Tragic truth about Indian caste system

I frequently get asked in America why India’s caste system, a pre-feudalistic division of labor that assigns one’s line of work at birth, has persisted into the 21st century. I typically answer: the need of the privileged upper castes for cheap labor. But there is an even more tragic explanation, as I discovered during a recent visit to New Delhi while talking to Maya, the dalit or untouchable — the lowest of the four castes — who has serviced my family for 35 years. Maya herself clings to her caste because it still offers her the best possible life in India.

What’s puzzling about the caste system is that it endures without legal force. Unlike slavery, where whites actively relied on authorities to maintain their slave holdings, the caste system is an informal, self-perpetuating institution.

How? Consider Maya’s story.

India on Wheels...

David recently travelled with Wildspace to Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in South India and to New Delhi in the North. He has shared with us the below sketches capturing in excellent detail some of the numerous modes of transport in India...enjoy

Everest Sky Dive at Syangboche, Nepal

Take the leap and experience a heady free fall over the highest drop zone in the world. Skydiving from an altitude of over 29,000 feet is a thrill you cannot easily express in words. Combine your free falling close to the mighty Himalayan peaks with a trek to the base camp of Everest.

EVEREST SKYDIVE HIGHLIGHTS

• The World's most Elite Skydiving Adventure
• Skydiving in front of Mount Everest (29,035ft - 8848m)
• World Heritage area national park for trekking and skydiving
• Landing on the highest Drop Zone in the world
• Experience a High Altitude jump, with supplementary Oxygen
• Catch yourself live into Air to Air video on each jump
• Be part of an Elite club of International skydivers
• Jump from Switzerland‘s Turbine Pilatus Porter PC 6 aircraft

An ancient Underground world in the CAVES of South Africa

Tumulus at Maropeng, Cradle of Humankind  

Next time when you are heading to plan your visit to South Africa, don’t just limit your imagination to Kruger Park, Cape Town, Winelands and maybe the Garden Route. Step into an ancient underground world in the huge, deep, pre-historic scary caves of South Africa and witness the unseen beauty of nature and history.

Some of the caves in South Africa have huge networks of tunnels that you can spend     hours, or even days, exploring! UNESCO World Heritage Site called The Cradle of Human Kind, or the massive Cango Caves, Echo Caves and Sudwala Caves are some of the thrilling caves that were created millions of years ago are just hard to miss.

Treaty gives birth to peace park

FIVE southern African presidents have signed a treaty giving birth to the world’s largest conservation area – roughly the size of Sweden.

The 444000km2 Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, known as Kaza, is the latest addition to Africa’s system of “peace parks” – vast conservation areas that straddle international borders and big enough to encompass entire biomes.

The Peace Parks Foundation announced on Friday that the treaty had been signed at the Southern African Development Community summit in Luanda by the presidents of the five countries: Angola, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Namibia.