Adventures of Raghu - Through the eyes of a telescope

"Rasiya, just look at all the stars up there! Sometimes I wish I could just touch them, go closer, feel and see them more closely." said Raghu as he lay under the Banyan tree in his garden looking up into the night sky. Rasiya was lazily coiled on the banyan tree branches listening to Raghu and half falling asleep. "Hmmm" muttered Rasiya.

"Hey Rasiya! Get up!!! Let's make a telescope! I remember my teacher talking about it in class last month. At the time it sounded so boring, but today when I look up at the night sky, I really want to make it. Come on! Get up Rasiya!" cried out Raghu. "Oh no, not right now Raghu. Its almost 8pm and all I want to do is sleep." But Raghu had already ran indoors to collect the items that were needed to make his simple little telescope. "That boy! Did anyone teach him to listen!"mumbled Rasiya as he started shaking his body awake.

10 minutes turned to 30 minutes as Raghu came running back outside. "Look what I brought Rasiya! Paper towel rolls, A thick sheet of paper, tape and the two lenses our teacher gave to us at school. They're both double convex lenses. One is 150mm and another is 500mm. Let's get to work!"

Raghu began by rolling up the sheet of paper the long way, to form a tube that was about the diameter of the lens with the shortest focal length. "This will be the eyepiece Rasiya! Can you tape the edges of the eyepiece lens to one end of the paper tube Rasiya?" Rasiya was at it immediately. He was waiting to complete this project as soon as possible!

Raghu then began to tape the second lens with a larger focal length to the end of the paper towel tube. He then inserted the empty end of the paper tube into the paper towel tube. "Rasiya, its ready!!!" shouted Raghu in excitement. "Really!" said a surprised Rasiya. He couldn't believe it could really be that simple.

"Look through the lens with the shorter focal length and point the other end of the telescope at a distant object. Slide the two tubes in and out until the object comes into focus. You will see the image upside down and magnified. If you have trouble focusing the telescope, you may need to lengthen the tube. That's what our teacher had said at the end of the session." Rasiya looked through this simple telescope up to the sky. He pointed it towards the moon. It definitely looked magnified, he had never seen it like this before. "Wow! It actually works Raghu!" shouted a now some what enthusiastic Rasiya. "Ofcourse it does Rasiya! We'll make another longer one tomorrow." Raghu called back.

Adventures of Raghu - Nani, a pillar of strength and compassion

"Nani is coming today Dev!" cried out Raghu to Dev, ecstatic at the news that his maternal grandmother would be arriving from her village soon. "Wow! Then we'll get to hear loads of stories!" exclaimed Dev.

Raghu and nani shared a precious bond of storytelling. That too the kind of stories Raghu loved most! Her stories were often set in the outdoors with a rural setting to them. They almost always included children climbing trees, women going to the stream to fetch water, or people sitting near the river hearing its sounds and watching it flow. The elements of nature always played a significant role in the stories, whether water, earth or the sky. There were also small incidents she would narrate from her own life, growing up in the village, set amidst nature.

Nani had a very calm and balanced disposition. One could never see her screaming or getting angry at anyone at home. People around her almost automatically settled down and were often laughing and chatting her her. Whether the vegetable vendor, the house maid or any guests who came home. She was an ocean of compassion and warmth. When she was at home, everyone wanted to be near her to draw energy, support and emotional balance from her. She was a pillar of strength in the household and everyone waited for the day nani would come visiting from her village.

Nani's life though had also been through many turmoils, but Raghu always wondered how she remained so calm despite all the situations she had been through. When Raghu would ask her, Nani would say - "We led a very routine life, waking up early with early morning walks, which included hearing birds chirping, taking care of the garden, touching the soil with our bare hands and watering the plants. Being with nature, also kept me constantly connected with myself and grounded in all my daily activities."

Raghu had another reason to love nani's presence. Notorious for often cycling off into the nearby forest, Raghu had complete freedom to go outdoors at whatever time he wished when nani was around. When Raghu's mother would get upset and worried at him riding off into the forest at absurd timings, nani would always tell his mother - "Let him go. This freedom to explore nature at his will is the best gift you will ever give him."

