited to lower rungs. ( Mahapatra 1 )
The above citation is quite ironic as the judges themselves are being tried and let off due to the lack of “prosecutable evidence”. This was a case where CBI probe into the fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 6.58 crore from the provident fund accounts of class-III and IV employees in the Ghaziabad district court, has found a former Supreme Court judge along with 23 other sitting and retired judges of Allahabad high court and lower courts guilty of misdemeanour. Had our judicial system been concrete, politicians, judges and ‘lastly’ criminals, wouldn’t be awarded with such impunity.
Law enforcers quite fit the bill too for an unjust society in our nation. Majorly known for taking bribes, these ‘protectors of the law’ neither know the laws nor are empowered to fine or arrest. Their major chunk of livelihood comes from ‘donations’ from citizens like us. They often treat crime scenes as a joke, where hordes of onlookers and dozens of cops look around without a clue as to what to do, like the incident I mentioned in the beginning. Effective law formulation, enforcement and swift justice are strong foundations for a just society. It then finally comes down to us as law abiding citizens, we bring this injustice upon us by simply bribing and skimming our way through just so we wouldn’t have to attend half a day in court and pay a hefty fine.
Another reason as to why society in India remains unjust 60 years after independence is because of its stratification. In this world of economic development, growth and competition, where money is power and power is success, the rich seem to ‘steal’ the limelight while leaving the poor in the shadows. The motive of profit has formed a narrow minded society and selfishness has surpassed selflessness by miles. The rich may dream of fabulous lives consisting of a fleet of the world’s best cars, biggest mansions, high end designer clothes and most importantly lavish parties accompanied by a troop of friends mainly consisting of celebrities, but remain completely oblivious of the poverty outside their luxurious bubble. According to statistics 75 percent of India’s population manages to survive under $2 a day. We may be progressing when it comes to making millionaires but regressing when it comes to eradicating poverty.
This also goes to show that capitalism is merely an extension of feudalism as all the power and wealth floats on the top while at the bottom, the poor obtain nothing. It seems that society has gotten increasingly stratified post economic liberalisation in India. An economic policy that caters only to the rich, justifies the feeling of discontentment among the poor. It’s almost as if we’ve been thrown back to age of the kings, landlords and discrimination on the basis of caste. Post Independence, India is back to where it started from, to society in which the rich shop in malls, relax in gyms and spas, while the poor live in utmost destitute surroundings, send their children to work and can’t afford health care. Unsurprisingly, this stratification has led to discontentment amongst the poor.
Naxalites have emerged as a radical group, that pose threat to the nation’s national security, simply due to the fact that their living conditions deteriorate as they watch the world around them flourish. Such movements we could say are a natural outcome of an unjust society. This stratification of society has led to a ‘dog eat dog world’ situation.
Certainly we are not animals; we have been gifted with consciousness. Neither are we machines, programmed and encoded, but we chose to be both. Society functions on a one track mind on a daily bases. Most people want to get in a prestigious college only because the college is recognized. This is the main criteria students look for now days and not for the quality of education. This is a sheep like attitude, as they just want to go wherever the heard goes. Then we behave like machines with our famous quote being “this happens all the time”. Whenever we witness social injustice in front of our eyes, the above quote is used by most of us. We would complain all day about injustices in society rather than finding a solution to prevent them. It is we who have to be the change we want to see in society.
It is our duty to get rid of these blemishes so that the world can witness India’s two thousand year old, outstanding multicultural society.
I tell them that if they would only read the Mahabharata and the Ramayana study the
Golden Ages of the Mauryas and the Guptas and even of those Muslim chaps the Mughals, they would realize that India is not an underdeveloped country but a highly developed one in a state of decay.             ( Tharoor 17 )
Let’s face it, everyone wants an ideal society, but gradually we have come to realize that it is extremely impossible have a utopian society. No one person is ever perfect, since society is made up of individuals with different personalities, there will be inherent imperfection. We as people are so different in our view points and beliefs, that we tend to honour and defend what we believe in. This tends to form groups with similar beliefs who end up arguing with groups that are different. This eventually leads to violence. India is democratic and secular country; it has many political parties who always end up blaming and arguing with each other and then there are diverse religions that end up pelting stones at each other.  The reality is that most societies are unjust whether it is China who kill their own people or India who force their people to kill themselves, here the only difference being that while China gets condemned, India gets pity plus charity which is extremely ironic as the deed is the same. This goes to show that India is definitely not a just society and what we can only do is prevent our society from social injustices.



