India, Dec. 5 -- On a lazy Sunday afternoon, while tending to the plants in my small garden, a cherished weekend ritual of self-care and reflection, my attention unexpectedly shifted to the soil. I realised that although I lovingly speak to my plants and nurture them with manure and compost, I rarely acknowledge the soil itself. I enrich it with fertilisers for the sake of the plants, not for the soil. I was focused solely on the outcome, forgetting the origin, the silent foundation that sustains life. That moment felt like an awakening. I've always known, and even taught others, that soil is a living resource, an underground reservoir of water, nutrients, and biodiversity, and the primary foundation of agriculture and ecosystems. Yet, in my own garden, I had taken it for granted. How could I forget petrichor, the earthy fragrance after rain that stirs nostalgia? The scent created by soil microorganisms releasing geosmin, mixed with plant oils and ozone, still transports me to carefree childhood days spent racing paper boats in rainwater streams and dancing in monsoon showers. My gaze then moved to the seemingly barren patch beneath a large tree, where nothing grows because of the dense canopy. At first glance, it appeared lifeless. But in reality, it is a miniature manure factory, storing dry fallen leaves and transforming them into nutrients. It may not support green grass on the surface, but beneath, it feeds and strengthens the tree's roots, a reminder that life thrives in unseen ways. Wherever we travel across the world, we carry the scent of our homeland's soil, an invisible thread binding us to our roots and culture. Rituals involving sacred soil are not just religious traditions; they symbolise humility and our physical and spiritual connection to Earth. Philosophically, soil also reminds us of our ultimate return to nature. Kabir expressed this beautifully: "Maati kahe kumhaar se, tu kya roudhe mohe; Ek din aisa aayega, main roudhungi tohe. (Says the clay to the potter, why do you knead and mould me? A day will come when I shall knead and mould you)." Another timeless couplet reinforces the truth: "Kaal paron thuin letha, upar jasmi ghaas; Aakhir iss maati mein hi, lena hai sabko aakaas (One day you will lie down in the soil, and grass will grow over you, ultimately all must return to the earth)". Yet today, rapid urbanisation, pollution, and reckless construction are degrading soil health at an alarming pace. Every year, December 5 is observed as World Soil Day, a reminder to safeguard this vital resource for sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, food security, and human well-being. Before it's too late, let's pause. Pick up a handful of soil. Feel its texture. Smell its fragrance. Recognise its life. Because, as Mahatma Gandhi wisely said: "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves."...