Our Desi Nature Heritage
A connection with nature is built not just by going into the forests, but it starts right at home. In this post, I’d like to document some things that I saw growing up, which I’m sure a lot of you would related to or would have seen in your houses too. These are all part of our common Indian heritage and they bring us close to nature in a deep way. This post was originally written during my time in USA, when my changed surroundings made me deeply aware of the things that keep me rooted and connected to my heritage.
- Picking Puja Flowers
I used to pick flowers in the morning with my grandmothers. Both my nani and my dadi. They had large flowering trees at their houses. Jasmine, Palash, Parijaat. These trees were like our friends as they would would give shade to sit under, would let us into their moods which changed with the seasons and provided flowers for decoration and religious practices. My dadi knew which flower to offer to which deity and picked them accordingly. It was a pure form of her devotion : to take care of a delicate tree and then let the God have the best gift of the tree. We would also sit to make garlands from them. As for my nani, she had vegetable trees at home, Swanjana or Drumsticks being the one I heard about the most often. Even after shifting to Mumbai, my mom would cook a drumstick sabzi, remembering the tree she grew up with in her verandah. These are all memories from a long time back, maybe 15-20 years ago. The memories come back now as a yearning and also a guiding path. To rekindle my close relationship with nature after many years of hiatus.
2. Grinding Our Own Spices To Cook
Growing up, we did not do so much of this. Because there were easily available market alternatives, but now as I cook more regularly myself, I feel like grinding my own spices. I’d like to mix my own unique flavour blends, the way you mix colors. We have appliances to save time, but I’m trying to understand what is it that we are saving time for?
More to be added to this list. Watch out this space.
If you are interested in organising a nature walk or event of this kind, you can contact me at nayanika.work@gmail.com
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