A Hundred Years Later
2025 C.E.
The little town of Thimmahalli was parched. The Sun shone above them bright and fiery refusing to surrender to rains. The crops were dying. The farmers were upset.
“Amma, are the Gods angry?” asked 6-year-old Rani.
“No, Rani. Why do you ask?”
“When we needed a lot of sunshine for our harvest, the Sun God doesn’t bless us. When we need rains for the crops to flourish, the Rain God refuses. Why are we being punished?”
Rani’s explanation of the poignant reality left her parents speechless. Their eyes welled up choking them to a muted silence.
“Mother Nature is unhappy with us humans, Rani.” Her elder brother smiled wearily replying to Rani’s pertinent questions. “We’re destroying this beautiful planet that She has given us. It’s affected the natural balance, causing these climate changes.”
Rani clasped her hands and prayed. “God, give us rains!”
***
Up at the sky, the Rain God, Varun, heard the little girl’s prayers and called out to the Sun God, Surya.
“Surya, please spare them. They’re poor farmers whose lives depend on the right seasonal cycles.”
“You’re right, Varun. But, it’s not just about them. It’s the entire race that’s disturbing the delicate balance of nature. You and I can alternate to answer their prayers today. But, do you think the situation would be the same 100 years later? Won’t the imbalance be too ingrained for regeneration at all?”
“Hope they realise sooner that the planet needs to sustain itself for the generations to come,” sighed Varun.
***
Dark pregnant clouds hovered over the village. The first drop of rain hit the ground. The buffaloes bellowed, the boys shouted, and the birds flew shrieking from the trees.
The pouring rain after a six-month dry spell brought the villagers together. They danced with all the enthusiasm they could muster. Pure ecstasy filled the air. Prayers were made for a rich and bounty harvest that year.
Their wishes were fulfilled.
Their lives limped back to normal.
***
2125 C.E.
“Once upon a time, our planet Earth was rich and fertile. The seasons of the year were on time, children. The Sun shone above us during the harvest season blessing us always with abundance. The Rain God showered us with love giving lives to our crops...” An old man began narrating a story to a bunch of children at Thimmahalli. All of them looked pitiably weak.
“Rich and fertile? Does that mean the place was all green, Ajja?” asked a little boy looking at the vast expanse of dryness around him.
“Selva, it’s all green in some places even now. It rains badly in some areas and floods them. Its residents pray for sunshine. The climate change had worsened over the years leading to this situation,” replied a malnourished girl with a twinkle in her eyes.
“Smart girl.” The old man appreciated her.
“Are we facing extinction, Ajja?” asked Meena.
The old man’s pregnant silence spoke a thousand words that he didn’t want the children to hear.
Glossary:
- Thimmahalli – A fictional town
- Surya – The Sun God
- Varun – The Rain God
- Ajja – Grandfather in Kannada