 Have you heard of Nature Deficit Disorder?

Nature Deficit Disorder

Perhaps, the core issue of all the behavioral problems this generation faces is that we do not get to spend some quality time amidst nature. Nature does have an impact on human behavior. Richard Louv, substantiates this point in his book “Last Child in the Woods”. He says, “An increasing pace in the last three decades approximately, of a rapid disengagement between children and direct experiences in nature has profound implications, not only for the health of future generations but for the health of the Earth itself".  The effects from Nature Deficit Disorder could lead to the first generation being at risk of having a shorter lifespan then their parents.”

In our children’s case, nature-time is likely to be more elusive as they grow up in the hustle bustle of a city. Indeed, they deserve to spend quality time amidst nature. Referring to the parental fear of sending their children alone to the park, Richard says, “We may be protecting children to such an extent that it has become a problem and disrupts the child’s ability to connect to nature. The parents growing fear of ‘stranger danger’ that is heavily fueled by the media keeps children indoors and on the computer rather than outdoors exploring.”

The specialists in this field opine that, especially, kids who do not get nature-time seem more prone to anxiety, depression and attention deficit problems.  The only cure for such problems is spending more time in the nature. Going out and being in nature can help one greatly. There are simple things kids can do in the outdoors that can connect them to nature. Even hugging a tree or looking at greenery from the balcony can start all of us on the nature path!

So make sure your kids get out more often!

So get your kids out more often!

Adventures of Raghu - It's a bugs life!

“Dev!!! Come outside! I have to show you this!” cried Raghu from the garden facing his room window. Dev was sitting inside Raghu’s room playing a video game. “What is it Raghu? I’m in the middle of playing Angry Birds!” called back Dev rather unenthusiastic to leave his game and go outside.  “There’s this beautiful bug on the garden wall out here. It’s so colourful! You have to come see it!” called back Raghu.

It had rained the previous night and there were all kinds of bugs and insects crawling around in the garden. Raghu had been walking in the garden when his eye had caught this bright-coloured little creature sitting on the wall under his window and had rushed to investigate what it was.

“Please bring the magnifying glass in my study drawer when you come out!” shouted Raghu to Dev. “Oh Raghu! Just when the game was going so well you had to call me for this bug hunt you’re suddenly so interested in!” exclaimed Dev, rather upset at leaving his video game, as he walked out into the garden and handed Raghu the magnifying glass.

Raghu took the magnifying glass from Dev and held his hand excitedly as he pulled him down towards him. Both boys looked at the bug in front of them attentively with the magnifying glass. Dev had seen different kinds of bugs before, but this was definitely something different. “Wow! Should we take a photograph?” asked Dev. “If you want,” called back Raghu as he moved ahead to investigate the rest of the garden.

Raghu felt like a detective with the magnifying glass in his hand, carefully observing the grass, leaves, tree branches and anything around for signs of bugs.

There was a grasshopper seated on the grass nearby, a lady bug on a leaf outside Raghu’s window and an interesting black bug with yellow spots that both boys had not seen before. 

Dev was following Raghu quietly, almost tiptoeing, so that he could take photographs of them without disturbing the bugs.

“These little creepy crawlies are such amazing creatures, and we don't even take a moment to notice these little wonders of nature.” Said Raghu to Dev as he sat down near a tree. His eyes suddenly caught a beautiful caterpillar crawling on the tree branch. “Dev, be sure to capture this! It’ll be a beautiful butterfly soon.”

“I’ve caught them all Raghu! Let’s make an album and put up all our bugs on facebook! It’ll be our very own Bug Hunt album!” said Dev as he sat down near Raghu admiring each of the photos he had taken. “Great idea Dev! And we'll put the names of each of the bugs against it!”

How about going out on a bug hunt?

Adventures of Raghu - Music in the outdoors!

“This is going to be one hell of an outdoor music station!” cried out Raghu excitedly to Dev, as he tied a string between two branches of the tree. Exams were finally over and Raghu’s favourite cousin Dev was over from Bombay to spend a few weeks with the family.

