Aam baat

Yesterday I looked up at the mango tree - nobody told me not to look up. But normally I wouldn't as I will be lost in my not-happy thoughts. 

Yesterday I looked up and I noticed knot like structures at the end of many many branches. What on the heaven can these be. They are not flowers - or kastra as we call them. Not tiny fruits either. Not insect nests - they will be ugly.

Today all these have turned into beautiful buds. The tree is adorned with hundreds of buds. Aha, it is spring. No wonder the 'vasanta' makes all romantics into poets. And makes good 'old' people smile.  

 Everywhere on the roads, in the gardens the trees are shining with green light. Beaming with pride of their new undusted leaves. Not realizing that this shine, this color and this happiness is ephemeral. Within few days the ugly vehicles driven by us - ugly humans will spray dust, smoke and hatred on them. In a few more days when Bangalore will be burning in summer heat, these leaves will beg the earth - please give me a drop of water, pleeease.  

 But until then, let us - the ugly humans feast our eyes with this beautiful art presented to us by unselfish mother earth. 

 

10-March

Yes, Bangalore has become green, literally. Everywhere, the roads are adorned with nice fresh leaves, just like humans decorate for their festivals. 

And surprisingly the weather was cool, despite the bright sun. The cool breeze made me forget I am in summer.  Such a refreshing weather. If mother earth (and father sun) promises such a calming weather every morning, I will never dilly-dally or procrastinate my walk. 

And I happen to see a cashew tree and was surprised. Because, we urban folk like to buy fresh unadulterated fruits and vegetables, but never like to grow them. If we so much as have one millimeter of uncovered earth, we will have to deal with mud, soil - eeee. But we grow - try to grow, useless plant kind of things in pots which no one can eat.  

So when I saw a real tree - a cashew tree no less, I was pleasantly surprised. Bless their souls. And love their courage - for planting such a tree on the side of a busy road where kids of all ages walk and pluck the fruits without any guilt or shame. But again, do these Bangalore folk know about these cashew fruits?