Airbnb adds getaways in tune with the animal kingdom

Yahoo – AFP, October 3, 2019

Airbnb's rise provoked severe criticism among some who say it undermines local
hotel industries and squeezes rental and real estate markets to make cities less
affordable (AFP Photo/Martin BUREAU)

New York (AFP) - Airbnb on Thursday began offering "Animal Experiences" -- promising harmony with nature, from lazing with alpacas to helping dogs struggling to survive in the aftermath of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

The startup expanded beyond home-sharing services about three years ago into offering ways for travelers to dive into local happenings.

Airbnb has built a line-up of "experiences," in which lodging comes with conduits to local cuisine, arts, music, outdoor adventures and even socially-minded activities.

Animal Experiences promises travelers getaways that could allow them to engage with many kinds of creatures and their "human advocates" -- and ways that might help, instead of harm, nature.

"With technology taking up so much of our lives, it's easy to feel disconnected from nature and animals," Airbnb co-founder and chief executive Brian Chesky said during a presentation in New York.

"Life is better with animals, but for many busy people, looking at them through a screen is the closest they can get."

The new nature-focused category of experiences is intended to provide customers with better understanding of animals while maintaining a high standard for environmentally friendly tourism.

Experiences offered included paddle-boarding with corgis, kayaking with conservationists, buzzing about with urban beekeepers, watching arctic foxes and rescuing puppies lost in the 30-kilometer (19-mile) Chernobyl exclusion zone.

"We know people love animals and want to see and experience them when they travel, but we also know they most want to see animals in a setting that respects their well-being," said World Animal Protection executive director Alesia Soltanpanah.

An Airbnb animal welfare policy created with input from the NGO is intended to make sure the creatures are safeguarded while humans visit their worlds, Soltanpanah said.

"Ranging from afternoon tea with naughty sheep to multi-day safaris, Airbnb Animal Experiences are hosted by caring experts as an antidote to typical tourist attractions that are notorious for ethical concerns," the San Francisco-based startup said.

"You will never find an Airbnb Experience where you can kiss a dolphin or ride an elephant."

The policy bars direct contact with wild animals, or using them as props for selfies. Marine animals should not be used for entertainment in captivity, and trophy hunting is taboo, according to the policy.

Airbnb users can opt for adventures that funnel proceeds to causes such as conservation, animal rescue and veterinary care, according to the company.

Airbnb, the internet homestay company that disrupted the hotel and travel industry, plans to make its stock market debut next year but has offered few details.

Launched in 2008, the company was valued at more than $1 billion even before its initial public offering.

Airbnb offers lodging in more than six million locations in nearly 100,000 cities and 191 countries, according to the its website.

The company's rise has provoked stern criticism in some locations, where activists and municipalities say it undermines the hotel industry and squeezes supplies on rental and real estate markets, driving up costs and making cities less affordable.

Indonesian man walking in reverse to save forests

Yahoo – AFP, August 5, 2019

Medi Bastoni walks 20 to 30 kilometres backwards every day under the scorching sun,
with a rear-view mirror attached to his backpack to avoid bumping into objects (AFP
Photo/Medi BASTONI)

Jakarta (AFP) - An Indonesian man is walking 700 kilometres (435 miles) from his home on a volcano in East Java to Jakarta in the hope of drawing attention to the archipelago's quickly shrinking forests -- and he is doing it backwards.

Medi Bastoni, a 43-year-old father of four, set out on his arduous, in-reverse journey in mid-July, with the goal of reaching the capital by August 16, a day before the Southeast Asian nation's independence day anniversary.

"Of course I'm exhausted, but I'm willing to do this to fight for the next generation," Bastoni told AFP.

"(My home) is losing all of its trees so I have to do something. I can take the pain and fatigue."

Walking backwards is a siganl to Indonesians to reflect on the past and remember 

how national heroes fought for the good of the country (AFP Photo/Medi BASTONI)

When he arrives, Bastoni said he hopes to meet with president Joko Widodo and highlight deforestation across the archipelago including at his home on Mt. Wilis, a dormant volcano.

Indonesia suffers from one of the high rates of deforestation in the world, according to Greenpeace.

Bastoni walks 20 to 30 kilometres backwards every day under the scorching sun, with a rear-view mirror attached to his backpack to avoid bumping into objects.

