The reverse chess: When hunted becomes the hunter

“Don’t blame the hunter if you aren't paying attention enough to spot the traps.” ― T.T. Escurel

They sat together in a huddle, the evening breeze still carried the heat of morning. The sun was setting from far across the gurgling white water of the lone river surrounded by the dense green trees. The birds had started coming back to the nests, and the sky was turning a deep colour of the purple.

She knew she was the head of the herd, and she looked around and just saw scared faces. She looked across at the far end of the river and tried to see what lay behind those rough shrubs. "We will walk on the same path as we walked yesterday" she called aloud, as the tense faces looked back at her questioningly. 

The wise old one approached her, "but yesterday that little one was trapped and killed there only, lets go by another route". She shook her head to indicate end of the discussion. She started crossing the river and the herd followed her, the falling dusk cast dark shadows that added to the impending gloom!

Image source: www.hongkiat.com

She watched her steps carefully as they navigated the flow of river and looked ahead as the light faded away slowly. She had spotted them long ago as they stood in the shadows, waiting for her to make that one wrong move, "tonight things will be different" she promised herself.

They successfully crossed the river, and she stood behind those menacing bushes which had taken the lives of many in her herd, she had seen them die a painful death and tonight she would avenge them all. With her trunk, she uprooted the bushes around her. Suddenly she whispered to those who were right behind her and those whispered it back.

The moon was directly above them and illuminated the herd in its pale light. Suddenly a part of the herd moved away from it, just as the second part moved in another direction. She looked straight across, and moved a heavy stone in her trunk and threw it with all the rage she could muster in the opposite direction of the bushes. She knew "It was a trap" , and sure enough the stone was caught in the trapping net with shots being fired at it.

She trumpeted her loudest and started running wildly towards the hidden men, just as they trained their guns on her. But out of nowhere the elephants hit them from behind and the guns were scattered, which creaked as they were trampled upon. The hunters looked fearfully at each other as they were surrounded by the herd.

She looked at the fear in their eyes, just as she had looked in the dying eyes of her little one screaming to her to save him from a painful death. She wanted to tell the hunters, just like she didn't spot the traps earlier, they didn't spot the traps today; how the dry leaves creaked every time they walked, why couldn't they hear the approaching herd from behind, why did they take so long to cross the river so that the night falls and there is sound of every other animal. It was all there, they couldn't sense the traps, now they can't blame being hunted.

This time, all of them trampled on the hunters together, as their screamed echoed just like of the little one who was shot as he lay trapped in the net.She sighed at the blood, only if they can let them live, ONLY IF..
Killing was a curse and they knew it, this was not the survival killing that happens in the jungle, this was just GREED KILLING..ONLY IF..they understand.

She prayed for peace, for not killing anymore for just the days as they were without intrusion!! She didn't want to be the hunter neither the one who gets hunted who can't see the traps..



This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.

Nature's Friends: A short tale of discovering love!

The heavy winds carried the weight of big water droplets as they splashed against the dry parched earth. The lightening clashed with the dark menacing sky and my dear nephew listlessly stared out of the window. He had been refused the permission to play video games again, and as much his 7 year old self could muster the expression of sulking he was giving so.

www.muppet.wikia.com

"I don't understand why can't I play, I am bored" he screamed for the fiftieth time, and my sister nodded her head in exasperation. "You tell me how can I let him play that dreaded game again?" she asked me as I silently sipped my warm tea, "Can you help me, can you take him out somewhere for sometime? I don't know what to do". She looked at me with such a defeated expression, that I silenced all my inner fears on handling a brooding hyperactive 7 year old. "Of course, let me take him home, I will get him to  play with me or do some drawing", I replied a little too cheerfully and my enthusiasm was met with a smirk.

With a lot of effort and cajoling and finally with the promise of letting him play on my computer I managed to get him in my car. As we drove ad mist the splashing rain, and the whizzing sound of the wipers furiously wiping away the downpour, I asked him, "Abhi, why such a bad expression, see outside, its such beautiful rain, look at the trees as they dance with the breeze" before I could continue my lyrical self, he looked at me with a "are you out of your mind" expression, "Please masi, lets go fast" And we passed rest of the drive in silence.

Image source: www.honestcardealer.com

Once we reached, the rains had stopped and in my effort to occupy him, I mentioned about my new kitchen garden and he reluctantly agreed to go see it. As we stepped on my backyard, he suddenly grew excited, pointing to my small green tomatoes, he asked "Is that a tomato?? The one that I eat masi?" I took him near the plant and showed it to him, "yes abhi and soon it will become red like the one you eat", his eyes lighted up, and he stopped at my mint plant, "Ohhh I eat that too, this is nice" with a quiet smile I followed him, he next stopped at my lemon tree and with a look of amazement pointed a ripe grown dark yellow lemon to me, "Masi, look at this, its a lemon"! 

