Serene Woods - Book details

	Review in the Financial Express “Ladies and gentlemen, May I have your attention, please,” begins 2095. Even though these words are uttered by a hassled media advisor who is trying to quieten down journalists from across the world anxiously waiting in New Delhi to hear the outcome of the Earth Summit in 2062, the message is echoed loud throughout the book. The world in 2062, described through the lives of Govind and his elder brother Radhey is, beyond our imagination. Unable to lessen the emission of green house gases, the world faces an ice-less summer in the Artic, extinction of numerous species of birds, animals and plants, depletion of oil reserves and death of some of the perennial rivers in the world. As a stop-gap arrangement, world leaders gather in New Delhi and decide to stop air travel across boundaries. The result: complete shut down of export houses across the world and job loss for millions, including Govind, who works with an export house. Written by PL Dhar, a professor at IIT Delhi, 2095 raises an outcry over uninhibited exploitation of limited natural resources by the proponents of growth and development. Dhar intertwines the Gandhian and the Buddha way of life with climate change to offer some food for thought on how we can still save the planet. Govind, unable to see any future in Delhi, heads to Bhogpur, Uttarakhand, to seek guidance from Radhey, who lives a simple life as suggested by Mahatma Gandhi. On the other hand, the Indian government, too, traces its journey back to its roots and seeks succor in Gandhian way of life. It establishes EFRICHs—eco-friendly rural industrial clusters and habitats, self-sustaining villages that rely on natural resources. While life in the city is deprived of basic necessities like water, life in such EFRICHs is flourishing. Dhar has vindicated the Gandhian way of life and his messages through Radhey. Weaved with the Buddha’s philosophy of meditation and Gandhi’s lesson of simple living and high thinking, Radhey renders the world with a new way to look at life. His discussions with his guide and family that includes Rashmi (his wife), Govind and Girija (Govind’s wife), are lessons on Karma yog, teaching of Buddha and Gandhi. Through 2095, Dhar urges the world to slow down its pace of industrialisation and take a stock of the repercussions of our daily actions. The pace at which the world is developing its technological and cerebral powers, one might fancy a house on moon by 2062. However, the widening chasm between the available resources and our wants might leave us with nothing but regret. Priced at Rs 225, this book offers a lot of food for thought, but also becomes a drag in between with dedicated chapters on the positives of meditation and karma. This 186-page book is certainly not a tour de force, but can be read to learn more on how the Gandhian way can come to rescue the world again, this time for survival.

Posted by ...Serene Woods
on Tuesday, July 27 2010

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