Along the way, supporters cheer him on, offer him meals or a place to stay overnight. But Bastoni always leaves at dawn to stay on schedule.

Walking backwards is meant as a siganl to Indonesians to reflect on the past and remember how national heroes fought for the good of the country, he said.

Verdict for Leuser Ecosystem to Fall on Nov. 8

Jakarta Globe, Ratri M. Siniwi, November 04, 2016

The Mount Leuser National Park. (Photo courtesy of World Conservation Society)

Jakarta. The fate of the Leuser Ecosystem will be revealed on Tuesday (08/11) with judges set to deliver their verdict in a case launched by Aceh citizens.

The lawsuit was filed on Jan. 21 by Acehnese community leaders against the Minister of Home Affairs, the Aceh Governor and the Aceh local government for excluding the Leuser Ecosystem from the Aceh Spatial Plan 2013-2033.

By excluding the Leuser Ecosystem, the Aceh local government will open arms to more mining, logging and palm oil plantations, dismissing the ecosystem’s National Strategic Area status and its Unesco World Heritage Site status for Mount Leuser National Park.

“The Leuser Ecosystem is a legacy from my parents, and if I don’t take care of it, it’s like I’m betraying my next generation,” Aman Jarum, a plaintiff in the suit and a member of the Aceh Citizen Lawsuit Movement (GeRAM), said on Thursday (03/11).

As the ecosystem is the province’s water catchment area, it plays an essential role as the water source for millions of people in Sumatra. Due to the hard impacts of climate change, losing water source would mean a gamble on the future of livelihoods around the world.

“Climate change is going to turn water into gold; [water is] going to be more valuable,” said former environment minister Emil Salam.

As the expert witness for GeRAM, he said in court that destroying the area will also mean destroying the homes of Sumatra’s endemic wildlife.

“Leuser is one of the 25 ecosystems in the world with a unique biodiversity and serves as home for 7,500 Sumatran orangutans, 700 Sumatran elephants and 250 Sumatran tigers,” said Emil.

According to Friends of the Earth Indonesia (WALHI), there are 53 companies benefiting from the Leuser Ecosystem.

Most are palm oil plantations, followed by timber, and pulp and paper companies.

“We are not just putting Leuser at stake, but also other ecosystems in Indonesia — what would happen to them?” the former minister stated.

Old Traditions for Saving Water

Jakarta Globe, Sitti Aminah, Nov 27, 2014

A villager collects water from a well, which was dug from the bottom of a lake
 that had dried up in Gunung Kidul village, near Yogyakarta in Java. Drought
 continually plagues the area and the villagers who reside there. (Reuters
Photo/Dwi Oblo)

Jakarta. Indonesia is home to some of the world’s largest water deposits. According to the Water Environment Partnership in Asia, WEPA, almost 6 percent of the world’s water resources  can be found in Indonesia. Additionally, Indonesia controls 21 percent of water resources in the Asia-Pacific region.

Geographically, it can be said that Indonesia is blessed with an abundance of water in storage.

Mountainous areas covered in rain forests form natural water catchments. Mangrove forests in coastal areas, meanwhile, protect inland water storage from saltwater intrusion.

Indonesia undoubtedly plays an important role in global water security and environmental conservation. This, however, does not mean Indonesia is immune from water-related problems.

Water is one of several basic necessities, a valuable asset that has the potential to trigger problems should it be manipulated or managed unwisely. Speaking of manipulating water resources, the government and the private-sector play an increasing role in this sector.

The 1945 Constitution mandates the government as the sole manager of water resources throughout the archipelago. It is given the mandate so that it can fulfill the people’s basic necessities.

Overwhelmed by the task, the government has delegated part of its water authority to the private sector. They require the private sector to ensure that Indonesia’s need for water is balanced with accessible supplies.

Excessive use

Despite efforts to maintain supply, most urban populations in Indonesia use water excessively.  It may be because to them, water is something easily available, not something that they struggle to attain.

Lower- to middle-income people in Indonesia use 169.11 liters per day, per person on average. The figure is higher for those in the middle-to-upper class group who use 247.36 liters. Almost every domestic activity requires water, from washing clothes and cleaning the dishes to cooking, drinking and watering gardens.

