“A rainbow is a prism that sends shards of multicolored light in various directions. It lifts our spirits and makes us think of what is possible. Hope is the same – a personal rainbow of the mind.”
- Charles Snyder, Renowned psychologist and ‘hope researcher’
In these most tragic and challenging times, there is only one thing that keeps me going and that is HOPE. I hope and pray that we will all be able to weather this storm together and come back on the other side healthy and strong. The fourth issue of Journeys and Jottings is dedicated to the warriors who are fighting COVID, the frontline health workers and doctors who are out there, saving lives, the unsung heroes on social media who are spending every bit of their time and energy trying to find beds, oxygen, medicines, food and even funds for those who are suffering. This issue is also dedicated to you and me, for silently coping and managing our families, while also keeping ourselves healthy.
The Power of Hope
“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.”
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Hope is more than just a state of mind or a feeling. It is one of the strongest emotions. It is hope that makes us see that tiny weeny ray of sunshine in a dark cave and whispers to us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. As Dr. Judith Rich writes, “Hope is a match in a dark tunnel, a moment of light, just enough to reveal the path ahead and ultimately the way out.”
Therapists recommend using hope therapy to enhance mental health, but there is more to it than science. It is what makes us human. And so let us cling on to the raft, because that is how we are going to sail together across this turbulent ocean.
“You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep Spring from coming.” ― Pablo Neruda.
The Goddess of Hope in Pandora’s Box
You must have heard the story of Pandora and her infamous box. It is actually a jar, referred to as “pithos” but later came to be called a box and became a metaphor for all the miseries and maladies suffered by humans.
“The Creation of Pandora- Athenian red-figure vase painting, early 5th century BC. (Left to Right) Zeus, Hermes, Hephaestus, Pandora with Eros floating over Pandora’s head.”
Pic Courtesy - An Introduction to Greek Mythology by David Bellingham.
But here is the original legend from Greek mythology with a little twist in the tale. There was a constant tussle between the Titans and the Olympians and eventually, Zeus became the Supreme God. He however wanted to teach the Titan, Prometheus a lesson for having stolen fire and given it to the humans. And so he asked all the Olympians to create the first and most beautiful woman on earth and bestow their gifts upon her. Pandora, translated as One Who Bears All Gifts, was also later given as a gift to Epimetheus, brother of Prometheus but she was created to reign misery upon humans. Zeus gave her a pithos and told her that it contained gifts from the gods but she should not open it. But curiosity got in the way and Pandora opened it, only to release all mayhem. Death, decay, sickness, misery, strife, and every evil spirit flew out into the world to destroy humanity.
Pic Courtesy - Walter Crane (1845-1915), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The story however does not end there. Inside the jar was just one gentle sprite called Elpis who is the spirit of Hope. She is represented as a young woman carrying flowers in her arms. While Zeus’ original plan would be to ensure that Hope is not released along with other malevolent spirits, he inadvertently allowed her to be the only good spirit to remain in the jar and comfort humanity.
I chanced upon this beautiful article on Pandora’s Box and Hope in the Time of Covid which gives a lovely interpretation to the role of Hope. While all the other “Good Gods” leave earth, Hope stays on as a “Goddess of Humans”. Although she is born to Nyx, the Goddess of Night and her siblings include Moros, the God of Doom, the two faces of Death - Grief and Blame and the Moirai or the Fates, Elpis remains the only light in the world of darkness, giving a positive twist to the Pandora’s Box of troubles. And so, let us hold on tightly to the box or jar or any vessel you have in mind and not let her go!
“Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers
-Emily Dickinson
Pic Courtesy - Vidyasagar Hariharan
“Hope” is the thing with feathers-
That perches in the soul-
And sings the tune without the words-
And never stops-at all-
One of the most beautiful and soul-stirring poems written by Emily Dickinson in the late 19th century, this poem is an Ode to Hope. And she simply says that hope is like a feathered bird that sings continuously and is always perched inside our soul. And the song, melodious and sweet is on a loop literally, inspiring and motivating us always. You can read the entire poem here if you enjoy reading poetry.
