Tag: News Facts

Let the dead rest in peace

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Wish the voices sleep.

Those dead are far gone

And the living dies many a death.

My stomach churns

And thoughts towards utopia disgust;

Speculative spectators whiling time away,

Discussing

Watching

Pretending

Concern in the name of justice.

Consumers to anything

Where premium is in our mind;

Do we care to know our own self?

Do I know who I truly am?

Let the dead rest in peace.

*Disclaimer: My thoughts on Indian media and the way a certain topic of a dead person is being handled. I may be lucky to stay away from print and broadcast media but, the impact it has been having on human consciousness, awakened my slumbering conscience.

2020, Deeya Nambiar

Cherish Banarasi Saree

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The Indian handloom and cottage industries have emerged stronger after every unwarranted crisis for years. The past has always sown seeds of hope. The Banarasi saree’s recent geographical indications (GI) status is an achievement worth mentioning.

With this the story of duplication comes under scrutiny as “the GI rights are the intellectual property rights that restrict others from marketing or processing a product in the same name.”

September saw the Banarasi silk product register as the ‘Banaras Brocades and Sarees’ under Geographical Indications (GI) Act.

According to experts “the GI status would benefit about 12 lakh people associated directly or indirectly with the handloom silk industry of the region because it would restrict the misuse of Banarasi saree brand. As per the GI certificate issued by the registrar of GI, the Banaras Brocades and Sarees fall in four classes (13-26) that include silk brocades, textile goods, silk saree, dress material and silk embroidery. The registration is for 10 years and it may be further renewed.”

It is easy to find skilled labour, but maintaining the tradition needs attention and care. Though at the policy level there is a need for protection from cheap silk and powerloom houses, the challenge to reintroduce Banarasi sarees as a brand is not anymore a dream in waiting. The sweat, blood and about eight years struggle of many weavers to restore the lost glory and grandeur of the Banarasi sarees is set to begin a new innings.

Virtual India’s Bhuvan

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Bhuvan, India’s mapping application website has been launched.

Working on similar grounds as Google Earth and Wikimapia, Bhuvan is a geoportal that provides medium to high resolution satellite imagery of virtually the entire India.

When compared to the rest, this web-based 3D mapping tool, which is a product of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is said to have better zooming properties.

“This would provide a user with images having resolution up to 10 metres. The degree of resolution showcased is based on the points of interest and popularity, but most of the Indian terrain is covered up to at least 5.8 metres of resolution with the least spatial resolution being 55 metres.”

It is also said that “the user can also navigate through 3D viewing environment. One can “fly” to destinations of choice and even draw 3D objects such as placing of expressive 3D models, 3D polygons and boxes. The site also offers tools to measure horizontal, vertical and aerial distances.”

The images on the site are a combination of satellite imagery from various IRS sensors taken “sometime within the last three years during different seasons.”

But to browse the website, one has to create an account and download “the Bhuvan Plug-in”.

A few days old into the World Wide Web, Bhuvan has a long way to go. As a common man we can hope that it would be a rich and useful source in addressing very local problems including water issues and infrastructure development.

Gold Wins Valentine

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Gold wins heart yet again. Love is in the air as lovers are lost in thought – “what is the best gift to bring a smile on her face?” – for the special occasion of Valentine’s Day. History be history, love is love, and it comes for a price. The latest survey sums up gold jewellery as the most preferred gift for women across the globe.

“The higher gold price has added to gold jewellery’s desirability despite these challenging economic times. Gold’s perceived value and enduring emotional appeal are not mutually exclusive and sets it apart from other traditional gifts and apparently, holds the key to women’s hearts on Valentine’s Day,” World Gold Council’s (WGC) 2008 jewellery survey said.

“In contrast to jewellery, which has clear financial value, other luxury consumables were viewed as having short-term aesthetic appeal and, therefore, lacked the investment value and the longevity of gold.”

Even the younger generation who are “typically more interested in spending money on gadgets such as mobile phones than spending their disposable income on jewellery, appreciate the romance of gold jewellery.”

Women and gold have a long association. They would love to have gold jewellery if gifted on special occasions – birthdays, wedding anniversary, and festivals to name a few. And they also buy for themselves as and when situations are opportune.

On a more serious note, women especially Indians, regard gold as “an indicator of emotional ties”.

According to the survey, “81 per cent women claim that the amount spent on gold jewellery reflects how valued someone is.”

For women in the USA and China, there is more of romantic sentiment behind buying gold as a gift. To them gold “is a symbol of love”.

Probably on a more practical note, women in Turkey and Saudi Arabia cite a key reason for buying it as a gift is because “gold will not lose its value”.

The perception of women regarding gold varies across the world. In fact the prized possession is more about the psychology of women. It is therefore, a crucial phase for both the gold jewellery trade and the gold market as a whole to understand the consumer.

Valentine’s Day is an important occasion for receiving gold jewellery for women in different regions around the world. The yellow metal reiterates its power not just as a dead investment but also a matter of pride and heart. Reason: “it is everlasting”.

Published in Merinews.com; Gold Wins Valentine by Deeya Nayar-Nambiar