The wheel has come full circle…

Yesterday’s article about the Neela Hauz, in the Times of India,  made my day! In a day or two DDA will take over the lake and plans have already been made by Bio-Diversity experts to restore Neela Hauz and its forest. The Neela Hauz water has got back its home.

Ever since the Citizen’s movement for restoration of  Neela Hauz began, the focus has been on the idealistic, enthusiastic citizens, who highlighted the plight of the lake. And rightfully so… because they went beyond the call of duty to answer the voice of their conscience.

But yesterday when I saw the article, I realized how thoughtless we’ve been, by not acknowledging those, who’s contribution most of us dismissed with, “ It’s his job to do this”

So….This one’s for you ..…. Neha

Part of the reason why the Neela Hauz  will live again, is the media focus that you and others like you brought to it. I’m sure you all had to fight for that media space—after all, in the gory action packed life the city seems to be living, who’d be interested in  this peaceful, invisible bit of water? Not the readers and certainly not the publishers!! And yet, you must have persisted and fought to do what you thought was right.

It’s for you too….Mr Karunanidhi and all your workers who made a world class bridge and then toiled equally hard to restore the priceless lake. It’s easy for us to dismiss your effort with “ What’s to thank for? It was your job to do it!” But I’m sure, in ‘The System’ where every rupee counts, you’d have had to fight every inch of the way to do the second part of your job!

I sometimes wonder, was there really very much we could have done if you had not done “your job”???

This is also for you—our Ruling Elite — Mr Lt Governor, Madam Chief  Minister and all Mr. Senior Bureaucrats.

It is probably most difficult for you to do ‘Your Job’ – simply because it’s everything under the sun!  As our Protectors, you must look after our air, water, soil, luxuries, families, schools, sentiments, relations, pets ……everything! You’ve to keep all those you ‘Rule’ happy—the electorate, the future electorate, the ‘leadership’, the ‘readership’…..And if you get your balancing act wrong, you wake up next morning to find yourself out of your job !

With all these pressures, you chose to shelter the weakest, speechless, most helpless of your subjects—an innocent lake of water—surely you did more than ’ just your job’ .

Idealism is easy —for those who preach it from the outside. But very, very difficult to practice by those within ‘The System’.

JAL RAKSHAKs let us be the light that shows the diamond shining in every Drop of  Water. Let us whole heartedly appreciate every bit of good effort  made in adverse circumstances and thus let idealism grow in every heart.

May the Neela Hauz live on to show us the way to a ’System’ that is its own ideal.

Dear Jal Rakshaks

‘Environmental Protection’ is the new buzz word – in policy, text books, corporate manuals, CSR agendas, political manifestos, NGO Objectives……. Anywhere and everywhere….the slogan is – ‘ PROTECT  THE ENVIRONMENT’.

And yet…the ‘Environment’ continues to get a raw deal everywhere–  villages spring up in forests, animals disappear; mining holes appear in ancient mountain ranges, mountains become bare; streams dry up, rivers turn into nullahs; wells give water of all colours & smog envelops us all….

Why this dichotomy ??

Today, as I was interacting with a bright young set of media & communication management students, I found the answer to this apparent contradiction.

It’s all a matter of semantics – our choice of words.

The words ‘Protect the Environment’ – cue off in our brain, the thought “The Environment is under threat of destruction. We must do all we can to protect it – Because We are strong and the environment is weak. We are fair minded strongmen, with a heart of gold – that’s why – even though, WE HAVE CONQUERED IT, We must take good care of the environment.”

…And therein lies our BIG BIG mistake. The environment (read: nature) is NOT weak. It does NOT need to be protected by us. On the contrary WE NEED TO BE PROTECTED from the dangerously quiet wrath of nature.

As a Mother, Nature is infinitely caring, patient, giving….

As an opponent, it is a master strategist, delusion creating, many headed medussa; a ‘meethi chhuri’ and a cold butcher. It will let you poison it, and then feed you back the same poison through its air & water- multiplied manifold. It will let you cage it – only to hit back from a tunnel you never knew existed….

Beware ! We have made ourselves opponents of Nature !

We think of ourselves, not as Nature’s children, but as its Conquerors…. with a  clear mandate -  whip it to extract most out of it and feed it just enough to keep it productive. Torture it, if you wish, just make sure you keep it alive – as a symbol of your ultimate victory.

Wake up – snap out of this delusion ! Look around, see the patterns and recognise how we are, slowly but surely, losing our battle for survival.

Nature does not need your condescending protection.

Jal Rakshaks, let’s try & give mankind a chance to survive. As a start, let’s change the buzz word – from ‘Protect the Environment’ to

‘PROTECT MANKIND FROM MANKIND’.

In our own interest, let’s learn, and teach all, to respect & care for Nature – our Mother. She loves us, perhaps more than we love ourselves. Let’s try not to snatch away, from the rivers, forests, animals, mountains, air and water; their right to live with freedom, health and dignity.

Let’s Protect ourselves - re-learn to live in harmony with Nature – the Mother – She will protect us.

Oh God! I’m feeling miserable!

It’s 12.30 in the night, as the rain pours incessantly, suddenly the sight of those black polythene sheet covered hutments that I had seen just last week, flashes across my eyes. In my mind I saw the old man telling me about daily wages in UP,  the young kids playing around and begging to be photographed , the goat chewing placidly and the young men teaching us how to steal the pavement hand-rails…..and suddenly it hit me…….this was a tragedy I was watching unfold.

