Kolkata - The Culinary Secrets of the City

A traditional Bengali Meal

Quiet jokingly enough but it still remains a fact that while others eat to live, Bengali’s live to eat. Whether a ritual or festivity or even just a cricket match every event ends up with one thing, hearty feasts which involves countless intricately prepared dishes. Well, Kolkata has always had a rich culinary heritage and is considered as a gourmand’s paradise, home to one of the most evolved cuisines in the East. 

Calcutta Fish Fry with Kasundi (Bengali Mustard Sauce)

Kolkata Style Egg Chicken Roll

While, today’s generation is hooked onto burgers and fried stuff, the young Bengalis are still connected to the inevitable spice of Jhaal Muri (Spicy puffed rice crispies), the sinfully delicious Chicken Rolls, or a battered Mughlai Porota and definitely Calcutta’s legendary Fish Fry with Kasundi (mustard sauce) because they perceive the taste of food that hits their soul! Probably this could be one of those reasons why Kolkata has still not been able to accept the McDonald’s or the KFC’s of the world and why food chains like Peetuk or Hanglas continue to impress the conservatively adventurous foodies. Even today, if you probably ask a Bengali irrespective of whether he is a foodie at heart or not, to choose between a kilo of gold and a kilo of Hilsa, it is not at all surprising that they would choose the latter any day! 

A typical Bengali who lives to eat!

People of Bengal and especially Calcutta have always had an unquestionable palate when it comes to recognizing the real taste behind any dish. In fact, during the recent food trials in Kolkata for one of our newly opened brands there was a couple who shared their critical feedback with me on the kind of ingredients and balance of taste. 

Food fiesta during Durga Puja

Probably, this is one of those reasons why anyone whether from a humble or evolved background is always well informed about a variety of dishes and one can actually witness this during the festive time of Durga Puja. But what is the most interesting aspect of Bengalis (including me) in every socio-economic class is their appetite and the pride of having ‘ombol’ (acidity).

Digene - A Bengali's Best Friend!

It is one of those very fascinating incidents from my college days. Being invited to a Bengali reception meant you required a big appetite in order to have all that is there in store. Unfortunately, the night prior to the reception we had decided to hit to a nearby restaurant for some rolls which ended up in all of us complaining of acidity. So, I had thought that the idea of going to the wedding would eventually get cancelled. But to my utter shock the following evening I found my friends all dressed and ready to roll. When I asked them what about their acidity attack one of them handed me a strip of ‘pink tablets’ what we quite famously know as antacids Digene and Gelusil. We all popped one and the rest was a food fiesta in the making! And as they say that history repeats itself it was not very long that I had been in Kolkata with my Chief Culinary Director to taste the food of Aminia, which is famous for their Biryani. We ordered a sumptuous portion of Kolkata Biryani and chaanp. My chef was just in the mood of tasting it while I apparently ended up completing the entire portion by which time I was almost to the edge of my appetite. While my chef was shell shocked and quite concerned of its after effects I gave him a pleasant smile and told him not to worry. It’s just ‘ombol’ and popped out my old ‘friend’, Digene from my pocket which was indeed lifesaving! No doubt why the market of digestive medicines in this part of the city is so big!

Grocery shopping - A ritual in Kolkata

An everyday morning grocery shopping or termed as ‘Baajar kora’ is like a ritual performed by every family in Calcutta. I remember when we used to all gather to dine and if the dishes were really delicious, my father would ask in the most concerning tone, ‘Aaj ke bajaar ta key coerce?’ (Who has done the grocery marketing today?).  While, I used to question myself as to what was so unique about going to a grocery until I actually accompanied him and it’s just a different world altogether! 

Tiretti Bazaar

Calcutta has been known for its cheap yet vibrant and historic markets that sell an array of local and colorful goods. But what it is most famous of is for its local markets. We have the New Market previously known as the ‘Hogg’ Market founded by Sir Stuart Hogg in 1874, has almost 2000 stores and sells one of the best produces of local cheese and bakeries. The Terreti Market in Kolkata’s Chinatown is another legacy in itself which houses the Chinese-Indian population of the city and is a famous Chinese food street. 