Raghu and Dev were about the same age and both particularly loved the outdoors and music. They would spend most vacations together either climbing trees, bicycling into the forest or creating music with all kinds of self created instruments. Whether recycled materials like cans, bottles, utensils or shells, hollow bamboos, and mud pots, they used almost anything that they could make sounds with to create all kind of tunes and beats. 

“When you both are home, the house is like a jamming station!” Raghu’s mother would always say. “Why don’t you both create your very own music station in the garden outside, so that we all can have some peace here.” Raghu and Dev had thought it was a great idea and had decided to begin work on it immediately.

In the garden today were plastic bottles, tin cans, lids of food cans, caps of bottles, old spoons and finally bells that Raghu had taken from his sisters old ghungroos that his mom was ready to dispose. “Let’s get to work Dev” said Raghu as he tied the ends of the strings across two branches of the tree and hung the various objects on, which they had painted earlier in the day.

The bells were tied in some of the objects like the tin can and bottle lid to give it an additional tune.

They began testing each instrument, understanding the sounds each one made and then using it to create their very own music.

“Let’s make some music and perform infront of the family tonite!” suggested Raghu to Dev excitedly.

Adventures of Raghu - Dada

One more week of exams were left. Raghu had not even opened some of his textbooks during the school term this time. His mother was therefore adamant that he sit in his room and study.

 “Plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. While we humans breathe in this oxygen, and breathe out carbon dioxide which is then used by the plants.” Read aloud Raghu as he studied for his Science exam the next day.

"Wow! That is so fascinating!" thought Raghu as he looked outside his room window.

The windows were open and a slight breeze was blowing over Raghu’s face. The birds in the garden were chirping and he could hear some of the grasshoppers making their own distinct sounds. Winter was almost over and spring was here, it was the time of year Raghu loved most! Trees that had been lifeless for the winter, were suddenly sprouting with new green buds, the colours in all of nature was coming back alive. How Raghu longed to go back and be outside.

Raghu got up from his study chair and went towards the window to breathe in the fresh air. As he stood there his eyes fell on the huge banyan tree in his house garden. It was an old, beautiful banyan tree.

It was older than Raghu and Raghu had reason to believe that it was as old as the universe itself! It’s long branches hung such that they almost touched the ground and its huge roots had spread all over the garden. Its trunk was big and sturdy, and it held in it the wisdom of many ages past. That is why the family had even named it – ‘Dada’, literally meaning Grandfather. He protected everyone in the house and was wise like an old grandfather. When Raghu was very young, his mother would tell him stories at night and then point towards the big banyan tree outside his window and tell him “Dada is watching over you as you sleep.” It gave Raghu a warm feeling in his heart, he felt protected and loved. No one could harm him when Dada was there.

Raghu thought back to what he had just read in his book as he looked at the banyan tree- “What you exhale, we inhale. And what we inhale, you exhale. What a close relationship we share Dada.”  He had felt close to Dada on many occasions, but today he realized that his connection was much closer than he had ever realized.

Raghu felt a sudden urge to go outside and hug Dada. He ran to the front door of the house and straight into the garden to Dada! He hugged Dada till as far as his short arms could reach!

Raghu closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He felt the oxygen reach every cell of his body and felt grateful for the life breath that he had received from Dada. He then deeply exhaled all the breath within him as though offering his own breath to the old banyan tree. “We will always be connected through the thread of our breaths Dada” whispered Raghu as he gave a tight hug to Dada and smiled.

Adventures of Raghu - the challenge (Part 3)

Please scroll below for Part 1 and 2....

Two tests passed, just one more left before I can finally meet the chief of the Arsea tribe! I haven’t received any note with the next test though, what could it be?  Were the thoughts passing through Raghu’s  mind as he cycled through the forest on his way back from school. It had been a few days since his night in the forest and he hadn’t heard anything on his next challenge.  Lost in thought, Raghu didn’t realize when suddenly his bike hit a big boulder blocking the path. The path was narrow and he wouldn’t be able to get past it with his bike. “I wonder how this came here! Anyways I guess I’ll have to take the other way home!” thought Raghu as he made a U turn with his bike.