Image source: www.backyardideas.biz

I kissed him on his cheek, "Yes Abhi it is, I didn't know you like vegetables so much", "I don't like eating them masi, but this is exciting to see them like this, can I also grow them?" , I smiled at him and gave him a small rose plant and some small seeds, "Hold them tightly, lets plant them and then you care for them daily." 

He walked beside me, holding hand and in the other clutching the seeds tightly, "Ok masi, what do I need to do?"

I sat beside him, as he excitedly dug out the mud and sowed the seeds, then covered them with the mud. I then took out a pot and asked him to fill mud, and like a professional at work with full concentration he filled it, and then with such tenderness he placed the plant. He was in such a happy state, that he ate vegetables that day easily in dinner! and my sister wondered that miracles do happen!

Next day, he came running after school, and asked me what to do, we watered the plants together and he roamed around in the garden, running after butterflies, studying the plants and their leaves. After ten days, like his routine when he came to the garden, the small red bud of the rose plant had grown into a beautiful resplendent flower, his bigger joy was seeing that small plants were now there in place of the seeds he had sowed.

The resplendent red rose

He hugged me with such joy, and then went and kissed the flower and the small plants!! I knew watching him that just like me, his love story with the plants has started!!

This is my entry for Nature's Friends..more such stories of connecting and discovering love for nature at http://www.kissan.in/

Miss tea and Mr.stomach: A conversation!

The morning was bright and misty and the light blue dew drops glistened on the tea leaves. The whole valley was bathed in the glow of morning light. The young light green leaf stretched and with a deep yawn opened her eyes to the beautiful cloudy morning. Meanwhile Mr.Stomach grumbled and grumbled and with a loud sigh woke up, "today will be another painful day".

Tea leaves in the tea gardens of Munnar

On Mr.Stomach's Itinerary today was a visit to tea gardens, so grumbling and halfheartedly Mr.Stomach holding its huge mass went up there. Miss tea leaf was basking in all the glory when she saw the panting Mr.Stomach, her inner anger rose and she turned a darker shade of green, pointing to Mr.Stomach she called him near her..

"What's the issue? Why are you like this? you seem almost on the verge of collapsing", "Yeah I am tired, I start panting even after walking a small distance" Mr.Stomach made a small face.

"Hmmm..ok Mr.Stomach, even though I hate dying but let me tell you a bit of my story and how I can help you, sit down for your benefit." 

And Miss tea in her poised way started, " For easier explanation, the more popular types are- GREEN, BLACK, OOLONG and WHITE" , I am sure you must be drinking the oxidized black version of me? "

Image source: www.octiviatea.com

Mr.Stomach now comfortable sitting down replied with an affirmative nod , "Yes, yes three times a day with lots of milk and sugar", Miss Tea bored her eyes into him, "See that's why you give me a bad name, drink it with less milk and no sugar to get my health benefits and drink versions of me which are less oxidized such a Green tea and oolong"

Tea processing: Tata tea museum Munnar

Mr. Stomach got up all excited, "So Miss Tea just by drinking you will I lose all this excess weight?"

Miss Tea sighed and said "No, dear Mr.stomach if you want to live a good life, start exercising, eating healthy and drink me in the GREEN tea form, it would help you in lot many ways. I have catechins which means a type of antioxidant and other helpful things which will help you be in better form not the grumbling, panting form you are in. Not boasting but I do have substances in me that will really help you, so give it a shot!!"

"Bye for now, but I do hope next time you visit me, it will be in better shape", Mr.Stomach bowed to her with the resolution of implementing these lifestyle changes!!

P.S the post is a Green Tea enthusiast's post..!!

Are we being human?

From far across the deep blue sea

a voice echoed..again and again

"save me, save me, please save me

Oh mighty mountain please save me

but the arrogant mountain smirked

the days passed and the months went by

the icy winters changed to mellow summers 

leaves turned green from yellow

suddenly the waves rose high 

the mighty mountain screamed-

"save me, save me"

The waves smirked, "dear mountain"

times changes and so do situations

if you had listened to us, we would have

listened to you today"

I think like the mighty mountain we will soon realize how the waves turn against us, be it men who believe in suppressing and violence against women, be it us who do not realize the fury that nature will unleash against us. Like the movie lakshmi I think we need to all ask ourselves -"Are we being Human?"

Image: www.redbubble.com

Be it increased cases of human trafficking, or young children being beaten up and almost used as slaves. When I read these cases of torture by people who could be yours or mine neighbor- I get scared that people are living with such mindsets and we are failing to recognize the same. Is social support, counselling, strict rules and laws regarding the domestic labor the need of the day? Why don't we as a society debate and discuss it?

Or be it the issue of climate change, where we almost shrug off- that we don't know have any contribution towards it, but do we discuss it in our daily lives? That small steps such as keeping a bowl of water outside our homes can help in better survival of birds. I do not know what all steps we can take, but I guess the first step is to start discussion among the people we know, we interact with on a daily basis and then come forward with collective simple measures to answer the question "Are we being human"!!

Sometimes I wonder..

        

                                                                  Sometimes I wonder,

                                                                  Alone and confused..

