VRUKSHA

Long long ago or should I be saying Very long ago the world we live in was totally different from what we read or knew. It was far more beautiful, vast and completely natural.

God Graced mother Earth with strength of gravity, Charm of fire, covered it with partial land and rest with Oceans. By time and evolutions there were growth of different types of trees giving birth to large forests and in parallel other species starting from aquatic, amphibians, terrestrials and so on….. They all were living together, like they all belonged to each other as a family looking up to mother earth and father The Sun.

 Almost every living creature could communicate to each other they all had one common language.  That was the time when Humans and their descendants could speak to the forest or trees. Humans lived together in groups in forest.

Trees and man were friends, each of them natured the other. Plants asked Humans to protect them from a few animals in turn they returned the favor helping humans to feed their families.  Trees had the natural power to speak to winds and they gave the messages or warning to humans about any calamities.

Thus both of them had the need of each other and they stood by each other.

In those days there was a leader of a suburb named Manav who was very well known for his deeds and friend ship with the elderly  tree named Vat vriksha it was a banyan tree the head of the forest

They both had a great deal of connections and powers, with the help of which they ruled their kind. They shared their misery, happiness and life with each other.

                                                            *******

                                               

                                                One day Manav reached the bank of river where stood the Vat Vriksha and sat down very calm, throwing pebbles into river and staring at the ripples. This continued for few hours, Puzzled by the Situation Vat vriksha Asked his dear friend concerned to know what had happened.

Vatvriksha: Oh dear! Last time when we met, you were so joy full, pleased with your life, you told me there’s a surprise?

Well now you show up after many months and

look so upset, what is it? What went wrong?

Manav: Yes, there was a surprise, I met a girl … her name is Kaya. She is the most beautiful feminine of our kind, I have ever seen.

Vatvriksha: that’s delightful ,go on tell me more.

Manav: Last time when I met you I was going to ask for her hand. I was heading to meet her tribe and put forth the proposal.

Vatvriksha: So did her tribe reject your proposal?

Manav : No they accepted and I married her on the same day.

Vatvriksha: That’s magnificent, where is she I would like to meet her.

Manav: I too wanted her to meet you but…

Vatvriksha: But?

Manav : You see she is the most beautiful lady, certainly I wasn’t the one she wanted to get married to… I am not good enough for her.

Vatvriksha: You are underestimating yourself, you are one the most powerful and intelligent human I have ever known.

Manav : She doesn’t talk to me, I want to love her But I don’t understand her and its been 7 months, I feel violent, desperate, drained when she Ignores me.

Vatvriksha: Hmm and have you spoken about all these to her?

Manav : I don’t want her to consider me the weaker one. I have decided not to speak to her until she breaks the silences.

Vatvriksha: No wonder why you both couldn’t interact. My friend, Love isn’t about showing your ego, or knowing who is better of you both, its about understanding each other to lightening the burdens and love is the result of what you give not what you get.

She is far from her known ones give her time and your time too.

Manav: Have you ever been in love?

Vatvriksha: Yes! She was vivacious, one of her kind distinct creation, never been to any such tree before, was in love with her unique fragrance, her roots were very far from here but we spoke to each other all the time, Thanks to the wind we could  have very long conversations.
We pollinated with the help of birds and flies, she left me the seed of our timeless love as a token.

Manav : left the seed, don’t you talk to her now?

Vatvriksha: She was gone by the floods; there are things you cannot control. Take this seed and gift it to Kaya, tell her to germinate it under the blessings of lord Sun. May your love grows as the plant grow, take care of my son and name him RUDRA.

Next day kaya planted the seed beside her home, the plant started germinating and things started to fall in place in their life. The plant grew faster than any other plant.

Like its unique name “Rudra” the plant was unique, beautiful of all the trees, it gave different types of flowers and fruits as per season, it could hunt or injure the species who tried to harm it and could control storm or wind.

*******

After a few months the couple decided to visit Vatvriksha, Kaya seemed all fascinated about the young Rudra, she spoke about its growth and specialties and felts overwhelmed to have it. Where as Manav congratulates Vatvriksha to be proud father of such a tree with unique qualities.

                                    Later on they shared their yearning of having their own kid.  Vatvriksha suggested them to have faith in lord SUN and assured them that he would adjure whole forest to join in his orison(prayers) for their child. Soon they will have their own kid.

It’s true that God test our faith in both our contentment and sorrow. The Prayers continued for years. However every one seemed determined and continued their worship.

One night when Kaya was asleep she had a dream that listening to her enchantments lord sun appeared in front of her and granted all her wish. She asked “Lord I need your blessings I want a child the most beautiful ever born, the most strongest and powerful like you” God Sun replied “ I will accept your prayers and bless you with what you desire for, however, I would still like to know what else can you offer “ to which she closed her eyes and replied “ I swear my Almighty, I and this whole world belongs to you”

Finally the day arrived when Kaya gave birth to a very wonderful child, her beauty excelled, she was charming and powerful, her powers started unfolding when she started learning to speak she could stop or make it rain, vanish the clouds and when she danced the sun blazed on earth. They named her Vruksha  which meant 'Giver of rain, light or satisfaction'

Kaya couldn’t live longer to see her daughter grow old and further powerful. She died when Vruksha was 5 years old. Vruksha learnt to take care of Rudra just like her mother. She admired the qualities of Rudra, It filled her emptiness. She spent all her time along with the trees especially with Rudra.

