It was during one of such times that I

came across someone employing a special

strategy, to entice large fish to the

bait. I knew that the hatchlings of the

flat headed snake fish, a large aquatic

fish used to surface in the middle of

the monsoon season. It was great

watching the round red polka dots

created on the surface of the water by

the huddling of these young ones, which

appear reddish in colour in the

neonatal stage.

The school and the surroundings

undoubtedly seemed serene until a small

green frog or a dragon fly came into

the group’s proximity. One can more

often than not, hear a loud thumping

sound followed by a violent splash of

the water at this instance. It is the

mother fish’s act to protect its young

ones from low-profile predators. A

smart aleck meanwhile, was seen

highlighting the scenario with a line

baited with a small frog. He

surreptitiously hid his silhouette

behind a small thicket on the shore of

the pond and started dabbling the bait

right atop the red school of

hatchlings.

He was not kept waiting for long. One

dip.. two dip… and lo thud!! And out

comes from the water a huge snake fish

clinging to the bait end of the lethal

line. Good word usage does not advocate

the terming of the perpetrator as

poacher or predator, because for a

pundit he was just catching fish.

However, this was the first time I felt

remorseful for not acting against

something my mind had percieved as

injustice. The boy had successfully

exploited the anxiety of motherhood,

which is nothing less than a universal

enigma, and I had allowed myself

indulge in the insane thrill

effectuated by the uncivilised act!!!

I was left in a transfix for sometime

convicted by my own conscience for one

of the gravest of crimes – letting a

heinous act unquestioned. At the

moment, It seemed the hatchlings were

railing, “How will we survive without

our mom? Please give us back our

mother.”

Today, the region is widely known by

the expression – The God’s Own Country,

although there are no more hatchlings

of the snake fish since there are no

more household ponds left. And the

remnant ones, are unfortunately

saturated with highly toxic

insecticides.

The rivers today, have almost touched

their nadir, due to extensive sand

mining. The cultivation of food crops

has almost come to an end, as is the

case with genuine farmers. As a result,

the once pleasant monsoons go wayward

triggering no less than catastrophes.

The only entity that seems to be

growing more resistant and robust is

the intidating mosquito population.

This is where we reckon that it is not

just the hatchlings of the snake fish

that lament the absence of their

mother, but also the human offsprings

of the present who are definitely

deprived of the nature’s heavenly

luxuries that once we had enjoyed for

granted. It is almost time that the

children of the future would flay a

stodgy generation for turning their

green pastures to concrete jungles, for

bringing their healthy environment to

jeopardy, for still not expiating for

the errors committed. Let us not

pretend that we do not hear their cry,

” Please give us back our mother!”