It was used in early and medieval Assam for writing on ‘sancipat’ (folios made of the bark of the sanci tree) manuscripts.
It has a protective effect on manuscripts because of its anti-fungal properties.
The endurance of the ink is proven by the stability of sancipat manuscripts.
Acidic iron gall ink was in use at the same time in Europe.
Unlike Mahi, gall ink can render documents illegible by causing loss of text, bleeding and fading due to ink corrosion.
Another feature is that the pH of mahi remains neutral because of cow urine and the absence of acidic ingredients like vinegar. But Iron gall ink has an acidic character that leads to destruction of the manuscripts.
Border Adjustment Tax
It is a newly proposed tax in USA.
It is a destination-based cash flow tax.
Imported goods purchased/consumed domestically are subject to the tax while goods produced domestically and sold internationally are exempt.
Neera
‘Neera’ is a non-alcoholic beverage extracted from the inflorescence of coconut palm.
Neera tapping is permitted in neighbouring Kerala and Tamil Nadu is considering the proposal to tap neera.
Tapping ‘neera’ has been a long-pending demand of the farmers in and around Coimbatore, Tirupur and Erode districts as it is expected to increase the earnings of the farmer significantly.
