It was the day before spring equinox. The sun was gaining heat and the
onset of summer was felt. I was on my bike to a world famous pilgrim
site (Gupteswar cave shrine) situated
just 60 kilometres from my work station. The slender road stretched
through the dense forest of Sal trees (Shorea robusta) and biking
through it was a rare joy. The sunlit open sky was pleasantly obstructed
by the canopy of the roadside trees and their shade was not only
cooling the breeze but also invigorating the journey.
Now I was moving in the company of those tall and green Sal trees. Their calmness and stoic endurance were inducing the belief that God is present in all natural things. I loved my journey through those Sal trees. I was most over whelmed when I saw that almost all the road side trees were very neatly coloured with white and brown circles. These coloured circles on the tree trunks gave a godly look to each and every tree.
In my mind and heart I thanked the forest department for decorating those trees with so much care that it imparts such an aesthetic value to the journeyers. The intensity of gratitude grew so strongly that I stopped my bike on the way and gave a ring to one of my friend who works as a forest ranger in that area. I thanked and admired their departments concern to make the place so beautiful. But his replay to my admiration dumbfounded and hurt me like hell. He informed me that those marked trees will soon be felled under the upcoming road-widening project. Those trees are just the guests for few more days and their days are numbered.
And man’s insatiable greed is gnawing its teeth to devour the innocent, uncomplaining and life-giving shady trees for his sophisticated wide roads. But the irony is that the road will be soon constructed and more and more people will rush to their destination with all ease and comfort and at the same time man won’t know that such destination of ease is nothing but the valley of DEATH or DESTRUCTION. By the time he realises it, he would have very little to do in his hand.
Now I was moving in the company of those tall and green Sal trees. Their calmness and stoic endurance were inducing the belief that God is present in all natural things. I loved my journey through those Sal trees. I was most over whelmed when I saw that almost all the road side trees were very neatly coloured with white and brown circles. These coloured circles on the tree trunks gave a godly look to each and every tree.
In my mind and heart I thanked the forest department for decorating those trees with so much care that it imparts such an aesthetic value to the journeyers. The intensity of gratitude grew so strongly that I stopped my bike on the way and gave a ring to one of my friend who works as a forest ranger in that area. I thanked and admired their departments concern to make the place so beautiful. But his replay to my admiration dumbfounded and hurt me like hell. He informed me that those marked trees will soon be felled under the upcoming road-widening project. Those trees are just the guests for few more days and their days are numbered.
And man’s insatiable greed is gnawing its teeth to devour the innocent, uncomplaining and life-giving shady trees for his sophisticated wide roads. But the irony is that the road will be soon constructed and more and more people will rush to their destination with all ease and comfort and at the same time man won’t know that such destination of ease is nothing but the valley of DEATH or DESTRUCTION. By the time he realises it, he would have very little to do in his hand.
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