Towards a Sustainable State (Dharma Rajya)

From the land of Gods, blessed by the river Goddess, nurturing the soul of India, to the ocean they race. Descending icy heights, Mother Sindhu travels to Kashmir, she reminds of Rigved chants, inspired by Saraswati’s elixir. Cascading down Shiva’s crown, she enriches the northern plain, From Gangotri to Sundarban, Ganga fills the land with grain. Before reaching Prayag, she skirts Kurukshetra, Yamuna brings to us, the nectar of Gita. Greening the horizon, she traverses Punjab, Lassi flows freely in the Satluj Doab. Coming from Arunachal, swells the mighty Brahmaputra, Before hugging Teesta, she worships the holy Kamakhya. Caressing the nation’s heart with waters of the Vindhya, Swift Chambal meanders, along with Tapi and Narmada. Great river of the east, aptly called Mahanadi, Enriching Utkal, she prays to Jagannath Puri. Blossoming Maharashtra, the tough rugged country, elegantly surge ahead Wainganga and Godavari. Touching SriShailam’s feet in Andhra, gracing fertile region is the l...

If we want to live, in sustainability we have to believe. Saint Tukaram’s words are relevant today, if we listen what earth’s trying to convey. When a hungry panther forays into town, and extinct Indian cheetah makes us frown. When flamingoes are killed in broad daylight, and sooty smog ruins the winter night. When cement dust chokes our road to office, and cardiac ambulance shatters the peace. When the freeway takes us to barren hills, and the beach is destroyed by oil spills. When women have to walk many a kilometer, as overuse by tankers has depleted ground water. When plastic waste blocks the drains, and floods claim the roads and trains. When dumping grounds pollute the neighbourhood, and pesticides poison our drink and food. When climate change and heat waves we dread, and are facing Kaliyug’s darkest period. That’s when we realize that we want to live, and in sustainability we have to believe. Saint Dnyaneshwar’s words are crucial today, if at all we wish to see the next day.. A...

The sun inches down the western sky, as the egrets to their home, they fly. At this peaceful scene, I glance, sitting at town’s edge, I go into a trance. The ephemeral clouds are golden at sunset, as the atmosphere darkens from orange to violet. Such has been life, like a fable text, bright at one moment, gloomy the next. Bulbul’s twitter replaced by night heron’s quack. Cold winds from the creek, blow on my back. People we love, leave us mid-way, and dreams and wishes often go astray. I walk back home on the lonely trail, only the stars witness, from the heavens they sail. We flounder around, hope in our heart. But with depression, it has begun to depart. And suddenly, fireflies blink their elfin light. On the black canvass, it’s a lovely sight. Why feel sad when bliss is nearby? It’s inside! Why search outside and cry? Then the moon comes with a silver radiance, brightening the land with fluorescence. As Krishna says, work on what you can. Why bother about fruits of the plan? At last...

It is known that all living creatures, including man, are made up of the five divine natural elements of earth, fire, water, air and space, called the Panchmahabhootas in the Vedic culture. No matter how much “progressive”, “modernized” or “prosperous” we become, no wonder we feel time and again the strong urge to go back to nature and re-establish that lost touch with divinity. And for a nature lover like me, such sojourns into the lap of Mother Earth are extremely cherished moments. Towards the end of December 2007, the green man inside me desperately needed a gentle caress once again from the leaves, creepers and flowers that inhabit the rolling hills and the enchanting countryside, after having spent several months at a stretch in the concrete madness called Mumbai! Thus, the night of 21st December saw me and my lawyer friend – Prasad Rane – sitting in a state transport (ST) bus at 8.30pm destined for Chiplun, a little town snugly nestled between two offshoots of Sahyadri Mountains...