Hare Krishna

 

It was many years back when the population of humans on Earth is much less in numbers than what it is today. The peninsular land remained surrounded by the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal. Half of its land falls in the tropical zone where the Sun directs its rays at least once in a year at its closest. 

Near to the line of the equator, closer to today’s national capital lies the plains of river Yamuna. It originates from the mightiest mountains, the Himalayas, cutting and grinding millions of obstacles and thus bringing with itself the fresh alluvium that would be dispatched over the plains. These form the region of one of the most fertile lands on Earth helping to form the densest forests, more like the present-day Amazon’s. 

There was huge diversity including all kinds of birds, mammals and other living beings along with the vivid plant diversity that would provide flowers, fruits, medicines and its shades! The plains would shine like diamonds during the months of Monsoon, the wind system reversal that would bring heavy rains over the continental parts of the sub-continent of this part of South Asia. Imagine the first raindrop after nearly three months of scorching heat! What a relief it would be! The Yamuna would swell and flow with the dignity only to be seen once in a year. The absence of polluting industries like the one in contemporary times would perceive the water to the people who would have witnessed it as one close to seducing spirituality within them. As far away the sight would go, there would be greenery and dark clouds above. There would be elephants, peacocks, tigers, lions, many kinds of birds, butterflies etc that would attune together. 

The story of Lord Krishna would lie somewhere closer to these times. Along with the sound of flowing rivers and the dances of tree leaves, Krishna was said to possess a flute that would attract all the cows and buffaloes in the region. He would wear the peacock feather at his forehead. You would like to see him sitting beneath a mist-laden thick canopied tree and playing his flute calmly. 

Over a period of time, these jungles were cut and populated with humans and industries. Still, the culture so developed over a period of time never let the lord slip away from the memories of people. The tales and folk songs were passed through several mouths over generations.

The forests of India are religiously attuned. We worship them. Many tribes worship different kinds of animals, trees and other natural objects. Sun is given water every single day by millions of Indians. This is not as some ritual but a deeper engagement with the Mother Nature, the one of mother and son. We worship rivers, air, fire, hills, and pretty much everything that is visible & the one invisible. The theory of Advaita i.e. non-dualism tells that there lies the God in every one of us and everything that is within and out, living and non-living.

May what remained of nature, should remain and flourish. Today, at the occasion of Krishna Janmashtmi, the birthday of Lord Krishna, I wish you peace & love. Hare Krishna… Keep smiling!