Home


Crowdfunding Countercurrents

Submission Policy

Popularise CC

Join News Letter

CounterSolutions

CounterImages

CounterVideos

Editor's Picks

Press Releases

Action Alert

Feed Burner

Read CC In Your
Own Language

Bradley Manning

India Burning

Mumbai Terror

Financial Crisis

Iraq

AfPak War

Peak Oil

Globalisation

Localism

Alternative Energy

Climate Change

US Imperialism

US Elections

Palestine

Latin America

Communalism

Gender/Feminism

Dalit

Humanrights

Economy

India-pakistan

Kashmir

Environment

Book Review

Gujarat Pogrom

Kandhamal Violence

Arts/Culture

India Elections

Archives

Links

About Us

Disclaimer

Fair Use Notice

Contact Us

Subscribe To Our
News Letter

Name:
E-mail:

Search Our Archive



Our Site

Web

 

 

 

 

A Birthday Bouquet

By Anitha S

10 February, 2014
Countercurrents.org

I am Nivedita. I had written to you a few months back about the Grandmother Tree- the 70 year old Rain tree in my city Thiruvananthapuram whose birthday we celebrated with cake and garlands. Today is my Birthday. I am sure you are all wondering what gifts I would have got. Let me tell about this live and colorful gift I got from my mother and friends.

My mother woke me up early and made me get ready for a walk- she said it is a Floral walk. Though I was not so happy to be woken up so early, the excitement of being part of a new thing made me eager to get ready. As we entered the Museum compound, we saw many friends standing under a tree and looking up. The faded lilac flowers of the tree was also on the ground. I was struck by the name – Tabebuia. This particular tree is called the Pink Trumpet. I first heard the term Exotic today which means it is not a native – this tree has its home in Central and South America. It is the National Tree of El Salvador. I thought of the National tree of India- the Banyan tree. There are many huge banyan trees in the city, especially near temples. Some places like Althara are known by the tree- Aal meaning Ficus tree. I held the pink trumpet flowers in my hand. Though with little fragrance they contain nectar that attracts humming birds in the country they come from. I wondered which birds visit this tree here- who would know?

We walked on to the Kankakunnu Palace nearby.Since I go to school everyday passing this place, I have seen the yellow Techoma in full bloom with flowers on the green grass. This is such a nice color combination. As we walked up we saw a large tree with spreading branches and globular red and yellow flowers. I picked some lying on the ground and touched its soft and fluffy form. It is called the Badminton Ball tree and belongs to West Africa. Also known as Locust Tree, the tree is popularly grown in gardens. I laughed a lot when an Uncle in the group showed how children used to remove part of the fluffy growth and draw a face and call it The Hippie flower. I was attracted to the delicate pink flowers of the Pink Cassia which is a relative of the Yellow Cassia which flowers most during April. We walked on to the base of a huge Tabebuia also in flower. Navaneeth was there with his grandmother- he is a real outdoor boy and goes off on his own.

We both were amazed by the spreading branches of the Pink Trumpet which had laid a floral carpet in its shade. Someone said that like the Walking fern, this tree has become a walking Tree gaining space and sinking its roots into the willing soil. The horizontal branches are so low that it made climbing and perching a pleasure. And I did just that. The early morning sun peeping through the branches removed the dew from the grass and the chill in the air. We could hear and see the Black kite hiding among the branches and tilting its neck. I swung my legs from the branches and looked up at the sky. It felt good to be out in the open on your birthday with trees and birds, flowers and seeds and people whom you love and who love you.

I knew we had one more tree to see in this walk.I learnt the word Endemic too – this means found only in a particular place and no where else in the world. I read recently that the Western Ghats is one such place that forms the backbone of Kerala. It is called the Biodiversity Hot spot as it is home to so many trees, plants, animals and birds along with being the source of monsoon and rivers. We walked to see the Indian Varnish Tree or Malabar marking nut that is endemic to Western Ghats. The flowers were so beautiful and attracts so many bees and wasps to it. A friend said that the shape of the flower is like an ear- stud. The leaves too had a special green color and texture. As we finished the walk and parted, I decided that I should look out for all trees in flower. The early morning chill and the heat of the day are good for some trees to flower. As if in answer to my decision, we saw the purple flowers of Jacaranda tree in full leafless bloom in the Raj Bhavan. My mother said that it is also flowering in the 155 year old CSI Church in Palayam. I hope the Governor gets out and walks the lawn where the flowers are strewn around- a violet carpet like the lilac one under the Trumpet tree. I was amazed to see yet another small tree in flower on the way- the Purple Bauhinia stretching its branches towards us.

I am so glad I woke up early today. I decided that eating at KFC or getting an expensive gift would not have given this free, happy joy. This bouquet of flowers- pink, lilac, red, yellow, violet and cream that Nature gave me also brought along with fragrance, color and joy. Is it not a nice way to start a birthday?

Anitha,S in conversation with Nivedita, Soumya, Navaneeth, Devaki, Suresh, Santhi, Jolly and Veena.
For details of Tree Walk, visit www.treewalk.in or face book Tree Walk- Thiruvanathapuram .

Photos- Siresh Elamon and Veena,M

 



 

Share on Tumblr

 

 


Comments are moderated