Earth Day Musings

"But it is illusion to think that there is anything fragile about the life of the earth; surely this is the toughest membrane imaginable in the universe, opaque to probability, impermeable to death. We are the delicate part, transient and vulnerable as cilia." (From: The Lives of A Cell, by Lewis Thomas)

The observance of Earth Day seems to be a feeble attempt to draw attention to the deleterious effect that we, human beings have had (and continue to have) on the environment. Like the fool sitting at the end of a branch and cutting it off the tree at the same time, we have been exploiting the earth's resources at enormous cost to our own long term survival . But now, we seem to be scurrying to find ways to save ourselves. As in many of our endeavours, we need a larger than life symbol to rouse us from complacency. Mother Earth fits the bill and Earth Day certainly sounds nobler than Human Day.

The idea of earth day brings a slight chuckle to me. I mean, here we are, very recent arrivals on the face of this earth, trying to mount an effort to save the earth. Obviously, the only reason for our concern is our own survival. I do not think it matters to nature whether human beings make it as a species or not. In the incredibly long cosmic calendar, we may be but a momentary flash. Nature will no doubt shrug us off and carry on. Another species capable of surviving the harsher environment may appear some day. It is unlikely that the rest of the universe will mourn the passing of homo sapiens.

We like to set ourselves apart from nature though we know that we are part and parcel of it. We are just a little cog in the macro-organism called Earth, like the flora and fauna that inhabit the human body. I wonder if the billions of teeming bacteria in my body will ever decide to observe a day in my honour. I mean, I have been faithfully feeding them all my life. I would hope that they reciprocate in kind by keeping me in good health. Does Mother Earth not deserve similar consideration from us? So it is fitting that we observe Earth Day.

We are perhaps the only species with the awareness to realize our precarious situation even if it is of our own making. It may sound ridiculous, but I cannot help considering myself (and humanity) to be the centre of the universe. I think we are programmed to think that. Throughout our short history on the planet, we have assumed that we have the power to shape our destiny. This has helped us achieve incredible things and it may also be what will save us or doom us now.

Worrying, it seems, is another unique trait found only in our species. Normally, I am mostly concerned about me and my family. Occasionally, however, I worry about big things like the future of humanity. What will we do when the liquid gold we keep mining out of the earth runs out? Will we have developed alternate fuels to the necessary extent? Will we have found a substitute for plastic? And so on. At some level, I feel certain that the genius of the human mind will come up with the innovations required. It is likely that the way out will involve the rich countries scaling back on their consumption. At the same time the newly developing populations feel that this is their time to acquire the trappings of wealth. How will we balance their aspirations against the rising tide of global warming?  Such thoughts fill my mind on this Earth Day.

I guess the critical question is whether humanity will muster up the collective will to act in time. I am optimistic that we will rise to the challenge. We have only been here for a moment of geological time and surely still adjusting to our new life. We may not quite know how and there may be some pain along the way, but nature will show us the way, if only we would listen. Like the bacteria in our bodies, I am sure that we do perform some useful function for Mother Earth. We just need to be willing to accept her embrace.

About the Image: First ever image of Earth Taken by Mars Color Camera aboard India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft currently orbiting Earth prior to upcoming Trans Mars Insertion engine firing. Image is focused on the Indian subcontinent and captured from an altitude of 70,000 kilometers. Credit: ISRO (More at: http://www.universetoday.com/106761/indias-mom-mars-probe-images-earths-children-prior-to-nail-biting-red-planet-insertion/

Kasi Chombu

We had a little bit of rain today. It was not the kind of rain that I described in Summer Tempest. No, this was a silent rain, the kind that creeps in quietly, descending as a very fine mist, recognized only by the wet ground later. Living in San Diego, I have become accustomed to long dry spells, but this year has been particularly dry. I remember the first rain during the year we moved to San Diego. I was at the grocery store when all of a sudden people were rushing to the front. I was surprised to learn that the commotion was caused by the fact that it had started to rain and quite sharply. Apparently, it was a novelty for water to come out of the sky here. 

