Back to Nature – Ronjoy Bordoloi

Back to Nature

I was talking to a friend of mine about a very elegant topic of our childhood days when we used to climb the Guava trees, swim and bath in the small streams, used to play outdoor games (Kite flying and Cricket were my favourites), help our fathers and mothers in daily chores including planting various flowers, vegetables, trees etc, ride with the wind on bicycles, climb down into dirty drains to get that most wanted ball, break windows, play hide and seek, games like marble, ‘ice-price dhappa’ etc, create small hills and lakes and place toys on them during the festival of ‘Julan-Jatra’ and so many nostalgic memories.

We even used to climb the hills of ‘Kharghuli’ and later hills near ‘Basistha’, ‘Kamakhya’, ‘Sonapur’ etc on bare foot.  Those were wild days, full of energy and enthusiasm and hope for the next day and the next trip into nature. We were very close to nature, used to play whole day long in the dirty streets, coming back to the angry stare of our Mothers and sometimes to a good beating from our fathers. Our Immune system was as strong as Steel, stainless and erosion less with no or very less instances of any sicknesses or disease touching us. We used to play and dance in the rain without the least hesitation or doubt of getting a cold.

And then I told my friend about my Father, who came from a remote village of Upper Assam and established himself in Guwahati. His struggles and stories deserve a different chapter altogether, however, my point of reference was his health and his enduring love for nature. He had the experience of village life; and the vigorous lifestyle our farmers and villagers led, as narrated by him, always filled me with awe and inspiration. No one is more close to nature then them, and there close co-operation with the trees and animals are there aphrodisiac, their secret of a happy and contented life. My father is an embodiment of the village vigority and urban enthusiasm. There is not a single moment in the whole day when he stops. He never stops. He does something or the other, starting with Yoga in the morning to a small brisk walk in the night before retiring.

Nature has played a fundamental role in the development of the entire planet. Without Mother Nature, we humans won’t even exist. All great discoveries and inventions are nothing but Mimics of Nature or Human Being’s attempt to explain the mysteries of Nature. This Human Endeavour towards Nature has had many advantages and disadvantages. I will not delve deep into this topic; however, the topic today encompasses some vital aspects of this Eternal Human Adventure.

Now, let us have a brief look into contemporary society. This human society today, mostly urban, however, rural society to some extent also is falling into a whirlpool of Illusion. And this illusion has been created predominantly by a surge in information technology and the resurgence of various gadgets to access the incessant flow of information. Although this information is valuable to a person seeking knowledge about a subject or topic of study and research etc, however, when this same pool of information is utilised only for self gratification and useless pass time, the same information system becomes harmful.

Whenever I watch a small kid engrossed totally in a video game or a cartoon movie or in social media sites, my heart sinks. What has happened to the kids nowadays? Where is there connect with Mother Nature? I see parks with very less children in them playing see-saw or other games. I see very less occurrences of children playing in the streets. I do not see any Kites flying high in the skies nowadays or groups of children playing ‘Seven Stone’. I remember a time when we used to run on the grass bare-footed, without Sandals or shoes. And scientists have proven that being barefoot acts like our natural Earthing Mechanism, which has been proved to be a dynamic healer, a natural connection to Mother Earth.

Moreover, Information Technology has ruined the young minds. Virtual Reality has replaced the Nature Trips we used to have in our childhood days. They can go to distant places with the click of a button, without actually going there. Where is the adventure in that? What has happened to the Outdoor games we played, what has happened to the energy and enthusiasm of the young minds, who learned through close observation of Mother Nature and who learned by being one with her and not separate from her? Where is the Holy Curiosity and practical Inquisitiveness we were so fond of?

It is to be noted here, that this disconnect has also effected the health of the normal child today. Obesity, depression, anxiety, even dreaded diseases like diabetes, amnesia etc have gripped the tiny bodies, which was unheard of even around ten years ago. Their immune system has become so weak, that without the intake of anti-bio tics, they just cannot heal themselves. Their life span decreases tremendously, because at a time when they should be running the streets, getting hurt and healing quickly, their parents prefer to hand them with cell phones at a very early age, so that they become Zombies and stay at home, creating less disturbance and staying obedient. The same effects also apply to adults who have become victims of these same High Tech Horrors.

Furthermore, this disconnect has created a void in the lives of the young ones, because they get exposed to various emotions at a very tender age. Girls and boys alike, when they should be playing with dolls and cricket bats, start playing with emotions that they do not understand fully, which create depression and subsequent harmful acts.

Moreover, various brain defects have also been suggested by scientists, who advise these youngsters to stay away from the harmful radioactive rays of dangerous gadgets like Mobile Phones, Laptops etc.

In the End, It is an ardent urge to the parents to not let their babies and children fall into the dark abyss of virtual reality and to bring them ever closer to the one thing from whence we all have come into existence, the Real Reality, Mother Nature. They should be acquainted with our Creator and her many facets.

BY RONJOY BORDOLOI