Eat Real Food

Is Monsanto Responsible For 200,000 Farmer Suicides?


"A recent study has found that 200,000 Indian farmers have killed themselves in the past ten years.


Well-known Bollywood filmaker Aamir Khan attributes this startling statistic to the fact that many unsuspecting farmers are convinced that genetically modified seeds, pesticides, and fertilizers from American companies like Monsanto will increase their profits. Khan is hoping to spread awareness about this disturbing trend in a new movie.


The film, called Peepli Live, is set in an Indian village named Peepli. A young debt-burdened farmer named Natha is talked into taking his own life after he learns that his family will be financially compensated through a government program created to alleviate the loss of farmers taking their own lives. See this link here.


To afford the supplies and steep licensing fees imposed by Monsanto, many farmers mortgage their farms just to survive to plant another year. The first bad yield due to drought or flooding plunges them so far into debt that many resort to suicide."


The above narrative was taken from this article.

The Problem With Franken-Food

Supporters of genetically engineered foods often claim that bio-crops are the only way to feed the world's booming population in the future.


However, a study from the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that genetically engineered crops have not been proven to produce larger harvests. Crop yield increases in recent years have almost entirely been due to improved farming or traditional plant breeding, despite thousands of field trials of GM crops.


To read a report about failure to increase yield go to this link here and to read the narrative, “Can Genetically Modified Crops Feed the World?” go to this link here


Seeds purchased from companies like Monsanto are also engineered with "terminator technology", which means plants produce sterile seeds after only one season. Farmers, already in debt because of the high price of "superior" GM seeds, are thereby forced to buy more seeds for the next harvest.

Arunachala Bird Population

Right Click on all photographs to view enlarged version.



All photographs included in this narrative are by Mr. Kumar, artist and bird watcher, and whose paintings can be viewed on the paths of the Mountain of Medicine at the foot of Arunachala.







Bird Population at Tiruvannamalai



Those involved in afforestation work around Arunachala, believe that there has been an increase in the number of species found on the Hill and surrounding forests primarily as a result of the enhanced food base which is resulting from the increased green cover of this area.

There is currently 120 species of birds estimated in this area compared to only 20-30 species found a decade ago in the forest surrounding Arunachala. Some of the recent arrivals are: Small Minivet, Sirkeer Malkoha, Lesser-Spotted Eagle Owls, Eurasian Eagle Owl, Mottled Wood Owl, Paradise Fly Catcher and the Black-Headed Cuckoo.

Common species such Mynah, Swifts, Swallows, Yellow Billed Babblers, Parrots and Indian Rollers (Blue Jays) are seen in large numbers in the forests surrounding Arunachala and also in the town of Tiruvannamalai and outskirts.










Other species such as Red-Vented Bulbuls, Robins, Coucals, Doves, Barbets, Shikra, Bee-Eaters, Sun Birds, Warblers can also be viewed in increasing numbers on the Hill and to a lesser extent, increasing sightings of Peacocks, Golden Oriole, Red Whiskered Bulbul and Koels are being recorded.







The District Forest Office has been ordered to take up a preliminary survey of birds and thereafter with the help of experts conduct a detailed survey of birds in the area.








A local artist and bird watcher Mr. Kumar mentions he has noticed increasingly larger numbers of: Common Wood Shrikes, Painted-Spur Fowls and Gray Francolins. With winter-visitors like Blue Rock Thrush, Pitta and Forest Wag Tail seen around Arunachala this season. Mr. Kumar attributes the growth of species to increase in forest cover, reduction of forest fires and a ban on hunting.









Mr. Kumar is currently engaged at the Mountain Of Medicine painting beautiful representations of the bird and wild life found at Arunachala. The paintings with supporting information are displayed on the paths of the Mountain of Medicine sanctuary which is located on the NH 66 Chengham Road, half a kilometre west of Raman Ashram. All are welcome.

[With thanks to A.D. Balasubramaniyan]

Garuda Mythology

As mentioned in a previous posting, the Brahminy Kite is worshipped as a representation of Garuda (the sacred Eagle and mount of Lord Vishnu). To read about the mythology of Garuda and to watch a video animation of the origin of the Garuda, check out this link here.