Gariahat Bazaar

But what tops the list is the most celebrated market located in Gariahat, most famously known as ‘Gariahat Bazaar’. This is almost considered as the mecca of Kolkata markets which houses from a hair pin to hardware and from fruits to the best of fresh seafood, meat and vegetables and much more. In fact, one could witness the kind of bargaining being done right in the morning which would give any stock market a run for their money! And to put the icing on the cake we also have the ‘father of all markets’, The Burra Bazar.

Burra Bazaar - Asia's Largest Wholesale Market

Helmed not only as one of India’s largest wholesale market in India but also the busiest. This a place where even Christopher Columbus might get lost if he didn’t have a map! It houses from jewelry to freshly ground spices, a dedicated fruits and vegetable market and a huge section for seafood and poultry. There’s a saying if you are in Calcutta and you have not visited the Burra Bazar you have not witnessed the pulse of the city.

Internationally, especially in parts of Europe, chefs are considered to be ‘Can Chefs’ as they rely on using their ingredients which are canned. In fact, I have to frequently travel to different parts of the world to source the best of ingredients for my restaurants. And believe me when I say that there is no better place than the city of Calcutta which sources the best of produce be it for vegetables, fruits or the breed of fishes, poultry, beef or pork including ‘Kancha Lonka’ (Green Chillies) which is one of the best in Bengal. Probably, that is one of the reasons why Indian chefs so frequently travel to this part of the city and are considered to be ‘Can Do’ chefs!

Another quite interesting fact of the food trends of Calcutta is that it changes with its seasons. During the summers when the sun is shining high and mighty the city prefers to switch to fresh vegetables and take a minimalistic approach to cooking.  I remember when I was a child during the summers my mother would cook us  Aam Tok Dal (Bengali Mango Dal) or a Shuktoni or famously known as Shukto (a Bengali styled Mixed Vegetable cooked in the most unique spices with creamy milky gravy) or a Shojne Shaak Chorchori (a medley of stir fried vegetables, like drumsticks, eggplants, red pumpkin and potatoes with a dash of mustard base)which is known for its anti-inflammatory/oxidant properties. And definitely a Rui Maacher ‘patla’ Jhol (Summer Fish Stew) served with steamed rice, because we Bongs’ cannot see a world without fishes! 

Come rains and the city finds one more excuse to begin feasting on some of the most sought-after delicacies. But at first it has to start with a cup of Gorom khurir chaa’ (A cup of hot tea served in earthen pots) This would be followed with an Egg Chicken Roll quite a must for the quintessential Bengalis. At home this was the only time when we would get to taste the Queen of fishes the Ilish (Hilsa) accompanied with Rice. Ah… the taste of which can give the French run for their money compared to the caviar they serve! But the most comfort food that every Bengali would definitely relish is the traditional flavor of Moong Dal Khichuri with Begun Bhaja. (Khichdi served with fried brinjal fritter).

Sun Yat Sen Street - Little China of Kolkata

The city may not really get cold but winters in Kolkata are something akin to a warm familial embrace - comforting and endearing. A ride to the Sun Yat Sen Street in central Kolkata for breakfast for a Fish Ball Soup or a plate of Crisp Wontons and Sweet Pork- Stuffed Bao or the best of Home-made Pork Sausages is not something to be missed. As the temperature dips further Calcuttans make it a point to visit the Nakhoda mosque area during the night to taste some of the best beef shanks and Nihari. This is also one of those times when every Bengali gets ‘sweetly infectious’.

The city’s myriad delectable treats will make any foodie never want to leave. From the fanciest restaurants to the high-powered chefs or revisiting the forgotten memories of relishing the city’s roadside delicacies can never be forgotten. But the greatest and secret ingredient in Calcutta’s food culture is humility that is needed to dedicate oneself to its craft. And given the city’s amazing culinary landscape there is humility in every morsel of food here - the secret to Calcutta’s food brilliance.

