art of living-together

For a metropolis dweller, ‘living-together’ can mean different things.  Nay, this is not about what Court had to say – this is minimalistic co-existence.  A  minimal off-lattice model of living organisms where just a very few dynamical rules of growth are assumed !!

 

 The Earth is 4.5 billion years old, and modern humans have been around for around a mere 200,000 years, says studies. Yet in that time we have fundamentally altered the physical, chemical and biological systems of the planet on which we and all other organisms depend.  From tiny viruses and bacteria, unrecognized for millennia, to blue whales weighing 200 tons, and fungi that spread for hundreds of hectares underground, the diversity and extent of life on Earth is dazzling. In its life and reproduction, every organism is shaped by, and in turn shapes, its environment. In the past century in particular, these human impacts have unfolded at an unprecedented rate and scale. This period is sometimes known as the Great Acceleration.

 

          We are living in the Anthropocene, the modern era characterized by human-dominated landscapes, reduced wildlife populations, and chaotic climates. Humans have become the single most influential species on the planet, causing significant global warming and other changes to land, environment, water, organisms and the atmosphere. The word Anthropocene comes from the Greek terms for human ('anthropo') and new ('cene'), but its definition is controversial. It was coined in the 1980s, then popularised in 2000 by atmospheric chemist Paul J Crutzen and diatom researcher Eugene F Stoermer. The duo suggested that we are living in a new geological epoch.

 

Not a Science or research post … but simply about the life in Triplicane – Thiruvallikkeni mada veethigal where Cows, Bulls, variety of birds, Cats, dogs, cycles, two-wheelers, autos, cars, junk vehicles, carts, and .. .. people co-exist.  Coexistence means for different living beings existing  at the same time,  in the same place. Coexisting means people and animals living together in the same communities at the same time.

 

People’s relationship with native wildlife is often that of conflict. Animals such as dogs, cattle, pigeons and more are considered “nuisances” when they threaten humans.  While some Blue Cross cries about animals, there have been threat to humans in the form of dog-bite, cow pushing, trampling and mauling people of Triplicane – but no concrete effort taken by Govt, or Corporation or anyone else.  People walk in fear on the streets  

 

There is no denial of place for Cats, dogs, Cattle but when they harm people, they certainly need to be reined !!   - old aged people and children literally fear the sight of some of these.

 

A casual photo of otherwise friendly cows, in early night with people everywhere.

 

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

28.4.2023