Towards a Sustainable State (Dharma Rajya)

We know that rivers flow with abundant water due to the rains and melting snows. During rains a lot of water also seeps into the ground and recharges the aquifers. Ground covered with natural vegetation, fallen leaves and soil alive with the activity of myriad organisms, is more porous and allows better percolation, which in turn also helps keep the rivers alive. The roots of trees hold the soil, thus preventing erosion and silting of river beds, which retains their water carrying capacity. No wonder, forests are considered to be the mother of rivers. Our Vedic ancestors knew this very well resulting in the protection of forests in catchment areas and along river courses. Let's take a quick tour through photos that I have clicked over the years of rivers flowing through forests of India. One of the several rivers originating from the dry deciduous forests of Gir National Park, Gujarat. The presence of such rivers, fed by the forest, is all the more significant in this semi-ari...

मित्रहो, आपण सर्व स्थानबद्धतेत असल्यापासून प्रदूषण, वाहतूक व मानवी वर्दळ कमी झाल्याने अनेक वस्त्यांत व रस्त्यांवर, आसपासच्या नैसर्गिक अधिवासांत असलेले, पण सहसा न दिसणारे पशु-पक्षी दिसत असल्याच्या बातम्या व चित्रफिती पाहात असतो. असेही म्हटले जाते की या संकटातून मानवाने काहीतरी शिकावे व निसर्गाचा ऱ्हास या पुढे टाळता येईल तेवढा टाळावा, आपल्या नासाडी-प्रधान जीवनशैलीत बदल करून. असे केल्याने आपण निश्चितच हिरव्या वाटांनी पुढे जाऊ. आजच्या पुरते चला माझ्या बरोबर महाराष्ट्रातील काही हिरव्या वाटांवरून जिथे रस्त्याच्या दुतर्फा निसर्ग नेहेमीच खुणावत असतो. पुण्यातील ARAI टेकडीवर जाणारी वाट सुरवातीला झोपडपट्टीतून जाते, परंतु माथ्याजवळ आलो की दोन्ही बाजूंना थोडे मानवनिर्मित व थोडे नैसर्गिक रान लागते. माथ्यावरील वाहनतळाला पोहोचण्यापूर्वी ही वाट अशी झोकदार वळण घेते... मुंबई-पुणे द्रुतगती महामार्ग - सह्याद्रीच्या रांगांना बिलगून जाणारा एक दिमाखदार रस्ता. साहजिकच हा बांधताना बरेच जंगल तुटले. परंतु आजही बोर घाटाच्या अल्याड-पल्याड व प्रत्यक्ष घाटात बरेच जंगल दोन्ही बाजूंना दिसते (जर आपले डोळे भ्रमण...

India, like most ancient cultures of the world has been following an inherently eco-friendly lifestyle for millennia. Unfortunately most other ancient cultures of the world do not survive today; but the essence of India's Vedic culture is very much alive and is evident in many of the daily practices of Indians, primarily in rural areas and also to some extent in urban areas. Let us take a photographic tour of such sustainable practices, while sitting in the safety of our homes. The bull, which has always been playing a vital role in pollution-free agriculture and transport, is revered as the deity Nandi, associated with Bhagwan Shiva. The presence of Nandi in front of the image of Shiva, thus has scientific as well as spiritual significance. The beautiful flowers of Flame of the Forest (पळस / पलाश) were (and to some extent still are) used as a natural colour during Holi celebrations. In fact, the festival of Holi also depicts the vibrant world of colours that is seen all a...

Today is Ram Navami. Greetings to everybody on the occasion. श्री राम जय राम जय जय राम! Bhagwan Ram was rightly called as Maryada Purushottam (the best one who always abides by the dharmic principles or the eternal laws of nature and the laws of the land). As per the estimate by historian Shri Nilesh Oak, the time of Ramayan is estimated to be about 12,000 BC. Obviously, the natural habitats during that time across India and the world must have been almost undisturbed in comparison to today. But, even during those times there were people who cared for nature and who did not. This is beautifully elaborated in one issue of the Marathi magazine Gatiman Santulan (which means progress with balance), edited by Shri Dilip Kulkarni. Places such as Ram's Ayodhya and Ravan's capital in Lanka were urban centres, while the capital place of Sugriv (the king of forest dwelling people) located in Kishkindha (modern day Karnataka) was naturally completely in sync with nature. Even among the...