Nurturing Nature

After school Amber sat under the courtyard neem tree and felt it whisper. She greeted it; the tree welcomed her as Neem Baba, who had watched her play since childhood.

Amber returned from school and rested in the neem tree's shade. The tree seemed to whisper; she introduced herself and asked permission to talk. The ancient tree agreed - she might call him Neem Baba, as she had played in his shade for years.

Neem Baba said he was millions of years old, born in North India or Myanmar. Iranians gave the name 'neem'; Sanskrit names include Arishta and Nimba. Neem grows across Asia, Africa and parts of America.

Neem Baba described great age and origin in North India or Myanmar, spreading across continents. Amber learned Sanskrit names like Arishta (disease-curer) and Nimba, the Hindi Nimb, and the Iranian name Neem. Scientists call the tree 'bitter grace of God' and 'nature's gift to man.'

Neem twigs clean teeth; leaves protect clothes and soothe measles itching. Bark, flowers and roots make medicines. Amber's grandmother cured cough with neem bark and eye itching with flower kajal.

Neem Baba explained germ-destroying chemicals in leaves used on measles patients for comfort. Bark, flowers, fruits and roots enter many remedies. Amber recalled her grandmother curing her cough with bark medicine and her father's eye trouble with kajal from neem flowers - to be used only by trained elders.

Neem seed powder sprayed on crops keeps locusts away and stops mosquitoes in rice fields. It protects grain, makes soap and toothpaste, and neem wood resists termites. Neem purifies air.

Farmers mix neem seed powder in water to protect plants from locusts and termites and to reduce mosquitoes in standing water. Households add powder to stored grain. Neem oil enters soap and toothpaste; neem furniture resists termites. Amber promised to discover more uses when she grows up.

First the bird lived in a small house (the egg) and thought the world small, round and pale blue. In the nest he thought the world was straw beside his mother.

The poem traces a bird's expanding view. In the egg-like house the world seemed a small pale blue shell. In the nest he needed no other home and believed the world was straw warmed by his mother.

Fluttering from the nest, the bird thought the world was made of leaves - he had been blind before. Flying beyond the tree, grown-up and ready for labour, he admits neither he nor his neighbours knows how the world is really made.

Leaving the nest, the bird discovered leaves and felt earlier blindness. At length he flew beyond the tree, fit for adult work, yet confessed ignorance - the world's true making remains unknown to him and his neighbours.

A grandparent writes to Vikram and Vaibhavi, glad natural cures helped them. The remedies came from grandmother's kitchen wisdom - spices most homes already have.

The letter opens with joy that Vikram and Vaibhavi recovered using shared natural cures learned from the writer's grandmother, who treated common weather illnesses at home. The writer will explain familiar kitchen spices and warns they must consult elders before use.

Turmeric boosts energy and digestion; soaked fenugreek water helps sugar and weight; cumin water aids digestion and sleep; asafoetida water relieved babies' gas and helps cough.

Haldi (turmeric) improves energy, digestion and reduces pain. Methi (fenugreek) seeds soaked overnight help control sugar and weight. Jeera (cumin) water aids digestion and sleeplessness. Heeng (asafoetida) water eased infant stomach gas and fights cough and cold.

Cinnamon and clove ease toothache; ginger helps cough and pain (used 4000 years); black pepper aids digestion; fennel and carom seeds after meals help digestion; cardamom helps breath and breathing.

Dalchini and laung relieve toothache until a dentist visit. Adrak (ginger) eases cough, cold and pain - used in cooking over four thousand years. Kali mirch aids digestion and pain. Saunf and ajwain after meals aid digestion; elaichi helps digestion, breathing and bad breath. Children should identify spices and always ask elders first.