The Shape of Words: Kiki Bouba

February 27, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Do words have shapes? Or, in other words, are certain words or sounds associated with certain shapes?

Well till about a century ago, linguists did not think so. It was assumed that the connection between words and the objects they are attached to was arbitrary. For example, there is no link between the English word ‘dog’, or the French word ‘chien’, or the Hindi word ‘kutta’ and an actual dog. These are just names that people choose to give objects.

But in 1929 came an experiment by Wolfgang Kohler, followed by others building on this, which changed this thinking.

In the experiment, subjects were given these two words ‘bouba’ and ‘kiki’, and shown two shapes—one rounded and blob-like and the other spiky. Participants were asked to associate each of the given words to one of the shapes.

Over time, the experiment was carried out across regions and languages and ages—900 people across 25 countries.

And invariably, across countries and languages, the majority of people associated ‘bouba’ with the blob-like shape, and ‘kiki’ with the spiky shape. On average, more than 70% of the people tested confirmed the Bouba/Kiki effect– a non-arbitrary mental association between certain speech sounds and certain visual shapes

While this surprising phenomenon has now been accepted, there is no widely-accepted explanation of why it occurs, though several hypotheses have been put forward. One hypothesis is that the association is related to the shape of the mouth when producing the sounds—the more rounded shape of the lips when saying bouba, and the more taut shape when saying kiki. Another suggestion is that ‘the association is tied to the proportion of vowels and consonants and the phonemic qualities of the sounds in the words. It seems that people tend to base sound–symbol associations on the acoustic cues of the sounds.’ But exactly how they do so is yet to be explained.

Some researchers have extended these experiments to other senses. Professor Charles Spence explored the phenomenon in relation to taste. He asked his subjects to associate the words ‘ bouba’ and ‘kiki’ to the following tastes:

Dark chocolate / milk chocolate
Strong cheddar cheese / brie
Sparkling water / still water

Prof. Spence found that kiki was associated with dark chocolate, strong cheddar cheese and sparkling water by most people— in other words, the stronger, more bitter or sour tastes (similar to the spiky shape). Bouba was associated with more rounded, sweeter tastes (similar to the rounded shape).

While researchers are still trying to figure out the science, several interesting practical implications have emerged. Since these associations of sound/shape, sound/taste etc. are real, what happens when there is a mismatch in the image conjured up by a sound, and the real object? Well, people don’t like such dissonance!

For instance, people associate round names (“Bob,” “Lou”) with round-faced (vs. angular-faced) individuals. And they like targets with “matching” names. One study has found that senatorial candidates in an election got 10% more votes when their names fit their faces very well, versus very poorly! (Will we be seeing a rush of name-changes before elections?!?).

And obviously, these insights are very important in naming products, developing brands, etc.

There are several such kiki-bouba association tests that you can find online. Go ahead and check if your conclusions range with the majority!

–Meena

Wetland in a Dry Land

February 23, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

At first glance the landscape looks like ‘waste land’. Miles of flat land with dry dusty soil punctuated only by the thorny bushes of Prosopis juliflora. The stubble of what seems to be dry remains of grass are barely noticeable. Ironically, we are driving through what is one of India’s unique ecosystems—the Banni grassland. Spread across almost 3000 sq km in the Kachchh district of Gujarat, it is believed that the land here was formed from sediments that were deposited by Indus and other rivers thousands of years ago. The rivers changed course, and the once fertile land gradually turned into a vast arid stretch. Today the region of Kachchh is usually associated with the word rann or desert. However this rann is far more than the textbook description of a desert. The Rann ecosystem of Kachchh is unique, with characteristic landforms, biogeography, flora, and fauna. And though the flat saline stretches are the predominant sight for a large part of the year, these conceal many natural depressions which are transformed into water bodies during and after the monsoon rains. It is these wetlands, within the arid land, that transform into ecosystems themselves, with their special features and creatures.

The local language of the region has four terms to describe these wetlands. The smallest waterbody is called kar, the one bigger than kar is called chhachh, the next bigger one is called thathh, and the biggest is called dhandh. The size of each of these seasonal freshwater wetlands during any given year depends on the amount of rainfall received in that year.

I recently had a chance to visit the largest of these seasonal wetlands called Chhari Dhandh. Spread over around 10 sq km, this water body plays host to tens of thousands of migratory birds who traverse many thousands of miles, as they journey from the frozen steppes of Siberia, crossing the mighty Himalaya, to spend the winter months here. The wetlands are located on the flyway of Palearctic migratory birds who arrive in late August and remain till March, using the ecosystem for foraging, roosting, resting and building reserves for the long return flight back to their summering grounds.

The water body hosts a huge concentration of water fowl. The drying of the soil due to evapotranspiration after the monsoon rains have receded, and the high salt content in the soil create a unique saline grassland ecosystem that supports a variety of grass species and shrubs that are a vital source of food for important bird species, as well as suitable roosting sites for a variety of birds including lapwings and coursers. The grasses also provide essential nutrients for the livestock of the Banni region, which is renowned for its milk and dairy products.

Visiting the wetland at what is almost the end of the season, we missed the flamingoes, but were rewarded with the sight of thousands of common cranes and hundreds of pelicans, as well as a number of raptors.

