Function on "Nature and Tradition"

Michel Danino, Scholar on Indian Tradition and Culture (second from left) at the inaugural function of the project on "Nature and Tradition" in the city.Change in lifestyle in the villages caused by industrial and economic development has led to a gradual breaking down of traditions, Michel Danino, scholar on Indian tradition and Culture, said here on Friday.Speaking at the inauguration of the project, ‘Nature and Tradition,’ at the GKD Matriculation Higher Secondary School, he said that breaking away from tradition had resulted in ecological imbalance. He pointed out that various traditional practices were neglected in the wake of increasing industrialisation.

The simple village pond for instance acted as a natural water conservation structure. These had been filled up to facilitate the rapid expansion of cities. With the disappearance of these ponds, rainwater could no longer stagnate, percolate and replenish the water table.The concept of Nature in the Indian culture and tradition had always been very different from that in the Western world, Mr.Danino added.While Nature was always a source of resources for the Western man, it was another form of divinity for his Indian counterpart.There were even exclusive lands called the ‘sacred groves’ in plenty in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

These lands, sometimes running into several hectares, housed a temple and various trees, ponds and served as a Nature reserve. But, even these sacred groves were fast vanishing, he lamented.He urged the teachers of the school to identify such sacred groves in and around Coimbatore and pass on the message of conservation to the students.The disappearance of forests too was posing a threat to the peaceful existence of human beings as excessive poaching had driven wild animals out of their natural habitats. The unprecedented pace of development had also caused serious problems in villages in terms of waste disposal, and water supply.

The drainages were choked with plastics. This was because villages had become overly dependent on Government schemes and had relegated their traditional system of functioning to the background. If they were to settle these issues at the grassroots level, most of the problems could be solved, he said.Though the work of some non-Governmental organisations were positive signs, the youth today needed to draw inspiration from the Indian traditional practices and understand their significance in the larger ecological context, he said.

Students of the school displayed their projects on various topics. While some of them described each of Nature’s gifts to mankind, some others described the products that can be derived from Nature and made use of commercially. For instance shikakai, fenugreek, and multani are used extensively in making beauty products. The students were dressed in traditional clothes and arranged models of the festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu. The snake pit that is worshipped during the Nagpanchami festival was made by the students and the teachers.The rituals performed during Aadi perukku, Pongal and even Onam were enacted by them to welcome the chief guest.Principal, Prasanna Radhakrishnan, said that projects such as this would help cultivate positive and universal human values in the students.

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