Thursday, May 29, 2014

A Honey Collector and Vanishing Bees



There is a huge bee-hive right outside my widow and it never bothered me.  I believed,  we had a tacit understanding with each other ' live and let live'. I could see  the hive grow inch by inch and simply marveled their technology as millions of black bees clung to it with their lives. As I would sit sipping my tea looking outside my window I could see bees buzzing around.  BUZZZ....... they would zoom past.  Some flying away from the hive , some flying into the hive. They had no time to look around.
Busy-bees! They had a job assigned and all were at it- diligently- disciplined- dedicated to their job.  I envied their discipline and dedication. They were least concerned that I was watching them or the world around existed. I was so amused by the hive that I even began to conceptualize  a work in my head. I visualized the material that I was going to use.

Never ever I  had a thought of complaining to my society manager that there is huge hive growing outside my window and it needs to be removed. And yet one day  I saw some noise outside my window. A few bees had flown into my apartment- which is on  the seventh floor.  As I peeped outside the window I saw a  lean teenager  hanging on a rope.  Before I could have the  time to comprehend what was going on; following visuals unfolded before me in few minutes time.



The boy was hanging from a rope with a tin can tied to another rope.

He swung to the ledge quickly grabbing the sanitation pipes.


Next, he was in a touching distance to the bee hive.

A small branch of leaves with fire and smoke, was quickly pulled up.

In a swift move he dusted the bees hanging on to the hive with smoking branch  and with bear hands pulled the pieces of hive.


 As bees began to fly in frenzy. He had few seconds to collect honey.


In just couple of swoops he filled the tin can. Mean while bees had covered the sky.


He began his descend.



This when he saw me standing in the window clicking pictures. He requested me if he could enter my apartment, and walk down the staircase.

Grudgingly I opened the window and allowed him in. But not before admonishing him for destroying a harmless hive. He was fully drenched in honey. And few  bees were cling on to him. He quietly dusted the bees. He was not wearing any safety gear by which he could protect himself from bee stings. No gloves , a protective suit. or a head gear.  Yet not a single bee had  stung him.

"Honey chahiye" ( want to buy honey) He asked with out flinching an eye.
" Nahi" (No) I said emphatically.
No further words exchanged , he quietly walked out of the door, stamping honey feet on the floor.

I looked back at the hive. Still few bees were hovering around the place.
Their world had been destroyed in few seconds. But on a second look- I saw everything was not over. The boy had not completely uprooted the hive. Some bees clung on to whatever little bit of hive that was still remaining.  Probably Queen was still  in there. In few minutes they quietly restarted rebuilding their world. They buzzed in and out - back and forth- collecting honey.  No time to complain or lament over loss.

For moment I was transported in  meditation hall sitting besides fellow followers- and felt the words ringing in my ears " phirse shur karen"... " lets start again".. words hammered into my brains by my Vipassana guru. Late  S. N.Goyenka. There is no time left to think/brood/regret just start it all over again. Move on...

Bees had understood this essence so beautifully, and were demonstrating it for me how to live in present , now and here.

 I  was still shaken by the event- for few  moments world had stopped for me.