Two birds make their presence best felt in this wetland. The flocks of flamingoes that paint the landscape pink were no longer in residence, but the Common cranes were there in abundance. Their presence was evident all along the edges of the flats, well before the bumpy dusty track ended at the water body. As the vehicle made its dusty way along the track, the seemingly small conglomeration of tiny dots in the distance turned into swathes of smooth wings and tails as hundreds of birds rose as one graceful swoop into the air where they glided on to settle back to earth further on.

These are but short hops for the Common crane who undertakes a marathon flight from Central Asia and Mongolia to winter in the wetlands of Kachchh. The Common crane is a large slate-grey bird, with a long neck, beak and legs. The forehead and the region between the eye and the beak on the side of the head are blackish with a bare red crown and a distinct white streak extending from the eyes to the upper back. The neck, chin and throat are dark grey. The flight feathers are black, with the longest inner ones forming a drooping bushy cloak over the tail when the bird is standing.

This is a shy bird that takes off as soon as it senses that it is being approached. Before taking to the air it runs for a few metres with its wings spread out before it takes to the air. Once in the air, the birds often fly in V-formation with outstretched neck, and stiff wing beats. The flight is smooth and unhurried and makes for a beautiful moving picture high up in the sky. This bird has a wide repertoire of calls, including a loud trumpeting, which carry over long distances.

Common cranes live in large and small flocks. They spend the evening and night near the water body. They leave early in the morning to feed in the adjoining grasslands, and fields on tender shoots and roots, and insects, go back to the water at mid-day, and return in the afternoon to continue feeding until dusk. The feeding flock is always watchful, with a couple of designated ‘sentries’ that immediately alert them in case of any threat, whereupon they take flight. A spectacular flight indeed.

We were lucky to see this sight, along with flocks of pelicans at Chhari Dhandh. During a good rainfall year, the winter season in Chhari Dhandh sees up to 40,000 Common cranes and thousands of pelicans along with a number of other waterfowl, raptors and other birds which include about a dozen globally threatened species and a similar number of near-threatened species as per the IUCN. The area has been identified as an Important Birding Area in India.

Recognizing the conservation significance the wetland of Chhari Dhandh covering an area of 227 sq km was declared as a Conservation Reserve in 2008. The Government notification towards awarding this status noted that “given its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphological, natural, and zoological significance, the aim of declaring Chhari Dhandh a conservation reserve is to protect, propagate, and develop wildlife and its environment”. This is the first Conservation Reserve in Gujarat.

A wetland well worth conserving and celebrating.

–Mamata

Hippo Day is a Thing!

February 20, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

February 15 is marked as Hippo Day.

And come to think of it, why not? After all, hippos are the third largest land animals on Earth (after elephants white rhinos). Males can measure around 3.5m long and stand 1.5m tall, and weigh in at up to 3,200kg. That’s a weighty reason to allocate a day for them!

On Hippo Day, here is an interesting story.

A hippo can eat up to 35kg of grass in one night. And it is this ability to munch down herbage in quantities, and their very bulk, that led to a strange development in the US in the 1910s. Senator Robert F. Broussard, who represented Louisiana, brought a House Resolution for large-scale import of hippos to the US. No, not as a curiosity or to keep in zoos. But to solve two problems that America was facing at that time.

The first was the widespread proliferation of water hyacinth. First brought in as an ornamental water plant from the Amazon, the hyacinth spread madly, and within two decades, had overtaken waterways across the South of the US, threatening water trade routes. Several ways to get rid of the weed were tried—from breaking plants up, to dredging them, to setting them on fire. But nothing stopped the weed.

The second problem was the steeply rising prices of meat, making it unaffordable for many. The fundamental reason is not clear—it could have been the rising prices of grain, cattle shortages or profiteering by meatpacking companies. Or a combination of all of these. But there were people in the US who seriously feared that they would be forced into vegetarianism which they saw as a disaster. (It was a different time, wasn’t it?)

Senator Broussard and some friends came up with the completely out-of-the-box and bizarre idea of importing hippos to solve this twin crisis. Their claim was that the hippos would happily chomp their way through the hyacinths. And that their flesh would be a great source of meat and protein for the Americans!

And so they moved the “American Hippo Bill” in 1910! Ex-President Teddy Roosevelt was among its supporters.

The House Committee before which the Bill was presented asked some very sensible basic questions: Could hippos be domesticated? Could they be contained? Would they eat the water hyacinth? Is their meat edible? Broussard and his colleagues answered with a resounding ‘yes’ to all the questions.

But the answers, we know today, are ‘No’ in each and every case. Hippos are not domesticable. They are known to kill about 500 people every year. They are extremely strong and heavy, and it would be almost impossible to contain them with even the strongest fences. And they are very unlikely to have made water hyacinth a serious part of their diet. They feed mainly on grasses and would not have taken to this weed which is very low in nutritive value. And though hippo meat is eaten, it is not widely consumed.

There would have been other serious negative ecological impacts of introducing hippos into the waterways too—their heavy treading in water bodies would stir up the mud, and their poop would add to the organic load in the water, and would completely disturb the dynamics and lead to algal blooms and other problems.

