Gavel Down, Jungle Up: A Judge’s Nature Verdict

I am a High court judge. My life is cases, hearings, and decisions that never end. Christmas vacation gave me a week off. My wife said Ooty. I agreed immediately. We took the family. First stop: Upper Bhavani, entrance to Mukurthi National Park. A forest ranger guided us deep into the forest for hours. Next day: Mudumalai, staying at Masinagudi. The District Forest Officer helped us every step. Then Gudalur’s Genepool Eco Park. A young IFS officer explained the elephant corridor, AI systems to prevent human-animal clashes, and the steps they take.

These four days did not refresh me. They broke me open and changed me completely. I saw nature clearly for the first time. I understood my real place in the world. John Muir put it simply: “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.” That is exactly what happened.

Fact one: Most people know nothing about nature. They do not grasp that protecting it means protecting ourselves. No knowledge. No care. You drive through a forest and toss a water bottle out the window. That bottle kills an animal. That animal’s death starves birds. Those birds stop spreading seeds. The forest dies a little more. This is not theory. This is how we end our own lives.

Fact two: Nature wants us gone. Too many humans ruin it. Plants die under our feet. Animals run from our smell and noise. It is almost impossible to site wild animals in a forest since animals fled and they do not want to have any encounter with human beings. Elephants have narrow paths left because we have encroached their corridors. The IFS officer said AI cameras spot them early and warn villages. But we keep building. When do we stop?

Fact three: The best protection is to keep humans out. Let nature be alone. Tribal communities protected their sacred forests for thousands of years with simple rules. No need for gates or fines. These places hold more real power than any temple built by human hands. You hear the wind move through trees. You see water carve stone over centuries. John Keats said, “The poetry of the earth is never dead.” If you cannot feel something greater there, you will never feel it anywhere.

Fact four: Small damage causes big destruction. One plastic bag. One tire track from a jeep. One fire from a careless match. It spreads. Soil washes away. Rivers clog. Animals starve. The entire system collapses. We humans cause this. No other creature can destroy on our scale. We tell ourselves we are better than animals. That is a lie. We are the problem.

Fact five: Forest officers are the real heroes. They work in conditions no one else would accept. No fixed hours. No family time. Dangerous terrain. The least of the support from ruling dispensation since they do not get any votes from here. No backup. No easy office. They work because they care. They train local tribes to get their support and in turn to support their livelihood. Society forgets them. That must stop. These people save the planet. Recognize them now.

This trip judged me. My complaints about court delays and paperwork sound weak now. Their work makes mine look easy. Lesson learned: Stop complaining. Work with full effort wherever you are. Help one person. Help the institution. Help your community. In my court, that means better, fairer judgments. For you, it means less waste. More trees planted. Real votes for real change.

We are part of nature but act like its enemies. I sit on a high court bench and feel powerful. In the Nilgiris, I saw the truth: I am nothing. A tiny piece in a massive system. Stay away from nature, and you lose your way. You turn selfish. You harm others. Stay close, and you live better—with purpose. John Muir also said, “I go to nature to be soothed and healed.” That is what it did for me.

Look at yourself. Do you treat nature like a playground? Do you ignore the forest officers? Do you vote for short-term gains? Stop. Visit nature only when necessary. With respect. Allocate sufficient budget to forest department rather than wasting it on military to shamelessly exhibit that you are a super power. Listen to tribal people who know the land. Use technology like AI to protect wildlife, not to bring in more crowds.

We are not in charge. We are guests here. Act like it, or nature will push us out. It already is.

Those four days were my wakeup call. The Nilgiris showed me the facts. Now I live by them. What about you? Will you keep pretending? Or will you change today?

Justice N.Anand Venkatesh
Judge High Court Madras