No one teaches like nature does

Nature is mankind’s noblest teacher. — Plato

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Isn’t it a matter of pity, and also of great worry, that today’s tech-savvy children aren’t aware of many common birds like sparrows, nightingales (bulbul) and mainas? The ever-increasing jungle of concrete and absence of natural beauty have contributed to the lack of awareness among the children of today.

Until a few years ago, there was visible greenery in and around Pune, Noida, Gurugram and Bengaluru, among others. I have heard from old-timers that Pune’s Fergusson Road had many trees and there were a lot of birds. Where can you see trees in Pune now? Every piece and patch of land is being ‘utilised’ for new projects and buildings and nature is suffering. I read in a 1999 issue of the Reader’s Digest that crime and nature are closely associated. According to a survey conducted by New York University, it was found that in the US, the places which were quite away from natural beauty witnessed more crimes and violence. Green trees, flowers, birds and rivers make us happy from within.

It is a universal rule to have a garden in every jail. Flowers like marigolds and roses must grow there. Inmates of a prison should always be in touch with the aspects of nature or else they might again walk on the path of crime. It’s a pity that many prisons in India have no garden or greenery.

Shantiniketan is ensconced in nature’s lap because Rabindranath Tagore wanted an academic institute that could breathe and exist cheek by jowl with nature. Jiddu Krishnmurthy called nature the best teacher.

‘Vriksham guru sadrishyam’ (trees are like masters) is an Upanishadic aphorism, repeated a number of times. That’s why in ancient times, gurus used to teach their pupils under a tree, preferably a banyan tree, because it is said to be a silent and sober master, with its every branch and leaf imparting the nuances of life —Nyagrodham iti vastum gyanam sarvastum asti saannidhyam (a banyan tree is knowledge in itself and its company spreads and disseminates that deep knowledge; Aranyopanishad, chapter 3).

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s immortal words say it all, ‘Live in and with nature because it’s the basic human nature.’

Remember, nature is knowledge, nay wisdom. Save it.