Gondhoraaj - A Date with the ‘King of Limes’

Most cuisines of Eastern India are considered to be elaborate and refined. Above all is the cuisine of Bengal, which is served in courses based on the ancient beliefs of digestion. Bengalis are considered to be a connoisseur of having a hefty meal especially on weekends. It was in the mid 90’s and I remember travelling to Kolkata only once a year. Honestly, I detested travelling to Kolkata, since in those days the ‘City of Joy’ had turned into the ‘City of Pity’. And just to put the icing on the cake was the frequent power cuts which would entertain mosquitoes of all sizes on a blood sucking spree. 

However, Durga Puja was one such occasion which kept that dying soul of Kolkata still alive in me and more so because this was during that time that I could savor on all the best of the delicacies of Kolkata. It was a cool Saturday morning and I could hear the sounds of the rickshaws strolling away to glory sounding their cycle rings. The morning tea was served with a slight addition of ginger and next thing I get to hear from my dad was that I had to accompany him to the legendary ‘Baajar’ (market) to buy stuff for the puja. Much to my unwillingness to go I decided to pit in this journey.

As, I visualized the different stall walas selling the usual stuff like vegetables and fruits, there was one such stall which was only selling a typical kind of fruit. Most surprisingly it was the only stall which was packed with people. I quickly noticed that my father was busy in bargaining with one of the vendors and took this as an opportunity to discover what was so special about that stall. After fighting my way through the packed crowd, I finally found myself standing in front of this stall. The first thing that hit my eyes was this oblong shaped fruit with a thick green grind. I asked myself what was so fascinating about this fruit. And, as I picked the fruit, I could sense an aromatic and fragrant smell fill my nostrils. My father who by now had located where I was quietly came behind me and putting his hand on my shoulder said, “Eta lebu’r raja Gondhoraaj Lebu” (This is the king of all lime…Gondhoraaj) 

At first the name sounded to me as character from one of Satyajit Ray’s detective films. Today, the Gondhoraaj lebu holds a special place in all Bengali homes. Its unique fragrance adds a different taste to some of the celebrated dishes. Originating in Sylhet, Chittagong and the Chittagong Hill tracts, the Gondhoraaj is only grown in the fragrant district of Bangladesh, Rangpur. In fact, it grows in abundance there in the golden yellow soil, from where it draws its scientific names – Rangpur Lime or Citrus Limona. It’s a rare blend between a lime and a mandarin with different avatars to it. 

What is more interesting is its characteristics of the leaf which is quite similar to the Thai Kaffir lime although they have their own differences. Yet the scent of the Kaffir is indeed beautiful and most of the times the nostalgic Bengalis does settle for the Kaffir as the Gondhoraaj. It is quite fascinating to know that all the citrus fruits in the world trace their roots back to the fertile land between the Himalayan foothills and Burmese plains. And that this where the Gondhoraaj seems to be present too. 

The Gondhoraaj has travelled all way to the Queen’s country, in England too, where the famous Tanqueray, a British gin brand developed a Rangpur flavor for the US market which procreated some predictably named cocktails like the 'Rangpur Rickey.' 

It’s a warm Sunday afternoon in the city of Mumbai as I sip on my very favourite chilled Gondhoraaj Lebur Sharbat, I know that part of my mind and soul is longing to return to the bazaars of Kolkata from where my rendezvous with the king of limes had started. But someday I will surely return to the city to have a date with the king of limes…

My Gondhoraaj! 

SAHLAN WA AHLAN – PARIS OF THE GULF

In the good old days, the Middle East was known to be a deserted place amidst a mystic den of expats traveling from various parts of the world, especially from India and of course, people joked that ‘do not be surprised if you find camels crossing the road!’ The name United Arab Emirates was hardly known to anyone; however, there was a slight recognition of a city called Dubai. Often referred to as the “Paris of the Gulf” the country marked its 46th year of Independence and is a land full of surprises every time you visit here. 

