Being Extraordinary in an Ordinary World

Ajay Das

It was my first attempt to learn guitar when I was in my high school; but I was shocked for
the first time to be left-handed as my teacher told me to bring an opposite stringed guitar. Later I gave up the idea to learn guitar. Even in my university-days the clumsy chairs in the English Department left me little baffled. Those chairs with the wooden slabs affixed on the right arm were entirely designed for the right-handed students only. I just could not figure out why, out of almost sixty chairs, there was not even a single chair allocated for the left-handed students.

These are the few of several examples of how left-handed people face adversity each day as they struggle to live in a world designed for right-handed people. From scissors to camcorders to screw drivers and power drills to hockey sticks to guitars, lefties learn early on that they need to develop skills to live in a world designed for right-handed people. There are many things that may put left-handed people to inconvenience such as scissors, a computer mouse, notebooks, rulers, remote controls, potato peelers and almost all cooking utensils. Left-handed students also have a hard time when it comes to sitting at a table with right-handed students because they constantly bump their elbows with them. Similarly they have to sit at the end of the dining table to prevent a clash of elbows and cutlery and always feel bother by that. Even wristwatches, with he winder on the wrong side, are awkward for lefties. I have, however, learnt to wear a battery-operated (no winding) watch on my right wrist.

Another important factor to consider is a computer mouse; they are always made for right-handed people. Of course, one can buy a special left-handed one, but it is inconvenient if he uses a computer anywhere else. It is almost as if left-handed people are discriminated against. Everything is oriented to right-handed people. Every day left-handed people struggle in a right-handed world. There are many different factors in the environment that may pose problems for left-handed people. The problem is that the majority of people are right-handed and products are often made for right-handed individuals without any thought being put into whether or not it will work for a left-handed person as well.

For years now, mankind has been searching for the answers to the questions - why people prefer one hand over the other, why the majority of people choose the right hand, and why the left hand is chosen in such a minority. Some research suggests that there is a biological determinant of handedness, while other suggests that it is simply a learned behaviour. Medical researchers have searched long and hard for what causes people to be left-handed or right handed. The researchers have concluded that left-handed people are left handed for the same reason as brown-eyed people have brown eye.

Historically, left-handed have encountered a lot of troubles. Prejudices against left-handers are bountiful for throughout history lefties have been considered inferior. Religion has played an important part in oppressing the image of left hand. Centuries ago, the Catholic church declared left-handed people to be ‘servant of the Devil’. For generations, left-handers who attend Catholic schools were forced to become right-handed. Only a few decades ago in Japan, left-handedness in a wife was sufficient ground for divorce. The wedding ring is placed on the left hand in order to chase away evil spirits that may haunt the marriage. In Arab nations, the right hand is used to touch parts of the body above the waist, while the left hand is used for below the navel. Natives of Guinea coast never touch their left thumbs to their beer mugs, in the belief that it would poison the beverage. This comes true to our own culture as once an old man in the village feast flatly refused to have the dishes served by me. The reason was very simple; I served him with the spoon held in my left-hand. We can understand why left-handers might have a few hang-ups when we look at how harshly they have been treated throughout history. Things got so bad in the 1600’s that they were burnt at stake. Even our language still cast a stigma on the left side. Languages from around the world show how civilizations prefer the right over the left. The word ‘left’ comes from an Old English word meaning ‘weak’ or ‘worthless’. The Italian word ‘mancino’ is translated to ‘deceitful’ as well as ‘left’. ‘No ser zurdo’ is Spanish phrase meaning ‘to be very clever’, which is literally translated to mean ‘not to be left-handed’. In English, the world ‘adroit’ is commonly used to mean ‘proper’ or ‘correct’. In French, the word ‘adroit’ means ‘right’. The English usage of the word ‘gauche’ is accepted as meaning ‘clumsy’, or ‘awkward’. In French, it is translated to mean ‘left’. The Roman word for ‘left’ is ‘sinister’, and the phrase meaning ‘masturbation’ is translated to ‘left-handed whore’. ‘Linkisch’ is German for ‘awkward’ and ‘left’. In Nepalese context, ‘to be the apple of somebody’s eye’ is to be ‘right-hand man’. If someone is scolded to be the most inferior person, he is compared with the tip of the little finger of the left hand.

