A little attention

Here is the caption of a picture showing the mosque at Hazratbal and the library of the University of Kashmir that appeared in the online edition of the Srinagar Newspaper 'Greater Kashmir':

"GK lensman Habib Naqash brings together the icons of faith and knowledge- the Hazratbal shrine housing the relic of the Prophet (SAW) and the central library of Kashmir University, named after poet-philosopher Allama Iqbal."

While I noticed what the caption read, my eyes also saw something I didn't want to see. The picture also had Dal lake in the foreground. It could have been picture perfect but wasn't to be. The water of the lake appeared sick and on the verge of death. It was bizarre. The same picture depicted, as the photographer called it 'icons of faith and knowledge' and we failed on both fronts.

Our religion demands from us that we take care of our environment and our knowledge of science should tell us how we could do it efficiently. How is it that we are ignoring both and expect a miracle to happen and things to change on their own. The picture could become perfect if we just pay a little attention to these two icons and heed what they are telling us. Money does not solve problems, application of knowledge does. We have people praying everyday and academicians learning new things each day, both groups on the banks of the same dying lake, yet we can't apply the teachings of either one to give a new lease of life to this beautiful('dying') lake.