He hadn’t used that route in a long time. He used to love cycling that way a few years back as there was a small beautiful lake that lied in the middle of the forest.  With a variety of birds and trees around the lake, Raghu used to love spending time there. However, some years back a small village had come up in that region, due to which there were now a lot of people around there. Raghu had therefore, slowly changed his route back from school. Remembering his beloved lake in the village, Raghu decided to make a quick stop there. As he started cycling closer to it, he started noticing all kinds of plastic and glass bottles thrown around on the ground.  He stopped his bike and picked up whatever he could see.

As he reached the lake, he felt sad and disturbed at what he saw. On the banks of the lake lay plastic bags, wrappers, fruit and vegetable skins, bottles and other trash. It felt as though the lake were crying for help and the earth suffocating under it all.

Raghu couldn’t just walk away like this, he had to do something. He quickly parked his bike on the side and starting making a few piles of trash. One was of recyclables like plastic bottles and bags, another of glass bottles and one more of all the other trash items he found.

An hour passed, when he noticed a group of young village boys standing and watching him at work. “Hey, come join me!” cried out Raghu to them with a smile. Eager to help, the boys immediately got to work as they automatically started sorting out their own trash into the piles Raghu had made. Soon they were singing, running around to find what they could and even competing with eachother to pick up as many trash pieces as they could! “I found this bottle!”, “I found a banana skin!”, “I found a plastic bag filled with vegetable skins”, “look how I’ve cleaned up this side”. Everyone was laughing and talking and it had turned into a game they all were immensely enjoying!

Little did they realize a few hours had passed and the lake and the forest around it had been completely transformed.

They all jumped into the clean lake for a dip and later sat next to the lake admiring the new found beauty. “This was how I once knew it” said Raghu to them a bit nostalgically. “This is how it will always be from today on.” Said one of the older boys of the group. “We will together ensure that we make people in the village aware of not littering and will have regular clean up drives.” With a high five, Raghu left them and started cycling back home.

He reached home and went straight to his room where Rasiya was waiting for him with an unmistakable glimmer in his eyes. He held a note in his mouth. “WOW! They’ve finally replied back!” cried Raghu as quickly grabbed it and began to read –

“You have passed all three tests. We tested your mind in the first test. We tested your body and physical ability in the second. The last test was that of your heart. You have passed that too.  We wanted to know if you really love the outdoors, if you love it enough to do something about it. And you passed with flying colours for all you did at the lake today! We welcome you to the Arsea tribe.”

Raghu stood there speechless. He felt he wanted to scream with joy!

Go on a Trash Hunt!

Go on a Trash Hunt!

This activity can be a lot of fun and at the same time you'll feel like you've made a small difference to the environment around you!

Here's how you can go about it -

1. Pick a place around your home or school which you feel is littered with a lot of trash, but if cleaned up could be useful and pretty. It could be your nearby park, the road back from school, your nearby market place or a river or lake near your house.

2. Decide a date with your friends/family when you'd like to go for a Trash Hunt!

3. Take black plastic bags, gloves for all those who are taking part, some sheets of paper and pens

4. Tell everyone the rules of the game - 

There is a set time to find as much trash as you can (the time depends on how big the area you are cleaning is)

Once you collect your trash, you have to make a note of all the items you found and the most unique piece of trash you found.

Whoever collects the most trash and finds the most unique trash item wins!

5. Get started!

Watch everyone scurry to fill their garbage bags with trash and also find something unique!

It can be fun and interesting!

Adventures of Raghu - the challenge (part 2)

Continued from last time (scroll below for Part 1)

Raghu looked into a hole in his room wall. “All I see in the hole is darkness Rasiya, nothing else.” Rasiya pondered – “The riddle also says people are scared of it and it makes children cry. ” Raghu thought for a moment then cried out “Rasiya, the answer is DARKNESS! It can neither be seen nor heard and can also be found in a mountain cave!” Raghu quickly looked at his watch and started to run towards the door. “So according to the clue I have to meet the chiefs minister at Tiger Hill as soon as it gets dark! Rasiya, I'm leaving. It's 4pm already, it’ll be dark soon." As Raghu started cycling away he shouted back out - "Rasiya, don't come behind me. This is my challenge and i'll face it on my own!"

