Jungle Jottings

I have been here in Odisha for over a month now. Six months earlier and for the same period, I found myself on the fringes of the Indian desert. In between, for a brief period, I was travelling in the Himalayas. My home lies on the coast. And now, I am firmly parked in the Eastern Ghats of India. The rolling hills, uplands that seem to be carpeted in green velvet and some of them bald, with few pointy and thick trees peeking at odd spots make for magnificent viewing. Especially going along the curvy roads, where the mist regularly kisses the earth. The woods, in all shades of green, are a sight to behold. The train that brought me from Bhubaneshwar to here, Kashipur in Rayagada district, traverses the pleasant landscape, almost dream like- the hills, the mist and tribal hamlets dotting the low lands- with a ryhtmic chug-chug-chug of the wheels.

A Panoramic view of the Eastern Ghats, the red soil of the levelled fields and  a gathering of rain clouds one evening.

I must be grateful to be in India, for I wonder which other country in the world boasts of all the kinds of topography and climate that India has. It has made me further sensitive to the different kinds of reality that prevails in each of these places, absolutely unique and indigenous to its surroundings. And hence, the many cultures and its people. However, living here in Kashipur in extremely close contact with nature, bang in the middle of a man-made jungle, I can reflect maximum on the many ironies of how Culture and Nature have changed over time. Which is more permanent and which is more transient, which is dynamic and which is rigid, which nourishes us and which perishes with us? None of these are strictly what the philosophies- both ancient and modern- prescribe to be the right sides to take on a debate, and definitely what has struck me in 45 days (maybe the last 8 months, even) would never match up to the centuries-old treatises on these topics. However this is MY fundamental finding and that is how I will deal with it: Life is what life is, in a jungle.

Gates to the Agragamee campus, shrouded by trees. The jungle here has all the kinds of plants and trees- bamboo, pine, sal, fir, moango, jackfruit, tapioca, lavender, hibiscus, rose, coffee, black pepper, banana, silver oaks, eucalyptus, whatnot!!

I was struggling for many many days to put my thoughts into coherent expressions about how to describe the place that I am in and the people around me; indeed many waking hours during rainy days seemed to have had no better pursuit! Then the realisation dawned on me that this jungle- green and hearty, is both the analogy and anti-thesis to that jungle- grey and gritty. Nature's jungle and Human's jungle. The jungle that I now reside in, in Kashipur is a clearer reflection of a slightly perverse entity, ie, the cities that I have lived in and been to. Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, younameit. There is simply no better point of comparison and similarity than a jungle and a city, more so a metropolis.

The trees here, some planted ages ago and the others naturally born out of pollination, are in many ways like the constructs in a city.  Not all the buildings in the cities are planned and constructed based on a blue-print. Some erupt just out of the blue, like the slums or an even unaesthetic skyscraper that is the result of vast accumulations of money. But just as the anti-thesis must exist- there is simply nothing unaesthetic about a tree in Nature's jungle. They are all brown and green of different shades, why many of them might be degenerating too, but they are useful to the last fibre of the root. I am not sure if I can say the same about all urban constructs- nonetheless we find them of all shapes, shades and materials. Perched on top of most of these thick canopies, here, are some beautiful and exquisite birds, whose patterns and voices and flight seem to be a definite masterstroke in all of Creation. Perched on the roofs of the concrete jungle one is sure to find, yet another carrier of equisite sound and vision- the dish antennae of cable TVs. Masterstroke of which entertainment company, is a matter of market statistics, that I have no interest in. The abundance of a moist earth and stones and pebbles, make for interesting floorscape, even the weeds and the flourishing grasscover seem to have a purpose here. In Chennai, all the buildings have tarred roads that lead up to them. Interesting patterns of broken pavements, uncovered manholes and open gutters seem to have all the reasons for being present in their condition. Where remains any patch of soil un-concreted, complaints and applications have been registered with the Municipal authorities to correct the situation as soon as possible. 'Son of the soil', anybody, really?

The uplands, referred to as 'Dangars' behind the jungle. At the foot of these hills, one can find terraced cultivation of rice, barley, millets and few other lentils.

