The tale of two trees
In the forest bordering the modern town of Navi Techneshpur there lived two trees.
They have been the mute spectators to the changing skyline of this town. They had seen beautiful days pass by, days when their parts were used for medicinal purpose and people were stronger than their machines.
The trees, Alam and Vepam decided to do something about the situation. They were fed up of being spectators to this whole drama that had been unfolding in front of their eyes. They decided that it was high time that they made the next generation aware of what they were losing. This, they agreed, was their only hope.
The twosome then began implementing their strategy meticulously.
They started doing tapas (penance) tirelessly. The power of their penance was so strong, that the Gods were disturbed. They descended upon the trees to find out what their trouble was. On seeing the Gods, the trees were overjoyed and awestruck for a while could not find the right words.
They finally managed to find their tongue and prayed to the Gods to grant them one boon. The Gods, after a long hour of discussion decided to grant them just one boon. The trees were ready with their request.
They wanted legs that would carry them to the houses of human beings and mouths to talk so that they could market their uses to the next generation.
The Gods were now awestruck by this strange request from two trees!
They were not convinced and wanted to know why the trees had to market themselves and why they needed legs and mouth. The trees told the Gods that since human beings had forgotten to use their legs and do the walking, there was no other option but for the trees to grow legs and walk up to them.
‘’Oh mighty lords, human beings understand the language of marketing and therefore have to be spoken to in that language only”.
But the Gods warned the trees that, two trees going from house to house, explaining the relevance and importance of traditional living, may startle the humans.
Both Alam and Vepam started laughing. The Gods were amused at their reaction. The trees assured the Gods that human beings were so used to everything being delivered at their door step that this might amuse them initially, but they would soon get used to it.
“From laundry to food, medicines to beauty treatment, these days, everything is home-delivered” said Vepam to the now bewildered Gods. After listening to the two, the Gods just nodded their heads and lo and behold, the trees could walk and talk!
After the Gods vanished, the two of them carefully planned their next move. They decided to divide the town into zones and each of them was responsible for a fixed number of zones. They began their journey that would change the future of the world and the way the human beings lived.
Vepam first visited a school and had a meeting with the Principal of the school. After initial hiccups, the school decided to have a workshop for the children.
Vepam addressed the children and spoke about the importance of neem in their everyday life. “Children, when you brush your teeth ensure you include the bark of a neem tree. It helps in killing the unwanted germs in your mouth while preserving the useful ones” he began. He educated the children on the uses of ‘Vembalam Pattai’ in hair care. “This bark when put in oil and left in the sun turns the oil red. This red oil can then be used for massaging purposes also” said Vepam. (More info on the red oil is available on Dabur lal Tail).
Honey, the gum of the badam tree, the leaf of the ajwain plant, the flak seeds were all products offered by the tree and his relatives to ensure that human beings enjoyed a strong and healthy life.
One child wanted to know why the tree took so much interest in the well-being of the human beings. Vepam could not hide a smile as he began answering the little boy. “The entire universe”, Vepam said,” was dependent on the human beings and their power to preserve the nature. Since human beings have forgotten their own strengths and of late have become heavily dependent on chemicals and unnatural products, it became the duty of someone else, to remind the humans of their errors” concluded Vepam. The teachers and children alike were astounded at the wealth that tradition and nature had provided mankind. They took an oath in his presence to market the importance of ayurvedic products among their friends and relatives.
Meanwhile Alam had succeeded in bagging a corporate training slot for himself. He had also made a power point presentation on the various uses of herbs including pudina and curry leaves. He presented a graphical analysis of the strength that the human beings were losing by using the harmful chemicals and the products that were no doubt cheap, but unhealthy. He also made a future health projection with current data, using the technique of extrapolation.
A conference room filled with high net worth individuals were staring into a bleak picture, which needed immediate attention. When Alam had finished his presentation, the room stood up in attention applauding unanimously and assuring Alam that they would bring new laws into place that would allow their executives to ensure that their children got the best of the natural products. Monitoring would be stepped up and lack of compliance viewed seriously, they promised!
Millets would be soaked and the skin removed before the milk would be dried in the shade and the flakes used as baby food. A new plant to combine milk either with turmeric and pepper or honey would be set up. Very initial signs of infections would be treated with ayurvedic combinations to ensure that too much of dependence on antibiotics and potentially unsafe medicines became reduced.
After a very successful one month, Alam and Vepam met and exchanged notes. They were quite satisfied with their outcome and geared up for a more fruitful second month.
As heavens prepared to shower their blessings on the two trees, the Gods smiled down upon the two noble creatures who had redefined boundaries to establish nature’s balance!