Being brought up in India and done my college in Dubai, I refer to Dubai as my ‘second home’. The city-state offers you an eclectic mix of cultures; in fact, you may be pleasantly surprised to know that Hindi, Bengali and Malayalam are the most spoken languages after Arabic (the national language). 

A melting pot of various ethnic cuisines from all over the world, one would definitely get spoilt for choice. The country under the leadership of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Vice President, UAE and Ruler of Dubai), has grown in leaps and bounds whether it be in the areas of infrastructure, commuting, shopping, dining or tourism. When in Dubai, I prefer being located centrally and always stay at the Bay Central which oversees the Dubai Marina and is not too far from the main tourist spots of the city. Visiting the city after a few years I was taken aback by its speedy expansion. 

The first place I stopped at was the Miracle Garden, which hosts one of the world’s largest collections of flowers. As it was scorching hot I decided to have a Jellab (a classic Arabic drink with a blend of grape molasses and rose water) to beat the heat. Exiting from a floral atmosphere I headed towards Academic City, a small township with that hosts some of the world’s best colleges and universities. Luckily, I got the chance to take a short walk down memory lane at the Heriot Watt University (my old college). From the North Sides of the city I started to return to the south-side making a stop at Burj Dubai to make a reservation at Atmosphere − the world’s highest restaurant on the 122nd floor. 

As the sun slowly set, I ambled over to the Buhaira Corniche (formerly Sharjah Corniche), the longest corniche of the Sharjah and stretches for about 5-6 kms and is an hour’s drive from Bur Dubai. Having taking a joy ride along the Corniche, the smoky smell of ‘Shawarmas’ wafted through the air which I decided to ignore and concentrated on my peaceful walk along the bay side. It felt like walking on cloud nine amidst the smell of the salty floor and the mesmerizing chants of prayer from the Al Noor Mosque (Sharjah’s first mosque which was open to tourists). 

Dubai, can get chilly in the evenings, so I decided to wrap up for the day with a nice hot coffee from Starbucks and returned to my humble abode as I had to wake up early the next day to catch the sun from Al Jais (UAE’s highest point). On the following morning, I had a very light meal as I had decided to do some adventure sports. Driving to my destination was an adventure in itself. The driving distance is about 170 kms from Dubai as you move up reaching an elevation point of 6,345 feet above sea level. As one would reach there you do have the option of taking the zip line to return back. It’s a shortcut to some hair-raising moments as you are made to hang on the world’s longest zip line travelling at a speed of 150 kph at a height of 1680 meters. Is this thrilling enough? 
 

Completing this feat, I sat at the highest point waiting to catch the picturesque silhouette of the sun setting. However, what I did not know was that God had other plans for me for the return journey, when I experienced myself driving downhill in almost pitch-black visibility, with just my fog lights helping me guide through the hilly and curvy road. It almost took two hours to reach the main road. So, folks, a small suggestion − when you to visit a visit here, make sure that you return while there is still light! 

On the following day I visited the world’s tallest building – Burj Khalifa. Standing at 828 metres, the Burj Khalifa is not only the tallest structure in the world, but also was constructed in record time of just 3 years. It takes only 7 seconds to reach to the 124th floor, by which time your ears are totally blocked. As you exit out of the elevator, you enter a hall with huge sound-proof coated Guardian German glass which offers you a spectacular view of the entire city. I would definitely recommend an evening visit as the sun’s ray fall directly over the city giving it a ‘golden hue’. But the icing on the cake is the virtual tour. This allows you the opportunity to virtually play a superhero, defusing a bomb by climbing the tower from the ground floor and then throwing you down from there! This really requires nerves of steel! 

