हलकेच वाहतो वारा, त्या निरभ्र संध्याकाळी. मी निळाईत बघताना, खग माळ उडे अभाळी.
माडाच्या आडोशाला, बसलो सागरतीरी. मौनास ऐकताना, मी एकटाच त्या वेळी.
पायाशी येती लाटा, फेसळून त्या फुटती पण माघारी वळताना, नाजूक काढती नक्षी.
In 2021, my good friend and Painter Snehal Ekbote and I decided to collaborate on her painting series which she had curated. We came up with an idea of desk calendar for the year 2022. It is available for sale for which you can contact me on my social media, or write to me at adisjournalpune@gmail.com.
This poem is a part of that calendar where I have described how I experienced a tranquility at seashore in my recent visit in Konkan.
This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter. You can find my other entries to this campaign here.
Artforms like literature, music and dance are deep rooted parts of cultures all around the world. Human stories are told through these arts. They talk about the experiences we gather in our life. Surroundings in which we live are reflected in our artforms. Today, I would like to talk about the strong eternal connection between nature and cultures.
Nature through ancient cultures
The evolution of human civilization is always triggered by some event, new learning or accident involving nature. Utilisation of fire for our domestic use was the first big step. Next one came in the form of domestication of wild grasses in the form of agriculture. The other one of many was the domestication of wild beasts starting something we call animal husbandry. We started our process of civilization by interacting with nature. On the other hand, cultural aspects of human society were also developing. These first interactions with nature are depicted in cave paintings made by our ancestors all around the world. These paintings further evolved to glyphs which were used to communicate with each other.
Soon we progressed to the various languages and the birth of fine arts was around the corner. Creative juices in the human mind started flowing and stories and poems emerged. These stories and poems are full of nature and it’s beauty which was around those times. We celebrated nature through our music, paintings, writings and sculptures.
Nature and Indian culture
The most illustrious example of depiction of nature in Indian literature is a Kālidāsa’s lyrical poem Meghadūta. It’s a story of a banished Yaksha. He wants to send a letter to his beloved wife back home. He asks if he can deliver this letter. While describing a way to reach Yaksha’s home, Kalidasa has described the nature, the geography of the land in so detail that it could become a guide for a traveller.
However, nature reflected in our poetry is always a local nature. For example, English kids will sing “Rain rain go away, come again another day” as they rarely get a bright sunny day to play out. On other hand, here in Maharashtra, we have a marathi nursery rhyme exactly opposite where we call out to rain so that it will pour. “ये रे ये रे पावसा, तुला देतो पैसा.” is a classic one.
In India, our climate changes in every region. It reflects in our folk songs very naturally. All the rain songs in the Marathi region will talk about months of Ashadh and Shravan. (आषाढाला पाणकळा, सृष्टी लावण्याचा मळा). But the monsoon reaches northern India almost a month later. So, naturally, all their rain songs talk about Saawan and Bhado. (तेरे नैना सावन भादो, फिर भी मेरा मन प्यासा) and so on. And when a kid in Marathi will relate to a poem गवतफुला रे गवतफुला as he can see the wild grass flowers blooming around just as easily as an English kid can see a Daffodil flower from Wordsworth’s famous poem.
So you also tell me if you find any such examples in the comments below and let me know how you like this post. This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter. You can find my other entries to this campaign here.
वसंत ऋतुराज, नवा हा वर्षारंभ, सृष्टी ही आनंदाने, बहरली…
त्यामागे येतो ग्रीष्म त्याचे हो दोन मास पहिली सर त्यात बरसली…
आली हो वर्षा राणी, गाऊया हर्ष गाणी सृष्टीने हिरवाई नेसलेली…
चांदणे घेऊनी हा, शरद आला बघा, सोबत आली आई, आदिशक्ती…
चाहूल हेमांताची, लागते साऱ्यांनाच, येई हो जेव्हा थंडी, थोडी थोडी…
शिशिर कडाक्याने, अंग हे गारठले, अगोठी जागोजागी, पेटलेली…
वर्षाचे बारा मास, त्यात हे सहा ऋतू, समान संख्या पहा, वाटलेली…
In Maharashtra, we believe that year starts with the month of Hindu calendar Chaitra and goes on for twelve months ending at Falgun (aka, fagun in Hindi). Traditionally, these twelve months are devided in 6 seasons, Vasant (blossoms / spring), Grishma (Season of first rain), Varsha (rains), Sharad (Season of abundance), Hemant (mild winter), Shishir (Chilling time).