According the Indonesia Water Institute, since 2000, various regions in Indonesia have been forced to deal with water scarcity. Such shortages are blamed by environmental degradation. Additionally, water becomes scarce due to unwise management.

The Baduy people

An examination of the traditional practices of some indigenous groups, including the Baduy people in Banten is insightful. Their actions are in line with sustainable development principles, consisting of three pillars: environment, economy and community. Under those principles, they are able to manage the environment wisely.

The practice, supervised by their elderly, bars Baduy Dalam (Inner Baduy) people, who live deep in the forest, from cutting down trees. Cutting trees is only allowed should the tree be of a sufficient age. If they cut down one tree, in exchange, they must plant two trees. We can see here an effort to balance the ecosystem, and maintain an abundance of trees.

The indigenous Baduy people demonstrate to us how to manage our relations with the environment. By preserving the forest, they maintain the availability of water in the soil.

In terms of their other two pillars, economy and community, an examination of Baduy Luar (outer Baduy) people’s practices is useful.  They are allowed to sell their crops to meet daily necessities, but only if they maintain the sustainability of their plantations and don’t harvest excessively — which can damage their forests. The Baduy sees nature as an integral part of their life that must to be respected. It is a remarkable value, one which has allowed them to avoid environmental-related problems, including water scarcity.

If we apply such values to our modern society, everyone will benefit. Indonesians need to wake from their long sleep and consider such core environmental principles. Unique traditional values that respect nature are part of our country’s identity. Even though they often originate from different cultural practices, they have one thing in common: a unique, traditional solution for environmental issues.

Every region in Indonesia is moving towards preserving the environment as one solution for water scarcity. I’m optimistic that this will work. I’m also aware, though, that it is going to be a life-long project to make people understand environmental principles.

Once they understand the actions they can take to alleviate water scarcity, their behavior will change. Let’s appreciate what we have, and let’s move forward with it.

Sitti “Ina” Aminah is a knowledge management officer at the Indonesian Biodiversity Foundation (Yayasan Kehati)

Philippe Cousteau’s Journey to Sumatra

Jakarta Globe, September 24, 2013

In ‘Expedition Sumatra,’ Cousteau and his team take viewers to see how
 deforestation has affected the island’s endangers species and indigenous
people. (Photo courtesy of CNN)

Philippe Cousteau hopes people will be “amazed by the beauty” of Sumatra when they watch his new television series which follows his trek across the island’s rainforest on CNN.

The CNN special corespondent and environmental adventurer and his team recently journeyed to see how deforestation has affected the island’s endangered species and indigenous people.

Throughout the eight-part series “Expedition: Sumatra,” which launched on Sept. 13, the team visits an orangutan sanctuary, learns how farmers repel elephants instead of killing them, and witness the changing rainforest.

“I hope people are amazed by the beauty of this special place, I hope they are outraged by its destruction, but most of all, I hope they understand the power each of us has to change its future,” Cousteau said of the new series.

“We are linking the show with online resources and campaigns by terrific organizations who are encouraging the government to establish 30 Hills as a National Park and protect this critical habitat we were filming in.”

The 33-year-old environmental advocate, who is the grandson of French explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau, said the logistics were the biggest challenge they faced while filming in a remote location.

“Traveling with no infrastructure everything takes twice as long. All the details had to be planned out in advance,” Cousteau said .

“One of the things people always seemed fascinated by are some of the basics; for much of the expedition our toilet was a hole in the ground and our shower was a bucket.”

The social entrepreneur shared some of his thoughts with the Jakarta Globe about what he learned from his expedition across the Sumatran rainforest.

What was the most unexpected experience you had during filming?

When we visited the Frankfurt Zoological Society and the staff had me help teach an orphaned baby orangutan how to find food. They gave me a rotting piece of wood colonized by termites and told me I had to suck them out of the wood to demonstrate to the baby what to do.

This is an important source of protein for orangutans in the wild so I had to do it. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the intent look on that little face as I did my best to slurp down termite larva.

What relationship were you able to develop with the local people?

One of the experiences that stands out for me was a visit to an indigenous Talang Mamak school. It was inspiring to see how engaged the young students were in learning about the truly unique part of the planet they call home. It was part of a school run by the Frankfurt Zoological Society to engage the local communities in understanding the importance of conservation. I got to test my creative skills with drawing pictures of local animals and participating in a puppet show.