The excitement continued for me at Atmosphere, where you witness Dubai by the night over some Sutria Caviar followed with a stupendous array of cuisines which are curated from all over the world; especially the Poached Foie Grass and Blue Fin Tuna to the Chocolate Soufflé melted down. This was the perfect end to a thrilling day! On the following morning, it was from ‘dessert to the desert’. Yeah! You could book your desert ride a day in advance. A bus takes you to the point which is again 150 kms outskirts of the city. You are then transferred to a 4x4 jeep. It’s an hour’s ride that will give you goosebumps as you would find yourself almost toppled at the edge of your seat by some real daredevil skills by the local drivers, who would then drop you to their designated tour space. Usually, each tour offers wonderful shishas, authentic Arabic delicacies and not-to-miss belly dancing! As the cooling breeze settled itself, one could smell the Tangiers Shisha in the air as we ate the delicious Hummus with Muttabel (Arabic Bread with Spicy Eggplant dip). 

The following morning, I wanted to take things a little easy so I quickly popped into the Burjuman Centre, a mall very close to my heart as my father was the head of this project. It was one of the first malls in the UAE and continues be among one of the most frequently visited malls by tourists. Taking a break from malls, I decided to go east, and therefore ended up at the world’s open Gold Market that not only holds over a 100 gold shops but is also a record holder for making the biggest wedding ring, The Najmat Taiba (Star of Taiba) weighing 64 kgs and was worth over US $3million! Not very far from the Souq, is the Dubai Spice Souk an open-air spice market located on Baniyas Street – A must visit! 

There’s more to Dubai than one can actually witness and having being raised in this country, there has always been something new to witness. While, it was a short trip, I managed to catch the Khor Fakkan and Fujairah, which are located approximately 150 kms from Dubai and probably one of the best places to witness a ‘sea-green’ coloured ocean with tourists enjoying barbecues and beer! 

Another place that is also worthy of a mention is the Dubai Festival City and The Global Village, the latter hosts about 30 different countries displaying their traditional handicrafts amidst constant fireworks, carnival dances and lots more to witness.

While, words can hardly describe this country, but all I can say is when you are in Dubai, you are in the Paris of Gulf!

Rihlat Jayida. – (Have a great journey!)

Slumdog Millionaire – A dark insight to unearthed developed India.

“There is a Jamal or a Malik in every “slumdog”... but it is sad to know that most of them cannot show their talent of being a “millionaire”. 

The other day, having watched Gautum Ghose’s, “Kaalbela – Calcutta My Love”, I was subjected to the darker insights of the Naxalites and how the revolution actually arose. Of course there were certain patterns of truth very positively nurtured on celluloid and certain aspects which could have been further researched and then presented in the light of its knowledge. Now having watched the movie, “Slumdog Millionaire” and having an individualistic opinion the main protagonist is not India, unlike what Arindam Chaudhari had mentioned in his blog, “Don’t see Slumdog Millionaire. It sucks!” I find no reason why such a movie would have to be subjected to a comparison with Salaam Bombay or City of Joy, since the main aim of the movie is not just projecting India’s darkest insights; instead it takes the audience through the journey of how an individual fights for his love and in this process moves on to become a millionaire. Both the movies only aim is not to mock at any era of India’s worst times, rather it is an effort made to introduce the new generation of what “those times were and where we stand now!”

Chaudhari is of the fact that he is well versed with the facets of Indian poverty and its “real statistics”, then on what basis does he argue that the film is a caricature of India. Is he trying to debate the fact that slums are not part of the poverty still existing in India or is he trying to be one of those “shameless fools” for not supporting the truth that has been projected? The film has taken an effort to present its audience to the minute areas of a developing India without an intention of hurting people’s sentiments. People living in the city have never been subjected to the life led in slums and that is where the film provides a face to the “dark world” still persisting in India. The real slumdog are those citizens of India who still continue to live their lives in this “dark world” because they are not born as being a “slumdog”, circumstances force them to be one.

