Dr. Yash Pal Sharma
After a good night sleep, my wait for another beautiful morning is over. Divine yellow rays of the rising sun kissing the earth greeting and infusing in us the warmth of cosmic energy. The morning sun and the earth perhaps have special frequencies of freshness and gravity that directly impact our heart and mind as if the blue print of life, the DNA has got reoriented under their influence. That’s the nature’s nature. Then, the lockdown, slowdown, restrict, reduce and prepare etc. are the usual utterances in view of the Novel COVID-19 scare that reverberate around us from all, both wise and otherwise. But that’s the truth, the harsh reality of the present challenging times.
Places of worship, religious congregations, personal and professional celebrations have come to a grinding halt. Tourist destinations, railway stations, airports etc. bear a deserted look. Educational institutions, professional services, malls, restaurants both for takeaway and delivery services etc. all have closed. They are not in the list of essentials any more or at least for the time being. It means all is not well for the moment. All scary and awry both. It’s some sort of trap where we all are stuck and caged at the moment and it seems difficult to get out of it, so easily and so early. “All expansion is life and the contraction death”, said Swami Vivekananda. With the good or bad, perfect or imperfect, associations or diversions events unfolding at the moment, there is a value addition to our behaviour, there is an evolution of our thoughts, valuation of life in real sense. As for humans, perhaps ‘kiss’ would not be a ‘bliss’ anymore. Handshakes, much to the fears of every individual, have already been replaced with acupressure claps and traditional ‘Namaste’. Similarly, hug is now seen as a bug.We all are witnessing that might is not always right.Only the conscious and pure mind is.Therefore, under such unending chaotic scenario we ought to necessarily hold our nerves to keep the good mental health and physical well-being. Let’s be positive and find ways to stay connected with our dear ones and think about the Mother Nature because nature is a nurturer, symbol of life and energy. While we remain stationed indoor and distantly,our thoughts must confluence and concur. It is high time that we focus on what makes us good human beings, good family, good society, good nation and the peaceful world to live in. Let’s try to live in harmony with the nature by correcting our consumptive behaviour and let the nature take care of its own changing environmental dynamics.
Now the critical point. One fundamental aspect of our very basis of existence which can never be overlooked is that with an ever increasing rate of urbanization and growth of cities, how much we have distanced ourselves from the nature and the biodiversity. Are we bothered if some plants, animals and microbes vanish from the face of the globeand some of them even before they are discovered? Can we afford to destroy our forests which provide valuable ecosystem services and natural resources that are most important to the world’s population to thrive? Perhaps, we are not. Rather the mass destruction of vegetation due to anthropogenic interferences such as the global forest fires in the northern regions of India and world over particularly in the rainforests of Amazon and Australia still continues unabated putting biodiversity in jeopardy. Sacrificing the long-term benefits of natural gifts for short-term gain would certainly be catastrophic.
In spite of so much of destruction to the nature and amidst anthropological entropy and cacophony of prevailing pandemic being witnessed everywhere across the globe who is coming to our safety, our well-being? I guess, an unadulterated world of Nature. We need to understand the language of the nature. The nature seems to be healing, rejuvenating, resurrecting and rejoicing calmly.The invisible creatures have become visible. The chirping of birds during the day and harmonious sounds of the crickets as the sun sets is not a scarce commodity anymore. With the pollution levels having drastically plummeteddown and air quality improving, snow clad mighty peaks of Himalaya have been sighted with incredible visibility.Gangotri Himalayan ranges from Saharanpur, Dhauladhar ranges of Himachal Pradesh from Jalandhar and Pir Panjal ranges from Kashmir have clearly become visibleand are being appreciated all across the northern part of the country. Sky is catching up with its natural Blue shade, twinkling of stars have perhaps answered the curiosity of kids often asking about the veracity of ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ again. Miraculously, waters, both lotic and lentic, are clean and so is Holy Ganga without any human intervention or mechanical recycling but naturally. Honking reduced and everyone waking up to the chirping of birds. Obviously, the calm surroundings makes even the whisper audible. Celebrated as the International Dawn Chorus day, 3rd May this year was very special and many media channels including All India Radio broadcasted live the special symphony of birds. The joy of lowered noise and air pollution levels have raised the spirits of bird watchers who can hear them more clearly and capture their pictures because of enhanced visibility. Can we expect to have wildlife intersecting with human life with casual ease as witnessed in Galapagos Archipelago (where 20 percent of species are endemic) and has been accounted by Aoibheann O’Flynn, a nature lover from Ireland who volunteered on the communication team at Charles Darwin Foundation at Galapagos. We actually have to come out of the mental lock-up and the same Mother Nature would come to our rescue, clandestinely and overtly. Unlike humans, it doesn’t discriminate, it heals itself and others too, selflessly.
It’s the time, therefore, we develop similar feelings for the beautiful world of plants. The sprawling shoots and beautiful flowers on the trees, green meadows, and the seasonal plants in our parks and gardens offer serenity and tranquility to human eyes.
The plants are indispensable for the existence of all living organisms providing oxygen, water, food, medicine and shelter for all the creations of the universe. Similar to our five senses of taste, touch, sight, hearing and smell guiding us experience and explore the world and at times warning us of the dangers, plants too have feelings and respond to the environment cues around them through the roots, stem surface, leaves, and flowers. This is crucial to their survival. They (plants) won’t speak, they won’t yell or shout even when stressed. Rather they express their stressed feelings through wilted branches and leaves, through stunted growth and dryness as well as releasing volatile stress signals in their immediate environment to protect their community from bugs attack etc. They try till their last breath. Even after they perish they perform, support another new life form with their mortal remains full of nurturing nutrients. Therefore they also need your attention, your care. Just nurture them, fertilize with organic manure and water them alive in the ground or in the pot and watch them grow and bloom daily. They would certainly relieve you from any kind ofstress and anxiety. Make everyone particularly the kids in the family attached emotionally to nature and our cultural heritage.
This time of year with scorching heat is hard to endure for the plants and it is very difficult for them to sustain and to survive. Let’s put in some sincere efforts to hydrate them to make them survive this sweltering heat. During this hard time, most plants in parks and gardens and open spaces remain unattended and thus are under tremendous drought stress.
During times like this, when anybody is stressed, or otherwise upset, thinking and caring for plants (both indoor and outdoor) gives lot of solace. Let’s pledge to water them.And yes!Never forget to keep water filled 3-4 open earthen pots for birds around your premises.
Seeing and identifying the members of local plant communities in the woods, parks and gardens and their relevance makes me feel engrossed in the green ecosystem at my hinterland as well as at my workplace. I find solace in gaining knowledge about plants and the smiles of their flowers would make me glow and grow.And every time I walk towards my nature destination the soothing cool morning breeze, and beautiful songs of birds makes me happily sing the song ‘Love You Zindagi”. This rendezvous with the nature makes my resolve to serve it vigorously. I feel reinforced to do it whole-heartedly and consistently, till the time my hands may stop and eyes may close.
Stay Safe, healthy
and happy please.
The author is Professor
Department of Botany, University
of Jammu Jammu (J&K)
feedbackexcelsior@gmail.com
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