Fortunately sense prevailed in the House Committee and they vetoed the Bill. Else, who knows what the American landscape would be like today!

And now for some Hippo Trivia to celebrate Hippo Day

We think of hippos as African animals, but nearly 5.9 million to 9,000 years ago, India was home to the hippopotamus. These entered Eurasia from Africa, and later diversified into South Asia before going extinct.

They can hold their breath and walk under water for up to 5 minutes.

Hippos may look bulky, but they are quite athletic, and run at speeds of up to 30kmph!

A group of hippos is called a bloat. Other terms for a hippo group include thunder, herd, sea, school, pod, dale, crash, and siege.

Happy Hippo Day!

–Meena

A Week of Celebrations

February 14, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Just as the January festivities that heralded the New Year have waned, the early days of February have their own set of celebrations. From Galantines Day and Valentines Day, to Basant Panchami, to the Chinese New Year, this is a week that celebrates new beginnings.

Meena has written about the history of the first two days. The third day, Basant Panchami falls on the fifth day of the Hindu month of Magha. This year this happens to be on 14 February. This auspicious day, marks the first day of spring in the Indian seasonal almanac. This is also the day to pay homage to Saraswati, the goddess of learning, music, arts and wisdom. Homes are decorated with marigold flowers and rice flour rangoli, special food is cooked and distributed to family and neighbours after the traditional puja to invoke year-long blessings of the Goddess for knowledge and progress. Yellow is the colour that marks this celebration of spring—from wearing yellow clothes to the myriads of marigold ornamentations.

Celebrations of another spring festival in another part of the world also commenced this week with joy and fervor. This is the Chinese New Year, which like Basant Panchami, is determined by the lunar calendar. These celebrations, which last for 16 days, commenced on 10 February this year. The Chinese Spring Festival was originally a ceremonial day to pray to gods for a good planting and harvest season. As in all agrarian societies, the entire year was dependent on a good harvest. People also prayed to their ancestors, for their blessings. Even today, Chinese New Year heralds a time of renewal, prosperity, and festivity, not just in China, but for Chinese communities across the world. Celebrations symbolize fresh beginnings and a renewal of familial ties, and it is customary for family members from far and wide to travel to meet up for reunions and gatherings.

The Chinese zodiac follows a twelve-year cycle with each year assigned to an animal. The twelve animals are arranged in this order: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon according to this zodiac. The dragon holds significant cultural importance in Chinese folklore. The Chinese people deeply cherish the dragon which is believed to represent strength, wisdom and good fortune. The dragon, this year’s Chinese zodiac sign represents power, magic, and the pursuit of one’s desires. Each animal in the zodiac is thought to influence the personality traits and fate of those born that year. Individuals born in the Year of the Dragon are thought to be blessed with good luck.

As in all traditional societies, there are a number of customs that mark the special days. Unlike most festivals which are preceded by a special round of ‘spring cleaning’, in the run-up to Chinese New Year’s day, traditionally bathing was not allowed on this day, as also sweeping throwing of garbage, a few days prior to this day. This is to make sure that all the good luck is not swept or washed away! On the other hand there is a designated day before the New Year which is dedicated to cleaning so as to sweep the bad luck away and make room for the good. A delicate balance indeed! There are a few other taboos during the New Year period, once again to guard against any ‘seeping changes’. No cutting of hair or nails, no use of sharp objects, no breaking no swearing, cursing or saying unlucky words like ‘death’ or ‘sickness’.

While Indian spring festival is marked by the exuberance and cheer of yellow, it is red that marks the heralding of a new year in China. Houses are decorated with red lanterns, strings of red chilli peppers (real or fake), and red decorations on walls and doors. Red clothes are also a part of the Spring Festival wardrobe. It is believed that the colour red will help to deter evil and demons. Children traditionally receive money in red packets or pockets are they are called. These symbolize the transfer of good fortune from elders to the youngsters. The practice has its origins in folklore.

As the legend goes an evil spirit named Sui would appear on New Year’s Eve and pat the heads of sleeping children three times. This would make the children sick. One couple was playing with their child at bedtime with some coins and left the coins on red paper near the child as it slept. That night when the sprit Sui came it was frightened away by the coins glinting on the red paper. Thus began the tradition of giving children coins in red covers on New Year’s Eve, to guard against evil spirits and for their good health and fortune through the year. The tradition continues to this day.

The other tradition which is closely linked to the celebrations is the bursting of crackers, just as Diwali celebrations are marked in India. This one too has a legend attached. Another mythical beast named Nian who preyed on people and livestock, used to visit villages on New Year’s Eve, forcing people to hide in fear in their houses or escape to the mountains. There are two versions of the story. In one, a young boy burst crackers and scared away the monster. In another, a beggar took refuge in an old woman’s house and promised to save her from the monster. He pasted red papers on the doors and windows and burst crackers at midnight, both of which frightened away the monster. Thus bursting of firecrackers at midnight on New Year’s Eve and again on New Year’s morning has continued to be a tradition associated with this festival.

Ironically, due to safety reasons and air pollution concerns, the Chinese government has banned firecrackers in many cities in China. However there has been a lot of public pressure to allow people to celebrate an ages-old tradition of welcoming the New Year with the sound and light of firecrackers.

