Those of us who grew up in Pune half a century ago, rue the loss of the old qualities of the city, which had to do with greens, playgrounds, clean air, excellent schools and colleges, history, tradition, and a quirky pride, often misinterpreted by outsiders.
My childhood friend Vidya Vartak Joshi, just posted this capture , possibly from her terrace/balcony.
It is an essay on how things have changed. Under the guise of "progress" and "new technology".
Can we wait for solar panels that absorb CO2 and emanate O2 one day ?
कुणी मुक्तहस्ते द्यावे ,
आणि क्रुतद्न्यतेने आपणही आपले उत्तरदायित्व समजून सढळ हस्ते सर्वांना अगदी समजून वाटून टाकावे … लहान पणीचे गाव , रम्य हिरवाई , बगीचे ,खेळ , सूर्याचा प्रकाशसंश्लेषण करण्याला सहर्ष पाठींबा , स्वच्छ असामंतात धावणारी किरणे उमलणारे प्राकृतिक सप्तरंग , सेंद्रीय फळे आणि जबाबदारीने , वृक्श्वल्लीन्मुळे विहार्णारा प्राणवायू . आज हिरवं हि चाललाय हवेतलं स्वछ्च हि चाललाय , आणि तरी सुध्धा सोसा सोसाने गढूळ हवेतून किरणे येतच राहतात , सौर फळ्यांवर पडतच रहातात , कोंक्रीटचे लीडर उर्जा ओरबाडतच रहातात , आणि एक दमलेले पण विचारी चाफ्याचे झाड , उगवत्या सूर्याकडे बघून म्हणते , " हल्ली सगळाच कसं बदललाय नाही ? मन सुद्धा … सगळच गढूळ , मिळेल ते ओरबाडा , त्याला काळे -पांढरे रंग द्या , अजीर्ण होई पर्यंत खा, आणि मग डोक्यावर खोटे खोटी सौर टोपी घालून नेते म्हणून मिरवा… अरे, कोणी आयुष्यात सत्याचे रंग दॆइल, का रंग ? ." |
A very generous celestial solar outpouring, and a grateful receiving by so many willing greens freely committed to the Philosophy of Giving. My childhood place, adorned in greens, gardens, and woods, an enthused Sun, conducting the Photosynthesis Symphony, with its rays, Flowers in C minor, Sweet Fruits so sharp, and a meandering Dhun in Oxygen Major, emanating in the atmosphere. Today, the greens remain starved, the air doesn't qualify for MNREGA, and yet, some dedicated rays find their way through it all. In shock at the loss of green, they fall majorly on hefty solar panels, posing just so, to grab the power and transmit it to their mindless, avaricious concrete Lords. Way up in a balcony, a mindful, hardworking Champa tree, looks up woefully at the rising sun and asks, " See how everything has changed ? Even the minds ? Pollute everything, Grab everything, Curse it black and white, Swallow the black, and then wear a fake concerned solar hat to play a leader who worries about you .... Can someone return to me, my world of truthful natural color ?" |
If only someone could, Suranga! Some things go away never to come back :(
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