Man has been blamed for many things over the years, especially when it comes to destroying nature. Women too, if I want to be politically correct. But the fact remains that while we play a never-ending blaming game in all facets of our lives there are individuals, organizations, people in general who work for the preservation of nature as part of their daily lives. Someone might debate that we only protect the nature because we have more to lose if we do not. So it might be a selfish reason, but it is reason nevertheless.
While on a four day vacation to Corbett National Park last year I learnt small facts about nature amidst all the tiger pug-mark and feces spotting. We never got to see a real tiger, but it was good to know that the eco-hotel we were staying at was not afraid of letting 8 foot high termite hills grow just outside their property. Moreover, the lesson I got from one of their naturists about the life and times of termites was quite an eye-opener.
The photograph that is featured consists of a leaf collector (in the distance) on the hotel property taking the fallen dry leaves to be burnt safely. Once the leaves and other such waste are burnt, the remains are recycled. This is obviously done to avoid any kind of fire that may erupt due to the hot Sun during summers. Thinking about the walks I took in the national park, all around, the ground has been burnt methodically, in parts, to lessen the chance of forest fires. Considering the vastness of the forest area it is not an easy task, but one that is essential.
Now, every time I look at the photograph I realize that there is still some hope. There is education amongst people about the importance of preserving our flora and fauna. It is also a reminder that we take on important causes like Save The Tiger, but often forget to thank the people or governments for what they do everyday to try and save what's left behind on the planet. I will be the first to admit that I do not follow all the rules and precautions I should, but even if every one of us performs a few tasks that help nature, be it for selfish reasons, we can eventually make a difference.
Can a photograph actually speak a thousand words? Can it really tell the whole story? In my new series I shall be picking out a few of my favorite photographs and talking about them; where I took them and if at all they really "speak" about the place it was taken in. I do not intend to count the words to a 1000, but still try and see if a picture can really be as descriptive and informative as we claim it to be.
