As I was deliberately passing my time in the office, scrolling down the pages of the novel of my favorite all time author, Ruskin Bond, I found this beautiful yet intriguing piece written by him, which I’m directly quoting here.
The beauty of this whole piece is that his child mind had already realized the far-fetched consequences of disappearing trees from his beloved mountains, that we have begun facing today. The conscience of him and Ramu, as children of around 15 was provoked to this reality long back before 1991 when this novel was published. As I read those lines in the comfort of air conditioner, it pains me that perhaps my degree in environmental sciences won’t help me fulfilling the desire of raising a helping hand to the beautiful forests of Himalayas. Bound by the office chair till 6 pm, I remain bound till the cubicle while my mind wanders off far and still longs to do something for environment.
Ramu came from a family of bonded labourers, and had received no schooling. But he was well-versed in folklore, and knew a great deal about birds and animals. ‘Many birds are sacred,’ said Ramu, as we watched a bluejay swoop down from a peepul tree and carry off a grasshopper. He told me that both the bluejay and the god Shiva were called Nilkanth. Shiva had a blue throat, like the bird, because out of compassion for the human race he had swallowed a deadly poison which was intended to destroy the world. Keeping the poison in his throat, he did not let it go any further. ‘Are squirrels sacred?’ I asked, seeing one sprint down the trunk of the peepul tree. ‘Oh yes, Lord Krishna loved squirrels,’ said Ramu. ‘He would take them in his arms and stroke them with his long fingers. That is why they have four dark lines down their backs from head to tail. Krishna was very dark, and the lines are the marks of his fingers. Both Ramu and Grandfather were of the opinion that we should be more gentle with birds and animals, and should not kill so many of them. ‘It is also important that we respect them,’ said Grandfather. ‘We must acknowledge their rights. Everywhere, birds and animals are finding it more difficult to survive, because we are trying to destroy both them and their forests. They have to keep moving as the trees disappear.’ This was especially true of the forests near Dehra, where the tiger and the pheasant and the spotted deer were beginning to disappear. — Ruskin Bond.
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