On another note, the Chinese government is hoping that the declining fertility rate and falling population numbers which has reached worrisome levels will get a boost with a flood of new babies born in the Year of the Dragon. According to the traits associated with the Chinese zodiac children born in this year will be imbued with strength, intelligence, confidence, and success. Thus it is hoped that parents will hope to conceive and deliver dragon babies in this year!

Whatever the mode of celebration, spring marks new beginnings, hope and freshness. Celebrating red and yellow every day of the year.

–Mamata

Valentine’s-Galantine’s

February 13, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Media are frantically trying to sell us everything from roses to chocolates to romantic dinner. ‘Tis the season—the Valentine season. The origins of Valentine’s Day as a day to celebrate romantic love go back a long time. But the commercialization is a phenomenon of the last century.

Fortunately, at least in India, the sellers have not fully caught on that it is actually Valentine’s Week celebrated from 7 February to 14 February, with the seven days including Rose Day, Propose Day, Chocolate Day, Teddy Day, Promise Day, Hug Day, Kiss Day, and finally, Valentine’s Day.

The origins of Valentine’s Day may lay in the Roman festival of Lupercalia which used to fall around the same time–essentially a spring festival which included fertility rites. A 5^th century pope banned the celebration of Lupercalia, but it came back with renewed vigour in the 14^th century and has been celebrated since then.

There have been many St. Valentines down history, and it is not quite clear after whom the festival is named. From a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the emperor Claudius? According to legend, this priest who was incarcerated by the Romans, was friendly with his jailer’s young daughter, whose blindness he is said to have cured, and subsequently wrote her a letter which he signed off with “from your Valentine”. Or was it St. Valentine of Terni? Or a St. Valentine who defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war?

At any rate, the festival is now celebrated world-wide on the 14^th of Feb as a day of love.

But another day which is of fairly recent origin, and celebrated on 13th Feb is Galantine’s Day. It is like Valentine’s Day, but for girl-pals! It celebrates the bonds between best friends, sisters, moms, grandmoms….

The origins of this one are quite clear—it all started with the comedy show ‘Parks and Recreation’. Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler used the term in the second season of the show in 2010. She kind of makes up this day and says ‘What is Galentine’s Day? Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it… ladies celebrating ladies.”

Guys of course don’t need to feel left out. After all, the term ‘bromance’ is much better known than Galentine’s Day. It was coined sometime in the 1990s, by Dave Carnie, the editor of the skateboard magazines Big Brother, in reference to the close bond that develops between skaters who spend a lot of time together.

Bromance is a portmanteau word, made up of bro (or brother) and romance. A bromance is officially defined as ‘a very close and non-sexual relationship between two or more men’. It is distinguished from normal friendship by a particularly high level of emotional intimacy.

Here is to Galentine’s Day! May we celebrate it in the true spirit of friendship and bonding, and not let it go the commercial way of Valentine’s Day.

With a shout out to all my girl-pals!

–Meena

PS: www.millennialmatriarchs is a Galentine initiative!

On A Musical Note: Of Earworms and Mondegreens

February 6, 2024February 7, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Who hasn’t, at some time or the other, had a song or piece of music stuck in their heads, which just won’t go away! You get up in the morning, and suddenly you find yourself humming a tune. It follows you around the house, to the office, on the drive back home. It serenades you inside your head through dinner. And sometimes it is still there when you wake up in the morning!

This is what is called an earworm. Extremely irritating, but nothing to worry about. It happens to most of us at some time in life. A recent study of American college students found that 97% had experienced an earworm in the past month. Other studies have found similar results.

And don’t worry how long an earworm troubles you. Though the typical length is 10 to 30 minutes, research shows that for about 20% folks, the earworm lasts an hour or more. And some unlucky folks have been stuck with one for a year or even longer!

The term earworm comes from the German “ohrwurm,” which is defined as a “cognitive itch” or “the inability to dislodge a song and prevent it from repeating itself in one’s head”. Several terms have been coined for this, including stuck song syndrome, sticky music, musical imagery repetition, intrusive musical imagery etc. The semi-official term is ‘involuntary musical imagery’, or INMI.

It has been a serious area of study since 1885, and scientists hope to get insights into the functioning of the brain. Several major universities have been undertaking studies into the phenomenon.

Sufferers try various ways to get rid of an earworm– by thinking of another song, singing the earworm song all the way through to its end, or taking up other tasks that require focussed concentration. But trying to get rid of an earworm may be counter-productive. One study has found that the harder people fight to quiet an earworm, the longer it tends to harass them!

Something that is not irritating to you, but may be to others if you sing, is a mondegreen. A mondegreen is a word or phrase in a song or poem that you get wrong–the result of mishearing something recited or sung. Incorrectly heard lyrics are called mondegreens.

The origin of the word itself is from an instance of such mishearing. In a column by journalist Sylvia Wright in the 1950s, she wrote about a Scottish folksong The Bonny Earl of Morray that she had listened to. Wright misheard the lyric “Oh, they have slain the Earl o’ Morray and laid him on the green” as “Oh, they have slain the Earl o’ Morray and Lady Mondegreen.” And ever since, such mishearings have been referred to as mondegreens!

