The Tulasi Plant
The Tulasi or the Basil plant is probably the most revered plant in India. The Hindus see it as a symbol of Lord Vishnu. Typically the plant is treated as another family member. It is regularly worshipped by most womenfolk in a traditional Hindu household. But sometimes due to exigent situations, we may not be able to tend to it as we would normally have done due to sudden travel etc.
Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose proved to Western Science that plants have feelings too. Somethings ancient Hindus knew all along. Ancient Hindu philosophy maintains that there is life even in inanimate objects. The connections between various seemingly unconnected objects or situations that are the stuff of Quantum Physics, have already been discussed in ancient India. But then that is material for another rumination.
A Pot and Two plants
This post is about the ‘revival’ or resuscitation of two basil plants. These plants were small and in the same ‘pot’ as a bigger basil plant. One had the opportunity to water them since one’s friend had been travelling. When one first saw the plants, the plants had already been without water for a couple of days. The bigger plant was still somehow managing and did not look too weather-beaten.
Don’t let your shoulders Droop. Your drop of succour will come!
The two smaller plants were tender and obviously not as hardy. Their leaves were drooping, all life gone. Only the leaves’ colour (still green) seemed to indicate that all was not lost. One immediately thought of nothing but watering the plants. After pouring water into the pot, one’s curiosity was kindled. Could we check the progress of the small plants post the watering. To enable this, one needed to take some snaps. Therefore one immediately took a photograph for comparison later. Then subsequent photographs 10 min, 30 min, and three hours later. The photographs were very telling.
If plants could respond to water with such enthusiasm, how much could humans and animals benefit. The world over, including India, we see kids, women, men and animals in various states of oppression/ harassment. We also see humans ending their lives in frustration. They may have lost all hope.
The thought that comes is that it is possible for each one of us (in whatever state of happiness or prosperity one may be in) to treat another life kindly. Maybe, just maybe, that being may look at life with a little more hope, with a little more positivity. With a few small doses of kindness they may actually overcome their challenges and flourish. Their only allies or support in their struggle are/is the small acts of kindness that they receive, from someone, out of the way. Just as the two small plants revived with enthusiasm.