Get Connected to Mother Earth
At the end of February 2019, a wildfire was set in Bandipur Tiger Reserve, which burnt 15000 acres of forest into ashes. In addition to trees, hundreds of slow-moving animals, reptiles, insects and birds got charred.
Cause for the Wildfire
The fire that was started on 21st February continued to rage for five days. Many forest personnel struggled to douse the fire with the help of two helicopters and the caring public. Although the extent of damage is not clear, it is claimed that 40,000 acres of forest were burnt (Heblikar, 2019). Like most wildfires, the Bandipur wildfire resulted from a natural calamity; it is the consequence of human sabotage. A forest-dweller started the fire in retaliation to the forest guards, who prohibited the collection of dried twigs from the forest (Thipaiah, 2019).
Lack of Morality
In the whole situation, it is evident that there is a lack of morality from both the guards and the forest-dwellers perspectives. The Forest Guards had a job to do and the law to uphold. They are Government employees who take care of the forest and its products. Yet, they could have been considerate. On the other hand, the forest-dwellers are tribes, depending on the forests for their livelihood through generations. Tribes like Soliga, Munda, Koraga, and Santal worship nature and animism and believe that plants and non-living things have their own souls. It is distressing that such forest-dwellers, who hold forest in high regard, who are ardent worshippers of Mother Earth, could burn down the forest. If a forest-dweller reaches this extent, then it indicates the degeneration of the society; lack of morality, lack of responsibility and lack of care for fellow living beings.
What leads to such immorality?
Love of Earth, Passed from Generation to Generation
Every generation prepares its successive generations to appreciate nature and take care of it, in the form of traditions, customs, festivals, etc., which are termed ‘culture’. Our ancestors have transferred their culture to their younger generations. This transformation is either not happening or weak in the present day.
Consider the culture of forest-dwellers. It is changing. Even the children of the tribes living around Bandipur are attending English Medium schools. The problem is not in getting an English education but in neglecting the basic culture. Language is very much a part of the culture. Many aspects of culture cannot be transferred through a foreign language. Besides, language is critical in passing on one’s culture. For instance, one cannot understand the significance of Arathi; however, the better way you explain it in English is as a plate with turmeric and lime mixed in water and rotate three times around! There is emotion and faith involved in it and in performing the act. Another example is that neither Rotti can be translated into bread nor Dosa as a pancake. Education enhances our culture. Unfortunately, the present education is only concerned with passing examinations starting from preschool.
This oblivious condition did not start altogether at once. A few hundred years ago our families were practising their traditions. Children followed the traditions at home without any question. As science and technology developed, people got educated and started questioning the custom. Present parents, who, as children, followed their parents obediently, could answer as much as they could mostly have no answer as most of the customs are related to faith and emotions. Since they are not getting satisfactory answers, the children of the modern world disregard them as old fashioned unscientific and discontinue following them as old fashioned and unscientific. Some of the customs develop a love for earth and nature in the child.
Salutation to Mother Earth
Our ancestors developed a love for Mother Earth from childhood. Early morning as soon as the children opened their eyes, they chanted.
Samudra vasane Devi
Parvata-sthana mandale
Vishnu patni namasthubhyam
Paada sparsham Kshamasvame.
In praise of Mother Earth and requested forgiveness for stepping on her holy body.
In Hindu culture, 16 necessary sacraments (Samskaras) are performed from birth to death. One of them is Nishkramana Samskara. It is performed when a child is four months old. Nishkramana Samskara is being performed by non-Brahmin cultures too by different names like “Hosilu Datodu”.
It is performed in the fourth month or when the child first crosses the threshold of the main door. The child is taken outside of the house formally for the first time and introduced to the Sun, the Moon and other parts of his surroundings. It is a sacrament that puts the child in touch with the natural surroundings, including the earth. It indicates the respect our ancestors had for nature and the importance of the child being introduced to it.
Our festivals and celebrations like marriage are incomplete without the presence of Kalasa. Kalasa is not merely a vessel with water, a coconut, mango leaves. It is the symbolic representation of abundance, source of life and represents Brahma, Shiva and Earth. In weddings, especially in agriculture-based cultures, the bride and bridegroom first pay their homage to a Banyan tree branch.
Dance and Arts
Classical dancers like Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, etc., bow to Mother Earth and take permission before starting their performance. They seek forgiveness for their offence of stamping and request Mother Earth to bear with them. Even folk dancers follow similar traditions.
Agriculture
Cultivation of land is in practice since Vedic days and much before. Earth is treated with respect. The crop was circulated so that there was enough time for the Earth to breathe. There were no artificial fertilisers to clog her. While in the field, no one was allowed to wear slippers nor to pluck everything at once. There were order and discipline. The harvest was first offered to Mother Earth, thanked for her kindness and generosity. It was then shared among all those who helped in agriculture, in-return for their manual labour.
Emotion Mother Earth
Mother Earth is not only an agricultural land, and its yield. The fish, the hills, mountains, rivers, forests and oceans were all considered Mother Earth. They were not lifeless. Our ancestors and tribes saw the earth as the spirit of their own being and invested their emotions in it. Thus, they could see the Mother in them. Like obedient children, they obeyed her. They loved her as their own child and took care of her.
We, the modern, technologically well versed ‘X ‘Y’ ‘Z generations, have no time to think about Mother Earth unless there is an “Agricultural Day”, “Environment Day”, etc. Even then, it would be one day of interest since we think from the brain rather than investing our emotions like our ancestors. Our duty to the Earth is to respect, protect and preserve them from the ‘thinking brain and not from ‘feeling brain. To appreciate Mother Earth, one should get connected to Earth emotionally, on day to day basis. Develop activities to get connected with the earth, perform these activities religiously as a tradition and pass on this culture of loving and how to be connected with Mother Earth to the future generation!
Bibliography
Heblikar, A. (2019, July 30). Fire on the mountain: why Bandipur burned. Deccan Chronicle, p. 1.
Thipaiah, A. (2019, May 31). Kerehaklu Interview. (S. Munireddy, Interviewer)
Image: By NaveenNkadalaveni – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76855182