[sadhuji]

The question ‘what are the signs of life?’ will elicit a wide variety of response. The air we breathe is polluted, the water we drink is contaminated, the milk in pouches are refrigerated and its source is seldom revealed, the fruits we eat are ripened artificially, the vegetables are given attractive textures through chemicals, even the livestock are bred is such a way that the returns to the sellers are several times more than the nourishment to you. We have accepted these facts of life and, naturally, have modified our concepts. To a majority of us, greenery is confined to a few flower pots on the terrace or the balcony – those who are denied these luxuries view the green patches of open land on their way to office and sigh. There is hardly any time to have a closer look at the flowers in their natural surroundings or sit and watch idly the path that a butterfly takes as it dips into the flower petals in search of the sweetness. Yes, there are occasional flower shows but the environments are artificial, the charm of savoring Nature in original is absent. The gifts of Nature are in abundance and meant to be available free of cost but, it is a commodity that is being marketed aggressively by different groups – they entice you with attractive offers to share the beauties of Nature, far away from the madding crowd. You want Nature, you pay for it – nothing comes for free any longer.

Then there are the winged friends like the sparrows and crows that have moved away from most of the large cities. The steel, concrete and glass structures that have sprung up everywhere have damaged the stability of Nature. We blame the civic authorities for not taking proper care of facilities to which citizens have rights. But, we do not attempt to set things right. With the monsoons round the corner and with the memories of the pervious year still fresh, we have not learnt any lesson. Plastic bags have not yet been banned and garbage dumps continue to overflow with trash that will get washed away and clog the drainage systems. The ultimate sufferers will be the general citizens like you and me.

The drive to plant trees along the roads and beautify the surroundings have a hollow note – the participation is forced, large corporate houses do try to maintain some sort of continuity but the final outcome leaves a lot to be desired. The main reason is that no one has any time to devote to the tiny things that make life beautiful – everyone lives a clockwork existence, each of his action is timed to the precise second, he has to catch the 8.52 local – so be it. If he misses it, he will have to begin his day on a pathetic note. Where is his time to worry about flowers and butterflies?