In such extreme environments, what safety precautions do you take?

We couldn’t have made the trip without our friends and partners on the ground including the World Wildlife Fund and the Frankfurt Zoological Society.

From navigating issues like illegal logging and poaching to connecting with local communities and organizations, their assistance was invaluable.

Were you ever in any danger?

There was always the potential for danger. There were definitely groups that did not want us to tell this story including illegal loggers, poachers and representatives from industries and companies engaging in the pillaging of the island’s critical natural resources.

How do you think “Expedition: Sumatra” will contribute to environmental awareness?

Today, people want to experience the behind-the- scenes reality of how these types of expeditions unfold. With ‘Expedition: Sumatra,’ we made every effort to make viewers feel like they are part of the expedition team. The serialized format of the program creates a sense of anticipation of what will happen next that I think will appeal to viewers of all ages.

“Expedition: Sumatra” airs on CNN International each Friday at 10:30 p.m., Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 4:30 p.m., Monday at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. and on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.

Indonesian Snaps Up Top National Geographic Photography Award

Jakarta Globe, December 20, 2011

Indonesian photographer Shikhei Goh has won the prestigious 2011
 National Geographic Photography Contest with a spectacular image
of a dragonfly in the rain in Riau. (National Geographic Photo/Shikhei Goh)

               

Indonesian photographer Shikhei Goh has won the prestigious 2011 National Geographic Photography Contest with a spectacular image of a dragonfly in the rain in Riau.

According to reports, Goh will receive $10,000 and have his winning image published in the international edition of National Geographic magazine.

Goh, who won the grand prize as well as nature categories, beat out more than 20,000 other photographs submitted by amateur and professional photographers from more than 130 countries.

In a photo caption credited to Goh, the Indonesian wrote that he was out taking photographs of insects, “as I normally did during macro photo hunting.”

“I wasn’t actually aware of this dragonfly since I was occupied with other objects. When I was about to take a picture of it, it suddenly rained, but the lighting was just superb. I decided to take the shot regardless of the rain. The result caused me to be overjoyed, and I hope it pleases viewers.”

Tim Laman, one of three National Geographic magazine photographers who judged the contest, described the photograph to nationalgeographic.com as a “very striking macrophotography image that rose to the top of the nature category for me because of its originality, beautiful light, rare action in a close-up image, as well as its technical perfection.”

Indigenous Indonesians fear forest sell-off

Deutsche Welle, 15 Aug 2011  

Villagers protest against visitors
to their forest

The Indonesian government needs the support of its indigenous peoples to reforest its devastated woods. But they have become suspicious of visitors examining trees. They fear a sell-off to foreign investors.

Angry villagers shout, clench their fists and wave banners at a group of international visitors who have come to see the Mejet Forest on the northern part of the Indonesian island of Lombok.

This isn't the reception that the visitors were expecting. The international collection of forestry officials and NGO experts came with good intentions – to take part in a conference aimed at forest conservation. 

They want to visit a successful project, but the villagers are disgruntled and suspicious. They believe the tour is aimed at stirring interest among potential foreign investors, looking to buy land.

This has often been the case in the past.

After much to and fro, the forest tour is cancelled. Instead, visitors and villagers meet with the local regent.

A life-long affinity

This is where disputes are traditionally settled, and the villagers become calm.

They hear about the visitors' true motives - to learn. It's something the villagers are happy to address: They fear for their livelihood and many have invested a lot to make use of the forest.

The villagers want to protect the
forest for their children

Using the forest is something the villagers take for granted, but it is considered a big problem for the Indonesian government.

The Indonesian forest ministry estimates that there are about 33,000 villages located on or nearby forested areas owned by the state.

According to the law, they are using the forest illegally, even though they have been living there for many generations.

In order to solve the problem, the Indonesian government has offered to lease the forest to the indigenous population.

The local villagers get the right to use a particular woodland in return for committing to take care of it. 

But what happens if the forest used is also part of a wildlife sanctuary or a traditional site?

Protecting the forest from within

At the foot of Rinjai, the second highest vulcano in Indonesia, lies the village Santong and the Santong Forest.

A trail leads deeper into the forest. It is bordered by tall trees rising to the sky. They serve as a protective shield for coffee, banana and vanilla plants.

