Uses Of Water in Winter…

Dear Jal Rakshaks, 

To make Water flow or not, in this age of Blackberries and I-Phones – that is the question! The flow of thoughts & images is gone – only sporadic, jumpy one liners remain. The meandering, graceful river and flowing soft prose must go.….. 

OK – so I figured a way out of this problem – I will now speak ’Poetry’. So here goes… 

Uses of Water in Winter 

A quick cold dip will do the trick

To beat the nip and trip the crick

To scream for God but be Ra-One

For a glowing hot- bod for everyone ! 

Enjoy winter with Water!!

We would like to hear from you some other Uses Of Water. Please use the comment box below to share your thoughts

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Next poem!

Freeze if you must – but only on top;

beneath the frozen crust – your thoughts must flow free.

When the troughs make life tough – float on your inner hope;

While the placid outer calm, fans the fiery spirit.  

My Dear Jal Rakshaks

Namaskar.

For me, this Saturday, was a day of transformation—a renewal of faith. And this letter is to say, Thank You, to my Water Guardian friends, who made this possible.

I’ve been asked many times, why I work for Water. I’ve always responded with rational reasons— “Increasing freshwater scarcity is the single biggest cause for devastation and conflict facing mankind.” “I want to contribute towards averting the Water Crisis — by sustainable Water planning and managing Water efficiently” etc etc…

But beneath these rational reasons, was a deeper irrational belief—that I finally shared on Saturday. A belief that …..Water is The Guru.

All that, I think I know, I learnt from Water. Its flow, its ability to take any shape & form, to give life; its ability to assimilate everything within itself , to be formless and yet never be suppressed……and so many other qualities— teach me how to live a rich, ever– changing & yet ever constant, nurturing life without worrying about a beginning or an end. Whenever I need guidance , I picture Water in my mind…and in its myriad expressions, I find my answer .

So, dear Jal Rakshaks, that’s the reason I work for Water. I am merely serving my Guru,

This Saturday, I finally shared my belief with some of my closest co-travelers on the Water journey. I prayed my little Water Prayer and meditated on the sounds of Water along with them. And then, we discussed how we could serve the cause of our Guru by spreading Water Abundance everywhere. That was a magical meeting – one where I saw emotion driving a passionate desire for action.

In the years to come, this first meeting of the first Water Guardian’s club, will be remembered as a path-breaking event. By recognizing the Guru in Water in our own bodies, we learnt, that in serving the cause of Water, we save our souls.

The Water Guardians will now meet every month. Along with Water Prayer and Cleansing of thoughts, they will work tirelessly with others to create a Water Secure, Water Wise world…. And all of us at FORCE will stand rock-solid behind them to support them in their noble mission.

FORCE, or any other NGO / government cannot give Water the place it deserves – at best we can only help educate or create structures to hold it, clean it. That will not be enough to prevent the Wrath of Water destroying the world as we know it. Only when each one of us opens our hearts to Water’s teachings and commits ourselves to taking care of The Guru– can we get deliverance.

Be the change you want to see. Make your own Water Guardian Club. Allow me to share with your club why and how I revere Water as my Guru. Join other WGI clubs to make Water Guardians International (WGI) a Water Force that protects the world.

Take Care

Jyoti Sharma

PS: I invite you to download and read The Water Guardian Manual

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