Here water flows in a stream beyond the trees, sometimes clear, sometimes muddy from the rains. But everyday, the inmates- both human and wild- religiously visit the channel to bathe, wash, drink and maybe gather a little fish. Water is a scarcity in almost all the cities of our country. Clear, potable water is a luxury that only 40% of Indians enjoy. What remains of the rivers Mithi, Hooghly, Yamuna and Kooum is everybody's stinking exhibit. Not to mention the other big rivers that have borne the brunt of what we call 'civilization'. A black line of drainage and sewer cuts across our metropolis, like an omen screaming for attention. We ignore it, we will see our cities degenerate. Even the animals here have the sense not to pee in the same water they drink. Why the urban development permits it, I have no idea! Water, done. Earth, trees, birds, done. Hmmm, next maybe I must consider the food. The trees and plants here provide them all- fruits, vegetables, roots, leaves, lentils, spices, coffee, tea. It just for the "external" inputs of salt and rice that the campus residents shop. Nonetheless, even these come from the nearby tribal villages that produce them. Not far away from the hills. Let us for a moment consider what we eat in the city. Probably procured from the choicest supermarkets or health stores, (the nearby grocer's, too) tinned, canned, packaged, bottled, polished, processed, fermented, whatnot- fresh and "natural" food is really an urban myth. These are not one's lifestyle choices that I am blaming, but a systemic failure in not being able to both produce and consume a healthy diet. As much the farmers' burden as it is the consumers'. And this is for those who eat. Starving are millions, both urban and rural, women and men, aged and young. Nature's jungle produces enough for all, REALLY! What has our "development" and scientific and economic "progress" done to feed a nation? I am bewildered looking at where civilization has brought us.

I will tell you what we really eat in the cities- we feed on materialist acquisitions. That's right! For families that can't afford meals, cable TV is a priority, fancy clothes a necessity and mobile phones a status symbol. For families that eat well, bigger pay packages, comfortable furniture and luxurious vehicles are compulsive pursuits. Does it fill stomachs? I do not know. Which brings me to the last and most dominant part of the jungles- animals and then, evolved animals. Someone has to be king, someone has to slave, someone has to produce, that is how the jungles work. Nature's. Someone has to cheat, someone has to prey, someone has to slog, that is how jungles work. Nature's? No! We are beasts of our own will. Insensitive to what surrounds us and indignant in our instincts. If not, Culture would have never moved far from Nature and the Jungle would always be a happy place. Like how it is in Kashipur. There is plenty for all, a sustainable way to ensure that the resources are replenished, nothing is on the verge of extinction and every thing- living and non-living is valued for its existence. The city is completely the anti-thesis of this jungle. In Delhi nothing is ever enough, in Mumbai it is impossible to find a resource that is sustainable, Bangalore is increasingly losing its green cover and Kolkata hardly values its humans, least its animals. If a snake enters our rooms, the tribal people here know how to capture it and release it back into the wild. They never kill it if it doesn't pose any danger. If a cow strays on the road on a highway, (not its mistake), it is mercilessly run over or hit! Does such a jungle have a culture, I doubt.

True culture is something that arises from within Nature; it is pure, simple and humble.

Our cities, man-made concrete jungles are showcases of extravagance, complexities and arrogance. Between the trees, birds, plants, animals and insects here I am rediscovering the real joys of life. Which is to live simply and take it easy. Carbon credits, river purification projects, "organic food", etc are nothing but unwanted corrective measures that culture has assumed to return to nature. It is further damning that all these are but half-hearted efforts and none authentic or sustainable. Maybe, maybe, if we didn't steer away from the original laws of the jungle. Is it a question of values, evolution, priorities? Definitely. More so collectively, than individually. Day becomes night becomes day, the animals, evolved or not, fight to survive. Atleast in my jungle, when there is no electricity for hours at an end, there are thousands of fireflies to light up my evenings. Ah! Life is what life is, in a jungle.

A far view of the jungle campus. All the birds, insects and animals that abound the campus co-exist in perfect harmony.