No, this article isn’t about deforestation but this is about me. I’m a selfish person and most of the blog posts are about me or things that revolve around me.
Being selfish has opened doors for me like never before. It’s because of being selfish that I got the opportunity to introspect, and begin a self-study tour; what we usually call a spiritual journey.
From a distance, it looks like I was doing a lot of social work, getting connected to the supreme spirit. But the fact that I was looking inside, connecting with myself.
The photograph of this half-cut tree has many meanings for me — vulgar display of power, the road to somewhere or nowhere, the journey is a process, a tale of valor and sacrifice, helplessness, transformation, and of course the simplest of all of it; deforestation. But, I’m sure something is about to happen; something is on the way.
The state of the tree looks like that of my heart; after the heartbreak of 2001 and again of 2005. My heart was not sure why was it broken? And the best part was that it remained half-broken for a long time. There was some work going on; it was in the process of being crushed or in the path of transformation.
After a lot of introspecting, I realized that my heart was as old as the tree in the photograph. It might be more ancient as Indian mythology has a lot of information about the eternal soul. Maybe, my heart is also in the transformation process like the tree in the photograph.
This is 2017, and Mumbai is upgrading. The news of deforestation is everywhere. Some say that thousands of trees will be cut, some say these trees will be a martyr in the war of development, and some say that these trees will be a reason for the transformation of the city.
A million mouths have a million words.
I read somewhere that there was no oxygen on planet Earth. Then came these green beings and provided oxygen for humans to evolve. I’ve also heard that one prince became the great Buddha under a tree. I’ve also observed women in India tie threads around a tree and offering prayers. I also remember my father telling me bedtime stories that had a tree as the main character.
Our world like a banyan tree that has different branches.
Bhagavad Gita 15:1
Bhagavad Gita is all about transformation and through the above quote it has something radical to offer; in my little understanding. On one hand, it brings out the importance of a tree and on the other side it brings on the importance of impermanence.
Nothing is permanent, as per all ancient scriptures. And be it Bhagavad Gita or Quran, or Bible, all scriptures emphasize about a supreme doer. So, the question is who is cutting the trees? Is it human or is the supreme doer? Is mythology a truth? If there is an eternal soul what are we cribbing about? Does the concept of soul exist or is it only for humans? Is there something as death or is it just a transformation of one form into another? Is spirituality rational or is it just good for books? If everything is anyways going to end one day what are we lamenting upon?
So many questions and so less time.
There’re around 8 billion people in this world. All of them have different perspectives? It’s difficult for me to understand who is right or wrong? Everyone is full of half-knowledge and a subjective perspective. Scientists, philosophers, spiritualists, activists, rationalists, believers, non-believers, politicians, artists, etc. All have their logic and reasons.
The whole world is full of contrasts. Opposites. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? I don’t know. If I don’t take this side, this group is angry, if I don’t that side, that group is irritated. Everyone has taken one side — have chosen either black or white. But, I’m in the grey and I think most of life happens here; at least for me.
Whatever, but this photograph has raised a million questions in my mind. It has ignited a cold fire of finding the truth, the eternal truth. Is this development? Can there be any other way? Because all the cities were built by massive deforestation. I’m sure there might be more sides to this.
Humans are considered the most intelligent species on the planet and I’m sure there might be more ways to progress that we can achieve collectively instead of just blaming or clapping.
