Nature is reviving – What about us?

We can definitely do with much less than we have been succumbing ourselves to, and adopt a lifestyle that makes us less dependent on external things, that is bring us closer to nature

By Dr R Neerunjun Gopee

A few days ago a TV anchor in New Delhi used the expression ‘Nature is reviving’ – she was referring to dolphins sighted off the coasts of Mumbai and Chennai that were clearly enjoying themselves (NB: dolphins are considered to have a degree of ‘mind awareness’ like humans), and to the rare sight of the Ganga dolphin cavorting in the clear waters of the Ganga river.

Earlier, within a couple of weeks of the lockdown in Delhi, someone sent me posts of the blue sky there as well as in the adjoining towns of Noida and Gurgaon, and also of the clear blue waters of the Yamuna river. I also received similar pictures of the Ganga at Hardwar, an ancient place of pilgrimage in North India. All these places are familiar to me, and the pictures revived many warm memories as well as nostalgia, making me wonder when I will be able to visit next given the flight travel ‘lockdown’ that Corona-ji has forced upon the industry.

Coronavirus lifestyle improves climate-change behaviors. Photo – www.latimes.com

Nevertheless, these were heartwarming sights. In Mauritius, we never have to worry about not seeing blue skies. Unfortunately, now that restrictions are being phased out, vehicles are plying and car sales are resuming, grey will soon replace blue again in the Delhi sky, a pity…

Nature has been reviving too in Mauritius, as several citizens have waxed lyrical about seeing birds that had virtually disappeared from the landscape that had begun to be seen again. In my own yard there were definitely more birds flying around, perching on the trees and overhead electric lines, happily chirping. After quite some time I was hearing bird song in the evening. The weather in Curepipe has been warm and sunny the past few days, inducing a joyful feeling – among the birds too: my favourites, the condes, make the mellifluous tliou-tliou sound which I return by whistling, something that I had learnt in childhood and that I was happy to find delight in afresh, courtesy Corona-ji!

I wondered whether it was the noise of the increasing traffic that disturbed these denizens of the skies and made them seek calmer and less noisy, more natural niches. With the metro works causing diversion from Jan Palach terminus, the diverted traffic will start to ply again, but I am hoping that it will be at reduced volume if the work-from-home scheme becomes as effective a reality as is being expected. And if that were to last, how much better both for us and for the birds!

This reminds me of what a famous experimental pharmacologist (pharmacology is the study of therapeutic drugs ), Sir John Gaddum is quoted as remarking: ‘If all the drugs in the British Pharmacopeia (the catalogue of drugs in use) were to be thrown into the ocean, that would be so much better for mankind, but so much worse for the fishes!’

At a time when research and trials are on to find a drug to beat Covid-19, this may not be quite an apt quotation, but to my mind it nevertheless should serve to remind us of the excesses to which we have become addicted, and which the interlude provided by the confinement would have triggered us to reflect upon and change accordingly.

As we all know by now, Covid-19 is the resultant of a way of unnatural living that has brought animals and humans in a kind of proximity that is not present in the natural state, and hence the jump from animal to humans followed by human-to-human transmission that is the cause of this worldwide destruction of lives and disruption of society.

It is the same story with the other health pandemic that the non-communicable diseases constitute: it’s our way of living, or our lifestyle of hurry-worry-fast food. The consequence of which is that hundreds of millions of people across the world are now hooked upon drugs that had better not figured in the Pharmacopeias to begin with, if only we led healthier lives.

And that’s not complicated, come to think of it: there are only two components involved – food and exercise. On that count, I was very pleased to see that some young mothers whom I know had rebooted, as it were, and discovered their hidden culinary talents whether it is new dishes or new deserts. I have thus had the fortune of enjoying some yummy freshly made cakes quite regularly during these past few weeks.

From Australia came posts about semolina-dalchini pastry made for afternoon tea, about successful attempts at making chana-puri and gateaux patates, and also encouraging children to try out their own recipes – for which there was scant time earlier on in Mauritius. And, equally game-changing, the resolution to aim for a fresh work-life balance that would now incorporate these practices.

And also a resolution to burn calories through more regular practices that would include family treks and yoga.

For those who have not introspected there’s still time to do so. One could start by resisting the bombardment of the infodemic about Covid-19, sticking to the essentials of the authoritative advice being given and leaving the controversies to the experts. By the same token, one could look around the house and do a decluttering exercise. Someone who was emigrating told me she got rid of almost two thirds of the clothes they had, and so far in their new location they had used only a quarter of all they had brought along. Not to mention about disposing of unused kitchenware and crockery, and so on with other household items.

We can definitely do with much less than we have been succumbing ourselves to, and adopt a lifestyle that makes us less dependent on external things, that is bring us closer to nature. This is perhaps one of the valuable lessons of confinement.

Covid-19 hijacked and hacked human lung cells. By adopting simple measures we can protect ourselves, that is, prevent it from hijacking our lives. And use the opportunity of confinement to give them a new orientation, as many are already doing. Why not continue on this path?

* Published in print edition on 12 May 2020