Kamal Ghorui
By Narayani Ganesh
The similarities between South and East Asian cultures and the Earth’s natural networks, are uncanny. Among Asian people, you cannot have a standalone relationship with any one individual. And when it comes to our relationship with the planet, you cannot expect to engage with just one element or species.
You don’t get to marry that one individual; you end up marrying the entire family, perhaps even the entire community – this is a popular statement when a foreigner seeks to marry someone from, say, India or any other South Asian or even East Asian country or community.
That’s because family roots run deep; you are never disconnected, at least, most of the time, with most of your relatives. Indeed, there are fissures and fractures in these families, too, and yet, there remains that interconnection that is difficult to erase completely. That’s the nature of the cultural beast. This is also true of Earth’s natural networks.
Both flora and fauna, as well as the elements, and human beings, are all interconnected. Habitats are crucial to survival of species. “You cannot begin to preserve any species of animal unless you preserve the habitat in which it dwells. Disturb or destroy that habitat and you will exterminate the species as surely as if you had shot it. So, conservation means that you have to preserve forest and grassland, river and lake, even the sea itself. This is not only vital for the preservation of animal life generally, but for the future existence of man himself – a point that seems to escape many people,” wrote the popular naturalist and author, Gerald Durrell.
Natural elements have always inspired us to become better human beings. Many metaphors indicate this – when we say to someone to ‘stay grounded’, we are asking that person to try and become stable like Mother Earth as the planet symbolises solidity, as do mountains and rocks. Water is evoked to convey the diligence and consistency it exhibits as it flows relentlessly – above, below and around obstacles – as it winds its way towards its goal. Its strength is its fluidity and adaptability. Air is omnipresent; as pran, it is the giver of life, it is all-encompassing. Fire symbolises energy and passion – recruiters look for ‘fire in the belly’ of potential employees, as it is the fire-like passion that will drive them to perform with energy.
Walking, running, cycling, and swimming are said to be wonderful ways to stay fit as these involve not only body movements; they put you in close touch with the earth, sky, air and water, all natural elements. Swimming is also metaphor for navigating choppy waters of life, staying afloat, and finally, reaching ashore.
When we celebrate April 22 each year as Earth Day, the idea is to jog our collective memory lest we forget that we are all interlinked, that we cannot survive without one another. Such special days remind us to renew our resolve to work towards less exploitation and more enabling lifestyles and acknowledge our deep relationship with the elements and other species. The sooner we value and nurture these symbiotic relationships, the more likely that we will all manage to conserve natural systems, habitats and species, and live sustainable lives that promote harmony, good health, and peace.
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