The locals grow coffee and vanilla
in the Santong Forest

To boost reforestation, the population here uses agroforestry, a combination of agricultural and forestry techniques, since 1996. The forest covers about 221 hectares, but the indigenous people are allowed to use just 140 hectares, as the remainder is protected landscape. About 260 families live on the forest's yield.

Everything appears to be in harmony. But there are areas of conflict, according to Masidep, a representative of the local Lombok tribe Sasak.

"Most of them think about profit only," Masidep says. But for the indigenous people, the forest's protection is of much higher value. "We need to conserve the forest and also water resources, because water is giving life. Everyone needs to respect that," he says.

Traditional custodians

The Sasak tribe is an ethnic group that makes up 85 percent of the inhabitants on the Indonesian island Lombok.

Masidep is proud to announce that he can track his line of ancestry back to the 17th Century. In this area, the Sasak clans have been guarding the forest for centuries. Traditionally, the Rangga family is responsible for protecting the forest, says Rangga Topan Yamanullah.

The Sasaks can prove that they have been living in Lombok for a very long time. "There are traditions about old rituals: If you enter the forest, you have to clean yourself first. There are certain days and times, when it is favorable to go. It was different from today," Rangga Topan Yamanullah says.

"Today, it is only considered important what individuals are earning. We on the other hand are here to conserve the balance of the world." 

This river is a sacred site
for the Sasak

The Sasaks feel that preserving the forest is part of their life-task. But of all the people using Santong Forest, only a third are Sasak. Most are migrants from elsewhere in Indonesia. The Sasaks hope that the Indonesian government will provide them with the same rights to use the forest as the rest of the population.

But they also expect the government to protect their sacred sites and prevent the forests from being turned into just another source of production for the economy.  

A race against time

The Santong Forest example shows that a lot of problems remain unresolved. Who owns the right to use the forest, where are the borders that separate one forest from another, and how can the local population help promote conservation without suffering economic loss?

The Indonesian government has yet to answer these questions.

And time is running out: Indonesia loses a million hectare of forest per year, despite introducing a two-year moratorium on cutting down trees.

International surveys show that the best stewards are those people who have been living within the forest for generations. So it makes sense for the Indonesian government to team up with the indigenous community.

Erna Rosdiana from the Directorate of Social Forestry Development says the forest ministry is working on solutions. The visit to Lombok has opened her eyes to many of the problems. She says she plans to return with something to show, and hopes for a warmer reception next time around. 

Author: Ziphora Robina /sst

Editor: Nathan Witkop

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Australian project hunts lost indigenous languages

No special funeral for Mbah Maridjan: Sultan

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 10/27/2010 7:39 PM

Mount Merapi is seen as sacred in the region

Yogyakarta Governor and Sultan of Yogyakarta Hamengkubuwono X said Wednesday there would not be a special funeral for Mbah Maridjan, who died after refusing to abandon his ceremonial post as caretaker of Mount Merapi’s spirits.

Mbah Maridjan

“There are no special funerals for the Sultanate’s servants. His body has been retrieved by his family and will be buried with the other victims [of the eruption],” Hamengkubuwono said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Maridjan, 83, had been entrusted by the highly respected late Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX to watch over the volcano's spirits. For years he led ceremonies in which rice and flowers were thrown into the crater to appease its spirits. Maridjan had angered officials in the past by refusing to evacuate during Merapi’s eruptions.

“[His refusal to evacuate] was because of his responsibility as caretaker of Mount Merapi,” Hamengkubuwono said.

Maridjan was among 31 people killed by hot ash spewed by Merapi on Tuesday in Umbulharjo village, Sleman, which is located 4 kilometers from the volcano.

Famous for his convictions about his position, Maridjan was reportedly found in a praying position, kneeling facedown on the floor.

