“City Life: The Origin” by Sandeep Vhandari reflects on the transformation of nature into a city. It expresses melancholy over the loss of natural elements like trees, rivers, and wildlife, replaced by buildings, pollution and disease. The poem warns about unsustainable development and its implications.
City Life: the origin.
By Sandeep Vhandari
In the cold mist of rainy days,
The rain showered outside my window plane.
The clouds mumbled the air to blow it’s perfume.
A lonely evening shaded the city with gloom,
When the scattered clouds bid the sun, a good-bye,
With the tears falling, up high, from the sky.
The drops of rain, I mused, I moped-
The dark lights, big buildings and quiet roads,
Once had been the land of trees, hills and forest.
The homely birds used to sing in chorus,
The rivers used to dance, tigers used to roar,
And the air used to breeze, afar and near.
The thunder used to grumble, lightning used to strike.
Time has marched on and started to change life.
Slowly, sustainable development arose.
The rivers stopped to flow, the nests has broke,
The air no longer breezes, tigers have died,
The forest has changed to field and so, field to abode.
The pollution has surged and so the crowd.
The diseases introduced and death groaned aloud.
Like the heart tickled by a blunt knife,
The changes occurred to live a city life.
summarization :
Sandeep Vhandari’s poem, “City Life: The Origin,” paints a vivid picture of the environmental consequences of urbanization. The opening lines depict a gloomy cityscape on a rainy evening, setting a somber tone that echoes throughout the poem. This mood is further amplified by the poet’s melancholic longing for a time when nature prevailed over concrete.
Vhandari skillfully employs nostalgia to contrast the present with the past. He recollects a time when the land, now occupied by towering skyscrapers and bustling streets, was home to lush trees, undulating hills, dense forests, meandering rivers, and a plethora of wildlife. This nostalgic reflection serves as a stark reminder of the profound changes brought about by human activity.
As the poem progresses, the poet details the tragic transformation of nature due to thoughtless development. Rivers have become stagnant, birds’ nests have been destroyed, and the roars of majestic tigers have been silenced. These images depict the loss of biodiversity and the detrimental effects of human encroachment on natural habitats.
The poet further describes the impact of urbanization on air quality. The once-fresh, breezy air has been polluted, making it hard to breathe. Along with the surge in population, the city has also seen a rise in diseases. Vhandari uses these stark realities to emphasize the health implications of living in an urban environment.
In the final lines, “City Life: The Origin” takes a poignant turn. The poet likens the change to a heart being tickled by a blunt knife, a metaphor that underscores the discomfort and pain caused by the urban lifestyle. The poem ends with a warning about the unsustainability of such development, urging readers to reflect on the need for balance between progress and preservation.