It is over 60 years of post independence and it seems that India has just worn a new dress but what has not changed is its intricate piece of needlework. Can the writer question himself as to why a Western writer/director has found a reason to caricature India? The reason is us. We have not changed with time and neither have we tried to clean the “dirt that has been hitting India since Independence”. The truth is not that Chaudhari is sad about the caricature made of our country, he is sad or probably a helpless Indian like most of us and hence does not want to be subjected to the prevailing ruins in India. Since Chaudhari thinks that a Mona Lisa is away from being made a caricature of then I believe he should go ahead and read The Da Vinci Code and The Angels and Demons!

It is quite surprising to note that Chaudhari does not find anything positive about the film, which makes even more sceptical about his knowledge about the unearthed facts of developing India. If he is of the fact that the film has projected shades of the underworld, slums, prostitution, brothels, child labour, begging, blinding and maiming of kids seems illogical to him, then I am of the fact that he needs himself to be a “Jamal” or a “Salim” to experience every phase of these areas.

The story is not just about a slumdog or about a game show; instead it is about those unknown stories of so many families who have a certain hidden talent in them of which are unaware of. So whom do you blame this on? – is it the individual, his background or the system of education that is so limited. Nominations, Oscars or any sort of awards is not the sole identity that can express that a movie winning that is the best. It is a way of recognizing upcoming talent and hard work from a film – maker in providing the world with a subject still unravelled.

On a final note, there are certain interesting points that Chaudhari has quite diplomatically presented, yet we have unearth how much truth or precise proof is expressed between those lines. On a personal note, I am of the fact, that Chaudhari has limited his boundaries for the sake of argument, since every film has its virtues and vices. But that doesn’t mean that a film would “suck”. It is very unfortunate to know that there are still intelligent and practical individuals who have not completely comprehended the intricate messages that the movie has projected. If people think that Boyle has created a “phony poseur” in order mock India from the First World’s perspective (as thought by Arindam Chaudhari), then let me take the stance of spreading the message, “This movie is not for all audience”.

 I totally believe that the movie is a masterpiece in its own style and after having watched the movie I think that there is a Jamal or a Malik in every “slumdog”... but it is sad to know that most of them cannot show their talent of being a “millionaire” for not being able of getting noticed. Not an endorsement made at the imperial background of the West, instead a delicate subject presented on celluloid with utmost sense of knowledge and dignity which has surprisingly come out from an English master, because Indian masters are busy making commercial brands and politics!

PINK - Awaking the unawakened society.

"We live in a society where everything girls do is everyone else’s business.."

   

From the likes of Aparna Sen’s Parama to Roy’s Antoheen, the importance to respect women in her different forms has been showcased with utmost sovereignty and pride. While, India has entered into its 69th year of independence, it brings me to question the integrity of independence. Glance through the news and it will tell you of the trauma that Indian women - urban and rural - face on a daily basis. The character of today’s woman is still determined by the attire worn, her body language, whether she drinks or not and of course most importantly by her sexual bio-data.

From the mastermind and maker of some spellbinding stories like Anuranan, Ekti Tarar Khonje, Aparajita Tumi, Antaheen and many more added to this creative film maker, Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury or “Tony” as he is called by his near and dear ones makes just one point in solidarity, “It doesn’t matter how she’s dressed, whether she’s had a drink or two, whether she was flirting with the man earlier, and irrespective of her sexual history. When a woman says no, it means no!” and that is the soul message of his latest work, Pink!

Tony hits the rod when it is hot by keeping every detail connected to what a daily single woman of today’s age would face. As one would also notice, while the 3 protagonists live in a rented apartment of a housing society in Delhi, they are subjected to prying neighbours, sniggering co-workers and to top it all indifferent cops.

The first half of the movie is intense and keeps its viewers at the very edge of their seats to know what will happen next. With some extremely crafted work of editing and hard hitting dialogues, Ritesh Shah the writer achieves in keeping the script tight and gripping till the very end. The film moves seamlessly to a riveting courtroom drama that portrays our stinging and savage indictment of a traditional set of prejudices, unmistakable misogyny of our repugnant patriarchy, mislaid male privilege and outright injustice that women across India must contend with daily, and particularly when protesting against unwanted sexual attention.

