Ahmedabad such a tremendously interesting city of layers, wheels within wheels; intrinsically woven together in spidery bonds of its population striving through criss cross patterns on the topographical fabric that is the city; undulating, quite like the sting ray sensuously gliding across the surface of the seas, its tail end point entwined to another and yet another in the vast repertoire of anecdotes and tales regarding the extraordinary lives and contributions of the men and women in the street none of whose names appear in the annals of history, but with their zeal to make some positive changes to the flowering of this home that we call Ahmedabad.
Take the case of ever so many humble eateries along the sprawling Teen Darwaza, Karanj nexus. At any given time of the day there are a motley group of the homeless wasted, addicts and maimed, encroached upon the sidewalk spilling on to the road and waiting patiently for hand outs of left overs that ensure that these ‘derelicts’ get fed daily. As one of the dhaba owners remarked, “It gives not only satisfaction on a religio- internal level, but also a sense of oneness between them and us.”
These Samaritans are restricted to this part of the city alone. Groups of concerned citizens can be seen distributing blankets to the homeless in winter. For the younger generation Ahmedavadi service is a part of over all growth which gives an immense sense of joy and fulfillment. Dedicated students from schools and colleges regularly visit slums to teach and interact with the children there. Concerned citizens regularly give their time to organizations such as Missionary charities and old age homes where they bring cheer to the hearts of the worthies residing there.
Then again meet the common men on street corners who for years have made it a moot point to act as custodians for numerous birds at a variety of locations, religiously feeding them, non descript, staying out of the limelight and expecting none. There are also stalwarts who make it a point to feed stray dogs while the cattle roving free in the city seem to need not as they are amply provided for. So many animals adapted to survive helped along the way by a veritable battery of people bent on being good Samaritans with an underlying guilt of being the cause and usurper of the territory in the first place. Ahmedabad can be motivated or packaged to be an urban sanctuary a fascinatingly harmonious forest of cement concrete ranges, picaresque pathways of macadam, long term genetically altering atmospheric particulate matter and peppered with a smattering of trees. During Uttarayan dedicated volunteers throng nooks and crannies of this wonderful city, tending to the needs of urbanized birds.
While watching a clip on the net of world leaders at the G8 summit in Toyako Japan taking part in a tree planting ceremony I remembered a chance encounter I had with Deepak Arora. Deepak, who while virtually neglecting a flourishing business in something mundane and unimportant, wishes instead to be known as the man who wishes to plant ten lakh trees in Gujarat, setting of a revolution whose ramifications will be felt for the benefit of future generations. Deepak and his group of ever increasing volunteers take time off, organize sapling nurturing sessions citing the ideology of karma yoga. From sourcing the saplings to finding the requisite land, cleaning the rubble organizing water, manure and most of all tender care take up most of their time and whatever available meager finance. Then it is a ritual handing the project over to the local community after generating a green awareness.
At a time when world decisions regarding greenhouse gases and global warming are leading to half baked and unrealistic solutions it is heartening to come across people like Deepak who genuinely believe, “we want to bring in a green revolution thus making our city a better place to live for us and our future generation. We have a vision to create a heaven in our surroundings.”
Ever so many personages and their just perfect contributions fine tuning the city’s intermingled amalgamation of human emotions on a concrete plain. The cultural history and tradition of the people of Ahmedabad is based on service, compassion and care. Thus paving the way for a better future.
Published: Ahmedabad Mirror
Take the case of ever so many humble eateries along the sprawling Teen Darwaza, Karanj nexus. At any given time of the day there are a motley group of the homeless wasted, addicts and maimed, encroached upon the sidewalk spilling on to the road and waiting patiently for hand outs of left overs that ensure that these ‘derelicts’ get fed daily. As one of the dhaba owners remarked, “It gives not only satisfaction on a religio- internal level, but also a sense of oneness between them and us.”
These Samaritans are restricted to this part of the city alone. Groups of concerned citizens can be seen distributing blankets to the homeless in winter. For the younger generation Ahmedavadi service is a part of over all growth which gives an immense sense of joy and fulfillment. Dedicated students from schools and colleges regularly visit slums to teach and interact with the children there. Concerned citizens regularly give their time to organizations such as Missionary charities and old age homes where they bring cheer to the hearts of the worthies residing there.
Then again meet the common men on street corners who for years have made it a moot point to act as custodians for numerous birds at a variety of locations, religiously feeding them, non descript, staying out of the limelight and expecting none. There are also stalwarts who make it a point to feed stray dogs while the cattle roving free in the city seem to need not as they are amply provided for. So many animals adapted to survive helped along the way by a veritable battery of people bent on being good Samaritans with an underlying guilt of being the cause and usurper of the territory in the first place. Ahmedabad can be motivated or packaged to be an urban sanctuary a fascinatingly harmonious forest of cement concrete ranges, picaresque pathways of macadam, long term genetically altering atmospheric particulate matter and peppered with a smattering of trees. During Uttarayan dedicated volunteers throng nooks and crannies of this wonderful city, tending to the needs of urbanized birds.
While watching a clip on the net of world leaders at the G8 summit in Toyako Japan taking part in a tree planting ceremony I remembered a chance encounter I had with Deepak Arora. Deepak, who while virtually neglecting a flourishing business in something mundane and unimportant, wishes instead to be known as the man who wishes to plant ten lakh trees in Gujarat, setting of a revolution whose ramifications will be felt for the benefit of future generations. Deepak and his group of ever increasing volunteers take time off, organize sapling nurturing sessions citing the ideology of karma yoga. From sourcing the saplings to finding the requisite land, cleaning the rubble organizing water, manure and most of all tender care take up most of their time and whatever available meager finance. Then it is a ritual handing the project over to the local community after generating a green awareness.
At a time when world decisions regarding greenhouse gases and global warming are leading to half baked and unrealistic solutions it is heartening to come across people like Deepak who genuinely believe, “we want to bring in a green revolution thus making our city a better place to live for us and our future generation. We have a vision to create a heaven in our surroundings.”
Ever so many personages and their just perfect contributions fine tuning the city’s intermingled amalgamation of human emotions on a concrete plain. The cultural history and tradition of the people of Ahmedabad is based on service, compassion and care. Thus paving the way for a better future.
Published: Ahmedabad Mirror
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