As time passed the bond between these two grew stronger and amiable, Rudra loved the way Vruksha was changing physically and as a person she was quick, to learn things and as she shared almost every thought of her with Rudra. It made him think more like a human. He could control her emotional breakdowns whenever she was angry with her father or the nature. He never let her feel lonely. But Rudra couldn’t help himself as he was left alone in nights, he missed Vruksha and that was the time he talked to his father Vatvriksha about her and rest of the world. She made sure that she meet Rudra every day for same reasons.

            Rudra  developed interest about the changes that were going on with humans, he always stayed fascinated to hear things they developed for the betterment of their livelihood. Whereas Vruksha was always keen about what was going all around her suburb and nearby forests. They summarized what all they learnt and what all changed in past season in the end of every season.

 *******

One Evening completing all her work Vruksha rushed to Rudra and started breathing hard and blabbering at the same time.

Vruksha: You know what, that Shantanu he married wheel, no he married to this Himavana  they took wheet no wheel no the Cart.

Rudra: All right my princess, take some time, breath some air, and then restart.

Vruksha: Hufff huhhhh

Rudra : Okay ?

Vruksha : Did I tell you about Himavana my friend from the neighbor hood ?

Rudra : Yes I heard about her that she left the tribe.

Vruksha : Yes but the essential part is she left on a Cart.

Rudra: what is Cart?

Vruksha : A few months back a visitor came to our area he was in search of cows or buffaloes . Some one gave him 2 cows in return of lots of different varieties of wood. He said he got it from many dead plants.

Rudra : I feel that’s a false story,I have heard some other version of it.

Vruksha: And this guy / visitor whose name is Shantanu build wheels with wood which is shape of orange and a cart which was similar like a small floor was attached to the wheels and is pulled by cows. Himavana is living with him from last day, he had asked for her hand.

Rudra : Well I have heard that many of humans are doing this and they have started to kill tree for its wood. I feel one must not kill us humans can use some part of us and help us to grow with the rest.

Vruksha : Yes, it’s really bad.  But no one is opposing them. Rather every one gathered there to wish him and accepted his proposal for Himavana.

Rudra: I never heard about any tree talking about opposing a human act.

Vruksha : But why ? you should be against to things that are harmful for your kind.

Rudra : I agree, I stay against, but most of us are believed to live with no laments.

Vruksha: And wouldn’t you oppose if they do this to you ? I can’t stand the thought of  not seeing you , My life would be so incomplete with out you.

Rudra: well you are too early, to judge your emotion once you get the man to live with you too would leave the tribe.

Vruksha : and never see you again?

Rudra : You can visit me.

Vruksha : how can you be so sure about me getting a man, how would I know someone would come in my life ,Or even if I even want to live with some one?

Rudra: Explore yourself a little and explore the world a little more you would get your answer.

Vruksha Stood there for a very long time looking at Rudra who was looking at the sky both were in immense agony of the thought of leaving each other.

Next few days passed with the same scene repeating itself. Vruksha approached Rudra while he never looked back at her all the time he kept calm , either closed his eyes or looked towards the sky.

As moon bloomed in the sky She would leave him with saying nothing. They dint spoke for months and it made Vruksha feel treacherous without committing any flaw.

She started weeping and then crying for days which caused heavy rains and storms, Rudra expanded his roots and branches and tried Maximum to oppose the storms but they were getting denser and stronger. Rudra Started Shouting out Vruksha’s name, and when she appeared before him, he took her in his arms lifted her up and he caressed her soothing her.

In a fraction of second Sun rays started touching the earth and everything became normal. But they were both still in the amalgamated state, So close and so intense that he could feel her pulse and she could feel the movement of water inside him.

They were in love and she belong to him. Rudra never wanted to let her go away from her and before he could say this he heard her saying “Never ask me to leave or go away from you”.

 *******

                                    Manav was enraged when he came to know the whole saga, He was against to his daughter falling in love with a tree and living with it, but the whole forest tried to convince him that his daughter belonged to the forest. Manav wasn’t ready to believe that and felt humans are the one more superior and its not acceptable.

That night Manav decided to put things to end and he met Shantanu and asked him to kill Rudra. As he was unhappy with his daughter who wasn’t understanding his perceptions.

Shantanu agreed to that he went to Rudra and started cutting him down outrageously, Rudra didn’t defend himself he just called Vruksha’s name repeatedly his voice was going low by every minute, When Vruksha appeared to the scene, Shantanu let a fire and left it on Rudra, Vruksha was shocked to see all this and she jumped into the fire, they were burned to ashes.

This remained an untold story. However since then Humans were cursed that as they can’t protect the most powerful gift given to them from god, they would be subjected to all natural calamities, as they dint respect their elder trees there descendent or kids would offend them. Humans stood there apologizing to the forests and tree but since then on no tree spoke to human again…..

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous,

 something very peaceful and beautiful, enjoy it, love it, stop being a demon by cutting them down…. be it trees, forest or  animal, we aren't far from extinction
Have some mercy! they all are valuable.

--Cheers 

Garima Singh