Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The Need of the Hour



Many Nations  like the U.S and Japan have promised billions of dollars to combat the threatening climate change. And many more are pledging support and thousands of organisations around the world are engaged in preservation and conservation of this precious earth. On the one hand actions that harm this planet continue  unabated; on the other- mitigation. We all work for cross purposes knowingly or unknowingly. 

We continue to invent  machines that can make us travel faster and enjoy more. We go for computers that can do millions of calculations in mere nanoseconds. Comforts, comforts and comforts .... endless requirement and demands.

The present way of our lifestyle reminds me of one old story of a tortoise. 

There lived in a deep well, a tortoise  which felt its dwelling a hell as there was  little  space for him to swim around in cold water for years and with limited friends and limited variety of victims as food. Not a second it spent without thinking a way to escape from the captivity and breathe fresh air that was blowing outside. The tortoise prayed to the gods and goddesses of  all hues and was lucky to be heard by one of those benevolent gods which sent a hunter to his rescue. 

Attracted by the bait the tortoise hung on the hook of the crook and suffered intolerable pain. As he cried in vain the hunter released the roofed creature from its suffering. Pushed into a sack the tortoise felt very happy  that he was released from his prison. The head was safe inside the shell and after sometime the hunter took the sack on his shoulders and started pedaling towards his home in great hurry as he was very hungry.

The kind  wife of the hunter was waiting for the arrival of  her kind husband eagerly. Gladly the hunter announced his wife of the prized catch and asked her to cook it so delicious. The hunter's wife was prompt in listening and carrying out the orders and she took out the tortoise and placed in a vessel made of baked mud and poured water to full.  She closed the vessel with  a lid and started to raise fire to heat the food. 

Buoyed by the new experience the heart of the tortoise was so elated and started dreaming of staying permanently in this new abode which is less cold. As minutes passed heated water started gave immeasurable pleasure to the tortoise and the creature started thanking gods which granted him this divine pleasure. Still more heat and still more pleasure. No more cold water and suffering. Happiness unlimited-unbound! What a gifted soul I'm! 

After half an hour the hunter brought down the vessel and poured cold water to separate the hard shell of the inflated tortoise. The tortoise was so soft and tender and the couple had a delicious feast of the week.

Almost all of us are running like this tortoise seeking pleasure and end less pleasure. In such a scenario the future of this planet is not so bright.






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