                                                                Certain answers to “why”

                                                                    I seek in solitude..

                                                                     I think about me,

                                                                  And the times gone by...

                                                                      The past I reflect,

                                                                 The memories that slip by

                                                                I stand at the centre,

                                                                Of many crossroads...

                                                                Scared I look eagerly,

                                                              For directions on boards...

                                                                 The why of present,

                                                                  Stares rudely at me..

                                                                I cover my many faces,

                                                               For I don’t want to see..

                                                                 The future beckons,

                                                              With scented promises..

                                                                  But I hide away,

                                                              Clutching my memories..

                                                                I seek again answers,

                                                               For which the questions..

                                                               have long faded away,

                                                               And formed reminisces...

                                                              The whys slowly disappear,

                                                               And I stare at the mirror..

                                                             and I accept the reflection,

                                                               As it becomes clearer..

Ramblings..of hope..of change..post "16 dec"

Its been an year, post an incident that shook me as an individual. Yes have read about a lot of rape cases, about the atrocities committed not just on women but on children and on men. But this incident did shake me as an individual, for the first time in my life I felt fear at a personal level, the situation seemed so frighteningly close to my everyday life. I have traveled in buses at 9 PM, can’t even call that late, if faced with a similar situation would have fought on the same terms. But what happened to that brave girl, Is beyond imagination, I never thought in my nightmares that humans could do this to another human just because they got agitated when she fought back.

I have always felt about women rights, not that I have ever faced discrimination be it at home, school, college or workplace. Yes I know a lot of good men around me, men who have guided me to understand right and wrong through my lens of understanding, men who have voiced their pain and anguish alongside me and I respect those men;

But there are prejudices that do exist, there is inequality at lot of levels that does exist so let’s accept that. Incidences like rape at some level are about controlling women, as the famous line goes “showing them their place”. It is of course a bigger malice which stems from many sick mindsets and I do not think I understand many of them.

But my point over here is, after that incident I began to think about the change that we need to bring about and I feel when we sometimes talk about change we do not need a revolution to bring about a change, It can begin with you and me. It can begin within my immediate group of people, Yes I might seem mad, challenging everyday things that I should not but then If I won’t do it then I am a part of it. I need to question some of the rituals, need to question some of the everyday things, need to question certain aspects of mass media that show women in certain light.

I can’t stop a film from screening, but I can voice my opinion to whatever number of people that will listen to me, that a song cannot and shouldn't glorify stalking, and million such things. I know there are prejudices that I hold, that I need to correct and that participation in change needs to be much more than just that, someday I hope I will be able to break free and work towards that.

Image source: marklovefurniture.com

But till then, every time I remember the incident I pray for her and I hope that things will change, they need to change otherwise as a society we will be facing a situation which will question the existence itself.  We need to give our girls, first the right to life, then the choice of education, choice to choose their life partner, their career and ensure safety and equal opportunity. There are brave women who have come out in the open and there are brilliant  people who are working towards this collective dream, today I salute the determination and the courage of all of them..

Change the Metaphor of “Better tomorrow”

Mention the word change and some of the first responses- “why?, its better like this” or “I do not understand what for, things that are there are there for a reason, why change them?” and the most often heard, “you are mad, you think you can change the world?”

Source: crackmodo.blogspot.com

                                                 

Big or small, all actions result in change and one day all such sparks ignite the fire.  This is my post for “Stay free and Healthy day”.

There are a lot of issues that we as a society and; that we as a species are facing and all of them require attention from each one of us. Here I take up a cause that is very close to my heart, the issue of women education which by itself results in women empowerment in majority of situations. Women education doesn't only limits itself to women being able to read and write but gives them freedom of CHOICE.

Choice, is an opportunity that is available in a very limited quantity for majority of our women. Choice to:

a)      Determine what they want to do, who they want to be with

b)      Choice to choose a healthy lifestyle for themselves

c)       Choice to be a mother and when to be

d)      And lastly choice to voice themselves

Women education is not just limited to empowerment and a better life for women themselves but for all that are around them and their family. Also, a lot of health related issues would have an immediate solution if we are able to educate and empower our women even in the smallest way possible.

How is the bigger and more momentous question to the problem, the why answers a lot of problems that are staring at us but it is the question of how that needs more attention and that too an how that is workable, possible and for that we can be motivated to initiate.

To start with, the first step comes in choosing the area, adopting one territory and understanding the issues that are troubling women there. Post that holding makeshift classes that can address some of the daily issues that women face so that they are interested to come and join, and encouraging them to send their daughters and sons to schools that are there. Working with the local schools in to getting some practical points on daily living and working with them on their curriculum to make it more robust one of the best examples of the same is an organization called 17,000 feet which has done the same in high terrains of Ladakh.

 The change might be slow but I am sure one day it will bring about the change I look for..

This is a dream that I have dreamt..and One day I will embark on my journey to seek change and spark change to dream a better future and to see the smiles spread across many faces!