Another image from BBC's wildlife photographer of the year 2008.In an age of the city - where do we have opportunities to take in that which is wild anymore? We live in Thane - and have an entrance to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (a.k.a. Borivili nathional park - since its main gate is on that side of Mumbai). But how often do we walk into this forested area? Very rarely indeed.
And what about all those who are far away from anything like nature in wild in tooth and claw? The brutal drudgery of urban life in India seems to sap any hope of something beautiful. The drab greyness of so many of our cities - poles festooned with a crazy mishmash of wires - every available space plastered with hoardings - and grotesque mug-shots of politicians (blame corel draw!).
Further, money is always short. And then so are jobs. Holidays? Forget it. If we get some time off - then there is family - marriages to attend - family issues to attend to.
I remember my fellow student Jen Tan's delight at spending summers doing research at Taylor University. A Singaporean, he was amazed at the forest next to our college - and the fact that he could go and collect berries and make jams.
When will we next get to look into the face of a monkey - and vice versa? What a hidden starvation for beauty we have despite all our so-called progress.
Amen brother Amen! Totally agree with every holiday taken and hunger for natural beauty. Steve and I looking forward to this weekend just so we can stay at home and do nothing. No family events we know of (so far!). This week I went to one of our schools in a nearby village. It was so quiet, so beautiful... so innocent. I wanted to stay there between fields of paddy forever!
ReplyDeleteI'll agree with that! Trying to get our "Digital Natives" out of their urban jungle -- and into nature. Quite a challenge. We had 8th graders studying the Renaissance-- and looking at Pieter Brueghel's "Children's Games." (of course, their product was a podcast!)
ReplyDeleteWe were musing about what a 21st century village square would look like. Probably empty with kids all in their rooms playing video games & iPods.
It's a bit weird -- we are literally on the edge of the jungle -- but there is absolutely no access -- no trails or ways to explore the amazing habitat.