Its origin, nobody knew.A stray seed scattered by a stray crow fell on a house property. Unlike many scattered seeds which for various reasons never make it, this one seed however took root. It grew first into a plant and then a beautiful, bountiful mango tree, lush and green, giving luscious, delicious fruit. In peak season, its branches were weighed down with golden mangoes. Tall and majestic, bringing forth endlessly and abundantly, year after year the choicest fruit, it was indeed the owner’s Pride and Neighbour’s Envy. “ Do you know?” the lady of the house would start while talking to visitors and guests and then go on to recount the story of how a stray seed had grown into a full-fledged Alphonso Mango tree. Everybody would then troop out to admire the mango tree, gape at its fruit- laden branches while the tree stood by graciously and loftily, basking in all the admiration. The tree needed no special care and yet gave abundant fruit. Year after year, the mango plucker came with his stick and basket and brutally knocked down the exotic fruit, which was then ripened under the watchful eye of the lady of the house and packed in crates to be sent to near and dear ones in distant places. Did the mango tree feel sad? Did it feel any pain? Nobody knew. Nobody cared. Everybody was interested only in its fruit which it gave endlessly and countless year after year. The only truth which the tree knew was to bear fruit and give to all those who asked and all those who sought. Then the son of the house married and the lady of the house brought her brand new daughter-in -law to the tree and proudly said, “ This mango tree is the pride and glory of our family”. The mango tree, waited by for some acknowledgement of its prowess but none came. Maybe the city-bred daughter-in-law did not care about the mango tree or was too pre-occupied with other concerns. She merely looked at the tree and moved on.”Never mind”, said the tree to itself.” She has just come; she will learn to like me”.
Years passed and the tree was now almost forty years old.Other than watering,it was not given anyspecial care. Old it may have grown but its fruit was abundant still. As with any city, things including a regular gardener had become pretty expensive and the odd “gardener” who came along hardly bothered about the tree. But the tree stoically bore fruit, eaten and relished by the family. In the peak mango season, the tangy smell of raw mango penetrated nostrils, bringing in its wake memories of spicy, succulent pickles and chutneys. Human beings become old and the comely bride of yester-years was now a matronly homemaker, with creased brows and furrowed forehead. But the tree never tired of bearing fruit andwas forever green and always fresh. Then a strange thing happened. The bride of old, as if in a sudden burst of enlightenment, wrapped her arms around the tree and cried, “ Oh great tree, how green and fresh and generous are you. Oh! how I wish I had realised your importance when I was younger, clambered on your branches and plucked your fruit. But now, my arthiritis prevents me from enjoying nature’s simple pleasures”.
Tears streamed down the tree’s cheeks.Her bountiness had at last been acknowledged, at last she had won a place in the bride’s heart. her sacrifice had not been in vain.
Let us turn a new leaf in our lives-like the tree,let us give without asking and without end.Let us return manifold both to nature and society. Like the tree, we have to recharge both society and ecology to serve posterity.
