Whispering of Nature

The love for nature is somewhat lost in the transition.

Walking past the sponge gourd vines, I noticed a squirrel nibbling on seeds. A few feet away, fiery red tomatoes awaited picking and I took a bite to refresh my taste buds. They made their way into my kitchen to turn into tomato sauce.

The dangling fruits in the evenly spaced chili plants offer a beautiful harmony of red and green. I marveled at the purplish hue of eggplants and tender fuzz of okras as I picked them from the plants. The snapping rhythm in the deafening silence of mid noon was punctuated by the trilling of sparrows, myna and bulbul. 

Luxury of Old Times

My mother often remembers old days and reminisces the growing sound of snake cucumber at night. When families used to sleep outside, mosquito net around the charpai, and a pedestal fan circulating air to the sleepers. The readiness and eagerness of almost everyone to grab charpai in front of the fan to enjoy the luxury of air all night. When fear of robbers and thieves was low, walls were low and gates were just locked not padlocked. The beautiful time when you could see the bright stars twinkling at night and could listen to the hooting of owl and chirping of crickets. When no one talked about having a guard, sitting twenty-four hours in front of the house. When food was simple and laced with love and affection.

A Keen Sense of Discernment

We often crush petals under our feet and bruise or tear the leaves of plants while taking a stroll in the garden or while walking along the roadside. Though we cannot hear the pain and sufferings of plants, but, still they are living things and may get wither and shrivel by our petty cruelties.

Our kids often feel proud of having the information of car models but the love for nature is somewhat lost in the transition. The mechanized world has taken away a keen sense of discernment and make us unaware of our surroundings. They can hardly recognize any plant.

Whenever you get a chance to take a tour of your natural surroundings, be it your mini garden or lawn adorned with plants and trees, just grab a moment and try to listen to the whispering of PLANTS.