What we sow?



Carnage, absolute carnage.

That’s what I saw when I passed through the, once familiar, roads of my 2nd home.

It makes little sense to tell a story without some background. So, on a bright and hot Saturday as I sleepily contemplated what to do on my well-deserved day of rest, Theka and Auri landed up at my place with dubious intentions. Their agenda, a hare brained and seemingly ill thought of trip to Simla. Despite my many reservations (and protestations) I got ready and off we went to a place I have come to know as my home away from home.

The drive was without incident, a first in my experience, and we entered Himachal around 6 pm. From then on, what I saw saddened me.

I understand that development is for the good of the many. It creates jobs, modernizes infrastructure and it could even be life-saving in the long run. But, when I saw the thousands upon thousands of trees chopped up, pulled down, ripped apart. I was crying.

Devastation, desolation. The drive from Chandigarh to Simla was a horrifying experience. All for development, serenity is ripped up and let go. So that lots of people may feel the warmth of cash in their pockets, who can then buy the best air-conditioners and then lament the fact that they have to use those AC’s. Himachal was one of the few places that had managed some modernity without compromising on what made it unique. But I think impatience or greed, or both got the better of them.

Murderers. Those trees were older than the concept of Himachal Pradesh. It will take a generation to simply return this green cover. The dust, the machinery, the pollution, it was as if I had entered Gurgaon rather than Himachal. This experience (and the drive back) were horrifying. Words fail me, the vitriol that I want to spout is unfathomable. HOW? WHY?

Here’s to what was the poor man’s paradise, ripped apart so that concrete may be poured down its veins and plastered over with money. To our subsequent generations – who will eat the poison fruits we are sowing today. It will happen and it will not be nice.

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