The scientific explanation goes as follows: Hearing is a two-step process. First sound waves make their way through the ear and into the auditory cortex of the brain. On receiving the signal, the brain tries to make sense of the noise. Mondegreens occur when, somewhere between the sound and the sense-making, communication breaks down. You hear the same sound as another person, but your brain doesn’t interpret it the same way.

Sometimes we may just mishear something because it is noisy, the phone signal is weak, or there are other extraneous factors. Or it may be because the speaker is speaking in an unfamiliar accent or is mumbling. So the sound becomes ambiguous and our brain tries its best to resolve the ambiguity—and gets it wrong.

Another common cause of mondegreens is the oronym–word strings in which the sounds can be logically divided in different ways. This is similar to what we call sandhi vichhed in Sanskrit—the process of analysing and separating compound words into their component parts. Oronyms result in a wrong parsing of sounds when context or prior knowledge is missing.

Yet another reason could be letters and letter combinations which sound alike, and without a context, we can go wrong, and one sound can be mistaken for the other. An example often given to illustrate this is, :“There’s a bathroom on the right” being heard as “there’s a bad moon on the rise”.

When we hear a sound, a number of related words are activated all at once in our heads. These words could be those that sound the same, or have component parts that are the same. Our brain then chooses the one that makes the most sense. In this choosing, we are more likely to select a word or phrase that we’re more familiar with. An oft cited example is that if you’re a member of a boat crew, you’re far more likely to select “row” instead of “roe” from an ambiguous sentence. If you’re a chef, the opposite is likely.

Some mondegreens become the word! For instance, the word orange was such a widespread mispronunciation of “a naranj” (from Persian and Sanskrit), that it became the official name of the fruit! One can think of any number of place-names which the English mangled, for instance!

Bollywood songs of course have their share of mondegreens. Though not systematically documented, some common ones identified include:

From the song Hawa Hawai (Mr. India): ‘Bijli girane mai hoon aayi’ being heard as ‘Bijli ki rani mai hoon aayi’; and from the song Banno (Tanu weds Mannu) ‘Banno tera swagger laage sexy’ being heard as ‘Banno tera sweater laage sexy’.

Raghu has these examples from his childhood (which he attributes to the poor sound quality of radio transmissions of those times):

Hearing ‘Yeh manzar dekh kar jaana’ (from the film Around the World) as ‘Yeh mandir dekh ke kar jaana’ (could be a jingle for a recent event!); and ‘Ahsan tera hoga mujh par’ (from the film Junglee) as ‘Ahsan tera ho gaa mujh par’!

The only request: If you have a mondegreen, don’t sing the song aloud. You may give someone a more than usually horrible earworm!

–Meena

Mules: More Than Just Beasts of Burden

February 1, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

The mule has always borne the brunt of uncomplimentary analogies. Stubborn as a mule, mulish behavior… a synonym for obstinate, pig-headed, refractory, headstrong, wilful, and generally self-willed. This uncomplaining beast of burden has hardly received its fair share of credit. And yet, over centuries it is these silent plodders and sloggers that have been the backbone of many military campaigns.

Mule trains were also the primary means of transporting goods across difficult mountainous terrains, especially in Central Asia. They were ideal pack animals to accompany the trading caravans. In Mughal India Emperor Akbar popularized the use of mules in place of oxen which were commonly used then. He kept stables for mules and expected his officers to keep a certain number of mules. The British were not as impressed with the local mules and imported large numbers of these sturdy workhorses from South Africa and Argentina.

The tables were turned during World War II. By this time the British army was beginning to phase out Animal Transport Companies which used to be an integral part of the army. But the conditions in France where the war was raging required transportation of supplies to remote areas where mechanized vehicles could not reach. Thus the decision was taken that each division in the British Expeditionary Force in France should have an animal transport company made up of mules. 2700 mules were shipped from Bombay to Marseilles; they reached without any losses and successfully operated in France through the bitterly cold winter conditions.

What makes the mule such a sturdy animal? But even before exploring that, what makes a mule?

A mule is a cross between two species of equine: the horse or pony (Equus caballus) and the domestic donkey (Equus asinus). The word ‘mule’ is generally used for the cross of male donkey and female horse. The cross between a female donkey and male horse, is known as a ‘hinny’. Usually mules do not breed naturally, but are specifically bred. Properly-bred mules are handsomely rugged creatures, larger than donkeys, but more solid than horses, giving them a distinctly different look.

The hybrid of horse and donkey makes for a sturdy combination. Mules are stronger than horses (weight for weight), and have tremendous stamina and resilience. They can sustain on frugal diets. They are exceptionally sure-footed, and have very hard hooves, which enables them to successfully negotiate difficult terrains. Their hide is thicker than that of horses so they can wear a harness and carry heavier loads for longer stretches. They can withstand extremes of temperature, and are relatively less prone to lameness and illness.

The stubborn temperament that makes for the many analogies is in fact more than just a mule being mulish! The obstinacy is a manifestation of a mule’s talent for self-preservation. A mule instinctively follows the path of great care when treading on uncertain terrain. It will instinctively balk when its feel its life is threatened. In looking after itself, it also takes care of the cargo it is laden with, and therefore can be trusted to deliver its cargo, including humans, safely.