I remembered that long unending row of polythene sheet rooftops flapping in the wind – on the bank of the floodplain near Mayur Vihar. I remembered those thousands of the city’s poor trying to somehow hang on till the Yamuna let go of their homes on its river bed…….and it scared me. I wonder how they are coping right now – with the river lapping at their feet and the rain drumming on their heads.

I love the rain…….I respond to it like a flower does to dewdrops. It energises me, excites me, makes me feel satiated…..And yet, today, when I remember those faces, I  find myself torn between my love for the rain and fear of the havoc it has created.

Today, I feel the fear of someone who has nowhere to go. I am now sitting in my bed  cuddled up with my family, praying with all my heart that all those I love so much, should never have to face such trauma.

So my delightful rain, and my beautiful river, it breaks my heart to say this -  but please, please will you go away? You’re angry, I know…..but must you make the poor innocents suffer? They are as much victims of greed & apathy , as you are. Take care of them, my dear …for they share your fate.

Jal Rakshaks – let’s pray for an end to this suffering.  And, when many honest hearts cry out for God’s help – with their prayers – He cannot help but answer.

Wherever we are, at 2 pm everyday, let us all take 2 minutes out to pray – and ask God to placate Nature’s fury.

Don’t forget – 2 pm – let us all rise and pray.

…… and tell all  those around you to do the same

Take Care

Jyoti Sharma, FORCE

My dearest Chulbuli Pandey,

Aah! Yamuna meri jaan – kya dabangg cheez ho tum ! Ekdum se aisa jhatka de diya, ki sab ko hilaa kar rakh diya!  Kyun chhamiya – itna gussa kis baat ka ??

Like Shahrukh ‘Don’ Khan’s ‘Junglee Billi’ -  in one fit of anger you’ve demolished all delusions we had about being your masters!

We thought we’d tamed you – we Zero sized you, by damming you up; weighed down your frail body by dumping all our kachra in you – and sat happily in our ivory towers thinking – bhookhi billi kya panja maregi??

Your long time, and some part time, lovers shouted themselves hoarse  trying to warn  us. They said, “ She might look emaciated and incapable of even looking after herself, but don’t forget – she’s basically a big boned woman! The day she gets a proper city woman’s diet of double the dose she actually needs – she’ll plump out nicely. She’ll spread out of the little black dresses, you’ve been force-fitting her into, to embarrass the living lights out of you !”

They told the honble judges and the honble leaders and the honble babus, that you’re not so honble… and so you need a big bed to sleep on. They  pleaded and fought and drove all the know-alls, bats, with their antics to stop anyone from sitting on your bed ! But the honble types looked on pityingly, and said – “ pyaar mein paglaa gaye hain bechare. Bolne do – inke dil ko sukoon milega. Phir bhool jao – apna apna kaam karo”  So they sat on your bed in droves – the unwanted poor of the city; the much hunted, but never found, Gods; and an entire city that came up for sportsmen who – now – would give away their gold medals to be anywhere but in this spanking new city!

Ok…ab samajh mein aaya – tujhe gussa kyun aaya – Tere aashikon kaa mazaak jo udaya ! Tabhi tune socha,, “chal bachchoo ek baar zara izzatdar logon ko, thodi beizzati ki jhalak dikha doon.” So first you put on all the weight you could – became this well-fed, poorly exercised, rich city woman- and then….you sat on your bed! You sat your big fat backside on all those who thought your bed was available for all.

Arre meri kadakti bijli – ab toh sab ko set kar diya hai na tune! Tere dar se aaj kal Chief Minster ko neend nahi aati – tu zara phailti hai, toh woh bahut sikudtin hain! Aur to aur aaj kal sare honble babu, Walkie Talkie, le kar ghoomte hain – tu aur chaudhi hokar, saari duniya ke saamne unki izzat ka aur falooda na kare, is dar se, teri diet par minute minute ki khabar rakhte hain !

Chal yaar, ab gussa thook de. Bahut dukhi hain bechaare. Hum bhi tere aashik hain puraane – zara hamari bhi sun le!

So, hello there…. all you honble types – how’bout striking a barter – Chulbuli Pandey has agreed to save you from international disgrace….. will you now, give her back, what is RIGHTFULLY hers?? .

Jyoti Sharma

Click here to Check out my photographs of the Delhi flood water.

Also, join us in the Facebook group discussion on ‘ The Annual Monsoon Mess – Can citizens do something to prevent this?’

Dear Jal Rakshaks

Indians down the ages have celebrated the first showers of the Monsoon rain. It brought with it the promise of a bountiful yield, joy and prosperity all around. It has been a major source of inspiration for Indian folklore and creative arts.  Even today, it has the power to make or break governments and economic indices in India.

From time immemorial, the monsoon has been coming every year - and yet it always seems to catch us unprepared. Infact, it seems that planning for the monsoon excess was better in the ancient times than it is now!

Today, monsoon reports are all about water logging, traffic jams, floods and droughts – the pleasure and poetry of this life giving rain is all gone!

It’s time for some honest introspection. Who is to blame – the government, the people, God or all us ??

Ultimately, it is us …the citizens…who suffer.

What do you think, we can do, to save ourselves from this misery ??

Please do join us in the Facebook group discussion on ‘ The Annual Monsoon Mess – Can citizens do something to prevent this?’

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