Gaia’s Own by Dharshana Bajaj

Title: Gaia’s Own

Author: Dharshana Bajaj

Publisher: Independently Published

Genre: Environment & Nature, Non-fiction

First Publication: 2022

Language: English

Book Summary: Gaia’s Own by Dharshana Bajaj

Gaia’s Own: Every Child’s Guide To Living In Harmony With Nature is an exchange of emails between a young girl and her itinerant grandfather, on the theme of Nature and our interrelationship with it, especially in the context of climate change.

This is a creative non-fiction book, for preteens, young adults, and anyone interested in learning more about the interdependence between mankind and the natural world. The Foreword has been written by Mr. Pushpanath Krishnamurthy, a climate change/environment activist.

The book shares concerns about the current environmental issues plaguing Earth in a casual, personal, and wholesome way. It also shares information on what is being done to alleviate these problems as well as fresh perspectives on what needs to be done further to completely course-correct and help maintain the balance in Nature conducive to a harmonious existence.

The children are the future. And the wisdom they gain today will guide them in their choices tomorrow. This book aims to raise the awareness in each child of how they may contribute in the future to finding better solutions, to make this world a better, happier place. It hopes to instill respect for the natural world, and keep their innate sense of wonder alive always.

Book Review: Gaia’s Own by Dharshana Bajaj

We are in the midst of a species-ending crisis. The issue of climate change is, without a doubt, the most pressing and critical problem that humanity has ever encountered. How we handle this issue and take actions in response to it over the next three decades will define the kind of world we will live in and the kind of planet we will leave for our children and their families after them. The only way for mankind to make it through this is to conduct a movement of unprecedented scale and complexity. This is the most serious humanitarian emergency of which you are probably unaware.

Gaia’s Own by Dharshana Bajaj is an eco fiction book written in the form of email conversations between a little girl named Satvika and her nomadic grandfather named Yogesh. The conversation focuses on the natural world and how humans interact with it, with a special emphasis placed on the topic of climate change. This is a significantly important book since it discusses a topic that almost no one appears to be talking about, but which will have a strong impact on our future.

It is not actually a book on the science behind climate change; rather, it focuses more on the approach to dealing with the enormous effect that climate change will have. Though the looming catastrophe is being fuelled by a scientific issue and necessitates a response based on scientific forecasts, I believe it is worthwhile to think about it within the framework of the popular science canon.

Despite its short length, this book packs a very considerable punch in its pages. The way Dharshana Bajaj is able to narrow down her thoughts and focus on what matters most is something I truly appreciate. This collection of email exchanges between a young girl and her grandfather emphasises the crux of the climate crisis, which is that we are swiftly running out of time to stop emitting greenhouse gases.

“Gaia’s Own: Every Child’s Guide To Living In Harmony With Nature” is both a meditation on the devastation we have brought upon ourselves and an impassioned call to action. For just as the world was brought to the brink of catastrophe within the span of a lifetime, the responsibility to avoid it now belongs to a single generation. This book is a passionate ode to reality, a strong encouragement to act decisively, and a tour de force authored by Dharshana Bajaj. It has been meticulously and comprehensively researched to ensure that it is accurate and interesting in equal measure. It is a really easy read, even for people who have no prior knowledge or interest in the area.