What causes left-handedness? Genes, for the most part. Some scientists have suggested that parental influences or stressful birth may cause subtle brain changes that lead to left-handedness, as well but a 1992 study by Murry Schwartz of Dallhouse University in Halifax indicated that this is only a mirror factor. Schwartz says, "There was very little evidence to support the theory that all left-handedness was due to brain damage. The result more readily fit into the explanation that there are both normal and pathological left-handers in population." For a long time, science developed a theory known as the ‘mirror effect’ which states that a right-hander thinks with the left-side of their brain while opposite is true for the left-handed person. However, in the past few years, scientists have discovered that while right-handed people indeed dominated by the left hemisphere of their brain, left-handed people use both sides of their brain more evenly. Some attribute this to language and speech being controlled in the left side of the brain and that just about everyone, no matter what hand they write with, must use the right side of the brain to perform these communicative functions. Left-handers, on the other hand, have increased the use of the right side of their brain. This comes as a celestial bonus for the left-handers.

A really interesting question is whether there is any connection between left-handed people and creative genius. The southpaws are believed to be more intelligent, more balanced and more creative than the righties. Some of the history’s most creative minds have been left-handed. In the category of art, both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo were left-handed. Musical geniuses Ludwig van Beethoven, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and Paul MacCartney are left-handed. In the field of science and invention one can name Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein. Novelist H. G. Wells, actor Charlie Chaplin, chess genius Bobby Fisher, cricketers Sanath Jayasurya and Brian Lara, former US presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton, vice-president Al Gore are left-handers. While there are many famous right-handed people, the left-handed celebrities seem to get more attention. So even though it may be more difficult for a left-handed person to live in a right-handed world, lefties should realize that they can enjoy a good company of bigwigs.

In the ages past, society was not sympathetic to left-handed person. Earlier, right-handed teacher and parents went to great extremes to deter the use of the left hand. Young students who preferred using their left hand to write were punished for doing so. Some of these students, after enormous effort, eventually learned to write with their right and finally developed them as ambidextrous. I still, remember one of my cousins who, being lefty, was forced to write with right hand when he was a kid and now his handwriting looks like a five-year-old boy. Being left-handed means that a person uses the right side of his brain for many functions including control of his language skills. This, in many ways, plays a vital role in speech and language disorders like stuttering and dyslexia. Thankfully, I grew up in a society fortunate enough to allow left-handedness. It has been estimated - and this is very rough - that about 13 percent of the world population is left -handed. Handedness not only involves hands, but the rest of the body as well. A left-handed person has the tendency to use his left eye when peering though a microscope and will usually place his left foot forward first when walking. Southpaws tend to be slightly more expressive with the left side or their face; winking is easier and their smile tends to curve up slightly more. The reverse is true for the right-handed. From different research papers, I have learnt that lefties adapt faster than any other group of people. Right-handed people, who try and use something designed for a lefty find it a much harder than the southpaws do using something new designed for a righty. I have also learnt that lefties are more open-minded and are quicker on their feet.

Some dated medical research reported that left-handedness have a shorter life span than right-handed people, more accidents and more psychological disorders. Southpaws are more susceptible to allergies, auto-immune diseases, bed-wetting, depression, drug abuse, epilepsy, hypnotism, low birth weight, schizophrenia, sleeping disorders, suicide attempts and certain learning disabilities. However, lefties have nothing to worry because the earlier studies were proved to be idiosyncratic. Recently, science has disproved the theory that left-handed people die earlier than right-handed people. Despite the fact that it seems like a right-handed person designed the world, southpaws still have their personal leverage in their social circle.

Terai Forest shrienking

Dr Raj Bahadur Shrestha

ur " Char Kose Jhadi" has deteriorated due to several reasons and we can not escape being the root causes of its destruction. Because of human interference, the valuable forest that can provide financial support to the development of nation is losing its area just to provide room for the growing population, development works, and to satisfy political leadership. It has now been obligatory to manage the remaining terai forest effectively before it gets too late otherwise one day the Terai will be shorn of forest cover. The estimated total forest area in Terai is 14,05,600 ha. Of this, National Parks cover 2,38,000 ha, and forests between mountain and plain cover 6,21,000 ha. Actual commercial forest in the Terai is 5,45,900 ha. Sal tree (Shorea rubusta) is the dominant and the most valuable species among the others. The forest here is sub-tropical deciduous to evergreen. Among 75 districts of Nepal, 20 districts fall in the terai area.

Terai forest has a remarkable history. Since the beginning, the Terai forest has been playing an important role not only to supply timber and fuelwood to urban areas but also to provide recreation to the people. "Hario ban, Nepal ko Dhan,"(green forest is Nepal’s wealth) which is a popular anecdote, is now only in books. "Char Kose Jhadi" (an eight-mile stretch of forests extending from east to west) is hardly applicable today due to encroachment. It indicates that the terai forest is now in danger because of continuous deforestation. During the past five decades the imprudent use of forest has greatly reduced both the quality and quantity. In 1964 the forest area was 6.08 million hectares of the total land area but now it is 4.2 million hectares. The deforestation rate of the terai forest is 1.3% per annum.

