Natural Scenes

Natural Scenes

1991 12 December 5 Natural Scenes (337) On a visit to London, a certain Mr. U.K. Maukhapadhyaye once met an elderly Englishman who had served as an officer in the Royal Air Force in India 50 years before, during the time of the British Raj. Greatly interested to meet someone from India, he inquired of Mr. Maukhapadhyaye as to how India was progressing and recalled with great nostalgia the train ride between Bombay and Poona which he really used to enjoy, for it had provided him with a regular panorama of rivers, jungles and other scenes of great natural beauty. He expressed a wish to revisit India, so that he could enjoy those scenes once again.

In the course of the conversation, Mr. Maukhapadhyaye told him that Poona was no longer as he had just described it. Now known as Pune, the city had a tenfold increase in its population, and the new streets, high-rise buildings and lighting all around had given the place a mechanical rather than a natural look. Hearing this, the Englishman’s interest rapidly waned, “No, I don’t think I’ll go back to India. India probably no longer exists.” (TOI, February 3, 1984)

Industrial scenes remind one of man, while natural scenes remind one of God. The former bring one into contact with man, while the latter lead one straight to God. This is why man does not find such solace in industrial scenes as he does in natural settings. Human hearts will surely find peace only in the remembrance of God.

What are natural scenes? They are scenes which mirror divine attributes. The vast expanse of the heavens is an introduction to God’s limitless being. When the sun rises, it announces, at it were, the Almighty being an embodiment of light. The river as it mends its way through mountains and plains, suggests the never-ending flow of God’s mercy. The fragrance and beauty of the flowers are reminders of God’s beauty from afar. If one has a discerning eye, one will find God’s glory reflected in myriad scenes of nature.