Thursday, July 30, 2015

Water management lesson from a ghost city in India

Irony has many faces 
'Fatehpur Sikri' is a place in India with a history so archaic as it has been mentioned as Saik in Mahabharat, stone scriptures with inscription found at this place of a period dates back to 1010 AD, colored pottery (2nd millennium BC) and painted grey ware of 1200-800 BC as stated by the 'Archaeological Survey of India' in their findings of this historic place. 

It derived 'Sikri' name from 'Saik' meaning 'a place surrounded by water'

It was mentioned in the memoires of Mughal emperor Babur (AD 1527), even he founded a Jal-Mahal surrounded by the lake-water, and a baoli (step-well) to commemorate his victory. 

It was Mughal emperor Akbar who decided to shift his capital to this place with a new name Fatehpur Sikri, which was just 23 miles away from his Agra Fort. 
The Imperial complex was abandoned in 1585,shortly after its completion,due to paucity of water
picture thankfully shared from: http://www.mountainsoftravelphotos.com/
Fatehpur Sikri, the ghost city 
Such is a place, which was built (1572-1585) by then the powerful Mughal emperor Akbar (1556-1605) as their new capital.

It was soon deserted because the water system could not support the residents. 

It is said that this fort was abandoned at around the year of 1585, when a severe scarcity of water forced the people of fort to look for a new settlement.

For over 400 years it remained untouchedThese monumental building structures of the new capital were abandoned just after 16 years of their construction, that's why tourist find them as new even after 400 years passed.

In today's worldour all capitals and every city is on the path of becoming 'Fatehpur Sikri'. Water supply in most cities are being managed from a distance of 100-200 kilometers while others are are planning to do so in near future to meet their ever growing demand of the population.

Today these monumental structures are a part of 'World Heritage Sites' as declared by the UNESCO and visited by the tourist only.

It's palaces are a remainder of the extravagance of the Mughals.

Renewal of natural resources 
If we humans don't honor nature and it's resources, go on harnessing oblivious to the role to be played for the renewal of these natural resources, then the results are severe. 

The way nature punishes is too harsh. 

This we find proof in many abandoned places which initially were built with great human cost, but now exist as reminder as ghost cities.

Link references for more about this historical place of archaeological importance:
http://asi.nic.in/asi_monu_whs_fatehpursikri.asp
http://www.liveindia.com/fatehpur-sikri/history.html

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Relative sizes of Sun, Earth and Pluto in our solar system

Pluto mission
After nine years (mission began 19 January 2006 19:00:00 UTC) and three billion miles, NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration's New Horizons spacecraft zip past Pluto and its five moons on 14th July 2015 (11:49:57 UTC) spinning through space at 31,000 miles per hour.

Plutonium to Pluto
Clyde Tombaugh (a farmer turned astronomer) discovered this dwarf planet in 1930 using a telescope at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona. 

The Horizon spacecraft will be sending it's data back to earth up till 2030, being powered by RTG (Radio Isotope Thermal Generator) using Plutonium. 

Interestingly Plutonium itself was named after this tiny planet Pluto.

Tiny planet
Pluto has always been in controversy due to it's farthest distance from the earth and due it's tiny size relatively.

Relative sizes of the planet in our solar system
Roberto Ziche, illustration artist from San Francisco, based on the NASA and studies of other scientific institution, has created a rendering of our solar system which includes planets, our moon and four dwarf planets Pluto, Haumea, Makemake, Eris.  
picture credit; Robero Ziche
picture credit; Robero Ziche
Sitting in a line in front of the Sun, planets are placed in their relative sizes from left to right: Mercury (बुध), Venus (शुक्र), Earth (पृथ्वी) with moon, Mars (मंगल), Jupiter (बृहस्पति), Saturn (शनि), Uranus (इन्द्र/अरुण), Neptune (वरुण), Pluto (यम) and 3 more tiny planets then after.

Roberto Ziche, having more than 20 years of experience in creative art, his popular illustration clearly shows that Jupiter and Saturn are the biggest planets and then the Uranus, Neptune, Venus, Earth and Mars follow in sizes.

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