31 TO 32, NOV-2013

Ageing is romantic, nostalgic and elevates life to the next level which is an inevitable part of any life form that’s thrown onto the earth to survive, grow and die. It brings in maturity, charm, experience and courage to face the brute world we are living in today as it makes us go through all that is on offer, good and bad. Ageing brings along with it independence, intelligence, desire, responsibility, fun, pleasure and eventually takes us to the beginning – fear and dependency like when we were born. Ageing completes the circle of life and in doing so; it makes us go through enriching moments each day that help complete this circle. As I step into the 33^rd year of my life it was a revelation to realize I was undergoing this transition at one of my favorite locations over Western Ghats, a place that I knew as the back of my palm. I had constantly watched the natural elements undergo the inevitable ageing process here for the past 5 years and it was sensational to understand how slow and steady the natural world undergoes ageing. When I compare the photo taken here of mine 5 years back with the one taken during this jaunt, I could see the change in age (Photos 10 and 11, old and new). But when I compare the photo taken here of the same tree 5 years back with the one taken during this jaunt there isn’t much difference I could delineate (Photos 6 and 7, old and new), such is the power of natural world. Nevertheless, when I think the other way around I begin to strongly feel ageing in humans have more powerful emotions built within. That photo of mine shot 5 years back captured me in absolute happiness that was sans stress or any pretentions hiding behind, while; the one captured more recently has a lot more to hide behind. Ageing has the power to tell, the power to expose if our life is on the right path and as years progress, our expressions eventually better the will to pretend. As I roamed through the familiar natural vistas during this 3 days jaunt, I was enthralled to learn there wasn’t a hint of ageing in this natural world familiar to me. People say age is just a number but it isn’t, for it widens the meaning of our existence. At 3 were kids and taken care-off, at 30 we had kids to take care-off and at 70 we were again the same as at 3; dependent and dreamless. Life is fast and its emotions are powerful, an act which seemed nothing at 30 will make us recognize what a sin it was at 70. We are obliged to be cautious at each corner of our life and when we don’t, we will eventually come across a corner that will throw up a painful surprise for us to suffer in eternity. When we are able to learn the meaning of our existence, when we are able understand the purpose of this life to us; then comes in the real meaning for this gift. Dreams and goals are to be set in proportion to our capability, interest and expertise and not in proportion to what others have achieved. When we begin to focus on “our” life, when we begin to love “our” life and when we begin to nurture “our” life; it’s when we begin to respect every “other” life on this planet for we begin to understand the rule is predefined and same for every life form, how every individual respects and carries them forward decides the overall quality of life. There is a stunning lack of this respect and discipline which has led to pain, suffering, fear, hatred and chaos through the modern world. When I look, listen, admire and understand the perfection of natural world it stuns me with a million volt pain as the human race struggles for “quality” life and “painless” existence. After 3 days of philosophical thoughts up there in the Ghats I was determined to correct the last few remaining flaws of my life and make it a perfect one. Leaves do fall, waters do dry up and life does ends; it’s all about how we steered our conscience through this vast sea of challenges and temptations. I have never recognized this more powerfully at any time before than at this juncture, when I transitioned from 31 to 32.

VICTIM, YET ANOTHER..., NOV-2013

LTM – Lion Tailed Macaque, a primate indigenous of Western Ghats.

Not a single expression seen, of the flagship species of Western Ghats, in the above photographs are inherent to their character. Lion Tailed Macaques are among the rarest and most endangered of Primates and they are confined to Western Ghats of Southern India. On a recent trip to Valparai I was treated to the visual delight of watching these interesting primates in their natural habitat. It was a privilege to watch these Primates in the wild for they are listed as “EN” (Endangered) in the IUCN Red List (International Union for the conservation of Nature) and with only three more categories ahead CR (Critically endangered), EW (Extinct in the wild), EX (Extinct); it was indeed a matter of pride to watch these shy creatures just beside the state highway connecting Valparai with the plains below. Just as I pulled myself out of the surprise these primates stuffed me into with their presence so near to Human Interference, I realized I was looking into the eyes of yet another victim to Human intervention. LTM’s are unlike other Macaques, they dodge human presence and don’t inhabit or pass through human habitations. They avoid even living in man made plantations and are wary to such an extent that they ensure their routes of passage don’t intersect with those of humans. But the sight I was standing witness to was re-writing science, re-writing facts and re-writing nature itself as the LTM’s peeped into every other car, which stopped by to witness their presence, and instinctively grabbed the food the owners threw in their direction. I have never seen anything like this before and the flagship species of Western Ghats being reduced to “Circumstantial” beggars just couldn’t be accepted by my “nature” obsessed mind. LTM’s are such powerful characters that they formed part of the “Influential rationales” that led to Save silent valley campaign and they indeed, succeeded in saving Silent valley (Kerala). Just a thought of the LTM brings to me the charm of Western Ghats, of the beautiful valleys, of the gorgeous canopies and the majestic Rainforests these primates inhabit. The biggest threat to these primates is loss of habitat and their inherent shyness that prevents them from occupying potential habitats in proximity to a Human settlement. But an even bigger threat is this act of “Beggary” hitherto unseen in LTM’s behavior and caused by Human intervention. LTM’s are a majestic representation of the “Uniqueness” of Fauna and Flora spread across the Western Ghats and it’s a shame; we have reduced them to beggars. It’s time we stopped our interventions into nature’s plans, stood far away and watched the drama. We don’t have the right to direct natural processes, good or bad; and they are intended to be executed for a reason. Let’s stop feeding the LTM’s and help them emerge out of this act of beggary and instill the “lost charm” of their lives. The joy of seeing an endangered species lies in the search that leads us to them, not in the search of food that brings them to us. It’s high time we send the LTM’s back deep into the forests and protect them from the vulnerabilities of human proximity. The sight of a dozen LTM’s begging around the cars rapidly melts the “endangered” tag associated with them and they are viewed as any other normal monkey. The only solution to this loss of identity lies, again; in human intervention and this time by the authorities to step up the now fragile surveillance and protect the LTM’s with the strong arm of enforcement. Looking away from enforcement, think for a moment – Do you accept your child being fed by a stranger on the road with his dirty hands? That is common sense, leave the LTM’s alone and they know to survive better than us.

It’s neither fun nor sympathy to feed a wild animal; it’s the crime of disturbing nature’s order.