The mule’s reputation for obstinacy and bad-temper is not a manifestation of its thick skinned appearance, but on the contrary an indication of its wary nature. A mule is very defensive until it trusts a person, and will kick out as a protective measure, not an act of aggression. Whatever the case, mules kick fast, hard and accurately, and hence are best kept at a safe distance till they are comfortable with what they need to do. The mule cannot be forced to do anything, but must be persuaded to cooperate! And till this happens, the tug of war between man and mule will continue, as will the “stubborn as a mule” epithet.

Mules are highly intelligent, perhaps even more than horses. They are very quick to learn, and have an instinctive grasp of a situations. They just need the right handling. A badly trained and handled mule can be a real problem. A well-trained and handled mule can be obliging, kind, patient, persevering, calm, tolerant, sensible, loyal, affectionate, even playful. Not words usually associated with its legendary truculence!

Little wonder then that mules have continued to be an important component of the Indian Army. They are invaluable at high altitudes where the road connectivity is very bad, and the terrain impassable in the severe winters. The mules are the lifeline for the army, carrying essential supplies of food, construction material, and arms and ammunition to remote border posts. A mule can carry a load of 100 kg and can cover a distance of 40 km in a day. Mules are often described as the unsung heroes of the Indian Army.

The Indian Army has more than 6000 mules who tirelessly carry out these challenging missions. The mules are divided into 15 units. They are categorized on the basis of the loads they carry. The mules assigned the task of carrying heavy arms and ammunitions are part of the Mule Artillery, while other supplies ranging from food and water, to medicine is transported by the Mule General Service. Each mule has one or two handlers, depending on the load and terrain. There is also a nursing staff with them as they move from place to place. They are fed a fixed ration of 2.55 kg of barley, I kg of chana and 7 gm linseed per day.

The recognition of the critical role of mules has been largely overlooked by the army. However, there are some legends shared about exceptional mules and their feats. Perhaps the best known one is that of Pedongi, a mule who carried out her duties in the 1971 war unfazed by the crossfire. She was part of an Animal Transport column captured by the Pakistani army, but managed to escape and cross the border back to an Indian post, carrying Pakistani munitions on her back. Pedongi was honoured by the Indian Army for her bravery, and continued to serve at high altitudes for many years. Pedongi entered the Guinness World Records as the longest serving military mule when she died in 1998. Her contribution continues to be remembered in the Central Army Service Corps officer’s mess lounge which has been named Pedongi in her memory.

Recently there is news that the Indian Army plans to disband its entire Army Transport fleet by 2025 and replace it with drones–unmanned systems that would carry loads in high-altitude areas. It has already reduced its numbers of mountain artillery mules and plans to retire the general service mules. The retired mules will receive commendation cards for their service with the Indian military. The retirement of mules will also mark the end of unique links between man and beast that have contributed to the security of our nation for over a century. Truly the end of an era!

–Mamata

Fighting the Disease, Fighting the Stigma: Marking Leprosy Day

January 30, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

Humanity spent a few years in fear of Covid. A few decades were spent in fear of AIDS. But millennia have been spent in fear of leprosy.

Leprosy is oft-mentioned in texts of yore. In Hindu mythology, it is often the result of a curse. Samba, son of Krishna and Jambavati, was cursed with the disease by his own father for constantly harassing his stepmothers (even otherwise, he seems to have been a pretty painful character). Later, when Krishna learnt that Samba was himself led into the misdemeanor by Narada, he wanted to take back the curse, but could not. Krishna advised Samba to pray to the Sun God for a cure. Samba did so—in fact, the Sun Temple at Konark and Multan (the temple does not exist and its exact location is unknown, but may have been in present-day Pakistan) are supposed to have been built by him. As a result of his devotions, he was cured.

The tale of Reunka is a fairly typical misogynistic one. She was the devoted wife of Sage Jamadagni, cursed with leprosy by her husband for a momentary lapse—for a moment being attracted to the Gandharva King. She was advised to bathe in Jogala Bhavi a nearby lake, and was cured. But sadly, when she returned home, her husband was still furious, and commanded his sons to kill her. The first four refused and were cursed by their father to die, but the fifth, Parashuram (yes, he who was an Avatar), obeyed his father. Jamadagni, pleased with Parashuram, granted him a boon. Good sense prevailed and Parashuram begged for the revival of his mother and brothers. A repentant Jamadagni is supposed to have foresworn anger, and lived happily with his wife ever after.

Leprosy also plays a key role in the Mahabharatha. Shantanu, father of Bhisma, Chitrangada and Vishitravirya came to the throne because his elder brother Devapi had leprosy. If it had not been for Shantanu’s attraction first to Ganga and then to Satyavati, the Mahabharat war may never have taken place.

Islamic and Biblical references to leprosy also abound, and Jesus is supposed to have cured the disease with his touch.

Through the ages, leprosy was feared as a curse of the Gods, and the only salvation was a boon from them. The social ostracism and rejection by friends and family was as much a suffering as the disease itself.

Gandhiji Leprosy — *Gandhiji viewing* *what is presumed to be* *Mycobacterium leprae*

In the last few centuries, many brave souls have worked hard for the relief of these sufferings. Gandhiji was at the forefront of the fight against the fear of leprosy. Pictures of him tending to Shri Parchure Sastry, a learned man whom Gandhiji respected very much, are often seen. Sastry even made his home in Sewagram with the agreement of all the Ashram inmates.

