BY ANIL SWAMY 

 

PRECISELY 62 years ago, at five in the morning our train trickled to a stop on Platform no 8 at Bengaluru. By the time father took out the luggage a misty rain had already started and by the time he haggled with the coolies (a mandatory custom), the fine drizzle had started turning into a pour. To save us from pouring rain and chill, my father led us under a big Peepul tree on the Platform. In the month of May, when northern hemisphere of country reeled under severe heat wave, it was biting cold, a typical B’lore chill. Rain poured as if it’s never going to stop. Father took out a thick bedsheet from the holdall to cover me with my two younger sisters, sitting huddled together, on the metal trunk. The rain stopped after sometime and though slightly wet, we took an auto to reach home but I never forgot that majestic Peepul Tree. Had it not sheltered us it would have been impossible to find one anywhere on that platform which didn’t have any shed those days. Time flew by and I visited B’lore many times since then, by Air or Train but never forgot that Peepul Tree. On every opportunity I got, to see it, I visualised a black and white image of our family standing under it on that grey, cold rainy morning. We grew up with the time and finally retired but that Peepul stood there, always sheltering countless passengers like us, from heat and rain, housing many birds, who were the first citizens of Platform no 8. Later this Platform got a small shed but over the years a very large and long shed was constructed, but that Peepul was never touched.

 

On my recent trip, there were noticeable developments, old entrance to Platform no 8 has been modified and a new building has been constructed, few more Platforms have been added and some new buildings as ‘Waiting Room’ have come up on the Platform. As I had reached station few minutes before the departure time, I tried to look around for that Peepul Tree. Unable to locate it in the changed scenario, I quizzed an old Porter(Coolie). He directed my glance towards a ‘Stump’ still standing on the Platform no 8. The monumental casualty of development. Numbed, upset and speechless, I went inside the train but couldn’t eat or sleep well during the night journey. I couldn’t shake off the memories of that wet, chilly morning sitting under the Peepul. I hadn’t ever thanked it and now I wouldn’t be able to. I realised a peculiar bond between us and felling of that Peepul, a part of me too had fallen. Trees are as much alive as any human and the sole difference, we are a selfish race and seek a return for every single act, whereas Trees keep giving everything without any expectations. We don’t even hesitate to cut them for our needs and like marauders, loot even the tiniest remains of the tree for personal gains. I got quite sentimental, it was a planned assassination, a kill for which humans shall not punish humans because a tree won’t scream, cry or complain. It simply bears the agony and pain. In Bhagvad Gita Krishna has said ‘I am the Peepul Tree amongst the trees’. Like evolved and awakened humans, the trees too spread divinity, joy, bliss and peace, like true Yogis.

 

The moment it sprouts out it spreads it’s branches and rises towards heavens gathering all the possible energies from the Universal life force and grows stronger, taller and beautiful and still remain deeply rooted to the Earth. Trees are the natural ‘Givers’ and keep providing bounties to all without expecting any return. Knowing that next time I won’t even see the stump of that Peepul and by the time I reached Nagpur I was totally distraught with the anger and pain. Our laws are limited in defining violence, restricting it against humans only, we don’t consider Trees as living beings and any harm to them is irrelevant but only if you ever plant a sapling and nurture it to grow, one has that divine attachment. Trees are the most beautiful and sensuous poetic expression of Supreme Powers playing a divine music of perfect harmony of peace, nature and tranquillity. Trees have inspired many Yogis, writers, poets, philosophers and visionaries for centuries and shall continue to do so for our future generations, sheltering many birds, creepers animals ever since the Earth started gyrating and never retaliate against aggressors. Tree is a Yogi in deep meditation, unperturbed by greed, jealousy and violence of human race but still affectionately providing them shelter and bounties.