Echoes of the Past, Lessons for the Present: A Dialogue on Nature in Indian Culture and English Literature

Man and nature have always lived in close proximity to each other. Their bonding is starkly visible in our religious and mythological stories. Nature communicates with man everywhere. It is the man who has turned away from the simple joys of nature in his audacity to become the master of the universe. Is he happy and at peace with himself? We are living in the uncertain times of pandemics, utter loneliness and depression. Literature comes to our rescue in such complex situations. In "The Tables Turned," William Wordsworth argues that "One impulse from a vernal wood / May teach you more of man, / Of moral evil and of good, / Than all the sages can." Wordsworth's poetry reflects a deep appreciation for the world of nature, a belief in its spiritual power, and a commitment to individual experience and perception. This paper reiterates the role of literature in finding a panacea to the complex problems of environmental degradation. Through poetry and other genres of writing, sensitivity to nature may be rekindled in the commercialised socio-cultural fabric of society.