Several reasons are behind the depletion of the Terai forest. Government’s policy is the main cause of decline in forest areas. In the past, resettlement program through Purnarbash Company, and Sukumbasi Aayog were responsible for clearing vast tracts of valuable forests in the Terai. A total of 103,968 ha of forests in the siwaliks and terai were cleared under the settlement program from the 1950s to 1985. About 22,700 ha of these were cleared only from 1978/79 to 1984/85. Similarly, it has been assumed that an equal area was lost due to illegal settlements during the same period. Similarly, forest allocation for development activities such as high tension line, highway, irrigation, universities, factories and so on have also led to decrease in forest areas, across the process is still going on. It is estimated, according to a source from Department of Forests, the government has allocated about 705 ha of forestland to the various universities and teaching institutions, and 1360 ha to Sukumbasi Aayog. Encroachment on forestland for housing and agricultural purposes has also led to the decline in forestland. For example, about 2379 ha of forestland was encroached only in Chitwan District. Migration from hills has further exacerbated the situation. Recently, the government has provided about 1145 ha of forestland to the Kamaiya and the process is still on to provide them additional land.

Ward no 10 of the present Bharatpur municipality was full of forest until 1950s. Later this area was encroached by the so-called landless people. After certain year these Sukumbasi started selling the land to another person and the person to the other persons. They did not have any land ownership documents but they were selling the land. Few years ago government distributed land ownership paper to the residents. The fact is that the area is now with full of RCC building and high TV antenna. The original Sukumbasi no more reside in that area.

Another main reason is that the terai forest has never passed through scientific management. Due to poor management of terai forest, there has been age gap between the mature tree and young seedling. Besides, terai forest has negative growth rate. Mature trees are decaying whereas young seedlings are either destroyed by fire or chopped by the people. Moreover due to lacking proper management, the quality and quantity of commercial forest is continuously declining and consequently it is creating a vicious cycle for further depletion of natural forest resource.

There is severe scarcity of timber, fodder, and fuel wood. Supply is not meeting demand. Furthermore, due to continuous deforestation, it has negative impact in agricultural production too. Wood based industries are also in trouble. Because of shortage of raw materials, wood-based industries have been closed or are in process of being closed. As a result, the nation is losing income and employment. Weather condition is also being affected which can be exemplified by untimely and excess rainfall and sudden increase in temperature. The bio-diversity is also no more virgin due to deterioration of forest. If this trend continues, one day the Terai will be totally shorn of forest cover.

It is not fair to ignore government’s efforts to save the forests. Several management plans were prepared, but these were not implemented. Besides, the government also adopted rigid act and legislation like the Forest Act (1963) and Forest Protection Special Act (1967) to liberal legislation like the Forest Act (1993) and the Forest Legislation (1995). Similarly, organizational structure of Ministry of Forests and soil Conservation and its concerned Departments were changed in due time. Likewise, National Forestry Plan (1975) to Master Plan for Forestry Sector (1988) was prepared and implemented with dynamic guidelines. Unfortunately, the present situation shows that all the efforts have become not so fruitful so far. Likewise, international development agency like FINNIDA tried to get permission from the government to manage certain forest areas of the Bara district. Despite its efforts, the proposal was disapproved and the plan could not take place.

In 2000, the government made certain decisions for the management of the Terai forests based on the concept presented by the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation. Since then, a cell of the ministry is working out to find out how to get better forest management in the terai. Now, SNV and DIFID are supporting the government to manage the terai forest in certain districts.

However, it will be too early to forecast whether the terai forest will be really managed or not. So, let’s wait and hope that the popular anecdote "Hario ban, Nepal ko Dhan," will again be meaningful for the Nepalese people.

Awareness created

Prostitution has been much talked about and debated in recent years. The commercialisation of the flesh trade is increasing in the global scenario. It has become a very lucrative trade for a group of people indulging in it, the clients, pimps and supporters. When looked at a deeper level, prostitution is a violation of a women’s personhood, mental and physical integrity.

By Yesjay

Trafficking in women and girls for sexual exploitation has emerged as a curse in the modern civilisation. In fact, it has been a great challenge to the humanity itself.

Despite many efforts to combat trafficking in women and children throughput the world, it has not been controlled and reduced to the desired extent. In fact, the problem has been accelerating in due course of time.

