GB’s BLOG NO 5
With the welfare of our house guests in mind, we joined in with the preventive measures taken by the State of Odisha by suspending all bookings till April 2020. To be sure, we also had in mind the health of the youngest member of the Svanir family – baby Ishaan.
My expression of the scary face of the Corona virus. Actually, it is a bacteria affected banana leaf at night.
Yes, we know we will be hit hard. We would not have any income to keep on running and maintaining this place for months or more….who knows how long the clampdown will last? Yet we are sure that post Corona, nature lovers will pour in because the world, especially its leaders who just talk and talk would have realised three truths:
One cannot go on decimating nature for in its treasure chest is the formula for the development of critical medicine; as well as the substitution blueprint for all non renewable, quickly exhusting metal and mineral wealth.
Two, decimating the natural wealth can release gases, bacteria, germs that lie trapped and undisturbed in its soils, mosses, lichen and the micro world of insects. We just do not know what crisis we will face if these are forced to shift habitats.
Three, man induced global warming can shift and expand the presence of vectors that carry fatal diseases, in a way world leaders just would not comprehend; not to mention an increase in the frequency and severity of natural calamities……..
What under this scenario are we, therefore, planning for you and us?
You are already aware that Svanir, being located so close to the Chandka Wildlife Sanctuary is under its benign influence – the water we get from the deep bore well is nature designed, filtered seepage from the forest sponge; the air we breathe is pure as can be; the noise level is better than that of a hospital at night; and the darkness? We can easily and clearly see the heavens if the moon is not up and there are no clouds to block the vision. Indeed, during dark nights we are awed by the dance of indigenous fireflies under three tall trees between two of our cottages! To experience all these, we try our best to keep the space inside and around us as clean, pesticide free and sylvan as possible.
Fireflies and the moon behind a flower
We will continue to nurture the plants and midsized trees that we had planted after the last cyclone in May 2019. In about three years, we would have regained the leaf cover that we lost. More leaves and flowers mean more butterflies; tree top flowers also mean more bees; more berries attract more birds from the forest – they come and will increase to come during summer for their daily bath in our well spaced water receptacles made from terracotta. Winged creatures love Svanir and will sing to us early morning and afternoon without fail.
Before Corona, we were trying to spread the ‘’sanatorium’’ like curative and preventive ambiance of Svanir. “Come,” we would say to our elderly aunts, uncles and infants suffering or susceptible to asthma, and spend a month recuperating in Svanir’s cottages. We would be urging our friends to send their suffering family members away from the pollution of North India to live with our family in true nature. With modern day communication facilities, they would be in daily touch with the rest of the family staying behind. We would tell them that the air fare from New Delhi to Bhubaneswar and back would be just about Rs 10,000 both ways whereas a days’ intensive care treatment at any good hospital emergency for asthma care would be in excess of Rs 60,000!
And the food we would serve? Would be organically grown or specially procured from the village market; well washed and handcrafted to mouth watering dishes.
Post Carona, we would stress on the need to strengthen the physical immunity as well as the mental resolve of our guests. After all, the mind triggers the immunity defence mechanism. I recall a doctor- writer, probably Dr Deepak Chopra’s father Dr Krishen Chopra saying that a healthy person’s throat is full of dangerous streptococci. Yet, it causes not harm, why? Because the mind does not send the signal to the cells to allow the germs to enter! On the other hand, if we are already weak from regularly consuming unhealthy, chemical laced food or live in places that have high degree of air and/or water pollution and suffer from hypertension, then our mind will not be able to be resolutely strong. At Svanir we hope to pamper you with healthy food for the mind and body; and rest.
Night sky is clear. So clear that on a full moon night, a few stars can be seen directly beside it!
When the Corona danger is past and we all are rethinking our priorities, come to Svanir and the Mukherji family’s care.
GB