A Moksha for a tamarind tree
Jan 21, 2025
I am a tamarind tree, standing by the roadside —not precisely on the roadside, but 100 meters away. Fortunately or unfortunately, I stand between two buildings, and I have been living there for 30 years without troubling anyone. These buildings were constructed by people who declared that this property belonged to them. They said they had documents to prove it! However, I never claimed that this property belonged to me. I was happy, but a little loneliness was my only concern. Still, I provided many tamarinds to the neighbours, besides offering massive shade to many people, birds, and insects (in your language). In the language of nature, there are no insects on the planet. All are living beings with equal privilege to live happily.
Recently, my fate changed. Some shop owners complained that I was shedding a lot of dry leaves and tamarinds, which caused them discomfort. They made noise and complained to some legal authority, which then asked the landlord (what a beautiful name, like a god) to cut the tree. I was surprised because, according to the law, if one tree sheds twigs and dry leaves on someone else's property and grows branches out into another's property, it is a trespass. Either the so-called owner should face legal action, or he should cut the tree, even if it is not troubling anyone. Our system allows humans to live while committing crimes against nature and the planet.
Unfortunately, my fate is decided by some unknown people, whom humans call judges. They determine the fate of trees and others who have never seen me or checked my contributions to the criminals and my beloved planet. Today, they decided to kill me by cutting down my branches first. Initially, I thought they would only trim a few branches that extended onto someone else's property. Gradually, they cut me down completely.
You know, I was happy about this action. First of all, I had been there for 30 years, standing lonely. If they hadn’t decided my fate, I could have lived a few more years. However, as the number of vehicles increases day by day, pollution has also risen, making me breathe in polluted air that makes me sick. On top of that, people do all sorts of things to me. They urinate on me sometimes and spit on me. They constantly insult me, and I have quietly suffered all these for a long time.
I knew those tree cutters had given me Moksha. I was not getting enough water because of my position between the buildings, which blocked all water passages with tiles and other materials. I was happy that many birds lived on me. But of late, their numbers have reduced day by day, as humans have turned the planet into hell, and the birds were suffering a lot. A few days ago, some kids were throwing stones at the birds, and they stole their young. Pollution has increased significantly, and I was sad because there were no birds to supply my seeds and encourage my generations.
Very recently, people happily collected my tamarinds and ate. They found eating raw tamarind cheap gesture and unhealthy practice. They started making tamarind chocolates, believing it to be more hygienic, healthier and fashionable. Children used to collect my fruits happily. But now no one does it to stop creating wastes around. They felt the tamarinds available in shop well-packed tasted better. The packaged ones with flavours fascinated more people. By nature, tamarind is well-packed, too. I wish I could go to the shops and taste it!
Anyway, I am happy now. They have given me a good farewell. Tomorrow, some birds may cry for me, but humans may be happy about my death. Accordingly, I achieve Moksha – an absolute emancipation from humans!
SAJIKUMAR
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