Satanic Verses

Tara came back from college after finishing his morning Yoga and it was 8:30 in the morning. Out of thirst and perspiration fished the fridge and observed while picking a juice box “What! Not cold? What’s wrong?” he thought.

He looked around and discovered that electricity wasn’t there. “Gosh!” he sighed, picked the bean bag chair and walked to the balcony which had a breath taking view of the Pashan Lake. He glanced through the newspapers and found a piece announcing additional load shedding. The dams around Pune had dried up, the rivers were no good, and water was now a prized commodity.

When life hooked to electricity sometimes we take certain things for granted. In process of pandering ourselves with TV,  AC, Fridge, Vehicles and other innumerable devices which consumes energy we should have paused and looked around to see if we have not crossed any line.

The effects of Global Warming are here to be seen, temperatures rising to levels that were imagined only in the deserts of Rajasthan a decade ago, are now a stark reality in the overflowing cities of India. The gradual deforestation by reckless expansion of cities has led rampant exploitation of natural resources. Cities that once thrived on rivers have now become their largest polluters. Take a look at the greatest cities that evolved on the fertile soil around rivers – London (on Thames), Paris (on Seine), Delhi (on Yamuna), Cairo (on Nile) and many more. It’s a no brain-er that the reason because of which human civilization chose to live at a place, is now struggling for life, that largely a case in developing countries. It’s easy to allege as it’s apparent. The unchecked growth and turning of land to concrete shrubs, has pressurized the ecosystem to an extent that it has relented and put the onus on us act sensibly.

Monsoon imbalances and resultant droughts have shown last year on how Nature can affect the economics of the country. For a country like ours, whose economic and social life largely revolves around the monsoon, such climate changes are hard to cope up with.

Human Civilization has largely evolved on capitalist and social norms, barely ecological. Right from the early dwellers to the colonial times to the modern ages, our social evolution is based on only one factor – a selfish nature of having things for ourselves. Little did we realize that we are a figment on this earth, but causing ecological imbalances that affect every other living species. Earth is not going to wait for us to take steps to lower temperatures, to reduce pollution, or to do anything “Green”. It is always in an evolutionary phase, constantly evolving to negate imbalances. It is we who should be worried about our future on this planet. We have to take steps that will enable us live better while we do minimum damage to the ecosystem. Cities need to be planned considering the ecological capacity of the place, smarter ways of generating and consuming power have to be developed, and transportation needs to be compatible to the ecology.

A thought flies my mind while I observe the bridges in Pune that the city could have been conceived in manner similar to Venice in Italy. A beautiful, well maintained river could have paved ways for river transportation. There could be boats that could take you from one place to another, via the river and its (bridges’) beautification could have had created Pune a distinct identity. Now, that’s a difficult scenario to imagine today as rivers not only stink but is home to water hyacinth facilitating mosquito growth.

For climate change is not a single handed activity, which one alone needs to resolve to act. If it was the case then the US would have done it by now. It is a concerted act by all citizens of this planet for mankind to live longer on this planet. Theories suggest that dinosaurs were wiped out this planet due to a meteor strike. I don’t know how long did it take for life to resume, but one of the most powerful creatures that ever lived on Earth, fell to the sudden changes in climate, caused by the meteor. This is a huge testimony to the power Mother Nature possesses, and can inflict upon us should we mess around. There are many ways to contribute to climate conservation, which I won’t list out here, many of us know else Google it. The message that needs to be driven home is that the time is critical and resources scarce, that we need to wake up and take account.

Epilogue

Tara was returning home after a demanding day, spent shopping with friends at the local mall. The intimidating heat had already taken its toll on him, evaporating every calorie of energy. One wouldn’t find a tired face smiling, but Tara’s was. He saw up to the sky, and observed clouds gliding over the city’s skylines. It was soon overcast, supported by streaks of lightning flashes across the sky. He was just about to turn back in; that he saw his neighbor’s child run out to the play field, along with others from the building. And they were singing,

“Ye re Ye re pausa,

Tula deto paisa,

Paisa zhala khota

Paus ala motha”

The rain Gods blessed, and the smell of mud after the first rain invigorated everyone’s spirits. The first droplets of rain fell on happy faces, on muddy leaves, on dirty roads & on polluted airs. Dirt was gone, so was the torridity. The ambience was resplendent, its aura was audacious. The feeling was blissful, winsome in many ways.

Tara returned to his flat, picked up a cup of coffee and sat in the balcony, savoring the moment, while John Lennon sang “Imagine” on background.