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“One
individual cannot possibly make a difference, alone. It is individual efforts,
collectively, that makes a noticeable difference—all the difference in the
world!”...Dr. Jane Goodall
Considered to be the world's foremost expert on
chimpanzees, Goodall is best known
for her 60-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees,
Jane’s above words carry so much weight & do mind she was just one woman
then, some fifty years back when she decided to go in the wild Africa &
study some monkeys which later got famous as Chimpanzees! Indeed there were
such crazy women (mothers) & there are still, keeping the hope alive for the
wild life which is purest form of the nature! Recently Jungle Belles, an
organization started by Aarti & Hemangi, two of city (urban) women & happens
to be my forester friends too, for making city women aware as well make trips
to the forests & forest means not just tiger projects like Tadoba or Kanha
but the local habitats also are in a way wilderness! The
task is extremely challenging for two reasons, as first in our country anything
when you target keeping exclusively for women (except some Sale i.e. Shopping
Festival) then the women (even so called independent ones) has hundred of reasons
which includes their office work front to home front (read as kids, in laws, husband
& if nothing then the maid on leave) & I do respect every such reason!
Second is, when it’s about making time for outing in the nature (forests), exclusively
for the women then again the basic question arises, “what’s the need now”?
Yet one must praise Aarti & Hemangi for the
efforts they are taking in pushing the
concept of exclusive women exposure to the wildlife & in these lockdown
times when everyone has been tied in their own concrete jungle they took on the
virtual platform to bring the forests to the women at home. And no harm in
making some money while doing this, as it’s a good start-up business too, which
is the best way to make the concept sustainable! In one such webinar recently which was on the occasion
of Mother’s Day, there were five women of different age group, background &
profession, were the guests & they shared their journey on the path of
nature! The guest ladies were, Vaijayanti Gadgil, who runs a nature group on FB
& travels a lot in wilds with few her women friends. There was Samntha
Sirohi, an entrepreneur by herself & actress too & there was Swapna
Marathe, house wife which has developed liking for wild life photography. There
was Shilpa Deshpande, partner in a media giant in Pune (Setu Ads) & has
been a forest goer for a while with birding as passion. Lastly there was a
young girl Paridhi Jalan, yet a student but understands her role in nature
conservation as well wants to take up environment as her career! Amazing lot
they were & I deliberately didn’t mentioned their age (not a gentleman
thing to do with ladies) but barring Paridhi all are Mother also along with their
individual responsibilities that were most important aspect of all the sharing!
Many will say we have already Women’s Day, so what big deal
in having a Mother’s Day along, are we not glorifying women a bit more by doing
so, as being mother is just one part of womanhood, right? Indeed,
“kuch to loag kahenge” (read loag as men) but guys remember what we refer to
the nature by; well it, “Mother Nature” right! Do I still need to elaborate the
importance of the role as a mother by any woman still? And indeed whatever way each of us grown-up i.e.
good or bad (individual’s perception) but it’s the role of mother which gets
the credit or debit the way we end up as. Exactly, that’s why role of a woman as a mother in the
nature conservation is important as when a man becomes wildlifer or wild life
photographer or conservationist, it’s he alone (most of the times) do it &
has no other responsibilities & he takes it as his dedication of passion. I am
not insulting men by saying so or their passion for nature as even it may be individual effort but it
counts, what I am saying is, when a woman (read as mother) takes up nature
conservation it’s the entire attitude about
the conservation gets changed. As first, the woman has to find time out for nature (forest)
& this she has to convince the entire family (and office too) that, the nature
is most important aspect for us to survive. Because when a woman who is a
mother too, when takes path of forests as her passion then she has capacity to
make one family (if not entire world) to follow that path along with her, this
is why more mothers should visit forests & this is why Jungle Belles work
is important & this is why the episode of sharing of nature outings by
these five women is important!
As none of these five women were a world class photographer
or an authority on the wild life but that’s not at all required in the first
place! Take example of Vajayanti madam,
she happily retired from a well to do business & has a settled life with
two girls married & a good life with a farm house as second home. But she
took the time at hand as her passion & started exploring forests & not
just that but is encouraging fellow women to do so & she is a wonderful photographer
too, her clicks of birds & other species which are regular visitors at her
backyard in the farm house, vouch for her photographic skills! Samantha on
the other hand has never been to forests of any such outings till last just one
or two year but now she is a regular member of Jungle Belles outings in the nearby
habitats of Pune & enjoys it very much. Swapna even being a house wife is pursuing
her wild life photography & that’s really wonderful change for her. Shilpa, who is or else busy in figures of
balance sheet now speaks about camera shutter speed & exposure type things
& is proud to display her passion of birding. And Paridhi, at such
yo0ung age speaks about sustainable development & future of earth, an age
in which I even didn’t know these terminologies, isn’t all this just wonderful!
I think the men (and other family as well work members) must encourage every
mother around to spare some time for herself & that too for nature
conservation, at least that much we can do!
And all the five women gave one common message, the time they
take out for the nature or forest outings is the best time for their own self
also & it’s like rejuvenating themselves once again! Indeed even a mother
also needs recharging & along with it if she is making the earth a better
place to live, I think that can be the best thing for the forests &
thousands of species! Thanks Jungle Belles & all five lady participants
to make the Mother’s Day special by their sharing about nature & sure many more
mothers will be joining them on this path ahead, as that’s how the Hope is alive
for the Nature!
I am happy that Team Sanjeevani is proudly associated
with Jungle Belles & Wild Life Conservation!
--
Sanjay
Deshpande
Sanjeevani
Dev.
Please view my sharing about real
estate in Pune at U-Tube link below..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4xX7eopH5o&t=5s
Please do visit my
blog links below to read about real estate & home buying!
https://visonoflife.blogspot.com/2021/01/post-lock-down-real-estate-home-buying.html
http://jivnachadrushtikon.blogspot.com/
Creating Togetherness; team Sanjeevani Way(Click link below)
https://www.flickr.com/photos/65629150@N06/albums/72157627904681345
For any of your complaints about city, log in at link below
www.punecorporation.org
Take your issues to
Hon PM at link below..
Think
Green, Think Life
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