Rediscovering the wisdom we almost forgot
Before Sustainability Had a Name
I often wonder if my son would believe half the stories from my childhood.
A life without mobile phones.
Milk delivered directly into a vessel.
Old saris becoming curtains, cradle cloths, and bedsheets.
Flowers for poo kolam plucked from our own garden.
Mangoes, bananas, and jackfruits picked from the backyard and eaten as snacks.
Growing up, I never thought of these as sustainable practices.
It was simply life.
In fact, there were times when I felt we didn't have enough. We didn't own a car. We travelled by train, walked long distances, and lived with far fewer conveniences than we have today.
But when I look back now, I see something different.
Our fruits came from our trees. Our flowers came from our gardens. Things were reused, repaired, shared, and valued. My grandparents' generation lived close to nature, taking what they needed.
They weren't trying to save the planet.
They were simply living with awareness.
Perhaps that is why we inherited a world that still had clean air, fertile soil, flowing rivers, and abundant biodiversity. The choices they made, knowingly or unknowingly, left something behind for us.
Somewhere along the way, convenience became a way of life. While it made many things easier, it also distanced us from nature and the resources we depend on.
Yet, I feel hopeful.
Today, I see people carrying cloth bags, composting kitchen waste, choosing reusable alternatives, and becoming more conscious of what they consume.
Perhaps sustainability isn't something new.
Perhaps it is a memory waiting to be remembered.
That thought is at the heart of Unarvudan.
A small reminder that mindful living doesn't begin with grand changes. It begins with awareness. With small choices. With gratitude for what we have inherited and responsibility for what we leave behind.
Because just as our grandparents left something for us, the choices we make today will shape what is left for the generations that follow.
Welcome to Unarvudan.