With age comes experience and soul, but with this wonder legend known as Amitabh Bachchan, his presence becomes the soul of the movie. Playing the part of a retired lawyer who wears an oxidising mask, who is not only ailing from bipolar disorder but also fights for his ailing wife, subtly played by Mamota Shankar, creates a fully flesh and blood character without showboating, one you cannot stop from cheering every time he speaks. As for the three girls, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, and Andrea Tariang deliver natural performances as strong but emotionally vulnerable women, without a hint of affectation. Angad Bedi is menacing and makes an effort to make his presence felt. Piyush Mishra playing the prosecutor manages to keep his witty sarcasm at par followed by Dhritiman Chatterjee as an effective elderly judge who is at the edge of his table to take the final decision. The background scoring has been kept intense and gripping to provide face to the story. Cinematographer Abhik Mukhopadhyay, leaves no leaf unturned in capturing the posh snooty snobbish character of South Delhi and its surroundings.  The final nail down which most of the viewers must have missed is the recital of Tanveer Ghazi’s nazm, “Tu khudh ki khoj mein chal, tu kis liye hai udhas”

Pink has made an awakening not only in every individual's mind but has also probably shaken the very myth of our thoughts. It is an unembellished reminder that this could happen to any woman in India and not just confined to the capital. It is a step taken towards women rights a giant leap in Hindi cinema.

Global Warming – A Cause & Effect

Global warming is the term used to describe a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere and its oceans, a change that is believed to be permanently changing the Earth’s climate. Climate scientists looking at the data and facts agree the planet is warming. While many view the effects of global warming to be more substantial and more rapidly occurring than others do, the scientific consensus on climatic changes related to global warming is that the average temperature of the Earth has risen between 0.4 and 0.8 °C over the past 100 years. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities, are believed to be the primary sources of the global warming that has occurred over the past 50 years.

Scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate carrying out global warming research have recently predicted that average global temperatures could increase between 1.4°C and 5.8°C by the year 2100. Changes resulting from global warming may include rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps, as well as an increase in occurrence and severity of storms and other severe weather events. Hoesung Lee, chair of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said there were "serious risks" with even minor rises in temperatures from current levels, for instance to coral reefs and to coasts from rising sea levels.

The Continuous Fight The UN's panels of climate scientists are studying on how to limit global warming to the toughest target set by world leaders, saying even small rises in temperatures could be harmful. The panel has been looking into ways to restrict the rise in temperatures to 1.5 degree Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times to try and phase out net greenhouse gas emissions this century as discussed in a 195 member meeting summit held last December in Paris.

Last year, average global surface temperatures hit the highest since records began in the 19th century, about 1C above pre-industrial times. In the remote reaches of Antarctica, the South Pole Observatory carbon dioxide observing station cleared 400 ppm on May 23, according to an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday.

That’s the first time it's passed that level in 4 million years (no, that’s not a typo). a lag in how carbon dioxide moves around the atmosphere. Most carbon pollution originates in the northern hemisphere because that's where most of the world's population lives. That’s in part why carbon dioxide in the atmosphere hit the 400 ppm milestone earlier in the northern reaches of the world.

The Pioneering Solution
Scientists have turned carbon dioxide into stone in a matter of months by pumping it deep underground, offering a revolutionary new way of storing the greenhouse gas to tackle climate change. The pioneering experiment in Iceland mixed CO emissions with water and pumped it hundreds of metres underground into volcanic basalt rock — where it rapidly turned into a solid.

Juerg Matter, lead author of Journal Science mentioned the need to deal with rising carbon emissions is to store them back to stone in his publication. Carbon dioxide is a key factor in global warming, and experts have long called for innovative “carbon capture and storage” solutions.