Tiger Hill was at the southern end of the forest. It was a denser part of the forest with several varieties of trees and birds in the area. A river flowed at the base of the hill where animals came to drink water regularly. 

Raghu parked his bike close to a rock near the river and stood there waiting for the minister. However, minutes turned into hours, dusk turned into the darkness of night time, but no one turned up.

Raghu wasn't sure whether to wait or go back home, but finally decided that he would wait for the minister even if it meant spending the whole night here.

The sky was twinkling with a million stars and the moon was standing in the sky as bright as it could be. However, it was starting to get chillier by the minute. Raghu decided it was time to make himself comfortable out here in the forest. He used his torch, that was always in his bag for emergencies and started looking on the ground for twigs and dried leaves that he could use to create a tinder nest to set up a fire. He then started gathering bigger pieces of wood, which he lay together on the ground, a little distance from a tree. An hour later, he was ready to start a fire. He made a hole in a branch, in which he inserted a stem and started vigorously rubbing to create a spark. After a few minutes of continuous rubbing, smoke started coming out of the hole and the tinder nest next to it caught fire.

He dropped the tinder nest into the pile of logs, and within a few minutes had a beautiful fire blazing in front of him. Raghu had learnt to make a fire at school and was happy that he could use this skill today!

Raghu sat near the fire and rubbed his hands together, enjoying the warmth.

His stomach rumbled. It was dinner time and he was really hungry. As he sat thinking of food, he looked up to see a rugged looking man walking towards him. With his muddy face and ragged clothes, yet strong built body, he seemed like he lived in the forest. The man didn't speak at all, but quickly opened a small sack he was carrying and took out two raw fishes from it. Raghu smiled. It was just what he needed right now! The man put a stick through each of the fishes and began to fry it on the fire. Thirty minutes later he took it off the fire, minced one of the fishes into pieces and handed it to Raghu on a leaf. Raghu hungrily fed on the fish. They were a bit bland but were soft and delicious. He really couldn't ask for more.

After eating, the man quickly got up and began to search for twigs, dried leaves and branches. Raghu joined him and they worked together to put up a small shelter for the night.

It was nearing 10pm. Raghu was tired after the whole day and quickly fell asleep in the small shelter the man and him had created. The man sat near the fire, watching Raghu fall off to sleep.

In the morning, Raghu found a note laying near him. It read -

"You have passed the second test of survival in the outdoors."

Raghu started laughing with joy. "Oh my god, that rugged looking man was the minister!!!" he shouted looking up to the sky. He picked up his bike and began cycling back home as he hummed a tune!

Start a fire and cook Maggi!

Here's a way to start your very own fire and cook on it! You can do this in your backyard (*To be done under adult supervision) -

1. Build a fire pit on top of gravel, sand, or bare soil.
Important: select a flat spot away from trees, dry grass, and anything else that could burn. Stay clear of overhanging branches and tree roots in the ground that could catch fire. Clear away any flammable debris (leaves, sticks, pine needles, etc…) for at least ten feet around the fire pit

2. Accumulate dry wood and put it into the fire pit

3. Make a tinder nest out of anything that catches fire easily, like dry grass, leaves, and bark

4. Create a spark using flint and steel -  Steel and iron produce hot sparks when struck against any glassy stone such as quartz, jasper, agate or flint.

Alternatively,

use a lens or condensing reflector (such as a burning glass) to focus the energy from the sun onto tinder.

A concave mirror, such as a polished soda can bottom, can also be used to focus the sun's rays on tinder.

5. Use the spark to put the tinder nest on fire, then put the nest onto the dry wood to start a full fire.

6. Boil water in a vessel over the fire you have just started & make a pack of delicious NOODLES on your very OWN fire!

Below is a video that shows fire being created using flint and steel-
http://youtu.be/Te8rYiwcun4