1. Insomnia and Philosophy on a Plate
A tribute to my father and water
Leela Mayor – 27th
July 2014
It’s raining and we have had sporadic flooding, inconvenience, leaking roofs, floating garbage…. But does
that take away the beauty of water. The beauty of the rains that nurture us, feed us, bring delight to the
senses with the heady smell of the parched earth which hisses and steams a perfume into the air.
People have attempted to replicate this aroma with a perfume or “ittr” called “mitti” but nature can’t be
captured in a bottle…. it is beyond packaging. Ironically nature gave birth to cloth and paper - an early
means of packaging. We turned nature into consumables rather than stand back and stare…. and
perhaps very soon we will neither have the “time to stand and stare” nor anything to stare at.
But, let me come back to water.. .. Water has one of the longest entries in Wikipedia, translated into an
equally lengthy list of languages. For me to reiterate it all would be ridiculous as neither would I be able
to get away from how it is written nor will I in the space I have given myself to write, be as
comprehensive and detailed as the entry. I urge you to read it. Link below:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water
Water is all encomapassing, ever necessary, life sustaining. It is one of the simplest molecules in
chemistry – displaying the sheer elegance of atomic bonding. Many cultures and religions consider
water to be one of the main elements of the life force, “tattva” or “chi” for want of a better word. Do we
really need to do what we do to it every moment of our lives. We pollute it, we disregard how we use it,
we waste it, although we are aware that it is rapidly becoming a scarce source. In short, we disrespect it.
In the entry in Wikipedia there are two images of the sheer artistry that forms of water produce. One is
of snow flakes and the other is of a spider web with droplets of water. The complexity in such simplicity
is what water represents to me.
Conceptually what does water say to me – it takes the shape of the vessel it is given, it sometimes over
runs these boundaries. It displays qualities of the human mind. But it has the right to do so more so than
us humans. Our bodies are composed of about 55% - 78% water depending on the body. Without it we
would cease to exist. Yet, we overstep our boundaries, we negate our surroundings, we disrespect
others and then go and take a dip in the holy rivers or receive water sacraments. What about respecting
the water both within us and within each other.. surely that is worthy of as much respect as that holy
dip or consecration. What about respecting the water that comprises and now I quote briefly from
Wikipedia:
“Water covers 71% of the Earth's surface.[1]
It is vital for all known forms of life. On Earth, 96.5% of
the planet's water is found in seas and oceans, 1.7% in groundwater, 1.7% in glaciers and the ice
caps of Antarctica and Greenland, a small fraction in other large water bodies, and 0.001% in
the air as vapor,clouds (formed of solid and liquid water particles suspended in air),
and precipitation.[2][3]
Only 2.5% of the Earth's water is freshwater, and 98.8% of that water is in ice
and groundwater. Less than 0.3% of all freshwater is in rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere, and an

2. even smaller amount of the Earth's freshwater (0.003%) is contained within biological bodies and
manufactured products.
Some observers have estimated that by 2025 more than half of the world population will be facing
water-based vulnerability. A report, issued in November 2009, suggests that by 2030, in some
developing regions of the world, water demand will exceed supply by 50%.
One of the things I do is work with our family business. We try and understand how to preserve,
reuse and protect water an our environment. It is an uplifting and joyous experience and I share my
father’s dream that one day every one of us will learn to respect water and have access to it in its
pristine, clear, healthy form – untainted by us.
I leave you with an image, some thoughts about my father and my recipe for the day….
Father
You sat one afternoon in the baking hot sun of an Indian summer
And we talked
I looked in your eyes and searched for myself and for you, for where we came from
But such destinations do not deliver so easily
Their name, coordinates and geotopology.

3. Who were they who knew us in far off lands
Inextricably bound by genetic pattern and chromosomal intertwining.
I asked of you to tell me who I was and you looked deep into my eyes
And spoke of the Newtonian forces that drew the mango to earth.
You then told me to touch, feel and palpate the fleshy juiciness
Of newly fallen mango.
“God’s design” you said. No dent or tear or break on firm smooth cheeks
Green, orange gold glowing. Awaiting ripeness in lime painted suspension.
The heat swept through unknown illness in your body
You shivered.
We knew not why.
Rapidly mutating, multiplying, creeping, clawing cancer
Infesting your body as also by God’s design?
I still asked who we were, for yet another paradigm.
And then I remembered this wonderful life with you
And I cared not, for a moment, who I was.
You listened gravely to my wounded, lashing outbursts
Calm eyes and gentle smile
A wisdom and a kindness…..
To comfort and heal those empty bloodless gashes
That poured forth
A red-less plasma of diatribe and disbelief

4. Red – ruby, crimson, cherry, carmine….
You were there and I missed you still for I knew
You had so much to give.
I hold onto that when you are not there now
I miss you still
And I always missed you.
My recipe for the day is simple. (The previously promised chutney will have to wait for next
time).Recipe: Wait for the rains to start… let it rain for about half an hour and when all the dust has
been washed clean from the atmosphere let your hair down, run out into the rain with a glass in your
hand, let it fill up with this glorious, delicious pure water and drink as many glasses as you can. Let
nature feed you, sustain you nurture you and do say thank you.
Thank you for your time
Leela Mayor