Works Cited

1.      Mahapatra, Dhananjay. “PF scam: CBI indicts ex-SC judge, 23 other judges.” Times of India 28 Jul. 2010: 1

 


2.      Tharoor, Shashi. “The Great Indian Novel.” New York: Arcade Publishing,1989.

Mythology By Sidhanth Narula

Mythology

Who are we? Why are we here? How did our world begin? These are some questions we humans are eagerly trying to find answers to. While science comes up with theories such as “The Big Bang”, it is also religion and myths that try to answer the unexplainable.        
Mythology is a set of stories or beliefs about a particular person, institution, or situation, especially when exaggerated or fictitious. Myths are simply mistranslated true accounts or mutations of historical references; it is more likely that myths were important tools for societies to preserve their history, their values and their culture. Myths have been passed on from one generation to another and are unique to the cultures that create them. Most myths reflect on themes like fear, anxiety, and death, good and evil.
Myths provide permanence to a culture. They cultivate a shared set of perspectives, values, history, and literature, in the stories themselves. Through these communal tales, we are connected to one another, to our ancestors, to the natural world surrounding us, and to society. Myths have also been extremely instrumental when it comes to creating laws and morals and hence a guideline for living. They teach us right and wrong and therefore we can perceive the rewards and consequences of our actions. It is through myths that society has certain expectations of behaviours and standards. They reveal our fate after death, in terms of ‘heaven’ or ‘hell’ and they also offer role models as most myths consist of deities showing attributes of strength, persistence and courage.
A perfect example of this description of myths can be of the epic Ramayana. The main universal moral behind Ramayana is the victory of ‘good’ over ‘evil’. The myth surrounds the life of Lord Rama, who was a loyal son, a caring husband and an ideal student while Ravana was greedy, a thief and had many enemies. The myth would clearly draw a comparison between the two kingdoms of Ayodhya and Lanka, stating the differences in the two societies and the laws they followed. Hinduism wants each and every one of its devotees  to look for Lord Rama as their role model as in Ramayana he is clearly projected as an ideal human being.
Just as Gods in religion came about due to personification of archetypal facets of life such as rain, sun, wind etc. Mythology too follows the same path but it is also metaphorical. We learn about life and people and values in a way which cannot be offered by dry historical or philosophical accounts; in mythology, we learn through imagination, as we feel and visualize the colourful adventures of the deities. Although mythology is not a literal rendering of a culture's history, we can still use myths to explore the culture - its viewpoints, activities, and beliefs.

Mythology has always been and always will be a vital part of religion. It transcends the logical, the rational and the scientific. It has always been the source of pre-scientific explanations, as we all know science can’t answer everything, that’s where myths come into the picture.

"My Favourite TED Videos" by Shatrunjay Hegde

This is a demonstration to the sixth sense technology talked about by Pranav Mistry in the video I posted before this one.

Pattie Maes and Pranav Mistry demo SixthSense


This demo -- from Pattie Maes' lab at MIT, spearheaded by Pranav Mistry -- was the buzz of TED. It's a wearable device with a projector that paves the way for profound interaction with our environment. Imagine "Minority Report" and then some.

"My Favourite TED Videos" by Shatrunjay Hegde

This video is absolutely mind blowing according to me. The research done by Pranav Mistry is obviously the future of how are going to use technology in our day to day lives.

Pranav Mistry: The thrilling potential of SixthSense technology



At TEDIndia, Pranav Mistry demos several tools that help the physical world interact with the world of data -- including a deep look at his SixthSense device and a new, paradigm-shifting paper "laptop." In an onstage Q&A, Mistry says he'll open-source the software behind SixthSense, to open its possibilities to all.
Pranav Mistry is the inventor of SixthSense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world of data.

"My Favourite TED Videos" by Shatrunjay Hegde

This video was the first TED video I saw, once I saw this I was hooked. It is an extremely interesting, funny and informative video, it really makes you look at today's education in a different way.


Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity



Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.
Creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson challenges the way we're educating our children. He champions a radical rethink of our school systems, to cultivate creativity and acknowledge multiple types of intelligence.