As someone once said ‘man achieves what the mind conceives and heart receives’. However, National Network against Girl Trafficking (NNAGT) has also taken this monumental task. It has witnessed the intricacies involved while working for this issue which has sharpened its competencies and deliverance. Therefore, it is marching forward with various efforts and measures for prevention of trafficking in women and children for sexual exploiting.

Prostitution has been much talked about and debated in recent years. The commercialisation of the flesh trade is increasing in the global scenario. It has become a very lucrative trade for a group of people indulging in it, the clients, pimps and supporters. When looked at a deeper level, prostitution is a violation of a women’s personhood, mental and physical integrity. It open’s the access for social evils that include gender based violence that result in physical, sexual and psychological harm and suffering of women.

As a part of its regular program on sensitizing the people towards the issue of girl trafficking and violence against women and girls, NNAGT has presently organised a two day film show on Chameli. The main objective of the program was to sensitize the people of different segment of the society through the lively show of Chameli so that they could come forward to deliver their level support and cooperation to combat this heinous crime.

Following the show, the viewers were made to express their feelings by filling up the structural questionnaire sheet which was specially designed to understand their level of awareness, the effectively of the print or electronic media and the participants information on the issue. Dr Madhavi Singh, coordinator of NNAGT gave a brief presentation on the feedback generated from the program. Similarly, Durga Ghimire, president of NNAGT has expressed her views that this program should also be organised in the district level so that the mass will be awarethrough the show.

In this traditional patriarchal society, the issue of violence against women and girls has not been properly recognised. This type of violence is a major impediment to the progress of women and development of the society. During the interaction followed by the show, program officer Sangita Thapa highlighted the objectives of the film show on Chameli.

The Bermuda Triangle

Other people hypothesize that the Bermuda Triangle contains a high concentration of vortexes. These vortexes could be gateways transporting the lost planes and ships to other times and places.

By Suvecha Pant

The Bermuda Triangle is a large triangle-shaped area of the North Atlantic Ocean where unusual events are said to take place. The unusual events consist primarily of the disappearance of planes, ships, and people. The triangle’s three corners are made up of the island of Bermuda, Miami, Florida, San Juan and Puerto Rico. The Bermuda Triangle is sometimes also known as the Devil’s Triangle.The first to report strange occurrences in the Triangle was Christopher Columbus. As the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria sailed through the area in 1492, it is reported that Columbus’s compass went haywire and that he and his crew saw weird lights in the sky, but these events have mundane explanations.

From the account in Columbus’s journal, it is thought that his compass’s slight inaccuracy stemmed from nothing more than the discrepancy between true north and magnetic north. As for the lights, Columbus wrote of seeing "a great flame of fire" that crashed into the ocean - - probably a meteor. He saw lights in the sky again on October 11, which, of course, was the day before his famous landing. The lights, brief flashes near the horizon, were spotted in the area where dry land turned out to be.

The most famous Bermuda Triangle incident is "Flight 19". On December 5th, 1945, five U.S. Navy Avenger Torpedo Bombers were lost in the Triangle. The five aircrafts left from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on a training mission. The flight was led by Lieutenant Charles Taylor. Early into the flight, Lieutenant Taylor’s compass failed. A Florida native, Lieutenant taylor tried to guide the planes home using only landmarks. The final words heard from Flight 19 were "Everything is wrong.....ocean doesn’t look as it should". Did flight 19 simply get lost and crash into the Atlantic never to be seen again, or did something more mysterious happen?

On October 28th, 1943, the U.S.S. Eldridge is said by the U.S. Navy to have been located in the Bermuda Triangle. This is when the famous Philadelphia Experiment is said to have occurred. Was the U.S.S. Eldridge in the Triangle or in Philadelphia on that day- or was it in both places?

The Triangle itself may be an underwater UFO. Reports have been made of strange disc like objects hovering over the water in this area or plunging into the sea. It is believed that because of the types of engines they have, gravity drives or electro-magnetic powered, that they have adverse effects on equipment, explaining the strange compass readings.

Other people hypothesize that the Bermuda Triangle contains a high concentration of vortexes. These vortexes could be gateways transporting the lost planes and ships to other times and places. The unstable and temporary nature alleged in certain vortexes could account for their presence one moment, and disappearance the next.

The skeptics point out that the area of the Bermuda Triangle is quite large. There are strong currents and heavy traffic in the deep waters- some ships are bound to be lost. This may be true, but one certain region of the sea that has continued disappearances over the history of sea and air travel is a bit odd.

Whatever the case, one can claim the Bermuda Triangle to be a mystery that humans have still been unable to solve.

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