Human beings always strive hard to improve their living standards. Better housing facilities, tastier and nutritious meals, good-looking outfits, comfortable vehicles and qualitative educational opportunities give impetus to human brain to take the quality of life to new heights. And our endeavors have borne fruit. Living conditions of contemporary people have surpassed the level of comfort, their predecessors had. But, something called peace of mind and contentment is missing. Though houses of our precursors were kacha (Raw), their apparels and attires were simple and inexpensive, their cuisines were least oily, they had non-veg dishes to relish very scarcely, junk foods were almost alien to them, schools and colleges were accessible to a few only, yet they were happy and contented. Virtues and values like simplicity, humility, decency, modesty, generosity, sincerity, honesty and integrity were embedded in their lives. They had everything under their feet, except the modern glare and glint.
Concrete houses equipped with different luxuries and comforts have revolutionized our lives. Cleanliness and hygiene in and around our abodes has improved considerably. Soft bedding and exquisite furnishing has added charm to our rooms. But we have failed to get the desired comfort and convenience from our pretty houses, because, lust of more has kindled our animalistic traits which has deprived us from real joy and peace. We have indulged ourselves in a rat race to agglomerate plethora of possessions. We have forgotten values, virtues and relationships. We have even neglected our own health to pile up hefty sums. Earning, amassing and accumulating has queued us in the row of Croesus (Qaroon). And this Qaroonic attribute has snatched the sleep of many.
Our clothes are either too short or too transparent to serve their real purpose. Clothes undoubtedly add charisma and elegance to our bodies but its cardinal purpose is to hide our intimate body parts. I won’t trammel or restrict the freedom of any specific gender, but, if our clothes are too inadequate and inappropriate to differentiate us from nudes and wilds, then we must give it a serious thought. We can’t move like animals who are bereft of intellect and logic. Liberty by no means is a shield to become vulgar and filthy. We are by nature shy and bashful. And we must not let it evaporate. Modesty in human beings is subject to perfect attires. Irrelevant and improper dresses breed indecency and obscenity.
We all are terribly caught up in a quagmire of different lifestyle epidemics. Indolence and lethargy has bulged our bellies to make us look ugly, and ailments like hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia have made us susceptible to cardiac arrests and intracerebral hemorrhages. We consume high calorific diets, containing lots of fats. Non-veg cuisines are frequently consumed by one and all. Taking junk foods and eating from restaurants has become our norm. We don’t take pride in our ancestral occupations. We hire others for all sorts of works and consequently, our health is at stake.
Our fathers and forefathers were diligent workers. Morning walks and gyms were alien to them. I have never seen my parents and grandparents complaining about health issues like triglycerides or cholesterol. Our ancestors were unacquainted about such terms. These were believed to be the diseases of metropolitan citizens. My father, who is a septuagenarian gentleman, is quite fit and healthy. Most of our elders and ancestors had no grave health issues albeit a few. Deadly ailments like cancers and diabetes were rarely reported during olden times. But, the so-called modernization has entangled us into the clutches of pain, misery and agony. I pity those who call it prosperity and success. It is no more than a stupefying hangover.
People of olden times had scanty educational opportunities to learn the skills like reading and writing. I mean, schools and colleges were only a few in number. Most of the people had no access to educational institutions to obtain degrees and diplomas. Yet, the people were compassionate, kind and generous. Envy, hatred, avarice, malice and rancor had no place in their hearts. They would hardly hurt even wild beasts. But, who is not aware of our cunning and treacherous gimmicks to injure the humanity. The recent Budgam incident where an innocent fell to the barbarity and atrocity of a beast is a testimony of that fact that we are living in tough times. Entire humanity has deluged deep into obloquy and ignominy to see the plight of the Budgam daughter. The dastardly act has sent shivers down the spine of every soulful person. Such gruesome episodes were beyond the imagination of our illiterate ancestors. We are the donkeys who only carry the burden of books, but rarely earn any true profit from them.
Our ancestors were self reliant yet they were simple and meek. Vegetables and fruits were cultivated without any chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Crops were absolutely grown organically. Homemade manures were used to increase the fertility of the soil. I vividly remember how women folk used to carry cow-dung in big wicker baskets to paddy fields and gardens. It would not only save them from the pangs of deadly chemicals but would keep them healthy and fit. Organic vegetables and fruits are gaining momentum. People prefer to purchase organically cultivated vegies at exorbitant rates, because urea and nitrogenous fertilizers have poisoned our farming products.
Backyard poultry was a vital component of village life. Every household had its own coop where indigenous species of hens and ducks were reared. Some had flocks of swans also. Eggs were abundantly found in every home. My late grandmother had christened her hens. She would call her chicken flock to peck paddy and rice grains, using their names. But, surprisingly, we have shunned the beautiful tradition. We prefer to consume broilers imported from Punjab and other North Indian states. Time is ripe to redesign and revisit our priorities, to escape the pangs of so-called modernization.
(The Author is a Teacher and Rising Kashmir columnist. He can be reached at [email protected])
