Trees source of eternal pleasure and beauty - Morning walk vignettes.

Trees source of eternal pleasure and beauty - Morning walk vignettes.

After we returned from Delhi on 27 May 2020, Priti and I started our morning walk only by mid-June 2020. 

 Initially, we used to pass this tree almost every day without even noticing it. 

Tree on our morning walk route. 

Beginning of November we found some long-stemmed flowers lying on the ground under this tree. Priti called them ​बुचाची फुलं.​

(Buch बुच - in Marathi means stopper or cork. फुलं - is flowers) 

Long-stemmed cork Flowers. (​बुचाची फुलं) ​

The tree we are talking about is ​बुचाच झाड ​(Cork Tree) or commonly known as cork Tree, Tree Jasmine.

Regional names for this tree are Hindi - Akashneem, Chameli, Bengali - Akasneem, Marathi - Buch, Malli, Katmalli, Telugu - Kavuki, Tamil - Kat-malli, Kannada - Beratu, Oriya - Mach-mach. Its botanical name is Millingtonia hortensis

(Internet is such a wonderful aid, help and learning tool.) 

Seeing these flowers took both of us down our individual memory lanes.

We remembered that long time back when we were young, the long stems of these flowers with very nice fragrance were put to good use by the girls and married ladies. The long stems made it possible for them to weave a फुलाची वेणी ​( flower braid/plait) without using thread and needle. It was an excellent creative time pass which gave them great pleasure and was a matter of pride to put on a वेणी weaved without using any thread all by themselves. In her younger days, Priti also weaved a वेणी from बुचाची फुलं every time the trees flowered. (sotto voce - and strutted around)

 

I also remembered that I had to spend a long time helping to collect huge quantities of these flowers for two of my younger sisters who had to weave THREE braids, one each for themselves and the third one for our mother :-)

For quite some time now the tree is in full bloom. A large number of flowers are lying on the ground. Flowers which are not crushed and look fresh are collected by us and brought home. Nowadays Priti does not weave a वेणी, instead, she puts them in a small vase and displays them in our drawing-room.

Tree Jasmin flowers in our drawing-room.

​बुचाची फुलं. ​आमच्या  ड्राइंग रूम मधे 

These trees have given immense pleasure and happiness to our grandmothers, mothers and ladies our generation have also enjoyed them and weaved a braid from cork tree flowers.

Our children and grandchildren will probably never wave a brad of these flowers but they will positively enjoy the sight of a tree Jasmin in full bloom and its fragrance.

 

Indeed these Trees have always been and will always be a source of eternal beauty and pleasure. 

Tree Jasmin in full bloom.

Tree Jasmin in full bloom.

Saptiparni in full bloom next to it is added bonus.

Saptiparni in full bloom next to it is added bonus.

Happy Diwali.

Happy Diwali.

Quite a few of us collectively may have spent millions of rupees in Diwali festival sales on purchases from Amazon, Flipcart, Big Basket Big Bazar.

During my morning walk saw many, hopefully setting up shops at road crossings. They also have hope of celebrating a festive Diwali.

Our 5 to 10 K's worth of shopping may not make a dent in the total income of these big organisations. But a purchase of just 100 to 500 can make Diwali festive for these hopefuls.

Please patronise these street vendors this Diwali. Make it a Happy Diwali for them as well!

 

A wonderful start of the day.

 

Saptiparni in full bloom

A wonderful start of the day.

During my morning was saw this saptparni tree in full bloom.

It is not very often that I get to see these light green round ball-like flowers in such abundance. In fact, this sighting was after along long time.

Looked very beautiful and I thought to my self what a wonderful way to start a day.

Speak-up. Why keep quite - Morning Walk Vignettes.

Speak-up. Why keep quiet - Morning Walk Vignettes. 

I had thought of two titles for this post

Velankar impact - aka - Htiawada impact; or, 

Speak up why keep quite.

Finally decided for the latter.

not only during the morning walk but whenever we are out we see things which make us happy/ sad/ angry. 

I write about them in my blog. In the recent past, I have started copy-pasting blog content on FB as well. 

No one reads my blogs, but on FB, I at least get few likes :-) 

When I see the beautiful sunrise or boganvulliea flowers, I write about it.

When I see heaps of garbage or stray dogs and cows squatting on the road, I write about it. When I see slipshod work being done and public money being wasted, I write about it.

In the last category had written about cable obstruction in the newly constructed footpath. see it  here, 

A few days later I noticed that the obstructing cables were removed. I was jubilant. In my post titled "Velankar Impact" (here.) I took all the credit for righting a wrong. Which frankly speaking, I may have claimed wrongly or did not deserve.