Vinobha Bhave was another Gandhian leader who worked in this field. He and Manoharji Diwan established Kushthadham (Leprosy Centre) at Dattapur in 1936.

And of course, the selfless work of Baba Amte and his wife Sadhantai, is legendary. He was a Gandhian and active in the freedom struggle. But how he came to leprosy work is interesting. He encountered a leprosy patient one day, and it is the fear and revulsion he felt that led to deep introspection, and the decision to devote his life to this work. He not only wanted to help the patients, but also create a society free of “Mental Leprosy”, ie., the fear and misunderstandings associated with disease. He founded three ashrams for patients and devoted his life to them. The Gandhi Peace Prize and the Ramon Magsaysay award were only a few recognitions of his service.

Dr. Noshir Antia is another individual who contributed enormously to the rehabilitation of leprosy patients. He is known as the father of Plastic Surgery in India and established the first department in the country devoted to this—the Tata Department of Plastic Surgery at the J.J. Hospital in Mumbai. . His interest in this subject began when he saw the disfigurement of leprosy patients, and started to pioneer surgical techniques for correcting these. Apart from surgery, he also started research facilities to study the disease and fought against the discrimination against the sufferers of this disease, and for their rehabilitation. Dr. Antia passed away in 2007, but his legacy continues not only through the generations of doctors and surgeons trained by him, but also through the NGO he founded—the Foundation for Research in Community Health

World Leprosy Day is observed on the last Sunday of January. In India, with a slight tweak, and to mark Gandhiji’s contribution in this field, it is observed on 30 January, coinciding with his death anniversary.

The theme for the day this year is “Beat Leprosy” which calls attention to the dual objectives of the day: to eradicate the stigma associated with leprosy and to promote the dignity of people affected by the disease.

As Vinobhaji put it, the critical thing is to beat mental leprosy—the fear of leprosy. And our experience of recent diseases has shown us that fear is not the way to react to any disease. Scientific understanding and empathy are!

–Meena

Two books which may be of interest:

‘Autobiography of a Doctor’ is Noshir Antia’s tale of his life.

‘Covenant of Water’ by Verghese Abraham has leprosy, its treatment and the social discrimination as an important theme.

A Special Date: Kuchchhi Kharek

January 25, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

It is perhaps the most ancient cultivated tree in the world. Fossil evidence indicates that the date palm has been cultivated in the Middle East and North Africa for at least 5000 years. The tree has a place in mythology of several cultures. The Sumerians believed that the palm tree was the first tree ever created and that it was tended by a godly raven. In ancient Mesopotamia it was called the ‘road to the moon’ and associated with lunar worship. In Egyptian hieroglyphs the tree was used as symbol for year, and its frond as the symbol for a month. The Roman author and naturalist Pliny the Elder believed the tree to be the nesting site of the Phoenix, the self-resurrecting mythological bird.

There are several special botanical features that make the date palm unique among fruit trees. The height can exceed 20 m, and trees survive over a hundred years, and a tree can produce more than 70 kg of fruit a year. To grow and thrive, date palms require scorching dry summers, low humidity, no frost and ample sunshine. As a saying in the Middle East says: The date palm needs for its feet to be in running water and its head in the fires of the sky.

In practical terms, almost every part of the tree provided useful material for construction, roofing and ropes and baskets. Popularly referred to as the ‘tree of life’, ancient civilisations once looked to the date palm for life’s necessities.The soft wood, with its ability to withstand hot, dry conditions was useful for construction of houses, as well as certain parts of dhows, the traditional sailing vessels that carried out much of the maritime trade across the Indian Ocean. The fronds were used for roofing. The tree also inspired architectural elements. Capitals of columns were carved to resemble palm trees, the form features in artistic mosaics, weaves and embroideries in many ancient cultures.

And the fruit has long been recognized as a concentrated powerhouse of nutrients. The date has provided vital nourishment for generations living in the hot arid climes of the Middle East and North Africa. Dates are rich in vitamins, high in antioxidants and loaded with fibre. Dates are resilient to pests, do not rot when ripe and can be transported easily. Thus the old Arabic saying: The uses of dates are as many as the days of the year.

The date fruit itself gives the name to its parent tree the date palm—Phoenix dactylifera derived from the Phoenix (perhaps a reference to the mythical bird, as this tree can also regrow after a fire) and dactylifera meaning finger. The date’s English name comes from the Greek word dactulos meaning finger referring to its elongated shape and form.

Dates hold significance in major religions and cultures. In the Middle East and South Asia the fruits symbolize gratitude, generosity and good health and are served at weddings, religious ceremonies and festivals. The Jews considered dates as one of the seven holy fruits and paid special attention to it during their auspicious occasions and festivals. Dates are mentioned more than 50 times in the Bible. In the Holy Bible, palm trees are associated with symbols of prosperity and triumph. One legend says that the date palm was the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the date was the actual fruit (not the apple) that Eve offered to Adam in the Garden of Eden. In Islam the Prophet Muhammad considered dates to be a superior food and encouraged people to break their fasts with them. The date palm is mentioned 22 times in the Quran. Dates are considered a fruit, food, medicine, drink and sweetmeat. Their high sugar content makes them self-preserving and long-lasting. Dried dates can be stored for a long time, and transported easily across seas and deserts. They can be boiled and strained to produce a honey-like syrup, they can be fermented to make date wine. Desert nomads have used dates in traditional health remedies for thousands of years.

