The Power of Nature: An Introduction
by Nicholas Wojcik
Earth. Goddess. India.
What do we know of India as a sacred
realm? How do we come to know
her? Why do we need to know her? These are questions that harmoniously
unify history, science, and even storytelling.
To recognize the sacred, giant mass of earth known as
India as place is to recognize its ecology, a practice that is sadly at
the bottom of educational curriculum in this day and age. India's
complex environmental structure is rich, historic, and indeed massive;
it is after all its own subcontinent!
More than seventy-five million years ago, India split from the southern supercontinent, Gondwana, shifting to the northeast across what is known today as the Indian Ocean. This geological process lasted nearly fifty million years, ending when the subcontinent abruptly collided with and became suppressed by the Eurasian tectonic plate, giving rise to the world's highest mountains, the Himalayas, the favored earthly abode of the god Shiva.
The Himalayas unleash a
number of rivers, including the Ganges and
the Brahmaputra, as well as countless major peninsula rivers which find
their way into the mouths of other water sources and give life to
countless 
plant and animal species. Over
time, both living and
non-living species have fused together to create a geographic
phenomenon.
It is difficult to put into perspective the sheer magnitude of
India's construction. It is necessary to understand the importance of
its ecology though, especially in today's world where globalization has
had a direct impact on the study of the planet, its climate conditions,
and therefore the survival of everything living and non-living. We can
look at India's prominent role in today's fast-moving world in much the
same way as its role millions of years ago.
India's rise towards a major superpower in recent years runs parallel to the pivotal moment when the Himalayas rose from a horizontal tectonic plate. Environmental science is of great significance for it deals with the study of structure and function of nature; the direct correlation between humanity's effect on and how it is affected by the natural and physical environment is a topic at the forefront of many discussions. More simply, if we want a world to live in, it is necessary to understand, logistically evaluate, and act rightfully within our boundaries to protect what is left of its geographic landscape. Remember, karma lives on in India!
India's landscape paves the foundation for some of the most prized and highly regarded stories ever written, such as the Indian Epics "The Ramayana" and "The Mahabharata." Each temperate zone within the epics' chapters paints a picture, full of color, emotion, and intrigue, though not everything within these pictures are pretty. As you will see in the following pages, much of India's precious land has suffered immensely over time. For example, I will tell you the story of Khandava, a forest that is altogether burned to the ground and Anga, a country on the verge of draught. Animals, too, are affected as you will see in a story detailing a vendetta against the world of snakes, but not all hope is lost, as shown symbolically by a bridge built by a pack of crafty squirrels who strive to save the world from an impending doom equal to that of severe ecological change.
Advance:
Survey The Smoldering Stumps
Enter Anga: City of Draught
Inside Kurujangala: The Vendetta Against the Snakes
Onward to Lanka: Bridging Ecological Borders
or
Return to Coverpage
Image Information:
"Tso Kiagar Lake in Ladakh, India" by Prabhu B, 2007.
"Sunrise on the Holy Ganges, Varanasi, India" by babasteve, 2005.
