Monday, April 12, 2010

New exploration

Jim Corbett National Park, India had the proud distinction of being chosen as the venue for the inauguration of Project Tiger in India. It is a home to a variety of flora and fauna. It is famous for its wild population of Tigers, Leopards and Elephants.

Jim Corbett made his mark in his early life as a soldier and a hunter but subsequently, dedicated himself to the preservation of life - human and wild. Whenever a man-eater threatened a village, he was summoned. Moving on foot for days and weeks, often on steep winding trails, Jim Corbett became the savior of the simple hill folk of Kumaon and Garhwal of Uttarakhand.

I got the opportunity to visit this place last weekend. We booked a Jeep Safari and moved ahead to explore this wonderful place. The journey was peaceful. Safari with a speed of 30-40 km/hr, silent jungle and cool breeze filled me with a new power. We explored lots of things........wild lizard, deers, monkeys, elephants, kingfisher and Peacocks.
Most of you might wonder what was new in this trip. Everyone can see these animals in zoo. Click them with their cameras, take a close look and go home. Well, there was something special in Jim Corbett Park. We were strangers for those animals and that park was their "HOME". We could get their glimpse easily. However, we were supposed to maintain a distance from them. It was their territory and we were outsiders.

As we were exploring the nature's beauty, we saw a herd of elephants. This family was busy in eating their food when our jeep safari went near to them. The driver stopped the safari to maintain the distance from the elephants. There were other safaris as well. Other people were so eager to see the elephants closely that they forced the drivers to reduce the distance. I was amazed at their excitement which made them so insensitive towards elephants' existence. How can you consider an opportunity as your right? An opportunity to see animals' living style cannot be any human's right. Why humans forget that God has given them an opportunity to explore his other creations. Why he always considers every other creation of God as his own property. I agreed on the driver's concern and asked him to back out. However, my friends were so thrilled with their exploration that they ignored the basic rule of privacy. They forgot the anxiety they feel when someone stare them while they take their meals. They forgot the uncomfortable moments when a stranger tried to be close to them as much as possible.
Sometimes, I wonder whether God did a good job by creating 'Human'. He must have been proud when he sent Adam on the beautiful 'Earth'. May be, he thought that Adam would praise his other creations. May be, Adam succeeded in that. But are we following the same intention of God? Are we praising his creations and maintaining them well. Who gave us the rights to build our mansion on animals' home? Who gave us the rights to crush the lovely plants and trees to build up concrete buildings?

We did everything, spoilt the flora and fauna, destroyed as many forests as possible and we are the reason for hundreds of homeless animals. How come we don't realize the harm we do others. Do we have the right to complain to God when someone hurts us? When an animal attacks us? When we don't get the cool breeze under a dry tree? When we don't find water before covering miles while traveling? What is the reason?

The harm is done. However, can we stop the activities we are doing in the present. Can we respect the existence of animals and birds around us? Can we feed them next time they look at us poorly rather than pelting them? Can we maintain a distance from them to make them feel good? Please start respecting everything around you. Don't make God feel ashamed of his one creation, i.e. 'Human'.

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