I am a nature enthusiast since the time of
my earliest recollection and possibly even earlier. In my childhood I used to
accompany my father, a forest officer, in his tours. The forest - its unique sights,
sounds and smell always fascinated me.
I would sneak out of the rest houses and
explore the nearby area. I used to often return with strange shaped rocks, wild
fruits and berries (mango, guava, tamarind) and sometimes even a treasure like a
peacock feather.
I would happily sit in the back of a jeep,
on bumpy dirt roads, as we drove through the forest. Sighting of wild animals
in their natural surroundings was always special. I became adept at scanning
the woods and spotting the wildlife. I had the good fortune to being in close proximity
of the king of jungle, the majestic Gaur (Indian bison), and to marvel at the
fireflies synchronously light up a tree in dead darkness of the night.
Mountains, woods, water bodies, grassland
and sea shores are among of my frequented haunts. Natural environment tends to
replenish and center me. It provides me with an opportunity to focus and
reflect on fundamental things in life.
There was a phase in my life where I refused
to take any pictures. I believed that this inhibits us from connecting with the
moment. Then came a phase when I wanted to capture nature in all its
magnificent details. I took my manual SLR camera with it myriad lenses along and
was immersed in my surroundings often loosing track of time.
In the race to grow, hoard and consume we
are putting extreme stress on our environment. We have made this whole world
our dumping yard. No matter where you go some thoughtless person has already desecrated
the place. Even the highest peaks of Himalayas have not been exempt from this nuisance.
Our careless actions are tilting the balance in the fragile ecosystems and are
causing irrevocable damage.
“We do not inherit the earth from our
ancestors; we borrow it from our children” – has this realization dawned upon
us yet? We should reflect on how we
treat nature, how to consume responsibly and what conscious choices we need to
make in order to reverse this downward trend.
Do you think that nature is worth
preserving? To restore the balance we require massive action by each of us -
TODAY. What are you doing about it?
© Ratish