I have tried explaining these seasons in this poem. Hope you like it. Let me know in the comments bellow.
This post is part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter. You can find my other entries to this campaign here.
One evening last week, bar table discussions took an unusual turn from usual topics of economics and politics towards following rules, being sensitive to climate change and ecofriendliness. Point of the argument was how effective it is to keep walking the good path when you are seeing all the ones who are breaking rules, throwing trash and behaving wrong are enjoying life without penalty. Even socially they are not feeling shamed or looked down on. This definitely is demoralizing for a person who is walking that path towards a better future.
Every Step Counts
But let me tell you the better side of walking solo on the path of eco-friendly habits. First and foremost is the minute impact you have on this huge situation. It’s very important to account for every bit and piece of effort happening all around the globe for having a sustainable environment. There’s a very interesting story in our epic of Ramayana underlining this point. A squirrel was helping the efforts of building a bridge between Rameshwaram and Lanka with a very tiny amount of soil which it could carry. Lord Rama acknowledged those tiny efforts of that small squirrel as a vital part of construction of that bridge. So, you all who are walking on this path alone, don’t forget. Every step counts.
Self satisfying eco habits
Another equally important point is to feel content, happy and proud of yourself. You are taking these efforts of following eco-friendly habits that are going to reward you. You will have a better sleep with a peaceful mind because you have done something good. You are not taking these actions to prove something to someone else. You have started this journey because you have a sensitive heart and compassion. Many people don’t even register these things. So, give yourself one gold star for that. With this pat on the back, keep walking the same path you have started on. More happiness lies ahead of you. Don’t worry if nobody joins you. Gurudev Tagor has given us the perfect Mantra for this journey.
Jodi tor dak shune keu na ashe tobe ekla cholo re (If there is no-one responding to your call – then go on all alone)
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
I’m taking my blog to the next level with Blogchatter’s My Friend Alexa. My current ranking is 310,686. I am trying to improve on this. Read more about campaign here.
This post is also a part of Blogchatter’s CauseAChatter.
Today, I would like to introduce you all to a very old friend of mine, practically the first one in my life. Sarang Ganoo, a master product designer, is a very lively person. He specializes in industrial and strategic designs and is keen to make the products which will last in today’s world of “Use and Throw”. Now he has taken his passion to create something sustainable to a next level and dived into the field of urban farming. Currently he is working as a designer and builder at ‘The Urban Farm.’ I have chatted with him about his views about urban farming and composting specifically for this article. This will definitely take the Clean will Win message a step forward! So, here’s our conversation for you all!
Aditya: What is ‘The Urban Farm’?
Sarang: At The Urban Farm, we want to create tools such as a composting system for your small house kitchens or a range of balcony planter systems which helps you grow edible foods in cities. We want to make farming in urban areas simple for all people.
Aditya: Why composting? And how does it work in rooftop / urban farming?
Sarang: Indian city‘s generate one of the highest levels of organic waste in the entire world. In India Chennai generates the highest organic waste every day. 64% of city waste is organic waste. This problem can be tackled at every home regardless of how big or small and how much space they have. Hence composting. Composting makes your organic waste into an amazing organic soil. 102 home compost system, designed and developed by urban farm is the ideal out-of-the-box companion to start your composting journey.
Once you start composting you will have fertile organic soil at home. Once you start having really good organic soil at home the most general next step is to think about how we can grow food in the soil. And that’s what people do once they start having compost at home. They start thinking maybe I can start growing chilies or tomatoes at home and that’s how the revolution starts. And that is how it is connected to urban farming.
Aditya: What’s so special about 102 Home Compost?
Sarang: Specialty of 102 home compost is that it is the easiest home compost system in the market. How it works is- in a kit you get three fabric bags, 2.5 kg of coconut fiber, a stand and a tray with soil-make powder as an enzyme. To do the composting one needs to put 1 inch of coconut fiber underneath in the bag. After that you put your daily organic waste preferably chopped into less than 1 inch pieces at the end of the day. You spread just a spoonful of soil-make powder on top of the organic waste. Cover this entire thing with 1 inch of coconut fiber again. After layering this you just have to keep layering exactly like this until the bag is full. Once full, keep it aside for 20 days and whoa of your home mountain like soil is ready!