While not among the group of highest date growers, India grows 40-50 varieties of dates, both of the soft and dry type. One of the key date-producing regions in the country is Kuchchh in Gujarat. Date palms are believed to have been established in this region around 400-00 years ago. It is speculated that these grew from seeds thrown by pilgrims who visited the Middle East countries for Haj, and traders who also brought back these plants; or Arab gardeners working in the palaces of the local rulers who may have acquired and planted date seeds or shoots. Date varieties have been developed by thousands of years of selection of seedlings and only those possessing desirable characteristics have been propagated. Today there are believed to be around 1.7 million date palms in the area propagated from indigenous seedlings.

While the history of date cultivation here is not as old as that in other parts of the world,Kuchchh is probably the only place in the world where fresh dates are economically cultivated, marketed and consumed. The Kachchhi Kharek or Khalela as it is locally called is unique in that it is the fresh fruit that is eaten. While in most parts of the world dates are allowed to ripen until they become soft, and dark brown or black in colour, the Kuchchhi dates are harvested at the stage when the fruits have matured, accumulated sucrose, and have turned yellow or red, but are still crisp. This stage of harvesting is called the khalal stage. It is usually done just before the monsoon rains reach the region. The colour and crispness gives these dates a distinctive identity, and make for a delicious eating experience.

This identity has been formally recognized with the awarding of the GI Tag to this indigenous variety of dates—the Kuchchhi Kharek. The Geographical Indication Tag (GI Tag) is a sign assigned to products that have a specific geographical origin and possess intrinsic qualities due to said origin. This date is the second fruit from Gujarat to get a GI Tag, the first being the Gir Kesar mango grown in some districts of Saurashtra. The Kesar mango makes the intense heat of the summer bearable, while the Kuchchhi date adds energy and warmth to the nippy days of winter.

A special date indeed!

–Mamata

Oh Sh*t!

January 23, 2024 ~ millennialmatriarchs ~ Leave a comment

The last few weeks have been peppered with cleaning cat-poop of the lawn. A particular cat has taken to using our garden as its favoured toilet. Now we are spraying the lawn with a suspension of coffee grounds and haven’t had an episode in the last few days. Fingers crossed.

But the whole trauma got me thinking about poop in general.

And I realized how many words there were for this. In fact, the number of synonyms for faeces is proof of human fascination for the subject.

There is wide variety of terms for poop, and though some of them are interchangeable, there are also very specific ones– for certain types of animals or species or used in certain circumstances. Here are some of them so our vocabulary in this area can go beyond shit and crap!

Faeces is the most generic term, and the word comes from the Latin word faex, meaning “dregs”. Excrement, Excreta and Stool are also fairly generic and mean the solid wast released solid waste from the bowels of a person or animal. bowels of a person or animal Ordure too is similar—the solid waste solid from the bowels of people or animals.

Here is a look at a few other terms:

Droppings: Faeces of animals.

Dung: Solid waste from animals, especially cattle and horses

Scat: Animal faeces, particularly of wild carnivores

Spraint: This is the dung of otters.

Fras: These are the droppings/faeces of insect larvae

Manure: Manure is organic matter that is used as fertilizer in agriculture. Most manure consists of animal faeces but may also include compost and green.

Guano: This is accumulated excrement and remains of birds, bats, and seals, valued as fertilizer.

Worm casts: These are the excrement of worms. Earthworm casts are prized as fertilizer.

Fecal Pellets: An organic excrement, mainly of invertebrates.

Fewmets: In hunting terminology, these are the droppings of deer and other quarry animals by which a hunter identifies his targets. Another term used in hunting is Spoor which can indicate a track, a trail, a scent, or droppings especially of a wild animal

Fewments: For science fiction fans, this is the term for dragon droppings!

Coprolite: Fossilised faeces of animals that lived millions of years ago.

Paleofaeces: Ancient faeces, often found as part of archaeological excavations or surveys.

Rabbits, hares and related species produce two types of fecal pellets: hard ones, which are the real poop; and soft ones or cecotropes, which are partially digested food which they eject, and eat again!

In medicine and biology, scatology or coprology is the study of faeces.

The study of such excrement is of course of use to doctors in the diagnosis of various medical conditions. It is also of great importance in obtaining an understanding of wildlife behavior, and the environment as a whole. Scat analysis can yield useful information on animal populations and their distribution across a habitat, how many males and females there are, what they are eating, their health condition and from all these, information on the health of the habitat itself can be deduced. Scat analysis is sometimes faster, easier and cheaper than many other means of studying animal populations, and it is possible to get a lot of information about animals non-invasively. It is also possible to extract DNA from poop and this has helped identify species characteristics.

So it’s not just 4-year olds who have a fascination for this subject. Many adults make it their life’s work, and their chosen tool in getting to know more about the world!

–Meena