Naturally, today's bit of rain made news. But it was certainly not significant. It did not cause water to run in streams or collect in puddles. And so I was surprised to find water running down the street when I walked out after the rain. It turned out that it was actually the runoff from someone's lawn where the sprinklers had come on! I thought it looked like a miniature river as it flowed down the side of the street. I walked alongside for some time as the water meandered down toward the storm drain that would eventually take it to the Pacific ocean. I felt a childish pleasure watching that  little stream of water on the street, remembering the days when we used to sail paper boats down such streams.

I wondered if rivers actually began their journey in this humble manner. Or did they dash down madly all at once? How magical it would be to witness the birth of a river! King Bhagiratha did just that (as related in the Ramayana) when he got the celestial river Ganga to come down to the earth. Of course, it was no easy task getting Ganga to descend from heaven. It took many years of hard penance. Finally, when she came down, she was swallowed up by Shiva's matted locks and was released in seven gentle streams so that the world would be spared her destructive force. Of these, one followed Bhagiratha's chariot.

Descent of Ganga (Mahabalipuram Sculpture)

"The effulgent royal sage Bhagiratha, sitting in a divine chariot, moved ahead and Ganga followed him."(Valmiki Ramayana 1-43-30/31)
"In whichever direction Bhagiratha went, Ganga followed"
(Valmiki Ramayana 1-43-33)

This is the part that really thrills me even today. Ganga followed Bhagiratha faithfully, full of vigour, dancing to his tune, overflowing the banks here and there as he made his way to the ocean.  Imagine being present to watch the first drop of water emerge from the river's source. Imagine guiding the river down the hills, along the plains and into the ocean. I wonder if Bhagiratha said, "Alright, let's take a left here around these villages here and there, hang a right by the woods", and so on. Were there natural channels for the river to flow into or did she carve out the banks instantaneously? Did Bhagiratha really lead her or just ride along as she made her way? Either way, it was a sight like none other. It is said that there was a veritable stampede in the sky as celestial beings jockeyed for the best viewing positions.

Born in heaven and sanctified further by her contact with Lord Shiva, the Ganga is held sacred by Hindus and a pilgrimage to Kasi and other holy places on her banks is a must for devout Hindus. While Bhagirtha might have brought the river from heaven to earth through extraordinary effort, ordinary people take her water to their homes in far flung parts of the country with much greater ease. Those who go on the pilgrimage to Kasi carry back some Ganga water in sealed copper pots or 'Kasi Chombus' (chombu - pot or vessel) as they are known when they return. They would also bring lengths of black threads called 'Kasi kayaru' (Kayaru - rope/string) which were given to kith and kin to wear as bracelets around the wrist, symbolizing a pledge to make the pilgrimage one day.

It is common to see the little sealed pots alongside idols and pictures of God and Goddesses in the pooja room in traditional homes. When I was young, I used to be intrigued by these little 'Kasi Chombus' . They were part of the retinue in the altar and obviously held an important place. You could shake them and hear the liquid sloshing inside. The pots were never unsealed or at least it seemed that way. I did not understand their purpose until the day my grandmother passed away. On that day, one of the pots was opened so that she could be given a little Ganga water which is believed to purify one of all sins. When I heard the story of Bhagiratha, I learned that he too had brought the Ganga down to earth so that her waters could wash over the ashes of his dead ancestors and enable their souls to go to heaven.

Some have suggested that the Ganga that had been locked up frozen in the folds of the mountain during the ice age, had started flowing again with the warming of the earth and this might have been immortalized in the story of Bhagritha and Ganga. Stories apart, the importance of the Ganga, a lifeline to hundreds of millions, is very real and tangible. Like the rain, the Ganga too has her origin in the heavens. Like the rain, she too sustains life on this earth. But unlike the rain, it is said that she takes care of our lives in the next world too. She provides both external and internal purification. She is Mother Ganga. May we respect her and keep her waters pure.

Ganga's Descent Image Courtesy: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Descent_of_the_Ganges_01.jpg/320px-Descent_of_the_Ganges_01.jpg