On the early morning of 29th August 2022, due to an unfortunate landslide that occurred in a place called Thodupzha in the Idukki District of Kerala, five persons of a family passed away, including a boy by name Devanand, aged 4 years. This story is dedicated in the loving memory of Devanand.
Once, a boy was born into a wonderful family in a beautiful green high-range village in the Kerala State, India. On the day he was born, when he slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was two pairs of loving eyes filled with tears of joy and happiness that belonged to his parents - his loving mother and father. He heard his father whispering to his mother “This baby is a gift from the God!” When he scanned his eyes around the hospital room, he saw two other pairs of eager eyes – his grandparents vibrant with a mixture of every good feelings in the world, that none of the words or emoji can explain!
The boy’s home was half way up on a hill. The woods and grass lands marked the top of the hill. Although it was a very small home with just two rooms, his home and surroundings were filled with the purest form of love and happiness. He always thanked God for sending him to a beautiful land and to a beautiful family.
Gradually, he grew-up in that home. Every day was a learning day for him with lots to learn – he had to learn to sit, stand, walk, run and to observe and to communicate. The major part of his learning came from the surroundings – from the songs of the birds around, from the waiving sound of trees from the jungle up-hill and from the thriving wildlife in it. Often hares, herds of deer and peacocks passed by his home in calmness. He understood from them that this world is not for human beings alone but this world has to be shared with other creations of the God, and human beings have to live in harmony with other living things around.
One day, he heard a strange roaring sound made by machines from the up-hill. He saw that the trees up-hill were being cut and slopes were being flattened by some people. All he considered as precious were being destroyed by them mercilessly for the sake of some materialistic needs - a construction was going on up-hill! During the course of the month, the beautiful songs of birds were replaced with the sounds of machines, jig saws, shuttling vehicles. The process went on. He wondered what will happen to the deer, hares and other wildlife that have taken that land as their home. Well, he didn’t see them at all thereafter – they either fled or were killed or taken in captive.
The boy’s home was never a happy home again. Fear, anxiety and concerns filled the home. On one night, he was playing with his grandmother. It was raining outside – but nothing unusual – it was just rain. But, suddenly he heard a loud thud from the up-hill. The ground started shaking violently and he realized that his house was collapsing. Muddy water and rocks rushed in from all directions. The roof collapsed first! He saw a part of the roof falling on to his beloved father and sister. They screamed in pain – and finally a dreadful silence! Their body was motionless, deformed and all covered in mud.
The next moment, he felt his mother’s arms grabbing him tightly. She tried to keep his head above the muddy water-level but the grip weakened and she was washed away by the rushing water. He was into the water again. He was drowning – his lungs was bursting in pain – he couldn’t hold his breath further. Muddy water forced into his lungs and then everything went to stillness - no more struggle no more resistance. He died so as his father, mother, sister and grandmother.
The above story portraits the ill-fate of Devanand and his family who lost their life consequent to a major landslide. Before we cut a tree or do anything harmful to the nature – STOP and think of Devanand and his family.
Perhaps, we can at least prevent similar incidents in the future by afforestation and scientific use of the land. Let us take a pledge together – “We will not cut any trees rather we will promote afforestation. Green Earth is the Safe Earth.”