Actually, a huge river bed shows up. The river itself is a trickle of a mix. Of water, chemical, detergent. Largely stagnant. Flowing in parts. Thats a subject for a different post though.
A few meters from the river is this huge banyan tree. This is what it says. 
Eye squinting wonder pops in the mind. For this tree must have been witness to life before the Portugese came here. Of portugese rule. Of British rule. Of Indian rule. There is wonder at the depth of the history that India holds. Every other sundry rock and seems to have along history beneath it !
Coming back to this tree, perhaps in its tall structure and broad all encompassing expanse lie stories of valour and passion. Of kindness and joy. Of meditation and activity.
How must it have been a 200 odd years ago ?
The river would have been flowing in full speed. Taking with it dead leaves and dried wood, perhaps ! The birds would have been chirping. There would have been no need for the bridge across the river.
No vehicles. No building. No resort. Perhaps some monkeys. Some snakes. But then..No TV. No multiplex. No cinema. No Facebook. No EMIs. No newspapers. No traffic jams. No border crossing. No strategy meets. No publicists.
Sitting under the banyan tree and watching the river and the world go perhaps was a National Geographic special of that age !!
‘Sage’, they say. Hmm. ‘Knowledge worthy of Gods’…Hmm !
I’m wondering why the signs in India are in English? Does everyone speak it? It seems a historical marker would be written in native language..
the Daman Ganga River – it is so sad to see all the rivers getting polluted each day with chemical waste..
I wonder – I spent 16 years of my life staying just a few kms away from these places; still never really explored them much..hmm
will have to make a trip soon I guess 🙂
That sign would cause me to stop and breath in the history as well. The simplicity of life, all we need are the leaves and the breeze.
Would have been is the sad part of the beautiful imagination. maybe we like to fret after the loss.
/**No Facebook. No EMIs. No newspapers. No traffic jams. No border crossing. No strategy meets. No publicists.**/
Why ‘ No Strategy Meets’? Strategy meets, befitting of those times and life, certainly existed. For example, if I were born in that jungle centuries ago, surviving the day, and not getting eaten by some wild pig or wily jackal – would have been my ( apt) strategy.
Such a strategy is,even today relevant and has not changed – in the present day corporate jungle, for some corp Lifers, if you observe keenly ! LOL !
Ras resorts ? Probably slowed down the river with their construction silt and sewage.
Someone’s progress and someone else slows down. Thats the story everywhere.
Just wondering if the Banyan tree had swinging roots 🙂
to time travel sitting on the banks of a river can be a great experience, to imagine how it was 200 odd years ago..on this same bank, how were the people dressed, what games did the children play how was it romancing then..our forefathers ..its a goose bumpy experience altogether!
Everything comes and goes .. even the sage with ‘knowledge worthy of gods’.. some day this rush too would pass and peace would prevail.. but at what cost? I do not know
Is it the stump of said tree on which the sign is painted? That would make me sad.
That was a beautiful post. Life would have been so easy and relaxed then.
I have had the same feeling as you seeing the gaint redwood trees in Muir Woods National Park near San Francisco. The trees are more than 1000 years old!!
They have seen so much….and are silent witness to lot many things
Every time I stand under a huge, old tree, I often wonder what the world was like when it was just a young sapling. Thank you for putting into words such a powerful thought.
I think we all need to spend more time pondering life as we sit under trees.
The banyan tree did serve as a time machine – took you back so deep in time. Yes, the scene would have been so different at that very spot!
Timeless….
The silent witness of time, the tree stands there watching seasons change, people change…I am sure the meditative mood can even make you hear the tales it has to tell…..lovely post 🙂
U went to silvassa… I missed going there, It was an hour’s drive from where I was staying for the last couple of months… now let me read u…
no factories, no trucks, no bad roads, no dust, no disputes as to the roads belong to the state or the union territory… I’ve heard silvassa has beautiful gardens.. I went visiting someone very near to the Dadra Checkpost…. ah! meditating at the traffic signal amidst the honkings and cacophony of the road would be a nice little challenge:))))
between happy new year… Jan 15 2010 so I can still wish u :)))
I can imagine Sage Kaviarasu sitting below the banyan tree and in deep contemplation and meditation.
You are wondering how it must have been 200 years ago, I’m wondering how it must have 80,000 years ago.
I’m reading ‘Out of Eden’ by Stephen Oppenheimer, who says a group of people travelling from Africa to India 85,000 years ago, gave rise to the entire non-african population of the world (based on DNA evidence). One archaeologist argues that the earliest evidence of symbolic art found in the sandstone caves at Bhimbetka near Bhopal, is anywhere between 150,000 to 300,00 years old. If India’s history is fascinating, pre-history is jaw-dropping.
what ho, Kavi?
silence on tze blog?
🙂
hope Bangalore is treating you well..
Lou : Yes. English is a common language indeed. Not everyone speaks it. But its kind of ‘unifying langauge’ given that we have so many different languages to speak in !
Neha : Well..well…you must. You must visit the place. The place is so very beautiful ! 🙂 Save the polluted river. But then, thats the story of most rivers in the country !
Aleta : Glad that there are ones like me ! Yes..sometimes, when you look at it simply…there isnt much to life.. !
The Holy Lama : Thats right ! ‘would have been’ is the sad part ! And i dont even know what it was like. What perhaps should be the right question is what are we doing for the next generation…!
Cyber Gipsy : Well ! the story of the Coporate Lifers..well, thats a story oof the jackal, the jackass and the wisecrack ! Seems like somethings remain constant !
Ugich Konitari : Yes ! Ras resorts ! And yes, it had swinging roots balanced by immaculately observant colleagues !
Sujata : It was indeed a goose bumpy experience ! Just to stay there, watch and imagine those times ! It must have been so different ! And so simple, smooth and lovely !
Aativas : Yes ! And well said ! This too shall pass ! And peace will prevail ! I dont know the cost either !
Christine Gram : I am not sure if its a stump. I thought it was specifically erected platform or something like that. But then, after you said so…i havent been able to be sure !
Insigia : A 1000 years ! Phew ! I cant imagine. They must be there…standing still and watching all the change ! And smiling away !!!!
Carmi : Well said ! Yes. If only we stop to reflect and ponder..things would have been so different and good !
Radah : You bet. the world indeed would have been so very different back then !!!
Braja : Timeless indeed ! 🙂
Destiny’s child : Thank you ! Thats the feeling that i was left with. The unsaid tales are just too much of a story !
PNA : Wishing you a very happy new year too ! And wishing can happen any time in the world ! Meditating would have been wonderful ! I guess there is a next time. And hope you catch up with Silvaasa ! Its a neat place !
NS Iyer : Deep contemplation…! Well ! Well ! Well !!!! Sir !
Sanjeev : You set the bar high ! Well, the 200 years in itself was quite something. 85000 must have been something else ! Completely ! Pre-history is indeed jaw dropping. And the ways of the present are jaw dropping too !!! In a different way that is ! 🙂
Sundar : Technical difficulties. Will be back very soon !