Attempt in aquifers
Previous attempts to inject CO into sandstone soils or deep saline aquifers have struggled, as they relied on capping rocks to hold the gas down — triggering fears it could eventually leak. In contrast, the Carbfix project at Iceland’s Hellisheidi plant — the world’s largest geothermal facility, which powers Reykjavik — sought to solidify the CO2.

The plant produces 40,000 tons of CO a year — just 5% of the emissions of a similarly sized coal plant, but still significant. In 2012, they began pumping 250 tons of CO mixed with water underground. Scientists had feared it could take hundreds or even thousands of years for the mildly acidic liquid to solidify. But 95% of the injected mixture — which they had tagged with tracer chemicals in order to check it didn’t leak out — had became chalky white stone within two years.

“It was a very welcome surprise,” said Edda Aradottir, who heads the project for Reykjavik Energy. Encouraged by the success, the company has scaled up the project and from this summer will be burying some 10,000 tonnes of CO each year which will allow Reykjavik Energy to pump down large amounts of CO and store it in a very safe way over a very short period of time, as per co –author Martin Stute’s observation. (Hydrologist at Columbia University’s Earth Observatory)

Furthermore, he believes the above can be also used for power plants in places where there’s a lot of basalt extensively. A 2014 report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that without carbon sequestration technology, adequately limiting global warming could prove impossible.

On seafloors
Basalt makes up most of the world’s seafloors and approximately 10 per cent of continental rocks, according to the study’s researchers. A porous, blackish rock, basalt is rich in calcium, iron and magnesium; minerals, researchers said are needed to solidify carbon for storage. “Carbon capture is not the silver bullet, but it can contribute significantly to reducing carbon dioxide emissions,” Mr. Matter said.

Conclusion 

The IPCC would also issue an overall report about the risks of climate change in 2022, in time for a scheduled global review in 2023 of governments' plans for fighting climate change. The December 2015 summit asked the IPCC to come up with a report about 1.5C, level scientists reckon would demand drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions

Micromarketing

Micromarketing was first referred to in the UK marketing press in November 1988 in respect of the application of geodemographics to consumer marketing.  The subject of micromarketing was developed further in an article in February 1990, which emphasised on the understanding of markets at the local level, and also the personalisation of messages to individual consumers in the context direct marketing.  Micromarketing has come to refer to marketing strategies which are variously customised to either local markets, to different  market segments, or to the  individual customer.

Micromarketing is a marketing strategy in which marketing and/or advertising efforts are focused on a small group of tightly targeted consumers.For example, markets can be grouped into narrow clusters based on commitment to a product class or readiness to purchase a given brand .

Two Segments
Finer segmentation (FS) as "the final advancement in market segmentation as it combines the use of differentiated marketing and niche marketing to reach the smallest groups in the marketplace".

Richard Tedlow (1993) thought that he detected evidence of what he called hyper-segmentation which he saw as a logical extension of the market segmentation era.[6] These approaches combine multiple segmentation variables in ways that have been elusive within conventional approaches to segmentation.

New Segment for the new age
Additional data inputs might include behavioural variables such as frequency (site visits), diversity including visitation across different landscapes and fluidity spanning multiple time periods. Programmed business intelligence software analyses this data and in the process, may also source data inputs from other internal information networks. Given this reliance on digital data inputs, some theorists have also used the term, cyber-segmentation to describe micromarketing

MICRO MARKETING WITH ADVERTISING 
"Global ad spending is predicted to reach $662.73 billion by 2018. Unfortunately, a lot of those dollars will go to waste."[9] However, the advent of micromarketing or hypersegmentation allows advertisers the opportunity to get "more bang for their buck" by targeting consumers who exhibit a readiness to buy.

A report from 2007 by Tech Crunch titled "Facebook Will Use Profiles To Target Ads, Predict Future" talks about how Facebook was planning to target individuals based on each particular profile.[10] Moreover, the Wall Street Journal claimed in a report, that the new system will "let marketers target users with ads based on the massive amounts of information people reveal on the site about themselves."[11]