A large crowd of people attended the funeral of Maridjan, Merapi's spiritual keeper

Related Articles:

To villagers, active volcano is a friend, not an enemy

Thousands See Gatekeeper to the Mountain of Fire Laid to Rest

Mourning Mount Merapi's 'spiritual keeper'

Indonesia Holds Mass Burial for Volcano Victims

‘Mbah’ Maridjan, Mt. Merapi’s spiritual guardian dies

Spiritual guardian of Indonesian volcano dies

Merapi's volcanic eruption death toll reach 28

A motorcycle lies covered by volcanic ash at a village that is hit by pyroclastic flows from Mount Merapi eruption in Kaliadem, Yogyakarta, on Wednesday. A volcanic eruption and a tsunami killed scores of people hundreds of miles apart in Indonesia, spasms from the Pacific "Ring of Fire," which spawns disasters from deep within the Earth. AP/Slamet Riyadi

Sunrise in Sanur

Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Sanur | Thu, 08/05/2010 9:27 AM | Feature

Sunrise has always been associated with beauty. As the new light embraces the earth, people see the end of darkness and the beginning of new hope.

Morning Sunshine. Courtesy I Made Adi Dharmawan

Naturally, sunrise has also become a perennial source of inspiration for those who seek to narrate beauty — including poets, painters, photographers — as well as people seeking to be part of the beauty itself — meditators and spiritualists.

An ongoing exhibit “Sunrise in Sanur” is the most recent evidence of photographers’ affixation with the beauty of sunrise. Held at the Griya Santrian Gallery, the exhibit features the works of 31 local photographers, and runs until Aug. 15.

“The displayed works provide the audience with diverse visual interpretations of sunrise and on Sanur,” Denpasar Photographers Club chairman Iwan Darmawan said.

Iwan, a former Bali Post chief photojournalist-turned promising novelist, is the brains behind the

exhibition. The concept for the exhibit, he said, was triggered by a simple event.

“I browsed the Net and was surprised to see a large number of photographs on Sanur and sunrise posted on various sites and blogs. And the number kept growing,” he said.

This observation drove Iwan to organize an exhibit focused on that theme. He presented his idea to I.B. Gde Sidharta Putra, the owner of Griya Santrian Gallery and an influential community figure in Sanur.

Sidharta praised the idea and readily came up with the money to fund the selection process and the exhibit.

Sunrise At Sanur. Courtesy Iwan Latief

Iwan set up a Facebook account “Sunrise in Sanur” through which he invited members of the Denpasar Photographers Club and other photographers to submit selected images on sunrise in Sanur.

The response he received was tremendous. By the end of the submission period, 596 photographs had been uploaded to the account by no less than 286 photographers.

“Selecting 31 works from the 596 images was a headache for me. But I relied on the images’ ability to not only present beauty but also present diverse facets of Sanur,” Iwan said.

The end result is a display of stunning images, and some of them do present surprising stories. For instance, an image about the city’s lowly officers tasked with cleaning up the beach. They do their chore early at dawn so as not to disturb visitors or tourists who would flock the beach to watch sunrise.

“We often forget about their existence. We come to the beach, a clean one, and watch sunrise and often we don’t even notice that the beach is clean, let alone contemplate on the existence of these workers who clean the beach on daily basis,” Iwan said.

To some extent, the exhibit is an effort to provide sunrise with meanings and contexts, different visual narratives on the different meanings of sunrise and Sanur to the photographers behind the camera as well as the people who were in front of their lenses.

Training In The Morning. Courtesy Nyoman Widiyana

The displayed images also underline technical experimentations pursued by the local photographers.

Some used HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques to render their images dramatic colors and haunting contrasts, while others played with fish eye lenses to give birth to images with extreme perspectives.

Young photographer Krisna Wirajaya employed a classical technique of multiple exposures to capture a series of movements in a single frame in Morning Rhythm.

As it happens, “Sunrise in Sanur” also has a non-photographic agenda.

“Through the images displayed here and in the Facebook account, we would like to send a message to potential travelers and photographers abroad, that Sanur is a good place to visit, a good place with many outstanding spots to take photographs,” Iwan Darmawan said.

Once a small fishing village ruled by influential Brahmin families, tourism has transformed Sanur into a modern, upscale resort village with luxurious eateries, avant-garde galleries and exotic boutique hotels.

Yet, the influential Brahmin families are still there, guiding the modern community with age-old wisdoms.

Each morning, the Brahmin priests commence their day by conducting Surya Sewana, the devotion to the sun. They will utter a sacred mantra wishing for the well-being of all creatures, Hindus and non-Hindus alike, as well as for the happiness of the whole universe.

The sun is considered the perfect symbol of this universality of good hope since it provides warmth and light to everybody and everything on this Earth.