The Urban Farm team
Wall of their rooftop farm
The lush greens of The Urban Farm
Sarang enjoying his farming
Aditya: I heard that there’s a setup on your roof where you grow green leafy on water? What’s that? And how did you get into it?
Sarang: It’s called Hydroponics. It is a method by which one can use only water and nutrients and micronutrients solution together to grow edible plants. Hydroponics works only with green leafy vegetables. We have done lots of hydroponic farming on our rooftop farm. We realised that it’s a great method to start something easy. However, it is not that suitable to grow large amounts of vegetables very profitably in a climate like India. We even have ample resources such as sunlight and fertile soil available all across the year. Yet, we believe that Hydroponics has a very good potential to be an additional source of income for lots of people living in the cities.
Aditya: Is it the next “in thing” or the need of an hour?
Sarang: Right now people are at home and they have realised the importance of nature around them. Many people have started growing some sort of flower plants as well as some sort of edible plants in their balconies. And I think people are now getting the hang of it. I hope that this trend grows more so that it helps us in making a sustainable future for nutrients and great food available across the city for everyone.
Aditya: ‘The Urban Farm’ is promoting both soil based and water based farming, isn’t it kind of contradictory?
Sarang: Not at all. Each method has its own place in the larger scheme of things. Because of climate change we need to make sure that we have enough good nutrient food preferably without too much GMO available to the larger population. I think methods like hydroponics do help in some ways to achieve that.
Aditya: Tell me one thing which people of our age should change as a step towards sustainable living.
Sarang: One thing people of our age can start doing is start composting their own organic waste at home. Do not expect your city to take away your organic waste. It is you who has generated the waste and you are responsible for making sure that it doesn’t go to the landfills and pollute our environment in the city!
Whenever we take a step outside of our home for work or to socialize, we are in for an obstacle race with heaps of garbage while we walk around. This is the scene in and around every Indian city to a bigger or a smaller extent. However, I had witnessed the two ends of the cleanliness spectrum in a place which is divided only by a boundary wall. I was visiting the amazing country of Bhutan. When you enter Bhutan by road through West Bengal, Jaigaon is the last town on Indian side.
The feelings which overwhelm me when I take this name are of shame and disgust. Jaigaon lives on, in and around hills of waste. Heaps of plastic, paper, vegetable waste and what not are laying around at almost every metre of all roads. It was monsoon when we drove through the place. Mud and muck only added to this misery. However, as soon as you turn and cross the border gate, into Phuntsholing, you are hit by a 180 degree contrast to this situation. Roads are spotless, air is fresh, vehicles stop for pedestrians who are crossing only over zebra crossings. It’s just a perfect picture.
Why now?
If we consider the current situation, this habit of cleanliness comes out as a very important point to focus on. Spread of COVID-19 is not directly related to this particular waste situation. However, it still puts us at risk of all the other illnesses as immunity is already gone for the toss. Fortunately, there is no other outbreak of other communicable diseases during this pandemic. When everyone thinks of the word environment, they can only imagine lush green forests, clean air and flowing clean streams. When we abuse these lush greens, flowing freshness and lively blues, our next generations are at risk. However, if we ignore what is in and around our neighbourhoods, roads etc., we are at far greater risk of losing the agencies to work, produce and enjoy life.
Cleanliness is the key
Social hygiene is the basic reason behind the spread of vector borne diseases like Malaria, Chikungunya, Dengue, etc and waterborne diseases like diarrhea, dysentery and Typhoid. Solid waste management, and public sanitation facilities like public toilets should function like a well oiled machine. Keeping the neighbourhood clean and sanitized is our shared responsibility. Citizens can’t put the whole responsibility on the local government.
“the municipal corporation doesn’t send trucks every night throwing garbage around the city. It’s us, the citizens who continuously keep littering around the city.”
and voila… we have huge piles of garbage stinking around almost every corner.
We all are definitely running a race here. But it’s in our own hands to choose the track on which we should run. If we do not straighten our act, we are racing towards poor health, high morbidity rates and a bad environment. However, if we strive for safe, healthy and prosperous lives for ourselves and for them who will follow after us, then the only message to follow will be, “Clean will win”