100 Stories of India
It is a sea of white wings that greets me in a dusty little hamlet near Sira town, located near Tumkur in Karnataka. A flap of a wing, a gentle glide across the sky, a moment of contemplation before perching on a branch, my eyes follow a painted stork until it perches on a tamarind tree. I am in an obscure little village that has found the attention of the painted storks and grey herons more than two decades ago. And yet it is the painted stork that gives Kaggaladu Bird Sanctuary its identity, Kaggaladu in fact is referred to as a “community bird sanctuary” as the villagers have forged a special relationship with the painted stork birds for the last two decades.
People Make Places
He waits for the pink carpet to be laid out every year in Mumbai. The Flamingo Man of India, whose Instagram handle is FlamingosofMumbai is an award-winning photographer with over 10000 photos of flamingos.
Vidyasagar Hariharan, a banker by profession was fascinated by flamingos after his cycling trip to Sewri Fort with his friends five years ago. Vidyasagar’s photos have been featured in Nat Geo Your Shot Daily, BBC Earth’s Instagram account, in Hindustan Times and in The Guardian. An excerpt from a short interview
1. What is it about flamingos that fascinate you?
The first time I saw flamingos was at the Sewri fort but they were at a distance. But my fitness coach took me to a lake behind the NRI complex in Navi Mumbai. Since then I have fallen in love with them - their colour, their presence, the dance, the way they arrive, their uniqueness in the ecosystem, and their very presence in this metropolis - everything fascinates me. Mumbai gets to see both the Afroasian flamingo species- greater and lesser flamingos and you can see over 25000 of these pink beauties sometimes.
2. You have spent countless hours and days in the company of flamingos and there must be many memorable experiences.
Flamingos usually start arriving by December and stay on till the onset of monsoon in June. For me, one of the memorable experiences was to see and photograph their courtship dance.
I also won an award for a shot of the setting sun with flamingos in the background and was a runner-up in the World Mangrove Photography Awards.
3. People make places . Who has inspired you in your journey?
I have been inspired by none other than Dr. Salim Ali and Sir David Attenborough. The inspiration for photography came from the idea of documenting the life and the habitat of these birds in this megacity. Many of my photos focus on the theme of biodiversity and habitat loss.
4. Share a couple of photography tips to photograph these birds
We should first understand their habitat and behaviour. Be patient and ethical. In Navi Mumbai, the high tides in the afternoon are better as the light comes from behind and is soft and it’s a great time to shoot.
You can read more about Vidyasagar and his passion here.
COVID Resources from Twitter
In the last few weeks, it has been heartwarming to see my entire Twitter timeline lending a helping hand to everyone in need, trying to arrange everything from beds to oxygen supplies. Home chefs cooked for those in quarantine while therapists took time out to counsel those in grief and suffering from anxiety and many others compiled a list of fundraising opportunities and donations to migrant workers. I have in a small way, made a compilation of some of the threads. This is by no means exhaustive, just some resources that might help you, or you can share and help others.
How can I donate funds or contribute?
https://donate.indiacovidresources.in/
https://twitter.com/nikhiljoisr/status/1386141984008540162?s=21
https://twitter.com/chandrarsrikant/status/1386595535205715973?s=21
https://twitter.com/narayananh/status/1386341110314766336?s=21
https://twitter.com/hemkunt_fdn/status/1384551655614533633?s=21
Home-cooked food and home chefs
https://twitter.com/ajit_bhaskar/status/1386364578259369987?s=21
https://twitter.com/_ifatemaah/status/1384400876660346881?s=21
https://twitter.com/saranshgoila/status/1384186336916119552?s=21
COVID Nutrition Tips
https://twitter.com/saffrontrail/status/1383389532117110790?s=21
Sprinkler live dashboard
https://twitter.com/sprinklr/status/1386492726946959361?s=21
Pet boarding
https://twitter.com/prernabindra/status/1386633668337209347?s=21
Stay at home and stay safe
I do hope that we will all overcome this phase together. Stay safe, stay at home, and get vaccinated at the earliest. Looking forward to your feedback as always. We are going to keep the flow of conversations going and I would really appreciate it if you will share my newsletter with your friends and family.
See you soon ! You can also read my travel stories on my blog and follow me on my social media
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