Recently, one of my dear Chinese friends Choo Lee Hong, forwarded me a beautiful quotation from a famous environmentalist David Suzuki. He said, “ The way we see the world, shapes the way we treat it. If a forest is a sacred grove, not a timber, if other species are biological kin, not resources, or if the planet is our mother, not an opportunity, then we will treat each other with greater respect “.
His powerful thought made me think about the changing pattern of the relationship between man and nature a little more deeply. Ancient Indian literature like the Vedas and Upanishads, contain many verses that express deep reverence towards the five elements. They are earth, water, fire, air, and space. They were described as the manifestation of Divine energy. Even 5000-year-old Indian medical science, Ayurveda says these five elements are the building blocks of both the universe and the human body. Major ancient Indian religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, being influenced by this noble thought, prescribed nonviolence to be followed in life. So Indian food (which influences body and mind ), was mainly based on grains, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Consumption of meat was restricted, and the whole lifestyle propagated non violence and love for nature.
Things started changing with time. To cope with the various demands of a growing population, Industrial civilisation started in Europe in the 18th century, and gradually influenced the whole world. to a changed lifestyle.
Though it helped the economy and trade to grow fast and created jobs for many, it eroded the connection between human life and nature. To satisfy their unending needs and greed, men started exploiting nature, which caused serious health problems, especially in urban life. When we pollute the air and water, cut trees, and go on digging our Mother Earth to extract more minerals to make a world of metal, concrete, and plastic, unknowingly, we sow the seeds of our own destruction, and no amount of money can save us from the decline of physical and mental health. An organic being cannot flourish in an inorganic world.
Today the whole world is connected with advanced technology, and smartphones have successfully driven away our empathy and have made us more connected yet more self-centered. It is a common sight in urban life, when someone meets an accident, crowds upload live videos but do not come to help. This degradation can be reversed if we also try to get connected with life and nature again.
“Eco “ comes from the Greek word” Oikos”, which means home. And we must try to get connected with our true home, Nature. Realising this problem, Tagore ( first Asian Noble Prize winner for literature) established a school in Santiniketan, where children grew up in nature and learnt to love it. He introduced two annual ceremonies - tree plantation and ploughing (Vriksha ropan, and Halakarshan), to make the foundational relationship between people and Mother Earth strong at an early age. I was fortunate to grow up there, and imbibed my love for nature, which is helping me to be happy in my twilight years.
Now when I sit in my small garden (which is like an oasis in the polluted city of Delhi), cool breeze, chirping birds, mixed smell of wet soil and fragrance of flowers, rejuvenate my body and mind , then few lines of a famous poet float in my memory. “Under the green wood tree, who loves to lie with me, … come hither. Here shall you see no enemy but winter and rough weather “.
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