A garden is implicit in Sweet Home. While the world has become sophisticated in exploring vertical heights to carve out space for human dwellers in the form of flats/apartments, I seek horizontal space should I have a choice and enough resources.
Thanks to my Grandfather, my family is inherited with a large horizontal space integrated with my home. I have always believed that a quadrangle and a backyard are the integral aspects of a Sweet Home.
Due to the exploding population and shrinking horizontal space on account of that, those things are disappearing in modern times. Even villages have started to become like urban areas, unfortunately.
I have always wanted the villages to preserve their rural theme, yes of course it can go for upgradation, but it should be upgraded as a smart village not as a smart city.
This is my Home with a large horizontal space in the backyard and that has been the garden for us for generations. We mostly grow a variety of veggies in our backyard and also some medicinal plants and flowers.
At first impression, it might not look perfect, it might not look well-organized and sorted, might not commensurate a posh-style home. But I have my memory attached to this Home, that is how it becomes precious to me.
Luxury may not necessarily be a lavish style posh home, or conspicuous consumption, it's more about whether that luxury has a humane touch or not.
I am trying to emphasize the intangible aspects of a Home, whether the family members are sociable with each other or not, whether they are self-reliant and happy with the available resources or not, and whether they are being able to carry forward the family values from one generation to the others.
Last but not least, in contemporary times owing to heat waves and pollution, they are endowed with pure oxygen and greenery or not.
My and my family may not be affluent and rich in material resources, but we always find ourselves lucky to have in possession a quadrangle and a huge backyard.
And I derive my inspiration from platonic forms, where I find "beauty" as an independent existence.
While beauty in flowers is obvious and apparent, the beauty of my home has an independent existence that is greater than the sum of its parts. The greater whole constitutes both tangible and intangible beauty-- i.e. the beauty of the garden, and the beauty of the ecosystem, the humane touch, the way the family members are sociable, etc.
A garden is often contemplated as an alternative for cheaper options than a Superstore, and more importantly, organic food given the fact that adulteration is very common these days.
But gardening is not just about that, it's also about aesthetic experience, it could be a hobby for many and largely for retired individuals, and it could also be a physiological need for the young ones.
In essence, A garden is both the process as well as the outcome.
For me, a Garden is all about achieving comprehensive terminal values way beyond its tangible output in the form of veggies, flowers, and medicinal properties. And that is-- peace, tranquility, harmony, living close to Nature and in tune with Nature and natural processes, minimalism, a sense of accomplishment, satisfaction, and last but not least happiness.
A quadrangle, a huge backyard endowed with a natural Garden is an artistic expression of Nature. It's not just about Human consumption and survival, it's more about the interpersonal relationships that we share with this ecosystem.
I am blessed to have found that semblance of beauty, harmony, tranquility, and happiness in my garden.
| Detailed Info | Description |
|---|---|
| Device | Vivo |
| Location | 7R2R+JQ5, Odisha, India |
This is my entry to Phonography Contest-13 by @untilwelearn
Thank you.
Original Photography using my Smartphone