In pre BC era** I had written about slipshod work being done by MSEDCL in my blog dated

15 Jan 20  to see and read the blog go here.

Today during my morning walk on the new route after almost 10 months, I noticed that all the 11/44 KVA high voltage cables which were lying above ground/improperly laid and posing danger and were potential accident spots were laid properly and are now underground. 

The slipshod work done earlier has been put right !!!

I will not claim credit, At the same time, it is also likely that someone who could have put things right, became aware of this problem due to my blog and put it right.

So what I want to say to my fellow Nagpurians and fellow Indians is this when you see something which makes you happy/ sad/ angry speak-up Do not keep quiet.

Even if the wrongs written by us are not put right at least the writing about it,  we would have 'let off the steam'. Believe me, it feels good. 

And if by chance we strike it lucky, may the wrongs may get put right due to our writings.

SO SPEAK UP. WHY KEEP QUIET.

Something good may come of it.

** Before Corona era.

THEN and NOW  Photos.

Then, 15 Jan 20

                                                                                                  Now, 11Oct 20.

                     Then, 15 Jan 20.

                                                                           Now, 11 Oct 20.

               Then, 15 Jan 20 

                                                                                                                 Now, 11Oct 20                         

              

Then, 15 Jan 20.

                                                                                 Now 11 Oct 20.       

My new Morning Walk Route.

 My new Morning Walk Route.

My new Morning Walk Route.

For many years Meteorological Department was butt of a joke because more often than not their forecasts about rains etc turned out to be wrong.

In recent years with advances in technology and availability of better forecasting tools, the situation has reversed. Now they are right more often than not

Meteorological Department has forecast harsh and severe winter this year.

It seems this forecast is going to be right.

Going by minimum temperatures for the last few days, harsh winter seems to have arrived with a bang. These are around 13 - 14 degrees C. I do not remember such low temperatures so early in Nagpur winters.

One fall out has been that Priti has stopped her morning walk and will now shift to evening walk. As I am on my own I have changed my morning walk route to a new extended one. It is about 5 Odd KMs.

Henceforth Morning Walk Vignettes will be based on my experiences along this route.

Showing my route in my google maps.

My new Morning Walk Route.

For many years Meteorological Department was butt of joke because more often than not their forecasts about rains etc turned out to be wrong. 

In recent years with advances in technology and availability of better forecasting tools the situation has reversed. Now they are right more often than not  :-) 

Meteorological Department has forecast harsh and severe winter this year.

It seems this forecast is going to be right. 

Going by minimum temperatures for the last few days, harsh winter seems to have arrived with a bang. These are around 13 - 14 degrees C. I do not remember such low temperatures so early in Nagpur winters.

One fall out has been that Priti has stopped her morning walk and will now shift to evening walk. As I am on my own I have changed my morning walk route to a new extended one. It is about 5 Odd KMs. 

 Henceforth Morning Walk Vignettes will be based on on my experiences along this route. 

Showing my route in my goggle maps.

Wish my 'THINKING' to be true - Morning walk vignettes.

Wish my THINKING turns out to be true - Morning walk vignettes.

My morning walk route has a pressure relief valve on the main water supply line which is perpetually leaking.

Valve in the main water supply line.

Yesterday what I saw made me pause and look around. What I saw was a stainless steel utensil of about 5 odd litres capacity kept under the leaking valve. It was full of potable water. I paused and looked around. At that early hour, all the food joints nearby were closed. No one seemed to be around.  No one seemed to be keeping an eye on that stainless steel utensil which must cost around 200 to 300 Rs.

Stainless steel vessel. Full of potable water. 

I for one believe that all humans are basically trustworthy and honest, something akin to theory Y of Professor McGregor. 

Due to this belief, I have been taken for a ride many times. Proved wrong too many times to my liking. 

I am stubborn by nature and won't let go of my basic beliefs. 

I have no idea why the owner of the stainless steel utensil left it unattended.

I would like to 'THINK'  that like me, he is also a believer and believes that basically, all are honest and trustworthy.

I wish my 'THINKING' turns out to be true.

OR

Maybe it is a wish that even God can not grant.

GOOD MORNING - Morning walk vignettes.

 GOOD MORNING.

what a wonderfull bracing walk with Priti at 14 degrees C.

The day is made when you see such beautiful sight.

Bogeanvilaue blooms, a red raising Sun and a short con-trail around 36000 ft.

(May have to zoom to see con-trail near top left corner)